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ARKANSAS
WILDLIFE
January/February 2012
editorial
Volume 43, Issue 1
January/February 2012
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COMMISSIONERS
Chairman
George Dunklin Jr., Stuttgart
Vice Chairman
Ron Pierce, Mountain Home
Progress Through Partnerships
Thanks to Team Efforts, We Get It Done
E
ach year, people make New Year’s resolutions to improve themselves or make a
difference. My resolution is to do a better job of recognizing all the people who
help the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission accomplish its mission.
The AGFC exists because of the wisdom of our parents and grandparents, but it can’t
succeed if we do not continue making wise decisions and getting the most impact with
every dollar and man-hour spent. There’s no better investment than a partnership to
tackle responsibilities and tasks to reach a common goal.
Some partnerships, such as establishing a minimum flow of cold water on our trout
tailwaters (which will improve the quality of fish habitat), require national influence and
backing. The federal government will pay the cost of minimum flow as an environmental
benefit to the nation, but the AGFC will pay the cost of moving recreational facilities
on Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes. I am pleased to announce that work on Norfork Lake
was completed in 2011, and minimum flow should begin this year. Work on Bull Shoals
facilities will begin later this year, and minimum flow should begin there in 2013.
Other partnerships may be as simple as recruiting and working with volunteers to
teach hunter education, boating safety or remove litter from streams and shorelines.
These efforts may seem small compared to well-publicized national campaigns, but they
are just as important. I would hate to imagine what the woods and waters would look
like without every person pitching in.
I encourage everyone reading this magazine to make a late New Year’s resolution –
take a moment to contact an AGFC regional office or nature center and ask how you
can be part of a partnership to help the outdoors. There’s always a way to help out, and
there’s no better feeling than knowing you’re part of something that will be remembered
for years to come.
Don’t wait until December and wish you had done more. Visit agfc.com or call 800-364-4263 and start making a difference today.
Rick Watkins
Little Rock
Fred Brown
Corning
Ron Duncan
Springdale
Steve Cook
Malvern
Emon Mahony
El Dorado
Fred Spiegel, Ph.D.
U of A
AGFC STAFF
Loren Hitchcock
Director
Ricky Chastain
Deputy Director
Mike Knoedl
Deputy Director
Mike Armstrong
Deputy Director
Education and
Information
Lori Lynch
Chief
Human Resources
Andrew Bass
Chief
Enforcement
Open
Chief
Information
Technology
Darla Bryant
Chief
Engineering
Dale Gunter
Chief
Legal
Jim Goodhart
Chief Counsel
Fiscal
Gary Prince
Chief
Operations
Mike Wilson
Chief
Fisheries
Mark Oliver
Chief
Wildlife Management
David Goad
Chief
MAGAZINE STAFF
Jeff Williams
Editor
Randy Zellers
Managing Editor
Trey Reid
Field Editor
Jeanne Zaffarano
Designer
Mike Wintroath
Photographer
Arkansas Wildlife (USPS 031-460, ISSN 1063-0953) is published bimonthly
by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Periodical postage paid at Little
Rock, Arkansas 72201.
POSTMASTER: send address changes to Arkansas Wildlife, P.O. Box 7777, Red
Oak, IA 51591-0777. Subscriptions department: 1-800-283-2664. Domestic
rates: $8, one year; International rates: $20, one year; single issues are $2,
subject to availability.
Submission guidelines available upon request. The Commission accepts no
responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Permission
to reprint material from Arkansas Wildlife must be obtained from the writer,
artist or photographer, as well as the editor.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission receives federal financial assistance
in sport fish and/or wildlife restoration. Under Title VI of the 1984 Civil Rights
Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act
of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department
of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, sex or handicap. If you believe you have been discriminated against
in any program, activity or facility as described above, or if you desire further
information, please write to: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, ATTN:
Compliance Officer, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205-9986
or The Office for Human Resources, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Department of
the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.
Loren Hitchcock,
Director
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
6
6 Dollars for Ducks
Too good to be true? There’s no other way to describe the Wetlands Reserve
Program offered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. By Randy Zellers.
DEPARTMENTS
4 Letters to the Editor
22 Naturally Speaking
28 Cooking
Bad Accident Goes Well 32 Photography
34 Scales of Justice
Trevor and Jakeb Durham were looking for ducks on Gillham Lake when 35 Parting Thoughts
their outboard motor hit an obstruction that could have cost them their lives. By Trey Reid.
On the Cover Visions such as this
mallard in flight drive duck hunters to
Hunting and My Family
cold, wet mornings in blinds and boats.
A young hunter from Jacksonville wrote an essay beyond his years that
But hunters should always be prepared for
explained why hunting was important to his family – and to him. the worst. Turn to Page 10 and read two
By Benton Bajorek.
brothers’ harrowing tale of a perfect morning
gone awry. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
10
14
16 Ozark Hellbender Lands on List
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service placed the Ozark hellbender, native only to
Arkansas and Missouri, on the federal Endangered Species List. By Kelly Irwin.
18 The Natural State’s Naturalists
Arkansas Master Naturalists training is one way to learn about the natural
world, help others appreciate nature and become a valuable volunteer. By Jeff Williams.
20 Hooked on Perfection
George Perrin, who lived in Fort Smith, started Rebel Lures in 1962, although
the story of his well-known baits begins a few years earlier. By Jeff Williams.
Back Cover Grasses found on
floodplains are essential to migrating
songbirds during winter. Turn to Page 6
and learn how the federal government is
paying landowners to protect these treasured
resources. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
Subscribe to
Arkansas Wildlife
It’s easy – call (800) 283-2664 or visit
www.agfc.com. Subscriptions are $8 per
year, $15 for two years and $21 for three
years. That’s six issues per year – including
the July-July calendar.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
3
letters
T O
T H E
E D I T O R
Arkansas Wildlife welcomes letters from readers. Please send your thoughts to Arkansas Wildlife only; open and third-party letters will
not be published. The author’s address and telephone number must be included. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
Send letters to jfwilliams@agfc.state.ar.us, fax to (501) 223-6447 or mail to Letters to the Editor, Arkansas Wildlife magazine,
2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205.
Elementary Kids Enjoy
Reading About Outdoors
To the Editor,
I read your “Parting Thoughts” column
on the calendar (March/April 2011) with
much amusement – you really can’t please
everybody all the time. What one person
likes, another detests. Your article was
filled with good-natured humor, very well
done.
I am a library media specialist for
an elementary school and receive
your magazine. Many of my students,
especially the fourth- and fifth-grade boys,
are avid hunters and fishermen, and they
love your magazine. In fact, they like it so
much I’ve tried finding other magazines
on hunting and fishing, but all I can find
are definitely for adults (not the articles,
but the ads – definitely adult material!).
Thanks so much for your magazine and
all that you provide.
Pamela Powell
Heber Springs
Reading Small Print
Can Be a Headache
Mr. Jeff Williams,
Have you had a chance to read 201112 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook? If you
published a calendar like those regs you
would be GONSKY. The print is so small
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
it is unreadable, especially on deer zones.
The glare gives one a very dizzy head. I bet
no tickets are issued for hunting in wrong
zone; if so, hope judge tries to read regs.
Editor’s note: It is a fine photo but I don’t
think the resolution would hold up − plus it’s
vertical instead of horizontal.
Jackie R. Scott
Ozark
Editor’s note: Although the regulations
guidebooks cover a lot of ground, we try
to make them simple and we try to keep
them concise so the cost of printing is
as low as possible. The guidebooks are
available at www.agfc.com, where they
can be enlarged for easier reading.
Always Room for
Another Fine Photo
Mr. Jeff,
I just finished reading the March/April
issue of Arkansas Wildlife. I read the article
on the inside of the back cover about the
calendar. I always enjoy the calendar photos
no matter what they show.
I took a picture last duck season and have
been told by several people it’s a great photo
and I would love nothing more than to see
it in the calendar. However, I’m not sure if
the pixels or resolution is high enough.
Thanks for a great publication and
consideration on the attached photo.
Derek Kildow
Pocahontas
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Photo courtesy of Derek Kildow.
For Those Who Asked:
Patriotic Turtles Returned
Dear Editor,
Since my letter appeared in Arkansas
Wildlife (May/June 2011), several people
have asked me if the turtles have returned.
I’m happy to report that they have.
We are going patriotic this year and
have painted three turtles with red, white
and blue paint.
The first time “Big Red” showed up, I
opened the door and told him to come in
and he did; no doubt he remembered us.
The blue one comes to eat most often,
sometimes twice a day.
The white one is the shyest but likes to
crawl in the pan of water.
This is country entertainment at its best.
Wilma Clary
Lead Hill
Veteran Says Thanks;
The Pleasure Is Ours
Dear Sir,
I have just received my Arkansas
Disabled Military Veteran Lifetime License.
Many eloquent words are used to
express one’s gratitude for the many good
deeds and noble virtues of others, but
none is more appropriate or befitting as
the simple words: “thank you.”
P.S. – Semper Fi
William S. Knighten
Foreman
Editor’s note: Mr. Knighten served with
Marine Corps special operations forces during
the Vietnam War. The Disabled Military
Veteran Lifetime License is available only at
the Little Rock office, 2 Natural Resources
Drive, in Little Rock. There is no age
requirement. Sportsmen must have proof of 60
days of Arkansas residency and proof of military
disability. Call 501-223-6300 for details.
Magazine Covers
Come in One Size
To the Editor,
I subscribe to Arkansas Wildlife for my
high school’s library; the high school art
teacher and myself love the covers of your
magazines. Do you ever publish and sell
posters of the covers? I’d especially love a
copy of the September/October 2010 issue
as it features two of my favorite things:
hummingbirds and sunflowers.
By the way, one of the English teachers
likes using Arkansas Wildlife in her
remediation classes; she says the articles
are the perfect length for struggling
readers to cope with.
Thanks!
Amanda Hutchins
Rison
Editor’s note: Credit for the photo of the
hummingbird goes to Mike Wintroath, the
AGFC photographer. Sorry, we don’t print
posters of Arkansas Wildlife covers.
Bird on a Wire
Is a Common Species
In the September/October 2011 issue
on Page 33, there is a picture of a small
bird perched on a barbed-wire fence. I am
a longtime bird watcher and don’t know
this bird and cannot find it in any of my
books. Please identify this bird for me and
where it might be seen.
Thanks for your help.
Ernest Cook
Taylor
Editor’s note: It’s a barn swallow, common
across most of the globe, including North
America. They’re known for having the deepest tail fork of any swallow. Their nests can
be found under bridges, under eaves and in
abandoned buildings. They essentially build
bowls of mud, grass and twigs held together
by the birds’ saliva. Barn swallows in the
U.S. winter in South America. They head
south in September and begin filtering back
to the southern U.S. around early February.
To the Editor,
We enjoy your fine magazine very much
and wish it could be larger with more articles.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
5
D
ollars
for Ducks
Federal Program Funds Focus on Waterfowl
article By RANDY ZELLERS
photoS by mike wintroath
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably the Wetlands Reserve Program. The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will pay landowners to stop farming flood-prone areas, draw up customized plans
to restore those areas to wetland habitat that will attract waterfowl, pay for contractors to do the initial
work and let landowners profit from hunting leases on improved property.
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
The value of land is determined by much more than how much
rice or soybeans an area can produce. According to Dennis Adkins
of Adkins, McNeil, Smith and Associates Realtors in Little Rock,
hunting leases are big business in Arkansas. Land that used to bring
in a little extra Christmas money is producing nearly as much profit
as farming, especially when it’s poor quality and prone to flooding.
