Arkansas Wild - Fall 2013

watching fishing cycling hiking festivals competitions travel gear geocaching conservation climbing hunting hikin

Arkansas Wild F A LL 2 0 1 3

HIKING THE OUACHITA TRAIL

Peter Brave

with

pg. 34

Arkansas Sportsmen are

GETTIN’the BILLS DOWN! DUCKS! DUCKS! DUCKS!

MARION MCCOLLUM

DUCK HUNTING’S ROCK STAR

pg. 8

Plus Festivalgoers Swarm Stuttgart in Late November

Hot Spots For Cool Fall Trout Fishing

Deer Numbers Continue to Rise

pg. 14

pg. 42

pg. 46

Fall on the White River

2 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 3

Everyone has their favorite season in this special, Natural state that luckily has all four — sometimes all in one day. My preference is the Arkansas autumn.

I’ve been a nut about football ever since I can remember, so that makes fall a natural winner. Maybe it’s also the feelings ingrained from year after year of starting a new school session, or the feeling of temperature finally becoming bearable as the days grow shorter.

Some of my best memories of childhood center around major events in the fall — from shaking hands with Roy Rodgers and Dale Evans at the Arkansas State Fair in the early 1960s, to those Friday night football games when the high school players were great heroes to a young boy, to the many Saturday trips my dad would take me on to Pecan Lake in preparation for the coming duck season.

A dove hunt on Labor Day weekend on the Jeters’ land near Reydel was also a special time. Whether it was shooting my first dove with a .410 or, many years later, drinking an ice chest full of Tecate with friends on a sweltering day while not caring if I hit one bird, those are memories I’ll cling to for the rest of my days.

Combining a dove hunt, fishing and a flight to Austin for the 1980 Texas-Arkansas game all on one Labor Day — it just doesn’t get much better than that.

Now, I never understood the compulsion of sitting in a deer stand all day waiting for a buck to come into range, especially when football games are on TV. I’ll happily take advantage of the venison tenderloins my brother serves up, and I’ll enjoy my sisterin-law’s venison chili. I’m glad they and hundreds of thousands of Arkansans do partake in deer season simply to thin the massive herd. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has done an incredible job of restoring the deer population in the state over the past 70-plus years, as we illustrate within these pages.

I don’t care about shooting a deer, but I proudly hung one of the largest deerskins you’d ever see in my room at college. My grandfather brought down this deer somewhere near Arkansas City many years back to make the Boone & Crockett list. I just prefer not wasting precious football-watching time standing quietly waiting for a deer that might not come. To each his own.

That’s what Arkansas Wild is about, and I hope you enjoy this issue, which covers a wide range of outdoors activities — hiking, trout fishing, duck hunting, deer hunting and much more.

As autumn winds down and all the leaves have fallen — gosh, I do miss the smell of burning leaves that seemed so prevalent in the city when I was a kid — we ease into duck season. I cherish most the camaraderie with family and friends in the duck blind or by the warm, roaring, crackling fire at the camp during these days, as the temperature drops and the thoughts of sweaty summer days are long forgotten.

Enjoy the issue, and please email me at jim@arktimes.com with story suggestions or any other likes or dislikes you might have with Arkansas Wild. Feel free to send me any ideas on how we can make the magazine better.

Table of CONTENTS 8

14

20 24 32 34 42

46

50 56 58

BIG MAN IN STUTTGART

Marion McCollum started working for his dad, Mack, in 1961 and he’s turned a small sporting goods operation into the world leader in waterfowl outfitting.

WINGING IT

From as far away as New Zealand, the best duck callers converge on Stuttgart as part of the 77th Wings Over the Prairie Festival. There’s great duck gumbo too.

REFLECTIONS ON A DOG

The editor’s brother remembers the 12 years he had with a black Lab who was more than a retriever.

CUPPED UP AND COMING IN

Arkansans have another 60-day season for duck hunting, and breeding numbers indicate good hunts ahead.

FALL COLORS

Photographer Chuck Haralson of the Arkansas Parks & Tourism Department captures the beauty of Arkansas as the year winds down.

HIKING ALONE Peter Brave lives up to his last name in taking on the 200-plus miles of the Ouachita Trail by himself the past three years.

TIME FOR TROUT

In recent studies Game and Fish biologists noticed something about brown trout around the Little Red and North Fork rivers — they will spawn in the fall, particularly in late October.

BUCK STOPS HERE Hunters checked a record number of deer in Arkansas in 2012, nearly 20,000 more harvested than the previous mark. Could 2013 match it?

WHAT TO DO Highlights for the outdoors lover.

WATERFOWL BEAUTY

Autumn days bring the annual migration of ducks, geese and more through the state.

PARTING SHOT

The anniversary of JFK’s visit to Greers Ferry Lake 50 years ago is a reminder of all the great opportunities for fishing provided to Arkansans and the state’s tourists.

COVER PHOTO: Arkansas continues to be the leading state in the harvest of mallards.

Arkansas Wild is Interactive Get everything Arkansas Wild has to offer every issue by reading the interactive edition on your computer or handheld device. Arkansas Wild is full of links to useful websites, apps, videos, documents, valuable hunting information, tutorials and more!

Jim Harris Editor 4 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Read the current issue for free at facebook.com/ArkansasWild or download the enhanced PDF to read any time on your iPad, laptop or other portable device!

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 5

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Editorial Jim harris Editor jimharris@arktimes.com

Patrick Jones Editorial/Creative Art Director patrick@arktimes.com

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Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 7

Man of the People Marion McCollum Takes Mack’s Prairie Wings to Next Level in Waterfowl Wear and Accessories

By Jim Harris

8 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Ducks inherently know their way to the Grand Prairie in Arkansas, and Marion McCollum has spent enough time in a duck blind with a duck call to know how to bring them into the hole.

But this particular, monstrous mallard duck he was eyeing was going to take some doing.

McCollum thought a large mallard statue, with its wings spread wide and standing in front of his Mack’s Prairie Wings store in Stuttgart, would stand out to passersby and others the way a couple of similar ducks had caught McCollum’s eye on a website originating from Black Duck, Minn.

Building the duck to his specifications wouldn’t be much trouble after he’d contacted the Black Duck Chamber of Commerce and someone there referred him to a builder in Wisconsin. It would take six months, he was told.

Now, getting this big bird from Wisconsin to Stuttgart — that would be the major task.

Rest assured the affable McCollum had fun with it.

“I got a friend of mine, and we took a flatbed trailer up there to Wisconsin,” McCollum remembers of the trip 12 years ago. “We got there, bolted it down and had it on this 16 [foot] by 8 [foot] trailer. We had a sign on the trailer that said ‘Migrating South.’

“Everybody on the highway on the way down was waving and giving us the thumbs up. We’ve been out here with this store for 13 years and it’s been on the parking lot for the past 12.”

That’s McCollum, a 71 years young “good ol’ boy,” as many describe him, and a man that seemingly everyone in Arkansas County knows and likes.

George Dunklin, who operates the Five Oaks Hunting Club in Arkansas County and is the new national president of Ducks Unlimited, has leaned on McCollum in the past to help raise money for charity. He readily calls McCollum a “rock star” that he can take with him to get

through any door and into any office in Stuttgart.

Some may even refer to him as Mack, as in the eponymously named sporting goods store that’s called Stuttgart home since 1944.

But “Mack” was his father, Marion Sr. “When somebody asks for Mack, I know they don’t know me,” Marion Jr. says.

Marion McCollum went to work for his father and the family’s hardware store in 1961. Mack’s little sporting goods enterprise began to take off in the space next door downtown. Eventually, Mack’s Sports Shop moved to bigger quarters on Michigan Avenue/Highway 79.

McCollum’s father died in 1979 and didn’t get to see what Mack’s Sports Shop would eventually become.

A move into catalog sales in 1993 was a game-changer for the Mack’s business, and in four years they started making a profit on the mail-order side.

By 2000, Mack’s needed a much-larger space than was available on Michigan Avenue and relocated to the intersection of Highways 63 and 165 north of town.

Mack’s Prairie Wings, as the store is known now, is

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 9

a destination for hunters and the curious. McCollum schedules small weekend festivals at various times in the year, and when the annual Wings Over the Prairie Festival is ongoing during Thanksgiving week in Stuttgart, it’s hard to find a parking spot outside Mack’s.

And everyone, it seems, must pose for pictures in front of the big mallard duck, as if it were one of those recreated dinosaurs in a natural history museum.

“It’s just a huge draw for Stuttgart,” Bill Free, a guide during duck season and a Riceland employee, said of Mack’s “When they moved from their old store on Michigan to the current location, it’s become a stoppingoff point. It’s where people will literally drive in from all the states around us to go to Mack’s.

“He just had his fall festival and I ran into people from every state that touches Arkansas. It will be the same thing during the World’s Duck Calling Contest. And he’s kind of found his niche. He’s not that big into deer hunting, though they do have tree stands and bows and things like that. It’s mainly waterfowl-oriented.”

There are Bass Pro Shop franchises and Cabelas stores and the like throughout the country but, as Stephen Bell, executive director of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce says, there’s only one Mack’s Prairie Wings.

“The good thing about Mack’s is they have the catalog but if you want to see the store you have to come to Stuttgart. There is a good synergy now. Mack’s is known as the premier waterfowl outfitter and it’s in Stuttgart.

They have good cross marketing that has grown up through the years and it’s been a benefit also for the community. It’s a tourism draw too.”

The Beginnings Mack’s has come quite a ways from a hunting and fishing shop where people stopped in for minnows and fishing gear, or shotgun shells and a hat on their way to the duck blind. Chuck Lock, who now is a partner in Mack’s, started as a high school worker in the store on Michigan in 1970.

“When they had that old store, when people came in Chuck Lock (left) and Marion McCollum.

10 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

to buy minnows — they don’t sell minnows anymore — they’d talk about how fish were really biting at this hole.

Marion and Chuck would just close the store and follow them out there to the hole,” Bell said.

“I always kid them now and say, you need to open up another store in town called Marion’s, a smaller store.

He could be that guy selling minnows and close the store whenever he wants to. He’s got that big store running so smoothly, he probably could.”

But McCollum is in Mack’s pretty much every day he’s in town. His daughter, Ginger Holladay, is the third partner in the Mack’s operation these days.

Mack’s has a whopping 32,000 square feet of retail space and another 75,000 square feet for handling the catalog business. Mack’s has six permanent employees but during peak season from July to the end of January, the business will add as many as 40 part-time workers, McCollum said.

More than 2 million catalogs are sent out the second week of July and orders begin rolling in by early August.

“For a guy like me that is eaten up with duck hunting, opening that mail box and seeing that Mack’s Prairie Wings catalog, it’s like a cold rush of air coming up from out of that mail box and hitting me,” said Trey Reid, field editor for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Mail Order When Mack’s was still situated on Michigan Avenue, McCollum and Lock began the catalog business in 1993.

“We employed 12 people at the store. I had two people answering the phone and they also packed the orders,” McCollum recalled. “You can imagine then there wasn’t much to it.

“The first year we put out 50,000 catalogs, then the next year we mailed out 105,000, then 250,000 catalogs the third year. By the fourth year we mailed out 400,000 and that’s the first year we showed a profit in the catalog business.” Other McCollum kinfolk in the Stuttgart area are involved in farming, but the retail business “is it for me,” he said. “This is what I’ve done ever since I came to work here.”

But McCollum has also been personally involved in waterfowl conservation, and he served a term on the Game and Fish Commission in 1995-2002. He is on the Game and Fish Foundation and one of his pet projects has been the Youth Shooting Sports Complex being built outside Jacksonville. It’s set to open in November.

Mack’s Prairie Wings is also a national sponsor of the Wings Over the Prairie Festival.

As far as hunting ducks these days, McCollum says he tries to go at least five days a week during the season to his club near Lodge’s Corner. In his seven decades, he’s seen the hunting change around Stuttgart.

“As far as seeing ducks like we did in Marion McCollum and his daughter Ginger Holladay. the ’50s, the ’40s, we won’t ever see that again, and I’ll tell you why,” he said. “A lot of people north of us, Missouri and the northern states, they raise a lot of rice now. They actually farm for ducks. They actually flood their timber like we do.

“The Grand Prairie in the ’40s and ’50s was the only place in the [Mississippi] Flyway that raised rice. Ducks were going to come here. Modern machinery has cut back on the duck food as far as the rice harvest. You don’t see as much grain on the ground as there used to be and it’s harvested earlier. I’d say the same thing is true for soybeans. The new combines don’t leave as much food on the ground.”

Arkansas rebounded from a slow period in the 1980s to have amazing duck harvest numbers by the turn of this century, but lately waterfowl, we know waterfowl, we get the latest things the numbers haven’t matched up with the expected duck that are out. Somebody has a new invention for the flight from the breeding grounds. waterfowl world, they come to us.”

