Arkansas waterfowl report

Despite favorable weather, ducks have not yet arrived in Arkansas in large numbers.

"I have not seen a notable push," said Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologist Jacob Bokker, who reports weekly from the east-central Arkansas region, which includes such public hunting areas as the Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA.

Terrence Teel, who reports on the WMAs in northeast Arkansas down to Bayou DeView, said great flocks have not arrived.

Reports from the Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the northeast corner of the state were that the NWR was holding an average number of ducks. In south-central Arkansas, observers noted a good amount of ducks in all units of Halowell Reservoir in Arkansas County. In the St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA in northeast Arkansas, a fair number of birds reportedly are in the area, including many geese.

Water is in ample supply when the big numbers eventually reach Arkansas. There are no dry greentree reservoirs, and most areas report 100 percent coverage.

When this report notes that an area is "100 percent flooded," it means that the entire acreage has water coverage. It does not mean that there is too much water to negotiate the area with waders or that the water is too high for hunting.

*Water levels listed in the waterfowl report were taken Monday and do not reflect rainfall Tuesday and Wednesday.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

BIG LAKE WMA

North Woods GTR Mast production is fair. Bois d'Arc gauge currently reads 236.6. Target level is 235.5 with 100 percent flooded.

South Woods GTR Mast production is fair. The 7-mile gauge is currently at 235.8 feet. Target level is 234.5 feet with 100 percent flooded.

Simmons Field A good amount of millet, smartweed and sedge is present. Seed production is very good in the North Unit. Middle field was planted in Chawapa millet. Coverage is fair. South field was stripped in Chawapa millet. Coverage is fair with strips of smartweed that grew extremely well. 100 percent flooded.

DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA

Upper Island GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 269.88 MSL. Target level is 269.5 MSL. 100 percent flooded.

Lower Island GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 268.78 MSL. Target level is 268.0 MSL. 100 percent flooded.

Upper Reyno GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 267.48 MSL. Target level is 266.9 MSL. 100 percent flooded.

Lower Reyno GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 266.3 MSL. Target level is 266.3 MSL. 100 percent flooded.

Winchester GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 263.58 MSL. Target level is 263.7 MSL. 95 percent flooded.

EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA

South Oliver GTR; Mast production has been good. The area is 100 percent flooded with a current gauge reading of 1.8 feet. Most water is in the natural slough.

Thompson Tract GTR Mast production has been good. The area is 100 percent flooded with a current gauge reading of 1.9 feet.

Lake Hogue WRA Primarily deep open water habitat. Normal pool level.

SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA

Adam Brake GTR Good abundance of mast crop. Water level is 240 MSL with a target level of 240.0 MSL. 100 percent flooded.

Rainey Brake GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Eagle Pond GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Phase III Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 95 percent flooded.

Charles Crisp Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 80 percent flooded.

Ward Field Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

River Field Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 95 percent flooded.

ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA

Hunt Area Mast production is average. Water levels in the huntable areas are dependent on the St. Francis River. The water level at Oak Donnick is 213.05 feet.

Snowden WRA There is a small amount of beneficial wetland plants within the borrow areas. 10 percent flooded.

Payneway WRA Pool D has 14 acres of buckwheat providing good bugging areas when water is available. A,B,C pools have sunflowers left standing with some smartweed underneath. Barrows have been mowed for open-water use. Pool A is at 10 percent. Pool B is at 25 percent. Pool C is at 20 percent, and Pool D is at 50 percent.

EAST CENTRAL ARKANSAS

HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA

North GTR Good mast crop. Glaise Creek gauge at 192.60.

South GTR Fair mast crop. Glaise Creek gauge at 192.60.

REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA

Main WMA Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Wyeville Unit Good stand of millet and native vegetation. 85 percent coverage.

SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA

Mud Slough GTR Good mast crop. 80 percent flooded.

Apple Lake WRA Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Conway George Waterfowl Unit A Good stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Conway George Waterfowl Unit B Natural slough area with beneficial wetland plants. 100 percent flooded.

Conway George Waterfowl Unit C Good stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK BOTTOMS WMA

Unit A Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit B Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit C Good stand of native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit D (Youth Area) Good stand of native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit E Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit F Good stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit G Fair stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded

Unit H (Mobility-impaired blind) Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit I Conditions are poor. 100 percent flooded.

Unit J (Cypert Tract) Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit K (Cypert Tract) Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 40 percent flooded.

Unit L (Cypert Tract) Good stand of millet. 5 percent flooded.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

DR. LESTER SITZES III BOIS D' ARC WMA

Bois d'Arc Lake WRA Closed to hunting. Normal.

Red Slough WRA Closed to hunting. Water level 15 percent.

GTR Good mast production. Water level 100 percent.

Little Grassy Habitat is good. Water level 75 percent.

MILLWOOD LAKE Habitat is good. Water level 261.59 MSL.

OZAN WMA

Unit 1 Habitat good. 60 percent flooded

Unit 2 Habitat good. 50 percent flooded.

