Posted By:
Mike McFerrin
Field Editor
Hickory Ridge 12-09-2011 21:05
– – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Thursday- 40 birds out of two pits. Friday 15 out of one pit. Seeing fewer birds every day. During the split we were holding a ton of birds at Hickory Ridge and Cherry Valley. Seems like our birds moved when we got the snow. Tons of geese in the area and have been lucky enough to take a few specs. Talked with game warden today – was told that the cash is loaded. he also told me that most of the birds are from Fair oaks and two the West. He reported Parkin and Earle areas had poor numbers with most birds being scraps. Ducks have still not moved into our timber on the L’Anguille. Thank god for dogs. Muddy rice fields and long retrieves have sure saved alot of steps. Forcast shows rain again next Tuesday thru friday. We sure dont need that. Good luck.and be careful.in the rivers. WWW.CypressSlewRetrievers.com
Posted By:
wbduckman
Web Member
St Francis Co 12-09-2011 06:59
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
As expected, we still have hardly any Ducks in our area.
Things are about as bad as it can get. And with all this water, it’s not likely to improve.
Right now, now enough going on to warrent getting up early and going out!
If/when Ducks do come down, with all the rain fall, I look for the Cache and White River Bottoms to hold most of the Ducks. Look for the Mallards to be there.
Only positive note, I’m seeing a lot more Snow Geese.
Posted By:
mallarddux
Web Member
NE arkansas 12-08-2011 14:18
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hey there – quick question. anyone have any information regarding bayou deview outfitters? thanks!
Posted By:
Mark-Mullins
Field Editor
Donaldson WMA 12-06-2011 14:16
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Saturday didnt see any ducks around the area we hunt. Seen a few on Ashbaugh late saturday.
I am not expecting much thursday with all the heavy rain the birds will be scattered. Heck may not be able to get out of the boat.
Posted By:
Jay-Robison
Field Editor
Bayo Meto 12-05-2011 08:06
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – 45-50 Degrees
Went to duck camp yesterday to check on camp and water levels, talking to other hunters in the area no one has seen any ducks. The concern is that with all the water will the ducks be spread and hard to hunt when they make it down.
Posted By:
Jay-Robison
Field Editor
12-01-2011 10:44
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Duck numbers down for November
LITTLE ROCK – There were fewer ducks for hunters to pursue during the opening weekend of duck season this year, with aerial waterfowl surveys revealing a 26 percent decline in the three-year average for November surveys.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists took to the air Nov. 14-18, the week prior to the state’s Nov. 19 season opener, and counted an estimated 627,481 ducks in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, commonly known as the Delta. The count revealed an estimated population of roughly 132,000 mallards.
The first segment of the state’s duck season ended Nov. 27. The season reopens Dec. 8 for the season’s second segment and runs through Dec. 23. The final portion of duck season opens Dec. 26 and ends Jan. 29, 2012.
This year’s November count represented a significant decline from last year’s November count of more than 1.1 million ducks. “It’s kind of what we expected,” said Luke Naylor, AGFC waterfowl program coordinator. “This survey was conducted during a period of rapidly changing conditions. It started out very dry, but there was a huge increase in available habitat during the survey period because of heavy rainfall.
“Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of immediate response to the flooding events. But we did see most ducks where we might expect to see them this time of year, including areas of the Cache, lower White and the Bayou Meto-lower Arkansas River watersheds. In all likelihood those areas had some managed water available, and a reasonable conclusion to draw is that many of the ducks that migrated early had settled into those habitats before the rainfall made more areas available.”
More rainfall has hit the state since the week leading up to the season opener. And just this week, much colder temperatures have gripped the state.
“We fully expect to see significant changes when we conduct the next aerial survey the week of Dec. 12,” Naylor said. “We surely have had more migration events since this habitat has become available.”
Posted By:
Jay-Robison
Field Editor
11-30-2011 09:59
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Rearney,thank you for your report it just shows how we can do a lot but not control the weather.
Posted By:
REARNEY
Web Member
Pool 4 Mississipi/ Lake Pepin 11-29-2011 20:41
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
Jay Robison you are correct with reports up here in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I hunt on Mississipi River on Wisconsin side which closes December 4th. We had great Mallard shooting the last 2 weeks as small bodies of water has froze up and the rivers and lakes are still open. We have no snow and there is no storms forcasted in the near future. Birds can be seen rafted by the thousands in the middle of the mighty Mississipi. They just go out and feed on the corn fields and fly back to the safety of river. We have been dry and had above normal temps for the last 3 months. Hopefully old man winter will hit us soon (I love Snow) and send these birds south. We took our annual trip to Manitoba and could not believe the amount of mallards that we saw field hunting. Good Hunting!!
Posted By:
Jay-Robison
Field Editor
11-29-2011 12:59
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MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
Duck hunting has ended in Minnesota where a number of ducks remain along with excellent numbers of Canada Geese throughout the northern Great Lakes Region. Mallard numbers are good to excellent localized areas of Iowa and Wisconsin, and scattered along the Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, and Ohio River corridors. Gadwall, Teal, Pintail, Widgeon and teal filled the bag during the first split of the Arkansas season as mallards remain to the north.
Posted By:
Rudy-Martin
Field Editor
Altheimer – Sherrill Area 11-28-2011 12:50
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Our story is about like those from everyone else – after the 1st two days things really slowed down. One encouraging note is that we are seeing more mallards in our fields close to Bayou Meto.
I’m guessing that things will be “hot” when the season reopens, with plenty of water and a cold spell later this week.
Shoot ’em in the face!