“They get here, but I think they’re spaced out more and No question it’s a competitive industry with the national they don’t get out here all at one time,” McCollum said. chain outdoors retailers, he said.

“They stop short of here or they go through here on down “When you’ve got something going, everybody wants a piece,” to Louisiana and Mississippi. he said. “The challenge for us is developing new customers.”

“There was a report that came out, as far as number of In 2010, McCollum was honored as the Jerry Jones mallards, Arkansas still killed two-thirds more mallards Arkansas Sportsman of the Year. In his usual humble than any other state.” way, McCollum said, “It’s a great honor. It was very McCollum guided for his uncle, Slick McCollum, for unexpected. It was well appreciated.” eight years until his father said, “You’ve got to make a Reid, who got to know McCollum when he was an decision on what you’re going to do.” It was time to raise a outdoors columnist late in McCollum’s tenure on the family and go to work in Mack’s.

Game and Fish Commission and has hunted with him, Marion Jr. has three daughters and a son, with the said, “He has an incredible sense of humor. He’s a really middle daughter, Ginger, joining him in the business. funny guy to be around, just telling stories. I just mean, he’s got an infectious laugh and just makes you smile and Building the Business laugh along with him.”

When McCollum didn’t know something about his While on the Commission, McCollum had to deal with business, he went out and found the expert who did, an issue that would affect Mack’s business: the banning of Stephen Bell said. waterfowl guides on Bayou Meto Wildlife Management “I always thought the thing that made him a success Area. “That was probably a tough decision for him,” Reid was, he always knew what he didn’t know and found who said, “but he basically recused and didn’t cast a vote on that. did. Particularly, when he got the warehouse going, he It was probably a no-win situation for him … it was the right hired a logistics person from Wal-Mart to help him set it thing to do and probably for him the only thing to do.” up and set up the website,” Bell said.

McCollum turns 72 on Feb. 9, but doesn’t see an end to “His real knack is being able to solve a problem that his days in the store. The people who know him say he he couldn’t solve on his own by hiring the right people. doesn’t look or act 71. Reid recalls seeing McCollum, a Most people probably think he hunts and fishes and that’s little more than a year ago, walking around the pre-show what kind of made the store a success, and that was part tailgate party before the huge Jimmy Buffett concert in of it, but I always thought most of it had to do with his North Little Rock, fitting right in with the crowd. personality and his ability to solve problems.

Reid adds, “As big as that business is, it’s not real “It wasn’t really luck that that store ended up out there.” common to see guy like him working elbow to elbow “Out there” where Mack’s sits nowadays is where with the foot soldiers, so to speak, and taking time during hunters and visitors to Stuttgart from the north, east and what are the busiest days of his year to say ‘hi’ to an old west converge and pass by before entering the city limits. newspaper guy.”

It’s impossible to miss Mack’s. But just look for the big McCollum said, “What I think is, as I fade away, Chuck duck to be sure.

Lock will take my place. At the present he probably is running it anyway.

“We feel like our success is destination, destination, “We’re fortunate to be where we are today. I just want destination,” McCollum said. “We are ducks. That means to smell the roses.” we’re in the rice and duck capital of the world and we are Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 11

12 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

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When Ducks Arrive,

Stuttgart’s Alive 77th Wings Over the Prairie Festival, Duck Calling Contests Set For Late November

By Jim Harris

14 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

When “Johnny relatively new Grand Football” Manziel can Prairie Center on the work a few days of duck Phillips Community hunting around Stuttgart College campus on into his suddenly crazy, Highway 165 south of post-Heisman Trophytown, and everywhere winning schedule, in between, Stuttgart obviously the selfwill be bustling with proclaimed “Rice and thousands of visitors.

Duck Capital of the “That’s our big tourism World” has something draw,” Bell said. “We have going every late fall and about 30,000 or more winter. people come to town That image of Stuttgart that week. Most of our is in stark contrast to activities are free. mid-summer, when the “It’s a real outdoor rice and bean fields are show,” he added of the nearing harvest and the festival. “It’s not inside city seems to roll up its an arena. Most of it is sidewalks at sundown. outside on Main Street, The youth baseball fields on the south side of town are and it’s during duck season, so you have real duck from where most any noise is emanating, outside of the hunters wearing camouflage and bringing their dogs … If farm vehicles in the fields, and only a handful of locals you want to experience a real outdoor show, you ought to are taking in a burger and beer at the Sportsman’s, a tiny, come to Stuttgart.” favorite local dive. A concrete stage sits idle just off the Manziel was busy winning the Heisman Trophy last street near Stuttgart’s Chamber of Commerce building football season and didn’t make the festival, but the on Main Street. A few blocks away, teenagers bored from Kerrville, Texas, product and his father did manage a their summer break are buzzing the Sonic. couple of duck hunts in the area in early January, with a But for people like local businessman Bill Free and stopover at Mack’s, where Johnny posed for pictures. He Chamber executive director Stephen Bell, duck season tweeted a few photos as well. As far as anybody knows, is on the mind even in August. They are well aware that Manziel wasn’t signing any autographs while he visited. when duck season finally arrives on Nov. 23, Stuttgart will “He had heard it was the best duck hunting around,” come alive.

Bell said. “We have the flooded timber around here that Not only will ducks be migrating toward the water and you can’t do at other places. The reputation of our duck the recently cut fields of the Grand Prairie — a vast area hunting is great. between the White and Arkansas rivers — but people by “A lot of credit goes to the state of Arkansas for setting the thousands will find their way to Stuttgart to join in aside Bayou Meto [Wildlife Management Area] and on a unique weeklong celebration. And when that’s over, the federal government for setting up the White River the festival crowds may disperse back to their hometowns [National Wildlife] Refuge. When they did that they or their colleges, but Stuttgart will still Bill Free (center, holding the duck-calling trophy) teem with plenty of people until the last and other Stuttgart residents stay busy preparing weekend in January, when duck season for the festival. closes.

One can fully grasp, whether it’s on a hot, slow summer weekend or on every Thanksgiving weekend, why a 60-day duck season is so vital to the people and businesses of Stuttgart. It’s hard to imagine how they might have coped with just 30-day seasons, before the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service became more liberal with setting the available hunting dates on the Mississippi Flyway in the 1990s.

See for yourself starting the week of Thanksgiving when the city holds its 77th Wings Over the Prairie Festival and World’s Championship Duck Calling Contests. Starting from the north side just beyond the city limits at Mack’s Prairie Wings, all the way to the

“It’s a real outdoor show.”

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 15

created a great tourism resource for the state.”

If one is looking for celebrities around Thanksgiving, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who owns a hunting club on Highway 152 a few miles south of town, is one of several recognizable folks who typically stop in during the festival weekend.

Jones usually arrives after his Cowboys have played their annual Thanksgiving Day game in AT&T Stadium. He has even brought along some of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to the Duck Gumbo event.

The World’s Championship Duck Gumbo Cook-Off has become legendary in its 25 years. After outgrowing its first home at the now-gone War Memorial Auditorium, as many as 4,000 visitors converge on the parking lot of Producers Rice Mill on Park Avenue and party under two white, circus-

16 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

style tents, with more than 50 teams vying for the year’s best duck gumbo, if not the best-decorated booth.

Many are serious about their gumbo too, but ultimately it’s all about the party, which has a Mardi Gras feel to it, and this may be the biggest one-day party of its kind in the state.

Razorback football won’t be a problem for the crowd this year either, as the Duck Gumbo Cook-Off is on Saturday, Nov. 30, while the Hogs play LSU on the road the day before on national TV. “We actually have a team here out of Louisiana that runs the World Championship Gumbo Cook-Off, not just duck gumbo, and they were just blown away,” Bill Free said. “They told us they can’t believe how much fun we had up here. It’s not as big as theirs down there, they probably have 30,000 people over a two-day period.

But they said the atmosphere here was better. They said they had more fun here The prize for the best duck gumbo. than they did at their

own event.”

The Duck-Calling Contests supposedly started in 1936 as a competition between two hunting club owners who insisted their top guide was the best caller of the two. So they had a contest to determine it.

Now, as many as 67 competitors for the World’s Championship have won their way in regional competitions in other states and Canada for the right to compete for the title, which will be determined on Saturday, Nov. 30.

As for Free, who has been happily roped into running the festival “for the 12th or 13th straight year” — he’s lost exact count — he holds on to the motto that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” So there are few tweaks from year to year now.

However, one new addition to the duck-calling contest is an entry from New Zealand, complete with accompanying entourage. A certified contest was held in that country to send the winner to Stuttgart.

Bell said the festival also added another corporate sponsor in Cabin Fever Maple-Flavored Whiskey, a Diageo product that will have a booth on Main Street. Of course, local businesses Mack’s Prairie Wings and RNT Duck Calls are major sponsors as well, along with the rice companies, and major employer Lennox.

Traditionally, the festival kicks off on the first Saturday (Nov. 23) with the Queen Mallard contest, now in its 56th year.

The annual Sportman’s Banquet on the Friday night

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after Thanksgiving “had lost its luster,” Free said, and fell out of favor with festivalgoers for a while. But it’s back and stronger than ever, with a focus on drawing younger people, Free said. The banquet this year will feature heavy hors d ’oeuvres, drinks and a live band.

The Grand Prairie Center will serve as a destination for several events, including the Sportsman’s Party, which costs $20 and is for adults 21 and up.

At the same time, the Chamber fetes the champion duck callers with a catfish dinner.

“That’s the only time all of them get together in

one place without the stress of the competition looming over them,” Free said. “And for a lot of them from outside Arkansas, it might be the first time they’ve had catfish.”

The Duck Gumbo Cook-Off also is an adults-only party with tickets $20 each.

Outside of that, the festival is free with arts and crafts exhibits, outdoors wear displays, sporting collectibles and more in tents on Main Street, plus a midway and carnival. The duck-calling contests start on Friday, Nov. 29, near tents on the permanent stage erected a few years back by the Chamber. First up are the children before eventually working its way to the World’s Championship on Saturday.

Before the first split arrives in the 60day duck season, Stuttgart will slowly return to normal — normal for duck season, that is — and Main Street will start prepping for Christmas. But everywhere you go until the end of January, hunters will be hanging out at the local haunts, propping up many of the restaurants and the handful of hotels for another year. Mack’s Prairie Wings will overflow with shoppers as the holidays approach. Even jet fuel sales at the airport see a large uptick, Bell said.

It’s no wonder Stuttgart celebrates the duck with such enthusiasm.

Wings Over The Prairie Festival

Schedule of Events

Saturday, Nov. 23 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. — Duck Widows Tennis Tournament, John Cain Park 7 p.m. — Queen Mallard and Junior Queen Mallard pageants, Grand Prairie Center, Phillips Community College

Sunday, Nov. 24 1-4 p.m. — Wings Over the Prairie Festival Open House, novelty shops downtown Wednesday, Nov. 27 3 p.m. — Carnival and Midway open, armband day, Main Street downtown Stuttgart, open until 10 p.m.

6 p.m. — Youth Duck Calling Contest, featuring Butch Richenback, Stuttgart Stage, Main Street (open only for children attending Butch Richenback calling classes) Thursday, No. 28 1-10 p.m. — Carnival and Midway, Main Street downtown Friday, Nov. 29 8 a.m. — Registration begins for all contests 10 a.m. — Children’s Duck Calling Class, ages 4-8, Stuttgart Stage 10 a.m.-8 p.m. — Arts and Crafts Fair, commercial exhibits, sporting collectibles, outdoors exhibits, Main Street 10 a.m.-10 p.m. — Carnival and Midway open 11 a.m. — Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest, open to any U.S. high school senior, Main Street Stage 18 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

1 p.m. — Junior Women’s World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage 2 p.m. — Intermediate World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage 3:30 p.m. — Last Chance Regional Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage 8 p.m. — Sportsman’s Party, Grand Prairie Center, Phillips Community College, feature Big Stack band, must be 21 or older Saturday, Nov. 30 8 a.m. — Great 10K Duck Race, start at 7th and Main 8 a.m. — Registration opens for World’s, Women’s World and Junior World’s duck calling contests 9 a.m.-8 p.m. — Arts and Crafts Fair, Commercial Exhibits, sporting collectibles show, outdoor exhibits, Main Street downtown 9 a.m.-10 p.m.— Carnival and Midway open 9 a.m. — Junior World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage 10 a.m. — Senior World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage 11 a.m. — World Championship Duck Gumbo Cook-Off, featuring Tragikly White band, Producers Rice Mill parking lot, Park Avenue (must be 21 or older to attend) 11 a.m. — Women’s World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage 2 p.m. — 78th Annual World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Main Street Stage

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Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 19

Memories Are Forged to Last a Lifetime With a First Lab in the Duck Woods

By Stephen Harris (Editor’s Note: I’ve turned the following pages over to my brother, who remembers his late Lab, a dog that saved us many a duck together in the tall timber of Arkansas County and was more than simply a bird retriever to his owner. “Woodrow” moved on to that big duck blind in the sky this summer. Though we knew “Woodrow” was in the winter of his short Lab life the past couple of years, losing him so suddenly hit us all hard, most of all his No. 1 hunting companion. I’ll let his owner tell the story of a truly amazing hunting dog, a story to which many an Arkansas duck hunter with a lab can relate.)

