Commission Approves Early Migratory Season

Hears proposal on spinning wing decoy?s return

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LITTLE ROCK – It’s time to pull the shotgun out of the gun case and give it a good cleaning. Commissioners from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission today approved the early migratory bird seasons for 2008-2009.

Early migratory bird seasons for 2008-2009:

Mourning Dove and Eurasian Collared Dove

    * Sept. 6 to Sept. 28
      Oct. 4 to Oct. 19
      Dec. 13 to Jan. 2, 2009
    * Daily bag limit: 15 birds

Special Early Teal Season

    * Sept. 13 to Sept. 28
    * Daily bag limit: 4 birds

Biologists also presented the proposed late migratory bird season for 2008-2009. One topic that should produce a great deal of public comment is a proposal to bring back the spinning wing decoy and adding a second mallard hen to the bag limit. The proposal also includes changing the time hunters must be out of wildlife management areas to 1 p.m. instead of noon. The proposal also calls for hunters to stop hunting by noon.

Commission chairman Freddie Black of Lake Village said that the commission wanted to be a leader in the Mississippi Flyway by banning spinning wing decoys, but didn’t get a lot of help from other states. “We failed with banning spinning wing decoys. We contacted other states, but got nowhere. We’re standing alone in our flyway,” Black said. “We look forward to an interesting 30 days of public comment before we make a decision,” he said.

The three options presented to the commission:
Option 1:   Continue ban on spinning wing decoys.
                     One mallard hen in the bag limit.
                     Shooting hours ending at noon with hunters required to be out of the WMAs by 1 p.m.
Option 2:   Continue ban on spinning wing decoys.
                     Two mallard hens in the bag limit.
                     Shooting hours ending at noon with hunters required to be out of WMAs by 1 p.m.

Option 3:   Lift ban on spinning wing decoys.
                     Two mallard hens in the bag limit.
                     Shooting hours ending at noon with hunters required to be out of the WMA by 1 p.m.

Using the liberal season parameters, the proposed season dates for the 2008-2009 waterfowl season are:

Nov. 22 – Dec. 1, Dec. 6 – Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 – Jan. 25

The youth waterfowl hunt proposed dates are Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

The late migratory season and decision on whether to bring back spinning wing decoys will be decided at the Aug. 21 commission meeting.

In other business, the Commission:

*Approved a budget increase of $400,000 to begin eradication efforts of the northern snakehead that was found in Piney Creek near Brinkley. Plans call for introducing a chemical called rotenone to remove the unwanted fish species. AGFC Chief of Fisheries Mike Armstrong told the commission that northern snakeheads are voracious predators. “Arkansas waters do no need another top predator in the food chain. These predators threaten the sportfishery of the White River National Wildlife Refuge if left unchecked. Snakeheads will compete with bass and crappie for forage and habitat. Our goal is to eradicate the fish from the wild to prevent their invasion of the rest of the Delta,” Armstrong explained. The process to eradicate the species will begin first with landowner and public meetings.

*Heard proposals on the upcoming alligator season. Assistant Chief of Wildlife Ricky Chastain said that the proposal precedes any official approval from the USFWS. “In order for this hunt to take place, we must proceed with some of these steps without USFWS approval. We are confident the data will support our recommendations for another hunt,” he added. The AGFC will begin the process of taking on-line applications for the public land and private land at-large permits beginning July 18 at www.agfc.com. The application period for these randomly drawn permits will be open through Aug. 15.

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