Arkansas waterfowl report
Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s weekly waterfowl report:
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA Upper Island GTR Habitat fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 269. 4 msl, 90 percent flooded and holding. Lower Island GTR Habitat fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 267. 75 msl, 40 percent flooded and rising. Upper Reyno GTR Habitat fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 266. 8 msl, 80 percent flooded and rising. Lower Reyno GTR Habitat fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 265. 9 msl, 50 percent flooded and rising. Winchester GTR Habitat fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 263. 5 msl, 70 percent flooded and rising SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA Adam’s Brake GTR Habitat fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 80 percent flooded.
Rainey Brake GTR Habitat air to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 100 percent flooded.
Phase III Moist-soil Unit Habitat fair. 10 percent flooded.
Charles Crisp Moist-soil Unit Habitat fair. 10 percent flooded.
Ward Field Moist-soil Unit Habitat fair wetland. 0 percent flooded.
River Field Moist-soil Unit Good wetland. 100 percent flooded. ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA
Hunt Area Good acorn production in most areas within the floodways. Water levels in huntable areas are dependent on St. Francis River flows. The water level at Oak Donnick is 210. 88 feet and approximately 15 percent of the huntable area is flooded. Snowden WRA A good stand of smartweed, panic grass, millet, and sedges within the borrow areas. 25 percent flooded. Payneway WRA A good stand smartweed and a fair stand of millet and sedges within the borrow areas. 35 percent Flooded EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA South Oliver GTR Acorn production is good. 5 percent flooding with shallow water found within the natural sloughs and ditches. Thompson Tract GTR Acorn production is good. Approximately 50 percent flooded with most water found around the pipeline. Average water depth is about 6-8 inches. Lake Hogue WRA A small amount of smartweed is found around the edges. Normal pool. BIG LAKE WMA
North Woods GTR Good acorn production in the timber. 233. 3 msl. South Woods GTR Good acorn production in the timber. 234. 1 msl. Simmons Field Habitat fair. Approximately 20 percent flooded but will slowly rise as water continues to come onto the area.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS BELL SLOUGH WMA Bell Slough GTR Mast crop is fair and spotty. GTR is 100 percent flooded. Palarm Creek Waterfowl Rest Area Moderate seed production on native vegetation with some residual millet. Both units are 100 percent flooded. HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA Fair to moderate mast crop. The WMA is primarily dry with a few shallow pockets of water. Heavy rainfall in the Cabot area is required to flood large portions of the WMA. Lake Pickthorne Waterfowl Rest Area Moderate seed production on native vegetation with moderate residual millet. Both units are 100 percent flooded. HARRIS BRAKE WMA Harris Brake GTRs Moderate to excellent mast crop. Lower unit is 100 percent flooded and the upper unit is 90 percent flooded. LAKE CONWAY Pierce and Dix Creeks Habitat normal. The lake is 100 percent flooded.
EAST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA North GTR Excellent mast crop. 100 percent flooded and is accessible by boat. South GTR Excellent mast crop. 100 percent flooded and is accessible by boat. STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK BOTTOMS WMA Units A, B, and C Due to White River, impoundments A, B and C have been flooded all year. Some food is available on the shallow flats and ridges. Unit is a full pool.
Unit H (Handicap Blind ) Unit has a fair stand of smartweed, wild millet, and variety of sedges. Unit is a full pool.
Units E and F Units have a fair stand of smartweed, wild millet, and variety of sedges. Only water available is the boat lanes and shallow depression.
Units G and I Units are designed to be a permanent water source. Food availability is fair around the shallow edges. Units are at full pool. REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA Main WMAGood mast crop. Area is dry and the only available water is the Cache River, which is very low. Wyeville MSU Food availability is fair. Unit is approximately 14 acres and is 100 percent flooded. SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA Mud Slough GTR Good mast crop. The GTR is dry and the only water available is the slough itself. Apple Lake WRA Lake is in great shape and provides feeding and loafing areas for waterfowl. Lake is at full pool. Simmons Field Moist soil units are in good shape and food availability is good. The units are dry and will depend on rainfall to fill up
SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS BAYOU METO WMA Upper Vallier GTR Habitat good. 3-5 percent flooded. The bayous and sloughs are full of water. This area is dependent on rain water. Lower Vallier GTR Habitat good. 3-5 percent flooded. The bayous and sloughs are full of water. This area is dependent on rain water. Government Cypress GTR Habitat good. Water only in sloughs. This area is dependent on rain water.
