Flooded
Timber Duck Hunts In Southeast Arkansas
WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE- The White River NWR has the largest concentration of wintering
Mallard ducks in the Mississippi flyway. It encompasses 160,000 acres
made up primarily of hardwood bottomlands with many oxbow lakes, all within
the floodplain of the lower White River. The refuge was established in
1935. Ninety miles of the White River lies within the refuge
boundaries. There are 356 lakes totaling 4,000 acres, forestland of
154,000 acres, and grassland of 1,000 acres.
The refuge is
divided into five hunt zones. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
conducted a lottery drawing of applicants that met stringent qualifications,
some of which included experience and safety training. Fifteen permits
are issued in five zones. We are one of three guides allowed to
conduct guided duck hunts in the Jacks Bay Zone. This
zone is a levee impoundment that can be artificially flooded. It
contains a minimum of 3550 acres of flooded timber. At maximum flood, there
are about 10,000 flooded acres.
ARKANSAS RIVER- The Arkansas
River is a major migration route for waterfowl. It guarantees water
during the dry years. During the periods of high water, large numbers
of waterfowl can provide us with excellent shooting. Most river
hunting is done from our twenty-four foot pontoon boat blind that is fully
enclosed and provided with heaters to stay warm and dry.
RICE FIELDS- The Rice Fields
attract ducks, providing them with an abundant food source. We have
blinds and pits from twelve to thirty feet. We also have a 160 acre
bottomland area intensively for waterfowl and whitetail deer.
