Went down to the state cattle ranch with my son for the youth dove hunt. During the safety briefing I asked when they planned to stop shooting and I received some smart ass answer about how bad some college football team was getting beaten. They put us out at 2 pm birds finally started flying good around 4 and here comes the game warden about 5:20 blowing his siren telling everyone to stop shooting. I had to stop myself from showing my ass big time. We killed a few doves but I've got a really dissapointed kid that couldn't understand why we had to quit so early. It'll be the last time I ever go to any state sponsored anything

If they would have told us 5:30 at the safety briefing I would have loaded back up and drove to my field.

I can second that the guy came across as arrogant and acted like he had so much other work to do aside from the hunt and we were an inconvenience to his personal schedule. He said he had no idea if any birds were around. Said they had recently disced and top seeded with wheat. I walked across the whole 40 acre field and didn't see the first grain of wheat nor any fresh dirt. Saw plenty of wheat that was 2-3 inches tall.

I wish there was more consistency between the hunts. Went to one in Jackson County opening weekend and we could shoot until sunset. Go to this one and they blow the siren with another hour and a half of legal shooting time.

call Montgomery, directors office and raise helll.

I went on one Saturday 9/16 where the state guy could not have been nicer. he even drove his ranger out and helped us pack up our stuff. I left early but they were shooting until legal shooting time ended. Good thing he was nice because there weren't many birds and no food in the field. kids got a l little shooting in though.

Me and my boys have been to ADCNR youth hunts at 3 different locations in about twice as many years. All 3 have been night and day different from one another. But I will say I have never had any problems with any of the green jeans running it.

Sorry you had a bad experience. Maybe you just got the wrong guy on the wrong day. Agreed you should contact Montgomery. Nothing they can do to fix it if they don't know about it.

They usually send out a survey... maybe you can make note there as well.

Y'all talking about Bill Mason?

Yes.

I've been going to the youth hunts for nearly 12 years,through 2 different kids. Been great till the last couple or 3 years. It was so bad last year we didn't shoot even a box of shells between us on 3 hunts. I didn't even sign up for any this year.

Very sad situation.

They wonder why hunting licenses numbers are declining.

I'm not complaining about the number of birds because thats out of there control just the attitude. I understand quitting early to save the birds for the next day. But joe was telling me there isn't another shoot scheduled there. Which leads me yo believe there was going to be someone down there shooting Sunday

Man - that's awful. Call the director's office and let them know how you were treated.

Sounds like the Bill I know.

Sounds like a little history there...

I think he's saying Bill didn't get to be an asshole overnight....

Lol. Something like that.

For the kids hunt they should slather the wheat seed on and tell everyone be safe and let the kids have at it.
DOve hunting without doves...skeet shooting is better.

Went on an Arkansas youth duck hunt with my boys 10 years ago. Warden sitting beside me passing out copper plated lead 20 ga shells! LOL said they need all the help they can get!

Now that is the attitude that the Gw's should have on these youth hunts. It is about the kids. Make it enjoyable and fun and they will become lifelong hunters.

Well I personally know Bill and have never had a single problem with him at all. He is one of the nicest guys around and will give you the shirt off his back if you need it. HE is the only reason that everything gets ready out there for those kids for dove, deer and turkey season. But who knows y'all could have caught him on a bad day (which EVERYBODY has). But the right thing to do if you had a problem with him or the shoot would have been to pull him aside and talk to him like a man instead of bashing him on the internet like a junior high schooler.... I mean y'all are on the internet whining about what time they made you stop shooting at a FREE dove hunt. You yourself said you had your own dove field, so if you don't wanna go with what they say and be ok with it, stay at your field and leave that spot for someone more appreciative...and for the record, there is another shoot there in October.

Bill can come across as gruff at times but he puts one hell of a lot of work into the cattle ranch. I can assure anyone that he's got hours upon hours into trying to make that hunt a good one. You just have to get to know him I guess.