Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: septemberfan on October 09, 2015, 05:52:00 PM

Title: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: septemberfan on October 09, 2015, 05:52:00 PM
Ridgefield draws out today. Anybody else get picked for dates they didn't put in for? Out of all three in our group we got picked for dates none of us put in for.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: pentale on October 09, 2015, 07:56:55 PM
I don't have a list of the dates I put in, so I'm not certain.

I spoke with someone at the refuge office Friday morning, the 9th of October, because the picks were supposed to be done on the 6th. She said there was a glitch during the last two days of the registration period and that many people could not make their picks. So they extended the registration date by two days and pushed the draw date back two days, to the 8th. But the draw was not made on the 8th, a symptom of the previous glitch. She said the company that manages the new online system was entering the some of the dates in by hand to "make it right" and would then do the draw. So it would not surprise me if the whole thing is messed up.

I put in for the max of 30 and I only got one of them. And my buddies each got only one for the year. Last year we each would get 1-2 dates for each of the three sessions, a total of 3-6 dates for the year. For the McNary draw we each usually at least 2-3 dates. So 1 for the whole year is a bummer, especially at a total of $1 a pick. I'm paying $30 just for the right to show up and pay another fee to use the blind. Sigh...

Looks like I'll get to do more scouting this year. And boat shopping.  :tup:

Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 09, 2015, 10:38:15 PM
I got 1 pick for Nov 7.

Opening day of elk. I have a Toutle any bull tag.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: septemberfan on October 09, 2015, 11:54:59 PM
I looked at the receipt that we could link to off our original confirmation email. It looks like they put all my selections on the same date? Of course it's not a date I selected. I can only hunt weekends and picked only saturdays. Same with two of my other partners both got picked for Tuesday when they only submitted Saturday dates.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Copperwood on October 10, 2015, 12:39:28 AM
Myself and two other buddies got drawn for days they did not put in for. I called as well and said they had problems so I'm curious if that was the issue.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: goosegunner on October 10, 2015, 10:44:22 AM
It sounds like we all need to be calling the refuge and complaining. 2 of my hunting buddies are teachers who only put in for weekends and they both got weekday draws that they didn't apply for. Both of there kids got weekday draws to. I think there was a major screw up.

  My son and I each got 1 draw and of course there on the same day, go figure. I also find it surprising that almost everyone I have talked to only got 1 draw. We always got 1-2 draws per session the old way.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 11, 2015, 02:15:17 PM
I got a pic on a day I know I didn't put in for. I almost always have clients on the weekends. That and I can hunt weekdays. But I drew a pic the day after Christmas. I would never put in for that.

I went from getting 3 picks a year to one I can't use and wouldn't have put in for. I'm probably done with the NWR at this point.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: hitman2 on October 12, 2015, 05:41:11 AM
My son and I got one pick each. One the day before Christmas and one the day after. I know that we did not put in for those days, we will be out of state at that time with family for Christmas.
should have used the 60$ for gas to go scouting.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: septemberfan on October 12, 2015, 04:00:40 PM
Tried calling the refuge today got no answer. I haven't talked to anyone who got more than one pick.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Bunny Thumper on October 12, 2015, 08:55:38 PM
Spent 45 dollars on picks for myself and my two boys and we got one pick each, on weekdays that we did not put in for, that we cannot hunt. Complete waste of money, I would like a refund but I know that won't happen.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: pentale on October 13, 2015, 09:49:35 AM
I spoke with someone at the NWR office this morning and she said there are aware of the problems and that the vendor they hired to do the draw is working to fix them. Here is what I got from the conversation, but like all unofficial comments we won't know until we know.

1. Wrong Dates - She said they are going to REDO the draw. Yep. They are aware and people should receive an email today or tomorrow from the vendor explaining what happened and new dates will follow soon after.

2. Only One Date - The vendor not only ran the wrong data, they ran only about half of the season. Therefore when they run the draw again they will try to get all the dates.

Finally, she wanted to convey they are very sorry about the problems.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: ATM green head machine on October 13, 2015, 09:58:26 AM
I spoke with someone at the NWR office this morning and she said there are aware of the problems and that the vendor they hired to do the draw is working to fix them. Here is what I got from the conversation, but like all unofficial comments we won't know until we know.

1. Wrong Dates - She said they are going to REDO the draw. Yep. They are aware and people should receive an email today or tomorrow from the vendor explaining what happened and new dates will follow soon after.

2. Only One Date - The vendor not only ran the wrong data, they ran only about half of the season. Therefore when they run the draw again they will try to get all the dates.

Finally, she wanted to convey they are very sorry about the problems.

So are you telling me i'm losing my #2 pick i was gonna get to take a day off of school for?  :cryriver: :bash:
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: pentale on October 13, 2015, 10:20:36 AM
So are you telling me i'm losing my #2 pick i was gonna get to take a day off of school for?  :cryriver: :bash:

Looks possible, but ...  :dunno:

It's hard to say how they are going to fix this without half the folks being pissed off. And, if they do change all the dates, I don't envy the volunteers manning the check station when two people show up with the same picks.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: goosegunner on October 13, 2015, 10:47:43 AM
Either way there's  gonna be ticked off people. Guys who drew hunts they never applied for and obviously the guys who are excited about the picks they drew and will possibly loose them. There was a  mistake and it needs to be fixed.

