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NEWS & EVENTS

LAWSUIT OVER AGFC GAS LEASE FUNDS DISMISSED

Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Jay Moody dismissed a lawsuit brought by James Dockery of Little Rock against the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, its commissioners and director, that concerned the use of funds from oil and gas leases on AGFC lands.

Dockery sued the AGFC in February 2009, asking that $32.2 million in oil and gas lease funds received between 2006 and 2008 be diverted to the Legislature instead of going to the AGFC for wildlife conservation and management purposes. Under a previous consent order, the AGFC voluntarily agreed to hold the bulk of the money in the Game Protection Fund under control of the state treasurer until the court entered a final ruling, which came on Thursday.

Judge Moody dismissed Dockery’s claims against the AGFC after concluding that provisions in the Arkansas Constitution, and in state statutes and federal regulation, require that money derived from mineral exploration and production on AGFC-owned property must be “expended by the [AGFC] for the control, management, restoration, conservation and regulation of the birds, fish and wildlife resources of the State . . . and for no other purposes.”

The two wildlife management areas where mineral leasing by the AGFC has taken place are Petit Jean River and Gulf Mountain . Petit Jean WMA is near Ola in Yell County and Gulf Mountain is near Scotland in Van Buren County. The five-year leases with Chesapeake Exploration LLC cover about 11,500 acres total. Drilling operations are expected to begin on parts of both management areas later this year.

The AGFC stated that it expects to use funds from the mineral leases to monitor and protect water and habitat conditions on both WMAs and other lands in the Fayetteville Shale Area; retire bond debt from previous land purchases; renovate aging WMAs and lake facilities; and potentially fund existing and new conservation projects and education programs.

2010 ARKANSAS SPORTSHOW RESULTS

OVERALL WINNER
 Sean Longnecker - 181 6/8 typical - Arkansas County

MODERN GUN
1.  Carl Hollis -- 155 0/8 typical -- Sharp County
2.  Duane Fraser -- 176 7/8 non-typical -- Woodruff County
3.  James Keasler Jr. -- 173 2/8 non-typical -- Lee County

BOW DIVISION
1.  Gary Dozier -- 167 3/8 typical -- Woodruff County
2.  Dean Davis -- 186 7/8 non-typical -- Arkansas County
3.  Albert Davis -- 148 0/8 typical -- Craighead County 

CROSSBOW DIVISION
1.  Michael Cole -- 154 5/8 typical -- Craighead County 
2.  Tyson Teel -- 137 2/8 typical -- Jackson County
3.  Hunter Green -- 134 7/8 typical -- Cross County

LADIES DIVISION
1.  Sharon Podbielski -- 144 7/8 typical -- Arkansas County
2.  Lauryn Watkins -- 142 4/8 typical -- Poinsett County
3.  Natalie Glenn -- 135 2/8 typical -- Lawrence County

MUZZLELOADER DIVISION
1.  Harry Ricker -- 158 0/8 typical -- Hot Spring County
2.  Rusty Amos -- 147 3/8 typical -- Carroll County 
3.  Shannon Kelley -- 162 2/8 non-typical -- Cross County

SHED DIVISION
 1.  Nicholas Crossno -- 86 5/8 -- Greene County
2.  Mason Ross -- 82 1/8 -- Garland County
3.  Frankie Green -- 77 5/8 -- Cross County

YOUTH DIVISION
1.  Joey Graves -- 148 0/8 typical -- Woodruff County
2.  Josh Kennedy -- 137 2/8 typical -- Lawrence County
3.  Wesley Gibson -- 136 3/8 typical -- Jackson County
OPEN DIVISION
 1.  Shannon Lenderman -- 204 3/8 non-typical -- Adams, IL
2.  Larry Jackson -- 193 0/8 non-typical -- Skyler, IL 
3.  Herschel Meeks -- 148 6/8 typical -- Lawrence, KS

RECORD ARKANSAS BEAR HARVEST

Hunters took a record number of bears during the 2009-10 Arkansas bear season with over 530 bears harvested. That total is some 130 bears more than the second highest total taken during the 2007-08 season. 

Bear program coordinator Myron Means said the main reason for the record harvest was the low availability of natural foods. “Baiting for bears is very effective where there’s not a lot of available food in their natural habitat,” Means said. The 2009 ice storms destroyed most of the mast crop in the northern parts of Arkansas , forcing bears to look for other food sources.

Johnson and Van Buren counties were the two top counties for bear hunters. In Johnson County , 64 bears were harvested followed by 51 bears in Van Buren County. Archery was the favorite method for hunters with almost 70 per cent of the total harvest taken with archery equipment, followed by muzzleloader and then modern gun. Public lands hunters took 100 bears while private lands bears hunters killed 433 bears.

20th ANNUAL BIG BUCK CLASSIC RESULTS

OVERALL
 1.  Sean Longnecker -- 181 6/8 typical gun kill -- Arkansas County
2.  Mike Dobson -- 202 0/8 non-typical gun kill -- Arkansas County
3.  Michael Chapman -- 170 1/8 typical gun kill -- Newton County
4.  Bob Fugitt -- 168 0/8 typical gun kill -- Hempstead County
5.  Kerry Ward -- 167 2/8 typical gun kill -- Lee County
6.  George Lynch -- 191 4/8 non-typical gun kill -- Montgomery County
7.  Gary Dozier -- 165 6/8 typical bowkill -- Woodruff County
8.  David Bedell -- 165 2/8 typical gun kill -- Garland County
9.  Andrew France -- 164 0/8 typical gun kill -- Prairie County
10. Thomas Richards -- 163 7/8 typical gun kill -- White County 

MODERN GUN
 Non-Typicals
1.  Mike Dobson -- 202 0/8 -- Arkansas County
2.  George Lynch -- 191 4/8 -- Montgomery County
3.  William Hargett -- 179 7/8 -- Izard County
4.  Billy Jo Callicott -- 177 6/8 -- Nevada County
5.  Kevin Poor -- 169 1/8 -- Polk County

