Nov. 16, 2022
Jim Harris Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine
Duck Season Opens With Water Concerns Throughout State
LITTLE ROCK – An abnormally dry late summer and fall figure to play a part in the nine-day opening section of Arkansas's 60-day duck season, which starts statewide Saturday morning, 30 minutes before sunrise.
Several of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's public hunting areas have had good amount of available food (native vegetation, millet) for migrating waterfowl, and the AGFC has been able in some areas to pump up the moist-soil units and divert water into the green timber of some wildlife management areas in the runup to the 2022-23 season. But other areas suffered from drought in establishing food acreage, and several greentree reservoirs and moist-soil units are either dry or not well covered in water.
"I don't think it's the worst (dry period) we've seen since I've been here, I don't think I'd go that far. It's just really dry. Our climate is dry in September, October and November anyway. This just happens to be especially dry," Luke Naylor, the AGFC's Wildlife Management Division chief, said. "We're not getting any changes. Nothing is on the horizon that it's going to change any time soon."
Long-range forecasts that Naylor has seen don't show any major rainfall coming through the next month. Naylor was the agency's waterfowl program coordinator until last June, when he took over the Wildlife Management Division after Brad Carner's promotion to Deputy Director. Without a new waterfowl program coodinator, he's been doing that work as well.
The dry conditions have also affected the availability of fields in the AGFC's Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement program. The program, when Arkansas finally sees enough water where landowners and rice farmers can flood their fields or where water can moisten the soil enough for it to stick around, will have up to 72 fields (including two Wetland Reserve Easements) available throughout the state for winning permit holders to hunt over a full weekend. But for opening weekend, only 40 fields were made available for permits.
The landowners who are part of the WRICE program aren't allowed to pump water from wells, so the best they can hope for is surface water, which is limited, Naylor said. Like the migrating waterfowl, they need rainfall and runoff, too.
Those hunters seeking permits for the WRICE fields on Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 26-27) need to apply between 3 p.m. this Thursday and midnight Sunday to win spots for the following weekend. Winning applicants will be notified Monday of their success and provided a map to their field along with other needed information.
Ducks Moving In
Despite the limited areas of water, ducks have begun migrating into the state, Naylor said. "A bunch of ducks moved in or were on the move this past weekend. The central part of the country was seeing a lot of duck movement after this last cold front. There's just not too many places for them to stay for very long around here."
Anecdotal reports indicated that good numbers of snow geese were beginning to arrive as well. They're following up an impressive number of greater-white fronted geese (specklebellies) that had settled into the Grand Prairie region around Arkansas County and surrounding areas over the past several weeks. Specklebelly regulations were changed this year to a shorter season startingt Oct. 29 with a 3-bird daily limit.
One hunting source of the Waterfowl Report indicated that he had seen quite a few ducks and geese while hunting in northern Missouri, where the season had opened two weeks ago.
Naylor said that if Arkansas hunters "have the water, you'll have a decent migration of ducks. I imagine the hunting success that people do have will not last long."
Last waterfowl season was dry in Arkansas at this time and into the first half of December, but this year seems to have topped it. Some favored hunting areas, like Buckingham Flats and Temple Island in the George H. Dunklin J. Bayou Meto WMA, have no huntable water. While the areas in Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms that contain the Youth and Mobility-Impaired blinds have 100 percent water coverage, nearly everywhere else in Raft Creek Bottoms ranges from no water to a maximum of about 60 percent coverage, meaning boating in the WMA likely will be challenging, Naylor said. Walking to the areas where there is water may be the best option. The White River at Georgetown, on the east side of Raft Creek Bottoms WMA, was only at 4.32 feet and slightly rising as of Wednesday, Nov. 16. The Cache River gauge at Patterson, which is a good indicator of the water level in the Rex Hancock Black Swamp WMA in east-central Arkansas, was very low at 3.7 feet on Wednesday, and there was little if any huntable water there. Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA has only about 10 percent water coverage in its units, three of which (Conway George Units) are youth blinds available by permit draw on weekends.
