Waterfowl report

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s weekly waterfowl report: NORTHEAST ARKANSAS DAVE DONALDSON BLACK RIVER WMA

Upper Island GTR Good abundance of mast crop within the GTRs. 268.8 MSL. 75 percent flooded. Hunters should be aware of hangers and submerged logs within the boat runs and GTRs.

Lower Island GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 267.8 MSL. 60 percent flooded.

Upper Reyno GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 266.0 MSL. 50 percent flooded.

Lower Reyno GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 265.5 msl 25 percent flooded

Winchester GTR Good abundance of mast crop. 10 percent flooded.

SHIREY BAY RAINEY BRAKE WMA

Adam’s Brake GTR Good mast crop within the GTR. 50 percent flooded.

Rainey Brake GTR Good mast crop within the GTR. 85 percent flooded.

Phase III Moist-soil Unit Good Japanese millet. 100 percent flooded.

Charles Crisp Moist-soil Unit Good Japanese millet. 100 percent flooded.

Ward Field Moist-soil Unit Good Japanese millet. 0 percent flooded.

River Field Moist-soil Unit Good Japanese millet. 0 percent flooded.

ST. FRANCIS SUNKEN LANDS WMA

Hunt Area There is good white and red oak 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 210.61 feet msl, and 15 percent of the huntable area is flooded. Low numbers of ducks are being reported in the area. Unusually low water levels are making boat navigation difficult. Not all portions of the river are navigable.

Snowden WRA There is a fair stand of beneficial wetland plants along the north and east sides of the impoundment and within the borrow areas. 0 percent flooded.

Payneway WRA There is a fair stand of beneficial wetland plants within the borrow areas. 0 percent flooded.

EARL BUSS BAYOU DEVIEW WMA

South Oliver GTR Acorn production has been good. Less than 5 percent flooded, with most water found in the natural slough.

Thompson Tract GTR Acorn production has been good. 40 percent flooded, with most water found around the pipeline. Boaters should use caution while using the Thompson Tract boat run.

Lake Hogue WRA Smartweed and sedge are found along the edge. Normal pool levels.

BIG LAKE WMA

North Woods GTR Acorn production is good in the timber. Most water is located in the ditches with minimal water found in the woods. When the Ditch 81 extension gauge near Manilla (upstream of 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 extremely fast and hunters should exercise caution while on the area. Be aware of underwater logs in boat runs and hangers in trees.

South Woods GTR Acorn production is good in the timber. Most water is located in the ditches with minimal water found in the woods.

Simmons Field A fair amount of millet, sedge, and/or fall panic grass is present, but seed production was low because of low summer rainfall. 0 percent CENTRAL ARKANSAS BELL SLOUGH WMA

Bell Slough GTR Poor mast crop. 15 percent flooded. Waiting on rain to flood the GTR and rest area.

Palarm Creek Waterfowl Rest Area Volunteer millet crop along with other native vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

HOLLAND BOTTOMS WMA

Hunt Area Good mast crop. Heavy rainfall in the Cabot area is required to flood large portions of the WMA.

Lake Pickthorne Waterfowl Rest Area Good millet crop. The east unit is currently being flooded.

HARRIS BRAKE WMA

Harris Brake GTRs Fair mast crop. Lower GTR is at 100 percent of capacity. Upper GTR is at 90 percent of capacity. Hunters reported a fair number of wood ducks and a few big ducks.

Lake Conway Pierce Creek was holding a fair number of ducks at one time but hunting pressure pushed the ducks out.

EAST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS HENRY GRAY HURRICANE LAKE WMA

Only 17 permit holes will be available. This includes the 5 holes from the on-line permit drawing.

North GTR Good acorn crop, but dry conditions. Water levels are extremely low. Limited hunting opportunities.

South GTR Good acorn crop, but dry conditions. Water levels are extremely low. Limited hunting opportunities.

STEVE N. WILSON RAFT CREEK WMA

Units A, B & C Units A and B are good to excellent. Approximately 300 acres were disturbed this summer and are in fair condition. Unit C is poor. Unit A is 80 percent inundated. Unit B is 70 percent inundated. Unit C has no surface water.

Unit H (mobility-impaired blind) Excellent conditions. Unit is partially inundated.

Units D & E Fair conditions. Units have some huntable water, but because of drought conditions water levels are low.

Units F & G Good conditions. Inundation in units is dependent on the White River. No surface water at this time.

REX HANCOCK BLACK SWAMP WMA

Main WMA Very dry with good mast crop. Very low water levels because of low rainfall. Cache River is very low and not navigable in most places.

SHEFFIELD NELSON DAGMAR WMA

Mud Slough GTR Fair mast crop. 0 percent flooded.

Apple Lake WRA Poor conditions. 10 percent flooded.

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS BAYOU METO WMA

Upper Vallier GTR Bottomland hardwoods.0 percent flooded.

Lower Vallier GTR Bottomland hardwoods. 0 percent flooded.