Typicals
1.  Sean Longnecker -- 181 6/8 -- Arkansas County
2.  Michael Chapman -- 170 1/8 -- Newton County
3.  Bob Fugitt -- 168 0/8 -- Hempstead County
4.  Kerry Ward -- 167 2/8 -- Lee County
5.  David Bedell -- 165 2/8 -- Garland County

BOW DIVISION
 Non-Typicals
1.  Dean Davis -- 186 7/8 -- Arkansas County
2.  Kelly Davis -- 162 3/8 -- Pope County
3.  Jeff Brimer -- 158 6/8 -- White County
4.  Eddie Grace -- 145 0/8 -- Cleveland County
Typicals
1.  Gary Dozier -- 165 6/8 -- Woodruff County
2.  Scott Greenwood -- 153 4/8 -- Jefferson County
3. Chad Foster -- 153 3/8 -- Phillips County
4.  Tommy Gerlach -- 145 7/8 -- Prairie County
5.  Clay Forsberg -- 141 0/8 -- Faulkner County

CROSSBOW DIVISION
Non-Typicals - No Entries 
Typicals
1.  Steven Sprviell -- 131 6/8 -- Faulkner County
2.  Mike Hall -- 129 4/8 -- Cross County
3.  Dennis Holloway -- 129 1/8 -- Faulkner County
4.  Pearl Moody -- 123 6/8 -- Saline County
5.  Billy Allen -- 123 4/8 -- Pulaski County

LADIES DIVISION
 Non-Typicals - No Entries
Typicals
1.  Darlene Rogers -- 154 2/8 -- Prairie County
2.  Adi Self -- 148 6/8 -- Pike County
3.  Sharon Podbielski -- 144 6/8 -- Arkansas County
4.  Jamie James -- 144 2/8 -- Nevada County
5.  Magen Schrivner -- 140 3/8 -- Hot Spring County

MUZZLELOADER DIVISION
 Non-Typicals 
1.  Danny Parchman -- 182 7/8 -- Dallas County
2.  Tommy Thompson -- 151 7/8 -- Clark County 
3.  James Manees -- 82 2/8 -- Faulkner County
Typicals
1.  157 4/8 -- Harry Ricker -- Hot Spring County
2.  156 0/8 -- Jeffrey Ott -- Marion County 
3.  Joshua Cummings -- 153 6/8 -- Pike County
4.  Steve Berry -- 144 3/8 -- Clark County
5.  Scott Hilburn -- 140 0/8 -- Prairie County

SHED DIVISION
 1.  William Hamilton -- 76 7/8 -- Searcy County
2.  James Waggle -- 75 5/8 -- Ward
3.  William Hamilton -- 72 6/8 -- Searcy County
4.  Reed McPherson -- 69 3/8 -- Arkansas County
5.  George Lynch -- 66 3/8 -- Royal

 YOUTH DIVISION
Non-Typicals
1.  Kade Martin -- 168 1/8 -- Sevier County
2.  Houston Chavis -- 99 2/8 -- Woodruff County
Typicals
1.  Andrew France -- 164 0/8 -- Prairie County
2.  Jake Eudy -- 155 7/8 -- Howard County
3.  Scott Roland -- 147 3/8 -- Perry County
4.  Lane Chapman -- 144 2/8 -- Desha County
5.  Patrick Hambrick -- 141 0/8 -- White County

ARKANSAS ELK HARVEST UP IN 2009

Arkansas’ 2009 elk harvest was up five animals from 2008.

Cory Gray, the AGFC’s elk biologist, reported that a total of 21 elk were harvested during the state’s three seasons. In 2008, only 16 elk were harvested. On public lands this year, 16 elk were taken. Five elk were taken during the private land hunts.

During the September hunt, four bull elk were taken by hunters. In December, hunters took 17 elk. The largest bull harvested weighed in at a live weight of 800 pounds. The largest cow weighed a dressed weight of 370 pounds and the largest antlers were a 7x7. Since the modern Arkansas elk hunt began in 1998, a total of 275 elk have been taken by hunters.

*Approved a grant in the amount of $625,624.15 for fines collected from game law convictions. The money goes back to the county where the fine was collected. The grant is used to fund educational programs focused on fish, wildlife and conservation in the counties where the offenses occurred.

HOPE OFFERS HOPE
 …For he was a Mighty Hunter before the Lord…Gen. 10:9 

HOPE Outdoors is a national non-denominational non-profit Christian based program that exists to bring honor to the Lord by sparking hope in the lives of men, women, and children who are physically challenged or critically ill...through hunting and fishing.  There are children and adults with special needs, that dream of being able to go afield. HOPE makes those dreams a reality while sharing the Gospel of Christ with them and their families.

It was a crisp early morning in April when Spring Turkey Season opened that year.  Everyone was anticipating getting a chance at a big tom that morning.  A young boy by the name of Bobby Whaley was one of our hunters.  He was so excited, as you could see by his Gigantic Grin.   They went out Saturday morning to their blind, but Bobby was real sleepy so he didn't get a shot at one.  He decided that he needed to head back to camp for a good nap before the afternoon hunt. 

     It looked like it was going to be a great afternoon for turkey hunting, as the sun decided to come out of hiding.  Bobby and his guides were in the blind for just a little while, when a big gobbler came out of the woods, into the field, to see if he could find the hen that was calling to him.  Bobby spotted him and let his hunting team know there was a turkey in the field!  Bobby waited until he had him in his line of fire, then BLAM went the shotgun, and down went the gobbler!  It sounded like opening day at a Razorback Football Game in that blind!  Bobby let out a yell of sheer excitement because that day he became known as The Turkey Terminator!

What do some of our past participants have to say about being able to get outside and have an opportunity to go hunting.  Here is a Testimonial from one of our past hunters that I will share today.

