Arkansas Green timber hunt

[KurtR]

Looking to take the kid on a guided hunt in the timber. Anyone got a recommendation for a guide down there. Some place with a lodge and some meals and would like to take the dog with.

 

[Wallace]

You're going to need to get on a wait list, the legit GTR hunts are booked. There are plenty of outfitters that will take your money and put you in a cypress break or rice field though.

Lost Island (no lodging, but incredible hunting)
Stan Jones
5 Oaks

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Like Wallace said, plenty of outfits market a green tree hunt but most don’t deliver. They are hard to get on because most are bought or leased and used for personal use. And the places that are guided on are hunted everyday.

 

[KurtR]

You're going to need to get on a wait list, the legit GTR hunts are booked. There are plenty of outfitters that will take your money and put you in a cypress break or rice field though.

Lost Island (no lodging, but incredible hunting)
Stan Jones
5 Oaks

I have heard slicks is a good place any truth to that?

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I have heard slicks is a good place any truth to that?

A whole lot of truth to it. It's about as good of a traditional green timber hunt as you'll find in the state. Unfortunately, your odds of getting a hunt booked there are probably really low. They have repeat guys that hunt with them every year and have for 20 or 30 years straight. They have their time slots locked down every year and there are very few new openings, and the wait list is long.

Stan Jones says they offer timber and field hunts but I've hunted there 5 or 6 times and never even seen timber. The story has always been "we're not killing them in the timber". I've had great hunts there, but they've all been fields.

Lost Island is a solid recommendation. I don't know what their booking / wait list is like but it would be worth finding lodging somewhere else to be able to hunt there.

 

[KurtR]

This is turning out to be alot harder find than i thought.

 

[Trackerbacker]

I'm confused. Green tree hunting is basically flooded woods or flooded backwaters?

What makes a legit green tree vs non legit?

I've never known of em, but looking at pictures, it seems like , well, hunting flooded backwaters. Looking to learn on this one

 

[Wallace]

I'm confused. Green tree hunting is basically flooded woods or flooded backwaters?

What makes a legit green tree vs non legit?

I've never known of em, but looking at pictures, it seems like , well, hunting flooded backwaters. Looking to learn on this one

live oak trees, flooded knee deep (preferably) to waist deep. GTR in a good location = mallards in the woods consistently. Cypress breaks, dead timber, willows, etc can all be good, but it's not the same. In the areas I hunt, you'll kill mallards in there, but it's usually gadwall and wood ducks.

 

[Wallace]

A whole lot of truth to it. It's about as good of a traditional green timber hunt as you'll find in the state. Unfortunately, your odds of getting a hunt booked there are probably really low. They have repeat guys that hunt with them every year and have for 20 or 30 years straight. They have their time slots locked down every year and there are very few new openings, and the wait list is long.

Stan Jones says they offer timber and field hunts but I've hunted there 5 or 6 times and never even seen timber. The story has always been "we're not killing them in the timber". I've had great hunts there, but they've all been fields.

Lost Island is a solid recommendation. I don't know what their booking / wait list is like but it would be worth finding lodging somewhere else to be able to hunt there.

Lost Island is pretty similar in regards to Slicks when it comes to booking dates. Most people who hunt there have their dates for the next year already lined up since they typically get first right of refusal. I've heard people say you can get on a standby list if someone cancels, but I think even that is long.

I have friends that have hunted Lost Island and see all of their social media, they kill a lot of birds. I lease a field not too far from them, and hunt public timber within the same area as well around 40 days/season. In the past, when everyone is complaining about no birds, stale birds, or losing birds ... Lost Island is still killing them the majority of the time.

 

[JMasson]

I'm confused. Green tree hunting is basically flooded woods or flooded backwaters?

What makes a legit green tree vs non legit?

I've never known of em, but looking at pictures, it seems like , well, hunting flooded backwaters. Looking to learn on this one

There’s a lot of people fooled every year into thinking they’re hunting a green tree reservoir (GTR) but they’re not. Live oak trees, flooded between 18-24”, is what makes the difference. You also have to be able to get the water off after the season or the trees will die after being flooded for too long. This can happen naturally during winter flooding or it can be manipulated with levies and risers. I can’t tell you how many folks talk about hunting “flooded timber” when in reality it’s a cypress break or a bunch of dead/ pine trees that flooded off a creek the beavers got into.

I would be very hesitant to pay an outfitter in Arkansas to go on a “flooded timber” duck hunt. I’m afraid you’re more likely to hunt a rice or bean field than anything else. If you’re lucky they’ll put you in a cypress break or buck brush slough. The guys that actually have flooded timber hunts don’t really advertise because they don’t need to. As far as I’m tracking Stan Jones Mallard Club doesn’t hunt the timber they own along the White River. If they did I’m sure they charge a pretty penny for the privilege. The good GTRs are now mostly very exclusive clubs and the ones that do book hunts for non-members have a long wait list. I’d give my left nut to hunt the Crayne Farm once in my lifetime…IYKYK.

