Arkansas Wild

January/Feburary 2011 Arkansas Wild | 1

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1WILD

The Ruins Monte NeOF

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4 | Arkansas Wild January/Feburary 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTSPrivate Lands Conservation Vital For AllBy Andi Cooper, Ducks Unlimited

The Birds.By Kat Robinson

Pleasure BoatingBy Emily Griffin

Girlfriend Getaway in the Arkansas OzarksBy Jill M. Rohrback

A Reel ChallengeBy Emily Griffin

A Thousand Words Tell A PictureBy Dena Woerner and Noel Vick

The Ruins of Monte NeBy Kat Robinson

Arkansas Falconry: A Unique Partnership between Humans and Birds of PreyBy Joseph D. Darcangelo

Biodiversity in Arkansas’s Blackland Prairie RegionBy Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Audubon Goes Native! But it’s all for the birdsBy Dan Scheiman, Audubon Arkansas

Natural Beauty: The Photography of A.C. “Chuck” Haralson

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CONTRIBUTORSAndreA “Andi” Cooper is a native Mississippian and has a Master’s degree from Mississippi State University in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. Cooper currently holds a position with Ducks Unlimited’s Southern Region in Ridgeland, MS as a Communications Specialist. While she’s not working, Cooper enjoys bird watching, deer hunting, outdoor photography, woodburning, camping, and wondering the woods with her dogs, Jake and Ziva.

A.C. “CHUCK” HArALSonSerVeS is chief photographer for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. A 32-year veteran of the Department, Haralson travels the state capturing images of Arkansas’s scenic natural beauty and historic treasures, travel attractions, cities and regions, outdoor and cultural activities, festivals and special events. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic Discovery, Better Homes and Gardens, Women’s Day, Camping Life, and Backpacker, and in major newspapers including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. And, throughout the years, Haralson’s work has appeared in high profile, prestige pieces like the 2006 Picture Arkansas coffee table book. He’s now the proud grandfather of one-year-old grandson, Wyatt.

KAT roBinSon is a food and travel writer based in Little Rock. She writes Eat Arkansas, the blog for food lovers for the Arkansas Times. She also writes Tie Dye Travels, her syndicated column and blog about her journeys both in and out of Arkansas. Tie Dye Travels is also featured on KARK’s Arkansas Matters website, and Kat appears on KARK Today at Noon monthly. Kat travels Arkansas and the South searching for good stories, tall tales and the next great little restaurant. Kat is a featured blogger with Lonely Planet, a hamburger correspondent for Serious Eats, a writer for Deep South Magazine and a contributor to Food Network Magazine.

JiLL roHrBACH is the northwest travel writer for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Based in the university town of Fayetteville, she covers the Arkansas River Valley and the Ozarks. An Arkansas native, Rohrbach enjoys such outdoor adventures as hiking, camping, geocaching, archery, and fly fishing for trophy trout. Before joining Parks and Tourism, she reported on education, county and city government and wrote local features for The Morning News.

denA Woerner is the Tourism Division Communications Manager for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. She leads tourism social networking efforts and oversees editing, research, writing and photography for Arkansas tourism publications and Arkansas.com. Responsible for public relations, she works with traveling journalists and film crews from all over the world. In addition, Woerner teaches Hospitality and Tourism Management courses for Pulaski Technical College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Master of Arts degree in Professional Communication from Purdue University, and a certification in Tourism Crisis Management from the University of Florida. She enjoys fishing and hiking in the Natural State.

GrAV WeLdon is a travel and food photographer out of the Fort Smith area. He travels quite a bit with Kat for Tie Dye Travels and other stories Kat follows. Grav is also an adjunct instructor teaching computer graphics at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. His work has appeared in Deep South Magazine, 2njoy Magazine, on the Eat Arkansas blog for the Arkansas Times, on Lonely Planet and in Serious Eats.

JoSepH d. dArCAnGeLo is the Curator of Large Hoof-stock and Birds at the Little Rock Zoo. He oversees the Elephant department, which also includes the giraffes and rhinos; numerous ungulate species; a majority of the zoo’s bird collection, including the zoo’s new Penguin Pointe; and helps oversee the Education department. Joseph’s been in the Zoo profession for 17 years and has worked at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge, Chehaw Wild Animal Park, and Miami’s Metro Zoo. Joseph finds nothing more rewarding then spending time in nature. Through the months of September and February, Joe can be found exploring the woods and fields of Arkansas with his Red-tailed hawk, Sammy.

noeL ViCK, author of Fishing on Ice and is a regular contributor to several outdoor publications including In-Fisherman. He is president of Traditions Media, a fishing focused public relations agency.

THE ARKANSAS NATURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION (ANHC) focuses on science-based conservation to protect our state’s biodiversity. As the central repository for data on Arkansas’s rare species and natural communities, they work to provide up-to-date information for sound and timely conservation decisions. Their System of Natural Areas provides long-term protection to some of the state’s most ecologically significant lands. Through outreach and education they strive to deepen the ecological literacy of Arkansans. These efforts, combined with an array of partnerships, are all aimed at ensuring that Arkansas’s natural heritage is not lost. ANHC shares the goal of all seven Department of Arkansas Heritage agencies, to preserve and enhance the heritage of the state of Arkansas. The agencies are Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Delta Cultural Center, Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, and Old State House Museum.

dAn SCHeimAn, A.K.A., Dr. Dan the Bird Man, is the Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Arkansas. The Amos W. Butler Audubon Society supported Dan’s Ph.D. research at Purdue University. “Now”, says Dr. Dan, “it is my turn to give back to the organization that gave me so much.” Dan holds a B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University and an M.S. in Biological Sciences from Eastern Illinois University as well. Dan has been birding for over 20 years and has over 10 years of experience conducting bird research.


HeatHer BakerPublisher

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editorialemily Griffin

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Advertising [email protected]

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kimBerly dillAccount Executive

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PHotoGraPHyBrian CHilSon

a.C. (CHuCk) HaralSon

ProduCtionWeldon WilSonProduction Manager

roland GladdenAdvertising Traffic Manager

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roBert CurfmanIT Director

linda PHilliPSBilling/Collections

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201 E. MARKHAM ST. SUITE 200LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 501-375-2985

All Contents © 2011 Arkansas Wild

WILD


Think of all the changes—the new shopping centers, the widened roads, the expanding housing areas—that you have seen in just the last 10 to 20 years. Think of the forests you have witnessed being cleared, the fertile farm-land you once knew that is now a subdivision. Now imagine you are a landowner, a lover of the outdoors and nature, dealing with the possibility of having to sell your land and wonder-ing how you can protect its natural, intrinsic values long after you have left it. If what you want is to leave a legacy for future generations, to ensure that wildlife will always have a place on your land, then a conservation ease-ment may be right for you.

With the majority of land in the United States under private ownership, the will of landowners to make a commit-ment to conservation for themselves and for the future is incalculably important to the long-term protection of our bountiful natural resources. Unfortunately, many landowners are under financial pressure from taxes and the encroaching sprawl of develop-ment. They are looking for a way to protect their land and way of life for future generations, but also to continue to use the land for their own benefit. Increasingly, landowners are turning to conservation easements as a way to protect property in its natural state.

Ducks Unlimited offers conservation easements in areas of the continent most critical to waterfowl. In Arkansas, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley is an

area of such importance. The Missis-sippi Alluvial Valley once consisted of approximately 25 million acres of forested wetlands. Much of this area flooded each winter, providing an abundance of foraging and resting habitat for migrating and wintering wa-terfowl, especially mallards and wood ducks. Today, less than 5 million acres of these forested wetlands remain, and most of those have suffered extensive alterations to hydrology and become highly fragmented.

As the global leader in wetlands conservation, Ducks Unlimited looks beyond the present and focuses its efforts on goals that will provide long-term benefits for wildlife habitat. Conservation easements in the lower Mississippi River Valley Focus Area complement Ducks Unlimited’s other wetland restoration and reforestation efforts. Easements are primarily sought on flooded, native, emergent vegeta-tion and forested wetlands. Long term protection of these habitats will aid in the effort to reduce additional forest fragmentation—particularly that result-ing from changes in land ownership —and help maximize available habitat for waterfowl.

WHAT IS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT?

Conservation easements are an oppor-tunity for landowners to protect valu-able natural resources in perpetuity by legally specifying development rights and restrictions on their property. Ducks Unlimited helps the landowner

PRIVATE LANDS CONSERVATION

VITAL FOR ALL

A SHINING EXAMPLE When Rick Allen, Jim Coker, Glenn Kiersky, Bill Loveless, and Shep Tate decided to protect the natural resources of their property, they turned to a conservation easement through Ducks Unlimited/Wetlands America Trust. Set within the agricultural landscape of St. Francis County, Arkansas, Blackfish Farms, LLC provides critical habitat for waterfowl migrating through the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The 1,400-acre property has a diversity of habitats important to waterfowl, including rice and soybean production, recently reforested Wetland Reserve Program habitat and upland areas containing a variety of native grass plantings. A large, shallow water impoundment along the southern boundary of the property provides wild millet, smartweed and a variety of sedges for migrating waterfowl. Multiple shallow water areas throughout the agricultural fields also provide valuable moist soil plants.

By enrolling Blackfish Farms, LLC in WRP and utilizing water control structures in their agricultural fields, the five partners are providing excellent wildlife habitat and improving water quality within the St. Francis River Watershed. By enrolling the property in a conservation easement with Ducks Unlimited, they have guaranteed the habitat provided by their property will support waterfowl for generations to come.

Managing partner, Bill Loveless, explained their decision. “Over our lifetimes we’ve seen land that used to be far away from development become subdivisions and industrial parks. Our conservation easement with DU guarantees that won’t happen to this property. I guess I’ve always been a conservationist at heart—it wasn’t hard to convince my partners that this was a good thing to do. And DU was the obvious choice for this easement because I know all the fine work that they do.”

BY ANDI COOPERREGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGIST, DUCKS UNLIMITED SOUTHERN REGION


tailor the agreement to meet his/her interests while maintaining the natural integrity of the land. Conservation easements do not prevent landowners from using their property for farming, ranching, timber harvest, hunting or other recreational purposes.

DU’s program accepts easements in perpetuity through its affiliate Wetlands America Trust, as well as accompany-ing donations to cover associated costs such as the annual monitoring effort. DU agrees to monitor the property on a yearly basis to ensure the protection of its natural resources for years to come. Such protection will ensure that large acreages of wetlands, riparian habitats and important uplands will be pre-served for the benefit of waterfowl and other wildlife and for the enjoyment of future generations. Additionally, con-servation easements may result in the reduction of income and estate taxes.

DU biologists will also work with landowners to combine resources in order to address habitat management issues or restore and improve wetland diversity through a multitude of partner programs. Programs like the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wetlands Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Environ-mental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Reserve Program can all be used in conjunction with a conser-vation easement to further enhance the conservation value of the land.

PRIVATE LANDS CONSERVATION YIELDS PUBLIC GOOD

Conservation easements ensure that the ecological values of a property are maintained forever. Particularly in the case of wetlands, these ecological values include floodwater retention, groundwater recharge, water quality enhancement and many others that benefit people and wildlife far beyond the borders of the property itself. Habitat provided by private lands is essential for healthy, sustainable wild-life populations as well. With nearly three-fourths of the remaining wetlands in the U.S. under private ownership, public lands simply do not provide enough habitat to support large popula-tions of wetland-dependent wildlife, particularly those that range large distances such as waterfowl and other migratory birds.

In addition to protecting the private property under easement, DU, as the holder of the easement, can use the conservation value of the easement as match for grants to acquire and restore wetland habitat elsewhere. Most often, the areas impacted by these grants are on public lands. In this way, conserva-tion easements do double-duty for conservation. Grants through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act illustrate this important dynamic between private and public lands con-servation.

For example, in the late 1990’s NAWCA funding was critical in the expansion and restoration of habitat on Point Re-move Wildlife Management Area in the Arkansas River Valley. More recently, DU and partners enhanced 1500-acres on Bayou Meto WMA. This work was funded in part by $2 million in NAWCA grants. Future NAWCA projects will enhance other public lands including areas at Cutoff Creek WMA, Black River WMA and Dagmar WMA. Con-servation easements have helped us significantly in securing these grants, which must be matched 2:1 with non-federal dollars.

JOIN DUCKS UNLIMITED, ENSURE CONTINUED SUCCESS

Ducks Unlimited continues to work diligently to ensure that waterfowl have sufficient habitat to breed, migrate and survive the winter in prime condition. Since 1937, DU has been putting habitat on the ground where it matters most to waterfowl. In Arkansas, DU works very closely with private landowners, the Ar-kansas Game and Fish Commission and many other partners to improve habitat for waterfowl and to increase hunting opportunities for waterfowlers.

Support wetlands and waterfowl con-servation efforts in Arkansas. Become a Major Sponsor of Ducks Unlimited today.

For more information, visit ar.ducks.org.

