Dec. 31, 2019
Jim Harris Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine
Mallard Hot Spots Appear to Be Around Jackson, Craighead Counties and Big Lake
LITTLE ROCK – More of Arkansas's ducks were found in the east to northeastern part of the state, according to the most recent Arkansas Game and Fish Commission aerial survey.
Observers during the Dec. 16-20 survey flights saw more than half of the mallards counted in the Delta in the Cache, Black-Upper White and Little River survey zones and, like in November, many of these ducks were in the northern portions of these zones. Mallard hot spots were limited to portions of southern Jackson and western Craighead counties along with Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Big Lake Wildlife Management Area, according to the report released last week.
The most telling number about the 2019-2020 water season, though, was the count of nearly 1 million light geese (lesser snow/blue and Ross's) and about 158,000 greater white-front geese in Arkansas's portion of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (or Delta), compared with an estimated 898,656 total ducks in the same region.
On-the-ground anecdotal reporting indicated a "tremendous" number of snow geese on the ground in the Walnut Ridge area just off U.S. Highway 67 in the northernmost reach of the state, along with continuous good reports of both snow geese and speckle bellies (greater white-fronted geese) into the central and southern portions of the Arkansas Delta. Meanwhile, anecdotal reports of ducks in the area ranged from poor to good on private lands.
The observations in the Arkansas River Valley put total duck numbers at just 20,000, with 11,000 mallards estimated during the December survey. On the AGFC's public lands, duck use on Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA has been moderate, and hunter success on the WMA has been fair, with excellent water coverage and good habitat in that area. In Gala Creek WMA, the area had 85 percent coverage and good habitat while duck use and hunter success on the WMA has been low to moderate. Estimates for all ducks in the Arkansas River Valley were slightly lower than normal, while the mallard estimate was about average, with the highest mallard and total duck estimates in the West Dardanelle, Petit Jean and Point Remove-Placerville survey zones.
The nearly 900,000 total ducks in the Delta is about 75 percent of what has been seen, on average, in December for the past decade. The nearly 450,000 mallards estimated in the Delta was much lower than the 2009-2019 long-term December average of over 650,000. Luke Naylor, the AGFC waterfowl coordinator, said the biggest influence on the duck numbers. "Generally, ducks were not widely scattered across the landscape," Naylor said. "The north Delta had relatively more habitat than portions of the Delta farther south, but overall habitat availability – that is, flooding – appeared somewhat limited. Habitat conditions also were declining in the Arkansas River Valley before and during the survey period."
This past week, Arkansas received one front that brought a day of rainfall, but the amount did not raise many water levels. Several of the AGFC's greentree reservoirs are at full pull already, however. There are vastly fewer fields covered in sheet water at this time compared with last December, when the state saw heavy rain and significant drop in temperature at times.
Naylor did note that mallards typically make up about 56% of all ducks during December surveys in the Delta, and this month’s mallard percentage was only slightly lower than this long-term average. He said most ducks appeared to be concentrated on waterfowl rest areas, private agricultural reservoirs (without noticeable hunting blinds), and moist-soil habitats during the December survey. The biologists on the aerial survey noted, particularly in the north Delta, that a there were a few fields here and there that did not get planted this spring that experienced a substantial moist-soil plant response. A fair number of ducks were using these fields during this survey, partly because this is a desired habitat type and partly because some of these areas did not have blinds or pits; thus they likely are serving as unmanaged sanctuaries.
Ducks are appearing to get wise to where the hunters are, according to Naylor's report. "The concentrations of ducks on rest areas or non-hunted fields was again noticeable and almost certainly are a reflection of widespread hunting pressure," he said.
* * *
Arkansas isn't experiencing anything that neighboring states aren't also seeing. Ducks Unlimited biologists report that the states in the Mississippi Flyway saw an earlier than usual migration in early November, and ducks either continued on or retreated into many rest areas on the way.
