2020 / 2021 Waterfowl Hunt Season

General Rules

“RESERVATION ONLY” hunts for the general public will be conducted on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is a random drawing. Seven blinds total will be drawn. ALL successful drawn applications will be sent a reservation confirmation postcard via U.S. Mail.  Blind pick will be conducted the morning of the drawn hunt in order of the assigned pick number on the reservation confirmation postcard, except disabled blind which is pre-assigned. No sweat lines.

Check Station

The Service is following federal, state, and local public safety guidelines to provide continued access to recreational opportunities on public lands. Any entry onto Service property during this period is at the visitor’s sole risk. Check station will conduct hunter check-in outside of the building, and each hunting party must wait in the parking area until called up for blind pick. When visiting Stone Lakes NWR, please ensure public health and safety by following guidance from the CDC, state and local public health authorities. All persons during check-in and check-out must adhere to Sacramento County health and safety guidelines.

All hunters must present a valid CA hunting license and appropriate stamps at the check station; Type A pass is not required. All hunters must check-in and check-out at the check station and report hunting results. Check-in time to claim reserved pick status is 5:00 a.m.  Shoot time ends at 12:00 p.m. (noon), and all hunters must have checked back in by 1:00 p.m.

Youth hunters get first pick on Saturdays. All licensed hunters in a blind may participate in hunt (exceptions for 'Youth Blind', 'Youth Only Hunt' and 'Veterans Only Hunt' in the post season hunt; see details below). Unlicensed hunters may accompany a licensed hunter but may not hunt. An unlicensed hunter counts as a 'person' in the blind just as a licensed hunter. Licenses and stamps are NOT sold at the check station or refuge headquarters.

This is a small, high quality hunt that offers well spaced blinds and an opportunity to enjoy a normally restricted area with a natural lake and restored riparian and wetland setting. Unsportsman-like, unsafe or illegal conduct will not be tolerated and may result in loss of hunting privileges to this area. 

NO waiting line ("backfill / sweatline"). NO prior access to hunt area; area is closed to general public. Please do not ask for access; requests will be refused and you may or will be cited for trespassing in a closed area.  

DFW Regulations, Licenses, & Additional Hunt Rules
  
Licenses and stamps are NOT sold at the check station or refuge headquarters! Please use the California Department of Fish & Wildlife website to locate where to purchase your license and stamps. All State regulations apply to Refuge hunts.

• California Department of Fish & Wildlife Regulations
  
  
• DFW License Information and Sales
  
  
• Additional Hunt Rules for Stone Lakes NWR

Blinds

All licensed hunters in a blind may participate in hunt (exceptions for 'Youth Blind', 'Youth Only Hunt', and 'Veterans Only Hunt' in the post season hunt; see details below). All hunters must hunt from blinds; NO free-roam. Blinds consist of either a concrete pit blind or a platform blind. Chest waders are needed to get to blinds. Please see links below for blind conditions and locations. Only overall running season averages will be posted; individual blind averages will NOT be posted. Hunters are responsible for bringing additional camouflage as available natural cover may be limited at individual blinds, or 'brushing' may deteriorate as the season progresses. 

• Season Averages
  
• Blind Conditions
  
• Sun River Hunt Blind Map ^{(2.7 MB PDF)}

Applicants may apply for ONE of the three blind options per hunt day:

General Blind

• 2-person
• 6 blinds Wednesday; 6 blinds Saturday
• Only hunters 16 or older with a general license may apply
• Blinds are up to 2 persons total: Either two hunters, OR, one hunter and one non-shooting guest, regardless of age, may be in the blind. Only 2 persons total are allowed in the general blind.

 One Disabled blind Wednesday; One Youth blind Saturday;
Six General blinds both Wednesday and Saturday

Application Procedure

All applications must be sent through the U.S. Mail. This is a non-fee hunt. All applications for all blinds must use the FWS Form 3-2439 (see below) printed on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of regular #20 typing paper.  Faxes, letters, emails, and postcards will NOT be accepted and will be disqualified from the drawing.

