| 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. 12 September 2025: Species observed this week include blue-winged teal, wood ducks, shovelers, and mallards. The teal have been moving through for the last 14 days or so and numbers can vary greatly from day to day. Recent rainfall has the teal scattered on public and private lands. Remember, All activities in the south refuge in the Big Basin are prohibited. |
| Current Information | Due to extremely wet conditions: be prepared for un-mowed dikes and access trails, flood damaged parking lots / emergency spillways, and robust wetland vegetation. We will continue to work on habitat and infrastructure as hunting season progresses and conditions allow. 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 | The wildlife area Headquarters on Mohawk Road has received over 41 inches of rain this year, and as a result there were several major flood events across the area. Staff closed and plugged water control structures and pumped water into the reservoir pools until there was no where else to hold water across the majority of the area. At the time of this posting, many of our wetlands are still flowing over the top boards in the structures and over the emergency spillways. The Little Sinkhole Unit caught a 3-inch rain event this week and it is now full with some minor flooding. Proceed with caution. Big Basin: Near 100% capacity. Chain of Lakes: 100% capacity. Little Sinkhole Marshes: 100% capacity. |
| Hunting conditions | Rank vegetation will make things a bit of a challenge until we get a frost to open things up. Staff will spray, mow, and roller chop where possible to create open holes for hunting if / when conditions allow. |
| Expected hunting success | Good. |
| 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. |
