Dry, but hopeful start to 2021 Duck Season

Hunters looking for better numbers than 2020 brought

Arkansas Wildlife Editor Arkansas duck hunters will begin the 2021-22 season Saturday with hopes for a better overall season than last year, when the region saw a noticeable drop in annual average number of ducks that typically pass through the state. Much of that was due to the dry conditions and lack of habitat around Arkansas that lasted well into December, according to Luke Naylor, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's waterfowl program coordinator.

This year's opener may begin under even drier conditions and less waterfowl habitat across the state, Naylor noted. Many the public hunting areas in Arkansas had little to no water in the days leading up to the season opener.

Some creeks and rivers that provide water for the wildlife management areas that the AGFC's managed for ducks are below gauge or are too low for pumps to move water into the huntable areas. 'I've been driving around a lot around the state and it's a really, really dry landscape now. We haven't had a substantial rain,' Naylor said. 'Surface water is in short supply. We have seen private land owners and our (WMA) managers trying to provide water where we can. But we're purposely not going to go to full pool in some areas that we can flood, but rather we will use staggered flooding that allows us to help the resource last for a long time.'

Naylor did see some ducks within the state, though.

'I've seen some pretty nice concentrations of ducks in places that have good resources and water,' he said. 'Success shooting ducks this early could be fairly short-lived, though, with such limited water and as ducks change their patterns and figure out ways to avoid the shotguns. I don't expect a lot of change until we take on a major rain.'

Last year's season saw a drop in total duck observations and mallard sightings during the AGFC's scheduled winter flyovers for surveys. Numbers picked up in January, but still finished below the longterm average. Much success for this season, of course, also depends on what happens north of Arkansas as to whether the numbers return to 2019-20 estimates, and habitat conditions throughout the Mississippi Flyway were below average for the most part last year. The first major snow and ice storm didn't arrive in the upper midwestern states until around Christmastime, and temperatures were unusually warm in the Dakotas late in 2020.

Despite few sightings of ducks by the aerial surveys (one in December, two in January) last year, the harvest counts that were produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in late summer indicated that Arkansas's harvest-perhunter average actually slightly increased over the previous season, to over 15 ducks per hunter. Arkansas still was the state in the Mississippi Flyway with the most mallards harvested.

Duck season begins 30 minutes before sunrise starting Saturday, Nov. 20, with the day's shooting done at sunset. Daily bag limits are unchanged from last year: 6 ducks, which may include no more than

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4 mallards (2 hens), 1 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck. If not listed, up to 6 ducks of a species (such as teal) may be taken. The coot daily bag limit is 15 and the merganser daily limit is 5, which may include no more than 2 hooded mergansers.

Read more on the opening week and check on local hunting conditions in the regional waterfowl reports below:

Northeast Arkansas Waterfowl Reports

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: Water level is below gauge at BoDoc; target level is 235.5 feet with 0% now flooded.

• South Woods GTR Habitat: Mast production is fair.

Water Level: Water level is below the 7-Mile gauge; target level is 234.5 feet with 2% now flooded, lateral ditches and come borrow pits are flooded.

• Simmons Field

Habitat: Good production of millet and sedge. Native production is very good in the north, middle and south fields.

Water Level: 0% coverage.

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 2.9 feet and falling.

• Upper Island GTR Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.

Water Level: Current level is below the gauge. Target level is 269.5; 10% flooded.

• Lower Island GTR Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.

Water Level: Current level is below the gauge. Target level is 268.0; 10% flooded.

• Upper Reyno GTR Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.

Water Level: Current level is 264.55 msl. Target level is 266.9; 5% flooded.

• Lower Reyno GTR Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.

Water Level: Current level is 263.45 msl. Target level is 266.3; 5% flooded.

• Winchester GTR Habitat: Mast crop is moderate within the GTRs.

Water Level: Current level is be;pw tje gauge. Target level is 263.7 msl; 5% flooded.

Boaters should use caution while using the Thompson Tract boat run.

• South Oliver GTR Habitat: Mast production has been 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 beginning with this season. The 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.

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 blow the gauge with a target level of 240.0 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 3 Moist-Soil Unit Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.

Water Level: 30% flooded.

• Charles Crisp Moist-Soil Unit

Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.

Water Level: 30% flooded.

• Ward Field Moist-Soil Unit

Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.

Water Level: 30% flooded.

• River Field Moist-Soil Unit

Habitat: Good wetland-type vegetation.

Water Level: 30% flooded.

St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA

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.

• Hunt Area Habitat: Good mast production within the hunt area.

Water Level: As of Nov.

16, the reading was 211.28 feet msl.

• Snowden WRA Habitat: Mixed grasses.

Water Level: 2% 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%.