PHOTO BY DUCKS UNLIMITED

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Within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, DU seeks easements primarily on flooded, native emergent vegetation an forested wetlands like these, which protect the intrinsic ecological values of a land, aid in reclucing additional forest fragmentation and help maximize available habitat for waterfowl.


Our assignment awaited a short distance down the road, but the view we were taking in was one of those rare things you never get in the city. Grav whispered “… stop.” I found a place and turned into a dirt road beside the field. He held a finger to his lips. “Don’t scare them… just yet.” It seemed such a strange request, being so close to the road where traffic was passing by intermittently. But I followed his cue and turned off the engine.

Grav took his camera and quietly walked out into the field, watching the

birds as he made his way closer. He took a shot, looked at it and looked back. I sat and watched, wondering what would happen next. Further out into the field, he took another shot. The birds were paying him no attention. The sound of their quiet honks and twitters sounded like strange static on the wind. Grav later told me “it was really still out there, even with all the birds at rest.” He stood for a moment, taking one more shot. And then without any

warning he took off running towards the birds. “OOGA BOOGA OOGA BOO-GA! OOGA BOOGA OOGA BOOGA! FLY!” he hollered, waving his arms. He nearly lost his pants in his mad dash out into the field. I couldn’t help but start laughing hard.

And the air -- it was as if some-one had turned on this celestial air unit… there was a significant uptake in the air, even as far away as I was. Grav was shooting constantly. The noise… that quiet static that had been punctu-

The Birds. THE MORNING, QUIET, BRIGHT. WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO STUTTGART TO COVER MORE OF THE WINGS OVER THE PRAIRIE FESTIVAL WHEN WE SAW THE SNOW-COVERED FIELD TO THE NORTH OF HIGHWAY 165, JUST OUTSIDE OF HUMNOKE. IT WAS A CHILLY DAY, BUT NOT WARM ENOUGH FOR SNOW. WE REALIZED WHAT WE WERE SEEING WAS NOT COLD PRECIPITATION BUT THOUSANDS OF WHITE SNOW GEESE.

BY KAT ROBINSON

PHOTO BY GRAV WELDON


ated softly with squawks and honks, was now a cacophony of sound, a vastly out of tune symphony of thousands as each bird sounded their alarm in the wind, taking to the wing and moving as one, a gigantic wave of motion somehow acting as one gigan-tic hand, undulating back and forth like a conductor’s open palm, first rising and then sweeping out over the field and back towards us before rushing away again. The sound of wings flapping was like an audience of angels applauding, a thousand little waves crashing. They circled back and forth, their snow white wingtops alternating with gray bellies and the occasional goose that had not achieved that all-white plumage, a never ending pattern of alternating gray and white against an impossibly cyan blue sky.

Grav shot up into the sky, capturing a moment of insanity in the wind, the whipping back and forth of the current of birds above. What he could not capture was the sensation of motion in the crisp atmosphere, the almost shrill screaming of hollers from the avian onslaught, the light and almost imperceptible patter of bird scat hitting the ground. The echo of the crowd above reverberated all around the scene. Grav started heading back towards the car. The birds were just begin-ning to settle again, peppering the ground again until it once more appeared to be covered in snow, not far from where they had lit before. The erstwhile photographer was grin-ning open-mouthed, the sheer power of the experience apparent in his squinted eyes. “That was incredible.” “Do you always stir the birds like that?” “I have before… up in Wisconsin, once out in Michigan on the Upper Peninsula.” He was almost breath-less. “But never here.” I grinned and started the engine.

PHOTO BY GRAV WELDON

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hile the temperatures may be dropping into the teens dreaming of warmer days can help any outdoor enthusiast survive cabin fever. Picture this: A warm sunny day, lounging around listening to the calm peaceful waters of the lake as you sip iced tea from the comfort of your pontoon boat. Kick it up a notch by pulling your friends and family from your speed boat; ripping through the waves at top speed as they scream for more! Whatever your pleasure, peaceful and calm or fast and furious, boating can be a great way to spend the summer in

Arkansas. And, with over 600,000 surface acres of lakes, there’s plenty of space for everyone’s favorite water event. With the help of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, we selected a few bodies of water to help you start planning your sum-mer pleasure boating adventures.

Arkansas’s 11 largest lakes cover about 300,000 acres, approximately half of what the state has to offer. Hundreds of small lakes, created by nature or by vari-ous federal, state and private agencies, account for the other half. Until the early

part of this century, all of the state’s larger lakes were natural “old river” or “oxbow” impoundments along the Mississippi, Arkansas, White and other rivers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers introduced large man-made lakes to Arkansas in 1942, when Nimrod Lake was completed in Yell and Perry counties.

Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork and Greers Ferry Lake in northern Arkansas are popular recreation lakes, as well as Lakes Ouachita, Hamilton, and Catherine in west central Arkansas.

W BY EMILY GRIFFIN

PleasureBOATING

FIND ADVENTURE BOATING AREA LAKES THIS SUMMER

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOT SPRINGS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU


BEAVER LAKEBeaver Lake, completed in 1966 and nestled high in the Ozark Mountains, is located in northwest Arkansas. The 28,370-acre lake is the first of the im-poundments created in Arkansas and Missouri along the lengthy White River system.

With 487 miles of shoreline highlighted by limestone bluffs, Beaver Lake offers a world of recreational opportunities. Marinas and outfitters are plentiful. Cabins, resorts and other lodging ring the lake, and campgrounds are also available in good number.

Beaver Lake offers smallmouth bass fishing, largemouth bass fishing, and striper bass fishing, not to mention plentiful supplies of crappie, bream, white bass, channel and spoonbill cat-fish. Beaver supports healthy popula-tions for fall striped and hybrid striped bass. November serves up fast-paced action for both of these hard-hitting sportfish. The lake offers clear-water fishing at its north end and dingy water fishing in the tributaries flowing in from the south. When quick rises in

its level move muddy water northward, the lake’s midsection often produces outstanding shallow-water fishing.

BULL SHOALSBull Shoals Lake and the White River below its dam, are synonymous with fishing in Arkansas. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project, located in north central Arkansas on the Mis-souri-Arkansas state line, enjoys a wide reputation for lunker bass fishing along with its twin, Lake Norfork, just to the east. Bull Shoals Dam was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1951. It is the fifth largest concrete dam in the United States. Including the por-tion located in Missouri, the lake totals some 45,500 surface acres. Almost 1,000 miles of rugged shoreline is open to visitors and 60,000 acres of public land provide a variety of opportunities.

Over 20 parks developed through the cooperative efforts of local, state and federal agencies are located on the lakeshore. These have both camping and picnicking facilities. There are grills, firewood, tables and drinking water at the picnic sites. Commercial

docks on the lake have boats, motors and guides for hire. Water skiing and swimming are popular at Bull Shoals, as is cruising the hundreds of miles of lake arms and coves by motor or sailboat. Scuba divers come to Bull Shoals from many states to enjoy their sport in the blue water. They are permitted to spear scaled rough fish during daylight hours.

NORFORK LAKENorfork Lake has more than 550 miles of shoreline and covers some 22,000 acres. There are 19 developed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers parks that provide plenty of opportunities for camping and for water sports. Boat-ing, water skiing, diving and swim-ming are all extremely popular on the lake. Commercial docks on the lake have boats, motors, guides and equip-ment for diving. In addition to parks for camping, there are many resorts offering accommodations, some with private docks, swimming pools and other recreational amenities.

Almost all varieties of fresh water game fish are found in the lake, which

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOT SPRINGS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

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is fed by the North Fork River and its tributaries. Bass, walleye, crappie, bream and catfish all make their home in its waters. The oldest of Arkansas’s large man-made impoundments, Norfork has consistent variety in its fishing. Lake Norfork contains one of the best striped bass fisheries in Arkan-sas. The lake is stocked annually, and stripers over 40 pounds are commonly taken. Many in the 30-pound class are caught every year. Shad are plentiful in Lake Norfork, so stripers average 2.5 to 3 pounds of growth per year. A 20-year-old striper in Lake Norfork weighs about 25 pounds. Black bass fishing is at its best from September through May, and an increasingly popular sport on the lake is night fishing with lights for crappie and white bass.

GREERS FERRY LAKEOne of the Arkansas Ozarks’ favorite watery playgrounds is Greers Ferry Lake, located in the north-central por-tion of the state. With 40,000 acres of lake surface to accommodate both boaters and fishermen, the fishing at the lake is superb throughout the year. Greers Ferry Lake offers great walleye fishing and excellent crappie fishing. In fact every game fish native to the state has been stocked in the clear wa-ters of the lake by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

A rainbow trout hatchery is in opera-tion and furnishes the rainbow trout for stocking and fishing in the lake and below the dam in the Little Red River. Record fish catches are a com-mon occurrence at Greers Ferry, which abounds in game fish such as bream, channel catfish, rainbow trout, and largemouth and white bass. And of course Greers Ferry Lake offers great walleye fishing and excellent crappie fishing. During the winter months, one doesn’t have to look long to find anglers who have taken huge walleyes. Fifteen- to 18-pounders are caught yearly during the late-February to mid-March spawning time, and many think this is the probable home of another world record. Most walleyes are caught in three tributaries – the Middle Fork, South Fork and Devil’s Fork of the Little Red River.

Other sporting activities include boat-ing, swimming, camping, picnicking, scuba diving, and water skiing. There

is a developed nature trail winding up Sugar Loaf Mountain, an island in the lake, which affords a breathtaking view of the lake and surrounding country-side from its summit. LAKE OUACHITALake Ouachita, the largest lake (40,100 acres) located entirely within Arkansas, is renowned for its scenic beauty and clear waters. Created when Blakely Mountain Dam impounded the waters of the Ouachita River near Hot Springs, the lake is virtually surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest and has one of Arkansas’s most pristine shorelines at some 970 miles. The 40-mile-long lake is a favorite of sailors for its vast stretches of open water. Scuba divers enjoy the clear waters. Recreational boating, water skiing and other water sports are also very popular on Lake Ouachita, which boasts more than 100 uninhabited islands for primitive camping.

For anglers, Lake Ouachita is well-known for its prolific fishing op-portunities, especially for striped bass and largemouth bass fishing. It consistently ranks in the top 10 nation-ally for largemouth bass fishing. Mark Davis, 1995 B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year, spends a great deal of time on the lake. Ouachita’s acres are at normal pool level, with a crooked, rugged shoreline and an abundance of islands, especially in the lower (east) end of the lake. There are also many shallow

areas that provide excellent feeding and holding places for bass, with deep-water escape just a few fin strokes away. Bass fishermen do well around these islands and shallow areas using surface lures, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms.

Lake Ouachita boasts an unusual fea-ture, created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is the Geo-Float Trail, a marked route that can be followed by boaters guided by a brochure that details prominent geologic features to be seen on the lake.

LAKE HAMILTONLake Hamilton was created in 1932 when the Arkansas Power and Light Co. completed Carpenter Dam on the Ouachita River to generate electricity. Today, the 7,460-acre impoundment is one of Arkansas’s most popular recre-ational and residential lakes. Arkansas’s striped bass record fell twice in March 1997. First, a 53-lb., 9-oz. striper was caught. Four days later, a striper weighing 53 pounds, 13 ounces was caught. Both record fish came from Lake Hamilton.

Lake Hamilton is located on the south-ern edge of Hot Springs, Arkansas’s most popular tourist destination. The city is home to Hot Springs National Park, live and simulcast thoroughbred racing at Oaklawn Park, Magic Springs/Crystal Falls theme and water parks and many other Hot springs Hot Springs attractions.

LAKE CATHERINELake Catherine was created in a virtual wilderness between Hot Springs and Malvern when the Arkansas Power and Light Co. (now Entergy Corp.) complet-ed Remmel Dam in 1924 to generate electricity. It was the state’s first major hydroelectric facility. Though 11 miles long, the lake covers a mere 1,940 acres, nestled in narrow valleys of the Ouachita Mountains.

Though the lake is popular for water-skiing, swimming and other water sports, anglers come to the lake for its largemouth bass, spotted bass and striped bass, crappie, bream, and catfish and walleye fishing. A rainbow trout fishery, stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, exists in the lake’s tailwaters below Remmel Dam. P

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Lake Hamilton

Hot Springs has so many great things to do all year long, we

don’t care what you call us. Just call 1-888-SPA-CITY or visit

hotsprings.org to plan your trip to America’s First Resort.

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Bike City.

Spa City. Fish City.

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Play City.

HSAP 16690 AR Wild.indd 1 12/28/10 10:40 AM


I14 | Arkansas Wild Summer 2010

OUR ITINERARY WAS NOT JUST FLLED WITH FEMALE FRIVOLITY. WE ALSO AROSE AT A CRAZY MORNING HOUR TO JUMP ON BOARD BOATS FOR A 5 A.M. GUIDED WALLEYE FISHING TRIP.

