May 5, 2021
Jeff Williams Editor, Arkansas Wildlife Magazine
Spring is the most popular season to paddle Arkansas’s rivers, bayous and lakes. That’s why the May/June issue of Arkansas Wildlife magazine includes a comprehensive guide to Arkansas Water Trails.
“Water trails combine the relaxation of time on the water with the excitement of fishing and viewing wildlife,” Kirsten Bartlow, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission watchable wildlife coordinator, said. “It’s also a little easier to see wildlife up-close from a canoe, as many species rarely see any threats coming from the water.”
Bartlow manages the program, which has established 14 water trails across the state – from Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, a few miles from Louisiana, to Crooked Creek, not far from Missouri. She relies heavily on partners such as the Arkansas Canoe Club, The Nature Conservancy, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Arkansas Watertrails Partnership and many others to bring these projects to fruition.
“We’re still developing water trails throughout the state,” Bartlow said. “And we’re always looking for partners to help us find possible locations.”
The May/June issue also includes the story of a 20-year effort to make wade fishing at the White River’s popular Rim Shoals safer, thanks to Gary Flippin. An article about the study of Crooked Creek smallmouth bass anglers helps us understand how, where and how many brownies are being harvested. The complete list of Arkansas fishing records also is included.
Jim Harris talks to AGFC Waterfowl Program Coordinator Luke Naylor about what wintering ducks are looking for. Could the key ingredients be rice fields and surface water?
And there’s plenty more in this issue – from the story of the rescue of a rockhound by AGFC wildlife officers to an inside look at what it takes to trap deer for a chronic wasting disease study.
This is the perfect time to subscribe to Arkansas Wildlife because the July/August issue is the annual 13-month calendar, loaded with images by Mike Wintroath, the AGFC’s award-winning photographer, hunting dates, sunrise/sunset times, holidays and all sorts of outdoor information.
Subscribe now by visiting www.arkansaswildlife.com or calling 800-283-2664. A one-year subscription (six bimonthly issues, including the calendar) is $12. Save a few bucks with a two-year subscription for $20 or three years for $25. The magazine makes a great Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift.