Arkansas Waterfowl Season Dates

Released August 15, 2002
Commission sets 2002-2003 migratory bird seasons
LITTLE ROCK - It's official. Arkansas will have a 60-day
duck season with a five-duck bag limit for the 2002-2003 waterfowl season.
Commissioners from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission also officially
approved the season dates during today's monthly meeting.
The first portion of the two-part season will open on
Saturday, Nov. 23, and continue through Dec. 8. After a five-day break from
Dec. 9 through Dec. 13, the season will continue from Dec. 14 through Jan.
26. The Jan. 26 closing date is the latest waterfowl season ending date in
modern history.
Arkansas' late migratory bird season selections are due to
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Sept. 1. The commission had the option
of a six-duck daily bag limit, but chose instead to drop the limit by one
duck. With the reduced limit set by the commission, hunters would be allowed
no more than three mallards of which only one mallard may be a hen.
The current year's Adaptive Harvest Management model, using
current survey information, had selected a liberal season of 60 days and a
six-duck bag limit.
AGFC commissioner Sheffield Nelson said the decision on the
season and bag limits was not made without the participation of Arkansas
duck hunters. "I had strong input from around the state to reduce the bag
limit. There was uniform support for the reduction," Nelson said.
Arkansas' duck harvest was down about 25 percent from the
previous year with about 1.1 million ducks harvested, according to the
AGFC's waterfowl biologist Mike Checkett. "Arkansas was first in the country
in the number of mallards harvested last season and second overall to
Louisiana in the total number of ducks taken," Checkett said.
The commission also approved the closing of canvasback
season and a 30-day, two-part pintail season. The first portion of the
pintail season will begin Nov. 23 and continue through Nov. 29. The second
part of the season will open Jan. 4 and continue through Jan. 26. The youth
waterfowl hunt was set for the Feb.1-2, 2003 weekend.