Government Cypress GTR Bottomland hardwoods. 0 percent flooded.

Buckingham Flats GTR Bottomland hardwoods. 80 percent flooded.

Temple Island GTR Bottomland hardwoods. 0 percent flooded.

Halowell WRA Moist soil plants 25 percent flooded.

Wrape Plantation WRA Moist soil plants. 25 percent flooded.

CUT-OFF CREEK WMA

Hunt Area Bottomland hardwoods with a fair acorn crop. 0 percent flooded.

Pigeon Creek WRA Bottomland hardwoods with a fair acorn crop. 0 percent flooded. Water is too low to pump into area at this time.

SEVEN DEVILS SWAMP WMA Cypress and tupelo bottoms with open areas in good condition. 5 percent flooded.

TRUSTEN HOLDER WMA

Arkansas River (below Pendleton Bridge, including Post Lake, Merrisach Lake and Moore’s Bayou). Hardwood river bottoms with excellent mast crop. Pendleton Bridge gauge is 26.0 feet. River water only with variable levels of backwater flooding.

FREDDIE BLACK CHOCTAW ISLAND WMA DEER RESEARCH AREA

Mississippi River River bottoms Mississippi River gauge at Arkansas City is at 6.2 feet. River water only with variable levels of backwater flooding.

BERYL ANTHONY LOWER OUACHITA WMA Fair to god mast crop. 0 percent flooded.

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS DR. LESTER SITZES, III BOIS D’ ARC WMA

Bois d’ Arc Lake WRA Closed to hunting. 100 percent flooded.

Red Slough WRA Closed to hunting. 10 percent flooded.

GTR Few ducks. 20 percent flooded.

Little Grassy Few ducks. 0 percent flooded.

MILLWOOD LAKE Habitat conditions fair to good. Fair number of ducks. Lake level is at255.55. Normal water level is 259.20.

SULPHUR RIVER WMA

Mercer Bayou Fair because of fluctuating water level and late summer rain. 1 foot below normal pool.

Henry Moore WRA Closed to hunting. Low because of pump problems.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ED GORDON POINT REMOVE WMA

Willow Island Natural vegetation 0 percent. Most impoundments aren’t flooded because of dry conditions. All moist-soil units have relatively good stands of productive moist-soil plants for waterfowl forage.

Little Hole Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Red Gate Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Pig Trough Millet. 0 percent flooded.

Cedar Ridge Millet. 0 percent flooded.

Duck Trap Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Salt Lick Millet. 0 percent flooded.

Bobby’s Pond Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Race Track Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Controversy Corner Natural vegetation. 80 percent flooded.

Remmel Marsh Millet. 40 percent flooded.

Mud Pond Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Turkey Pond Millet and natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

Teeny Pond Natural vegetation. 0 percent flooded.

PETIT JEAN RIVER WMA

The Pullen Pond hydrology restoration project is still under construction. Kingfisher Lake has been drained prior to water-control structure replacement. The Petit Jean River level at Centerville is currently at 2.5 feet.

Santa Fe GTR Good mast crop. 0 percent flooded.

Olin Cain MSU Japanese and brown top millet. 30 percent flooded.

Blacklands MSU Japanese and brown topmillet along with native grasses. 40 percent flooded.

Slaty Crossing MSUs Native grasses. 100 percent flooded.

Pullen Pond 0 percent flooded.

Pond Creek GTR Good mast crop. 0 percent flooded.

Slaty Pond GTR Good mast crop. 0 percent flooded.

Black Lands Duck Area Good mast crop, brown top millet and native grasses. 0 percent flooded.

GALLA CREEK WMA

Galla Creek GTR Buttonbush and smartweed. 100 percent flooded.

FROG BAYOU WMA

Unit 1 Good stand of barnyard grass, some volunteer Japanese millet and sprangletop. Unit is full.

Unit 2 Heavy stand of perennial rushes and sedges. Unit is rainfall dependent and will need a significant rainfall event to fill.

Unit 3 Heavy stand of perennial vegetation, some smartweed, beakrush and nutsedge. Unit is full.

Unit 4 Heavy stand of perennial vegetation, some smartweed and nutsedge. Unit is full.

Unit 5 Good stand of Japanese millet. Unit is full.

Unit 6 Primarily sprangletop, toothcup, beakrush and some smartweed. Unit is currently being pumped.

Unit 7 Planted corn. Unit is rainfall dependent and will need a significant rainfall event to fill.

LLOYD MILLWOOD NIMROD WMA

Nimrod GTR Poor mast crop, but good native grass production. 0 percent flooded. Nimrod Lake level is at 337.26 MSL. There is no longer a waterfowl rest area on Lake Nimrod.

Ozark Pool Dyer Lake cells that can be pumped are 100 percent full; others are rainfall dependent.

DARDANELLE WMA

McKennon Bottoms 100 percent flooded.

Potter’s Pothole/Hartman Waterfowl Unit 100 percent flooded.