The Arkansas Bowhunter

Transcription

1 The Arkansas Bowhunter Inside This Issue: Maynard Scholarship Shoot Message from the Editor Message from the President Message from the Treasurer Uniting Bowhunters Since 1959 February 2015 Official Publication of The Arkansas Bowhunter Association Volume 22, Number 1 The Real Reason You Aren t Allowed to Take Feral Hogs on WMA s this year. By JimTaylor Feral Hogs populations have exploded in Arkansas. Unbelievably prolific, sows can have 2 or 3 litters each year with 8-14 piglets in each litter. Experts estimate that you would have to kill 70%-85% of feral hogs each year just to keep the population in check. So, if you re like me, you might be scratching your head over the AGFC s new restrictions on killing hogs on most WMA s this year. My first thought was like: Really?..you ve got to be kidding me. Am I missing something? Active hog hunting has long been banned from WMA s. It has always been incidental taking only. This was to discourage hog hunting activists from releasing hogs into the wild. Yes it has happened. And by the way it s now a felony in Arkansas to do so. Also the new rules do not apply to private lands. You can still take hogs by My wife, Teresa, doing her part to control Feral Hog numbers while deer hunting near Cascoe, AR. Nov 2014 Ben Pearson 3D Shoot ABA Spring 3D Shoot ABA Spring Banquet Tournament Schedule And Much More! any method year round on your own property. Let me address some statements the AGFC has put forth as reasons for the new rule. 1. Hog trapping is more effective than hunting. Sure it is. But what does that have to do with a bowhunter up in a tree shooting a hog that just happens to walk under him? How can it be argued that eliminating this incidental taking of hogs as beneficial to the state s efforts to control the hog population? 2. For trapping to be effective the area must be undisturbed. How has the AGFC s rule against the incidental taking of hogs on WMA s continued, see REAL REASON back page

2 2 February 2015 The Arkansas Bowhunter The Arkansas Bowhunter Editor: Don Gulledge Tournament/Event Editor: Roy Junyor Safety/Education Editor: J.D. Crawford Hunting Editor: Brian Emmons Layout Editor: Brian Mortier The Arkansas Bowhunter is the official publication of the Arkansas Bowhunters Association, Inc. Subscriptions are for Members, Life Members, Honorary Life Members, and Junior Members. The opinions and suggestions of members are welcome as are manuscripts. All submissions are subject to approval and editing by authority granted by the ABA Executive Committee. Submissions should be mailed to: Arkansas Bowhunters Association P.O. Box Little Rock, AR or submitted via at: or Address Changes should be submitted to the ABA Secretary at the above ABA address. Material in The Arkansas Bowhunter may not be reproduced without written permission of the editorial staff. Advertising approval and rates are subject to editorial recommendation and approval of the ABA Executive Committee. Don Gulledge Phone: Publishing Dates: February 15th May 15th August 15th November 15th The Arkansas Bowhunter is published quarterly on the above dates. DEADLINE for all material is 20 days prior to the publishing date. The Mission of the Arkansas Bowhunters Association Since To foster, expand and perpetuate the use of the bow in the hunting of all legal game, birds and animals; and to protect, improve, and increase the privileges of bow and arrow hunters. 2. To cooperate with Federal and State Governments, sportsman and conservation organizations in the propagation and conservation of game and its natural habitat, the forest and fields. 3. To conduct a continuous educational program designed to acquaint the public with the bow and its uses as a practical and humane weapon, suitable under proper regulations for the hunting of all game animals, fish and birds on the American continent. 4. To foster and perpetuate a spirit of good fellowship among bow hunters.

