Muddy Bayou YoungGunz
arkansasduckguide.com
Give us a little background and history on Cody Alberson. How did that young Arkansas boy become so passionate and hardcore for waterfowl hunting?
ALBERSON
Well, it all started by just being born into a "hardcore" hunting family. I mean there was no way I was gonna get out of being a hunter because pretty much everything my family did was based around hunting and the outdoors! But I will say, it wasn't hard to convince me that I loved hunting. I love everything about hunting and the whole learning process of how to be a successful hunter. My dad is a hardcore hunter. I think his picture would be beside the phrase "Hunt, work, play" because that's exactally how they fall in order to him. Hunting first before anything! I was always in the woods learning from him. Learning how to sit still, be quiet, move slow, look with your eyes, and all the info on what animal we were hunting. I'm sure my grandpa was the same way with him, so it's only right that I got the same treatment! As will my son, I'm sure!!
FLYWAY
What is your favorite duck to hunt and why?
ALBERSON
Of course, the Mallard! I mean it's in my blood... I'm an Arkansan!!! There is just something about getting to where the mallards want to be and watching them rain down on top of you! Especially in the flooded timber of Arkansas! When the sun gets up and shines on that beautiful "GreenHead".... it just gets my blood pumping. I honestly think it might beat shooting a big buck!!
FLYWAY
What is one duck you haven't shot but want to?
ALBERSON
I would have to say the Drake Canvasback. I have shot one as of now, but just as of a few days ago I had not! I have now gotten the duck I have sought after for years. If I had to pick another one it would probably would be a Redhead.
FLYWAY
Tell me about the first duck you ever shot. What was it, where did you shoot it and what kind of gun did you shoot it with?
ALBERSON
My first duck was a Mallard Drake, aka The GreenHead!! It was taken on the Bayou Deview in Arkansas which is the river my outfit is named after, and that's where my dad and cousin did most of their guiding back then. It was a great spot to kill mallards!
FLYWAY
You can go on a dream hunt with any 3 people. They can be family members, relatives, friends, celebrities, athletes, it doesn't matter. They can be alive or deceased. Who will you be taking on your dream hunt, where will you be going and what will you be hunting?
ALBERSON
Well, surprise surprise... My dream hunt would take place in the flooded timber of Arkansas shootin greenheads by the dozens!!! And three more of those trees would be occupied by my Grandpa Mann Alberson, my dad Danny Wayne Alberson, and my PawPaw Jim Webb!! The reason for these three is because I've hunted with all three at some point, but never all together on a classic Arkansas duck hunt!! That's one of the many reasons I love duck hunting, it's the fellowship you get to do while hunting.... and conversations with those three would've been a treat!!
FLYWAY
This year for your birthday I will be inviting 3 of your favorite bands or singers to perform for you at your birthday party. Who will I be inviting?
ALBERSON
Without a doubt my good friend Andy Griggs and his band.... it's always a great time when he performs. Second, let's bring in AC/DC for some rock your face-off music!!! Then let's tone it down just a little with some Van Morrison!!
FLYWAY
Let's talk decoys for a moment. How important do you believe strategizing your decoy placement is to having success? Some guys set up their decoy spread with the utmost attention to detail while others simply throw them anywhere with no rhyme or reason at all to their spread and claim they have success. Your thoughts?
ALBERSON
I believe there's an art to putting out decoys. Of course, I play the wind because we all know ducks and geese land into the wind. I simply try to watch the ducks during the same day I'm hunting them to see how they are bunching up. Sometimes they spread out almost as if they don't like each other and other times they bunch up. One thing is sure, If your spread doesn't seem to be working...change it up!! Often times people put them out and think...Oh well, they are decoy shy... when all you may have to do is change up your spread.
FLYWAY
Tell us about Muddy Bayou YoungGunz and how it originated
ALBERSON
It all started by the kid coming out in me and the passion for duck hunting!! As we all know, a banded duck is like the trophy of waterfowl hunting, and since I love the "behind the scenes" in anything that is created, I wanted to experience the process of banding ducks. So that 's what I did! The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was happy to have me along and I was like a kid in a candy store! As I was experiencing the wait on the ducks, the cannon going off, getting the ducks out of the net, sexing the ducks, and clamping the band on the leg and the release I thought to myself, you know as much as I'm having, I'm positive kids would love it even more! So I teamed up with AGFC and took 8 kids to band wood ducks and just as I had thought, they loved it! I always knew I wanted to be a part of helping kids experience the outdoors so why couldn't I start my own organization and take kids to band ducks and go duck hunting? Well, that is exactly what I did and that's where the Muddy Bayou YoungGunz originated! I came up with the name from the companies that are a big part of making this happen and mixed them together ( Delta Waterfowl- Muddy Waters Chapter, Bayou Deview Guides, and the Drake waterfowl- YoungGunz). Since then it has grown bigger each year and hopefully the sky is the limit on building and expanding beyond duck hunting! We all need to take a kid hunting anytime we get a chance. Even if it's not your own kid, take an extra step in helping a kid experience the outdoors!!
