Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet...I'm Hunting Duck

Oregon's Sauvie Island prime hunting ground

By Mike Bitton

February in Southwest Washington brings so much rain and wind, many outdoorsfolk opt to head south for kinder climes. But if your outside pursuits include shotgunning for ducks, your trek south should be a short one. At 26,000 acres, Oregon’s Sauvie Island is the largest island along the Columbia River. In addition to hiking, fishing, boating, and nude sunbathing, the island also offers some of the best duck hunting spots in the area.

The Pacific Flyway is the major north-south migratory route for waterfowl on this coast, stretching from Alaska to Patagonia. The best access to the Flyway is on Sauvie Island. Oregon’s Sauvie Island Wildlife Area occupies 12,000 acres of the total 26,000—about half of which is more well-known for its corn mazes and pumpkin patches than for its hunting. Much of the state-owned wildlife area was purchased a plot at a time from dairy farmers and turkey ranchers, according to long-time state employee Jerry Ronne, who lives on the island and helps manage the project.

The majority of fowl that visit the island are species such Mallards and Northern Pintails, which are far from endangered-in fact, some (i.e. Canadian Geese) are considered pests in many places. But the island also plays hosts to rarer birds such as the Sandhill Crane. Ronne and other state employees commonly spend the spring and summer months planting specific crops to help birds get through the winter. Corn, millet and buckwheat are common crops in the project area. The harvest, of course, is left to the birds.

Additionally, the conservation and hunting advocacy group Ducks Unlimited has been and continues to be active with conservation projects to improve duck habitat on Sauvie Island, restoring grasslands and watersheds, replanting forests, and working with area landowners to improve the agricultural and recreational value of their land in order to better support wildlife. In fact, Sauvie Island is the anchor point of DU’s efforts in the Lower Columbia River region.

“Sauvie Island is the gem of this part of the flyway,” said Chuck Lobdell of the Vancouver, Wash., DU office.

If you’d like to harvest some of the myriad ducks on Sauvie Island, there are some peculiar rules in place that require careful attention. First of all, you’ve got to pay to park in Sauvie Island’s wildlife areas. A daily permit will set you back $3.50, while annual permits are available for $11. Permits can be bought at island stores, as well as at the Fish and Wildlife office on the island.

Another quirk of Sauvie Island hunting is that it’s only open every other day. Furthermore, “huntable” areas are divided into four management units, each with different rules.

Land managers say staggered hunting days give ducks the rest they need, and prevent them from being spooked off the property permanently. Call the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to see whether the area will be open the day you hope to hunt, and what specific regulations you’ll need to observe.

Finally, for tips and tricks and a plethora of information on hunting duck, visit the Ducks Unlimited website at www.ducks.org.

Directions: Take Hwy. 30 to the Sauvie Island Bridge. After crossing the bridge, stay on NW Sauvie Island Road for about 2 miles. Stay left at the “Y” intersection. The wildlife area headquarters is on the right about 1/4 mile past the “Y” intersection.

Address and Phone: Sauvie Island Wildlife Area, 18330 NW Sauvie Island Road, Portland, OR 97231. 503.621.3488