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Post by Tuffnufoutdoors on Jun 22, 2008 15:29:15 GMT -5
Since I am going to try to duck and goose hunt this year I was researching the bluegrass wildlife area. It says no boats are allowed. Has anyone hunted there before. Do you hunt the shore line is it marsh with waders? Just trying to learn. Think I am going to go try to scout it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Post by ccordray on Jun 22, 2008 21:45:01 GMT -5
No boats are allowed? That would probably make that place unhuntable since a lot of it is deep strip pit lakes.
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Post by bsutravis on Jun 25, 2008 0:01:37 GMT -5
Not even sure where it's located..... No experience with it tuff.
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Post by johnc911 on Jun 25, 2008 12:06:28 GMT -5
Just read about the place no where did i see that is says no boats. In fact it said there were seven boat ramps on the property. Trolling motors only.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jun 25, 2008 13:00:29 GMT -5
I know there are boats allowed on two of the main lakes. I used to fish there all of the time, but I really don't know too much about the duck hunting there.
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Post by Tuffnufoutdoors on Jun 25, 2008 13:39:18 GMT -5
I had a hard time finding where I saw it but it was on the game and fish online mag.
BLUE GRASS FWA
Located in Warrick County just off I-64, Blue Grass FWA is a fairly recent acquisition of the DFW. The area covers more than 2,500 acres and includes 600 acres of water by way of strip pits. The area attracts a fair number of ducks and geese each winter and qualifies as a sleeper spot for public access geese.
Hunters definitely need to educate themselves about Blue Grass in terms of rules. Waterfowl hunting is only allowed from one-half hour before sunrise to noon. Waterfowl hunting is also limited to Saturdays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Also, all waterfowl hunting is limited to the shoreline (no boats), but blinds may be constructed. The area also contains a sizeable waterfowl resting area that is off-limits to hunting.
Like Minnehaha, since the area is comprised of strip pits and reclaimed mine land, versatility is what it takes to capitalize on both the water and land areas. Of course, those finding access to private land outside the FWA can really succeed if a cut corn field is available, especially if the geese are using it.
But then I read another article where they say just the opposite.
Blue Grass FWA
The Blue Grass FWA is almost brand spanking new. It opened in 2000, and since has offered some pretty good waterfowl-hunting possibilities. This is especially true in the late season due to its location far enough south to still have open water in January. Blue Grass is in Warrick County very near Evansville, and provides some 2,532 acres.
The 28 pits and lakes that encompass about 600 acres of water on this public-land property give it plenty of potential for attracting waterfowl. Blue Grass is also near the Ohio River, which will strengthen its geese-attracting appeal.
Almost 50 percent of the property acts as a sanctuary, and it is closed to waterfowl hunting. The reason for this is to give birds that do populate the property a resting area, and to attract more birds. There are no permanent blinds allowed at Blue Grass. Waterfowl hunters can hunt out of boats or bring their own blinds. Blinds can be constructed, but must be removed at the end of the hunt. For more information on Blue Grass FWA, call (812) 789-2724.
I guess I will call the site and see what they say.
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Post by Tuffnufoutdoors on Jun 25, 2008 13:50:01 GMT -5
I just spoke with a very helpful lady at the wildlife area and she confirmed boats are allowed. The larger lakes are allowed gas but at idol speeds the smaller pits are trolling motor only. She said most of the smaller pits are hunted from the shore lines from blinds since access is harder. I guess the next thing would be to go see. Maybe I will make a trip in the next couple weekends.
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Post by bsutravis on Jun 25, 2008 14:04:02 GMT -5
Sounds like plenty of confusion down there..... watch your step!
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Post by dukhnt on Jun 25, 2008 20:44:46 GMT -5
Tuff, the hunting used to be good there until it became BWA the refuge is entirely to big.If you can talk to someone at the office see what the harvest numbers from previous years are. That is an awful long drive from your home to hopefully get a chance to shoot a time or two. If you have a boat the ohio river is much closer to you and it can be productive , also Hardy lake.
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Post by chicobrownbear on Jun 26, 2008 11:06:44 GMT -5
It looks like a dynamite place for ducks and geese.
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timdog
Junior Member
Posts: 42
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Post by timdog on Jun 27, 2008 10:34:38 GMT -5
DO NOT rely on Indiana Game and Fish for any type of regulations. Contact CO's or the DNR office that manages the area.
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Post by DUCKMASTER1 on Jul 4, 2008 11:23:40 GMT -5
Guys,
I live buy the Bluegrass area, and have hunted it for ducks and geese. Really, it is not much to brag about, opening day you may gets into some birds, but it gets shot out fast. The birds have hundreds of small strip pits they can go to, and most are off limits on private property. some of the pits are very deep. So if you do not have a dog or boat I would research which pits are the deep ones and stay away from them.
