I'm planing on starting to hunt this area begining with this springs turkey season and I'm trying to find as much info as I can on the area since its so large. The primary area of it that I am going to hunt is around the mud duck boat ramp area. I was wondering if this area gets alot of hunting preasure. Also were are all the hunter check stations? There's one at mud duck and theres one on the other side of the river in that hunting area, but is there any more along the river? Also do most people drive boats to there areas that they like to hunt or do they walk? Also I was wondering if there was other parking areas other then boat ramps that have check stations for the hunting area? Also I was wondering if anyone knows of a better map of the mud duck area than google earth. It doesn't show the area very well at all and I would like to see it clearly? Thanks

Is mud duck the ramp close to the south end of Baldwin Lake that you get to off Highway 154? If so, I'd say that area gets alot of pressure. To avoid the crowds there try hunting weekdays, walk further than everyone else does, and stay out the entire hunting time...until 1:00 pm. There are alot of birds on that ground down there though but they will get educated quick.

If you want to avoid the crowds down on the river and find less pressured birds you just about need a boat.

I'd recommend ordering the USGS 1:24,000 topographic maps for the area. These are a quick hardcopy reference that have the boundaries for the area marked. I have the New Athens East, New Athens West, Redbud, Evansville, and Kaskaskia 1:24,000 USGS topographic maps and these cover just about the entire Kaskaskia SFWA. You can order these on the map store at USGS.gov. To look at decent aerial photographs you can get on Microsoft Terraserver ( http://terraserver-usa.com/). These photos, though black and white, are much more clear than what is available from the free version of Google Earth. You can also view the topo maps at Microsoft Terraserver.

There is some road access for the KRSFWA around New Athens (refer to your map) too but there are not check stations. Don't worry about needing a checkstation though. When you check your quarry in on the phone or computer it will ask you which area you harvested the animal in.

Finally, be careful as to what county your tag is for as the KRSFWA encompases 3 counties. The area around New Athens is St. Clair county. The area just south of New Athens is Monroe County on the west and St. Clair on the east. The St.Clair/Randolph county line runs right through the area you are talking about hunting. Again, refer to your maps. Also, if you are hunting that area near Baldwin Lake be very careful to not cross the waterfowl refuge line (it is marked good). I heard they watch that pretty close down there.

Joe

Joe and his maps... LOL it is THE way to go though. There is a lot of land spread over 28 miles of river to explore. You can get disoriented if you aren't sure where you are, or how the heck you got that lake between you and your truck... (done it)

I don't know Mud Duck, but Becks is called Wood Duck by some.

There are check stations at most parking areas. Make sure you sign in and out. The one at New Athens ramp is just for Waterfowl I think???

A boat is your best bet for tooling around out there... a lot of that ground isn't accessible unless you know the adjoining farmer.

If I was you, I start hiking around and figuring it out WELL before the season is here... I've been walking it for 7 years, and learn new areas every year.

A GPS is a help on where you parked your boat, or how to get back to a place you wanna hunt.

Hey guys thanks for the info I really periciate it alot.