Arkansas Duck Hunting Tips

Author: Todd Brillon

When you think of incredible Mallard hunting, only one place comes to mind; Stuttgart, Arkansas. Stuttgart is known as the Rice and Duck Capital of the World.? Hunting waterfowl in Southeast Arkansas is not considered a pastime, but rather a way of life. Anyone who enjoys wing shooting at its finest must make this trip to the Mecca? of duck hunting at least once in their lifetime.


Below you will find some interesting questions and answers about duck hunting in Arkansas.


Question:  When is the best time to come and hunt in Arkansas?

Answer:  Depends on the season. Weather, water, and food sources all play a role in your hunting success. By planting food supplies you put the odds in your favor for having 60 days of quality hunting. While it doesn\'t guarantee anything, it always helps to put the odds in your favor.


Question:  Do I need waders?

Answer:  Yes, waders will cover any hunting situation you face while also providing extra insulation to keep you warm and dry.


Question:  What kind of ducks are hunted?

Answer:  Generally the Mallard duck is the most popular duck among hunters. Early in the season you will have a very mixed bag wherever you are hunting.  By mid December the rice fields and timber will produce mostly Mallards. Reservoir hunting and bayou hunting will always produce a mixed bag for the entire season. It all depends on the hunting area.


Question:  Should I bring my dog?

Answer:  Dogs are welcome but must be controllable. Often times the hunting is fast and furious for the first hour of the hunt. If one person in your group is trying to train a new dog during that time, the success rate could be greatly diminished.


Question:  When should I book my hunt?

Answer:  Arkansas sets its duck season at the end of August. As soon as you can get your party together it is a very good idea to send your deposit and book. That way you get the days you want. I realize it\'s often a hassle to try and get four or five guys together to book a December hunt in August. Plan ahead because booking is usually on a first come first serve basis.


Question:  Will my group be mixed with another group?

Answer:  Guides usually do not like to mix groups when they are taking hunters. It all depends on the size of your group. If you bring at least four hunters, you will be guaranteed to be hunting only with your group. If you bring eight hunters, they will most likely split your group down and take two groups of four.  It isn\'t feasible to pay a guide to take one guy hunting and burn down a hole. Anyone who tells you they are willing to do that is probably not being honest.


Question:  What type of shotgun and shot size should I use?

Answer:  Most adult male hunters prefer a 12 gauge shotgun for duck hunting. They typically shoot a modified choke and shoot number 2, 3, or 4 steel shot depending on where they are hunting. Some hunters who are experienced marksman prefer to shoot a full choke and increase their range. It depends strictly on the preference of the hunter.


Where to lodge: Retriever Lodge is a duck guiding operation that specializes in small groups. We hunt exclusively on private ground and offer some of the finest rice field and flooded timber hunting known to the area. We provide the atmosphere of a buddy hunt? rather than that of a commercial operation. This helps to guarantee an enjoyable hunt, and gives you a true experience of an Arkansas duck hunt.

Retriever Lodge hunts exclusively on privately owned ground. We own several thousand acres of prime duck hunting habitat in the heart of Arkansas County. We have rice fields, soybean fields, dead timber reservoirs, bayou hunting, and green timber hunting.  All of our hunting areas are managed to provide optimal hunting.  The key to good duck hunting is food. We plant many of our areas exclusively for the ducks. Most of these crops are left standing and periodically flooded throughout the season. We plant rice, milo, and millet in all of our reservoirs and green timber holes. We do not hunt any of our hunting areas over twice a week, and try to let the ducks rest in these areas as much as possible. During the season we check each of our hunting areas to prepare for the next days hunt. Last year Retriever Lodge killed 2505 ducks on our privately owned ground. Two of our groups killed over 225 ducks in a 3 day period. We manage year-round for the ducks. My family owns a fertilizer plant and farms, and we use our labor to work on our hunting areas in our spare time. Two of my employees are basically working on hunting areas full time. I also fly my airplane to scout hunting areas so we don\'t disturb the ducks. We take the time and dedicate ourselves to provide exceptional hunting. I personally do not like to go on a bad duck hunt and I really don\'t like taking people on a poor hunt. While we can\'t guarantee success, we do everything possible to put the odds in our favor.