As the 2013 duck season slowly approaches, I can’t seem to grasp that my hunting companion of the last 12 years won’t be with me on opening day. Woodrow, a black Labrador, died recently from a sudden illness. As I constantly reflect back on his life, the grief and sadness that has gripped me since that dreadful day has started to yield. I now spend my time remembering the wonderful moments I had with one great hunting buddy and my first retriever. These are just a few of the memories.

Woodrow was more than just my hunting dog; he was a cherished family pet. Even though my wife, Loretta, considered Woodrow our first born, she had certain disciplines and one of those was he could not be on our bed at any cost. She was very adamant about this to say the least.

That was until I got back from a work weekend at my friend’s camp in Pennsylvania. As I sprawled out on the bed to relax, Woodrow jumped up right next to me. As I looked toward my 20 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

wife, all she could say was “I was lonely.” Well if there was going to be another man in my bed, Woodrow would be the only one that I approved of!

When Woodrow was 5, my daughter, Catherine, came into our lives. Things did not go smoothly at first. Anytime she crawled toward him, Woodrow would growl, and this put him dangerously close to being a permanent outside dog. This quickly changed when Catherine started throwing pieces of pancake at him one morning and Woodrow realized what a nice new food source he had!

Because of this, my son, Sam, was granted an all-access pass into Woodrow’s life when he came along four years later.

For the first nine years of Woodrow’s life we lived in West Virginia. He and I made the 13-hour trek to hunt countless times. We knew every rest area and pet-friendly hotel between Huntington, W.Va., and DeWitt. It was always important to have him there, especially on the way back home.

He provided the needed coping mechanism when I had to say good-bye to longtime friends or dealt with the end of another duck season. He would have been an excellent, just plain ’ol family pet, but it was on the bayou where he really excelled.

Woodrow retrieved his first duck at Drakes Landing Hunting Club on Mill Bayou before he turned 1 year old. I trained him myself, so that is a true testament to what a great hunter he was, because I’m not a very good dog trainer. I honestly don’t think I taught him a thing.

Oh, we did the hand signals, the whistles, and I yelled a lot, but Woodrow was just a natural. He also had a calm that was totally opposite of his owner. He would sit and comb the skies relentlessly, never moving or making a sound. When it was slow, we would sometimes forget he was there. I eventually learned that I really didn’t need to do anything but shoot better.

Now every dog has made some incredible retrieve that is talked about every season, and Woodrow is no exception.

The one that comes to mind for me the most is the flying goose retrieve. I was hunting with several friends in a bean field owned by Steve Keffer of Arkansas County. Steve and his brother Charles often invite us to join them on goose hunts when the duck hunting gets slow, and on this particular day we also joined some guys from Illinois.

It was cloudy and the wind was blowing pretty steady from the south. The plan was to put the boys from Illinois in the spread, with my group in a ditch north of the spread. If the geese were acting as though they were going all the way to the decoys, we let them go. If not, we would take them.

A flock of about 20 snows and blues started heading our way. They had their wings set and were going all the way in, so we let them go. The guys from Illinois opened up, killing several, but one blue was hit and sailed down about 250 yards southeast and just stood there.

Since the wind was out of the south, I just needed to get Woodrow downwind of the goose and let his nose take over. I marked the bird and sent Woodrow, who was the only dog hunting that day. He ran hard for the first 100 yards and then began to zigzag, while looking back at me. I kept telling him “back” and finally he scented the goose. All the while this goose is standing and watching Woodrow.

When Woodrow caught the scent he went full steam toward the goose, and you could just sense that the goose was thinking, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

When Woodrow got about 30 yards away, the goose started to take flight. The goose was about four feet in the air when Woodrow arrived, and with one motion Woodrow launched himself, caught the goose in mid-air, landed on all fours, turned and started trotting back like he performed this stunt all the time.

The guys from Illinois actually stood up and gave him a standing ovation. I was quite the proud daddy that day, to say the least.

I certainly know I’m not the first one to experience the loss of a dog that was so dear. I’m so thankful that so many had the opportunity to hunt with him. I think my friend Kyle Browning summed it up best for me when he said, “He was the standard I judged all other Labradors against.

Sadly, they all failed.”

I was so lucky to have him come into my life. I know he can’t be replaced, but hopefully I can still enjoy the days ahead on Mill Bayou with another dog. The gratitude I have for him cannot be measured.

Woodrow taught me more than I ever could have imagined.

Stephen Harris is a chief warrant officer and pilot for the Arkansas Air National Guard at Camp Robinson and lives in Benton with his wife and two children.

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 21

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T

Wet Hot Summer Mallard Population Counts In Breeding Grounds are Similar To Last Year, and Overall Ducks are Slightly Down, but a Wetter Summer OfferS Promise for Duck Season

By Trey Reid • Photos courtesy of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission With myriad environmental factors in play, it’s hard to predict the quality of Arkansas’s duck season in August.

But there will be no shortage of birds in the fall and winter flight, and Natural State hunters once again will have a 60-day season with a six-duck bag limit.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved the state’s duck season at its Aug. 15 meeting in Little Rock.

The season will consist of three segments: Nov. 23-Dec. 1, Dec. 5-23 and Dec. 26-Jan. 26, 2014. A youth-only hunt for hunters under age 16 will be held Feb. 1-2, 2014. Daily bag limits will be six ducks consisting of no more than four mallards (two hens), three wood ducks, two pintails, two redheads, one black duck, two canvasbacks, one mottled duck or three scaup.

A notable change for the 2013-2014 season will be a possession limit of three times the daily bag limit, a regulation passed down from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which shares jurisdiction on waterfowl regulations with individual states.

24 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

The Fish and Wildlife Service reported in July that the estimated total breeding duck population in the northern U.S. and Canada was 45.6 million birds, representing a 6 percent decrease from last year’s record count of 48.6 million but still 33 percent above the long-term average from 1955 to 2013.

“There really weren’t any major changes,” said Luke Naylor, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s waterfowl program coordinator. “The numbers were a few percentage points lower for mallards and total ducks. We’ve had pretty much the same conditions on the breeding grounds that we’ve had for the last years.”

The estimated mallard population this year was about 10.6 million ducks, nearly identical to last year’s breeding mallard count and 36 percent above the long-term average.

The Fish and Wildlife Service sets overall parameters for each of the four flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific), and the states must adopt seasons and bag limits within the federal guidelines. The Mississippi

Flyway states can’t start 2013-2014 seasons before Sept. 21, and their seasons must end no later than Jan. 26, 2014.

Because Arkansas traditionally starts its season the Saturday before Thanksgiving — ostensibly to open the season in time for Stuttgart’s annual Wings Over the Prairie Festival and World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest on Thanksgiving weekend — this year’s season will feature a much shorter early-December “split” than in years past. With Thanksgiving falling on Nov. 28, that means the early-December duck season closure will be just four days compared to a week or longer in recent years.

“I think people have really benefited from that weeklong to week-and-a-half split in early December,” Naylor said. “It seems like we usually get a pretty good cold front about that time that sends ducks into the state, and our

splits the past few years have sort of timed out with that. The birds settle in a bit during that time, and we get almost like a second opening day in December.

And for public-land hunters, it’s often like the first opening day because there’s usually not a lot of water available on our public hunting areas in November.”

The shorter earlyDecember split will probably affect guides, outfitters and everyday hunters more than others.

“I think a lot of the people who are used to having that split for a little down time may be the ones most affected by the shorter length this year,” Naylor said.

“Those ducks move south just because they’re coming south...”

Although much can change between now and duck season, water conditions in Arkansas appear much more favorable than they did a year ago, when much of the state was gripped by a devastating drought. Naylor said that bodes well for the coming season, but he noted that dry years and wet years may

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 25

not account for as much of a change in duck harvest as some hunters may perceive.

“I think the difference is that it seems like it just changes who’s shooting ducks in Arkansas,” Naylor said. “Two years ago, there was widespread water on public lands, and that may have made it a little harder on the private-land hunters in some cases. In contrast, in 2012-2013 there was a very high breeding population but we had bad dry conditions that limited habitat on public lands, and the private-land hunters likely benefited from that. But in both years, mallard harvest only differed by about 100,000 birds.”

26 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

In a state that annually kills 1 million or more mallards – more than any other state – that represents a minor fluctuation in mallard harvest despite drastically different habitat conditions.

Naylor also said that Arkansas typically welcomes ducks into the state in late October and early November regardless of environmental conditions.

“Those ducks move south just because they’re coming south,” Naylor said. “A lot of mallards and other ducks come here regardless of cold fronts and habitat availability.”

But Arkansas duck numbers are bolstered by

improving water conditions and cold weather and snow cover to the north of the state.

“Those ducks that show up in December and January are coming as a result of more expansive habitat in Arkansas, mainly expansive flooding,” Naylor said. “And that spreads the wealth among more hunters later in the season.”

Naylor pointed out that hunters can keep up with the ducks’ whereabouts at the Game and Fish Commission’s website, www.agfc.com, where hunters can find results from four aerial waterfowl surveys conducted during the 2013-2014 season.

Biologists will observe ducks from aircraft during surveys in November, December, early January and late January.

This will mark the fifth year the AGFC has used systematic survey methodology that allows biologists to more accurately estimate population size. The new survey technique, in which flights take place on randomly selected east-west transects in the state’s Delta region, also allows the AGFC to coordinate numbers with various watersheds so that hunters can see how ducks respond to flood events and other changing habitat conditions as the season progresses.

WildThings Side notes and other diversions

Snowdens Inducted Into Foundation Hall An Arkansas father and son who have been among the leaders in conservation were to be honored with their induction into the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Outdoor Hall of Fame.

David Snowden Sr. and Jr. were set to join the Hall on Friday, Sept. 6 (after press time of Arkansas Wild), at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

Early in his life David Sr. farmed near Scott, mentored by his stepfather, George Alexander. Alexander owned a duck club near Stuttgart on which the Snowdens began a life of working for wildlife for the present and the future. Kingdom Come has expanded to 3,500 acres in recent years and is said to be treated more like a refuge with light hunting pressure.

David Sr. was raised in Memphis and duck hunted with family at Wapanocca, with Wallace Claypool and friends at Claypool’s and other clubs in the area.

He developed a strong bond with the landscape and its inhabitants.

“The greatest gift my father has given me is the love of nature. We believe that we should conserve great places and leave them for those that come behind us,” David Jr. said.

Both Snowdens have been active and instrumental in the Arkansas Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to preserving the best natural landscapes in Arkansas. The Snowdens worked with the Nature Conservancy on a conservation easement that was placed on Kingdom Come. A conservation easement preserves the natural structure of a piece of property preventing development that would otherwise detract from its natural beauty and role in an ecosystem.

“Kingdom Come winters tens of thousands of ducks,” David Jr. says. “Dad and I want to be sure that it continues to serve as a refuge long after we are gone, so it was an easy decision for us to place an easement on the property in perpetuity to ensure the landscape will never significantly be altered.”

The Snowdens were leaders in the state using the conservation easement

strategy. This strategy has been used many times since to preserve other lands around the state. An example is the Moro Big Pine project in south Arkansas. Potlatch, the timber company, owns the area, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Nature Conservancy and the Arkansas Forestry Commission joined together in 2006 to purchase a conservation easement to allow hunting and public access to 16,000 acres.

“Sometimes it is hard to see conservation, but there are many people behind the scenes preserving our state’s natural resources,” David Jr. said.

David Sr. and Jr. have volunteered for Ducks Unlimited, and David Jr. served on the national board of Delta Waterfowl Foundation. In addition to serving on the board of the Arkansas Nature Conservancy, David Jr. serves on the board of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation.

“Our mission is to support the activities of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. One of the key ways we are doing that today is the Foundation’s support and development of the Youth Shooting Sports. There are presently 7,000 youths participating in archery and trap shooting in Arkansas. They are our future hunting and fishing license holders and our future conservationists,” he said.

Coming along in conjunction with these activities is the foundation’s state-of-theart shooting facility, under construction at Jacksonville in partnership with the city of Jacksonville. “The challenge has been to get kids back outside again and this program has been a huge success,” Snowden Jr. said.

The Snowdens have also spent many days canoeing Arkansas’s streams, fly fishing for trout and smallmouth, turkey hunting the state and duck hunting the Big Woods of the Cache and White river bottoms. They understand the importance of the state’s waters as well as its land.

David Sr., and his wife Judy, have two children. David Jr., and his wife Terri, also have two children.

