Arkansas Outdoor Country Winter 2020

Arkansas Outdoor

THE OUTDOOR

Country Resource

COUNTRY TROUT FISHING IN ARKANSAS

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Let Arkansas Outdoor Country lead you down our country roads on your next Arkansas ADVENTURE!

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Contents 6 10

Wild

Recipes GOATS IN WINTER

UP FOR 18 BUNDLE CRAPPIE FISHING

20

AGFC

TROUT FISHING IN ARKANSAS

26 GOOD ‘OLE BOYS & DECOYS

29

SNAGGIN FOR SPOONBILL

32 New Madrid

what the quake didN’t do

Cover by photo: Rachel Cochran Arkansas Outdoor Country is a publication of Davis Productions. Editorial, advertising and general business information can be obtained by calling (870)335•7346 or email cindy@arkansasoutdoorcountry.com Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher, or the staff. Publisher does not promote or verify that information presented in this issue is accurate and neither Davis Productions, or any of its staff, is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine.

Davis Productions2015c. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publisher. God Bless the USA!

M AG A Z I N E

davis productions dp

Publisher of Arkansas Outdoor Country

Cindy Davis

Publisher•Editor•Executive Sales CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Trent Fleming Roger Finley Rachel Cochran Johnny Boatner Arkansas Parks and Tourism Encyclopedia of Arkansas Cindy Davis Arkansas Game & Fish Commission GRAPHIC DESIGN Rachel Cochran Executive Director • Conceptual Designer ACCOUNT SALES SPECIALIST Liz Cannady CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Cade Trickey Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Karen Walker Cindy Davis CIRCULATION Richard Janes

For advertising, distribution or editorial contributions contact: Cindy Davis 870-335-7346 Email us today: arkansasoutdoorcountry@gmail.com

Printed in the USA

I would like to say thank you from Arkansas Outdoor Country for the opportunity to share our stories and photos, past and present for others to enjoy through our magazine is simply amazing. AOC wants our readers to reflect on all the possiblites the outdoors has to offer, whether it’s jumping in mud puddles after a rain or learning to hunt for the very first time.

The outdoors has no bounderies. Remember each day is a gift, make the most of every day with family and friends, new and old.

Cindy Davis

Publisher Arkansas Outdoor Country

Proud Member and Supporters

“I look forward to crossing your path in life”

Arkansas Outdoor

THE OUTDOOR

Country Resource

COUNTRY

Winters in Arkansas are stunning, with very few snows that don’t last for very long. But our mild weather make enjoying the outdoors beauty possible most any day.

Please take the time to get out and enjoy the beauty, simplicity of life and down home greatness of our state when her colors are on full display!

Winter in Arkansas Your Home Away From Home

ies primary service rifle.

Many people question whether or not the AR rifle has a place in the hands of civilians for self-defense and hunting. In my opinion the adoption of this rifle that been in service for over 50 years follows the long of choosing the rifle that millions of vetTHE tradition OUTDOOR Country Resource erans became familiar with during their tour of duty. There are many variations of the AR rifle that make it excellent for hunting as well as a personal defense tool. Let’s take a look at many of the current variations of the AR rifle that are available for hunters today.

BRAND BUILDING, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT, There are two primary platforms of the AR rifle that are curGRAPHIC DESIGN INCLUDING: rently being used for hunting and personal protection. The origDigital Publishing, Business Cards, inal AR 10 platform that is the origin of the first AR rifles and the Logos, Posters, Brochures, AR 15 platform. The AR 15 rifle in 5.56 mm or 223 caliber is the Stickers and so much! classic military primarily usedAND from the 1960’s until today.

LETcaliber US WORK FOR YOU YOUR BUSINESS! ThisCALL rifle 870-335-7346 can be used with appropriate bullets for medium FOR MORE INFORMATION! size games such as deer. The low recoil and quick follow-up shots make this a choice for manyArkansas as a Outdoor first hunting rifle for deer size Arkansa or s Outdo s Outdo COUNTRY rkansa Y or A R T UN cartridge certainly is not Can game. The 5.56 orCO223 ideal OUN TRY deer cartridge and there are many other choices available for this rifle.

Seasons calibers by simply pushing With the AR rifle you can change e r MOON receiver and u nt out two pins and removing the barrel just like dve upper dventur e A AStarts ur e at home home...

Starts at dvenrtts at home... homee...

A Sta shotgun. Reinstalling a new upper on a single barrel receiver and barrel to change to a new caliber takes less than one minute and

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This charming home, situated in a safe, quiet neighborhood 10 minutes from AGFC WMA, Black River and Current River - ideal for duck hunting, fishing and water sports. Fully furnished. Full kitchen and laundry with all amenities & WiFi. (Extra room to serve as a mud room) Nightly, weekly, monthly rental for those in our area needing short term rental.

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Wild

Recipes

Lemon Chicken Soup

By Rachel Cochran

1 tablespoon olive oil 3 carrots, peeled and diced half of an onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 8–10 cups chicken broth 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup DeLallo whole wheat orzo 3-ish cups cooked chicken (I use shredded rotisserie Soup Base: Heat up a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic. Saute until fragrant and tender, about 10 minutes.

Orzo: Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the orzo and cook for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the chicken and remove from heat.

Eggs: Whisk the eggs and lemon juice together in a small

chicken) 3 eggs juice of 3–4 lemons (about 1/2 cup) a handful of fresh spinach 1 1/2 teaspoons salt lots of freshly ground pepper as much fresh dill as you can handle

bowl. The idea here is to warm up the egg mixture slowly (without scrambling the eggs). Slowly add a scoop of the soup into the egg mixture. Then add your warmed egg mixture back to the soup pot – slowly, slowly, slowly, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy.

Final touches: Finish by stirring in your spinach, salt, pepper, and dill and adjust seasonings to taste!

lemon

Pie

Crust: 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers 6 tablespoons butter , melted ⅓ cup sugar Pie Filling: 2 (14 ounce) cans Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (about 2 3/4 cup) 3 egg yolks ⅔ cup lemon juice 1 dash salt Whipped Cream: 1 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the Crust: Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Combine crushed graham crackers, butter, and sugar. Press into prepared pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes.

For the Pie Filling: Using a mixer, mix the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice ans salt together. Beat on medium speed for

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 6

4-5 minutes. Pour into pie crust and bake for 10 minutes at 350.

Little bubbles will start to surface. Cover the crust if it starts to brown too much towards the end.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

For the Whipped Cream: Mix the cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip until fluffy, and add to cooled lemon pie.

Classic Hot

Toddy

ž cup water 1 ½ ounces whiskey 2 to 3 teaspoons honey, to taste 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste 1 lemon round 1 cinnamon stick (optional, for garnish) In a teapot or saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. Pour the hot water into a mug.