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It seems that my girlfriends and I talk about a girlfriend getaway but rarely follow through with our plans. So when a resort owner friend of mine suggested and planned an itinerary for a girls’ trip, I jumped at the idea. Our group consisted of me, two of my friends from my hometown of Fayetteville, one of my friends from Little Rock, my boss also from the Rock, and her friend from Wyoming who flew in to join the fun.

Our activities were as diverse as our group, but melded us together as if we had all known each other for years even though half of us had just met. We wined and dined, enjoyed spa treatments, fished for trout and walleye, cruised like stars on a houseboat and even painted gourds. That’s right, gourds. I had my doubt about that activity, but the truth is that they turned out phenomenal and most of us have them proudly displayed as works of art in our homes. We have Master Artist Joyce Campbell who joined us at Hill Country Art Gallery in Mountain Home to thank. But let’s get back to the wining and dining because if you’re a girl looking to take a trip with your friends you’re going to want to try this itinerary. Or, let one of these featured resort owners plan a getaway based on your interests.

We met at Blue Lady Resort on Norfork Lake in the town of Gamaliel (pronounced guh- mail-yuh), which is about 10 miles from Mountain Home in the north central Ozarks. The resort sits on a bluff with panoramic views of the lake

and mountains. The terraced property is beautifully landscaped and leads down to the water and a private dock with attached swimming and fishing decks. Fishing is a year-round sport on Norfork Lake. While fishermen catch bass, walleye, crappie, bream, and catfish, Norfork Lake is best known for its stripers and hybrids. The resort also offers a pool, shuffleboard, volleyball, horseshoes, in-room spa service, and coin-operated laundry. Its small store sells drinks, snacks, bait, tackle, other sundries and gifts. Lodging consists of one to three bedrooms with full kitchens. We stayed in a three bedroom house that was very roomy for the six of us. Blue Lady Resort is owned by Margie Roeland, who set up all of our activities, including lunch and breakfast catered from local venues including 101 Great America Restaurant, 101 Grocery and Bait, and Fred’s Fish House. She scheduled The Beaded Path to come to our house and we all made a pair of earrings. P.J. Swink, a licensed massage therapist, set up a massage chair in a spare room and we each took a turn getting the kinks worked out, the perfect way to start a vacation. Another afternoon, Divine Appointment Spa Service set up shop in our living room, walked us through a facial, and gave each of us a makeover. You know how those Mary Kay, Arbonne and Pampered Chef- type parties go. We acted 100 percent girlie and most of us bought something. A popular item was the Tight, Firm & Fill face crème, and those of us who purchased it spent weeks afterward laughing as we asked each other, “Are you TFFing?”

Our itinerary was not just filled with female frivolity. We also arose at a crazy morning hour to jump on board boats for a 5 a.m. guided walleye fishing trip. Not to brag or anything; but, yes I did catch the largest one. My boss and I even learned how to filet our own catches. While I’m not a morning person, it was well worth

waking up early. The breakfast basket and coffee we took on board helped. My favorite restaurant on the trip was PJ’s Lodge & Dining on the banks of the White River in Norfork. The setting is lush, almost to the point of tropical. We were pleasantly surprised to find fine dining in the middle of rural fishing country. You can dine inside or on the deck. PJ’s is simply not your typical fishing resort. Even its guest rooms are luxurious. In the lounge before dinner, we had a presentation by Karen Montgomery, author of Simple Packing, about how to dress well and travel light.

While PJs served as a classy night out, our evening of wine tasting with dinner on the houseboat was the

in the Arkansas Ozarks

Girlfriend GetawayBY JILL M. ROHRBACK, ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TOURISM


most indulgent. Blue Lady Resort is Arkansas’s newest small farm winery, producing wines and operating a tasting room. The story of Raimondo Winery begins many generations ago with a family that traces its roots to Palermo, Sicily. The family began its winemaking heritage in the United States three generations ago when patriarch Marty Raimondo moved to California. Adding to the legacy of the family winery, Margie now produces wines from old world Italian varietals such as Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Viognier and Roussanne. She has a wide selection of dry and semi-dry wines made in the Ozarks from California grapes. In her cozy tasting room, Margie laid out a spread of cheese, crackers, dips and fruit. She then took us through the tasting of several Raimondo labels. I fell in love with the Sangiovese. My friends fell in love with Margie, and you will too if you go – along with discovering your favorite vino. We went straight from the wine tasting to a 60-foot houseboat equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, stove, gas grill, stereo, slide, patio furniture, and bed and bath linens. It slept at least 10 people. Margie booked it for us from 101 Boat Dock and it was waiting for us at her dock. Best of all was the upper deck where we lounged and

drank wine before dinner like we were Hollywood VIPs. Margie had a photographer from LC Creative Productions on the trip to document the evening for us. Plus, several of us had cameras, so we posed for pictures as if we were paparazzi worthy. Of course, we forgot to purchase fishing licenses, so we ran by 101 Boat Dock Marina to take care of that for our early morning walleye excursion. Who knew a bunch of girls could have so much fun in a marina store? We tried on hats, shoes, shirts, and sunglasses and bought a few of the items. But I’ll tell you now that you won’t see any of the hilarious pictures of us modeling skull caps and such. We made a pact about that. The end of our trip was spent in Cotter, which brands itself “Trout Capital USA.” Shopping consumed our afternoon with a visit to Gift-Tiques, where we also had lunch, on our way to downtown Cotter. We perused White Mist, a gift shop, and made our own bath gels and salts at The Herb Market. Cotter’s shops are filled with furniture, jewelry, china, glass, lighting, art, collectibles, and antiques. Also featured are crafts by local artisans in pottery, rugs, jewelry, painting, photography, and more. Also, don’t miss the drive over the historic Rainbow Arch Bridge.

Our last adventure was a stay at His Place Resort. Owned by Julie Raines, a dedicated trout fishing diva, the resort offers trout fishing, lodging, private dock, fly and tackle shop, and boat, motor, canoe and kayak rentals on the White River. A two and a half mile nature walk starts at His Place and goes to Big Spring Park with its swimming hole, complete with rope swing. It makes you want to be a kid again.

Julie set us up with johnboats and guides. We paired up and went out in hopes of catching our own lunch. I love trout fishing, especially if I’m fly fishing with my husband. But having a guide drive us girls around, bait our line, and take off the fish we caught while we just enjoy the experience, ranks pretty high on my fun meter too. We found pockets up and down the river where we would cast and catch one trout after another. We kept enough to feed us, and Julie’s crew cooked up a fabulous shore lunch when we returned. On our last night we hung out in our spacious lodge eating KT’s Barbeque. Three of us had computers and cameras. We downloaded photos of our trip allowing us to experience it all over again as we talked, laughed and bonded, which to me is what a girlfriend getaway is really all about.

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WALMART OPEN BASS TOURNAMENTflwoutdoors.comMarch 3-6Beaver Lake, RogersThe Walmart Open Bass Tournament is returning to Beaver Lake with the world’s best bass anglers competing for a share of the sport’s largest payouts. Join the fun with daily takeoffs at Prairie Creek Park and the FLW Outdoors Expo at the John Q Hammons Convention Center on March 5-6. Admission is free to spectators.

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS ANNUAL BASS TOURNAMENTdavoutdoors.comApril 2Lake Dardanelle, RussellvilleEvent will include a climbing wall, moonwalk, live band, snacks, motorcycle poker run, and more. Open to all anglers. Big bass pay-outs. Proceeds benefit veterans in Arkansas. Admission is free.

21ST ANNUAL WAL-MART CMN OPEN BUDDY BASS TOURNAMENT479-452-4143May 21Lake Dardanelle, RussellvilleRegistration is open from noon on Friday, May 20, until take-off at 6 a.m. May 21. The tournament is an eight-hour event with weigh-in approximately 2 p.m. The tournament is open to fish with one partner. Admission is $80 per team with Big Bass included.

12TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS BIG BASS BONANZAarkansasbigbass.comJune 24-26Arkansas River, Little RockArkansas’ largest amateur big bass tournament, will be held along 300 miles of the Arkansas River within the state borders. Anglers can choose to fish one, two, or all three days of the tournament. $100,000 guaranteed total prize money will be awarded.

2011 FLW TOUR--FORREST WOOD CUPflwoutdoors.comLake Ouachita, Hot SpringsAugust 10-14Six FLW Tour Majors and four FLW Tour Opens. FLW Tour Majors, which will feature a 150-boat field, are open to professional anglers who enter all six tournaments. Pros fishing the FLW Tour Majors will receive priority when entering FLW Tour Opens and pros that enter all four FLW Tour Opens will receive priority over individual entrants. FLW Tour Opens will also feature a 150-boat field. Complete details regarding registration requirements will be available in the near future at flwoutdoors.com or call 270-252-1000.

Other Tournaments Include:Mr. Bass of ArkansasFebruary 13-Lake OuachitaMarch 6-Greers Ferry Lake

AREA TOURNAMENTS OFFER ANGLERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THEIR SKILLS TO THE TEST.

March 20-DeGray LakeApril 10-Lake DardanelleMay 22-Lake OuachitaJuly 10-Arkansas River, Little RockNovember 4-6-Mr. Bass of Arkansas ClassicFor more information visit mrbassofarkansas.com.

Fishers of Men-Central Arkansas DivisionFebruary 12-Lake OuachitaMarch 12-Greers Ferry LakeApril 16-DeGray LakeApril 30-Greers Ferry LakeMay 21-Lake OuachitaFor more information contact Mark Boling, 870-672-9115.

Fishers of Men-Southern Arkansas DivisionJanuary 22-Arkansas River, DumasFebruary 19-Arkansas River, Pine BluffMarch 19-Arkansas River, DumasApril 30-Lake ChicotMay 21-FelsenthalJune 4, White River, Indian Bay

Fishers of Men-Legacy TournamentsApril 2-Lake Chicot May 14-Lake Hamilton

Bassmaster Weekend SeriesFebruary 26-Lake GreesonApril 2-Lake HamiltonMay 7-Greers FerryJune 4-Lake OuachitaAugust 27-28-Champtionship, Lake OuachitaFor more information visit abaproam.com.

Every fisherman or woman dreams of the day they bring home a record catch in one hand and a trophy in the other. If you’re a serious (or even not-so-serious) angler, there are plenty of opportunities in Arkansas to test your skills. With the Natural State’s abundance of great fishing locations, it’s no wonder anglers have so many tournament opportunities. Whether you feel up to the challenge or just want to observe, below is a list of some of the upcoming area fishing tournaments.

CHALLENGEBY EMILY GRIFFIN

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e thought it best to offer a peek into the creative process of getting that “big fish story” in a true

anecdote founded upon the sequence of events that led to immortalizing this single, yet significant image.

What do you see when you look at this photo? The lake—the idyllic re-flection of the cliff line formed on top of the water? Natural sunlight warm-ing the rocks and eliciting their true color—the iridescent colors adorning this picture-perfect black crappie? Can you see the fluid path we took across the lake that morning? How about the patience necessary to wait for that one bite, or later, the clouds to break providing the illumination crucial to do the scenery proper justice? Behind each photograph lie 1,000 words and ceaseless minutes of preparation and waiting—yes, waiting. In fact, in the world of professional photography, we often find ourselves in a paradoxical “hurry up and wait” mode, whereby photo subjects are beckoned to be on set and available at a moment’s no-tice, but often nearly nod off awaiting their final summons to the business end of the camera.

On this brisk Lake Norfork morning the air was still but with a nip; the skies were low and grey and sunlight shroud-

A Thousand Words Tell A PictureTHIS PAST NOVEMBER, ARKANSAS PARKS & TOURISM WELCOMED AN ELITE ASSEMBLAGE OF NATIONAL MEDIA MEMBERS FROM THE FISHING INDUSTRY TO CAST A LINE INTO THE NATURAL STATE. THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, WRITERS, EDITORS, FISHING PROFESSIONALS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS SAMPLED FABLED WATERWAYS IN THE ARKANSAS OZARKS AND OUACHITAS SUCH AS THE WHITE RIVER, LAKE NORFORK, LAKE BULL SHOALS AND LAKE OUACHITA. AND NO DOUBT, THEY WERE TREATED TO FANTASTIC FISHING IN HALLOWED ENVIRONMENTS THAT PRODUCED STORIES AND PHOTOGRAPHY WHICH WILL CIRCULATE AMONG FISHING MAGAZINES AND WEBSITES FOR YEARS TO COME.

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Fists clenched, we did that knuckle banging celebration that has replaced the now archaic high-five. So we were successful, and hip, at least for the moment.

ed with the exception of brief bursts between billows—those sun-filled gaps would prove priceless in the end.

We left the docks of Handcove Resort at daybreak crossing calm water through foggy coves protected in premium FXE Stormsuit raingear and toting a wardrobe of logo-wear the likes of a runway model.

ust about any large fish would do in the big picture, but we had our minds set on a trophy crappie. Obstacles blocked our bring-ing that special speckled fish

boatside, though, first and foremost being that our guide, Larry Olsen is an oracle to the lake but specializes in bass of all stripes, not panfish. How-ever, without a hint of intimidation, he embraced the challenge know-ing that brushy crappie hideaways sprouted along his premium bass fishing milk runs. Larry took us to one of his money spots, a cove that kicks out large-mouth and spotted bass like a vending machine that’s never empty. The submerged secret to the spot was that sunken brush crisscrossed the cove’s midsection, in deeper water—30 to 35 feet—outside the rugged banks he classically strafes for bass.So we rigged up with what crappie

gear was onboard, and it was sparse at best. Fortunately, we brought along a couple of panfish-weight St. Croix Rods and Daiwa Reels, because Larry’s arsenal was fit for bucketmouths and stripers, not paper-mouthed crappies.

Larry rummaged up a few smaller plain hooks. We found a couple of slip-bobbers rolling around in camera bags, and thought far enough ahead to pro-cure a couple dozen small minnows.

Larry trolled, pulling us gracefully across the brushpiles while floats held flashy minnows atop the wooded structure. Not long into the campaign he clearly identified, via sonar, fish holding tight to the tops of a brush-pile. We quickly adjusted the depth of our baits to hang tauntingly above the fish. If they were in fact crappies, which commonly feed upwards, we’d be in business. Zing! We had our first beautiful Norfork crappie in the livewell. Fists clenched, we did that knuckle banging celebration that has replaced the now archaic high-five. So we were successful, and hip, at least for the moment.

Morning surrendered to midday and what had ascended into a productive crappie expedition stalled. It was time to go high-tech, because we knew the

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BY DENA WOERNER & NOEL VICK

OUT&ABOUT

PHOTO BY NOEL VICK


fish hadn’t gone and left the lake, just become moodier, perhaps physically relocated. So down went the MarCum underwater camera sneaking peeks into untapped brushpiles.

oila! Not long after peering through this untapped sunken latticework of timber, did our camera lens meet numbers of crappie

eyeballs which were curiously, yet cautiously sizing up this manmade intruder.

We reloaded with minnows and floats figuring with fish in our crosshairs, it was now a matter of recreating morn-ing activities. Not 15-minutes into the crusade, though, did we recognize that spunky minnows weren’t going to trip any triggers. Fish were there, as visu-ally evidenced, but “the bite” was not.

Scratching heads and scheming, we remembered that somewhere deep in an inside pocket was a package of plastic magic, Northland Tackle’s Bro’s Bloodworms. Innocuous and earthy toned in appearance, to crap-pies, which feed on both things bare-ly identifiable by the naked eye and creepy creatures that crawl amongst

reach. Cameras clicked. The fish and fish-holders turned and contorted per the photographer bellowing instruc-tions. Backgrounds rotated. Larry raised a whopper black crappie fol-lowed by a white. Like a pro, he, too, manipulated the fish and his body to capture the immaculate meshing of fish, man, and scenery.

undreds of frames later, bar none, this photo won the Grand Slam and Triple Crown for composition,

color, and its ability to capture 1,000 words in a single frame.

The Natural State surrounds us, it’s omnipresent. But more than luck goes into depicting its rare beauty so prospective visitors can appreciate it as well.

the wet wood, the Bloodworms had the appeal of a in-between meal snacks. Bam, the catching got back underway.

Larry’s livewell now harbored a half dozen truly trophy crappies, the smaller fish released immediately. So we jetted toward another prob-able producer when what sounded like angels singing in the distance blended with a parting of the clouds. It was show time. We had our sacred natural light.

Like a Coast Guard vessel on pa-trol when a distress signal hits the airwaves, Larry swung hard portside and pointed us toward the nearest, sunlit, and out of the wind cove.

We took the beachhead, unloading camera gear, fish, and the wardrobe in unison as if this team had trained for months for this very moment. But in truth, it was our first experience as a single-celled organism. And quite frankly, we were seamless.

Crappies were bucketed and posi-tioned for quick access. Wardrobes, actually logo-wear, was donned, backup apparel kept within arm’s

Like a pro, he, too, manipulated the fish and his body to capture the immaculate meshing of fish, man, and scenery.

V

H

PHOTO BY NOEL VICK


have heard whispers of Monte Ne all my adult life, but mostly from people who had heard it from others. An old friend who scuba-dived said he had been meaning to get up there for years. An acquaintance told me there was a resort under Beaver Lake that was part sanitorium, part summer camp. It sounded like “The Road to Wellville,” the 1994 movie about a 1920s health resort. A little research and a personal visit would banish those myths and solidify what Monte Ne really was in my mind.

The tower is a prominent feature from the ruins of Monte Ne, a resort built just past the turn of the 20th Century, a vision of one William Hope “Coin” Harvey. The entrepre-neur came to this area of the Ozarks to build the resort. He purchased 320 acres of what was then called Silver Springs and renamed it Monte Ne—a name he conjured up from Spanish and Omaha Indian words for mountain and water.

He used some revolutionary ideas in the construction of his resort—including the utilization of slabs of concrete in many of the structures on the site. He combined this with more traditional construction methods. The two hotels constructed at the resort that made it to completion were made from logs with tile roofs. These two structures called Oklahoma Row and Missouri Row were at the time the longest log cabins in the world.

I

THE RUINS MONTE NE

BY KAT ROBINSON & PHOTOS BY GRAV WELDON

OF

The dreams of an American entrepreneur deteriorate by and under the waters of Beaver Lake

A MONOLITH STANDS ON THE SHORE OF BEAVER LAKE. THE TOWER RISES THREE STORIES ABOVE THE SHORELINE, SEEMINGLY SERENE AND CALM FROM A DISTANCE. ON CLOSER APPROACH, THE COLORS SHOUT OUT, OBSCENITIES AND NAMES AND OTHER GRAFFITI SPATTERED ACROSS THE FACE OF THE STRUCTURE. IF THE LIGHT HITS IT JUST RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE GRAFFITI IS APPARENT BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. YOU CAN APPROACH IT FROM LAND OR LAKE, WALK RIGHT UP AND INSIDE, WHERE GENERATIONS OF PAINT HAVE LAYERED THE WALLS IN THE NAME OF ART AND DEFACEMENT.

BUT WHY IS THE STRUCTURE HERE? WHAT CAUSED IT TO BE ABANDONED ON THE LAKESHORE? THE ANSWER LIES BETWEEN THE WATERS OF BEAVER LAKE AND THE DREAM OF AN ENTREPRENEUR WITH IDEAS ABOUT UTOPIA.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROGERS HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Missouri Row

January/Feburary 2011 Arkansas Wild | 25Summer 2010 Arkansas Wild | XX


e financed the building of the resort through the sale of his writings regard-ing free silver. His nickname, “Coin,” comes from his most popular work,

Coin’s Financial School. He sunk $100,000 dollars (half his own, half from investors) into construction at the site. It wasn’t just about build-ing the hotels. He had retaining walls built along the creek and lagoon and walkways constructed and even had a railroad assembled to run between the resort and Lowell to bring in guests. Those guests would disembark from the train and be escorted by gondola to the resort itself.

He built Arkansas’ first indoor pool in a bathhouse on Silver Creek across the lagoon from the resort. The downtown area he laid out had a livery stable, a bank (which used Harvey’s own scrip instead of American dollars), a grist mill, general store, and post office. His son Tom even ran a newspaper, the Monte Ne Herald, in the town.

The resort was something else in its heyday. I sat down with Shiloh Mu-

seum director Allyn Lord to talk about Monte Ne. She literally wrote the book on the subject; her Historical

Monte Ne book came out a few years ago and is a great read with lots of photos from the old resort. “Monte Ne was a great destination back in its hey-day. This was back before air condi-tioning. It was really cool down in the valley, even in the summertime.”

But some of Harvey’s ideas just didn’t take well with guests. He had a lights-out at 10 p.m. policy and reportedly wouldn’t allow sick children at the resort. He was a wiley sort. “He wasn’t crazy,” Lord told me. “Some folks think he was, but those were different times.”

It was a great dream, this nirvana in the Ozarks, but it was not to be. Har-

vey’s bank failed. The railroad went under. His son Hal died and his son Tom took off and left for good. Harvey tried unsuccessfully to run for Con-gress and his friend Williams Jennings Bryan wasn’t able to find a place for him in the Woodrow Wilson adminis-tration. These sort of things could turn anyone’s mind dark.

In February 1920, he published Com-mon Sense, announcing his inten-tion to leave a message for the future in the form of a pyramid. His plans called for a structure that would have been 130 feet high and which would have contained artifacts from the age preserved for the future—a globe, newspapers, domestic items and things like record players and such. Harvey had a 165 foot retaining wall built, but that’s as far as he got on the structure. He did, however, complete an unusu-ally shaped amphitheater he planned to rent out to bring in more money for the pyramid’s construction. The twenty foot high, 140 foot long semi-circular structure was built without an archi-tect. It was very irregular but could seat anywhere from 500 to 1000 people at a time.

The Great Depression pretty much ended Harvey’s pyramid dream. By that point he had sold off the hotels, which continued to do business under other operators. The Oklahoma and Missouri Rows spent time as the Ozark Industrial College and School of Theol-ogy until 1932.

Harvey wasn’t quite done yet, though. He formed The Liberty Party and gath-ered together a presidential convention at Monte Ne in 1932, the only presiden-tial convention ever to be held in Ar-kansas. He expected 10,000 people—he got just 786 delegates who nominated him as their presidential candidate. The party ended up merging with the Jobless Party and Harvey ended up run-ning independent, coming in 6th in the election with just 800 votes.

He was done. He continued to write his newsletter, The Liberty Bell, until his death in 1936. He was entombed along with his son Hal (who had died in 1903) in a concrete structure, along with many of his books and papers.

THE RESORT WAS SOMETHING ELSE IN ITS HEYDAY.

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The Monte Ne Inn Chicken Restaurant is the only restaurant in the vicinity of the ruins of Monte Ne and the only steady restaurant on the way out to Horseshoe Bend. The menu never hit’s the table at the eatery—because if you go, you’re going to get the exact same thing everyone else is going to get, a filling family-style dinner of fried chicken and all the fixings, brought to your table and refilled until you are stuffed.

When Grav and I started talking about our Monte Ne assignment, he told me about eating there with his dad. He recalled just how good the food seemed, so I looked up the information and made reservations for a seat. Yes, reservations are recommended. No, really they are.

Our waitress took our drink orders (one of two things you actually get to choose) and brought out a crock of bean soup. It was…well, it’s bean soup, but it’s a housemade soup and it was a fine example of bean soup. It had been slow cooked for so long that almost everything in it had reached disintegration.

After the soup almost everything else is delivered to the table at once: a bowl of fried chicken (six assorted pieces to start off) accompanied by bowls of string beans, corn, mashed potatoes, gravy and coleslaw, small containers of apple butter and creamery butter and a fresh soft loaf of bread.

I started off with a sample of the apple but-ter on a piece of the bread. The apple but-ter was a lovely smooth puree that tasted like apples. That is significant — so many examples of apple butter I’ve tried recently have been so overloaded with apple pie spice or simple cinnamon that I’ve almost

THE MONTE NE INN CHICKEN RESTAURANT

A view from the inside today.

30 | Arkansas Wild January/Feburary 2011PHOTO BY DENA WOERNER

come to dread the concoctions. Usually it’s become lumpy from the dry spices; here it was a lovely slightly sweet apple puree with a hint of spices. The creamery butter was almost impossibly yellow, and I first mistook it for margarine, but it tasted of a strongly salted fresh butter and was impos-sible not to smear all over the bread.

The cole slaw was of the creamy variety but with a nice hearty bite, with decent sized portions of cabbage. It was an unsweetened slaw, the sort that goes well as a side dish or under the bun of a barbecue sandwich.

Grav told me he was really pleased with the string beans, that they were nicely salted. Unfortuately the corn, potatoes and gravy were lacking in that same salt, but it only took a dash of just the salt (not even the pepper) to bring them up to a flavor we thought was appropriate.

And then there was the chicken. What ar-rived in the bowl set on our table (which, by the way, was refreshed with a fresh six-piece bowl while we dined) was a fine homestyle fried chicken. The crust was a deep brown, almost red. The skin was tight-in with the meat, which suggested pan-frying. The batter was nicely done, a flour batter with some paprika and black pepper and maybe a little more secret or special seasoning. There’s a flavor to the bird that makes me think it’s been buttermilk-soaked, which is quite possible considering the tenderness of the chicken itself. And it is tender chicken. It was pull-apart good, and everyone I saw in the restaurant ate it with their fingers.

If it’s not the best fried chicken in Arkansas, it’s close. The milder flavor of the crust goes well with the thorough seasoning of the meat itself. Dip it in the gravy and it’s wonderful.