See our site at Retrieverlodge.com

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ARCHERY FISHING TIPS By : Nicky Pilkington Submitted 2007-01-02 14:00:34 Also known as Bow fishing, this is a sport wherein a fisherman uses archery equipment to fish. A regular hunting bow can be used for fishing by simply attaching a reel to the front of the bow grip. Archery fishing is especially favored by regular hunters when regular game like deer are off season. This way they can continuously hone their skills for whatever season it may be. Before engaging in archery fishing, one must first take into consideration the following: 1. A fisherman must be duly licensed. Some states require that an individual have a state license to fish. 2. Equipment. Most states have a predetermined set of approved equipment for archery fishing. 3. Archery Safety Course. Still, some states require that an individual go through an approved safety course for archery fishing to ensure that the individual is well versed with the proper safety precautions and information regarding applicable laws in fishing. 4. Seasons. Bow fishing in some states can only be done in certain seasons. This is to allow the fish to spawn. 5. Species of fish. Some states have rules forbidding archery fishing for some species of fish. The following skills are necessary for an individual to obtain and practice: Knot tying. Though it may seem like a simple task, tying knots that will not slip (line for the arrow) are crucial in bow fishing. Tuning. Tuning is making sure that the bow is at its best working condition. To ensure this, one has to continuously adjust the rest and calibrate the nock. For a faster tuning process, one may shoot a regular bow-fishing arrow (without the tip) onto a target made of cardboard. Marksmanship or targeting. Bow fishing and bow hunting, though similar on some aspects, really do differ on many things. Arrows for bow fishing are heavier, have larger arrow tips and, the most obvious one, has a string attached to the arrow. And since fish are shot in the water, resistance differs as when compared to shooting in the air (for bow hunting of games) There are various methods or ways of archery fishing. This includes the following: 1. Still hunting. A fisherman selects a place by the lake in which he would wait for passing fish to shoot its bow at. 2. Stalking. This can be done on foot or while on a boat. One is in constant motion in an attempt to locate fish. 3. Ambush. Fish that are best ambushed are the ones that are spawning since they tend to crowd thus increasing chances of target. Author Resource:- Find out more about fishing including sea fishing and fly fishing at About fishing Article From NewEzineArticles Directory | Free Articles | New Articles Daily Stats

Hunting For Conservation

A Non-Hunter’s Perspective On Hunting As A Conservation Tool

Jacquie Geldart

I know to some people, the thought of “hunting as a conservation tool” is like “fighting for peace”. It seems both ridiculous and impossible.
I used to feel that way too. I have grown up in Africa and my family has been here for generations. I grew up in Zimbabwe, where we tended to take seeing wildlife for granted. I moved to South Africa to attend University and stayed after marrying a South African man.
At that time in South Africa (1990’s), there was an abundance of wildlife in certain areas, but not in the farming areas. I was privy to many conversations between farmers in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, where farmers were planning driven hunts to hunt out the Bushbuck and Common Reedbuck as they were eating the winter feed planted for the livestock.
Within the next 8 years things started to change drastically. Hunting in South Africa suddenly became popular for the overseas hunters, and hunting outfitters, not allowed to hunt on state owned conservation land, were pushed to find enough animals to fill their quota. The untapped, naturally occurring animals, which had been free ranging on farming land became an overnight commodity.
Suddenly those Bushbuck and Common Reedbuck had an economic value. Definitely worth more than a sheep, and not so prone to be stolen, they were now seen as a viable alternative to stock farming. Suddenly, more winter-feed was grown, for the buck (smaller antelope) this time, not the domestic livestock. Numbers of the antelope grew steadily, farmers started to actively get involved in conservation of the natural species, and the management of the wildlife has become entrenched in farming policies. ALL THIS BECAUSE A MONETARY VALUE WAS GIVEN TO THESE ANIMALS.
Hunting in South Africa is very carefully controlled and very tightly legislated, to ensure sustainable usage. Game counts are done annually, permits for hunting have to be obtained from the wildlife conservation authorities, and careful management of the natural resources has become a working model.
No matter how much anti hunting lobbyists try to convince us that we can bring money into the country by building eco-tourism and having animals for visitors to see, it is a known fact that it takes numerous busloads of tourists paying at the gate of a game farm, to get the same amount of money that can be generated by one hunter who shoots one trophy animal.
Suddenly my interpretation of conservation and my adversity for hunting has been turned on its head, and now I say thank you to hunters every morning, as I look out of my bedroom window onto the slopes of a working COMMERCIAL BEEF FARM and see Blesbuck, Common Reedbuck, Waterbuck, Warthog and Kudu grazing on the hill, where ten years ago there were none.

www.africanhuntingsafaris.net

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