There's more hunting pressure in the south section during the first few months of the season because it has a larger concentrations of ducks. That's not to say that the north section never shoots well. On Halloween day last year, four hunters took 16 ducks for a 4.0 bird average, for example. But the south usually shoots even better. On that same day, 11 hunters bagged 52 ducks for an average of 4.73 birds

Over the course of the 2006 season, 1,083 ducks were taken out of the north parking lot and 1,625 ducks out of the south. Not huge numbers by valley standards -- but not a lot of hunters, either.

Mallards are No. 1 bird here, followed closely by gadwalls and cinnamon teal.

"Pulses of migrants move through all season," said Clay, NWR manager. However, "once we get the first hard freeze in November, the number of ducks on the refuge drops significantly."

Harvest statistics support this. During October, the south section produced nine days with more than a 4.0 birds-hunter average. Then November dropped to 11 days, with a more than 1.2 birds-hunter average. Three of those days shot 2.0, and two days shot over a 3.5 average.

On Dec. 2, the average dropped off significantly, shooting less than a 1.0 average for the rest of the season. The shallow water in the south had frozen over, and hunter attention shifted to geese.

"Mallards are here all year," said Clay. Their flight pattern shifts after the first big freeze, and it takes a lot more scouting, he said.

CHOOSING BLINDS
First-time hunters at Modoc may want to start out the morning at one of the three spaced blinds. You can walk to them from the north parking lot. Two of the blinds are ADA-accessible and have a capacity of four hunters. They are huge, built of plywood, enclosed on three sides and covered with fast-grass. Spaced 200 yards apart, they face Gadwall Pond.

The third blind is a simple hay-bale affair located next to the railroad tracks. This is designed strictly for pass-shooting.

Park in a vacant reserved parking stall with number corresponding to the blind, and it's all yours.

Directly south and west of the south parking lot, and east of the Pit River, you'll see a large area of open water covering grain fields. The annual vegetation at water's edge and on islands spaced throughout the fields provides cover for hunters using this consistent producer during the first half of the season.

Cross the Pit River at the south dam, or on the hunter's ferry due west of the parking lot, to reach the borrow ponds along U.S. 395. The south 395 pond is heavily used over the course of the day by gadwalls and sprigs.

Hunters will find shallower water on the south side of the pond, but more cover on the north. There, the water can often nudge the tops of your waders.

The afternoon before your hunt, drive along US 395 and scout the area for working ducks.

Chest waders and a wading staff are a must. The terrain is rough, uneven and unpredictable.

"Some of the water can be deep, especially the Pit River," said Clay. There are few places over your head, but it sure "can tickle the top of your waders."