JAMESTOWN – Hunters planning to waterfowl hunt at Jamestown Wildlife Area this season will notice several changes taking place, some of which may affect hunting opportunities. Gamekeeper Marsh and Gun Club Marsh will both be temporarily drained and kept dry in preparation for upcoming enhancement projects. During this time, waterfowl hunting access will be extremely limited, but opportunities still exist.

While construction is taking place, hunters can find huntable habitat on the south end of the property throughout the waterfowl season. Staff have pumped select off-channel storage pools from Marsh Creek and Buffalo Creek Marshes for the season. A PDF map of these pools can be accessed by visiting ksoutdoors.com, then clicking “Hunting,” “Reports and Forecasts,” and scrolling down to “Jamestown Wildlife Area.”

“These areas have excellent moist soil food production and teal are now using them,” said Matt Farmer, Public Lands manager for Jamestown. “We just ask that the public be mindful of the tighter spaces this season, and we appreciate their patience while we make improvements to the wildlife area.”

Over the coming months, construction crews will build a division berm in Gamekeeper Marsh, and raise Gamekeeper Dam 18 inches to accommodate the increased sediment load the marsh has taken on the last several decades. The berm construction and dam increase will allow area managers to flood a larger area and better control water elevations, to manage for optimum moist soil production and increased hunting opportunities.

For more information on the construction taking place at Jamestown Wildlife Area, contact area staff at (785) 439-6243.

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