FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Does CWA purchase land?

A: CWA does not purchase land in fee. However, CWA is involved and assists with several programs that purchase conservation easements on lands appropropriate for restoration. Although CWA does not purchase easements, landowners have donated easements in the past and CWA is listed as a legal easement owner on these lands.

2. How does the habitat work CWA is doing help provide more hunting opportunity?

A: CWA works on private and public lands alike. Most private lands are not open to public hunting, but are hunted by the landowners. CWA has done a lot of work on public wildlife areas and refuges and a large portion of these projects are in the hunt areas.

3. Q: Where can I find funding for wetland restoration and enhancement work on my club?

A: There are many funding sources. To determine which funding source is best for your situation, contact the CWA biologist in your area. Visit the WWP webpage to view staff in your area or contact CWA headquarters at 916-648-1406 or email us at wwp@calwaterfowl.org.

4. Q: What should I plant in my wetland area to provide good quality feed to improve my hunting?

A: Though there are several good choices of native and non-native plant seeds available, most wetlands have an adequate seed bank within the soil to develop good stands of feed. In most cases you can produce vast amounts of waterfowl food plants without spending a lot of money on seed and tractor work by following a detailed water management plan. Additionally, planting and growing feed crops requires careful observance of actions to avoid current law on the prohibition on baiting. This prohibition includes manipulation of any planted crop during the first year after cultivation. To see the CWA website for more information on managing wetlands for specific food plants click here>>.

5. Q: Don’t the ducks nest near the water?

A: Not necessarily. Many ducks, especially mallards, often seek out nesting sites away from flooded areas and waterways. Flooded areas and especially riparian waterways lined with heavy vegetation and trees, typically host large populations of predators like skunks, raccoons, foxes, and raptors. It’s in a ducks best interest to nest as far from the predators as possible. Some ducks may travel a mile or more from their nest site to a flooded pond to raise their ducklings. Large blocks, 20 or more acres in size, of uninterrupted grassland habitat, located adjacent to summer wetlands, typically produce the most ducks.

6. Q: How long should I maintain my water levels for ducklings and molting birds?

A: Summer wetlands or brood ponds should be flooded in the early spring and maintained at least until July 15th, and preferably through the first or second week of August.

7. Q: Why does it seem like there are so many more male pintail in the population than females?

A: In addition to avoiding predation (males do not incubate on the ground) during the breeding season, males tend to fly more, particularly in late December, in search of females for mating. Males often fly in courtships flights over hunting areas and there will often be 1 female for upwards of 7-8 males. Because of this male breeding behavior, males are seen more often than females.

8. Q: Why do wetland managers drop their pond elevations later in the season?

A: Deeper areas of the ponds become more accessible to dabbling ducks which don’t feed very effectively in water over a foot deep. Secondly, pintail and green winged-teal tend to attract to shallow wetlands; often they will be seen in very muddy areas foraging and loafing.