“Quite a few years ago, good duck leases ran $50 to $70 per acre
per year,” Adkins said. “Currently, that estimate is closer to $75 to
$100 per acre per year. Those prices include the price of any flooding,
but no extra amenities such as cabins, blinds or pits.”
Farming Ducks
Scott House, a landowner and conservationist in Cross County,
has seen the value of creating better waterfowl habitat through WRP.
Bearitage Farms, his hunting paradise, includes 275 acres in WRP
and Conservation Reserve Program easements. House has won many
awards for the work on his property, including the 2011 National
Wetlands Award for Landowner Stewardship from the Environmental
Law Institute and the 2010 Conservationist of the Year from the
Southeast District of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“When people ask what I do, I tell them I’m a duck farmer,”
House said. “I don’t want to give figures, but I enjoy duck hunting
throughout the season here, then go to Argentina and live like a king
hunting down there during their spring and summer season on the
profit from my property’s hunting rights.”
When a landowner looks at the price of commodities like
soybeans and rice and maximum potential of land, it’s a hard sell to
leave any acreage unplanted.
“But the land that goes into WRP should never have been cleared
to begin with,” House said. “Most of my land that’s in easements was
cleared in the ’70s and ’80s when soybeans went up to $10 per bushel.
People wanted to plant every square inch of property they had, even if
that land would only produce a crop without flooding every couple of
years. Now that prices are down, those areas are a loss.”
In addition to reducing planting losses, WRP habitat is better in
terms of habitat quality, and it often outproduces cropland in duck
abundance. Information waterfowl managers use to plan habitat
projects suggests that managed moist-soil wetlands offer ten times the
energy to ducks as harvested rice fields.
House agrees.
“In my opinion, Wetlands Reserve Program land can be even
better for attracting ducks than a modern rice field, if it’s managed
correctly,” House said.
According to House, rice used to be a 120-day crop that was
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
7
Scott House stands on land converted from soybean fields (inset) to
prime wetland waterfowl habitat. Inset courtesy of Scott House.
harvested in late September and early October.
When ducks arrived in winter, plenty of wasted grain
was on the ground. But modern farming practices
and improved varieties of rice changed that picture
dramatically.
“The latest combine heads are so good, they’ll take more than 99
percent of the crop off the land,” House said. “You might have 50 to 60
pounds of rice left per acre once the combine is done.”
Modern strains of rice mature much faster than those planted a
decade ago. Instead of a September or October harvest, most of the
grain is pulled off the land in late August. The small amount of rice left
behind often sprouts before ducks arrive in winter.
“I drove home just the other day across miles of rice fields that were
all empty,” House said. “When I got to my land that’s full of grass and
millet, ducks were everywhere. That’s where the food was, so that’s
where the ducks were.
“Through WRP, landowners can be paid a price per acre to enroll
that land that isn’t making a profit. On top of that, you still get to keep
your land and use it for hunting, or lease the hunting rights. And the
government will pay for all the restoration work to create better wildlife
habitat. I’ve been enrolled since 1997 and I really can’t find a downside
to this deal.”
Club Rules
House isn’t alone when it comes to capitalizing on conservation.
Seven Lakes Hunting Club just outside Russellville has used NRCS
conservation programs to improve their property for ducks and deer as
well. Kiah Gardner, a natural resources program technician with the
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and member of the 18-person
club, says programs like WRP are ideal for hunting clubs that own
flood-prone land and aren’t interested in agriculture.
“We started our club when the land was purchased by a farmer who
got it in bankruptcy,” Gardner said. “He had to purchase it as an all-ornothing deal, so he was happy to sell us the acreage that stayed too wet
to farm. We originally purchased 68 acres and leased another 2,000
acres of his cropland. Over time, as the farmer needed extra money, he
sold chunks of unproductive land to us. Today we own more than 600
acres, which gives us enough land to hunt without leasing extra.”
The club continued to let the farmer plant crops on the land for
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
a while, but profit wasn’t on their minds. After a few years of
unsuccessful harvest, the land qualified for programs such as WRP.
“The NRCS won’t let you just buy land and enroll it in WRP,”
Gardner said. “If that were the case, it would be too easy for people
to buy land, get their money back and flip the property to hunters
for a quick profit. The program is about improving wetlands;
improved duck hunting is a side benefit.”
Gardner said his club enrolled
all its acreage in an NRCS
program similar to WRP called
EWPP/floodplain mitigation.
On the ground level, it was
identical to WRP, but it was
formed from federal stimulus
package funds.
“It’s exactly like a permanent
WRP easement,” Gardner said.
“And we’ve been able to really
make a lot of changes to create
better wildlife habitat and better hunting. We also received about
$1,000 per acre when we enrolled.”
The NRCS surveyed the property, drafted plans, built levees to
establish moist-soil habitat and planted bottomland hardwood trees.
The club used the easement money to put in five electric wells and run
power lines to them.
“The NRCS won’t place wells to artificially flood wetlands in this
program,” Gardner said. “But you can’t depend on rainfall to flood
moist-soil units in the Arkansas River Valley. So when we went to
the NRCS about adding them to the existing project, it was readily
accepted.
“Now we have an island of waterfowl habitat in a sea of agriculture.
And because it was all property the farmer couldn’t make much money
off of, we were able to make this a great hunting area without pushing
anyone off their land.”
Ducks in Public
Hunters on public land are benefiting from NRCS funds, too. Luke
Naylor, waterfowl program coordinator for the AGFC, said two recent
additions to the state’s public duck hunting areas were purchased in
coordination with WRP easements.
“(Steve N. Wilson) Raft Creek Bottoms WMA and Frog Bayou
WMA both were bought with NRCS funds paying part of the bill,”
Naylor said. “There were other partners, such as Ducks Unlimited,
involved in these acquisitions and restorations, but we basically used
easement money like a cost-share grant.”
Naylor says purchases like this are always very attractive to the
AGFC. Landowners still receive full value of their property, the AGFC
saves money on the purchase and the mission of the WRP is met.
It also enables the AGFC to work in partnership with the NRCS to
improve wetland habitat after the purchase.
“I’m not saying the AGFC wouldn’t have purchased the property
for public hunting, but offsetting the cost through these programs
definitely put purchasing them on the front burner,” Naylor said. Which creates more land for public hunting.
Kiah Gardner hunts from a blind overlooking natural wetlands instead of rice and soybean fields.
What’s the Catch?
That’s the question asked about WRP easements. After all, nobody
gives away money without a scheme. The government’s “scheme” is
protecting America’s wetlands.
According to “Restoring America’s Wetlands” by the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, wetlands hold as many different
species as some rainforests. Nearly half of North American bird species
depend on wetlands for feeding or nesting, and more than a third
of endangered and threatened species require wetlands to survive.
Wetlands are the filters that improve water quality in rivers and
groundwater supplies. They also absorb the impacts of floods before
water can reach more delicate habitats and soils.
Land enrolled in WRP cannot be farmed or cleared as long as it is in
the program. But land that qualifies for the easement is typically floodprone and has marginal potential.
“The NRCS is particularly interested in restoring bottomland
hardwoods and hydrology in the Lower Mississippi River Valley, the
majority of which lies in (Arkansas), and in the Red River and Arkansas
River valleys,” said USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
State Conservationist Mike Sullivan.
Owner’s Choice
The Wetlands Reserve Program isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition.
Landowners have a few options when enrolling their land to best benefit
their situations. Owners can enter permanent easements, 30-year
easements or cost-share restoration projects with no easement attached.
Permanent WRP easements in Arkansas can bring in as much as
$1,500 per acre. All costs to evaluate, restore and conserve land to create
high-quality wetlands are paid by the NRCS, and all the work is done
through contractors working with NRCS standards.
If “permanent” spooks a landowner’s eardrums, options include
30-year easements that pay up to 75 percent of the easement price and
reimburse up to 75 percent of restoration costs. Again, the landowner
gets some money up front for marginal cropland, and most of the costs
and effort to improve the area for wildlife are paid.
WRP also offers restoration cost-share agreements to restore wetland
functions and values without placing an easement on enrolled acres;
NRCS pays up to 75 percent of restoration costs.
Enrollment Eligibility
Land can’t qualify for WRP immediately. It must be owned by the
applicant for seven years and must have been drained and cropped or
otherwise converted from its original wetland condition.
Qualified land is entered in a competitive bid process. NRCS agents
visit property and score it based on criteria.
“Frequency of flooding, topography, property size and presence of
endangered species are just a few of the criteria that land is scored by,”
said Luke Naylor, waterfowl program coordinator with the Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission. “The more points you have, the easier it is
to win the allotted easement acreage for the state.”
Naylor says land that doesn’t qualify for WRP can be used in
easements and other programs through the NRCS and other federal
agencies. The best way to find programs that improve hunting areas is to
work with an NRCS representative or AGFC private lands biologist.
“These men and women work with programs like WRP all the
time,” Naylor said. “They know when new acreage will be allowed in
the program, what program to target and what enhancements will best
benefit the wildlife.”
For more information about NRCS programs such as WRP, visit
www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov, your local USDA NRCS field service center,
or contact a regional AGFC office and ask to speak to a private lands
biologist.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
9
Jakeb (left) and Trevor Durham after a successful duck hunt. Photo courtesy of Jakeb and Trevor Durham.
Bad Accident
Goes Well
Boating Brothers Catch Breaks Amid Horrible Circumstances
By TREY REID
Trevor and Jakeb Durham were looking for ducks on Gillham
Lake, their johnboat gliding across the water between navigation
buoys. Trevor was at the helm, his hand on the tiller of a
25-horsepower outboard. Jakeb sat near the bow, texting a message on his phone.
Jakeb sent the message to his girlfriend and dropped the phone in
his vest pocket. Seconds later, he and his brother were reeling through
the air and splashing into the cold lake.
The motor’s lower unit struck a hidden obstruction, which jerked
the tiller from Trevor’s hand and caused a sharp right turn that
whipped the men over the port side.
“The next thing I know, I’m hitting the water head and shoulders
first,” Jakeb said.
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Trevor had worn waders for the cold boat ride, and they were filling
fast. He was struggling to stay afloat. But this was just the beginning
of trouble for him and his younger brother.
Jakeb surfaced first. When Trevor’s head popped above the surface
a few seconds later, the first thing he saw was the out-of-control boat
spinning toward them.
“I saw Trevor’s eyes get big,” Jakeb said. “I turned around and saw
the boat and thought, ‘This is it.’ The one thing that popped into my
mind was to protect my head and face. I ducked under the water and
just covered my head with my arms.”
The propeller hit Jakeb’s back and ground to a stop after several
layers of clothes became entangled. He was stuck underwater.
“I thought he was dead,” Trevor said. “Meanwhile, I’m filling up
with water, but I grabbed on to the side of the boat and pulled myself
back in. Jake’s head popped up. I thought he was OK. He was talking
normal. I didn’t know anything was wrong. He said he was OK. He
said, ‘I think it missed me.’ But then I saw a flap of his skin.”
The prop had cut several deep lacerations in Jakeb’s back, but
Trevor didn’t know the extent of his brother’s injuries because he
was still partially submerged.
“He’s asking me if I’m alright,” Jakeb said. “I said, ‘I’m fine.
It missed me.’ And he said, ‘No, it hit you.’ It felt like somebody
slapped me on the back. After that, I didn’t really feel anything.”
When Trevor tried to pull Jakeb into the boat, he realized his
brother’s clothes were wrapped in the prop. Trevor raised the
outboard into shallow drive, which allowed Jakeb to keep his head
above water. With Jakeb bound to the prop, Trevor frantically
paddled the boat toward shallow water while Jakeb pushed at the
stern and paddled with his legs.
