RutnNStrutn
01-19-2005, 10:09 PM
MINWR scouting report
Went to the Shiloh impoundments for a little scouting this morn when I got off of work. On the bright side, the roads leading to the hunting impoundments are in the best shape I have seen them in for years.
Shiloh 5
It has filled back up, plenty of water. This is the first time I have been out there this year. The smaller front impoundment is gone. I guess it was washed away by the hurricane and they rebuilt the dike along the path where the front and rear impoundments were separated by an interior dike? Anyway, typical MINWR BS was going on. It was during a hunt, and the MINWR A-holes were on the dike at 5 with dumptrucks, backhoes and pick-ups doing all kinds of work. Now don't get me wrong, it's good to see them sprucing up something other than Blackpoint, but c'mon, not during a hunt. Underwater, in the rim canal in front of all the new water control structures there is debris that you hit your motor on. There was very little food for the ducks. In recent years, 5 was topped out with hydrilla, but not now. I guess that explains why I only saw 15 ducks total. Mottleds, pins, and widgeon. They did put in a bunch of rock at the parking area, it is nice. But, they still haven't put in a ramp. You have to back to the edge of the rim canal, and dump your trailer over the edge to launch the boat.
Shiloh 3
Same crappy little ramp, with barely enough room to turn around. Dump trucks, heavy equipment and pick ups were running the dike road. Shallow, but navigable. Again, there is debris in the rim canal. Again, very little food for the ducks. Only saw 20 teal. Ran into a couple of hunters on the way out. They got some teal and a Hollywood.
The next road
I pulled into the next road up from Shiloh 3, it is marked with a sign that says "Waterfowl Hunter Access". I pulled in, followed the road back, and came to a wire gate. No ramp, no place to turn around, had to back all the way out.
Shiloh 1 area
Again, saw few ducks and little food. Nothing impressive.
End of the Indian River, outside of the Shiloh Impoundments
I walked a lot of the dike roads on the edges of the impoundments, scoping out the river. In years gone by, there would be thousands of Chet Ducks, and assorted other ducks. There were very few today, as I have noted for the rest of the season. Where are they? They aren't there as they have been historically.
Sooooooooooooooo, if you are going to hunt MINWR, you should scout ahead of time, and find some other place than the Shiloh impoundments. I'm sure if you were in the right place, were a good shot, and stuck it out, you could probably scratch out a limit, but if you want good ducking action, you'd best go elsewhere in the refuge, or off of the refuge.
Well, there ya go. Who said that no one ever posts up good scouting info???
Went to the Shiloh impoundments for a little scouting this morn when I got off of work. On the bright side, the roads leading to the hunting impoundments are in the best shape I have seen them in for years.
Shiloh 5
It has filled back up, plenty of water. This is the first time I have been out there this year. The smaller front impoundment is gone. I guess it was washed away by the hurricane and they rebuilt the dike along the path where the front and rear impoundments were separated by an interior dike? Anyway, typical MINWR BS was going on. It was during a hunt, and the MINWR A-holes were on the dike at 5 with dumptrucks, backhoes and pick-ups doing all kinds of work. Now don't get me wrong, it's good to see them sprucing up something other than Blackpoint, but c'mon, not during a hunt. Underwater, in the rim canal in front of all the new water control structures there is debris that you hit your motor on. There was very little food for the ducks. In recent years, 5 was topped out with hydrilla, but not now. I guess that explains why I only saw 15 ducks total. Mottleds, pins, and widgeon. They did put in a bunch of rock at the parking area, it is nice. But, they still haven't put in a ramp. You have to back to the edge of the rim canal, and dump your trailer over the edge to launch the boat.
Shiloh 3
Same crappy little ramp, with barely enough room to turn around. Dump trucks, heavy equipment and pick ups were running the dike road. Shallow, but navigable. Again, there is debris in the rim canal. Again, very little food for the ducks. Only saw 20 teal. Ran into a couple of hunters on the way out. They got some teal and a Hollywood.
The next road
I pulled into the next road up from Shiloh 3, it is marked with a sign that says "Waterfowl Hunter Access". I pulled in, followed the road back, and came to a wire gate. No ramp, no place to turn around, had to back all the way out.
Shiloh 1 area
Again, saw few ducks and little food. Nothing impressive.
End of the Indian River, outside of the Shiloh Impoundments
I walked a lot of the dike roads on the edges of the impoundments, scoping out the river. In years gone by, there would be thousands of Chet Ducks, and assorted other ducks. There were very few today, as I have noted for the rest of the season. Where are they? They aren't there as they have been historically.
Sooooooooooooooo, if you are going to hunt MINWR, you should scout ahead of time, and find some other place than the Shiloh impoundments. I'm sure if you were in the right place, were a good shot, and stuck it out, you could probably scratch out a limit, but if you want good ducking action, you'd best go elsewhere in the refuge, or off of the refuge.
Well, there ya go. Who said that no one ever posts up good scouting info???