The presentation for the Steve Smith Spirit of Giving Award goes to the Arkansas Master Naturalists. This dedicated statewide network of volunteers actively contributes to the preservation and appreciation of...Continue reading→

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...Continue reading→

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...Continue reading→

As the driving force behind Visit Hot Springs, Arrison strategically leveraged the region’s lakes to attract major professional bass fishing tournaments. His efforts have not only boosted the city’s profile...Continue reading→

The Legacy Award will be posthumously presented to Andy Simmons, a lifelong outdoor enthusiast who made history when he named the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation in his estate, resulting in...Continue reading→

The Mayfly Project was founded in 2015 in Arkansas by Jess and Laura Westbrook, with the vision of using fly fishing as an important tool to support children in foster...Continue reading→

Lochmann has been a professor of Fisheries Management and Ecology at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for 30 years. Dr. Lochman’s teaching and research efforts have produced many...Continue reading→

Daniel is the executive director of Darby’s Warrior Support, providing a lifeline for countless post-9/11 Special Operations combat veterans dealing with the physical and emotional aftermath of their service to...Continue reading→

A lifelong outdoorsman and well-known entrepreneur, Ronquest has helped develop two of the mid-South’s Arkansas’s most iconic outdoor brands. Following a long and distinguished career with Rich-N-Tone duck calls of...Continue reading→

Both country kids from Missouri, Larry and Brenda Potterfield turned their passion for shooting sports into a career by opening a small gun shop in 1977 that would eventually become...Continue reading→

The family behind the highly successful Morrell® Targets, the Morrell name has come to mean quality, innovation and above all, community-mindedness and commitment to the sport of archery. Recognized as...Continue reading→

For years the state’s foremost ecologist, Tom Foti is widely credited with bringing science to the natural area preservation movement in Arkansas. His career with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission...Continue reading→

Recognizing the problem of hunger in the state, Barringer founded Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry in 2000 to help connect a portion of harvested deer with those in need. Shortly...Continue reading→

Wimberly, a Louisiana native, moved to Arkansas in 1980, buying the iconic Turner Bend Store in Mulberry a year later. Since then, he’s worked tirelessly to preserve the area’s natural...Continue reading→

Born in Fayetteville, Westphal has been a member of the Fort Smith community for most of his life. He has enjoyed more than 50 years of deer and duck hunting...Continue reading→

Former Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Board Member and current Trustee of Arkansas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, JD Simpson III has given time, talent and treasure to conservation efforts...Continue reading→

Crediting his lifelong passion as artist and angler to being raised in the rural Ozarks’ Buffalo and White River country, Hada had forged an international following for his guided trout...Continue reading→

Jeff Lawrence joined Arkansas Ducks Unlimited in 1996 leading DU’s fundraising and volunteer relations efforts.  During his tenure with Duck Unlimited the funds raised for conservation equated to more than...Continue reading→

As one of the most prominent families of south Arkansas, the Mahonys distinguished themselves via the practice of law, a family legacy that has practiced continually since St. Patrick’s Day...Continue reading→

Jerrell and Penny never imagined their small specialty store would become the largest in a five-state area, yet that’s exactly what Archer’s Advantage has become. The expansive inventory, paired with...Continue reading→

Mark Davis has always carried the banner for Arkansas and its rich fishing heritage. After years as a fishing guide, he competed in his first Bassmaster tournament at age 23...Continue reading→

Arkansas’s most famous furniture entrepreneur, Hank Browne’s accomplishments in the world of business are substantial. But the longtime hunter is equally respected in support of the outdoors via the Outdoor...Continue reading→

The husband and wife Murchison team “founded the Arkansas Big Buck Classic, an event that recognizes the quality of whitetail hunting available in Arkansas, as well as promoting good sportsmanship,...Continue reading→

The McCollum Family is credited with the current business model of the modern duck club and thus occupies a place in the history of Arkansas duck hunting.

