Proposed hunting regulations online for viewing

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission received 42 proposed hunting regulations to consider for the 2014-15 hunting seasons during its monthly meeting Thursday in Little Rock and will vote on the proposals at its next meeting April 17.

The proposed regulations cover a wide range of subjects, including opening dates for the 2015 deer seasons. Modern gun deer season in 2015 would open Saturday, Nov. 14. Archery season would open Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, and muzzleloader season would open Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015.

The AGFC posted the major proposals for public comment on its Web site. The AGFC discontinued holding public meetings this year to gather public input for proposed regulations in favor of a Web-based system.

Brad Carner, chief of the AGFC’s wildlife management division, said respondents posted more than 6,000 comments about the proposals online. Since 1998, Carner said, only 700 people attended public meetings for hunting regulations.

Dick Baxter, assistant chief of the wildlife management division, also briefed the commission on the major proposals Wednesday at the commission’s monthly work meeting.

Three proposals address feral hog issues at WMAs. One would allow feral hogs to be killed on certain WMAs only during firearms bear, deer and elk seasons. Another would close all hunting seasons on Harold E. Alexander Spring River WMA from Jan. 5 to March 31, and a third would prohibit horses and mules on Harold E. Alexander Spring River WMA from Feb. 1 to March 31.

Baxter said these regulations would enable contracted trappers to remove feral hogs from Harold Alexander WMA and others more effectively. Baxter said that in 2013, hunters interfered with trapping efforts at Harold Alexander WMA by scaring feral hogs away from trap sites.

Baxter said the majority of public comments did not support these proposals.

“We recommend going through with these proposals despite public opposition,” Carner said Thursday.

Another proposal would add a doe to the firearms bag limit in deer zones 2, 3, 6, 6A, 8, 8A and 10.

Currently, hunters may kill one doe in those zones with firearms.

Also, the wildlife management division proposed banning the use of air rifles for deer hunting. Air rifles will still be legal for hunting small game.

Another proposal would prevent youths ages 5 and younger from hunting big game.

In other wildlife management business, the commission approved a strategic fur bearer management plan.

In addition, the AGFC announced Thursday it will give away free gun safety cables Saturday and Sunday at its nature centers in Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Fort Smith and Jonesboro. The locking cables disable a firearm by preventing its action from closing.

The gun safety initiative is part of the Project Child Safe program sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Sports, Pages 25 on 03/21/2014

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