2025 Outdoor Hall of Fame Aug. 23

LITTLE ROCK – Join the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock for the 34th Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame, presented by Banded, Aug. 23.

The banquet celebrates conservation icons in The Natural State and serves as a major fundraiser to help advance the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s mission and efforts in the outdoors. The 34th annual event is sponsored by Banded and will be chaired by Jay and Julia Moss. Live music, dinner, raffles and an auction will all help collect funds to aid in the future of conservation in Arkansas.

“The Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet is truly a highlight of our year,” Deke Whitbeck, President of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, said. “It’s a cherished tradition for outdoor enthusiasts to gather, celebrate conservation in Arkansas and officially kick off the fall hunting seasons. We anticipate a crowd of nearly 1,600 to honor the individuals and organizations whose dedication preserves our state’s cherished outdoors.”

This year, the Foundation will recognize three outstanding individuals and one organization with induction into the Hall of Fame:

2025 Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame Honorees:

• Steve Arrison: As the driving force behind Visit Hot Springs, Arrison leveraged the region’s lakes to attract major professional bass fishing tournaments. His efforts have not only boosted the city’s profile but also provided Arkansans with unparalleled access to high-level competitive angling, fostering broader engagement and appreciation for the sport.

• Sherrel Johnson: Her impactful leadership in forming and collaborating with the Union County Water Conservation Board enabled Johnson and a coalition of state and local leaders to address the critical groundwater decline in the Sparta Aquifer, then the county’s only source of drinking and industrial water. This solution-driven initiative led to an alternative source of industrial water from the Ouachita River, significantly reducing reliance on the rapidly declining Sparta and leading to its documented recovery, demonstrating a powerful model for innovative groundwater conservation that restored the natural resource and ultimately benefits the long-term health of the ecosystem and associated wildlife habitats.

• Tom Kennon: A true embodiment of traditional conservation, Kennon has profoundly shaped Arkansas’s paddling community. His influential guidebooks, safety training initiatives with the Arkansas Canoe Club, support for river clean-up efforts, and stunning landscape photography have fostered a deep appreciation for and accessibility to the state’s waterways.

• The Arkansas Master Naturalists: This dedicated statewide network of volunteers actively contributes to the preservation and appreciation of Arkansas’s natural environment. Through education, community outreach, habitat restoration, citizen science, and trail maintenance, they serve as vital guardians, inspiring environmental stewardship for current and future generations.

Visit https://one.bidpal.net/fish/ticketing to purchase a ticket or reserve a table at this year’s event.

“That site also is the home for our online auction,” Whitbeck said. “The auction is live now and will run all the way through the end of the event on the 23rd. You don’t have to attend to win, but you’d be missing out on a darn good time celebrating the outdoors with fellow conservationists.”

Contact Whitbeck at deke@agff.org to learn more.

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