3 The Arkansas Bowhunter ABA President s Message With the archery deer season over, it is time to go fishing, get ready for turkey season, shoot some 3-D tournaments and get ready for the 2015/ 2016 archery deer season. While we are doing all this we are looking for ways to grow our ABA membership. We have a lot to do. One way we hope to save money is to send our newsletter out electronically. To help the ABA with this, we need to get all of your addresses. For all members that still want to get a paper at home, you need to send us your mailing address. We may be changing some of the ways we try to get 3-D shooters and bowhunters to join the ABA but by working as a team, real growth is possible. We need to maintain around 1200 paying members each year. If we can do this, it will keep us strong enough to lobby for our hunting rights and still keep us financially stable. I look forward to seeing all of y all at the Spring Shoot and Banquet in March. ALWAYS be one with Christ Jesus, ALWAYS wear your safety gear while in a treestand and ALWAYS be ethical. Jello Jim Myers P r e s i d e n t Arkansas Bowhunters Association Current ABA Districts President: Jim Myers P.O. Box 285 Gould, AR Treasurer: Brian Emmons 51 Schultz Rd. Vilonia, AR (501) Immediate Past President: Jeff Smith 894 Grant 10 Sheridan, AR February Arkansas Bowhunters Association, Inc. Executive Committee District 1: Northwest Heath Brashear (16) District 2: Northeast Lance Rochelle (16) District 3: Central J.D. Crawford (16) 15 Navajo Trail Mayflower, AR Field Governors Vice President: Roy Junyor P.O. Box 1021 Greenbrier, AR Secretary: Dee Weaver (16) Legislative Chairman: Jim Myers P.O. Box 285 Gould, AR Shawn Ritchie (15) P.O.Box 226 Pottsville, AR Ken-Tay Heigle (15) 1675 Floral Rd. Concord, AR Mike Rossie (15) 553 Round Mtn. Rd. Conway, AR District 4: Southwest Bo Weaver (16) District 5: Southeast John Robertson (16) Info not available District 6: North Central Eric Deckelman (16) Wade Tucker (15) 409 Hubbard Rd. Conway, AR (501) Keith Wood (15) 1019 S. Main DeWitt, AR DeWayne Spangler (15) 973 S. AR 9 Hwy. Melbourne, AR

4 4 February 2015 The Arkansas Bowhunter From the Editor (One last time) by Don Gulledge I know most of you thought you had heard the last of me Jello asked me to do one last newsletter and to try and time it for the end of February or the first part of March. Well, here it is, Hunter s Choice, Inc. Archery Sales & Service...Firearms Larry Guinn Owner almost the 2nd week of March and the newsletter is going to final print for a while. This edition is really going to be bare bones and in most part is to get the 2015 tournament schedule out and to meet the advertising commitments made hunterschoiceconway.com Jims Lane Conway, AR lhunters@conwaycorp.net to paid advertisers. This newsletter has been around for a long time and it really makes me sad to see it go out of publication for even a very short amount of time. Hopefully, someone will step up and put one out in the May/June time frame. As Brian Emmons said in his Treasurers Message, the ABA is going through a rough time right now, just like most of the members in this time frame. The urban hunts are a big question mark for this year. Tournament attendance at shoots is down for everyone. The tornado in April of 2014 did a lot of damage to everyone, even if you were not directly affected. The ABA lost a trailer and a building in which to host our shoots. Fortunately, the weather cooperated for the Fall Shoot and it went on as usual. Also, fortunately, the ABA and some of the other organizations using the building formed a coalition and were able to convince the AGFC that it would be in everyone s interest to rebuild the clubhouse at least. We are very fortunate that we were able to work with the AGFC toward that end. The ABA, just like any other organization this size, or any family for that matter, sometimes has its disagreements internally. Just like a family, these differences can continued, see ONE LAST TIME on next page The Arkansas Bowhunters Association 2015 Spring 3-D Tournament and Annual Membership Banquet Must be registered by 9:30am 15 Divisions Available Go to for more details and division rules The Banquet (Located between Conway and Mayflower on Hwy 286/Clinton Rd.) Menu: Catfish, Chicken, Shrimp with all the Fixin s Catered by Adam s Catfish $12 + tax/ plate The 2015 ABA /Roger Maynard Scholarship Winners will be Announced 2014/2015 season Bowhunter of the Year winners will be announced Guest Speakers: Cory Gray, AGFC Deer Coordinator & J.P. Fairchild, AGFC Hog Coordinator Both Gentlemen will be conducting a Q&A Session, so come with your questions for the Experts