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 27

WildThings

Continued

Compiled From Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Reports

Earlier this summer, Gov. Mike Beebe appointed Ken Reeves of Harrison as the newest commissioner of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Reeves replaces the outgoing chairman of the commission, Ron Pierce, whose commission term expired June 30.

“Ken grew up hunting and fishing in the natural beauty of north Arkansas and has experienced our entire state’s outdoor destinations that need to be both enjoyed and conserved,” Beebe said at Reeves’ introduction. “His lifetime of legal experience will also serve him well as matters come before the

commission requiring thoughtful and objective review.”

The 65-year-old Reeves is a vice president and general counsel for FedEx Freight in Harrison. He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. A fisherman on Bull Shoals Lake since childhood, Reeves is also an avid turkey hunter and enjoys hunting duck, deer, squirrel and quail.

A veteran of the Arkansas Army National Guard, Reeves has been a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Ducks Unlimited.

Lake Draining In Northwest

Game and Fish Commission construction crews began preparation for draining the lake at Cave Springs on Sept. 4, which means that while the lake drains, some rise in water levels downstream from state Highway 112 can be expected, the AGFC said.

The lake will be drained to facilitate the replacement of its inoperable water control structure and will remain dry for about 15 months.

During that time, other activities such as lake restoration, bank stabilization, fish habitat improvement, placement of fishing piers, canoe-launching facilities and removal of dilapidated structures also will be performed.

The 31-acre site, which includes the six-acre lake and 24-acre urban forest, are owned by the Illinois River Watershed Partnership. This work is part of an overall cooperative effort between the IRWP and AGFC.

Deer Poaching Operation Revealed An illegal deer poaching operation has been uncovered near the ArkansasOklahoma state line. Thirteen people, from rural Sevier County in Arkansas and rural McCurtain County in Oklahoma, have been issued citations for various game violations.

A total of 32 citations and 26 warnings were issued for violations that occurred in Arkansas.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife also issued numerous citations.

Violations ranged from hunting license violations to possessing over the limit of deer. The combined bond amount for Arkansas and Oklahoma violations was almost $24,000.

The 14-month investigation 28 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

targeted individuals who illegally harvested 45 deer as well as several other game violations. Officers from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were involved in the investigation.

Cpl. Brad Young, an AGFC wildlife officer, said the individuals were working together to take deer over the state’s bag limits. “This was a great team effort by several agencies to support our hunters who abide by the state’s regulations, protect Arkansas’s valuable natural resources and allow the public to safely enjoy them,” Young said.

I enjoyed reading through the latest [June] issue; however, I believe the article on “Summer Snakes” has a mistake. The “Grass” snake depicted is a Eurasian watersnake species, Natrix natrix. We have plenty of watersnake species in Arkansas, but I am not aware of this one being introduced. When I think of a grass snake, I think of the rough green snake, Opheodrys aestivus. Please recheck your source. Maybe future references could include the scientific (i.e., Latin) name to avoid confusion.

Folks need to get the right information on snakes for their own safety and piece-of-mind-and maybe to protect the “good” snakes. For example, the Malvern Daily Record recently ran an article about the six poisonous snakes here in Arkansas.

When it got to the coral snake it mentioned that some are “friendly” coral snakes. I assume they mean the nonvenomous scarlet king snake which has similar coloration to the coral snake (red and black adjacent bands for the scarlet kingsnake vs. red and yellow adjacent bands for the coral snake). Even though coral snakes are not aggressive like a pit viper may be, I doubt that anyone should consider one “friendly”!

I also found your article about feral hogs at Lake Maumelle (“Hogs on the Move,” June issue) interesting in that Central Arkansas Water was concerned about potential contamination of the Little Rock water supply by a small, dispersed population of the animals; whereas, a 6,000-plus hog CAFO is apparently of little concern by ADEQ regarding its potential to contaminate the Buffalo National River.

Jeff Short Malvern READERS: We welcome any correspondence, whether personal or intended for publication. Email the editor at jim@arktimes.com or jim.harris@ sportinglifearkansas.com or via oldfashioned mail in care of Arkansas Times, 201 E. Markham St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201.

Photo by Tim McCormack

Harrison’s Ken Reeves Joins Game and Fish Commission

LETTERS Mr. Harris,

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30 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 31

j

COOL WEATHER

CHROMA

THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF A.C. “CHUCK” HARALSON ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM

32 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Throughout the Natural State, from the waterfalls in the Ozarks, to the hills in the Ouachita Mountains, to the flatter terrain in the eastern part of the state, Arkansas takes on a gorgeous hue of autumn with peak colors arriving in the upper half of the state usually in mid-October.

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 33

Braving the Ouachita Trail Solo Chef Peter Brave’s Getaway For Three Years Has Been the Solitude of A Long Hike

By Jim Harris 34 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Hikers are typically advised not to travel alone over long distances and several days, but that never stopped Peter Brave.

The owner and head chef of Brave New Restaurant in Little Rock has tackled long-distance solo hikes in the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. He planned to take on 180 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in California in May, but snow at 14,000 feet shortened that trek to the first 25 miles. Three years ago, he started exploring the Ouachita National Recreation Trail from its start in eastern Oklahoma and over its 223-mile route to Pinnacle Mountain west of Little Rock.

“It has such solitude,” he said over coffee recently in the River Market. “Over 220 miles and I saw one person.”

His first two trips were charity efforts, raising money for the local food-drive organization Potluck, led by Carol Herzog. When the third year to try it rolled around early last spring, he was back at it again just on his own, with no goals excepting satisfying his internal desires to accomplish it again.

By the third trip, Brave had figured out how to get his backpack down to its lightest form, with a pint of tangerine-flavored tequila – for a carrot on a stick of sorts to savor at the end of the day – and enough food rations to cover the first 120 miles before restocking. Typically, his daughter would drop him off in Oklahoma and he’d arrive home in 10 or 11 days.

“My first pack I brought was like eight pounds,” he recalled. “The pack I use nowadays, it’s two pounds with the pack open, basically a knapsack. I’ve got my pack down to 13 pounds loaded with everything I need. When you’re hiking 200 miles or whatever, there’s a limiting effect of how much you can carry going up and down

these large hills.”

He no longer brings anything to cook or the utensils for it, relying on Power bars and dried fruit mostly. He finds streams for water and uses a Steri-Pin, a small but fancy UV device for purifying creek water.

“You have to streamline as much as possible. I carry duct tape. I train for it in all different kinds of weather.”

He carried extra pounds on his person and smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes a day when he started this three years ago. Now, as a regular weekday biker on the river trails through Little Rock and North Little Rock, Brave says he’s in the best shape he’s been in for years and no longer smokes.

He readily admits the first hike through the Ouachitas, solo, came at a time in which he needed it. Brave was going through a divorce and the trek “was very therapeutic,” he said. “For whatever reason people want to commune with nature,” but he added, “It’s not for everybody. You’re out there in space.”

Operating one of the busiest restaurants in Little Rock for nearly two decades, Brave says the job is “basically like having a cocktail party for 100 people at your house every night. And I enjoy it, I think I do it well. That whole kind of personality is what we sell down there. But it’s also taxing.”

Almost two weeks by himself in the Ouachitas in April proves the perfect getaway and a balance to Brave’s regular daily life.

“As grandiose as some of these other trails are, the Ouachita Trail has the solitude. There are some incredible ridges that you get out on, looking over some of the wilderness areas.”

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 35

Only in the Spring Brave advises others considering the Ouachita Trail to avoid the summer and fall, when a lack of water on the trail can be a problem. “You can go 20 miles without seeing a fresh stream during those times, plus you deal with a lot of bugs and other critters.”

The converse to hiking in the spring is dealing with the occasional storms. Pack for rain. Test out the gear before making the trip. Make sure to have enough to keep the water from getting in, he said.

“I train all winter long for it, getting the big muscle groups ready. After the first freeze, I’ll start training with cat litter in the pack to simulate the weight.”

The best way to approach hiking in the fall, when the autumn colors kick in, is to schedule a day hike for backpacking, perhaps on the Rocky Mountain Loop at the Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitors Center, he said.

Anything longer, like an overnight or two-night, three-day hike and Brave says to “be very, very aware of the water situation” during the late summer or fall.

During this time of the year, Brave says, he prefers mountain biking the trails at Burns Park.

would respond to it and say, ‘I think you’re crazy, but tell me more.’”

He also has two good old-fashioned walkabout poles, another must on the challenging terrain of the Trail, especially when heading downhill.

Expecting the unexpected is another rule of the Trail.

One year, Brave set out from the Oklahoma side and ran out of water during the day but knew water would be available at the end of that day’s route at a place called Horse Thief Springs.

Only when he arrived, the water was about what one might expect for a place honoring a horse thief. Several filterings still left the water putrid at best. But when a hiker is thirsty, he’ll make do.

Brave said he learned that day he would never empty out his water before the end of the day’s journey.

The payback for all of this effort is some of the greatest vistas known to man, especially at the beginning or end of the day.

“You almost see God and almost see the Devil,” Brave said of the early portions of the Trail, which are the most hilly. “It’s very special.”

Safety Measures Brave has his thoughts about current gun laws, but he also says that when he goes solo in nature, he’s packing for protection. “I’ve very responsible with it,” he said. It’s rare a bear or some other large creature is going to interfere with a hiker on the Trail, but one can never be sure.

Brave will wear a Spot satellite-oriented device on his shoulder, offering communication that can alert authorities of a 911 emergency but can also send locating coordinates via global-positioning system to others following his trek. His benefit hikes for Potluck were mapped out and tracked on a couple of websites.

Brave also kept a log during his walks for Potluck. “People

Ouachita Trail

Resources

The Ouachita National Recreation Trail stretches 223 miles through the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The “Ouachita Trail,” as it is more commonly known, runs from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma, through Queen Wilhelmina State Park and ends at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, near Little Rock.

This premier trail asset is used by hikers, backpackers, hunters and mountain bikers. It is a non-motorized single track trail open only to foot traffic and partially open to mountain bicycles.

The Ouachita Trail is primarily within the Ouachita National Forest and is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. It traverses the Flatside Wilderness, the Upper Kiamichi Wilderness and several wildlife management areas. Shelters for overnight camping are located along the trail.

Miles 0 to 30.5 and 54 to 160 are open to mountain bikes. The riding is from easy to extremely difficult. Bikearkansas. com has information and suggestions for appropriate rides.

For detailed information and maps on the Ouachita Trail refer to the Friends of the Ouachita Trail’s official guide: “Ouachita Trail Guide” by Tim Ernst. The book is available at some Arkansas State Parks, Ouachita National Forest Ranger Stations serving the Ouachita Trail, or from the publisher’s online store at TimErnst.com.

Visit friendsot.org for more information.

36 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

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?

How’s Your Habitat Cool Season Food Plots for Deer

By Jeffrey Taverner AGFC Private Lands Biologist Fall food plots are great for increasing deer sightings, allowing hunters to harvest deer, and supplementing the natural vegetation that is available for deer and minimizing the effects of nutritionally stressful winter periods.

There are many different options when it comes to planting fall food plots. The most common plants used are wheat, oats and clovers. There are many companies today that also offer wildlife seed mixes. Be aware, these seed mixes often contain seeds of different sizes that may require different planting techniques.

Seeds such as wheat and oats are required to be planted at a depth of 1-2 inches, while clovers should be planted no deeper than ¼ inch. It is better and more economical to buy each seed individually and plant according to specifications.

The first thing one must do before establishing a food plot is to take a soil sample, preferably in early summer.

The University of Arkansas County Extension office has soil sample boxes available and will test the soil free of charge. The report will tell you specifically what and how much fertilizer to apply along with the soil pH and how many tons per acre are needed for the seed you will plant.

If lime is required, it should be applied at least three to six months prior to planting to ensure that it will have time to adjust the soil pH. One mistake hunters often will make is utilizing rye grass in place of cereal rye. Rye refers to cereal rye which is a grain like wheat and oats. Rye grass is a grass. Rye grass has low nutritional value (deer rarely utilize it) and it can become invasive taking over the plot.

The best establishment method is through the use of a seed drill. A seed drill will allow you to plant the seeds to a specific depth and at a specific rate. This will ensure that the seeds will properly germinate and will not create either too thick or too thin of a stand. Drills are often available through your county conservation district.

Broadcasters also may be used. Be sure not to mix the small and large seeds together since vibration during planting causes seeds of different weight/size to settle resulting in a less than uniform mix. If broadcasting, for best results, use a roller to cover seed and ensure seed to soil contact.

Small plots can be planted and seeded with ATV discs and seeders, but areas more than ¼ acre usually will require a tractor with suitable implements (disc and broadcaster or drill).

It is very helpful to place a small 2 by 4 wire enclosure (that is 3 feet diameter by 4 feet tall and staked in place) in the plot to measure plant 38 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

production during the growing season and compare deer utilization outside the enclosure.

