Low Water Concerning Mid-South Waterfowlers

The summer of 2012 was one of the driest on record for much of the mid-south. The lack of rainfall has resulted in very low water levels across the region. One of the areas that has suffered the most is Northwest Arkansas. This area has traditionally been considered as one of the premier duck hunting destinations in the country. Local lakes, rivers, and sloughs are all at historically low levels, meaning less habitat will be available for migrating waterfowl. In addition to the low water levels, the dry weather has resulted in below average production of the plants that waterfowl feed on, including moist soil plants and acorns. To make matters worse, we have just experienced the first cold front of the season, which brought the first wave of migrating waterfowl with it. Noticeable numbers of Green Wing Teal, Pintails, Gadwalls, and Northern Shovelors have shown up across the mid-south. With no water for them to utilize, they won't stick around long. The only thing that  fellow  waterfowlers can do: Pray for rain.

Information used in this blog can be found: HERE

Waterfowlers to benefit from NWR Expansion

Our National Wildlife Refuges play a major part in providing essential habitat for migrating waterfowl. There are over 300 NWR's in the United States that offer waterfowling opportunities and several in our part of the country. These areas provide hunting, fishing, camping, and all sorts of other outdoor activities for the general public to enjoy.

Here is a map showing the NWR's in the United States:

DU announced in mid-September that the federal government is planning on investing nearly $30,000,000 to improve and expand wetlands and hunting opportunities on some of the nation's NWR's. According to the proposal, the feds will add over 10,000 wetland acres to seven NWR's under the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. Also, the funding will allow for an additional 95,000 acres of wetlands to be added under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. They will also expand hunting opportunities on 16 NWR's in 14 states, with several new hunting opportunities included.

What this boils down to:

Sportsmen and hunters across the country will benefit from this increase in federal funding to the NWR's. By increasing wetland areas, they are providing more habitat for waterfowl. This has a direct effect on the waterfowl population and will help out in the long run. As an added bonus, they are also increasing hunting opportunities, which is always a plus for hunters. There are several refuges in our general area that will benefit from this investment, including areas in Tennessee  Missouri, and Louisiana. Overall, this is a win-win for the general public and the waterfowl population.

The information for this blog entry was found here