King, founder and owner of Pine Ridge Gardens in London, is often considered the most knowledgeable in Arkansas when it comes to using native plants in the landscape, the release...Continue reading→

Futrell was an avid boat racer in the 1950s and took over the family business, Futrell Marine, which his father Dan Futrell established in 1948. He has since become one...Continue reading→

Young joined the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission as an entry-level water resource engineer in 1971; just four years later he was deputy director/chief engineer and was appointed executive director in...Continue reading→

LEGACY AWARD Legends of Arkansas’s business and philanthropic communities, J.B. and Johnelle Hunt built J.B. Transport Services from a five-truck operation into one of the largest transportation communities in the...Continue reading→

Ross Whipple, The Ross Foundation: As chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Arkadelphia-based foundation, Whipple has overseen donations of millions of dollars in support of forestry research and...Continue reading→

LEGACY AWARD Winthrop Paul Rockefeller: Businessman, politician, conservationist and avid outdoorsman, the late Winthrop Paul Rockefeller was a man for all seasons. His legacy of public service includes being the...Continue reading→

David Pryor, former Governor of Arkansas and member of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, is considered one of the Big Three in the history of Arkansas politics....Continue reading→

Mark Karnes, The Ross Foundation: Directing the foundation’s land management program for its 60,000 diverse acres of timber land, Karnes has helped protect unique sections of the forest and, working...Continue reading→

Every worthwhile effort in our society has been sparked by visionary men and women who were not satisfied with the status quo but sought a better answer or way. Such...Continue reading→

Simon worked for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Arkansas for 26 years and served as the Arkansas Director for 19 years. He also helped to develop the Arkansas Prescribed Fire...Continue reading→

A former Arkansas Game and Fish commissioner, Hinkle served 14 years on the board of the National Wild Turkey Federation, ultimately serving as president of the national chapter of the...Continue reading→

Owner and former president of Xpress Boats, an enterprise with a family-run beginning, he revolutionized the way fishing and hunting boats were made. Herndon set new standards in strength and...Continue reading→

Longtime owner of Gaston’s White River Resort, Gaston has been in the forefront of Arkansas’ world-acclaimed trout fishing activities more than 35 years, with a leading role in promotion of...Continue reading→

Jerry Fisk is a master bladesmith and internationally recognized artist. A contributing editor of Blade Magazine, Jerry’s list of accomplishments and awards for his craft is long and his work...Continue reading→

George Dunklin is a past AGFC Commissioner, the current Ducks Unlimited President, and lifelong conservationist. A third generation rice farmer, George is a strong advocate for rice agriculture in the...Continue reading→

Joel Campora, AGFC Wildlife Officer First Class, alongside Sherriff Cody Carpenter responded to a 911 call during overnight flashfloods in 2013. Both officers lost their lives in the line of...Continue reading→

Steve “Wild Man” Wilson was one of the most recognizable outdoor figures in Arkansas during his 38-year career at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. In addition to hosting weekly...Continue reading→

Steve Bowman is an accomplished outdoor writer and editor, photographer, book author and television show producer. Originally from Jonesboro, Steve lives in Little Rock. In his work as the outdoor...Continue reading→

Dr. Doyne and Nancy Williams of Little Rock are All-American competitive trapshooters, winning hundreds of state, regional and national championships. Both are members of the Arkansas Trapshooting Hall of Fame...Continue reading→

C.B. Thompson Jr. of North Little Rock founded Fort Thompson Sporting Goods, a legendary outpost for hunters across Arkansas. Under Thompson, a lifelong aficionado of bass fishing and duck hunting,...Continue reading→

LEGACY AWARD The first Republican elected to Congress from Arkansas since Reconstruction, Hammerschmidt served 26 years in office. In one of his 12 campaigns, which he typically won handily, Hammerschmidt...Continue reading→

The late <strong>Sergeant Darrell Monty Carmikle of Heber Springs died in the line of duty as a wildlife officer with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Carmikle was killed in...Continue reading→

