| Being a "Duckaholic" just gets in you blood and | | | | transforms to a huge filling station for the ducks |
| Duckoholic Rehab is not an option.  | | | | and geese. Remember, waterfowl have to take in |
| Our 2008 waterfowl season was a success, with | | | | a certain amount of carbohydrates each day to |
| a few twists. Once again the boys and I | | | | maintain their migration ability. The Central Flyway |
| finished another waterfowl season with decent | | | | gives waterfowl ample opportunity to take in and |
| numbers. We had our moments of glory and | | | | store those needed nutrients with all of the corn, |
| some days, well you just wonder why you | | | | wheat, maze and peanut fields available for |
| bothered getting out of bed. Hunting quackers in | | | | grazing. |
| three states is challenging and exciting. | | | | We also got into hammering those honkers this |
| We hunted both the Mississippi Flyway in | | | | year. We shot a little over 800 ducks and 245 |
| Arkansas and the Central Flyway in Western | | | | geese. Not bad for three rednecks from the |
| Oklahoma this last season. We have now | | | | Arkansas River Valley... what can I say? Hammer |
| detrermined that waterfowl in different flyway's | | | | time with those new Mossberg autos from! |
| actions are different. We used one tactic to hunt | | | | Â D'Baz bagged a Canvasback, Redhead, |
| waterfowl in the Central Flyway, while using | | | | Pintail and a Bufflehead, all in one day. That's |
| another in the Mississippi Flyway. Waterfowl in the | | | | probably going to keep some taxidermist very |
| Western Arkansas seem to be in more of a | | | | busy. |
| resting mode searching for rivers, lakes and ponds | | | | On average, we met our per-day bag limits. A big |
| to spend a night or two, regaining their strength | | | | part of our success came from the way Capgun |
| before heading south to the lush rice fields of | | | | and Ducky set up and called the ducks into our |
| Louisiana and the Arkansas Delta. That's what | | | | decoy spreads. Another key advantage is our |
| makes it tough hunting waterfowl in Western | | | | working knowledge of the areas we hunt and the |
| Arkansas. Waterfowl come in, stay a day or two | | | | way we build blinds around that area. Ducky is |
| and then take off for greener pastures are gone. | | | | always surveying the land, watching the wind, and |
| Alto of running and gunning to hunt waterfowl in | | | | looking for waterfowl habitats. Capgun's superior |
| Western Arkansas. Granted it might be tough to | | | | command of a duck call offers us pass by shots |
| hunt waterfowl in in Western Arkansas, but it is | | | | others don't get. That boy can sweet talk those |
| also rewarding. The hunter is able to make use of | | | | green heads right into our decoys. We use three |
| all of their knowledge of waterfowl hunting. | | | | different types of decoy patterns. We would use |
| The waterfowl have a prime resting and feeding | | | | the old reliable "J" decoy layout pattern, the "U" |
| are at Foss Lake in Western Oklahoma known as | | | | pattern and the family pattern. The decoy |
| Foss Lake Wildlife Refuge. Waterfowl rest on the | | | | patterns we used would depend on the situations |
| refuge and fly to surrounding crops to feed. | | | | we were facing on a particular hunt. We have |
| Waterfowl will hang out a week or more in this | | | | since learn a new pattern from the Duck |
| area, giving hunters more shooting opportunities. | | | | Commander himself. He has taught us the "Empty |
| The hunter is almost guaranteed daily action at | | | | Hole" pattern and went into great detail to descibe |
| their favorite honey hole in this area. There are | | | | how it works, we'll give a report on it after this |
| so many agricultural crops in western Oklahoma it | | | | season. |