MAY/JUNE 2013
T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E A R K A N S A S W I L D L I F E F E D E R AT I O N A F F I L I AT E D W I T H T H E N AT I O N A L W I L D L I F E F E D E R AT I O N
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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit 128 Russellville, Ark. 72801
VOL 41
NO 3
AWF - Supporting America’s Soldiers & the Environment
Photo by Wayne Shewmake
2 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
Arkansas Wildlife Federation Mission Statement
To advocate for the sustainable use of Arkansas’ wildlife habitats and natural resources for future generations.
Become Part of the Solution Today
sellville Civil Air Patrol volunteers to do fly-over monitoring of turkeys that have telemeter devices attached to them in the Ozark National Forest. We are showing support for our military veterans who AWF continues to grow and reach out to benefit wild- have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, by sponsoring life, youth education, and to all sportsmen & women of a Wounded Warrior Project fishing tournament on Lake Arkansas. AWF is building on its membership and contin- Dardanelle, which was a big success. ues to grow, and gain support for programs and the projects we are working on. AWF Executive Director, Ethan "AWF is always looking for Nahté, some board members, and myself have attended several events, shows, schools and clubs already this volunteers to help us on projects for year such as the Big Buck Classic, Arkansas Sportshow, conservation in Arkansas..." e-Day, Mid-America Science Museum, many Earth Day and Arbor Day events and more. We have also been active working alongside the USFS We visited the Mayflower oil spill with NWF represen& AGFC, attending meetings and other organization tatives We went to Jasper to meetings with many other meetings to partner with them on conservation projects. organizations and individuals to speak with ADEQ and We continue to work on the Bearcat Hollow Project moni- voice our opposition on the hog farm that was built on toring the turkeys, elk, and native birds already this year, Big Creek, a tributary to the Buffalo National River. not to mention we planted nearly 2000 trees at Bearcat We also co-produced and printed a calendar for the Hollow with the assistance of the USFS, ATU’s Fisher- state-wide youth art contest open to all K-12 grade stuies & Wildlife Society, University of the Ozarks, and the dents in Arkansas, which was a huge success with over Little Rock Air Force Base. We are working with the Rus- 600 entries. This art contest is co-sponsored by Creative
Ideas and AWF. It is currently touring the AGFC Nature Centers this summer, so try to go see the students’ work. It is worth your time. All of that and planning for our Annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet set for Aug. 24, 2013 in Bryant, Ark. again this year. This will once again be a very big event for AWF. We expect 500 + people to attend, the food is great, the nominees are very deserving, and the program will be very entertaining. I would like to invite you to contact AWF and come join us for a great evening. We will have some great silent auction items as well as live auction items: Youth elk tag, donated by AGFC; African Safari for 4, donated by Van Wijk Safaris vanwijksafaris.com ; Argentina Dove Hunt for 4 donated by Sporting Adventures International sportingadv.com; several other great items to bid on for the family. AWF is always looking for volunteers to help us on projects for conservation in Arkansas, so please contact us and show your support. Become part of the solution to environmental improvements for Arkansas today. Wayne Shewmake President AWF
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President - Wayne Shewmake 1st VP - Ellen McNulty 2nd VP - Jerry Crowe Treasurer - Gary Bush Secretary - Lucien Gillham Arkansas Wildlife Federation is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization and AWF (tax# 71-6059226) IRS Requirements: You are receiving $10 in goods for your membership, through AWF bi-monthly newspaper
Arkansas Wildlife Federation P.O. Box 56380 Little Rock, AR 72215 (501) 888-4770 arkwf@sbcglobal.net www.arkansaswildlifefederation.org
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 3
ExxonMobil Sued for Oil Spills
by Ethan Nahté On June 13, 2013, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and U.S. Attorney Chris Thyer filed a joint lawsuit against ExxonMobil. It seeks “civil penalties and injunctive relief” under the Clean Water Act, including payment for response costs and damages, while citing changes to the color, odor, pH, dissolved oxygen levels and toxicity of the water of the “cove” area of Lake Conway. The lawsuit comes a little more than two months after the breakage of a 22’ section of the Pegasus pipeline caused an oil spill that caused 22 Mayflower, Arkansas families to be evicted from their homes due to damage and the resulting clean-up efforts, not to mention the harm done to the environment in the sloughs and surrounding wetlands of Lake Conway. It has been reported that the pipeline was not meant to carry the heavy crude oil, but a more refined oil. In addition, part of the lawsuit also falls under the Arkansas Hazardous Waste Management Act, as well. Evidently Exxon is reportedly storing illegal contaminants in fracking tanks near Mayflower according to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The tanks are located at a site on Highway 36 and operated by XTO Energy, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil. They have been in the area for some time as they drill for natural gas in the Fayetteville Shale. ADEQ director Teresa Marks said that her agency is concerned that the contaminants are being stored for a duration longer than permitted for hazardous waste. McDaniel said that ExxonMobil has been communicating with the state, but it hadn’t fully responded to questions from the various state agencies involved. That, in part, prompted the lawsuit. McDaniel is also hoping that Arkansas will finally learn how much oil spilled. The numbers have varied greatly.
Hearing Set on Yell County Hog Farm Permit Modification The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) will hold a public meeting and hearing at Dardanelle July 22, 2013, to discuss proposed changes to the current permit for a Yell County hog farm, and accept comments on the proposed changes. The event will begin at 6 p.m. in the Dardanelle City Hall, 120 N. Front St. The facility, owned by Michael Darr, doing business as Darr Swine Farm, is located at 10519 Gibson Lake Rd.,
Other numbers that can vary greatly are the amount of the fines. According to Thyer, damages of $1,100 per barrel are standard under the Clean Water Act, but can be as high as $4,300 per barrel if negligence can be proven. At the time of the filing, Thyer stated that they did not know if there was negligence or not. Since the number of barrels of spilled oil is still unknown and other unknown factors are at hand, the amount of damages is still being determined. Meanwhile, in Billings, Montana, a demand was made to Exxon to pay a fine during a rally organized by Eileen Morris of the Yellowstone Valley Citizens Council on July 1st. This was the two year anniversary of 63,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the Yellowstone River by Exxon. The U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration levied a $1.7 million fine based on known safety issues that weren’t addressed. Exxon is challenging the penalty. “Exxon certainly deserves the fine,” Morris declared. “They should be good citizens and just own up to the fact that they have it coming.” Debra Bonogofsky was at the rally, held in Coulson Park. Her property was affected by the spill, and even though Exxon promised to make things right, her family is still waiting. “They plowed up our grass pasture by the river, and now it’s sitting there just dirt and weeds, because they tried to replant it last year, but that’s when we had the drought and nothing came up, and so nothing’s been done since,” as Bonogofsky described the restitution effort. Hopefully this isn’t what Mayflower residents who were evicted from their homes have to look forward to with the promises the company has made to them. There’s a hearing scheduled July 17 in Washington where the DOT and Exxon will discuss the fine in the Yellowstone River case. ExxonMobil’s history for paying is about as murky as the crude oil. For those who remember the Valdez spill in Prince William Sound Alaska in 1989, over 11 million gallons of oil was dumped into the sound and it contaminated about 1,300 miles of coastline. It was the worst oil spill in U.S. waters until the BP oil spill in April
2010. The settlement sought for nearly 20 years was $5 billion. By June 2009, ExxonMobil had paid $900 million including interest, less than one fifth of what was originally sought and after 20 percent of the plaintiffs were deceased. In the fine’s clause was a further payment of $100 million for any lingering impacts of the spill. Exxon only paid 75% of the $500 million punitive damages eventually awarded. In 2011 ExxonMobil was to settle a $100 million fine for the Exxon Valdez spill out of court with the federal and Alaskan state governments after being granted a reprieve from a US District Court Judge. This is despite State Governor Sean Parnell being a well-known exlobbyist for ExxonMobil. He also served under Sarah Palin as Lieutenant Governor when the federal government reopened the settlement agreement seeking further funds from Exxon for remediation. Under both Sarah “Drill Baby Drill” Palin and Sean Parnell’s leadership, Exxon’s fines were extremely watered down and diluted from the original fine amount. Neither Alaskan administration bothered to take the company to court or pressed for money. Assuming that ExxonMobil does hold to their agreement to take care of the home and property owners, and assuming that they will take care of all the environmental clean-up and whatever other studies and tests that Arkansas agencies require of them to ensure that Lake Conway and the surrounding habitat is safe, here’s hoping that it won’t take 22 years like Valdez and that they don’t get cut a deal to lessen the fines. They came close to breaking a global record for profits according to CNNMoney, missing the record by a mere $300 million as they brought in $44.9 billion for 2012. I think it is fair to say that Arkansas just wants what is fairly due to them, not because ExxonMobil has money and can afford to pay, but because they should pay for their mistake(s) and damages incurred. The human homes can be replaced. The homes for the animals and the waterways are going to be a little more difficult while the lives of those animals that died or were injured cannot be replaced.
east of State Highway 7 about four miles south of Dardanelle. The proposed permit modification would increase the number of hogs allowed at the facility, add land application sites for animal waste, and allow the construction and operation of a second earthen holding pond for liquid waste from the operation. ADEQ technical staff will be available at the meeting/hearing to discuss and answer questions about the proposed permit modification. In addition, a hearing officer will be present to accept public comments, which will be limited to the proposed changes to the existing permit. Oral and written statements will be accepted, but written comments are preferred in the interest of accuracy.
Prior to the public meeting/hearing, written comments on the proposed changes may be sent to Casey Vickerson, Water Division, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118. Electronic mail comments may also be sent to: Water-DraftPermit-Comment@adeq.state.ar.us. The deadline for submitting written or E-mail comments prior to the hearing is 4:30 p.m. July 19, 2013. Oral and written comments will be accepted at the meeting/ hearing, but the comment period will be closed upon adjournment of the event. Interested parties should contact Casey Vickerson at the above address or by telephone at 501-682-0648 for information about the proposed permit, including instructions on how to obtain or view a copy of the proposal.
4 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
Wildlife officer’s body recovered at scene of flood
Y CITY – The body of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Officer 1st Class Joel Campora was recovered June 2 near the location where flood waters took the lives of Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter and two women. Campora and Carpenter were attempting to rescue the two Y City women when flood waters collapsed the women’s home. Campora’s body was found about 9 a.m. near the Fourche La Fave River in Scott County. His body was more than a mile from the women’s house and a half-mile from the location where Carpenter’s body was found. The bodies of both women who were swept away at the same time as Campora and Carpenter also were recovered. AGFC Director Mike Knoedl said he promised Campora’s wife that wildlife officers would not stop looking until they found him. “When I promised Rebecca Campora on Friday that we would bring him home I had no doubt that they would do just that and that was accomplished. Now we have to give Joel a true hero’s ceremony, which we will do on Friday,” he said. AGFC Chief of Enforcement Col. Jeff Crow said the flood waters had receded enough to allow searchers access to areas they were not able to reach earlier because of the flood waters from Mill Creek and the Fourche La Fave River. “It’s been a very difficult few days for our officers, but they have shown tremendous resolve in the face of very difficult circumstances,” Crow said. Campora had been a wildlife officer with the AGFC since 2007. He was assigned to Scott County and lived in Waldron with his wife and two children.
