07-18-2007, 10:10 PM
LITTLE ROCK - Outdoorsmen will be the beneficiary of a $13.2 million revenue bond sale completed last week by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Money from the sale of the revenue bonds will be used to finance such things as land acquisition and management programs on Arkansas' wildlife management areas.
In May, commissioners from the AGFC unanimously approved the formal request of up to $25 million in revenue bonds from the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.
The majority of the bond money will go to acquire almost 18,700 acres for public use in Calhoun and Searcy counties. Commissioner Freddie Black of LakeVillage, said the time was right to take advantage of a bond issue. "It's a wonderful milestone if we achieve what we've set out to do. It's a win-win situation for the people of Arkansas," Black said.
Last week, the AGFC closed on one of the largest private parcels of land along the BuffaloNationalRiver in Searcy. That 2,758-acre property is located southwest of the town of St. Joe near the National Park Service's Woolum Access to the BuffaloNationalRiver. The property is south of the BuffaloRiver and west of Richland Creek and encompasses a portion of the Ozark Highland Trail. The property will now become a part of the Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area.
Later this month, the AGFC will also close on the 15,923-acre Moro Big Pine WMA conservation easement in CalhounCounty. When completed, it will be the largest conservation easement ever established in Arkansas. The land will provide public access for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. In addition to hunting and fishing, the lands provide habitat for five federally endangered species including the red cockaded woodpecker, several plants and three species of mussels.
Lucky hunters drawn for alligator hunting permits
LITTLE ROCK - For the first time in modern history, several lucky Arkansans will get the opportunity to hunt alligators in Arkansas. The alligator hunt - seven years in the making - has been approved for one year with reports and monitoring required for subsequent hunts.
A total of 40 permits were available to Arkansas hunters. Twenty-three of the tags were offered through the computer draw with the other 17 permits going directly to private landowners who assign the tag to the person of their choice. There were about 2,800 applicants for the permits.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved of the AGFC plan to open alligator hunting season earlier this summer. "The USFWS Division of Scientific Authority finds the export of properly tagged skins, meat and other parts and products of American alligator harvested in 2007 in Arkansas by sport hunting will not be detrimental to the survival of the species," stated the USFWS letter of approval, received May 15.
The online application process for hunters began June 1 and ended at midnight, June 29.
Each applicant was required to have a valid resident big game license. Hunters must also attend one of three training workshops in August to become eligible to take an alligator. The first two workshops will be held Saturday, Aug. 4 at the AGFC Regional Office in Hope or AGFC Regional Office in Monticello. The third workshop will be held Saturday, Aug. 11 at the AGFC Central Office in Little Rock. All three meetings begin at 1 p.m. Successful applicants will receive a letter with information on the hunter workshops in the next week to 10 days.
The first hunt will begin 30 minutes after sunset Friday, Sept. 21, and run until 30 minutes before sunrise Monday, Sept. 24. The second hunt will begin 30 minutes after sunset Friday, Sept. 28, and run until 30 minutes before sunrise Monday, Oct. 1. Successful applicants can hunt both weekends if necessary to harvest their alligator. The bag limit is one alligator at least 4 feet long.
In May, commissioners from the AGFC unanimously approved the formal request of up to $25 million in revenue bonds from the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.
The majority of the bond money will go to acquire almost 18,700 acres for public use in Calhoun and Searcy counties. Commissioner Freddie Black of LakeVillage, said the time was right to take advantage of a bond issue. "It's a wonderful milestone if we achieve what we've set out to do. It's a win-win situation for the people of Arkansas," Black said.
Last week, the AGFC closed on one of the largest private parcels of land along the BuffaloNationalRiver in Searcy. That 2,758-acre property is located southwest of the town of St. Joe near the National Park Service's Woolum Access to the BuffaloNationalRiver. The property is south of the BuffaloRiver and west of Richland Creek and encompasses a portion of the Ozark Highland Trail. The property will now become a part of the Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area.
Later this month, the AGFC will also close on the 15,923-acre Moro Big Pine WMA conservation easement in CalhounCounty. When completed, it will be the largest conservation easement ever established in Arkansas. The land will provide public access for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. In addition to hunting and fishing, the lands provide habitat for five federally endangered species including the red cockaded woodpecker, several plants and three species of mussels.
Lucky hunters drawn for alligator hunting permits
LITTLE ROCK - For the first time in modern history, several lucky Arkansans will get the opportunity to hunt alligators in Arkansas. The alligator hunt - seven years in the making - has been approved for one year with reports and monitoring required for subsequent hunts.
A total of 40 permits were available to Arkansas hunters. Twenty-three of the tags were offered through the computer draw with the other 17 permits going directly to private landowners who assign the tag to the person of their choice. There were about 2,800 applicants for the permits.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved of the AGFC plan to open alligator hunting season earlier this summer. "The USFWS Division of Scientific Authority finds the export of properly tagged skins, meat and other parts and products of American alligator harvested in 2007 in Arkansas by sport hunting will not be detrimental to the survival of the species," stated the USFWS letter of approval, received May 15.
The online application process for hunters began June 1 and ended at midnight, June 29.
Each applicant was required to have a valid resident big game license. Hunters must also attend one of three training workshops in August to become eligible to take an alligator. The first two workshops will be held Saturday, Aug. 4 at the AGFC Regional Office in Hope or AGFC Regional Office in Monticello. The third workshop will be held Saturday, Aug. 11 at the AGFC Central Office in Little Rock. All three meetings begin at 1 p.m. Successful applicants will receive a letter with information on the hunter workshops in the next week to 10 days.
The first hunt will begin 30 minutes after sunset Friday, Sept. 21, and run until 30 minutes before sunrise Monday, Sept. 24. The second hunt will begin 30 minutes after sunset Friday, Sept. 28, and run until 30 minutes before sunrise Monday, Oct. 1. Successful applicants can hunt both weekends if necessary to harvest their alligator. The bag limit is one alligator at least 4 feet long.