[droptine150]

i propose new dates for next year, duck season shouldnt start until at least the first of dec. and shouldnt end until the end of feb. the ducks are everywhere now ive got more ducks now than all season, its been this way all my duck seasons. something has got to give.nov. usually sucks,no water, permit deer hunts and no ducks, jan and feb ducks are here and cant hunt in feb...

 

[10pointman]

Same way here.When the hunting gets good,season is over.

 

[CrabClaw]

Guys, you are forgetting that the private duck clubs ( they have the money,water, influence and DUCKS) and the Duck calling contest are both the reasons the duck season will always start so early. The Feds also are responsible especially in our area for the closing date--has to do with ducks having paired up by this date.

 

[MM]

Your the first guy I've ever heard make such a suggestion..................



























.........well at least the first today.

That's been proposed by many, many a man for a many, many years. Ain't happened yet, ain't going to happen. We've only got to hunt this late into Jan. in just very recent past.
Make the most out of what you get, and enjoy the fact that we get the days we do. With that said, I wish it would never open prior to Thanksgiving weekend.

 

[snydedawg]

First weekend of December would be a fine starting place to me too!!!

Not ever going to happen in Arkansas, but it would damn sure make for a "maximum enjoyment of the outdoors"!!!

 

[bps12]

Well I agree that the later starting date would be great. But I also agree with Crabclaw because of the Wings over the Prairie festival that will never happen. Now maybe start it just for that and then take a month long break then get started back and go into febuary. just my thoughts.

 

[Dogs & Ducks]

I'll just be glad when I can start [email protected]#EN about, "no water, no ducks", next year!!! :biggrin:

 

[bps12]

This man speaks the truth. Can't wait till next year already

 

[Ducks]

i propose new dates for next year, duck season shouldnt start until at least the first of dec. and shouldnt end until the end of feb. the ducks are everywhere now ive got more ducks now than all season, its been this way all my duck seasons. something has got to give.nov. usually sucks,no water, permit deer hunts and no ducks, jan and feb ducks are here and cant hunt in feb...

I agree with you fellow member! We can make a diffrence/go to the meetings and bring your buddys...........Spread the word!

 

[sunny b]

i wish they'd go back to less days to hunt with longer and more frequent splits. start the day after thanksgiving and end as it does now. it didn't till i think 1994 or 95 start opening BEFORE thanksgiving. lower the limit to 4 and get back to the basics. we used to kill more ducks consistently back then.

 

[ace777]

only two things stopping those ideas.
1) wings over the prairie festival thanksgiving weekend means it will always open before then

2) federal rules will not allow duck hunting past jan. 31

but, i agree with you guys. i wish it would open the middle of december and run through the end of febuary with some longer breaks in between

 

[rusty]

This season I was lucky enough to get invited to hunt aproperty that was along the big ditch and bayou meto. It was one of those most unforgetable hunts of a life time. where the holes are lined with gravel so it is eaisy to walk around and when you wake up at 6;15 only to be early to the hole and you get up 1000's of ducks on the 2 min boat ride to the hole and the only thing you have to worry about is weather or not you got all the ducks in the hole before you start shooting:thumb: I can tell you one thing about the people who own this property they do not care about killing limits (90% of the time the do kill there limits)they are out to have fun and if kids are involed they shoot first if they kill abanded bird it goes to the child . I have wittensed it. they have several fields that hold at least 10,000+ ducks that they never hunt trust me i have seen this it is an eye watering experance. they havent had a bad year in 75+ years. the key i belive is the ducks get plenty of rest maybe something wmas should think about. they are usally out of the woods by 9:00 and there is no sky busting. but hey do hunt almost evry day of the season last time i talked to them they killed just over 1000 ducks this year on 400 acres of timber. I think it would beift if maybe bayou meto was only open every other day and alternate days with outher wma's keep pressure off and help spread out the people.

 

[Ducks]

Nice job Rusty and I have to agree with you... well worth the read time bro :thumb:

 

[TheBattman]

While leaving the house this AM, we passed a rice field that has consistantly held ducks for the last month.... and there was probably 200+ pintails and 300+ mallards!

I believe the pintails have really made a comeback. I have seen more in the last two weeks than in the last 8 years combined! I was really tempted to buy my stamps and actually head out and try to slay a few this year...but the ducks didn't get thick enough to tempt me until late in the season - when I didn't have time to hunt enough to justify it... If the numbers look up again next year, I may not be able to hold back!

 

[TheBattman]

I don't believe the duck pairing-up as a reason. I have observed paired up ducks as early as late November - including lone pairs - and shooting a drake from the pair and having the hen circle repeatedly quacking as if looking for the drake... And just watching them on reservoirs and fields - with obvious pairing.

And lone ducks WILL pair back up.

The Feds also are responsible especially in our area for the closing date--has to do with ducks having paired up by this date.

 

[Ducks]

Very good point Batman, but,,,,,,,,,,,,,Try to change the feds mind...

 

[Midnight Rider]

There have been several replies to this post stating the Wings Over The Prairie festival at thanksgiving is the reason the season opens before Thanksgiving. Before all of this 60 day season came into play we had a 30 day season, and it opened after thanksgiving. The thirty day season was in place for numerous years, with the late opening.

I wish the season was shorter, I get tired of chasing them for two months.

 

[Ducks]

We can make your wish come true Use my bird dog and go quail hunting

 

[MallardMaster]

It'll be a cold day in H-e double "L" when the opening day gets moved back to come in when it really needs to now.

Everyone's right about the Wings/Prairie festival & Stuttgart won't have any of that.

Also, the rich sports with the private reservoirs and/or flooded areas that get all the early ducks get to do all the shootin while the po folks have to wait on it to rain; these are the guys with the money & political pull to keep things like they want em.

As far as attending meetings, our input on deer, squirrel & such is probably heard & possibly has an influence on what AG&FC does there, but I'll never believe it does with the ducks. There, it's money, politics & DU.

 

[Ducks]

And Arkansas needs the money/your correct so until then should we put them on the do not patronize list... sounds that way.....Man I wished I knew this before now,.....I feel more like I do now then I did before... tks... I think