Dessert is not included in the dinner price. We were given a long list of desserts — peach cobbler, blackberry cobbler, three different types of sherbet and cheesecake. We chose the cheesecake, and then had to decide between a cherry, strawberry or blue-berry topping. The blueberry we chose was nice and light and tasted like it was created at the restaurant, just blueberries in their juice with a little syrup. The cheesecake was typical but tasty.

The Monte Ne Inn has been serving up its family style chicken dinners since 1971. If you haven’t been and you want to go, head up to Rogers and take Highway 94 east. There will be a “Dead End 7 Miles” sign — don’t let that mess you up. It’s four miles past that sign at the intersection of Highway 94 and Highway 94S. Monte Ne Inn Chicken Restaurant is closed on Mondays, open 5 - 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. The chicken dinner with all the fixings is $9.58 (or $10.58 for all-white), $4.50 for kids under 10 and free for kids under three. Drinks and desserts are separate. Reservations are recommended. (479) 636-5511.

The buildings were sold off and used for other purposes—such as training facilities for the Arkansas Guard and facilities for a girls’ camp.

What truly took out Monte Ne, though, was the encroachment of Bea-ver Lake. The Corps of Engineers de-termined in 1960 that the lake would inundate Monte Ne and made moves to buy up the land all around there. The log structure portion of Oklahoma Row was purchased and moved north, where it can still be seen, sagging by the side of Highway 94.

However, the Corps expected Beaver Lake to cover all of the old resort. Those levels fell short, which is why you can view much of what’s left behind today.

So what’s left of Monte Ne today? I’d heard my share of rumors, from “it’s completely submerged” to “it’s not worth your time.” But curiosity got the better of me. I did my research, looked up the site on Google Maps and figured out how to get down to it off the highway.

Photographer Grav Weldon joined me for the journey to northwest Arkansas. We passed through Rogers and out Highway 94 to the community that is Monte Ne today. It’s not much—a collection of houses and mobile homes clustered around the Monte Ne Inn Chicken Restaurant (see sidebar) at the intersection of Highway 94 and the Highway 94 Spur—though we did sight an old fashioned windmill on a lawn.

But where were the ruins of Monte Ne? We found what we thought might

Oklahoma Row

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROGERS HISTORICAL MUSEUM

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be the most accessible point as we came in view of Beaver Lake.

Out we went, out down the most obvi-ous path over a guard rail. There was a sign, undoubtedly something along the lines of “Keep Out” or “No Parking” or something, long painted over.

Usually this would be the point where I’d carefully stand by at said sign while Grav took the big camera and went about his job chronicling places he prob-ably shouldn’t go…but not this time. There were half a dozen people scat-tered along the path ahead, the path that stretched on to the tower.

Footpaths have been forged in the grass for some time here…and more gives way to concrete, not a sidewalk or roadbed but what turned out to be the roof of the basement section of what was once Oklahoma Row.

You can stand on a corner of the build-ing, no guardrail or safety net in place, and potentially trip off and hit the rocks below. The vantage point overlooks what was once Silver Springs below. Now you see houses on the opposite bank, a boat dock and water.

There are all sorts of tags on the outside of the building, mostly around the base of the structure but a few high up around the windows overhead. Daredevils must have taken great pleasure at pointing out how far they got from the portals when they managed to tag out at such precari-ous angles. It still didn’t prepare me for the inside.

It was like stepping into a kaleidoscope, paint in places a half inch thick where vandals had sprayed their thoughts on the wall. The ceiling, the floor, even the fireplaces had not been spared. Much of the interior was splattered with profani-ties and crude images. Through the pane-less windows the far shores of Beaver Lake could be seen, populated with trees and homes. Water light echoes flickered on the ceiling in the front rooms.

There were no staircases—but through a hole between floors I could see more paint above. Some taggers had obvi-ously taken great joy in climbing up into the top of the structure. “Climbing is discouraged,” Shiloh Museum director Allyn Lord later told us.

It’s a shame, really. The tower is on the National Historic Register, but there’s no money to restore it or even keep vandals out. “There have been efforts to have it made a state historic site, with no suc-cess,” Lord told me.

After exploring the rooms inside the tower we walked around the base. It was apparent that people had crawled far under the structure, consider-ing the proliferation of trash and the remnants of a sleeping bag. I would later learn that the old crawl space is usually inundated with water. I can’t imagine why anyone would be inter-ested in crashing underneath.

Off to the west side of the point, we could look back and see what we had been standing on. With the water down we could actually walk right up to what was once the basement of Oklahoma Row.

We waited until a couple managed to come back up from their inspection, then took a look inside. The basement level rooms weren’t used for housing—except for a small room on the north end of the structure. That room contained a fire-place, a small room with plumbing that had apparently once been a bathroom, and much rubble all over the floor. We’d later discover that access to that section was usually unavailable.

After that exploration we walked back along the shoreline to the east, passing the tower. We came upon an inlet, and while Grav darted down to shoot what was left of the base of the wall I walked back into the woods and found what I assume was once the fireplace for Missouri row. It and a few short staircases are all that remain of the row. You can tell by looking at it how the different mantles sat, all at differ-ent angles and all, I assume, with their own conduit through the chimney. This structure too has been tagged with spray paint, though not to the extent of the Oklahoma Row tower.

And next to this remnant in time? A boat ramp into the lake. There were another half-dozen people along the landing, fishing or talking to people who were fishing.

We’d discover later on that we missed one important sight—that of the tomb

of William Harvey and his son Robert, sitting on private land on the opposite side of the boat ramp. The tomb itself is cracked, apparently from being moved when the lake was created to avoid being inundated.

We doubled back along the highway until we came to a side road. Grav asked me to stop—he’d seen something unusual way out on what appeared to be a peninsula. I sat with the car, watch-ing the neighborhood dogs smell at the wheels and give friendly barks while he jogged through a yard and down a good ways. I caught sight of him later almost a half-mile away right on the edge of the water.

Turns out the little peninsula he was on is usually an island, and if the water was lower you could actually see the top of what was the amphitheater. However, the Corps of Engineers rarely lets the lake get even as low as on that particular day, and there was not much for him to shoot in the fading light of the afternoon.

But what he was able to capture was the vision of the remaining tower, standing on its own in the pinkish glow of the sunset on the point, a final reminder of what Harvey tried to accomplish. It’s not a resort, but it is a remnant of a different time. Will it be saved? That’s a question only more time will answer.

Tip: The water levels for Beaver Lake on the day Grav photographed the ruins were at 1120 feet. The top of the amphitheater is clearly visible at 1113 feet. In December, the Army Corps of Engineers issued a notice of low water levels, and those levels fell to 1113 feet the week of Christmas. If you’re inter-ested in viewing the amphitheater and would like to monitor the water levels, you can review a daily water level report at http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Reports/Data/Beaver.htm.

The Rogers Historical Museum has both an exhibit on Monte Ne at its facility and an on-line exhibit to peruse. Tour “Bur-ied Dreams: ‘Coin Harvey’ and Monte Ne” at the museum, open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 301 W. Chestnut in Rogers. Call (479) 621-1117. You can find the online article here: http://www.rogersarkansas.com/museum/montene/index.htm

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We have invested $330 million in the last 20 years to

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Being GREEN Is Easy

As we continue to look for innovative ways to provide

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For more information or to sign up today, log on to www.ecark.org/greenpower.


s I look through my kitchen window witness-ing the January sun rise amongst the distant tree tops the smell of fresh percolating coffee begins filling the room with a bountiful aroma. I sip down the first dark flavor cup while preparing a mental check list for today’s hunt: temperature is cool and crisp, winds are below 15 mph, walking stick is outside the front door, my equip-

ment (lure, bells, leashes, swivels, clips, scissors, and jesses) is prepared and stowed properly in my hunting vest, hunting licenses are in hand, leather gauntlet (glove) is laying next to the giant hood (carrying case) in the jeep, and my baggie of freshly thawed meat tidbits is ready. All that’s left now is to put on my chaps and weigh my Red-tailed hawk.

Next, like every morning before hunting, I set my hawk (Sammy) up onto his scale. Great! He’s 960 grams—a great weight for my raptor to be hunting grey squirrels; nutritionally sound and fit like a boxer who’s ready for battle.

Driving down the road towards one of my favorite hunting haunts I hear the subtle sounds of his leg bells chiming in back—an astute reminder of my hawk’s eagerness to hunt today.

I pull over along the edge of a wooded field and watch as the sun glistens through the oak hammocks. In the wake of the morning I ponder for a moment, “Falconry is what I live for—the hunt…the flight…the chase…the relationship between predator and prey.” I put my leather gauntlet on, remove my red-tailed hawk from the giant hood, un-tether him, and release him into the trees. As he pumps his broad wings to-wards the highest oak I begin walking serenely into the dense woods. I turn briefly and watch as he scans the environment with his piercing eyes. Thirty seconds goes by and I yell out “move up!”, and he flies swiftly through the branches towards me. As I approach the first tree coarsely rapped in vines a grey squirrel frantically scatters upward. Within sec-onds Sammy spots the movement, and I scream out “HO HO HO!!!”—his verbal command for wild quarry.

ARKANSAS FALCONRY ~A Unique Partnership between Humans and Birds of Prey ~

A GLIMPSE OF THE HUNT

Looking thirty feet high I see my hawk fly directly at the bushy tail squirrel, slamming the edge of the rigid tree and missing. The squirrel shimmies down the tree speedily, head first, with its eyes alert

as if to make a run for it, but discovers my wide eyes and scurries back up. The hawk flies to an adjacent tree for a better opportunity. He focuses on the frantic squirrel climb-ing vigorously higher and higher through the branchy roofed oak. As Sammy follows the grey bushy tail intently the squirrel realizes its only option, and bails 60 feet out of the tree. Like lead in water, the squirrel and hawk sink hurriedly through the broken canopy until bouncing off the brown leaf littered ground. Before giving the squirrel a chance to recover, Sammy plunges his two fists full of talons into its back side—seizing hold of his survival. I scream out, “Yes…you got it!” and raise both arms over my head as if Sammy just scored a touchdown on the opening drive.

I approach quickly entering in to ensure the squirrel doesn’t have its piercing teeth sunk into my hawk’s feet. I dispatch the squirrel fast and then watch as Sammy mantles over his killed prey. With both broad winds hovering over the squirrel my heart pounds from the excitement and pure adrenalin falconry brings. I take a moment, and appreciate my hawk’s desire to survive and the squirrel’s gallant effort

“Falconry is what I live for—the hunt…the flight…the chase…the relationship between predator and prey.”

BY JOSEPH D. DARCANGELO

A


TRAPPING:The connection to nature along with the excitement of fal-conry immediately begins cumulating during the first year. It begins with trapping your first wild raptor. In Arkansas the apprentice’s first bird must be wild caught. Two species that fall under this apprentice regulation in Arkansas are Red-tailed hawks and Kestrels. Although these two raptors are completely different in size, hunting and training styles, and pursue different prey species, they create great op-portunities for apprentices to polish their skills.

TRAINING:Understanding a bird of prey is like taking a better look at your self. The bird’s behavior, training response, health and performance in the field is a reflection of your skills and aptitude. These birds are creatures of habit and will work well with humans as long as consistency and patience is applied during every encounter.

After applying operant conditioning training tech-niques, weight manage-ment, and positive rewards it’s just a matter of time before the hawk will begin flying back to your glove or training lure (device used to simulate game). Soon the bird will begin following you through open fields and woods in search of wild quarry.

HUNTING:The awe-inspiring flight and chase is the absolute thrill that comes with falconry. There is no better feeling or jaw drop-ping event for a falconer than watching your raptor display aerial pursuits after wild quarry. The Red-tailed is notorious for strong flights into heavy brush after cotton tail rabbits—a serious spectacle of the phrase “ground and pound”; the Kestrel for its’ quick aerial maneuverability in pursuit of starlings and sparrows; the group effort of Harris hawks as they work together in unison treeing grey squirrels or sur-rounding rabbits running for cover; the astonishing stoops from peregrine falcons reaching speeds of 200 mph as they punch their talon fists at strong flying ducks; and the fierce pursuit of Cooper hawks performing a wing over attempt at flushed quail.

A highlight of the sport I find most exciting is the transfor-mation taking place as I soon realize I’m no longer a glar-ing spectator; but rather, becoming part of the equation. Every rabbit I jump or every squirrel I scatter creates an unwavering bond which strengthens our partnership. This partnership between falconer and raptor is perceivably no-ticeable as the bird precisely aligns itself in perfect unison with the falconer as they flush or jumps or scatter game.

A SNAPSHOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF FALCONRY

Falconry, defined as

a sport of hunting

wild quarry with the use of a trained raptor, has been in ex-istence for

over 3000 years.

Sam and Joe walking back from a hunt.


Where do I begin getting information if I have aninterest in falconry? Start by contacting the Arkansas Hawking Association (AHA). Their web site—ar-kansashawkingassociation.org—is designed to unify falconers in Arkansas and the surrounding states by creating a shared network of valuable information pertaining to the sport of falconry: raptor health and biology, rules and regulations, training tech-niques, equipment use, sponsorship, hunting stories and much more.