Add the whiskey, 2 teaspoons honey and 2 teaspoon lemon juice. Stir until the honey has disappeared into the hot water. Taste, and add 1 teaspoon honey for more sweetness, and/or 1 teaspoon more lemon juice for more zing.

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 7

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RAISING GOATS

IN WINTER By: Ashley Lee of The Anderson Homestead Kirby, AR

FIRST THINGS FIRST...

Before I jump in to the simplicities and complications of keeping goats in the winter time on a small homestead, I first wanted to talk a little about WHY I would even want to keep goats in the winter time on a small homestead. The answer for me is simple, they prove to be both a source of wonderful joy as well as a source of meat in the freezer and milk in the refrigerator.

Depression is a silent killer. It’s something I’ve dealt with for most of my adult life. For those of us with depression, finding joy in even the simplest of things is essential to our development and healing. For me, it’s my animals. I live on a small homestead

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 10

in Southwest Arkansas in the tiny community of Daisy. I have a two year old daughter, 3 Nubian does, 1 mini Nubian doe, 1 hen and one great pyrenees. What others may see as chores, feeding animals, tending their needs and dealing with death on a regular basis, I see as therapy. It’s also much cheaper than your average therapy appointment so it’s a win-win.

You see, goats, dogs, chickens, they don’t have the capacity to judge you for your faults. All they want is food and a warm or cool place to sleep at night. Maybe some chin scratches, they’re simple. What comes into play here is my need to nurture. Sure, my goats probably don’t need all the extra treats and time I spend just being in my goat pen, but I do. I can be having a bad day

and go sit in with the goats and it seems as if they take all of my stresses away and everything is okay in my small corner of the world again.

Aside from the obvious emotional and mental healing benefits of raising animals, there’s also the added benefits of knowing where your food comes from. Anyone that knows me knows I don’t subscribe to all this pesticide and GMO craziness. I buy organic and I raise most of my own. I try my best to source my meat from the best local sources while I wait to have my own to add to my freezer. I don’t like the thought of my daughter eating weird antibiotics and hormones she doesn’t need. It gives me a peace of mind to not have to wonder about what our meat animals are fed their whole lives or what is going into my milk through my doe’s diet. I have a controlling hand in what my family consumes and I am relying less on factory farming. In the warm months we grow our own vegetables. Excess buck kids born here that aren’t fit for breeding will go to our freezers to help our meat supply through the winter. Eventually I will add meat rabbits and raise out a few meat chickens and possibly a couple turkeys. I’d also like to add fiber animals in the near future and learn how to spin and weave.

The idea of making my own clothes is something quite fascinating.

don’t graze as much as they eat up in the bushes and low hanging tree branches. That being said, they don’t need as many supplements in the summer because they have extra nutrition from the extra forage. On my homestead they all get a hefty dose of B complex (make sure it has Thiamine in it) and a couple different herbal mixes to support their immune systems right as the weather starts getting colder. We get wonky hot and cold days in the fall/winter and it can create problems such as pneumonia so just make sure you’re keeping their immune systems boosted. I usually give a dose of B complex once a month until the green comes back in the Spring. I also add either a bricked or loose mineral depending on what I have access to that has all the minerals they need in their diet in it. They also get probiotics and black oil sunflower seeds in their grain mix.

Now you know the easiest way to tend your goats in the winter on a small homestead! Follow us on Facebook @TheAndersonHomestead71950. ADGA Nubians, MDGA mini Nubians, Eggs, Goat milk, soap, cheese, etc. Products expected to arrive in 2021 or sooner!

WINTERIZING YOUR GOATS

Goats in general are pretty easy to keep. Contrary to what the internet says, they don’t need clothes or to live in the house to survive. In Arkansas, we rarely have to worry about temperatures that reach below zero very often, if at all. All we have to worry about is below freezing. Goats can vary in their needs, I have seen goats that need a goat coat in the winter time but this is actually counterproductive to coat growth. Goat coats make goats cold because they can’t fluff up right to keep themselves warm.

On the cold nights, goats will snuggle up on each other. They stay plenty warm that way. On my homestead my goats have access to hay 24/7 and they get a grain mix once a day. In the winter time I always make sure to check that hay feeder before I go to bed. A full belly equals a warm goat. Goats are ruminants and the energy from digestion creates heat that also helps keep them warm in winter. In short, goats eat to stay warm! The hardest thing I’ve found about keeping goats in winter is having to constantly smash the ice out of their water buckets when the temps dip below freezing. You can actually buy heated water containers but they’re kind of pricey and I can’t really afford them. As long as your goats have 4 walls to block the wind and constant access to hay and unfrozen water sources you’re golden in your winter goat shepherding!

NUTRITION & EXTRA SUPPLEMENTS

In the winter, I always like to add extra nutritional supplements. In the warmer months, my goats get to forage among a variety of different bushes. Goats are natural foragers, so they

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MEET DIRECTOR

PAT FITTS 2018-PRESENT

By Cindy Davis

Elk, bear, deer, alligators, buffalo and hundreds of other species of wildlife and fish were abundant in the early years of Arkansas’ statehood. By the early 1900s, Americans spreading west began replacing vast forests with cities, cropland and pastures. Machines and factories replaced hand labor and small shops. Travel by foot, paddle and horse gave way to vehicles and vessels. Wildlife had changed too. Elk, bison, swans, prairie chickens and passenger pigeons were gone from the state. Duck, quail, deer, black bears and fish were much harder to come by. Something had to be done.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was created in 1915, with a mission to conserve and enhance Arkansas’s fish and wildlife and their habitats while promoting sustainable use, public understanding and support.

The commission started with nine-game wardens that were hired for $80 a month and they even had to furnish their own horses. After World War II, biologists were added to expand the commission’s focus from primarily the enforcement of wildlife regulations to active habitat and species management. Since the commission’s inception in 1915, Arkansans have seen wildlife in Arkansas rebound from dangerously low populations to rival the days when the state’s bounty seemed endless. As it turns 105, its role as the state’s

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 14

leader in enforcing wildlife regulations, habitat management, public land access, conservation education and protection of non-game species continues to grow.

A few of the major accomplishes of the last century include:

• The building of one of the oldest and largest fish hatchery systems in the country • White-tail deer rebound from a few hundred in the ’40s to annual harvest over 200,000 • The introduction of trout to federal dam tailwaters, where native warm-water fish could no longer thrive.

• Helping to make the Buffalo River the First National River and saving it from development • The reintroduction of black bears in Arkansas is considered the most successful reintroduction of a large carnivore in the world • Building and expanding public access to anglers to more than 600,000 acres of lakes and 100,000 miles of rivers and streams • Creation of the WMA system and cooperatively managed public land to 3.2 million acres • Expanding programs to support private landowners

for wildlife habitat • Development of hunter education, boating education and shooting sports programs A single organization has not executed these efforts.