Applicants may only apply once per hunt day. Multiple applications for the same hunt date, or multiple applications for more than one blind type for the same hunt date, will disqualify the hunter from that seasons drawings. No fee required to submit applications. We appreciate when applications are submitted all together in one large envelope with proper postage (helps us with filing and saves you postage!). No drop-offs.

Applications MUST be received on or before the appropriate application due date as listed below. Hunt days for Youth blind is Saturday and Disabled blind is Wednesday. Youth hunter gets first pick on Saturday. Disabled blind is pre-assigned.

Please do not call about draws! We receive numerous applications and you have less than 1% chance of being drawn. All successful applicants will be selected by a random drawing and notified via reservation postcard at least ten days prior to hunt. Reservations are non-transferable and the selected applicant must be present and participating in the hunt.  As per policy, successful applicants will not be posted on the website, and general staff answering phones do not have the reservation list. If you cannot attend your hunt day, we kindly request notification via email of your cancellation so we may refill that draw. Repeat "no-shows" that do not cancel prior to hunt date will be eliminated from drawings.  For questions or to cancel your drawn reservation, email: stonelakes@fws.gov

Application Forms

A separate application must be printed, filled out and submitted via U.S. mail for EACH hunt date! You will only be entered in the drawing for the 1st date indicated on each application. Applicants may only apply once per hunt day. Multiple applications for the same hunt date, or multiple applications for more than one blind type for the same hunt date, will disqualify the hunter from that seasons drawings. No fee required to submit applications. We appreciate when applications are submitted all together in one large envelope with proper postage (helps us with filing and saves you postage!). No drop-offs.

License Number
Your hunting license number is NOT the GO ID number! Your hunting license number is the "Document Number" on your printed license. You can find your hunting license number either under the bar code or listed as "Doc No: D-**********-*"   

Be sure to SIGN your applications. Unsigned, incomplete, or old/expired application forms will be disqualified.

•  General Blind Hunt Application ^{(217 KB PDF)};  Only hunters with a general license may apply for the General Blind.  Hunters with a junior license cannot apply for the General Blind.
  
  
•  Youth Blind Hunt Application ^{(223 KB PDF)};  Youth AGE must be filled in, and BOTH the youth and guardian must SIGN the application. Only hunters with a juniors license may apply for the Youth Blind. Youth Blind is available for Saturday hunts.
  
  
•  Disabled Blind Hunt Application ^{(218 KB PDF)};  Only disabled hunters may apply for the Disabled Blind.  Disabled Blind is available for Wednesday hunts.

Special Post-Season Hunts

Youth Only Hunt
The first Saturday of February is a Youth Only Hunt. Only youth with a valid junior license may apply for the hunt. Please use the Youth Only Hunt Application (see below) and both the youth and guardian must sign the application. All blinds will be up to 3-persons: Up to two youth hunters with one non-shooting adult, OR, one youth hunter with two non-shooters, one of which must be an adult. Only youth may hunt.

• Youth Only Hunt Application ^{(271 KB PDF)};  Youth age MUST be filled in, and BOTH the youth and guardian MUST sign the application. Only youth hunters with a juniors license may apply for the Youth Only Hunt. 

Veterans Only Hunt *NEW* 
The second Saturday of February is a Veterans Only Hunt. Only qualified Veterans may apply for the hunt. Veterans (as defined in Section 101 or Title 38, United States Code) and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than training), may participate. Persons participating in this special hunt must possess and present upon demand verification of eligibility to participate in this hunt. Verification includes: Veteran's ID Card, or Military ID Card for active duty, or a State-issued driver's license or Identification Card with Veteran Designation. Please use the Veterans Only Hunt General Application or the Veterans Only Hunt Disabled Application to apply (see below).  All blinds will be up to 2-persons; there are six general blinds and one disabled blind available for this hunt. Blinds may have either two Veteran hunters, OR, one Veteran hunter with a non-shooting guest as the second person. Only Veterans may hunt. 

• Veterans Only Hunt General Application ^{(267 KB PDF)};  Only qualified Veteran hunters may apply for the Veterans Only Hunt.

• Veterans Only Hunt Disabled Application ^{(220 KB PDF)};  Only qualified Veteran disabled hunters may apply for the Veterans Only Hunt Disabled Blind.

2020 / 2021 Hunt Application Dates