Arkansas Game Warden speaks at Nashville Rotary Club meeting

Arkansas Game Warden, Jon Partain was the guest speaker at this week’s Nashville Rotary Club meeting and shared a humorous story about a deer decoy with the Rotarians.

Partain stated there were not a lot of new regulations to discuss this season. However, he said out-of-state deer hunting licenses will cost more this year and there is a new bear hunting permit. Howard and Pike Counties are in part of Bear Zone 2 and 3.

Archery Bear season is through November 30 in Zone 2 and closed in Zone 3. Muzzleloader season is from October 21 through October 29 in Zone 2 and closed in Zone 3 and modern gun season is from Noverber 11 through November 30 in Zone 2 and from December 9 through December 15 in Zone 3.

Partain said if you hit a deer with your vehicle or harvest a deer that has been hit by a vehicle, you should contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and let them know. He said they will issue a ‘salvage’ ticket for the deer. He also said you can track a wounded deer with dogs during bow season.

Howard and Pike counties are in several deer zones. Howard County has portions in Zone 11, Zone 13 and Zone 14, while Pike is in Zone 11, Zone 13, Zone 14 and Zone 12 depending on where you are hunting.

Muzzleloader season starts this Saturday, October 21 and run through October 29.

Private Land Anterless-only modern gun season is December 29 through 31. A Special Youth Modern Gun Hunt is November 4 and 5 and January 6 and 7. And, modern gun season is November 11 thorugh December 3 and December 26 through December 28.

Partian also mentioned that the Howard County Chronic Wasting Disease collection site was in Dierks at the farmer’s co-op. He also mentioned that no cases of CWD has been discovered in this part of the state.

Partain said ferel hogs may be trapped or killed all year round on private land, but dogs are not allowed for hunting feral hogs on Wildlife Management Areas.

Partain also said you should download the Arkansas Game and Fish’s new app and uninstall the old on because it no longer works.