Arkansas’s conservation success is a product of many people with many goals, culminating in thriving wildlife and fish throughout The Natural State. However, one man sits at the helm of the states leading conservation agency. As the Director of AGFC, Pat Fitts is steering the states leading conservation organization into the future. Fitts was appointed to serve as the 18th Director of the AGFC in January of 2018. His diversified career in wildlife conservation, long-term leadership in AGFC and his visionary leadership for the future of the agency make Pat Fitts the right fit at the right time to lead AGFC. Pat Fitts never imagined he would one day be the Director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, but he feels his path in life lead him exactly where he was always meant to be.

“After high school graduation, I had talked myself into holding off on college and seeing what the future held for me. Then one day I was working at the AGFC fishery near Lonoke with a young man named Lingo, who was in his first year of college.

It was a hot summer day and we had already shucked off our shirts and stood in an old flat bottom boat putting out chemicals in a pond. I told Lingo ‘I am gonna wait a year or so for college, right now I’m living the dream, making $6,000 a year what more do I need?’ “ “Pat think we’re putting chemicals out on a pond with the heat beating down on us and if you stay at this, not looking to go forward with your life, before long you’ll find yourself a crippled ole man.” said, Lingo.

“I heard him loud and clear. So, my story began that day.

I’m truly living the dream. You need to keep moving forward, never wait, always look forward!”

And that’s precisely how Pat’s life has been. He knew after college, he wanted to be a part of the AGFC, and the rest is history.

“Because of David Lingo, I went on to get a college degree, met my wife, Alice, and started from the ground up as a biologist and later transitioning to the enforcement division as a wildlife officer, I loved it. From my young days as a teenager working during the Summer months at fisheries mowing pond levees--to my field days as an officer, the AGFC has always been in my blood.” I was catching bad guys, getting to work with the public solving problems, planting food plots, and spending time and effort to make things better for our wildlife. Each time I was promoted, I never saw it as another step towards the director. It wasn’t something I set out to become. But my service to the agency, the resources of Arkansas and Arkansans led me here.”

Pat’s experience gives him the ability to see the bigger

picture the agency has needed. Not quick to judge, but instead gathers up the facts to issues that arise so that a more informed decision can be made that affect the tasks that lie ahead for the AGFC. “I’m proud of the agency and what we do: It’s a total group effort, we are responsible for millions of acres and the wildlife that calls it home. The things we do can’t be measured in money, knowing we are making a difference for the outdoors is the passion that drives us.

AGFC faces many conservation challenges: • Rapid urbanization and an alarming loss of habitat • The decline in quail and turkey populations.

• Maintenance of the existing infrastructure of conserved lands, dams and waterways.

• The financial and natural resource impact from the 15% decline in resident hunters and an 18% decline in resident anglers.

• A growing number of rare species of greatest concern (377) in our Statewide Wildlife Action Plan.

• Significant forest health issues across the 49 public Greentree reservoirs impacting more than 50,000 acres of flooded habitat for waterfowl and world-renowned hunting opportunities.

• The negative impacts on infrastructure and natural resources from the frequency of record flood events • Diversifying public land usage for a new breed of outdoor recreation activities.

• Identifying new revenue sources to fill the growing funding gap.

• Responding to emerging wildlife diseases and invasive species.”

The AGFC remains on the front lines of Arkansas conservation, determining best practices, planning for the future and finding ways to stretch funding. It works with other state agencies and private organizations to ensure that natural resources remain in place for future generations. The players tasked with this stewardship recognize the significance of their charge, both from a sustainability standpoint and a financial one. Arkansas is the Natural State, after all, and connection to the land and water is ingrained into its culture. Outdoor recreation fueled by conservation is a catalyst for enjoyment, economic growth and prosperity across the state.

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 15

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\BUNDLE UP

For Crappie Fishing!

During the colder months, schools of crappie gather together into larger groups, so once you find that perfect spot, you can literally sit back and catch one fish after another.

If you’re ready to brave the frigid temperatures to catch your limit in crappie, there’s some tried and true tips that the best anglers follow. Here’s our top 10 list: FIND THE SLABS Crappie feed heavily in cold waters, and once you locate their preferred spot, you can anchor and easily fill your live-well—the trick is finding it. Once water temperature falls to the low 50s, crappie seek cover. They can usually be found grouped together near boat docks, trees, stumps and brush piles.

CAST AT AN ANGLE Anchoring directly over the brush in clear waters can spook crappie, so anglers are inclined to cast rather than vertical jig. Because crappie are usually gathered in one particular spot, you’ll want to cast frequently as you test the waters.

VERTICAL JIG If the water is murky, vertical jigging up and down around brush piles, trees and stumps can help you locate crappie at various depths with fewer snags than casting. Avoid spooking the fish by using a 10- to 12-foot rod.

FISH AREAS THOROUGHLY

It’s hard to catch your limit of crappie without thoroughly fishing an area. Once you’ve chosen a brush pile, tree or boat dock to fish for crappie, make sure you fish the entire structure at every depth and from every angle. You might not get a single bite on one side of a brush pile before hooking a fish for every cast on the other side. Once you get a bite, your best bet is to go right back to the same spot and at the same depth to find more fish.

TAKE NOTE OF PATTERNS If crappie are schooled at 15 feet in one brush pile, it’s likely they will be at the same depth near another brush pile in the lake.

Take note of where you’re getting bites, and fish in similar areas for the best chance of finding more fish.

Slow Your Presentation Because everything below the surface of the water moves slower in the wintertime, choose jigs that also move slowly. A lightweight jig will not sink as fast as a heavier one, so most anglers stick to the small ones in the winter. Heavier line will also slow your approach by causing more resistance in the water, and even a bobber will slow a jig.

Float rigs are great for allowing the jig to be suspended underwater so you can work it at any pace. If fishing crappie at depths below six feet, a slip cork might be more practical than a traditional float rig.

(870) 701-5008 1180 Hometown Commons • Mountain Home, AR 72653 Arkansas Outdoor Country / 18

Even Arkansans love the Beverly Hillbillies! To this day I tease my son and call him “Jethro” every time he eats a bowl of cereal out of a mixing bowl.

The show touched on the heart of the stereotype alot of folks who aren’t from here have toward Arkansans. Recently I discovered, maybe that stereotype “ain’t” such bad thing.

My family like many across the state of Arkansas take pride in our stewardship of the outdoors and our love of our animal friends.

One of the biggest lessons we focus on is not to be wasteful. If we kill an animal, we use the animal. We are just as proud of our wracks of antlers on our walls as any hunting family, but we never waste any part of our kills.

Which brings me to an interesting night not so long ago when we were coming down the road to our house and hit a rabbit. A big rabbit. But rather than just saying “Oh well poor guy.” and driving on...we went full Clampett and brought it home!

I know how it sounds, but this wasn’t road kill that had sat on the road in the full sun, lets get that straight. This was a fresh kill.

It would be a complete waste of good meat, to just leave it. My kids weren’t so convinced! The

look on their faces: priceless.

