I would recommend going after christmas, unless you go to N Arky, then go in Dec or later. There will be ducks earlier than that but the mallards really come down good mid season

It is a awesome time up there. If you want to do the camping thing for a week you can't beat the WMA's up there. I've never did the lodge thing up there but really would like too. There are usually lots of birds around. If you hunting the timber you want some cold temps to get the birds out of the fields and into the timber. Yall should have a awesome time up there.