Waterfowl season opens

The statewide waterfowl season opens today. The hard-core duck hunters out there spent opening morning in their favorite blind using calls and decoys, jump-shooting along small ponds or creeks, or pass-shooting as the birds flew within range. All three methods are sporting and a challenge.

Three public waterfowl hunting areas exist in the Mat-Su. Arguably the favorite is the Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge. Eastside access is off the frontage road along the Glenn Highway, just south of the Parks Highway intersection. Access to the western end is off Fairview Loop and Hayfield Road. The second very popular site is the Goose Bay State Game Refuge, located at the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road on Pt. MacKenzie.

The third is the Susitna Flats State Game Refuge, which includes the entire lower Little Susitna and Big Susitna Rivers on Pt. MacKenzie. The main road access to this refuge is through the Little Susitna Public Use Facility, also known as Burma Landing.

Many hunters access the southern end of Susitna Flats Refuge by crossing Cook Inlet from Anchorage and hunting the mudflats between the Susitna and Little Susitna rivers. While hunters can easily drive to both the Hay Flats and Goose Bay and walk in to hunt, they will need a boat to access the hunting areas in Susitna Flats. Road access, boundaries and the topographic features of these areas can be found on maps of the Big Lake and Pt. MacKenzie areas and Matanuska Valley Road and Recreation, published by Todd Communications and available in stores all across the Valley.

I have hunted both the Hay Flats and Goose Bay with limited success. I usually go when the numbers of hunters are fewest -- that means skipping opening day and weekends. Why do I avoid perhaps the single best hunting day opening morning of the season? First, I'm not a fan of crowds. Second, I believe in following the rules. There is always someone that can't wait for legal shooting times who starts blasting away before even clearly seeing the ducks. And there are the few who think their shotguns have a range of miles instead of yards and start "sky-busting" at any duck they see.

Don't misunderstand; probably 99.5 percent of the folks who hunt waterfowl are ethical, law-abiding and responsible hunters. They bought the required state hunting license and federal and state duck stamps, whose proceeds benefit the acquisition of wetlands and the study and management of the waterfowl populations. They have invested time, money and effort in owning and training retrieving dogs to recover dead and crippled birds.

They use the more expensive, lead-free shotgun shells mandated by the agencies overseeing the health of the waterfowl populations nationwide. They practiced with their shotguns to assure personal proficiency in avoiding crippling shots and wounded birds. They learned to identify the different species of waterfowl they might encounter. They also learned the difference in coloration between the males and females within a species to allow an even more selective harvest of birds. And they learned the regulations.

The few who won't wait for legal times, persist in taking shots at birds well out of shotgun range, and ignore the concept of a bag limit are not hunters in any sense of the word. They are greedy criminals attempting to steal a wildlife resource from the citizens of the state, both those who legally hunt and those who prefer to simply watch.

Anyone encountering one of these criminals should get a good physical description of the person and the license number of their vehicle, then call the nearest Fish and Wildlife Protection office or Alaska Fish and Wildlife Safeguard at 1-800-478-3377.

Waterfowl hunting has a magical quality uniquely its own -- something a person needs to experience to fully appreciate. Anyone who decides to try hunting ducks should learn and follow the rules. The experience will be appreciated more and everyone will have a better outing because of the effort.