GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO OUTDOOR HOTLINE HERE ON AETN.

I'M TONY BROOKS.

TONIGHT WE ARE TALKING MORE ABOUT.

[MUSIC] FOUR IN ARKANSAS AND WATER MANAGEMENT ON GREEN TIMBER RESERVOIR AND ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION'S WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS.

THE FIRST ADDRESSES SOME OF THE CHANGES IN ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES BY THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION.

YOU CAN CALL US AT 1-800-662-2386 OR YOU CAN EMAIL USYOUR QUESTIONS OUTDOORS@AETN.ORG .WITH US TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS WE HAVE FROM THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION ENFORCEMENTDIVISION, MAJOR GLENN TUCKER , CAPTAIN MATT FLOWERS AND CAPTAIN KIRK HARRIS.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT.

LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST DRAMATIC CHANGES HUNTERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS FALL?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONY.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES MOST ENFORCEMENT ARE GOING TO NOTICE IS THE CHANGE IN LICENSES.

WE'VE GONE FROM YOUR STANDARD LICENSE EVERYBODY'S USED TWO WITH THE TAGS AND THE TIEBACKS PAPER.

WE'VE GONE TO MORE OF A, WE WANTED TO CREATE MORE OPTIONS FOR THE SPORTSMEN OUT THERE.

SOME OF THOSE CHANGES ARE, YOU CAN NOW PURCHASE YOUR LICENSE ONLINE.

YOU CAN STILL GO TO A LICENSED VENDOR AND WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE AS AN 8 AND A HALF BY 11 SHEET OF PAPER.

IF YOU GO WITH THAT OPTION.

THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IS AN ELECTRONIC OPTION THAT YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR PHONE THAT WAY YOU DON'T NEED TO CARRY THIS.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE 8 AND A HALF 11 SHEET OF PAPER IS YOU CAN PRINT OFF AS MANY AS YOU NEED.

YOU CAN KEEP ONE IN YOUR TACKLE BOX, YOURGLOVEBOX, KEEP ONE IN YOUR WALLET.

THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE MISPLACING THAT OFTEN.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC VERSION THAT WE HAVE NOW THAT'S AVAILABLE, WHENEVER YOU PURCHASE A LICENSE , YOU CAN HAVE THAT ELECTRONIC VERSION SAVED ON YOUR PHONE, ON YOUR SMART PHONE AND THAT WAY YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE IT WITH YOU.

A LOT OF TIMES I'LL FORGET MY WALLET I HARDLY EVER FORGET MY TELEPHONETHOSE ARE SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE.

THE THIRD OPTION IS A PLASTIC CARD OPTION .

THIS COULD BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A CREDIT CARD, PERSONALIZED ON THE FRONT.

AND ON THE BACK IT WILL HAVE ALL YOUR PRIVILEGE CODES.

THAT'S A THREE DOLLAR OPTION TO UPGRADE TO THAT, BUT WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT IF YOU DO GO FOR THAT OPTION THAT YOU MAKE SURE YOU CARRY EITHER A PAPER COPY OR CARRY THAT ELECTRONIC COPY ON YOUR PHONE THAT, BECAUSE IT TAKES THREE WEEKS TO GET THAT IN THE MAIL SO YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOME PROOF YOU HAVE PURCHASED A LICENSE UNTIL THAT HARDCOPY COMES IN THE MAIL.

>> BASICALLY WHAT YOU GUYS DO IS YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASY.

>> THAT'S IT.

WE WANT TO GIVE THEM MORE OPTIONS TO MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT.

THEY CAN PURCHASE THIS FROM THECOMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOME OR GO TO A LICENSED VENDOR TO PURCHASE THESE BUT IT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR THEM AND IT GETS THEM OUT IN THE FIELD FASTER .

>> THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT.

AS WE MOVE AWAY FROM PAPER DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, IF I CAN SHOW AN OFFICER AND WHAT AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF MY LICENSE , IT'S EASIER.

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE OPTIONS.

OPTION NUMBER TWO WAS THE ELECTRONIC LICENSE YOU CAN CARRY ON YOUR PHONE.

YOU GET APPROACHED BY AN OFFICER IN THE FIELD, SHOW THEM THAT ELECTRONIC COPY.

IT'S GOING TO LOOK IDENTICAL TO THIS BUT IT WILL BE ON YOUR PHONE AND THAT WAY THAT OFFICER CAN MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMPLETE WITH EVERYTHING AND IF SOME REASON YOUR BATTERY GOES DEAD OR THIS IS THE ONLY COPY YOU HAVE, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL THAT IN AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE UP-TO-DATE.

>> THAT HAPPENED TO ME.

>> THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME AS WELL.

>> HERE'S A QUESTION FOR CAPTAIN FLOWERS.