5 The Arkansas Bowhunter ONE LAST TIME continued from page 4 all be worked out if we just remember what we were formed to do; protect the interest of the bowhunter and the sport of bowhunting and archery in the state of Arkansas. We all have to keep that goal in mind. I don t know of anyone that has been in the ABA for any length of time that doesn t have the interest of those ends in mind. We may not always agree on the methods of getting there but I know we are always willing to do what we have to do in order to keep our goals in mind. No one should put their own interest before those goals. The responsibility of all members, regardless of whether we are an Annual Member or Life Member should be to support the currently elected President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary as well as the Field Governors of the Executive Board as they do their best for the ABA. If we disagree, we should have the intestinal fortitude and mutual respect for each other to sit down and work it out. If it comes down to not having ethics, or doing the right thing even if no one is looking, just do it or take yourself out of this family. But, just like a family, we need to keep our differences in the family. I know it seems to be lecturing but if carrying out that mission means we have to come to an agreement we don t like, then we need EAT, SLEEP, HUNT! to come to an agreement in spite of that. If it means differences are so great they can t be solved, then show the maturity to walk away for the good of the organization. OK, I ve finished my two cents! I hope all of you have had a good season and look forward to seeing all of you at a tournament somewhere this summer. I appreciate February all the support the newsletter team has received from all of you over the years and look forward to serving however I can. Please enjoy the summer, support your local bow club and remember to always keep the wind in your face and the bears out of your tree. May God bless and keep you safe. When performance matters most... Mack s Prairie Wings is your one stop shop for all your archery needs. Brands you trust: Elite, Mathews, Hoyt, PSE, Bear, Bowtech and Diamond Archery Full Service Pro Shop offering over 30 years of combined experience Custom Macde Strings to fit any bow Bow Tuning by the experts Bowfishing Supplies Archery started off as a hobby, then turned into a passion. It later grew to an obsession and is now my career. ~ Jody Smith Door Prizes Worth Thousands (Must be present to win) Novelty Shoots Indoor Rest Rooms Air Conditioning Concessions Awards Presentation at 4 pm Sunday Find us on Pro, Men s & Ladies Open, Barebow, Men s & Ladies Bowhunter Release, Recurve, Longbow, Senior, Novice, Youth (13-15 yrs.), Cub (9-12 yrs), PeeWee (8 yrs. & under) SATURDAY, JULY 11 8:00-1:00 PM STAGGER START Register from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm SUNDAY, JULY 12 9:30 AM STAGGER START Register from 7:00 am until 9:00 am PRO DIVISION SUNDAY ONLY One arrow shoot No bonus for Pros Pro Division $40 00 Adult $20 00 Youth $10 00 Family Max $50 00 * *Immediate family only, excluding pro Cub and PeeWee Shoot for FREE BONUS Shot is FREE (870) , contact@pinebluffbowhunters.org Rich DeBill or visit our website: President

