2007 Deer Management Plan Revision

The 2007 Strategic White-tailed Deer Management Plan is complete and available for download. 

The mission of this document is to provide strategic direction that will result in quality recreational opportunities through maintaining a stable, healthy deer herd consistent with long-term habitat capabilities utilizing sound wildlife management science and open public input.

The plan is divided into several sections:

• The 2007 Strategic White-tailed Deer Management Plan Mission Statement
• History of White-tailed Deer in Arkansas
• Review of 1999 Strategic White-tailed Deer Management Plan
• Purpose of 2007 Strategic White-tailed Deer Management Plan
• Development of Plan
• Organization of Plan
• Implementation of Plan
• Statewide Goals and Objectives

This document has been digitized and is in Adobe Acrobat format.  If you do not have this free software, click here to download it. 

Download the Strategic White-tailed Deer Management Plan  

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. These 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 AGFC launched the long-range project with a meeting at Dardanelle, followed by similar meetings at Camden and Brinkley.

The goal was to get ideas and suggestions from hunters and landowners, representing Arkansas’ public, to be incorporated with wildlife biology essentials into a new Arkansas deer management plan.  The new deer management plan will provide goals and direction pertaining to deer management, hunting seasons and regulations. The final decision on seasons and regulations will remain with AGFC commissioners.

Download the Strategic White-tailed Deer Management Plan

Arkansas Deer Management Advisory Groups Meeting Reports

This report covers the meetings held in Russellville, Camden and Brinkley on May 8, 10 and 11, 2007.    The report includes a summary and observations from the Ozark, Arkansas River Valley, Ouachita Mountains advisory group organizational meeting, the West Gulf Coastal Plain Advisory group organizational meeting, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Crowley’s Ridge advisory group organizational meeting and analyses of the three advisory group meeting reports.

Download the Meeting Report  

 

Arkansas Deer Management Plan AGFC Staff Input Workshops

In addition to public input data, the AGFC Wildlife Management Division also wanted to gather input from AGFC Staff.  The AGFC Staff meetings were a combination of gathering staff input, but also a means for staff to become familiar with the plan development process.

Download the AGFC Staff Input Meeting Report  

 

Arkansas Deer Management Plan Public Input Workshops

This report includes information gathered from the ten June Public Workshops held around the state.  These workshops were open for all the public to attend. 

Download the Public Input Meeting Report  

Download the Final Deer Plan

 

Arkansas Deer Management Plan Message Board

This forum will be used to facilitate the gleaning of organized input from our Advisory Groups, while also allowing the process to take place under public review.

Non-advisory group members are still welcome to provide input, however this is a closed forum and non-advisory group members will not be allowed to create an account or post directly to the forum. All non-advisory group members may submit comments to deermanagment@agfc.state.ar.us, if the comment is appropriate for current goal discussion then it will be posted on the behalf of the non-advisory group member.

Click here to access the message board

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