Pumping of waterfowl impoundments at Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA in the Arkansas River Valley began Oct. 31 and will continue as water levels in Point Remove Creek allow. Coverage in the different hunting areas at Ed Gordon range from no water to 40-60 percent coverage in several areas, with one area (Racetrack) being estimated at 80 percent coverage.
A dry summer led to several units in Frog Bayou WMA in western Arkansas being fallow-disked in preparation for next season, but there are good stands of moist-soil vegetation in other units and water coverage through pumping has been good in about half the WMA.
Bag Limits
Daily bag limits are the same as recent years. Hunters make harvest a bag limit of 6 ducks, which may include no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 1 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks or 1 mottled duck. Beyond those exceptions, the limit is up to 6 ducks of a species, including teal. The merganser daily bag limit is 5, with only 2 hooded mergansers allowed. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. Non-lead shot must be used for waterfowl hunting in Arkansas. The possession limit for ducks, coots and mergansers is three times the daily bag limit.
Hunting for greater white-fronted geese opened Oct. 29 and briefly closed on Nov. 11, before it will continue with the opening of duck season. The daily bag limit is 3, up from last year's 2 birds per day.
There are two "splits" between the three sections of Arkansas's duck season, which specklebelly season and other goose seasons will also run concurrent. The first closure is between Nov. 28-Dec. 9, with waterfowl season reopening 30 minutes before sunrise Saturday, Dec. 10. The second closing "split" is for the Christmas holiday, Dec. 24-25, with the final section of duck season reopening 30 minutes before sunrise Dec. 26. The season closes at sunset Jan. 31.
The dates for the Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt and Special Active Duty Military and Veterans Hunt are Dec. 3 and Feb. 4, both on a Saturday.
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Get HIP
Remember that all hunting on WMAs ends at noon, with the exception of the Youth and Special Active Duty Military and Veteran Waterfowl hunts on all WMAs, as well as the last day (Jan. 31) of the season, which close at sunset. Shooting time in the WMAs is allowed from 30 minutes before sunrise and ends at noon. Waterfowl hunters must be off water-inundated areas or natural/man-made water courses by 1 p.m. (by NOON on Dave Donaldson Black River WMA and George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA) during regular duck season except where noted in WMA-specific Details. Waterfowl hunters must be off water-inundated areas or natural/man-made water courses by 6:30 p.m. on the last day of regular duck season and during the Youth and Special Active Duty Military and Veteran Waterfowl Hunts on all WMAs.
Also, in addition to your hunting license and state and federal waterfowl stamps (signed in ink on the front), you must also have proof of Harvest Information Program registration, which is free. Once you have filled out this year's HIP information (you can do this online at www.agfc.com, "Buy Licenses/Check Game" tab), that information is maintained on the licensing website. Should you be questioned by an Enforcement Officer in the field, your HIP registration will show up along with allo your licensing information. Failure to register, though, could result in a citation.
All hunters who wish to pursue doves, ducks, geese and other migratory birds in Arkansas must register for the Harvest Information Program. Along with the AGFC's website, hunters can register through the AGFC's smartphone app or at an AGFC regional office or nature center. The nationwide Harvest Information Program was initiated by the USFWS in cooperation with states in 1999 to gather consistent information about how many birds of each species were being harvested across the country and how many hunters pursued them.
How HIP derives total harvest estimates by state goes far beyond the simple questionnaire you fill out during registration. According to Luke Naylor, AGFC chief of wildlife management, those questions are used to categorize all migratory bird hunters by the number of migratory birds they harvest so proper surveys can be distributed. The real surveys used in HIP are hunter diaries, submitted from a handful of hunters, and wing surveys, where certain hunters are asked to mail in a wing of each bird they harvest during a season for verification of species, age and sex.
“A few thousand hunters are chosen each year for those two surveys, and they decide who gets those surveys based on categories developed from responses to the registration questions,” Naylor said.
