AGFC

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AGFC adds seven new game wardens in graduation ceremony

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BY Randy Zellers

CONWAY — United States Magistrate Joe Volpe Friday swore in seven new members of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s enforcement ranks at the official graduation ceremony of the 2024 agency’s game warden training program at the Antioch Baptist Church.

Judge Joe Volpe swears in the graduating class of new AGFC game wardens. Photo by Mike Wintroath.

This year’s graduating class was smaller than typical years, which is a testament to the level of commitment required to become an AGFC game warden.

The process to become a wildlife officer began in May when 16 individuals were selected from hundreds of applicants to participate in the training program.

“In addition to applications, interviews and extensive background checks, we talked with community references to ensure prospective candidates were able to handle the extreme pressures of the job as well as being a role model for conservation and law enforcement in their hometowns,” Maj. Brian Aston, assistant chief of the AGFC Enforcement Division, said.

Col. Brad Young commends the graduating class of AGFC game wardens for their perseverance and dedication. Photo by Mike Wintroath.

During the next 18 weeks, cadets spent most of their waking hours at the H.C. “Red” Morris Training Center east of Mayflower on Lake Conway. They received 835 hours of training in self-defense, firearms, first aid and rescue, drug enforcement, physical conditioning, criminal law and wildlife code enforcement.

Capt. Sydney Carman directs the cadet-training program, with many AGFC enforcement officers serving as instructors. Other experts teach specialized topics.

“Once a game warden is assigned to their region, they have to handle a variety of tasks beyond wildlife code regulation, which can include state and federal law enforcement, forensics, interviewing and public relations and community outreach,” Carman said. “We have instructors and experts come in and assist with training on such things as recognizing and dealing with child abuse and domestic violence situations, which our officers may have to engage in once they’re on their own.”

Each of the remaining cadets celebrated during Friday’s formal graduation ceremony before heading to their assigned duty stations. Each officer is assigned to a duty station based on the current needs of the Commission, but accommodations can be made to ensure officers that are familiar with certain areas are assigned near them if possible.

From left to right: Capt. Sydney Carman, training instructor; Brandon Trammell; Clayton Bramel; Brandon Bybee; Doug Carpenter; Heath Hampton; Aaron McNew; Alyssa Mostrom; Lt. Tracey Blake, assistant training instructor. 

“We always try to place officers in counties where they are already part of the community,” Aston said. “But we also have to ensure vacancies are filled across the state. Sometimes an officer will work in a county far from home for a few years until a vacancy opens up closer to their hometown. Sometimes they decide to stay at their original duty station once they become a part of that community.”

The 2024 graduates and their county assignments are:

  • Clayton Bramel of Benton County, assigned to Phillips

  • Brandon Bybee of Craighead County, assigned to Crittenden County

  • Douglas Carpenter of Yell County, assigned to Sebastian County

  • Heath Hampton of Gleason, Wisconsin, assigned to Cleveland County

  • Aaron McNew of Faulkner County, assigned to Dallas County

  • Alyssa Mostrom of Marion County, assigned to Ouachita County

  • Brandon Trammell of Stone County, assigned to Desha County

The AGFC will begin the process to accept applications for the next class of cadets to fill vacancies soon. Visit www.agfc.com/enforcement for more information on becoming a wildlife officer.

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Invasive plant discovery forces temporary closure of Lake Georgia-Pacific boat access

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CROSSETT — A recent discovery of water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic plant, has forced the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Georgia-Pacific Crossett LLC to temporarily close the boating access to the Lake Georgia-Pacific in Ashley County. Fishing is still allowed at the lake, but the boat ramp will be closed while AGFC staff enact emergency actions to eradicate recently discovered concentrations of water hyacinth and survey the lake for additional occurrences of the plant.

Water hyacinth is native to the Amazon basin of South America and is thought to have been introduced to the southern U.S. as an ornamental.  While it does have attractive flowers, the plant quickly forms dense mats that cover the water surface, displacing native species, impeding water flow and water navigation, and restricting recreational activities such as boating, fishing, hunting and swimming. Large amounts of decaying plant material can decrease oxygen levels, which is detrimental to fish and other organisms. Once established, water hyacinth can double in size in as little as two weeks in the right growing conditions.

After speaking with officials from Georgia-Pacific Crossett LLC, AGFC staff recommended the immediate closure of the boat ramp on the east side of the lake.