The Missouri Department of Conservation's most recent report, which came out Monday, indicated that ground counts of ducks in the three conservation areas closest to Arkansas, in the southeast portion of The Show-Me State, indicated nearly 45,000 ducks on Ten Mile Pond CA, 12,000 ducks on Coon Island CA, and 3,900 ducks on Little River CA. The totals at Ten Mile Pond were significantly up from an early December count. But the upper third of the state had fallen off in duck numbers, the MDC said. The count Dec. 24 in Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri was 175,000 ducks, with 172,000 being mallards.
Louisiana's coastal and WMA survey in November reported a count of 79,204 waterfowl, the second lowest estimate in November since 2004, and approximately 48% (or 85,420 ducks) below the long-term average from 2004-2019 of 164,624. Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge contained 77% of all waterfowl observed during the surveys. No other WMA or refuge accounted for greater than 8%, according to Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries.
The 2019-20 Southern Illinois aerial survey on Dec. 10 counted almost 71,000 ducks in that region of the state, but well below the 10-year long-term average for the survey period of nearly 112,000 ducks.
The AGFC staff is planning to take its annual midwinter waterfowl survey the week of Jan. 6.
* * *
Arkansas's regular waterfowl season will run through Jan. 31, 2020. Shooting times are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset (shooting times are available for Little Rock in the AGFC's Waterfowl Guidebook; subtract 1 minute for every 9 miles eastward, add 1 minute for every 9 miles westward). The daily duck bag limit is 6, which may include no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 1 pintail (a change from last year's limit of 2), 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks (a change from last year's limit of 1), 2 black ducks and 1 mottled duck. Coot daily bag limit is 15. Merganser daily bag limit is 5, of which only 2 may be hooded mergansers. Daily bag limit for snow, blue and Ross's geese is 20; daily limit for white-fronted geese is 3 and for Canada geese the limit is 2.
* * *
Check out the current habitat conditions for the AGFC's managed areas for waterfowl (all conditions were reported as of Monday, Dec. 30; real-time water levels are available through the USGS for George H. Dunklin Bayou Meto WMA, follow the water gauge link listed for the WMA):
Northeast Arkansas
Big Lake WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
When the Ditch 81 extension gauge near Manila (upstream of the Big Lake north-end control structure) reads 17.5 feet, water is beginning to come over the north levee degrade on Big Lake WMA. When the Ditch 81 Extension gauge reads 18.0 feet or higher, the water level on the WMA will rise quickly and hunters should exercise caution while on the area. Be aware of underwater logs in boat runs and hangers in trees.
North Woods GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: Bo Dock guage currently reads 236.4 feet msl; target level is 235.5 feet with 100% flooded.
South Woods GTR
Habitat: Mast production is fair.
Water Level: The 7-Mile gauge is currently at 235.5 feet msl; target level is 234.5 feet with 100% flooded.
Simmons Field
Habitat: Good production of millet and sedge. Native vegetation is very good in north unit middle fields with 5 acres of millet planted in the north field. The south field was strip planted in Japanese millet leaving strips of wild millet and sedge that did extremely well. On Nov. 22, one-third of the north field and one-third of the middle field were stripped-rolled with a cleated roller.
Water Level: 100% coverage.
Dave Donaldson Black River WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Waterfowl hunters should be aware of hangers and submerged logs within the boat runs and GTRs. Please exercise caution when accessing the area. Please remember to keep boats off the levees so AGFC personnel can access the area. Boats blocking access will be moved. Unattended trailers are not to be left overnight on parking areas. River level is 6.23 feet and rising as of Monday, Dec. 30.
Upper Island GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Current level is 269.75 feet msl. Target level is 269.5, 100% flooded.
Lower Island GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Current level is 268.65 feet msl. Target level is 268.0. 100% flooded.
Upper Reyno GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Current level is 267.375 feet msl. Target level is 266.9. 100% flooded.
Lower Reyno GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Current level is 266.5 feet msl. Target level is 266.3 feet msl. 100% flooded.
Winchester GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Current level is 263.55 feet msl. Target level is 263.7. 95% flooded.
