Time is quickly running out for duck hunters in Missouri and Arkansas, as Sunday is the last day of the season in both states.
In Missouri’s South Zone, there are a few ducks still at the Coon Island Conservation Area, but Ten Mile Pond continues to hold the most birds.
In Arkansas, the Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Ashbaugh on the Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Area have been holding the largest concentrations of ducks, so hunting near those areas might be a little less frustrating than most places have been this season.
I’ve talked to biologists and guides from Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi this season while working on migration reports for Ducks Unlimited, and each one has said the same thing — there’s been a general lack of sheet water and overbook flooding in most places.
Because ducks quickly learn where they are safe, the situation causes them to concentrate on unhunted refuge pools during daylight hours, and they only fly out to feed at night.
Obviously you go hunting when you can, but this late in the season, warmer days with a south wind probably will prove more fruitful as birds move back north from points farther south.
Arkansas’ top waterfowl biologist told me the other day that northward migration, especially for pintails, already is occurring
The application period for spring managed turkey hunts in Missouri opens Monday and will continue through February.
Applications will be taken online only at mdc.mo.gov/springturkeyhunts.
You can apply along or in a group of up to three hunters.
Unlike managed deer hunts in the fall, there just aren’t a lot of turkey hunts offered in the spring.
Once the application period closes, you’ll be able to check the results online beginning March 15.
Crappie fishing has been better this week at Wappapello Lake, according to a few I’ve heard from.
Again, fishing deep along the channel has been the best bet, tough Charlie Brotherton reported some guys were doing well hitting stake beds.
The lake has risen after this week’s rains, so things could change for a while.
The Wappapello Crappie Club held a tournament last weekend, with 14 teams fishing.
The winners on the day were Musgraves and Chasteen, who brought in 8.60 pounds to the scales. They also had the day’s big fish, which weighed 1.65 pounds.
The pair reportedly used jigs tipped with minnows to catch their fish.
Second place went to Hall and Sanders with 7.96 pounds.
Just a hair behind on the scales in third place was the team of Sandage and Manes, who had 7.93 pounds.
Missouri’s Winter Trout Program is winding down, and the last day will be Sunday.
In Southeast Missouri, trout are stocked each winter in Rotary Lake at Jackson, Legion Lake No. 1 in Perry County and Giessing Lake in Farmington.
Since the season opened Nov. 1, all fishing has been catch-and-release, but beginning Monday, you’ll be able to keep up to four trout daily. If you give it a go, remember you’ll have to possess a trout permit to keep any.
If you need something to do this weekend, the Grizzly Jig Company in Caruthersville will hold its annual spring tackle show this weekend.
The event actually kicks off tonight with a “Fishermen’s Night Out” event from 4-7 p.m.
Several seminars by top crappie and catfish anglers are scheduled, and a listing is available online at www.grizzlyjig.com. You’ll also probably be able to pick up some new gear at a discount.
The show itself will run 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday.
Grizzly Jig Company is located at 1503 Truman Blvd. in Caruthersville.