In shallow water, Trevor started pulling at Jakeb’s clothes to free
him from the prop. “Once I got his clothes undone,” Trevor said,
“I realized we had a problem.”
Jakeb’s back looked like something from a horror film. The prop
had sliced eight deep, red gashes. Jakeb took off his shirt and tied
it around his brother. Then he set out to remove the rest of Jakeb’s
clothes from the prop and to restart the outboard.
Standing in waist-deep water, Trevor frantically ripped at the
shreds. He freed a fleece vest, a red sweatshirt and a camouflage
Duck Commander T-shirt. With a white T-shirt still standing
between him and a clean prop, Trevor tugged and screamed like a
madman.
“I’m thinking to myself, ‘You need to relax,’ ” Jakeb said. “I’m
sarcastically saying, ‘Need a little help?’ ”
As the shirt ripped away from the prop, the motor dislodged
from the transom and fell in the water.
“I tried to pick up the motor but I couldn’t get it,” Trevor said.
That’s when panic set in.”
With his brother’s back badly cut and a boat motor on the
bottom of Gillham Lake, Trevor ran barefoot up a rocky bluff.
He screamed for help, but there was no one to hear him. He
scrambled back down the bluff to the boat and tried again to
raise the motor.
“My adrenalin kicked in,” Trevor said. “I got back to the boat
and picked up the motor and got it back on the transom.”
He yanked at the pull-cord without success.
“I’m thinking there’s no way this thing is going to crank,”
Jakeb said. “At this point, I’m starting to realize that this may be
worse than I thought.”
Fire It Up
After about five minutes, the wet motor fired, although it
wasn’t running well.
“This thing was rattling something awful,” Jakeb said.
Trevor drove slowly, holding the motor with both hands to
keep it on the transom. Jakeb was cracking jokes.
“I kept telling him to turn around and watch out for stumps,”
Jakeb said.
Their cell phones were soaked, but Trevor grabbed one and
tried to call for help. The phone’s screen was useless after hitting
the water, so Trevor kept hitting the “send” button, trying to call
someone, anyone for help.
“I had no idea who I was calling,” Trevor said. “But it’s all I
could do.”
About halfway back to the ramp, Trevor made a connection. It
was Steve, their father, who was at the family home in Roland, a
few miles west of Little Rock.
“I said, ‘Dad, we need an ambulance at the boat ramp at
Gillham Lake,’ ” Trevor said. “And then the phone shorted out.”
The brothers came across other hunters and flagged them down.
The Durham brothers enjoy time on the water. Photo courtesy of Jakeb and Trevor Durham.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
11
“I was telling them I was sorry for messing up their hunt,”
Jakeb said. “When they got up close to us, they got dead silent. I
realized I had something pretty nasty hanging off my back.”
Trevor and Jakeb boarded the hunters’ boat and raced to the
boat ramp, where a rural fire department volunteer was waiting.
An ambulance had been dispatched, but it had driven to a
different boat ramp.
“My only concern was that I was cold,” Jakeb said. “I’m
thinking, ‘Hurry up, ambulance. I’m freezing’ ”
While waiting for the ambulance, the fire department
responder examined Jakeb. He picked up his radio and said, “We
need the bird.”
That’s when Jakeb realize the gravity of his injuries. He started
trembling – in part from being cold and wet, but more so from
knowing his life might be hanging in the balance.
“That’s when everything kind of hit me,” he said. “I said a
silent prayer and prayed for my life. At that point, I just kind of
accepted it.”
Wireless Worry
Steve and Cissy Durham were at home in Roland, decorating
their barn for a neighborhood Christmas party, when Trevor’s
frantic call came through.
“The first call came through but died before we heard
anything,” Cissy said. “We got another call a minute or two later.
Steve answered it, and said, ‘Where are you?’ And then it died.
He said, ‘The boys have been in a boating accident.’ But I saw the
look on his face before he said anything and knew it wasn’t good.”
Trevor called again, telling his father that Jakeb had been badly
cut and they needed an ambulance at Gillham Lake.
“We didn’t know exactly where they were,” Cissy said. “We
started calling 911, but it’s not easy to get help for someone when
“He told me they were calling in a helicopter and taking Jake
to Texarkana,” Cissy said. “When you hear those words, you
know it’s bad. We didn’t even know if Jake was alive.”
The Durhams reached a family member who was working as
a physician’s assistant at Wadley Regional Medical Center in
Texarkana. She said the helicopter had landed with Jakeb. Corey
arrived at the hospital and updated his parents with reports on
his brother.
But they weren’t prepared to see their youngest son.
“When Steve and I walked in and saw him alive – it still to this
day takes my breath away,” Cissy said.
Seriously Lighthearted
Emergency medical technicians treated Jakeb’s injuries for 10
minutes until the helicopter arrived.
“At this point, I think the ordeal is done,” Jakeb said. “In fact,
I was kind of excited about riding in the helicopter.” Ever the
comedian, Jakeb even joked with medical workers.
“Obviously, I was lying on my stomach, and those helicopters
aren’t very big,” he said. “So I look up and I’m staring straight at
the EMT’s crotch. I’m like, ‘Nice seating arrangement, huh?’ ”
Trevor’s emotions overwhelmed him when the helicopter took
off with Jakeb.
“I was OK and I held my cool up until then,” Trevor said. “But
as soon as the helicopter left, I lost it. I got emotional. I got sick.”
Jakeb underwent several tests before surgery that evening.
There were no broken bones and no damage to internal organs,
although Jakeb said the prop barely missed his spleen, which
likely would’ve caused him to bleed to death at the lake. The
hospital’s medical staff quit counting when they knotted 400
stitches in Jakeb’s back.
“Never until after surgery did I realize how bad it was,” Jakeb
“All I could think about was Jakeb lying out there
on that boat with no one to help him.”
you don’t know where they are or exactly what’s wrong.”
Steve couldn’t reach the couple’s other son, Corey, a firefighter
with the Texarkana Fire Department.
“It was absolutely horrible,” Cissy said. “All I could think about
was Jakeb lying out there on that boat with no one to help him.
It was the horror of knowing they were hurt but not being able to
do anything about it. We were three hours away at best. It was the
worst experience of my life.”
The worried parents jumped in their car and speeded toward
southwestern Arkansas. Cissy “prayed, screamed and cried the
whole way.” Steve remained calm as he worked his cell phone for
information and tried to get help for their sons.
“I probably would’ve never made it to Texarkana if he hadn’t
been so calm,” Cissy said.
The Durhams eventually received a call from Trevor, who had
borrowed a phone from an emergency worker.
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
said. “I really didn’t feel that much pain until I walked for the
first time a day later.”
He spent two days in the hospital, which Cissy said was a
precautionary measure to avoid infection.
A year removed from the accident, the outward signs of Jakeb’s
wounds are fading. But he lives with almost constant pain and
has difficulty sleeping because of extreme discomfort caused by
the deep cuts to the core back muscles. He’s a catcher for the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock baseball team, and he’s
going through physical therapy while he tries to make it back to
the team. He knows it’s going to be an uphill battle.
“This accident has totally and permanently changed his life,”
Cissy said.
Trevor carries psychological scars. “He has had a hard time
with this, too,” Cissy said. “In some ways, it’s been harder on
Trevor than it has on Jakeb.”
But the brothers haven’t let it slow them down. They celebrated
the first anniversary of the accident by hunting on Gillham Lake.
Jakeb said they shot several ducks.
“I don’t think about the accident an awful lot,” Jakeb said. “It’s
not a great memory to think about the time you were stuck to a
boat prop and it was holding you underwater. When I think back
on it, I just think about how awesome Trevor was and how lucky
I am to be alive.”
They’re both slightly skittish during boat rides, and a lot more
careful to follow safe boating rules.
Good Advice
“Wear that kill switch,” Trevor said. “You never know when
something’s going to happen. I have no problem telling anybody
to wear their kill switch. If they don’t want to wear it when I’m
going with them, that’s fine; I just won’t go.”
For all the things that went wrong for Trevor and Jakeb Dec.
18, 2010, they’re quick to mention all the things that incredibly,
maybe miraculously, went right. The motor fired up after falling
in the water, their frantic cell phone call went through on a wet
phone in a remote area of the state, Good Samaritan hunters
appeared, the prop missed Jakeb’s spine by inches and his open
wounds never became infected.
“I thank God every day for how it turned out,” Trevor said.
“There’s a reason we made it. Maybe it’s to share our story.
Somebody was looking out for us. There’s no other explanation,
in my opinion, for us to make it.”
TOP: Trevor (left) and Jakeb Durham show off the T-shirts that were
wrapped around a boat propeller.
BOTTOM: Wounds across Jakeb Durham’s back have healed, although he
still has discomfort. Photos by Mike Wintroath.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
13
What Hunting Means
to
Me and My
Family
Tradition Passes to Next Generation
This essay, written by Benton Bajorek of Jacksonville
when he was 15, earned him an elk hunting trip to Colorado
with his father, George Bajorek, an Army veteran. The winner of the nationwide contest was required to be 12-17 years
old, and the son or daughter of a deployed, wounded-incombat or honorably discharged parent from any branch of
the armed services.
As it turned out, the elk hunting trip became a mule deer
hunt and Benton bagged a 2x2 trophy.
“The mule deer and elk hunting in Colorado is crazy,”
Benton Bajorek said. “The first thing we see when we get
there is eight deer standing in the road.”
Although hunting in Colorado was foreign to him, Bajorek
was able to adapt.
“Colorado shooting can’t be compared to what I usually
do. You’re shooting 300 yards in the wind.
“We saw this deer on top of a hill, one of the first deer of
the day. It was probably a 250- to 300-yard shot.”
Bajorek, now 18 and a freshman at Arkansas State University, said a family friend told his family about the essay
contest, sponsored by the National Guard.
“They were supposed to notify winners by Aug. 1 and
when we didn’t hear anything, we kind of forgot about it. It
was late October or early November when they called and
said I had won.”
Benton Bajorek and his father George with Benton’s Colorado mule deer.
Another view of Benton and his Colorado trophy.
George Bajorek met Wade Boggs, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame,
during a Colorado hunting trip. Photos courtesy of Benton Bajorek.
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Hunting always has been a driving force in my family.
My dad has hunted ever since he was a little boy. But 40
years later, he still is able to teach me the same principles
he was taught when he hunted with his dad.
He helped me set it on top of the fence, aim at the big
doe and then left me to pull the trigger. Once I did, it was
a little chaotic for the fawns. They scrambled and took off
while the doe jumped the fence with the arrow in it.
Hunting to me and my family is based on three things:
food, family time and character.
When we found the deer, we had to gut it and then
took it back on the 4-wheeler. I remember being really sad
at first. I kept on thinking
I had killed Bambi and
felt really sad. I told my
dad about this and then
it started raining. We got
into the truck and he told
me another reason we
hunt.
The reason my dad and
I started hunting was for
the food it provided. He
told me stories about
the cold winters when
he and his three brothers
had to live off the deer
they killed during hunting
season. Also, about when
they were able to hunt
by themselves, they were
given one bullet because they couldn’t afford anything
more than that. They would hunt about a mile from the
deer camp and had to drag the deer all the way back to
camp. This also made me feel fortunate that my dad and
I had a 4-wheeler when we went into the woods. Every
deer my dad and I have killed has not been for getting
a trophy buck, but so we can eat food from our freezer
when money gets short.
When you’re in a deer stand
for more than five hours with
your dad, you either learn to
grin and bear it or you spend
some great time with him.
When you’re in a deer stand for more than five hours
with your dad, you either learn to grin and bear it or you
spend some great time with him.