It has some birds on it, ducks not so many. Geese, are residents and get hammered in early season, and you do get a chance every now and them for them, but there are so many pits with in a 5 mile radious that they often go there.
Good Luck
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Post by moose1am on Oct 7, 2014 22:26:09 GMT -5
Since I am going to try to duck and goose hunt this year I was researching the bluegrass wildlife area. It says no boats are allowed. Has anyone hunted there before. Do you hunt the shore line is it marsh with waders? Just trying to learn. Think I am going to go try to scout it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! You can use a boat to hunt Bluegrass for Waterfowl if you like. All you have to do is fill out a card and keep it with you while hunting wildlife in the area and turn it into the Red Box at the end of the hunt
Hunting of water fowl is allowed during the season from one half hour before sunrise until noon (Local time) We are on Central Standard Time in November. Right now we are still on Daylight Savings time but we will fall back soon.
You can call Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area and ask them about the start of the season for waterfowl hunting.
Fishing is not allowed during the Waterfowl hunting Season which I think starts in November according to the IDNR CO Mike Kellner and the IDNR Web site. Check the web site to make sure of the actually start date in November.
They do not want fisherman out there interfering with the waterfowl hunters and new wooden signs have been posted this year by the new property manager to warn the public about not fishing during Water fowl hunting season.
I hope this helps you in your quest to hunt waterfowl at Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area. The Property is managed by the Property Manager at Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area up in Winslow, IN. He manages both Sugar Ridge and Bluegrass Properties.
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Post by moose1am on Oct 7, 2014 23:06:09 GMT -5
Just read about the place no where did i see that is says no boats. In fact it said there were seven boat ramps on the property. Trolling motors only. The three larger pits, bluegrass, loon and otter pit allow gas motors of all sizes but they are restricted to idle speed only and it's strictly enforced by the IDNR Conservation Officers at the site.
You can use a boat to hunt waterfowl but you have to register at the hunter check in station first. That station is located at the South end of Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area which is just East of I-164 by about 3 tenths to 5 tenths of a mile and on Boonville New Harmony Road. You turn left when going East on Boonville New Harmony Road to enter the parking lot of the South End of Bluegrass Pit. There is a big red bulletin board there with the sign in cards under a plastic laminate lid. There are maps there at times if they are not all gone. They replace them from time to time. Sign in at the hunter check in station there and at the end of the hunt fill out the card and depost it in one of the boxes located around the area.
The only boats that are not allowed on the lakes during Waterfowl hunting season are those that are not registered to hunt water fowl on the lakes. IE fishing boats are not allowed from Nov until after Jan 19th. As the water fowl hunting season is reserved for officially registered water fowl hunters only during water fowl hunting season.
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Post by moose1am on Oct 7, 2014 23:13:20 GMT -5
Guys, I live buy the Bluegrass area, and have hunted it for ducks and geese. Really, it is not much to brag about, opening day you may gets into some birds, but it gets shot out fast. The birds have hundreds of small strip pits they can go to, and most are off limits on private property. some of the pits are very deep. So if you do not have a dog or boat I would research which pits are the deep ones and stay away from them. It has some birds on it, ducks not so many. Geese, are residents and get hammered in early season, and you do get a chance every now and them for them, but there are so many pits with in a 5 mile radious that they often go there. Good Luck And Please remember that LOON pit is a water fowl refuge area and no waterfowl hunting is allowed there. There is some private land to the West of Loon Pit but it's privately owned and maybe leased out to only a few special hunters or the owners of the land.
Most all the pits are typical deep water former stip mined areas that are 60 ft deep and have steep drop off around the edges in most places. What few ducks that go there get shot at the first day. There really is not room for for many water fowl hunters and there are no permenant blinds there. You can build a temporary blind but it must be taken down at the end of the day.
The best place to hunt ducks would be Loon pit as it's one of the only pits there that is holding waterfowl due to the fact that is has a lot of varying depths and a lot of shallow waters in some of the bays. But again it's a protected reserve and can't be hunted for water fowl at all. Loon pit is located between Kansas road to the South and Boonville New Harmony Road to the North. Loon Pit is about 210 acres in size and runs North and South for the most part. There are some bays that run off to the East of the main part of the pit that are shallow areas. There is an island out there on LOON pit that holds nesting Giant Canadian Geese at times. They get rather noisy when I crappie fish near the island. Not sure if anyone can fish there anymore during water fowl hunting season which starts around November.
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