My name is Kendall Graham.   I am 11 years old and am in a wheelchair because I have Spina Bifidia.  My cousin told me about an organization called HOPE Outdoors that lets kids with disabilities experience the fun and joy of hunting and fishing.  I was chosen to participate in a Wild Boar Hunt at Cuz and Cuz Wild Boar Ranch that HOPE Outdoors Arkansas was hosting.  I was so excited to be chosen for this hunt. The excitement of getting to hunt and take my very first wild boar was awesome!  If it wasn’t for my cousin telling me about Hope Outdoors, I might have missed out on this experience.   I am thankful for him telling me about HOPE Outdoors. I also want to say a special thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors that make HOPE possible.

 If you or someone you know would like to be a participant at an event, please check out our website at www.hopeoutdoors.org Click on the Participant Application and fill out the form and send it in.  We will get in contact with the participant as soon as possible to share with them the good news!  There is nothing like being in the outdoors on a beautiful fall hunting morning or a bright sunny day for fishing.  If you would like to know more about our program, or would like to be a HOPE Outdoors Volunteer, please contact Paul & Christy Parsons christinanpaul@cablelynx.com or give us a call at 501-278-4856 or 501-593-2258. 

AGFC GIVES FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO AHFH PROGRAM

The commission also approved a $150,000 appropriation from the General Improvement Fund to the agency’s Game Protection Fund for the benefit of Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry. Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry is a program that has provided approximately one million meals to the state’s most needy citizens. The program has been in place in Arkansas since 2000. The success of the program depends upon the generosity of hunters donating venison and other wild game, cooperation from meat processors throughout the state, support from local food distribution organizations, and the financial contributions of businesses and other citizens.

SPRING TURKEY SEASON SET BY COMMISSIONERS

For the fourth consecutive year, commissioners with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission have agreed that a shorter season is needed to match gobbler harvest to recent below-average turkey brood production. It also will allow more hens to breed and start nesting before hunters take to the woods.

The season framework was approved after a review of recent harvests, brood surveys and gobbling chronology data along with input from turkey hunters.

Commissioners also approved adding two zones on Arkansas lands east of the Mississippi River . Zone 17A will follow the season frameworks and bag limits of adjacent Tennessee lands, while Zone 17B will follow season frameworks for adjacent Mississippi lands.

A Saturday opening day amendment was approved in a close vote. The proposal that came out of committee called for a Monday opener of the spring turkey season. The vote was 4-3 in favor of the Saturday opener.

The spring 2010 turkey season youth hunt will be April 3-4 for most of the state. The youth hunt in zones 17 and 17A will be March 27-28, and zone 17B will be March 6-12.

The statewide spring turkey season will be April 10-27 in zones 1, 2, 3, 4B, 5, 5B, 6, 7, 7A, 8, 9 and 10; April 10-20 in zones 4, 4A, 5A and 9A, April 3-20 in zone 17, April 3-May 16 in zone 17A, and March 13-May 2 in zone 17B. Zone 1A will be closed.

The bag limit for the spring season will be the same as last year’s turkey season. Individual limit of two gobblers or bearded turkeys for spring season in turkey zones 1, 2, 3, 4B, 5, 5B, 6, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 10 and 17; one gobbler or bearded turkey in turkey zones 4, 4A, 5A and 9A.  No more than one legal turkey may be taken per day, no more than one jake (sub-adult male) may be taken per season and no more than two legal turkeys may be taken during the spring season in any combination of zones. In zone 17A, hunters will be limited to four bearded turkeys with no more than one legal turkey per day. In zone 17B, the limit will be three adult gobblers (or gobblers with at least a six-inch beard) with no more than one adult gobbler taken per day.

In other business, the Commissioners heard a presentation on the state’s new deer checking system. So far this year, more than 26,500 deer have been checked. At the same time last year, a total of 20,455 deer had been checked.

2009 SPRING TURKEY KILL CLOSE TO 2008 TOTALS
(which means it was another bad year)

2009 spring turkey hunt close to previous year’s totals LITTLE ROCK – Turkey hunting in Arkansas last spring, a season shortened to a “conservative” mode, ended with hunters taking nearly as many birds at the previous year, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was told at its July meeting.

The spring turkey season resulted in 11,122 turkeys being taken by hunters, said Mike Widner, turkey program coordinator. This was down by 339 from the 2008 spring hunt, a 3 percent decrease. Slight declines were in the Ozarks, Ouachitas and the Gulf Coastal Plain, and the Delta had an increase in turkey successes.

Widner said, “The stable harvest during the 2009 season was primarily the result of the conservative spring turkey season now in place, as brood production continues to be below average. The current season structure is compatible with recent trends in turkey reproduction and turkey numbers.”

The spring season was three weeks long for much of the state, Widner said, down from the 37-day hunts a few years back. The production of young turkeys, called poults, dropped because of weather problems and other unfavorable conditions, so the AGFC reduced spring hunting, first to a 28-day maximum then to 21 days.

Sharp County in northern Arkansas was again the top turkey hunting county with 421 birds checked in. Next in the Top Ten of turkey counties for the spring 2009 hunt were Fulton 409; Baxter 337; Cleburne 335; Independence 329; Izard 304; Randolph 303; Montgomery 284; Marion 278; and Union 277.

Two counties in northeast Arkansas, Cross and Mississippi, had their most productive spring turkey hunts ever.

The public area that had the most turkeys checked by hunters was White River National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Arkansas, where 89 turkeys came in.

AGFC’s regulations restrict the number of jakes, young male turkeys, that are taken by hunters. Widner said that in the 2009 spring hunt, the percentage of jakes in the totals dropped to 18.3 percent, down from 19.3 percent in 2008 and from 25 percent in 2007. A hunter can take only one jake during the season.

In the two-day special youth hunt that preceded the regular turkey season, 981 turkeys were taken by hunters 15 and younger. This bettered the previous high of 951 in 2007’s youth hunt.

