Arkansas wins regional BASS title
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Arkansas overcame a 30-pound deficit to win the state bass fishing title at the BASS Nation Central Regional tournament at Lake Guntersville.
Arkansas won a Triton 189 TrX bass boat, trailer and accessories with a Yamaha VF150LA outboard valued at $37,293.
Arkansas’ 20 anglers collectively caught 363 pounds, 4 ounces to beat Indiana by 33 pounds. Indiana finished with 330 pounds, 10 ounces. Wisconsin was third with 313-12, and Alabama weighed 304-6 for fourth place. Louisiana was fifth with 290-2.
“We fished individually to maintain the spirit of the competition but came together as a team when someone needed attention,” said Jim Alexander, Arkansas BASS Nation president.
“We kept the competition between us and that made us fish stronger as a team,” said Doug Thompson of Mabelvale.
DU honors AGFC staff
Ducks Unlimited Canada gave a special “Order of Conservation” award to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on Thursday for its contributions to waterfowl habitat on an international level.
Ducks Unlimited Canada President Jim Couch presented the award to the AGFC and stressed the importance of international partnerships in waterfowl conservation.
Many of the ducks and geese hunters pursue in Arkansas hatched in Canada and since 1968, the state has provided much needed funding toward projects to protect that nesting habitat.
“In just the last 10 years, Arkansas has contributed more than $3 million to Canada,” Couch said. “From this, DU Canada has been able to generate $12.2 million in matching funds, so you can see this is an admirable investment in conservation.”
AGFC Director Mike Knoedl also received special recognition from Ducks Unlimited for his years of ongoing commitment to Arkansas hunters and wildlife.
Craig LeSchack, director of conservation programs for DU’s southeast region and George Dunklin, DU chairman of the board, presented Knoedl with a hand-carved decoy courtesy of the wetland conservation organization.
“I don’t know if we’ve had a director in history that’s been a better example of leadership,” Dunklin said. “Thank you very much for all you’ve done for the state of Arkansas, but more importantly for what you’ve done for conservation.”
NWTF improves Arkansas habitat
With contributions in time and money from its members, the Arkansas National Wild Turkey Federation has contributed to conserving wild turkeys in Arkansas through multiple projects in recent years, according to the organization.
Since 2014, the organization planted and fertilized 1,500 acres of openings in Muddy Creek, Caney, Mount Magazine and Winona wildlife management areas.
It also improved 359 acres of nesting and brood habitat at Warren Prairie and removed 240 acres of understory at Felsenthal NWR.
Since autumn 2015, the Arkansas NWTF helped plant 153 acres of warm season grasses, build four wildlife ponds, improve 630 acres of timber, maintain 22 wildlife openings and create 130 acres of new wildlife openings on Bearcat Hollow Wildlife Management Area.
Also, the organization helped fund a three-year study on the effects of early season burning on nesting turkeys in Arkansas.
Terry Thompson, president of the Arkansas NWTF, said that membership grew by 15 percent in 2015.