PROPOSED changes by AGFC to waterfowl regs for non-resident hunters:

LITTLE ROCK � There may be some limits to the amount of time nonresident hunters may pursue waterfowl on Arkansas Game and Fish Commission controlled wildlife management areas in the next year. After many phone calls, letters and posts to social media from Arkansas hunters, the AGFC is proposing one possible way to give resident hunters additional preference on public land in The Natural State.

Currently, a nonresident waterfowl hunter is required to have a special nonresident WMA permit to hunt on many of the public areas focused on waterfowl management. They may purchase a five-day permit for $25 or an annual permit for $100, and may hunt any WMA.

�We�ve heard from a lot of people that they think we�re not charging enough for nonresidents to come and hunt our famous waterfowl areas,� said AGFC Director Jeff Crow. �And many residents surveyed believe the amount of nonresidents on these WMAs has gotten too high. The last thing we want to do is restrict hunters from using the public hunting lands we manage, but we do want to work with our residents to increase their level of satisfaction during their hunts.�

According to license sales figures, 49,161 non-resident waterfowl stamps were purchased in the 2016-17 season. From those hunters, 9,358 hunters (19 percent) purchased a non-resident waterfowl WMA permit required to hunt Arkansas WMA managed for waterfowl habitat. Money derived from nonresident waterfowl WMA permits and the difference in cost between resident and nonresident waterfowl stamps is earmarked specifically for wetland habitat management on Arkansas WMAs to continue providing the sort of duck hunting that made The Natural State famous.

The proposed changes to the nonresident waterfowl WMA permit include:
1. Eliminating the annual nonresident WMA waterfowl permit;
2. Limiting nonresidents to only six 5-day nonresident WMA waterfowl permits per season;
3. Making each nonresident WMA waterfowl permit purchased specific to a single WMA of the buyer�s choosing, and 4. Increasing the fee for the 5-day nonresident waterfowl permit from $25 to $30.50.

These proposals will be posted May 12, initiating a formal 30-day public comment period, and the Commission is expected to take action on these recommendations at its regularly scheduled meeting June 15, in Jonesboro. An online public comment survey has been created and is available at https://survey.agfc.com/index.php?r=survey/index&sid;=489896⟨=en.

I hope they are prepared to lose a ton of revenue.

The last few years I've seen more birds in AL than Arkansas.

So basically residents are upset when the MS or AL boys beat them to their spot.
IMO:

#1 ain't gonna happen
#2 possible but slim chance
#3 more likely but still slim
4. Most likely if anything is done

Dr. B

Actually they hate it more if it's folks from GA or SC. Proposal will probly be refined for next year. When they begin the process of leaving some of the WMA's dry in rotation to try and save the timber it could get very crowded and ugly.

Better proposal...ban poo facing individuals as alot of them are what causes the WMA issues,

Non residents get screwed no matter what your hunting. Esp. out West.

Good point.

Dr. B

This seems like sour grapes. Besides, the little crappy hotels and restaurants in the delta will probably be the only ones that get hurt by this policy.

...and $5 increase in fees ($25 increase for 5 trips) isn't going to stop any duck hunters I know.

I misread and thought it said Limiting non-residents to 6day wma permit.

The bigger issue is their attempt to "dry out the timber." I have faith in the biologists but geez, Arkansas is under water all the time. For instance, I heard yesterday the army corp is getting ready to blow some levee's on the black river to prevent several houses from going under.

Once again (3rd time in 4 years), those farmers are gonna struggle to get crops in. I know May 25th is usually a drop-dead date for rice for the guys that I deal with...after that it's crop insurance.

I also know the AGFC did meetings all over the state this spring to explain this new "timber" policy.

http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Documents/GTR.pdf

Yeah these rules really won't change anything. And ticka is right losing thousands of acres of green timber due to water should be more of a concern than non resident hunters

I work for the USGS and the AGFC has funded projects for our agency in order to model water flow coming in and out of the GTRs. They seem to have a legitimate concern over "over-flooding" the GTRs which is detrimental to the health of the trees. They have some of the best waterfowl habitat and hunting grounds in these GTRs and they want to preserve them as best as possible. They are already alternating some of the GTRs each hunting season for flooding to promote overall tree health. Healthy trees produce more acorns, which attract more waterfowl. Of course, the waterfowl are only there depending on the weather patterns, but that's a different topic. They were awarded near $15 million for several projects over the course of several years. As soon as the season is over, they want to drain them ASAP. Now what's that got to do with nonresident hunters, I don't know. If I had to guess though, the nonresidents are essentially helping foot the bill towards these studies.

I just want to make a side note to the comment about all of Arkansas is under water regardless...well yes that's true but those habitats are conditioned to withstand those environmental factors (flooding). The GTRs are mainly forest stands where water is directed, that normally stay dry, which why certain species of trees can decline due to overaturation.

I disagree. The entire black River wma has been under water for over a month during prime planting season. These GTRs are primarily in bottoms that are always wet to a certain degree, that's what makes them great duck habitat. I don't doubt their attempts to correct nature, but are some things that can't be corrected.

I also know of thousands of Acres of private GTRs that are flooded for 5-6 months every year and aren't seeing timber losses they describe. And these are absolutely stomp holes, 800-1000+ ducks/season kinda places.

So you disagree that they are losing GTR's due to over saturation, and that some of the farmers not being able to plant on time this year is the real reason hunting in arkie is declining. I wonder what ducks ate on the Mississippi flyway before it was turned to ag?

I don't know the cause of the decline, but I do know the last three seasons we have had in NE Arkansas have been horrible.

100% correct. I'm all for whatever they think will make it better.

I answered their survey that accompanied the email. I agreed with the proposal. I hunt close to Lake Ashbaugh. Multiple 5 or 6 day permits doesn't change a thing for me. I'll still hunt private and public.