Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
DEP Reopens Salem River WMA 12-17-2004 16:42
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
DEP Reopens Salem River WMA to Waterfowl Hunting and Rescinds Waterfowl Advisory
The Department of Environmental Protection(DEP) announced today that the closure of the Salem River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to all waterfowl hunting has been lifted. The Salem River WMA had been closed to waterfowl hunting to reduce the potential for birds to be exposed to oil contamination in the Delaware River. However, based upon observations of limited surface oil during a recent aerial survey by DEP biologists, it was determined that the area should once again be opened for public access.
In addition to reopening Salem River WMA, DEP also rescinded the waterfowl advisory that was in effect for the area from the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge east on Route 74 to the junction with the New Jersey Turnpike. South on the NJ Turnpike to the junction with Route 322. East on Route 322 to Route 45. South on Route 45 to Route 581. South on Route 581 to Route 49. East on Route 49 to Route 654. Route 654 west to Route 651. Route 651 to Route 623. Left on Route 623 to Route 658. Right on Route 658 straight onto Alloway Creek Neck Road to the Salem Nuclear Power Plant.
DEP will continue to work with the United States Coast Guard and other federal and state agencies to contain and clean-up a spill that occurred on November 26 when an oil tanker, the ATHOS I, released an undetermined amount of crude oil into the Delaware River while attempting to dock at the Citgo Petroleum Corporation terminal in West Deptford Township. The spill has now impacted more than 120 miles of shoreline.
To view the web version of this information, click on the following link:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2004/spill_update04.htm
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Deleware River 12-02-2004 15:33
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
NJDEP Oil spill advisory: “The purpose of this advisory is to prevent the transport of oil by anglers, hunters and boaters to uncontaminated areas and to preclude waterfowl from inadvertently being flushed from inland roosting and resting areas out into portions of the Delaware River that may be impacted by the oil spill from the Athos 1. This will also provide refuges for waterfowl in unoiled areas where they will they will hopefully remain if undisturbed.”
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/spill_advisory04.htm
Posted By:
NC Spinning Wing
Guest
Absecon/AC 12-01-2004 12:42
– – –
Hunted the bay Friday and Saturday, with some sucess.
Brant were everywhere and limited both days. Managed to scatch out 1 snow and some blacks, buffies and some r-b mergs.
Saw some sprig and teal, but not much after that. The full moon killed our hunting.
I think we will try January out for some more action, hopefully the birds will have arrived by then.
PA is slow, very slow so don’t feel discourged down in the flats!!!
The only problem we had with the hunt was trying to get licences, what a MAJOR headache! I just don’t see why out of state hunters have to fill out paperwork regarding chid support in NJ, heck I’m not a resident!!!!
Have fun on the gun!
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 11-29-2004 21:12
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
A belated Gobble, Gobble from down Jersey. The tradition of breaking skim ice on turkey day to set out the rig was replaced with a chorus of Tree Frogs. How warm was it for late November! Managed a black, woody, and two GWTeal. That was all I saw and had come into the stools. Out and about scouting the same day, I ran into two other duck hunters with the same idea to find out where the ducks were hiding. One gunned Middle river (he saw ten ducks for the day and had shot a black) the other gunned South river (he saw five for the day without a shot). We all had the same ideas about the slow season; the weather had not moved birds in; the high water gave them too many options; it was a combination of both. Gunned Friday thinking the cold front would change things for the better. Did have more ducks moving. Three flocks of mallards checked out the rig. They may have been new comers to the area but not to the game. First flock made three high passes and landed out 60 yards – no shots. Second flock played the same game but one went home on the second fly by. Third flock, I knocked down two the first pass. I wasn’t thrilled at taking +45 yard shots – too easy to loose them in the meadows without a dog. Had two flocks of Sprig come right into the rig. First flock was a high flyer that maple-leafed right into the spread. The second flock came straight in 5’ off the deck from the meadows. I didn’t know what they were at first – just bullets with wings. I will not expect that to happen when they come back into season. Three greenheads and a black was it for the day. Didn’t see a teal and at most 10 blacks for the day in four flocks. Did hear woodies up in the timber before light, but never saw them. Saturday traveled 100 miles NW on the report from Dave that the goose numbers had doubled in Gooseville and he had the field with permission. Well the numbers doubled or maybe even tripled. We easily saw +20K in a three hour flight spectacular in the morning. One problem, a farm not ½ mile off in the flight path was cutting a soy field … not good. We managed five for the five of us out of five birds that came in. Brought an eight dozen white rig to add to the Canada flock, and the snows did come and hang 90 yards up before heading to the soy field. I’m going Christmas shopping the next to weeks … check out the ducks in the retention basins … should be weather that makes a difference by then … hopefully for the better. I’m glad Teddy set the seasons late this year.