I still remember the first hunt I went to with my dad. We
went to a relative’s house to do some bow hunting. We
walked down to a fence, set up a camo screen and put
some chairs up to sit in. He told me about deer and their
traits, what they eat and even how to tell their tracks apart
from other animals.
About an hour before the sun went down, three deer
came up about 10 yards away from us. There was one doe
and two fawns. I really didn’t expect to do or see anything
on that trip but when my dad put the crossbow in my
hands, I knew what I had to do.
Deer are overpopulated
in some areas and if
we can’t do our job as
hunters, deer eventually will kill each other. It took a
couple of years to finally understand this but, in a way, I
could tell that what my dad and I did was important. That
day I felt closer to my dad than I had ever been.
Hunting also is a great character builder. Hunting has
taught me things from teamwork to reasonability. It also
has taught me some simple, common-sense things like
paying attention and watching where you’re going. The
most important thing that he taught me was to take your
time. When you’re hunting, you have to take your time,
not only on your shot, but when you walk into the woods
so you don’t spook any deer, and when you track so you
don’t step on blood. It also was able to help me in school.
If I take my time on a test and read every question, I could
achieve my education goals.
Of course, my dad and his military time have meant
a lot to me. Even though he doesn’t like to talk about
his time in Desert Storm, he still tells me he is proud of
what he did for his country. He also tells me that I need
the same type of pride and commitment in whatever I
do with my life. That dedication has helped me not only
in the deer woods, but also that if you set your mind to
something, you can and will go far.
Ozark Hellbender
Lands
on
List
Habitat Loss, Disease Bode Ill for Salamander
By KELLY IRWIN
Citing shrinking habitat and disease, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service placed the Ozark hellbender, native only to Arkansas and
Missouri, on the federal Endangered Species List in early October.
The listing of this large, aquatic salamander was the result of many
years of research and monitoring that demonstrated a severe decline
in population. The studies were a collaborative effort of the Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission, Missouri Department of Conservation
and researchers from several regional universities.
Among the Largest
The Ozark hellbender, also known as the North American giant
salamander, is one of the world’s largest salamanders, exceeded in
size only by its closest living relatives, the Chinese and Japanese giant
Ozark hellbenders are trying to survive deadly trends. Photo by Tim Colston
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
salamanders. Adult Ozark hellbenders range from 16-22 inches long
and are olive green with large black blotches on the back. These fully
aquatic salamanders need cool, free-flowing water, which allows
them to absorb dissolved oxygen through loose, wrinkled folds of
skin along the sides of the body. Crayfish is the primary food of
Ozark hellbenders, but they also eat small fish, earthworms and
hellgrammites.
The Ozark hellbender’s historic range in Arkansas was in tributaries
of the upper White River basin, such as the North Fork of the White,
Spring and Eleven Point rivers. But during the last 50 years, Ozark
hellbenders have lost much of that habitat because of large reservoirs
and increasing sediment in river beds. Sediment buries large rocks
that salamanders need for cover and breeding areas.
Hope in the Lab
A fungal disease causes lesions and sometimes foot loss among
hellbenders. Photo by Tim Colston.
Habitat loss is not the only problem facing Ozark hellbenders.
During the last decade, news articles have reported global
extinction and severe drops in amphibian populations. The
culprit is a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis, caused by
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis – known as Bd. Researchers
from the MDC and I have found Bd among Ozark hellbenders.
Taking a Toll
We do not know the extent of the effects of this pathogen on the
hellbender populations, but it does not bode well for their survival.
We have taken samples to test for bacterial and viral pathogens
that could be causing the loss of toes and feet among salamanders.
We consistently find animals with raw, open sores on the palms of
the feet and tips of the toes, which eventually can lead to the loss
of a foot. In a few extreme cases, we have found individuals that
have lost all four feet and have a raw stump on the end of each leg.
One example that clearly demonstrates the severe population
decline in the Ozark hellbender is from one of the best-known
populations in Arkansas. In the early and mid-1980s, university
researchers marked 365 hellbenders within a 2.5- to 3-mile
section of the Spring River in Fulton County. The Spring River
is very popular for trout fishing and recreational canoeing. An
AGFC-sponsored survey was conducted on the Spring River
from 2004-06 and 12 Ozark hellbenders were found in a 10-mile
stretch of the river.
Many reasons have been suggested for this extreme decline,
ranging from commercial and scientific collection, habitat loss and
disease, but there are no data to definitively support any of these
hypotheses.
Hellbenders are long-lived animals, probably capable of living
for more than 50 years; a recently captured individual in Missouri
was marked 31 years ago. Because they have such long life spans,
they do not add members to their population at a high rate, known
as the recruitment rate. This means that if a large percentage of the
breeding adults is lost from a population, it does not take long for
the population to decline.
To stave off population declines and to ensure that unique
genetic lineages are maintained for each of the river systems in
which Ozark hellbenders are found, a captive breeding program
was established at the Saint Louis Zoo’s Ron Goellner Center
for Hellbender Conservation in 2007, in collaboration with the
MDC. The AGFC donated six adults from the Eleven Point
River to the program in 2009 and donated aquaria, pumps and a
water chiller in 2011. This equipment will be used to rear larvae
to juvenile size within several years, which will ensure their
survival when they are released into the wild as part of a head
start program.
But the big news is that the Saint Louis Zoo bred Ozark
hellbenders last October – the first time hellbenders have
reproduced in captivity. The first eggs – although they weren’t
fertile – were produced during the first year of the program.
That was a major step in what was to come. The herpetarium
features a 32-foot artificial Ozarks stream that’s used to breed
hellbenders. It has a rock bottom and the cleanest water
available. So far, the program is working with eight adult
hellbenders and, at last count, 72 juvenile hellbenders that
eventually will be released.
Perhaps this is a good sign of things to come. To find
out more, visit www.stlzoo.org/pressroom/pressreleases/
hellbenderbabies.
The Ozark hellbender is not a cute and cuddly creature, but
Arkansans should take pride in ensuring its long-term survival
because they are found nowhere else on Earth. The addition
of the Ozark hellbender to the Endangered Species List is not
good news, but it does provide an opportunity for landowners
within its range to have access to federal funds for management
practices that can improve water quality of rivers and streams.
Good water quality is not only good for Ozark hellbenders, it
also improves sport fisheries and enhances our enjoyment of
rivers and streams. AW
Kelly Irwin is the AGFC’s statewide herpetologist.
An Ozark hellbender shortly after hatching at the Saint Louis Zoo. Photo
courtesy of Mark Wanner/ Saint Louis Zoo.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
17
The Natural State’s
Naturalists
Course Certifies Invaluable Volunteers for Agencies
18
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
N
ext time you visit a state park or
nature center, ask a member of the
staff how much they rely on volunteers.
You’re likely to hear something like:
“We’re thankful for every one of them; we
need more.”
Arkansas Master Naturalists training is
one way to learn about the natural world,
help others appreciate nature and become
one of those valuable volunteers. The
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission,
Arkansas State Parks and other agencies
need volunteers for a wide variety of
reasons.
“We offer our services to nature centers,
state parks, city parks and other places,”
said Dwan Garrison, a past president
of AMN. “Many members work in
interpretive services, some people are
gardeners who like the wildlife gardens and
others are interested in maintenance. Many
have taken a two-day chainsaw class to
help with trail maintenance.”
‘I Love Nature’
That’s just a sample of what master
naturalists are able to accomplish. Garrison
joined an AMN chapter in 2006 and went
through AMN training in 2009. She’s
a member of the North-Central AMN
Chapter and is trying to start chapters in
Jonesboro and Hot Springs.
“I love nature and I love Arkansas nature,
and I want to help preserve it for my
children and everyone who comes here,”
Garrison said. “This was a way I could get
with other people and help; I could learn
about things I was interested in.”
She says classes across the state are similar
but not identical.
“The curriculum is a little different in
each chapter. There are about 16 topics
– some are covered by every chapter but,
according to location, they may offer
different topics.
“We have indoor and outdoor classes,
and many of those have hands-on training.
We always have an Arkansas Stream Team
class. We have birding classes – indoors and
field trips – so not only do you learn about
birds, but you learn about binoculars. We
have experts in different fields, some of
them from universities, or we will have
people from Game and Fish, for example.
Kirsten Bartlow (AGFC watchable wildlife
coordinator) does a mammals program;
we have people from Audubon. Experts
from certain fields present overviews, then
at a later date we might have an advanced
program.”
Typical Topics
The course typically includes native plants
and animals, geology, botany, meteorology,
astronomy, public land use, interpretation,
trail design and maintenance, stream
quality evaluation and testing, and other
topics. More than 80 hours of classroom
instruction is available, although 40 hours
must be completed for master naturalist
certification.
The program presents a core curriculum
but each chapter draws on whatever might
be available in its area. Caves in northern
Arkansas or wetlands in eastern Arkansas,
for example.
When the course is over, the fun starts.
“We ask that each member does 40 hours
of volunteer work per year,” Garrison said.
“Our mission is the beneficial management
of Arkansas. We volunteer at natural areas,
state parks, city parks, Game and Fish, the
Christmas bird count for Audubon. In the
North-Central Chapter, my chapter, we’re
doing a biological inventory on 730 acres
of Bull Shoals State Park; it’s a work in
progress.”
Arkansas has about 300 master naturalists.
“We have people from every walk of life,”
Garrison said. “The minimum age is 18. In
Little Rock, many members are still in the
work force. In the North-Central Chapter,
many members are retired, although
now we’re getting a lot of younger people
involved.
“I’m a retired teacher. We have a lot of
people moving into the Mountain Home
area from other parts of the country and
they want to know what’s here. It’s a
fantastic learning experience. I’m learning
about trees, plants and ferns; we have
people interested in building or repairing
trails, all sorts of things.”
Course Details
Schedules vary by chapter, although the
course starts in late January and may run
until early May. Classes, which are held at
several venues, start at 9 a.m. and generally
end about 3 p.m. Saturdays. Chapters
are Central, North-Central, Northwest
and River Valley; Diamond Lakes and
Northeast chapters are in the early stages of
organization.
Each chapter can handle 25-30 students;
each chapter was full last year. The cost
is $165, which includes $135 for the
course and $30 for AMN dues for June
1, 2012-May 31, 2013. Visit http://home.
arkansasmasternaturalists.org and click on
“How do I join?” to find information about
classes within a particular chapter.
“I love it,” Garrison said. “And I love the
people the most. With these people, we can
make a difference.” AW
– Jeff Williams
LEFT: Chainsaw crews helped clear storm
damage at Bull Shoals-White River State Park in
August. Photo courtesy of Dwan Garrison.
RIGHT: Arkansas Master Naturalists assisted with
a clean up on the Buffalo National River last
October. Photo courtesy of Roy Stovall.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
19
Hooked on
Perfection
Rebel Lures Still Popping After 50 Years
By JEFF WILLIAMS
ABOVE: PRADCO’s Lawrence Taylor displays a Mulberry River
smallmouth bass that fell for a Rebel Crickhopper. Photo by
Jeff Williams.
RIGHT: George Perrin (left), now retired in Florida, visits with
another fishing legend, Homer Circle, in this undated photo
courtesy of PRADCO.
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
A
sunny afternoon on a Mulberry River
That held true on this warm fall
gravel bar is the perfect time and place
day in the Ozarks, even on a stream
to contemplate why fish bite. Maybe George
that hadn’t seen rain in weeks. Using
Perrin had a similar experience about 50
Rebel products, we took largemouth
years ago.
and smallmouth bass, as well as
George who? Few anglers recognize Perrin’s
several species of sunfish, by running
name but they know his work.
lures below the surface and drawing
punishing hits on top-water plugs.
