The San Jacinto Wildlife Area is located in western Riverside County east of the Lake Perris  State Recreational Area.

The Wildlife Area Checking station is on Davis Road 2-1/4 miles north of Romona Expressway. There is no access through Davis Road from to the north.

 

 

The Wildlife Area's main gate is currently open 7 days a week from 7 am until sunset for your enjoyment There is a large variety of species available for viewing this time of the year as Summer is here and our Fall flooding begins.  We hope you enjoy your visit!

 

The SJWA Headquarters (HQ) Office is open Monday through Friday from 7am - 3 pm.

The office is closed on all State and Federal holidays. 

 

Please note: Pursuant to Governor*s Executive Order S-16-09,

our Wildlife Area's HQ office might be closed on the first, second and third Friday of each month. In keeping with these measures and trying to provide the best service to the public,  the Wildlife Area's HQ office is subject to be closed on other days than the prescribed Fridays listed, these days will change and will be without notice,  we apologize for the inconvenience and please be patient with us, thank you very much.

Please be advised that during rainy periods the auto tour road through the refuge may be closed do to unsafe road conditions. During these rainy periods, Davis Road in from Ramona Expressway is also very muddy and slippery and may be un passable, please feel free to call ahead and speak to one of our staff to find out the status of the conditions.

 

There is no off highway vehicles (OHV) allowed on the wildlife area. All visiting vehicles must stay on designated DFG roads.

 

The Upland Game area is open from 1/2 hour prior to sunrise until sunset. It is the portion of the Wildlife Area that is on the west side of Davis road. Please check in at the Permit Booth located on Davis Road across the street ftom the Wildlife Area's Headquarters office

 

Please check local newspapers for listings of bird and nature walks on the property conducted by outside organizations.

  

Thank you,  and please enjoy your visit!  

   

Current Open Hunting Seasons

 The Upland Game area is open from 1/2 hour prior to sunrise until sunset. It is the portion of the Wildlife Area that is on the west side of Davis road. Please check in at the Permit Booth located on Davis Road across the street ftom the Wildlife Area's Headquarters office.

 

Cottontail Rabbit season from July 1 - January 31, 2010 

Rabbits may only be hunted in the Upland Game unit

 

Snipe, October 24 - January 31, 2010 in the Upland Game unit

 

Quail, October 24- January 31, 2010 in the Upland Game Unit

 

Pheasants, Novemeber 16th, 23, 30, Dec 7, 14 and 21 and may only be hunted on those specified Mondays and every hunterMUST must go through the hunter check station and recieve a day use permit by DFG staff. This is very important.

Check in is 7 am

 

 

Waterfowl Hunting

Waterfowl, from Oct 24 - January 30 2010

Waterfowl hunting is only on Wednesday's and Saturday's in the designated waterfowl areas

Reservation card holders start at 3 am sharp! Followed by non reservation card holders. Last chance to refill a blind or take a blind for the day is 2 pm.

All waterfowl hunters MUST go through the hunter check station prior to hunting and must report all game before leaving SJWA.

 

 

Current News

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its preliminary report on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were estimated at 42 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 13 percent increase over last year's estimate of 37.3 million birds and is 25 percent above the 1955-2008 long-term average.

 

"The increase in duck numbers in relation to the increase in habitat conditions is consistent with what we would expect to see in U.S. and Canadian breeding grounds this spring," said Ducks Unlimited's Executive Vice President Don Young. "History has repeatedly shown that when water returns to the breeding grounds ducks respond with a strong breeding effort."

While numbers are up, DU Chief Biologist Dale Humburg explains that hunter success will still depend heavily on weather, which will dictate migration patterns. 

 

 

 

 More News...

El Niño Arrives; Expected to Persist through Winter 2009-10

NOAA scientists today announced the arrival of El Niño, a climate
phenomenon with a significant influence on global weather, ocean
conditions and marine fisheries. El Niño, the periodic warming of
central and eastern tropical Pacific waters, occurs on average every two
to five years and typically lasts about 12 months.

 

 Stay on track, check waterfowl migrations here.

 http://www.ducks.org/migrationmap/?poe=migMapBlast