N. Cook
05-12-2006, 08:47 PM
The regulations for this year's program need to be ready for the June SFWMD Board Meeting to insure completion of the required time period after a passing vote prior to Early Teal. This allows a one month grace period to the July meeting in case of a problem. The number of permits per hunt and the hunt days for each STA also must be finalized so the soft ware can be prepared for the early Sept. call in for permits.
Dr. Jen Williams and Jerry Krenz are committed to making the deadlines. FWC Regional Director Chuck Collins is supportive of the program.
The basic parts of the program should be ready for presentation at the May 22 Recreation meeting by Jerry Krenz.
The FWC is very supportive of opening new opportunities, ie more STAs, for hunting. Jerry supports the expansion as well, but has to temper his preferences with the reality of what the STA managers and District staff will approve. The multiple issues at STA 2 are especially vexing. That is why I wanted to take a tour of STA 2 and see what we have to work with.
Here is what exists.
The first suprise is that about 60 percent ot the entire property is cattail monoculture and not huntable.
The other forty per cent is split about even between open water areas and great topped out hydrilla areas....(two cells are similar to the better STA 5 cell). There is not as much huntable area as on STA 5 altogether.
The eagle has become a non issue. The nest is in one of the cattail monoculture cells and is over 1000 feet from any huntable cell.
Access down the long (15 miles or so) gravel road from Rt. 880 includes a crossing of a pump station, a narrow strip on top of the structure not meant for public vehicles. It can be done, but requires extra care. (There really must be a plan to have access from SR 27 to make STA 2 properly accessable.)
The unfortunate news is that the two huntable cells and most of the open water cells are the fartherest to the south and west.....butt up against the major levee construction project. The only levee road for access to these cells (the east levee) lies behind at least a 100 yard width of thick cattails allowing the only water access to the area from the extreme north portion of that road at least a mile away from the area. A very long north south paddle.
There would also have to be a 1000 foot no hunting zone off the construction area (the north, west and south levees for the two best cells), taking about a third of the good hunting cells out.
Frankly, the huntable area is both difficult to reach by vehicle, and even more difficult by boat versus the size of area available. The area will be a much better hunt when access from Rt. 27 is available. You can see Rt. 27 just a short distance west.
Having seen the situation, I am excited about the prospects in future years when access is available from Rt. 27 and construction has moved away from the two very good cells and the two open water cells north of them. I believe our best efforts should be concentrated on obtaining a proper road and bridge from Rt. 27 to the western part of STA 2 asap as part of the contractors responsibility when finished with the current work. The construction will move farther west and a way for the public to come through that construction zone off of Rt. 27 and into STA 2 needs to be built now.
The second part of the tour was to do a good job of looking at STA 1W and determining what opportunities existed in the southern cells below those that will not be ready this year (the ones hunted in the past). Fortunately, there are several very good looking cells with access (and a lot of fulvous ducks and mottles). Two of the smaller cells, and good looking ones, are "test" cells and may be a problem, but at least two others seem to be candidates for hunting. I believe we could have STA 1 W open using these very good looking cells. There are even small boat ramps! Jerry will be checking these out for approval. Obviously, having STA 1W open will make any two day hunting need on a STA to maintain hunter numbers a mute point.
There is every intention to increase the number of pairs of hunters where possible. There is a proposal that to prevent two day hunting on STA 3/4 as done last year to compensate for STA 1 W, 50 pairs of hunters be allowed on STA 3/4 on one day. Again, if we can get the new cells at STA 1 W approved this will not be needed. We have asked for 40 pairs on STA 5 and STA 3/4 and 25 pairs on STA 1 W at past Recreation meetings.
Overall, it would seem we will have at least the same number of hunting spots next season, and probably a number more. STA 2 does not seem feasible for this year, but will be a hot spot in years to come. Adding new cells in STA 1 W this year will mean double the number of available cells the next year and up to 50 pairs of hunters, all on good hunting cells. Raising the number of pairs on STA 5 and 3/4 will add new opportunities this year.
