Any volunteer wishing to join a workday can find sign-up forms to participate at www.agfc.com/workdays. Six WMAs are hosting events; four on Sept. 13 and two on Sept. 20.

“These days really are the result of many members of the hunting public speaking up to offer their help, and we really appreciate their willingness to put in some hours to make our hunting areas even better,” Luker said. “We’re fortunate to have so many Arkansas hunters who want to work alongside us to benefit everyone who uses public land.”

Upcoming Workdays:

Sept. 13

• Big Lake WMA

• Dave Donaldson Black River WMA

• Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA

• Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA

Sept. 20

• W.E. Brewer Scatter Creek WMA

• George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA

Visit www.agfc.com/workdays for more information.

####

CUTLINES:

FOUR VOLUNTEERS
Fifteen volunteers arrived at the Long Bell Access at George H. Dunklin Bayou Meto WMA during last year’s WMA workday to help clear boat lanes. AGFC photo.

OPEN LANE
One of the most popular boat lanes at Bayou Meto was cleared last year with the assistance of volunteers during the WMA workday there. AGFC photo.

AGFC Assistant Chief of Wildlife Management Matthew Warriner said the exchange will help the USFWS complete a vital corridor of property, spanning from Felsenthal NWR in Arkansas to the Lower Ouachita NWR in Louisiana and was a focus of former AGFC Director Pat Fitts, who recently died. 

“Opening this area to public access in Desha County was very important to Pat, who spent most of his career in Southeast Arkansas,” Warriner said. “This exchange has been a long time in the making, and we’re excited to open this land up to outdoors enthusiasts in Desha County upon its completion.”

The Commission voted to approve a budget increase of $51,000 from unobligated Marine Fuel Tax funds to build a canoe and kayak access on Lake Atkins in Pope County. The access will be constructed on the north side of the lake, near the dam, and will be used exclusively for canoes, kayaks and other watercraft capable of being launched by hand.

AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock highlighted the efforts of the agency’s Recreational Shooting Division during his report to the Commission, noting that August is National Shooting Sports Month.

“Recreational shooting has a very strong link to conservation,” Schoenrock said. “A portion of the purchases of firearms, ammunition and archery equipment is being allocated back to the states for conservation support.” 

In addition to highlighting some of the special promotions being conducted at AGFC ranges, Schoenrock explained how the Recreational Shooting Division and AGFC Research Division are working together to learn more about people’s attitudes toward efforts to expand shooting sports like trap and skeet shooting as collegiate sports offerings.

“This is a fast-growing segment of education experiences, and AGFC Recreational Shooting Chief Jose Jimenez and his team are at the forefront of the charge to make it a reality in more Arkansas schools and colleges,” Schoenrock said. 

The Commission also formally agreed to send a letter of support to the Arkansas Department of Transportation, requesting the new Arkansas Highway 88 bridge over Little Bayou Meto in Reydell be named in honor of former Commissioner Joe Morgan when it is completed. The new bridge is needed to increase flow through the bayou and improve drainage to George H. Dunklin Bayou Meto WMA. Morgan served on the Commission from July 2017 until his death on the opening day of duck season 2020 and was a stalwart advocate of improving public hunting opportunities on Bayou Meto.

In other business, the Commission:

• Heard a presentation from Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation President Deke Whitbeck about the Arkansas Outdoors Hall of Fame, scheduled for Aug. 23 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. 
• Approved a budget increase of $221,000 from unobligated federal wildlife restoration funds and AGFC state funds to renovate a water-control structure on Galla Creek WMA in Pope County. This water-control structure is required to flood the greentree reservoir on the WMA, offering vital wetland habitat to waterfowl in this portion of the state.
• Approved a budget increase of $573,000 from unobligated federal wildlife restoration funds and AGFC state funds for the removal and replacement of a water-control structure at Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA in Conway County. The water-control structure is essential to management of moist-soil units that provide wildlife habitat for wetlands species and migrating waterfowl popular with hunters on the WMA. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.3 million. 
• Approved a minute order to remove a stolen firearm from inventory with an original value of $424 and a current net book value of $0. 

A video of today’s meeting is available on the AGFC’s YouTube Channel.

####

CUTLINES:

AT DESK
AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock and AGFC Chairman Anne Marie Doramus share a smile after the Commission approved a grant for more than $777,000 to Arkansas schools at today’s meeting. AGFC photo.

