Nisqually Delta Waterfowl Hunting

[ASHQUACK]

WDFW has once again done everything they can to deter hunting in another popular area that was almost completely funded by the hunters of this state. They continue to make once popular public hunting spots into "salmon recovery" mud flats that are impossible to hunt if you do not have a boat. Where are they going to replace that quality of hunting areas? THEY AREN'T!!! They have no intentions of replacing it ever.

[Glockster]

We've had the same "restoration'...destruction of once good public waterfowling occur in the N.Sound with Leque Island, Skagit Headquarters, and soon Farmed Island segments. 

The responses you've gotten from DU and WDFW are eerily similar to the ones we got.....'ducks once used the Puget Sound's natural estuaries in huge numbers.  w're restoring it to that stage before it was 'destroyed', you can still hunt it with boats, blah blah blah.

When it comes to your 25yrs of experience observation as a hunter on the Nisqually , you somehow don't know what you're talking about in their opinion.

I find their 90% widgeon on the salt statistic laughable.  They bounce back and forth from salt to fresh water habitats multiple times a day. 

[singleshot12]

These areas were once great pheasant release sites also and were all planted annually with wheat,barley or corn which kept alot of ducks around. These areas paid for by the hunter were suppose to remain open for public walk in hunting.  Maybe WDFW is working for the tribes after all. I think we've been screwed big time..

[Glockster]

They told us that barley, corn was junk food for ducks! 

They told us that "moist soil management" would hold more ducks and produce better hunting.

They told us that they would *try* to find replacement walk in hunting opportunities


~ Among other lies

[singleshot12]

Well they aren't going to trick me into buying my license and stamps next year!

[BigGoonTuna]

Good for you Sako, and I hope all your efforts do some good!.

This is my short  on this disturbing subject
I wonder if all these salmon restoration projects are going to create more salmon for the tribes? I doubt it!  These restoration projects are happening all over. Hundred plus year old dikes being torn down, farm land flooded, saltwater intrusion into the aquifers etc. It is a waste and a serious mistake for wildlife and hunting.

they're just restoring it to what it once was.  i can't see it hurting anything, other than turning a freshwater marsh into a salt marsh.  farm land flooding and salt water intrusion?  there's new dikes that are set back to keep the salt water out of the rest of the refuge.

i think your concerns might be a little unfounded.

You're entitled to your opinion BigGoonTuna but I've spent 25 years hunting the Nisqually Delta and the facts still stand. Don't post your opinion based your I-5 view. Spend some time out there and tell me if you see any ducks.

i had a couple excellent days out there so far this year.  lots of birds flying all over.

[singleshot12]

Yeah the bird watchers have had a great year watching the sea gulls, herons, and cormorants  

[blackbart]

If WDFW was going to replace land lost to these projects now would be a good time. Property values are lower than they've been in years and there are numerous farms and properties for sale that could be developed into good opportunities for walk in hunting. Of course with all the changes gregoir and company are making now, it will never happen. The lines between the general fund and everything else will continue to shrink and our $$ will go where they want, and not where it should go.

[sakoshooter]

The Nisqually delta never was a 'walk in' area. It's always been a 'boat in' area and has become a 'big' boat area now as even with the prevailing winds from the SW, with no dikes anymore, it's big water and with a high tide and a little wind can become dangerous quick. North wind, better not even try to launch. Two duck hunters learned this the hard way a couple weeks ago and lived to tell.
I really don't have a problem with it being boat in only, it's just become an area revolving around salmon now not waterfowl and especially not waterfowl hunters. Before it became 'big water', it held puddle ducks all day long and in any tide plus there was a lot of food available prior to the influx of the salt water. Over time, salt water plants will grow but I do not know of any ducks off the top of my head that eat salt water plants.