We brought our bunny inside and my daughter Destiny who is seven, wrinkled her face and stuck out her tongue.

“Awe, is he ok? Can we try to make him better?” she asked.

“If he wasn’t already dead baby we would try to. So instead we are going to clean him up and fry him. He will be delicious!” Again, she gives me the look, the one that begs “who are you and what have you done with my mother?”. With a grin, all I can think is “I can’t wait until your a teenager.”

We took our kill out to the shop and set up to skin him. My oldest son Aidan held the feet as my fiancée Frankie tugged his hide off, and began to gut him.

At first, as always, the kids were disgusted but soon enough curiosity caught up and so began our dive into an anatomy lesson.

We talked about and identified all the innards: the heart, the kidneys, lungs and even how to tell the sex. Once he was thoroughly cleaned we set out to cut him up. I let my little girl rub him down with olive oil and plenty of salt, garlic and rosemary. Then we vacuum sealed and put him in the refrigerator to marinate. The next day we fried up our rabbit with some good gravy and mashed potatoes.

I know road kill doesn’t exactly sound appetizing but I also feel that common sense goes along way. I am proud of our time together as a family and stereotype or no stereotype, fresh rabbit is fresh rabbit.

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Arkansas Outdoor Country / 19

Trout Fishing in Arkansas

Photo Courtesy of Cade Trickey

Most people do not realize that the big beautiful trout so verily sought after in many of Arkansas numerous water ways are not actually native to Arkansas waters. Arkansas trout fisheries are the result of frigid cold-water discharge downstream from many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams throughout the state.

Before these dams, rivers such as the White River were full of smallmouth bass and other warm-water fish. When the dams were put in the frigid coldwater discharge that is released at the bottom of the dams, wiped out the smallmouth fisheries.

The federal government mitigated the damage through the annual stocking of trout, which can handle much colder water temperatures. Brown trout can reproduce successfully in some Arkansas trout fisheries; however, most areas rely heavily on annual stockings of both rainbow and brown trout.

Generating an estimated $180 million annually, trout fishing is not only a wonderful past time for Arkansans but is also generating big revenue across the state. This figure includes expenditures on fishing and fishing-related expenses and money spent by trout-fishing tourists.

The four major rivers that support this industry: the Little Red River, White River, Norfork

River and the Spring River produce amazingly beautiful Rainbow and Brown trout.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recently made an increase from $5 to $10 for in-state trout permits and an $8 increase from $12 to $20 for out-of-state residents. The funding provided by the permits is dedicated to funding the AGFC’s Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery, trout management and improving fishing opportunities in the state. This is the first increase to the resident stamp since 1987 and the first increase to the nonresident stamp since 2003.

In 2006, the AGFC Trout Management manProgram developed a comprehensive man puragement plan for the tailwaters. The pur pose of the plan was to establish specific goals and objectives, which have guided management of the trout fisheries over develthe last decade. Central to the plan devel inopment process was an intensive public in devolvement effort used to help ensure the de sires and expectations of the angling public were a part of the embodied goals. In 2017, the plan was revisited to determine if man management objectives were met and to ensure that plan goals were still in line with public values and interests.

Jim Hinkle Spring River State Hatchery

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 21

each fall. The brown trout spawning run typically occurs from mid-October through November, making these especially good times to fish. Brown trout running 5 to 8 pounds are common and catching a 20- to 30-pounder is always possible. Every time you fish these waters is another opportunity to try and top the former world-record of 40-pound, 4-ounce brown trout that the late Howard “Rip” Collins of Heber Springs, Arkansas, landed on the Little Red. Fly-fishers on the Little Red often try for both trout species using flies that include sowbugs, wooly buggers and a variety of emergers.

The Spring River

The Spring River is located on the Missouri border in north Arkansas near Mammoth Springs. The best opportunity fishing is when there is flooding at the other major rivers in the state.

The top part of the Spring River gives the best opportunity for fly fishin for those hunting for trout. The best trout water only lasts around 10 miles. Favorite places to walk-in are from Mammoth Spring to Dam 3. You can rent a canoe, and boat fishing is best after this dam.

The Norfork River

The Norfork River is only 5 river miles of trout water, but it is a gem in our state. The river is a tailwater with Norfork Lake being its source. The Norfork River also held the brown trout record in 1988 with a weight of 39 pounds. The Norfork also offers a chance to catch four species of trout with the rainbow being the most common in the river. Walk–in access points include Quarry Park right below the dam, River Ridge Access (handicap accessible). And Baxter Road runs parallel to the river offering some access to the river.

One special stretch of water that cannot be missed when visiting the Norfork River is Dry Run Creek. This is a unique

The Little Red River

The trout fishing stretch of the Little Red is ~30 river miles from Greers Ferry Dam to the Highway 305 Bridge near Dewey.

But the Little Red is anything but little in the hearts of trout fishermen who flock to the river in search of big fish. Stocked rainbow trout provide the bulk of the Little Red River’s fish population – hatchery fish raised on a diet of commercial trout chow. Yet few will ignore offerings of whole-kernel corn, night crawlers, cheese and other baits. There are wild fish, too – big brown trout, sleek and magnificent, that spawn on shoals

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 22

creek and a true gem in our state. This is strictly catch-andrelease water. The only people who can fish in the creek are kids under 16 and people who are disabled. Everyone should walk along the creek and see the amazing trout that live in the small stream.

erators that can release water, but the White River has eight generators. Some of the more famous walk-in points are Wildcat Shoal, Roundhouse Shoal and Rim Shoals. I think the best way to enjoy and cover more water is by boat. The White is a fantastic streamer river and the best hopper river in the state.

If big water is what you are after this is the river for you.

Learn to identify redds:

The White River

The White River is a very large river compared to all others on this list. The White River boasts more than 100 miles of trout water. There are a tremendous number of access points on the river. The best thing to do before going the first time is to call the local fly shops and pick a small part of the river to fish. The White River differs from the other trout rivers in Arkansas on how much water can go through the river.

The Little Red River and The Norfork River have two gen-

Trout redds, or nests, are clean oval patches of small to medium-sized gravel and are typically 2 to 3 feet in diameter.

Redds are typically lighter-colored than surrounding gravel with a small depression where gravel has been excavated and deposited in a mound over the clutch of eggs. Anglers should be careful when wading and not trample redds.

Practice safe handling of spawning trout: Spawning is a stressful activity for trout. They expend energy traveling to spawning locations, excavating redds, spawning, and guarding redds. Anglers should use caution if they choose to fish for spawning trout and should take the following precautions.

