More Than a Hunt: The Busted Mallard Brotherhood

Flit go the wings of a graceful mallard, feathers slicing through thick air. Sparkling eyes race eagerly to meet his flight, concealed beneath layers of camouflage. The ducks drain in through fog and heat, soaring overhead like heaven-sent rain. They fall repeatedly to the slough with soft splashes, bribing quiet cheers from the men.

The glossy fur of a black labrador sends droplets flying as he shakes himself dry, panting in joy and satisfaction of a job well done. When the morning air grows hotter, ducks fly in even still, unbothered by the heat and skillful hunters below. The sun casts rays down on the men as they enter their cabin with gleeful grins. And even as it slips away and all around is dark, the building glows with laughter, fellowship, and the thrill of a good hunt.  

Through a sea of fertile cropland and dusty county roads lies Busted Mallard Duck Club, a beloved common ground built upon lifelong friendships and quality hunting in Holly Grove, Arkansas. Eight members share ownership of the 560-acre property, its land boasting rich Arkansas soil and marshy flooded timber—the perfect habitat for fluttering greenheads. The eight men are lifelong college buddies, family, and friends forged through mutual connections. Among the group is Eddie Ramsey, Benton native and long-time lover of the hunt.  

“Can we let him out, Buddy?” pleads Henson, Eddie’s six-year-old grandson. The boy peers through the bars of a sturdy dog crate, fingers dancing in a desperate effort to pet the lab. He yanks his arm out as it meets the dog’s slobbery tongue, wiping his hand on his jeans. Eddie laughs and turns to gaze upon picture frames that line the wall of the duck club, a large cabin filled with character and charm. Its wood-plank walls are heavy with massive deer mounts, each boasting a larger rack than the next. Draped along the ceiling are ducks, suspended mid-flight as if they soar above the cozy living room. A pool table beckons from the left, and to the right, a hallway leads to several bedrooms—each stocked with camouflage, their walls lined with memories and duck calls. No surface, wall, or space in the cabin goes untouched by the undeniable bond of the men, their dogs, and the Arkansas land. 

It was twenty years ago this past May that the foundation of these memories came to be.  

“A friend of mine, Barry Jones, told me about this camp and land that was coming up for sale,” said Eddie. “We all hunted in Des Arc about an hour from here. One Friday night, I convinced Tony Orr, one of the other members, to come look at the property.  I remember he made a comment— ‘That's it, I'm in.’ So, we scheduled a real estate showing and went back to camp to tell everybody about it. The next day, we all came and looked at the property. We made an offer and closed a couple of months later and then just started acquiring land after that.”  

The members of the club are mostly college buddies- five were roommates, a few golfed collegiately and some were close personal friends. But it was one thing that quickened each of their hearts, pulled them together and forged the bond they still share today. Nothing came close to their mutual love of hunting: the thrill of ducks flying overhead or a massive buck in the scope of their rifle. For almost a decade, the men hunted together, keeping the thought of their own property in the back of their minds.

 Since 2004, the club has been a haven for ducks, deer, and eager hunters, but the property boasts more than just game. “At one point, we were mainly just a hunting club,” says Eddie. “Now we've got so much cropland—we're a farm.”  

Busted Mallard Duck Club is a testament to the versatility of Arkansas land, offering quality game and rich, flat land—perfect for soybeans, corn, and other crops.  

“Taking a phrase from one of the members,” Eddie said, “You can't beat a man at his own game. Farm Credit understands the trials and tribulations of farming, and they appreciate the land value. I think they appreciate what we do to the land.” 

Behind the main cabin sits a metal shop, brimming with decoys, waders and other essentials. Inside you’ll find the club’s side-by-sides, their boat, and a PVC pipe system that dries their waders. At the end of a farm road lies the flooded slough timber, about a mile from the camp. For the life of the duck club, each member has had a specific tree that they naturally tend to go to. Eddie has hunted the same tree for going on 21 seasons, his son to the left of him. He jokes that the unspoken tradition has affected his ability to shoot from a left or right flight because those were his son’s birds. 

“When we hunt our land, it’s pretty easy,” he said. “I look forward to hunting with the three or four or five members who come at a time because it's not about the kill here. It's all about the camaraderie, the food. We do kill ducks, but nobody's only worried about how many they kill. Nobody is very selfish while hunting.”  

The club was built on common ground, passion and respect for the hunt—eight mutual agreements to good stewardship of the land.  

“Hunting is a big part of my life,” said Eddie. “It's how I reset my soul every year from the hustle and bustle. I’ve been duck hunting for around 26 years. I hunted with my dad when I was really little—been hunting deer since I was seven years old. That’s almost 50 years.”     

As the years passed and he created a family of his own, Eddie introduced them to the club and raised them to understand the value of the sport.

“My son has grown up hunting here, and that's always been special to me,” Eddie said. “He started hunting with us when he was five or six. I've got a picture back on the wall where he was younger than my grandson. He’d always go hunting with all of us, and my friends have helped raise him here. They’ve helped instill our culture and our safety, where he’s a very safe hunter. He looks forward to coming over here every year. My son-in-law and grandson are coming now. It's a big part of our life.”  

Henson spent his sixth birthday at the club, eyes shining as he excitedly pointed out which waders he would wear this season.  

“My goal for him is to learn how to respect the land, the culture,” Eddie said. “You see people on social media that care about how many ducks they kill. To me, duck hunting in Arkansas is not about the kill. It's about respecting the land to be able to do it again and again.”   

His eyes drifted back to the pictures on the wall as he added, "It's about building relationships. When you go hunt, it's not about getting your limit every day. You don’t win every day, but you want everybody around you to have a good time and come back.”  

Eddie grinned.  

“I think if he learns that, then it's been a success.”

Eddie would like to give a special thanks to all BMDC members for their part in making the dream happen and continue. He would also like to recognize member Tony Orr for his diligence in handling day-to-day financials, corporate filings, as well as farming operations and subsidies that ensure the success and longevity of the club.