By Jeff Williams
Editor, Arkansas Wildlife Magazine
The Arkansas Wildlife calendar has featured an array of critters and information since it was introduced in 1984, but the 2026-27 edition includes a new way to enjoy the outdoors, indoors.
For the first 10 years or so, the calendar featured artwork by artists, most of them from Arkansas, who captured the character of the state’s wildlife through oils and watercolors.
Photographs took the place of artistic pieces, and various themes were interjected to tie together the whole production. For example, the magazine staff came up with information about various species, which accompanied the photos. Sometimes recipes were used. One calendar focused on various wildlife management areas, the 2015-16 version highlighted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s 100th anniversary and last year’s edition included tidbits from “River to Ridge,” the mammoth book about WMAs.
But this year’s calendar is unlike any the AGFC has produced.
Jeanne Zaffarano, Arkansas Wildlife graphic artist, came up with this thought: “What if we tie photos of wildlife to the sounds they make? We could use QR codes to link to those sounds so all readers would have to do is use a smartphone to scan the code, turn up the volume and listen.”
We liked the idea so much that we began searching for pairings of great photos and the squawks, bugles, screeches and croaks that go with them. After all, wildlife sounds are integral to how various species communicate. They signal danger, attract mates and defend themselves, for example, with their voices and other means of making noise.
The only way to receive a calendar, which is the July-August issue of the magazine, is with an Arkansas Wildlife subscription. It’s easy and inexpensive. Visit agfc.com/agfc-subscriptions/
