Waterfowl reg changes in Arkansas

[RUGER]

I don't hunt in Arkansas but I bet this will be very popular with some and the end of the world for others.

Prohibiting the use of all mechanical decoys that create motion and simulated wing-movement decoys on Commission-owned wildlife management areas and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national wildlife refuges.
Requiring waterfowl hunters to be off water-inundated areas or water courses on WMAs after noon from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the last day of the last segment of regular duck season.
Increasing the horsepower limit of surface-drive motors from 36 hp to 37 hp.
Prohibiting boat access on greentree reservoirs on Dave Donaldson Black River WMA after noon, except on Black River and Little River.
Setting duck, coot and merganser season as Nov. 19-27; Dec. 8-23, and Dec. 26-Jan. 29, with youth waterfowl days being Dec. 3, 2016 and Feb. 4, 2017.


So the way I read it, no motion decoys of any kind on wma's and nwr's?
No duck hunting after noon.

Wow.

 

[CBU93]

AR did that on e already several years ago...

 

[Kevin]

I personally am all for it. I don't hunt the WMA's too often, I mainly stay on the refuges, but having them outlawed on all public land will be great. I think it will also help with the use of them on private land for people that have access to it(which I do). I've seen spinners be good and bad, but having them filling up every single hole in the tree tops is a little much.

As far as the being off by noon, I don't have too much a problem with that. I enjoyed the extra hour to take time and get off the land sometimes, but others I just wanna get home. Makes no real difference to me.

 

[benellivol]

If you're on a good timber hunt, you've got your limit in one or two volleys anyways. Sitting in timber and hammering ducks as they come in to roost is a shortsighted way to hunt.

 

[Kevin]

That's the way I see it. If you are on a good spot, there are a lot of times you could have a limit before you can tell a green head from a Susie. There are always hunts where it doesn't go exactly as planned.

I am one who believes in personal limits, and not group limits. There aren't a whole bunch of folks who think that way, but I count the birds I kill, when I get to 4, I'm done. I will hang my gun up, call and drink coffee. But the thing about it, Benellivol, is most people are going for that big log limit, and will shoot until their group limit of 24 or 28 mallards is finished.

 

[RUGER]

It would be cool to have a spot to hunt where you had to actually worry about getting your own limit. :D

 

[Kevin]

The public land is tough to learn, but can be very rewarding!

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Working on learning about Camden bottoms myself. And hunting private blinds on Ky Lake as well. Bottoms see more birds early in the morning. Lake has been hit and miss and had nowhere near the numbers the bottoms had last season. Hope wee have a good year this year, last year was a bust overall.