FLYWAY
What calls would we find on your lanyard right now and do you have a favorite?
ALBERSON
You will find Echo duck calls on my lanyard!! It's a duck call I have used for years and one that just seemed right and would help me perform and sound just like that mallard hen! And yes, I have a go to call that I make sure hangs to the right everytime so that I dont even have to look for it.... it's right there everytime! It's my Ol' wooden double reed!! It makes 'em come in everytime...Okay, almost everytime!!!
FLYWAY
This is a tough question to ask any hunter but I'm going to ask you anyway. What is your greatest hunting memory? Is there one that stands out above all the rest? They say deep down we all have one, regardless of how many times we have hunted or how many kills we have under our belt we all have that "special one". What would yours be?
ALBERSON
It might would be hard for most people, but not for me! My favorite memory is a deer hunt with my grandpa Alberson. We had shot a ten point together when I was around 12 yrs old, which is a hunt I'll never forget, but the hunt I'm about to tell you about is the greatest!!! It was the year I pretty much had just gotten into television and we were doing some surprise hunts with a show and taking people on hunts of a lifetime!! I had asked the host of the show, if I put it together, could we take my 91 yr old grandpa on a trophy whitetail hunt and he agreed. My grandpa is probably one of the most dedicated hunters I knew and probably will ever know! At this point he was getting older but still had the drive to get out there and hunt. He was telling stories, keeping the fire going and just loved being in the atmosphere, I mean that's what's it's all about right? So now I was about to guide my 91 yr old grandpa on a trophy whitetail hunt! It was a challenge, but every bit of it was worth it!! If a man had the drive to get in a deer stand and hunt, I wasn't about to not let that happen, and it did! We had been watching a huge deer that had 3 beams and got so close to getting him!! The 3 day hunt had wore on my grandpa so we had to try and get him a deer. And that he did!!! He slammed a nice management buck, dropped him in his tracks!! Wow, he still had it! At that moment I can't express how I felt. A 91 year old man had just proven to the world on national TV that hunting was far more than a sport, it was a passion!! Now that hunt doesn't have to be a memory to me, it's on DVD and it gets me everytime!! I can only hope I have the drive he had and I hope to keep the hunting tradition going for many more years to come!
FLYWAY
Let's say you were giving a seminar on calling ducks to rookies and beginners. What are some tips, advice, and words of wisdom you would offer to those trying to master calling in ducks?
ALBERSON
Well, ducks are crazy... The End!!! Just joking!! The best thing I can offer for a tip is to watch and listen to the duck!! Let them tell you what they want. Sometimes it's best if you would have just left your calls at the house!! Other times I have had 5 or more guys whaling at them and they love it! But we mostly use one or two guys, soft calling and not alot of it, but just enough to let them know your there! But like I said, feel the ducks out, listen to them and learn.
FLYWAY
What is your gun of choice when waterfowl hunting?
ALBERSON
Well, I have always been a "Pump" gun guy. The gun that has been with me for nine straight seasons is the Benelli Nova!! I literally kill squirrels, dove, turkey, geese, and of course ducks! That gun has been a champion!!
FLYWAY
Your favorite meal is.....?
ALBERSON
My Good ol' country meal would probably be deer tenderloin with mash potatoes, gravy, corn, black eyes peas and a roll to top it off!! This question just made me hungry for some reason!!!
FLYWAY
Your favorite movie of all time and your favorite tv show?
ALBERSON
I answered that I would be lying because I have alot of favorite movies, but I will say I love movies that make me laugh so hard that I cry!
FLYWAY
You and I had the pleasure of hunting together at Lifetime Hunts, L.L.C. in Macon, Mississippi a few weeks ago. I have hunted Minnesota for most of my life and I have never experienced anything like that before in my life. There is something special about duck hunting "southern style". What do you think makes the south so good for duck hunting? I watched literally tons of ducks tornado down and fight for a small peice of property on the water. Multiple times!! You just don't see that happen up here in Minnesota, not much anyway. It seems to be common down there.
ALBERSON
That's an easy question. It's because the South is great! Especially Arkansas!! You can kill deer, ducks, turkey, elk, dove, quail, squirrel, or you can fish and catch catfish, crappie, or brim just to name a few, and we even have crawfish! And to top it all off for you, we have that good old southern hospitality!! Need I say more?
FLYWAY
Speaking of our hunt in Mississippi, do you think you will ever forgive Torrey Harris and I for blowing our duck calls at 3 in the morning before a big hunt? I know it woke you up but I also know you were in awe and mesmerized by what you were hearing that night! Don't even act like you weren't impressed!!
ALBERSON
That would be a big No!!!! Sorry, Bro. That was some of the most hideous calling I had ever heard!! I started to do what we call in Arkansas, " put some pitch in it"....... pitch out the door that is!!