[Edited By Ray-Sands on 2004-11-29 21:17]
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Mercer County 11-21-2004 20:50
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 50-60 Degrees
Greeting from down Jersey. Out and about… Chopping at the bit for the Canada season opener Saturday but the birds are just not here in any numbers. They are as unreliable as during September season. So I traveled two hours north for the opener in central Jersey on reports of THOUSANDS covering the fields. Sure enough Dave wasn’t lying. The five of us took turns shooting one bird at a time (only singles no flocks … to keep them uneducated). We were done by 8am with rig stowed and (15) on the ground. All the birds were migrants, not a resident in the bunch. Taking turns shooting, I even had time for some photos out of the blind. One is posted up on my editor’s page. A jag of +2K snows out of Allentown swirled the field and landed out some 300 yards from us. No shots just high fly looks see of our rig. We will be adding some white stools for the next outing. Seems everything is open for Thanksgiving … it going to be hard to choose what to do and where to go. So we will be scouting all the spots to make the best of the trip out … you should too. Gobble, gobble …
Posted By:
firstshot
Guest
fortescue 11-20-2004 21:06
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
Came in from IN. on Saturday 13th hunted up to Friday the 19th Saw a lot of birds, migration of snow geese were moving each day.Total for the week: 26 teal, limit of blacks each day, 3 bluebills, 2 shovelers, 4 mallards, 2 brant. This was the first time hunting this area, we will be back next year. Weather was to warm to hunt. Indiana Choppers
Posted By:
brantman
WFC Sponsor
southern zone 11-16-2004 17:11
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 40-45 Degrees
hunted the DOD monday nite didnt see anything
Posted By:
n2o2doc
Guest
Stow Creek 11-16-2004 11:47
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted the last 2 hours of Saturday from my buddies new boat blind- not a shot at anything! Only ducks moving were some blackies right before end of shooting time and they didn’t give the dekes a second look. We didn’t even jump up any ducks on the way out. Hope some new weather will push some new ducks in.
Posted By:
NC Spinning Wing
Guest
Brigantine 11-16-2004 10:42
– – –
Hello Fellas,
Just asking if anyone has reports from around the refuge down south.
Have a hunt scheduled for next Friday and Saturday.
PA is bone dry of ducks like usual.
Thanks in Advance
JC
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Riggs Creek , CMC 11-12-2004 15:27
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Greetings from the flat lands down Jersey! Mid-week opener For Coastal didn’t pan out as most Costal openers gunning the other side of the Parkway in the Southern Zone. Blacks were on the move with the boys out the salt meadows pounding away but the harbor mallards didn’t join the flight. The first hour into the day had +300 blacks come right into the stools and splashed down. There had to be a greenhead in all of them … but not wing bars or white tail or belly in the bunch. It was a one duck limit day. Took a canoe ride up every ditch I could think of to jump shoot something else … up into the timber until I ran out of water. Two and a half hours of canoeing and all to no avail. Jumped more blacks but that was it. Not a teal, gray, white tail or woody to be found. The shoulders are reminding me today that I haven’t paddled that long for some time. I will have to make a better plan for the next trip out. Trying to get out there…