Unfortunately, because the HIP registration is free, many hunters who do not hunt migratory birds have still registered “just in case.” Naylor stresses that hunters who don’t plan to pursue migratory birds shouldn’t register, and hunters who do register should be as honest as possible about the actual number of birds they harvested last season.
“That data is very important to harvest estimates used in harvest management, including determining regulations such as season structures and limits,” Naylor said. “If we’re not working with good data, we’re not able to manage the populations for the best benefit of the birds or the hunters.”
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Other Permit Hunts
Hunting in Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA is by permit only, with a online draw used on weekends. The Youth and Mobility-Impaired blinds and the Magellan Tract at Raft Creek Bottoms have two days of weekday hunting that also are applied for online as well as weekends.
Online draws are also used for Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA and for Cypress Bayou WMA and Red Cut Slough. Water is minimal (about 10 percent) at Dagmar this week. A total lack of water and dry conditions have made Red Cut Slough unhuntable at this time and it won't be part of the permit process until conditions improve.
The Freddie Black Choctaw Island West Unit in the southeasternmost area of Arkansas will have youth duck hunting blinds available for application when water conditions allow.
If they aren't 16 and don't already have a license, youths will need to apply for a customer identification number to apply for a youth blind in the WMAs. Youths are allowed to bring an adult hunter with them to hunt and call. Each blind is allowed four hunters, but for two adult hunters in a youth blind, there must be two youths hunting. The licensing system does not allow anyone over 16 to apply for a youth blind.
Fees are $5 for each application, and can be made under the "Buy Licenses/Check Game" tab on the website (agfc.com) or on the AGFC's smartphone app. Hunters may only apply for one WRICE permit per application period. WRICE fields unavailable and Special Permit areas such as Red Cut Slough won't be listed until they are open for hunting.
To read more about the permit process and what areas are available in which to apply, visithttps://www.agfc.com/en/hunting/migratory-birds/waterfowl/special-waterfowl-permit-hunts/.
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: Gauge reading at BoDoc is 0.0; target level is 235.5 feet with 0% flooded.
South Woods GTR
Habitat: Mast production is fair.
Water Level: Gauge reading at 7-Mile is 0.0; target level is 234.5 feet with 0% flooded.
Simmons Field
Habitat: Native production is good in the middle and south fields.
Water Level: 0% 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. As of Nov. 15, the current Black River level is 2.32 feet and falling.
Upper Island GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Water level is below the gauge. Target level is 269.5; 0% flooded.
Lower Island GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Water level is below the gauge. Target level is 268.0; 0% flooded.
Upper Reyno GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Water level is below the gauge. Target level is 266.9; 0% flooded.
Lower Reyno GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Water level is below the gauge. Target level is 266.3; 0% flooded.
Winchester GTR
Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.
Water Level: Water level is below the gauge. Target level is 263.7; 0% 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 is good.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Thompson Tract GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: 0% flooded. The Thompson Tract GTR will be allowed to rise and fall naturally without the gates being operated later and partically this season. This action is an effort to help the next generation of forest.
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 0.0 feet msl with a target level of 240.0 feet msl; 0% flooded.
Rainey Brake GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Eagle Pond GTR
Habitat: Mast production is good.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Phase III Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Fair wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Charles Crisp Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Fair wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Ward Field Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 80% flooded.
River Field Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Hunt Area
Habitat: Good mast production within the hunt area.
Water Level: Water levels on St. Francis Sunken Lands for waterfowl season are dependent on flows from the St. Francis River. The target level for providing huntable timber is 212.0 feet msl at the Oak Donnick gauge. As of Nov. 15, the reading was 211.62 feet msl.
Snowden WRA
Habitat: Mixed grasses.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Payneway WRA
Habitat: A, B, C and D pools have mixed smartweed and barnyard grasses. 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 0%. Pool D is at 0%.
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 Unit
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: The White River at Augusta as of Wednesday, Nov. 15, was 16.34 feet and falling. The water level at Glaise Creek was not available from the USGS. All structures on the North GTR will remain open during the 2022-23 season.
South Unit
Habitat: Fair mast crop.
