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2007 may bring shorter spring turkey season Friday, Sep 15, 2006 Sent Sept. 14, 2006 jmjj Arkansas News Correspondent LITTLE ROCK - Turkey numbers have declined in Arkansas, noticeably but not alarmingly, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is looking at a shorter hunting season in spring 2007 to help counter the trend. At Thursday's Arkansas Game and Fish Commission meeting, commissioners heard staff recommendations for a turkey hunting season opening about a week later than in recent years and lasting 21 days in most of the state. The season will be set at the commission's October meeting. Commissioners appeared to approve the suggested reduction Thursday, but Freddie Black of Lake Village made an alternative proposal to have the hunting begin on a Saturday instead of a Monday and to move the Youth Turkey Hunt a week ahead of the regular season instead of two days ahead. Commissioner Sonny Varner of St. Paul suggested a limit of one gobbler the first week of the spring season for several zones in western Arkansas. The spring turkey dates recommended by the staff were April 16-May 6, except for April 9-29 for Zone 17 (inside the Mississippi River levees) and April 16-29 for Zones 1A, 4, 4A, 5A and 9-A. Black's alternative was to make the opening day April 14 for most zones and April 9 for Zone 17. Commission Chairman Sheffield Nelson of Little Rock endorsed Black's plan. Mike Widner, AGFC's turkey program coordinator, said comments received from the public were 78 percent in favor of a shorter turkey hunting season until the state's populations improve. "The 2005 and 2006 seasons were nine days shorter than the years before," he said. For a number of years until 2005, turkey hunting in the spring was 35 days in most of the state. The number of turkeys checked by hunters in spring 2006 were down 7 percent from 2005, Widner said, and down 32 percent from 2003, a peak year. "Last spring, we had the lowest number of jakes (young male turkeys) ever," he said. Also Thursday, the commissioners heard a delegation from Craighead County request a postponement of the agency's selling land near Bono that had been bought for a new lake. Federal funding for the lake was cut from the current budget, and the AGFC advertised for bids to sell the 280 of the acres it had bought for the lake. Twenty acres would be kept for a new shooting sports facility. Bids from prospective buyers are to be opened Sept. 28. The delegation asked for a six-month postponement on the sale, more time to weigh its options. "We have to open the bids on Sept. 28, but we will do our best to work with you," Nelson said. AGFC has an option of not accepting the bids. In another matter, Mike Armstrong, AGFC fisheries chief, proposed a liberalizing of black bass limits on Lake Columbia, near Magnolia. The current rule is a protected slot limit of 16 to 21 inches in length for bass and a daily limit of four, only one of which can be 21 inches or longer. Armstrong suggested a slot limit of 16 to 18 inches. "The bass have stockpiled in that (16 to 21 slot, and we need for some of them to be taken out," he said. Action on the proposal will be taken in October. |
