Written by Hunter Helms
When people hear the mention of flooded timber duck hunting in Arkansas they think of the epitome of waterfowl hunting. They can imagine the sound of whistling wings of mallards cruising the tree tops at first light while they search for a place to get down into the flooded timber to loaf and begin the pair bonding process. They can envision a group of mallards making their last swing and setting up to start their descent by breaking the trees while their wings are hitting limbs as they back peddle into a hole in the historic bottoms that was most likely cut by the pioneers of flooded timber hunting many generations ago. There is not another form of waterfowl hunting that is surrounded by more nostalgia and history than the pursuit of the mallard in the flooded hardwood timber of Arkansas.
Along with this pursuit comes a list of unsaid but understood rules in the community of public flooded timber hunters. Many of these rules were instilled and taught to us while we tagged along with our fathers and grandfathers during our younger years. However there are many younger and even some older generations wanting to experience this nostalgic form of hunting that were not taught these understood rules of the welfare woods. These people may include in staters and out of staters both and are just wanting to experience what they have always heard and dreamt about.
Going forward I want to discuss and educate people on what these understood rules are and why they are needed to be known. There is a non-profit organization called “The Public Timber Project” run by a good friend by the name of Ich Stewart. He is accompanied by other gentlemen that are already friends and some that I hope to soon call a friend and we all have the same mission in common. That mission is to educate and instill these rules to already established timber hunters as well as the new generations coming into it. Along with that mission we hope to gain traction with everyone to respect these public woods that we are blessed to be able to share and to leave them better than we found them. I teamed up with this organization as well as other guys and created what we like to call the “10 Commandments of Arkansas Public Duck Hunting”. They are as followed:
1. Respect One Another: We are all part of the same team in duck hunting. Act like it.
2. Communicate with each Other: Before setting up, talk to the hunters who are already in the area to understand their plan and avoid interfering with their hunt. Communicate with the hunters at the boat ramp. Find ways to work together.
3. Adhere to the 4 AM Rule: Do not leave the designated start lines before 4 AM, and do not or leave the boat ramp and run your hole right before peak hunting time. Doing so disturbs morning flights and can wreck other hunter’s chances of successfully finishing birds.
4. Practice Boat Courtesy: Drive your boat respectfully through the woods/marsh. Avoid excessive speed or running your boat full throttle when off the main river channels and main travel corridors. Slow down when in the cuts and in the woods so as not to disturb ducks and ruin the hunts of others.
5. Follow All Rules and Regulations: Abide by all federal, state, and local hunting laws and regulations. Outlaw duck culture does not help the future of our sport, it’s killing it.
6. Avoid “Sky Busting” and “Swing Ducks”: Never take extremely long-range shots (“sky busting”) or shoot at ducks that are actively working to finish their approach toward another hunter’s setup (“swing ducks”). Let the ducks work and finish their approach. Celebrate it when adjacent hunters are successful at finishing birds, don’t wreck it for them.
7. Keep Boat Ramps Clear: Ensure boat ramps are kept accessible and free of obstruction for all users.
8. Keep the Woods and Boat Ramps Clean: Pack out all trash and leave the hunting area cleaner than you found it. Take pride in keeping our boat ramps clean. Pack it in, pack it out.
9. Respect the Wildlife: Honor the game we chase by showing them respect. Conservation is the goal, not followers on Social Media.
10. Make Game Recovery a Goal: Recovering wounded and crippled birds should be a priority while hunting. Make it a goal to improve your recovery of downed birds. Make it a goal to reduce cripples. Remember that finishing birds decreases cripples and increases your chances of successfully recovering birds. Game recovery is the foundation of conservation.
These 10 things that are mentioned above were not created to scorn or slap the wrists of people that have not followed them in the past but created to hopefully educate current and future hunters. This list of unsaid rules should be used as a resource to educate yourself and other hunters in hopes that we all fall in line with this mentality and create an environment in the welfare woods where we all can get along and have successful hunts.
The culture of duck hunting has taken a turn for the worse over the past 10 years or so and has created divisions between us all. These divisions may include what brand waders or camo you wear, what brand shotgun or shells you shoot, what boat and motor you drive and how many ducks you kill. In reality none of that matters in the slightest bit and we as hunters have lost sight of the true meaning of waterfowl hunting. Getting to be out in God’s creation with some of your best friends and enjoying the sights and sounds in the flooded timber while the sun rises and if you are blessed with a successful hunt then it’s just a bonus added to the day. I truly believe that if we all have the same mentality and not only preach but practice this set of rules or guidelines we all would have more successful hunts. As waterfowl hunters we are a community that is losing numbers due to a lot of our behaviors towards other members of the community and that’s the last thing that needs to happen. We are all “on the same team” and need to learn to respect and get along with each other and leave the woods better than we found them if we want our kids and grandkids to enjoy what we are blessed to be able to do.
This season get out there and enjoy yourself and create memories with your good buddies. Preach but also practice these “10 Commandments of Arkansas Public Duck Hunting” and try to be a part of the cultural change and help leave these woods better than we found. While you’re doing that though, never forget to “Enjoy the Journey” like my good buddy Billy Campbell always says
