Deer in too deep?

Rising water threatens to close hunting in parts of soaked east Arkansas

By Randy Zellers

AGFC Communication

EORGETOWN – Hunters heading out for opening weekend of modern gun deer hunting season this weekend are urged to keep a close eye on river gauge readings to ensure the area they are hunting is open. Recent downpours throughout the White River Basin have created a large pulse of water that is expected to exceed flood stage at some gauges, closing all methods of deer hunting until the water recedes.

The current river level forecast for the White River is expected to reach 31 feet at Augusta sometime Friday, Nov. 12. This would close deer season on private land in Flood Prone Zone B as well as the following wildlife management areas and national wildlife refuges: Bayou Des Arc WMA, Departee Creek WMA, Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA, Bald Knob NWR and portions of Cache River NWR. These areas will reopen to deer hunting when the same gauge falls below 30 feet and the White River gauge at Georgetown falls to or below 19 feet.

Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMAalso likely will be closed during the Nov. 9-13 permit gun hunt. The river level forecast for the White River is expected to exceed 26 feet at Augusta and 14 feet at Georgetown sometime Friday, Nov. 15. The area reopens to deer hunting when

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he White River at Georgetown falls below 14 feet. Current projections do not reach these levels until after the conclusion of the 5-day permit hunt scheduled for this WMA.

The bottomland hardwood forests of eastern Arkansas offer excellent habitat for large deer populations, but these low-lying areas also can become inundated quickly, pushing deer into smaller areas with less available cover. This creates a situation where deer may become vulnerable to overharvest, and removes some of the aspects of fair chase. Hunting in flooded areas also increases the chances of game loss as fatally hit deer may run into swift-moving stream or deep areas before hunters can recover their harvest.

Flood prone zones include some areas of high ground, where deer concentrate during floods, but these high-ground sanctuaries also are off limits to deer hunting if they fall within the boundaries of the flood prone zone.

Only deer hunting is closed during flood-prone zone closures. Seasons and limits for other game animals remain unchanged.

A description of all floodprone regions and criteria for closures are available at www.agfc.com/hunting/deer/f lood-prone-zones. You may also call the AGFC’s Wildlife Information Hotline at 833345-0398 for the status of all flood-prone regions, updated each day at 3.p.m.