There will be ample opportunity to discuss these points at the SFWMD meeting. We also will be working with the FWC on the regulations, including the replacement walkin wording, which are a topic for another day.
I also hope the trend to cattail monoculture cells will end.
Dr. Jen Williams and Jerry Krenz are committed to making the deadlines. FWC Regional Director Chuck Collins is supportive of the program.
The basic parts of the program should be ready for presentation at the May 22 Recreation meeting by Jerry Krenz.
The FWC is very supportive of opening new opportunities, ie more STAs, for hunting. Jerry supports the expansion as well, but has to temper his preferences with the reality of what the STA managers and District staff will approve. The multiple issues at STA 2 are especially vexing. That is why I wanted to take a tour of STA 2 and see what we have to work with.
Here is what exists.
The first suprise is that about 60 percent ot the entire property is cattail monoculture and not huntable.
The other forty per cent is split about even between open water areas and great topped out hydrilla areas....(two cells are similar to the better STA 5 cell). There is not as much huntable area as on STA 5 altogether.
The eagle has become a non issue. The nest is in one of the cattail monoculture cells and is over 1000 feet from any huntable cell.
Access down the long (15 miles or so) gravel road from Rt. 880 includes a crossing of a pump station, a narrow strip on top of the structure not meant for public vehicles. It can be done, but requires extra care. (There really must be a plan to have access from SR 27 to make STA 2 properly accessable.)
The unfortunate news is that the two huntable cells and most of the open water cells are the fartherest to the south and west.....butt up against the major levee construction project. The only levee road for access to these cells (the east levee) lies behind at least a 100 yard width of thick cattails allowing the only water access to the area from the extreme north portion of that road at least a mile away from the area. A very long north south paddle.
There would also have to be a 1000 foot no hunting zone off the construction area (the north, west and south levees for the two best cells), taking about a third of the good hunting cells out.
Frankly, the huntable area is both difficult to reach by vehicle, and even more difficult by boat versus the size of area available. The area will be a much better hunt when access from Rt. 27 is available. You can see Rt. 27 just a short distance west.
Having seen the situation, I am excited about the prospects in future years when access is available from Rt. 27 and construction has moved away from the two very good cells and the two open water cells north of them. I believe our best efforts should be concentrated on obtaining a proper road and bridge from Rt. 27 to the western part of STA 2 asap as part of the contractors responsibility when finished with the current work. The construction will move farther west and a way for the public to come through that construction zone off of Rt. 27 and into STA 2 needs to be built now.
The second part of the tour was to do a good job of looking at STA 1W and determining what opportunities existed in the southern cells below those that will not be ready this year (the ones hunted in the past). Fortunately, there are several very good looking cells with access (and a lot of fulvous ducks and mottles). Two of the smaller cells, and good looking ones, are "test" cells and may be a problem, but at least two others seem to be candidates for hunting. I believe we could have STA 1 W open using these very good looking cells. There are even small boat ramps! Jerry will be checking these out for approval. Obviously, having STA 1W open will make any two day hunting need on a STA to maintain hunter numbers a mute point.
There is every intention to increase the number of pairs of hunters where possible. There is a proposal that to prevent two day hunting on STA 3/4 as done last year to compensate for STA 1 W, 50 pairs of hunters be allowed on STA 3/4 on one day. Again, if we can get the new cells at STA 1 W approved this will not be needed. We have asked for 40 pairs on STA 5 and STA 3/4 and 25 pairs on STA 1 W at past Recreation meetings.
Overall, it would seem we will have at least the same number of hunting spots next season, and probably a number more. STA 2 does not seem feasible for this year, but will be a hot spot in years to come. Adding new cells in STA 1 W this year will mean double the number of available cells the next year and up to 50 pairs of hunters, all on good hunting cells. Raising the number of pairs on STA 5 and 3/4 will add new opportunities this year.
There will be ample opportunity to discuss these points at the SFWMD meeting. We also will be working with the FWC on the regulations, including the replacement walkin wording, which are a topic for another day.
I also hope the trend to cattail monoculture cells will end.