Timber Days in Arkansas' Duck Woods

The distant wailing of specks announced daybreak as muted shapes churned through the water, scurrying toward black trees. Sunrise would soon illuminate the timber, and anxious fowlers gazed skyward in anticipation.

Standing knee-deep in flooded timber always brings remarkable promises. That day was more notable, however, because of the circumstances. Several friends and I were hunting flooded oaks during Arkansas’ opening weekend, and we were doing it in Realtree’s ultimate duck hunting camo: Timber. Carved from the Delta, Realtree Timber is a revolutionary new pattern that provides ultimate concealment for flooded woods. And as part of Timber’s 2018 rollout, I’d joined several Realtree staffers, licensees, waterfowl pros and fellow media members for a gala Arkansas duck camp with head guide Nick Andrews at the Delta Resort and Spa near McGehee. We wanted to shoot ducks, of course, but testing loads of new Timber-adorned gear — including first-edition Timber guns and great apparel from Banded and Drake — proved just as entertaining.

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A New Season Dawns

Photo © Johnny Carter

Opening morning, we split into several groups, with some folks hitting the woods and others hunting from sunken pits in flooded bean fields — where, incidentally, Timber worked just as effectively in the dark shadows of the blind. I joined four other hunters at a bean field and, after checking the knee-deep water for cottonmouths (they found some later, actually), we settled in for a morning shoot. Mother Nature had other ideas, though, as light winds and warm temperatures resulted in slow action. Several gadwall visited the spread, and few flew on. They were joined by a wigeon and a couple of shovelers, which got a pass. Later that morning, some lonely white-fronts flew low over the blind, and one stayed. The hunt hadn’t been a barn-burner, but it served as an enjoyable first step.

The Woods Await

Photo © Johnny Carter

I greeted the second morning in the green oak woods to see Timber perform in its namesake, and its blend of bark-like hues and ultra-realistic colors didn’t disappoint. The same couldn’t be said for ducks, though, as only a few streaking woodies visited our hole. By midmorning, we called a halt to the hunt and busied ourselves shooting photographs.

Natural State Road Trip

Photo © Johnny Carter

Day No. 3 brought a treat: a visit to Ole South Outfitters near Forrest City, Arkansas. Owner and head guide Blake Burrus greeted in the black pre-dawn and told us to prepare for a boat ride. After a few twists and turns through thick flooded woods, we emerged in a beautiful hole with a palatial blind, which would be our hunting headquarters for the day.

Burrus’ expert calling and decoy placement delivered, with woodies providing early action and a nice mix of other puddlers — greenwings, gadwall, mallards and a spoonie — offering steady shooting until late morning. The highlight, however, was breakfast — or more accurately, several courses of breakfast, made in the blind and served hot to hunters. I’ll probably remember some of the flocks that visited us that day, but I cannot forget the steaming biscuits and other goodies we devoured.

Until Next Time in the Timber

With our hunt complete, I set the gun aside our final morning and focused on gathering more images in the green timber. Afternoon would bring airport visits and homeward flights, so I welcomed the chance to soak up a few more hours of Arkansas’ oak woods.

Timber in the timber had made for a memorable week and a great camp. As I left the Natural State and headed north, my thoughts turned toward my next chance to don this impressive pattern in the environs that spawned it. I’m certain many other waterfowlers will share those sentiments in the months and years to come.