2008 OPENING WEEKEND

The Latest Information : Opening weekend dates are October 11-12. CDFG has set the dates for the 2008 season.

Waterfowl hunt days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Good winter and spring precipitation has occured throughout the watershed which supplies the Refuge with its water. Habitat conditions are excellent at this time and we anticipate a full quota of 100 hunters for opening weekend.

Opening weekend for the 2008 season is set for October 11th & 12th. Bicycles are not allowed in the hunt area during the Junior waterfowl hunt or the opening weekend of the season.

We are planning on hosting a Junior waterfowl and pheasant hunt this year. See "Junior Hunts" for further information on application procedures and deadlines as a reference. The results of the Junior waterfowl hunt are posted with the general hunting statistics.

Lottery Drawing / Recreation User Fees

Through a lottery drawing of submitted applications, a special use permit is issued by the Refuge to hunters for the first Saturday and Sunday of the waterfowl hunting season. The random drawing occurs near the end of August.

To be part of the lottery drawing, applications must be recieved by August 15, 2008 and accompanied by a $3 fee per applicant. Applications can be downloaded and printed out from our website (see below), or if you do not have web or printer access you can call our office at 530.233.3572 and we will be happy to send one to you via fax or mail. If drawn in the lottery, each hunter is charged a $10 fee to hunt both days of the weekend (America the Beautiful, Golden Age or Golden Access cards pay half price). There is no fee for junior hunters (15 years and under). Only checks or money orders are accepted for fees. Please note that hunters may be named on one application only and may not apply for the Modoc Refuge hunt if they also apply for opening weekend hunts at Tulelake or Lower Klamath Refuges.

Hunters must have their special use permit, 2008 hunting license, State Duck/Federal Migratory Bird Stamps, HIP stamp, and photo ID in their possession at all times while hunting on the Refuge.

Opening Weekend Application

To be a part of the lottery drawing, applications must be recieved by August 15, 2008. There is also a $3 fee per applicant that should be sent in with the application. Only checks or money orders are accepted for fees. Applications should be mailed to:

Modoc NWR, Hunt Application, PO Box 1610, Alturas, CA 96101-1610

For an application to mail to the refuge, please click on this link and choose File, Print from the main menu:

Opening Weekend Application

Check-in and Shooting Times

Hunters must enter and exit the hunting area from the two designated hunt parking areas. All other access is prohibited, including dropping off of passengers or equipment outside of the designated hunt parking areas. The order of check-in at the North and South parking lots is based upon the order in which groups line up at the check-in tables. The Refuge does not allow any camping on Refuge property. Many hunters line up on Friday outside the parking lot gates along the side of County Road 115. In past years, the Modoc County Sheriff allows this to occur, but there are no guarantees.

Last year's times were:

Gates opened for check-in: 4:30 a.m.

Shooting began: 6:38 a.m.

Shooting ended: 6:39 p.m.

Gates closed: 7:45 p.m.

Authorized Conveyances

Access to the hunt area is by foot and non-motorized cart traffic only through designated parking areas. Any other form of conveyance is prohibited in the hunt area. Bicycles are not allowed in the hunt area during the opening weekend of the season. There are many graveled levees for hunters to use. To safely cross the South Fork of the Pit River, hunters should use either of the two bridges (Sharkey Dam or South Dam) or the hand ferry.

Blinds

There are three permanent, spaced blind sites from which to hunt. All of these blinds are ADA accessible. Disabled hunters wishing to use these blinds must provide proof of their disability to the refuge office prior to hunting. Proof may be submitted in person, by fax, or mail. Acceptable forms of proof are; DMV issued identification card bearing the name of the disabled person, or registration certificate for DMV issued disabled license plates. The ADA blinds may only be reserved by disabled hunters. Blinds may be reserved either through the opening weekend application process, or during the remainder of the hunt season by calling the Refuge office at least 24 hours in advance of the day you plan to hunt. Blinds not reserved will be available to all hunters on a first-come, first-served basis and are accessed from the North hunt parking area. To utilize a blind, hunters must park their vehicle in the numbered parking stall that corresponds to the number of the blind they are to use. Disabled hunters may use their vehicle to access the blind sites, but the vehicle must then be parked in the corresponding numbered parking spot at the Noth Hunt lot. No more than four persons may occupy a blind site and all hunters must remain within 50 feet of the established blind site sign. Temporary blinds may be constructed in the free-roam hunt area, but such blinds must be removed each day or left to be available for general use on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ammunition and Shell Limit

Hunters may only possess approved, nontoxic shot while in the Refuge hunt area. Hunters may not possess more than 25 shells after leaving the designated parking areas.

Prohibited Acts

No fires, camping or alcoholic beverages are allowed.

Personal Property

All decoys and other personal property must be removed from the Refuge at the close of each hunt day through the two designated hunt parking areas. Guns must be unloaded in parking areas at all times.

Safety

The hunt area portion of the Refuge contains a variety of habitats including rough, uneven terrain, deep waters, dense stands of tules, wet meadows and ditches. Rainfall and snow can make roads and fields muddy and slippery, making them more difficult to negotiate. Hunting difficulty varies by area and hunters should examine their own abilities and limitations before using the Refuge. Persons with disabilities should hunt with a partner and consult with the Refuge manager for suggestions on hunting the area safely. Injuries or accidents occurring on the Refuge must be reported immediately to Refuge headquarters.

For more information contact Modoc National Wildlife Refuge at:

PO Box 1610, Alturas, CA 96101-1610

530.233.3572 (phone)

530.233.4143 (fax)