• Avoid snagging fish on redds • Use barbless hooks • Land fish as quickly as possible • Wet hands before handling trout • Don’t squeeze trout • Don’t pump stomachs And remember, more information is always available at no cost from any of the experts at our local fly shops.

| Scheduled Of Interest | Scheduled Of Interest Trout Stockings Trout forStockings 2020 for 2020 JANUARY

FEBRUARY JANUARY MARCH FEBRUARY APRILMARCH

Beaver Dam Tailwater Beaver (White DamRiver)** Tailwater (White River)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 4000 40004000 11340 4000 11030 11340 Brown Trout Brown Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Blanchard Springs (Mirror Blanchard Lake)** Springs (Mirror Lake)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 600 600 600 600 600 1470 600 Lake Catherine (Carpenter Lake Catherine Dam Tailwater)** (Carpenter Dam Tailwater)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 9300 12000 9300 9700 12000 4320 9700 Lake Hamilton (Blakely Lake Dam Hamilton Tailwater)** (Blakely Dam Tailwater)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 9000 91259000 9000 9125 3375 9000 Greers Ferry Tailwater Greers (Little Ferry RedTailwater River)**(Little Red River)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 6170 61656170 16240 6165 16240 16240 Narrows Dam Tailwater** Narrows Dam Tailwater** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 14500 13180 14500 1500013180 1980 15000 Brown Trout Brown Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Norfork Dam Tailwater** Norfork Dam Tailwater** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 2100 21002100 4200 2100 5975 4200 Brook Trout Brook Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brown Trout Brown Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cutthroat Trout Cutthroat Trout 5000 0 5000 0 0 0 0 Ouachita River (Remmel Ouachita DamRiver Tailwater)** (Remmel Dam Tailwater)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 3200 18003200 2000 1800 1500 2000 Spring River** Spring River** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 2570 24502570 8900 2450 10480 8900 Brown Trout Brown Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Upper Little Missouri Upper RiverLittle (Albert Missouri Pike Recreational River (AlbertArea)** Pike Recreational Area)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 1090 10901090 1900 1090 1900 1900 Bull Shoals Tailwater Bull (White ShoalsRiver)** Tailwater (White River)** Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout 23700 23700 23700 6400023700 6400064000 Brook Trout Brook Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brown Trout Brown Trout 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cutthroat Trout Cutthroat Trout 35000 0 35000 0 0 0 0 Seasonal and FamilySeasonal and Community and Family Sites and Community Sites Van Buren City ParkVan Buren City Park 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Conway Station ParkConway Pond (Conway) Station Park Pond (Conway) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Paradise Park (Jacksonvillle) Paradise Park (Jacksonvillle) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Searcy City Lake (Searcy) Searcy City Lake (Searcy) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Carol Ann Cross Lake Carol (Fort Ann Smith) Cross Lake (Fort Smith) 1150 380 1150 0 380 0 0 MacArthur Park Pond MacArthur (Little Rock) Park Pond (Little Rock) 760 380 760 0 380 0 0 Rock Creek (Little Rock) Rock Creek (Little Rock) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Boyle Park Pond (Little BoyleRock) Park Pond (Little Rock) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Western Hills (LittleWestern Rock) Hills (Little Rock) 380 0 380 0 0 0 0 Cabot Community Cabot Pond Community Pond 750 750 750 0 750 0 0 Lake Valencia (Maumelle) Lake Valencia (Maumelle) 750 750 750 0 750 0 0 Sherwood Community Sherwood Pond Community Pond 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Cherrywood Lake (Sherwood) Cherrywood Lake (Sherwood) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Pleasant View Park Pond Pleasant (Russellville) View Park Pond (Russellville) 450 450 450 0 450 0 0 Martin Luther KingMartin Park Pond Luther (Pine King Bluff) Park Pond (Pine Bluff) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 White Hall Community WhitePond Hall Community Pond 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Entergy Park (Hot Springs) Entergy Park (Hot Springs) 600 600 600 0 600 0 0 Family Park Pond (Hot Family Springs) Park Pond (Hot Springs) 500 500 500 0 500 0 0 Lake Benjamin (Glenwood) Lake Benjamin (Glenwood) 500 500 500 0 500 0 0 Lake Dieffenbacher Lake (Texarkana) Dieffenbacher (Texarkana) 500 500 500 0 500 0 0 Wells Lake (Fort Smith) Wells Lake (Fort Smith) 900 900 900 0 900 0 0 Murphy Park Pond Murphy (Springdale) Park Pond (Springdale) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Lake Springdale (Springdale) Lake Springdale (Springdale) 750 750 750 0 750 0 0 Lake Bentonville (Bentonville) Lake Bentonville (Bentonville) 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Tilden Rodgers ParkTilden Pond (West Rodgers Memphis) Park Pond (West Memphis) 750 750 750 0 750 0 0 Craighead Forest Park Craighead Pond (Jonesboro) Forest Park Pond (Jonesboro) 150 0 150 0 0 0 0 Arkansas State UniversityCampus Arkansas State Pond UniversityCampus Pond 380 380 380 0 380 0 0 Mike and Janet Huckabee Mike and Pond Janet (Hope) Huckabee Pond (Hope) 250 250 250 0 250 0 0 Marion City Pond (Marion) Marion City Pond (Marion) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wynne City Pond (Wynne) Wynne City Pond (Wynne) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Reynolds Pond (Paragould) Reynolds Pond (Paragould) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Torraine Lake (Ft. Smith) Torraine Lake (Ft. Smith) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Amon’s Lake (Mountain Amon’s Home) Lake (Mountain Home) 450 450 450 450 450 450 450 Lake Atalanta (Rogers) Lake Atalanta (Rogers) 1150 11501150 0 1150 0 0 Salem City Lake (Salem) Salem City Lake (Salem) 225 0 225 0 0 0 0 Rich Mountain CCRich PondMountain ( Mena) CC Pond ( Mena) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stinger Lake (Mountain Stinger View) Lake (Mountain View) 150 150 150 0 150 0 0 Grand Total Grand Total

2020

Scheduled

Trout Stocking

14

14

| Scheduled Of Interest | Scheduled Of Interest Trout Stockings Trout forStockings 2020 for 2020 APRIL

MAY

JUNE

MAY JULY

JUNE AUGUST JULY SEPTEMBER AUGUST OCTOBER SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER OCTOBER DECEMBER NOVEMBER 2020 TOTALS DECEMBER 2020 TOTALS

11030 11200 0 0

9600 0

11200 10235 9600 10275 10235 10235 10275 9680 10235 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22359680 6000 0

24002235 0 6000

962302400 6000 0

1470

1470

1470

1470 1800

1470 1800

600 865

600 600

13335600

13335

4320

0

0

00

0 0

0

0

0

0

0

1420 0

28951420

396352895

39635

3375

0

00

0 0

0

0

0

0

0

96230 6000

1425 0

31401425

350653140

35065

16240 16240

21955

16240 20075 21955 21015 20075 16010 21015 1695016010

16950 16950

617016950

1801806170

180180

1980 0

1000 0

1000 0

10000 00

55201520 1400 0

54805520 0 1400

591805480 1400 0

59180 1400

5975 0 0 0

8280 0 0 0

8000 0 0 0

8280 10145 8000 9480 02700 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0