SPEAKING TO COMMISSION
Commissioners Chris Caldwell (middle) and Bill Jones (right) listen as AGFC Chief of Construction Mike Cantrell (left) presented a trio of construction projects to improve boating access and wetland management in Arkansas. AGFC photo.

DIRECTOR SPEAKS
AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock highlighted the efforts and importance of the AGFC’s Recreational Shooting Division at Thursday’s meeting. AGFC photo.

“The Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet is truly a highlight of our year,” Deke Whitbeck, President of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, said. “It’s a cherished tradition for outdoor enthusiasts to gather, celebrate conservation in Arkansas and officially kick off the fall hunting seasons. We anticipate a crowd of nearly 1,600 to honor the individuals and organizations whose dedication preserves our state’s cherished outdoors.”

This year, the Foundation will recognize three outstanding individuals and one organization with induction into the Hall of Fame:

2025 Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame Honorees:

• Steve Arrison: As the driving force behind Visit Hot Springs, Arrison leveraged the region’s lakes to attract major professional bass fishing tournaments. His efforts have not only boosted the city’s profile but also provided Arkansans with unparalleled access to high-level competitive angling, fostering broader engagement and appreciation for the sport.

• Sherrel Johnson: Her impactful leadership in forming and collaborating with the Union County Water Conservation Board enabled Johnson and a coalition of state and local leaders to address the critical groundwater decline in the Sparta Aquifer, then the county’s only source of drinking and industrial water. This solution-driven initiative led to an alternative source of industrial water from the Ouachita River, significantly reducing reliance on the rapidly declining Sparta and leading to its documented recovery, demonstrating a powerful model for innovative groundwater conservation that restored the natural resource and ultimately benefits the long-term health of the ecosystem and associated wildlife habitats.

• Tom Kennon: A true embodiment of traditional conservation, Kennon has profoundly shaped Arkansas’s paddling community. His influential guidebooks, safety training initiatives with the Arkansas Canoe Club, support for river clean-up efforts, and stunning landscape photography have fostered a deep appreciation for and accessibility to the state’s waterways.

• The Arkansas Master Naturalists: This dedicated statewide network of volunteers actively contributes to the preservation and appreciation of Arkansas’s natural environment. Through education, community outreach, habitat restoration, citizen science, and trail maintenance, they serve as vital guardians, inspiring environmental stewardship for current and future generations.

Visit https://one.bidpal.net/fish/ticketing to purchase a ticket or reserve a table at this year’s event.

“That site also is the home for our online auction,” Whitbeck said. “The auction is live now and will run all the way through the end of the event on the 23rd. You don’t have to attend to win, but you’d be missing out on a darn good time celebrating the outdoors with fellow conservationists.”

Contact Whitbeck at deke@agff.org to learn more.

####

That plan was to kill off invading sweetgum thickets and other woody plants, reduce invasive plant species and increase diversity of native plants, especially broadleaf flowering plants.

“Prairies like we have on Camp Robinson need fire every 18 to 36 months to retain their vigor and prevent trees and shrubs from encroaching on them,” Fowler said. “This mimics the natural fires that historically occurred from lightning strikes and those intentionally set by Native Americans for thousands of years to clear land, reduce the risk of larger uncontrolled fires and maintain healthy ecosystems.”

Noah Wyatt, AGFC assistant regional supervisor in Mayflower, emphasized that the burn wasn’t a single fire, but took place on 10 different units.

“Conducting several small burns increases the diversity of the habitat on the landscape,” Wyatt said. “Growing-season burns are already a bit patchier than a winter or spring burn, and breaking the burn up into various blocks offers a variety of habitat to benefit all sorts of wildlife.”

In addition to the benefit of landscape-level diversity, conducting several smaller-scale burns made the project more manageable.

“We needed a lot of people to make this happen, but we were able to rotate people out frequently to ensure everyone’s safety,” Wyatt said. “It was already in the low 90s during the burn, and flame-retardant material isn’t necessarily breathable fabric. It’s hot, sweaty work, but this was the best way to improve habitat on such a large scale.”

Another measure to increase the safety and efficiency of the burn was the use of a specialized ignition drone. The flying machine is equipped with special fire-starting pods called delayed-aerial-ignition devices and nicknamed “dragon eggs” by many Forest Service crews.

