Tons and tons of birds. All the time. Nobody hunts there, you can show up 10 minutes after shooting light and walk right in.

 

What is the best place to go?

 

I hunted there growing up in my teens and 20's back in the 70's and 80's. That said, all the spots I hunted are now closed unless you maybe use a kayak? The pond which is now closed produced well for me. My old friends and I had dug a pit next to the dunes with dragged drift wood and a plywood roof with sand thrown on top. We had some epic days when it was stormy. Of course, the older you get, the better it was. I walked out there a couple years back and it looks more like a State park than a hunting refuge with all the pretty signs about the "ecology" of the area and groomed trails. There is a strip you can hunt but it would probably only be good for pass shooting next to river but not enough room for more than one party in my opinion. Although there is an ordinance, still people hunt the Salinas River itself but it's really never that good. Elkhorn no longer has a walk in and the only spots worth shooting are those spots where you can get close to a freshwater pond and pass shoot. If it was me, I'd transfer to CSU Chico. Way better hunting opportunities and cheaper rent with much wiser professors. Fort Old use to be open to hunting . Some of the ponds had coots but I never saw a duck. The quail and rabbit hunting was pretty good though. Panetta screwed that opportunity when the 7th Division moved and he turned the land into BLM without hunting. (The first Panetta). Pretty much all your public hunting opportunities in Monterey County are a drive and waterfowl hunting is extremely limited with few birds for your effort. Might as well fish and even that is getting hammered pretty hard. What's your major and why UFO State?

 

I’m only here for my last year to play baseball. Normally hunt up near sacramento.

 

If you don't have a kayak or a dog you should focus on fishing. That's my opinion. There truly is very little public legal "walk in" access in places that harbor waterfowl without at least driving for over an hour. Maybe go surf perch fishing at river mouth and observe what you see? Take a lady friend for a picnic hike there? Like HNTFSH said "no one will give you an X on line ". That's like asking the pitcher for a slow straight ball in the hit zone. You have plenty to work with now so get out there and check out what you can do on your own. Share a pic. if you get a bird or two.