LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ bear and alligator hunting seasons went smoothly and the animals’ populations in the state are stable, Arkansas Game and Fish commissioners were told Thursday at their monthly meeting in Little Rock.

Myron Means, the AGFC bear program coordinator, reported that the state’s population of approximately 4,000 black bears is stable after 264 males and 167 females were killed during the 2012 bear hunting season.

Archery hunters killed 359 bears, and 297 were taken on private land. Madison, Franklin, Polk and Scott counties led the state in number of bears killed.

Nuisance bear calls totaled 130 in 2012, which Means said is in the average range. Nuisance calls spiked at 314 in 2007.

AGFC biologist Mark Barbee told commissioners 47 tags were issued for the 2012 season and 30 alligators were killed. That included an alligator killed by Mike Cottingham that measured 13 feet, 3 inches, the largest ever killed in the six years Arkansas has had an alligator season.

Barbee said approximately 3,000 people applied for alligator hunting tags.

In other business, the commissioners approved the 2013 Strategic Turkey Management Plan, a revised guide aimed at providing a long-term guide for the management of Arkansas’ turkey populations. The Wildlife Management Division began working in 2012 on revising the 1999 Strategic Turkey Management Plan.

The commission also approved a $100,000 budget increase to retain Stone Ward, a Little Rock advertising and public relations firm, for consultation and public policy.

Sports, Pages 23 on 02/22/2013