| Waterfowl numbers | ATTENTION: All hunters MUST check-in / check-out when hunting. Visit https://ksoutdoors.com/checkin using your licensing login credentials to check in and out. February 6th, 2026: Another duck season has come and gone. The LPEZ duck season is now closed. Canada, whitefront, and snow goose seasons are open. All goose seasons close February 15th, 2026. The snow goose conservation order takes effect February 16th, 2026. The majority of the geese left the area during the stretch of cold weather and ice cover. A few geese are starting to return to the area, but there is very little open water at the time of this update. Waterfowl numbers can fluctuate greatly from day to day depending on ice cover, weather, and other factors. Remember: the North Refuge in the Big Basin is in effect from Oct. 1st to April 1st. All activities in the south refuge in the Big Basin are prohibited year round. |
| Current Information | Due to wet conditions this year: be prepared for un-mowed dikes and access trails, flood damaged parking lots / emergency spillways, and robust wetland vegetation. Be aware of three new regulations in effect at McPherson Valley Wetlands: (1) The Big Basin has been designated as "youth only" during the youth and military waterfowl weekend, (2) the use of motorized boats is prohibited, and (3) centerfire rifles and handguns are prohibited. |
| Water levels | Pumping operations at the Little Sinkhole and Big Basin are now complete for the 2025 - 2026 season. Big Basin: ~70% capacity. Chain of Lakes: ~20% capacity. Little Sinkhole Marshes: ~70% capacity. At the time of this posting, the wetlands were still near 100% frozen and thawing slowly. |
| Hunting conditions | Difficult due to melting ice. |
| Expected hunting success | Poor, but could improve quickly, depending upon ice and weather conditions. |
| Comments | **ATTENTION: **THERE IS A "NO TRASH POLICY" IN EFFECT AT MCPHERSON VALLEY WETLANDS. PLEASE CARRY OUT WHATEVER YOU CARRY IN, INCLUDING EMPTY HULLS AND OTHER TRASH. PLEASE TRY TO LEAVE YOUR HUNTING SPOT AS CLEAN OR CLEANER THAN IT WAS WHEN YOU ARRIVED. THANKS!!! **REFUGE AREAS: THE SOUTH REFUGE AREA IN THE BIG BASIN IS OFF-LIMITS TO ALL ACTIVITIES ALL YEAR LONG, AND THIS INCLUDES DUCK HUNTING. THERE IS NO HUNTING OR PUBLIC ACCESS OF ANY KIND ALLOWED IN THE SOUTH REFUGE IN THE BIG BASIN!! THE NORTH REFUGE IN THE BIG BASIN IS A REFUGE-IN-TIME AND IS ONLY OPEN TO PUBLIC ACCESS FROM APRIL 1ST UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH, THEN IT IS CLOSED TO ALL ACTIVITIES FROM OCTOBER 1ST TO MARCH 31ST. The Little Sinkhole/Farland Lake marsh unit is included in the EARLY low-plains duck zone (as is the rest of MPWL). All shotgun hunters at McPherson Wetlands are required to use non-toxic shot for all hunting. This includes upland birds. Throughout all units, please be mindful of farmers and big equipment operators needing to access and maintain roads. Park in designated parking areas when possible, and not on the roadsides. |
