September 9, 2009 Edition

Sign up to receive this newsletter via e-mail each week

Today's Topics

• Immediately tagging deer is a must for Arkansas hunters

• Arkansas in final year of pilot project to test convenience of electronic duck stamp

• What is the season limit on deer? Four, maybe

• DeGray State Park fishing contest is open to anyone

• USFWS environmental assessment now available

• Bird-watching is a popular hobby for Southerners

• Boating education class schedule

• Hunter education class schedule  

• What’s open for hunting

• Coming up in the outdoors

Immediately tagging deer is a must for Arkansas hunters

LITTLE ROCK – It is easy to remember the rule for putting a tag on that deer you kill.

Do it immediately. Keep in mind the simple phrase, “Bag it, tag it.”

You must tag your deer before you move it, before you get with your hunting buddy and ask him to help you get the deer back to the vehicle. You tag the deer before you pull out your cell phone and check it under the new Arkansas Game and Fish Commission checking system. You tag the deer before you pull out a package of cheese crackers and open a can of cola.

If the deer runs a few yards and falls in a creek, tag it right there, then drag it out.

The tag on a deer that is taken by a hunter is a key component if the Arkansas wildlife system. There is no wiggle room, no escape clause for breaking the rule.

Simply put, a wildlife officer who finds a hunter with a deer that does not have a tag will do two things – write a citation on the spot and confiscate the deer. That citation carries a costly court penalty, and the confiscated deer will go to Hunters Feeding the Hungry or a similar program.

After tagging your deer, don’t forget to use the AGFC’s new Telecheck system to check your deer. The number is (877) 507-4263 and is toll-free. Call it from anywhere when you are ready to check your deer. The new system replaces the check stations that were used for decades.

If you are an over-65 hunter or a younger-than-16 hunter, write this number down and keep it in your billfold. The number is in the AGFC’s Hunting Guidebook and is also on the game tags in the Guidebook. For others with wildlife conservation licenses or sportsmen’s licenses, the number also can be found on your hunting license tags.

Checking of deer can be done two ways – the call to (877) 507-4263 or online at www.agfc.com. When you’ve finished checking your game, you’ll be given a check number that must be recorded on the license. So make sure you have a pen ready.

Arkansas in final year of pilot project to test convenience of electronic duck stamp

LITTLE ROCK – In an effort to make federal duck stamp purchasing more convenient, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is beginning the third and final year of a pilot program to test electronic federal waterfowl stamps. The AGFC, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is testing the pilot program to make it simpler for hunters, birdwatchers and stamp collectors to buy Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as duck stamps.

The pilot program allows the AGFC along with fish and wildlife agencies in the states of Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Wisconsin, to sell stamps electronically through their individual automated licensing systems providing proof of purchase. In Arkansas, the program has been very successful. In its first year, Arkansas sold almost 10,000 of the stamps. That number jumped to almost 50,000 electronic federal stamps in 2008 and the number is expected to go even higher this year.

This proof of purchase – a unique code given to the purchaser instantly, will be accepted as evidence of the federal duck stamp purchase for 45 days. This will give the purchaser – time enough for the physical stamp to arrive in the mail. Duck Stamp purchasers will now be able to buy an electronic duck stamp from Arkansas and the other eight states’ retail licensing locations or by telephone or by their website.

Every waterfowl hunter over the age of 16 is required to buy a federal duck stamp in order to hunt waterfowl. In addition, federal duck stamps provide free entry into any national wildlife refuge in the country that charges an entrance fee. The electronic duck stamps are $2 higher in cost than the over-the-counter version.

The electronic proof of purchase will fulfill the requirement for waterfowl hunters to possess the stamp nationwide and allow visitors to National Wildlife Refuges gain free access. After the 45 days, the proof of purchase will expire and the purchasers must possess the paper stamp to receive its full benefit.

The federal duck stamp is currently available at many major sporting good stores selling hunting and fishing licenses, select post offices and online through the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s duck stamp fulfillment center.

The Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2005 directed the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with state management agencies, to conduct a three-year pilot program under which up to 15 states could issue electronic migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps. The pilot program will allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to evaluate the program and make adjustments or assess other distribution options to better serve stamp buyers.

Click this link for more information about the Federal Duck Stamp Program.

What is the season limit on deer? Four, maybe

LITTLE ROCK – It’s a common question. What is the season limit on deer in Arkansas?

But the answer isn’t so simple.

The season bag limit is four deer, provided at least one deer is taken in one of the zones or areas listed below. No more than two may be legal bucks. Additional restrictions may apply within certain zones, wildlife management areas and national wildlife refuges.

The zones or areas where four deer may be taken are Deer Zones 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17, Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA, Big Timber WMA, Blevins WMA, Casey Jones WMA, Choctaw Island WMA, Crossett Experimental Forest WMA, Cut-Off Creek WMA, DeGray Lake WMA, Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D’Arc WMA, Falcon Bottoms Natural Area WMA, Felsenthal NWR, Gum Flats WMA, Hope Upland WMA, Howard County WMA, Lafayette County WMA, Lake Greeson WMA, Little Bayou WMA, Little River WMA, Nacatoch Ravines Natural Area WMA, Overflow NWR, Ozan WMA, Poison Springs WMA, Pond Creek NWR, Provo WMA, Sandhills Natural Area WMA, Seven Devils WMA, Spring Bank WMA, Sulphur River WMA, Terre Noire Natural Area WMA, Trusten Holder WMA, Two Bayou Creek WMA, Warren Prairie Natural Area WMA and White Cliffs Natural Area WMA.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission strongly suggests hunters study the 2009-2010 Hunting Guidebook before going into the field. Seek out the area where you will be hunting and read the rules for that area.

DeGray State Park fishing contest is open to anyone 

BISMARCK – Do you have a hankering to do a little fishing? Get to DeGray Lake Resort State Park on Saturday, Sept. 12, and you may win a prize as well as having some fun.

The Hook, Line, and Sinker Fishing Derby at DeGray Park will be at Pond 7 on the DeGray Lake Golf Course. The pond will be stocked with catfish for the event. Participants who are over age 16 must have a valid Arkansas fishing license, which is available at the nearby park marina. Bring your own bait and tackle; one fishing pole per person.

This event is co-sponsored by DeGray State Park, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Southern Bancorp. For more information call the park at 501-865-2801.

USFWS environmental assessment now available

AUGUSTA - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Central Arkansas National Wildlife Refuge Complex is now available for public review and comment. The complex consists of Bald Knob, Big Lake, Cache River and Wapanocca national wildlife refuges.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking written public comments on this draft plan and environmental assessment through close of business on Sept. 28, 2009. The draft plan and environmental assessment was developed in cooperation with partners that include state wildlife agencies, elected officials, non-governmental conservation organizations and the general public.

Comprehensive conservation plans, as mandated by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, are intended to ensure that wildlife refuges continue to be managed for the benefit of both wildlife and the American public. The purpose of the comprehensive conservation plan is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and our policies.

The public is invited to attend a series of open house meetings with refuge staff to learn more about the draft plan and to provide comment. The open houses are scheduled as follows:

• Sept. 15 - Bald Knob Municipal Building, 3713 Highway 367 in Bald Knob.
• Sept. 17 - National Guard Armory, 500 Highway 64 East in Augusta.
• Sept. 21 - Manila Community Center, 855 Airport Road in Manila.
• Sept. 22 - Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, Highway 42 East, just south of Turrell.
• Sept. 24 - Brinkley Convention Center, 1501 Weatherby Drive in Brinkley.

Anyone interested in participating in the public review and comment process is invited to drop by anytime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Refuge staff will be available for information, discussion of the draft plan or management issues and to receive comments. All comments received will be considered in preparation of the final plan.

