AGFC asks for input on amended wildlife regulations

May 1, 2020

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

LITTLE ROCK — During the April 23 meeting of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, commissioners heard the proposal of 100 regulations changes to wildlife and fishing codes. During the course of that meeting four of the proposals saw modifications or were tabled to not be included in this year’s regulations package that will be voted on in May.

While nearly a quarter of the proposed regulations changes were made to clarify or eliminate redundant or confusing language in the Arkansas Code of Regulations, many were proposed that would benefit Arkansas’s wildlife and Arkansas’s hunters. The AGFC circulated a survey from March 26-April 15 to collect public comments on these changes and received more than 8,100 comments during that time. A second survey is now available to gather continued input on two of the four proposed regulations that saw changes during the meeting:

1) The proposal regarding the use of the Pepper’s Pond dog-training facility in Compartment 5 of the Camp Robinson Special Use Area was postponed for further discussion (no further comments needed).

2) The proposal to charge $1.50 for Harvest Information Program, Resident Trapper Permit and Light Goose Conservation Order Registration was withdrawn (no further comments needed).

3) The proposed change to waterfowl hunting hours on Wildlife Management Areas was amended to only apply for Dave Donaldson Black River and George H Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto wildlife management areas. It also was amended that hunters must end hunting and be off watercourses on these WMAs by noon during waterfowl season.

4) A new category to those who qualify as a “resident” under Code 1.00 (definition of terms) was proposed. Nonresidents residing and working at least 60 consecutive days in Arkansas pursuant to a written commitment as full-time employees or volunteers of a nonprofit charitable organization (other than one established principally for the recreational benefit of its stockholders or members) that (a) is registered and in good standing with the Arkansas Secretary of State, and (b) has received a 501(c)(3) designation from the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Visit https://www.agfc.com/en/wildlife-management/scientific-reports/surveys/ to give additional comments on these proposed changes.

A video of the meeting is available on the AGFC’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sidnUGjqlyU.