There's nothing like a quartet of incoming mallards to snap a hunter out of a trance during a morning of duck-blind meditation.
The soothing rhythm of waves lapping the pea-gravel Beaver Lake shoreline was a mantra that lulled two hunters into a dream-like state. It's almost a given that when attention wanes, ducks come circling low to investigate a spread of decoys.
Four mallards snapped Alan Bland and his hunting buddy out of their hypnotic state. By the time shotguns were shouldered, the ducks were out of range, flying off to torment more hunters mesmerized by the peace and solitude of dawn breaking over rippled water.
Bland, of Rogers, will testify that a quest for ducks at Beaver Lake is hit or miss. When the lake is high and it's freezing cold, the hunting can be fast and furious as in the Stuttgart area, billed as "Rice and Duck Capital of the World."
On warmer mornings, such as this Dec. 28 hunt, waterfowlers are lucky to see any ducks, much less put a couple in the game bag. Ducks or not, Bland savors every first-light foray during duck season at Beaver Lake.
"Any excuse to be outside," he said, clad in camo from nose to toes. "There's the sunrise. You've got the decoys out. There's bald eagles to see and the fog coming off the water. It's so relaxing. Especially after Christmas, it's a good place to come and unwind after the holidays."
Waterfowl hunting is allowed along the public shoreline at Beaver Lake, except in the Army Corps of Engineers parks. Islands, too, are open for duck and goose hunting in season.
Duck season closes in Arkansas at sunset Jan. 31 this year. Canada geese are plentiful at Beaver Lake. The season on those also closes Jan. 31. Snow geese and other goose species are rarely seen at the lake.
Bagging a couple of ducks or a Canada goose is fine with Russell Gardner of Rogers. He's out on the lake hunting nearly every day he's home over Christmas break from his college classes in Oklahoma. A mild winter so far isn't the best for duck hunting, he said. If he had his 'druthers, Gardner would prefer frosty cold.
That freezes ponds and small lakes, making Beaver Lake some of the only open water for feathered fowl. That's when the ducks come flying in. Mallards are the prize duck for most hunters, but gadwalls, scaup, wood ducks and more come within shotgun range.
Cold conditions and a high lake level can add up to excellent duck hunting, Gardner said.
When the water is high, as it is this duck season, he uses bushes and trees in shallow water for natural concealment in lieu of a blind. He rigs up a blind on his boat when the lake is low.
Flats along the main lake with lots of bushes in the water are good hunting spots. Gardner, 27, has been hunting on the lake since he was a teenager. He's learned what works and what doesn't. Unconventional methods spell success for him on the unpredictable lake.
"Everybody thinks you have to put your decoys out in a J-pattern, but that's just not the case," he said. Gardner prefers to scatter his decoys out around his hunting spot in no particular pattern. It looks more natural that way.
"The more natural you can make things, the better," he said. That's why using flooded bushes and trees for concealment works well. It helps to dress in camo from head to toe, including something over the face such as a camo bandana or ski mask.
One tip Gardner offered is to use different species in a decoy spread. It's common to use only mallard decoys, but Gardner totes an array of species, including Canada geese, in his decoy bag.
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Gardner's dog, Gunner, is always by his side ready to retrieve. "He'll let you know when there's ducks flying in, and he doesn't like it when you miss."
The hunter makes an occasional trip to Stuttgart during the season, "but even over there the hunting hasn't been that great," he said.
Like Bland, Gardner enjoys watching night turn to day out on the water.
"I took my mom with me my first week back, and we got some pretty sunrise pictures," he said. "It's really nice hunting way up in the War Eagle arm. You've got the sun coming up and shining on all those big bluffs."
Easy duck gumbo
Grill four to six duck breast halves, or as many as you want to put in the gumbo, about five minutes per side. Cut the cooked meat into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare a box of gumbo mix according to package directions. Stir in the duck meat. Add optional ingredients including cooked sausage or shrimp and chopped onion or bell pepper.
Source: Staff report
Sports on 01/21/2020