34308070 0 0 2500 0 0 0

21003430 0 0 0 2500 0 0

733102100 2700 0 2500 0 5000 0

73310 2700 2500 5000

1500

0

10480 11620 0 0 1900

0

64000 84000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 450 0 0 0 0

Grand TotalArkansas Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Game and Fish Trout Commission Fishing Guidebook Trout Fishing 2020 Guidebook 2020

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

18001460 1800 865 1460

0 11820 0 0

00

10000 0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

1520 0

0 0

101459430 9480 8070 9430 2700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

0

0

0

11620 11800 11820 12120 11800 10800 12120 6040 10800 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

0 0

0

0

0

0

0

110100 84000 110100 110100 90100 110100 59300 90100 5930059300 0 05800 0 0 5800 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

0

24706040 4000 0

2620 0

111202620

11120

21902470 0 4000

932602190 4000 0

93260 4000

530 0

1090530

76001090

7600

59300 59300 0 0 33000 0 0 0

23700 59300 0 0 0 33000 0 0

771300 23700 5800 0 33000 0 35000 0

771300 5800 33000 35000

380 380 380 380 380 380 0 380 380 380 380 380 380 0 380 380 0 0 750 750 750 750 380 380 380 380 900 0 380 380 380 0 450 450 380 380 380 0 380 0 900 900 380 380 750 750 380 380 750 0 150 0 380 380 380 0 380 0 380 0 380 0 380 0 450 450 11501150 225 0 450 0 0 0

1520 380 1520 380 1520 380 1140 0 1520 380 2290 380 380 380 1520 380 380 0 3000 750 3000 750 1520 380 1520 380 1800 900 1520 380 380 380 2100 450 1760 380 1380 380 1380 380 3600 900 1520 380 3000 750 1520 380 2250 750 300 150 1520 380 880 380 380 380 380 380 380 380 380 380 2700 450 4600 1150 450 225 450 450 300 0 1531375

1520 1520 1520 1140 1520 2290 380 1520 380 3000 3000 1520 1520 1800 1520 380 2100 1760 1380 1380 3600 1520 3000 1520 2250 300 1520 880 380 380 380 380 2700 4600 450 450 300 1531375

380 380 380 380 380 380 0 380 0 750 750 380 380 0 380 0 450 380 0 0 900 380 750 380 0 0 380 0 0 0 0 0 450 1150 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1,531,37515

Arkansas Game and Arkansas Fish Commission Game and Fish Trout Commission Fishing Guidebook Trout Fishing 2020 Guidebook 2020

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 23

15

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ARKANSAS TROPHY

HUNTING

Eco Tours Also Available!

Buck Hollow RancH Welcome to Buck Hollow Ranch...

Buck Hollow is a 2,600-acre Commercial Wildlife Hunting Resort licensed by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. The pride of Buck Hollow Ranch is in our hunts, most famous for our spectacular fair chase hunting, which is unlike anything else in Arkansas.

Fair Chase Hunting Only Whitetail deer over one-hundred-and-fifty pounds, full adult turkeys, and, most impressively, a herd of free-ranging elk. All wildlife are self-sustaining, “We offer fair chase hunting!”

Whether you are a novice, or a seasoned and expert huntsmen, the hunting preserve at Buck Hollow Ranch will give you the hunting experience you have always dreamed of.

Each hunt is guided and custom-designed specifically to be the hunt you desire. Our trophy qualifications set the bar high. We will do everything to ensure your hunt is everything you hope it to be, but even we cannot guarantee that will mean coming back with a trophy.

Buck Hollow has always taken pride in the fact that its hunting is FAIR CHASE ONLY!

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870-926-8446

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TODAY

Good ‘Ole Boys AND Decoys

BY JOHNNY BOATNER

Having moved back to my home state after 35 years of living in Minnesota I was looking forward to getting into some good Arkansas duck hunting.

The duck hunting in Minnesota had been exciting but sometimes a tough sort that left something to be desired. It wasn’t a thing you could always depend on as sometimes the lakes were froze solid by the opening weekend of duck season. If the water didn’t freeze over then the ducks had 14,583 lakes plus numerous rivers to thin out over. This made hunting ducks in Minnesota mostly a hit or miss situation. You could get lucky and really get into them or you might hunt your butt off for three days and never fire a shot.

When it’s a good wild rice year in Minnesota you can have fantastic shooting so long as you have open water. But, there’s a price to pay when hunting wild rice lakes. They are usually very shallow with a very, very boggy bottom. The locals refer to them as “four feet of loom crap covered by six inches of murky water”.

That presents some rough boating and they are nearly impossible to wade through. Some of these areas are so boggy that you can stand on one side, shake the ground and watch the tamarack trees tremble on the other side of the lake. This is not the kind of stuff I care to wade, or matter of fact, even send my dog wading into.

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 26

There are few guys in Minnesota who have more than three days at one time to duck hunt as the work force up north generally work in factories or an office and find it hard to get off from their jobs for many prolonged hunting trips each year. Unlike many of their counters parts in the south where most duck hunters do not work in industry and thereby many of them have the whole duck season off from work to pursue their pleasure.

After being back in Arkansas for a while and finally getting moved into our new home I had enough time to try some of the great duck hunting it provided. When I had moved back from Minnesota I had assumed that it would be easy to begin hunting with my two brothers-in-law who did a lot of duck hunting. It didn’t take long to figure out that this was not to be the case though as they both already had their own established hunting groups. With the brother-in-law scenario not working out I tried hunting on my own, but hunting on my own didn’t produce many ducks for the pot. I became so desperate that I telephoned up a couple of old classmates whom I had graduated high school with so long ago to see if I might hunt with them in their flooded rice fields. They too seemed to have their own established full group with “no room at the Inn” left for me. After 35 years of absence, these “good ole boy groups” were proving hard to break into.

In modern day Arkansas I found that most of the good duck

hunting area is either leased includes Delaplaine, Peach rice fields or the flooded rivAr Orchard and Knobel, Arer bottoms managed by the kansas and is one of, if not Fish & Game Department. I one the best places to hunt soon realized that if I didn’t ducks in all of America. want to pay a King’s ransom The numerous rice fields for a spot in some farmers and flooded timber draws rice field I would have to mallards by the millions. hunt the river bottoms.

