help_outline Skip to main content
  The Houston Canoe Club
Share our Joy of Paddling!








P.O. Box 925516
Houston, Texas
77292-5516



The Houston Canoe Club 

is a Paddlesports Risk Management Club

Sign the Waiver
HCC


Add Me To Your Mailing List

HCC Paddling Forum

Considerations for Champion Lake paddles during hu...
Author Last Post
Does David Portz still have a decoy tied to his boat? 
Champion Lake and Picketts Bayou access points are controlled by the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge.  You should be aware that these areas are open to public hunting on controlled dates.  Tom Douglas has checked into availability/desirability of paddling there particularly in the upcoming duck hunting season, and here is the information he has gleaned:

"I spoke with Bonnie Campisi, who works in the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge office.  She was particularly helpful.  Here are several of the main points from our conversation:

 

Champion Lake is only open for duck hunting during weekends, so weekdays are still available for paddlers.  Overall, the signup for duck hunting permits at Champion Lake was light this year, due to the window for making applications coming right around the time of Hurricane Harvey.  Youth hunting season will be open November 4-5.  Given the lower than usual  number of permit applications this year, the lake will be open for hunting during the regular season on November 11, 12, 18, 19; December 9, 10, 16, 17; and January 6, 7, 13, 14.  So, other weekends during this period should still be available for unrestricted use by non-hunters. 

 

Each duck hunting permit is good for both days of two consecutive weekends.  In general, the turnout on Sundays is lighter than the turnout on Saturdays.  Hunters are required to sign in as they arrive on a given day.  They are required to be off the lake by noon, although they may leave sooner.  No non-hunters are permitted onto the lake until all of the hunters have left.  So, a paddling group could schedule a meeting time before noon, on the chance that all the hunters would leave early.  If not, the paddlers could either wait to put in on Champion Lake, or they could head down Picketts Bayou as an alternative.  Bonnie did point out that the refuge owns the land for about one mile to the south of the Picketts Bayou launch site, and that there is a private hunting club just below that point. 

 

Work is currently underway on a permanent restroom adjacent to the Butterfly Garden, but it isn’t ready for use yet.  A portable toilet is available near the boat launch.  A culvert under the road into the lake was damaged by the hurricane, but the road is still passable. 

 

It would still be a good idea to check in with the refuge office at (936) 336-9786 before scheduling a trip during this time. "

Be careful out there, it's a wonderful time to paddle, but we have to share the wealth.



Return to Forum