Dammit I'm Angry

[The Big Gumbo]

Sorry, But I want to get a outsiders's view. But our beloved politically appointed Game and Foosh committee have decided to do zones in Ark, They sold it to us as a way to maximize days afield in a fewer day season if need be, Meaning both zones would never be closed at the same time thus giving us "more" days in a shorter season, Well they out did themselves.

The north zone will close on the 21st a week earlier than need be. But get this the einstiens only give us a 5 day break just before and at Christmas, thus cutting out family hunting opportunities, But thats not the kicker, the youth hunt is in the middle of the 5 day break, for a grand total of a whooping three days of rest for the entire season. Frigging idiots every last one of them.

Talk about pressure. Total nonsense.

[Christian Curtis]

In Missouri, we have been dealing with zones for a long time. We actually have 3 different zones in regards to waterfowl and no splits. Granted, Missouri is quite bit different than Arkansas in that I think that northern Missouri really should open earlier and close earlier because the climate is quite a bit different. The problem I have in Missouri is with the middle and south zones and I think that you all may have the same problem down there...maybe. Our middle and south zones are both basically in southern Missouri. I live right on the border and I live in Sikeston which is pretty dang far south. The problem is that when the middle zone closes almost two weeks prior to the closing of the south zone, the ducks really pile up there...no pressure. I could imagine that you all may see some of the same issues but maybe not...

[bodie]

You know I noticed that about MO middle zone. I never hunted that down there for as that goes never been in SE MOMO. My opinion the middle zone needs to be in the middle of the state.

[Alex Langbell]

My Mama always said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

[Jason Mears]

Game Commissions usually dont take those things into account somtimes. But always keep in mind there are biologist and people paid to regulate specie numbers, etc. Im not saying they are always right however. We've been seeing some major changes in our deer season in Pa over the past few years. There have been pro's and con's, just like with everything. I guess we should just be fortunate we still have the right to be out there hunting and enjoying the sport.
I do understand you complaint though, those family days and youth hunts are great memories, ones you remember forever.

[Tony Vandemore]

Christian, don't be trying to get the north zone closed any earlier....if anything close it a week later!

[Hunter Johnson]

Hey Big Gumbo, I know where you are coming from! Here in MO we are faced with the same thing, I never figured that AR would ever change the 2 splits they had going. This summer the state of MO had several meetings throughout the state to get input from hunters about where we wanted zones and season dates, a couple of these meetings got kind of heated. The decision that the state will make will effect us for the next 5 years. The US Fish and Wildlife has guidelines, but also give different options for each state to make changes. The options are:

1. No zones, with 2 splits.
2. 2 zones, with 1 split.
3. 3 or more zones, with no split

There are 2 states with exceptions to this rule, I can't remember which states.......maybe IN, and someone else? These states were grandfathered in, and they get zones and splits. The good thing for us is that here in Southeast MO, I live so close to the zone line that we can hunt ducks for 80 days. The bad part is like Christian said, the ducks can set in the zone that is closed and really pile up.

Hunter Johnson
Avery Pro-Staff

[Stephen Pitt]

I haven't seen a need for Arkansas to have zones. I know that it will upset a lot of people.

[Weatherby]

my question is this....with the weather patterns changing over the last 10-15 years, why haven't the seasons changed also. I can remember seeing snow geese here in iowa in the middle to end of october every year. Now it's mid to late novemeber before they are migrating thru here. Our season in the south zone of iowa ends around dec 12 or so. over the 4-5 years that is when it is really starting to get busy. I would love to have a early season then start it back up around nov 5-6 and go to the end of december. i just can't believe the feds have never taken into account the changing weather patterns and they should along with the duck count.

[DSJ]

Guys,

When I seen this on the news yesterday and started putting it together with the way the zones are going to be I noticed that zone 2 which I think includes Stuttgart will not open until November 24th which will be the day after Thanksgiving. Man, will this draw more attention to the Wings Over the Prairie Festival and World Duck Calling Championships. I am sure that Stuttgart is going to be pretty POed about that. From the way the zones read in the paper today Zone 1 is going to be Hwy 65 from North Ark to I-40 to I-440 to Pine Bluff Ark then it will follow the Ark River to the Mississippi River. From there North to North West to west Ark will be Zone 1. Zone 1 opens Nov 18th and Zone 2 opens Nov 24th. I am sure that is what it is saying. Christian is right though, the ducks for the last week when zone 2 is still going until Jan 28th, will have plenty of resting time in Zone 1 and start piling up..... I believe that this is right. If someone sees it different let me know. And I guess it depends on which side of the line they put zone 1 and 2 on. I have not seen that yet.

DSJ

[Rick Frisch]

In ND, we only have zones for the non-residents. The zones are pretty small in relation to the state. They zone these areas to keep the hunting pressure down. Our game and fish never really have a say in when our season ends. It is usually done by Mother Nature. Nothing better than freezing up after the season has been open for only three weeks.

