Last week in review
October 26 — November 1, 2026
Weather
Weather remained very stagnant throughout the week, with nearly identical conditions day after day. Daytime temperatures were in the 60s, dropping to the mid-40s overnight. Winds were light and variable, with sunny or mostly sunny skies. The area has not received precipitation in several weeks.
Waterfowl Abundance
Waterfowl numbers are beginning to increase, with mallard numbers picking up and expected to continue rising steadily throughout the week of Nov. 2-8. As hunting pressure increases, birds are coming in to feed at night before moving out during the day to nearby refuges or other areas of the game area.
Mallards remain the most abundant species, while black ducks, pintails, wood ducks, wigeon and gadwall are also present in decent numbers. Canada geese are now mostly absent during daylight hours but return in large numbers at night.
Hunting Conditions
Draw Units
Long Pond (Zones 2-10): Cattail marsh accessible by foot or boat via the pullover. Water depths range from 1.5 to 3 feet and are navigable by small watercraft, although some areas may require pushing with a pole or on foot. Cattails are healthy in most zones but will be noticeably thinner than last year.
Nelson (Zones 11-14): Flooded agriculture accessible by foot only. Corn is doing extremely well, standing 7 to 8 feet tall. Zones 11 and 12 are full and healthy. Millet and buckwheat have fully germinated and provide ample food. Water levels will be shallower at the start of the season, but water is being added gradually.
Zone 11 has an ADA-accessible blind platform. The blind can be reserved in advance by visiting or calling the office.
Walpatich (Zones 15-22): A mix of agriculture and cattail marsh accessible by foot only.
Zone 15: Dry agriculture with a small water pocket. Crops have been moved to the dry portion of the zone to the west, while water remains in the traditional low spot to the east. Corn is in excellent condition, with buckwheat planted around it.
Zones 19 and 21: Flooded agriculture. Corn is in great shape, standing 6 to 7 feet tall in the healthiest areas. Buckwheat production is very good. Water levels will be shallow at the start of the season, with additional water added as the season progresses.
Zones 16, 17-18, 20 and 22: Cattail marsh and moist-soil habitat. Cattails in all zones are healthy and lush. Zones 16 and 18 have significantly more wetland vegetation than last year, while the openings in Zones 20 and 22 have good growth of native wetland vegetation that will provide food.
Public Hunting (Non-Draw) Units
These units are accessible for hunting during all legal seasons.
Vermet: Water levels are closer to optimal and are suitable for most small to midsize flat-bottom boats. Cattail vegetation remains sparse but is returning along the eastern and southern edges. Submerged vegetation is still present but is gradually disappearing as water temperatures drop. Some areas are shallow and may make navigation difficult, but most of the unit is accessible by boat.
The management strategy for this unit is to conduct drawdowns early in the year and maintain low water levels throughout the growing season to promote vegetation growth. This requires maintaining shallower-than-usual water levels.
Humphries: Water levels gradually deepen toward the east and become shallower, with more vegetation, toward the west. Water levels are significantly lower than in previous years due to a hot, dry summer and declining Great Lakes water levels. Some areas that were previously navigable by boat may not be accessible this year because of the reduced water depth.
The western half provides good shallow-water habitat for dabbling ducks, while the eastern half requires a boat for access and hunting. The boat launch will be inaccessible due to the Roberts Road closure. However, hunters can launch at headquarters and pull over at the Vermet/Huron River (north causeway) rollers and middle causeway rollers.
Note: Wind and weather conditions can affect the use of the north causeway pullover.
Bad Creek: A walk-in unit where vegetation has been cleared across much of the area to begin extensive moist-soil management. Water levels are quite shallow throughout the unit, with some pockets reaching 2 to 2.5 feet deep.
Cripple Point: A walk-in unit with very good conditions, including optimal water levels and a good hemi-marsh ratio. Water will be deeper toward the east.
Mouillee Creek: This unit is mostly upland, with some waterfowl hunting opportunities near Mouillee Creek itself. The unit is best suited for deer hunting. Corn and sorghum strips have also been planted for pheasants.
Hunter Numbers
- Hunter trips: 529
- Draw sizes:
- Tuesday afternoon: 24 parties
- Thursday all day: 30 parties
- Sunday morning: 31 parties
- Sunday afternoon: 12 parties
- Average zones filled for the week: 18 out of 22
Waterfowl Harvest
Harvest in the managed units has been good in agricultural zones, while some marsh zones have produced a few ducks during each hunt. Overall, weather has been the determining factor in keeping harvest numbers low. There has been little reason for birds to move into other zones, and a major push of birds from the north has yet to occur.
- Ducks: 632
- Geese: 16
- Ducks per hunter trip: 1.19
What to Expect This Week
Rain and overcast conditions are expected Monday, with scattered rain showers possible Wednesday and Friday. Cloudy skies are forecast for most of the week, along with cooler temperatures beginning Thursday and continuing into Friday. Daytime highs are expected to be in the upper 40s, with nighttime lows dropping into the upper 30s to low 40s.
The following week, Nov. 9-15, is not currently showing any rain in the forecast. Moderate west-southwest winds are expected Monday, followed by nighttime temperatures dropping to around freezing (32 degrees) through the weekend.
Upcoming Events
- Nov. 1: Afternoon nonreserved youth preference draw
- Nov. 10: Nonreserved veterans preference draw (note the change from the regulations summary).
- Dec. 13: Last day of the regular South Zone season.
- Dec. 26-27: South Zone split season. Draws will be held for both morning and afternoon hunts each day.
Draw Schedule
- Morning draws: 5:30 a.m.
- Afternoon draws: 11 a.m.
- Registration: Begins 30 minutes before each draw.
Hunt Schedule
- Sunday: Morning and afternoon hunts
- Tuesday: Afternoon hunt
- Thursday: All-day hunt (morning draw)
Other Comments
As the number of parties participating in draws increases above 30 or 40, random-number list draw sheets will be used instead of lottery balls. This change will help speed up the draw process and give hunters more time to reach their assigned zones.
Roberts Road Closure Update
From the DNR press release dated Sept. 18, 2026:
Due to failed culverts and a road washout at the Mouillee Creek crossing, Roberts Road will remain closed to traffic south of Reaume Road throughout the 2026 waterfowl season.
This closure eliminates access to one of the two main boat launches at Pointe Mouillee. We understand the disappointment and frustration this causes. However, there is no alternate route available. We investigated temporary fixes and determined they would be unsafe.
Because the infrastructure that caused the road to wash out was obsolete, reconstructing the road requires engineering and design work, as well as surveys and permitting.
The Michigan DNR is working toward an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Monroe County Road Commission, to safely reconstruct Roberts Road at the Mouillee Creek crossing.
Updates will be provided on the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area webpage as the project progresses.