Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 002 - Game and Fish Commission
Division 01 - Legal Division
Rule 002.01.24-093 - C1.12 Special Usage Restrictions on Certain WMAs and Lakes

Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 002.01.24-093

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024

A. Restrictions Common to Multiple Listed WMAs and Lakes:

1. Common Restriction A:
i. From the Saturday before the first day of the first segment of the regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season:
a. No boats allowed all day.

ii. During regular duck season open days:
a. No entry or access is allowed from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. (except in designated campsites, parking areas, boat launch ramps and designated boat staging areas); and

b. No boats are allowed from 1 p.m. until 4 a.m. (Central Time) except boats may be launched after 2 a.m. under the limited condition that any such boat must remain physically occupied at all times while kept in boat staging areas between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

c. On Dave Donaldson Black River and George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMAs, no boats are allowed from noon until 4 a.m. (Central Time) except boats may be launched after 2 a.m. under the limited condition that any such boat must remain physically occupied at all times while kept in boat staging areas between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

iii. During regular duck season splits:
a. No boats allowed all day.

iv. During the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during the special youth/veteran waterfowl hunt:
a. No entry or access is allowed from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. (except in designated campsites, parking areas, boat launch ramps and designated boat staging areas); and

b. No boats are allowed from 6:30 p.m. until 4 a.m.

v. Non-motorized boat access to designated water trails is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season.

B. Restrictions on Specific WMAs and Lakes:

1. George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto: Common Restriction A applies. Boats are prohibited on the Government Cypress Greentree Reservoir. Boating access is allowed from noon until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. Mulberry Access, to include all of the Salt Bayou Ditches to the confluence of Little Bayou Meto

ii. Buckingham Flats Access to include Big Bayou Meto, and Cannon Brake Access to include Little Bayou Meto only on the Cannon Brake Impoundment

iii. Cox Cypress and Grand Cypress Lake

2. Bell Slough: Common Restriction A applies. Only open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

3. Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita: Common Restriction A applies except within the Ouachita River. Use of boats for fishing and non-hunting activities are allowed.

4. Big Lake: Common Restriction A applies. Mallard Lake is closed to all hunting except for the special early teal season; fishing and non-hunting activities are allowed. Boating access is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during the regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. The north/south ditch, all lateral ditches, and borrow pits.

5. Brewer Lake, Cypress Creek, and Cedar Creek: Closed to waterfowl hunting.

6. Camp Robinson WMA: Common Restriction A applies. Only open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed on the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

7. Cane Creek Lake (Lincoln County): Waterfowl hunting ends at noon.

8. Coal Pile Lake: Closed to all hunting. Fishing and non-hunting activities are allowed.

9. Cut-Off Creek: Common Restriction A applies. Travel by boat is limited to Cut-Off Creek.

10. Cypress Bayou: Common Restriction A applies.

11. Dardanelle: Waterfowl hunting is not allowed on that part of Big Spadra and Little Spadra creeks lying north of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, east of Crawford Street, south of I-40, and west of Arkansas Highway 103. Dogs, hunting, or trapping devices are prohibited on Johnson County WRA.

12. Dave Donaldson Black River: Common Restriction A applies except within the Black River. Lake Ashbaugh and Hubble Lake are closed to all hunting, except both are open for the special early teal season; fishing and non-hunting activities are allowed. Boating access is allowed from noon until 6:30 p.m. during the regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. Little River

ii. Reyno Canal Access

iii. Winchester Canal Access

13. DeGray Lake: All weapons are prohibited on Lower DeGray Lake WRA except by permitted participants of special hunts and bowfishing on the lake.

14. Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d'Arc: Common Restriction A applies.

15. Earl Buss Bayou DeView: Common Restriction A applies. Lake Hogue is closed to all hunting except for the special early teal season; fishing and non-hunting activities are allowed. Boating access is allowed only from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. Thompson Tract boat ramp to include boat run

ii. North Oliver Campground primitive boat access to include the natural slough

16. Ed Gordon Point Remove: Common Restriction A applies. Effective November 1, 2023: Only open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

17. Frog Bayou: Common Restriction A applies. Effective November 1, 2023: Only open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

18. Galla Creek: Common Restriction A applies.

Exception: Arkansas River Cutoff west of Flag Lake Road. Effective November 1, 2023: Only open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

19. Harris Brake: Common Restriction A applies except within Harris Brake Lake. Open to waterfowl hunting only Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last segment of regular duck season. Only shotguns and archery equipment are allowed for hunting. Harris Brake Lake is open to Canada goose hunting September 1-15.

