Arkansas duck hunters are in between the first and second hunting periods of the 60-day 2018-19 season, with the second period arriving Dec. 6-23.
The third period will be Dec. 26-Jan. 27.
Saturday is the first of two designated waterfowl hunting days for youths ages 15 and younger. A second youth waterfowl hunting day will be Feb. 2.
The hunting times for youth hunts are the same as regular hunting, with shooting time starting 30 minutes before sunrise and ending at sunset.
Young people that have not completed a hunter education course must be accompanied by a mentor who is 21 years or older. Mentors may set up the decoys, retrieve downed game and call ducks, but they cannot shoot.
Another opportunity for young people is the ability to hunt all day on the WMA system. Regulations during the regular season call for all hunters to be done hunting at noon and off the water by 1 p.m., but on Saturday and on Feb. 2, young people may hunt until sunset even on the WMAs. Also, young people are not limited to the number of shotgun shells they may carry on the WMAs.
*Water levels listed in the waterfowl report were taken Monday and do not reflect rainfall Tuesday and Wednesday.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA
South Oliver GTR Mast production has been good. The area is 10 percent flooded with a current gauge reading of 0.0 feet. Most water is in the natural slough.
Thompson Tract GTR Mast production has been good. The area is 80 percent flooded with a current gauge reading of 0.9 feet.
Lake Hogue WRA Primarily deep open water habitat. Normal pool level.
BIG LAKE WMA
North Woods GTR Mast production is fair. Bois d'Arc gauge currently reads 235.3. Target level is 235.5 with 95 percent flooded.
South Woods GTR Mast production is fair. The 7-mile gauge is currently at 234.4 feet. Target level is 234.5 feet with 98 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.
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 212.34 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 0 percent. Pool B is at 5 percent. Pool C is at 10 percent, and Pool D is at 30 percent.
SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA
Adam Brake GTR Good abundance of mast crop. Water level is 238.4 MSL with a target level of 240.0 MSL. 50 percent flooded.
Rainey Brake GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 90 percent flooded.
Eagle Pond GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 40 percent flooded.
Phase III Moist-soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 80 percent flooded.
Charles Crisp Moist-soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 70 percent flooded.
Ward Field Moist-soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 60 percent flooded.
River Field Moist-soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 70 percent flooded.
DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA
Upper Island GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 269.65 MSL. Target level is 269.5 MSL. 100 percent flooded.
Lower Island GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 268.25 MSL. Target level is 268.0 MSL. 100 percent flooded.
Upper Reyno GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 267 MSL. Target level is 266.9 MSL. 100 percent flooded.
Lower Reyno GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 266 MSL. Target level is 266.3 MSL. 85 percent flooded.
Winchester GTR Below average amount of mast crop. Water level is 263.25 MSL. Target level is 263.7 MSL. 80 percent flooded.
EAST CENTRAL ARKANSAS
SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA
Mud Slough GTR Good mast crop. 100 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.
REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA
Main WMA Good mast crop. 70 percent flooded.
Wyeville Unit Good stand of millet and native vegetation. 75 percent coverage.
STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK BOTTOMS WMA
Due to low water, no permit draw will be conducted this weekend. The WMA is open for waterfowl hunting.
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. 15 percent flooded.
Unit L (Cypert Tract) Good stand of millet. 0 percent flooded.
HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA
North GTR Good mast crop. Glaise Creek gauge at 191.11.
South GTR Fair mast crop. Glaise Creek gauge at 191.11.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
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. 20 percent flooded.
MILLWOOD LAKE Habitat is good. Water level 260.32 MSL.
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 10 percent.
GTR Good mast production. Water level 15 percent.
Little Grassy Habitat is good. Water level 70 percent.
OZAN WMA
Unit 1 Habitat good. 50 percent flooded
Unit 2 Habitat good. 0 percent flooded.
Unit 3 Habitat good. 5 percent flooded.
Unit 4 Habitat good. 70 percent flooded.
Unit 5 Habitat good. 0 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.
CYPRESS BAYOU WMA
Hunt Area Good mast crop. 80 percent flooded.
Red Cut Slough Tract Unit 1 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 80 percent.
Unit 2 Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 80 percent.
Unit 3 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 0 percent.
Unit 4 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 0 percent.
Unit 5 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 0 percent.
Unit 6 Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 0 percent.
Palarm Creek WRA Millet was planted as a cover crop within the moist soil units. 90 percent flooded.
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. 60 percent flooded.
HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA
Hunt Area Good mast crop. 30 percent flooded.
Lake Pickthorne WRA Excellent mast crop. East cell 70 percent flooded. West cell 20 percent flooded.
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA The WMA has good hard mast production. Less than 10 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 12.8 feet MSL.
CUT-OFF CREEK WMA
Hunt Area Habitat conditions are good. 0 percent flooded.
Pigeon Creek WRA Habitat conditions are good. 0 percent flooded.
BAYOU METO WMA
Upper Vallier GTR Good habitat. 178.5 feet MSL, full pool at 180 feet MSL.
Lower Vallier GTR Good habitat. 178.5 feet MSL, full pool at 179 feet MSL.
Government Cypress GTR Good habitat. 178.5 feet MSL, full pool at 179 feet MSL.
Buckingham Flats GTR Good habitat. 0 percent flooded.
Temple Island GTR Good habitat. 0 percent flooded.
Canon Brake Good habitat. 100 percent flooded.
Halowell WRA Excellent habitat. Staggered flooding of units. 75 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. Pumping began Nov. 19.
NIMROD LLOYD MILLWOOD WMA
Nimrod GTR Fair mast crop. 5 percent and falling.
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. 50 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 90 percent flooded.
Black Lands Moist-soil Unit Native vegetation. 90 percent flooded.
Slaty Crossing Moist-soil Unit Fair native vegetation. 90 percent flooded.
Pullen Pond 100 acres of Japanese millet and native vegetation. 30 percent flooded.
Pond Creek GTR Fair mast crop, native vegetation. 0 percent flooded.
Slaty Pond GTR Fair mast crop, native vegetation. 10 percent flooded.
Black Lands Duck Area Millet, native vegetation. 35 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. 100 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. 70 percent flooded.
Bobby's Pond Natural vegetation. 75 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. 0 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 11/29/2018