Retriever Lodge
Contact Info
Steven Lepine 870-830-3185 / Damon Whitmore 870-830 1047
Phone: Steven Lepine 870-830-3185 / Damon Whitmore 870-830 1047
Fax:
Additional Info
Public or Private Destination: Private
Type of Shoots: rice fields, soybean fields, dead timber reservoirs, bayou hunting, green timber hunting, Blinds
Game/Birds Offered: Duck, Goose, Quail
Gun Dogs: Available
Other Hunting/Sporting Opportunities:
Lodging: newly constructed lodge
Arkansas Duck Hunting at Retriever Lodge
www.retrieverlodge.com
We specialize in Private Group Hunts.
When you think of incredible Mallard hunting, only one place comes to mind: Stuttgart, Arkansas. Stuttgart (and its surrounding areas) is known as the “Rice and Duck Capital of the World". Hunting waterfowl in Southeast Arkansas is not considered just a pastime, but rather a way of life. Anyone who enjoys wing shooting at its finest must make this trip to the Arkansas “Mecca” of duck hunting, at least once in their lifetime.
 
Retriever Lodge is a duck hunt guide operation that specializes in small groups. We hunt exclusively on private ground, which offers the finest rice field and flooded timber hunting known in the area. We provide a friendly, buddy-hunt atmosphere rather than the sterile style of commercial operations. This traditional Southern manner guarantees the authentic experience of an Arkansas duck hunt.
Retriever Lodge owns several thousand acres of prime duck habitats in the heart of Arkansas County. Abundant rice fields, soybean fields, dead timber reservoirs, bayou hunting, and green timber hunting are managed to provide optimal hunting.
 
The key to good Arkansas duck hunting is food. We plant vegetation in many of our areas exclusively for the ducks. Most of these crops are left standing and periodically flooded throughout the season. We plant rice, milo, and millet in all of our reservoirs and green timber holes. We only hunt in our areas twice a week to let the ducks rest in these areas as much as possible.
During the season we check each of our hunting areas to prepare for the next day’s hunt. Last year Retriever Lodge killed 2505 ducks on our privately owned ground. Two of our groups killed over 225 ducks in a 3 day period.
 
We manage our ducks and their habitats year-round. Hunting areas are maintained and monitored by scouting and airplane. We dedicate ourselves to our ducks and our lands to provide exceptional Arkansas duck hunting. Successful kills are never guaranteed but we do everything we can to keep the odds in our favor.
Information on the Hunt
Retriever Lodge specializes in morning hunts. Each booking party of four or more hunters will hunt with their own group. If, for instance, you bring a hunting party of eight hunters, we will split you into two groups of four with a guide for each party. The guide will pick you up at the lodge about an hour prior to shooting time.
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We then proceed to the hunting area and transport you to the blind. All arrangements are made the prior evening to prevent any confusion the following morning. Hunts typically last until around 10:00 a.m., or until you take your limit.
At that time the guide will transport you out of the hunting area and back to the lodge. A breakfast or lunch, at your preference, is served around 11:00 a.m. You may relax at the lodge or make plans for the afternoon. If you want to resume hunting in the afternoon, provided you didn't hit your daily limit, accommodations can be arranged for an additional fee.
We also can arrange an afternoon goose hunt or quail hunt. Trips to Mack’s Sport Shop in Stuttgart are also a popular afternoon activity. At 7:00 p.m., we will serve your evening meal. This usually consists of rib eye steaks or fried pork chops. Special requests for meals can be arranged prior to your arrival.
We do not require a certain number of hunters or days. We book as few as 1 and as many as 16 in one group. You can book for 1 day or 10 days. There is no minimum or maximum for bookings. You can depend
on us to provide you with the very best in Arkansas duck hunting.
Rates
Hunt, Meals, Lodging, and Liquor: $400.00 per day
Morning Hunts Only (no lodging): $175.00 per day
Afternoon Hunts (not recommended): $100 per day
All rates are per person per day
A 50% deposit must be made within 14 days of the booking. You can pay by credit card or send a check.
Check Payment Made To:
Retriever Lodge
305 West 13th
DeWitt, AR 72042
Season Dates are set in late August and will be made available on the website at that time. Since 1996 Arkansas has had a 60 day duck season. Projections are that the upcoming season will be the same. There are typically two splits during the season.
Blinds
 
