Duck hunting season is here
Last Update: 11/25/2008 2:26 pm
|
Arkansas is getting ready for an economic boost from a popular sport that just kicked off. Saturday marked the beginning of duck hunting season. People come from all over to get a taste of the action.For some, duck hunting is a good time to bond with friends and family. Though it's chilly outside, that's common for duck hunters who may find themselves telling early Christmas tales while heading to the pond.Tis the season for hunting,And all through the storeA crowd ready to catch a few mallards or more."We practice all year, just like NFL football teams do and this is our Super bowl right here," said Chuck Lock.Lock oversees Mack's Prairie WingsQuite a few excited hunters this season bringsFor them, buying the right tools, it's no robberyEven with the current state of the economy."There comes a point of time that you’re going to have to get out and get some sanity in your head and you can do that by going out duck hunting with your friends and your family," Lock said.Every good hunter wants to make sure he has just the right gear, including a water proof camouflage jacket, a duck decoy, and a good ole fashioned duck call Lock explained.It's music to a duck's earsSomething experienced shooters have known for yearsAnd on this year's list, a change from the pastRobo-ducks are now available in mass."If you've ever seen a lot of ducks out on the water, you'll see a lot of flapping and that's what that spinning wing does, it imitates the wing movement of a duck. When they brought it back, that business got pretty good again,” Lock said.It’s good business for everyoneEven for the natural state now that the sport is begun."Duck hunting in Arkansas is worth about a million dollars a day economically," Steve “Wildman” Wilson of the Game & Fish Commission said."It's the waterfowl mecca of the world. It doesn't get any better than Stuttgart, Arkansas," according to Lock.And so the people rush to fill up their cartsHappy hunting to all for a season off to a good start.Wilson says duck hunting is also good for the state because there's such a surplus of ducks. He says hunting helps manage the duck population. Duck season lasts for 60 days.The Game and Fish Commission is reminding hunters to have a current hunting license as well as signed state and federal duck stamps. You’ll also need a special hunting permit. The commission also wants people to remember gun safety tips, such as keeping guns unloaded and in a case while headed to a duck blind and not leaning them against anything that's unsecure.Stuttgart is busy now that duck season is here. Saturday, the city held its Queen Mallard beauty pageant. Next weekend is the annual duck calling contest and duck gumbo cook off. Mack's Prairie Wings is one of the state's top tourist attractions.
|
Copyright 2008 Newport Television LLC All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