These polystyrene balls are filled with chemicals that, once primed by the drone and released, burn for a few minutes to start fires in remote areas where burn crews can’t reach quickly or safely.

Emily Roberts, prescribed fire program coordinator for the AGFC, added that the drone is equipped with a thermal camera to keep a bird’s eye view on the fire, inside and out.

“We can see where some places within the burn may need a little extra ignition to get started,” Roberts said. “And the drone covers much more ground than someone having to drag a drip torch or drive an ATV through the unit.”

Roberts also keeps tabs on areas surrounding the burn to ensure no “hot spots” spring up outside of the team’s containment zone.

“We don’t want the fire escaping our planned units, and the thermal imaging picks up any spots where the fire has escaped so you can act quickly to control the situation,” Roberts said.

Fire is the most efficient way to manage prairie and savannah habitats, and in the case of the prairies found on Camp Robinson, Fowler says it’s the only way to keep the initial habitat type intact.

“Prairie management is much different than managing an open field or forest; prairies have a different soil type and seedbank that evolved with fire,” Fowler said. “If you ever disk a prairie, it’s never the same.”

Roberts says late growing-season burns affect woody plants like sweetgums much more than winter or spring burns.

“Fire during this time of year is slower moving because of the moisture still held in living plants,” Roberts said. “Flames on the ground linger around individual plant stems longer than they would during the winter or early spring when most of the plant material above the ground is dead and dry. The longer the flames sit at the base of a woody plant stem, the more likely it is that the fire will topkill that plant.“

Tuesday’s fires met the initial goal of topkilling at least 50 percent of the encroaching woody plants.

“Once trees like sweetgums get to about 6 feet tall, they’re much more resistant to prescribed fire and require much more labor-intensive and expensive options to remove, so we’re pretty happy with the results,” Roberts said.

Wyatt adds the skeletons of those burned up sweetgums and woody shrubs still serve a valuable purpose post-burn.

“Ground-nesting birds, particularly northern bobwhites and young turkeys, need overhead cover to offer some protection from hawks and other avian predators,” Wyatt said. “These patchy summer burns open up the bare ground the birds need to move around and leave the vertical stems to give some protection. The fire stimulates broad-leaved plants that will offer a roof over the bobwhites and attract tons of insects that young bobwhites and turkeys need for food.”

Roberts said she is extremely grateful for all the help from partners during the prescribed fire and compliments the excellent work and efforts of prescribed burn associations and landowners volunteering to put fire back on the landscape to re-establish grasslands, prairies and other open habitats critical to pollinators, ground-nesting birds and many other species of upland wildlife.

“The prescribed fire community in Arkansas is tightly interwoven,” Roberts said. “This was a great example of people coming together across agencies to accomplish a common goal – to restore habitat.”

####

CUTLINES:

SMOKY FIELD
The AGFC’s largest summer burn ever conducted on Camp Robinson SUA required dozens of people and five agencies to improve habitat for quail and other species on the area. AGFC photo by Keith Stephens.

BRIEFING
Wyatt briefed staff before the burn on all safety protocols and operating procedures to ensure a controlled environment during the operation. AGFC photo by Keith Stephens.

FOUR WHEELER
Growing season burns are much slower and patchier than burns held during winter or spring. AGFC photo by Keith Stephens.

DRONE
Roberts worked with an aerial drone to keep tabs on the burn and ensure good coverage. AGFC photo by Keith Stephens.

BURNED GROUND
Dead, standing saplings provide cover from avian predators for bobwhites and other wildlife while broad-leaved forbs begin to sprout post-burn. AGFC photo by Keith Stephens.

AGFC Chief of Staff Chris Racey, who worked alongside Fitts, said that his ability to uplift those around him was a trait that made Fitts one of the most beloved directors he had the pleasure of serving with.

“Pat was a joyful person, and anyone who spent time with him couldn’t help but feel better,” Racey said. “He was super smart, but he was also humble. When he did speak, it was often with intelligence and wit that anyone rarely could disagree with. He will truly be missed.”

That joyful demeanor and steadfast dedication was paramount during one of the agency’s, and country’s, most uncertain times, as Fitts held the reins and guided the efforts of the AGFC through COVID-19 pandemic protocols. He ensured that agency staff remained vigilant toward the cause of conservation and instilled confidence in them that their jobs were important and necessary in a world where layoffs and furloughs were commonplace. When he announced his resignation in December of 2020, the agency had seen a spike in hunting and fishing license sales as a result of the pandemic, and his work to calm employees had laid the groundwork to accommodate the resulting increase in outdoor recreation.

