ARKANSAS WATERFOWL REPORT

— The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s waterfowl report released Wednesday:

Northeast Arkansas DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA

Upper Island GTR Good to above average mast production. 270.5 msl. Target level is 269.5 msl. 100 percent flooded.

Lower Island GTR Good to above average mast production. 268.6 msl. Target level is 268.0. 100 percent flooded.

Upper Reyno GTR Good to above average mast production. 268.0 msl. Target level is 267.5. 90 percent flooded.

Lower Reyno GTR Good to above average mast production. 266.8 msl. Target level is 267.0. 95 percent flooded.

Winchester GTR Good to above average mast production. 264.0 msl. Target level is 265 msl. 100 percent flooded.

SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA

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

Rainey Brake GTR Fair mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

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

Charles Crisp Moist-soil Unit Good millet production. 90 percent flooded.

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

River Field Moist-soil Unit Good wetland vegetation. 40 percent flooded.

ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA

Fair mast production in hunting area. Water levels in huntable areas are dependent on St. Francis River flows. The water level at Oak Donnick is 212.62 feet, and 100 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.

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 Good acorn production. 100 percent flooded, with a current gauge reading of 1.95 feet.

Thompson Tract GTR Good acorn production. 100 percent flooded, with a current gauge reading of 2.1 feet. Boaters should use caution while using the Thompson Tract boat run.

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 235.5 msl. Target water level is 235.5 msl. The area is 70 percent flooded.

South Woods GTR Good mast production. The 7-mile gauge is currently at 235.0 msl. Target water is 234.5. The area is 100 percent flooded.

Simmons Field A fair amount of millet and sedge is present. Seed production is fair. 100 percent flooded.

Central Arkansas BELL SLOUGH WMA

Bell Slough GTR Fair mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Palarm Creek WRA Fair seed production on natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA

Good conditions and good mast crop in hunting area. 100 percent flooded.

Lake Pickthorne WRA Good conditions. East cell is 100 percent flooded; west cell is 95 percent flooded with a good stand of millet.

HARRIS BRAKE WMA

Harris Brake GTRs Poor acorn crop. Lower unit is 100 percent flooded. Upper unit is 85 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. Stable water levels.

East-central Arkansas HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA

North GTR Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded. The gate at Mitchell corner is closed because of rising water levels.

South GTR Good acorn crop. 100 percent flooded.

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. Access by ATV for disabled hunters may be limited by high water.

Units E and F Fair stand of smartweed, wild millet and a variety of sedges. 100 percent flooded. Unit F is at 60 percent. Both units are accessible by foot and boat.

Unit G Designed as a permanent water source; food availability is fair around the shallow edges. At full pool and accessible by foot traffic only.

Unit I Good stand of millet and a variety of sedges. 100 percent flooded; accessible by foot traffic only REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA

Recent rainfall has raised the Cache River. Area is 85 percent flooded. Wiville unit is approximately 14 acres and is 100 percent flooded. Access by foot traffic only. Hunters will be able to access the WMA at the Float Road access. The Railroad Dump access may be closed to vehicle traffic because of rising water.

Wiville Unit Good mast crop.

SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA

Mud Slough GTR Good mast crop. 75 percent and water levels are rising.

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

Southeast Arkansas BAYOU METO WMA

Upper Vallier GTR Good mast crop. 179.9 msl. Full pool is at 180.0 msl.

Lower Vallier GTR Good mast crop. 179.8 msl. Full pool is at 179.0 msl.

Government Cypress GTR Good mast crop. 179.8 msl. Full pool is at 179.0 msl.

Buckingham Flats GTR Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Temple Island GTR Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

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

Wrape Plantation WRA Good moistsoil habitat. Staggered unit flooding

Canon Brake Good moist-soil habitat. 100 percent flooded.

CUT-OFF CREEK WMA

Good mast crop in hunting area. 100 percent flooded.Water levels are extremely high.

Pigeon Creek WRA Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP WMA

Good conditions. 100 percent flooded. Water levels are extremely high.

TRUSTEN HOLDER WMA

Arkansas River (below Pendleton Bridge, including Post Lake, Merrisach Lake and Moore’s Bayou) Good mast crop. Arkansas River is at 26.28 feet on Pendleton gauge.

FREDDIE BLACK CHOCTAW ISLAND WMA DEER RESEARCH AREA

Mississippi River River is at 15.42 feet on the Arkansas City gauge. Pothole Lake not accessible from Kate Adams Lake.

BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA

Good mast crop. 10 percent. Water in sloughs and owbow lakes.

Southwest Arkansas DR. LESTER SITZES III BOIS D’ ARC WMA

Bois d’ Arc Lake WRA Closed to hunting. Low duck numbers.

Red Slough WRA Closed to hunting. 40 percent flooded.

GTR Good mast production. 80 percent flooded.

Little Grassy Habitat is fair. Low water levels.

MILLWOOD LAKE

Habitat conditions are good. 259.74 misl. Normal is 259.20.

SULPHUR RIVER WMA

Recent rains have improved conditions on the WMA.

Mercer Bayou Habitat is fair with good seed production. Water level is 1 foot below normal pool.

Henry Moore WRA Closed to hunting. 60 percent flooded.

Northwest Arkansas ED GORDON POINT REMOVE WMA

All waterfowl impoundments on Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA are full. While recent rains have brought much needed water, duck use on the area remains low and hunter success has been generally poor.

Willow Island Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Little Hole Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Red Gate Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Pig Trough Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Cedar Ridge Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Duck Trap Millet/Natural Vegetation. 100 percent.

Salt Lick Millet/Natural Vegetation. 100 percent.

Bobby’s Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Race Track Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Controversy Corner Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Remmel Marsh Millet/Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Mud Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

Turkey Pond Millet/natural vegetation. 100 percent

Teeny Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent.

PETIT JEAN RIVER WMA

The Petit Jean River level at Centerville is currently at 17.37 feet.

Santa Fe GTR 100 percent flooded.

Olin Cain MSU 100 percent flooded.

Blacklands MSU 100 percent flooded.

Slaty Crossing MSU 100 percent flooded.

Pullen Pond 100 percent flooded.

Pond Creek GTR 100 percent flooded.

Slaty Pond GTR 100 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 flooded. 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 6 is full.

Unit 7 Native moist soil. Unit is dry.

LLOYD MILLWOOD NIMROD WMA

Nimrod GTR Poor mast crop and native grasses. 100 percent flooded.

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, is 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 flooded.

Sports, Pages 22 on 01/17/2013

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