Trumann, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s (AGFC) proposal to overhaul waterfowl hunting on a portion of the St. Francis Sunken Lands Wildlife Management Area is drawing growing opposition across Northeast Arkansas, with local officials, longtime hunters and conservation advocates arguing the changes would fundamentally alter generations of hunting tradition while supporters say the proposal is intended to address overcrowding and improve the hunting experience.

The proposal would establish a permit draw system for approximately 1,000 acres of St. Francis Lake — known by many local hunters as the “Wide Water” area — while limiting hunting to four days per week and restricting hunting parties to four people. According to AGFC, the proposal is designed to reduce hunting pressure and address longstanding concerns about overcrowding in one of Arkansas’ most heavily used public duck hunting areas.

The proposal remains under public review, with the AGFC expected to consider it during its August meeting after receiving public comments. Jeremy Brown, Deer Management Assistance Program coordinator for AGFC, speaking on 104.9 The Fox’s Jonesboro Community Breakfast encouraged hunters to review the proposal and submit comments before commissioners vote, saying the agency wants public feedback while explaining the proposal is aimed at addressing years of complaints involving hunting pressure on St. Francis Lake.

Public meeting planned

Opposition to the proposal has continued to build online and in communities surrounding the St. Francis Sunken Lands.

The St. Francis Lake Association will host a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at the Trumann Sports Complex, where hunters and interested citizens will have an opportunity to discuss the proposal before AGFC commissioners make a final decision.

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John Stuckey, vice president of the St. Francis Lake Association, said the meeting is intended to give local hunters a chance to share concerns they believe have not been fully heard.

“We just want people to come together and have a discussion,” Stuckey said.

“More than just duck hunting”

For many Northeast Arkansas families, St. Francis Lake represents far more than a place to hunt.

“It really is a great place for everybody,” Stuckey said. “Blue-collar workers…bankers, lawyers, farmers, teachers, Arkansas State students — everybody hunts out there.”

He said families have built holiday traditions around hunting the Sunken Lands, with generations gathering each duck season.

“If this proposal goes through,” he said, “it’s like dropping a nuclear bomb on the public duck hunter.”

Stuckey said many hunters have invested thousands of dollars in specialized floating pontoon blinds and boats after AGFC eliminated permanent duck blinds in 2012. Hunters adapted to those changes, he said, only to now face another significant shift.

“They’ve spent all this money because they want to hunt when they want to hunt,” Stuckey said. “If they can’t do that because of a draw, a lot of people will simply quit.”

Long history of change

Stuckey said many people outside Northeast Arkansas don’t fully understand the history of the St. Francis Sunken Lands.

He said today’s lake developed over decades through U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood-control projects that eventually created the water levels hunters know today. Duck hunting existed long before the current lake configuration, but improved water control helped establish the area as one of Arkansas’ premier public waterfowl destinations.

“The hunting and fishing kind of came along with the flood-control project,” he said.

Mayor voices concerns

Trumann Mayor Jay Paul Woods also has formally asked the commission to reconsider the proposal.

In a letter submitted to AGFC, Woods said he is not a duck hunter but believes the proposed regulations would unfairly reduce access to a public resource that has been part of Northeast Arkansas culture for generations.

Woods argued the lottery system could prevent longtime hunters from using expensive equipment they purchased after previous rule changes required floating blinds instead of permanent structures. He also questioned limiting hunting to four days per week while boating and fishing would continue without similar restrictions if the goal is to reduce disturbance to waterfowl.

The mayor additionally questioned limiting hunting parties to four people regardless of vessel size and raised legal questions concerning AGFC’s authority over portions of the federally recognized navigable St. Francis River.

Navigable water dispute

One issue repeatedly raised by opponents is whether AGFC has authority to regulate hunting in the manner proposed because portions of the affected area include the navigable St. Francis River.

Stuckey argues the river itself is distinct from surrounding wildlife management lands and believes that issue deserves additional legal review.

AGFC has not publicly indicated that the proposal presents any legal jurisdiction concerns and continues moving forward through its public rulemaking process.

Hunters question overcrowding claims

While AGFC says the proposal is intended to address overcrowding and hunting pressure, Stuckey said that has not been his experience except during opening weekend or periods immediately before rivers freeze.

He worries restricting access to one section of the Sunken Lands could simply push hunters into neighboring areas rather than reduce overall crowding.

“If it’s overcrowding,” he said, “where’s everybody going to go? They’re just going to crowd somewhere else.”

Others have echoed similar concerns on social media.

Ryan Bane, who grew up hunting the Sunken Lands, said public land should remain accessible to the public and warned that making hunting more difficult could discourage both young hunters learning the tradition and older hunters who may no longer be physically able to adapt to repeated regulatory changes.

Another local hunter, Chase Parrish, described the proposal as potentially ending traditions that have existed in his family for generations, saying his greatest concern is whether his children will have the same opportunities he experienced growing up on the St. Francis.

Economic impact

Beyond hunting itself, opponents say duck season provides a significant economic boost throughout Northeast Arkansas.

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Stuckey said restaurants, hotels, sporting goods stores, fuel stations and retailers throughout communities including Trumann, Jonesboro, Marked Tree and surrounding towns benefit from visiting hunters throughout waterfowl season.

“It’s a big impact on the economy,” he said.

New commissioner joins debate

The discussion comes just weeks after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Paragould businessman Steve Keeter to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Stuckey said having a commissioner from Northeast Arkansas who is familiar with the region’s unique hunting traditions could help ensure local concerns are fully understood as commissioners consider the proposal.

Public comments continue

Public comments on the proposal remain open through AGFC before commissioners vote in August.

Hunters may review the proposal and submit comments through the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.