Fitts’ open door policy didn’t apply only to staff of the AGFC. He guided the AGFC’s efforts during the construction and opening of the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale, establishing a critical footprint for the agency in the fastest-growing region of The Natural State.

Fitts also was instrumental in the response to trees dying at Henry Gray Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area in 2017. Vast infrastructure improvements at the WMA set the groundwork for other greentree reservoir evaluations and renovations to conserve the public green-timber duck hunting legacy for which Arkansas is known.

Among his many honors were Arkansas Game Warden of the Year in 2003, an AGFC Lifesaving Award, an outstanding game warden award from the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and several AGFC Waterfowl Game Warden of the Year awards.

The decision to retire after 3½ years as director was challenging for Fitts, although family health problems swayed the choice.

“As I step away, I love this place,” Fitts said when he retired. “I was still a teenager when I realized this was what I wanted to do, and I’m not talking about being director, I’m talking about working in the conservation field for something so important to the state of Arkansas. I was not even 16 years old when I started wearing that (AGFC) patch and people were just drawn to it. They knew what the Arkansas Game and Fish did, they knew how important it was for our state, and that just spoke to me.

“I never dreamed I would be the director, yet here I am. I hate to leave this. This will always be a special place to me, and the things that we do here are even more special to me and my kids, and now my grandkids.”

Fitts is survived by his wife, Alice; a daughter, Audrey Kay; son, Austin, and grandchildren, Amelia and Jack.

####

CUTLINES:

FLAG IMAGE
Fitts served as the AGFC’s 18th director and led with a knowing smile and comforting wit few possessed. AGFC image.

CHECKING NETS
Fitts’ spent his entire 32-year career with the AGFC, from working at a hatchery in high school to working in the field as a wildlife officer and eventually leading the agency before his retirement. AGFC image.

BEAR SEAT
Fitts posing with Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation President Deke Whitbeck at the grand opening of the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in 2020. Photo courtesy of Deke Whitbeck.

IN WOODS
Fitts’ hosting Representatives Bruce Westerman and French Hill at Henry Gray Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area to gain federal support for the generational change needed to conserve Arkansas’s rich green-timber waterfowl resource. AGFC photo.

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. 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.

The AGFC will 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 peak of squirrel season, and there will be tons of squirrely activities throughout the nature center to entertain and educate anyone who wants to learn more about The Natural State’s native nutcrackers.

The food for the judges isn’t the only eats available at the event, either.

“Man, this is a celebration of food, and all of the teams are encouraged to whip up a little something extra for the crowd,” Wilson said. “On top of that, we work with chefs around the state to bring some extra flavor to the event with other great treats.”

Everything from silver carp tacos to alligator gumbo has been dished out at previous squirrel cook offs, and Wilson’s lining up a few more oddball offerings to try, plus a few tried and true favorites.

“We don’t have all the details yet on what we’ll be serving up, but no one will leave with an empty stomach, I can promise you that,” Wilson said. “And none of the foods we cook here are the kinds of things you can buy in any store.”

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 September gets closer — 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.

####

CUTLINES:

FLYER
The World Champion Squirrel Cook Off will return to the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale, Sept. 13. AGFC photo. 

COOKING TEAM
Up to 40 slots are available to compete in the granddaddy of outdoor cooking competitions. AGFC photo.

SERVING UP TREATS
In addition to food prepared for the competition, teams and other participants will be serving up fantastic wild game dishes to the public, all free of charge. AGFC photo.

SQUIRREL ON TREE
Arkansas’s squirrel season is May 15-Feb. 28, and hunters can harvest up to 12 squirrels daily to ensure they have enough “ingredients” for the competition. AGFC photo.

“Wildlife habitat improvement at Warren Prairie to benefit the reintroduced population of red-cockaded woodpeckers is another example of how conservation efforts from the [Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan] benefit multiple species, including game species, not only the targeted one,” Goforth said. “We’re also conducting a statewide survey of bees to determine the many native species we have in the state and their distributions. When people think of bees, they normally envision the non-native honeybee, but the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission estimates Arkansas is home to more than 400 species of bees, all of which are important pollinators for native and commercial plant species.”