Copies of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment may be obtained at the open house meetings; the Central Arkansas Refuges Headquarters, 26320 Highway 33 South, Augusta, AR 72006; or via mail by contacting William R. Smith, Natural Resource Planner AT (870) 347-2074 or william_r_smith@fws.gov. A copy of the plan is also available on the FWS Web site at: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning.

Bird-watching is a popular hobby for Southerners

LITTLE ROCK - A recently released report reveals that bird-watching continues to thrive as a popular hobby for Americans, even more so for Southerners. According to this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report, an estimated 33 percent of Southerners bird-watch as of 2006, compared with 20 percent of Americans nationwide participating in the pastime.

“I think people have an innate desire to connect with nature,” said Karen Rowe, AGFC bird conservation biologist. “Birding is an easy way to do that.”

Particularly in The Natural State, an abiding interest in the outdoors seems commonplace.

“Around Arkansas, we have lots of hunters and fisherman, said Jim Allen, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Little Rock. “People [here] are conscious of nature.”

Allen’s store specializes in bird feeders and seeds. The report showed that backyard birding is the most popular way to watch birds, with 88 percent of birders claiming to observe birds at home. Arkansas birders can also see birds in a plethora of local natural areas.

“There are so many amazing places for birding in Arkansas,” Rowe said. “We tend to think of those places [e.g. wildlife management areas] for traditional hunting, but they’re excellent for bird-watching, too.”

Several Arkansas towns have harnessed the power of birding, drawing birders to their streets via birding events and customized accommodations. Clarendon hosts The Big Woods Birding Festival, which offers bird programs and hikes. Hoping to attract eco-tourists, Stuttgart is converting unused land to prairie habitat for birds around Stuttgart Airport. The airport already lures birders, who walk the grassy spans between runways to find specialty winter birds like Smith’s Longspur and Sprague’s Pipit. As of April 2008, Stuttgart Airport’s birder registry has documented birders from 23 states, two Canadian provinces and Great Britain.

Still, there’s room for other Arkansas towns to adopt birder-friendly standards to generate income from tourists.

“Tourism departments need to recognize there’s a birding element and recognize birders’ needs,” Rowe said. “Local towns need support, and birders can fill it. They don’t realize birders are out there.”

At the same time, birders need to identify themselves.

“I leave a birder calling card with the tip at restaurants,” stated Dr. Dan Scheiman, bird conservation director for Audubon Arkansas. “It lets businesses know that birders contribute to their local economy. Because we birders don’t always have binoculars around our necks, we also should be more vocal about who we are and why we are visiting.”

According to the report, most birders are middle-aged and older. In contrast, only eight percent of birders are between 16 and 24 years of age.

“We’ve got to get the youth involved,” Rowe said. “AGFC is working hard to recruit young hunters and anglers. To the same extent, we need to recruit young birders. But more than that, we need to recruit conservationists.”

Through kindling a passion for nature within youth and communities, Arkansas will ensure that its natural heritage is preserved through birding and other outdoor activities.

Sept. 12 – University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton Skeet Shoot, 2 p.m. at the Point Remove Lodge in Hattieville. This year Andy Miller is scheduled to do a shooting exhibition. Again this year, the Ducks Unlimited Green Wing shoot for kids ages 8-14 will be featured. For more information call Kristi Strain at (501) 977-2085 or by email at strain@uaccm.edu.

Sept. 12 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Wing Shooting.”

Sept. 12 – Jacksonville Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, old Wal-Mart building in Jacksonville. For more information contact Matt Robinson at (501) 412-8055 or jacksonvilledu@aol.com.

Sept. 17 – North Little Rock Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Sherwood Forest in Sherwood. For more information contact Pat Mahan at (501) 743-6154 or northlittlerock@yahoo.com.