 

[KurtR]

There’s a lot of people fooled every year into thinking they’re hunting a green tree reservoir (GTR) but they’re not. Live oak trees, flooded between 18-24”, is what makes the difference. You also have to be able to get the water off after the season or the trees will die after being flooded for too long. This can happen naturally during winter flooding or it can be manipulated with levies and risers. I can’t tell you how many folks talk about hunting “flooded timber” when in reality it’s a cypress break or a bunch of dead/ pine trees that flooded off a creek the beavers got into.

I would be very hesitant to pay an outfitter in Arkansas to go on a “flooded timber” duck hunt. I’m afraid you’re more likely to hunt a rice or bean field than anything else. If you’re lucky they’ll put you in a cypress break or buck brush slough. The guys that actually have flooded timber hunts don’t really advertise because they don’t need to. As far as I’m tracking Stan Jones Mallard Club doesn’t hunt the timber they own along the White River. If they did I’m sure they charge a pretty penny for the privilege. The good GTRs are now mostly very exclusive clubs and the ones that do book hunts for non-members have a long wait list. I’d give my left nut to hunt the Crayne Farm once in my lifetime…IYKYK.

From what I have found everything you say is spot on. When pushed guys admitted it’s not true flooded green timber. We are still going to go somewhere hunting something when it’s minus 10 and everything is froze up here will still be fun. Especially after this winter still 2 feet of snow on the ground. Waiting for the white devils to get here.

 

[JMasson]

From what I have found everything you say is spot on. When pushed guys admitted it’s not true flooded green timber. We are still going to go somewhere hunting something when it’s minus 10 and everything is froze up here will still be fun. Especially after this winter still 2 feet of snow on the ground. Waiting for the white devils to get here.

It is still possible to have a good hunt in a cypress break or buck brush slough, but you have to go into it with your expectations tempered. I’ve shot the hell out of all kinds of ducks in tupelo, and buck brush, and beaver ponds, and everything in between.

Some outfits I know to offer hunts to non-members that may have openings for next season:

Five Oaks Hunting Lodge
White Oaks Duck Woods
L’Anguille River Duck Club
Fowl Co Outfitters (located in Oklahoma but I have heard that their operation is very professional).

Just do your research and choose wisely and I’m sure you’ll have a good time. If all else fails drop the big bucks and go hunt with Vandermore…I feel certain you’d kill some ducks on his properties.

 

[KurtR]

It is still possible to have a good hunt in a cypress break or buck brush slough, but you have to go into it with your expectations tempered. I’ve shot the hell out of all kinds of ducks in tupelo, and buck brush, and beaver ponds, and everything in between.

Some outfits I know to offer hunts to non-members that may have openings for next season:

Five Oaks Hunting Lodge
White Oaks Duck Woods
L’Anguille River Duck Club
Fowl Co Outfitters (located in Oklahoma but I have heard that their operation is very professional).

Just do your research and choose wisely and I’m sure you’ll have a good time. If all else fails drop the big bucks and go hunt with Vandermore…I feel certain you’d kill some ducks on his properties.

I will check those out thank you. Another hurdle is bringing my dog . Some places won’t let client dogs hunt which I can understand but if he can’t go I would rather stay home. Tony is a little out of the price range right now I checked him out and that’s a damn nice place.

 

[JMasson]

I will check those out thank you. Another hurdle is bringing my dog . Some places won’t let client dogs hunt which I can understand but if he can’t go I would rather stay home. Tony is a little out of the price range right now I checked him out and that’s a damn nice place.

Yeah, a lot of outfits don’t care for client’s dogs. I’ve seen it both ways and I understand it. I guide goose hunts for an outfit every year in Arkansas (good friends and I go to hunt and guide their overflow clients or small groups/ singles for the week that I’m out there) and I’ve had bad experiences with dogs that I was assured were “champion retrievers”. Nothing worse than a dog breaking in the timber when the shots can be low or follow ups on cripples on the water. I would expand my search into TN, MS, and OK as well.

Tony V certainly has got himself a world class operation…but you better come with deep pockets cause you’re going to pay for it. I’ve seen his place in Arkansas and it is just about as world class as you can get. I have a buddy that has been to his place in Saskatchewan and he said it is unbelievable. I hear his place in Missouri is nicer than both the others.

 

[Wallace]

It is still possible to have a good hunt in a cypress break or buck brush slough, but you have to go into it with your expectations tempered. I’ve shot the hell out of all kinds of ducks in tupelo, and buck brush, and beaver ponds, and everything in between.

Some outfits I know to offer hunts to non-members that may have openings for next season:

Five Oaks Hunting Lodge
White Oaks Duck Woods
L’Anguille River Duck Club
Fowl Co Outfitters (located in Oklahoma but I have heard that their operation is very professional).

Just do your research and choose wisely and I’m sure you’ll have a good time. If all else fails drop the big bucks and go hunt with Vandermore…I feel certain you’d kill some ducks on his properties.

If you find a way to get into White Oaks, send me a private message.

To my knowledge, there's no way you're getting in there unless you're invited.

 

[JMasson]

If you find a way to get into White Oaks, send me a private message.

To my knowledge, there's no way you're getting in there unless you're invited.

It could be that I don’t have the whole story but I know two people that have hunted that are not club members. To be honest, I don’t know if they had an invite or not.