One for the Wall

 

After a 24 hour non-stop drive and five states later, we arrived at our hotel which was located just a few miles passed the duck hunting capital of the world.  This wasn’t our first trip to Arkansas and it won’t be our last.

 

Arkansas duck hunt map
                                      Utah to Arkansas 1600 mi one way

 

Our goal on this particular hunt wasn’t to experience the phenomenal number of local ducks bombing into our decoys as this area is known for, but to find an elusive wood duck. Well, elusive in the sense of my being successful in finding a wood duck while hunting here in Utah.

 

1,611 miles later, we parked the truck alongside a levee after enjoying a good night’s sleep. With this being the last weekend of the duck season, you can imagine the pressure we experienced from all of the local hunters but we were not deterred. We watched the locals, who had beat us to the punch, smoke ducks as they swooped into their decoy spreads that were set up in prime locations in open waterways but we trudged along. It wasn’t until sunset fell upon the region that we packed up and called it quits; an entire day spent without seeing a single wood duck.

 

i went hunting Arakansas duck hunt flooded timber
                                                          Heading out into the flooded timber

 

As the final day of duck season arrived, our spirits were high as we entered the flooded timber at dawn. The reason being was that a local resident hunter, Scott, who we met at dinner the previous evening, pointed us to this exact location. He said it was an area where he often sees wood ducks. Eagerly we slipped into the water and began our quest. And it wasn’t long before we got our first glimpse at wood ducks! But try as we might, we could not close the distance on the dabbling ducks. They seemed to remain just on the verge of our farthest line of sight which was about 100 yards through the timber. Then the ducks would either see our movement or hear the slight sloshing from our waders and would fly off deeper into the timber.

 

iwenthunting Arkansas alligator  An opossum or possum

Alligator at near by Game and Fish where we bought licenses             Spotted this possum while sloshing along

Then it happened. It was just before 9:30 am, Carson (my youngest) and I had wandered off alone and stood knee deep in water, surrounded by oak trees as far as we could see in every direction. I spotted a couple of wood ducks 80 yards ahead. Slowly we eased forward. Seconds later loud splashing erupted ahead. For an instant Carson thought we were being attacked by an alligator, but to his surprise and relief, a whitetail deer bounded past us through the slough at 50 yards. Was our stalk on the wood ducks blown? We stood in silence, staring forward.

 

iwenthunting, i went hunting Arkansas drake wood duck
                           Got our drake wood duck!

 

Moments later two ducks swooped through the trees from our left and silently glided to rest. Barely visible through the trees, one of the wood ducks was paddling towards an opening. Quickly we raised our shotguns…at the moment the bead of my barrel aligned with the drake, I pulled the trigger, as Carson’s shot echoed right behind mine. We may have had a chance to coordinate the timing of our shots a little bit better, but I guess that will have to wait until next time.

 

iwenthunting, i went hunting ducks, Drake wood duck
                                                                       One for the wall!

 

UPDATE 4-23-2017 - Got him back from taxidermist!!!

 

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