Widner said, “The spring harvest was in line with our expectations. We expected harvest in the Delta to go up due to good hatches in 2005 and 2006 and good carryover of adult gobblers due to closed seasons in spring 2008. We expected harvest in the rest of the state to be similar to last year because of continued below-average brood production in most areas.

Public meetings will be held around the state on Tuesday, Aug. 25, for hunters to provide input for the spring 2010 season.
2008-09 DEER HARVEST 2ND-HIGHEST ALL-TIME


Preliminary harvest figures show that almost 183,700 total deer were checked during the 2008-09 season. Brad Miller, AGFC deer program coordinator, told the commission the harvest was up over 13,800 deer from the 2007-08 season.

Hunters checked 194,687 deer in 1999, the most in a year since the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission began keeping records in 1938.

The largest increase came in the doe harvest where hunters took almost 74,400 female deer. That number was over 24 percent higher than last year. The buck harvest was down about 2 percent. 

2009-2010
HUNTING REGULATIONS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS

Below is a list of the proposed changes for the coming season; along with the justification of the person/group making them. I suggest that all of you read them over carefully and then voice your opinions to the AGFC before their next commissioners meeting - Kenn Young

1. Make a calendar adjustment to the modern gun deer season which will result in an opening day of November 14 in all zones (including the appropriate WMAs).

Source: Deer Team
Justification
Modern gun deer season has historically opened on the second Saturday of November. For the 2009 season there is a six day difference from 2008. This adjustment will shorten the season in zones 16, 16A and 17 by a week from what it was in 2008. This opening date has been advertised in the 2008-2009 General Hunting Guidebook.

2. Allow participants in the Managed Lands Quality Deer Management Program to harvest management bucks and does with unrestricted weapons beginning at the opening of the first deer season through the end of the last deer season (October 1 – February 28.

Source: Deer Team
Justification
The Managed Lands Quality Deer Management Program was designed to assist landowners and hunting clubs who desire more intensive management of the deer resource on their property. This program is not a stand alone program, but instead, a component of an agency approved Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP).

The Managed Lands Quality Deer Management Program allows hunting clubs and private landowners, which meet certain criteria, more flexibility in reaching desired management objectives. The two major components of this program are the ability to harvest management bucks and fewer restrictions on the weapons and timing to harvest does. Currently, the program states that does can be harvested throughout the deer season (October 1 – February 28, utilizing any firearm considered legal for deer hunting. This allows the harvest of does prior to breeding season and allows additional hunting time for those individuals with high deer densities that need to be reduced.

This recommended change will allow management bucks to be harvested beginning at the first legal deer season through the end of the last legal deer season (October 1 – February 28 utilizing any firearm considered legal for deer hunting. This change will allow participants in the program the flexibility to not only harvest does while early season hunting, but have the opportunity to remove management bucks. This change is biologically sound by removing management bucks prior to peak breeding season.

3. Remove Oklahoma, Montana and Minnesota from the list of prohibited carcass importation states and add Michigan to the list of CWD positive states.

Source: Deer Team
Justification
The current carcass importation restrictions apply to cervids originating from states where a wild or captive cervid has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). These restrictions also apply to any cervid that is harvested from an enclosure, regardless of the state’s CWD status. Since this regulation was approved (11/2005), the AGFC has received numerous complaints regarding this restriction due to Oklahoma being listed as a restricted state as a result of CWD positive captive facility in the western part of the state. Currently Oklahoma, Minnesota, Montana, and recently Michigan are states that have a confirmed positive case of CWD in captive cervids. In Michigan, hunters are currently collecting samples from wild cervids adjacent to the CWD positive captive facility.

Due to the lack of wild deer sampling, it is recommended that Michigan be added and remain on the list of restricted states. The latest CWD positive captive facility in Oklahoma was in 2002. Since that time no other cases of CWD have been found in Oklahoma. In Montana a captive herd was diagnosed as CWD positive in 1999. That herd was depopulated along with trace forward herds with no additional CWD positive animals detected. Minnesota detected a CWD positive elk in 2002 at a captive facility. Since that time, Minnesota has maintained testing statewide with no other CWD positive animals detected.
1. Modify the existing boundaries for Deer Zones 1, 2, 3, 14 and 15;
2. Divide Deer Zone 6 into three zones; and
3. Divide Deer Zone 8 into two zones.

Source: Deer Program Coordinator/Deer Team
Justification

After a detailed review of our current Deer Zones, the AGFC Deer Team has identified several recommended changes. These modifications will address goals of the Strategic Deer Management Plan. Detailed justifications and maps showing boundaries are provided in the Recommended Changes to Deer Zones and Harvest Guidelines.

5. Revise the current harvest regulations as follows:

A. Add three additional weekdays available for doe harvest to the modern gun season and allow a doe to be harvested during the three-day Christmas Holiday Modern Gun Hunt for Zones 1 and 10.

B. Increase the bag limit from two does to four does allowed for harvest during the firearm season in Zones 12 and 17.

C. Remove the Zone Doe Quota Permit requirements for Zones 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 11 in order to manage doe harvest using doe days.

D. Option 1. Change the antler restrictions from a 3 point rule to a 4 point rule for Crowley’s Ridge and the Delta regions (Deer Zones 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 9, 16, 16A and 17).

D. Option 2. Change the antler restrictions from a 3 point rule to a 4 point rule and allow the harvest of a buck having at least one main beam 18 inches or more in length regardless of the number of antler points in deer zones 16, 16A, and 17.

Source: Deer Program Coordinator/Deer Team
Justification

After a detailed review of our current Deer Zone harvest strategies, the AGFC Deer Team has identified several recommended changes. These modifications will accomplish the goals of the Strategic Deer Management Plan. Justifications for each proposal are provided in the Recommended Changes to Deer Zones and Harvest Guidelines presented at the December 17 Commission briefing.

