Viral video ignites online duck hunting passions, hoax claims

A social media exercise on Wednesday revealed various reactions within the online duck hunting community regarding a video of ducks in a private reservoir south of Interstate 40. The seven-second video, posted on the Arkansas Duck Hunting Facebook page on Tuesday, garnered 359 views by Friday. The duck season commenced on Saturday, prompting discussions among hunters eager to start hunting.

While some commenters speculated that the video was created using artificial intelligence or was a hoax, others shared their own experiences at different locations. The discourse included concerns about habitat degradation due to excessive hunting pressure and its impact on duck populations. Josh Price, the page’s moderator, emphasized the enthusiasm paired with anxiety among hunters this season. Notably, dry conditions have resulted in limited water sources, causing ducks to congregate primarily on private land.

Reports indicate some hunters are camping on islands to secure their preferred hunting locations, despite the uncomfortable conditions, including warm weather and an increase in mosquitoes. Price observed very few ducks during his scouting encounters on Lake Dardanelle and suggested that hunting pressure might drive ducks away from public areas and towards private lands, where hunting restrictions are in place.

Landowners are monitoring how weather may influence duck distribution, with expectations that ducks will scatter if warm conditions persist.