Last Weekend of Duck Season
Last Weekend of Duck Season
By John Criner
Outdoors Columnist This coming weekend will put the wraps on the 20152016 duck season. It has been a strange season to say the least. It was hot and dry at the start with very few ducks. Then it changed with a warm rainy stretch about Christmas vacation time for the kids with poor hunting conditions and still a shortage of ducks. We finally got some cold weather these last couple of weeks but with the rivers flooded bank to bank, the ducks are really spread out.
I have talked to several hunters lately and the results are mixed. Several hunters talked about having a good year, a couple saying it has been their best year. What’s odd, these hot spots are spread out many miles and counties apart. Most duck hunters are complaining about how poor the hunting has been with no hot spots. Many sportsmen complain that if they have a good shoot, the next day is a bust with few birds. I have talked with several hunters over the weekend and they are seeing more ducks due to the cold weather. Maybe a good batch of new ducks will make up for a weak season.
Arkansas Game & Fish in their weekly news letter report that normally there are over a million ducks in the state this time of year.
Latest aerial surveys report 600,000 to 650,000 birds at this time, about a 40 percent reduction in numbers. Mallards are about half normal numbers. Even Ducks Unlimited is admitting that the Arkansas duck numbers are way down.
DU is usually very optimistic. With the rivers flooded hank to bank, giving the birds plenty of places to eat and loaf, its no wonder our duck hunting has not been what we hoped back in mid November.
Last week we talked about accidents happening to hunters and fishermen.
Since that time, a duck hunter was killed near Marianna when his ATV turned over and pinned him under it in shallow water. He had a hunting companion with him, but the ATV was too heavy to get off him. By the time more help arrived, it was too late. One of my clients, a recently retired military man in super shape was hunting near Hatachie Coon Club near Trumann.
He was adding more camo to his floating blind and he took one step too far and fell into the frigid waters.
He managed to get to the bank and was only about 100 yards from the club house. In less than five minutes he made it to the camp, dropping his sopping clothes, and into a hot shower. He said his legs and hands were already numb and had lost a lot of feeling and mobility. This man is in superb shape. An old hunter like me would not have made it.
As we prepare for these last few days of hunting, lets hope for a grand finale with full limits and a good ending for the season. The river waters are receding and that big cold event up north should be pushing new ducks into our hunting grounds. Let’s give it one final try. A month from now, we will wish we could go to the duck blind.
I am always glad to see picturc of kids in the paper with their trophies. I had rather see a young hunter get a duck than me getting a full limit. These boys and girls are a blessing to our sport. Let’s make dedicated sportsmen out of them. It’s up to you to take them and get them started the right way.
Good hunting and please be careful. Send me pictures and stories.
Papa Duck Lakeside Taxidermy 870-732-0455 or 901-4823430 jhcriner @ hotmail. com
John Criner