As a cadet, Campora wrote in his personal biography that he knew what he wanted to do with his life. “From the time I was in fourth grade in school, I have always had the dream of being a game warden. I remember seeing those officers and thinking how there could not be a better job out there,” Campora wrote. “Being able to have a job that allowed you to work with and preserve nature was only a dream to me. Now it is a reality and I will be proud to put on the uniform every day of my career,” he added. Torrential rains in the area began May 30 and continued through June 1 causing area rivers and creeks to swell. The National Weather Service reported that nearly eight inches of rain fell in that area over a 12-hour period May 30-31. Campora and Carpenter got into the wildlife officer’s boat just after midnight on May 31 to answer a 911 call that the two Y City women were in their house and were in danger from the flood waters of Mill Creek. The swollen creek caused the home to collapse while Campora, Carpenter and the two women were inside. Helicopters and more than 100 local, state and federal personnel from around the area assisted in the search. AWF president Wayne Shewmake, who also works for the Yell County Sheriff’s Department was part of the search team. Campora’s funeral was held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 7 at the Waldron High School football field.
Corning squads snag junior and senior AYSSP titles
Photo by Ethan Nahté
LONOKE – After brutal weather conditions forced the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports state tournament into a third day, shooters from Corning took top honors in both the junior and senior divisions. The tournament was held May 31-June 2 at the Remington range near Lonoke. Champion of Champions in the junior division was Steven Yates of Springhill. Ian Debord of Corning was the Champion of Champions in the senior division. AYSSP program Coordinator, Chuck Woodson, stated that this is the first time the same school district took both the junior and senior division titles as well as had the Champion of Champions for the senior division. In the junior division, Copper Springs Shooters took second place and Shiloh Christian took third place. In the senior division, the Mt. Ida FFA squad placed second and the Salem Trap Team placed third. Greenwood Coach Charles Mitchael won the Remington 870 shotgun donated by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. Each member of the top three senior division teams was awarded a college scholarship ($1,500 for first, $1,000 for second and $500 for third). Teams from across the state competed in four regional competitions to qualify for the championship. Each region was represented by 16 teams in the junior and senior divisions. In addition to team competition, shooters with perfect scores during regional tournaments were invited to compete individually in the Champion of Champions event at the state finals. The AYSSP is an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission program that encourages youth to learn to shoot shotguns safely while enjoying the outdoors. To learn more about the AYSSP or to become a coach, visit www.agfc.com to download a brochure or contact Chuck Woodson, 501-230-4738.
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 5
Trail Tales By Johnny Sain, Jr.
Truth in the Swamp
by Johnny Sain, Jr. Writing, as a job, is not nearly as glamorous as many people think. I’ve been trying to eke out a living on the keyboard for about three years now. Until the last few months, I often had to supplement my income with other gigs. There’s been some house framing, some flooring laid, and some shingles nailed. I don’t mind manual labor. In fact, I enjoy working up a good sweat and the camaraderie of working with other folks. I’m not very good at that kind of work though. It never interested me, and my mind drifts off all the time. Because of this, I’m not much use except for the basic grunt work of carrying lumber and swinging a hammer…when told exactly where to carry and exactly where to hammer. However, this summer has been blessed with enough writing and editing work that my days are spent in the soft glow of a laptop monitor. I don’t miss the hammer, but I do miss the fresh air and sunshine. It seems like there is always something that needs to be done on the computer, and the beauty (curse?) of it is that the computer is always open. I could work 24/7 if someone could teach me how to go without sleep. So, here I am, busy up to my eyeballs, doing exactly what I want to do, but still feeling like something is missing. I didn’t know what was missing until I drove by Lake Dardanelle the other day. I stopped lakeside to peer into the weedy shallows – which I do with enough frequency to call it a habit -- when the silver flicker of shad caught my attention. Within a split second, a much larger greenish-
AWF HAS MOVED!!! The property donated by the Logans is AWF’s new home!
gold form replaced the silver flicker. It was a bass. I tracked the chase through glimpses of reflective scales and dancing weeds until an explosion of water told me it was over. As the ripples died down, I noticed my pulse was racing. Feeling refreshed and refocused, I knew what had been missing. The next morning found me on the banks of Lake Dardanelle with the sun only a promise in the eastern sky. I came armed with a medium action spinning rod and reel along with a pocketful of straight-tail plastic worms. I didn’t care about size, I just wanted to catch fish, and it didn’t take long. The first cast brought a solid “thump.” I snapped the rod upwards. The fish bulled toward open water, and then made a beeline for the weeds. I wasn’t able to turn the bass, but I was able to persuade it away from the heavier vegetation and toward more open shore. Brought to hand, the largemouth was a fine representative of its species as those greenishgold scales shimmered in the day’s first sunbeams. I have no idea if the largemouth was a keeper, and I didn’t care. I just knew this was what my days had been missing. The barbless hook popped loose with little effort and I gently placed the fish back into its world. Quick gill movements forced the warm water over blood-red gills, and with fresh oxygen coursing through its veins, the bass gave a flip of its tail, and was gone. I stood on the bank smiling. A whispered word of gratitude escaped my lips. It was a simple “thank you” for both revelation of my need, and the experience to fulfill it.
New Mailing Address: P.O. Box 56380 Little Rock, AR 72215
501-888-4770
MAY/JUNE UPCOMING EVENTS
AWF Annual Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet
Saturday, August 24, 2013 Doors open at 4:00 pm—Dinner at 6:00 pm The Center of Bryant in Bishop Park 6401 Boone Road Bryant, Arkansas
Come help celebrate this year’s conservation winners. Menu TBA but will most likely include roasted Cornish hen, fried quail, other game meats, vegetables and all the fixin’s. Participate in the silent auction, be in the running for door prizes, and bid in the liveauction. This year’s live auction will once again include a Youth elk hunt permit courtesyof AGFC! Tickets now available through the AWF office or through AWF board members - $40 Couple or $25 Single. Contact (501) 888-4770 or arkwf@sbcglobal.net for more information or to order your tickets in advance.
5th Annual Conway EcoFest
Saturday, September 14, 2013 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Rain or Shine Laurel Park, Conway, AR Food, Fun, Music, Magic and an Exploration of Our Environment! Come spend a day to celebrate our connections to our environment. If you would like to be part of helping to develop any part of this exciting event, please contact us at http://www.conwayecofest.com/ or call Debbie at 472-0901.
Bearcat Hollow Volunteer Day
Friday-Saturday, September 27-28, 2013 Bearcat Hollow/Ozark Mountains Near Lurton, AR Once again, the last Saturday in September is National Public Lands Day. Why not spend your weekend enjoying the beauty of the Ozarks while helping AWF and our cooperative partners (i.e. NWTF, NFF, RMEF, AGFC, USFS, ATU Fisheries & Wildlife Society, University of the Ozarks and others) in our effort to help nature? Feel free to camp out, or you can show up early on Saturday morning. To volunteer and for more details contact Wayne Shewmake @ (479) 229-2298 or wayne093@centurytel.net, or the AWF office @ (501) 888-4770 or arkwf@sbcglobal.net
6 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
New lock policy is in place on Arkansas River
LITTLE ROCK –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Little Rock District has begun a new program for recreational boaters on 11 of the 13 Arkansas locks along the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. Since Monday, June 3, Arkansas locks, with the exception of Trimble Lock, near Fort Smith, and Ozark Lock, at Ozark, are closed to recreational boaters from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday excluding federal holidays. The closures allow personnel to perform preventive and scheduled maintenance. Trimble and Ozark locks will continue to close from 8 a.m. to noon daily to all traffic for maintenance. Commercial towboats along with government and emergency response personnel will be locked through during the maintenance windows if the lock is operational. Recreational boaters are encouraged to use public boat ramps to access the upstream or downstream portions of the river to avoid possible extended waiting times due to scheduled maintenance. The Corps developed the policy after hosting eight public workshops in 2012 and conducting a 30-day comment period to seek input from all users. The policy also takes into account special scheduled events such as bass tournaments, flotillas and civic celebrations. The new policy will include using only one side of the miter gates when locking recreational vessels. Exceptions will be made to address safety concerns associated with groups of vessels, large vessels, and inclement weather. This change is expected to reduce lock cycling of and increase the life of the lock equipment. Groups needing to apply for a special event permit should contact the Russellville Project Office for events occurring upstream of Murray Lock and Dam or the Pine Bluff Project Office for events occurring downstream of Murray Lock and Dam. For events that occur on both sides of Murray Lock and Dam, either office may be contacted. The Russellville’s office number is 501-340-1758 and the Pine Bluff’s office number is 501-340-1309.
orps to Launch C Pyrotechnics at Vultures Around Bull Shoals Dam
Mountain Home, Ark. – The Army Corps of Engineers Mountain Home Project Office personnel will begin using pyrotechnics the first week of June to disperse hundreds of vultures that continue to damage Bull Shoals Dam and powerhouse. Pyrotechnics will be only be used during daylight hours. The pyrotechnics are similar to fireworks that make loud noises to discourage the vultures from remaining in the area. The vultures have been causing damage to the softer more pliable materials found on the roofs of the dam, powerhouse and other nearby facilities. They have even caused damage to vehicles parked in the area by pecking and stripping windshield wiper blades, door insulation, and other soft exterior materials. In November 2012 the Corps used a propane cannon that did not fire projectiles, or physically harm the vultures, however, it did make a very loud “thunder clap”
Shooting at LOViT by Jerry Shields
The Traildogs had a film crew representing the Arkansas Parks & Tourism Commission visited the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT) on Tuesday June 4th. The Womble Office of the USFS and local Trail Dogs Al Gathright and myself provided logistical support to the seven person crew leading them up onto Bear Mountain. The crew was led by director Chris Cranford, supported by Lyle Arnett and Gary Jones. Chuck Haralson served as the still photographer. Parks & Tourism travel writer Zoie Clift and actors Ben Stone and Alyssa Journey provided the biking and hiking action shots. The new Trail Dog Vista is located about six trail miles east of the Crystal Springs Recreation Area on Lake Ouachita. This new vista is located at the highest
noise. It was designed to discourage the vultures from remaining in the area but had minimal results. Then in December 2012 bird spikes and chemical “hotfoot” tactile repellents were installed and applied to parts of the infrastructure. The bird spikes have helped keep the vultures off vulnerable parts of the dam, but the repellent has had little effect. In March effigies of dead vultures were constructed out of plastic material and hung “upside down in various areas of vulture usage on the dam. These also have been relatively ineffective. The use of bird spikes and a bird netting “carport” for employee’s to park under have stopped the majority of the vulture’s damage to the structure’s roofs and vehicles. However, the caustic vulture droppings are still damaging metal and painted surfaces and discolored the concrete in areas where they tend to roost. For more information, call the Mountain Home Project Office at (870) 425-2700, ext. 1400. Recreation information can be found on the Internet at www.swl. usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ littlerockusace, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/ usacelittlerock. point of the trail as it traverses the north slope of Bear Mountain. The slope of the mountain drops sharply away from the rock outcropping that forms the vista providing a sweeping view of the islands and blue waters of the lake. The crew’s objective was to film scenes of mountain bikers and hikers utilizing the trail in and around the vista. The film segments and still photographs will become part of a database of Arkansas’ most interesting and scenic areas. These film and photographs segments will be utilized in written publications, television infomercials and promotional films. Cloudy conditions gave way to sunshine by early afternoon allowing the crew to create a number of film segments with the actors portraying mountain bikers/hikers on the trail. This is another example of Parks & Tourism working with local officials to provide publicity to support increasing tourism revenues to our area.
