Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

For those of you planning to hunt the Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge this year, here are the regulations concerning closures due to flooding and a website that will permit you to track the current water levels on the White River at St. Charles, Arkansas.

"The North Unit closes when the the White River gauge at St. Charles reaches 26 feet. This restriction is lifted when the gauge falls to or below 23.5 feet."

"The South Unit closes when the White River gauge at Graham Burke Outlet reaches 150 MSL (30 ft.) and the guage at Arkansas Post Canal at Lock 1 (Norrell) on the Arkansas River reaches 145 feet MSL. The restriction is lifted when the White River gauge at Graham Burke Outlet falls at or below 148 feet MSL (28 ft.) and the gauge at the Arkansas Post Canal at Lock 1 (Norrell) on the Arkansas River falls to or below 143 feet MSL."

I am currently tracking the water levels of the White River at St. Charles, Arkansas at the following address:

https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hyd...&gage=scha4

As I post this, with 2 weeks remaining to our departure date, the level is 21.9 feet.

Good luck.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22462

Thanks Mr Fielder, looks like North Unit will be open as of now...

Last edited by Richard Lambert on 11-10-2018 at 03:49 PM

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

It opened last year on November 18th. Not sure of the opening date this year but it should be close to that, Richard.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: northcarolina
Posts: 490

Latest info November 7

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/White_River/alert.html

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Last edited by David Webb on 11-10-2018 at 10:48 PM

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Mo
Posts: 624

Mr Steve
At what level will you guys go and not have to worry about your dogs getting across high water?

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Registered: May 2008
Location: Kentucky
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This will be my 6th trip down and I must be the luckiest guy in the world. I have barely even had to cross a mud puddle. The deepest water I have been in is the ditches the water holds in the atv trails.

I have seen the stories before while I was there so I know it can happen.

The biggest thing I have learned is that if you turn a dog loose that is looking to tree a coon you shouldn’t have to go no further than 250 yards. Look on Garmin see where sloughs are and avoid turning loose around them. There so much country down there you can find dry hunting from my experience

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
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But if you turn a dog loose that passes up coon to "get deep" or one that will run an armadillo, deer, hog, bear or one that will go to another dog treed then your hunt will not be as enjoyable. I have treed a bunch of coons close some years and I have done a whole lot of walking some years. One year one dog swam the White River and we had to drive 30 miles around to get to him. But every year I have had a great time. Even bad years there beat the hunting at my house.

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Registered: May 2008
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My center button on the Alpha stops all the issues I may encounter. The dogs hunt what I want them to hunt and drive just like they have a steering wheel using that thing.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
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Thank goodness for that T button. If mine get treed across deep water I just call them back to me and tell them what a good job they did. I don't have to go to them, they come to me. While everyone else is wading, swimming or trying to find a way around I am laughing and petting my dog.

Last edited by Richard Lambert on 11-11-2018 at 03:39 PM

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Registered: Aug 2004
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The gauge is at 22.3 this morning. It looks like it is leveling off.

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

The issue (high ridge) will be if the water reaches 26 feet at St. Charles they will close the North Unit and then it won't matter whether our dogs handle or not, we won't be permitted in there.

The gauge at St Charles is a 22.3 feet this morning, up slightly but the encouraging news is that despite that, the level at Clarendon, up river, is at 26 and projected to be falling over the next few days. I remain hopeful we will get the hunt in.

To answer Wormy's, “how high can the water get before we worry about the dogs getting behind high water?” We’ve hunted under all conditions as long as the Refuge remained open. If the water is rising as it was on our last night in 2015, it can get a little hairy.

I shot this video in 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhED91Qc8oU

PS- I wasn't the guy doing the shooting in the video. LOL

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Registered: May 2008
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3145

Yes, Steve you are correct. If 26 we are all out. That is the down side. But, as long as open it’s one big party.

