High water continues to close deer-hunting areas in Arkansas
November 3, 2009LITTLE ROCK – Continued rain and rising water levels have forced the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to close deer-hunting season in many flood prone regions of Arkansas and wildlife management areas in those regions.
“Rising water has made access to many of these areas impossible and is pushing deer to higher ground, where they’re susceptible to overharvest,” said Brad Miller, AGFC deer program coordinator. “Only deer hunting is closed in these areas, but so much water is covering the areas that access is virtually impossible and dangerous.”
As of 3 p.m., Nov. 3, deer season in the following flood prone regions and WMAs is closed:
- Flood Prone Regions B, C, D, E and F; Black River Flood Prone Region; St. Francis River Flood Prone Region; Shirey Bay Rainey Brake Flood Prone Region
- Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA; Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA; Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA; Benson Creek Natural Area WMA; Trusten Holder WMA; Dave Donaldson Black River WMA; St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA; Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA; Big Lake WMA; Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA; Rex Hancock Black Swamp WMA
Flood prone zone closures and openings are determined by specific river gauge readings at 3 p.m. each afternoon. For more information on flood prone regions and maps of closed areas, go to: http://www.agfc.com/hunting/misc_hunting/floodprone.aspx.
The following WMAs are still open to deer hunting, but hunters should be aware that the water levels in these areas are dangerously high and will make hunting extremely difficult:
- Bayou Meto WMA – heavily flooded with water topping levees. Permit hunts will continue as planned however, permit recipients are eligible for refunds (see permit hunt release below).
- Beryl Anthony Bayou DeView WMA – completely flooded, access only by boat.
- Cut-Off Creek WMA – heavily flooded with limited access in most areas and no access to east side. All campgrounds are flooded. Permit hunts will continue as planned however, permit recipients are eligible for refunds (see permit hunt release below).
- Cypress Bayou WMA – flooded with limited access from Hwy 31. Access points on the south and west areas of the WMA are usable. Expected 500-700 acres of huntable ground available during the permit hunt. Permit hunts will continue as planned however, permit recipients are eligible for refunds (see permit hunt release below).
- Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc WMA – water is above normal flood pool. Permit hunts will continue as planned and permit recipients are not eligible for refunds.
- Earl Buss Bayou DeView WMA – heavily flooded and limited access
- Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA – extensive flooding with limited access. Permit hunts will continue as planned and permit recipients are not eligible for refunds.
- Moro Big Pine Natural Area WMA – About 20 percent of the area is flooded, primarily in the southwest portion of the WMA. Permit hunts will continue as planned and permit recipients are not eligible for refunds.
- Petit Jean WMA – extensive flooding with limited access.
- Sulphur River WMA – Overflow flooding still exists, roads previously closed remain closed. Water is falling, but damage assessments of the roads will need to be conducted before allowing for use.
- Two Bayou Creek WMA – some flooding.
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Some permit deer hunts cancelled, others an option
LITTLE ROCK – Unusually high water has forced the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to close many scheduled permit deer hunts on wildlife management areas in eastern Arkansas. Other hunts have been given an optional status with hunters being able to choose between hunting or receiving a refund on their permit and preference points.
As of 3 p.m., Nov. 3, the following permit hunts have been cancelled.
- Dave Donaldson Black River WMA Muzzleloader Hunt (Nov. 7-9)
- Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA Modern Gun Hunt (Nov. 7-11)
- Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA Modern Gun Hunt (Nov. 7-11)
- Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA Muzzleloader Hunt (Nov. 7-9)
- Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA Youth Modern Gun Hunt (Nov. 7-8)
Permit recipients for these hunts have been mailed notification of the closure and will receive a refund for their permit and will have their preference points restored as if they had not been drawn this year.
Some permit hunts in flooded areas are still scheduled, but hunters have the option to receive a refund and have their preference points restored if they decide to skip the hunt.
The following hunts have been given “optional” status:
- Bayou Meto WMA Modern Gun Hunt (Nov. 7-11)
- Cut-Off Creek WMA Modern Gun Hunt (Nov. 7-11)
- Cypress Bayou WMA Modern Gun Hunt (Nov. 7-11)
Hunters who want a refund must return their permit by mail (postmarked by Nov. 6, 2008). Hunters who wish to hunt the area as planned should expect extensive flooding and should exercise extreme caution when accessing these areas.
Requests for refunds must be mailed by Nov. 6 to:
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Attn: Permit Refunds
2 Natural Resources Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
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