Matt Horton, Aquatic Nuisance Species Program coordinator for the AGFC, said the plant has been found primarily in the canal from the boat ramp leading to the main lake.

“We need to act quickly to contain and remove the plants before they have a chance to spread to the main lake,” Horton said. “Temporarily preventing additional boat traffic will help keep the plant from being dragged further into the lake and will prevent anyone from inadvertently hauling pieces of the plant to a different lake after fishing in Lake Georgia-Pacific.”

Lake Georgia-Pacific is roughly 1,500 acres and supplies water to the paper mill in south Arkansas. It also is a very popular fishing destination for local anglers. Largemouth bass, crappie and catfish are featured species in the lake.

“Fishing is still open at the lake, we are only closing the boat ramp to help contain during our eradication efforts,” Horton said. “We hope to reopen the boat ramp by the end of the week if our efforts are successful.”

Contact District Fisheries Biologist Ryan Mozisek at (870) 281-7091 for more information on this access closure and angling opportunities at Lake Georgia-Pacific. For more information on water hyacinth and other aquatic nuisance species visit www.agfc.com/ans.

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World Champion Squirrel Cook Off coming Sept. 7

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SQUIRREL GIRLS
The World Champion Squirrel Cook Off will be held Sept. 7 at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center.

SPRINGDALE — Break out the shotgun and gather some ingredients now for the nuttiest cooking competition Arkansas has to offer. The World Champion Squirrel Cook Off will take over the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale beginning at 9 a.m. Sept. 7.

The family-friendly free event returned last fall after a three-year hiatus. After COVID cancellations and some logistical issues, the granddaddy of limb chicken cuisine settled into its new home at the nature center as easily as falling off a log.

Joe Wilson, event planner, cooking contest veteran and connoisseur of all things squirrely, has been busy since before the last dish was served last year to make this year’s event even more memorable.

“We’re always up to try something new and keep things fresh,” Wilson said. “We’re not sure exactly how everything will turn out, but we know it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Up to 40 three-person cooking teams will fire up grills, smokers and other cooking implements beginning at 9 a.m. and will present their dishes to a panel of judges beginning at noon. According to Wilson, there’s still time to gather up a few buddies and harvest some tree-range protein to join in the cooking fun. Complete rules and instructions to nab one of the few remaining cooking team spots are available at www.facebook.com/squirrelcookoff.

Side dishes served alongside the competition this year will include the return of the World Champion Squirrel Skinning Contest as well as the World’s Hottest Squirrel Eating Competition, and Wilson has upped the ante with a special squirrel-calling contest where competitors will bark, chatter and squawk their way to victory if they can convince a panel of expert judges that their bushytail lingo is up to snuff.

The AGFC will again host the World Squirrel Shootoff in the Marksmanship Center, where people can test their airgunning ability and get some helpful aiming tips heading into the meat of squirrel season, and there will be tons of squirrely activities in the Nature Center classroom to entertain and educate anyone who wants to learn more about The Natural State’s native nutcrackers.

Everyone loves a side dish, but let’s not forget the main course, the fantastic food. It is a cooking competition, after all. In addition to samples handed out by competing teams, Wilson’s got a smorgasbord of free fancy eats lined up you can’t buy in any store.

“We’re going to have a giant fish fry, sponsored by ACC Crappie Stix,” Wilson said. ‘Crappie and catfish will be served with a smile while the supply lasts. We’ll also have tons of other free wild food to give you a sample of something your taste buds haven’t tackled before. Last year’s carp tacos were a huge hit, and folks just kept coming back for all the rabbit fricassee their stomachs could handle.”

That’s just a brief sampling of the fun in store for folks who make the trek to Northwest Arkansas to enjoy the event firsthand. There’s even talk of a special cookbook being sold that’s full of past winning recipes and other sources of a squirrel-centric nature. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the local 4-H club, which is volunteering to help wrangle parking at this year’s event.

Visit www.facebook.com/squirrelcookoff for the latest developments on what’s sure to be something to chatter about for years to come.

Note for ingredient gatherers: Arkansas squirrel season runs May 15-Feb. 28, and hunters may take up to 12 squirrels per day. Focus on hickory trees as we get closer to September, as hickory nuts are some of the squirrel’s favorite foods this time of year.

Visit www.agfc.com for more information on the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center and squirrel hunting in The Natural State.