The results of California Waterfowl’s 2024-25 Post-Season Hunter Survey are in—and once again, CWA members across the state have spoken clearly about the issues that matter to them.

The survey was emailed in May to all CWA members who had an email address on file with CWA. More than 1,000 members responded to this year’s survey, offering important insights that will help inform CWA’s advocacy and program priorities in the months ahead. Among the most compelling findings:

• A tundra swan season is overwhelmingly popular. 75% of respondents favored requesting a limited permit hunt for tundra swans in California, a concept CWA has been evaluating with increased attention.
• Refuge flexibility and habitat management generated significant interest. 65% support giving reservation holders the option to transfer to a different refuge if their original site is flooded out. Meanwhile, 57% of members expressed support for strategically delaying the flooding of certain wetlands to benefit waterfowl habitat later in the season.
• Members were interested in bag and shell limit changes. Nearly 90% of members favored increasing the Canada goose daily bag limit from two to three birds in the Northeastern Zone. Meanwhile, 60% supported lifting the 25-shell limit for dove hunting during the second half of the season.
• Members are interested in hunting Klamath. A slim majority (54%) support allowing hunting at the Klamath refuges even when sanctuary acreage is minimal—a signal that access remains a top concern despite habitat limitations.
• Members strongly support new opportunities for seniors and veterans. Over 73% supported combining two senior (65+) duck hunt days with the existing Veterans/Active Military weekend. (Note this would also likely first require federal law/regulatory authorization). More than 57% also endorsed the idea of reallocating two days from the late goose season (if it occurs on the 3rd weekend in February in the Balance of State Zone) to create additional hunting opportunity during the Veterans/Active Military weekend.
• Members had different ideas on how to manage high shooting. When asked how to address high shooting at refuges, members most frequently chose stronger enforcement of the 25-shell limit and enhanced education at check stations.

Balance of State Goose Season Adjustment

If the late goose season in the Balance of State Zone is moved back to the 3rd weekend in February, would you support shortening the late goose season from 5 days to 3 and adding those 2 days to the Veterans/Active Military hunt?

• Yes: 57.50%
• No: 42.50%

Senior Duck Hunt Days

Would you support creating 2 senior (65 years or older) duck hunt days that would be combined with the Veterans/Active Military weekend?

• Yes: 73.41%
• No: 26.59%

Tundra Swan Season Proposal

Should CWA request authorization for a tundra swan season with a certain number of permits for California?

• Yes: 75.05%
• No: 24.95%

Dove Season Extension

Should CWA request authorization to increase the dove season length from 60 to 70 days within the Western Management Unit? If so, how would you want the extra 10 days added to the season?

• Yes, split the extra days evenly between the early and late seasons: 40.08%
• Yes, add all 10 days to the end of the early season: 32.37%
• No: 19.46%
• Yes, add all 10 days to the end of the late season: 8.09%

Reservation Transfer Due to Flooding

When a public refuge/wildlife area is flooded out, should reservation holders be given the opportunity to transfer the reservation to another refuge/wildlife area that is open (similar to what was previously allowed by DFW)?

• Yes: 64.85%
• No: 35.15%

Sex-Specific Duck Regulations

Are you in favor of sex-specific regulations for some duck species (e.g. mallards), or should the USFWS continue to move away from sex specific regulations?

• In favor of sex specific duck regulations: 60.27%
• Not in favor of sex specific duck regulations: 39.73%

Canada Goose Bag Limit – NE Zone

In the NE Zone, would you be in favor of increasing the bag limit of Canada geese from 2 to 3 birds per day?

• Yes: 89.49%
• No: 10.51%

Klamath Hunting with No Sanctuary

At the Klamath Refuges (i.e. Lower Klamath and Tule Lake), are you in favor of allowing waterfowl hunting even if there is limited or no sanctuary acreage on those refuges?

• Yes: 54.09%
• No: 45.91%

Late Season Flooding for Habitat

Are you in favor of flooding some public hunting wetland units later in the season (e.g. December) to primarily offer late season vegetative food for waterfowl, or would you prefer that units be flooded as early as possible to primarily provide for maximum hunting opportunities?

• Flood some wetland units late: 57.10%
• Flood as many wetland units early as possible: 42.90%

Multiple Lottery Entries Before Hunt

Should hunters be allowed to enter multiple lotteries for refuges/wildlife areas on the night prior to the hunt day?

• Yes, allow folks to enter as many lotteries as they want: 43.49%
• No, have it remain at one lottery only: 56.51%

Earlier Lottery Entry on Saturdays

Many refuges/wildlife areas will not allow lottery entry until 6:00 PM the evening before the hunt day, even on Saturdays. On Saturdays, should lottery entry be allowed at any time before the draw for the Sunday hunt?

• Yes: 74.29%
• No: 25.71%

Gauge Restrictions Near Sanctuaries

Would you be in favor of restricted access areas (blinds or assigned ponds) adjacent to sanctuary areas at refuges/wildlife areas requiring hunters to use 20 gauge or smaller shotguns?

• Yes: 39.88%
• No: 60.12%

Solutions to High Shooting

How should high shooting at refuges/wildlife areas be addressed?

• More enforcement of the 25-shell limit: 31.53%
• More education at the check station: 25.46%
• Enforcement of wanton waste laws: 18.61%
• Other / something else: 18.51%
• Further limitations on maximum shot size: 5.88%

Zone Change for Central Counties

Would you be in favor of moving Merced County (Grasslands), Fresno County and Madera County into the Southern San Joaquin Zone to allow those counties to potentially have a different waterfowl season starting/ending date than the Balance of State Zone?

• Yes: 58.46%
• No: 41.54%

Shell Limit for Dove Season – 2nd Half

Would you support removing the 25-shell limit on public areas for dove hunting only during the second half of the dove season?

• Yes: 60.27%
• No: 39.73%