...well....what did I miss?

[RotDorn]

After a few bad years hunting in MS, I pulled up stakes and leased in AR the last 3 years. The only thing I found there was higher leases, and farmer's with really bad attitudes. This season I lucked up on a lease in the Tunica area....any better news there?

[Dutch Dog]

Man you missed a LOT. The Mississippi flyway council voted unanimously to close duck season in Tunica and Union counties for the 05/06 duck season. However, you can hunt coots and mergansers since they are considered waterfowl and not ducks per se.

[tunica]

After a few bad years hunting in MS, I pulled up stakes and leased in AR the last 3 years. The only thing I found there was higher leases, and farmer's with really bad attitudes. This season I lucked up on a lease in the Tunica area....any better news there?

what I heard was people actually had birds in Ark. and not night time ducks like we did last year in MS. Had I established leases I'd of kept them. Sorry but you probably only saved money, but ya wont kill that many ducks around here this year. Night time pattern aint easy to hunt

[RotDorn]

The people that had ducks in AR were the old well established clubs. I am making no accusations...but they had something the average hunter didn't. I had the chance to get a lease that in many years prior was proven land. My land man knew the former hunters, and they said unless you like looking at empty blue skys and wallets .....skip it!

I am not sure who has been telling you they had ducks....but they don't. I hunted the area from north of Wynne (BDV& Lang) down to Shell Lake...same story no ducks. I know of 2- day hunt services that aren't going to guide this year! They were trying to lease their pits enbloc for $30k. One of the farmers said screw it, he was digging up his pits, and getting back into the business of serious farming. There are tons of pits for lease in AR. Funny thing is....they aren't coming off their prices! They still think they can get $6k for a pit with no ducks! The only people who are doing well in that area are people with timber leases, and it is only early season.

[h2o_dog]

Everyone is hoping for 8 ducks and and 80 day season next year....so those $6000 pits will cost $8000.

[booger]

Good luck in Tunica, I dunno what's happening there, sounds better than where you were but I might add......

While every year is different, last year there was 10 jillion acres of flooded timber "near" Wynne, so a pit would've been spoonie heaven I 'spose. I hunted with a friend of friend in a pit near there one day last season and no mallards but teal, spoonies and some speckle geese things had to be shot. I went back to the timber the next day but not many ducks in general last year.

I occasionally have to hunt in a pit just to remind myself why I don't hunt in pits.

[BUCKWHEAT]

RotDorn, I hunt some fields and sloughs around Shell Lake in AR and around Tunica. I can't really say that one was any better than the other. However, I have started to see more birds flying the river than at this same time last year.