Waterfowl winding down but not quite over

Still some opportunities left for Arkansas hunters this winter

By Jim Harris

AGFC Wildlife Editor

Still Some Hunting Opportunities Left

Duck season may be over, as well as hunting for greater white-fronted geese, but there are plenty of opportunities for hunters in pursuit of lesser geese, the snows, blues and Ross's geese that are still populating the Arkansas fields.The only day not available for the Conservation Order between now and April 25 is this Saturday, Feb. 4, which is dedicated to the special statewide hunt only open to Youth, Veterans and Active Military. Those hunters are eligible to take geese Saturday along with ducks following regular guidelines for waterfowl season.

As for the Light Goose Conservation Order, special regulations include no daily bag limit and the allowed use of electronic calling devices, among other rules that would normally be prohibited during regular waterfowl season. Check the AGFC's Waterfowl Guide Book for any other particulars in hunting during the Light Goose Conservation Order.

A reminder for those in the goose fields, however: The season for greater whitefronted geese (specklebellies) ended with ducks on Jan. 31.

Though the aerial surveys conducted by AGFC staff are designed for ducks and not geared toward counting geese, observers did estimate about a half-million light geese (lesser snow and Ross's) in the Delta, with about 260,000 greater white-fronted geese in the late-January survey. This is down significantly from the number of geese estimated in the midwinter survey on Jan. 4-7, which in total (light geese and greater white-fronted geese) were estimated at nearly 1 million geese in the Delta.

End-of-Season To-Do List

Waterfowl hunters who have called it a season, and for those who will be hunting Feb. 5, remember that before you call it a wrap, make sure to clean, drain and dry all of your equipment, including decoys along with your boating investment, before putting everything away or taking that flatbottom duck boat off to another water body for fishing or other outdoors activities.

AGFC biologists urge hunters, as well as anglers and other boaters, to take the extra time to clean all their equipment of mud and vegetation before bringing it back to the wetlands.

Nuisance vegetation fragments, seeds and other undesirables can hit a ride almost unnoticed even on duck decoys, weights and strings, not to mention hard-to-get-to areas of your boat and motor after a season spent all over a particular water body.

The spread of invasive aquatic plants typically is associated with spring and summer boating because that’s when the plants grow the fastest and become a nuisance, but the AGFC's Jimmy Barnett says it’s a year-round issue, especially in the southern half of the state.

Barnett, the Invasive Species Program coordinator at the AGFC, says, “If you move around the state or even within the same area of the state, you could unknowingly spread these plants during your hunt.

“Plant fragments can survive some cold weather, and the seeds from the plants also will be viable to carry on the next spring.

Some of the swampy backwater areas duck hunters scout and hunt offer the perfect out-of-the-way place for these plants to establish themselves and spread even further.”

Barnett says the problem doesn’t just impact boaters, either. Millions of dollars are spent throughout the U.S. to combat invasive species every year. That’s money that should be spent on improving habitat, but must be used to prevent further infestation of these harmful exotic plants.

“It’s just like the money spent fighting feral hogs,” Barnett said. “Every dollar and day we spend fighting what isn’t supposed to be here is a dollar and day we could have spent improving things for the wildlife and

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fish that are supposed to be here.”

Last year, more than $250,000 was spent fighting aquatic invasive plants, a 20 percent increase from the year before. Without hunters’ help, this trend could continue. So, please: Clean all equipment – Remove all plants and pieces of vegetation, seeds and mud off your waders, decoys, boat, truck, blind and trailer.

Drain your boat – Remove the drain plug from your boat when you leave the water.

Dry – Let all gear dry for at least five days before visiting new waters. If drying is not an option, spray all equipment with a highpressure hose or hot water.

Visit www.cleandraindry.org or click below for more information about invasive species and what hunters can do to help.