Johnson/Debay's Slough in Skagit County

[coyotemadness]

Has anyone ever hunted this area? I checked it out last week but the reserve boundry is a little confusing. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[PatoLoco]

The reserve boundaries as stated in the regs are very confusing, especially if unfamiliar with the site. The huntable area is basically north of the parking lot that is on Francis Rd. and east of the slough. Most folks hunt the fields, especially when planted in barley. I've also seen people hunting the slough and pond on the northwest corner of the second field in. DFW safety zoned the whole first field and swale with alders in it last year as people were raining shot down on the house nearby. This seems to be a popular spot with a few locals but gets crazy when the birds want in there. Must have been 15 or 20 trucks there last year when it was hot, all of the guys surrounding the second field, dogs everywhere, shots every few minutes, and still ducks were coming in. It'll be interesting to see if that happens again this year as that field is in potatoes, not barley like last year.
You should stop by the DFW office on Wylie Rd. on Fir Island and ask for a map or explanation on the reserve boundaries.

[Otto1]

Hey PatoLoco,,

welcome to the site...... Just curious, do I pick sweet corn from your field???

[tank]

 Otto1 read new waterfowler
tank

[coyotemadness]

Thanks. I was hoping it wasnt a busy place but sounds like I'll will be dodging shot again this year.

[Blacktail135]

PatoLoco is spot on. I live less than a mile from there and after 28 year's of waterfowling in the area, hunted it for the first time last year for 5 consecutive day's. The first couple of day's few people. After that ya' really had to watch where the other shooter's were aiming so that you could lower your eye's to keep from getting a pellet in there. Got "rained" on quite a bit. Probably won't be back. Too many people. I will say, if hunter's shot at the bird's working their spread instead of sky-busting it could be civil, thou still crowded. I did limit all 5 day's within 2-4 hour's. Not sure if the spud's are gonna be turned for the bird's or harvested for market. Hopefully they'll go to market. Most of the island is in spud's also. Sure met some "dandie's" out there last year.   

[PatoLoco]

It is my understanding that all the spuds are going to be harvested. That being said, there are always some that don't get picked up by the digger and/or some rows that the digger might miss on the edge of the fields, so hopefully after a freeze or two they'll be found by the ducks. You guys around here remember toward the middle and end of last season all the ducks feeding in the harvested potato fields around the county? It's no barley, but I guess you get what you can.