Water Level: The White River at Augusta is 16.34 feet and falling. The water level at Glaise Creek was not available from the USGS. All structures on the South Unit 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.
Gregory GTR
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: Little water available (Cache River at Patterson was at 3.7 feet on Nov. 16 and falling.)
Wiville Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: Little water available
Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
The Conway George units are currently available for hunting by applying for online permits. Youths may apply for Saturday and Sunday hunts, with one adult hunter allowed per one youth, up to four hunters in the blind. 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. The AGFC will not be putting boards in at Dagmar. Water coverage is dependent on river level.
Mud Slough GTR
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 10% coverage.
Apple Lake WRA (no hunting)
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 10% coverage.
Conway George Waterfowl Unit A
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 10% coverage
Conway George Waterfowl Unit B
Habitat: Natural slough area with beneficial native wetland plants.
Water Level: 10% coverage
Conway George Waterfowl Unit C
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 10% coverage
Dark Corner Waterfowl Unit 1
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 10% coverage
Dark Corner Waterfowl Unit 2
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 10% coverage
Dark Corner Waterfowl Unit 3
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 10% coverage
Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA
Hunting in Raft Creek Bottoms WMA requires participation on the online draw a week before the following weekend's hunt. There is no online draw on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and permits are available at the boat accesses. Permits ARE required (via online application) on weekends, Tuesdays and Thursdays for the youth and mobility-impaired blinds and for the Magellan Tract. Visit agfc.com to apply for the online draw. There will be no designated holes this season.
The White River gauge at Georgetown on Tuesday, Nov. 15, was 4.32 and rising.
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Unit A
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 60% coverage.
Unit B
Habitat: Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 35%
Unit C
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 5%
Unit D
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 50%
Unit E
Habitat: Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 20%
Unit F (Youth Area)
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit G
Habitat: Habitat conditions are poor.
Water Level: 0%
Unit H (Mobility-impaired blind)
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
Unit I
Habitat: Habitat conditions are poor.
Water Level: 0%
Unit J (Cypert Tract)
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 10%
Unit K (Cypert Tract)
Habitat: Excellent stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 3%
Unit L (Cypert Tract)
Habitat: Fair stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
Unit M (Magellan Tract)
Habitat: Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 100%
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: Fair mast crop.
Water Level: 5%.
Palarm Creek WRA
Habitat: Rest area was heavily disked late this year and millet crop did not take before the early frost.
Water Level: 0%
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: 0% coverage.
Red Cut Slough Tract
Unit 1
Habitat:
Habitat conditions are poor.
Water Level: 0%
Unit 2
Habitat:
Excellent stand of millet and native vegetation
Water Level: 0%
Unit 3
Habitat:
Good stand of millet and native vegetation
Water Level: 0%
Unit 4
Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
Unit 5
Habitat:
Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
Unit 6
Habitat:
Good stand of native vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
Harris Brake WMA
Upper GTR
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 0%.coverage,
Lower GTR
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: 0% coverage. The Harris Brake Lake valve was opened on Nov. 15 to begin supplemental flooding of both the Lower and Upper GTRs.
Holland Bottoms WMA
Hunt Area
Habitat: Good mast crop.
Water Level: NA
Lake Pickthorne WRA (no hunting)
Habitat: Excellent crop of native vegetation and millet.
Water Level: NA
Northwest Arkansas
Dardanelle WMA
McKennon Bottoms (half-day hunting)
Habitat: Good stand of native moist-soil vegetation.
Water Level: 100% coverage
Potter's Pothole Hartman Waterfowl Unit (half-day hunting)
Habitat: West cell has a poor stand of moist-soil vegetation. East cell has an average stand of moist-soil vegetation.
Water Level: 40% coverage
Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA
Pumping of waterfowl impoundments began Oct. 31 and will continue as water levels in Point Remove Creek allow.
Little Hole (Unit 1)
Habitat: Japanese millet.
Water Level: 0% flooded.
Willow Island (Unit 2)
Habitat: Japanese millet and natural vegetation.
