Goose hunters have two choices at Tule Lake: the spaced-blind fields and the unrestricted free-roam area known as the "League of Nations." The 65 spaced blinds available to hunters are issued by a random drawing each morning, two hours before legal shooting time. Hunters are called and allowed to select their "blind," which is actually just a numbered post in the field.

LOWER KLAMATH HOTSPOTS
Traditionally the most popular units in terms of the marshes in the Lower Klamath refuge are 6A and 8, Mauser says. And 11B is the most popular field.

Most hunters will set up decoys. "We are open for boats, so quite a few of the guys have johnboats or canoes."

Walk-in hunters at Lower Klamath will use units 6A and 8A as well.

BEST TIME TO HUNT
Mid-fall generally produces the best success for duck hunters, before cold weather often pushes the birds down to Sacramento refuges. Goose hunting is good late in the season. But weather is the big factor for success.

"Usually, we peak in total bird numbers the last week of October and the first week of November," Mauser says. "Some of your best Canada goose hunting tends to happen after you get some cold weather."

Many of the geese harvested at the Klamath refuges are resident birds. Migrating geese have discovered the rice crops in the Sacramento Valley and often fly past Lower Klamath and Tule Lake without stopping.

"If you shoot a duck when it's icy, and you don't get over to retrieve it, the bald eagles will come down and get it," warns hunter Darin Claiborne. "You have to get your ducks right away. There are a lot of bald eagles in late December and January."

"A lot of the geese have been bypassing us in the last 10 years," Mauser says. "We don't see the goose numbers in the fall that we used to, but there are still plenty to hunt."

For duck hunters, opening weekend is always best at the Klamath refuges, but good numbers of birds can be found the entire season.

"Opening weekend is usually pretty good," Mauser says.

Bags are usually 3.5 to 5.5 birds per hunter. Seasonwide average is usually 2 to 2.5 birds.

"When you get good storms, it's better. During long periods of bluebird weather, it gets slow," says Mauser.

Darin Claiborne is a veteran Tule Lake and Lower Klamath hunter who spends dozens of days each season at the refuges. He says there are two prime times to hunt each day.

"Early in the morning when it's first light is always good," Claiborne says. "I've also had days when it's good all morning. Then it gets really hot between noon and 1:00. For some reason, those birds know they can come in during the afternoon and feed. The wind also seems to come up around 12 or 12:30 most days."

Many hunters stop looking for ducks once most of the water ices up. But Claiborne says hunting can be good through the end of the season.

"Once it starts to freeze up, you need to hunt a ditch with moving water or find an area in the ice with a hole," he says.

"The hunting is really good when it gets cold if you can find some moving water. The birds have to drink water when the conditions are icy, and they have to feed. They come in in big numbers where there's a little open water," says the hunter.

Claiborne also focuses on the open, unfrozen potholes during cold weather.

"You can do good jumping the potholes if it's not totally frozen over," he says. "But in the cold conditions, be sure to wear gloves."