Episode 129 Hunter from Tri State Retrievers on Arkansas duck hunting and dog training

<p>Kyle and Travis sit down with Hunter from Tri State Retrievers to catch up on his move from Ohio to Arkansas, his work as a guide, and how he keeps dog training small, personal, and effective. They also dig into the realities of Arkansas duck hunting, from flooded rice fields and hospitality-driven guide services to why the hunting culture down south is so different from the Great <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Lakes.In" target="_blank">Lakes.In</a> this episode, Hunter shares what changed after leaving Ohio, how guiding and dog training fit together, and why transparency matters when you’re trusting someone with your dog for months at a time. The conversation also covers waterfowl heritage, pressure on bird habitat, safety in the blind, and what owners should look for in a trainer.</p><h6><b>Key topics</b></h6><ul><li>Hunter explains how Tri State Retrievers started in Ohio with Dustin, then shifted to Arkansas after he moved south and began building a kennel there.</li><li>He breaks down why he keeps dog training small, usually around six client dogs, because guiding takes up much of the fall and winter.</li><li>The crew talks about how competitive dog training is in Arkansas, where word of mouth and Facebook still do a lot of the heavy lifting.</li><li>Hunter compares Great Lakes waterfowl hunting with Arkansas hunting, pointing out that the Great Lakes region is often underestimated.</li><li>They get into the difference between hunting heritage in Arkansas versus Ohio, especially around flooded timber, rice fields, and big-water or field hunting.</li><li>Hunter explains why Arkansas hunting feels different now than in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, saying the region has changed rather than simply “died off.”</li><li>He discusses private clubs, unharvested crops, and how large tracts of held birds can affect where ducks and geese land and feed.</li><li>The group covers the all-inclusive side of guiding at Bust a Duck Guide Service, including lodging, meals, safety briefings, and making the day comfortable even if the birds don’t cooperate.</li><li>Hunter walks through his dog training timeline, from puppy programs at 8 weeks old to started gun dogs and longer programs for hunt tests and finished retrievers.</li><li>He explains what owners should look for in a trainer: transparency, kennel size, daily attention, facility quality, and regular communication.</li><li>The conversation closes on why hunting dogs are more successful