News
3-Part Waterfowl Season Approved by Arkansas Officials
See More News
8/23/2010
Arkansas duck hunters again will have 60 days this winter to pursue their favorite form of waterfowl in a 3-part season.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas duck hunters again will have 60 days this winter to pursue their favorite form of waterfowl.
The state Game and Fish Commission, at a meeting Thursday, approved waterfowl dates that split the duck season into three parts.
A news release from the commission says the first period opens Nov. 20 and runs through Nov. 28, followed by a second period from Dec. 7 through Jan. 17. The final period will open Jan. 22 and close Jan. 30. A two-day youth waterfowl hunt is set for Feb. 5-6.
The bag limit for the upcoming season will be six ducks, with lower limits on particular species. The total six-duck limit can include no more than four mallards, three wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, two pintails, one canvasback, one mottled duck and two scaup.
Game and Fish Commission Chairman Craig Campbell said the closed periods should allow for the best hunting.
"The splits in this option allow (newly arriving) birds to 'settle in' for a few days,'' Campbell said. "This should help provide high-quality second and third opening days.''
George Dunklin, another commission member, pointed out that the timing of the season would fit the schedules of students, giving them hunting options when they are off for the holidays or weekends.
"There are seven weekends and four holidays where parents and mentors can take kids to the flooded fields and timber of Arkansas to teach them life lessons that can't be found in a classroom,'' Dunklin said.
The commission also set the Canada goose season for Sept. 25 to Oct. 4 in northwest Arkansas, with a bag limit of two geese. Statewide, the Canada goose season will be Sept. 1 to Sept. 15, with a bag limit of five geese and Nov. 20 to Jan. 30 with a bag limit of two geese.
White-fronted goose season will be Nov. 20 to Jan. 30 with a bag limit of two geese. Hunting of snow geese, blue geese and Ross' geese will be legal from Nov. 6 to Jan. 30, with a bag limit of 20 geese.
Game and Fish Commission waterfowl coordinator Luke Naylor said breeding grounds to the south of Arkansas have a good population of ducks.
"They're pretty stable, good nesting conditions in a couple areas, particularly for Arkansas mallards,'' Naylor said.