Cool season food plots are an excellent way of providing doe harvest opportunities for landowners and managers during the hunting season. Food plots should be utilized as only one part of a habitat management plan. Food plots are not a “magic bullet” and management strategies including food plots, forest thinning, prescribed burning, fallow disking, and population management should all be used together to achieve optimum conditions for deer and other wildlife.

Cool season food plots generally should be planted during the month of September for best results. A good all-round cool season planting is 100-120 pounds per acre of either wheat, oats, or cereal rye. Many other plants are available. A great food plot reference online can be found at https://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/ Documents/PB1769.pdf.

For what to plant, planting dates and rates and other information on establishing cool-season food plots this fall for white-tailed deer, contact an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission private lands biologist at: Fort Smith, 877478-1043; Harrison, 870-741-8600 extension 114; Hope, 877-777-5580; Calico Rock, 877-297-4331; Little Rock, 877-470-3650; Brinkley, 877-734-4581; Jonesboro, 877-9725438 and Monticello, 877-367-3559.

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AGFC Stocks 790,000 Fish in Lakes, Rivers Arkansas Game and Fish Commission crews stocked more than 790,000 fish in Arkansas lakes and rivers during July, according to Mark Oliver, chief of the Fisheries Division. The total stocking of fish weighed more than 119,600 pounds.

Here are the lakes or rivers and the amount of fish stocked in each:  Abundant Life Lake, Saline County, 300 catchable channel catfish Atkins Lake, Pope County, 23,230 fingerling Florida bass Bishop Park Pond, Saline County, 400 catchable channel catfish Boyle Park Pond, Pulaski County, 235 catchable channel catfish Bragg Lake, Ouachita County, 400 yearling grass carp Bull Shoals Lake, Boone County, 300,000 fingerling walleye Cabot Community Pond, Lonoke County, 260 catchable channel catfish Lake Calion, Union County, 760 yearling grass carp Camden Fairview High School Pond, Ouachita County, 300 catchable channel catfish Camp Joe Robinson Golf Course Pond, Pulaski County, 350 catchable channel catfish Cane Creek State Park Pond, Lincoln County, 300 catchable channel catfish Cherrywood Lake, Pulaski County, 210 catchable channel catfish Lake Chicot, Chicot County, 23,900 fingerling Florida bass Lake Conway, Faulkner County, 25,000 fingerling Florida bass Craighead Forest Kids Pond, Craighead County, 300 catchable channel catfish Entergy Park Lake, Garland County, 175 catchable channel catfish Family Park Lake, Garland County, 455 catchable c hannel catfish Friendship Trail Pond, Garland County, 12 yearling grass carp Grandview Conservation Pond, Hempstead County, 200 catchable channel catfish Judsonia City Park Lake, White County, 300 catchable channel catfish Kiwanis Park, Pulaski County, 135 catchable channel catfish Kline Park Pond, Johnson County, 200 catchable channel catfish La Bellanine Lake, Benton County, 200 catchable channel catfish Lester Sites Bois d Arc Lake, Hempstead County, 13,300 fingerling Florida bass Little Red River, Cleburne and White Counties, 7,000 catchable rainbow trout MacArthur Park Lake, Pulaski County, 1,500 catchable channel catfish Mercer Bayou, Miller County, 130 yearling grass carp 40 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Middlewestern District Pond, Conway County, 350 catchable channel catfish Lake Millwood, Sevier County, 62,618 fingerling Florida bass Mirror Lake, Stone County, 2,000 catchable rainbow trout Nazarene Church Camp Lake, Polk County, 300 catchable channel catfish Lake Norfork, Baxter County, 92,215 fingerling hybrid striped bass Oasis Center Pond, Pulaski County, 150 catchable channel catfish Ossie Louise Park Pond, Sebastian County, 300 catchable channel catfish Lake Ouachita, Garland County, 250 catchable channel catfish Lake Ouachita, Garland County, 4,541 fingerling Florida bass Lake Ouachita, Montgomery County, 10,725 fingerling striped bass Paradise Lake, Pulaski County, 155 catchable channel catfish Prison Pond No. 1, Lee County, 200 catchable channel catfish Sherwood City Pond, Pulaski County, 125 catchable channel catfish Spring River, Fulton County, 12,540 catchable rainbow trout Sunset Lake, Saline County, 250 catchable channel catfish Triple S Pond, White County, 200 catchable channel catfish War Memorial Park, Pulaski County, 125 catchable channel catfish White River, Baxter, Izard, Marion and Stone Counties, 72,889 catchable rainbow trout Willow Beach Park Lake, Pulaski County, 300 catchable channel catfish Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery Little Red River, Cleburne County, 27,380 catchable rainbow trout Norfork National Fish Hatchery Beaver Tailwater, Carroll County, 10,530 catchable rainbow trout Mirror Lake, Stone County, 1,505 catchable rainbow trout Norfork River, Baxter County, 13,404 catchable rainbow trout White River, Baxter, Izard, Marion and Stone Counties, 53,424 catchable rainbow trout White River, Baxter, Izard and Stone Counties, 27,500 fingerling brown trout

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 41

An angler releases a brown trout.

Halloween Brown Trout’s Fall Spawning Season Lures Fishermen to Little Red, White Rivers

By Jeff Williams Photos by Mike Wintroath

It’s a wonder trout survive.

Consider what it takes to keep the cycle of life going for a brown trout in Arkansas: habitat, cover, food, cold water, high water, low water and oxygen. On top of that, timing has to be perfect.

Trout are not Arkansas natives. They live here because cold water from deep reservoirs turned several warmwater streams ice cold after U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams were built in the middle of the last century. Although cutthroat, brook and rainbow trout are stocked in Arkansas, they don’t consistently reproduce in the wild. The brown trout, however, seems to be getting the hang of it.

“Brown trout are fall spawners, unlike rainbows that have more widespread time for spawning,” said Jeff N. Williams (not the writer of this story), the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s trout management supervisor based in Mountain Home.

“In Arkansas, they begin to move in 42 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

mid- to late September. A University of Arkansas study shows spawning occurs from the middle of October through the middle of November. The peak is about Halloween, although many factors can change that.”

They certainly can. Brown trout have to find the right-size gravel, water that’s the right depth and speed, and they have to find each other – just to get eggs fertilized.

Brown trout in Arkansas have the most success spawning in the Little Red River. As far as studies have shown, the Bull Shoals tailwater is second-best, then North Fork tailwater and Beaver tailwater. They’re also having great success in two special areas: Collins Creek and Dry Run Creek.

When days start to shorten and water cools, brown trout return to where they were spawned and continue the cycle.

“They look for clean gravel,” Williams said. “They spawn at the tails of pools or heads of riffles, where gravel is half an

inch to two and a half inches across. The bigger the fish, the bigger the gravel they can move.”

Spawning water ranges from 8 to 24 inches deep.

“They want water swift enough to flow through the gravel to keep eggs clean,” Williams said. “The water brings dissolved oxygen and also removes waste products produced by the developing eggs.”

A female uses her body and fins to fan a depression called a redd. A period of courting follows redd building; a male that courts the female positions himself just downstream of the female. She expels eggs, which fall into the redd, and males deposit milt (sperm) to fertilize the eggs. The redd deflects the current and helps hold the eggs. The female moves upstream and fans gravel, which moves downstream and covers the eggs. That’s the elongated area of clean gravel anglers see each fall. After that, the eggs are on their own.

“Unlike salmon, brown trout – and most trout – don’t necessarily die after spawning,” Williams said. “They could if they are stressed, if food is not abundant, if dissolved oxygen is low or if habitat is poor.”

Meanwhile, eggs are incubating.

They take 40-60 days to hatch in 45- to 50-degree water – the colder the water, the longer the incubation period. Young trout feed on yolk sacs before they emerge, and stay in gravel about two months.

“When juveniles emerge from the gravel, they are less able to deal with heavy current,” Williams said. “They can get washed away or eaten.”

This is the stage where water released from dams for power generation is critical.

“They can withstand normal fluctuations during generation periods,” Williams said. “Barring a monumental flood, they probably can withstand the flow better than the drastic fluctuations.

If they emerge from a redd that’s near the edge of the channel, it could wind up high and dry.”

It’s not so much about the amount of water in the tailwater, it’s about consistency. “Consistency in flow is one of the key elements during spawning and incubation. During emergence, it’s important that flow is not at its highest.

If they can seek shelter – like in aquatic vegetation in the Little Red River – they’ll survive better.”

Managing Oxygen Levels Although browns have spawned in all the tailwaters, they are sustaining themselves in the Little Red. “The years with heavy flows from the dam coincide with low dissolved oxygen in the water,” Williams said. “We see deficits of dissolved oxygen during fall when fish are spawning. Whether it’s the high flows or low dissolved oxygen, we can’t say for sure. On the Little Red, low dissolved oxygen is not as bad as it is on the North Fork. We probably won’t ever fix the flow and those things might still be limiting factors. Flow discharge during important spawning times dictates how successful the spawn is.”

Drastic fluctuations of water levels in the tailwaters go back to the reason Beaver, Bull Shoals, Greers Ferry and Norfork dams were built. When power turbines in the dams are turning, water

gushes through the river channels.

When the turbines aren’t generating power, water trickles. It’s taken years for state and federal agencies to agree to a settlement that keeps a minimum flow in the tailwaters Minimum flow “might help spawning trout some because the water won’t drop out as much on Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters,” Williams said. “By having a slightly higher flow, there might be a lower number of redds that wind up high and dry. But even in rivers without dams, if there’s a big flood at the wrong time, you’ll see a negative impact on spawning.”

The amount of oxygen in the water, which fluctuates, is crucial for trout survival. From late summer through fall, dissolved oxygen reaches low points. This period coincides with part of the brown trout spawn.

Dissolved oxygen drops at night because, without the sun, photosynthesis stops. That means plants aren’t producing oxygen but they are respiring. The only water through the dams at night is from small leaks or house units with no added oxygen. The dissolved oxygen level can drop to near zero below Bull Shoals and Norfork dams.

“There is a pulsing operation that releases 3,000 cubic feet per second overnight at Bull Shoals and Norfork for about an hour,” Williams said. “The pulse of water goes through the turbines, which give it some aeration.”

Pulsing begins Sept. 15 and runs until about Dec. 1 when dissolved oxygen levels improve.

Every effort helps trout survive and spawn in tailwater conditions.

For example, cedar tree revetments were installed below Bull Shoals Lake a few years ago. The timber creates habitat for young fish by giving them protection from the current and cover from predators.

“The issue of available spawning habitat is a tough one,” Williams said.

“We know the general areas where trout spawn, and we will do an inventory or assessment of available spawning habitat.

The rivers are dynamic systems, which can make them hard to gauge.”

The best approaches to creating habitat have been used in the tailwaters – revetments, large rocks that create “trout bunkers,” root wads and other techniques give spawning fish and hatchlings better chances of survival.

Habitat work with wood and rock has given new life to Dry Run Creek.

AGFC trout biologists are in the early stages of a study on the Little Red that will examine survival rates in the first year of life for wild browns and rainbows.

“We know little about our wild trout population,” Williams said. “At what size do they become mature? We want to nail down the spawning chronology.”

Opportunities For Young Fishermen Spawning is tough for Arkansas trout in tailwaters, but they’re right at home in two small waterways: Collins Creek, brought to life by cold water from the bottom of Greers Ferry Lake, and Dry Run Creek, fed by the Norfork National Fish Hatchery runoff below Lake Norfork.

Both creeks are akin to the mountain trout streams of the Appalachians. Both support populations of trout that seem almost impossible in such small waters.

Only youngsters under 16 may fish in Collins Creek from its source to the wooden bridge in JFK Park. From the bridge to the Little Red River, fishing is open to youngsters under 16 or anglers 16 and older who are fishing with a youngster under 16.

Lures must be artificial and have only one, barbless hook. All fish must be released immediately.

Fishing regulations for Dry Run Creek are similar. It’s open to youngsters under 16 and mobility impaired anglers, who must hold a mobility impaired card and may fish from the pier and boardwalk. Tackle regulations are the same as those for Collins Creek.

Both creeks are open for fishing sunrise to sunset.

The author is editor of Arkansas Wildlife magazine, an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission publication; he’s not the biologist quoted in the article. To subscribe to the AGFC’s publication, call 800-2832664 or visit www.agfc.com.

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 43

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Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 45

Your Number’s Up Restrictions Help AGFC Manage Population, Keep Ratio of Bucks to Does Nearly Even After Deer Harvest Totals Shot Through Roof in 2012

By Jim Harris 46 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Arkansas’s deer harvest in 2012 blew away the state’s previous record by nearly 20,000, and the number of fawns that biologists have seen in 2013 tells them the deer population is in great shape.

To top that off, the state has had a reasonably wet spring and summer despite some areas having drought conditions — though nothing like the summer of ’12.