Sept. 19 – The Arkansas Fly Fishers invites anyone interesting in learning to fly fish to their free Fly Fishing 101 Event from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. Qualified AFF members with years of experience will be instructors and guide participants through the fundamentals of fly fishing. Learn about equipment, hands-on fly casting instruction, how to hire a guide, where to fish and how to tie flies. For more information go to www.arkansasflyfishers.com.

Sept. 20 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Canada Goose Hunting.”

Sept. 22 – 7th Annual Lonoke County CASA Outdoors at the Cabot Community Center. All proceeds from the live auction and the silent auction will be used to assist abused and neglected children in the 23rd Judicial District of Arkansas. Some premier hunting and fishing trips as well as various other outdoor related items will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Tickets are $20 per adult and $10 per child and are available from the Lonoke County CASA headquarters at (501) 676-6533. The doors open at 6 p.m.

Sept. 25 – Toad Suck Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Knights of Columbus Hall in Conway. For more information contact Jeremy Abbott at (501) 428-3161 or jerabb@yahoo.com.

Sept. 26 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Preseason Forecast.”

Sept. 26 – West Logan County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, 1st Baptist Church in Booneville. For more information contact Josh Boersma at (479) 518-4250 or boersma66@yahoo.com.

Sept. 26 – National Hunting and Fishing Day at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring the whole family – it’s free. There will be displays, activities such as the laser shot and knife making along with exhibitors. The nature center is located in the River Market District in downtown Little Rock.

Sept. 28 – Bradley-Drew Chapter of Delta Waterfowl annual banquet, The River Restaurant in Monticello. There will be a partial HRC hunt test simulation at 5:30 p.m. for those interested. All retrievers and their owners are welcome to participate at no charge. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. Cost of admission to the event is $40 for a single, $50 for a couple, $15 for youth under age 16 and $150 for a sponsor ticket. Delta Waterfowl membership and dinner are included. There will be a live auction, silent auction and raffles for prints, guns and a variety of duck hunting gear. For more information contact Mike Reeves at (870) 460-0899.

Oct. 1 – Southwest Arkansas Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Hope Country Club. For more information contact Larry England at (870) 703-4944 or ashleywarehouse@gmail.com.

Oct. 2-4 - Women’s Outdoor Weekend, Bull Shoals-White River State Park in Lakeview. During this three-day, two-night workshop, participants can attend different sessions like basic camping/backpacking skills, nature journaling, beginning bird-watching, introduction to fly fishing, beginning kayaking, Dutch oven cooking and more. Plenty of free time will be allotted to building friendships and honing newly developed outdoor skills. All gear and meals are included in the $125 registration fee. Space is limited, so early registration is advised. To register and attain more information, contact Bull Shoals-White River State Park at (870) 445-3629 or e-mail julie.lovett@arkansas.gov. The park is located at 129 Bull Shoals Park in Lakeview. If you’re traveling from Mountain Home, drive six miles north on Arkansas 5, then go eight miles west on Arkansas 178 to the park entrance. Turn left on Powerhouse Road.

Oct. 3 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Arkansas’s Elk Herd.”

Oct. 5 – Benton County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, The Quail Barn in Bentonville. For more information contact Todd Etzel at (501) 613-1874 or toddetzel@sbcglobal.net or Blayne Estes at (479) 721-3394 or baestes@cox.net.

Oct. 10 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Arkansas Alligator Hunt.”

Oct. 10 - The Little Red River Action Team chapter 722 of Trout Unlimited in Heber Springs is hosting the 3rd annual fly fishing film tour in Little Rock. The event is a fundraiser for the chapter and will take place at the Clinton Library and Museum at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. There will be finger food, a cash bar and TU merchandise for sale. This highly popular two hour mini-film festival features exciting segments from the sport's best filmmakers shot in foreign destinations like Papua New Guinea, Russia, Belize as well as domestic waters from California and Colorado to southern Louisiana and the Florida Keys. The films offer a great blend of sensational footage, hilarious comedy, poignant commentary and some of the largest and most impressive fish ever caught. The Fly Fishing Film Tour is an opportunity for fans of fly fishing to come together to celebrate their sport and support the Little Red River Action Team chapter of Trout Unlimited. The ticket sales are the fund raiser and will be available from TU board members as well as at the Little Red Fly Shop, Ozark Angler in Little Rock and Heber Springs, Lobo Landing, Lindsey's Rainbow Resort and Holland's Exxon in Heber Springs. Donations to the chapter will also be most welcomed. To learn more, please visit www.flyfishingfilmtour.com.