Earl Buss Bayou DeView WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Boaters should use caution while using the Thompson Tract boat run.
South Oliver GTR
Habitat: Mast production has been good.
Water Level: 100% flooded with a current gauge reading of 1.0 foot.
Thompson Tract GTR
Habitat: Mast production has been good.
Water Level: 100% flooded with a current gauge reading of 1.2 feet.
Lake Hogue WRA
Habitat: Primarily deep open water habitat.
Water Level: Normal pool level.
Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Waterfowl hunters should be aware of hangers and submerged logs within the boat runs and GTRs. Please exercise caution when accessing the area. In addition, hunters should allow safe passage when parking vehicles along roadsides. Vehicles blocking access will be moved.
Adam Brake GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: Water level is 240.4 feet msl with a target level of 240.0 msl. 100% flooded.
Rainey Brake GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: 100% flooded.
Eagle Pond GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: 100% flooded.
Phase III Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 45% flooded.
Charles Crisp Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 90% flooded.
Ward Field Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 90% flooded.
River Field Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 95% flooded.
St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Hunt Area
Habitat: Mast production is good within the hunt area.
Water Level: Water levels on St. Francis Sunken Lands for waterfowl season are dependent on flows from St. Francis River. The target level for providing huntable timber is 212.0 feet msl reading from the Oak Donnick gauge. Current level is 213.18 feet msl.
Snowden WRA
Habitat: Mixed grasses.
Water Level: 20% flooded, mostly in the low-lying areas due to rain.
Payneway WRA
Habitat: A, B, C D pools have mixed smartweed and barnyard grasses. Mowing was completed for waterfowl use in pools B and C. Moderate mast is available within pools A, B and C as well.
Water Level: Pool A is at 0% coverage. Pool B is at 0%. Pool C is at 20%. Pool D is at 35%.
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East-Central Arkansas
Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Hunters should call the Wildlife Hotline at 800-440-1477 for current road closures.
North GTR
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: The current Glaise Creek reading is 193.65 feet msl.
Note: All structures on the North GTR are closed.
South GTR
Habitat: Fair mast crop.
Water Level: The current Glaise Creek reading is 193.65 feet msl.
Note: All structures on the South GTR are open.
Rex Hancock Black Swamp WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Hunters should call the Wildlife Hotline at 800-440-1477 for current road closures.
Main WMA
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 40% coverage (currently, the Cache River level is 6.17 feet on the Patterson Gauge).
Wyeville Unit
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation,
Water Level: 100% coverage.
Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
The Conway George units are available by applying for online permits. Please visit www.agfc.com for maps, special regulations, permit application and draw dates. Hunters should call the Wildlife Hotline at 800-440-1477 for current road closures.
Mud Slough GTR
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 50% coverage.
Apple Lake WRA
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 75%
Conway George Waterfowl Unit A
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Conway George Waterfowl Unit B
Habitat: Natural slough area with beneficial wetland palnts.
Water Level: 100%
Conway George Waterfowl Unit C
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
NOTE: The White River at the Georgetown gauge is at 16.4 feet as of Tuesday, Dec. 31. All on-site permit draws for Saturdays and Sundays have been reinstated.
Unit A
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100% coverage.
Unit B
Habitat: Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit C
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit D (Youth Area)
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit E
Habitat: Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit F
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit G
Habitat: Fair stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 90%
Unit H (Mobility-impaired blind)
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit I
Habitat: Habitat conditions are poor.
Water Level: 90%
Unit J (Cypert Tract)
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit K (Cypert Tract)
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit L (Cypert Tract)
Habitat: Fair stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 80%
Central Arkansas
Bell Slough WMA
Map | Weather Report
The Bell Slough GTR is primarily rainfall dependent with the exception of a limited amount of water that the AGFC can back in and catch from Palarm Creek.
Bell Slough GTR
Habitat: Moderate mast crop.
Water Level: 100% flooded.
Palarm Creek WRA
Habitat: Millet was planted as a cover crop this year following disking within the moist-soil units.
Water Level: 100% flooded.
Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir
Map | Weather Report
Habitat and water levels are normal on both Pierce and Dix creeks.
Cypress Bayou WMA
Hunt Area
Habitat:
Good mast crop
Water Level: 85% coverage.
Red Cut Slough Tract
Unit 1
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 55%
Unit 2
Habitat:
Excellent stand of millet and native vegatation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 3
Habitat:
Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 4
Habitat:
Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 5
Habitat:
Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 50%
Unit 6
Habitat:
Good stand native vegetation.
Water Level: 50%
Harris Brake WMA
Harris Brake Upper Unit
Habitat: Good hard mast production within the GTR.
Water Level: 100%
Harris Brake Lower Unit
Habitat: Good hard mast production within the GTR.
Water Level:
100% flooded.
Holland Bottoms WMA
Hunt Area
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 35%
Lake Pickthorne WRA
Habitat: Excellent.
Water Level: East cell is 100% coverage. West cell is 85%.
Northwest Arkansas
Dardanelle WMA
McKennon Bottoms (half-day hunting)
Habitat: Heavy stand of perennial vegetation due for disking next spring.
Water Level: 100%
Potter's Pothole Hartman Waterfowl Unit (half-day hunting)
Habitat: Some planted millet, good stand of native millet, sprangletop, panic grasses.
Water Level: 100%
Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA
All waterfowl impoundments on Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA remain at full pool. Duck use on the WMA has been moderate, and hunter success on the WMA has been fair.
Little Hole (Unit 1)
Habitat: Naive vegetation.
Water Level: 100% coverage.
Willow Island (Unit 2)
Habitat: Japanese millet.
Water Level: 100%
Red Gate (Unit 3)
Habitat: Naive vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Pig Trough (Units 4 and 5)
Habitat: Native vegetation and Japanese and Chiwappa millet.
Water Level: 100%
Cedar Ridge (Unit 6)
Habitat: Japanese and Chiwappa millet, native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 7a
Habitat: Japanese millet, native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 7b
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Duck Trap (Units 8a, 8b and 8c)
8a
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
8b
Habitat: Japanese and Chiwappa millet, native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
8c
Habitat: Japanese millet.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 9
Habitat: Japanese millet.
Water Level: 100%
Controversy Corner (Unit 10)
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Remmel Marsh
Habitat: Planted Japanese millet, native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Mud Pond (Unit 12)
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Turkey Pond (Units 13a, 13b and 13c)
13a
Habitat: Native vegetation and Japanese millet.
Water Level: 100%
13b
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
13c
Habitat: Japanese and Chiwappa millet, native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Teeny Pond (Unit 14)
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Salt Lick (Unit 15)
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Bobby's Pond (Unit 16)
Habitat: Japanese millet.
Water Level: 100%
Race Track (Unit 17)
Habitat: Native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Frog Bayou WMA (half-day hunting)
Unit 1
Habitat: Sprangletop, wild millet, smartweed and nutsedge
Water Level: 100%
Unit 2
Habitat: Good stand of barnyard grass and nutsedge.
Water Level: 50%
Unit 3
Habitat: Smartweed, toothcup, nutsedge, barnyard grass, sprangle top and duck potato.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 4
Habitat: Barnyard grass, sprangletop, annual smartweed, nutsedge and crabgrass.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 5
Habitat: Sprangletop, wild millet, smartweed, knotgrass, nutsedge and duck potato..
Water Level: 100%
Unit 6
Habitat: Barnyard grass, smartweed, crabgrass and sprangletop.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 7
Habitat: Lower end of unit planted with millet, upper end with barnyard grass, sprangle top and smartweed.
Water Level: 100%
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Galla Creek WMA
Galla Creek GTR
Habitat: Moderate stand of native vegetation, including a mixture of barnyard grass and sprangletop. Duck use and hunter success on the WMA has been low to moderate.
Water Level: 85%, staged flooding of the impoundment began on Nov. 12.
Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA
Nimrod GTR
Habitat: This area produced a great mast crop this year with a mix of moderate to good stands of desirable native vegetation throughout the open lands.
