The area is noted for its spectacular waterfowl populations that begin migrating into the area during late August. Blue winged teal stop over to enjoy the abundance of plant and animal life on the ponds, lakes, and back woods potholes. The season normally starts the first week in September. A limit of four green-winged or blue-winged teal can be harvested each day with eight in possession. Hunters find success in hunting them with two dozen or fewer teal decoys. Small shot sizes of #3 steel or #6 Bismuth will easily take these small ducks if your aim can catch up with them.

Early November finds duck hunters hiding in duck blinds, cattails, or behind oak trees in flooded timbers. Rend Lake and Crab Orchard draw migrating puddle and diving ducks by the thousands. Duck hunters come to the area to hunt mallards, teal, gadwalls, bluebills, redheads, and canvasbacks. Hunters should bring their duck boat, several dozen mallard decoys, a couple dozen Canada goose decoys, and a camera to record some lasting memories.

Waterfowl gunners flock to southern Illinois each fall when the Canada goose season opens. The Canada goose, snow goose, and white-fronted goose season is set by the Fish and Wildlife Service each year and recently it has been opening in late November. The majority of the Canada geese migrate into the area during late December. Hunters will find approximately 320,000 Canada's and over 90,000 snow geese in the area. Bird watchers enjoy photographing the ducks, geese, and bald eagles.

Waterfowl hunters will need a state license, federal duck stamp, state duck stamp, and Recreational User fee is charged to those hunting on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife property. The recreational User Permits are available at the Crab Orchard Visitor Center on Route 148 South, daily from 8 A.M.-5 P.M. Federal duck stamps may be purchased at your local U.S. Post Office. Hunting licenses are available through various vendors in southern Illinois.

Rend Lake Facts & Figures

The Corps of Engineers Builds Rend Lake

Construction of the sixty million dollar Rend Lake project began in June 1965. The initial filling of the reservoir was complete in May 1972. Located on the Big Muddy River. Rend Dam is 103.7 river miles from the Mississippi River. The dam creates a lake with a surface area of 18,900 acres at the top of the joint-use pool, which is elevation 405 ft. NGVD (National Geodetic Vertical Datum). Subimpoundment dams were constructed on both of the major tributaries to the lake, approximately 10 miles upstream of Rend Dam. These structures help create an approximately 5,000 acre wildlife management area on the northern end of the lake.

LAKE STATISTICS -At Joint Use Pool of 405.0 ft NGVD

Surface Area ..................... 18,900 acres

Storage ....................... 185,000 acre-ft.

Shoreline Length ............... 162 mi. (261 km)

Pool Length. .................... 13 mi. ( 21 km)

Pool Width ....................... 3 mi. ( 5 km)

Maximum Depth ......................... 35 ft.

-At Flood Control Pool of 410.0 ft NGVD-

Surface Area ..................... 24,800 acres.

Total Storage ................... 294,000 acre-ft.

EARTHEN EMBANKMENT DAM STATISTICS

Crest Elevation ................... 424 ft. NGVD

Height above streambed................... 54 ft.

Width at Crest .......................... 30 ft.

Length. ....................... 1.5 mi. (2.5 km)

MAIN SPILLWAY

Type. ....... Ungated concrete section, with notch

Crest Elevation ................. 410 ft. NGVD

Crest Length .......................... 435 ft."

* Includes 31 ft. notch at elevation 405 ft. NGVD

AUXILIARY SPILLWAY

Type .................... Ungated, concrete weir

Crest Elevation ................... 415 ft. NGVD

Crest Length. .......................... 800 ft.

OUTLET WORKS

Type........................ Concrete conduits

Size.... Two. 4 ft. x 6 ft. reinforced concrete boxes

Bottom elevation, upstream side of dam..... 373.5 ft. NGVD

Length.............................. 304.5 ft.