Poachers harvest hefty fines from deer garden
Sept. 30, 2021
JONESBORO — With the outdoors as their office, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wildlife officers often work with unusual crime scenes, as poachers often go to extreme lengths to hide their crimes from weather and animals as well as the watchful eyes of neighbors and other hunters. In 2016 Sgt. Jeff Dalton and Cpl. Bret Ditto found one of the most unusual and fertile evidence discoveries of their careers, a literal garden of skulls from illegally poached white-tailed deer.
AGFC mobile app offers streamlined license, hunting experience
Sept. 29, 2021
LITTLE ROCK — Carry your license, check your game, and read the latest AGFC news all from one convenient location with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s smartphone application.
Get your deer tested for CWD
Sept. 22, 2021
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will again offer a variety of free options to have harvested deer tested for chronic wasting disease during the 2021-22 deer hunting season. In all, 105 testing locations will be available throughout the state to have your deer tested for CWD.
Harness a safe hunt this deer season
Sept. 22, 2021
LITTLE ROCK — Innovations in gear used by bowhunters to pursue white-tailed deer continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Bows that were obnoxiously loud and required a heavy draw weight have been replaced by lighter, whisper-quiet bows thats shoot arrows lightning fast at a minimal draw weight. Arrows have become more durable, consistent and forgiving and the choices in broadheads range from traditional deep-penetrating fixed-blade heads to devastating mechanicals that cut a huge swath through flesh. Clothing comes in a wide range of camo patterns to hide the human profile from the keen eyes of a whitetail and is also designed to lessen the scent dispersion of a hunter. All these are important, but one sector of hunting gear that is vital to a safe hunt has also seen great advances. Fall arrest systems have transitioned from simple belts to harnesses that will keep a hunter safe should an unexpected fall occur.
Make room in your freezer for deer season and help beat hunger in Arkansas
Sept. 8, 2021
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. 25. Any hunter who wishes to donate processed meat or money to help feed needy families in Arkansas is encouraged to join in the event.
Don’t ‘treat’ wildlife like livestock
Aug. 18, 2021
LITTLE ROCK — As summer progresses and people begin to see deer more frequently in the open, many of the deer they witness will be seen with ticks or bare spots in their fur from scratching at parasites on the skin. It’s human nature to want to help, but according to Dr. Jenn Ballard, state wildlife veterinarian for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, treating free-ranging wildlife is rarely effective and can cause many more troubles than it prevents.
2021 Elk Festival canceled, additional elk tags drawn
Aug. 18, 2021
JASPER — The final three public land permits for the 2021 elk hunting season have been drawn, and winners of these coveted hunting opportunities have been notified, following Monday’s cancellation of the 2021 Buffalo River Elk Festival.