The latest revision is much more than an update; it includes elements never seen before, according to Goforth. The AWAP team updated the list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need to include 520 species, and they included plant species in the list.

“We streamlined the profiles for each species listed to include habitat associations, threats, conservation actions, distribution and data gaps,” Goforth said. “We also adopted a more descriptive, tier-based, priority system to offer a more standardized approach than the previous score-based system.”

Among the many improvements to this year’s plan is the size; the writing team worked to reduce the plan from its 1,600-plus page count while retaining the critical information needed for each SGCN profile.

“We’ve included a highlights document on agfc.com/awap to help cover some of the many revisions that have been made since the last publication,” Goforth said. “The plan also has a healthy index to guide readers to the portions of the plan they’re most interested in. The real meat of the plan is in the species and habitat profiles in the appendices, and the index will help guide you through that efficiently.”

Public comments on the plan will be collected through a survey on the site through Sept. 3. The final version of the plan will be submitted to the USFWS later this year for approval.

Visit www.agfc.com/awap to learn more.

####

CUTLINES:

WOODPECKER

The red-cockaded woodpecker is one species that has benefited greatly from recovery efforts, including artificial nest cavities at Warren Prairie Natural Area WMA outlined in the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

LIZARD

Glade habitat restoration efforts from the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan have helped eastern collared lizard reintroductions in western Arkansas. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath. 

According to Bill Haynes, manager of the Fiocchi complex, nearly everyone can enjoy one of the many special promotions taking place throughout the month.

“Anyone aged 6 to 17 or 65 years and older can shoot for free all month long at the rifle and pistol ranges,” Haynes said. “We do ask that anyone under 18 be accompanied by an adult, but the kids can shoot for free.”

Anyone who purchased a new rifle or pistol in the last 60 days can show a receipt at the desk and have a free day of shooting to get familiar with their new firearm, too.

“Show us your hunting or fishing license if you’ve renewed since July 1, and we’ll give you a free day on the rifle or pistol range as well,” Haynes said.

With dove season right around the corner, shotgun enthusiasts may want to take advantage of the special deal being offered for trap and skeet shooting at both the Fiocchi Shooting Sports Complex and Grandview Prairie Shooting Range — all rounds of trap and skeet at both ranges are only $2 during the entire month of August.

“We’d honestly give those rounds for free, but we need to be able to pay for the cost of the targets,” Haynes said. “If you’ve ever bought clays at the store to shoot in the backyard, you know that $2 still isn’t enough to cover the cost. I’d challenge anyone going dove hunting to come visit and spend a few bucks on a round of skeet before they hit the field this year.”

A few special events are happening at both ranges as well to celebrate the contributions of shooting sports to conservation and encourage new participants.

The Fiocchi complex will host a ladies weekend Aug. 16-17, where women can shoot at any station, including the shotgun ranges, absolutely free.

“We plan to have some instructors on the range as well to help people learn to shoot,” Haynes said. “They’ll also be available for our Family Week Aug. 6-10.”

Family Week at Mayflower means everyone shoots free on the rifle and pistol ranges, and staff will even be serving up free hot dogs, chips and drinks beginning at 10 a.m. on Aug. 9-10.

The Grandview range is hosting two special days as well. On Aug. 2 and Aug. 30, anyone over the age of 6 can shoot two rounds of trap or skeet, entirely on the AGFC.

“We’ll supply the shells, the clays and even a loaner shotgun for two rounds at the Grandview range,” Nick Adams, range manager for the AGFC, said. “We want visitors to come out and see our Grandview facility, enjoy a few games and celebrate National Shooting Sports Month with us.”

####

CUTLINES:

FIRING MUZZLELOADER
Shooting sports enthusiasts will find special deals at the AGFC’s Fiochhi Shooting Sports Complex in Mayflower throughout August. AGFC photo. 

SHOOTING MODERN GUN
Excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment are routed back to each state to pay for conservation work and support the future of hunting. AGFC photo.

LEARNING SHOTGUNS
The shooting range at Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Nature Center will join the Fiocchi Shooting Sports complex with $2-per-round trap and skeet. AGFC photo. 

Screen time
Most people remember running around during the heat of summer in a bathing suit or T-shirt and shorts, catching that “healthy tan” as a side effect of a day on the lake. Now, we know better. Not only can too much sun cause a nasty sunburn, but it can also cause long-term damage to the skin and even skin cancer.

