Cool weather, at last!

Cool weather, at last!

Outdoors Columnist Summer came early this year and stayed past its welcome. These last few days with highs in the 70s and low 80s have been wonderful. I picked up some fishing reports from Ronnie Tice, the crappie man, and he says the fish are starting to pick up at Horseshoe. The small fish are biting but the trophy fish are just now thinking about the fall feeding spree. If you want to catch some crappie right now, give Tice a call and set up a fishing trip. He furnishes boat, bait, and knows where the fish are. Several other fishermen have told me that they are catching a few bass. No reports on the bream at Horseshoe, Wapannoca, Bear Creek, or any other of the popular lakes.

This nice weather seems to have made the squirrels active and they are attacking the oak tree acorns.

There were several reports of good populations of squirrels in the Maddox Bay area of the White River Refuge. The hunters asked me not to give their names and exactly where they hunted, but said they got limits 3 days in a row.

I do know that the fox squirrels in my yard have become extremely active, both eating acorns and chasing each other going around and around. It is romance time for the busy tails.

Deer bow season has been going on for a couple of weeks and I am getting a few reports. Doe and small spikes are being taken but the nice bucks are laying low. There is the report of a 10 pointer being taken in the Black Fish Lake area, but no pictures have been sent. Muzzle loader season opens Oct. 15 and goes for about a week in most zones, with some zones having a second smoke pole season. Check the AGFC hunting guide before you decide to do any kind of hunting.

Arkansas hunters harvested over 200,000 deer the last 3 years and this year should be just as good.

Early duck season has ended and there are a few reports of teal being taken, but it was very hot and the teal never really showed up. The dove fields appear to be empty because the dove migration has started. There are a few around but with many fields being harvested, they are not concentrated enough to have a good hunt.

I did go out to the Police Shooting Range on Airport Road Monday afternoon and watched the 4-H kids shoot trap. There are several kids that can be very good shooters. They just need some practice and some better facilities.

There were some new shooters and they were welcomed. Drive out on Monday about 5:30 p.m.

and watch them shoot. You will be impressed with these shooters. Bring your boys or girls and join them. Its free.

If you want to know what is happening in the wildlife world, send me information and pictures. I don’t know if the fish are biting on a certain lake unless somebody sends me the information. Always take the boy or girl when you go hunting or fishing and send me some pictures of them. I love to put the kid’s pictures in the paper.

This is also a good time to get that trophy out of the freezer. Lakeside Taxidermy can get it done quickly.

Papa Duck Lakeside Taxidermy 870-732-0455 or 901-4823430 jhcriner@hotmail.com

By John Criner