Retriever Lodge has a variety of blinds depending on the hunting situation. In fields, we hunt almost exclusively out of sunken barrels. Arkansas County natives designed this type of blind. Barrels are basically “mini pits” that allow you to watch the ducks work, and shoot before the ducks have flared. We believe that these barrels are the only way to field hunt ducks. They offer plenty of room, complete concealment, and unsurpassed safety. Blinds in our millet, rice, and milo holes are a variety depending on the best options. Some of the holes have “mini pits” built into the levees and others are floating blinds or stilt blinds. All of these blinds are handcrafted and very comfortable. Transportation is provided on all of our hunts. We use argos or boats to carry people up to the front door of the blind. We request that you bring waders, but that is more for comfort than necessity. Most of the time you will never need anything other than hip boots or ankle boots. Transportation and comfortable clean blinds allows us to hunt people of all ages and physical shape. You will not have to walk miles through swamps or mud to access our hunting areas. We have done the work to make our hunting easily accessible.
 
Lodging
 
Retriever Lodge is a newly constructed lodge, completed in January 2006. Located on the banks of Mill Bayou, just Southwest of DeWitt, Retriever Lodge is completely secluded and provides a very relaxing atmosphere. The lodge can accommodate up to 16 guests per night, and everything in the lodge is first class. You can enjoy a pool table, poker table, full bar, big screen television with satellite, and all the luxuries anyone could want. Most of our hunting areas are located within minutes of the lodge. Once you see it you can’t help but be impressed.
 