Jack was born and raised These huge areas of in this area of northeast flooded river bottoms can proba Arkansas and has probabe very intimidating. The rivbly killed more ducks than er itself is exciting, yet a bit ninety nine percent of the spooky. Boating the in the other duck hunters who predawn darkness gives you live around there. Not only an ominous feeling interminis he a dead shot with his gled with your anticipatory ole three-inch Browning thoughts. During those river 12 gauge but with a duck trips the thoughts and feelcaller in his mouth he could ings are usually interrupted land ducks in a Wal-Mart several times by the three or Bill, Jack, Bill Don, and Kevin Weitkamp parking lot. four dozen high powered boats Jack finally invited me adorned with their million candle powered spot lights whizzing on a duck hunting forage with them. There were five of us and pass you in the early morning darkness, all of them being in a race forage is a good word to describe the hunt as we all had our limit and vying to be the first hunters into the best duck holes which of ducks in just a few minutes after opening shooting hours. This the flooded timber offers. was quite a change of what I had become used to while honing Here again I found that while I was hunting the flooded bot- on my own. toms if I didn’t get into one of those good holes I wasn’t going to Jack and I hit it off well as hunting partners and after a few shoot at many ducks as they tended to shy away from the actual hunts together we found that our talents complimented each river. If it’s one of those rare cold weather spells when the flood- other’s. We found that my ears and eyes would hear and locate ed areas freeze over then the river itself with its current offering circling ducks first and then by me pointing them out to Jack he the only open water to be found and will support some shooting. would get on his duck caller and entice them into our decoys Another thought here is, if it’s cold enough to freeze the flooded where in most cases I’d watch as Jack shot most of the ducks bearea it will also freeze the water in the rice fields and ninety per- fore I could get my gun shouldered. cent of the ducks will pick up and fly farther south seeking open During the first few hunts I found it amusing that Jack was water and you’ll probably be hard pressed to get much shooting overly cautious with his hunting spots keeping me turned around anyhow. So, if you are new in the area don’t expect to harvest and completely lost in the flooded timer, so I wouldn’t be able many ducks on the river by itself. to find the place where we had been hunting without him. It The first year back had become terribly frustrating for this seemed that Jack had been burned in the past by people he had wannabe duck hunter and I was beginning to have some second taken to one his spots. The next thing he would knew, Jack shows thoughts about this whole duck hunting struggle. No hunting up to hunt his spot only to find the novice hunter hunting in his with the brothers-in-law, no hunting with the classmates, I didn’t hole with his own buddies. I knew where Jack was coming from as know the river bottoms well enough to be effective, the leased I have had the same thing happen to me by some of my so-called rice fields cost too much, I was really beginning to wonder, what bowhunting buddies in Minnesota. You show someone one of the heck was going on and what the heck was I doing? your good deer stands then the next thing you knew you’d show The second-year things changed though. In the off season up an hour before daylight at your chosen place and find some I had stopped in at Carter City & County Realty to check out a jerk already occupying your deer stand. firearm ad Larry Carter had placed in the local paper and quite Hunting with these guys awhile it didn’t take too long to figby accident I happened to meet Jack Weitkamp who was in there ure out that my slow reflexes and the light 12 gauge I was carrying checking out an ad on some hill property. I had heard about Jack’s wasn’t going to take many ducks around these veteran shooters. duck hunting prowess and with one of his sons-in-law being a By the time the ducks were in range of my light gun Jack, Bill, Bill shirttail relative of my wife, I at least had a starting place to get to Don and Kevin with their heavy 12-gauge guns would have ducks know him better. falling all over me so the best I could do was cover up to keep After meeting Jack at the realty office, I stopped by his home from getting thumped in the face by the falling fowl. a couple of times and visited with him. Soon I met his son, Bill and Chris Rice, another grandson of Jacks, showed me a remedy his two grandsons, Billy Don and Kevin who are good duck hunt- for this as one day he happened to be hunting with us and was ers. Jack is a retired rice farmer with a lovely understanding wife suing his Browning 10-gauge pump. I noticed that he didn’t have when it comes to his hunting. The area around where Jack lives any problem of being out shot by these guys, plus the range that and where he has practiced his craft of duck hunting all his life he was making clean killing shots was impressive. Also, he didn’t

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 27

seem to be getting kicked very hard by the big gauge gun. I had only fired a 10 gauge once before, it was a Mossberg and when I shot it I swear that it tore my brain loose. For three days after that shot I could shake my head and feel my brain floating loosely around inside of my skull. Reluctantly, I asked Chris if I could fire his Browning once and he said I could. Surprisingly, it didn’t kick any harder that the light 12 gauge I was carrying. What a relief!

I remembered that the Mossberg had only weighed about seven pounds whereas the Browning weighed a little more than 12 pounds thus producing much less agony on the butt end of the firearm.

The next morning, I showed up with my own Browning 10-gauge pump. By the end of the morning ‘s hunt with my new equalizer and the blessing that I could usually see the ducks before the other guys, I had my gun up and blazing away as the ducks entered the treetops over the decoys. I could finally compete.

The ducks hunting had finally come around and had turned out to be a very successful endeavor. And the fact that Bill, Billy Don and Kevin still farmed the family farms where geese sometimes cover their fields by the tons of thousands I thought this would be a good time to try my hand at goose hunting. Seeing these geese cover up the field reminded me of a 12-inch snow in Minnesota the way the fields would turn solid white from the thousands of geese pushing and shoveling while trying to make room for one more goose to land amongst them. Jack had sunk a 14-foot ground pit in one of his fields the year before to shoot ducks from so we decided to get into it the next day and wait in hopes that the geese would return.

The next day in the pit I was to discover another side of Jack’s personality, “his wit and dry humor”. We had only been in the pit a few minutes where I had been trying out a goose call someone

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 28

had sent to me to field-test back when I was a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Suddenly, seven Canadain geese broke the horizon heading directly toward our hiding place. As they flew over we fired three shots each. Just beyond the blind one of them folded up, hit the ground hard, flopped up and started running. Jack said, “you got him, you’d better get after him”. Being doubtful about this as Jack can shoot circles around my wing shooting ability I asked him was he sure. With a smirk on his face he insisted that indeed I had been the one who had hit the goose and that I had better hurry up to get after it before it got away. Wanting to believe this and the fact that I had never harvested a goose before gave me a reason to climb up out of the pit and get the chase on.

A half of mile later after wading knee deep gumbo mud the whole distance, soaked and wet in the seat with a huge goose in my hands I finally realized what the urging and smirk were all about, although it was a little tough to see the humor of the whole episode at that moment. From the then on I learned to pace my shots to know which shot bought the flying behemoth fowl to ground. I had found my niche in the “good ole Boy” fraternity thanks to the Weitkamps. I knew I was one of the boys when leading up to our second season of hunting they invited me to mix my decoys in with theirs.

So, if you are new in the area or if you are returning after several years of being away and really want to duck hunt, don’t give up. Hang in there and keep trying, maybe you’ll get as lucky as I did, maybe you will even meet a man named Jack, thus finding a good hunting partner and a great friend. Thanks Jack.

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Snaggin for

Spoonbill

BY ROGER FINLEY I have heard many say that snaggin isn’t sportsman like. I generally agree except when it comes to Paddlefish. Because they are filter feeders, the most popular and dependable way to catch paddlefish is by snagging.