Perrin, who lived in Fort Smith, started
With hot baits and consistent sales,
Rebel Lures in 1962, although the story
the company branched into other
begins a few years earlier. His company
angling-related areas.
made plastic parts for refrigerators and air
“Rebel had a great line of bass
conditioners, as well as Dixie cup dispensers,
boats that they produced for about six
but his passion was closer to a creek bank.
years,” Taylor said. “They were used
Lawrence Taylor, fishing public relations
by all the competitors in the very first
director for PRADCO, the umbrella
Bassmaster Classic (1971).”
company that includes Rebel, shared our
Rebel started its bass boat line in
Mulberry River gravel bar. As he told the
1970. As part of the 50th anniversary
story of Rebel, he said Perrin was spurred to
festivities, PRADCO is giving away a
action because he was frustrated by lures that
bass boat wrapped with Rebel graphics.
weren’t consistent.
Visit Lurenet’s Facebook page for entry
“He was not happy with the wooden
Special packages commemorate Rebel’s 50th anniversary
and a history of angling products, including this vintage
information.
minnow baits that were available to him,”
tackle box. Photo by Jeff Williams.
Tackle
boxes came next – plastic instead of
Taylor said. “He decided he could make a better
then-popular metal models – including the
one out of plastic and space-age polymer, as it
first double-sided box. They were designed by anglers and featured
was called.”
hangers for spinners, places for pork rind jars and adjustable storage.
Perrin went to work on the perfect plastic minnow.
“They created worm-proof plastic,” Taylor said. “Every one that
“He made it in two halves glued together and every one ran true
right out of the box – they ran identical,” Taylor said. “He achieved
left the factory had a sticker that said ‘worm-proof.’ ” That was a
exactly what he set out to do.”
big deal in those days; plastics used in tackle boxes dissolved when
Perrin tested his prototypes at Lake Ouachita. When he had a
touched by soft, oily worm baits.
floating lure he was proud of – the Rebel F10 Minnow – he started
Rebel also produced trolling motors, although lures held center
Rebel Lures.
stage no matter which direction the company veered.
Half a Century
All About Innovation
This year is the 50th anniversary of Rebel Lures, which today is
part of a stable of well-known brands at Fort Smith’s Plastic Research
and Development Corporation. It’s the home of Yum, Heddon,
Arbogast, Cotton Cordell, Bomber, Booyah, Creek Chub, XCalibur,
Smithwick and Lazy Ike.
Why did he name his company Rebel? Perrin’s daughter was a
student at Southside High School in Fort Smith – home of the
Rebels.
After Perrin’s F10 Minnow caught on, anglers wanted more.
Along came a jointed version called the Broken Back Minnow,
the Pop-R, the Crawfish and, eventually, a whole line of creek
critters. Rebel became a leading supplier of lures, especially among
stream anglers. An amazing variety of sizes and colors is available at
www.lurenet.com.
“You can catch all kinds of fish and all sizes of fish, too,” Taylor
said of the Rebel line. “I’ve caught everything from tiny smallmouth
(bass) on the Wee Frog to 5-pound-plus largemouth (bass) on a
Pop-R.”
“It was nothing to make 10,000 lures a day,” said Danny Stoner,
a longtime Rebel employee. “We made enough Rebel lures in the
1980s to outfit every man, woman and child in the United States.
Perrin was very innovative in production – we were the first to use
pad printing and a heat-transfer process of decoration.”
Some models took longer than others to catch on.
“We introduced the Pop-R in 1976,” Taylor said. “It lasted
about three years and went out of the line because of low sales. Zell
Rowland, Tommy Martin, Rick Clunn, some of the other guys, kept
buying them in lots of 500 and kept them secret for several years.
When it returned to the line in 1987, we sold more than a million
lures that year.”
PRADCO is part of PRADCO Outdoor Brands, known as POB,
which includes a hunting division. Even with 1,300 products, POB
continues to be innovative. The last time we saw Taylor, he was
showing off the Frog-R, a new top-water plug that walks across
the surface and teases fish. If it’s like its cousins, it’ll catch a few of
them, too. AW
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
21
naturally speaking
Gator Season Yields Three Longer Than 12 Feet
Twenty-two hunters bagged American alligators in Arkansas during
the two-weekend 2011 season. Ten of those were taken on public land.
The largest was 13 feet, 1 inch, taken by Robert Dumas on private
land in zone 1 (southwestern Arkansas). Two other alligators topped
12 feet – Jason Berry bagged a 12-foot, 8-inch gator on private land
and Jonathan Parker took a 12-foot, 2-inch gator at Dr. Lester Sitzes
III Bois D’Arc Wildlife Management Area.
Alligator hunters applied for permits July 16-July 30. Permit
holders must be Arkansas residents 16 or older. An applicant must
hold an Arkansas big game license, and must attend a training
workshop in August to be eligible for a permit. Eighteen public-land
permits and 18 private-land permits were available.
The season began 30 minutes after sunset Sept. 16 and ran through
30 minutes before sunrise Sept. 19. It began again 30 minutes after
sunset Sept. 23 and ended 30 minutes before sunrise Sept. 26.
Here’s a list of other hunters who bagged alligators, listed with
hometown, zone, type of permit and length of gator:
• Garrett Baldwin, Conway, zone 3, private land at-large, 7 ft., 0 in.
• Michael Bolen, Grady, zone 3, Lower Arkansas River Wetland Complex, public, 6 ft., 1 in.
• Jonathan Castleberry, Cabot, zone 3, Lower Arkansas River Wetland Complex, public, 7 ft., 4 in.
• Gary Chambliss, zone 1, private land, 11 ft., 7 in.
• C.A. Douglas, Plainview, zone 3, Lower Arkansas River Wetland Complex, public, 7 ft., 6 in.
• Tanya Garrett, zone 1, private land, 10 ft., 11 in.
• Matthew Harbison, White Hall, zone 3, Lower Arkansas River Wetland Complex, public, 6 ft., 10 in.
• Winston Hastings, Little Rock, zone 3, private land at-large,
10 ft., 1 in.
• Jim Bob Hockaday, Nashville, zone 1, private land at-large,
7 ft. 0 in.
• John King, Hope, zone 1, Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D’Arc WMA, public, 10 ft., 3 in.
• Chris Mueller, Lowell, zone 1 private land at-large, 8 ft., 6 in.
• William Ruby, Springdale, zone 1, Millwood Lake, public, 5 ft., 8 in.
• John Starling, zone 3, private land, 8 ft., 6 in.
• Edwin Stavely, Nashville, zone 1, private land at-large, 9 ft., 1 in.
• Jacob Steed, Ashdown, zone 1, private land at-large, 7 ft., 1 in.
• Doug Ward, Dierks, zone 1, Little River, public, 10 ft., 5 in.
• Jonnette Whitley, Taylor, zone 1, Lake Erling, public, 8 ft., 3 in.
• Paul Willmuth, Batesville, zone 3, private land at-large, 6 ft., 11½ in.
22
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Tanya Garrett with a 10-foot, 11-inch alligator, the largest killed by a
woman during an Arkansas hunt. Photo courtesy of Brandi Garrett Haworth.
Statewide Turkey Season
Set to Open April 14
Turkey hunting season will run 16 days this year, which is two
days shorter than last year’s season.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission set the season dates
at its November meeting. The dates were approved based on recent
harvests, brood surveys and meetings with turkey hunters.
The statewide turkey season will be April 14-29 in zones 1, 2, 3,
4B, 5, 5B, 6, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 10 and 17 with a bag limit of two bearded
turkeys and no jakes, except for a single jake that youth hunters
may harvest. The season will run April 14-24 in zones 4, 4A, 5A
and 9A with a bag limit of one bearded turkey and no jakes, except
for a single jake that youth hunters may harvest. Zone 1A will be
closed. The youth turkey hunt will be April 7-8 in all open zones.
Wilson Earns Jerry Jones
Sportsman’s Award
Steve “Wild Man” Wilson, Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission public affairs
coordinator, became the latest recipient of
the Jerry Jones Sportsman’s Award Nov. 1.
Wilson was honored by Central
Arkansas Ducks Unlimited Sponsors at
Chenal Country Club in Little Rock.
He’s best known as host and co-producer
of “Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner
Café,” a weekly television program seen
on three Arkansas stations. The award is
given annually to an individual who has
significantly contributed to duck hunting
in Arkansas.
Wilson is a longtime supporter of
Ducks Unlimited and duck hunting
in The Natural State. He became the
AGFC’s coordinator of Project WILD, a
conservation education program, in 1984.
That’s where his nickname originated.
Twice he’s been chosen the AGFC’s
employee of the year, and was the
Arkansas Wildlife Federation’s
Conservation Communicator of the
Year in 1998 and 2009. Aside from the
television program, Wilson is host and
Dates to
Remember
JANUARY
1 New Year’s Day. Kwanzaa ends.
2 New Year’s Day (observed).
6 Mourning and Eurasian collareddove season closes.
Steve Wilson (left) accepts the Jerry Jones
Sportsman’s Award from Brian Minchew of DU.
Photo by Mike Wintroath.
producer of “The Outdoor Report,” a
weekly, statewide radio broadcast. He also
makes numerous appearances on local
television and radio programs, and at civic
events across the state.
Wilson is a hunter – especially
turkey and deer – and fisherman, and
has dedicated the majority of his life to
enhancing the outdoors experience for
hunters and fishermen in Arkansas.
Recipients of the award include
Sen. Mark Pryor, former Arkansas
governor Mike Huckabee, former AGFC
commissioners Marion McCollum and
Sheffield Nelson, and current AGFC
Chairman George Dunklin.
Nature Center Director
Receives National Honor
Neil Curry, director of
Mountain State Park for 21
the Witt Stephens Jr. Central
years.
Arkansas Nature Center in
Twenty-four people have
Little Rock, received the
received the award since it
Master Interpreter Manager
began in 1998. Candidates
Award from the National
are nominated by their peers.
Association for Interpretation
According to the NAI, the
in November.
award is given to “an NAI
The nature center is one
member who has worked
of four operated by the
for five or more years in
Neil Curry. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
Arkansas Game and Fish
the profession and whose
Commission.
current duties are at least 60
Curry has been director of the nature
percent supervisory and administrative.
center since it opened in late 2008. He was
Must demonstrate a mastery of interpretive
chief of the Education and Information
technique, site or program and staff
Division at the AGFC from 2002-05, and
management, and a respected ability to
was an interpretive naturalist at Pinnacle
pass these skills on to others.”
7-8 Special youth modern gun deer
hunt, statewide.
9 Full moon.
16 Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
Robert E. Lee’s Birthday.
29 Duck, American coot, merganser,
Canada goose, white-fronted
goose, snow goose, Ross’ goose
and blue goose seasons close.
30 Light Goose (Ross’s, blue, snow)
Conservation Order opens.
24 Thanksgiving Day.
26 Modern gun bear season opens,
zone 5A.
30 Archery bear season closes,
zones 1, 2.
FEBRUARY
2 Groundhog Day. World
Wetlands Day.
3 Light Goose (Ross’s, blue, snow)
Conservation Order closes
4-5 Youth waterfowl hunt.
6-April 25 Light Goose (Ross’s, blue,
snow) Conservation Order open.
7 Full moon.
14 Valentine’s Day.
15 Common snipe season closes.
20 Washington’s Birthday. Daisy
Gatson Bates Day.