6 6 February 2015 The Arkansas Bowhunter March April May June July August September D Tournament Schedule Date Club Location Description 3/21 Arkansas Bowhunters Association Mayflower, AR ABA Spring Shoot and Banquet (Day 1) 3/22 Arkansas Bowhunters Association Mayflower, AR ABA Spring Shoot (Day 2) 3/28 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 3/29 Bayou Meto Bowhunters Bayou Meto, AR Spring Invitational 4/4 Holla Bend Bowhunters Russellville, AR Club Shoot Hurricane Lake Bowhunters Bald Knob, AR Club Shoot Hot Spring Co Bowhunters Friendship, AR Club Shoot 4/11 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational Wattensaw Bayou Bowhunters Wattensaw WMA Open Club Shoot Izard Co Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Team Coon Shoot - Night 4/12 12 Ring Archery Conway, AR Club Shoot Izard Co Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Club Shoot - Day 4/18 Central Arkansas Bow Hunters Mayflower, AR Club Shoot 4/18 Dyke Springs Archery Hope, AR Club Shoot (Day 1) 4/19 Dyke Springs Archery Hope, AR Club Shoot (Day 2) 4/25 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 5/2 12 Ring Archery Conway, AR Cancer Shoot - For Ovarian Cancer Holla Bend Bowhunters Russellville, AR Club Shoot Hurricane Lake Bowhunters Bald Knob, AR Club Shoot Hot Spring Co Bowhunters Friendship, AR Club Shoot 5/9 River Valley Bowhunters Charleston, AR Open Invitational Wattensaw Bayou Bowhunters Wattensaw WMA Club Shoot Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 5/10 Izard Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Special Mother s Day Shoot 5/16 5/17 Central Arkansas Bowhunters Mayflower, AR Invitational (2 Day Shoot) Oakridge Bowhunters El Dorado, AR Open Invitational (2 Day Shoot) Dyke Springs Archery Hope, AR Club Shoot (2 Day Shoot) 5/23 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 5/24 12 Ring Archery Conway, AR Club Shoot 5/25 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR ABA/Roger Maynard Scholarship Shoot 6/6 Holla Bend Bowhunters Russellville, AR Club Shoot Hurricane Lake Bowhunters Bald Knob, AR Club Shoot Hot Spring Co Bowhunters Friendship, AR Club Shoot 6/13 Izard Co Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Team Coon Shoot [Night Shoot] River Valley Bowhunters Charleston, AR Open Invitational Wattensaw Bayou Bowhunters Wattensaw WMA WBBA Mosquito Classic Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 6/14 Oakridge Bowhunters El Dorado, AR Open Club Shoot Izard Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Day Shoot 12 Ring Archery Conway, AR Club Shoot 6/20 Central Arkansas Bowhunters Mayflower, AR Club Shoot 6/20-6/21 Dyke Springs Archery Hope, AR Club Shoot (2 Day Shoot) 6/27 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 7/4 Holla Bend Bowhunters Russellville, AR Club Shoot Hurricane Lake Bowhunters Bald Knob, AR Club Shoot Hot Spring Co Bowhunters Friendship, AR Open Invitational 7/5 River Valley Bowhunters Charleston, AR Open Invitational Wattensaw Bayou Bowhunters Wattensaw WMA Club Shoot 7/11 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational Pine Bluff Bowhunters Pine Bluff, AR Ben Pearson Memorial (Day 1) 7/12 Pine Bluff Bowhunters Pine Bluff, AR Ben Pearson Memorial (Day 2) Izard Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Day Shoot 7/18 Central Arkansas Bowhunters Mayflower, AR Catch-A-Dream 7/19 Oakridge Bowhunters El Dorado, AR Open Club Shoot 12 Ring Archery Conway, AR Club Shoot 7/18-19 Dyke Springs Archery Hope, AR Club Shoot 7/25 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Open Invitational 8/1 Hurricane Lake Bowhunters Bald Knob, AR Club Shoot Hot Springs Co Bowhunters Friendship, AR Club Shoot 8/8 Holla Bend Bowhunters Russellville, AR Club shoot 8/8-8/9 Dyke Springs Archery Hope, AR Invitational (2 Day Shoot) 8/8-8/9 Ingram Archery Quitman, AR Hoyt Arkansas 3D State Champ. (2 Day) 8/9 Oakridge Bowhunters El Dorado, AR Open Club Shoot Izard Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Team Coon Shoot [Night Shoot] 8/15 Central Arkansas Bowhunters Mayflower, AR Invitational (SOY Award) 8/29-8/30 Bayou Meto Bowhunters Bayou Meto, AR Bayou Classic Invitational (2 Day Shoot) 8/30 12 Ring Archery Conway, AR Club Shoot 9/5 Holla Bend Bowhunters Russellville, AR Club Shoot Hot Springs County Bowhunters Friendship, AR Club Shoot 9/12 Izard Co Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Bowhunters Blowout 9/13 Izard Co Stickshooters Melbourne, AR Bowhunters Blowout River Valley Bowhunters Charleston, AR Gellco Bowhunter Challenge 9/19/2015 Arkansas Bowhunters Association Mayflower, AR AR State Championship Shoot with Bowhunter Bonanza (Day 1) 9/20/2015 Arkansas Bowhunters Association Mayflower, AR AR State Championship Shoot Bowhunter Bonanza Final (Day 2)