Water Level: 40%
Red Gate (Unit 3)
Habitat: Natural vegetation
Water Level: 40%
Pig Trough (Units 4 and 5)
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 10%
Cedar Ridge (Unit 6)
Habitat: Japanese millet.
Water Level: 60%
Unit 7a
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 60%
Unit 7b
Habitat: Japanese millet and natural vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
Duck Trap (Units 8a, 8b and 8c)
8a
Habitat: Natural vegetation and Japanese millet.
Water Level: 0%
8b
Habitat: Japanese millett and natural vegetation.
Water Level: 70%
8c
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 10%
Unit 9
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 40%
Controversy Corner (Unit 10)
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 40%
Remmel Marsh
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 60%
Mud Pond (Unit 12)
Habitat: Natural vegetation and Japanese millet.
Water Level: 50%
Turkey Pond (Units 13a, 13b and 13c)
13a
Habitat: Natural vegetation and Japanese millet.
Water Level: 0%
13b
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
13c
Habitat: Natural vegetation and Japanese millet.
Water Level: 0%
Teeny Pond (Unit 14)
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 0%
Salt Lick (Unit 15)
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 40%
Bobby's Pond (Unit 16)
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 10%
Race Track (Unit 17)
Habitat: Natural vegetation.
Water Level: 80%
Frog Bayou WMA
Due to the dry summer, several units have been fallow-disked in preparation for next season.
Unit 1
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation in the upper end, while lower end has been fallow-disked.
Water Level: 100% coverage
Unit 2
Habitat: Has been fallow-disked. Unit is rainfall dependent.
Water Level: 15% flooded.
Unit 3
Habitat: Average stand of moist-soil vegetation on the upper end; lower end has been fallow-disked.
Water Level: 90% (currently pumping).
Unit 4
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation and planted millet
Water Level: 100%
Unit 5
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation on the upper end; lower end has been planted with Japanese millet.
Water Level: 100%
Unit 6
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation. Lower end has been fallow-disked.
Water Level: 10% (pumping will begin Nov. 18).
Unit 7
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation.
Water Level: 20% (will be pumped beginning Nov. 29).
Galla Creek WMA
Galla Creek GTR
Habitat: Good stands of native vegetation and Japanese millet. The area is stage-flooded in thirds, and the gate has been raised during the first third flooding. The gate will be raised again Dec. 1 and the final time around Jan. 1.
Water Level: About 20% flooded.
Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA
Nimrod GTR
Habitat: The red oak mast crop is moderate this year as well as the desirable native vegetation growth. Due to abnormally dry conditions, this area is not expected to fill up as fast as in previous years. The water control structures will be closed on Nov. 15.
Water Level: 0% flooded. Flooding of the area is rainfall dependent.
Ozark Lake WMA/Dyer Lake Water Unit
Dyer Lake Cells
Unit 1 Dyer main cell
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation.
Water Level: 100% coverage for both units
Unit 2 Dyer Road Cell
Habitat: Poor stand of moist-soil vegetation due to dry conditions over the summer.
Water Level: 50% coverage
Unit 3 South Cell
Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation and volunteer millet\
Water Level: 10% coverage
Unit 4 West Cell (rainfall dependent)
|Habitat: Good stand of moist-soil vegetation and volunteer millet.
Water Level: 5% coverage
Petit Jean River WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Sorehead Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: This unit was able to grow a great stand of desirable native vegetation this year. The Kingfisher Lake water control structure valve was to be opened Nov. 15 to help flood this area.
Water Level: 10%
Blacklands Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: The red oak mast crop is moderate this year as well as the desirable native vegetation growth. Millet planting was attempted this year, but the dry conditions prevented growth. The recent rains have put enough water in the river to start pumping last week.
Water Level: 50%.
Slaty Crossing Moist-Soil Unit
Habitat: Due to ongoing waterfowl habitat enhancement projects, this unit was not able to grow a desirable native vegetation crop or millet crop this year. The recent rains have put enough water in the river to start pumping last week.