Buckingham Flats GTR Habitat good. Areas pumped are 100 percent flooded.
Temple Island GTR Habitat good. Areas pumped are 100 percent flooded.
Halowell WRA Under construction, putting in new levies and water control structures.
Wrape Plantation WRA Habitat good. 60 percent flooded. CUT-OFF CREEK WMA Hunt Area Habitat fair. 0 percent flooded. Waterfowl Rest Area Habitat fair. 75 percent flooded. SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP WMA Habitat fair. 10 percent flooded. TRUSTEN HOLDER WMA Habitat good. Arkansas River gauge at Pendleton Ferry, 26. 3 feet on Nov. 17. River water only, with variable levels of backwater flooding. CHOCTAW ISLAND WMA Habitat fair. Mississippi River gauge at Arkansas City, 5. 00 feet on Nov. 17. River water only, with variable levels of backwater flooding.
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS DR. LESTER SITZES, III BOIS D’ ARC WMA Bois d’ Arc Lake WRA Few ducks. 100 percent flooded. Red Slough WRA Closed for hunting. 10 percent flooded. GTR Few ducks. 90 percent flooded. Little Grassy Few ducks. 75 percent flooded. MILLWOOD LAKE Habitat conditions fair to good. Fair number of ducks, should be good hunting for opening weekend. Normal level is 259. 2 Current level is 259. 27 SULPHUR RIVER WMA Mercer Bayou Fair due to fluctuating water level and late summer rain. 1 foot below normal pool. Henry Moore WRA Poor due to low water level. Low due to pump problems.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS 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. 100 percent flooded.
Duck Trap Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.
Salt Lick Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.
Bobby’s Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.
Race Track Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.
Controversy Corner Disked in August. 100 percent flooded.
Remmel Marsh Natural vegetation. 100 percent.
Mud Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.
Turkey Pond 30 percent disked in August, 70 percent natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded.
Teeny Pond Natural vegetation. 100 percent flooded. PETIT JEAN RIVER WMA
Santa Fe GTR Flooded hardwoods. Poor mast production from red oaks. 0 percent flooded.
Olin Cain MSU Disked in August. 100 percent flooded.
Blacklands MSU 20 percent mowed in August. Relatively poor waterfowl forage production from moist soil plants due to late summer flooding. 95 percent flooded.
Slaty Crossing MSU Disked in August. 95 percent flooded.
Pullen Pond 85 percent flooded.
Pond Creek GTR Flooded hardwoods. Poor mast production from red oaks. 90 percent flooded.
Slaty Pond GTR Buttonbush with little waterfowl forage production. 10 percent flooded.
Black Lands Duck Area Natural vegetation with relatively poor waterfowl forage production from moist soil plants due to late summer flooding. 100 percent flooded. GALLA CREEK WMA Buttonbush and smartweed. 0 percent flooded. FROG BAYOU WMA Unit 1 Planted millet. 5 percent flooded. Unit 2 Native vegetation. 100 percent flooded. Unit 3 Native vegetation. 85 percent flooded. Unit 4 Planted millet. 90 percent flooded. Unit 5 Native vegetation. 90 percent flooded. Unit 6 Native vegetation and volunteer millet. 75 percent flooded. Unit 7 Native vegetation. 100 percent flooded. LLOYD MILLWOOD / NIMROD WMAFlooded hardwoods. Poor mast production from red oaks. 100 percent flooded. OZARK POOL
Dyer Lake Cells Planted millet and native vegetation. 3 cells 100 percent. Far western cell is rain dependant (no water ). No sheet water in fields along river DARDANELLE WMA
Johnson County WRA Moist soil units in native vegetation. 100 percent flooded. No water in woods. No hunting on Johnson County WRA
McKennon Bottoms Millet and moist soil plants. 100 percent flooded.
Potter’s Pothole / Hartman Waterfowl Unit Millet and moist soil plants. 100 percent flooded.
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