They will pile up in eddies along banks or creek mouths, or they may raft right in the main channel if the current is slight. Another great time to hunt rivers is when they are flooding. When floodwaters spill into adjacent bottomlands, they draw ducks like magnets.
Where is the best place to find ducks?
These include reservoir backwaters, farm ponds, watershed lakes, beaver sloughs, oxbows, swamps, creeks, wet weather holes and other off-the-beaten-path waters. These are spots where ducks get used to feeding and loafing without being disturbed.
Can you duck hunt the Arkansas River?
Hunting. The Arkansas River floodwaters offer some of the richest duck hunts in the world. The natural states reputation for water foul is known nationally and so deserves the recognition.
How do you duck hunt a river?
Plan to shove off and start scouting for ducks just about shooting time. Then simply cover water and watch for birds. Don’t stop and set up before you find a concentration. Then, when you see working ducks or flush a large flight off the water, move in and set up exactly where they were.
What time of day is best to see ducks?
Waterfowl are most active from shortly before sunrise until midmorning, and then again from midafternoon until after sunset. I like to arrive an hour before these prime times (yes, that often means showing up in early-morning darkness) to let the birds get accustomed to my presence.
What is a river duck?
(Zool.) any species of duck belonging to Anas, Spatula, and allied genera, in which the hind toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard and pintail; – opposed to sea duck.
What is the limit on mallards in Arkansas?
4 mallards
Duck daily bag limit – 6, which may include no more than: 4 mallards (2 hens), 1 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck. If not listed, up to 6 ducks of a species (including teal) may be taken.
What is the fine for baiting ducks in Arkansas?
Baiting migratory game birds is a criminal offense with fines up to $200,000 and a one-year prison term. Hunting over a known baited area can result in fines up to $15,000.
Do ducks land in rivers?
But even early in the season, some mallards spend time on rivers. Mallards and a handful of other species occasionally drop into flowing waters and require a little more scouting than woodies.
How do you find ducks on a creek?
Mallards, wood ducks and even black ducks love to hide and loaf in secluded creek corners or bends, or especially at tiny backwater areas just off the stream. If you find one of these spots, locate good cover nearby, and get there well before light.
Do ducks follow rivers?
Waterfowl and other birds use a variety of navigational cues during migration. These include the position of the sun and stars, the earth’s magnetic field, and topographical features such as rivers, mountains, lakes, and coastlines. Collectively, these cues enable waterfowl to migrate even on the darkest nights.
What month is best for duck hunting?
October
October. This is the best month, period. October weather is usually sparkling, the leaves are changing, and you can hunt ducks and geese from Canada south to about the middle of the United States.
What weather is best for duck hunting?
Duck hunters generally find that wet, cooler, overcast days create the best environment for duck movement. However, depending on your exact location and time of year, ducks may also be on the move during clear sky days. Wind: Wind is a sure sign that ducks are on the move.
Where do ducks hide during the day?
However, domesticated ducks prefer tucking themselves on softly-textured straws and wood shavings on a coop’s floor. Don’t worry if you can’t provide nesting boxes for your duck, though, as these birds will be thrilled creating a nest for themselves in one of your coop’s corners.
How do you find wood ducks in a river?
The best places to find wood ducks include beaver ponds, sloughs, forested backwaters and oak-lined portions of creeks. In the southern United States, flooded timber and swamps along river systems are especially productive.
What do ducks eat in rivers?
They consume all manner of pondweed and aquatic plants as well as insects, molluscs, fish eggs and even small crustaceans, fish and amphibians such as frogs. When observing ducks, it’s common to see them dunking their head below water, likely to catch an insect or other creature, or to rip and eat aquatic foliage.
Are rivers good for duck hunting?
While not usually thought of as productive duck hunting destinations, rivers have everything ducks need: water, current-free loafing areas, and light-to-nonexistent hunting pressure.
What is Arkansas duck season?
2022-23 Arkansas Waterfowl Seasons
Duck, Coot and Merganser — Nov. 19-27; Dec. 10-23; and Dec. 26, 2022-Jan. 31, 2023.
What is the most common duck in Arkansas?
Mallards
Mallards. Description – Male has an iridescent green head, white ring on neck, brown chest and gray body. The female is light brown all over. Occurrence – Mallards are the most common duck in North America as well as Arkansas.
What part of Arkansas has the best duck hunting?
The best duck hunting is in the eastern part of the state, near the Mississippi and White rivers. Not surprisingly, one of the best public hunting opportunities is in the Dale Bumpers White River NWR, where the White flows into the Mississippi.
How many ducks can you shoot in a day in Arkansas?
Duck, Coot and Merganser
If not listed, up to 6 ducks of a species (including teal) may be taken. Coot daily bag limit – 15. Merganser daily bag limit – 5, which may include no more than 2 hooded mergansers. Possession limit for ducks, coots and mergansers is three times the daily bag limit.