Randy served on the founding board of the Arkansas Nature Conservancy and later served as a board chairman. He served two terms on the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission...Continue reading→

David Snowden Jr. has been closely involved with the Arkansas Nature Conservancy since it was launched in the 1970s. He has served as the chairman of the organization and helped...Continue reading→

David Snowden Sr. has been closely involved with the Arkansas Nature Conservancy since it was launched in the 1970s. He has served as the chairman of the organization and helped...Continue reading→

Mike Freeze of England is a fisheries biologist who has been a major national figure in aquaculture and fisheries conservation, as well as a leader of Arkansas Farm Bureau activities....Continue reading→

“There is no limit to what a person can accomplish if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” Witt Stephens, Jr., may not have been the model for this old...Continue reading→

Rick Evans has seen major changes in wildlife in his native south Arkansas, and he’s been involved in most of them to some extent. As a member of a multi-generational...Continue reading→

Bill Bridgforth has been involved in major developments in the Arkansas outdoors before, during and after his seven-year term as an Arkansas Game and Fish commissioner. He said at the...Continue reading→

Scott Henderson began his career with Game and Fish as a biologist, working and “wading” in hatcheries around the state, and then advanced to Chief of the Arkansas Game and...Continue reading→

Bill Barnes of Mount Ida has served for many years on the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Commission, promoting outdoor recreation and tourism in Arkansas. He also devoted many hours of...Continue reading→

Kim Ward took over the pioneering aluminum boat manufacturing facility started by his father and his uncle at the close of World War II and led it to national prominence,...Continue reading→

Zack McClendon Jr. has spent a lifetime building boats, beginning at age 8. He took the business launched by his father and expanded and created new markets with two branches...Continue reading→

Tommy Sanders of Little Rock followed his graduation from Hendrix College with energy and enthusiasm into the television outdoors world. Tommy’s promotion of Arkansas’ hunting and fishing opportunities drew the...Continue reading→

Bert and Cheryl Haralson of Augusta are a husband and wife team much involved in the development of Arkansas elk on both the hunting and the tourism scenes. Long active...Continue reading→

Greg Butts of Little Rock may be a native of upstate New York , but he found a home long ago in Arkansas with its state parks system. As director...Continue reading→

Marion McCollum of Stuttgart is a member of a multi-generation Grand Prairie family heavily involved in duck hunting and the area’s wetlands habitat. He developed Mack’s Sport Shop into a...Continue reading→

He has been an avid turkey hunter for 58 years. He joined the National Wild Turkey Federation in 1975, not long after the organization was founded, and became a member...Continue reading→

Rick Hampton is a farmer, waterfowl hunting enthusiast and a former Game and Fish Commission member who was a key figure in a number of wildlife-related developments in the late...Continue reading→

Phyllis Speer’s sideline has made her a celebrity across the state in addition to her two decades in educational work for the Game and Fish Commission. She has won renown...Continue reading→

An attorney, farmer, businessman and, most of all, a facilitator who has been instrumental in major Arkansas outdoor improvements for public use through his service with the U.S. Senate, Arkansas...Continue reading→

He used a background of executive leadership with Wal-Mart to promote the creation of a notable trout fishery on the White River below Beaver Dam. He serves as a board...Continue reading→

Richenback learned the basics of duck calling from the legendary Chick Major, as did many Stuttgart youngsters. Richenback stuck with Major in learning how to make duck calls as well...Continue reading→

Named for a former president’s wife, grew up fishing in south Arkansas streams as the youngest of 11 children, then followed her education at the University of Arkansas at Pine...Continue reading→

Hopper quickly moved to the top as a part of the Ranger Boats team under Forrest L. Wood. He has carried out the company’s long-time slogan of “We still build...Continue reading→

Huckabee has been an “enthusiast” her entire life so it was only “Natural” she became an instant champion for the Conservation Sales Tax in 1996. With the passage of Amendment...Continue reading→

