Obviously this isn’t a Public vs Private issue, but sounds like the big duck factories in Missouri etc are holding more of the birds. My place in VanZandt just 5 years ago would hold Ducks from December to end of season. Now, we shoot them the last 2-3 weeks of the season. Lots of work for 3-4 hunts per year. Thankfully when it’s good there, it’s as good as anywhere I have hunted.

We had more dove this year than ever before, and the fishing is great. I guess sometimes you take what you can get.

So, from what I’ve read, you guys are suggesting that the ducks numbers are not necessarily down significantly, but holding in other parts of the US …….makes sense to me.

We used to hunt a soil conservation lake in Howe TX that was loaded w mallards and all puddle ducks from 2008-2014-

The current owner harvested 4 ducks all year. That may be the area has too much activity w Appartments, developments, disturbing them. Sure that plays a big role as well.

Duck hunted for years on sulpher river. Easy limits and the 2nd split with flooded bottoms mallards were plentiful. We never shot a wood duck early but waited till later in the morning. Google maps and gps made finding sloughs easy instead of walking and finding places. I kept getting pushed further upriver from the crowds and finally gave it up. Our small group only hunted weekends and occasionally durning the week as we had to work. Didn't have to sky blast the birds were landing in the dekes. Pellet holes in feet,bill broke wings etc. In lead shot days we mosty shot 7 1/2 trap loads out of our over and under shot guns. There is not a slough or spot around the house now that does not get hunted at some point. Ducks don't get a rest anymore. Hunted 2 times this season in a 3 day period. The few mallards we saw didn't make a sound while flying . No chattering nothing. This same place i have seen 200 ducks on it and the mallards were dead quiet. Wood ducks were normal. The late 80's,90's and early 2000's were good. I do miss it but happy now to pass shoot a few woodies and occasionally a few mallards. Aint mad at em no more. Now just chase deer and pigs with a handgun. Not gonna lie i would love to stand on that pipeline with my ole buddy one more time and work them ole greasy mallards over. RIP JP hope your shooting some upstairs.

My number is probably a little low. I saw it somewhere a few years ago. I couldn’t find it in a quick search.

Here is a very outdated publication from the USFWS about the economic impact pf waterfowl hunting: https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-04/1153.pdf.

It is hard to pull out waterfowl hunting specific numbers from retailers (camo is camo) and track expenditures like gas, snacks, etc.

Arkansas estimates that waterfowl hunting contributes $1.1 billion to their economy every year.

Overall hunting and shooting is a major economic driver in the American economy.


Big Hutch

There s too much that they can’t track or have any idea of without having hunters fill out some sort of spending report. Has is the first example. Does the govt care about $10billion that much?...probably not. But I bet companies like Sitka, boss, mojo large equity interest clubs, regular clubs, land brokers, land owners, farmers, real estate agents, and the sort care about waterfowl hunters. I’ve had this discussion about deer hunting before, but it applies to waterfowl as well. What effect does waterfowl hunting have on otherwise essentially useless land? Run the numbers on however many acres being worth next to nothing compared to 5-15k per acre. It effects more than you think.