March 28, 2018
Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications
LITTLE ROCK – The Mississippi Flyway Council recently named Arkansas Wildlife Officer Cpl. Block Meyer of Cross County as its 2017 Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year. Meyer was selected from a vast field of candidates throughout the entire flyway, including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. This is the second time in Meyer’s seven years with the AGFC that he has been bestowed this prestigious honor.
“Waterfowl hunting may have put Arkansas on the map, but it’s officers like Cpl. Meyer that make sure we remain the duck hunting capital of the world,” said Col. Greg Rae, AGFC chief of enforcement.
AGFC Director Pat Fitts echoed Rae’s comments, “This is a very proud moment for this agency and the State of Arkansas,” Fitts said. “Officers like Meyer always seem to deflect the spotlight, so it’s good to see them recognized for the high level in which they serve the people and resources of Arkansas.”
Meyer had an exceptional year in waterfowl enforcement. He worked more than 300 hours of waterfowl enforcement alone and issued 59 waterfowl citations and warnings with a wide variety of violations. He arrested men for guiding waterfowl on public land as well as non-residents in possession of a resident hunting license. He also caught violators shooting geese from the road in Cross County using a high-powered rifle. He investigated a total of eight social media cases involving illegal waterfowl activity and violating waterfowl guide services.
Meyer also was involved in two rescue operations during winter 2017. He assisted the Cross County Sheriff’s Department and Cross County Emergency Response Team in searching for a 40-year old female that went missing in 10 degree weather for 5 hours. She was located by the search party unclothed and taken to a local hospital to be treated for hypothermia. His second rescue operation involved a juvenile who was injured from a shotgun with an obstructed barrel. The youth was transported to the local hospital, given 11 stitches and then released.
Meyer believes that a wildlife officer’s job is much more than enforcement of the laws. As an ambassador of the AGFC, he has spent countless hours with school groups and working to introduce the next generation of outdoors enthusiast to the woods. During the 2017-18 waterfowl season, he guided for mentored hunts on private property where he personally called the ducks to the gun for youth hunters. He also helped organize and collect donations for the 9th Annual Cross County Youth Outdoor Day.