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 7
Gordon Bagby AGFC Education Specialist Central Arkansas Nature Center
Ducks Unlimited announced George Dunklin Jr. of Stuttgart as its 42nd president at its annual convention in May. Dunklin is a dedicated conservationist committed to enhancing wildlife and habitats. He is only the second Arkansan to serve as DU president and has been an active member for 30 years. “I am honored and humbled beyond words to become president of Ducks Unlimited,” Dunklin told the DU convention audience. “So many great leaders helped bring me to this place in my conservation career, and I am determined to make them proud during my presidency.” Everyone familiar with Dunklin is confident he will do just that. “George is deserving of the national presidency. He is a great leader; somebody who has a tremendous background and experience. He will do a great job,” said Gov. Mike Beebe. Steve Cook, a commissioner for Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and also an active DU volunteer, agreed. “George will be a great president for Ducks Unlimited. I don’t know anyone who has the passion that George does for habitat and conservation work,” Cook said. Dunklin served as a member of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission from 2005 – 2012. BOATING EDUCATION Everyone born after 1985 must have a boater education card to operate a boat in Arkansas. The Game and Fish Commission posts all available courses online at www.agfc.com. Agency employees and volunteer instructors offer many free, six-hour classes across the state and the $24.50 online option is also listed on the website. IN MEMORIUM The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is grateful for the outpouring of support to the family of wildlife officer Joel Campora of Waldron. Campora and Scott County sheriff Cody Carpenter died in a May 31 flood attempting to rescue two Y City women who were trapped in a house. The women also died. The four bodies were recovered downstream of the flooded house. Please continue to keep the families of the four victims in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve the loss of loved ones.
Where do Arkansas’s abundant fish come from? LITTLE ROCK – Fish are nearly everywhere in Arkansas – lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, ponds, swamps. But what produces them? There are three sources here in 2013. First and by far the most effective is natural reproduction. Nature puts the fish in the Natural State and guides their reproduction and proliferation. Second are the fish raised in the five hatcheries of the Arkansas Game and Fish commission and three hatcheries of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Third are the nursery ponds of the Game and Fish Commission on many of the lakes in the state. Natural reproduction is given a helping hand by fish biologists, technicians and volunteers, concerned anglers, in the form of maintaining and improving habitat. These efforts range from extensive renovations of lakes and streams to simple projects like tying a weight to a discarded Christmas tree and sinking it in the water. Both AGFC fisheries personnel and private citizens build and put in place artificial fish shelters. These provide places for baby fish to use while growing to adult sizes. The also give cover to other adult fish. Fish habitat work across Arkansas takes other forms, too, like cleaning up the water and the shorelines. The Game and Fish Commission has Stream Team operations all over Arkansas in which volunteers join
the agency’s personnel in picking up trash from paper to foam food containers to tires and household appliances. Cleaner water means better fish spawning. Young fish are stocked into waters in all Arkansas counties from fish raised in the hatcheries and the nursery ponds. These stockings are supplements to natural reproduction with an exception. Rainbow trout are a put-and-take fish species in Arkansas since there is little natural reproduction. The trout were introduced decades ago when the construction of dams on rivers wiped out the native warm water fish downstream from them. Game and Fish Commission hatcheries are at Lonoke, Corning, Mammoth Spring, Centerton and Hot Springs. A fleet of special trucks transport their young fish to waters all over the state. Federal hatcheries are at Mammoth Spring, Norfork and near Heber Springs. Arkansas makes heavy use of nursery ponds. Brood fish use these to produce crops of specified species. When ready, gates are opened, and the fish go directly into the water to boost the numbers of fish from natural reproduction. Fish raised in nursery ponds are usually game species like crappie, largemouth bass, channel catfish and red-ear bream. But sometimes forage species like threadfin shad are produced to supplement the food fish in a particular lake.
8 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
Becoming a Team on the White River
by Bob Morgan On May 26th, the muses finally came together and provided an opportunity to venture out into the Ozarks. Sharon and I loaded the green canoe on the red truck and headed out Highway 16 from Fayetteville toward the town of Patrick. We were supposed to meet my friend and co-worker, Brad Hufhines and his wife, Stephanie, at the Patrick Bridge over White River. Just past Crosses, we saw Brad and Stephanie headed toward Fayetteville with his red canoe on top of his brown Suburban. Well, I said to Sharon, I guess we passed the town of Patrick. So, I found a wide spot in the road and turned around. As it turns out, Brad was running into the store at Crosses to get a little gas. Soon enough, we regrouped and headed on down to the bridge as planned. The Patrick Bridge is a little more than a low water slab, but not much. When we pulled up at 9:30 that morning, three boys were busy jumping off the slab and floating down stream. It was about 68 degrees and the water was certainly cool, but they didn’t seem to mind. The game must have gone on all day. When we got back to the bridge a few hours later, they were still at it; but by this time, they had progressed to jumping in on the upstream side and riding the current through the box culvert. Brad and I loaded his canoe on my truck and we all headed on down Highway 16 to St. Paul. At the White River Bridge just downstream from St. Paul, we pulled off the road. This was to be our launch site. Let me take a moment here to thank whoever owns the property next to the bridge for leaving the access open. I should also thank folks using this access for not littering. The site was basically clean. Perhaps if more recreation-
alists would respect the land, more of these informal access points would remain open. There was a bit of apprehensiveness about putting in at St. Paul. While I was confident that it was floatable, none of us seemed to know much more about the float we had planned. From the USGS topographic maps, I could readily see that the gradient of the river was about 20 feet per mile, which makes it comparable to the Mulberry River in steepness. But there was not nearly the volume of flow that the Mulberry normally has during the spring. At that moment, I suspected that our little excursion could get lively, and I was right. We unloaded the boats. I pulled my truck back up by the road just in case it rained, and we took off heading downstream toward Patrick. It was now in the mid-seventies. There was a strong south wind, but we were headed north so it didn’t really matter. We were comfortable in tee shirts and shorts. The water had a nice clear green color, and the flow was adequate but not high. In the first riffle, I noticed a blue smudge on a rock which indicated others had gone before us. I was starting to feel good about the day. Sharon and I have paddled a lot together, but not in white water. She knows all the basic paddle strokes -- draw, sweep, cross bow draw, forward and back strokes, etc. But like I said, we have not done a lot of white water. The next riffle was what we call a rock garden in the Ozarks. Like the name implies, there were lots of rocks sticking up just high enough to catch a canoe. There was ample water to float through so we headed in. I was shouting directions to Sharon -- “draw, cross bow, draw, sweep, etc. – as we tried to avoid the rocks. Well, Sharon knew the strokes, but her recall was a little slow. We went through the riffle kind of like a pinball. The green canoe was now the scratched green canoe but we were still dry. We drifted into the pool below the riffle. Sharon asked, “Why don’t you just say left or right? That would be much clearer.” Well, those that have paddled white water with me before understand that I only know two
directions and they both were pronounced “left.” That often leads to confusion. We proceeded on. Brad and Stephanie were up ahead. Their daughter Stella was sitting in a camp chair in the middle of their canoe. I’m happy to report that for the first couple of miles, the riparian zone along the side of the river was almost fully intact. Dense vegetation lined both banks and there were wild flowers galore, with pink Phlox being the most abundant followed by white Pentstemons and red Fire Pinks. But the prize for the day was Indigo Bush, a large bush with dozens of rusty, purple, spikey flowers. It was a pleasure to paddle alongside the mature forest. After we passed the confluence with Fanning Creek, the volume of flow picked up. Rock garden riffles turned into white water chutes. With each chute, Sharon gained a little confidence in her paddle strokes. She was even starting to read the water. By the time I yelled a direction, she had already started. We were becoming a team. Brad and Stephanie were now a bit behind us. At one particular rapid, all of the flow concentrated into a narrow chute roughly 15 yards long. At the end of the chute, the current ran square into a huge boulder. The water pillowed up on the boulder and shot off to the left. It was clear that one missed stroke and we would be swimming. I nosed the bow of the canoe into the chute and off we went. At just the right point, Sharon reached out over the left side of the canoe and did a perfect draw stroke. I hit a sweep stroke in the stern followed by a rudder and we were through. Below the rapid on the right of the canoe, there was a strong eddy formed behind the boulder. On impulse, I pushed the bow of the canoe over the eddy line and hollered “cross bow.” Without hesitation, Sharon reached across to the right of the canoe and dug in with her paddle. I laid out on a low brace in the stern. In a flash, the canoe spun around and we were sitting in the eddy facing upstream. It was a perfect eddy turn. We sat there and waited for Brad, Stella and Stephanie to come through, just in case. They did fine.
Photo by Bob Morgan
On downstream, the river turned more northerly and the valley opened up. The river now flowed through a wide alluvial valley. Unlike the Buffalo or Kings rivers or even the White further downstream, there were no bluffs, or even much rock of any kind to constrain the river. The river was still very attractive, but there were signs of bank erosion almost everywhere. Even in reaches with intact riparian zones, the banks were eroding although not as dramatically as where the riparian vegetation had been removed. One look at the soil on an eroding bank told the story. It was nothing but silt and loose gravel. It was alluvial soil, which has virtually no resistance to erosion. Just past the Highway 295 bridge at Combs, we stopped for lunch. Brad and Stella went swimming while Sharon and I ate our peanut butter sandwiches. Overhead a bird was flying around erratically. That’s strange I thought. On closer observation it turned out to be a bat, in broad daylight. Stephanie said that seeing a bat in daylight was bad luck. The next thing you know some small birds chased an owl out of the trees, heralding even more bad luck. Shortly thereafter, we loaded up and paddled on down to Patrick. The boys were still playing at the bridge. Several others had joined them. Brad shuttled us back up to the truck. After we transferred the canoe, we headed home. I’m still waiting on the bad luck to fall. I think we skated by it … this time.