Guides
The guides are all young and very enthusiastic. They will be in charge of the hunt. Whatever the guides says goes. This way you don’t let one person ruin the hunt. The guide is there to help you kill ducks. All of them grew up in this area and have hunted all of their lives. You will find them very fun and personable. The guide wants you to have a successful hunt, and will do everything possible to ensure that. We have good guides because we have quality hunting. It is much more enjoyable to take people on a good hunt. Treat the guide with respect and you will be in for a very good time.
Damon Whitmore
Steven Lepine
Zak Fisher
Randy Rhodes
Chance "Slick" Morgan
Heather Horton
Testimonials
I have been hunting with Retriever Lodge for many years. Their quality of hunting has been getting better each year. The past two years have been exceptional. Planting the food plots and leaving them for the ducks has really paid off. These guys work to make sure you have success. My son Stephen and I make several trips each year. We always look forward to duck season at Retriever Lodge.
Steve McGee
Tennessee
We have been hunting with Retriever Lodge for many years. Each year we bring at least 12 people and have a wonderful time. Our first morning this past year produced 95 ducks in the first hour of our hunt. Our three day total was around 250 ducks. The hunting has improved each year and we look forward to our January hunt each year.
Bobby Jacobs
Ohio
I bring a group of 14-16 hunters each year to Retriever Lodge. This has become an annual event for my sons and employees of my company. This past season we took over 220 ducks in a three day hunt. This past year was by far the best hunting we have had with Retriever Lodge. We are always split into small groups and the guys really take good care of us while we are in Arkansas. We don’t have very good duck hunting in Ohio and it really is a treat to make our trip to Arkansas each year.
Doug Sayre
Ohio
Our company hunted with Retriever Lodge for the past five years. We hunted several times throughout the season each year. We brought a lot of customers and had a really good time. Retriever Lodge has rice fields, bean fields, flooded timber, dead timber reservoirs, and bayou hunting. We got to hunt in a different place almost daily. It was very good for our company and employees. We really appreciate the hunting success we have had over the past several years.
John Cook
Block USA
Little Rock, Arkansas
Last year was the first time we hunted with Retriever Lodge. I have hunted with many guide services in and around Stuttgart, Arkansas. We brought a four man group and killed limits on all three days of our hunt. The food was great and the lodge is beautiful. We had a great time and are already planning our trip for next year.
John Satterfield
Atlanta, Georgia
I just wanted to thank Retriever Lodge for our hunt last year. Everything from the meals to the hunt was first class. My son James and I really had a great time. It was really the first real duck hunt of his life. I think he is now hooked. Thanks for taking the time to make our trip special.
David Cornell
Vicksburg, Mississippi
I brought several of my best clients on a hunt to Retriever Lodge last December. I had eight people and some of them were my best customers. The guys let us have the entire lodge to ourselves. We had a great hunt and had the opportunity to hunt in many different types of hunting situations. The hunting was great and the guides were very accommodating. I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable trip.
Wayne Hollingsworth
Memphis, Tennessee
I brought my wife and oldest son to Retriever Lodge last November. We only got to hunt for two days but had a very good trip. My son got to kill his first pintail drake and was very excited. We even got a band which made the trip even better. Thank you for the memories I got to make with my family.
William Thomas
Muskogee, Oklahoma
FAQs
Question: When is the best time to come and hunt in Arkansas?
Answer: It really depends on the year. I have seen opening weekend be the best, and I have seen the last weekend in January be the best. Weather, water, and food sources all play a role in your hunting success. By planting food supplies you put the odds in your favor for having 60 days of quality hunting. While it doesn’t guarantee anything, it always helps to put the odds in your favor.
Question: Are we going to hunt in the timber?
Answer: We usually try to hunt the timber on a sunny “blue bird day.” The weather forecast always plays a part. We take our hunters to the hunting location we feel gives them the best chance to have a good hunt. We have over 30 different places to choose from. We want you to have a successful hunt. In essence we are going to take you where the ducks are.
Question: Do I need waders?
Answer: Yes, waders will cover any hunting situation we have. Plus, it will provide extra insulation to keep you warm and dry.
Question: Can my group hunt in the afternoon, if we do not take our daily limit in the morning?
Answer: We try to let our hunting areas rest in the afternoons. Typically afternoon hunting is much slower than morning hunting. While we don’t recommend afternoon hunts, we will accommodate your group for an additional fee for an afternoon hunt if requested.
Question: Can I pick what hunting blind my group gets to hunt?
Answer: Special requests will be taken into consideration, but the final decision will be made by the Retriever Lodge staff.
Question: What kind of ducks will we be hunting?
Answer: Generally the Mallard duck is the most popular duck among hunters. Early in the season you will have a very mixed bag wherever you are hunting. By mid December the rice fields and timber will produce mostly Mallards. Reservoir hunting and bayou hunting will always produce a mixed bag for the entire season. It all depends on the hunting area.
Question: Can I bring my dog?
Answer: Dogs are always welcome but must be controllable. Often times the hunting is fast and furious for the first hour of the hunt. If one person in your group is trying to train a new dog during that time, the success rate could be greatly diminished. I typically let the group decide. All of our guides have dogs to retrieve the ducks. If we leave ours in the truck, we want yours to be good enough to retrieve the birds.
Question: When should I book my hunt?
Answer: Arkansas sets its duck season at the end of August. As soon as you can get your party together it is a very good idea to send your deposit and book. That way you get the days you want. I realize it’s often a hassle to try and get four or five guys together to book a December hunt in August. But, booking is on a first come first serve basis. It pays to plan ahead.
Question: Will my group be mixed with another group?
Answer: We do not like to mix groups when we are taking hunters. It all depends on the size of your group. If you bring at least four hunters, you will be guaranteed to be hunting only with your group. If you bring eight hunters, we will split your group down and take two groups of four. It isn’t feasible to pay a guide to take one guy hunting and burn down a hole. Anyone who tells you they are willing to do that is probably not being honest.
Question: Can I bring my wife or child?
Answer: Everyone is welcome at Retriever Lodge. We have some groups who come in and like to party and have a big time. We also hunt family oriented groups that are more low- key and just looking to make some memories. As long as you enjoy good fellowship and good hunting, you are welcome to come and hunt with us.
Question: What type of shotgun and shot size should I use?
Answer: Most adult male hunters prefer a 12 gauge shotgun for duck hunting. They typically shoot a modified choke and shoot number 2, 3, or 4 steel shot depending on where they are hunting. Some hunters who are experienced marksman prefer to shoot a full choke and increase their range. It depends strictly on the preference of the hunter.
We believe in being completely honest when it comes to running a guide service. I want everything to be up front that way there are no misunderstandings during your hunt. Some of the answers may seem a little harsh, but I have seen too many times when one person ruined the hunt for his entire group. We want everyone to have a good time and you have to run the hunt professionally in order to achieve this.
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