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Area 4 Bird information
As more and more information is added to each individual county's information, we will dedicate full pages to them.
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Whatcom County
2006 Harvest = (Ducks - 29898) (Geese - 1461) (Pheasants - 4011) (Grouse - 1418) (Quail - 37)
Lake Terrell Wildlife Area
Location: Driving north on I-5 from Bellingham, take exit 262 (Ferndale) heading west. Follow the main road through town heading west on Mountain View road about 4 miles to Lake Terrell Road. Turn right and follow the road into the wildlife area near the boat launch. Go through the gate and follow this road about ½ mile to the designated parking area on the right.
What: Ducks and Geese
How: The lake has many boat-in only blinds around the edges.
Lake Tennant Wildlife Area
Location: From I-5 exit 262 head west on Main Street .5 miles. Turn left on Hovander Drive .1 mile to Nielsen Ave. Turn right onto Nielsen Ave .8 mile to the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center, 5236 Nielsen Ave, Ferndale
What: Ducks and Geese
How: Three blinds on the edge of Tennant Lake are available for use and accessible by a slough just south of the parking area. Waterfowl hunting on the lake is from blinds only. The blinds are occupied on a first come, first served basis and must be occupied after signing in. Accessing the lake by small boat/canoe is difficult, at best. You will need to travel the slough and under a couple of footbridges to actually get to the lake. Best bet is a mid week or evening hunt on this lake as the blinds fill up fast.
Nooksak Unit Area
Location: Just South of Tennant Lake
What: Ducks and Geese
How: eight hunting/wildlife viewing blinds are available for use on the Nooksack Unit.
Skagit County
2006 Harvest = (Ducks - 52855) (Geese - 3494) (Pheasants - 2278) (Grouse - 3385) (Quail - 206)
Johnson/Debay Reserve
Location: Francis Road between Mount Vernon and Clear Lake.
What : Ducks
How: About 180 acres with active crop rotations in the fields. Some pre-made blinds are available about half way up the dike on the left hand side. Area buts up against the reserve. Catch ducks as they are coming out of the reserve to go to the Skagit or other fields.
Welts Property
Location : Samish Island Rd and Bayiew Edison Road
What: Ducks
How: Very popular field set up built by the WDFW and DU. There are a dozen or so shallow ponds built amongst drainage dikes. The WDFW plants corn and barley in the fields. Ducks will trade between Padilla bay and Samish bay. You can set up in one of the individual ponds or get up on the dike that holds Padilla bay out and pass shoot. It is possible to set up in the bay itself, but, be wary of tides!!! There are also old pilings past the dike that some people have set up deep water sets and hunted out of boats. You will see tens of thousands of ducks sitting on the water in Padilla bay.
Sand Islands
Location: You need a boat. Underneath the Swinomish channel bridge of HWY 20 between Burlington and Anacortes. There is a boat launch here. Directly Northwest of the boat launch are a series of Sand Islands.
What: Ducks and Brant
How: Be careful of tides. Hunt the leeward sides of the islands. The nastier the weather, the better. Chances are there will be tens of thousands of ducks rafting out on Padilla Bay. Set up on or near the islands with a grass pattern on your boat.
Jensen Access
Location: At the junction of Fir Island Rd and Maupin Road
What: Ducks and Geese
How: There is a dike access hunt. To the South and to the North are private lands. Do not trespass! During high tide, you can hunt along the dike in the driftwood and pass shoot or perhaps shoot a few who come in to small decoy spreads. On low tide, the first 100 yrds or so is muck that you need to be careful of. Use your decoy bag as ballast to keep you above the mud. Once you get past the mud, you will get into sand and will be able to walk out into the bay for close to a half a mile with it never getting very deep. Most hunters will throw out a couple of dekes to interest passing ducks. Most of the shooting will be like this. If there is any driftwood or stumps present from recent storms, use these as a hide. The ducks will never notice you. Be very aware of the tides. The tidal change can be as much as 10 feet here. Be careful.
North Fork Access
Location: Rawlins Road off of Fir Island Road. There are two access points, by boat up river a bit before the bridge or by boot at the parking lot at the end of the road.
What: Ducks and Geese
How: This is a substantial salt water marsh that offers a decent shot at ducks. You can either hunt the marsh itself or get out in the bay and hunt up against stumps or driftwood. Be very careful of tides in this unit. Saltwater marshes are impossible to walk through when the tide is up. Use your decoy bag as a way to keep yourself above the muck. Lots of pass shooting and some decoying singles will come in.
