Memorial Day Memories

Duck hunting became quite the phenomenon just after World War II as the economy picked up and the opportunities increased. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission purchased the land that formed Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area in 1948 and duck hunting became big business in Arkansas County. The accessibility to world class public duck hunting gave many Arkansans an opportunity to hunt as they worked to get their feet back on the ground after the war. 

Army fatigue style gear was the choice of watefowlers in the post-war era. Long before the advent of scientific camo, hunters went with olive drab that worked just fine in the woods. Many hunters used army surplus wearables or actual gear from their days in the service as their primary gear.

Notice there are no lanyards with multiple calls around their neck. Callers looped their calls attached to a short string through a button hole on their coats or shirts in those days. 

Learn more about the evolution of Arkansas duck hunting via The Grand Prairie: A History of Duck Hunting's Hallowed Ground. Available online in hard and soft cover versions. 

Photo Courtesy of Richard Shelton. Photo was taken at Little Siberia near Reydell, Arkansas.