All those positives indicate nothing worse than a good season for the state’s thousands of deer hunters in 2013.

“I think we’re living in the green pastures right now,” said Cory Gray, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s deer program coordinator and a certified wildlife biologist.

Arkansas hunters checked 213,487 deer in 2012, exceeding the previous mark of 194,687 in 1999. The bountiful 2012 harvest also marked an 11 percent jump over the previous year’s total of 192,748.

“We came out of the spring in good shape,” Gray said of the observations around the state of the deer population.

“We’ve been seeing a lot of fawns, everywhere we go in the state. Our staff is collecting data from what they’re seeing and I expect to see a good fawn recruitment rate from what we’ve seen so far.”

“Recruitment” of fawns is the biologists’ technical term

for production from one season to the next, and those numbers are encouraging again. “That’s the name of the game. We’re going into the season good,” Gray said.

Mast-dependent deer have plenty of acorns and other food sources in the Ozarks and Ouachitas this year. Good pecan production in the Delta is resulting in large deer in eastern Arkansas.

South Arkansas, meanwhile, is known for quantity of deer, rather than quality, and that’s right in Gray’s backyard of Monticello. “We have a really good habitat down there,” he said. “The pine thicket makes for good habit. It’s rural, also. When you look at the habitat composition, it’s real thick cover and a great place for the deer to hide their fawns, raise a fawn.”

The biggest deer, born out by results from last January’s Big Buck Classic, seem to be found in eastern Arkansas, though the mountainous regions are gaining ground, Gray said.

“We are seeing more coming out of the Ozarks, and the Ozarks can grow good deer,” Gray said. “But wildlife is always a direct byproduct of soil fertility. When you look at eastern Arkansas and those Delta soils, its very high in minerals and nutrients. Then you have the soybean production, very good legumes, which is very good during antler growing time.”

Source: Cory Gray, AGFC Deer Program Cooridinator Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 47

The antlered buck harvest in 2012 totaled nearly 97,000, up almost 12,000 from 2011. Arkansas hunters also took 10 percent more does in 2012 from 2011, up to 103,039.

The AGFC’s goal, Gray is, is to keep that buck-doe ratio as close to 50-50 as possible.

Managing Population

Try to imagine how far the deer population in Arkansas has come since 1938, when just 203 deer were harvested.

The AGFC’s work in restoring deer has led to six-figure kill totals in every year of the past 25, with the exception 1990.

Better technology has allowed hunters to report their kill easier. Gray, in a report given to the commissioners earlier this year, said that more than 63,000 deer killed were checked via the AGFC’s smart phone application.

Another 40,000 were checked by Internet.

Arkansas employs a statewide antler restriction regulation (3 point), and in three hunting zones last season (Zones 16, 16A, 17) began instituting a regulation that a buck must have a 15-inch inside spread or an 18-inch main beam.

“That’s to provide diversity in our management plan,” Gray said. “Those spreads target a three-and-a-half years or older buck.”

Such restrictions require good judgment on the part of the hunter to bring down a deer in those zones. Gray said violations of the regulation haven’t been a problem.

“We feel like we have a good bunch of hunters out there, especially the ones hunting in the Wildlife Management Areas [public grounds],” he said.

The AGFC has moved toward what Gray termed a “total herd management concept.”

“We’re always

focused on the males,” he said. “We do that with antler restriction and bag limit. But in recent years we’ve done more in our management of the female population. Age structure of the females is just as important. We have to make sure they [the deer] are balanced each winter with the habitat and that they are healthy. We’re making sure that the harvest sex ratios are lining up and we’re getting more to a 50-50 harvest.

“You can’t keep in the deer business long with a 70-30 harvest.”

Managing the population in growing urban areas of mostly rural Arkansas is also a focus for the AGFC, Gray said.

“One thing we’re noticing in north Arkansas, especially Northwest Arkansas, the population is exploding, and they are harvesting lately what has been harvested in south Arkansas for many years,” Gray said. “With all that urban growth there, we are trying to get ahead of that population growth.

“Our regulations are reflective of that. We’re steadily liberalizing the doe bag limit, getting ahead of that deer herd and keeping our sexes balanced.”

Gray is willing to conceded that while 2013 should be another great year for deer hunters, the final harvest numbers may not reach 2012’s record total.

“When you shoot a lot of them in 2012, we may see a little more decrease in the buck harvest in 2013.”

Elk Continue to Show Gains

2013-14 Deer Hunting Seasons

A record 44 elk were harvested during the 2012 hunting seasons, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologist Wes Wright reported in a meeting of commissioners earlier this year.

In 2012, 20 bull elk and 24 antlerless elk were harvested during hunting seasons in September and October in territory near the Buffalo River. The previous record was 38.

Since 1998, when elk hunting began in Arkansas, 376 have been harvested (195 bulls, 181 antlerless). Harvested elk are weighed, ages are estimated and blood samples are taken for disease tests. Elk also are tested for chronic wasting disease.

Wright said a recent survey found at least 620 elk on public and private land, up from 453 counted during the previous survey.

The 2013 elk hunting season will take place in two segments, Oct. 7-11 and Oct. 28-Nov. 1.

The first segment of elk season previously has been held in September.

Last April the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission set the state’s deer hunting seasons with modern gun deer season opening Nov. 9, archery season opening Sept. 28 and muzzleloader season opening Oct. 19.

48 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Archery – All zones: Sept. 28-Feb. 28, 2014.

Modern Gun - Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10 and 11: Nov. 9-Dec. 1.

Zone 4: Nov. 9-10.

Zone 5: Nov. 9-10 and Nov. 16-17.

Zones 4A, 5A, 14 and 15: Nov. 9-Dec. 8.

Zones 4B and 5B: Nov. 9-17.

Zones 9, 12 and 13: Nov. 9-Dec. 15.

Zone 16, 16A and 17: Nov. 9-Dec. 25.

Muzzleloader – Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4A, 5A, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10, 11, 14 and 15: Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 14-16.

Zones 9, 12, 13, 16, 16A and 17: Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 29-31.

Zones 4, 4B, 5 and 5B: Closed.

The statewide Christmas holiday modern gun deer hunt is Dec. 26-28. Youth modern gun deer hunts will be held Nov. 2-3 and Jan. 4-5, 2014. A private land antlerlessonly modern gun deer hunt in zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 8, 8A, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A and 17 will be held Oct. 12-16.

The Commission also set deer season opening dates for 2014. Archery season will open Sept. 27, 2014; muzzleloader season will open Oct. 18, 2014, and modern gun season will open Nov. 8, 2014.

For a summary of the 2012-13 hunting regulations, visit the Commission’s website: http://www.agfc.com/enforcement/Pages/EnforcementRegulations.aspx.

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 49

Charles and Lake Norma. For more information contact Rae Ann Fields at 501-847-4702.

calendar events EIGHTH ANNUAL HOT SPRINGS MOTORCYCLE RALLY

Sept. 5-7: Top name entertainment, bike show, parade, rides, vendors, field events and much more. For registration information visit www.thehotspringsrally. com. Location: Hot Springs Convention Center. For more information contact Fred Anderson at 501-282-7076.

43rd ANNUAL EUREKA SPRINGS ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE FESTIVAL

Sept. 6-7: Hundreds of vintage classics will be at the Village at Pine Mountain in a competition for prizes and trophies. Includes show with parade with the 1922 Bank Robbery re-enactment after the antique car parade.

Admission free for spectators. For more information call Donna Shepard at 479-253-8737.

21st ANNUAL ANTIQUE TRACTOR AND ENGINE SHOW

Sept. 7: Plantation Agriculture Museum in Scott invites all hit-and-miss engines and pre-1960s tractor exhibitors along with those who love old engines and tractors. No charge for exhibitors or visitors to the outdoor show. For more information call the Plantation Agriculture Museum at 501961-1409.

OWL PROWL

Sept. 8: Peek into the darkness and discover a world filled with owls. Join a park interpreter on a guided hike along the Arboretum Trail in search of the elusive nocturnal hunters. Advance payment is required. Admission: $5.

Location: Arboretum Trailhead. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

22nd ANNUAL HOT SPRINGS JAZZ FEST

Sept. 8-15: Outdoor and indoor venues. Several bands, workshops and clinics featuring world class musicians.

Admission: some free, some charge. Location: Various venues downtown Hot Springs. For more information contact Gretchen Taylor at 501-627-2425 or visit www. hotspringsjazzfest.com.

70th ANNUAL GARLAND COUNTY FAIR & LIVESTOCK SHOW

Sept. 9-14: Demolition Derby Friday and Saturday night starting at 7:30 p.m. Also, beauty pageant and livestock show. Admission: $5 ages 5-12; $10 ages 13 and up. Pit Pass: $15. Ground Admission: 4 and under free; 5 and up $1. Location: Garland County Fairgrounds. For more information contact Kathleen Wright at 501-282-1510 or visit www.garlandcountyfair.net.

50 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

5th ANNUAL CONWAY ECOFEST

Sept. 14: Ecofest is for all ages and blends food, activities and music with a balanced interactive exploration of connections among environmental issues and daily life. Topics: energy, natural resources, org/agriculture, outdoor activities, recycling, transportation, wildlife, and more. Enjoy animals, cardboard car derby, cooking demos, kites, marketplace, and more. Friday pre-event: Star Party. Free admission. Location: Poplar Park across from the Conway High School. For more information contact Ashley Spurr at 501-548-2957 or visit www.conwayecofest.com.

BOY SCOUT RETREAT

Sept. 14-15: The staff at Pinnacle Mountain State Park will be hosting their first Boy Scout Retreat. Arkansas State Parks play host to this overnight retreat for Boy Scouts where they can attend series of different activities that will go towards helping them receive their merit badges.

Scouts will need to provide their own tents and food.

Contact the park for registration details at 501-868-5806.

14th ANNUAL BIKES, BLUES & BBQ

Sept. 18-21: Taking place in Fayetteville on Dickson Street, at Baum Stadium and the Washington Country Fairgrounds and NWA Mall. Bikes, Blues & BBQ is the nation’s largest charitable motorcycle rally. Free admission. For more information contact Coleson Burns at 479527-9993 or visit www.bikesbluesandbbq.org.

LIGHT THE NIGHT WALK

Sept. 19: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) sponsors a Light The Night Walk, which is a nationwide evening fund-raising walk to celebrate and commemorate lives touched by cancer. LLS’s Light The Night Walk campaign has raised millions of dollars for research and patient services. Attendees walk along a one-mile route carrying illuminated balloons-white for patients and survivors, red for supporters, and gold for team walking in memory of a loved one. Admission: Donations with the hope of raising $100 per person. Location: Riverfront Park. For more information contact Kim DuPas at 501-227-6416 or visit www.lightthenight.org/gat.

26th ANNUAL BRYANT FALL FEST

Sept. 21: This is a kid-friendly festival with pancake breakfast, parade, pumpkin bling contest, duct tape boat race, kids’ fishing derby, Kidzland bounces, slides, attractions, food vendors, hula hoop and baby crawl contests, entertainment, arts, crafts, money in the hay, treasures in the sand and business booths. Free admission and parking. Kidzland is $15. Location: Bishop Park, Lake

37th ANNUAL SHERWOOD FEST

Sept. 21: Live music, games and vendors make this a fun, family-friendly event. To be a vendor, participate in the cutest kid contest, or to get a list of activities, please email Sarah Coulter at sarahc@sherwoodparks.com. Location: Sherwood Forest.

FALL FAMILY DAY

Sept. 21: Bring the family for a day of free, fun activities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heifer Village. Learn what’s in season in Arkansas. Find out why buying locally is important and see how Heifer International is changing the world one season at a time. Free admission. For more information call 501-907-2697.

GASTON’S FLY FISHING SCHOOL

Sept. 21-22: Frank has developed many new techniques for catching fish here on the White River, ones that will make you a much better fly fishermen, no matter what you fly fish for. Most of all, he is a great teacher and very gifted at sharing what he has learned over the many years of fishing. Admission: $240. Call 870-431-5202 to make your reservations.

BAT WATCH

Sept. 22: Will bats suck our blood and get caught in our hair? Find out the answers to these questions and explore other bat myths as well. Come watch the bats emerge with a park interpreter and learn why their airborne acrobatics are so beneficial to humans. Wear sturdy shoes and be prepared to walk through low brush and tall grass.

Free admission. Location: Environmental Education Pond. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

PETIT JEAN 16th ANNUAL SWAP MEET

Sept. 25-28: More than 500 spaces available filled with cars, parts, antiques, memorabilia, arts and crafts, and a little something for everyone. Open car show held on Saturday. Location: Museum of Automobiles at Petit Jean Mountain State Park. For more information call 501-727-5427.

