Arkansas deer harvest increases, just short of 200,000

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK – The last arrow has been launched for the 2024-25 Arkansas deer hunting season, and the tally of checked deer stands at 199,863. Although the raw data still needs to be analyzed, the preliminary results indicate an increase of nearly 4 percent over last year’s final harvest of 192,392.

Although 200,000 is a nice round number, it doesn’t make or break a deer season. AGFC Deer Program Coordinator Ralph Meeker says it is quite close to where Arkansas needs to be in terms of sustainable harvest given the state’s available habitat, hunting effort and reproductive capability of the deer herd

Anna Mooreland of Ferndale shot this mature buck during the second week of Arkansas’s 2024-25 modern gun deer season. Photo courtesy Clint Mooreland. 

“It’s a good rough measure, but we really look more closely at the harvest by deer zone to determine trends, and we still have to do some analysis there before we make any formal presentation,” Meeker said. “A lot of factors play into that statewide harvest number. Mast crop production, flooding and the closing of flood prone zones, inclement weather on the opening weekends of alternative firearm or modern gun deer season, and hunter effort can all affect regional harvest numbers which in turn affect the overall statewide harvest figure.”

The statewide harvest continues a steady climb, indicating that Arkansas’s deer population continues to recover after an unusually high spike in harvest following the COVID-19 epidemic.

“The deer population actually saw a bit of a double-whammy then,” Meeker said. “The deer season  prior to COVID (2019-20), we saw a small drop in the harvest, likely indicating a slight population decline. But in the 2020-21 season, we saw many more hunters go to the woods and many of those were more inclined to harvest an additional deer for the freezer with some of the talks of food shortages circulating. That’s likely why we saw a dramatic decline from our record-high 216,835 in 2020 to 181,379 the next year.”

Deer are resilient, and Meeker says the population is showing signs of recovery . In 2022-23, deer hunters harvested 185,579 deer, followed by a harvest of 192,392 deer in 2023-24.

“We also have a lot of reports of fawns seen this year by hunters, so we’re cautiously optimistic that reproduction is picking up to continue filling that void.”

AGFC Chief of Enforcement Col. Brad Young with a healthy buck in velvet. Photo courtesy Brad Young. 

This season marked the introduction of two new seasons: an early archery buck-only season and an alternative firearms season that allowed firearms shooting straight-walled cartridges to replace the muzzleloader season. The AGFC deer team watched numbers closely to determine any effects these changes may have had on overall harvest.

“So far, it doesn’t look like the new seasons had a dramatic effect on overall harvest,” Meeker said. “Successful deer hunters still harvested an average of 1.2 deer per hunter, so it was more of a shift in harvest to different methods.”

Meeker said the adoption of straight-walled rifles definitely boosted the overall muzzleloader harvest.

“During the last decade, we’ve seen a slow decline in muzzleloader harvest,” Meeker said. “This year, we had pretty close to the same muzzleloader harvest as last year, but the addition of straight-walled firearms more than doubled the total for that season. We’re pretty close to the same harvest numbers for alternative firearms combined that we saw for muzzleloaders in 2017, when it peaked.”

The alternative firearms increase came at the same time as a slight decrease in the modern gun harvest, again likely indicating a shift in season instead of an additive overall harvest.

“It’s possible that hunters who took a deer in alternative firearms season were more selective during modern gun, or it could have been a result of weather patterns during the seasons.”

Meeker says excellent hunting weather accompanied the alternative firearms season, but the opening weekend of modern gun season this year offered horribly wet and windy conditions.

“A little warm , a little wind or a little rain doesn’t hurt harvest much, but it was unseasonably warm, pouring down rain and very windy in most of the state during the modern gun opener this year,” Meeker said.

Favorable weather during the early archery buck hunt also prompted a pretty successful opening hunt, with about 1,200 bucks taken.

Hunters harvested nearly 200,000 deer during the 2024-25 Arkansas deer hunting season. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath. 

“Participation was pretty high for this new season as well, especially considering that it fell on the same weekend as the dove opener,” Meeker said. “Participation in that season may fluctuate in the future, depending on the heat and season schedules.”

Meeker says a few hunters have asked if the alternative firearms and early antlerless seasons will become regular fixtures in Arkansas’s deer hunting, noting many questions before purchasing a new straight-walled cartridge firearm.

“You never know exactly what the future holds, but there have been no conversations about changing from this season’s format,” Meeker said. “As of now, we’re looking at harvest numbers and management strategies to continue to accommodate these new seasons.”

Learn more about deer and deer hunting in Arkansas at www.agfc.com/deer.