21 Mardi Gras.
22 Ash Wednesday.
24 Crow season closes.
29 Archery deer season closes,
zones 1, 1A, 12, 13, 14, 15,
17. Squirrel and rabbit hunting
seasons close. Bobcat, coyote,
gray fox, red fox, mink, opossum,
river otter and striped skunk
hunting seasons close, sunset.
Furbearer trapping season closes
(except beaver, coyote, muskrat
and nutria), sunrise.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
23
naturally speaking
Tilapia Record Part of Easterly Family
The tilapia tradition continues.
Sheila Easterly of Little Rock caught a 3-pound, 8-ounce tilapia Oct. 26 on
Camp Robinson in Pulaski County. Her fish topped the previous mark of 3
pounds, 7 ounces caught by Dennis Show of North Little Rock Oct. 9, 2008.
Catching record tilapia is in Easterly’s blood. She set the state record at 1
pound, 12 ounces Sept. 5, 2004, while fishing at Lake Hogue. Herman Hangii,
Sheila’s father, caught a 1-pound, 14-ounce tilapia Sept. 18, 2004, that broke his
daughter’s record. Phillip Easterly, Sheila’s late husband, topped his father-inlaw’s catch with a 2-pound, 4-ounce fish from Mallard Lake Sept. 24, 2005. The
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocked lakes Hogue and Mallard with
tilapia, which die when water temperature drops, usually during late November.
Easterly said she weighed the latest record at Joey B’s Grocery in Little Rock.
It was identified by several AGFC fisheries biologists.
Several anglers held the record between 2005 and Easterly’s most-recent mark.
Sheila Easterly with her latest state-record tilapia. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
Commissioners Gather to Dedicate Lake
Past and present commissioners from the Arkansas Game
and Fish Commission, elected officials, family and friends
gathered at the Lake Conway dam Nov. 17 to dedicate a new
name: Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir.
Campbell, who completed his term on the Commission
June 30, 2011, was on hand as AGFC Director Loren Hitchcock
addressed the crowd.
Craig Campbell (with scissors) cuts the ribbon at the Lake Conway dedication
with (left to right) AGFC commissioners Fred Brown, George Dunklin, Emon
Mahony, Rick Watkins, AGFC Director Loren Hitchcock, and commissioners
Steve Cook and Ron Duncan. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
24
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
“This was not an easy lake to come by,” Hitchcock said. “It’s a
fitting honor to name this lake on his behalf.”
Hitchcock referred to years of effort by local leaders to create the
lake, which covers 6,700 acres and is the largest lake built by a state
conservation agency. Construction on the dam on Palarm Creek
began in late 1950 and was completed July 4, 1951. The lake has been
known for years for good crappie, catfish, bream and bass fishing.
“Naming this lake after Craig is certainly fitting for all the
work he’s done,” said AGFC Chairman George Dunklin before he
introduced Campbell.
Campbell said he appreciated the gesture, and told the history of
the lake to make it clear that those who had the vision were the ones
to thank.
“As I told a newspaper reporter, this lake has been, is today and
always will be Lake Conway,” Campbell said. He praised local dentist
James Flanagin and Walter Dunaway, who later became Conway
mayor, for leading the charge in the 1940s. Campbell paid for a
plaque set in rock near the dam to honor those who pushed for the
lake.
“I am very thankful we have this resource in Arkansas,”
Campbell said.
The lake was built for $150,000; $68,000 of that was spent
on the dam. Local fundraising brought in $39,000, an amazing
amount for the late 1940s.
“I’m elated the Commission chose to name this lake after
Craig,” Hitchcock said. “He has a generous heart and a strong will.”
Youngsters Score Big
The September elk hunt – with four permits on
public land – and the December hunt – with hunters
on public and private land – were as different as
summer and winter.
Allyn Ladd, 36, a dentist from Camden, scored
with a 7x7 elk, taken with a compound bow the first
morning of the September season. It was the first elk
killed with a bow on public land since elk hunting
began in 1998.
Ashley Drake of Bay (Craighead County) took a
6x7 bull near sundown the second day of the hunt.
Roy Wright of Rogers scored with a 6x7 bull in
Richland Valley the third morning of the hunt.
Jackson Clark, 10, with his 7x7 trophy.
Youngsters ruled the December hunt. Jackson
Photo courtesy of Jackson Clark.
Clark, 10, a fifth-grader at Jasper, took a 7x7 bull with
antlers that may rank as the third-largest taken in Arkansas since hunting began in 1998.
Kaelyn Mills, 12, a sixth-grader from Sheridan, became the youngest female to bag an
Arkansas elk with a 6x6 bull. Buck Horton, 12, a sixth-grader from Whitehall, took a 6x6 bull.
Jared Yager, 15, from Russellville and a student at Subiaco Academy, scored with a 6x7 bull.
Although the weather for the September hunt was mild, December permit holders had to
contend with snow, swollen streams and nearly impassable back roads.
Twenty-one of 24 public-land permit holders hunted. Nine elk were taken, but one was
illegal – an antlerless permit holder shot a 2x1 young bull elk. These were the other successful
public-land hunters (with hometown): Dean McWilliams, Desha, cow; Roy Branscum, Cord,
cow; Bobby Brandenburg, Fort Smith, cow; Alvin Brown, St. Joe, 6x6, and Mike Mosely,
Little Rock, 6x6.
These were successful private-land hunters (with county where elk was taken): Courtney
Lacey, cow, Searcy County; Kirk Jackson, cow, Searcy County; Nathan Davidson, 6x6,
Newton County; Bobby Sims, 1x5, Newton County; Shane Kelley, 5x6, Searcy County;
Nathan Ogden, 6x6, Madison County; Kevin Elliot, 5x5, Searcy County; Lyndon Hendrix,
3x4, Searcy County; Stan Dixon, spike bull, Carroll County; Ronald Graves, 6x7, Searcy
County, and Melvin Graves, 6x6, Searcy County.
New Year Brings
New Prizes
With a new year comes a new time for
“Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café,”
the weekly television program from the
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Beginning in January, the program will
air at 9 a.m. Saturdays on KNWA, 9 a.m.
Sundays on KARZ and 11 p.m. Sundays
on KARK.
January also brings the beginning
of weekly prize drawings on “Talkin’
Outdoors.”
Steve “Wild Man” Wilson, AGFC
public affairs coordinator and host of
“Talkin’ Outdoors,” puts together terrific
prize packages every year. This one’s on par
with the best.
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas
is providing a Resident Sportsman’s
License (hunting) and a Resident Fisheries
Conservation License (fishing), which
sell for a total of $35.50, to be given away
through a drawing on the show each week.
Everyone who enters will be included
in the grand prize drawing – a Lifetime
Resident Hunting and Fishing Sportsman’s
Permit (which sells for $1,000), provided by
the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation,
and a trip to a bear den with “Wild Man”
Wilson. The grand prize drawing will be in
December.
A trip to a bear den? That’s right – up
to four people will spend the day with
AGFC biologists as they gather research
data from a black bear sow and her cubs.
The drawings are open only to Arkansas
residents.
Entering to
win is simple.
Mail a postcard
to: Talkin’
Outdoors
Give-Away,
KARK, 1401
W. Capitol
Ave., Suite 104,
Little Rock,
AR 722012940.
Statement of ownership.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
25
naturally speaking
Shortnose Gar
Record Topped at
Lake Dardanelle
Tom Kremers of Clarksville added almost
a pound and a half to the state-record
shortnose gar mark Sept. 23 when he caught
one that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces from
the Spadra Creek area of Lake Dardanelle.
Bob Limbird, an Arkansas Game
and Fish Commission district fisheries
supervisor, verified the species and Cpl.
Frankie Tucker, an AGFC wildlife officer,
verified the weight on scales at Harvest
Foods in Clarksville.
According to Limbird, Kremers caught
the gar on 30-pound-test line while fishing
for catfish.
“He is very knowledgeable of the type of
fish he had caught and he’s an avid angler,”
Limbird said.
The gar was 33 inches long with a 12-inch
girth at the widest part of the body, and a
9½-inch girth at the pelvic fins.
The previous record was held by Lindsey
Lewis of Greenbrier, who caught a 4-pound,
7-ounce shortnose on Big Piney Creek May 24, 2008.
Tom Kremers with the state-record shortnose gar.
Photo courtesy of Tom Kremers.
Eagle Mountain Magnet School at the Nov. 17 AGFC meeting in Little Rock. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
Batesville Wins World
For the second time in three years, Eagle Mountain Magnet School of Batesville won the
National Archery in the Schools Program World Archery Tournament. The team won a trip
to the tournament by winning the Arkansas NASP tournament and finishing second in the
NASP national tournament in Kentucky. The world tournament was Oct. 6-8 in Orlando, Fla.
The team’s score of 3,291 set a record for elementary school teams by topping the old mark of
3,287. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recognized the team for its accomplishment
at its Nov. 17 meeting in Little Rock.
Coach Susan Parker has been a physical education instructor in the Batesville schools for
more than 20 years and has coached the team since it began in 2009.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our students and our state,” Parker said. “We couldn’t
have done it without the strong support of the parents and the Batesville School District.”
Jack Looney was top shooter with a score of 292. Six Eagle Mountain Magnet team members
finished among the top five in their grade levels. Looney and Celsey Wood took first place in
the male and female fifth-grade division; Ronnie Jeffrey was third. Katie Allen was fourth and
Natalie Craft was fifth in the sixth-grade division. Gina Mishark was fourth in the fourthgrade division. Of 24 team members, 15 may return next year to defend the title.
Browning Captures Pan-Am Bronze
Kayle Browning of Wooster (Faulkner County) finished third and
won a bronze medal in the Pan-Am Games trapshooting competition
at Guadalajara, Mexico, in October.
Browning was first in the event’s qualifying round, breaking 68
Kayle Browning with
of a possible 75 targets. In the final 25-target round, she broke 17.
AGFC Chairman George
Dunklin. Photo by Mike
Browning was recognized for her accomplishment at the Arkansas
Wintroath.
Game and Fish Commission’s Nov. 17 meeting.
The event was won by fellow U.S. shooter Miranda Wilder, who hit 21 of 25 in the final
round. Second was Lindsay Boddez of Canada, who also broke 21 in the finals but was one
behind Wilder in the overall scoring. Browning was two behind Wilder in the overall tally.
Browning competed for Greenbrier High School in the AGFC’s Arkansas Youth
Shooting Sports Program.
26
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Buck Island is easily accessible and can be enjoyed by canoeists, kayakers and other boaters. Photo by Mike Wintroath.
Buck Island Big Draw to Mighty River
A six-year effort to protect and use Buck
Island on the Mississippi River passed a
milestone Oct. 26 with a dedication in
Helena-West Helena.
Several agencies created a partnership to
protect the 1,500-acre island, including the
American Land Conservancy, the Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission, and the
Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The goal is to protect wildlife, use the island
for public recreation and create a launching
point for the Lower Mississippi River Water
Trail.
“Buck Island provides an excellent and
user-friendly way to enjoy the riches of
the river like never before,” said George
Dunklin Jr., AGFC chairman. “We strive
to engage more people in protecting and
using our state’s natural resources. Buck
Island and the new water trail give local
communities and others exciting new
ways to do so. For advanced paddlers and
boaters, the 106 river-mile trip from Buck
Island to Freddie Black Choctaw Island
Wildlife Management Area Deer Research
Area is now possible, and this river trail
should soon gain national recognition.”
The river trail was proposed by the
Lower Mississippi River Conservation
Committee as an extension of a trail
upriver, but it lacked a publicly accessible
anchor point. The ALC bought Buck
Island in 2005 with that goal in mind. In
2010, the ALC negotiated a conservation
easement with the NRCS to protect native
forests on the island, and completed a
public-access and conservation easement
with the AGFC in 2011.