MARY’S 5th ANNUAL PUMPKIN PATCH

Sept. 26-Nov. 9: Hay rides, farm animals, maze, train rides, picnic areas, swings, slide, Western town, hay mountain, bounce house and loads of fun for the whole family. Bring your camera. Admission: $7.50 per person. Location: Mary’s Pumpkin Patch (3705 Hwy. 5 North, Bryant). For more information contact Glynn Reynolds at 501-847-3900.

CRUISIN’ IN THE ROCK

Sept. 27: Little Rock’s premier car event has been bringing gear heads together for 14 years across the capital city.

Now held in the River Market Pavilions, there will be music, fun, door prizes and awards for best cruiser, truck and motorcycle. Free admission. For more information contact Carol Dolan at 501-517-1966.

LEGENDS BALLOON RALLY

Sept. 27 and 28: Hot air balloons and live music are on the agenda for the Legends Balloon Rally in Hot Springs. The Rally takes place at Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport

on Highway 70 West. Free admission. For more information contact Chrissy Egleston at 501-321-2027.

BIG DAM BRIDGE 100

Sept. 28: The race starts at La Harpe Boulevard in Little Rock. The finish line is at Main and Fifth Streets in North Little Rock. The trolley rails will be covered.

Distances offered: 16, 30, 50, 68, and 100 miles. For more information contact Fred Phillips at 870-246-6686 or visit www. bigdambridge100.com.

5th ANNUAL FAMILY FUN FEST

Sept. 28: A family atmosphere featuring live music and entertainment, a Kids & Teen Zone with inflatables, hands-on activities, exciting games, rock-climbing wall, creative crafts, and more. We will also have over 100 vendor booths to visit ranging from business services to arts & crafts. 3 p.m. at Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock. Admission is $5. For more information contact Ashley Hight at 501-372-5959 or visit www.familyfunfest.com.

NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAY CELEBRATION

Sept. 28: Special displays and activities highlighting wildlife and fish conservation for all age groups will be available. Location: Central Arkansas Nature Center (602 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock). Time: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission. For more information call 501-907-0636.

SAFETY WEEKEND

Sept. 28-29: Pinnacle Mountain State Park will be hosting a series of programs designed to help keep you and your family safe. This weekend will feature programs on a variety of topics including hiking safety, fire safety, what to do if you get lost, and much more. Contact the park for a detailed program schedule as the event draw nears. Free admission. Location: West Summit Picnic Area. For more information call 501-868-5806.

SCHAEFERS’ CORN MAZE

Sept. 28-Oct. 31: A large and smaller corn maze, scenic hay ride, concession trailer, port-a-potties, train ride “Corn Maze Express,” large corn box for play, hay tunnels, professional playground equipment, picnic tables, kiddie toy rides (wagons, trikes, and cars), hay mounds, sand play area, decorated picture areas, snack shack (drinks, water, and candy) are the things that you will find at Schaefers’ Farm. Very family friendly with straw bales and mums to purchase. Admission: $8 adults; seniors 60 and over, $7, kids ages 3-12, $5, and kids ages 2 and under admitted free. Smaller maze admission: $3; Scenic Hay Ride: $4; Corn Maze Express train ride: $3. Call for details on special group rates. Only cash and checks accepted.

Location: Schaefers’ Farm (Lollie Road, Mayflower). For more information contact Pat Schaefers at 501-329-9381 or visit www.schaeferscornmaze.com.

FALL FLOWER DAYS AT GARVAN WOODLAND GARDENS

Oct. 1-Nov. 15: Fall at Garvan Woodland Gardens offers a rainbow of colors and shapes from just one plant, the chrysanthemum. Hundreds of hardy cultivars provide an array of colors and bloom shapes, making mums the divas of the autumn garden. The blooms last for weeks, not days, and the sheer number of flowers per plant will convince anyone that this flower really likes to show off. Consider the mum’s impressionistic abilities and its

longevity, and you have a plant that pulls its weight in the garden. With the addition of hundreds of asters, pansies, violas, million bells and petunias, plus the dramatic foliage of ornamental chards and mustards, and it’s easy to see why Garvan Woodland Gardens is ranked as one of the top five botanical gardens in America. For more information contact Angie Drennon at 501-262-9300 or visit www.garvangardens.org.

23rd ANNUAL EUREKA SPRINGS CORVETTE WEEKEND

STAR PARTY AT PINNACLE

Oct. 5: Join amateur astronomers at the Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitor Center for an evening with the stars and other celestial phenomena. As twilight settles in, the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society will provide telescopes for viewing objects in the night sky. If cloudy skies prevent observation with telescopes, an indoor program on astronomy will be presented at 9 p.m. Free admission. For more information call the park at 501868-5806.

Oct. 3-6: Low speed autocross at Everett Chevrolet, seminar, hospitality area with cash bar and vendors at Inn of the Ozarks, fuel economy run at Land O Nod. Photo tour to War Eagle car show at Pine Mountain.

Poker Run at Turpentine Creek. Parade of Champions departing Caravans to Branson, Mo., and Clarksburg (Carroll County) and Springdale. Free admission to the public. For more information contact Ben and Mary Beth Whitacre at 417-862-7232 or visit www. eurekaspringscorvette.org.

THE HOT WATER HILLS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL

Oct. 4- 5: Outdoors at Hill Wheatley Plaza in Hot Springs. The twoday event features two stages of music, fine artist, artisans, and all-day-long kids activities. Admission: $5.

For more information contact Bill Solleder at 501-282-9056 or visit www.hotwaterhills.com.

30th ANNUAL TIMBERFEST

Oct. 4-5: Lumberjack championship, horseshoe tournament, bingo, guitar hero, pet, car, bow shoot and talent show. BBQ cook-off; 2K and 5K races; parade; run, pass and kick contest; pinewood derby, and lots of singing in Sheridan’s Town Square. For more information contact Grant County Chamber of Commerce at 870-942-3021 or visit www.grantcountychamber.com.

21st ANNUAL LITTLE ROCK ALZHEIMER’S WALK TO BENEFIT ARKANSAS

Oct. 5: The largest family and corporate teams, as well as the individual, family team, and corporate team raising the most money win prizes. Free admission. Walk T-shirts are free with a $25 donation while supplies last.

Location: Little Rock Zoo. For more information contact Tammy Smith at 501-224-0021.

FALL HARVEST HOME FESTIVAL

Oct. 5: Bringing in the harvest was a central part of home life that every family shared in early Arkansas.

The Plantation Agriculture Museum invites families to celebrate with us the annual gathering of crops and home life from the Arkansas Delta. For more information call the Plantation Agriculture Museum at 501-961-1409.

DUTCH OVEN OUTDOOR COOKING DEMONSTRATION — THE BASICS

Oct. 5: Food always tastes better cooked outside, and cooking over coals in cast-iron Dutch ovens is a longstanding State Park tradition. Join us for this handson Dutch oven demonstration. You will receive a fully cooked meal, a recipe and cooking manual for you to take home. Contact the park to register. Space is limited.

Admission: $30. Location: Ouachita’s Fire Ring, near Trailhead. For more information call Ouachita’s State Park at 501-844-4176.

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 51

speakers, informative handouts included. Restroom and concessions are available. Admission: $22 for adults, $8.50 children. Location: Eureka Springs on Beaver Lake aboard Belle of the Ozarks. For more information contact Capt. Mary Anne Viator at 479-253-6200.

41st ANNUAL CENTRAL ARKANSAS GEM & MINERAL SHOW

Oct. 5-6: Rocks, minerals, jewelry, fossils, beads and more.

Door prizes, demonstrations, kiddie dig site, fabulous mineral displays and discussions, and fun for all ages.

Location: Jacksonville Community Center. For more information contact Tom Sharp at 501-379-8653.

FALL CANOE FLOAT

Oct. 6, 13: Enjoy the fall’s crisp cool air on this canoeing journey through Pinnacle Mountain’s lowlands with a park interpreter as your guide. If the weather conditions are right, enjoy the fall’s colors on the Little Maumelle River’s bald cypress trees. No paddling experience is necessary, but participants should be comfortable around water and wear shoes that can get wet. Advance payment required. Admission: $35. Location: Little Maumelle Boat Launch. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

COLUMBUS DAY LAKE TOUR

Oct. 7: Spend a relaxing afternoon holiday at Pinnacle Mountain State Park with a boat ride. Explore wildlife, rock formations and fall colors all from our tour boat on Lake Maumelle, which is adjacent to the park. Be sure to bring binoculars for some up-close views. Advance payment and registration is required. Admission: $12 adults and $6 for children ages 6-12. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

WETLAND WALK-A-BOUT

Oct. 13: The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in Little Rock’s River Market District invites you to come by for a Wetland Walk-a-bout, 2-3 p.m. every second Sunday through November. Enjoy a leisurely walk along the Arkansas River Trail and on the William E. “Bill” Clark Presidents Park Wetlands boardwalk. This halfmile guided stroll will offer opportunities to view native plants and wildlife. Discover the benefits or wetlands and explore nature downtown. For more information about this event, please contact the Nature Center at 501-907-0636.

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOC. FOUR-MAN GOLF SCRAMBLE

Oct. 14: Entry fee to benefit the American Lung Association includes 18 holes of golf with cart, green fee, range balls, welcome bag and hamburger lunch. Scramble format, Golf Committee reserves the right to adjust handicaps. No handicaps required. Men on white tees, women on red tees. Admission: $70 per player or $280 for a team of four. Location: Stonelinks Golf Course (110 Hwy. 391 North, North Little Rock). For more information contact Don Shipley or Florence Smith at 501-350-0433.

22nd ANNUAL EAGLE WATCH WEEKEND

Oct. 18-20: Daily boat departures at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Expert guides with 24 years’ experience inform passengers about the bald eagles’ features and habitat and help spot eagles on 75-minute cruises. Guest 52 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

27th ANNUAL FRIENDLY CHAPEL FISH FRY

Oct. 18: Volunteers cook and serve a delicious fried fish and chicken dinner at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock. Money raised helps provide thousands of meals for local adults and children throughout the coming year for Brother Paul’s Soup Kitchen and Shelter in North Little Rock. A special line for take-out dinners also will be available. Books of 10 tickets are available for $80 in advance. Time: 5-8 p.m. Admission: $10 for adults at the door; $6 for children ages 5-12. For more information contact Friendly Chapel at 501-371-0912.

2nd ANNUAL PAWS ON PINNACLE

Oct. 19: Do you love dogs? Do you want to learn more about enjoying the outdoors with your dogs? Pinnacle Mountain State Park is having its annual Paws on Pinnacle event featuring informative programs about caring for your dog, getting outside and hiking with your dog, and agility and working dog demonstrations.

The final event of the day will be a dog “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest. Programs begin at 10 a.m. Costume contest at 3 p.m. All well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome. Contact the park for a more detailed program schedule. Free admission. Location: West Summit Picnic Area. For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

HALLOWEEN SEASON FUN AT PETIT JEAN

Oct. 26: Celebrate the “spooky season” on Petit Jean Mountain. Family friendly, nature-related activities will be provided, and costumes are welcome. Contact the park for a schedule (as the event draws near) at 501-727-5441. Free admission.

MUD RUN 2013

Oct. 26: Created for those who think a little differently about running. The Mud Run is definitely NOT your average 5K. The Mud Run is for the adventuresome spirit and is a family friendly race. Participants run, walk, skip, trot and even cavort through our 5K-ish course, which winds through a scenic Little Rock park. Participants must overcome an “obstacle” or two along the way.

Location Two Rivers Park. For more information contact Geneva Hampton at 501-371-4639.

CYCLE FOR SIGHT & KIDS BIKE RODEO

Oct. 26: Annual endurance cycling event to create awareness for eye research and outreach at the Jones Eye Institute. Start time at 8:30 a.m., running until 1 p.m. Go around river trail loop as many times in the allotted time frame. Kids Bike Rodeo starts at 10 a.m., last until noon. Admission: $35 for adults and $10 for children. Location: NLR Riverfront by submarine. For more information contact Shannon Giger at 501-6868638.

22nd ANNUAL DOWNTOWN FALL FESTIVAL & CHILI COOK-OFF

Oct. 26: Started in 1992, this event is a fun-filled street festival held each year on the last Saturday in October.

This daylong celebration hearkens back to the good old days when carnivals set up on the downtown streets. Free admission. For more information contact Main Street Russellville Inc. at 479-967-1437 or visit www. mainstreetrussellville.com.

HALLOWEEN HAYRIDE ON THE MOUNTAIN

Oct. 26, 27, 31: Experience a different kind of Halloween as we enjoy a fun-filled evening hayride, complete with a roaring campfire, roasting marshmallows, and treat. Advance payment and registration is required.

Admission: $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12.

For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501868-5806.

10th ANNUAL MONSTER MADNESS AT MILLS

Oct. 29: Halloween celebration with a haunted hayride on the trail, costume contest, kids’ area with games and bounces, trick-or-treating, and s’mores making.