Water Level: 50%
Blacklands Duck Area
Habitat: The red oak mast crop is moderate this year as well as the desirable native vegetation growth. Millet planting was attempted this year, but the dry conditions prevented growth. The Kingfisher Lake water control structure valve was to be opened Nov. 15 to help flood the area.
Water Level: 0%
Pullen Pond Marsh
Habitat: Due to ongoing waterfowl habitat enhancement projects, parts of the central section and western section of this area is bare ground. Most of the area has a great stand of desirable native vegetation. Flooding of the area is rainfall dependent. The water control structures were closed on Nov. 4.
Water Level: 5%.
Pond Creek GTR
Habitat: The red oak mast crop is moderate this year as well as the desirable native vegetation growth. Due to abnormally dry conditions, this area is not expected to fill up as fast as in previous years. The water control structures were to be closed on Nov. 15.
Water Level: 0%. Flooding of this area is rainfall dependent.
Slaty GTR
Habitat: The red oak mast crop is moderate this year. Due to abnormally dry conditions, this area is not expected to fill up fast as in previous years. The water control structures will be closed on Nov. 15.
Water Level: 0%. Flooding of this area is rainfall dependent.
Santa Fe GTR
Habitat: The red oak mast crop is moderate this year as well as the desirable native vegetation growth. Due to abnormally dry conditions, this area is not expected to fill up as fast as in previous years. The water control structures will be closed on Nov. 15.
Water Level: 0%. Flooding of this area is rainfall dependent.
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: 0% coverage.
GTR
Habitat: Good mast production.
Water Level: Flooding will begin Dec. 1.
Little Grassy
Habitat: Good
Water Level: 10%
Millwood Lake
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: Millwood is at 259.82 feet msl as of Nov. 15.
Ozan WMA
Flooding of all units is rainfall dependent.
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: 75%
Henry Moore WRA
Habitat: Closed to hunting.
Water Level: 5%
Southeast Arkansas
Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA
Map | Weather Report
Water Level: No duck hunting water. Water is available in the oxbow lakes located in the WMA.
Cut-Off Creek WMA
Map | Weather Report
Hunt Area
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: No huntable water.
Pigeon Creek WRA
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: Pumping as water conditions allow.
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.
The Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA West Unit allows weekend permit hunting for youths (one adult per youth hunter); on Wednesdays, all ages may apply for a permit to hunt the blinds in the West Unit. Currently, the area is dry and there have been no online draws for the West Unit.
George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA
Map | Water Gauge | Weather Report
The UGSG is 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.
NOTE: During the 2022-23 wintering period, all intentional flooding will be held at 178.5 feet msl, an elevation that will relieve stress on many trees such as red oaks that are showing signs of distress. Rain and increased flow into the WMA will allow water to rise above that level periodically. A good rule of thumb for comparing water levels to access into Bayou Meto: 176 feet msl – water breaking into sloughs and lower ditches; 177-177.5 feet msl – water beginning to break out of sloughs and lower ditches; 178 feet msl – water in most sloughs and ditches and entering into lower elevations in woods; 178.5 feet msl – most ditches and sloughs deep enough to boat and most boat ramps become serviceable; 179 feet msl or above – water expands to the higher elevations.
Upper Vallier GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Upper Vallier Headwater) for updated info.
Lower Vallier GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Lower Vallier Headwater) for updated info.
Government Cypress GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Government Cypress Headwater) for updated info.
Buckingham Flats GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: No huntable water. See Gauge Link (Buckingham Flats Headwater) for updated info.
Temple Island GTR
Habitat: Good
Water Level: No huntable water. See Gauge Link (Temple Island Headwater) for updated info.
Canon Brake
Habitat: Good
Water Level: See Gauge Link (Canon Brake Headwater) for updated info.
Halowell WRA
Habitat: Excellent
Water Level: Staggered flooding of units.
Wrape Plantation WRA
Habitat: Excellent
Water Level: Staggered flooding of units.
Seven Devils WMA
Hunt Area
Habitat: Habitat conditions are good.
Water Level: No huntable water.
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.