Boozman, Kennedy, Moran Champion Bill to Protect Veterans’ Second Amendment Rights

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act to ensure veterans do not lose their Second Amendment right to purchase or own firearms when they receive help managing their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. 

The Berkshire Edge Image

Because of the VA’s interpretation of current law, the VA sends a beneficiary’s name to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) whenever a fiduciary is appointed to help a beneficiary manage his or her VA benefit payments. The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act would prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from transmitting a veteran’s personal information to NICS unless a relevant judicial authority rules that the beneficiary is a danger to himself or others. 

“Veterans must not be required to forfeit the Second Amendment without a careful, constitutional process. Attempting to deprive former servicemembers of firearms for protection or recreation simply because they require assistance managing the benefits they have earned is bureaucracy at its worst. Our legislation would correct this injustice and preserve these law-abiding patriots’ rights,” said Boozman. 

“Our veterans should not receive less due process rights than other Americans just because they served our country and asked the federal government for a helping hand. Under the VA’s interpretation of the law, however, unelected bureaucrats punish Louisiana and America’s veterans by forcing them to choose between their Second Amendment rights and getting the help they need as they manage their financial affairs. I’m proud to introduce the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act to stand up for veterans’ constitutional rights by ending this unfair practice,” said Kennedy. 

“Veterans should never be forced to choose between receiving assistance from VA to manage their benefits and their fundamental Second Amendment rights. Our nation should be encouraging veterans to utilize VA services, not discouraging them by denying them due process. The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act makes certain that the rights of those who have served are protected, and that veterans are not penalized for receiving support that they have earned and deserve,” said Moran. 

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jim Banks (R-IN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).  

Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act is endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, Black Veterans Empowerment Council, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Shooting Sports Foundation, National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, AMAC Action, Turning Point Action, Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition, National Disability Rights Network and the National Association for Gun Rights. 

Click here for full text of the legislation.

7 startups to participate in UA outdoor recreation incubator

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

The sixth cohort of Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) includes companies focused on cycling, firearms, outdoor apparel and camping, the University of Arkansas announced Tuesday (Aug. 13). The 12-week incubator starts Aug. 27.

Leaders from the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation oversee the program. GORP supports startups building products and services in the outdoor recreation industry by providing workshop training, team mentoring and business development consulting to help them scale.

GORP’s fall program runs through Nov. 12 and provides up to $15,000 in non-dilutive seed funding per company. This type of funding doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company.

7 startups to participate in UA outdoor recreation incubator

Arkansas Attorney General Griffin celebrates appeals court decision in lawsuit over Biden-Harris pistol brace rule

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement regarding the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to reverse a lower court ruling denying a preliminary injunction in Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition, Inc. v. Garland:

“This is a victory for the rights of Americans and the rule of law as the Eighth Circuit concluded that our lawsuit is likely to succeed. This ruling brings us one step closer to stopping this unconstitutional rule.

“This is yet another attempt to rewrite the laws Congress has passed. The new rule defines a pistol with a stabilizing brace as a short-barreled rifle, thus increasing federal regulation and putting Americans at risk of fines, forfeiture, and felony conviction. I will continue to fight for the 2nd Amendment rights of Arkansans and against the arbitrary-and-capricious rules of the Biden-Harris administration.”

Arkansas is a member of a coalition of private entities and state attorneys general in the lawsuit. States include West Virginia, North Dakota, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.

To read the order, click here.

For a printer-friendly version of this release, click here.

Pistol Brace - Indiana Responsible Gun Owners

After Meeting with Governor Sanders During Her European Trade Mission, Walther Manufacturing Announces $30M Expansion in Fort Smith, Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Following the company’s meeting with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders during her European trade mission this summer, Walther Manufacturing is expanding its presence in Fort Smith, Arkansas, creating an expected 76 new jobs over the next five years. The expansion represents a capital investment of up to $30 million in the region. 

“Walther Manufacturing is making a substantial investment in our Fort Smith factory to facilitate the expansion of our research development and manufacturing of U.S.-produced firearms and accessories,” said Tom Goike, Walther Manufacturing President and CEO. 

Currently, Umarex USA/Walther occupies 185,000 square feet in their facility. The expansion adds over 40,000 square feet to the existing operation, encompassing industry-leading design engineering, product management and manufacturing capabilities. The expansion is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2024. 

“Arkansas is proud to be home to Walther U.S. headquarters, both because we love jobs and because we love our Second Amendment. After meeting with the company during my European trade mission this summer, I’m thrilled they’ve decided to double down on their investment and grow their facility here in the Natural State, helping Fort Smith and the entire River Valley grow,” said Governor Sanders. 