AHA’s mission states, “To work with Arkansas state conservation agencies for the preservation of falconry privileges and the conservation of raptors.” This organization works diligently and effectively in exemplifying the highest standards possible for the sport of falconry.

How many licenses do you need?The state of Arkansas requires a Federal Falconry License, Arkansas State Falconry License and the required Arkansas Hunting Licenses for the specific wild game spe-cies you plan to take.

Where do you keep your bird?The bird is kept in a “mews,” which is a housing structure that protects and provides for the bird. It’s similar to a large shed with proper spacing needs; water, sunlight and shade options; perching material; correct ventilation; and aids in the protection from inclement weather conditions.

What type of equipment do you use?The more traditional equipment used: •Leathergauntlet—wornonthefalconershand •Leatheranklets—goaroundthebaseofthebirdslegs •Leatherjesses—slidethroughtheanklets,aidingthefalconerwhen controlling the bird on the gauntlet •Legortailbells—usedforlocatingthebirdduringhunting •Leashes—usedforcontrollingthebirdmoresecurelyonthegauntletor for tethering to perches •Leatherhood—coversthebirdsheadandeyesforreducingthevisual variables causing a bird stress •Gianthood—transportingcaseforbirdswhentravelinginavehicle •Scales—forweighingbirdsingramsandounces.Weightcontrolisa crucial aspect to flying a healthy hunting bird.

•Creance—trainingdeviceusedwhenfirstfreeflyingaraptor •Lure—any device used in association of wild game and/or a food reward to entice a raptor to fly back to the falconer. It’s used as a training tool and for exercise. I use stuffed squirrels skins or leather pouches stuffed with meat.

In today’s sport telemetry is commonly applied to birds, so that in the event a fal-coner looses sight of his raptor it can be located easier and quicker.

How did you get your hawk to hunt and does it bring the game back to you?Almost all wild caught raptors know how to hunt; it’s a matter of training the hawk to hunt in partnership with you. Through proper operant conditioning techniques, weight management, positive food rewards and patience the raptor will soon learn to trust your existence. Once this consistent training becomes a daily part of the raptor’s life it will begin performing free flights while closely keeping you in check. A field responsive raptor is conditioned to see you as providing a food reward; whether it’s a tidbit of meat on the glove, a baited lure or flushed game out of the thicket, it is always close by. In the event of a successful kill the raptor usually lies mantled over its prey directly where it was seized. And since most of the hunting action takes place within the visual spectrum of the falconer there is usually no problem locating the raptor and its kill.

What would you have to say to someone who is interested in Falconry?This sport isn’t for everyone. As a matter of fact, I will attempt to talk you out of it. Falconryisforthediehardswhoenjoyspendingeverymomentofeveryday,learningabout hunting raptors. So if you’re not obsessed, it’s not fair to the raptor. Hunting is the key word here: a falconer is someone who not only understands how to care for bird’s of prey, but understands their desire to hunt and seize its prey. Many falconers hunt between September and February, clocking countless hours hunting. It’s impor-tant to train a raptor properly, but to be successful in falconry you need to understand how to successfully capture wild game.

These raptors require attention every day, whether it’s training or dealing with behavioralissuesorweightmanagementortendingtoaninjuryorfixingandmakingequipmentorjustfindingtimetohunt.Soifyourworkscheduledoesn’tpermitthedaily considerations these raptors require then falconry is not for you!

to elude its demise; in more cases than none, it’s the squirrel demonstrating an evasive maneuver into the safe confines of a creviced tree, and it’s the hawk that’s left alone on the ground with nothing but talons full of crispy leaf litter.

Because success comes early this cool morning I reach down into my baggie of meat tidbits and exchange a few morsels for the grey bushy tail squirrel. With the squirrel now secure in my game bag I release Sammy back up into the trees for another attempt at capturing a frantic grey bushy tail.

This spectacle is just a mere glimpse of what falconry is about in Arkansas.

DEFINING THE SPORTFalconry, defined as a sport of hunting wild quarry with the use of a trained raptor, has been in existence for over 3000 years. References to the sport date as far back as 700 B.C. in stone carvings representing a man with a hawk on his wrist, stated Sir Austen Henry Layard in his 1853 book, Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon.

alconry is very much alive in Arkansas and is like no other sport in the world. It captures the unique relationship between predator and prey and spot-lights the relationships humans have with nature. It exposes a partnership between humans and birds of prey; while at the same time, transforming the falconer from spectator to participant in one of

the sports most exciting trials—the pursuit of wild quarry.

BECOMING AN ARKANSAS FALCONERFirst and foremost, Falconry is a sport for those committed to making a life change. Unlike most hunters in Arkansas, after the day’s hunt is over, falconers can’t just lock their birds away in a cabinet. These raptors require 24-hour care. This includes training, making sure the feathers are in good condition and making sure it’s free of injury and properly fed. Also, some of the equipment used — leg jesses and anklets, telemetry and bells— must be regularly inspected for damage.

It is understood that the practice of falconry is an art form; one that allows the falconer to see the world through the

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

F


eyes of the raptors they are flying. The passion to fly these raptors transforms the sport into a livelihood. It’s an obsession gripped by the intercon-nections human beings have with nature. Without these interconnections falconry wouldn’t exist.

The falconers’ passion guides a way of life that is led by the variety of raptors they hunt with. A few of these species used in Arkansas include: red-tailed hawks, harris hawks, coopers hawks, kestrels, merlins, red-shoulder hawks, sharp-shin hawks and peregrine falcons. They transform around these creatures; hunting before and after work and planning weekends and vaca-tions to discover new hunting haunts.

In the state of Arkansas you must be 14 years of age. You must pass a written exam with a minimum score of 80%. This exam consists of raptor biology, husbandry and medical care, training and equipment, and rules and regulations. Once an apprentice ap-plicant passes the exam they must find a falconer to sponsor them for the next two years (typically a licensed falconer in the state who’s been practicing fal-conry for at least two years) and have their mews (housing) constructed and all the necessary equipment inspected by the Arkansas Game and Fish Com-mission.

A considerable amount of work, time, money and effort are required in this sport prior to even trapping your first raptor.

ARKANSAS’ FUTURE IN FALCONRYArkansas falconry is flying higher than ever. The state provides a plethora of wildlife ranging from small game mammals to migratory birds. Whether its doves and ducks or rabbits and squirrels your raptor fancies, there’s plenty of opportunities at wild quarry.

The Arkansas Hawking Association continues to work in partnership with Arkansas’ Game and Fish Commission to conserve the regions bird’s of prey while preserving future falconry privi-leges. The relationship is unprecedent-ed and demonstrates what team work can accomplish for the preservation of our World’s most precious assets.

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Heritage

Learn more at www.naturalheritage.com

showy evening-primrose(Oenothera speciosa)


BiodiversityArkansas is well known for the beauty and biological diversity of its landscape. The blackland prairies of southwest Arkansas are no exception. To truly understand the significance of the blackland prairie ecosystem in Arkansas, you must first know a little about its geology.

Millions of years ago, the Gulf of Mexico covered the southeastern United States. At one time, portions of south Arkansas were on the gulf coast. This coast stretched as far north as the southern edge of present day Pulaski County. The shallow waters in this part of the gulf were full of shelled creatures (mollusks), and over time, their remains accumulated on the ocean floor forming a layer of soft limestone called chalk. In some areas, the shells mixed with ocean sediments to create marl, a layer of limey clay.

As the Gulf of Mexico receded, deposits of gravel, sand and silt were often

left on top of the chalk and marl. This landscape consists of rolling hills and sandy, acidic soils typical of the Costal Plain of Arkansas we know today, with the exception of the blackland prairie communities. Because they formed over chalk, their soils are basic (alkaline), not acidic and therefore significantly different from the rest of the Costal Plain. Confined to the southwestern corner of the state, the blackland prairie region consists of several distinct areas of alkaline soil characterized by chalk outcrops, black soil and cuestas (long, low ridges with a relatively steep face on one side and a long, gentle slope on the other). It is on the steep sides of these cuestas that we find the blackland prairie communities.

Blackland prairies are dominated by warm season plants that occur on the thin soils along the steep slopes of cuestas. Typical blackland prairie plants include little bluestem, Indian grass,

compass-plant, and purple prairie-clo-ver. On the gentle low slopes at the base of the ridges, as well as other areas with slightly thicker soil, prairie transitions to savanna (grassland with scattered trees). Here, prairie plants still dominate the landscape, but there may be scat-tered trees such as chinquapin oak, nut-meg hickory, and white ash. As slopes level out, the soil becomes deeper and savanna grades into woodland (low density forest with adequate sunlight reaching the ground to support shrubs and grasses). Woodlands have a denser canopy than savannas but remain open enough that herbaceous vegetation still dominates the understory. Woodland trees are similar to those found on savannas but also include mockernut hickory black-gum and Shumard’s oak.

By now, you must be wondering if the soils of the blacklands are actually black. G.W. Featherstonhaugh, an Eng-lish geologist who traveled across Ar-kansas in the 1830’s, described the soil

IN ARKANSAS’S BLACKLAND PRAIRIE REGIONBY ARKANSAS NATURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION

PHOTOS BY ARKANSAS NATURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION


Biodiversity

as “black as charred wood.” However, on cuestas, erosion is common, and the thin soil covering the chalk ridges is more often olive in color. The alkaline nature of the chalk and marl makes the soil in these areas very fertile and highly productive, likely contributing to the high content of organic material and the black color.

This unique landscape of southwest-ern Arkansas supports a wide variety of plants and animals that specifically require an open, fire maintained habitat. Prior to European settlement, fires routinely swept through the landscape. Started by both lightning and Native Americans, fire played a major role in determining the plants and animals that occur in blackland areas of today. For example, the very rare, small songbird, Bachman’s Sparrow is native to open habitats across the southeastern United States. Known to winter in Arkansas, it requires a ground layer of grasses and an open understory with few shrubs. Bach-man’s Sparrow feeds by walking slowly across the ground searching for insects and seeds. It often jumps into the air to catch its prey. Frequent fire is known to increase the food preferred by this bird.

Likewise, our state butterfly, the Diana fritillary requires specific habitat to complete its lifecycle. This butterfly breeds in forests, woodlands and savannas where lots of violets can be found in the understory. Violets are the main source of food for Diana fritillary larva. Adults feed in adjacent prairies and grasslands on the nectar of many different flower species.

Populations of both of these species have decreased significantly overtime as forestry, agriculture and the absence of fire have reduced suitable habitat. Both are listed as species of greatest conser-vation need in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s (AGFC) Wildlife Ac-tion Plan and are listed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) as species of conservation concern. Through research and collaboration, state conservation agencies such as ANHC and AGFC along with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have focused efforts on maintaining and restoring biodiver-sity in the blackland prairie region for the benefit of these and many other spe-cies of conservation concern.

Conservation efforts have resulted

in lands acquired as additions to the Arkansas System of Natural Areas to protect and enhance blackland prairies as well as other important ecosystems. For example the 493-acre Terre Noire Natural Area is owned and managed by the ANHC and TNC, and is one of the highest-quality examples of the blackland prairie ecosystem remaining in the state. Recent land acquisitions of degraded prairie at this natural area are currently being restored through the removal of eastern red-cedar and the reintroduction of fire. Some of these ef-forts are being funded cooperatively by an AGFC State Wildlife Grant.

Additional blackland prairies pro-tected in the state include the 66-acre Saratoga Blackland Prairie Natural Area (ANHC) in Hempstead County and the 4,885-acre Rick Evans Grandview Prai-rie Wildlife Management Area (AGFC) in Hempstead County. For information about these and other natural areas owned by the Arkansas Natural Heri-tage Commission, visit our website at www.naturalheritage.com. Information for the Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Wildlife Management Area can be found at www.agfc.com.

A male Diana fritillary collects nectar from purple coneflowers at Terre Noire Natural Area.


At a time when the economy is down and both governmental and personal budgets are tight, supporting wildlife on the farm seems like a luxury. But economic and environmental stimulation are not mutually exclusive. Audubon’s NATIVE project (Native Agriculture To InVigorate Ecosystems) offers a new opportunity for socially disadvantaged farmers in the Delta to diversify

income while enhancing wildlife habitat. NATIVE, supported through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Advocacy and Outreach is looking for farmers who want to learn how to grow native warm season grasses on their land. While native warm season grasses provide excellent hay, this project is after the seed which is in great shortage in Arkansas.

Native warm season grasses are sim-ply prairie grasses like big bluestem, switchgrass and eastern gamagrass that were growing in Arkansas before European settlement, so grasses that evolved in the Grand Prairie ecosystem over thousands of years. Locally grown seeds are needed for prairie restoration and revegetation projects in the Delta primarily by the US Army Corps of En-gineers (USACE). With the loss of 99% of the 320,000 acres of the tallgrass prairie in the Arkansas Grand Prairie region, the USACE and conservation-ists are now focused on restoring the natural landscape to stem the loss of native plants and wildlife dependent on this ecosystem.

