Corps of Engineers and MDWFP host youth waterfowl hunts

From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District’s Arkabutla Lake and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks are hosting waterfowl hunts for youth hunters Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, 2020, near Arkabutla Lake Dam, which is located approximately 35 miles north of Marks, Miss.

To be eligible, hunters must be between the ages of 10 and 15 and be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age. Participants are encouraged to possess a general knowledge of state and federal waterfowl hunting regulations, and they will be held responsible for meeting said regulations.

Applications for the hunts are available at the Arkabutla Lake Field Office or online. Submit completed applications by email to robert.n.hoff@usace.army.mil or deliver them in person or by mail to the field office at 3905 Arkabutla Dam Road, Coldwater, MS 38618.

Applications must be received by 3 p.m. Jan. 10, 2020. Any missing or false information will result in a rejection of the application.

Six hunters per hunt will be randomly selected from all valid applications received. Selected applicants will be notified with their scheduled hunting date and time. Participants are encouraged to bring all necessary supplies associated with waterfowl hunting, including chest-waders, duck calls and shotguns with ammunition.

The purpose of the hunt is to encourage experienced waterfowl hunters to teach younger generations the proper techniques and ethics of the sport.

Arkabutla Lake is one of four Mississippi flood control reservoirs in the USACE Vicksburg District’s area of responsibility. Arkabutla, Enid, Grenada and Sardis lakes were authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1936, which provided a plan designed to address flooding that originated in the Yazoo Basin. The four reservoirs are used to hold runoff, or excess rainwater, as a flood-prevention measure. With approximately 3.2 million visitors each year, the north Mississippi lakes also contribute approximately $82 million into the local economy.