FLYWAY
You and I talked about my desire to shoot a pintail. We thought it might happen in Mississippi but it didn't. The mallards and woodies were out in full force but the pintails were hard to find. Look into your crystal ball and tell me when you think it might happen for me. What is your crystal ball showing you in regards to me and my first pintail?
ALBERSON
It would probably tell you that we are gonna try our butts off to get one! You thought it was gonna say that we were gonna get one for sure, didn't ya? Ha Ha. Just jokin' with ya. We will have a great chance, but it always seems that I kill and kill pintails, until someone wants one, then they seem invisible! I can assure you that Pintails will be our main focus when you come back down. I don't care if we shoot another duck as long as we see that Bull Pintail fall outta the sky!
FLYWAY
Tell us about Bayou Deview Guides and how people can find out more about what you offer.
ALBERSON
My family has been Outfitting since 1986 and I took over around 2003. We have all had a passion for waterfowl and the world of outfitting made it even more exciting. Getting to meet new people every year and all the jokes and stories have been great over the years!! A great way to find out more about Bayou Deview Guides is visiting our website at arkansasduckguide.com or call me directly at 870-351-0633. You can find me on Facebook too. Gauranteed to have a great time!
FLYWAY
You have quite an impressive resume behind the camera. How long have you been filming and what shows or dvds have you worked on?
ALBERSON
I have always wanted to be in the Outdoor Industry and I have filmed hunts and myself hunting since I can remember. When I finally got the chance to do it professionally it was like a dream come true. I got my first television debut for a local Outdoor TV show, Bob Robins Outdoors. I guided him and his crew on a a Snow Goose decoy hunt here in Arkansas! That kinda got the flame goin!! Then I had an offer to help build a TV show called Higer Ground Outdoors, where we surprised people on their job location and gave them a hunt of a lifetime! The show became one of the number one Outdoor TV shows on the Outdoor channel. This got my foot in the door and my camera skills became better and better, with alot of teaching from professionals along the way!! But better job opportunities came along and that's where I started working with the well known Muzzy (Bad to the Bone) TV show, where I currently still work. I still am considered a freelance Videographer, but have little time to film with other shows because Muzzy keeps me pretty busy! But I still get a chance to film other shows every once and awhile and I enjoy it.
FLYWAY
Do you ever feel any stress or frustrations as a guide? I often wonder what goes through a guides head when the birds refuse to come in and your clients are sitting there waiting and wanting to shoot. I know they have to get frustrated, I can't imagine the pressure it puts on a guide. Your thoughts?
ALBERSON
No doubt about it! There have been many times I have felt like an idiot!! But I think it's made me a better hunter. I strive to make sure my clients have ducks, so that I have less of those days! They still happen occasionally. Mother nature isn't always so nice and cooperative.
FLYWAY
I know you to be one of the most passionate guys I have ever met when it comes to waterfowl hunting. I want you to describe yourself in one word.
ALBERSON
Determined!
FLYWAY
Have you ever doubled or tripled and if so indulge me with the details!
ALBERSON
I have doubled before and it was only because the ducks we fell on in the hole were so thick that you could've doubled three shots in a row!!!! But to impress you even more..... Lol.... that was also the time I killed four ducks with three shots. There were 17 mallards that came in that hole and 17 did not leave! C'mon..... Now that's Killin'!
FLYWAY
You like to deer hunt. Tell me the biggest buck you have taken to date. I want to know where you shot it and what you took it down with. Also, do you prefer hunting deer with bow or rifle?
ALBERSON
My biggest buck would be a 141 B&C. I shot it with a 300 weatherby at 386 yards. Might I add, I dropped him in his tracks! I love hunting with both rifle and bow, but there is just something about shooting one with a bow.... the scouting, the right tree, the wind and patience that goes with bow hunting, it just makes it the ultimate way to harvest a big buck!
FLYWAY
How can people find out more about you, your guide service and Muddy Bayou YoungGunz?
ALBERSON
Please go to our website at www.arkansasduckguide.com and comment on pics or write to me in our email block. Tell me what you think of our hunts and pics! But more importantly, find out more about what we do with our youth.
FLYWAY
In closing I want to say it was a blast hunting with you in the swamps of Mississippi. I will see you in Arkansas later this year! Thanks for taking some time out and good luck the rest of the way!
ALBERSON
Dave, I wanna thank you and the guys at Minnesota Flyway for giving me the opportunity to be a part of what you guys do and the opportunity to do this interview!! It was great to give you guys a little history about myself and thanks for asking!! I know we will soon have some duck hunting stories of our own to tell! It was great hunting with you in Mississippi. I think we have only scratched the surface with our relationship!! May the duck Gods be with you and God bless!
Minnesota Flyway would like to thank Cody Alberson for taking the time to answer our interview questions. For more information check out www.arkansasduckguide.com
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