7 The Arkansas Bowhunter Words By Brian Emmons from the Treasurer I m staring at my computer screen trying to write a Treasurers message that will let you know what s going on. I realize that the blank screen may well describe what we know for certain is going to happen in The Game and Fish are making changes in 2015 that make us a little nervous. Hopefully JD Crawford and Jello Myers will be able to work things out with the G&F and the city officials on the Urban Hunts. Everyone knows that the Urban Hunt is the place where we get all the funding for doing our special projects. We spend most of the money received from the urban hunts on helping kids become better archers and providing training to bowhunters. Since the funds are on shaky ground for 2015, I have requested the board to pull back on all spending. Unfortunately this means we ll have to cut back on several things. Things that will be effected in 2015 will be the newsletter, Shooter of the Year program, additional monetary awards for NASP state winners, Hunters Feeding the Hungry, IBEP education training sessions, and any help with ABA officers in travel expenses. These measures may seem a little drastic but if we don t cut back we ll utilize all the cash in the bank within 2 years. Each year we have been spending almost everything that was brought in and we cannot continue to do so without some guarantee of replenishing the funds. Some of you may think that we have between 1000 and 1500 members a year. That should keep us with nearly $22,000 coming in each year from memberships and tournaments. Truth is, approximately $20,000 comes in with the Urban Hunts, the tournaments barely pay their own bills and annual memberships from non-urban Hunters are less than $5000. Without the certainty of the Urban Hunt funds, we have to cut back on things this year. Now that I have turned that blank screen into a dark and gloomy picture, I want to brighten it up a little. We are committed to do everything to keep the ABA on track for supporting bow hunters. We plan on working with the G&F and the cities on the Urban Hunts. This will take money. We are setting aside limited funds for this. We are staying on top of hunting concerns the bow hunters have and continue to be their voice with the G&F. We continue to fund our special account used for litigations in case our fight for bow hunter s rights require legal assistance. We ll continue to provide as many services as possible to recruit new members. All of this will require money. I keep stating this because I want everyone to understand that this year we may spend more money than we bring in. What can you to help? I have 3 suggestions. 1) Thank the ABA officers for dedicating their time to support bow hunting. They don t get paid anything for their services. 2) Renew your membership and help get new members. 3) Come and support us at our 3 shoots. My final words for this message is that we hope all the cutbacks are temporary and we ll be able to help with special programs again in Also, you need to be aware that none of the cut backs will affect the Roger Maynard Scholarship program. The ABA is strong and will continue to be strong because of the brotherhood of bow hunters. Archery Addiction, LLC 398 Hempstead 7 Hope, AR K & D Grocery 1381 Hwy 33 Casscoe, AR February ABA Business Partners Mary J s Country Café #1 Ethel Road Ethel, AR White s Auto Repair 627 Hwy 153 Almyra, AR The ABA Business Partner Program puts your name in front of the ABA membership for only $25.00 in each edition of The Arkansas Bowhunter. Enroll your business TODAY!

8 The Arkansas Bowhunter P.O. Box Little Rock, AR February 2015 Pre-Sorted Standard US Postage PAID Conway, AR Permit #16 REAL REASON continued from page 1 changed anything regarding disturbance? The bowhunter will still be in the same tree. The dog hunters will still be running their nine or ten barking and baying dogs. In the grand scheme of things I hardly think bowhunters are the source of any disturbance or hindrance in the trapping of wild hogs. Active Hog Hunting is the Real Problem The real problem stems from a few bad apples that have been actively hunting hogs with dogs while masquerading as squirrel or coon hunters. Examples provided; AGFC officers have encountered some hunters outfitting their dogs with cut vests and cut collars (items made of heavy canvas to protect the dog from a hogs slicing tusks). Yet when questioned by officers these hunters claim that they are just squirrel hunting and any hogs they kill are incidental. One might argue that the most objective and effective solution would be for the AGFC to simply ban dog hunting on the WMA s. I m certainly not advocating that. It would be unfair to punish legitimate law abiding dog hunters. But for discussion sake you would have Outfitted for hog hunting to agree that it would eliminate the real disturbance issue. On one hand the AGFC is pushing for rules that will reduce illegal active hog hunting yet on the other they don t want to alienate any particular group of hunters. Their solution, as we now know it today, is to eliminate incidental taking of hogs on WMA s for not just dog hunters but, bowhunters and small game hunters as well. In this way no one group is singled out or picked on, but the terrible bureaucratic trade off is that we have this seemingly nonsensical rule. One other thing. You may ask; What about federal refuges like our White River NWR following the rule? The AGFC requested that ALL refuges go along with the new rules. Being federal, our refuges are not obligated to follow state wildlife management actions but felt a need to be a team player, and not conflict with state rules. After expressing their reservations, refuge managers reluctantly agreed. Reprinted with permission of Jim Taylor. Jim is a Life Member of the ABA. He was very active in the White River Refuge Expansion Project. He is the creator and moderator of a blog titled The Arkansas Bowhunter.