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 9
Think Fire Safety by Ethan Nahté
2012 saw Arkansas fire crews battling many wildfires, as well as a few intentionally set, during a summer of drought. Although the large fire in Yell County around Ola Mountain and the fire in Little Rock weren’t as large as the wildfires in California or Colorado, they were of considerable size. As this is being written, Arizona is investigating how a windblown wildfire tragically took the life of 19 highly trained firefighters. This year has been relatively milder thus far and the fires have been fewer in number and smaller in size while the temperature has been a little more agreeable, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be cautious. Although Arkansas had a fair amount of rain (as well as snow and ice) this spring, the dry season seems to have begun. Here are simple ways that you can help prevent wildfires:
4. Backfire – If the timing of your vehicle is off, odds are the vehicle backfires. In addition to the noise pollution and the fact that your car is not performing well, it is also a fire hazard. It might not be as noticeable in the daylight, and if you are driving it’s obviously difficult to see the tailpipe of your car, but there are many times that sparks are emitted from the tailpipe when a vehicle backfires. There may not be many sparks, but all it takes is one to start a wildfire. 5. Campfires – Proper care and observation cannot be stressed enough. No campfire should be left unattended. All campfires should be properly put out with water and/or dirt once you are finished camping and leaving the site. The building of a campfire on windy days should be avoided, if possible, or check with the local park or forest ranger station. There may be a burn ban in effect, which means that under no circumstances are you allowed to build a campfire.
1. Cigarettes - Do not throw your cigarettes or cigarette butts on the ground. Use an ashtray. If your vehicle doesn’t have an ashtray, as many auto manufacturers seem to think it unnecessary for some reason, then maybe use a resealable jar or bottle you can carry with you. Not throwing your cigarette butt on the ground also applies to when you are not in a vehicle. In addition to potentially starting a fire it is also littering.
6. Burn Ban – A burn ban is exactly what it says. It doesn’t mean that you are privileged and it’s not a big deal if you burn that small pile of leaves, or burn your trash in the barrel out back, having a barbecue and starting up the grill, etc. If your county has a burn ban then heed the warning and obey the law. It’s there to protect you, your neighbors, and the environment. It’s not there for everyone else to obey and you to
2. Chains - Make certain that chains, and wires for that matter, on trailers, especially near the hitch, aren’t dragging the ground. The sparks from dragging chains and wires can easily start a grass fire which can quickly spread. If more slack is needed on occasion when connecting/disconnecting a trailer, then consider mounting a strap with Velcro or a plastic zip tie to the tongue and wrapping the dangling material tight.
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3. Mowing – Be aware of your surroundings when mowing, brush hogging, cutting of any sort, especially if rocks or pavement are nearby. A mower blade or a piece of metal from the mower scraping a hard surface can easily start a fire.
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ignore. If someone is burning in an area that has a ban in effect, call it in. They are purposely endangering you and your surroundings.
7. Grilling – Be careful when grilling and use some common sense. Placing a grill under a porch with a low roof can be a potential danger. Keeping flammable materials, especially lighter fluid, near the grill while grilling can also pose a serious, if not deadly threat. Also, make sure to keep your grill clean, or at least relatively so. A lot of grease and grime on a grill or below it can easily get out of control. In the case of most apartment complexes, heed warnings and rules about grilling. Most complexes don’t allow a grill to be used within so many feet of the building. This helps protect you and your neighbors immediately connected to you.
There are many other things to do to prevent fires around the home and workplace, including being aware of soiled rags with grease or solvents on them, paint cans and other containers with flammable contents, or not playing with matches, but the above list contains simple solutions more common to the wildfires that ravage homes and thousands of acres primarily throughout the summer. A wildfire is never a good thing to have, but when the season is dry and the water tends to be lower or non-existent, the severity is quickly amplified. Have a safe and wildfire-free summer.
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10 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
First Tournament A Success
by Wayne Shewmake Arkansas Wildlife Federation (AWF) launched their first “Wounded Warrior Project Fishing Tournament” on Lake Dardanelle, Russellville (Arkansas) on Saturday, June 8, 2013. Thanks to AWF’s many supporters and sponsors it was a very successful fishing tournament. It was AWF’s way to give back to the military guys and gals for their service to our great country. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have taken a big toll on our military personnel and many have come home wounded and coping with dealing with everyday problems. So AWF decided to make a difference for them and give something back. In 2012 AWF co-sponsored a duck hunt that allowed 11 wounded warriors to go duck hunting with guides in Northeast Arkansas with the local Wounded Warrior Project chapter whom set the duck hunt up; it was a big success. Some of the wounded warriors had never hunted duck before and they had a great time and were able to kill a few ducks with the help of volunteer guides and private land owners who allowed them to hunt on their land. It was the duck hunting event that gave AWF the idea to create the fishing tournament. The tournament would allow more participants because of the large lake and boat captains that would hopefully volunteer their time and watercrafts to help AWF with the event. AWF set up a meeting with the Lake Dardanelle State Park superintendent, Andy Thomas; Ron Knost of the Russellville Advertising & Planning Commission; Andy Tackett from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC); and James Manatt, president of the local AWF affiliate Yell County Wildlife Federation (YCWF). These people and the entities they represented became the backbone for the primary sponsors and organizers of the fishing tournament. I am sure we all know someone who has gone to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan, and most of us know someone who has been injured over there and returned. AWF had several meetings for planning this big event, a lot of e-mails, phone calls and discussions on how it could be accomplished. Due to all of the support the organizers started to get from other sources, they knew it was a great way to give back to U.S.A. military personnel. AWF set up a meeting with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) representative John Boerstler from Houston, Texas. He came up to Little Rock and met with the organizers to discuss the plans. From what Boerstler said, this [tournament] might be one of the largest events ever done for
the Wounded Warrior Project program (www. woundedwarriorproject.org ), which planned to take 50 wounded warriors out fishing for a day. The WWP organization would send out email contacts to its members, the wounded warriors, and notify them about the fishing tournament. The wounded warriors would have to sign up through the WWP program, ensuring they qualified and met the requirements of the WWP program. The date chosen was the weekend that AGFC annually allows free fishing for anyone in Arkansas, even if they are from out of state. On June 7th the wounded warriors that had signed up, along with the boat captains who had volunteered their time to take them fishing for the day, met at Lake Dardanelle State Park. The park has one of the best weigh-in pavilions in the country, and Lake Dardanelle is one of the top ten bass fishing lakes in North America. A relaxing evening was enjoyed as YCWF member Ron Cook grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, donated by David’s Burgers of Little Rock and Petit Jean Meats of Morrilton; along with chips and drinks donated by Frito Lay and CocaCola. The meal was followed up with desserts prepared by the local Women’s VFW and Ladies American Legion of Russellville. It took a lot of work to round up 50 boat captains, but thanks to the help of Ron Knost and Andy Thomas, there were plenty of boats to comfortably take the wounded warriors out on the water in a safe and efficient manner. General Keith A. Klemmer addressed the group that evening. The captains and wounded warriors were teamed up in an effort to let them get to know one another and to help with the coordination of events that would begin first thing the following morning. Keep in mind that this event was not a fundraiser and no one was allowed to sell anything. The goal was to show support and thanks to those who fought for our country. That being said, it did cost some money to put the tournament on. Thankfully the organizers received contributions from the Russellville Advertising & Promotion Commission ($2,000 donation) Dardanelle VFW, Russellville VFW, Northeast Arkansas VFW, Augusta VFW, and a few individuals who wanted to help. Gift bags donated by Russellville Walmart and from Outdoor Products were filled with several donations (see sidebar of Donors) as well as 50 handmade lap quilts made by Northeast Arkansas Women’s VFW. AGFC also put together a gift bag for the volunteer boat captains to say thank you for their contribution.
SPONSOR LIST Arkansas Wildlife Federation
Rogers-Rye VFW Post # 2283
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
Ridout Lumber
Lake Dardanelle State Park Russellville Advertising & Promotion Commission Yell County Wildlife Federation Walmart (Russellville, AR) American Legion Post # 6
Russellville Ladies American Legion Post Big Tine Fortified Deer Blend Fletcher Oil Redneck Remedy 1-206th Field Artillery Chloe Chisum
“The Quilting Sisters of Pocahontas, Arkansas” 50 handmade lap quilts
Jewel Bait Company
ZimCreative
Ranger Boats
Cabela’s
College B.A.S.S
Outdoor Products
FLW College
Pradco
Boat U. S. Collegiate Championship
Morrell Targets St. Mary’s Hospital of Russellville Frank Griffin Oil Company – PDQ –Blue Chip Ice Northeast Arkansas Wounded Warrior Project Chapter Ronald & Jean Cook VIP Trophies (Russellville, AR) VFW Post # 3141 Dardanelle, AR Ladies Auxiliary Post # 2283 Augusta American Legion Post # 166
Norman Lures
CSI Insurance Rev. Roger Pierce Super Stop Tyson Foods Frito Lay Coca-Cola Optimum Baits Rat-L-Trap Shipley’s Donuts (Russellville, AR)
Jack Link’s Beef Jerky
ATU Fisheries & Wildlife Society
Mountain Valley Water
ATU Fishing Club
David’s Burgers
Lou Vitale
Petit Jean Meats (Morrilton, AR)
Western Sizzlin of Russellville
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013 - 11 Saturday morning the invocation was given by Reverend Roger Pierce followed by the Rogers-Rye VFW providing a five-gun volley and the posting of the Colors by HHB 1-206th Field Artillery of Russellville. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by a local young lady, Chloe Chisum from Russellville Junior High School. The Russellville & Paris 1-206th Field Artillery fired the cannon at 8 am to start the tournament. A total of 34 wounded warriors from Arkansas and surrounding states made the trip to Russellville and went fishing for the day. It was a great day and they had so much fun despite the fact that the fish weren’t really biting. They did manage to catch some fish.
2nd place winner Geza Horvath (angler) and John Simonof (boat captain)
The winners: 1st Place ~ David Engle (angler from Oklahoma) 13.20 lbs. bass & Zach King (boat captain) 2nd Place ~ Geza Horvath (angler) 11.24 lbs. bass & John Simonof (boat captain) 3rd Place ~ James Rodgers (angler) 9.11 lbs. bass & Greg Widner (boat captain) Everyone voiced their support and told the organizers how glad they were for what all had been done to support our military soldiers. Several of the boat captains and wounded warriors requested that the organization please repeat the tournament again next year. AWF and the other organizers want to thank all of the sponsors and supporters for their help, donations, and time. We couldn’t have done it without you. Following is an e-mail quote I received after the tournament from Richard Norman: “Hello Wayne: As one of the “Boat Captains” (boat #25) for last weekend’s tournament, please accept my thanks for a job well done. Of all the tournaments I have participated in over the past 30 years, yours was perhaps the best organized and run of them all. I am very proud to have been a part of such a great event.” A special thank you goes to Andy Thomas, Ron Knost, Jerry Crowe, Christy Austin, Frank Leone, Andy Tackett, Bobby Hacker, Ron Cook, Lee Fields, Tim Rief, James Manatt, and everyone else who supported this event, including the many locations throughout the state that allowed the organizers to place posters to promote the tournament in their business windows or inside their stores. It took a lot of work and support to make the fishing tournament happen, but we’re already looking forward to doing it again next year. Photos by Wayne Shewmake, unless otherwise noted.
