Greenhead presents the 2022 Executive Q&A featuring a panel of executives sharing their must-haves, top tips and favorite memories in the field.
Ernesto Ruiz-Rodriguez
Cardiologist
Arkansas Cardiology/Baptist Health
Days you hunt a season? As many as my schedule allows. On average 15-20 days split between duck and Specklebelly goose hunts.
Where do you hunt? Mostly Humnoke, Hazen and Altheimer. But I’m always ready to join friends in different places.
Club name? I recently acquired a new club and I’m still looking for a good name for it. Finding a cool name is harder than it seems.
What kind of gun do you use? Semi-auto.
Favorite duck call? Anything made by Rich-N-Tone is going to be high quality. Also one of my patients has been making Big M Duck Calls in Stuttgart since 1969, and they are great.
Fields, reservoir or timber? Timber and fields, but at the end what it comes down to is having good company.
Rainy, nasty or bluebird sky? Bluebird days are always awesome, but I have got to say waterfowl hunting in the snow is hard to beat. With that said, you can have the worst weather conditions and still have a great hunt as long as you are surrounded by the right people.
Favorite hunting story/memory? I was hunting with my friend and colleague, cardiac anesthesiologist Dr. Brian Jansen, and his 6-year-old son Jack at the Pecan Lake Duck Lodge in Lonoke, and out of nowhere a big flock of ducks flying fast and low appeared in front of us and we didn’t even have a chance to point our shotguns before they were gone. Brian says “Jack, did you see those ducks?” And without skipping a beat Jack replied “Those were not ducks. They were Rice Rockets.” Since then every time I see a fast-flying duck I can’t resist the urge of calling the Rice Rockets.
If you have kids, do you take them hunting? I have a godson named Gabriel and two buddies named Kade and Kason. I took all of them to their first duck hunt and also their first Specklebelly hunt. All of them got their first ducks and geese on their first shots.
What got you into hunting? A few years ago my friend Eddie Rodgers invited me to go duck hunting. Since then I have been hooked.
Most unusual “must have” in the duck blind? I’m not sure if it is unusual, but I always have my Leatherman multi-tool with me plus a first-aid tactical micro-trauma kit, which is small enough to fit in any blind bag and has essential life saving supplies to get you out of an unexpected emergency situation.
Go-to spot for breakfast/meals on a hunting weekend? Grumpy Rabbit in Lonoke.
Which Arkansas executive calls ducks the best? I think Matt Jeter with Raymond James Financial is an excellent caller. If you ask me about Specklebelly calling, Brent Birch is hard to beat.
