Articles
Forecasts, season planning, gear and how-to for public-water duck hunters in the Mid‑South. Every fact links to its source.
Duck Season 2026-27 Is Almost Here: Your Mid-South Countdown
Opening days for Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana, the draws and permits closing before then, and a week-by-week to-do list until opening morning.
2026 Duck Hunting Forecast for the Mississippi Flyway: The Mid-South Version
USFWS breeding numbers, Canadian pond counts, what Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana biologists are saying, and today's river…
A Very Strong El Niño Winter: What NOAA's Outlook Means for Mid-South Ducks
NOAA's official winter outlook leans warm up north and wet across the South this year. Here's what that could mean for flooded timber,…
Low Water, Dry Timber: How to Hunt Mid-South Public Land Before the Rain Comes
The Mississippi, Cache, St. Francis and Reelfoot are all low heading into the 2026-27 opener. Where the ducks go in a drought, how to find…
Public Land Duck Hunting Checklist (Printable)
Licenses, stamps, HIP and WMA permits by state, a gear list, safety basics, and the public-land rules that catch people out: noon closures,…
Best Public-Land Duck Gear for the Mid-South
Gear picks for public timber, sloughs, rivers and low water in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana: maps, a stool you can sit in…
Pre-Season Duck Gear Prep: Waders, Boat, Decoys, Gun and Dog
How to leak-test waders, service a mud motor and trailer, re-rig decoys, clean and plug your shotgun, and get the dog ready, with the boat…
Arkansas WMA Duck Permit Draws, Explained (2026-27)
How AGFC's weekly online waterfowl draws work: the Thursday-to-Sunday window, which WMAs need a permit, party size, noon closings, WRICE…
First-Timer's Guide to WMA Duck Permits in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana
Everything a new public-land duck hunter needs to carry in each Mid-South state for 2026-27: licenses, duck stamps, HIP, WMA permits,…
How Tennessee WMA Duck Quota Hunts and Tier Blinds Work (2026-27)
Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 4 and quota permit areas in plain English: who can apply, the 2026-27 application windows, leftover drawings, blind…
Check the rules and the water
Confirm this season’s rules on our state law pages or the agency’s own site, check draw and permit deadlines, and look at today’s river levels on the migration map. Areas can close or flood on short notice.