Item D, Option 2: Allowing the harvest of a buck having at least one main beam 18 inches or more in length regardless of the number of antler points in Deer Zones 16, 16A, and 17 will provide hunters additional harvest opportunity and flexibility. Without the addition of a main beam length option, some bucks may reach older age classes without meeting the 4-point antler requirement and are thus unavailable for legal harvest. Based on data for Deer Zones 16, 16A and 17 from the past three hunting

seasons, approximately 1% of yearling bucks, 33% of 2.5 year old bucks, and 84% of bucks 3.5 years old or older have main beams 18 inches or more in length. Allowing the harvest of a buck having at least one main beam 18 inches or more in length would primarily allow the harvest of older bucks, thus complementing the goals of the point antler requirement while providing additional harvest flexibility. A main beam antler length restriction has been implemented in Mississippi where hunters have successfully adjusted to making this determination in the field.

6. Change checking options for deer and turkey to online checking, telephone checking, or DMAP check sheets as the only methods available.

Source: Wildlife Division Chief
Justification

The Check Sheet program was designed to assist the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in acquiring the number and methods of harvested game. The current methods of checking game are (1) county check stations, (2) check sheet program, (3) Deer Management Assistance Program camps, or (4) on-line game check. With the proliferation of cellular phones Telephone Checking seems a viable option to provide hunters with a very convenient checking option but also provide the agency with more timely and accurate data. This recommended change will allow the hunter to check their game while they are in the field, provide Wildlife Officers with a more real time lookup capability for checked deer and turkey, provide more accurate data for the agency and free up manpower as well as cut fuel cost. This change will eliminate all county check stations as well as check sheet program camps. Deer Management Assistance Program camps will continue to receive check sheets so biological data can be collected. The public has been made aware of this proposal via letters (713) directly to the check stations asking for their input as well as at the January General Regulations Public Meeting and on the website regulations survey.

7. Allow a person 65 years of age and older with any valid Arkansas hunting license to harvest their deer bag limit during the first special youth modern gun deer hunt while accompanying a youth.

Source: Hunter Education Coordinator
Justification

The current code does not allow hunter education instructors 65 years of age and older to harvest their deer bag limit while accompanying a youth during the special youth hunt unless they possess the 65 Plus Lifetime Hunting license or 65 Plus Lifetime Combination license.

8. Add another special youth modern gun deer hunt for youths January 2-3, 2010 with bucks only in zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 and applicable WMAs. Youths during this hunt must abide by the antler restrictions for that zone/wma (hunters 65 years and older will not be allowed to harvest deer during this hunt).

Source: Commission Chairman
Justification

This hunt would provide more hunting opportunity for youths without impacting the deer resource.

9. Add the wording "doe only" to two of the four deer tags on the annual hunting license.

Source: Commission Chairman
Justification

To ensure that hunters are not able to harvest over their seasonal buck bag limit.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 3 GUARANTEES OUR RIGHT TO HUNT

   On Wednesday February 10, Senate Joint Resolution 3, introduced by pro-gun State Senator Steve Faris (D-27), was amended to include NRA-supported language and now has the support of both the NRA and the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission.  

   SJR 3 would amend the Constitution of the State of Arkansas to recognize that the people have a right to hunt and fish.  Passage of SJR 3 by the General Assembly would allow the voters of Arkansas to decide if hunting and fishing will be protected for future generations.  

   This measure is critical, as anti-hunting groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will one day turn their sights on Arkansas in their efforts to eliminate our nation's long-standing traditions of hunting and fishing.  Please contact your State Representative and State Senator and urge them to support SJR 3 and guarantee the future of Hunting and Fishing in the Razorback State.

19th ANNUAL BIG BUCK CLASSIC RESULTS

OVERALL
 1.  Davis Smith  -  209 0/8 non-typical gun kill  -  Phillips County
2.  Jeremy McMahan  -  179 4/8 typical gun kill  -  Desha County
3.  Bob Lemke  177 3/8 typical gun kill  -  St. Francis County
4.  Frank Foster  -  174 2/8 gun kill  -  Polk County
5.  Dale Harp  - 167 1/8 gun kill  -  Johnson County
6.  Robert Whitehorn  -  191 6/8 gun kill  -  Benton County
7.  Briar Shawn  -  164 4/8 gun kill  -  Desha County
8.  Lance Lovell  -  163 7/8 gun kill  -  Cross County
9.  Issac Aldridge  -  163 4/8 gun kill  -  Monroe County
10. Harold Casey  -  161 7/8 gun kill  -  Garland County 

MODERN GUN
 Non-typicals
1.  Davis Smith  -  209 0/8  -  Phillips County
2.  Robert Whitehorn  -  191 6/8  -  Benton County
3.  Gregory West  -  181 3/8  -  White County
Typicals
1.  Jeremy McMahan  -  179 4/8  -  Desha County
2.  Bob Lemke  -  177 3/8  -  St. Francis County
3.  Fran Foster  -  174 2/8  -  Polk County

BOW DIVISION
 Non-typicals
No entries
Typicals
1.  Ed McKinley  -  155 1/8  -  Arkansas County
2.  John Cowell  -  155 0/8  -  Benton County
3. Jimmy Smith  -  149 0/8  -  Lafayette County

CROSSBOW DIVISION
Non-Typicals
1.  Mike Crisp  -  178 7/8  -  Monroe County 
Typicals
1.  James Daniel  -  157 6/8  -  Benton County
2.  Carlton Moragne  -  135 1/8  -  Lonoke County
3.  Archie Russon  -  127 1/8  -  Clay County

LADIES DIVISION
 Non-Typicals
1.  Tandy Stephenson  -  139 2/8  -  White County
Typicals
1.  Ashley Broach  -  149 2/8  -  Cleveland County
2.  Darlene Rogers  -  146 6/8  -  Prairie County
3.  Eleanor Henry  -  145 1/8  -  Jefferson County