“The conservation, recreation and
nature-based economic benefits of Buck
Island are a unique national and regional
opportunity, and we were excited to help
create a river trail where none existed
before,” said ALC President Kerry O’Toole.
“The natural beauty of the island, its
benefits to wildlife, and its excellent
recreation opportunities will attract a wide
range of visitors to Arkansas and the Delta.”
Public access to Buck Island extends
upstream water trails into Arkansas for the
first time, linking Helena-West Helena to
the Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA
Deer Research Area 106 miles downstream,
and to the White and Arkansas rivers in
between. As other islands and access points
are added, a new, nationally significant
recreation complex for boaters, canoeists,
kayakers, birders, wildlife watchers and
nature lovers will be created.
The island features 880 acres of native
forests, 620 acres of sandy beaches, 5 miles
of hiking trails, and a 3-mile side channel.
These provide outstanding opportunities
for wildlife viewing, camping, hiking,
paddling, swimming, fishing and
eventually hunting, and also support
numerous wildlife species, including the
endangered least tern and pallid sturgeon.
The island is also a stop-over along the
Mississippi Flyway, used by 65 percent of
North American migratory bird species.
Buck Island is a 3-minute boat trip from
the AGFC’s public boat ramp in Helena
Harbor, and it’s reachable by canoe and
kayak. The island has been highlighted in
national publications including Canoe &
Kayak, National Geographic Adventure and
ESPN Outdoors.com.
“As a local business owner, I can tell
you firsthand that Buck Island is an
unparalleled resource for Helena,” said
John Ruskey, owner of Quapaw Canoe
Company, which works with local
disadvantaged youth to provide guide
services on the river. “People come from
all over the world to experience the mighty
Mississippi. It has a very powerful draw, but
people need a way to access it. With Buck
Island and the river trail, they get to see
the beauty of this place as never before.”
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
27
outdoor cooking
Local, Fresh and Ready
Farmers, Chefs Can Make Perfect Partners
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS By Jeff Williams
K
roger, Publix and other chains come to mind when most
Americans need food, although a fresh approach to grocery
shopping is growing.
Studies show that fruits, vegetables and domestic animals are
getting to plates faster, thanks to the rise of farmers’ markets and
small farms that are finding business close to home. Locally grown
food is fresher, uses less energy to transport or store, and often tastes
better than food that’s canned or frozen, then shipped across the
country or around the world.
Consider the impact of wild game in Arkansas. During the last
few years, more than 180,000 white-tailed deer have been harvested
in Arkansas annually. Add more than a million ducks each year,
plus dove, turkey, squirrel, rabbit and other game – that’s a lot of
meat to go along with tons of locally produced farm goods.
Outstanding Idea
Ashley’s Executive Chef Lee Richardson prepares a platter of Aylesbury duck
with black apples in Scott.
28
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
The possibilities presented by this trend toward local groceries
started turning cogs in a few Californians’ brains in 1999. Jim
Denevan, a chef and artist, and his brother Bill, an organic farmer,
got to thinking. Their conversations led Jim to start a company
called Outstanding in the Field, which he has called a “roving,
culinary adventure.”
The idea is so simple it’s surprising that someone didn’t do
it earlier. Outstanding in the Field pairs local chefs with local
farmers, vintners and brewmasters, which results in amazing meals.
Diners typically enjoy the experience in fields where food on their
plates was grown.
That was the case in October when Outstanding in the Field
visited Scott Heritage Farm alongside Scott Plantation Settlement
on the Pulaski-Lonoke county line. Tables placed end to end
supplied seating for 128; the crew was prepared to feed as many
as 150. It was the first dinner in Arkansas for the company; the
second in the state was the next day at Whitton Farms at Tyronza
in Poinsett County. The two stops were part of more than 80
dinners across the U.S. and Canada in 2011, the bulk of them in
the West and many of them sold out.
Lee Richardson, executive chef at Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel
in Little Rock, was asked to create a menu for the dinner in Scott.
Although he doesn’t do this sort of thing every day, Richardson
says he’s planning an outdoor wedding for 300 guests this summer.
Everything on the menu, including Diamond Bear beer, came
from Arkansas, except wine from California, Oregon and France.
Richardson worked with Jeff Ferrell, executive sous chef at the
Capital Hotel. Ferrell is responsible for all food operations at the
hotel, although “Lee is executive chef – he makes the final calls,”
Ferrell said. “He gave me the ideas for the menu and I did it; I was
responsible for all the preparations.”
It Takes Teamwork
“One thing that makes it easier is this is Outstanding in the
Field’s show,” Richardson said. “They basically set up the restaurant, so to speak. A lot of work goes into setting yourself up –
they’ve done that.”
Ferrell and staff from the hotel created a tent kitchen in a field,
with a few tables and ice chests to handle preparation and cold
storage. They also had a large rotisserie, grills, and heavy-duty pots
and burners.
“It went really smooth,” Ferrell said. “I wouldn’t change
anything. I think it opened eyes to how great simple food could
be.”
Richardson, born and raised in New Orleans, came to Ashley’s
in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. With a degree in psychology, he
started as a prep chef at Emeril Lagasse’s NOLA, and worked with
the likes of John Besh.
So here he was – standing in Arkansas Delta dirt talking about
Old Spot rillettes, deep-fried quail, Arkansas black apples and pork
rinds, all raised right here. It’s cuisine he calls New Americana.
When we think of cities or regions, food often is among the traits
we remember. Chicago can trigger thoughts of deep-dish pizza.
Philadelphia? Philly cheese steak. Seattle’s known for seafood or
maybe coffee. New Orleans is all gumbo and jambalaya. So what’s
on Arkansas’s plate?
“Arkansas to me is good, honest home cooking,” Richardson said.
Which is what was served, family style, on a warm, October day.
Home Grown
Jody Hardin and Barbara Armstrong started Scott Heritage
Farm on 40 acres in fall 2010. They put in some vegetable crops,
started running hogs and goats, and began raising Cornish hens.
Hardin is part of the family that operates Hardin Farms at
Grady in Lincoln County. The Hardins ran a successful restaurant,
market, pumpkin patch and corn maze until U.S. Highway 65 was
rerouted and business dropped.
“We still have a produce and row crop farm at Grady, with
our offices and commercial kitchen that supplies the Scott store,”
Hardin said.
The “Scott store” – Hardin Farms and Market Too – is run by
Hardin’s father, Randy, who bought it as Jody, unbeknownst to
Randy, was trying to purchase 40 acres a few hundred yards away.
Specialties include barbecue, deli sandwiches, meats, cheeses and
locally made goods. Jody’s brother Josh has Laughing Stock Farm
at Grady.
Barbara Armstrong and Jody Hardin visit with diners at Scott Heritage Farm.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
29
Local Foods Finding More
Markets Says USDA Report
A report from the
U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Economic
Research Service
released in November
found that markets for
locally produced food
are growing across the
country.
“Large, small and
midsized farms are all
tapping into it,” the
report states. “Even
better, new data suggest
that these producers
are employing more
workers than they
would be if they weren’t
Visitors at Scott Heritage Farm get to know selling into local and
the Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs.
regional markets.”
“Economic Research
Report No. ERR-128” by Sarah Low and Stephen Vogel
covers 38 pages. These are a few of its findings.
Local markets are important for a lot of farmers. Forty
percent of all vegetable, fruit and nut farms in the U.S. sell
their products in local and regional markets. These farmers
reported that local food sales accounted for 61 percent of
their total sales. Almost two-thirds of the producers reported
that local food sales were at least 75 percent of their total
sales.
Markets for local foods go well beyond direct-toconsumer sales. Direct sales from farms to consumers
rose 215 percent during 1992-2007. This report examined
intermediated marketing channels – sales from a farmer
to a regional distributor, grocer or restaurant, and then
to a consumer. Intermediated and direct local food sales
combined totaled nearly $5 billion in 2008.
Local doesn’t necessarily mean small. Farms selling locally
run from annual gross sales under $50,000 to more than
$250,000.
Local means jobs. One of every 12 jobs in the U.S. is
associated with agriculture. This report found that fruit
and vegetable farms selling into local and regional markets
employ 13 fulltime workers per $1 million in revenue – a
total of 61,000 jobs in 2008. Fruit and vegetable farms not
engaged in local food sales employed three full-time workers
per $1 million in revenue.
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ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Hardin, co-founder of Certified Arkansas Farmers’ Market and
Argenta Market in North Little Rock, has watched small farmers fail
over the years, although he says a new model is emerging, especially
among young chefs and farmers.
“My niche is having unique, tasty, quality products that the
commercial market can’t deliver,” said Hardin, who started in the
business in 1987 at the Pine Bluff Farmers Market. “We’ve been able
to offer variety. We’re marketing limited, unique products and we
get a little more money for them. I’m creating markets before I start
farming.”
The word “sustainable” comes up often in conversation with Hardin,
who holds a business degree from Tampa University.
“We use sustainable a lot – we’re talking about being good to the
environment. We’re trying to replicate nature on our farms.”
Hardin became involved in the Outstanding in the Field dinner
after his friend Richardson suggested Scott Heritage Farm as a setting.
“Chef Lee has helped me and other people with local food,” Hardin
said. “This is a concept farm and he’s been following along with me.
We’re taking a different approach. There are only a few communitysupported agriculture farms in the state.”
Community-supported agriculture farmers sell subscriptions to
clients. For example, a family might pay a farmer $500 a year to
periodically pick up part of a crop. That might mean cuts from a
hog, green beans, turnips and strawberries on one visit, and lettuce,
radishes, corn and a chicken on the next visit. This system gives the
farmer financial backing and a ready market, and gives neighbors
fresh, whole food.
Hardin says an important event about local food is coming up in
Little Rock. The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
annual conference is set for Jan. 18-21 at the Peabody Hotel. See
www.ssawg.org for details.
“It’s all about what we’re doing – sustainable small farming,”
Hardin said. “Having the conference here is a big step for Arkansas.”
Jeff Ferrell of the Capital Hotel confabs with the wait staff before the
Outstanding in the Field dinner.
Hunters Answer
Calls for Help
Outstanding
In the Field
Scott Heritage Farm
Menu, Oct. 15
 Oat-crusted quail legs with
pepper jelly.
 Pimento cheese and fresh-baked soda crackers.
 Gloucestershire Old Spot (pig) rillettes, and pork rinds with fig mustard and dill pickles.
 Fried black-eyed peas.
 Mixed green salad with pickled beets, spiced pecans, goat-milk
cheese and sorghum vinaigrette.
 Stuffed eggplant, roasted plum tomatoes and mustard greens.
 Aylesbury duck roasted with
sorghum, with Arkansas rice grits,
black apples, turnips and
muscadine glaze.
 Sweet potato pie with pecans and maple cream.
Chef Lee Richardson provided these
recipes for the dinner at Scott and for
Arkansas Wildlife readers.
Arkansas Rice Grits
1 cup coarsely ground long-grain rice
3 cups water
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons mascarpone
Bring water, milk and salt to a boil in a
sauce pan over medium heat. Slowly whisk
in rice meal and return to a boil. Continue
whisking at a boil until the mixture begins
to thicken noticeably. Reduce heat to low
and cook 5 minutes; stir occasionally.
Cover; reduce heat as low as it will go for
5-10 minutes. Whisk in the butter and
mascarpone cheese. Optional: Drizzle
in a touch of white truffle oil. Serve
immediately; serves six.
Katie Wyer of Outstanding in the Field writes
the day’s menu on a blackboard.
