Waterfowl report

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

Upper Island GTR Good to above average mast production. 269.7 msl. Target level is 269.5 msl.

Lower Island GTR Good to above average mast production. 268.05 msl. Target level is 268.0.

Upper Reyno GTR Good to above average mast production. 266.6 msl. Target level is 267.5.

Lower Reyno GTR Good to above average mast production. 265.6 msl. Target level is 267.0.

Winchester GTR Good to above average mast production.262.75 msl. Target level is 265 msl.

SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA

Adam’s Brake GTR Fair mast crop. 50 percent flooded.

Rainey Brake GTR Fair mast crop. 85 percent flooded.

Phase III Moist-soil Unit Good moistsoil vegetation and volunteer millet production. 0 percent flooded.

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

Ward Field Moist-soil Unit Poor wetland vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

River Field Moist-soil Unit Good wetland vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA

Fair mast production. Water levels in huntable areas are dependent on St. Francis River flows. The water level at Oak Donnick is 207.6 feet, and about 40 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 beneficial wetland plants in the borrow areas. 0 percent flooded.

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

EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA

South Oliver GTR Good acorn production. 10 percent flooded, with most water within the natural sloughs

Thompson Tract GTR Good acorn production. 20 percent flooded

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 234.0 msl. Target water level is 235.5 msl.

South Woods GTR Good mast production. The 7-Mile gauge is currently at 233.1 msl. Target water is 234.5.

Simmons Field A fair amount of millet and sedge is present. Seed production is fair. 10 percent flooded.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS BELL SLOUGH WMA

Bell Slough GTR Fair mast crop. 15 percent flooded.

Palarm Creek WRA Fair seed production on natural vegetation. 10 percent flooded.

HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA

Good conditions and a good mast crop. Dry.

Lake Pickthorne WRA Good conditions. East cell is 100 percent flooded; west cell is dry.

HARRIS BRAKE WMA

Harris Brake GTRs Poor acorn crop. Dry. Gates will be closed when gate repairs are completed later this month. Area will be rainfall dependent until repairs are completed.

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. Stable water.

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’re low.

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

STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK BOTTOMS WMA

Units A, B, C Good stand of millet and a variety of sedges. About 90 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 accessible by ATV.

Units E, F Fair stand of smartweed, wild millet and a variety of sedges. Only water is in boat lanes and shallow depressions.

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

Unit I Good stand of millet and a variety of sedges. 75 percent flooded; accessible by foot traffic only REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA

Wiville Unit Good mast crop. Water conditions have improved with a slight rise in the Cache River. Boat access has improved. Wiville unit is approximately 14 acres and is 100 percent flooded. Access by foot traffic only. Boat access is possible at Float Road and Railroad Dump.

SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA

Mud Slough GTR Good mast crop. Dry. The main access road is open.

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

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS BAYOU METO WMA

Upper Vallier GTR Good mast crop.175.6 msl. Water levels are too low for pumping at Temple Island.

Lower Vallier GTR Good mast crop. 175.6 msl.

Government Cypress GTR Good mast crop. 175.6 msl.

Buckingham Flats GTR Good mast crop. 100 percent.

Temple Island GTR Good mast crop. Partially flooded.

Halowell WRA Good moist-soil habitat. Staggered unit flooding. Area is holding about 7,000 ducks.

Wrape Plantation WRA Good moistsoil habitat. Staggered unit flooding. Wrape Plantation WRA is holding about 5,000 ducks.

CUT-OFF CREEK WMA

Good mast crop. Water in sloughs. Boat access is possible to Deep Slough Dam.

Pigeon Creek WRA Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP WMA

Good conditions. Partially 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 26.3 feet on Pendleton gauge.Variable backwater levels FREDDIE BLACK CHOCTAW ISLAND WMA DEER RESEARCH AREA

Mississippi River Mississippi River is at 1.21 feet on the Arkansas City gauge.

BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA

Good mast crop. Dry conditions.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS DR. LESTER SITZES III BOIS D’ ARC WMA

Bois d’ Arc Lake WRA Closed to hunting.

Red Slough WRA Closed to hunting. Low, but slowly rising.

GTR Good mast production. Low, but slowly rising.

Little Grassy Habitat is fair. Dry conditions.

MILLWOOD LAKE

259.64 MSL. Normal is 259.20 SULPHUR RIVER WMA

Mercer Bayou Water level is 1 foot below normal pool. Recent rains did not improve water levels significantly.

Henry Moore WRA Closed to hunting. 60 percent flooded NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ED GORDON POINT REMOVE WMA

Controversy Corner and Remmel Marsh are flooded to capacity. The only remaining cells with measureable water are the Red Gate and Duck Trap moistsoil units. Severe drought conditions have affected water levels, and there is not adequate water in Point Remove Creek to allow pumping. Although millet was planted in several cells, it alsosuccumbed to dry conditions, with only moderate stands in Remmel Marsh and Duck Trap. Duck numbers on the cells with water have generally been low to moderate.

Willow Island Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Little Hole Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Red Gate Natural vegetation. 60 percent flooded.

Pig Trough Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Cedar Ridge Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Duck Trap Millet/natural vegetation. 30 percent flooded.

Salt Lick Millet/naturalvegetation. 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

Santa Fe GTR No report.

Olin Cain MSU No report.

Blacklands MSU No report.

Slaty Crossing MSUs No report.

Pullen Pond No report.

Pond Creek GTR No report.

Slaty Pond GTR No report.

Black Lands Duck Area No report.

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 being pumped.

Unit 5 Native moist soil. Unit is being pumped.

Unit 6 Millet. Unit is full.

Unit 7 Native moist soil. Unit is dry.

LLOYD MILLWOOD NIMROD WMA

Nimrod GTR No report available 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.

Potter’s Pothole/Hartman Waterfowl Unit 100 percent flooded.

Sports, Pages 30 on 11/22/2012

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