Admission: $5 for trail and $3 for kids’ area. Location: Mills Park, walking trails and tennis. For more information contact Rae Anne Fields at 501-847-4702.

WINE RESERVE DINNER

Nov. 1: Features five delicious courses created by chefs for the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion and paired with unique wines chosen by renowned sommelier Jonathan Looney. This elegant evening includes live entertainment, silent auction and toasts from literary greats throughout history. Location: Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. For more information contact Wildwood Park for the Arts at 501-821-7275.

HOT SPRINGS CHILI COOK-OFF & CHRISTMAS LIGHTING

Nov. 1-30: The exact date will be announced later in the fall, so check with Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce as the event draws near. Come enjoy the annual Chili Cookoff and Christmas Lighting at the downtown parking garage in Historic Downtown Hot Springs! The Chili Cook-off will be from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Exchange Street Parking Plaza and is a fund-raiser for the holiday lighting display. Lights will be turned on after the event around 6:15 p.m. For more information contact Bob Martorana at 501-321-2277.

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Community Center. For more information contact Robert McIntire at 501-985-1663.

WETLAND WALK-A-BOUT

FALL FOLIAGE LAKE CRUISE

Nov. 2: Experience the beauty of a tree rainbow along the shores of nearby Lake Maumelle, with Pinnacle Mountain on the horizon. Join a park interpreter for a guided tour of these amazing colors. Don’t forget your camera you won’t want to miss the amazing foliage of the Ouachita Mountains. Advance payment is required. Admission: $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-12. Event Location: Jolly Roger’s Marina. For more information and to make your reservations call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501-868-5806.

GASTON’S FLY FISHING SCHOOL

Nov. 2-3: Frank has developed many new techniques for catching fish here on the White River, ones that will make you a much better fly fisherman, no matter what you fly fish for. Most of all, he is a great teacher and very gifted at sharing what he has learned over the many years of fishing. Admission: $240. For more information or for reservations call 870-431-5202.

MADE IN THE MARKET — WILD GAME PREP

Nov. 5: Made in the Market is an exclusive cooking class held in the River Market, using many fresh, locally-grown ingredients available at the Farmers’ Market. Setup for these classes is demonstration style, but chefs may ask for assistance from the group. Cost is $25 per person. Call the River Market at 501-375-2552 for reservations. Seating is limited. Learn about wild game prep and cooking techniques with Arkansas’s own experts through the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

37th ANNUAL CARTI AUXILIARY FESTIVAL OF TREES

Nov. 6-9: Holiday-themed fund-raiser with multiple events and activities. For more information visit the website at www.carti.com/carti-auxiliary-festival-of-trees/ or contact Michaela Johnson at 501-660-7616.

EUREKA SPRINGS FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Nov. 7-10: Experience the culinary excellence of Eureka Springs. Many local restaurants will be featuring their chefs’ signature courses expertly paired with perfect wines around town. For more information contact Gina Drennon at 479-253-7333.

65th ANNUAL ARKANSAS NUMISMATIC SOCIETY COIN SHOW

Nov. 8-10: Dealers from throughout the United States will be on hand buying and selling U.S. and foreign coins, medals, tokens, currency, gold, silver, stamps, jewelry and supplies. Admission: $2. Location: Jacksonville 54 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Nov. 10: The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in Little Rock invites you to come by for a Wetland Walk-a-bout 2-3 p.m. every second Sunday through November. Enjoy a leisurely walk along the Arkansas River Trail and on the William E. “Bill” Clark Presidents Park Wetlands boardwalk. This half-mile guided stroll will offer opportunities to view native plants and wildlife.

Discover the benefits or wetlands and explore nature downtown. For more information about this event, please contact the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center at 501-907-0636.

NATIVE FOODS

Nov. 16: American Indians from long ago ate many of the same foods we eat today. Join a park interpreter in learning about traditional foods eaten by many American Indians.

It wouldn’t be fair to talk about food without taking a sample; participants can try a variety of dishes enjoyed by Native American cultures of the past and present. Food is always better shared, so please bring family and friends.

Come early before the food runs out. Admissions: $3 per person, under 6 free. For more information contact the Toltec Mounds Visitor Center at 501-961-9442.

DUTCH-OVEN COOKING WORKSHOP

Nov. 16: Ever noticed how everything tastes better around a fire? Here is your chance to learn how to cook tasty foods in the great outdoors and discover the secrets of successful Dutch-oven cooking. Advance payment required. Admission: $15 per person. Contact Pinnacle Mountain State Park for more details at 501-868-5806.

CLASSIC CAR CRUISE

Nov. 16-17: Classic and antique car gathering at White River Hoedown parking lot in Mountain View. Great fun and great cars. For more information contact Dee Hanrahan at 870-269-4161.

EAST QUARRY EXPLORATION HIKE

Nov. 17: Often overlooked, the East Quarry peak is an interesting area for unique rocks, plants, history and amazing landscape views. Join us for a mildly strenuous 2.5 mile hike. Bring plenty of water and sturdy shoes.

Binoculars and cameras are recommended. Admission: Free. Event Location: Pinnacle Mountain State Park visitor center. For more information call 501-868-5806.

AROUND THE WORLD THURSDAY

Nov. 21: On the third Thursday of each month, Forty Two in the Clinton Presidential Center allows you to explore the sights, sounds, and flavors of countries across the globe. Guests can savor a five-course tasting menu and enjoy special cultural entertainment. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner served at 7 p.m. Admission: $27.95 per person, reservations required. For more information or to make reservations call 501-537-0042.

HOT SPRINGS OVERNIGHT BICYCLE RIDE

Nov. 22-23: Ride leaves from Ferndale for an overnight ride to the Spa Run in Hot Springs and return, with

overnight stay at the Spring Hotel in downtown Hot Springs. Two-night option available this year. Ride is 40 miles each way with a sag wagon for gear. Free admission.

For more information contact James Britt at 501-912-1449 or visit www.arkansasbicycleclub.org.

CAROLING IN THE CAVERNS

Nov. 23-24: Marvel at the beauty of astonishing formations coupled with the sounds of caroling resounding through the caverns as musicians perform your favorite old-time Christmas songs. Location: Mountain View. For more information contact Dee Hanrahan at 870-269-8068.

2013 DUCK FESTIVAL IN STUTTGART

Nov. 23-30: The festival will start Saturday Nov. 23 with the Queen Mallard and Jr. Queen Mallard Pageants, Duck Widows Tennis Tournament, and Wings Over the Prairie Festival opens Sunday Nov. 24 with Carnival and Midway. Youth Duck Calling Contest is Nov. 27, and registration opens for all of the following contests Friday, Nov. 29: Children’s Duck Calling Class, Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest, Junior Women’s World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Intermediate World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Last Chance Regional Duck Calling Contest, Carnival & Midway continuing, Arts & Crafts Fair, Commercial Exhibits, Sporting Collectibles Show, Off Road Village, Sportsman’s Party. Event concludes Nov. 30 with with Great 10K Duck Race, arts and crafts fair, commercial exhibits, sporting collectibles show, Junior World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, Senior World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest, World Championship Duck Gumbo Cook-Off, Women’s World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest and 78th Annual World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest. Most events are free; admission charged to Duck Gumbo CookOff and Sportman’s Party. For more information on dates and times visit www.stuttgartarkansas.org.

16th ANNUAL PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN RENDEZVOUS

Nov. 29-Dec. 1: Step back in time around 200 years.

Learn some of the survival skills through a variety of demonstrations. Admission: Free. Location: Petit Jean State Park. For more information contact Cheyenne Cohee at 501-727-5441 or visit www.petitjeanstatepark.com.

MOUNTAIN HARBOR RESORT LIVE AUCTION & SPAGHETTI DINNER

Nov. 30: Come in casual attire for an evening of good oldfashioned socializing with spaghetti and all the fixings, and a live auction featuring local crafts and artwork, resort giveaways, and more. All event proceeds go to the Joplin Volunteer Fire Department. Location: Harbor Lodge. For more information contact Adriane Barnes at 870867-2191.

FALL HAYRIDE AND CAMPFIRE

Nov. 30: Jostle, bounce and laugh your way across the fields and through the woods on a guided hayride.

Followed by a warm campfire with stories, hot chocolate, and marshmallows. Advance payment required.

Admission: $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12.

For more information call Pinnacle Mountain State Park at 501868-5806.

WHEN IT COMES TO

relaxation THERE’S JUST SOMETHING IN THE WATER

k

It’s the little things that make a vacation big. Like settling into a spa bath fed by a natural spring. Or discovering a new stretch of shore on a different lake each day. For a big vacation that’s just a small tank of gas away, visit HotSprings.org or call 1-888-SPA-CITY. Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 55

FOWL OUT A PICTORIAL OF WATERFOWL HUNTING FROM THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION

PHOTOS BY MIKE WINTROATH

56 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 57

PARTING SHOT Don’t Take Our Good Fortune for Granted 1963 was a year that both inspired and haunted Americans, and it continues to do so. Now 50 years later, we’re reminded by anniversaries of the many events in our country’s history all compacted into a brief period of 1963. The way days fall 50 years after the fact, they coincide with the same actual day of the week as they did in 1963.

Maybe this coming Friday, Nov. 22, a few of you will remember exactly where you were and what you were doing 50 years ago this day. I recall Mrs. Halsell, my first-grade teacher back at Trinity Episcopal School in Pine Bluff, coming back into our room a tad tardy from lunch break, teary-eyed as she tried to explain to our little minds in the softest way she could that the young, vibrant President Kennedy wasn’t president anymore but that the meaner, olderlooking guy in the picture next to Kennedy’s on the wall behind her was now president.

Then we were told our moms would be coming shortly to get us and school was ending early.

As I compose this before we send the magazine off to the printer, I’m reminded of the monumental March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 1963, gave one of history’s greatest and most beautiful speeches, requiring a mere 16 minutes while the 200,000 people lining the Reflecting Pool and a national TV audience listened.

Before President Kennedy’s tragic date with destiny in Dallas on a political swing through Texas the week before Thanksgiving, he made an appearance a month earlier in Arkansas. On Thursday, Oct. 3, 1963, Kennedy dedicated the Greers Ferry Dam in Heber Springs, which was 58 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013

one of the last hydroelectric projects since before Arkansas’s statehood, in the state to be finished following yet nothing at Greers Ferry, which congressional legislation in 1940s was just what the name says — a ferry and 1950s to control flood waters and across a river connecting Highway power a poor, rural state.

16 — could have been possible Before Greers Ferry and the without the federal effort to bring damming of the Little Red River, hydroelectric power and control Arkansans had seen the construction flooding. The same is true for Bull of dams on the White and Ouachita Shoals, Flippin, Hot Springs, Mount rivers that indirectly created some Ida, Arkadelphia and the resulting of the best fishing and recreational massive boating industry that sprang getaways any state can boast. up around these towns near these The frigid waters produced by new large bodies of water. pooling around the dams on the Arkansas completely changed White and then the Little Red and over a 15-year period, from the start North Fork eventually led to the of the Bull Shoals Dam to Kennedy’s introduction of non-native trout into dedication in Heber Springs 50 Arkansas. On the lakeside of those years ago. dams, sport fishing for bass and The folks in Cleburne County are more flourished. Businesses geared celebrating 50 years of Greers Ferry to fishing the various species — for Lake and the dam’s dedication this instance, Lindsey’s Resort near Heber fall. It’s a good time to remember how Springs and Gaston’s near Bull Shoals Arkansas became a place of bountiful — sprang up and have been popular lakes and rivers — populated by a destination spots ever since. vast range of fish from those favoring Just a handful of years after Greers warmer water (bass, bream, crappie) Ferry Dam was dedicated, a visionary to cool (trout). named Herbert Thomas Sr., who ran Fifty years ago, while we were First Pyramid Life Insurance Co. in inspired by the words of visionaries Little Rock, helped create a resort like King and shaken by the end community out of a small peninsula of Camelot, a new and different of land jutting out into the lake.

Arkansas was ushered in as well.

Known as Eden Isle, JFK at Greers Ferry, the president’s last public appearance it now has one of outside Washington before his fateful trip to Texas. the most popular marinas on the new lake and is home to the Red Apple Inn & Country Club, which has been around since the late 1960s and recently underwent a renovation of its rooms.

Some of the young ’uns assume these lakes have been here

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10320 Stage CoaCh rd 501-455-3475

7507 Cantrell rd 501-614-3477

7525 BaSeline rd 501-562-6629

please visit us at www.edwardsfoodgiant.com

2203 north reynoldS rd, Bryant 501-847-9777 Fall 2013  Arkansas Wild | 59

Drive with pride.

Now available at a revenue office near you.

agfc.com Visit an Arkansas Revenue Office near you or call 1-800-364-GAME to purchase a gift certificate now. Of your $35 purchase, $25 benefits the scholarship program and other educational efforts of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

60 | Arkansas Wild  Fall 2013