STUTTGART, Ark. — Last weekend's rain in Central Arkansas was welcomed news for farmers and waterfowl hunters.
We're about two weeks out from duck season, and hunters said the rain has helped them save money when it comes to pumping water for the birds.
In Wabbaseka, the geese have been coming in flocks, and as temperatures look to get colder next week, hunters have been optimistic that the ducks will come too.
"If you don't get that push for mother nature up north, you know, it can be tough," Longtime Hunter, Chuck Lock said.
Lock explained how in order for ducks to arrive, that's the first thing that needs to happen.
"We need we need snowfall and we need harsh weather up above us to make a push," Lock said.
While the rain over the weekend helped, Lock explained that they'll need a lot more.
"We need we need a considerable amount of rain up around the Jacksonville and Lonoke area to run down Bayou Meto," Lock said.
Though it hasn't rained a lot recently, Trey Reid with Arkansas Game and Fish said there are ways that hunters can still have enough water for the waterfowl.
"There will be places that have some water that pump water, you know, subsurface water or relief water out of surface water out of a creek or stream of some sort, you know, into a field or a block of flooded timber," Reid said.
He said that could help bring more ducks to the Natural State.
"If it's wet, we have a lot of ducks. If it's not, we don't," he said.
Greg Jacobs said last week he had to pump his own water to get geese to the fields.
"It was so dry that ducks weren't using fields and geese weren't using fields like this. They were only on reservoirs. So having to pump that's costly," Jacobs added.
He said it can cost thousands of dollars to pump water for 50 acres, but explained that for him, it's worth it.
"That's what we live for this time of year is what most everyone around here does. So whatever it takes to get the birds to where we need them to be. That's what we'll do," Jacobs said.
The first day of duck season is Saturday, November 19th.