Black Crown Marsh is a rare new waterfowling site in Illinois

A successful morning and learning experience came at Black Crown SNA, a new waterfowling site in Illinois.

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Decoys set near shore at Black Crown Marsh SNA, a newly-opened walk-in waterfowl hunting site.

Dale Bowman

God bless the hunter or site worker who left a pair of old oars stashed under the Grumman boat stowed at Black Crown Marsh. I remembered, about an hour from home, that I hadn’t thrown an oar into the car.

Without an oar I would have had quite the time setting decoys in a stiff northwest wind. Even with oars, it was a challenge by myself to untangle decoys and toss them out.

Black Crown Marsh State Natural Area, on the border of Lake and McHenry counties, opened to waterfowl hunting for the first time this fall. Illinois needs more walk-in sites. I was lucky enough to draw a permit for early November. The site, a satellite of nearby Moraine Hills State Park, has 136 huntable acres.

Each permit holder, with up to three partners, has a day (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays or Sundays) with sole access.

It was an adventure finding the parking lot in the dark at the equestrian entrance on Wegner Road near Moraine Hills SP, then came even more of an adventure trekking the three-quarters of a mile on what I hoped was the right path. Assistant site superintendent John Laskowski recommended using a deer cart to lug in decoys and gear. Because there was enough snow cover, I went with a plastic sled.

Figured I was in the right spot when I found the Grumman boat where it should be. If you have partners or are feeling brawny, you may bring your own canoe, skiff, kayak or small boat without a motor. I hunted solo when a buddy bailed because of a book deadline.

Hunting must be done from shore or within 20 years of it. As usual, you need at least a dozen decoys. There are no permanent blinds, but you may make a temporary one. I will go with a camo cloth blind next time.

I set my decoys with much hope on the back side of a major cold front last week. In the dark, I heard one duck, then nothing until regular flocks of Canada geese began flying at first light.

At dawn, a flock of Canada geese flew so low and close that I cleanly dropped the rear one within 15 yards of me. That would be my bag for the day. I saw only one duck flying, well out of range and not interested in my decoys.

Laskowski highly recommended a dog for retrieving and even suggested that a marsh chair might be a good idea. Afterward, I could see his point.

In the future, Laskowski hopes they can establish a floating blind and maybe some field hunting. Both are good ideas, especially the field hunting with all the Canada geese nearby.

Laskowski said that you need to take care when wading, there are still leftover hazards, such as downed fences and wooden walkways. Water levels are not controlled by the DNR, so be prepared for variable levels.

Swan pairs flew in and out. So many kettles of krooing sandhill cranes came over that I finally made a video.

``It’s a work in progress there,’’ wildlife biologist Stefanie Fitzsimons messaged. ``We just inherited the Lake County [forest preserve] land next to it so I’ll be working on removing phragmites and other unwanted invasives and move to improve the wetland.’’

There’s already been work on the phragmites. It was nice to see actual cattails.

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The heavy vegetation on the shoreline at Black Crown Marsh SNA.

Dale Bowman

On the waterfowling page for Black Crown Marsh, this sentence is apt, ``Due to thick vegetation, hunters are strongly encouraged to use retrieving dogs and to only shoot at ducks over open water and within legal range.’’

Near the end of my hunt, seven coots kept swimming and diving nearer. Supposedly, coots are good table fare. I’ve never shot at a coot in my life and am too set in my ways to start now.

So I watched them swim and hoped they would act as live decoys and pull in some ducks, but no such luck.

It was time.

It took trial and error to realize that in the wind I needed to row well past the decoys to be able to reach down and grab them before being blown back.

Live and learn.

With the added weight of a goose in the sled and looking around in the daylight, I took an hour to walk back to the car. The geese were still flying.

Can’t wait for the next time I draw a permit there, I will have a well-planned strategy in mind.

To apply for a waterfowl permit, go to https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/waterfowl/Pages/OnlinePermitApplication.aspx.

No permits remain for Black Crown Marsh. Downstate, Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area has permits available on many days. A smattering of other permits are available, but for many sites, such as Spring Lake, permits are also completely gone.

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