ESPN Hunting

PENROSE, Utah — Most of the saline ponds, freshwater marshes and salt grass meadows that adorn the northern shore of Utah's Great Salt Lake have become the domain of private waterfowl hunting clubs.

But one complex of wetlands is fully in the public domain. Even its name reflects its mission to provide high-quality wingshooting for waterfowlers. And Public Shooting Grounds should remain a go-to spot for puddle ducks as well as divers through mid-December.

"The thing that kills us here is low water," said Randy Berger (435-854-3610), manager of the series of lakes and marshes on both sides of Highway 83 west of Penrose, Utah.

"And this year we had normal water levels and good production.

When you add the influx of birds from the north, we are having a good year."

Freeze-up freezes hunting: In fact, Berger predicts that Public Shooting Grounds, even more so than the two adjacent Waterfowl Management Areas — Locomotive Springs and Salt Creek — that he manages, will receive thousands of ducks that are flying over portions of Montana and Idaho on their migration south.

"Until we freeze up hard we should have good hunting."

Freezing is a real possibility on the shallow ponds on Public Shooting Grounds.

With satisfactory water levels, wind that strafes off the West Desert and moderate temperatures, the larger ponds should stay open and host ducks and geese. But be prepared for localized freezing, especially in the shallow Crocker lakes and Mud Lake on the northeast side of the WMA.

About the area

The Public Shooting Grounds feature about 10 lakes spread over several thousand acres. The largest ponds, Hull, Wigeon and Pintail, should hold birds through December.

The shallower ponds, including Spires Lake, the Crocker ponds, Avocet Pond and Duck Lake (which is off-limits to hunting) may freeze over any day now.

Most of the ponds feature a designated parking area and dikes to walk so you don't have to fight boot-sucking mud or tangling reeds.

Bird breakdown

This is primarily duck country, said Berger. The WMA produced over 42,000 birds this spring and summer, but by later in the season you'll mostly encounter northern migrants.

"Our biggest harvest is mallard, gadwall and wigeon," said the manager.

"But the numbers and composition of waterfowl changes as temperature and weather conditions change. We'll get a big dose of late-season shovelers and a few teal that move back and forth from the WMA to the Great Salt Lake."

Big spreads

Jump shooting can be very productive on weekdays if you hunt the remote stretches of channels and streams. And pass shooting is a decent option on heavy-pressure weekends when plenty of birds are in the air, especially if high winds off the Great Salt Lake keep the birds close to the deck. But for most situations, you should plan to pack lots of decoys.

The birds that frequent Public Shooting Grounds, even the wide-eyed northern ducks, see lots of pressure and it takes a mix of rough, windy weather and a big decoy spread to suck them in by late November and December.

"Our dumb young birds are killed early and then the hunting gets tough," said Berger.

"It takes a pretty good water fowler to have consistent success late in the season."

Regs

Utah's duck season extends through Jan. 20.

The Public Shooting Grounds are included in Utah's new North Goose Zone where the honker season also extends through Jan. 20.

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