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Hey guys, I was planning a trip with some buddies up for a guided hunt in St. Charles Arkansas and was informed that I would be just as good off just getting a hotel and hunting some public land (White River NWR). Has anyone heard anything about that area? I don't want to take this advice and then when I get there be hunting 100 yards from ten other guys since it is public land..Any info would be great!

Thanks

If you can find a local guide to go on the White with you might be ok. I have never thought about attempting it after hearing my buddies stories from guiding on it for years. I think they have changed the rules on having a guide on public. You will be better off with the guided if its your first time over there, especially with that AL tag. If your a pretty ruff group of guys might be all right, better bring a heavy hitter just in case.

My personal opinon on going somewhere new during the season (w/out a guide) is dont expect anything great right off the bat. I would do a guided hunt this year and maybe next year do some homework during the offseason ex: go up there the first week or two after season closed and ride around looking for ducks like you would scouting check river levels make a second trip during the summer to keep yourself familiar just my .02

I've hunted that refuge for over 25 years. Its Huge and with alittle pre work and lots of leg work you can find water that is very very seldom seen much less hunted.

Now those lakes off of the roads well it goes without saying..but there are 100's of small pockets of water Ya just have to work to get to them.

in arkansas you can no longer guide on public land.

there are millions of acres on white river flooded every year by hte state for duck hunting

what echo's timber heart vid they do most of their hunting on public land on the white river.

when we hunted public land alot in arkansas when the rivers got high. When we finished hunting we would be looking for where the ducks had moved to if we did not have good hunt. Alot of scouted is involved we used to kill alot of greenheads up there

E

Me and three buddies drove out from SC when we were in college. None of the four of us had ever been to Arkansas, and we drove straight to the boat ramp. One boat went right, one boat went left. Neither of us fired the gun, but we picked up by 9 so we could spend a couple hours riding around. My buddy and I found a hole that had some ducks in it that morning. The next two days we had limits of mallards, including my first experience with a "duck-tornado." The last morning was raining and windy and the ducks moved out, but overall it was a good trip, with zero planning.

It is probably the exception to the rule, but we pulled it off.

Ordek Avci wrote:Me and three buddies drove out from SC when we were in college. None of the four of us had ever been to Arkansas, and we drove straight to the boat ramp. One boat went right, one boat went left. Neither of us fired the gun, but we picked up by 9 so we could spend a couple hours riding around. My buddy and I found a hole that had some ducks in it that morning. The next two days we had limits of mallards, including my first experience with a "duck-tornado." The last morning was raining and windy and the ducks moved out, but overall it was a good trip, with zero planning.

It is probably the exception to the rule, but we pulled it off.

thats the way you have to do it

E

Thats kind of the plan now..we think we are gonna get there a day early and scout the afternoon and then go from there...thanks for all the help guys ill post some pics if it goes the way i hope

femup10 wrote:Thats kind of the plan now..we think we are gonna get there a day early and scout the afternoon and then go from there...thanks for all the help guys ill post some pics if it goes the way i hope

I would recomend bringing at least 2 or 3 spare truck tires........and always make sure your trailer latch is locked

I hunt not far away from there and there are guides that guide there by permit. I'm not sure of their names but it wouldn't be hard to find out if you went to the St. Charles general store just outside of the refuge on Hwy 1. I think the people at the store also rent rooms at one of the lodges but again I'm not positive which one. If it's a hotel room you want your choice is in Helena or in Dewitt you've got the Sahara to stay in.

are there any fifth wheel hookups on the refuge?

i would like to go to see what all the fuss is about in the white river timber.

riverat wrote:are there any fifth wheel hookups on the refuge?

i would like to go to see what all the fuss is about in the white river timber.

if you do not want to c first hand

purchase you a echo vid thats where they do alot of thuer hunting. Its alot of work hunting there.

E

call Randy Papa in St. Charles. Ducks and dogs 870 995 4251. Good times. Really good guide.