Welcome to the BGH forum! All the California questions are usually fielded by Ca_Vermonster but he's on vacation right now hunting deer back in Vermont with his dad. Keep checking back or post again in a week or so and you'll probably get a response.

Good luck till then if you find some. Let us know how it goes.

Well your best bet is to start at fish and game web site and apply for reservation to sum of the local refuges it can be a little confusing at first.the second way to get on the refuges is to show up on the hunt days and refill as hunters check out this is the best way to figure out the place in the day light. the third way is to do the so called sweat line where you show up at check in time and get in line for no shows.the refuges around LA are Kern to the north can be hard to get on and they hunt Wednesdays and Saturdays and then you got San Jacinto to the east is a good spot and Tom who runs the place can be vary helpfull if you showed up on hunt day and refill you can do a little hunting and get the fill for the place so if you get a ressi you no there your going. and then there's Wister down buy the Salton Sea this can be a great place to hunt it's big and it takes a will to figure out but a fun place they hunt SAT.sun.wed.if it rains there the hunting can be good but be vary carful the MUD is like nothing you ever seen. if you decide to go to Wister or SJ i can help you more let me know

I went to SJ on Sat. got there at 1 pm only had two hours to hunt it was nice and windy my son and i each shot 4 it was a great time. As far as Wister goes Sun.are slower but Wister can be a great place to hunt. SJ is a lot closer and there where a lot of birds there Sat.The trick is to check them out so you know a little better next time. good luck oh and one more thing the #1 no no when hunting on a refuge is sky busters

Well, I am back, but it looks like Dustin got to you first.  Yes, Kern and San Jacinto are pretty pupular, and both good spots for duck if you hit the timing right.

I don't know how "close" you want it, but if you want an overnight trip, you can always head out to the Imperial Valley and hunt there.  The Colorado River, plus all of the canals hold ducks, and can be some real fun to shoot on.  There is also the Wister hunts out there, which you also have to put in for.

Welcome tot he site!  I hope you take time to wander around the site, and look at the forums, stories, and such.  Make sure to stick around, and maybe throw up some photos and stories of your past hunts!  Good luck looking for ducks.  I am only a couple hours south of you, so if you need and other info, dealing with the application procees or whatever, feel free to let me know. 

You could try Winston or San Jacinto. San Jacinto is closer, but Winston is a good place for waterfowl to. Best of luck on your duck hunt. I hope it's mighty tasty.