Headquarters Access
Location: Fir Island Rd to Hoag Road. Follow it till it ends
What: Ducks and Pheasants
How: There is some boot only access here, but most of the area north of the river is a pheasant release site. Youll need a boat for the rest. You can follow the river out into the bay and set up near a log or stump. You can also, get out into the bay and hunt the tideland fringes with its numerous jetties and canals. Or you simply cross the river and boot it into the little island across from the boat launch. Most of your shooting will be pass shooting. Decoys are used to build confidence and perhaps get birds to come down lower. Be very aware of the tides. If your boat gets stuck on dry land youre stuck until the next high tide. Attention: WDFW alert July 7, 2008 Starting today, the 175-acre Headquarters Unit of the Skagit Wildlife Area will be closed to public access as work crews begin clearing land for a major estuary-restoration project at the mouth of the Skagit River.
The closed area includes the public boat ramp and the dike-top trails along the Skagit River and Wiley Slough.
For more information on the Wiley Slough restoration project, see WDFW's report to the 2008 Legislature at http://www.goskagit.com/pdf/wiley_slough_wg_report.pdf . Questions can also be directed to the WDFW Region 4 Office at (425) 775-1311.
San Juan County
2006 Harvest = (Ducks - 2924) (Geese - 146) (Pheasants - 0) (Grouse - 0) (Quail - 94)
According to the Department of Natural Resources, a very large majority of the islands in the San Juans have public tidelands. There are a ton of areas to hunt both migratory birds and resident wildfowl.
Check out the public lands information here WA DNR MAPS do not trespass!
Island County
2006 Harvest = (Ducks - 7049) (Geese - 226) (Pheasants - 1600) (Grouse - 99) (Quail - 28)
Davis Slough Access
Location: On the bridge going on to Camano Island.
What: Ducks and Geese
How: Good parking exists here. You are actually parking on Leque Island. Go either North or South and hunt the slough. It is very helpful to have a dog here if you are hunting from shore. There will be a lot of pass shooting from ducks trading between Skagit bay and Port Susan bay.
Smith Farm Pheasant Release Access
Location: On the bridge going on to Camano Island.
What: Pheasants
How: Watch the WDFW web site for release information
Seaplane Base
Location: NorthEast of Oak Harbor on Crescent harbor Road
What: Pheasants
How: Watch the WDFW web site for release information
Arnold Farm
Location: Zylstra and Arnold Rd. South of Oak Harbor just west of Hwy 20.
What: Pheasants
How: Watch the WDFW web site for release information
Ebey Prairie Area
Location Off of Ferry Road out towards Fort Casey West of Coupeville
What: Pheasants
How: Watch the WDFW web site for release information
OLF Coupeville
Location: On Patmore Rd Between Fort Casey Rd and Hwy 20
What: Pheasants
How: Watch the WDFW web site for release information
Bayview Release Site
Location: Off Bayview Road South of Freeland Near Gablein/Becker Rd.
What: Pheasants
How: .5 acre site. Watch the WDFW web site for release information
Snohomish County
2006 Harvest = (Ducks - 26656) (Geese - 1787) (Pheasants - 2347) (Grouse - 2813) (Quail - 84)
Big Ditch Access
Location : Off of old Hwy 99 between Conway and Stanwood. There are two access points. One up North towards the Headquarters area and one further south before you get onto 102nd Ave NW.
What: Ducks and Geese
How: These are boot in areas which allow you to pass shoot along the slough. The bay is quite filled with muck so be careful.
Crescent Lake Access
Location : Between Duvall and Monroe on 203. Turn at the State Reformatory Farm #2 and travel west on High Bridge Road.
What: Ducks, Pheasants and Geese
How: 380 Acres. Big Fields for pheasant releases. There are also scattered ponds throughout the unit. Once the November rains begin and the Snoqualmie begins to flood, this area is can provide quite a bit of area to hunt ducks.
King County
2006 Harvest = (Ducks - 8909) (Geese - 392) (Pheasants - 2006) (Grouse - 1442) (Quail - 0)
Cherry Valley Access
Location : Going south on SR-203 from Monroe, drive about 1 mile south of the Snohomish/King County line and watch for the wildlife area on your left. Turn into the parking area and go through the gate. Follow the primitive service road (closed to unauthorized vehicles) out of the parking lot about 200 yards to a left turn, then go about 100 yards to the drop-off area next to the blind on the right.
What: Ducks, Pheasants and Geese
How: There are around a dozen or so man made ponds in this unit. When the Snoqualmie River runs high. This hunting area will be inaccessible.
Stillwater Unit Access
Location : On State Hwy 203 North of Carnation
What: Ducks, Pheasants and Geese
How: 300 Acres There are scattered ponds throughout the unit. Once the November rains begin and the Snoqualmie begins to flood, this area is can provide quite a bit of area to hunt ducks.