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naturally speakingCommission Approves 60-Day Duck SeasonYouth Hunt Set for Feb. 4-5The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved the 15thconsecutive 60-day waterfowl hunting season during its Augustmeeting.Duck season dates are Nov. 19-27, Dec. 8-23 and Dec. 26-Jan.29. The youth hunt is set for Feb. 4-5.The duck bag limit of six will consist of no more than fourmallards (two hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, one blackduck, two pintails, one canvasback, one mottled duck and twoscaup.The remaining statewide Canada goose season will be Nov. 19-Jan. 29 with a bag limit of two.White-fronted goose season will be Nov. 19-Jan. 29 with a baglimit of two. Snow, blue and Ross’ goose season was set for Nov.5-Jan. 29 with a bag limit of 20. The Goose Conservation Orderwill be Jan. 30-Feb. 3 and Feb. 6-April 25 with no bag limit.The Commission also voted to make no changes to leasedhunting land opportunities. “Land will be leased as it was last year,”said Commission Chairman George Dunklin.Leased land permits were increased from $20 to $40 at the Julymeeting and ratified during the August meeting, although theincrease will not be implemented for immediate hunting seasons.The commission decided to study these matters.“The Property Management Committee will take these issues upfor next year,” Commissioner Emon Mahony said. The committeewill investigate the use of leased land and recommend alternativesthrough conservation easements for future hunting seasons.Arkansas Darter Among Endangered FishFour Other Fish Across South Added to ListThe yellowcheek darter, Cumberlanddarter, rush darter, chucky madtom andlaurel dace were added to the endangeredspecies list Sept. 8.The yellowcheek darter is found inthe Little Red River basin in Searcy,Stone, Van Buren and Cleburne counties.Although the fish inhabits most streamswithin its historic range, its populationhas shrunk in the Middle, South, Archeyand Beech forks of the Little Red River.The Cumberland darter is found onlyin the upper Cumberland River systemabove Cumberland Falls in Kentucky andTennessee. The rush darter lives only inthe Tombigbee-Black Warrior drainagein Alabama. The chucky madtom, a smallcatfish, exists in the upper TennesseeRiver system in Tennessee. The laureldace population is found in six streamsof the Walden Ridge area of Tennessee’sCumberland Plateau.The ranges and abundance of theseThe yellowcheek darter is found in four Arkansas counties. Photo courtesy of J.R. Shute, ConservationFisheries International.five fishes seriously declined becauseof changes in their stream habitatscaused by mining, agriculture, reservoirconstruction, channelization, urbansprawl, pollution, sedimentation andforestry practices.All five were candidates for listingas endangered or threatened speciesunder the Endangered Species Act.The yellowcheek darter was included inthe 2001 Candidate Notice of Review.Federal agencies that undertake, fundor permit activities that may affectendangered species are required to consultwith the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicebefore implementing plans.NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2011ARKANSAS WILDLIFE23