Thanks,

[James Staten]

I have sent countless email to our beloved game and fish comm and to no avail!! I live in what I guess would be zone 1 and from what you describe i am not a happy camper. a earlier opener is not what we need as all of us know. Mo has zones but for the most part they are not a wintering ground such as Ar is. You are correct if the zone 2 doesnt open up untill the 24 of nov then that will affect the crowds at wings over the prarie festival. we recieve a large amont of our birds here at home from the central flyway and alott of them do arrive early but that doesnt mean we need to add to the hunting preassure and have all of Ar converge on em at once and gun em all out of here. As apposed to east Ar we dont have as many crop fields to hold our birds in the area most of our birds stage on the river and hold on untill heavily gunned out unlike the east they cant go hang out in a rice field and excape they either bug out or hold up on the blessed refuge we cant hunt.

Sorry I can get on my soap box the zones i think are the exact opposite of what Ar needs and it may affect us for the worse in the long run or maybe the g&f comm knows what they are doing for the future. BUT remember this is comming from a comm that is using all our money searching for a wood pecker that doenst exist!!

River Reaper

[James Staten]

DSJ and Big gumbo what part of Ar are you from? Maybe we can hunt some time.

River Reaper

[Christian Curtis]

David,

Stuttgart will be in the north zone...

Tony,

I definitely do not the north closing earlier. I wish they would run it into Feb. and maybe so many wouldn't stack up on GP.

[The Big Gumbo]

Well I live in Fayetteville

I hunt the river from Clarksville, west.
I have 120 acres of timber thats sits adjacent to the L'Anguille in Poinsett Co.
I have rice fields on 75 between Parkin and Marked Tree, A very overlooked place to hunt.
I have access to three pits that sit adjacent to Wapanocca NWR.
Oh, and I dabble in OK some. :)

[James Staten]

Big Gumbo,

Your in my area when you hunt the river Clarksville, west except sometimes I even hunt east down the river. I live in Russellville. Some time your in the area look me up well get together and do some shooting. I mostly hunt the river here but plan on going to Ok some this year. We also hunt some of the WMA's that have some decent timber shooting. If ya ever need a fellow gunt to help swat those ducks off your timber holes or in a pit and ya dont mind a guest I would be willing to "work for my supper" ya know trade a hunt or something.

River Reaper

[Kevin Carter]

I'm really interested to see how this season plays out. I have a feeling there is going to be a lot more pressure on certain areas.

[James Staten]

dont think this zone thing will be put in place this year guys. from what i understand it is only if we have a 45 day season and the USFW has allowed another 60 and 6 this year and we all know that Ar is not going to give up any revenue on the season if they dont have to. it will be interesting to see how it all works.

River Reaper

[The Big Gumbo]

this is the proposal for this year. The zone option only comes up every five years, this was it and it was presented to the flyway council in June. During the public meetings we were told this was to give Ar max flexiblity in the event of 45 or 30 day seasons, In effect streching out hte seasons by paying wit hthe dates of the season in each zone. WE WERE TOLD NOTHING WOULD CHANGE IF 60 DAYS WERE GIVIN, well that ain't the case. They are baically giving th North zone a joke of a 5 days spilt leading up to Christmas and within that day split theres the youth hunt. Thats only three days of rest for the whole damn season. Funny that three of the Commissioners will benefit by having land immediately along both sides of the zone line. In effect giving them four openings two season openings and two after split openings, Funny huh.

what will this lead to, It will allow them to place rest days on WMAs in the North Zone which INCLUDES Bayou Meto, It will lead to draws, EVERYTHING THAT ARKIES DESPISE! See this is an a means to an end, they wanted to close down hunting at noon last year and they walked into a hornets nest. The sad thing is that these yahoos are politically appointed, Which means only the Gov decides if there qualified or not. And ,of coarse thats depends on how much they contribute to his causes.

[James Staten]

I plan on reading all the info today on the AGFC website. Sounds like a goat rope to me. I was surveyed last year by a couple officers about closing the entire state down at noon. In short I told them they were loosing their minds. Private land owners and guide services would never hear of it. Like you said though they are Gov appointed and not people appointed so I guess we will just go with the punches. One thing for sure I wont stop hunting no matter how short the season or limited.

River Reaper

[The Big Gumbo]

You limit hunting opportunity you limit hunters in the end. And that does not bode well for hunting. Making hunting a forrest of bureucratic read tape leads to decreased participation and further erosion of hunters rights. We should be expanding opportunity not making it harder or harder to figure out.

[SwampHunter]

Our best time is the later part of the season. The whole Thanksgiving hunt time is due to Stuttgart's festival. I never liked the earlier season in the first place. Now they want to cut the late dates out on us when that's our best bird times. And they tell us this will only happen if we get a short season. That doesn't make any sense..... but not much of anything they do makes sense. I don't know a single person that's for it. I guess if your in power of it all you can pretty much do anything you want.