1st place winner David Engel (WWP), Zach King (boat captain), and Wayne Shewmake. Photo by Russ Scalf.
3rd place winner James Rodgers (angler) and Greg Widner (boat captain)
Shannon Burt - 1st Place - 1st Grade
Annika Wade - 1st Place - 9th Grade
2013 WIL STUDE
Ashley Worden - 1st Place - 10th Grade
Jimmie Battles - 1st Place - 8th Grade
Leah Greer - 1st Place - 5th Grade
Emma Turner - 1st Place - 3rd Grade
Mickey Upton - 1st Place - 2nd Grade
LDLIFE OF ARKANSAS ENT ART CONTEST Logan Hilbert - 1st Place - 4th Grade
Caprice Mroszczak - 1st Place - 7th Grade
Cara Bowie - 1st Place - Kindergarten
Grace Rutter - 1st Place - 11th Grade
Michaela Held - 1st Place - 12th Grade
Chloe Mae Nosari - 1st Place - 6th Grade
14 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Dr. Rita Littrell
Most readers will immediately recognize the title of the well-loved children’s book classic by Eric Carle. It is an outstanding book for teaching kids to count, recognize colors, and to enjoy the storyline about the caterpillar who eats and eats and eats until time to rest. From a scientific perspective, Carle is correct in that caterpillars are VERY hungry. They emerge from their egg, eat it and begin chomping away. In Carle’s book the caterpillar eats a large variety of foods including fruits, cupcakes and suckers. In real life, the caterpillar is a VERY picky eater. Each species of caterpillar eats only one or two varieties of plants. Before the baby is born, the mother knows that her baby will be a picky eater. She carefully searches your garden using chemical receptors, on her feet, tongue, and antennae to find the type of food that the caterpillar will eat – known as the host plant. Once the correct plant is located, she carefully glues the eggs to the plant. The host plant is needed because it hosts the metamorphosis. If you want to have a lot of butterflies, you must plant host plants in your garden. For each species of butterfly, one or two varieties of plants host the caterpillar. The caterpillar will not survive by eating any other plant. The Pipevine Swallowtail is so named because it is hosted by the Dutchman’s Pipevine. Most species of butterflies lay the eggs one at a time. But the Pipevine Swallowtail lays the eggs in small clusters. The Question Mark butterfly stacks the eggs
Photo by Jack Bardwell
one on top of the other. Regardless of where the eggs are found, the caterpillars emerge from their egg case and are VERY hungry. It was so thoughtful of the mother to put them where they can begin eating immediately. The vast majority of caterpillars end up as part of the food chain. Some estimates suggest that 95% of the caterpillars feed other animals. For this reason, some caterpillars are very interesting. They may look like they have huge eyes, or colorful spikes to scare away predators. Others have colors that help them to blend in with their host plants. Mimicry is common in the caterpillar world. The Monarch eats only milkweed though there are more than 30 varieties of milkweed that sustain the Monarch metamorphosis while it migrates from Mexico to Canada and back. The chosen food protects some caterpillars from predators. The pipevine and milkweed both make the caterpillar and the resulting butterfly bitter tasting to birds and other vertebrates. After one bite, the birds choose to avoid those caterpillars and butterflies! One of the most effective caterpillar defenses is used by the Giant Swallowtail caterpillar. It looks like a bird dropping. Most vertebrates do not care to bother bird poop. The Spicebush Swallowtail uses its silk to curl a leaf around it for protection. The Zebra Swallowtail feeds at night in order to avoid birds. Of course, invertebrates don’t care about the taste and they constitute a large number of predators. One last defense used by all swallowtail caterpillars is to display a forked organ at the top of their head, known as the osmeterium. It looks somewhat like a snake tongue. An offensive foul-smelling odor Photo by Lisa Taylor is secreted at the same time. Unfortunately, many of the predators are invertebrates and not bothered by the eyespots, odors or even bad taste. Spiders, wasps and praying mantis are happy to find a caterpillar dinner. Some types of wasp use the caterpillar for their reproduction, depos-
Photo by Jack Bardwell
iting eggs in the caterpillar. Ants will eat the eggs. In order to increase the number of butterflies in our yard, we take in the caterpillars and protect them from most predators. After eating, the caterpillar, just like humans and just like Carle’s book, wants to rest. It will crawl away and rest. It spins some silk to help anchor the skin it is ready to shed. This molting happens five times called instars. Some caterpillars change colors throughout their instars. An important departure from Carle’s book, that is a common mistake, is that the pupa stage for a butterfly is not a cocoon. It is a chrysalis. The pupa stage of the moth is a cocoon. Caterpillars generally leave their host plant when they are ready to pupate. At our house, we have a large Dutchman’s pipevine plant near our back porch. We must watch our step when we have large caterpillars as they are constantly crawling across the porch to find a high place to pupate. We have often noted that we need a sign that says ‘caterpillar crossing’. When visiting, you will likely find assorted chrysalides hanging from the soffit or the
house. The chrysalides of most butterflies are the most beautiful object you will find in nature. It is great fun to search your yard in search of these garden jewels. I invite you to grow host plants in your yard or container garden. Plant bronze fennel and wait to find Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars. Protect the caterpillar, feed it, and watch it form its chrysalis and then emerge two weeks later as a butterfly. You will never take these winged creatures for granted again. The power of nature is amazing! Observing it is a remarkable experience. To learn more I recommend The Life Cycles of Butterflies: From Egg to Maturity, a Visual Guide to 23 Common Garden Butterflies by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards. If in Northwest Arkansas, visit the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Butterfly House. You can find varied caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies of native species. If you live in the area, you can train to become a Butterfly Nanny for the Botanical Gardens. Prepare to be amazed and bring your camera for some spectacular photos. Dr. Rita Littrell - When Rita is not teaching economics to educators, she can be found training butterfly nannies at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks where she serves as a member of the Board of Directors and as Co-Chair of Education Programs.
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 15
Environmental Tips
by Environmental Ellie Mae Even the most hardcore conservationist or environmentalist isn’t perfect when it comes to doing what might be considered best for the planet, but some do try harder than others. Meanwhile, some don’t try at all, whether because they don’t really think about or consider the environment; because they think that they’re only one person and their actions, or inaction, doesn’t make a difference or impact; or they think that to help the environment takes too much effort. But helping the environment even in the littlest way does make a difference, especially if everyone was to do something to pitch in. Here are some everyday things you can do for the environment and hopefully make you feel better about yourself. Change your settings on your fax machine. Does your fax machine print out a fax confirmation after each fax you send? It is highly unlikely you need most of them. How often have you held your confirmation sheet high in the air shaking your fist while exclaiming, “But, I sent it!”? You can change your settings to allow a printout for confirmations as you need them, or of the entire day or week on a single piece of paper, or simply, just view the screen on the fax machine. If every business just on your block alone enlists this practice, just think of the trees and paper we get to keep. As a side note, think before printing out your emails. Do you really need to print that email? Will you need the information later, directions for example, or will you maybe look at it once and then toss it in the trash? Electronics make the kilowatts spin on the meter. I don’t know of a single person who looks at their electric bill and thinks they are
paying too little and would like to pay more each month. Yet a lot of people waste energy by leaving lights and devices on that aren’t being used. Does this mean I am suggesting turning off the bedroom light if I step out of the room for five minutes to take a load of laundry down the hall? No, but if I am going to go cook dinner, stay in another part of the house and read or watch TV, or leave the house, why leave the light on? In addition, leaving wall warts; you know, the plugs for your rechargeable phones, tablets and other small electronic devices, plugged in and no devices attached has actually been found to still drain energy. Maybe it doesn’t seem like a lot, but I have seen some homes where a family of four has nearly a dozen wall warts plugged in and nothing attached to them because they find it simpler to just unplug the device from the cable and replug it later for charging instead of that extra half-second effort it takes to also unplug the device from the wall. If you are too lazy to spend that extra half-second and all of that personal energy to unplug and replug the wall wart into the wall, you might want to rethink your priorities, and more than likely your exercise regimen. In addition, those wall warts are generally very specific to the device they are made for and cost an average of $25 or more to replace. Why leave something plugged in that can overheat or get damaged by an electrical surge when it’s not necessary? If the typical person has a phone, tablet and an MP3 player and the power goes on and off due to a summer storm or a brown out, I imagine they would be thrilled to dish out $75 while wishing they had taken a moment to remove unused plugs from the outlets. Computer and TV settings can be changed.
Similar to item number one on this list, did you know that in your settings for your computer screen and TV most modern devices have powersave settings? Sometimes it simply makes the screen a little darker and sometimes it is to shut off the screen and go into “sleep mode” when the device isn’t being used. Although the old CRT screens and TVs were more susceptible to it than more modern electronics, “sleep mode” can also help prevent a stationary image from “burning” into your screen and leaving an image for the remainder of the device’s life. There is something about having a puppy that just sucks the environmentalist right out of you. Especially when crate training a puppy or placing it in a bathroom or noncarpeted area before the puppy is housebroken. People use paper towels as if they grew on trees. Realistically, yes, we need our paper towels, right? But, how about keeping a stack of small washcloths in your bathrooms for cleaning up a mess or for hand towels? Big bundles of washcloths are relatively inexpensive and can be tossed into the wash for the next towel load. If everyone, especially daycares and preschools, utilized this method, instead of paper towels, they would save both trees and money. Use only what you need. This goes for everything, including laundry and dishwashing detergents. I have found that simply half to the fill line works for me every time. Have you ever rinsed out a clean, dry towel and noticed how sudsy it becomes? You know you can cut back your detergent considerably when this happens. There is no magic number. But, if you still have soap product in your clothing, sheets, and towels, you waste product, money and it could be causing itchy skin irritation or other allergic reactions. Recycling - I probably don’t have to even put this here, do I? If you aren’t recycling
your paper, plastics and metals, do. You not only save the environment from depleting non-renewable resources, but just think of all the time and gas it takes to create new products and packaging from scratch? It is a long ride from the oil rig to the grocery store. Arkansas is limited in its ability and effectiveness to recycle glass, although some communities do take glass with certain restrictions. These are just a few ideas that might save you money and can help save our resources. Hopefully these will inspire you to think of and implement more helpful ways to be green. Have a great and environmentally healthy summer.
