Arkansas waterfowl report

Mallard decoys bob on the water Dec. 28, 2018 at Beaver Lake. Hunters hope decoys will lure high-flying ducks to circle their spread, cup wings and glide into shotgun range.
Mallard decoys bob on the water Dec. 28, 2018 at Beaver Lake. Hunters hope decoys will lure high-flying ducks to circle their spread, cup wings and glide into shotgun range.

Waterfowl season in Arkansas officially opens 30 minutes before sunrise Saturday. The season will be 60 days in three segments, with the final segment ending Jan. 31.

A couple of cold fronts that passed through the state recently, along with colder temps to the north of Arkansas, appeared to push a good number of ducks into parts of the state this past week. However, temperatures are rising this week. Many of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's public lands have excellent habitat conditions in terms of food for the migrating birds.

The daily bag limit for ducks is six, four of which can be mallards. Only two mallards may be hens. The daily bag limit for pintails is one.

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

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

BIG LAKE WMA

North Woods GTR Mast production is good. The Bo Dock gauge currently reads 235.2. Target level is 235.5 with 85 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 95 percent flooded.

Simmons Field A good amount of millet and sedge is present. Seed production is very good in the North Unit and middle field. South field was stripped in Japanese millet with strips of wild millet and sedge that did very well. 100 percent flooded.

DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA

Upper Island GTR Moderate mast crop. Water level is 269.15. Target level is 269.5. 80 percent flooded.

Lower Island GTR Moderate mast crop. Water level is 267.9. Target level is 268.0. 80 percent flooded.

Upper Reyno GTR Moderate mast crop. Water level is 266.95. Target level is 266.9. 100 percent flooded.

Lower Reyno GTR Moderate mast crop. Water level is 266.1. Target level is 266.3. 85 percent flooded.

Winchester GTR Moderate mast crop. Water level is 263.6. Target level is 263.7. 90 percent flooded.

EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA

South Oliver GTR Mast production has been good. The area is 5 percent flooded with a current gauge reading of 0.0 feet. Most water is in the natural slough on the north end.

Thompson Tract GTR Mast production has been good. The area is 0 percent flooded with a current gauge reading of 0.3 feet. Shallow water is in the boat lane.

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 238 with a target level of 240. 30 percent flooded.

Rainey Brake GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 40 percent flooded.

Eagle Pond GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 10 percent flooded.

Phase III Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 40 percent flooded.

Charles Crisp Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 40 percent flooded.

Ward Field Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 30 percent flooded.

River Field Moist-Soil Unit Good wetland-type vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA

Hunt Area Mast production is good. Water levels in the huntable areas are dependent on the St. Francis River. The water level at Oak Donnick is 210.83.

Snowden WRA Mixed grasses are present. 10 percent flooded.

Payneway WRA Pools A,B, C, and D have mixed smartweed and some mowing has occurred for open water use. Pool A is at 0 percent. Pool B is at 0 percent. Pool C is at 0 percent and Pool D is at 15 percent.

EAST CENTRAL ARKANSAS

HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA

North GTR Good mast crop. Glaise Creek gauge at 192.51.

South GTR Fair mast crop. Glaise Creek gauge at 192.51.

REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA

Gregory GTR Excellent mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Wyeville Unit Excellent stand of native vegetation. 100 percent coverage.

SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA

Mud Slough GTR Excellent mast crop. 50 percent flooded.

Apple Lake WRA Fair mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Dark Corner MSU 1 Excellent stand of native vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Dark Corner MSU 2 Excellent stand of native vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Dark Corner MSU 3 Excellent stand of native vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Hickson GTR Excellent mast crop. 90 percent flooded.

North 160 MSU Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK BOTTOMS WMA

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

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

Unit C Good stand of native vegetation. 90 percent flooded.

Unit D (Youth Area) Good stand of millet and native vegetation. 65 percent flooded.

Unit E Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. 45 percent flooded.

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

Unit G Poor stand of native vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

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

Unit I Poor stand of native vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

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

Unit K (Cypert Tract) Excellent stand of native vegetation. 55 percent flooded.

Unit L (Cypert Tract) Good stand of millet. 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 Moderate mast crop. 100 percent flooded.

Palarm Creek WRA Units 1 & 2 Millet was planted as a cover crop within the moist-soil units. 80 percent flooded.

CYPRESS BAYOU WMA

GTR Fair stand of native vegetation and good mast crop. 10 percent flooded.

Red Cut Slough Tract Unit 1 Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 10 percent.

Unit 2 Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 12 percent.

Unit 3 Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. Water level 55 percent.

Unit 4 Excellent stand of native vegetation. Water level 5 percent.

Unit 5 Fair stand of native vegetation. Water level 12 percent.

Unit 6 Fair stand of native vegetation. Water level 12 percent.

HARRIS BRAKE WMA

Harris Brake Upper Unit Good mast crop in the GTR. 30 percent flooded.

Harris Brake Lower Unit Good mast crop in the GTR. 10 percent flooded.

HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA

WRA Moist Soil Unit East/West Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation. East cell 100 percent flooded. West cell 100 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 10 percent.

GTR Good mast production. Water level 0 percent.

Little Grassy Habitat is good. Water level 60 percent.

MILLWOOD LAKE Habitat is good. Water level 260.18.

OZAN WMA

Unit 1 Habitat good. 0 percent flooded.

Unit 2 Habitat good. 0 percent flooded.