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

You bet! I enjoy it year after year.,

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Mo
Posts: 624

I was just wondering what was a good gauge to use and make the decision to come or not? I’m thinking 18 feet a guy could navigate pretty good but I’m not sure.. I was there Dec 23 2013 and it was up and nasty but I can’t find the old footage gauage to tell how high it was then. I had to swim a slough to get a pup treed and it was only 30 degrees and 5 miles back to cabin on an UTV. That was not fun .

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Registered: Aug 2004
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Level is only 22.6 this morning. Maybe it has leveled off and y'all won't have any problems with the water on the North Unit.

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Registered: Nov 2010
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I think there may be a little misconception about the closing of the Refuge due to high water. The Refuge closes to "DEER HUNTING" when the water level reaches the above mentioned gauge readings.
It does not close to coon hunting. If you are brave enough to cut a dog loose in high water go for it.
I think they close it to deer hunting because the deer will be congregated on all the high ridges making it easy to kill deer.
I may be wrong on this but we had called the Refuge office several years ago and that is what they told us. It was only closed to deer hunting.

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Registered: Aug 2004
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They close the roads and lock the gates. No one can get in.

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Registered: Nov 2010
Location: DeQuincy, LA
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That is true they close the roads that are flooded. I was just making the point that the Refuge is still open for coon hunting. I think some people were under the impression the Refuge was closed to all activities. Hunting by boat is your best option in high water except the Jacks Bay area where you can't run a boat at night.

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Mo
Posts: 624

Does the whole refuge flood or just parts of it.. Seems like the water is predicted to go down and should be around 18 feet on thanksgiving.. Could a guy hunt the refuge safely at 18 or 19 feet?

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Registered: Jun 2012
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quote:

---

Originally posted by Wormy
Does the whole refuge flood or just parts of it.. Seems like the water is predicted to go down and should be around 18 feet on thanksgiving.. Could a guy hunt the refuge safely at 18 or 19 feet?

---

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

We will hunt by boat if the water is too high.

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Registered: Aug 2004
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Oh my goodness, 20 degrees and snowing at WRR this morning. It is going to get awfully cold in a tent. You might need a little anti freeze. The water level won't matter if everything is frozen over.

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Registered: May 2008
Location: Kentucky
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I talked with people at refuge a moment ago. They acted like river wouldn’t reach flood level but there was going be deep sloughs

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Last edited by high ridge on 11-14-2018 at 05:32 PM

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Sheridan,Arkansas
Posts: 134

Guy’s they close the North unit at 26’ (Clarendon)but to give you an idea what’s going on; they close the North unit to Deer hunting when St Charles reaches 23’. It’s 22.9. If they’re closing it to deer hunters it’s because dry land is disappearing. You’ll be able to hunt but several area roads are closed already. Just come prepared to deal with deep sloughs and lake backwater.
.
Steve gave you good info. I might add the biggest contributor to the rising water this time of the year is the Mississippi River. If it’s high there is no where for the water to go and it backs the White up.

Good hunting to everyone coming and if you get in a bind and need a boat, etc. Look me up. I’ve got a cabin on East Lake. I’ll be there the majority of the season.

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Last edited by Clifton on 11-14-2018 at 11:35 PM

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

The White River at St. Charles (remember the closure level is 26 feet) is at 22.96 and has leveled out, rising only .03 inches in the last 24 hours.

The river continues to fall according to the gauge upriver at Clarendon.

Give Mark Zepp and the boys and girls at Garmin an "atta boy" for those tone buttons on your Alpha's. No doubt we will be using them next week but a bad day at the White River beats a good one anywhere else at this time of year.

We go for the fellowship, the food, and the amazing timber. It's like an outdoorsman's cathedral to me. If you are going to see how many coons you can put in a pile, I think you are missing the point. Your dog certainly doesn't need them and you know you will be looking for someone to take them after you kill them. I like to shoot coons as much as the next guy when the season comes in. It's just not the be-all, end-all for me.

Safe travels everyone and good hunting.

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