Outdoor Briefs: Hunters input meetings are scheduled Tuesday

Public meetings are planned around Arkansas Tuesday night for hunters to comment on 2009-10 hunting regulations. The 11 meetings will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. AGFC personnel will make an initial presentation and accommodate those wishing to speak. Visitors may arrive and leave at any time during the meeting.

Meetings in this area are at AGFC headquarters, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock;

Gov. Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center, 1400 Black Dog Road, Pine Bluff; and the

AGFC Regional Office, 1266 Lock and Dam Road, Russellville.

Written comments may be mailed to the AGFC, Hunting Regulations Proposals, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205. Comments can also be made on the AGFC Web site at http://www.agfc.com/hunting/misc_hunting/public-meeting.aspx. The deadline for comments is Jan. 31.

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Biologists look for help from dove hunters

JONESBORO This year's September dove hunt brought with it an interesting situation, and AGFC biologists would like hunter's help to determine where else in the state this might be occurring. Biologists in Jonesboro and Fort Smith have been notified that a few harvested doves were found with small snails attached to feathers and skin of the birds.

AGFC staff has received phone calls from sportsmen reporting the incidences and suggesting other hunters they knew had also found snails attached to harvested doves. In Fort Smith, AGFC biologists found snails on a trapped dove.

"The dove hunters reported some of the harvested doves have snails on the feathers or buried in the skin. It appears these are dry land snails and were very common in a mowed sunflower field the sportsmen were hunting. These snails do not appear to be causing any problems for the birds" said Terrence Teel, assistant AGFC regional wildlife supervisor.

Catherine Rideout, an ornithologist with the AGFC, is working with Teel and David Hayes, a graduate student at Arkansas State University, to learn more about the species of snail and the relationship between snails and doves.

"In speaking with hunters and biologists from Arkansas and other states, it does not appear to be a common occurrence. We are interested in hearing from other dove hunters who might have experienced this, too. Although published papers report snails attaching to birds, I have not found any published information on relationships between snails and bird species in the southeastern U.S. We'd be interested in hearing from the public as we look into this a little bit more," Rideout said.

If you have information to report related to this issue, please send an e-mail to DoveNsnail@gmail.com.

The AGFC is interested in hearing when and where you harvested doves with snails on them. The agency would also like to know details about the number of snails, where on the bird they were found (legs, skin, feathers). If you have photos of the snails, please attach them to your e-mail or mail them, along with details and your contact information, to Terrence Teel, AGFC, 2920 McClellan Drive, Jonesboro, AR 72401.

Arkansas 2009 student fish art contest begins

LITTLE ROCK The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is partnering with Wildlife Forever in a state fish art contest. Students across Arkansas have the opportunity to win recognition and prizes while learning about state-fish species, aquatic habitats and conservation. The Arkansas State Fish Art Contest uses art to catch the imagination of youth while teaching fisheries conservation.

Winning contestants from each state are honored in three grade categories, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. All contest winners will receive a gift certificate for art supplies from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff, fishing tackle from Rapala and many other great prizes. Winning designs will also be featured on the official State Fish Art Web site.

One gallery-quality winning entry will be used as the design for the 2009 Art of Conservation Stamp. Additional prizes up for grabs in 2009 include "Best of Show" and the Cheap Joe's Art Stuff, "People's Choice" awards. Honors for "Best of Show" will be given to one outstanding piece of artwork in each grade category.

To enter, artists must have their entries postmarked by March 31, 2009. Winners will be announced May 1, 2009. The 11th Annual Wildlife Forever State Fish Art Contest is open to all students in grades 4 through 12. Young artists must create an illustration of their chosen state fish. A written composition on its behavior, habitat and conservation is also required.

For more information on the contest go to www.statefishart.com for complete details and to download the free lesson plan.

Students should mail entries to:

Arkansas State Fish Art Contest

Education Division

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

2 Natural Resource Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205

For more information, contact AGFC Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs program coordinator Dawn Cook by e-mail at ddcook@agfc.state.ar.us or Pat Conzemius at Wildlife Forever, 2700 Freeway Blvd., No. 1000, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430, by e-mail at pconzemius@wildlifeforever.org or call (763) 253-0222.