Unit 3 Habitat good. 60 percent flooded.

Unit 4 Habitat good. 80 percent flooded.

Unit 5 Habitat good. 5 percent flooded

SULPHUR RIVER WMA

Mercer Bayou Habitat conditions are fair. Water level 100 percent. Boat ramps open as water levels allow.

Henry Moore WRA Closed to hunting. 70 percent flooded.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

CRAIG D. CAMPBELL LAKE CONWAY RESERVOIR

Habitat and water levels are normal on both Pierce and Dix creeks.

BELL SLOUGH WMA

Bell Slough GTR Poor mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Palarm Creek WRA Millet was planted as a cover crop within the moist soil units. 100 percent flooded.

CYPRESS BAYOU WMA

Hunt Area Good mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Red Cut Slough Tract Unit 1 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 95 percent.

Unit 2 Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 45 percent.

Unit 3 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 80 percent.

Unit 4 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 90 percent.

Unit 5 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 45 percent.

Unit 6 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 45 percent.

HARRIS BRAKE WMA

Harris Brake Upper Unit Fair mast crop with native vegetation. 95 percent flooded.

Harris Brake Lower Unit Fair mast crop with native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA

Hunt Area Good mast crop. 70 percent flooded.

Lake Pickthorne WRA Excellent mast crop. East cell 100 percent flooded. West cell 100 percent flooded.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA The WMA has good hard mast production. 25 percent flooded.

FREDDIE BLACK CHOCTAW ISLAND WMA DEER RESEARCH AREA Habitat conditions are good. There is variable flooding associated with the Mississippi River. Use extreme caution when boating in the river.

TRUSTEN HOLDER Habitat conditions good. Flooding is river dependent.

SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP WMA Habitat conditions good. Water level 133 feet MSL. 100 percent flooded.

CUT-OFF CREEK WMA

Hunt Area Habitat conditions are good. 100 percent flooded.

Pigeon Creek WRA Habitat conditions are good. 100 percent flooded.

BAYOU METO WMA

Upper Vallier GTR Good habitat. 179.5 feet MSL, full pool at 180 feet MSL.

Lower Vallier GTR Good habitat. 179.5 feet MSL, full pool at 179 feet MSL.

Government Cypress GTR Good habitat. 179.5 feet MSL, full pool at 179 feet MSL.

Buckingham Flats GTR Good habitat. 100 percent flooded.

Temple Island GTR Good habitat. 100 percent flooded.

Cannon Brake Good habitat. 100 percent flooded.

Halowell WRA Excellent habitat. Staggered flooding of units. 85 percent flooded.

Wrape Plantation WRA Excellent habitat. Staggered flooding of units.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

DARDANELLE WMA

McKennon Bottoms Good stand of native moist soil vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Potter's Pothole Hartman Waterfowl Unit Excellent stand of millet. 100 percent flooded.

OZARK POOL

Dyer Lake Cells Awaiting soybean harvest. Units 1 and 2 are 100 percent flooded. Units 3 and 4 have little water.

NIMROD LLOYD MILLWOOD WMA

Nimrod GTR Fair mast crop. 40 percent.

FROG BAYOU WMA

Unit 1 Sprangle top crabgrass, wild millet and smartweed. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 2 Habitat is poor. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 3 Smart weed, tooth cup, wild millet and sprangle top. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 4 Wild millet, sprangle top, smartweed, nut sedge and crabgrass. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 5 Wild millet, sprangle top and smartweed. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 6 Wild millet, sprangle top and smartweed. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 7 Wild millet, sprangle top and smartweed. 100 percent flooded.

GALLA CREEK WMA

Galla Creek GTR Excellent natural vegetation including a mixture of barnyard and smartweed. 95 percent flooded. Staged flooding began Nov. 15.

PETIT JEAN RIVER WMA

Santa Fe GTR Fair mast crop with native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Olin Cain Moist-Soil Unit 25 percent native vegetation and 100 percent flooded.

Black Lands Moist-Soil Unit Native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Slaty Crossing Moist-Soil Unit Fair native vegetation. 95 percent flooded.

Pullen Pond 100 acres of Japanese millet and native vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

Pond Creek GTR Fair mast crop, native vegetation. 10 percent flooded.

Slaty Pond GTR Fair mast crop, native vegetation. 10 percent flooded.

Black Lands Duck Area Millet, native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

ED GORDON POINT REMOVE WMA

Willow Island Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Little Hole Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Red Gate Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Pig Trough Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Cedar Ridge Natural vegetation and Chiwapa millet. 85 percent flooded.

Duck Trap Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 7A Japanese and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 7B Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 8A Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 8B Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 8C Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 9 Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Salt Lick Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Bobby's Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Race Track (Unit 17) Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Controversy Corner (Unit 10) Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Remmel Marsh Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Mud Pond (Unit 12) Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond (Unit 13A) Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond (Unit 13B) Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond (Unit 13C) Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 100 percent flooded.

Teeny Pond (Unit 14) Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Sports on 12/13/2018

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