WATERFOWL REPORT

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s weekly waterfowl report: NORTHEAST ARKANSAS DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA

Upper Island GTR Mast production is considered good to above average 269.4 MSL. Target level 269.5 MSL. 98 percent◊ooded. Waterfowl hunters should be aware of remnant ice storm damage within the GTRs. Please exercise caution when accessing the area.

Lower Island GTR Mast production is considered good to above average 268.0 MSL. Target level 268.0 MSL. 100 percent◊ooded.

Upper Reyno GTR Mast production is considered good to above average 267.0 MSL. Target level 267.5 MSL. 90 percent◊ooded.

Lower Reyno GTR Mast production is considered good to above average. 266.3 MSL. Target level 267.0 MSL. 85 percent◊ooded.

Winchester GTR Mast production is considered good to above average. 263.6 MSL. Target level 265.0 MSL. 100 percent◊ooded.

SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA

Adam’s Brake GTR Fair mast crop. 100 percent.

Rainey Brake GTR Fair mast crop. 100 percent.

Phase III Moist-soil Unit Good moistsoil vegetation and volunteer millet production. 100 percent

Charles Crisp Moist-soil Unit Good millet production. 0 percent.

Ward Field Moist-soil Unit Poor wetland vegetation. 100 percent.

River Field Moist-soil Unit Good wetland vegetation. 0 percent ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA

Hunting area has fair mast production Water levels in huntable areas are dependent on St. Francis River flows. The water level at Oak Donnick is 209.03 feet, and about 75 percent of the huntable area is flooded. St. Francis Lake is being drawn down to make emergency repairs to an eroded area near the dam. Access to the lake may be obtained by the Siphons Boat Ramp. Waterfowl hunters should be aware of low water levels along the river channel and the lake area. Please exercise caution when accessing the area.

Snowden WRA Fair stand of wetland plants in the borrow areas. 0 percent flooded.

Payneway WRA Fair stand of wetland plants in Units C and D, and in the borrow areas. 0 percent flooded.

EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA

South Oliver GTR Mast production is good. 15 percent◊ooded with most water present within the natural sloughs.

Thompson Tract GTR Mast production is good 30 percent◊ooded with a current gauge reading of 0.3 inch. Boaters should use caution while using the Thompson Tract boat run.

Lake Hogue WRA A small amount of beneÿcial wetland plants is located along the east side of the lake. Normal pool LAKE HOGUE WRA

A small amount of beneficial wetland plants along the east side of the lake. Normal conditions.

BIG LAKE WMA

North Woods GTR Good mast production. The Bois d’Arc gauge is currently at 234.3 msl. Target water level is 235.5 msl. The area is 30 percent flooded.

South Woods GTR Good mast production. The 7-Mile gauge is currently at 233.5 msl. Target water is 234.5. The area is 40 percent flooded.

Simmons Field A fair amount of millet and sedge is present. Seed production is fair. 20 percent CENTRAL ARKANSAS BELL SLOUGH WMA

Bell Slough GTR Fair mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Palarm Creek WRA Fair seed production on natural vegetation. 40 percent flooded.

Holland Bottoms WMA

Good conditions and good mast cropin hunting area. Dry.

Lake Pickthorne WRA Good conditions. East cell is 100 percent flooded; west cell is 20 percent flooded with a good stand of millet.

HARRIS BRAKE WMA

Harris Brake GTRs Poor acorn crop. Lower unit is 100 percent flooded. The upper unit is 80 percent flooded.

CRAIG D. CAMPBELL LAKE CONWAY RESERVOIR

Waterfowl hunting is open until noon on Pierce Creek, Dix Creek, Palarm Creek Bay and Caney Creek Bay. Normal conditions. Water level stable.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

DR. LESTER SITZES III BOIS D’ ARC WMA

Bois d’ Arc Lake WRA Closed to hunting. Low water. The water level on the last report was incorrect.

Red Slough WRA Closed to hunting. 25 percent flooded.

GTR Good mast production. 15 percent flooded.

Little Grassy Habitat is fair. 0 percent flooded.

Millwood Lake Habitat conditions are good. 259.48 . Normal is 259.20 SULPHUR RIVER WMA

Mercer Bayou Habitat is fair with good seed production. Water level is 1 foot below normal pool. Recent rains did not significantly improve water levels.

Henry Moore WRA Closed to hunting. 60 percent flooded

EAST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA

North GTR Good mast crop. Dry, with some water in the lakes. Only water available is in the lakes, but they are low.

South GTR Good acorn crop. Dry, with some water in the lakes.

STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK BOTTOMS WMA

Units A, B and C Good stand of millet and a variety of sedges. About 100 percent flooded and are accessible by boat.

Unit H (mobility-impaired blind) Fair stand of smartweed and wild millet and a variety of sedges. 100 percent flooded and is accessible by ATV.

Units E and F Fair stand of smartweed, wild millet and a variety of sedges. 70 percent flooded. Unit F is at 25 percent. Both units are accessible by foot andboat.

Unit G This unit is designed as a permanent water source; food availability is fair around the shallow edges. Full pool and accessible by foot traffic only.

Unit I Good stand of millet and a variety of sedges. 85 percent flooded; accessible by foot traffic only.

REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA

Main hunt area is about 30 percent flooded after a rise in the Cache River. Access by boat is still limited on the area.

Wiville Unit Good mast crop. Unit is approximately 14 acres and is 100 percent flooded. Access by foot traffic only.

SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA

Mud Slough GTR Good mast crop. Dry conditions.

Apple Lake WRA Good mast crop. Lake level is low.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS BAYOU METO WMA

Upper Vallier GTR Good mast crop. 178.6 msl. Full pool is at 180.0 msl. All boat ramps are accessible.

Lower Vallier GTR Good mast crop. 178.6 msl. Full pool is at 179.0 msl.

Government Cypress GTR Good mast crop. 178.6 msl. Full pool is at 179.0 msl.

Buckingham Flats GTR Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Temple Island GTR Good mast crop. 85 percent flooded.

Halowell WRA Good moist-soil habitat. Staggered unit flooding.

Wrape Plantation WRA Good moistsoil habitat. Staggered unit flooding CUT-OFF CREEK WMA

Hunting area has good mast crop. Water is in sloughs only. A few wood ducks are in the area.

Pigeon Creek WRA Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Seven Devils Swamp WMA Good conditions. 90 percent flooded.

TRUSTEN HOLDER WMA

Arkansas River ( below Pendleton Bridge, including Post Lake, Merrisach Lake and Moore’s Bayou) Good mast crop. Arkansas River is at 26.51 feet on Pendleton gauge.

Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA Deer Research Area

Mississippi River Mississippi River is at 8.03 feet on the Arkansas City gauge. Old River Boat Ramp is not accessible. Variable backwater levels. River water only. Pothole Lake not accessible from Kate Adams Lake.

BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA

Good mast crop. Water in sloughs and owbow lakes.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ED GORDON POINT REMOVE WMA

Willow Island Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Little Hole Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Red Gate Natural vegetation. 90 percent flooded.

Pig Trough Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Cedar Ridge Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Duck Trap Millet/natural vegetation. 60 percent flooded.

Salt Lick Millet/natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Bobby’s Pond Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Race Track Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Controversy Corner Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Remmel Marsh Millet/Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Mud Pond Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond Millet/natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Teeny Pond Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

PETIT JEAN RIVER WMA

The Petit Jean River level at Centerville is currently at 2.44 feet.

Santa Fe GTR 5 percent flooded.

Olin Cain MSU 100 percent flooded.

Blacklands MSU 95 percent flooded.

Slaty Crossing MSUs 0 percent flooded.

Pullen Pond 0 percent flooded.

Pond Creek GTR 5 percent flooded.

Slaty Pond GTR 0 percent flooded.

Black Lands Duck Area 100 percent flooded.

GALLA CREEK WMA

Galla Creek GTR Natural vegetation, including mixture of buttonbush and smartweed. 0 percent. The GTR will not be flooded this year because of ongoing reforestation efforts.

FROG BAYOU WMA

Unit 1 Native moist soil plants. Unit is full.

Unit 2 Native moist soil. Unit is dry.

Unit 3 Millet. Unit is full.

Unit 4 Native moist soil. Unit is 50 percent flooded.

Unit 5 Native moist soil. Unit is 50 percent flooded.

Unit 6 Millet. Unit is full.

Unit 7 Native moist soil. Unit is dry.

LLOYD MILLWOOD NIMROD WMA

Nimrod GTR Poor mast crop and native grasses. 15 percent flooded. The river level is too low to pump. Needs to be above 343 msl. Currently at 342.32.

OZARK POOL

Dyer Lake Cells Some millet in east cells; plantings failed in south and west cells. East cells are fully flooded; South and west cells are dry.

DARDANELLE WMA

Johnson County WRA Moist soil vegetation, including millet, are good. 60 percent flooded.

McKennon Bottoms Habitat is fair to good. 100 percent flooded. The water level at Horse Head Creek is too low to pump.

Potter’s Pothole/Hartman Waterfowl Unit 0 percent.

Sports, Pages 17 on 12/27/2012

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