MUZZLELOADER DIVISION
 Non-Typicals
1.  Craig Jones  -  168 0/8  -  Hempstead County
2.  Allan Conwolly  -  164 2/8  -  Madison County 
3.  Greg Schmitt  -  161 1/8  -  Crawford County
Typicals
1.  Ben Plumlee  -  155 5/8  -  Baxter County
2.  Brandon French  -  154 0/8  -  Carroll County 
3.  Michael Forner  -  152 1/8  -  Hempstead County

SHED DIVISION
 1.  David Jordening  -  99 2/8  -  St. Francis
2.  Charlie Baxter  -  90 5/8  -  Arkansas County
3.  Richard Powell  -  87 1/8  -  Desha County

 YOUTH DIVISION
Non-typicals
1.  John McNair  -  130 5/8  -  Cleburne County
Typicals
1.  Briar Shawn  -  164 4/8  -  Desha County
2.  Brady Thomas  -  156 2/8  -  Perry County
3.  Trent Dew  -  156 2/8  -  Columbia County
4.  Ross Nitch  -  147 1/8  -  Clark County
5.  Dalton Lorenz  -  146 1/8  -  Yell County

2009 ARKANSAS SPORTSHOW RESULTS

OVERALL WINNER
 Davis Smith - 209 0/8 non-typical - Phillips County

MODERN GUN
1.  Jeremy McMahan -- 179 4/8 typical -- Desha County
2.  Bob Lemke -- 177 3/8 typical -- St. Francis County
3.  Gregory West -- 177 2/8 non-typical -- White County

BOW DIVISION
1.  Raymond King -- 167 2/8 typical -- White County
2.  Randy Reese -- 156 0/8 typical -- Saline County
3.  Steven Sparks -- 153 0/8 typical -- Sharp County 

CROSSBOW DIVISION
1.  Michael Crisp -- 182 5/8 non-typical -- Monroe County 
2.  Brandon Burmingham -- 139 4/8 typical -- Cross County
3.  Shannon Wallace -- 134 3/8 typical -- Cross County

LADIES DIVISION
1.  Christina Easley -- 122 1/8 typical -- Greene County
2.  Audry Henderson -- 121 1/8 typical -- ?
3.  Katherine Fresenburg -- 119 4/8 typical -- Boone County

MUZZLELOADER DIVISION
1.  Brandon French -- 154 0/8 typical -- Carroll County
2.  Richard Loggins -- 153 4/8 typical -- Poinsett County 
3.  Randy Littleton -- 150 0/8 typical -- Greene County

SHED DIVISION
 1.  John Andrews -- 82 7/8 -- Cross County
2.  Kristie Price -- 75 4/8 -- Greene County
3.  Gavin Stephens -- 75 0/8 -- ?

YOUTH DIVISION
1.  Briar Shawn -- 164 0/8 typical -- Desha County
2.  Jered Hood -- 161 7/8 typical -- Poinsett County
3.  Randale Hicks -- 145 0/8 typical -- Desha County
OPEN DIVISION
 1.  Tim Nelson -- 155 1/8 typical -- Keokuk
2.  Michael McBride -- 150 3/8 typical -- Craighead County
3.  Tim Nelson -- 172 1/8 non-typical -- Keokuk

BEST OF SHOW
1.  Robert Morelock -- 148 5/8 typical -- Cross County
2.  Jeff Davis -- 137 6/8 typical -- Cross County

BEST NEW BUCK
1.  Andy Anderson -- 126 5/8 non-typical -- St. Francis County
     

  YELL COUNTY WILDLIFE FEDERATION NAMED ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

The Yell County Wildlife Federation was named the Arkansas Conservation Organization of the Year at the 71st Annual Governor's Conservation Achievement Award Banquet, presented by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation (AWF), in Little Rock Ar. on Sept. 9.

People in the Picture, L to R: Jeff Ellis AWF Pres.; Wayne Shewmake Pres YCWF; Ralph Gillham one of YCWF founding members 1946; Jim Wood YCWF Board of Directors; Gov. Mike Beebe

18th BIG BUCK CLASSIC RESULTS

OVERALL
 1.  Andy Butler - 176 5/8 typical gun kill - Polk County
2.  Greg McKnight - 174 1/8 typical crossbow kill - Cross County
3.  Tommy Bull - 173 4/8 typical crossbow kill - Perry County
4.  Ruger Estes - 196 5/8 non-typical crossbow kill - Pope County
5.  Ronald Harp - 195 1/8 non-typical gun kill - Benton County
6.  Mike Franks - 170 0/8 typical bowkill - Washington County
7.  Larry Heavner - 167 2/8 typical muzzleloader kill - Monroe County
8.  Ted Selby - 191 5/8 non-typical gun kill - Ashley County
9.  Gene Harris - 164 4/8 typical gun kill - Desha County
10. Jeremy King - 188 1/8 non-typical gun kill - St. Francis County 

MODERN GUN
 Non-typicals
1.  Ron Harp - 195 1/8 - Benton County
2.  Ted Selby - 191 5/8 - Ashley County
3.  Jeremy King - 188 1/8 - St. Francis County
Typicals
1.  Andy Butler - 176 5/8 - Polk County
2.  Gene Harris - 164 4/8 - Desha County
3.  Dextin Wheeler - 159 6/8 - Sevier County

BOW DIVISION
 Non-typicals
1.  Joel Dunlap - 138 7/8 - Van Buren County 
2.  Zach Henderson - 136 1/8 - Yell County
3.  Eugene Taylor - 132 4/8 - Garland County
TYPICALS
1.  Mike Franks - 170 0/8 - Washington County
2.  David Fox - 158 5/8 - Arkansas County
3.  Kurt Garland - 156 4/8 - Jackson County