Unit 3 Habitat good. 0 percent flooded.

Unit 4 Habitat good. 0 percent flooded.

Unit 5 Habitat good. 0 percent flooded.

SULPHUR RIVER WMA

Mercer Bayou Habitat conditions are fair. Water level is low. No boat access.

Henry Moore WRA Closed to hunting. 10 percent flooded.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA The WMA has good hard mast production. The only water on the WMA currently is in the sloughs and in the oxbow lakes.

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 on the river.

TRUSTEN HOLDER Habitat conditions good. Flooding is river dependent.

SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP WMA Habitat conditions good. Below gauge. Water levels are variable depending on Cut-Off Creek levels.

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. Water level 177.3 feet, full pool at 180 feet.

Lower Vallier GTR Good habitat. Water level 177.3 feet, full pool at 179 feet.

Government Cypress GTR Good habitat. Water level 177.3 feet, full pool at 179 feet.

Buckingham Flats GTR Good habitat. 175.4 msl. First phase of pumping started.

Temple Island GTR Good habitat. 0 percent flooded. First phase of pumping started.

Cannon Brake Good habitat.175.6 msl. Full pool at 177 msl.

Halowell WRA Excellent habitat. Staggered flooding of units. 50 percent flooded. Good numbers of ducks on south units

Wrape Plantation WRA Excellent habitat. Staggered flooding of units.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

DARDANELLE WMA

McKennon Bottoms Heavy stand of perennial vegetation due for disking next spring. 20 percent flooded and currently pumping.

Potter's Pothole Hartman Waterfowl Unit Some planted millet, good stand of native millet, sprangle top and panic grasses. 50 percent flooded and currently pumping.

OZARK POOL

Dyer Lake Cells Fair stand of nutsedge and toothcup smartweed, and sprangle top. Unit 3 was impacted by summer flooding and needs disturbance that is scheduled for next year. Units 1 and 2 are 100 percent flooded. Unit 3 is 50 percent flooded.

NIMROD LLOYD MILLWOOD WMA

Nimrod GTR Excellent mast crop with a mix of moderate to good stands of desirable native vegetation throughout the open lands. 1 percent flooded.

ED GORDON POINT REMOVE WMA

Willow Island Planted Japanese millet. 50 percent flooded.

Little Hole (Unit 1) Natural vegetation. 80 percent flooded.

Red Gate Native vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

Pig Trough (Units 4 and 5) Planted Japanese and Chiwapa millet and native vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

Cedar Ridge (Unit 6) Natural vegetation and Chiwapa millet. 50 percent flooded.

Duck Trap Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 7A Japanese millet, native vegetation. 90 percent flooded.

Unit 7B Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 8A Natural vegetation. 50 percent flooded.

Unit 8B Japanese and Chiwapa millet, native vegetation. 40 percent flooded.

Unit 8C Japanese millet. 40 percent flooded.

Unit 9 Japanese millet. 40 percent flooded.

Salt Lick Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Bobby's Pond Japanese millet. 100 percent flooded.

Controversy Corner (Unit 10) Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.

Remmel Marsh Japanese millet. 80 percent flooded.

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

Turkey Pond (Unit 13A) Natural vegetation and Japanese millet. 40 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond (Unit 13B) Natural vegetation. 60 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond (Unit 13C) Natural vegetation, Japanese millet and Chiwapa millet. 40 percent flooded.

Teeny Pond (Unit 14) Natural vegetation. 90 percent flooded.

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

FROG BAYOU WMA

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

Unit 2 Good stand of barnyard grass and nutsedge. 50 percent flooded.

Unit 3 Smartweed, toothcup, nutsedge, barnyard grass, sprangle top and duck potato. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 4 Barnyard grass, sprangle top, annual smartweed, nutsedge and crabgrass. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 5 Sprangle top, wild millet, smartweed, knotgrass, nutsedge and duck potato. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 6 Barnyard grass, smartweed, crabgrass and sprangle top. 100 percent flooded.

Unit 7 Lower end of unit planted with millet, upper end with barnyard grass, sprangle top and smartweed. 75 percent flooded and scheduled to pump full the first week of December.

GALLA CREEK WMA

Galla Creek GTR Moderate stand of native vegetation, including a mixture of barnyard grass and sprangle top. 35 percent flooded.

PETIT JEAN RIVER WMA

Santa Fe GTR Excellent mast crop. 2 percent flooded.

Sore-Head Moist Soil Unit Moderate to good stands of desirable native vegetation throughout. 100 percent flooded.

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

Black Lands Moist-Soil Unit Poor to great stands of desirable native vegetation throughout. Great mast crop in the wooded areas. 50 percent flooded.

Black Lands Duck Area Excellent mast in the wooded sections. Moderate to great stands of desirable native vegetation mixed throughout. 100 percent flooded.

Slaty Crossing Moist-Soil Unit Due to ongoing waterfowl habitat enhancement projects, most of this unit is bare ground. 0 percent flooded.

Pullen Pond Due to ongoing waterfowl habitat enhancement projects, parts of the southern and western sections are bare ground. The western section of this area has spotted sections of great desirable native vegetation. The northern section produced poor stands of native vegetation. 25 percent flooded.

Pond Creek GTR Excellent mast crop with excellent stands of desirable native vegetation in the open lands. 5 percent flooded.

Slaty Pond GTR Excellent mast crop. 5 percent flooded.

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

Sports on 11/21/2019

Upcoming Events