Oct. 10 - Union County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, American Legion in El Dorado. For more information contact John Mooney at (870) 310-3392 or john_mooney@arwp.uscourts.gov.

Oct. 12 – Crawford County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Boys and Girls Club in Van Buren. For more information contact David Martin at (479) 806-7761 or huntnduck@yahoo.com.

Oct. 15 - Pine Bluff Razorback Chapter of Ducks Unlimited banquet at the Harbor Oaks Golf Course Restaurant in Pine Bluff. For more information contact Brian Hornsby at (870) 267-3885.

Oct. 15 - Rice ‘n Wings Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Craighead County Fairgrounds in Jonesboro. For more information contact John Hardin at (870) 268-2449 or john.hardin@morganstanley.com.

Oct. 17 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Largemouth Bass Fishing.”

Oct. 22 – Central Arkansas Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Clear Channel Building in Little Rock. For more information contact Jeff Marcussen at (501) 831-3818 or jmarcussen@baldwinshell.com.

Oct. 24 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Deer Hunting.”

Oct. 24 - Hurricane Lake Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Carmichael Center in Searcy. For more information contact Larry Winningham at (501) 827-5080 or shelma@sbcglobal.net.

Oct. 24 - Fordyce Moro Creek Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet. For more information contact Chris Rich at (870) 313-2588 or bigrich_@hotmail.com.

Oct. 24 - Magnolia Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Main Event Pavillion in Magnolia. For more information contact Greg Harrell at (870) 904-3710 or sra_sda@yahoo.com.

Oct. 26 - Drew County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Monticello Country Club. For more information contact Paul Griffin at (870) 723-4030 or golferpaul21@yahoo.com.

Oct. 29 - Northwest Arkansas Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Washington County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville. For more information contact Matt Brasel at (479) 426-2585 or Mbrasel@communityfirstbank.com .

Oct. 31 - Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with Steve “Wildman” Wilson, 9 a.m. on KARK Channel 4. Topic of the show will be "Deer Season Forecast.”

Nov. 5 – Texarkana Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Four State Fairground Building. For more information contact James Morphew at (903) 832-5880 or morphewp@hooksisd.net.

Nov. 7 – Greers Ferry Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Cleburne County Fairgrounds in Greers Ferry. For more information contact Larry Winningham at (501) 827-5080 or shelma@sbcglobal.net.

Nov. 19 – Phillips County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Phillips County Community College in Helena-West Helena. For more information contact Jason Smith at (870) 995-6103 or jason6868@att.net.

Nov. 19 – Paragould Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Paragould National Guard Armory. For more information contact Jerrod Brown at (870) 215-3212 or william.brown@smail.astate.edu.

Nov. 28 – Brookings Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Big Tent at Brookings. For more information contact Eric and Carolann Wilmes at (870) 476-1580 or ufoundcarolann@hotmail.com.  

Dec. 5 – Clear Creek Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Alma Boys and Girls Club. For more information contact Jeremy Teff at (479) 409-4646 or duckranger@gmail.com.

Dec. 5 – Cypress Bayou Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Beebe National Guard Armory. For more information contact Barry Wolfe at (501) 681-4286 or wolfe.barry@gmail.com.

Dec. 5 – Poinsett County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited membership banquet, Trumann New Sports Complex. For more information contact Chris Gairhan at (870) 530-2899 or cgairhan@yahoo.com.