I have been duck hunting in West TN and Central AR the last five years and the duck hunting has declined considerably over what it used to be. Whole host of factors that contribute to the current situation. Have hunted with the same guy in AR off and on for the past 10 years and during our last hunt, out 12 hunters over 2.5 days, we killed one limit of ducks and I didn't even pull the trigger. The ducks were simply not in AR in mid-January. He notified us in late February that the ducks had finally arrived Its like this every year now.

The ducks get hammered harder and harder. More time spent in the fields and I doubt any resting areas. 30 years ago with a shorter season and lower limit they rested birds.

My unscientific speculation is that the migration is delayed in Canada and then stalls in the northern US (toward the end or even after their season goes out) because there's plenty of readily available food for the birds that hasn't been covered with snow/ice and there's open water. Blame whatever source you'd like - climate change (or Global Warming if you prefer); DU; etc. - but in my observation the birds simply don't have to move further south until much later in the winter.

The science backs it too.

Start about the 3:00 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do5sGkDQAQM&t=940s

Excel Outdoors had a series last year pointing out numerous thoughts on the subject. It was very informative and the guy named Larry mentioned hunter management and philosophy that brought some insight

Duck numbers at wheeler:

A lot of grass there on both sides of the causeway has really helped pull birds.

We’ve always had an early migration come thru. It seems they are getting here a little earlier. The late migration never seems to get here any more. Friends in Green Bay never see the large numbers pass thru for long. That group seems to follow the freeze line.

This year could be a great year and I hope we have one. I have water in my duck hole and last time we had water early we had a great season.

There’s no shortage of water. Unfortunately 😡

The season used to end 3rd Sunday in January and it took a lot of politicking to get another week. Everyone’s thought was we will get those late season stragglers. I doubt it has helped. By late season birds are hammered and decoy call shy as hell.

I agree totally with drake322s statement.

Arkansas was warned by the eastern shore goose guides about overplaying their hand. A lot of discussion was had in DU magazine about the issue. Another thing that really changed was goose hunting in the Midwest shifted to ducks too. Used to ducks were a passing thought then goose limit numbers went down and duck limit numbers went up. It is what it is now.

In the early 90s we ran across out of staters from MS TN and AL. Now GA FL and the Carolinas and Virginia are there.

The pressure is tenfold. We hunted public lands in Clarendon. When it became federal all hell broke loose for the worse.

I quit duck hunting for a few years cause it was so bad.

Never thought what was once considered a gentleman’s sport becoming a full contact sport which it has.

Yea I would’ve happily waited a few more weeks to get water. This sucks for the cotton farmers I’d imagine.

Crop is toast.

I've seen ducks flying every time I've been to the lake for the past few weeks. That's unusual. I also saw a few coming in to our pond this week. I never see any ducks on our pond til around the first of the year. Maybe you guys will have a big year.

A lot of those birds in N and S Dakota are going down the Central Flyway. Not all of them head down the MS Flyway. When people are talking about going to Kansas and places further West they are in a different flyway. Not sure everyone understands that.

Those people from West of us at one time came to Arkansas to hunt because there were more birds in the MS Flyway and now everyone is running over the Kansas hollering about how many birds they have. That just tells some of us that have been at this for 40 years we have screwed up and are about to ruin our hunting. We use to have a bunch from Kansas City that came every year and another from Oklahoma. They haven't hunting with us in the last couple years they are staying and hunting around there. Really screwed up situation.

But you won't hear the truth because there is a LOT riding on people coming in and leasing land and booking hunts in the MS Flyway. Go read the season setting framework if you can find it. It should be on the internet somewhere. You won't walk away with a warm fuzzy. When they went to 6/60's some of us said they will never go back and 25 years later they have proved us right.

SO TRUE! You know things are not quite right when you see two or three trucks/boats from Rome, GA at a small boat ramp on Neely Henry.

Having never been to AR, I can just relate to my local places I USED to hunt. Pressure in the simplest sense and the abundance of food in mid states sure makes it hard for a duck to migrate this far south. Guys I know that are lifers in Scottsboro have not had the ducks in years. Reaves, Ellis, Edwards that have all been in same camp since 70s say it is obvious they do not have to travel south anymore.

I’ve been hearing MS Flyway ducks are going West and geese are going East.

There is so many variables yet the most discounted seems to be hunting pressure. I disagree.

Just as mature bucks and older does respond quickly to hunting pressure so would fowl I’d assume to be so. The SandHills project in WI where they removed the entire deer herd to replace with better desirable genetics. The last deer killed was a button buck they tracked down in the snow. So even younger less expirenced deer can be quick learners or whatever one wants to call it.

Well, I saw a good opening weekend in the western LA coastal zone.....camp was a disaster, since the hurricanes totally destroyed it. Rebuilding slowly....but enough birds to limit out between 6:30-7, and get back to construction.

Mostly teal and shovelers, but good numbers of mallards, grays, divers, and even some mottled.

Duck season already opened there? We have another 11-12 days in MS.

Headed over this weekend to Ark for their opener. Birds reported in the area. So I’m optimistic

Coastal Zone opened the 14th

Band recoveries support the duck flyway moving west...goose flyway to the east.
Arkansas golden private ground is holding ducks but losing them due to warm weather. Louisiana reported lowest count on record for the November transects south of !-10.