Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Pre Hunt Meeting

[N. Cook]

I spoke with Sylvia today when we were at the Palm Beach County Commission meeting and she informed me the annual Pre Hunt meeting was scheduled for:

Sept. 8 at 7 pm at the LNWR Visitor Center.

Sylvia also agreed that alligator hunting was being considered and could be put into the process for approval.....

The Refuge is very dry....the entire north is almost dry ground with potholes....

The Visitor Center is on Lee Rd. Lee Rd. is just south of Bonyton Beach Blvd. off Rt. 441...look for the brown Refuge sign.

[duckbone]

Here you go guys I see an opportunity. With these days of budget cuts and the look for help in other places the way to get in is to be just as helpful and active as the anti types. All of the NWR system is hugely dependant on a volunteer program. You can continue to throw your hands in the air and call it a ruined waste of time and get left further behind the anti's or you can get active with a good attitude. Your choice, don't wait for someone to do it for you.

[N. Cook]

I am bumping this as we need a dozen or people to make this meeting. The conditions at LOX are unusually dry and some "cutting" work may need to be done just to get to the trails....If there is not hunter interest that work (expense) will not seem to be wanted or neccessary...

[CHRISJ]

I'll be there.

[godvlman]

Newton,

Correct me if I am wrong.. it has been a while since I have entered from that side.. but is there still a fee that is going to be charged to attend the meeting? If so, members should remember to bring there federal duck stamps so the fee is waived...

[N. Cook]

There will be no fee to enter for the meeting...never has been.... Go through gate and make the first right to the Visitor Center. Duck stamps do get you entrance to all Refuges....

[N. Cook]

Thanks to all who attended, mostly the "usual suspects" with a couple of new people interested in hunting on the Refuge.

No basic changes in the rules...the east canal is still closed north of the Lox Rd. boat ramp due to construction actiivity.

Be sure to have proper navigational lights, life vests, etc. for safety as required. Must have an orange flag ten feet off the water when out of the canals. Pick up hulls...no littering (Bill really likes the way that is enforced on the STAs and intends to be just as hard at the Refuge). All hunters must have one of the free ARM LOXNWR hunting permits. The office will supply them. 561/732/3684

Alligator hunting is being pursued by the Refuge Staff (a THANK YOU is due them as this is a long and difficult bureaucratic process). Estimates are about a year to get the permission.

Water remails very low...actually too dry north of the hunting zone for the Refuges airboats....or the exotic plant spray contractor, so we may see more of the contractor's airboats in the hunting area than usual.

[Milan]

Thanks for the summary Newton, and thank you (and all the rest) for attending.

[godvlman]

Newton,

Have you been out there to witness how dry it is or know anyone that has been? Just curious because:

The Historical Average for Today in WCA 1 is 16.22

Last year at this date it was 16.71

As of today we are at 15.71

We are a foot off from last year but not to far off from the average... just curious if anyone has witnessed the "low water" that may restrict access?

[N. Cook]

I haven't been out there for a couple of months as even Capt. George has curtailed his fishing due to the low water. A foot makes a major difference at LOX on the low side and we also had a drought last year as a comparison.

The staff said they did a helicopter run over the north of the Refuge as no airboats could go and the place is loaded with deer! The canoe trails only recently reopened as they were almost dry....they had to rent a cutter to go in and clean them.

The water is up a bit, and one good rain event will put the extra foot we need to be able to move about easier in the back trails....

I may give it a try on the Weds. of Early Season.

[Jimdundee]

I was in a accident last week sorry I could not make the meeting. A few weeks ago I went to the visitor center left my name to see about running the Swamp Dog to keep the canoe trail open for the bird watchers. Left my name a week goes by I call, this guy.... flat out laughed at me "we just don't let anybody run that" pity how hard can a weed wacker that floats be to run. I did ask about the gas milage on the Machine as I planned on going South to cut me a few trails we both had a good laugh then.

jimmy shutt

[N. Cook]

Further info on water levels at LOX. The canoe trail (off the Lee Rd entrance) has been reopened....but with the caveat that you cannot make the loop as it is blocked in the back. The north of the Refuge still is very dry but some of the rain water has helped.

We really need another foot at a minimum.

[Capt HiC]

WCA 1 has always been loaded w Deer. I was lucky enough to have hunted there. Back in the Day...
HiC

[brightlights]

I was at the north Ramp of Lox on 9/5 (labor day) They were letting water out of Lox and into Sta 1 West.....

That place is a cluster.

[Captmako]

Brightlights has seen the light!

[duckbone]

Am I correct in thinking the refuge doesn't move water but that SFWMD does?

[godvlman]

Am I correct in thinking the refuge doesn't move water but that SFWMD does?

Dont know who is moving it? But I do know that it was USCOE I saw out there yesterday with water near the high level mark, and large bass boats running thru the flats!!

Also saw water being let out of the area into WCA 2....

[brightlights]

Dont know who is moving it? But I do know that it was USCOE I saw out there yesterday with water near the high level mark, and large bass boats running thru the flats!!

Also saw water being let out of the area into WCA 2....


OK so they are draining it from the top and the bottom......That place is no more a NWR than Gumbo Limbo park is.

The management of the 1 % "PUBLIC" area is as effective as the removal of a wart from a cancer patient.

[N. Cook]

Water levels in the WCAs, including WCA 1 (LOX NWR) are ultimately the Corps call, but there is a legal "schedule" the District works with to manipulate the water levels.

There has been a lot of rain in the past week and I am sure the water levels are going up...and the water has to be moved from one compartment to another to reflect the differences.

Currently, because Lake O is at least 2 feet too low for the time of year and there is great concern we will go into the dry season with too little water in the Lake to carry us through for water supply, the District is doing everything possible to store water in the WCAs and the canals and not send it to the sea.

Water has been sent to sea only to prevent local flooding during rain storms for some time....

As far as LOX is concerned, the water is suppose to go through STA 1 to reduce the nutrients before sending it to LOX. There is a schedule, again from the District and the Corps, that designates how the water flows in and out of LOX NWR and all the components based on the various conditions at any given time.

The Refuge Staff can only request or advise the two agencies on the matter.

[godvlman]

DOF set fire to the place today.. its burning pretty good. For those in the Broward area you may see some evidence of it!!

[brightlights]

DOF set fire to the place today.. its burning pretty good. For those in the Broward area you may see some evidence of it!!

Cool, I am guessing the upper portion?

[Captmako]

guessing the upper portion?

I'm guessing, burn the north end, and nuke the south end...

[Capt HiC]

just got in from a meeting w Save Old Stilts Ville "SOS"

heard a familiar remark "the Park Service and their bunch will be Happy when No one uses the Park "

HiC