The USACE has been working with the agriculture department of the Universi-

AUDUBON GOES NATIVE!BUT IT’S ALL FOR THE BIRDS

PHOTOS AND STORY BY DAN SCHEIMAN,AUDUBON ARKANSAS

NATIVE workshop participants learn about grass seed production at UAPB’s farm.

January/February Arkansas Wild | 41

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ty of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to develop seed production for prairie restoration projects for a number of years. UAPB is a critical partner of Audubon’s on this project, along with Alcorn State University, in Mississippi.

While it is true that seeds are avail-able from commercial sources in other states, what is needed is locally grown seed of the local genetic variety. Grass-es that grow on the Grand Prairie are adapted to the local climate and have been isolated from their Midwest coun-terparts long enough that their genetics have changed in small but significant ways. Audubon Arkansas wishes to preserve this genetic heritage. The US Army Corps of Engineers does too.

Under a contract with the USACE, UAPB is refining the techniques for producing local grass seed in an agri-cultural setting. The Corps will reseed rights-of-way on canals, pipelines, and irrigation projects in the Grand Prairie and Bayou Meto regions. Through the

NATIVE project, Audubon will help bring more farms into production to meet the need for the thousands of pounds of native grass seed the USACE will need for restoration.

Farmers will benefit from the income provided by seed sale, which can be highly lucrative, while at the same time providing a small patch of prairie habitat on their property which will be good for birds and other wildlife on their farms. Collectively, small acreage landowners could meet the needs of current and future markets, while pro-viding wildlife habitat and benefiting economically from their efforts.

This material is based upon work sup-ported by the Office of Advocacy and Outreach, US Department of Agricul-ture, under Award No. 59-2501-10-022. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the US Department of Agriculture.

Along with its partners, Audubon

is offering a series of workshops on grass seed production and

Farm Bill conservation programs. Farmers

that sign up for the program will

receive technical and financial support for

grass seed production, as well as one-on-one on-farm conservation

and financial planning services.

If you live in the Delta, qualify as a

socially disadvantaged farmer under the USDA’s definition, and wish to learn

more about this new opportunity please

contact Dan Scheiman at dscheiman@

audubon.org or call 501-244-2229.

WORKSHOP

The Dickcissel is one species that makes its home in the Grand Prairie.

We love what you love.

The 2011 Subaru Outback

RIVERSIDE SUBARU16100 Chenal Parkway • Little Rock, AR 72211

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Counter clockwise From Top:

Devils Den State Park, Pinnacle

Mountain State Park, Farmers

Market, Trumpeter Swans, Arkansas

River at Ozark.


A.C.“CHUCK”HARALSONNatural Beauty: The Photography of

As residents of The Natural State we sometimes forget how lucky we are live in such a beautiful part of the country. Our cityscapes are outlined in rolling hills and colorful wildflowers. While we zip around the state going our day to day lives, A.C. “Chuck” Haralson takes the time to appreciate the natural beauty all around us. His photography is breathtaking and helps to remind us to slow down and take it all in.


SEARCY-HURRICANE LAKE SPONSOR BANQUETJanuary 18: Join fellow Sponsors for great food and all new Ducks Unlimited auction items at Ann’s Bridal in Searcy. The Hurricane Lake Sponsor banquet is open to all area Sponsors and anyone wishing to become a Bronze Sponsor. All Sponsors receive the annual Sponsor print and license plate. The event will take place at Ann’s Bridal shop in Searcy, AR. Event time: 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information contact William Hamill at 501-827-8485, Larry Winningham at 501-827-5085 or Roger McClain at 501-412-2621.

EAGLE TOURJanuary 18, 22, 26: Lake Dardanelle State Park is proud to offer winter lake cruises for the best chance of seeing our national symbol-the American bald eagle. Many other spectacular birds will be in the area for viewing-including white pelicans, snow geese, and osprey. Please, dress very warmly as temperatures and winds are much more severe on the lake. Also, in case of inclement weather, call one hour before tour time for possible cancellations. Admission: FREE. Meeting place: Boat Dock. Event times vary. For more information call 479-967-5516.

BIG BUCK CLASSICJanuary 21 thru 23: Come to the Arkansas State Fairgrounds for the Largest Hunting Event in Arkansas. Show Hours: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12, and kids under 5 FREE. For more information call 501-985-1533 or visit bigbuckclassic.com.

DUCKS UMLIMITED BANQUET-BOTTOMLAND CHAPTERJanuary 22: This is a public event. It will take place at the Tri County Farmers Association, Holly Grove, AR. For more information contact Stanley Powell at 870-270-7331.

EAGLE LAKE CRUISESJanuary 22 and 29: Join Pinnacle Mountain State Park interpreters for a cruise on Lake Maumelle to seek wintering bald eagles. We often see several eagles and other migratory waterfowl. Dress in layers for extreme cold and windy lake weather. Advance payment is required. Cruise Times: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12. We’ll meet at Jolly Roger’s Marina. For more information call 501-868-5806 or visit [email protected].

MASTER NATURALIST TRAININGJanuary 22 thru May 7: Master naturalist training will take place each Saturday at 9 a.m. at six chapters around the state. Arkansas Master Naturalists are seeking volunteers for Master Naturalist Training for its 2011 training session. Classes begin at 9 a.m. every Saturday from January 22 to May 7, 2011 in the following areas: Central Chapter-Central Arkansas Nature Center and Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitors Center. North Central Chapter-Bull Shoals-White River State Park Visitors Center or Fred Berry Conservation Education Center. Northwest Chapter- Hobbs State Park Visitors Center. River Valley Chapter-Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitors Center, Mount Magazine Visitor Center, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute or Mount Nebo State Park Pavilion. Diamond Lakes Chapter-Lake Ouachita State Park or DeGray Lake Resort State Park. Northeast Chapter-Lake Frierson State Park, Crowley’s Ridge State Park, Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center and Arkansas State University Museum. Participants will expand their knowledge of the natural world by studying ecology, native plants and animals, geology, botany, meteorology, astronomy, public land use, interpretation, trail design and maintenance, stream quality evaluation and testing and much more. Master naturalists improve public understanding of natural resource ecology and management and enhance existing

CALENDAR OF EVENTSnatural resource management, education, outreach and research activities. In fact, Arkansas Master Naturalists have logged nearly 5,000 volunteer hours in the state, working with organizations such as Audubon Arkansas, Arkansas State Parks, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Cost for the instruction is $160, which includes training, literature, t-shirt, name tag and a year’s annual dues to the Arkansas Master Naturalist program. More than 80 hours of classroom instruction is available to naturalist-in-training, but each naturalist-in-training is only required to complete 40 hours to graduate and become a master naturalist. To register visit: home.arkansasmasternaturalists.org/index.php/how-do-i-join. Classes are made up of a minimum of 15 students, and to become a master naturalist, students must attend at least 40 hours of initial training, complete at least 40 hours of volunteer work and eight hours of advanced training each year. Cost for the instruction is $160, which includes training, literature, t-shirt, name tag and a year’s annual dues to the Arkansas Master Naturalists program. More than 80 hours of classroom instruction is available to naturalist-in-training, but each naturalist-in-training is only required to complete 40 hours to graduate and become a master naturalist. For more information contact Dwan Garrison at 870-688-0961.

MONSTER JAMJanuary 28 and 29: This event will take place at the Verizon Arena. Show time: 7 p.m. Ticket Prices: $26.75 and $21.75 (adult prices increase $2.00 day of the show). Kids ages 2-12 $6.75. Tickets can be purchased at the Verizon Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or online.

32ND ANNUAL EAGLES ET CETERAJanuary 28 thru 30: Eagles Et Cetera is our DeGary Lake Resort Park’s signature conservation event. Programs featuring the American bald eagle and other birds will make the weekend “fly” by. Diverse activities are planned, indoors and outdoors, including eagle-watching lake tours, guided bird walks, owl prowls, live bird demonstrations, slide programs, expert talks, games, and more. The Little Rock Zoo will present programs to area schools during the week and give live raptor shows on Friday and Saturday. Both lodging and camping are available. Please, dress for the weather if planning on attending outdoor programs. Contact the park for a program schedule or lodging/camping reservations. Admission: FREE except lake tours (FEE TBA). For more information call 501-865-5810 or visit degray.com.

DUTCH OVEN COOKING WORKSHOPJanuary 29: Have you noticed how everything tastes better around a campfire? Here is your chance to learn how to cook tasty meals over the open campfire. Discover the methods and secrets of successful Dutch oven cooking. Advance payment is required. Admission: $35. Event will take place at the Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitor Center. For more information call 501-868-5806.

EAGLE TOURFebruary 1, 4, 6, 12, 13, 26, 27: Lake Dardanelle State Park is proud to offer winter lake cruises for the best chance of seeing our national symbol-the

29TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS MARINE EXPOJanuary 21 thru 23: Marine Expo is bringing back the “First Mate Scouting Patch Program”. The First Mate Scouting Patch Program was created to introduce parents and children to boating and fishing as an activity that the family can enjoy year round. Exhibitors will be on hand to provide information on area lakes, vacation destinations, and products related to fishing, boating, and recreation. If you’re looking for a wide selection of discount tackle then Marine Expo is the place to be. Whether considering a boat for fishing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing or just floating and swimming, the 29th Annual Arkansas Marine Expo is the perfect place to shop. And with the boating and fishing season right around the corner Marine Expo is the place to get the latest the market has to offer. Event will take place at the Statehouse Convention Center. Show hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $5 for adults and children 12 and under get in FREE. For more information contact Ken Griffey at 501-225-6177 or 501-765-1423.


American bald eagle. Many other spectacular birds will be in the area for viewing-including white pelicans, snow geese, and osprey. Please, dress very warmly as temperatures and winds are much more severe on the lake. Also, in case of inclement weather, call one hour before tour time for possible cancellations. Admission: FREE. Meeting place: Boat Dock. Event times vary. For more information call 479-967-5516.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHAPTER BIG GAME BANQUETFebruary 5: This is a public event. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Event will take place at the Robinson Center in Little Rock, AR. For ticket information contact Betty Thornquist at 501-796-2363.

35TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS RV SHOWFebruary 11 thru 13: Whether you’re interested in a pop-up camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel, toy hauler or a Class A Motor Home, the Arkansas RV Show can provide the consumer with a wide variety of products to see, appealing to every lifestyle and every budget. In addition, various exhibitors will be on hand to provide information on area campgrounds, vacation destinations, RV accessories, and products related to the RV industry. This show is a must for anyone interested in RVs, camping, and learning more about the RV lifestyle. Event Times: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $5 adults and children 12 and under FREE. For more information call 501-225-6177 or visit dgattractions.com.

ARKANSAS SPORTSHOWFebruary 11-13: Plan to attend the 26th Annual Arkansas Sportshow at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center in Jonesboro. See over 75,000 square feet of the latest sporting products designed to captivate hunting, fishing and boating enthusiasts of all ages - boats and motors, ATV’s fishing equipment, hunting gear, special seminars, attractions, outdoor sporting goods and water sports gear. The Arkansas Sportshow attracts over 20,000 visitors each year! Proceeds from the Sportshow help fund service projects of the Rotary Club of Jonesboro. Attractions will include a Kid’s Corner, the 875th National Guard Climbing Wall, and and ATV Giveaway. For more information visit arsportshow.com.

SWEETHEART HAYRIDEFebruary 12 and 13: Take your sweetheart on a romantic hayride through remote areas of Pinnacle Mountain State Park followed by a cozy campfire. Blankets and snuggling recommended. Advance payment is required. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12. Meeting place for event: Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitor Center. For more information call 501-868-5806 or visit arkansasstateparks.com/pinnaclemountain/.

ARKANSAS DUCKS UMLIMITED STATE CONVENTIONFebruary 18 and 19: The annual Arkansas State Convention begins with the duck party and games on Friday night and ends with the awards banquet, auction, and dance on Saturday. Save Money! Register online. Register before February 1st and receive special Early Bird prices and be eligible for two nights free at the Double Tree plus free convention registration (or equal value in raffle tickets) Book your

room now and guarantee the special Ducks Unlimited room rates at the Double Tree Hotel (special savings good through January 26). Call the Double Tree direct at (501) 372-4371 and request the special Ducks Unlimited rate. Event will take place at the Double Tree Hotel starting at 5 p.m. on Friday.

LANTERNSFebruary 18 thru 20: Takes visitors for a mystical stroll along paved pathways lit by fire pits and luminaries into Wildwood’s winter woodlands to visit eight cultures around the globe. A magical evening designed to delight children and adults alike, Lanterns celebrates the first full moon of the lunar year with a variety of outdoor entertainment and food specific to various regions around the globe. Admission: $10 for

adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and children 5 and under FREE. Meeting place for this event: Wildwood Park for the Arts. For more information contact Kristen Vandaveer at 501-821-7275 or visit wildwoodpark.org.

20TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS GARDEN AND FLOWER SHOWFebruary 25 thru 27: This is a family-friendly event celebrating gardening in Arkansas. Events include educational speakers and demonstrations, shopping for garden-related items, a silent auction, and interactive children’s activities. Admission: TBA. Meeting place for this event: The Statehouse Convention Center. For more information call 501-821-4000 or visit arflowerandgarendshow.org.

From the thrill of wildlife watchingencounters to the rush of adrenaline pumping extreme adventure, go wild at an Arkansas state park. Charge the Class IV rapids at Cossatot River. Hang glide at Mount Nebo. Rock climb at Mount Magazine. Experience your wild side in the State Parks of Arkansas, The Natural State.

the wilde x pe ri e n c e

Millwood Lake > Check out our 52 Arkansas State Parks today.

888-AT-PARKS • ArkansasStateParks.com


NEWS BRIEFSOutdoor ShowsLITTLE ROCK - Outdoor Shows are scheduled across the state for enthu-siats to take advantage of. A few of Arkansas Wild’s top picks include:

29TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS MARINE EXPOJanuary 21 thru 23: Marine Expo is bringing back the “First Mate Scout-ing Patch Program”. The First Mate Scouting Patch Program was created to introduce parents and children to boating and fishing as an activity that the family can enjoy year round. Exhibitors will be on hand to provide information on area lakes, vacation destinations, and products related to fishing, boating, and recreation. If you’re looking for a wide selection of discount tackle then Marine Expo is the place to be. Whether consider-ing a boat for fishing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing or just floating and swimming, the 29th Annual Arkansas Marine Expo is the perfect place to shop. And with the boating and fishing season right around the corner Marine Expo is the place to get the latest the market has to offer. Event will take place at the Statehouse Convention Center. Show hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $5 for adults and children 12 and under get in FREE. For more information contact Ken Griffey at 501-225-6177 or 501-765-1423.

35TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS RV SHOWFebruary 11 thru 13: Whether you’re interested in a pop-up camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel, toy hauler or a Class A Motor Home, the Arkansas RV Show can provide the consumer with a wide variety of products to see, appealing to every lifestyle and every budget. In addition, various exhibitors will be on hand to provide information on area campgrounds, vacation destinations, RV acces-sories, and products related to the RV industry. This show is a must for anyone interested in RVs, camp-ing, and learning more about the RV

lifestyle. Event Times: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $5 adults and children 12 and under FREE. For more information call 501-225-6177 or visit dgattractions.com.

ARKANSAS SPORTSHOWFebruary 11-13: Plan to attend the 26th Annual Arkansas Sportshow at the Arkansas State University Convo-cation Center in Jonesboro. See over 75,000 square feet of the latest sport-ing products designed to captivate hunting, fishing and boating enthu-siasts of all ages - boats and motors, ATV’s fishing equipment, hunting gear, special seminars, attractions, outdoor sporting goods and water sports gear. The Arkansas Sportshow attracts over 20,000 visitors each year! Proceeds from the Sportshow help fund service projects of the Rotary Club of Jonesboro. Attractions will include a Kid’s Corner, the 875th National Guard Climbing Wall, and and ATV Giveaway. For more infor-mation visit arsportshow.com.

20TH ANNUAL ARKANSAS GARDEN AND FLOWER SHOWFebruary 25 thru 27: This is a family-friendly event celebrating gardening in Arkansas. Events include educa-tional speakers and demonstrations, shopping for garden-related items,

a silent auction, and interactive children’s activities. Admission: TBA. Meeting place for this event: The Statehouse Convention Center. For more information call 501-821-4000 or visit arflowerandgarendshow.org.

USGS blackbird tests support earlier findingsBEEBE - Results from preliminary testing released January 5, by the U.S. Geologi-cal Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wis., show that red-winged blackbirds died from blunt force trauma on New Year’s Eve. The report supports preliminary findings from the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Com-mission released January 3.

Full diagnostic necropsies performed on the birds at the NWHC lab revealed internal hemorrhaging. Tests for an ar-ray of pesticides were negative; results are pending for additional chemical toxins and infectious diseases.

It appears unusually loud noises, reported shortly before the birds began to fall, caused the birds to flush from a roost. Additional fireworks in the area may have forced the birds to fly at a lower altitude than normal and hit houses, vehicles, trees and other objects. Blackbirds have poor night vi-sion and typically do not fly at night.

BIG BUCK CLASSICJanuary 21 thru 23: Come to the Arkansas State Fairgrounds for the Largest Hunting Event in Arkansas. Show Hours: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12, and kids under 5 FREE. For more information call 501-985-1533 or visit bigbuckclassic.com.

PHOTOS BY BIG BUCK CLASSIC


Beginning at about 11:30 p.m., Dec. 31, Arkansas Game and Fish Commis-sion wildlife officers received reports of blackbirds falling from the sky in a square-mile area of Beebe. It’s esti-mated that up to 5,000 birds fell before midnight. Most of the birds were dead, but some were alive when officers arrived.

The AGFC flew over the area in a heli-copter to gauge the scope of the event. No dead birds were found outside the initial area of fallen birds.

Arkansas River fish kill investigation continuesOZARK - Anglers and residents along the Arkansas River near Ozark Lock and Dam wrapped up 2010 witnessing more than 83,000 dead and dying fish on the surface of the river.

According to Chris Racey, AGFC assis-tant chief of fisheries, the fish kill was reported Dec. 29 and covered about 17 miles of river from the Ozark Lock and Dam downstream to River Mile 240, directly south of Hartman, Ark.

Bob Limbird, district fisheries biolo-gist for the Russellville area, said, “We started receiving reports on Wednes-day night. Fisheries biologist Frank Leone and Wildlife Officer Ben Sisk arrived at dark and scanned the water with a spotlight. They saw a lot of dead fish on the shore and decided to come back with more manpower Thursday morning to properly assess the situation.”

Friday, 17 AGFC personnel loaded into six boats and surveyed the stretch of river affected by the kill.

“We sampled the south bank along the river channel,” Limbird said. “Most of the fish were concentrated from the dam to Okane, with a few here and there stretching almost to Horsehead Creek.”

About 99 percent of the dead fish (about 83,000 estimated fish) were freshwater drum. A few yellow bass, white bass and sauger were found in

sampled areas, but may be unrelated to the drum kill.

“Most of the fish were freshwater drum between 6 and 11 inches long,” Limbird said. “We picked up five drum that were dying and submitted them to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for testing.”

The fish samples are being analyzed; test results could take up to 30 days.

Public input meetings scheduled across ArkansasLITTLE ROCK - Public input is a crucial component of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s process for setting hunting and fishing regulations.

The meetings are part of the AGFC’s annual hunting-regulations process, giving hunters the opportunity to

Coming to Hot Springs, Arkansas May 19-21

New!

For exhibitor packet or attendee info & registration contact: FRA 301|838|9385 • [email protected] 501|224|2232 •[email protected]

a world class logging & forestry demo sponsored by the Forest Resources Association & the Arkansas Timber Producers Association

Thanks to In-Woods Expo partners Weyerhaeuser & Arkansas Forestry Commission

Wildlife & Hunt Club

Come, meet with Equipment, Supply and Service Vendors!

Visit & register online www.in-woods-expo.com

Join more than 80 exhibitors on a 300-acre forested site managed sustainably by Weyerhaeuser

Prentice Loader Championship

Biomass Harvest Display/Demos

STIHL Ironjack Show

Training & Education

Live Harvesting & Equipment Demos

New Growth, New Iron

Management Exhibits

Delivering Sustainability


make comments and proposals for the 2011-12 hunting seasons.

The meetings will be held 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Feb. 1, at the following locations:

JonesboroForrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center600 East Lawson Road877-972-5438

MonticelloAGFC Regional Office771 Jordan Drive877-367-3559

HopeFair Park Community CenterFair Park Drive877-777-5580

RussellvilleAGFC Regional Office1266 Lock and Dam Road877-967-7577

SpringdaleThe Jones Center922 East Emma Avenue866-253-2506

Calico RockAGFC Regional Office1125 Hwy. 56877-297-4331

Little Rock AGFC Central Office2 Natural Resources Drive800-364-4263

Upcoming Spring Hunts Turkey Season Dates and Bag LimitsBy Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Season dates and bag limits are sub-ject to change. Any changes will be updated online (agfc.com) as soon as possible.

Zones: 1,2,3,4B,5,5B,6,7,7A,8,9,10,17Opens: 4/16/2011Closes: 5/3/2011Shooting Hours: 30 Minutes Before Sun-rise Until 30 Minutes After SunsetLimits: The statewide bag limit is two adult gobblers or bearded hens, no jakes. Zone bag limit: Two adult gobblers or bearded hens, no jakes. Hunters 15 and younger may harvest one jake as part of their two-bird limit during the season (including the youth hunt). No more than one turkey may be taken per day.

Zones: 4,4A,5A,9AOpens: 4/16/2011Closes: 4/26/2011Shooting Hours: 30 Minutes Before Sun-rise Until 30 Minutes After SunsetLimits: The statewide bag limit is two adult gobblers or bearded hens, no jakes. Zone bag limit: One bearded tur-key, no jakes. Hunters who kill a turkey in one of these zones must travel to any other zone (including other one-bird-limit zones) to harvest a second turkey. Hunters 15 and younger may harvest one jake as part of their two-bird limit during the season (including the youth hunt). No more than one turkey may be taken per day.

Youth HuntZones: 1,2,3,4,4A,4B,5,5A,5B,6,7,7A,8,9,9A,10,17Opens: 4/9/2011Closes:4/10/2011Shooting Hours: 30 Minutes Before Sun-rise Until 30 Minutes After SunsetLimits: The statewide bag limit is two adult gobblers or bearded hens. Hunt-ers must follow the zone bag limits of the zones in which they hunt. Hunters 15 and younger may harvest one jake as part of their two-bird limit dur-ing the season (including the youth hunt). No more than one turkey may be taken per day. Only hunters 15 and younger may hunt turkeys during the special youth turkey hunt. Youths who have completed hunter educa-tion must be accompanied by an adult mentor who is 18 or older. Youths who have not completed hunter education must be under the direct supervision of an adult mentor who is 21 or older.

SPRING turkey season will be here soon. See the dates below.

Come experience the ArkansasDelta, its

Upcoming Outdoor Festivals and Events:FebruaryArkAnsAs sports showASU Convocation CenterJonesboro, ARFriday the 4th-Sunday the 6th

AnnuAl FFA Alumni AuctionManila, ARSaturday the 12th

Marchsunken lAnds Quilt FestivAlThe Tyronza Quilt Festival has exploded to include other cities in the Sunken Lands--Marked Tree, Dyess, Lepanto and Manila. Quilts will be shown throughout.Tyronza, ARSaturday the 5th

AntiQue power showAntique tractors, trucks, engines, and moreBrinkley, AR2nd WeekendIn Brinkley, take exit 216 and travel 1/2 mile north on Hwy 40. Please email [email protected] for details.

springtime on the mAll FestivAlArts, crafts and entertainmentBlytheville, ARSaturday the 26th

dumAs merchAnts FAirDumas, ARFor more information call (870) 382-5447 or email [email protected].

www.deltabyways.com“This ad paid for with a combination of state funds and Arkansas Delta Byways regional association funds.”

The rich soil that makes up the Arkansas Delta was deposited from across the nation

by the power of the mighty Mississippi River. In that spirit, people from all over are traveling to the Arkansas Delta Byways tourism

region to see the people, places and history that make up this fertile landscape.

Each fall, a rare visitor returns to the Arkansas Delta – the

Yellow Rail. Known for its elusiveness, the barren rice fields of the Mississippi Flyway give

birders a better opportunity to spy the secretive bird. Also be on the lookout for the

Red-cockaded Woodpecker, the Brown-headed Nuthatch and

the Fish Crow.

If angling is more your game, head out to our oxbows, lakes and rivers. Our waters are plentiful with catfish, bass, bream and crappie. Hunters will find record-breaking deer in our woods.

Duck hunters flock to the Arkansas Delta Byways region for its world-renowned waterfowl.

Hikers, riders and outdoor enthusiasts have lots of activities to choose from at our state parks, natural areas, federal refuges and

a national forest. Enjoy the scenic beauty that can only be found in the Arkansas Delta Byways region.

Hop on The Natural State for a ride. Arkansas packs a lot of excitement – from treetop canopy tours to riverside concerts, wild water sports, thrilling nightlife and more.

Get more information and a free Vacation Planning Kit @ Arkansas.com or by calling 1-800-NATURAL

Find us on Facebook

Exciting by nature.

Ozark Canopy Tour

Lake Chicot State Park

See video on phone with QR reader.

Fort Smith nightlife

Gaming in West Memphis & Hot Springs

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Arkansas Wild