# BRBR water conditions for the youth hunt



## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

This map shows the BRBR water conditions for the youth hunt..

https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/2018_Youth_Hunt_Water_Conditions_Map.pdf


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Goshawk said:


> This map shows the BRBR water conditions for the youth hunt..
> 
> https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/2018_Youth_Hunt_Water_Conditions_Map.pdf


Kinda bleak.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

paddler said:


> Kinda bleak.


True, but I suspect most units will start filling when the irrigation season ends. This is what typically happens anyway.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Absolutely disgusting. This refuge isn’t run for the birds or hunters!


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

sheepassassin said:


> Absolutely disgusting. This refuge isn't run for the birds or hunters!


Sorry, but I have to disagree. BRBR is constrained by water agreements. And as you know (or should know) we are very much in a drought cycle right now. And NONE of the refuges (State AND Federal) get a full allotment of water until AFTER the irrigation season is done. Our State refugees are not at full pool in all units either. It is darn near impossible to manage a waterfowl refuge without a good supply of water.

I lot of the BRBR units have been dry during the summer months for years. This year is nothing new although slightly more extensive. I believe the management team at BRBR does the best they can with the environmental conditions they have to deal with every year. They do NOT have an unlimited supply of water all year long which makes the process difficult at best.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Bob 
Explain to us why on the third week of June when the dwr was banding at BBR they were letting all the water go into the spur. They were not holding water back.

I have to disagree with you. If we could get someone like Rich Hansen running BBR it would be a world of difference.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

How does the Spur look, water wise?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

paddler said:


> How does the Spur look, water wise?


goosefreak ran it a few weeks ago. He told me there were some shallow spots in certain places, but mostly full otherwise.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

JerryH said:


> Bob
> Explain to us why on the third week of June when the dwr was banding at BBR they were letting all the water go into the spur. They were not holding water back.
> 
> I have to disagree with you. If we could get someone like Rich Hansen running BBR it would be a world of difference.


There are many reasons why refuges are drained. Food production & maintenance, weed control, structure maintenance, etc. It's not a simple 'fill it with water and keep it full' environment. While I do have a college degree, it isn't for waterfowl management. I can't give you a specific reason as to why the management staff at BRBR was drawing down whatever unit you were banding on. But I'm 99.9% certain there was a valid reason for doing it.
I know Rich Hanson personally and have conversed with him on several different occasions. I was a very long-time friend with Val Bachman, the previous OBWMA manager. I can tell you for certain that they have/had different management styles/techniques. Rich is doing an outstanding job of managing OBWMA. I also think Val did an excellent job as well. It's a changing world and what worked best 20/30 years ago isn't necessarily the best practice today. Rich is doing a great job of staying on top of current techniques.
However, BRBR is NOT a State Waterfowl Management Area. It has a much more involved management strategy than any of the State WMA. Rich is brilliantly adept at managing his WMA; he might not be as adept at tackling the many more requirements of a Federal Bird Refuge which is way more involved in things other than waterfowl hunting. And I'm in no way intending any disrespect for Rich's abilities or skill set.
The water situation is so bad this year that the secondary water supply will be turned off 2 weeks early this year. I have lived in Hooper since 1986 and this is the very first time that I can remember they did this. So, I still disagree with you and SA about the management of BRBR. While I can't say for certain if they're managing to the very best of their abilities and water constraints, I'm of the opinion that they are until shown proof that they aren't.
And no disrespect to either of you for having a different opinion. But there is almost always more to the story than what John Q Public is privy to, me included. Wishing both of you a successful season.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

BRBR is a tricky place when it comes to water. For as long as I can remember a lot of the units are dry during the summer, until the irrigation season ends. 

I don't hunt there a whole lot, because back in '95 we got harassed so badly by the Federal Fish & Game, accusing some of our crew for shooting at swans without permits. It did not happen. Tickets were written and signed, but NO notice of payment ever showed up in the mail. It was a scare tactic on their part. I lost a lot of respect for those A-holes that day. We had another run in with them at Farmington Bay when the lake was up to Goose Egg Island. They came in on a airboat and blew our decoys all over the place. I think dkhntrdstn may have been with us that day also. There have been other times when they have checked our licenses and gear, but they are never friendly. Anyway, I have never had a positive experience yet when dealing with the Feds. Our state guys/gals are okay to deal with, but not the most waterfowl knowledgeable folks around either. 

Back in the early to mid 90's the CO's would regularly walk the dikes. They would look for licenses, signed stamps and check steel shot with a magnet. The manager at Farmington (can't remember his name) would always ask us what kind of ducks we shot to see if we knew, and he would ask if we knew the scientific name of each species. Then he would proceed to tell us.:smile: I respected that he was sharing what he knew.

I got off topic with this one, but hopefully the BRBR units will fill quickly and birds will start piling in by the thousands.8)


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Its apparent that the feds were not happy with the management at bbr also. Its common knowledge the last manager got told he was retiring. So we will agree to disagree about their marsh management skills. 

I've avoided that refuge for years. But with current changes happening there I'm looking forward to go poke around and give it another try. 

Have a great season.


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