Pay attention to a product’s sun protection factor. The higher the SPF number, the longer it lasts, but it isn’t a direct correlation to time. The number indicates the amount of shielding from UV radiation. An SPF of 30 allows 1/30th of the sun’s radiation through, meaning it would take 30 times longer to receive the same effects as unprotected skin.

The highest SPF in the world won’t work if it washes off. Even water-resistant sunscreens won’t last long if your skin stays damp from sweat or swimming. Make it a point to reapply every two hours, whether you think you need it or not.

Chase the shade
Stay in the shadows if you want to keep cool. Surfaces exposed to direct sunlight can reach well beyond the ambient temperature. That hot vinyl boat seat can even cause some first- and second-degree burns if you plop exposed skin down on it after allowing it to preheat in direct sunlight. Not only does shade protect from sunburn, but it also prevents those surfaces from absorbing and holding heat.

Some rivers and lakes have backwaters where you can find some overhanging trees for shade, but most fishing action is going to be out deeper, where you’re in the open. A sunbrella, canopy or bimini top on the boat offers shelter, and placing a towel or T-shirt over any hot surfaces you’re likely to sit or stand on can go a long way to cooling those scalding surfaces.

Cover up
Tank tops and cotton T-shirts may feel comfortable for short stays in the sun, but covering up with thin, long-sleeved clothes offers more protection for long days on the water.

Light-colored, lightweight fabrics can block some UV rays, and lightweight facemasks, hoods and gloves help cover more surface area of your skin. A wide-brimmed hat in place of the usual baseball cap also helps provide more shade around your ears, neck and shoulders to reduce exposure to the sun.

Just like with sunscreen, most clothes made for outdoor activity have labels offering their SPF value. Ultraviolet rays can still penetrate through fabrics, so you still must be mindful of the time spent in direct sunlight.

Water, water everywhere
Sun not only stings the skin, it saps your body of moisture. Sugary or carbonated drinks can magnify the drying effect of UV rays. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, try to drink a cup (8 ounces) of water every 20 minutes or so, but don’t drink more than one-and-a-half quarts (48 ounces) of water each hour. Guzzling too much water all at once can be just as harmful as not having enough. Drink slowly throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

It’s best to stick to plain water, without flavor enhancers, electrolyte boosters or other additions when out in extreme heat. These products are meant to rehydrate quickly after you’ve already depleted your system of water through rigorous exercise. When fishing or conducting lower-intensity activities, water works best and your body won’t need those extra salts and sugars packed into hydration additives.

Alcohol also isn’t the answer for rehydrating. A cold beer or alcoholic beverage may seem refreshing, but the alcohol actually works against your body’s ability to absorb water into the cells that need it.

Aside from contributing to dehydration, alcohol impairs judgment and can cause very dangerous situations for boaters and their passengers. The effects of alcohol are more potent when out in the summer heat because of natural stress factors like the sun, wind and waves rocking the boat.

This summer, be safe. Take the simple steps that could save your life. Summer heat and alcohol are such mundane things that their dangers are easily overlooked. Bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen or protective clothing and pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you decide to drink, be aware of the added effects of the sun and don’t operate the boat. A designated driver is just as important on a boat as he or she is in a car.

Prepare for the plunge
OK, we said there would be five tips, but a boating safety story isn’t complete without a mention to wear a properly fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when enjoying Arkansas waters. A quick dip can be just the ticket to cool off on a hot day, but it’s always best to wear a life jacket, even if you’re a good swimmer. Three of the most recent boating fatalities in Arkansas occurred when a boater jumped overboard to swim and didn’t bring their life jacket. Let the life jacket do its job and keep you at the surface while you take that cooling swim. Arkansas law requires each boat to have a life jacket onboard and within reach for each person in the vessel, but they don’t work if you don’t wear them. The AGFC wants everyone to enjoy the water this summer, and we want everyone to make it home safely to share the experience with friends.

Visit www.agfc.com/boatered for more information on boating safety in Arkansas.

###

CUTLINES

UMBRELLA FISHING
Bring your own shade if you know you’ll be fishing in the open. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

SUNSCREEN
Apply sunscreen at least every two hours to fend off harmful UV rays. Bigstock photo. 

DRINKING WATER
Stay hydrated by drinking water instead of sugary or carbonated drinks. Bigstock photo.