Water Level: 100% flooded.
Ozark Lake WMA/Dyer Lake Water Unit
Dyer Lake Cells (half-day hunting)
Habitat: Fair stand of nutsedge, toothcup, smartweed and sprangletop. Unit 3 was impacted by summer flooding and is in need of disturbance, which is scheduled for next year.
Water Level: Units 1 and 2, 100%. Units 3 (rainfall dependent) 100%.
Petit Jean River WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Sorehead Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: This unit contains a mix of moderate to good stands of desirable native vegetation throughout..
Water Level: 100%
Blacklands Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: This area contains a mix of poor to great stands of desirable native vegetation throughout. The wooded areas inside the unit produced a great mast crop this year.
Water Level: 100%
Slaty Crossing Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Due to ongoing waterfowl habitat enhancement projects, this unit has only small stands of native vegetation. The majority of this unit is bare ground.
Water Level: 90%
Blacklands Duck Area
Habitat: The wooded sections of this area produced a great mast crop this year. This area also contains a mix of moderate to great stands of desirable native vegetation mixed throughout.
Water Level: 100%
Pullen Pond Marsh
Habitat: Due to ongoing waterfowl habitat enhancement projects, parts of the southern and western sections of this area are bare ground. The western section of this area has spotted sections of great desirable native vegetation. The northern section of the area only produced poor stands of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Pond Creek GTR
Habitat: This area produced a great mast crop this year with great stands of desirable mative vegetation in the open lands within this area,
Water Level: 90%
Slaty GTR
Habitat: This area produced a great mast crop this year.
Water Level: 10%
Santa Fe GTR
Habitat: This area produced a great mast crop this year.
Water Level: 100%
Southwest Arkansas
Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc WMA
Bois d'Arc Lake WRA
Habitat: Closed to hunting.
Water Level: Normal
Red Slough WRA
Habitat: Closed to hunting.
Water Level: 55%
GTR
Habitat: Good mast production.
Water Level: 75%.
Little Grassy
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 60%
Millwood Lake
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: 259.46 feet msl.
Ozan WMA
Unit 1
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 0%
Unit 2
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 0%
Unit 3
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 0%
Unit 4
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 0%
Unit 5
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 0%
Sulphur River WMA
Mercer Bayou
Habitat: Fair
Water Level: Low, no boat access.
Henry Moore WRA
Habitat: Closed to hunting.
Water Level: 30%
Southeast Arkansas
Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA
Map | Weather Report
Habitat: The WMA has a good hard mast production.
Water Level: The only water on the WMA currently is in the sloughs and in the oxbow lakes.
Cut-Off Creek WMA
Hunt Area
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: Fully flooded.
Pigeon Creek WRA
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: Fully flooded.
Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA Deer Research Area
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Habitat conditions are good. Flooding is river dependent. Click on the Water Gauge link above for current Mississippi River levels. Use extreme caution when boating in river.
George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
The UGSG is now reporting real-time water gauge readings at the headwater at each GTR within the George H. Dunklin Bayou Meto WMA. Click the Water Gauge link above for the WMA, and search for the particular GTR as noted. As of Monday, Dec. 23, all gauges in all GTRs were at full pool.
Upper Vallier GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Upper Vallier Headwater)
Lower Vallier GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Lower Vallier Headwater)
Government Cypress GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Government Cypress Headwater)
Buckingham Flats GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: Pumping complete. See Gauge Link (Buckingham Flats Headwater).
Temple Island GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: Pumping complete. See Gauge Link (Temple Island Headwater).
Canon Brake
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Canon Brake Headwater).
Halowell WRA
Habitat: Excellent
Water Level: Staggered flooding of units, 75% flooded.
Wrape Plantation WRA
Habitat: Excellent
Water Level: Staggered flooding of units.
Seven Devils WMA
Hunt Area
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: Fully flooded.
Trusten Holder WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Habitat conditions are good. Flooding is river dependent. Click on the Water Gauge link above for current Arkansas River levels.