Question about Arkansas WMA boat HP limits

duramax · Postby **duramax** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:08 pm

So my buddy has a 16/52 aluminum boat with a 2000 model merc 4 stroke 40hp. He's hoping to hunt the Arkansas WMA's a few times this season, and found out that you can't have anything bigger than 25hp. I know the regulars are hardcore about this and buy 2 stroke yamaha's a suzuki's and soup them up and are able to hit 40mph in their boat. They would have more power than his stock 4 stroke 40, but none the less.

My question is, for folks who have experience, how strict are the GW on ticketing for boats with more than 25. Obviously if your motor says 50hp, you'll get dinged. So in lies the issue. If someone puts a 25hp sticker on their motor, especially one that is about the same size as a 25hp, how likely is it that the GW will check the VIN, and verify it is in fact a 25hp motor? I told him not to risk it, but he thinks that it's highly unlikely they would go this far to check. So for folks that have hunted Bayou Meto etc... how tightly do the GW monitor this? I assume they have a book to quickly look up VIN's and correlate it to the factory HP rating. He's intent on giving it a try.

Trip · Postby **Trip** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:54 pm

I've heard it happens on occasion…he'd probably be fine.

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BIG TIMBER · Postby **BIG TIMBER** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:57 pm

Just act like you ain't from there!!

deltadukman · Postby **deltadukman** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:23 pm

Search Craigslist for a 25hp motor, take a pic and make a fake VIN plate. Change stickers or cowling...POOF! Tell 'em Doug told you how

booger · Postby **booger** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:39 pm

Most motors I've seen have so many coats of paint, stickers are long gone, (shiny new stickers may draw attention is what I'm saying). I'd rather have no plate than a bogus one. I would say if he's passing people and/or kicking up a tall rooster-tail, again that may draw unnecessary attention. Going slow, poking along he may very well go under the radar.

Expect to get checked for everything else though. I've been checked numerous times, nobody has looked at my ID plate though, that I know of.

With a 1652, and I assume power tilt trim etc., he may not get into the woods too far, but it will make for big adventure, so tell him "go for it".

Trip · Postby **Trip** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:16 pm

He probably won't have to worry about passing anybody with that rig…if have everything else in order though. Those green jeans can be mighty thorough

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jmh600 · Postby **jmh600** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:15 pm

They say you can do whatever you want in those woods as long as you got a boat paddle

slayem · Postby **slayem** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:59 pm

There are many wmas that allow a 50. The metro and just a couple others are 25 and I think one may be 10 or 15

champcaller · Postby **champcaller** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:13 am

I wouldn't do it, but that's just me.

Lazy Drake · Postby **Lazy Drake** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:10 am

I would do it, just don't draw attention to yourself. Let those other fools run the daytona 500 at 5am. Plenty of spots at the metro to hunt without having to race 50-11 fools in the dark down a ditch.

It is sad that we have so many dang rules and regulations just to go hunting. Here is a man that wants to hunt but cant be legal because his motor has 15 more hp than some dumb law allows. The older I get the more these rules start to piss me off.

duramax · Postby **duramax** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 2:19 pm

Lazy Drake wrote:I would do it, just don't draw attention to yourself. Let those other fools run the daytona 500 at 5am. Plenty of spots at the metro to hunt without having to race 50-11 fools in the dark down a ditch.

It is sad that we have so many dang rules and regulations just to go hunting. Here is a man that wants to hunt but cant be legal because his motor has 15 more hp than some dumb law allows. The older I get the more these rules start to piss me off.

After looking into this a little more, there's only a few WMA's that have the 25hp max. Bayou Meto is the most popular. They also have a 15 shell per person maximum and a 4 duck bag limit too. That's a pretty good haul to Bayou Meto from Memphis, only to risk getting a ticket, and only being able to shoot 4 ducks.

arduckslayer · Postby **arduckslayer** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 2:41 pm

duramax wrote:
Lazy Drake wrote:I would do it, just don't draw attention to yourself. Let those other fools run the daytona 500 at 5am. Plenty of spots at the metro to hunt without having to race 50-11 fools in the dark down a ditch.

It is sad that we have so many dang rules and regulations just to go hunting. Here is a man that wants to hunt but cant be legal because his motor has 15 more hp than some dumb law allows. The older I get the more these rules start to piss me off.
After looking into this a little more, there's only a few WMA's that have the 25hp max. Bayou Meto is the most popular. They also have a 15 shell per person maximum and a 4 duck bag limit too. That's a pretty good haul to Bayou Meto from Memphis, only to risk getting a ticket, and only being able to shoot 4 ducks.

Only 3 mallards, and you'll catch a scullin paddle for shooting woodducks when mallards are workin.