 Also does anyone know if the 15 possible draws do to the low water,  is for the opener only or the whole season?
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: ATM green head machine on October 13, 2015, 11:44:51 AM
Either way there's  gonna be ticked off people. Guys who drew hunts they never applied for and obviously the guys who are excited about the picks they drew and will possibly loose them. There was a  mistake and it needs to be fixed.

 Also does anyone know if the 15 possible draws do to the low water,  is for the opener only or the whole season?
The 15 draws is due to low water.  :bash:
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: septemberfan on October 13, 2015, 01:40:32 PM
The web page where you check your draw status now says the draw has not been done yet.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 13, 2015, 06:36:47 PM
It says I have two picks now.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 13, 2015, 07:13:22 PM
I got an email saying,
I got nov 7, again, #2 pick instead of #10.

What is the website to check the draw? Please.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 13, 2015, 09:38:48 PM
Some people got emails that said the first date is invalid.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: hitman2 on October 14, 2015, 05:09:38 AM
OK!!! So now I get the emails saying that Dec. 26 the day I had draw 12 I now have draw 2. MY son who had draw 10 on Dec.24 now has draw 12 on Oct.31
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: septemberfan on October 14, 2015, 08:43:21 AM
https://secure.kinsail.com/partners/permit_lookup.asp?p=ridge&pt=fws
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: septemberfan on October 14, 2015, 08:47:05 AM
Still not sure it's fixed totally. But at this point I guess we get what we get.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: ATM green head machine on October 14, 2015, 11:09:03 AM
i got january 23rd 6th pick
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 14, 2015, 09:43:04 PM
Lol at least on the redraw I got a date I put in for.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 18, 2015, 05:59:32 PM
Talked to Josie at Ridgefield opening day.

Seems they are issing full refunds to everyone and drawing again for Dec and Jan.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 18, 2015, 11:28:32 PM
Good luck with that.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: goosegunner on October 19, 2015, 10:48:08 AM
That draw was so messed up. She also said that there are lots of days that didn't even get filled up. So there should be lots of openings for standby hunter. She did say they were gonna issue more draws. So I wonder if that means my December draws I have now will be invalid if they redraw for dec/jan
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: pentale on October 19, 2015, 04:33:44 PM
Here's a suggestion: Refund the money, invalidate all the draws and make it entirely standby this season. (I'm not biased, really I'm not!)
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 19, 2015, 06:49:45 PM

Here's a suggestion: Refund the money, invalidate all the draws and make it entirely standby this season. (I'm not biased, really I'm not!)
I wouldn't hunt down there with out a draw. Too many of the blinds this year are messed up.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 19, 2015, 10:55:28 PM
She did say a full refund for everyone. The draws that happened on the 13th will remain valid.
There were only 3 blinds closed to water levels.

Blind 7 will be closed for about half the season because of wetland restoration. Too many invasive plants. The birds weren't using that area much.

Blind 4 , will need water but it should produce in the new location. It is on the outer flyway, next to the dike. Good decoy spreads should produce.

Tealer---which blinds were you referring to?
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: goosegunner on October 20, 2015, 10:40:52 AM
I heard 4 may be closed down for awhile. I guess it was knee deep mud trying to get to the blind. It needs time to firm up and vegatation to start.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: pentale on October 20, 2015, 11:21:58 AM
It looked like 6 might have been tilled up, too.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: goosegunner on October 20, 2015, 04:38:16 PM
Ya they did some tilling and scraping on #6. Not sure how that's gonna turn out. I liked it the way it was.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 20, 2015, 07:43:39 PM
We get more water, those may improve.

Refuge guy said it could be spring before we get good growth.
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Tealer on October 21, 2015, 12:06:30 PM
The above mentioned blinds were the ones I was referring to. I know they tilled 3 blinds this summer.


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Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: curtdiesel on October 28, 2015, 05:05:31 PM
I drew Pick #2 on Oct. 29th on Oct. 9th and lost it because of the bad draw.  It was a day I did not put in for.

I drew Pick #13 on Nov. 21st one of the days I did put in for on Oct. 13th.

I took and passed my Goose ID test.  I have never hunting the west side before.  I have to go pay ~$13 to get my special goose permit now correct?  I will be watching the hunting results.  Any info that anyone could give me on good blind numbers would be much appreciated.

Curt
Title: Re: Ridgefield blind draws
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 28, 2015, 10:49:08 PM
Yeh you have to pay 13 for the card.
They call it a Mig. Bird Permit.  Now there is the state mig. bird permit and the goose one has the same name. Make sure you get the goose one.

The  blind performance is listed on the website under hunter info.
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