LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas duck hunters will again have a 60-day season with a maximum daily limit of six ducks, the state Game and Fish Commission heard Thursday.
Also Thursday, commission staff proposed 13 changes in fishing regulations.
Ricky Chastain, assistant chief of wildlife management, told commissioners that the 60 days had been confi rmed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The commission will set the dates for the season at its August meeting. Members are looking at three options for dates, with the main diff erence being when the duck season will open.
The commissioners did set the hunting seasons for early migratory birds, including an early hunt for Canada geese, which have become a problem in some areas of the state.
These dates are:
Mourning and Eurasian collared doves, Sept. 4-Oct. 19 and Dec. 11-Jan. 5.
Teal, Sept. 11-26.
Rail, Sept. 11-Nov. 19.
Woodco ck, Nov. 6-Dec. 20.
Snipe, Nov. 1-Feb. 15.
Purple gallinule and common moorhen, Sept. 1-Nov. 9.
Canada goose, Sept. 1-15 statewide, Sept. 25-Oct. 4 in the northwest zone and Dec. 26-Jan. 30 statewide.
The commission gave fi nal approval to a new wildlife management area surrounding and including Lake Maumelle near Little Rock. This came after extensive negotiations with Central Arkansas Water and is for a one-year period, with the expectation of extending the agreement if the operation proves satisfactory.
It will be named Maumelle River WMA and will cover about 15,000 acres, with roughly 7,000 acres of land and the rest of the lake.
Chastain said plans are being made for a permit archery hunt on the land for October, November and December.
The commissioners also approved buying nine acres of land on Crooked Creek in Marion County near Yellville to provide another access for fishermen and floaters. The land is costing $12,000, and another $5,000 is being spent for surveys and environmental assessment.
If approved at the August meeting, the proposed changes in fi shing regulations would go into effect Jan. 1.
The suggested changes:
Increase the spotted bass minimum length limit on Table Rock Lake to 15 inches.
Change the Lake Monticello largemouth bass slot limit to 19-22 inches with a daily limit of eight.
Make a smallmouth bass minimum length limit of 14 inches and a daily limit of two on Illinois River and War Eagle Creek in Northwest Arkansas.
Allow the discarding of edible portions of buffalo fish. Other rough fish can be discarded, but buffalo had been excepted.
Clarify the expiration dates of alligator gar permits, which are free.
Require commercial fi shermen to retain a 2-inch portion of one ovary of paddlefish and sturgeons instead of both ovaries.
Add Lake Dieff enbacher in Texarkana to the Community Fishing Program.
Remove Lake Atalanta (CQ) in Rogers from the Community Fishing Program.
Add Lake Springdale to the Community Fishing Program.
Change the name of Springdale Community Fishing Pond to Murphy Park Fishing Pond.
Create a special commercial fishing season on Lester Sitzes Bois d’Arc Lake near Hope for February to reduce buff alo fish in the lake.
Change monthly reporting requirements for alligator snapping turtle breeders and dealers.
Add catch-and-release areas to waters where it is prohibited to have filleted fish.