Cypress Bayou’s Red Cut Slough too dry for now

Weekend rains could improve water coverage in hunting fields

Arkansas Wildlife Editor Most areas in Dave Donaldson Black River WMA are at full water coverage this week. However, at George H. Dunklin Jr.

Bayou Meto WMA, some spots are to low to even pump for water, such as the Temple Island and Buckingham Flats units.

And, while the AGFC decided this year to begin permit-only hunting on the units at Red Cut Slough in Cypress Bayou WMA in central Arkansas, the area has been too dry to hunt.

Therefore Red Cut Slough was kept off the permit application site on www.agfc.com the past two weeks as well as for the youth hunt Dec. 5.

The little pond shown in the photo (right) was the only water on Moist-soil Unit 1 of Red Cut Slough a couple of days before the season opened.

Unit 6 in Red Cut Slough is a large lake, though, and it can be hunted on Tuesdays and Thursdays by picking up a permit at the parking lot kiosk off Loyd Henderson Road south of Beebe. Otherwise, without picking up a permit on Tuesdays or Thursdays and without the online permit for weekends, there is no hunting at Red Cut Slough. However, the rest of Cypress Bayou WMA is available without a permit.

Garrick Dugger, AGFC assistant chief in the Wildlife Management Division, said, 'If we see significant rainfall, AGFC staff is hoping to pump and have some water available in Red Cut Slough for the second season.'

In other WMA updates, at Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA the North GTR is at full pool and all structures on the North GTR are closed. The Glaise Creek gauge is above flood level. The access gate at Mitchell Corner is now closed. Also, Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA in west-central Arkansas saw some jumps in water coverage on its units over last week's report, but nothing is 100 percent covered as of yet. And, three units at Frog Bottom WMA have 100 percent coverage, while pumping will begin Dec. 2 in some other units that currently have 50 percent coverage. Check some more hunting spots in the Regional Waterfowl Reports below…

Bell Slough WMA — 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.

Habitat: Poor to moderate mast crop. Water Level: 50% flooded.

Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir —

Habitat and water levels are normal on both Pierce and Dix creeks. Habitat: Good mast crop. Water Level: 100% coverage.

Red Cut Slough Tract — The six units of Cypress Bayou Red Cut Slough are available for permit-only hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Weekend hunts are available only via online draw for permits through the website, www.agfc.com. On Tuesday and Thursday, hunters need to pick up a permit at the parking lot and return it after the hunt.

There was no huntable habitat in most of Red Cut Slough last week and therefore no permit draw for on the first two weekends. No permits were drawn for the youth weekend (Dec. 5) as well. The lake (Unit 6) is available to hunt Tuesday and Thursday by permit picked up at the parking lot. If the area receives significant rainfall, AGFC staff is hoping to pump and have some water available for the second season beginning Dec. 12. Habitat: Good stand of millet and native vegetation. Water Level: 25%

Harris Brake WMA —

Habitat: Average mast crop this year.

Water Level: 80%. The water control structures on both the Lower and Upper GTRs were closed on Monday, Nov. 16. The Harris Brake Lake valve was opened on Nov. 16 to begin supplemental flooding of both the Lower and Upper GTRs.

McKennon Bottoms — Half-day hunting, Habitat: 8 acres of native millet, 24 acres of fallow ground.

Water Level: 100%. Good stand of native vegetation.

Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA — Conditions on Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA remain fairly dry.

Pumping of waterfowl impoundments began on Nov. 4 and staggered flooding of units will continue as water levels in Point Remove Creek allow. Most waterfowl impoundments are between 50%-80% flooded at this time. Duck use on the WMA has been low, and hunter success has been generally poor.

Galla Creek WMA — Habitat: Moderate stand of planted millet and natural vegetation, including a mixture of barnyard grass and sprangletop. Water Level: 25% flooded.

Staged flooding of the impoundment began Nov.

12.

Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA — Habitat: The red oak mast crop and desirable native vegetation growth this year was far less substantial than in previous years. One reason for the lack of desirable forage has a lot ot do with the above-average rainfall and flooding this year. Water Level: 0% flooded. The water control structures were closed Monday, Nov.

16. Flooding of this area is rainfall dependent.