Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area in southeast Missouri is the only public waterfowl hunting area in the South Zone, so it freezes last.

"Otter Slough Conservation Area has 10 blinds," Graber said. "It can have up to 20 parties of hunters per day. It's wide open and has some crops, and snow geese tend to use Otter Slough and surrounding areas."

You just have to be at the right place at the right time to get any snow goose action. But if you hunt during the conservation order, during the first warm fronts in February, you can have good hunting, said Graber.

Snow goose hunting is better during the warm, mild spells. In mild winters, snow stays all winter.

TEN MILE POND CA
Ten Mile Pond CA in southeast Missouri is 3,700 acres. Since it's closer to the Mississippi River, it provides late-season hunting. It's the only public waterfowl hunting area in the South Zone, so it freezes last.

"Ten Mile Pond is within flight range of the river systems," Graber said. "It has some upland goose hunting opportunities as well as some field hunting for Canada geese or snow geese, making it a little different from some of the other CAs."

The units are a little smaller than at places like Grand Pass. However, Ten Mile Pond can accommodate up to 15 or 18 parties per day. It's also open all day.

EAGLE BLUFFS, OTHERS
Eagle Bluffs CA in central Missouri is 4,400 acres along the Missouri River. It's a moist-soils management area and has the capacity for 16 parties a day if the river levels are normal. It attracts ducks, Canada geese and snow geese.

Columbia Bottoms CA in northern Missouri has 4,300 acres located at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The area has been the site of several hundred acres of new wetlands development last year. It's a relatively new area in the Conservation Area system. B.K. Leach CA is in the same region along the Mississippi River and can hold 15 hunting parties.

There are other places for hunters who don't want to take a chance with a drawing, including Coon Island CA in southeast Missouri, Suttle's Ford CA in west-central Missouri and Ralph and Martha Perry CA in central Missouri. These are bottomland areas with water-holding capabilities but no water-pumping facilities. Since rainfall provides water for flooding these areas, they are not as predictable. But they are open for hunting all day without quotas or permits.

MORE INFORMATION
For information on CA waterfowl hunting opportunities, including weekly reports and applying for advance reservations, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation Web site at mdc.mo.gov/hunt/wtrfowl or make applications for waterfowl hunts by calling (800) 829-2956.

Advance reservations are not open to non-residents, but daily on-site drawings are.

For information on hunting Swan Lake NWR, visit the refuge Web site at www.fws.gov/midwest/SwanLake/waterfowl_hunting.html.