16 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
“Wildlife of Arkansas” Student Art Contest Results by Ethan Nahté
The Arkansas Wildlife Federation and Creative Ideas had yet another successful year with the “Wildlife of Arkansas” Student Art Contest. As a matter of fact, they number of participants practically doubled with over 600 individual entries from kindergarten through 12th grade students from all around the state for this year’s event. The winners showed an amazing display of talent, not to mention attention to detail for the wildlife and natural environment Arkansas has to offer. As a matter of fact, the “Best of Show” winner, 8th grader Jimmie Battles of Cabot Junior High School, North, created a spectacular woodcut of a farm scene that didn’t even include animals – just a wooden fence and old barn in a nature setting entitled “Serenity.” Over 200 people were in attendance at the Witt Stephens Jr, Central Arkansas Nature Center for the awards ceremony. Members of AWF and Creative Ideas were in attendance to volunteer where needed as Creative Ideas president Sharon Hacker began the program. She, along with AWF board member Lola Perritt, art juror and Professor of Art at the University of Central Arkansas Bryan Massey, and AGFC Deputy Director Mike Armstrong all spoke to the audience, giving encouragement and praise to the children and their families for their outstanding work. Akaya Lee, a member of Creative Ideas, announced the winners as Hacker and Perritt handed out the awards and prizes
totaling over $3,000 to 52 students. For the third year in a row the Central Arkansas Nature Center kept the art of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and Honorable Mention winners from each grade up on display throughout the month of May. Thanks to the work of Hacker and various people with AGFC’s main office and at each of the other nature centers throughout the state, this year marks the first year that the art becomes a traveling road show. As a reminder, the nature centers have free admission. Throughout June the art was on exhibit at the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center in Jonesboro. In July it moved to the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center in Fort Smith. In August it will be on exhibit at the Governor Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center in Pine Bluff. Its final stop is set for AWF’s annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet on August 24, 2013 at The Center of Bryant for one night only. Also, for the first time the winning art is displayed in a calendar. The 2014 calendar is on sale through AWF and Creative Ideas, or can be purchased at the AGFC nature centers. The 13-month calendars, which start with December 2013, will also be on sale at the banquet. The sale of the calendars benefits both AWF and Creative Ideas. The calendars are $10 each but bulk sales to retail stores, visitor centers, museums, or as fund raisers (i.e. schools, churches, etc.) can be purchased at a discounted rate. Contact AWF or Creative Ideas for more details. Following are the results of this year’s competition:
ART CONTEST JURORS: Bryan Winfred Massey, Sr. Professor of Art University of Central Arkansas Jessica Camp BFA Graduating Senior/Painting University of Central Arkansas-Department of Art Caley Pennington BFA Graduating Senior/Painting University of Central Arkansas-Department of Art Jurors’ statement: “The amount of work submitted for this year’s Wildlife of Arkansas Student Art Contest was the largest to date. The quality of the work per grade submitted for the “Wildlife of Arkansas” was overall very well thought out and executed. Although the jurors did not agree initially on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or Honorable Mention; after much conversation, the jurors selection of the winners in each grade level was based upon the use of the space, use of medium, subject matter, creativity, innovation, exploration, and not solely upon his or her skill or level of talent.”
Kindergarten ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Cara Bowie Owl (Pea Ridge Elementary) 2nd Kailynda Hackler Angry Bear (Pea Ridge Elementary) 3rd Maura Hudson Baby Owls (Florence Mattison Elementary) HM Tyce Evenson Dogwood Flowers (Pea Ridge Elementary)
3rd Grade ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Emma Turner Doe & Fawn Crossing the Buffalo River at Sunset (Home Schooled) 2nd Haley Erickson Woodpecker Family (Florence Mattison Elementary) 3rd Mikayla Humphrey Early Fishing (Pea Ridge Elementary) HM Amity Rowe Raccoon & Flower (Woodland Heights Elementary)
1st Grade ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Shannon Burt Sunfish/Perch (Florence Mattison Elementary) 2nd Nic Hiett Raccoon (Pea Ridge Elementary) 3rd Nevaeh Northey Winter Landscape (Woodland Heights Elementary) HM Kamlin Hissong Deer (Pea Ridge Elementary)
4th Grade: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Logan Hilbert Heron with Fish (Williams Magnet School) 2nd Carmen Leggett Turtle Trio (Williams Magnet School) 3rd Andrea Daniels Rainbow Trout (Williams Magnet School) HM Dillon Brouse Wolf (Pea Ridge Elementary)
2nd Grade ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Mickey Upton Colorful Owl (Woodland Heights Elementary) 2nd Chloe Jennings Having a Wild Lunch (Pea Ridge Elementary) 3rd Mya Dodson Happy Flower (Woodland Heights Elementary) HM Emma Jones Blue Jay in the Pine (Florence Mattison Elementary)
5th Grade: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Leah Greer Sweet Rabbit (Williams Magnet School) 2nd Madison Allen Nesting by Pinnacle (Williams Magnet School) 3rd Stephanie Harris Out in the Country (Pea Ridge Elementary) HM Alexis Manning Happy Raccoon (Sonora Elementary)
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 17 6th Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Chloe Mae Nosari Beauty of the Butterfly (Pinkston Middle School) 2nd Tripp Babbin A Turtle’s Journey (Pinkston Middle School) 3rd Brandon Ruiz Fawn Fox (Pinkston Middle School) HM Amelia Blair A Mid-day Snack (Pinkston Middle School) 7th Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Caprice Mroszczak Turkey Friends (Pinkston Middle School) 2nd Jazmine Schutkesting Cedar Tree & Raindrops (Norfork High School) 3rd Sierra Otero Quiet Time (Cabot Junior High School) HM Emily Dobbs Fuzzy Friend (Cabot Junior High School) 8th Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Jimmie Battles Serenity (Cabot Junior High School, North) 2nd Zackery Chris Austin Arkansas Green Tree Frog (Ridgeway Christian School) 3rd Ally Berry Wood Duck Afloat (Sheridan Middle School) HM Olivia Liebeknecht Painted Bunting (Jacksonville Middle School) 9th Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Annika Wade Hanging Out (Sheridan Freshman Academy) nd 2 Michelle Peck Watchful Owl (Cabot Junior High School) 3rd Nicholas Smith Eagle Eye (Sheridan Freshman Academy) HM Ashley Cheatham King of the Woods (Little Rock Christian Academy) 10th Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Ashley Worden Downy Woodpecker (Little Rock Christian Academy) 2nd Katherine Verdaris Nature (Mount Saint Mary Academy) 3rd Mackenzie Dalton A Curious View (Little Rock Christian Academy) HM Eden Leal The Lunar Moth (Mount Saint Mary Academy) 11th Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Grace Rutter Who? (Home Schooled) 2nd London Farra Big Bird (Little Rock Christian Academy) 3rd Jacob Kin Piercing (Little Rock Christian Academy) HM Jade Mason Mouse (Little Rock Christian Academy) 12 Grade: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1st Michaela Held Forging For Food (Little Rock Christian Academy) 2nd Sarah Hutson Day Woolf (Little Rock Christian Academy) 3rd Tyler Blasdel Largemouth Dinner (Flippin High School) HM Lexie Smith Lazy Days of Arkansas (Batesville High School) th
BEST OF SHOW –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Jimmie Battles Serenity (Cabot Junior High School, North)
Arkansas Wildlife Federation P.O. Box 56380, Little Rock, AR 72215 Telephone: (501) 888-4770
“Your voice for hunting, fishing and conservation since 1936”
Arkansas Out-Of-Doors Advertising Agreement Arkansas Out-Of-Doors is the official publication of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation established in 1936, a non-profit, hunting, fishing, and conservation organization dedicated to promoting the wise stewardship of our natural resources. It is a newsprint tabloid publication that is published 6 times per year for the following issues: Jan.-Feb., March-April, May-June, July-Aug., Sept.-Oct., Nov.-Dec. The publication contains information about hunting, fishing and other outdoororiented activities. It also contains articles about conservation. It is mailed near the end of the first month of each issue date to approximately 4500 AWF members and it has an estimated readership of 13,500 to 17,500 people each issue. Those who read this publication enjoy the great outdoor, and they are interested in conservation. Circle the issue in which the ad is to run: January – February issue, reserve space by Jan. 1. Camera-ready art due Jan. 5. Mailing date near the end of January. March – April issue, reserve space by March 1, Camera-ready due by
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18 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
There is fishing available in all 75 Arkansas counties
LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas state motto was once “Land of Opportunity. It could have stemmed from the abundant fishing enjoyed by young and old in all areas. There is public fishing in each of the 75 counties in Arkansas. These venues range from the big and scenic major multi-use reservoirs to the dozens of lakes designed for fishing and operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to the many smaller waters in the AGFC’s Family and Community Fishing Program. Today, fishing is virtually within walking, bicycling or short driving distance of any Arkansan and also visitors to the state. As varied as the places to fish in Arkansas are the varieties of fish that are targets for anglers. These range from the huge and legend-inspiring alligator gar to the hand-sized bream that are so attractive to youngsters – and the not so young. There isn’t a dominant game fish or an “official fish” in the state. Largemouth bass come out ahead on surveys of what fishermen prefer but just barely. Close behind are crappie, catfish and bream, the latter a catch-all label for several species of small sunfish. Organized competitions may put several hundred bass fishermen in action at once time, but the same day could see several thousand other Arkansans baiting hooks with crickets and worms and going after bluegill, red-ears and other types of bream. When night arrives, still more thousands can be working trotlines, jug lines and yo-yos (mechanical fishing
devices) for catfish. Fishermen have been helped by decades of building accesses to the waters of the state. Boat ramps, parking areas and roads from nearby highways are projects of the Game and Fish Commission, often in partnership with counties or other local governments. Funds for these accesses come from the Marine Fuel Tax, which is state taxes paid on fuel used in boats. To go fishing in Arkansas, all a resident has to do is purchase a $10.50 license at one of hundreds of license dealers, any AGFC office or online at agfc. com. If anyone, resident or nonresident is younger than 16, no license is needed. There is no fishing season in Arkansas. It is open year-round with a few seasonal restrictions on methods of fishing like bow fishing, hand catching, snagging and spearfishing. Frogging falls under fishing rules, and the frog season is April 15 through Dec. 31. Neophytes in fishing have several means to learning the popular pastime. A simple route is to go fishing with an experienced angler, a neighbor, a relative of perhaps a co-worker. Watching and listening to someone who knows fishing can be a productive lesson much more effective than trying it on your own. Another route is to make a modest investment. Go fishing for a half-day or a full day with a professional fishing guide. Many handy tips and basic knowledge will result. A hint from an old-time Arkansas fisherman: When is the best time to go fishing? When you can.