CROSSBOW DIVISION
Non-Typicals
1.  Ruger Estes - 196 5/8 - Pope County 
2.  Randy Wigginton - 172 4/8 - Poinsett County  
Typicals
1.  Greg McKnight - 174 1/8 - Cross County
2.  Tommy Bull - 173 4/8 - Perry County
3.  Troy Crossen - 145 1/8 - White County 

LADIES DIVISION
 Non-Typicals
1.  Cassie Glass - 159 6/8 - Columbia County
2.  Cindy Lawrence - 140 2/8 - Cross County 
Typicals
1.  Paige Gilmore - 158 6/8 - Van Buren County
2. Dana Smith - 158 1/8 - Sevier County
3. Sandra Wright - 157 2/8 - White County  

MUZZLELOADER DIVISION
 Non-Typicals
1.  Jim Puckett - 187 2/8 - Yell County
2.  Gene Templeman - 164 4/8 - Woodruff County 
3.  Jim Wiedeman - 164 2/8 - Arkansas County
Typicals
1.  Larry Heavener - 167 2/8 - Monroe County
2.  James Thornton - 156 4/8 - Hot Spring County 
3.  Jerry Barnes - 155 4/8 - Saline County

SHED DIVISION
 1.  Allen Vandervort - 78 3/8 - Perry County
2.  Brandon Roberts - 75 3/8 - Lonoke County
3.  Chris Mooney - 72 1/8 - Arkansas County

YOUTH DIVISION
 Non-typicals
1.  Drew Griffin - 172 1/8 - Clark County
2.  Dylan Willis - 161 4/8 - Cross County
3.  Curtis Wilson - 158 2/8 - Cross County
4.  Zach Morris - 153 5/8 - Cross County
5.  Landen Abernathy - 146 4/8 - Hot Spring County
Typicals
1.  Blake Hughes - 155 4/8 - Hot Spring County
2.  Josh Alberius - 146 6/8 - Prairie County
3.  Kyler Morris - 141 2/8 - Sevier County
4.  Ben Angel - 140 0/8 - Chicot County
5.  Ryan Foster - 139 0/8 - Fulton County

2008 ARKANSAS SPORTSHOW RESULTS

OVERALL WINNER
Greg McKnight -- 174 2/8 typical -- Cross County

MODERN GUN
1.  Michael Hardin -- 170 4/8 typical -- Clay County
2.  Victor Throesch -- 166 0/8 typical -- Randolph County
3.  Alfred Harris -- 164 5/8 typical -- Desha County

BOW DIVISION
1.  Jade Price -- 177 1/8 non-typical -- Scott County
2.  John Andrews -- 136 0/8 typical -- Cross County
3.  Derek Kildow -- 135 3/8 typical -- Randolph County 

CROSSBOW DIVISION
1.  Tommy Hancock -- 143 5/8 typical -- Clay County 
2.  Randy Wigginton -- 161 5/8 non-typical -- Poinsett County
3.  Adam Davis -- 129 1/8 typical -- Cross County

LADIES DIVISION
1.  Lindsey Nixon -- 148 7/8 typical -- Cleaburne County
2.  Elaine Roberson -- 134 5/8 typical -- Little River County
3.  Luann White -- 116 0/8 typical -- Poinsett County

MUZZLELOADER DIVISION
1.  Larry Heavner -- 167 2/8 typical -- Monroe County
2.  Shannon Woodard -- 147 1/8 typical -- Randolph County 
3.  B.E. Thompson -- 164 0/8 non-typical -- Woodruff County

SHED DIVISION
 1.  Richard Powell -- 86 7/8 -- Woodruff County
2.  Kevin Privett -- 86 6/8 -- Craighead County
3.  Jade Price -- 84 4/8 -- Craighead County

YOUTH DIVISION
1.  Dylan Willis -- 159 0/8 non-typical -- Cross County
2.  Curtis Wilson -- 158 2/8 non-typical -- Cross County
3.  Payton Wooldridge -- 128 6/8 typical -- Desha County
OPEN DIVISION
 1.  Roscoe White -- 178 4/8 typical -- Arkansas County
2.  Ronnie Melton -- 177 7/8 typical -- Kansas
3.  Mandi Clevenger -- 168 5/8 typical -- Desha County

BEST OF SHOW
    Larry Heavner -- 167 2/8 typical -- Monroe County

BEST NEW BUCK
    David Williams -- 177 3/8 non-typical -- Prairie County
     

AGFC Forms 'Advisory Committee' To Aid With Deer Management Plan

LITTLE ROCK – Deer management in Arkansas is a broad topic that generates a lot of passion among the deer hunting community. To address the issues involved in deer management, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has formed three statewide Deer Management Advisory Groups.

The AGFC has divided Arkansas into three sections, based on physiographic characteristics, for this project. Three three sections are: (1) Ozark Mountains, Arkansas River Valley and Ouachita Mountains, (2) Gulf Coastal Plan – south Arkansas, and (3) Delta and Crowley’s Ridge.

The groups represent diverse interests and backgrounds. They have been assembled by the AGFC to provide assistance in a new deer management plan for Arkansas. The goal is ideas and suggestions from the hunters, representing Arkansas’ public, to be incorporated with wildlife biology essentials into a new Arkansas deer management plan.

Another new concept is the AGFC’s use of an outside facilitator company to help with the administering of the advisory group activities and public scoping meetings. On hand for the three meetings were Tommy Shropshire of Mississippi and Spencer Amend of Wyoming. Both were emphatic that their role was to help handle the meetings and the flow of information and ideas but not to contribute their input into the Arkansas deer plan. Shropshire is retired from a 30-year career with the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission, most as its chief finance officer. The new deer management plan will provide goals and direction pertaining to  hunting seasons and regulations. The final decision on seasons and regulations will remain with AGFC commissioners.

Commissioner addresses concerns over sightings of mountain lions
LITTLE ROCK – Recent reports of alleged sightings have brought to light the issue of mountain lions in Arkansas. During today's monthly meeting of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, chairman Sheffield Nelson responded to those reports, pointing out that people can defend themselves if they feel they are in eminent danger from an animal.