Grisham has selected artists and artwork for the Arkansas duck stamp and print program since 1982. The program has raised millions of dollars to improve wetlands and purchase critical wildlife...Continue reading→

The Central Fishing Club at Springdale Central Junior High School was the forerunner of Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs (HOFNOD). Duncan came up with the idea in the early...Continue reading→

The person who launched the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame has been pushed from behind the scenes into the limelight. Steve Smith of Little Rock, president of the Arkansas Game...Continue reading→

Jones’ wildlife art is unique, with many paintings using ghosted superimposed images blended together to tell a story. A self-trained artist, she has blossomed into a leader among artists who...Continue reading→

As a biologist, he was a key player in the development of a system of fish nursery ponds, in introducing trout into waters where cold water from dams had wiped...Continue reading→

Not long after graduating from college, he realized he preferred travel in a bass boat to wearying days on the road doing insurance chores. Hoover became a key figure in...Continue reading→

As an attorney who served as Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Chairman, he negotiated many key conservation agreements and was instrumental in the acquisition of the 421-acre Crooked Creek tract,...Continue reading→

After a retiring from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he led the fund-raising activities of Ducks Unlimited in Arkansas and has been a prime mover in a number of...Continue reading→

A catalyst for such landmark conservation education projects as the Potlatch Conservation Education Center at Cook’s Lake, she led the successful efforts to protect “The Lost 40,” a remnant of...Continue reading→

Having written thousands of articles on Arkansas wildlife and Arkansans’ activities in the outdoors, he is a celebrated outdoor writer. He was the long-time outdoor editor of the Arkansas Gazette...Continue reading→

After helping build Greers Ferry Lake and staying on as resident engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Garner made an even more indelible mark with his yearly clean-up...Continue reading→

With her leadership, many significant areas have been protected by the Nature Conservancy, and the organization has helped public agencies with others. DeLamar lent her considerable support to the conservation...Continue reading→

As longtime state Parks Director and as Director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism, Richard Davies joined Steve N. Wilson of the Game and Fish Commission in mapping the successful 1996...Continue reading→

A Yellville school and college teacher, he used family banking connections to put a million dollars to use for conservation education. His gift of bank stock led to the Foundation’s...Continue reading→

Passage of the 1/8th of one percent sales tax capped an illustrious 20-year career as director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, one of the longest tenures in the...Continue reading→

Following his innovative Arkansas River trip in 1996, a campaign for the conservation sales tax, he has taken the lead on programs like Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs,...Continue reading→

Her public service career was suddenly cut short, but not until after she had successfully handled the nuts and bolts of the conservation sales tax campaign, making Arkansas the second...Continue reading→

As the central figure in duck calling for years, Major transformed duck call manufacturing from home workshops to a significant business. His calls set a standard. The World Duck Calling...Continue reading→

Her intense and all-sides reporting covered controversial and heated issues of the outdoors in the 1970s and 1980s. Environmental issues at the Game and Fish Commission, the Department of Pollution...Continue reading→

A resurgence of Arkansas state parks was a legacy of his two terms as governor. Channeling vital lands into public ownership came with his years in the U.S. Senate, with...Continue reading→

A Greene County farmer who enjoyed fishing, he won the BASS Masters Classic in his first season as an angling professional. He developed an outdoors television program, with the teaching...Continue reading→

A longtime leader of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation and a staff member of the National Wildlife Federation, he has promoted wise uses of natural resources since the 1950s.