Hendrix students to have hands-on learning opportunities at AGFC LITTLE ROCK – Hendrix College students will soon have unique hands-on field research opportunities with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Randy Wilbourn, a 1968 Hendrix graduate and Board of Trustee member, and his wife Judy recently made a gift to the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation to establish the Henderson Research Fellows in honor of Scott Henderson, who led the agency until he retired October 2011. “Scott is very passionate about education being the basis for how our natural resources will be preserved,” said Wilbourn, who worked closely with Henderson for several years on the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. Henderson began his AGFC career in 1972 as a fish truck driver at the Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke and later served as a fisheries research biologist, assistant chief of fisheries, chief of fisheries and assistant director. “His leadership at the commission grew out of the disciplines he practiced as a biologist,” Wilbourn explained. The Henderson Fellows initiative is an extension of Wilbourn’s interest in Arkansas’s natural resources and engaged learning at Hendrix. A founding partner of Little Rock-based marketing communications consultants Martin-Wilbourn Partners, Wilbourn and his wife previously established an Odyssey Professorship at Hendrix to support the work of Hendrix faculty who create or expand hands-on learning opportunities for students. The couple also made a gift to The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas that will give students access to Nature Conservancy
properties for research projects. “It’s certainly an honor to have something named after you,” said Henderson. “But more importantly, I’ve always felt a pipeline from college to the Game and Fish Commission would highlight the work of the AGFC and keep environmental issues at the forefront.” Two Henderson Research Fellows will be awarded each year for projects that focus on biology or enforcement. Hendrix biology and environmental studies professor Dr. Joyce Hardin, AGFC director Mike Knoedl, and AGFC Assistant Chief Dr. Brad Miller are working on logistics and identifying potential projects that meet AGFC and Hendrix students’ needs. “From the Odyssey program’s standpoint, this initiative should be a huge resource,” said Dr. Hardin, who anticipates being able to market the opportunities in fall 2013 for work to begin in spring and summer 2014. “The possibilities are endless.” “Knowing that these young people will be the decision makers of tomorrow, having these experiences with the Game and Fish means they’ll make better decisions about our natural resources,” said Steve Smith, president of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. “It’s a ‘can’t miss’ deal. We can’t lose.” Knoedl said Henderson was a deserving honoree. “Scott devoted his life to this agency and the people of Arkansas. He provided a great deal of conservation leadership throughout his career,” he said. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving,” Knoedl added.
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 19
Banquet Donations & Support Sought by Ethan Nahté August is quickly approaching and that can mean only one thing for Arkansas Wildlife Federation – it’s Banquet Time! Yes, the annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet is right around the corner. Generally it is the last Saturday in August, but since the last Saturday falls on Labor Day weekend, AWF determined that it would be best not to compete with the potential of people having one last vacation before summer is over. The banquet will be held Saturday, August 24 th at The Center of Bryant for the third year in a row. The dinner begins at 6:00 P.M. but the doors will open at 4:00 P.M. to allow attendees to visit vendor booths and some of AWF’s affiliates, bid on the silent auction items, enjoy the winning art from the 2013 “Wildlife of Arkansas” Student Art Contest, and to mingle. Once again, there are plans to have birds of prey on hand at the vendor tables and a chance to have your photo taken with the birds. The birds were a big hit last year. Last year’s event brought in approximately 500 people who enjoyed the dinner and the awards ceremony. This year’s dinner will be similar in that the main menu items will include roasted Cornish hen and fried quail, along with homemade bread, vegetables, and desserts. There will also be a table of various wild game recipes and fish. For more than 50 of AWF’s 77 years the organization has been recognizing individuals, organizations and corporations who have gone above and beyond to help in the conservation of Arkansas and its natural resources. Nominations are sent in by individuals, agencies, organizations and schools. Each nomination is then placed in a master directory within the appropriate category. The nominations and supplemental information is then looked at by a judging committee who then vote on a winner for each category. Please note that not every category has a winner each year. If no nominations within a category prove to be outstanding or worthy enough then no award will be given for that year. The winners are notified and the process begins of collecting biographical data, photos, and then laying out the banquet program. To put together the banquet program depends on sponsorship from companies and individuals. AWF sends out packets to a variety of previous sponsors and potential sponsors. If you or your company would like to sponsor our event, please contact the AWF office for details. Your sponsorship is valuable to AWF, but it can also be valuable to you and/or your company, providing advertising within the banquet program book and newspaper; possibly with a banner to be displayed at the banquet; 4-10 tickets to the banquet, depending on the amount donated. AWF is also accepting items for both the silent auction and the live auction. Remember, AWF is a non-profit 501 ( C ) 3 organization. Your donations, both monetary and items
for the auction can be deducted on your taxes. If you have an item or service that you would like to donate, contact the AWF office to make arrangements for gathering the item in time for the banquet. All money raised for AWF at this event stays within Arkansas, unlike some non-profits that distribute the money throughout the world. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the money you spend with AWF stays in Arkansas to help Arkansas. Live auction items include, but aren’t limited to, a youth elk tag from AGFC, African safari hunt from Van Wijk Safaris, and an Argentina
dove hunt from Sporting Adventures International. Other items are in the works but not confirmed at the time of this writing. Check the AWF website or Workmans Auction site for updates. There are plans for a youth item or two that will allow children to bid (with their parent’s permission) during the live auction. Tickets for the banquet may be purchased in advance or at the door. Price is $25/single or $40/ couple. Contact the AWF office or contact an AWF board member to purchase your tickets: 501-8884770 or arkwf@sbcglobal.net
20 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
Obama & the Greenhouse by Ethan Nahté
Georgetown University was the place to be on June 25th for those who believe in climate change. President Obama revealed his plan to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If all goes well, the plan could potentially meet his stated goal of an overall emissions reduction of 17 percent by 2020 compared with the emissions level of 2005. Although a 17 percent reduction won’t solve the emissions problem it is a good start and will hopefully carry over to whomever takes over in the next administration. Emissions have been dropping in the United States; due in part to natural gas produced from fracking, believe it or not. Obama’s policies on fuel-efficiency measures on cars might also be a contributing factor, but on a global scale the emissions are still rising fast. Assuming the United States can decrease emissions, maybe an example can be made and other countries will follow our lead. In May 2013, the atmosphere reached a historic level of over 400 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide (CO2) last month when measurements were taken at the Mauna Loa station on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is the oldest continuous C02 monitoring station in the world. 350 ppm is believed to be the maximum safe limit. When emissions were first measured in 1958 they were at 318 ppm. CO2 concentration has increased every year since scientists started making measurements on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano. The rate of increase has accelerated since the measurements started, from about 0.7 ppm per year in the late 1950s to 2.1 ppm per year during the last 10 years.
Obama is seeking to use his executive powers to limit the carbon dioxide that power plants could emit. He is also looking for government spending to promote the development of energy alternatives, and committed to helping cities and states protect themselves from rising seas and other effects of climate change. His plan is based on how far the administration is able to stretch the boundaries of the Clean Air Act that President Richard Nixon signed into law in 1970, during an era that was seeking to have less pollution in the air, but not necessarily aware of what we call climate change. Obama’s primary order to the EPA was for the agency to devise an emissions control plan, with a first draft due in a year. It is unlikely that a final draft will be in place by the time Obama leaves office in early 2017, so once more; maybe whomever is elected to office will see that a well-executed plan is finalized and put into place to reduce emissions. Not to mention that the fossil-fuel industry and its lobbyists will probably be battling any change and using the politicians in their pockets to fight the plan because it will more than likely mean less dependency upon their products. Obama’s plan may have been influenced by a proposal from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The group urged the federal government to set a target level of greenhouse gases for each state, taking account of historical patterns. The idea is for states to adjust their overall electrical systems instead of cracking down or penalizing individual power plants. States could also look at other sources of power (i.e. wind, solar, hydro), retrofit homes and businesses to reduce energy waste, or encourage the use of
Proposed early migratory bird season presented to commission
Photo by Ethan Nahté
clean-burning natural gas instead of coal. Granted, the retrofits or conversions could cost quite a bit of money at the onset, but some experts and groups believe that consumers’ electric bills could actually decline once they are using less energy. Plus the air quality would improve and greenhouse gas emissions could decrease. In effect, wouldn’t that have the potential to increase the quality of living? our health? the ability to grow more productive crops and food sources compared to those currently being affected by the results of global warming? cleaner water? Because Arkansas is more rural and our cities aren’t as large as some, we tend not to see the air pollution or worry as much about ozone warnings like they have in cities as close as Dallas, Texas. There are days in Dallas that one can’t see the skyline of the towering skyscrapers until one is downtown in the midst of the traffic and pollution. Dallas generally, but not always, falls behind Houston as being the most polluted city in Texas. Still, the wind blows into Arkansas from the west and southwest on a regular basis and Dallas is only a mere three hour drive from Arkansas’ borders. President Obama is looking to change the nation, which will hopefully, in turn, change the world. What can you do to help change the state?
MOUNTAIN HOME – Commissioners with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission last week discussed dove season, the unofficial opening of Arkansas’s fall hunting season, at its monthly meeting in Mountain Home. Early-season migratory game-bird season selections must be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Aug. 1. Approval for the early seasons will take place during the Commission’s July meeting. Changes from last season are minor. Mourning Dove and Eurasian Collared Dove Sept. 1-Oct. 20 and Dec. 21-Jan. 9 Teal Season Sept. 7-22 Rail Season Sept. 7-Nov. 15 Woodcock Season Nov. 2-Dec. 16 Common Snipe Season Nov. 1-Feb. 15 Purple Gallinule and Common Moorhen Season Sept. 1-Nov. 9 Early Canada Goose Season Sept. 1-15 Northwest Canada Goose Zone Season Sept. 21-30 To comment on the proposed season dates, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/13-14EarlyBirdComments.
