Stuttgart?

[brian]

Was out doing some serious duck hunting in western Okla. and on more that one occasion I ran across several guides from Stuttgart. I talked to a few of them and apparently Stuttgart is having some problems. Not sure about that, just hear say.

Is there anybody that can elaborate on this subject.

[THE GOB-FATHER]

What kind of "problems"?

[brian]

It was told to me that the AR. Wildlife Department has had some money problems when it came to the maintenance of the wetland areas around Stuttgart. As a result, the stories that I am hearing, the ducks are not as abundant as they use to be and may not hold the title of "The Duck Hunting Capital" anymore. It seems that the wetlands are giving way to farm land, not sure on this. This is what I have been told, but you know how rumors go.

[mgc]

I hunted Stuttgart over Thanksgiving while attending the Festival. Both were pitiful. Killed three ducks in three days.

[brian]

Then, maybe there is some truth to what I am hearing. I was at a local outdoor shop a couple days ago, and he stated he had heard the same thing. It seems the flyway has shifted west, back into the central flyway. All i know, is that when I was hunting in western Okla. the amount of ducks that were on and around the local lakes were unbelievable. I am talking in the 10's of thosands. I have duck hunted in Okla. for about 20 years and have never seen the amount of ducks that i have seen this year.

[Limbhanger]

It has been worse around Stuttgart for several years now. I grew up here in Arkansas 40 min. south of Stuttgart. The reson Stuttgart got the name of "Duck Capital " of the world is, back in the late 50's early 60's it was just about the only place in America that had that much rice farmed ground. So Naturally every duck that came down the pipe stopped over there and every other rice field south or north of there. There was just alot of BIG money in Stuttgart ...so they got promoted more than anywhere else in Arkansas. There are just as many ducks in Arkansas now as there was then if not more, it is just that every Tom, Dick and Harry that owns a piece of farm ground thinks...hmmm....since I live in Arkansas, if I flood this piece of ground I'll have TONs of ducks. This in turn has spread the duck population out over several million more acres. Add to that the amount of wetland conservation that has taken place from Missouri to Louisiana and you spread them out even more. I think Oklahoma has just upped the antty by adding alot of favorable ground to their state also. This has just increased the Central fly way population.

[brian]

Logical.

[mgc]

NE Arkansas is a good place, but as in all places concering migratory birds, very weather dependant. I have seen very good days in AR, but have also seen the bad as well. You just have to be there at the right time ( which I seldom am)

[Limbhanger]

We have great hunts every year. Just as stated it just depends on the weather and also the amount of people hunting any given week. Alot of the ducks your hunting in Stuttgart have be literally stalked for the whole trip down. So naturally they are skiddish and get lost real quick. My luck has changed over the last few seasons by simply taking the human element out of our hunts. We will glass our fields to find one the birds are using and hunt it the next day with no decoys and no calling. We just use less water on our fields now and shrink the landing area. Works great.