Annual report

The 2025 season of managed waterfowl hunting at Shiawassee River State Game Area (SRSGA) was an average one. The growing season started off late and the sharecroppers for SRSGA were able to plant corn strips in the managed units either earlier than normal requiring a replant or planting or later into the season resulting in a later harvest date. Barely was planted as a sacrificial crop to wildlife in North Prior Units in hopes of having wildlife browse on the barley versus the planted corn, this resulting in keeping some wildlife browsing off the corn strips. Buckwheat was planted in North Prior Units later in the summer when a supplemental planting of sorghum was done on North Prior on time as well. The corn needed a replant in South Prior and recovered well. Corn strips in the 30s, 40s, 1-4, and 9-14 performed averagely.

The spring season started off with March being one of the top ten warmest Marches in history. April saw average temperatures and precipitation. And May temperatures were far below normal which was a contributing factor in drying the soils to be able to plant. The summer months were average temperatures but very little precipitation which affected crop growth. The geographic area was in a drought. Flooding of the area was able to be completed by the time the fall duck opener began. Waterfowl season in the south zone started two weeks after the middle zone opener this year and it will be that way for the next two years. Temperatures gradually fell starting in the middle of November. By December 5th the area had gone to self-registration instead of draws due to being frozen over and low hunter participation. The 2025 regular waterfowl season saw SRSGA harvesting 5,929 ducks in 4,869 hunter trips for a 1.21 duck per hunter trip average, along with 825 geese. The 2025 duck harvest total of 5,929 ducks is 1,040 more ducks harvested than the 2024 harvest. The 2025 duck harvest is 1,421 less harvested than the 5-year average (2020-2025).

Hunter participation for draws at SRSGA diminished immensely during the week of Thanksgiving due to cold temperatures moving in and the area began to freeze up with ice. Draws averaged about 30 parties throughout the season. December 5, 2025, is when SRSGA went to self-registration instead of draws due to little to no hunter participation. The weekly refuge counts were average numbers of waterfowl in the SRSGA refuge. The highest refuge count happened Monday, November 24th, the week of Thanksgiving, corresponding with the week the winter weather began moving into the area. That week’s refuge count was 20,565 waterfowl. The lowest refuge count was the following week, Monday, December 1st with 50 waterfowl. The following week, December 8th, the refuge had completely frozen over, and zero waterfowl were observed.

Our best zone or area for 2025 waterfowl harvest of harvest at SRSGA was Zone 34, which is an agricultural unit with only corn strips. Hunters harvested 449 waterfowl from Zone 34 and was 7.6% of the total harvest. Followed by Zone 35, another agricultural unit with only corn strips, with a harvest of 318 waterfowl and 5.65% of the total harvest.

Shiawassee River data

Shiawassee River State Game Area 2025 Prior Rd. refuge weekly waterfowl surveys

Shiawassee River SGA waterfowl harvest totals 2020-2025

Shiawassee River SGA Top Ten Zones for waterfowl harvest in 2025