Snagging, also known as snag fishing, snatching, snatch fishing, jagging, or foul hooking, is a method of fishing that entails catching a fish using hooks without the fish having to take the bait with their mouth. This is achieved by pulling the fishing line out of the water very quickly as soon as any movement is felt on the line, with the intention of piercing the fish in the flesh with the hook. Weighted lures with multiple hooks are often used to increase chances of success.

After first casting a hook into the water, a snagger will wait until a fish sighted, at which time they will reel in the hook until it is positioned above the fish. Once the fish is in line with the hook, the snagger then yanks on the line to “snag” the fish before attempting to reel it in. When fishing in a clear river, most snaggers will be able to observe their target’s shadow or wake in the water to determine where their hooks need to be and when.

To keep view of the hook, some snaggers use a brightly colored ribbon or cloth near the hook.

Snagging sport fish in Arkansas may be done only from a bank within 100 yards below a dam.

Exceptions: 1. Snagging from a boat may be done only on the Arkansas

River from 100 yards below a lock and dam to the downstream entrance point of the lock and from 100 yards below Dam No. 2 to the boat ramps immediately below the dam.

2. Snagging is prohibited below Upper White Oak Lake Dam. 3. Snagging is allowed from the bank below Beaver Dam from the “No Fishing Beyond This Point” sign downstream to the first boat ramp only April 15-June 15.

4. Snagging is allowed for catfish on the Black River (from the Missouri state line to the Spring River confluence) and the St. Francis River (from the Missouri state line to the Payneway Structure) with a daily limit of five catfish (no more than two flatheads and no more than one paddlefish) Jan. 1-Feb. 15.

Where it is legal to snag game fish, any game fish snagged must be kept and applied to the daily limit.

Half the sport fish daily limit may be taken by snagging, or the lesser whole number nearest one-half the limit, although a full limit of catfish and paddlefish may be taken. Snagging must cease whenever a limit of any species is attained.

A boat with a depth finder is probably the most useful tool for a paddlefish snagger. Usually, paddlefish stay near the bottom, often congregating in deep holes near drop-offs. Paddlefish display as large images on most modern depth finders.

Good electronics also help you stay in the main channel and avoid most underwater obstacles.

It’s sometimes possible to “troll” for paddlefish. Let out

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 29

enough line so the hooks are a good distance from the boat and you can feel the sinker hitting the bottom. Troll just fast enough to keep the slack out of your line.

When snagging for paddlefish, use a sweeping motion, swinging the rod toward the boat and then releasing it back in the other direction, preventing excessive slack in the line. Use your legs and back to lessen arm fatigue.

Some anglers prefer to snag from set locations on the bank.

For the most part, the equipment is the same as that used in boat snagging. It is important to use a rod that allows you to

cast your hooks a long way from the bank. A sweeping motion jerks the hook through the water, followed by reeling to take up slack from the jerk. Several of the areas mentioned above are traditional haunts for bank snaggers and allow good open access to the water.

Whether you cast or troll, set the drag so you can barely pull line off the spool with your hand. It should be tight enough that it won’t slip when you jerk or come into contact with a fish, but loose enough that it will disengage if you get hung up or when a large fish makes a run.

Getting Hooked Up! 1. Double the line about 2 feet above the sinker and run it through the hook eye and pull it tight.

3. Create a loop in the heavy line using an overhand knot.

Thread the loop through the sinker and pull it tight.

2. Loop the line below the hook, bring the loop over the treble points and tighten it on the shank.

4. Repeat the last step, but finish with a loop around only one of the hook points. This rigging keeps hooks from dangling.

Arkansas Outdoor Country / 30

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NEW MADRID

What the Earthquake Didn't Do

BY TRENT FLEMING In 1811 - 1812 a series of major earthquakes, centered in the Missouri Bootheel, caused devastation throughout the region. Estimates of the strength of these quakes range from 7.0-8.0 on today’s Richter Scale. Some scholars claim that the economic development of the area was delayed by a century or more, as people fled the area over fear of another such occurrence. The fault that caused these earthquakes is named after the little village of New Madrid, Missouri, which completely disappeared after the quakes. The current city of New Madrid (where there is an excellent museum featuring earthquake history) is built on a new site.

When my great grandfather came to Northeast Arkansas in 1895 to oversee Chapman-Dewey’s logging efforts, stories about the great shaking land were still told by Native Americans and settlers alike. Indeed, the land continued to shake, well after the 1811/12 quakes. According to the Earthquake Center at Saint Louis University, strong quakes, estimated around 6.0

on the Richter Scale, were felt in January of 1843 and October of 1895. Today, thanks to a network of sensors, we know that earthquakes of various sizes continue in the region on an almost daily basis.

Recently, I’ve had several conversations involving various geographic features of the MidSouth (roughly NE Arkansas, the Missouri BoothBooth eel, and W Tennessee) which might be a result of these earthquakes. There are a few misconceptions, to say the least. So let’s take a look at some of the more prominent features and concon sider their origins.

Stretching southeastward across northeast Arkansas is a long line of hills affectionately known as Crowley’s Ridge. These hills were here long before these lands were settled. In geological terms, Crowley’s Ridge is a type of formation called loess hills. Loess hills are formed by grit and dust that was created as the glaciers recedreced ed, and later blown by strong prevailing winds until it found places to settle. If you’ve explored

Crawleys Ridge Arkansas.

Tree with a double set of roots, formed in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

explored Crowley’s Ridge, you know that the loose, sandy soil is not at all similar to the alluvial soils of the farmland around it. You guessed it: not formed by the earthquakes.

In Arkansas, the region around Big Lake, near Manila, was likely impacted by the earthquake. Little River flowed through this region as a vibrant stream. The earthquake settled the land and formed a low swampy area that includes Big Lake.

Today, the area is a sportsman’s paradise, and the Little River drains Big lake on its way to flowing into the St Francis River near Marked Tree.

St Francis Sunken Lands, near Marked Tree were certainly created by the earthquake. Much of the area known today as “the floodway” was lowered and made swampy along the St. Francis drainage. The floodway is also a sportsman’s paradise, and now that levees have been constructed, serves to aid in managing the frequent flooding experienced in the region.

St. Francis Sunken Lands in Northeast Real Foot Lake created by the the earthArkansas formed by New Madrid quake. quake of 1812.

While Marked Tree is the southern end of the fault, it certainly felt the impacts from numerous quakes over the years. A 1976 earthquake of around 5.0 magnitude was centered just south of Marked Tree near the Northern Ohio community and did a good job of rattling homes and breaking windows.

Horseshoe Lake, near Hughes, Arkansas was not created by the earthquake. Like many lakes along both sides of the Mississippi River, Horseshoe is an oxbow, formed by the meandering of the river as it opened new channels and cut off old ones. Reelfoot Lake, in NW Tennessee, was likely formed by sinking action during the earthquakes, and may have seen an intake of water as the river allegedly ran backwards for a time near that area.

I hope our little tour of the region will encourage you to get out and explore on your own and give you a better understanding of some of the key geographic features of the region.

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