Top 3 Destinations for Guided Specklebelly Hunting

Formally known as the white-fronted goose, the specklebelly species of waterfowl is growing in popularity. These geese are one the most vocal birds and they tend to listen to the call better than other waterfowl. The specklebelly is also exceptional table fare & can be found in most western states, but there are some places that unequivocally have bigger populations. Specifically three places stick out in my mind that have top notch hunting and they are Arkansas, Louisiana, and California in no particular order. Every place is unique in its own way, but all share something in common and that is usually moist AG fields and unforgettable experiences.

Arkansas Waterfowl Hunting

Arkansas has only become popular with specklebelly hunting in recent years. For years everyone thought of Arkansas for those green tree mallard hunts, but it seems that even is starting to fade away with slow duck years. If you talk to locals, these vocal birds only recently just started showing up. Although it has only become more popular recently that should not take away from the quality of the hunting. I have hunted these birds in Arkansas and it was nothing short of spectacular. Almost all hunting is done in the eastern half of the state. This side of the state is home to the Mississippi floodplain and numerous other rivers. With these types of conditions it calls for numerous AG fields which specklebellys love to call home. Being in the south and this area called “duck hunting capital” it does get its fair share of pressure. Knocking on doors to get permission would be very hard to do. There are tons of guide services in this half of the state so it would not be hard to get on a very good specklebelly hunt. Most hunts here are done over dry fields and use a-frame blinds to get after these geese. The daily bag limit also increased to three this year instead of two. 

Louisiana Waterfowl Hunting Guides

Louisiana has long been known as sportsman paradise for a multitude of reasons whether it's the waterfowl, alligators, or fishing it is a wildlife mecca. When people think of Louisiana they think of New Orleans and to be quite frank you will have to go quite a ways away from bourbon street to get good specklebelly hunting. Great speck hunting can be found in the southwest corner of the state, east central part of the state, and northeast side of the state. These are the areas that most AG fields are found. As I said earlier Arkansas does get a lot of hunting pressure, but Louisiana puts a whole new spin on that notion. There are quite a few specklebellys in Louisiana, but with that there are a lot of hunters. It is not uncommon for you and another group to be calling at the same birds, even while on private land. Southern Louisiana from what I can see tends to hunt out of pit blinds which are very concealed, but you are limited because these cannot be moved. The further north you go I see more and more a-frames being used because not as many hunters as the south. With that being said there are tons of guide services that can get you on a good hunt and there is also a lot of public land you can scratch out a few. 

California Waterfowl Hunts

California is a place that most waterfowlers don’t think about or just forget, but it is a hidden gem. It has been struggling lately with droughts, but hunting is still very good. Some parts of the state allow a very liberal limit of 10 specklebelly's a day. California is the second biggest rice producing state with most of it coming from the Sacramento Valley. There is not as much pressure in this state so getting permission would not be that hard. There are some very good accredited guide services out there that can make your hunt enjoyable. This state would be one of the neatest to hunt these geese in because you are in a valley. In some places one may hunt there may even be mountains in the background. That is something mid westerners or southern states do not get to see.

These are not the only places that you can have successful specklebelly hunts, but I think that if you are targeting them these are some of the best places to go. These birds work very well and are very vocal. It feels like you are actually enticing them to come in. These birds are also excellent table fare if not one of the best waterfowl species to eat. I encourage everyone to get out one day and see these beautiful birds coming into the decoys feet down yodeling. Check out hundreds of Specklebelly Adventures listed on our platform!