LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas hunters hitting the woods may notice a few deer and bears sporting some new neckwear this fall, but that shouldn’t deter anyone from legally taking that animal. “The collars are part of ongoing research taking place in certain portions of the state,” Cory Gray, AGFC chief of research, said. “In Northwest…
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AGFC decoy program draws new hunters
LITTLE ROCK — An innovative waterfowl hunter recruitment program from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is doing more than saving some plastic, it may be saving the future of the sport. The AGFC’s Decoy Adoption Program finds old waterfowl hunting equipment and places it with new owners to continue harvesting game and memories in…
Arkansas hunters take 157 alligators during 2022 season
MONTICELLO — Arkansans looking for one of the state’s most exciting hunts wrapped up their efforts last weekend with the conclusion of the 2022 alligator hunting season. When first light began to break Monday morning, signaling the end of the two-weekend night-hunting-only season, 157 alligators had been tagged and reported to the Arkansas Game and…
World Rabies Day reminds Arkansans about prevention, control
LITTLE ROCK — Each year since 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention joins with many agencies throughout the United States to increase awareness of rabies prevention and control. Rabies is rarely a source of concern for people in the United States thanks to vaccinations of domestic animals, but the disease still persists in…
Arkansas’s scenic byways lead to fall color
Arkansas is one of the top fall color destinations in the country. The state has three national forests, the Ozark, the Ouachita and the St. Francis, that make wonderful destinations to experience the beauty of the season. From the ridges of the Ouachita and Ozark mountains to the Delta flatlands, Arkansas highways offer some incredibly…
Donate your spare game to stamp out hunger this deer season
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry will hold a special “freezer cleanout day” at the Bass Pro Shops in Little Rock, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sept. 24. Any hunter who wishes to donate processed meat or money to help feed needy families in Arkansas is encouraged to join in the event.…
Early teal season offers two-week teaser of waterfowl action ahead
LITTLE ROCK – Hunters wanting an early taste of waterfowl action need to break out the shotguns and bug spray. Arkansas’s early teal season runs Sept. 15-30. The September heat may not seem the ideal time to don a pair of waders and head to the marsh in search of waterfowl, but blue-winged teal try…
AGFC Commissioner, staff recognized for contribution to hunter recruitment program
LITTLE ROCK — Members of Delta Waterfowl, a nonprofit organization focused on the conservation of waterfowl and the pursuit of waterfowl hunting, might just find a few familiar names in the 2022 Annual Hunt issue of the organization’s magazine. Commissioner Anne Marie Doramus of Little Rock and Luke Naylor, the newly promoted Arkansas Game and…
AGFC’s newest quail stamp available; new Quail Program coordinator named
A new Northern Bobwhite Conservation Stamp for 2022 is available for voluntary purchase, with the proceeds helping fund the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s restoration efforts for quail in The Natural State. The AGFC’s Quail Program, coincidentally, has a new coordinator in Clint Johnson, an agency veteran who has been involved for a decade in…
Estimated decline in duck population only part of fall flight story
LITTLE ROCK — According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s report “Waterfowl Population Status, 2022,” released in late August, total duck population estimates in spring 2022 declined 12 percent from the last recorded survey taken in 2019, but that doesn’t necessarily sound an alarm with waterfowl managers who have seen similar fluctuations in the…
South Arkansas deer hunting open house and virtual meeting address regulation changes, management assistance
LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is encouraging hunters in Ashley, Bradley and Union counties to participate in one of two special meetings this week devoted to deer hunting regulations and deer herd health in south Arkansas following the detection of chronic wasting disease in Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge during the 2021-22…
Possible world-record paddlefish skewered on Beaver Lake
ROGERS — Some people might be a bit squeamish if they saw a fish as long as them swimming directly under where they were floating. Chris Cantrell of Berryville, Arkansas, swam toward such a beast and managed to land it using spearfishing tackle early Saturday morning at Beaver Lake. Cantrell shot a 90-pound, 12-ounce paddlefish…
Big blue catfish kick off fall at family fishing locations
LITTLE ROCK – Break out the fishing rods and kick off fall with a chance at a monster catfish, thanks to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Family and Community Fishing Program and a generous donation from an Arkansas catfish producer. The catfish producer from south Arkansas who wished to remain anonymous, donated more than…
Public options for dove season
LITTLE ROCK – Dove hunters searching for a place to hunt still have a few days to scout some fields for opening weekend, but the clock is ticking. In case you haven’t been able to find a location through private fields, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission prepares a few locations on public land for…
AGFC makes another cast for bass plan input in Central Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is adding one last meeting to wrap its outreach efforts for public input on the new Arkansas Reservoir Black Bass Management Plan. The last meeting now will be from 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at Fish ‘N Stuff in Sherwood. “The first meeting in Little Rock fell…
Muscadine grape workshop and field day set for September 19 in Clarksville
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Muscadine Grape Workshop and Field Day will be on Sept. 19 at the Fruit Research Station in Clarksville. The program will include updates on muscadine breeding research, grape tasting and a session about establishing a muscadine vineyard. The event will take place from 2 to…
SouthArk Outdoor Expo set for September 10
EL DORADO – Those who love the outdoors are invited to the 23rd Annual SouthArk Outdoor Expo, hosted by the South Arkansas Community College Foundation from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 10 at the El Dorado Conference Center. In addition to hands-on exhibits and outdoors-oriented activities for the whole family, organizers have packed the event with…
Public meetings scheduled for deer health information
LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host three meetings in the next month to discuss Arkansas’s deer herd and changes to local deer hunting regulations for portions of the state where chronic wasting disease was detected during the 2021-22 deer season. Open-house meetings will be held at the Pocahontas Community Center…
Attract doves to your field for opening day, but be mindful of baiting laws
LITTLE ROCK – Dove season opens September 3. Coincidentally, that happens to be the first Saturday of college football for most of the country. Just like football, an opening day blunder can set the tone for the season. Check fields for any evidence of baiting before hunting, so your midday dove-field tailgate party is full…
Bradley County showcasing 36 acres for dove hunt
Be sure to apply for one of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s 11 permit-based dove fields by Aug. 15 if you’re looking for a fun way to kick off hunting season this Labor Day Weekend. Applications are available at the AGFC’s licensing site https://ar-web.s3licensing.com under the “Special Hunt Applications” tab. Four of these AGFC’s managed fields…
2022-23 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook available online
The latest edition of the Arkansas Hunting Guidebook is at the printer and will begin to appear in sporting goods stores throughout the state this month. You don’t have to wait to catch up on this year’s regulations. A downloadable version of the guidebook is available now at agfc.com for people who want to take a sneak…