Anyone ever hunt Stuttgart, Arkansas?

Sonic

Spike
A buddy and I are looking into traveling somewhere to do a duck hunt next year or the year after. Has anyone here ever hunted Stuttgart? How was it and what guide service did you use? If anyone has any other suggestions for good duck hunting location, I am open to that as well.
Thanks in advance
 

dunno

Spike
I did it a couple years back, need to make a plan to do it again. Saw more ducks in 1 day than you will see in all of NC in a year. I hunted with a guide for 1 day and freelanced and hunted bayou meto wma on foot for 2 days, and limited out all three days. They have changed the rules recently for out of state hunters in WMA so be sure to look it up first. Ideally if you want to do it on your own you should have a boat (keep a eye out for hp limits & regulations). While its all dependent on water levels for the amount of huntable areas its hard to put into perspective how massive the area is open to public hunting. You will spend countless hours driving and scouting. If possible try to plan your trip immediately during or after a good hard cold front.

Macks Prarire wings is worth a visit if you do go to Stuggart. Not much else to see or do in the area.
 

CBD21

Eight Pointer
Arkansas can be amazing and it can be straight crap and the last couple years have been slow. But when it’s right it’s something to be seen. I’ve hunted Stuttgart and wma’s close by just do your research on guides and make sure of what you’re getting. I hunted public land mostly and still do some but also have a lease in ne arkansas. Like said Mack’s is worth seeing once.
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Born and raised in AR, been hunting that area around stupidgart since I was 8. The paddies used to be good and then all the greenhorns "discovered" it and ruined it. If you want REAL ducks take a boat and put into the White River at DuValls Bluff and hunt the oxbows. Tons of them on both sides but make damned sure you don't set foot on dry land unless your at the ramp. Pay attention to stumps and logs....
 

coachcornbread

Ten Pointer
We have hunted with Arkansas County Guide Service and had a good hunt. If your looking for a guided timber hunt be prepared to shell out some coin. If you get a "timber" hunt for less than $700 a day, you will be hunting a swamp filled with buck brush.
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
We have hunted with Arkansas County Guide Service and had a good hunt. If your looking for a guided timber hunt be prepared to shell out some coin. If you get a "timber" hunt for less than $700 a day, you will be hunting a swamp filled with buck brush.
Been looking hard at going with these guys. We would have went last year but the whole scamdemic hit and well............................ I have talked with Chad a couple of times and he seems pretty straight up. Thinking about doing a one day guided and then couple days self guided with him next year.
 

coachcornbread

Ten Pointer
Been looking hard at going with these guys. We would have went last year but the whole scamdemic hit and well............................ I have talked with Chad a couple of times and he seems pretty straight up. Thinking about doing a one day guided and then couple days self guided with him next year.
Chad and his crew are good people. We are looking at the same next year, 2-3 days guided then a couple unguided.
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
Thanks for the input. Lots of guides sound good over the phone. Nice to hear from someone that has actually hunted with them. Makes my decision a lot easier. If we can match up dates we will definitely hunt with him next season.
 

Sonic

Spike
Thanks, good info. That is one of the guide services whose website I had perused, glad you had a good hunt. Did you shoot a pretty good variety of birds?
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
I have but wasn’t impressed with the hunting. Enjoyed seeing the area and all the tradition but if I gotta choose, I’d go west TN or Missouri. Would love to go to Kansas or Nebraska as well.
 

bte0816

Eight Pointer
I Have been with quack attack out of Almyra and one of the rice fields we hunted with them was right outside the Stuttgart city limit.

I thought they really did a good job. They don't advertise much and have barely any social media presence. They don't need to, almost everyone going is repeat from the previous year. He usually posts his open days after season closes and everyone has had a chance to rebook. There aren't many and they go fast.
 

Sonic

Spike
Thanks for the replies. Interestingly, I contacted a real nice lodge (it was not in AR) thinking that it would be out of my price range, and they would be booked several seasons out; but why not just ask for fun. Turns out they were less expensive than I expected, and they have openings this season. Having openings this season made me very leery though, so still looking. Hell, just researching has been fun, and I will take a look at TN and Missouri as well.
 

ThrillofDaChase

Ten Pointer
Every year after Christmas. If the ducks are there and there is water it is special. We hunt at a lodge with flooded timber and my understanding there is only maybe one or two other places with flooded timber in the area that offer hunts. Unfortunately, rarely do people give up their dates from year to year and there is a waiting list. We see the same people every year at the lodge with us and the buddy I go with has been going with his dad for 25+ years.

There are some walk in public areas in the Bayou Meto you can go in after sun up with a jerk rig and some dekes and do good if there is water and some other public access areas within 45 min to an hour that you can get it done on foot. We've done this to add an extra day to our trip before. If you have a boat that opens up more possibilities. We also speck hunt when we are out there to kill an afternoon. We go to Arkansas to hunt the flooded timber not the rice fields, just our preference. The timber is special imo, but to each their own. Several more private options for rice fields.
 

jparsons14

Four Pointer
Here today. Shot a single wood duck. Thousands of specks and snow geese in the fields around here. Some ducks here but didn’t want to work 62 degrees with heavy clouds and rain all day. Fingers crossed tomorrow is better!
 

jparsons14

Four Pointer
Been hot out there with low water levels

swatting mosquitos like crazy Saturday morning. Hot, cloudy, then steady rain.
Birds flying super high and wouldn’t work for nothing. Supposed to be a group hunting a reservoir across from us but they didn’t show to keep them stirred up. Killed a wood duck

Sunday was by far the best hunting in a creek. A lot of groups of 4-5 gadwall mallard and some ring necks would work but would not finish. Guide said clouds were to blame. Steady 15mph N wind. Found a hole behind us and probably 50-100 ducks on it most of the morning. Hard to compete with live birds. Killed 5 gadwall and a mallard. Wind wasn’t so hard we could’ve shot better I think.

Monday was also bad. Perfect weather this time but now guide blames full moon haha. only saw a couple groups of high flying birds. Sky busted one gadwall that we were able to recover. Of course a group 200-300 gadwall was on its way right to the spread when we were on our way back to the blind from picking up bird. Flared and probably landed in Louisiana.

(first excuse too hot-temp dropped 40 degrees-then it was no water-rained a ton-then it was clouds-sunny on Monday-and then it was the moon)

Was really cool to see and something I would do again next week if given the chance

I bet we saw 200,000 geese

Guides saying it’s fallen off a cliff since 2018

good luck if you go!
 

Sonic

Spike
That is good information, thank you. So, your guides were saying hunting had declined over the past few years? Might have to keep looking at places in Louisiana and Missouri.
 

jparsons14

Four Pointer
I’ll probably go further north. Was also told to come on a new moon because they feed a lot at night on full moon
 

ThrillofDaChase

Ten Pointer
Unfortunately, traveling doesn't change the fundamentals of duck hunting. You still need weather up north and water. The difference is the flyway holds way more birds than the Atlantic flyway. I'll be there Sunday through Tuesday and will report back.

The only thing I am ever certain of numbers wise is our beer consumption.
 

ThrillofDaChase

Ten Pointer
Got back in to town yesterday evening after a good trip. Monday morning we shot thirteen. Five mallards and eight wood ducks. We saw a bunch of ducks, but they would not finish. Monday afternoon we shot fourteen specks with fourteen guns. Nothing that came in made it out. The hunt started off hot, but the wind laid down and the specks stopped working as well. Tuesday morning the ducks finally cooperated and we shot twenty six mallards with seven guns. Very surprised as we did not have any sunshine, but we did have a very good wind. We saw a bunch of ducks both mornings. I heard mixed reports from other guys in town at Mack’s and the guys we goose hunted with.
 
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