A wildlife biologist, he was a hands-on participant in the restoration of Arkansas’s deer, bear and turkey populations. He pushed for acquisition of critical lands for state management areas as...Continue reading→

He grew up at a fishing resort, learning the need for more and better equipment and especially the knowledge of using it. His first lures were assembled at a kitchen...Continue reading→

Part of Bill Clinton’s first gubernatorial team as a young law student, she spearheaded the creation of the Arkansas Nature Conservancy. Environmental and conservation activities continue in her work with...Continue reading→

Queen of Arkansas duck calling since her teen years, she won every available title in the Stuttgart championships, including their beauty title. Her civic endeavors are numerous, and she was...Continue reading→

A Yell County farm boy, he learned manufacturing at a school bus factory then branched into fishing lures. He rode the crest of bass tournament fishing by sponsoring early stars...Continue reading→

Chemistry is his field, and water quality is his focus. A longtime professor at Ouachita Baptist University, he later became a key figure in the investigation into the mysterious dieoff...Continue reading→

A railroad worker who liked to fish, he worked his way up from local bass tournaments to twice capture the prestigious BASS Masters Classic. Duck hunting is a passion, too,...Continue reading→

A legend in the flyfishing ranks, Whitlock is a lifelong student of fish habits and habitat. He researches, analyzes, innovates, teaches and participates in all aspects of the sport, and...Continue reading→

With a fortune in Arkansas timberlands, she put the resources to good use for present and future generations. Her Ross Foundation has backed endeavors from Arkadelphia cultural activities to investigating...Continue reading→

The pen is mightier than the sword, and his cartoon drawing tools have out-performed bulldozers of unrestricted land and water projects. Fisher’s cartoons in the Arkansas Gazette were a key...Continue reading→

He successfully campaigned in 1944 for Amendment 35, creating the Game and Fish Commission in its present form. Other activities were with Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation and the Sport...Continue reading→

Her years of influence and accomplishments on the conservation and environmental scene illustrate the effectiveness of a small, intense, focused voice. A resident of Pine Bluff, she was a leader...Continue reading→

A wildlife biologist, he realized the need for informing and teaching Arkansas residents about the outdoors. His pulpit was the information office of the Game and Fish Commission and his...Continue reading→

He won the first BASS Masters Classic in 1971 on Nevada’s Lake Mead. The victory propelled him into a career of professional fishing and marketing, and he repeated his Classic...Continue reading→

During the Depression, he led a campaign for small donations that bought the land for the Game and Fish Commission&#39;s Centerton Hatchery. More recently, he was a strong supporter of...Continue reading→

Larry began guiding fishermen before he was in high school. He joined the professional bass fishermen’s ranks, won a BASS Masters Classic and became fishing’s first million-dollar winner.Continue reading→

A professional baseball player in his youth, he fell in love with fishing in North Arkansas then talked about it before a television camera. Then he went behind the camera...Continue reading→

The rich wildlife habitat of the Cache River today is a legacy of the determination and energy of his monumental battle against channelization of the river. His campaign to preserve...Continue reading→

A former teacher, she took a pastime of treating injured birds of prey to an avocation of educating people about them. “Arkansas’s Eagle Lady” became familiar in schools statewide with...Continue reading→

He recognized the essential role of clean water long before it became a conservation byword. He was also a leader in wetlands protection, deer management, wild turkey restoration, endangered species...Continue reading→

A former White River and Bull Shoals Lake fishing guide, he developed the modern bass boat. Wood’s Ranger boat operation grew hand in hand with the emergence of tournament bass...Continue reading→

Ducks throughout North America benefit from the enthusiastic activities of Ruth and Rollie. They are veterans of decades of fund raising for Ducks Unlimited, and their unique “Rollie Sticks” have...Continue reading→

Ducks throughout North America benefit from the enthusiastic activities of Rollie and Ruth. They are veterans of decades of fund raising for Ducks Unlimited, and their unique “Rollie Sticks” have...Continue reading→

A boyhood hobby turned into a career of international renown for this archery expert. His instrument was the longbow, and he took it on hunting trips to several continents and...Continue reading→

From an early career as a wildlife biologist, working for the AGFC, he moved to the Arkansas Highway Department and was its longtime director. He developed the Marine fuel Tax...Continue reading→

Neil Ernest Compton of Bentonville was a physician of obstetrics by profession and a conservationist by avocation. He is widely recognized as the founder of the Ozark Society to Save...Continue reading→