LANDER- Waterfowl hunters, please be advised that Ponds 1 and 2 at Ocean Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) and Reservoir 2 at Sand Mesa WHMA will remain dry for cattail management. However, Sand Mesa Ponds 4, 5, 6 and 7 will have water and provide opportunities for waterfowl hunting this season.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has worked for many years to manage cattail encroachment in these areas, and keeping ponds dry is one step in this process. Ponds 1 and 2 at Ocean Lane WHMA will remain dry through next summer and possibly next fall to continue the cattail management.
Reservoir 2 at Sand Mesa WHMA will be kept mostly dry this fall and winter to allow for the management of both cattails and salt cedar. The nearby shallow-water wetlands will hold water for the upcoming waterfowl season.
“Only recently and because of projects completed by Ducks Unlimited have we been able to drain these wetlands at Sand Mesa and intensively manage cattails and salt cedar,” said Habitat and Access Biologist Justin Rhine.
Rhine continued, “Our goal is to return the ponds at Ocean Lake WHMA to open water, providing resting habitat for the waterfowl we manage on the WHMA while also providing more hunting opportunities for sportspeople.”
See maps and WHMA information for the Ocean Lake and Sand Mesa WHMAs on the Game and Fish website public access pages. For further questions, please call Justin Rhine at (307) 448-0995.
Image below: Reservoir 2 at Sand Mesa WHMA, mostly dry for this fall and winter to manage cattails and salt cedar.