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013- 21
Ron Pierce ends AGFC term with satisfaction
MOUNTAIN HOME – Ron Pierce closed his final meeting as chairman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, leaned back and smiled. It was a smile of satisfaction. His term ends June 30. Pierce served on the Commission from mid-2006 and was involved in and witnessed a variety of changes, achievements and – at times – some tumult. He worked with three directors of the AGFC in his term. Mere minutes after his last meeting ended, Pierce made a concise assessment of the commissioners. “Every one of these men is successful. Every one of them wants to do things and have ideas, and they work to carry out those ideas.” A major achievement for Pierce is close to home for him. The long-sought minimum flow of water for trout management on the White and North Fork rivers is becoming a reality. Trout fishing is a major economic factor in the White, close to where Pierce
has lived most of his life. Pierce’s origins were at Nowata, Okla., and he began his professional career as a plastics engineer for Phillips Petroleum Co., in Bartlesville, Okla. He took the knowledge of working with plastics to Mountain Home and a key position with Baxter Travenol Laboratories. Later he and his wife Jan founded the company that produces BassCat bass boats. Pierce competed in a number of national bass tournaments and was a member of the Bass Research Foundation. He was Mountain Home’s mayor for 10 years, 1976 to 1986, a period of impressive growth for the north Arkansas city. Pierce helped in a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore Arkansas River backwater habitat. He helped authorize the funding to renovate Spring River Dam and approved the Arkansas Aquatic Nuisance Species Plan. He
also helped with trout habitat projects on the Beaver, Bull Shoals, Narrows and Norfork tailwaters. Pierce pointed to the AGFC’s annual budget as a key to operations that touch on a myriad of different topics. “We (commissioners) have to know the budget, and we have to keep a close eye on the spending. That is why I appointed Ty Patterson to the Budget Committee. He’s learning about the finances of Game and Fish.” Patterson, of Texarkana, was named in February to fill out a 16-month term remaining when a commissioner resigned. Pierce said, “People think we have all this gas money coming in, and we don’t.” Leases with Chesapeake Energy for drilling rights on two WMAs produced $32 million, but gas production has not started on AGFC land. Some royalties are coming to the agency from adjoining sections with producing wells. The lease money did fund numerous conservation programs, facility renovations and new projects. AGFC has also provided grants to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality for additional inspectors
in the Fayetteville Shale to protect wildlife in the lease areas. Early in Pierce’s term as a commissioner, he joined the others in opening Arkansas’s first alligator hunting season in 2007. Jan Pierce, a co-owner with Ron of the company that builds BassCats, attended Commission meetings and many other AGFC events with her husband. The Pierces have a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren.
MEMORIAL GIFTS & HONORARIUM Remember Loved Ones "Forever"
You can remember a loved one with a memorial gift or honorarium to the Arkansas Wildlife Federation.
Memorial gifts: If you would like to remember someone who loved wildlife, and the great outdoors of Arkansas, you can make a gift in that person’s name. What a beautiful tribute to their memory. Your memorial gift will continue the work of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation and keep a loved one’s spirit alive through wildlife conservation.
Honorarium Gift: Are you puzzled what to give friends or family members who “have everything?” Will an ordinary gift just not be enough? Then, consider making a donation to the Arkansas Wildlife Federation in their honor and acknowledge their special day, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or whatever they are celebrating. Your gift is a special recognition to this individual or family in support of wildlife conservation programs. Gifts of $ 100 or more will receive wildlife print. All donations will receive a tax deductible receipt.
Make a Difference “Forever Memorials or Honorariums” Right Now by Completing this Information Below: Name of honoree_____________________________________________________________ Name of donor______________________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________________ City_________________________________State_____________ Zip Code______________
City________________________________ State_____________ Zip Code______________
Visa_________ Master Card____________ Credit Card #_____________________________________________________________ Expiration Date______________________________ Memorial______ Honorarium_____________ Amount of Gift $______________________ *The Arkansas Wildlife Federation can accept checks, and Master Charge or VISA Credit Cards *
Designation of Gift____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We now accept MC/Visa/AMEX/Discover
Thank you for supporting wildlife conservation! Send to: Arkansas Wildlife Federation, P.O. Box 56380, Little Rock, AR 72215; or call 501-888-4770
22 - Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013
May/June 2013 POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to: P.O. Box 56380, Little Rock, AR 72215
ISSN0884-9145
Arkansas Wildlife Federation Officers and Board of Directors October, 2012 to September, 2013
Arkansas Out-of-Doors
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS WILDLIFE FEDERATION Arkansas Out-of-Doors is published 6 times per year by Arkansas Wildlife Federation, P.O. Box 56380, Little Rock, AR 72215. Third Class postage paid at Russellville, AR and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to Arkansas Outof-Doors, P.O. Box 56830, Little Rock, AR 72215, or call 501-888-4770. This is the official publication of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. Printed matter includes hunting and fishing news, sporting information, articles on pertinent legislation, with special emphasis on environment and pollution problems. All Arkansas Wildlife Federation members are entitled to receive one copy of each issue of AOOD for one year. Permission is granted to reprint any news article or item printed in Arkansas Out-Of-Doors with credit, please. Executive Director �������������������������������������������� Ethan Nahté Editor in Chief ����������������������������������������� Wayne Shewmake Layout/Design ������������������������������������������Chris Zimmerman ZimCreative Views and opinions, unless specifically stated, do not necessarily represent the positions of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. Deadline Information: Unless other arrangements are made with the editor, copy for club news, features, columns and advertising must be in the Arkansas Wildlife Federation office by the close of business (noon) on the 20th of the month preceding publication. Thank you for your cooperation.
Executive Committee President: Wayne Shewmake, Dardanelle 1st Vice President: Ellen McNulty, Pine Bluff 2nd Vice President: Jerry Crowe, Dardanelle Treasurer: Gary W. Bush, Marion Secretary: Lucien Gillham, Sherwood Executive Director: Ethan Nahté
Creative Ideas President: Sharon Hacker - Little Rock, AR Friends of Pontoon Park Friends of Bigelow Park
Board of Directors At Large Clay Spikes, Benton Charles W. Logan, M.D., Little Rock Lola Perritt, Little Rock Odies Wilson III, Little Rock Jimmie Wood, Dardanelle Bobby Hacker, Little Rock Mike Armstrong, Little Rock Chrystola Tullos, Rison
Friends of Delaware Park
Regional Directors District 1: --vacant- District 2: Patti Dell-Duchene, Augusta District 2 Alternate: Linda Cooper, Augusta District 3: --vacant- District 4: --vacant- District 5: Mary Lou Lane, Dardanelle NWF Region: David Carruth, Clarendon NWF Special Projects: Ellen McNulty, Pine Bluff NWF Regional Representative: Geralyn Hoey, Austin, TX
University of the Ozarks - Clarksville Jamie L. Hedges, Director of Outdoor & Evironmental Experiences
President Emeritus and First Lady Emeritus: Bob and Rae Apple, Dardanelle National Wildlife Federation Delegates: Wayne Shewmake, Dardanelle Ellen McNulty, Pine Bluff ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT Ralph Oldegard, Mt. Home Larry Hedrick, Hot Springs Charles McLemore Jr., Bryant Affiliate Clubs: ATU Fisheries & Wildlife Society Jared Schluterman, President - Russellville, AR Arkansas Chapter of American Fisheries Arkansas Trappers Association Gary Helms, President - Texarkana, AR Cane Creek Hometowner’s Association Jessica Thompson, Sec./Treasurer – Scranton, AR
Greene County Wildlife Club Rick Woolridge, President - Paragould Little River Bottoms Chapter, Arkansas Wildlife Federation Vickers Fuqua, President Mike Young, Secretary & Treasurer
Westark Wildlife G. David Matlock, Fort Smith White River Conservancy Gayne Preller Schmidt, Augusta Yell County Wildlife Federation James Manatt, President – Dardanelle Northeast Arkansas Wounded Warriors Project Yell County Youth Conservation Club Randy Cole, Dardanelle, AR Arkansas Wildlife Federation Staff Executive Director - Ethan Nahté Editor in Chief - Wayne Shewmake Contributing Writers – Wayne Shewmake, Gordon Bagby, Dr. Robert Morgan, Johnny, Sain, Jr., Ethan Nahté, Al Wolff, AGFC, NWF, Rita L. Littrell, Ph.D., Ellie Mae Contributing Photographers – Dr. Robert Morgan, Eilish Palmer, Mike Wintroath, Ethan Nahté, Wayne Shewmake, Jack Bardwell, Lisa Taylor, Russ Scalf Arkansas Wildlife Federation Address: P.O. Box 56380 Little Rock, Arkansas 72215 Office: 501-888-4770 // Cell: 501-414-2845
Arkansas Out-of-Doors • May/June 2013 - 23
AWF – Out & About by Al Wolff
After a busy March and April attending Earth Day and Arbor Day events, visiting schools and planting more trees at Bearcat Hollow, May and June was a little less hectic on the appearances schedule. That doesn’t mean AWF has been slacking off as preparations for this year’s Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet are in full swing with members selling banquet tickets, gathering auction items, judging nominations for this year’s winners, and fundraising to support the event. That being said, AWF has been making the rounds. The month of May saw AWF president Wayne Shewmake and executive director Ethan Nahté travel to Jasper to listen to the meetings regarding the hog farm issue that was approved, and now being battled by several groups and entities hoping to find a solution to a problem that should never have happened in the first place. Speaking of problems that should never have happened, Nahté also made occasional trips through Mayflower and along the sloughs below Lake Conway to observe the progress, if any, was being made in the clean-up efforts due to the oil spill. It looks better but still has a long way to go. Board members Lola Perritt and Bobby Hacker, along with Nahté, were on hand for the Wildlife of Arkansas Student Art Awards presentation at the Central Arkansas Nature Center. Hacker, who is also a member of the art show’s co-sponsor Creative Ideas, and Perritt also helped to set up the art on display at the center. Hacker also took it upon himself, sometimes with the assistance of his wife Sharon Hacker, president of Creative Ideas, to strike the art displays, transport them to the next nature center on the itinerary for this year’s first traveling art show, and set the art back up, only to repeat the process again a month later. Perritt and Nahté spent a couple of days in Hot Springs, the first being when they did a presentation at the Vista Alternative Learning Education School for the staff and students. They spoke to them about the importance of being responsible and not introducing invasive species into the environment, along with bringing a few animals for the students to look at and pet.
The following Sunday was the annual e-Day event in the historic Farmer’s Market in old downtown Hot Springs. It was an enjoyable day with nice weather. They held a drawing for a free blind, which could be used for hunting, bird/nature watching, nature photography, or for the kids to play in the yard with and pretend it was a fort. The winner of the blind was Minnette Santarcangelo. The second weekend in June was the first Wounded Warriors Project fishing tournament on Lake Dardanelle. AWF’s Shewmake, Hacker, and Jerry Crowe were on hand during the event, along with many other volunteers from the other co-sponsors of the tournament. Many AWF members also helped get the word out by putting up posters in their communities. Shewmake attended a CFLRP meeting with the USFS in Russellville to discuss upcoming plans with the Forest Service and other groups in attendance. 1 st vice president Ellen McNulty spent June 28th at the annual Delta Green Community Forum in Forrest City. This year’s theme for the annual event that looks at green jobs and renewable energy in Arkansas was “Preparing Arkansas’ Economy for the 21st Century.” AWF was a co-sponsor for the event. The last weekend in June also saw AWF members going up to Jasper once again for the annual Elk Festival. The annual event is home to a weekend of activities, including AGFC drawing names for elk tags. AWF’s Shewmake, Crowe, Perritt and Clay Spikes all helped out along with a few other volunteers at the AWF booth for the two-day event. In addition, AWF had a drawing for a .12 gauge shotgun. They were able to discuss some of the projects AWF works on with visitors, as well as sell a few calendars and talk about the upcoming banquet.
Photo by Ethan Nahté