Stuffed Eggplant
2 medium eggplants
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup celery, peeled, split lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
4 oz. ham, diced
4 oz. shrimp, sautéed or boiled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
lemon juice to taste
1-2 cups fresh brioche or white bread crumbs; crust removed, diced
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Boil eggplant 15-20 minutes until
tender. Drain, allow to cool, peel and dice.
Drain. Melt butter and bacon grease in
skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions
until translucent. Add scallions, peppers,
celery and garlic. Add parsley, bay leaf
and ham. Add drained eggplant. Transfer
everything to a large mixing bowl. Add
shrimp, salt, black pepper, cayenne and
thyme. Add egg; mix well. Season to
taste with lemon juice. Add breadcrumbs
to stiffen mixture. Bake for 30 minutes
at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with grated
Parmesan and bake another 15 minutes.
A study commissioned by the
National Shooting Sports Foundation
and conducted by Mile Creek
Communications shows that 11 million
meals were provided by hunters who
donated wild game to shelters, food banks
and church kitchens across the U.S.
during the 2010-11 hunting seasons.
That’s about 2.8 million pounds of
game meat.
Hunters in Arkansas are doing their
part. Since 2000, Arkansas hunters have
contributed about 1.5 million meals,
according to Arkansas Hunters Feeding
the Hungry, a nonprofit group that helps
funnel game meat to people who need it.
Ronnie Ritter of AHFH says 60 meat
processors across Arkansas are part of the
program. Hunters pay for processing,
and a coalition of funding helps pay the
$100,000 tab for the program each year.
The meat is ground, packaged and AHFH
ships it by truck to food pantries across
the state. Most of it is venison, although
other wild game is accepted.
For details and a list of processors, visit
www.arkansashunters.org. AHFH also
offers a new way to contribute and tell
others about the program by purchasing a
car flag. Find out more at www.deerhuntercarflags.com.
“Given our challenging economic times,
hunters’ donations of venison have never
been more important to so many people,”
said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF president
and chief executive officer. “These contributions are just one way hunting and
hunters are important to our way of life in
America. Learning about these impressive
figures makes me proud to be a hunter.
I have donated game meat during the
past year, and I urge my fellow hunters to
strongly consider sharing their harvest.”
The NSSF study revealed that
donations were largest in the Midwest
and the South. The Midwest provided 1.3
million pounds of game meat, with the
South at 1.25 million pounds.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
31
photography
Have It Your Way
Cropping Can Deliver the Best From Photos
This horizontal image of two anglers also can produce a vertical image.
by JEFF WILLIAMS
T
he word “crop” – like “edit” – has come to mean delete. We hear phrases such as “crop
out” and “edit out” and tend to think these terms mean cut, get rid of, we don’t want it.
The point of cropping, like editing, is to make the result better; deletion is not the goal.
Although editing includes trimming words, it also includes rewriting and improving. Leaving
out a few words is simply a byproduct of good editing.
The same can be said of cropping. Yes, when we crop a photo, we remove part of it, but
that’s not the point. The idea is to improve the photo – maybe its perspective or composition
– and if that means leaving part of it out, then so be it.
We crop photos for lots of reasons. Sometimes we truly do want to leave something out.
Perhaps it’s something that doesn’t have anything to do with why the photo was taken.
Maybe we crop because part of the image is poorly exposed. Whatever our reasons, the result
should be an improvement.
32
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Rule of Thirds
If you read any book about photo techniques, the rule of thirds comes up pretty
quickly; I’m sure it’s appeared in this magazine several times over the years. The idea
is to mentally divide the image into thirds, horizontally and vertically, and place the
subject where those lines of division intersect. Cropping comes in handy for anyone
trying to use the rule of thirds because it allows the photographer to shift the placement
of the subject. Of course, strong composition to begin with usually means cropping’s
not needed later.
Out of Whack
Veteran photographers know to consider the horizon when they’re shooting,
although it’s not so apparent to those with less experience. It’s easy to get caught in
the moment, focus on the foreground and forget that the background is out of whack.
This usually can be fixed after the fact by straightening and cropping the image.
For instance, slanted horizon often appears behind someone holding up a fish on
a boat. The ocean or lake in the background looks like it’s running downhill. Unless
you’re tilting the horizon for effect, try to keep it flat when the photo is taken.
People Problems
Group shots seldom produce the results we want. They’re hard to shoot because no
one wants to sit still long enough to take direction. Cropping after the fact can help but
attention to composition when the photo is taken is the best way to produce a group
shot that works. Take a few seconds to make sure all the faces can be seen, see what’s in
the background and shoot several frames (you never know when there’s a prankster in
the group or someone has closed eyes). Starting with a good image also makes it easier
to crop later if you want a photo that features just a few people in the group.
The perspective of a youngster learning to fire a BB gun is more
apparent after cropping.
Find the Focus
If you’re faced with a photo that, at first glance, doesn’t have a subject, look more
closely. Sometimes worthy images can be found in photos that appear to be empty.
Perhaps the photo includes several birds at a feeder. Start cropping the photo with
your eyes; maybe there’s a pair of birds that can become the subject after attention to
composition and creative cropping.
Standard Sizes
Some photographers believe sticking with standard image sizes – 5x7, 8x10, etc. – is
essential but sometimes the best crop doesn’t follow these rules. In the days of film
photography and printing, standard sizes were more important because frames and
printing paper sizes had to be considered. Since digital photography has evolved, standard
sizes don’t mean much because many images are never printed. Feel free to make an image
of a mountain range extra wide or let a photo of your favorite tree soar vertically.
Perspective
Cropping a photo can entirely change the perspective for the viewer. It can feature a
face that’s lost in the crowd, focus attention on details and remove distracting material.
But most of all it can help the photographer guide the viewer.
No Fear
After you’ve downloaded your images, don’t be afraid to mangle the copies. Keep the
original image safe while you crop as many ways as you like. Experiment and have fun.
With today’s digital images, it doesn’t cost a dime to manipulate an image any way you
want. Sometimes cropping can produce several images with different subjects from the
original.
The river no longer runs uphill when the horizon is straightened.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
33
scales of justice
Watch Behind Your Ears
Curious Calhoun County Man Forgets to Hide Stash
By Col. Mike Knoedl
There’s something about being a wildlife officer that draws
curious people like a moth to a flame. An officer never sits in one
spot too long before someone approaches with questions about
how to be a wildlife officer, how duck season is going or which
lures bass like best at the nearest fishing hole.
Depending on the situation, working with the public can
be the best or worst part of a wildlife officer’s day. Some of these
mundane questions can lead to some interesting conversations. In
one case, it led to an easy arrest.
While on routine patrol late one afternoon during the dog
days of summer, I was working around Tri-County Lake near
Fordyce. After checking several licenses, I pulled into the parking
lot at the spillway area to write notes on the back of a ticket I had
just issued to a man for fishing without a license.
A small, blue car pulled into the parking lot beside me. I
noticed the person in the car was a man, but really didn’t pay much
attention to him because I was busy with my work and he didn’t
have a fishing rod with him.
Sure enough, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the man
heading toward me with a smile on his face. I rolled down my
window to greet my new friend, who proceeded to ask if the fish
were biting and if it was legal to have two poles while fishing below
the spillway. I noticed a hand-rolled “cigarette” placed behind each
of his ears. As he continued talking, I started to smile. At a good
stopping point in his story, I told him to be still for a second, then
reached up to retrieve one of his “smokes.”
“I’m not very smart, am I dude?” was all he could say. The
“dude” part pretty much confirmed what I thought might be inside
those cigarettes.
I called Arkansas State Police, who dispatched a state trooper.
When the trooper arrived, my curious conversationalist gave his
consent to search his car. We quickly found a quarter-ounce bag
of green stuff in the glove compartment, and the man was charged
with possession of a controlled substance.
While he was being arrested, I told my new friend that he was
incredibly friendly – not very bright – but friendly.
Benton County Leads Fines
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission collected $629,568 in fines for boating, wildlife and fishing violations in 2011. All of this
money stayed in the county where the fines were collected and was earmarked for conservation education programs in schools and
among groups advocating environmental awareness. These are the top 12 counties.
Benton
Pike
Baxter
Garland
34
$27,371 $22,290
$21,941
$19,151
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
Arkansas
Cleburne
Saline
White
$18,889
$18,267
$17,957
$17,295 JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
Ashley
Lafayette
Union
Logan
$16,340
$15,640
$13,544
$13,237
parting
T H O U G H T S
Still a Bargain at $2 an Issue
Magazine Rate Remained Steady 17 Years
S
ARKANSA
WILDLIFE
uary 2011
January/Febr
ARKANSAS
WILDLIFE
September/October
2011
ARKANSAS
WILDLIFE
March/April 2011
ARKANSAS
WILDLIFE
ARKANSAS
WILDLIFE
May/June 2011
ARKANSA
WILDLIFES
November/D
ecember 2011
calendar iss
ue
JULY 2011-JULY
I
n 1994, Arkansas Wildlife was a quarterly publication (four issues
a year plus the calendar). A one-year subscription cost $5.
The price increased to $8 Jan. 1, 1995. We’ve gone 17 years
without a price increase, which is an amazing run of offering a
fine publication at a static cost, but effective March 1, the one-year
subscription price will be $12 a year. By the way, the last quarterly
issue was spring 2000; the magazine became bimonthly (five issues
a year plus the calendar) with the September/October 2000 issue.
Nobody likes to pay more but, in this case, there’s a silver lining.
There’s time to extend or purchase your subscription at the current
rates of $8 for one year, $15 for two years and $21 for three years,
as long as it’s done before March 1.
Also, back issues of Arkansas Wildlife – beginning with the first
issue, fall 1967, when it was called Arkansas Game and Fish – will
start appearing on the AGFC website, www.agfc.com. Those
will bring back memories for long-time readers. They’ll recall
editorials, articles, photos and illustrations by George Purvis,
fishing trips with Jay Kaffka, turkey hunting with Jim Spencer,
the savvy words of Keith Sutton, Gregg Patterson, Marc Kilburn,
Jim Low, Joe Mosby, and a slew of local and nationally known
writers and photographers.
Director Hugh Hackler summed up the magazine’s mission in
that first issue, and his words hold true today: “Arkansas Game
and Fish is being published by the Arkansas Game and Fish
Commission in the hopes that our conservation efforts may be
strengthened by a better informed public.”
2012
Do you recognize names like Harold Alexander, Scott
Henderson, Dave Donaldson, Gene Rush, Andrew Hulsey
and Trusten Holder? You do if you’ve visited AGFC wildlife
management areas and fish hatcheries. They were AGFC
employees who wrote articles for the magazine about wildlife
and fisheries management, based on their insightful knowledge
of AGFC projects and goals. The tradition of AGFC employees
contributing to Arkansas Wildlife continues today.
We hope “Bobbers, Bullets and Booboos,” “Scales of Justice,”
“Parting Thoughts,” “Letters to the Editor,” “Last Laugh,”
photography, cooking and other columns have been informative
and entertaining, and perhaps they’ve brought a few chuckles to
readers during the years.
I realize I’m biased, but $12 is a bargain for five issues and a
calendar. I’ve been told by readers many times that the calendar
alone is worth more than the subscription price. We’re talking
about a 36-page magazine with nothing but information about
the Arkansas outdoors. It’s home-grown – made fresh every 60
days.
Yes, your magazine is going to cost a little more, but we will
continue to do the best we can to provide our readers with
entertaining articles and stunning photos that can’t be read or
seen anywhere else.
As always, please let us know what you think: jfwilliams@agfc.state.ar.us.
JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2012
ARKANSAS WILDLIFE
35
To subscribe, call (800) 283-2664.
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