| Waterfowl | Waterfowl numbers have increased since teal season, but are still relatively low.
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| Lake level | Lake Level is 875.78 (0.28 feet above pool) Conservation Pool is 875.50 Clinton Wildlife Area Refuge is CLOSED (Closed October 1-January 15) |
| Hunting conditions | Wetland Pools Coblentz - All pools are full or nearly full. Good millet and smartweed with perimeter rows of standing corn and some sorghums. Be mindful of deep water around structures on East side of Southeast and middle pools and in waterways. Pump is off. East Coblentz- Full. Food sources in pool are beggar's ticks and smartweed with some millet. Deep, open pool on Northeast side of marsh past berm. Shadden- "Little Shadden" (South of Wakarusa) dry, with millets and smartweed; filled by rainfall only. "Big Shadden" South pool- mostly dry, standing and cut corn; North pool- mostly dry, with some water in low spots, 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 more huntable water. Elk Creek- Elk Creek pools 1 is mostly dry, with some water in lower areas. Pools 2 and 3 are 1/4 full or nearly dry. See below. *A portion of the funding needed for long-needed Elk Creek renovations was recently allocated from KDHE with the unfortunate expiration date of 12/31/2025. The water levels need to be dropped enough to set new control structures and complete grading and dirt work. Again, the timing is extremely unfortunate, and staff remains dedicated to making lasting improvements to the quality and overall amount of public waterfowl hunting available at Clinton Wildlife Area.* The Refuge pool is roughly 1/2 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 conditions throughout the property, 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. Seed producing vegetation is growing along the dried edges as the lake level drops. Wildlife Area REFUGE is currently CLOSED. Clinton W.A. Refuge will be CLOSED FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 TO JANUARY 15TH, 2026. Please look for signage and the line indicating the Western Refuge boundary. It runs North and South along the back side of pool 3. The East Refuge boundary extends 1/2 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 | Fair |
| 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 above normal reservoir pool (875.5). |