Nelson said that people shouldn't be afraid to go out into the wilds of Arkansas for fear of being attacked by a mountain lion. "People should know that if they feel that they are in danger, they can kill an animal to protect themselves," he said. "I don't want people to be afraid to deer hunt because someone has released an animal into the wild," he added.

Mountain lions were historically present throughout Arkansas until their apparent eradication, which occurred by about 1920. Since that time efforts have been made to determine the existence of this animal in Arkansas.

There is no evidence that there is a wild, reproducing population of mountain lions in Arkansas, but it is probable that there are a few free-ranging mountain lions that are most likely either escaped or released pets rather than remnants of the state's original mountain lion population. In order to reduce the chance of escapes happening in the future, the Commission passed regulations last year requiring owners of pet mountain lions to obtain permits and meet minimum caging standards in order to keep their animals.
Ivory-billed Woodpecker search ends in Arkansas
BRINKLEY - There were teasing glimpses and tantalizing sounds, but the 2005-2006 search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the Big Woods of Arkansas has concluded without a definitive visual documentation.  The search, led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, with support from Audubon Arkansas, stretched from November through April when ivory-bill activity would be highest and a lack of leaf-cover permitted clear views through the dense forest. The search included 22 full-time searchers and state-of-the-art acoustic and video monitoring technology. To supplement the full-time effort, volunteer groups of 14 spent two weeks at a time helping to search the 550,000-acre area focused on the Cache and White River National Wildlife Refuges.

Remote microphones and cameras collected thousands of hours of recordings that will be reviewed by scientists at the Lab of Ornithology through a process aided by sophisticated sound-analysis software. In addition, on a number of occasions searchers heard possible ivory-bill “kent” calls and the bird’s distinctive double-rap drumming display. Other searchers glimpsed birds that could have been ivory-bills, but the fleeting nature of the encounters made it impossible to note field marks that would have made these “confirmed” sightings.

A final report on the 2005-06 ivory-bill search will be issued later this summer.
Commission approves permanent ban on cervid carcass importation
LITTLE ROCK - The potential effects of chronic wasting disease to Arkansas' deer population compelled the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to make permanent a ban on the importation of cervid carcasses. The permanent ban was adopted at today's monthly commission meeting.

An emergency ban had been in place since October, but would have expired in February 2006 if the ban had not been permanent. In 2002, the AGFC passed a similar law making it illegal to import, ship, transport or carry into the state, by any means, any live member of the cervid family, including but not limited to white-tailed deer and elk.

The new ban makes it unlawful to import or possess in Arkansas a cervid carcass or carcass part from any area, as proclaimed by the AGFC, that has a known case of CWD or considered taken from a captive facility or within an enclosure.

One way that the disease can be transmitted is by infected carcasses. Twenty-three states have adopted regulations affecting the transportation of hunter-harvested cervids.

Chronic wasting disease is a nervous system disease that has been observed in deer and elk in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and the two Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. The disease causes damage to portions of the animal's brain and there is no cure for the fatal disease.

There are, however, a few exceptions to the ban:

      • Meat that has the bones removed.
      • Meat that has no portions of the spinal column or head attached.
      • Antlers, antlers attached to cleaned skull plates, or cleaned skulls.
      • Cleaned teeth.
      • Finished taxidermy products.
      • Hides and tanned products.
      • Deer or elk harvested in commercial wildlife hunting resorts.

JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF AGFC IN DEER DOG SUIT

LITTLE ROCK - A long-running conflict between the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Dog Hunters Association may be coming to an end. Last week, Judge Willard Proctor ruled in favor of the AGFC in a case dealing with the agency’s decision to ban deer hunting with dogs in certain areas of the state.

The case dates back to July 2000 when the group filed suit challenging the AGFC’s regulations that expanded the area in northern and eastern Arkansas where deer hunting with dogs was prohibited. The group now has 30 days in which to file an appeal.

There have been a variety of statutes and regulations in Arkansas restricting the use of dogs for hunting deer dating back to the early 1900s. Since the early 1980s, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has prohibited hunting of deer with dogs anywhere in the state during the archery and muzzleloader deer seasons. During the past 20 years, the AGFC also has prohibited the hunting of deer with dogs during the modern gun deer season in some, but not all, of the designated deer management zones in Arkansas and in the majority of state wildlife management areas.

The zones where chasing deer with dogs is prohibited are primarily in the mountainous areas in northern Arkansas and agricultural areas with large fields and small woodlots in eastern Arkansas. In the mountains, deer have regular crossings that have been used for many years, and it’s relatively easy for a hunter or group of hunters to cut off the escape route for deer running along a particular ridge or hollow.

By contrast, deer in the heavily wooded flat areas, such as the Gulf Coastal Plain in southwest and south-central Arkansas, have much less predictable travel routes. They also have more cover and a greater choice of escape routes, including many creeks, lakes, swamps and bayous which often enable them to lose a pack of trailing dogs.

Opinion surveys commissioned by the AGFC reinforced the decision to ban hunting deer with dogs in certain regions of the state. An April 2000 telephone survey prepared by the College of Professional Studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, confirmed that residents in north and east Arkansas who opposed the use of dogs in deer hunting clearly outnumbered supporters by a margin of 21 percent.

Reasons given by residents for their opposition included: the chasing and harvesting of deer with dogs is not sporting or fair; it increases the chances of trespassing on private lands; it interferes with hunting by other hunters; and it increases the chances of hunting accidents and illegal harvest of deer.

Similarly, a 1998 statewide survey conducted by a Virginia-based market research firm revealed that 62 percent of Arkansas hunters surveyed expressed displeasure with seeing dogs chasing deer. Since the 2000 amendment, expanding the area where hunting dogs are banned, there have been fewer reported problems from landowners and hunters.