“Walther is a world-renowned firearms company, and they have been a great corporate partner in Arkansas for the past decade,” said Clint O’Neal, Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “We are excited to see the company grow in the Natural State, and we look forward to their continued success.” 

Walther established its operations in Arkansas in 2012, making Fort Smith its U.S. headquarters. Walther Manufacturing is the fabrication entity which manufactures all U.S. based products for the companies Walther and Umarex USA, utilizing a unique blend of advanced precision technology and authentic human craftsmanship. All three companies share a campus in Fort Smith. 

“My connection to Umarex and Walther goes back many years. They are a key fixture in the high-tech manufacturing fabric of the Fort Smith Region and a partner who shares our goal of growing and recruiting a talented workforce,” said Tim Allen, President and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce. “It was a pleasure to work with the leadership at Walther again to secure this project in Fort Smith. We welcome Walther’s expansion as they further solidify their place in our community and allow it to meet the demand of its military, law enforcement and consumer markets.” 

Arkansas panel will review gun laws with an eye to simplification

KUAR | By Sonny Albarado / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas lawmakers will spend the next year holding hearings on the state’s firearms laws with the goal of recommending legislation to align statutes with the Legislature’s strong gun-rights stance.

On Thursday, members of the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Game & Fish/State Policesubcommittee heard a rundown of a planned series of twice-monthly meetings that will review current laws, hear from the public and provide opportunities for making recommendations.

Panel co-chair Rep. Josh Miller, R-Heber Springs, said the subcommittee will “study what we’ve got and see where we need to make adjustments.”

Arkansas panel will review gun laws with an eye to simplification

Follow important safety guidelines to enjoy outdoor activities

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — During the cooler months in Arkansas, there are many opportunities for outdoor fun, such as hunting, camping and riding all-terrain vehicles. While enjoying these activities in the Natural State, it’s important to follow safety guidelines to avoid accidents and injuries.

ATV AND SHOOTING SAFETY — Jesse Bocksnick, extension 4-h outdoor skills coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said it's important to ensure youth are of the correct age and size to operate ATVs or firearms. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

Jesse Bocksnick, extension 4-H outdoor skills coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said safely operating guns and ATVs can minimize the risk of accidents.

“Accidents happen — we can’t be 100 percent safe all the time,” Bocksnick said. “But the main thing is to practice good, safe operation of ATVs and safe gun handling so that when an accident does happen, we can minimize it and it’s just a scare – not a tragic story that we talk about years later as a teaching tool.”

Proper firearm handling

When it comes to safe gun handling, Bocksnick said three elements are key: muzzle control, action open and trigger control.

The muzzle is the part of the firearm where the bullet exits the gun. Keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times can help prevent accidents or minimize the damage of an accident.

“Every year it seems like somebody gets hurt with an ‘empty gun,’ and that’s because they think it’s unloaded, and it’s not,” Bocksnick said.

The action on a gun is the part where the ammunition enters the chamber and is then extracted when the gun is fired. By keeping the action open, the user indicates to others that the gun is unloaded until it is time to shoot.

“When that action is closed, nobody knows if there’s a bullet in the chamber,” Bocksnick said. “You just assume that it’s loaded. We assume that all guns are loaded all the time – it just keeps things safer that way.”

Trigger control means “you keep your finger off the trigger until your sight is on the target,” Bocksnick said.

“A lot of folks, especially young folks, when you hand them a firearm, the first thing they do is wrap their hand around the grip and they’ve got a finger on the trigger,” Bocksnick said. “We don’t want to do that.”

For adults who are excited to introduce hunting and shooting sports to the young people in their lives, Bocksnick said it’s important to brush up on safety skills, as many adults develop poor safety habits over time.

“People are usually excited about training young folks and getting them out there,” he said. “It’s a family pastime, and they want to pass that tradition along to their family members, but sometimes they have unsafe habits, or they don’t realize how unsafe they actually are with a firearm. When they’re talking to kids and teaching them the basics of hunting, sometimes they may skip over or take for granted some of those basic firearm controls.”

When training youth on proper firearm handling, Bocksnick said another issue is handing off firearms to young people too soon.

“If they can’t physically work the action, hold the gun up, or handle the recoil, they’re too small,” he said. “You need to wait until the next year, or maybe the year after that. I see a lot of parents push kids too fast. They want them to be that hunting buddy so badly that they give them a little too much responsibility for their age.”

ATV and UTV safety

Riding ATVs and UTVs, or all-terrain and utility task vehicles, can be a fun way to explore the outdoors. But these vehicles can be very dangerous for riders if not handled safely.  

