AGFC proposes trio of waterfowl adjustments

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission proposed three regulations for the upcoming waterfowl hunting season Thursday at its monthly meeting at Little Rock Central High School.

It also was a day to celebrate former Commissioner Tommy Sproles, who attended the meeting.

Following a recommendation change in the migratory bird season frameworks from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Commission proposed setting the 2025 teal hunting season for Sept. 20-28, a reduction from the previously allowed 16 days in 2024 to nine.

Commissioner Rob Finley, chair of the Commission’s Regulations Committee, said the reasoning behind the change was a drop in the latest blue-winged teal population survey.

“When this population falls below 4.7 million, the federal framework calls for a reduction in the number of early teal season days,” Finley said. The survey showed the population at 4.6 million.

Raising the northern pintail daily bag limit to three also was proposed.

“The federal frameworks allow an increase in the daily bag limit for northern pintail following the new interim harvest strategy adopted by all four flyways and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” Finley said. “This harvest strategy will be implemented until there has been three seasons with a three-bird bag limit and two years to analyze the data to conduct a full evaluation of the strategy.”

The Commission also proposed scheduling both the youth and active duty/veteran military waterfowl hunts for Feb. 7-8. Commissioners will consider the three proposals in April.

Four regulations changes presented by Deputy Director Brad Carner were adopted by unanimous vote. Conway County was added to the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone, and a ban on using natural deer urine as an attractant was lifted. Harvest definitions for deer on Ed Gordon Point Remove, Lake Overcup and Cove Creek Natural Area wildlife management areas in Conway County, and Norfork Lake WMA in Baxter County were adjusted; the terms “legal buck” and “doe” were exchanged for “antlered buck” and “antlerless deer.” The requirement that an antlerless deer must be harvested and checked before an antlered buck may be taken on Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA was removed.

The other regulations change was simple housekeeping: A regulation that considered an area baited for turkey for 10 days after removal of the bait was inadvertently removed from the codebook during the last regulations cycle; it was reinstated.

In other meeting developments, Rachel Worthen of the AGFC Operations Division explained that several power lines and water lines must be moved at William H. Donham State Fish Hatchery in Corning to accommodate a highway bypass project. She also mentioned that a right-of-way easement will be given for two water lines at Lake Elmdale near Springdale. The Commission voted in favor of the adjustments.

Emily Roberts, the AGFC’s fire program manager, spoke about the importance of prescribed fire and the advances the agency has made over the last 40 years with the help of partner agencies.

Eric Maynard, an assistant chief in the AGFC’s Education Division, drew attention to the agency’s birds of prey program by displaying a live barred owl to the audience.

Thursday’s meeting originally was scheduled for February at Central High to honor Sproles, the first Black commissioner from any state fish and wildlife agency, and to celebrate Black History Month. That meeting couldn’t be held at Central because of winter weather.

Sproles, who was appointed to the AGFC by Gov. Bill Clinton July 26, 1983, was introduced by his twin grandchildren, Cameryn and Colin Sproles. Colin is student body president and Cameryn is senior class president at Central.

“This appointment was truly an honor for our family and our state,” Colin said. “So, even though I was not born at the time, I have no doubt that my grandfather served his seven years with dignity, honor and respect.”

His grandfather, 80, spoke about the importance of students following scientific fields of study during brief remarks.

“The Game and Fish Commission is a science-based agency,” Sproles said. “The recommendations that they make are scientific. Kids here need to know that. Everything the Commission does is mostly science-based. You can’t take politics totally out of bureaucracy, but you can base your decisions that are going to impact our future environment and our resources on science.”

Sproles’ seven-year term was followed by Clinton’s second appointment of a Black commissioner, Dr. James E. Moore of Little Rock, in 1990.

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PHOTOS:

SPROLES
Former Commissioner Tommy Sproles hugs his grandson, Colin Sproles, after Colin introduced him at Thursday’s Commission meeting. Photo by Mike Wintroath.

AHFH AWARD
Ronnie Ritter (right) of Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry presents Jeremy Brown, AGFC Deer Management Assistance Program coordinator, with an award for his work promoting the AHFH snack sticks program. Photo by Mike Wintroath.

OWL
Eric Maynard of the AGFC Education Division talks about birds of prey with a live barred owl on his arm at Thursday’s Commission meeting. Photo by Mike Wintroath.