20. Henry Gray Hurricane Lake: Common Restriction A applies except within the White River and Little Red River.
i. When the main road gate at Mitchell Corner is closed, boating access is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
a. Glaise Creek (to include Glaise Creek access trail #2 from Mitchell Corner north boat ramp to the creek channel) from the WMA northern boundary to the main water-control structure at Whirl Lake

b. Whirl Lake access, to include Whirl Creek

ii. When the main road gate at Mitchell Corner is open, boating access is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
a. Big Bell Lake (to include Little Bell Lake)

b. Big Hurricane Lake (to include Little Hurricane Lake)

c. Bollie Pond

d. Glaise Creek

e. Honey Lake

f. Mallard Lake

g. Whirl Lake h. Willow Pond.

21. Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir: Closed to waterfowl hunting, except on the Caney Creek, Dix Creek, Palarm Creek, and Pierce Creek bays outside posted buffer zones. Waterfowl hunting ends at noon.

23. Lake Catherine: It is unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl from a watercraft or other floating device or from within 1,000 feet of any residence, dwelling or occupied structure.

24. Lake Hamilton: It is unlawful to hunt migratory waterfowl from a watercraft or other floating device or from within 1,000 feet of any residence, dwelling or occupied structure.

25. Lake Overcup: Waterfowl hunting ends at noon.

26. Maumelle River: Closed to waterfowl hunting. All boating activities and access are prohibited in the Restricted Area Zone 1 on the east end of Lake Maumelle as marked by buoy lines. No hunting, camping or other access is allowed on any island on Lake Maumelle.

28. Nimrod Lloyd Millwood: Common Restriction A applies within the greentree reservoir/special regulatory area.

29. Ozark Lake: Dyer Lake Units open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last day of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

30. Petit Jean River WMA: Common Restriction A applies. Only open to waterfowl hunting on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season east of Hwy 7. Waterfowl hunting west of Hwy 7 is allowed all days of the week from the first day of the first segment of regular duck season until the next-to-last day of the last segment of regular duck season. All-day hunting is allowed the last day of the last segment of regular duck season and during special youth waterfowl and veteran and military hunts.

EXCEPTION: Common

Restriction A does not apply to the following waterbodies:

i. Keeland Lake

ii. Club House Pond

iii. Lily Pad Pond

iv. Kingfisher Lake

v. Petit Jean River within the boundaries of the WMA

31. Rex Hancock Black Swamp: Common Restriction A applies except within the Cache River. Boating access is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. Gregory Access (from County Road 758) down the ditch to the Cache River

ii. Float Road Access (from County Road 752) down the marked trail to the Cache River

iii. Cache River within the boundaries of the WMA

32. Rick Evans Grandview Prairie: Waterfowl hunting closed on all lakes and ponds.

33. Seven Devils: Common Restriction A applies.

34. Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms: Common Restriction A applies. The Jim Sullivan Youth Waterfowl Unit is closed to all access, except for youth waterfowl hunting permit holders during youth waterfowl permit hunts, from the last day of the modern gun permit hunt to the last day of waterfowl season (including the waterfowl special youth hunt).

35. St. Francis National Forest: Waterfowl hunting ends at noon.

36. St. Francis Sunken Lands: The Snowden Field Waterfowl Rest Area levee is open to foot traffic around the north end of the unit.

37. Sheffield Nelson Dagmar: Common Restriction A applies. The Conway George Tract is closed to all access, except for waterfowl hunting permit holders. Boating access is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. Robe Bayou Access to include from the WMA northern boundary to the low water crossing at Interstate 40

ii. Gator Pond Access to include only the open water pond area and not flooded timber

38. Shirey Bay Rainey Brake: Common Restriction A applies except within the Black River. Boating access is allowed from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. during regular duck season open days, all day during regular duck season splits, and all day from the Monday before the first segment of regular duck season until the first day of the first segment of regular duck season at the following waterbodies:
i. Shirey Bay, Horseshoe Lake, and Hill Slough

ii. Diversion ditch from County Road 317 to the diversion ditch water-control structure

iii. EXCEPTION: Fishing and non-hunting activities are allowed on Shirey Bay, Horseshoe Lake, and Hill Slough.

39. Sulphur River: Common Restriction A applies except within the Sulphur River or Mercer Bayou.

40. Tommy L. Sproles Lake Pickthorne: Closed to waterfowl hunting.

EXCEPTION: Commission staff, volunteers, and participants during Commission-sponsored mentored hunt programs.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arkansas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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