Bocksnick said that for ATVs and UTVs, the “number one thing to remember is to wear a helmet.”

“It is the single most important piece of safety equipment that a person – adult or youth – can wear,” he said. “It must be a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.”

It is also critical to follow the age recommendations of the vehicle’s manufacturer, Bocksnick said.

“Most ATVs and UTVs are 16 years old and up,” Bocksnick said. “Just because a youth can steer a machine or push the throttle doesn't mean they are capable of driving that machine. ATVs are ‘rider active’ machines that require the operator to use their body weight and active movement to properly ride the machine and make it handle properly. With UTVs, if a youth cannot sit in the seat properly with their back against the seat, buckled in, and reach all the controls, they are too young.”

Bocksnick said a common misconception about UTVs is that they are safe for children because they have a roll bar or rollover protective structures. But youth must be buckled in and using the seatbelts or harness systems for these protective measures to work.

“Unfortunately, ATV and UTV accidents are a major cause of head trauma, death and major injuries in the state among youth,” Bocksnick said. “Youth riding machines they are not old enough for, not wearing helmets, or carrying passengers on ATVs increases this problem exponentially.”

Hunting and campfire safety

During hunting season, many people get injured from their deer stands. Becky McPeake, extension professor and wildlife specialist for the Division of Agriculture, said scouting for the proper deer stand location before the hunt is important.

“Find a tree which is strong enough to support your weight,” McPeake said. “Sometimes the tree nearest an opening is smaller in diameter, and it is tempting to use that tree, but don’t. Be safe.”

McPeake said being in good shape is also key to successfully navigating a deer stand, as it takes physical strength to get in and out.

“If there are physical limitations, ground-hunt to be safe,” she said. “You can build your own blind using natural features or purchase a tent blind.”

Wearing a harness is also an “essential safety feature” for those using deer stands, McPeake said.

“Use a climbing rope, climb a little higher than your stand, and slip into the stand,” she said. “Then, use a rope to lift or lower your supplies and your unloaded firearm, and clip yourself in the tree once in place.”

Be sure to get plenty of rest and stay awake while in a deer stand, and let others know when heading out for a hunt.

“Tell your family or friends when you go hunting and when you expect to return,” McPeake said. “Leave them a map of where you will be hunting, since cell service sometimes doesn’t work in remote locations.”

While hunting, camping or simply spending time in the backyard, campfire safety guidelines should also be followed to avoid injury or an out-of-control blaze. Creenna Bocksnick, extension 4-H camping coordinator for the Division of Agriculture, said the first step to a safe campfire is checking the fire regulations in one’s area.

“Some locations don’t allow for open flames, and seasonal burn bans also need to be considered,” Bocksnick said. “Campers also need to remember general fire safety concerns: burns, keeping flammable liquids and materials away from the fire, and not leaning or stepping over the fire.”

Bocksnick said people should also pay close attention to their surroundings for other potential fire hazards, including “dead trees above their fire that can fall, tinder on the ground near their fire that can catch on fire, and tree roots under their fire that can also catch on fire without them knowing.”

People camping in a wilderness setting should also aim to “leave no trace” of their presence at the campsite after leaving.

“Campers should build, douse and cover remnants of their fires so that the next person doesn't know they were there,” Bocksnick said. “They should also not put items in the fire that will not completely burn and turn to ash during their stay.”

For more information about the 4-H shooting sports program and Arkansas 4-H ATV safety, visit the Arkansas 4-H Outdoor Skills website or contact Jesse Bocksnick at jbocksnick@uada.edu.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Rutledge discourages banks and credit card companies from tracking firearm purchases

LITTLE ROCK— Attorney General Leslie Rutledge joined a coalition of 24 states in alerting the chief executive officers of multiple banks and major credit card companies that classifying firearm transactions into a newly created Merchant Category Code is potentially a violation of consumer protection law and antitrust law.

“Attempting to document when law-abiding Americans choose to exercise their Second Amendment right is a flagrant attack on consumer privacy,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “This action by banks and credit card companies must stop immediately.”  

In the letter to the CEOs of American Express, Mastercard and Visa, the attorneys general argue that monitoring and tracking firearm purchases creates a “list of gun buyers” which would present great risk to law-abiding consumers if the list were obtained and misused by those who oppose the Second Amendment.

The creation of this new Merchant Category Code specifically for gun stores allows credit card companies and large banks to monitor spending habits of consumers who purchase guns by adding their name to a list. Activists pressured the International Organization for Standardization to adopt this policy in order to circumvent and undermine the American legislative process.

Joining Rutledge in signing the letter are attorneys general from: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

To read the full letter, click here.