| Waterfowl | Current waterfowl numbers are very low.
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| Lake level | Lake Level is 876.44 (0.94 feet above pool) Conservation Pool is 875.50 Clinton Wildlife Area Refuge is OPEN (Closed October 1-January 15) |
| Hunting conditions | Wetland Pools Coblentz - All pools are currently near dry with a small amount collecting in the low spots of the SW, SE and middle pools. Good millet and smartweed with perimeter rows of standing corn. East Coblentz- Mostly dry. Food sources in pool are beggar's ticks and smartweed with some millet. Deep, open pool north side of marsh. Shadden- "Little Shadden" (South of Wakarusa) dry, with millets and smartweed; filled by rainfall only. "Big Shadden" South pool- standing and cut corn; North pool- small pool of water near structure, good millet with standing/harvested corn on perimeter of newly constructed marsh on the North side of the river. Open to hunting, needs rainfall for huntable water. Elk Creek- Elk Creek pool 1 is full, pools 2 and 3 are empty. The Refuge pool is roughly 3/4 filled. Elk creek marsh pools are numbered from West to East, with pool 1 next to Elk Creek boat ramp and parking lot. Food: moist-soil vegetation- millets, smartweed, and beggar's ticks. Cut corn with rows left standing in pools 1, 2, and 3. Additional rainfall and colder weather may change marsh conditions as well as local waterfowl numbers rapidly. ICE- N/A Lake- Lake level is just above normal pool. There are many shallow areas of the lake that offer mudflats for waterfowl hunting opportunities. Wildlife Area REFUGE is currently OPEN. Clinton W.A. Refuge will be CLOSED FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 TO JANUARY 15TH, 2026. Please look for signage and the mowed line indicating the Western Refuge boundary. It runs North and South along the back side of pool 3. The East Refuge boundary extends half a mile east of County Rd. 1023, running parallel to the road, across the Wakarusa arm of Clinton reservoir. KDWP 2024-2025 Online Hunting Atlas Clinton contains miles of creeks, rivers and oxbows on the wildlife area; each of which has unique conditions and frequently hold waterfowl when weather and/or hunting pressure pushes them from marsh pools.
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| Expected hunting success | Poor |
| Comments | IMPORTANT! Clinton Wildlife Area is utilizing an electronic check-in system required of all hunters. To check-in / check-out, please go to https://ksoutdoors.com/checkin using your licensing login credentials. Please remember that trapping is also allowed on the Wildlife Area. Elk Creek (Wakarusa River) and Coon Creek (Lake) boat ramps are open. Rock Creek Boat ramp is closed; a gravel launch area for canoes and kayaks is available when lake is near or above normal pool (875.5). |
