Arkansas Opener Saturday

[mhowerton]

Headed to Black River for the opener. Smart move would be to stay around here and hunt the lake, but need to go work on some blinds in the rice fields. Hope everyone has a great season.

[Feathers and Fins]

its going to be a madhouse this year, I keep hearing people at sporting good shops talking about ( Wanting to get into duck hunting because they watch Duck Commander ) Be safe out there this year guys and try to keep your cool, looks to be many novices this year.

[Justin Spencer]

I hope Arkansas pays Missouri a bunch of money to have the Southern portion of Missouri open after Arkansas, seems like we are letting birds rest here unpressured so they can be shot easier during the Arkansas opening, that has always kind of ticked me off.

[Bird Watcher]

I hope Arkansas pays Missouri a bunch of money to have the Southern portion of Missouri open after Arkansas, seems like we are letting birds rest here unpressured so they can be shot easier during the Arkansas opening, that has always kind of ticked me off.

Trust me, it has nothing to do with Arkansas and everything to do with the special interests here in Southern Missouri. The players change from East to West, but there are a relatively small group of people that go to the waterfowl meetings every 5 years and heavily influence the setting of MO's seasons and zones. They meet every 5 years. The next one is in 4 years. I know I will be at as many as I can drive and attend. I did this with group of hunters here in SWMO 15 years ago and 10 years ago and I felt that we made an impact. I didn't do this last year and no one I know of did either. The boundaries moved back and the season moved back to where it was 10 years ago. Last year in January I witnessed a couple 10,000 bird mallard tornadoes going into cut corn after the season was closed. Every other year of the last 10, we could have set up and shot them and had a North Dakota or Canada style field hunt.

The reason Arkansas gets to open earlier and stay open later is the splits they have in their season. It's an option for Missouri, but the public has to ask for it.

[Justin Spencer]

Thanks for clarification, normally I don't mind it starting late since usually birds are late arriving, just seemed a little fishy that North opens Oct. 27, Middle a week later on Nov. 3, then a 19 day wait for the South which just happens to be a few days AFTER Arkansas season opener, guess with deer season being when it is it makes since not to open it up in the middle of rifle season.

[mhowerton]

Arkansas always opens the week before Thanksgiving due to the Duck Festival in Stuttgart over the Thanksgiving week. They want people to be able to hunt when they come for the " World Championship Duck Calling Competition". Mid Missouri opens way too early. We were shooting ducks last week in South Dakota when Middle Missouri opened. My buddys in South Dakota are still shooting ducks and Middle Zone has been open for 1.5 weeks now. It hurts Arkansas when after Jan 4th. everything above South Missouri is a rest area.

[Justin Spencer]

It hurts Arkansas when after Jan 4th. everything above South Missouri is a rest area.

Never thought of that, probably correct. I see you are in Mountain Home, do you ever hunt the lakes, we need to get together and hunt this year.

[mhowerton]

Never thought of that, probably correct. I see you are in Mountain Home, do you ever hunt the lakes, we need to get together and hunt this year.

I do hunt the lakes when it gets cold. I will try hunt every day between Christmas and New Years up here. Just shoot me an email. howerton.matt@gmail.com.

[Justin Spencer]

I do hunt the lakes when it gets cold. I will try hunt every day between Christmas and New Years up here. Just shoot me an email. howerton.matt@gmail.com.

Sounds good!

[Feathers and Fins]

Justin it has nothing to do with Arkansas or any other state, If you read all the info on the MDC waterfowling page you will see its based off what the people in MO want. I wish Mo would have only two zones, a North Zone and South Zone! North Zone. Open the North Zone the Second weekind in November and close it 60 days late Open the South Zone the 1st Saturday closest to the last weekend of November and run it for 60 days. As far as dividing line simply us I70 as it.