Kankakee is right at the confluence of the Kankakee and Yellow rivers. The low-lying bottomland between them floods quite often and the open rivers attract high numbers of birds. Thousands of Canadas consider the Kankakee a five-star stopover and many them will remain there right on into January.

St. Joseph and Elkhart counties are close contenders with Starke for the No. 1 slot. These counties can, at times, produce the best hunting in the South Bend Zone.

When the only open water is on the major river systems, the St. Joe River holds the highest numbers of birds. The Wabash River does well in Vermillion County near the power plant, as well as just north of Terre Haute in Vigo County. The White and Ohio rivers also get in on the action and can be hunted when the Kankakee is a bit crowded or just not where the Canadas are roosting.

These rivers are open to public shooting, but permission is required if you leave the main channel to hunt a flooded field. State boundaries also come into play. You're fine on the islands in the Wabash between Illinois and Indiana, but you can't hunt the Illinois side or launch from the Illinois side without a hunting license from that state.

The Koontz Lake Wetlands Conservation Area (WCA) near Koontz Lake only totals 58 acres, so only a few hunters can make a crowd. Most local hunters know that and at times you'll be the only one on the property.

Starke County's Turkey Foot WCA is another overlooked spot that holds a few late-season birds on occasion. It covers 130 acres near Hamlet.

For more information, contact the Kankakee FWA in District 2 at (574) 896-3572.

The Starke County Tourism Commission can be reached at (877) 733-2736 or at www.explorestarkecounty.com.

SCOTT COUNTY
Most of southeastern Indiana isn't known for its late-season waterfowling, but the hunting can be good, according to Chris Grauel, a wildlife biologist who formerly managed this region.

"The best opportunities are along the Muscatatuck River in both Scott and Jennings counties, though Scott offers more watershed impoundments and vast amounts of bottomland agricultural land and forest," Grauel said.

But it takes more to bag a late-season Canada than just showing up.

Decoy spreads are very important during the late season, Knight said. The spread can be on land, open water or directly on the ice. Matching what you see while scouting feeding and resting birds is the key. Anything amiss and the geese will keep right on flying.

The Stucker Fork Fish and Wildlife Area (FWA) is the spot to be in Scott County. The habitat is ideal and the access is easy.

By now the local birds are wise to every trick in the book. Fooling them can be tough on decoy spreads, but it can be done.