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AGFC propose Duck hunting season dates and set other bird seasons

Started by pioneerhog, August 05, 2006, 11:54:42 am

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LITTLE ROCK – It may not feel like duck season in Arkansas, but today's meeting of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission mainly focused on waterfowl hunting. Specifically, the Commission announced the proposed duck season dates.

According to AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor, the upcoming season looks promising for another liberal season length. "High May pond counts in the Prairie Pothole region of the U.S. and Canada, along with a relatively stable mallard breeding population estimate, indicate a high likelihood that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will offer states the liberal regulatory season alternative for the 2006-2007 duck season. This would result in a 60-day season with a six-bird bag limit," Naylor explained.
Using the liberal season parameters, the proposed season dates for the 2006 waterfowl season are:

Zone 1
Nov. 18 to Dec. 20
Dec. 26 to Jan. 21
Zone 2
Nov. 24 to Dec. 19
Dec. 26 to Jan. 28
Youth Waterfowl Hunt (both zones):
Dec. 23 to Dec. 24

The approximate dividing line for the two zones will be U.S. Highway 65 in north Arkansas, I-40 and I-440 in central Arkansas and the north bank of the Arkansas River levee southeast of Little Rock to the Mississippi River.

The proposed bag limits are six ducks consisting of four mallards (only one of which may be a hen), two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, one canvasback, three mottled ducks or two scaup.

The season structure will be approved at the August commission meeting.

The Commission is considering closing all state-owned waterfowl rest areas to hunting beginning on Nov. 1 and continuing through the last day of duck season. The closure includes the youth waterfowl hunt and the last three days of the duck season. A shot shell restriction was also presented to the Commission. If approved, a 15-shell restriction would be implemented on Bell Slough, Camp Robinson, Shirey Bay Rainey Brake and Seven Devils wildlife management areas.

A change in the rules regarding decoys left overnight on three wildlife management areas are being considered by the Commission. Under the proposal, decoys may be left overnight only from Nov. 18 through Jan. 21 on St. Francis Sunken Lands, Big Lake and Dave Donaldson Black River WMAs.

Also at the meeting, the early migratory bird season dates were approved.
The dates for dove season are:

Mourning and Eurasian collared doves – Sept. 2 to Sept. 24, Oct. 7 to Oct. 22 and
Dec. 16 to Jan. 5, 2007.
Daily bag limit will remain at 15, with possession limit 30. Doves are migratory game birds, so federal rules of shotguns plugged to hold no more than three shells are in effect. State and federal migratory waterfowl hunting stamps (duck stamps) are not required, but HIP registration is required. There is no daily or possession limits on the Eurasian collared dove.
Other early season dates and bag limits:
Virginia and sora rail – Sept. 1 to Nov. 9. Daily bag limit 25; possession limit 25.
Common moorhen and purple gallinule - Sept. 1 to Nov. 9. Daily bag limit 15; possession limit 30.
Snipe - Nov. 1 to Feb. 15. Daily bag limit eight; possession limit 16.
Woodcock - Nov. 11 to Dec. 25. Daily bag limit three; possession limit six.
Teal hunting dates will be Sept. 15 to Sept. 30 with a daily bag limit of four birds and a possession limit of eight.