IF I SHOOT A BUTTON BUG, DO I HAVE TO TAG IT AS A BUCK OR AS A GOAT?

>> THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN, HUNTERS ARE ON THE STAND AND THEY HARVEST WHAT THEY THINK IS A DOUGH, WALK UP TO IT AND REALIZE THIS ISN'T A DOUGH, IT'S A SMALL BUTTON BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE ANDYOU MISTAKENLY SHOOT A BUTTON BUT , YOU HAVE TO CHECK THAT AND IT WILL APPLY TOWARDS YOUR BUTTON BAG LIMIT .

>> CAPTAIN HARRIS, HERE'S A QUESTION FROM A DUCK HUNTER.

WHAT ARE THE STIPULATIONS FOR THE NEW NONRESIDENT WATERFOWL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA PERMIT?

>> WE HAVE A NONRESIDENT WATERFOWL W AND A PERMIT THIS YEAR AND THIS IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF NONRESIDENTS ON OUR WMA.

ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THIS PERMIT IS WMA SPECIFIC SO YOU HAVE TO BUY ONE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL WMA YOU ARE GOING TO BE HUNTING AND IT'S ONLY GOOD FOR FIVE DAYS.

EACH INDIVIDUAL HUNTER IS GOING TO BE LIMITED TO SIX PERMITS THEY CAN PURCHASE THROUGHOUT THE HUNTING SEASON .

>> A FURTHER QUESTION ABOUT THIS, THIS IS ALL IN THE LITERATURE.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE.

THE WATERFOWLGUIDEBOOKS ARE NOT OUT YET BUT THEY WILL BE COMING PRETTY SOON.

WHEN THEY DO, BY ALL MEANS PICK ONE UP .

, THROUGH IT, READ THROUGH IT, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

MOST QUESTIONS CAN BE FOUND WITHIN THAT BOOK AND TOWARD THE BACK OF THE BOOK, I BELIEVE ON PAGE 45 IS WHERE OUR WMA SPECIFIC REGULATIONS START.

AND EACH INDIVIDUAL WMA HAS ITS OWN SECTION IN THERE AND ANYTHING UNIQUE TO THAT ONE WMA WILL BE SPECIFIED UNDERNEATH THAT SECTION.

>> GLENN, THIS CALLER ASKS IF I NEED THE PERMIT TO HUNT AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS, WHAT IS THAT PERMIT FOR AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

>> WHAT THAT CALLER IS REFERRING TO IS THE NEW GENERAL USE PERMIT FOR ALL WMA'S.

THERE'S A PERMIT REQUIRED NOW TO HUNT OR TRACK ONLY THOSE TWO ACTIVITIES, ON ANY WMA AROUND THE STATE.

WHAT THAT PERMIT IS FOR IS FOR OUR WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION.

IT'S AN INFORMATION GATHERING TOOL SO THEY CAN SEE WHO'S UTILIZING OUR WMA'S SO THEY CAN MANAGE THAT AND IT WILL LOOK BETTER FOR THE SPORTSMEN OUT THERE.

THE PERMIT IS FREE, COST NOTHING BUT I'VE IFYOU ARE GOING TO HUNT IN A WMA THAT IS SOMETHING YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE .

>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER, NOBODY GOES OUT WITH THE INTENT OF BREAKING THE LAW.

I'M ESPECIALLY CAREFUL WHEN I GO OUT THAT I HAVE EVERYTHING WITH ME.

WHAT'S THE MOST COMMON VIOLATION YOU RUN INTO?

>> WE RUN INTO ALL KINDS OF VIOLATIONS BUT PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON WE HAVE WHERE I'M FROM AND THE CENTRAL PART IS TRESPASSING VIOLATIONS.

THEY'RE NOT SURE, THIS PROPERTY WAS POSTED ANDTHEY WONDER ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY .

EVERY NOW AND AGAIN WE HAVE THOSE WHO FORGET TO PURCHASE THEIR LICENSE OR RENEW THEIR LICENSE, BUT IT'S LIKE YOU SAID.

NOT ANYBODY INTENTIONALLY BREAKS THE LAW BUT MISTAKES HAPPEN AND WEUNDERSTAND THAT BUT THOSE ARE THE MOST COMMON WE SEE IN MY PART .

>> CAN, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS RECEIVED CITATIONS IN THE PAST APPLIES FOR A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA PERMIT.

>> YES, TONY.

THEY CAN APPLY HOWEVER ARE REGULATIONS READ THAT IF YOU HAVE ACCUMULATED UP TO 12 POINTS, YOU ARE PROHIBITED OR BARRED BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE PERMITS.

BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU RECEIVED A VIOLATION IN THE PAST DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN YOU ARE PROHIBITED, THAT DEPENDS ON THEACCUMULATION OF THE POINTS .

>> YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE OVERLOOK .

>> THAT, AND THOSE SMALLER POINT CITATIONS THEY WILL CONTINUE.

>> HERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU.

CAN THEY USE AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP LIKE I CAN WITH MY STATE LICENSE?

>> NO YOU CANNOT.

THE FEDERAL LAW STATES IN ORDER TO WATERFOWL HUNT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FEDERAL WATERFOWL STAMP AND PART OF THOSE REGULATIONS STATE THAT YOU MUST BE IN PHYSICAL POSSESSION OF THAT STAMP.

AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO SIGN ACROSS THE FACE OF IT YOUR SIGNATURE.

YOU CANNOT USE AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THAT LIKE YOU CAN OUR STATE LICENSE.

YOU HAVE TO BE IN PHYSICAL POSSESSION OF THAT STAMP IN ORDER TO WATERFOWL HUNT.

>> YOU DO HAVE TO SIGN THAT STAMP SO IF YOU COLLECT STAMPS ... >> YOU HAVE TO BUY TO.

>> GLENN, THIS IS FROM DEER HUNTER.

IF I SHOOT IN DEER AND CHECK IT ON MY PHONE BEFORE MOVING IT, DO I STILL HAVE TO TAG IT?

>> YOU DON'T, THAT'S NEW THIS YEAR AS WELL.

AS LONG AS YOU ARE ABLE TO CHECK THAT DEER IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOU MOVE IT ON YOUR PHONE, USE ANOTHER APP OR THE WEBSITE, NO, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAG IT.

EXCEPT IN THE EVENT YOU EVER BREAK CONTACT WITH THAT DEER.

IF YOU TAKE IT FROM THE POINT OF HARVEST TO YOUR HOME, AND YOU NEVER BREAK CONTACT WITH THAT DEER, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAG IT.

IN THE EVENT YOU TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR CAMP OR THE TAXIDERMIST OR TAKE IT TO A PROCESSOR AND YOU BREAK CONTACT WITH THAT DEER, YOU MUST HAVE INFORMATION ON THAT DEER TO NOTE WHO YOU ARE , YOUR ID NUMBER AND THE DATE IT WAS TAKEN AND THE CHECK NUMBER AND ALL THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND, WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO IDENTIFY YOUR KILL IS ON PAGE 28 OF THE GUIDEBOOK BUT IN THE EVENT THAT YOU CANNOT CHECK IT IMMEDIATELY, WE DO HAVE SOME OF THESE DEER TAGS NOW.

THESE ARE TAGS OUT OF THE BOOK, SOME COMMON WAYS THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT YOU MAY PROTECT THESE IN THE EVENT YOU DO BECAUSE DRAGGING THROUGH THE WOODS AND THEN GETTING WET, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A TOLL ON THAT PIECE OF PAPER SO BE CREATIVE.

YOU CAN PUT THEM IN ZIPLOC BAGS, TONY OR ANYTHING DURABLE.

JUST AS LONG AS THAT INFORMATION, THE INFORMATION IN THIS BOOK IS CONTAINED ON THAT TAG.

>> MATT, HERE'S A QUESTION WE ADDRESSED IN A PREVIOUS PROGRAM.

ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS ON USING SCENTS OR LURES TO ATTRACT DEER?

>> THE COMMISSION PASSED A LAW WHERE IN JANUARY 2017 YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE ANY TYPE OF SCENT OR LURE THAT NATURALLY FROM ELK URINE.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THEY PUT INTO PLAY TO HELP THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE IT.

>> THIS IS ONE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.

I GUESS IT'S STILL LEGAL TO SELL IT BUT YOU CAN'T USE IT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THERE'S NOTHING SAYING YOU CAN'T SELL IT, YOU JUST CAN'T USE IT AS A LOWER.

>> BECAUSE YOU CAN BUY IT, YOU CAN'T USE IT.

ANOTHER.

ENTER QUESTION FOR CAPTAIN HARRIS, THE CALLER WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU CAN USE ELECTRONIC DECOYS WHEN DUCK HUNTING ON WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

ON OUR STATE OWNED WMA'S, YOU CANNOT USE ANY FORM OF ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL WATERFOWL DECOY.

YOU MUST, YOU'RE LIMITED TO TRADITIONAL STYLE WATERFOWL DECOYS.

YOU CANNOT HAVE ANY KIND OF MECHANICAL OR WIND POWERED MOVEMENT.

IT HAS TO BE A TRADITIONAL STYLE WATERFOWL DECOY.

YOU CAN STILL USE A MANUALLY OPERATED JERK STRING WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE USED THROUGH THE YEARS, THOSE ARE STILL LEGAL BUT NO KIND OF MECHANICAL OR ELECTRONIC POWERED, NO ROBO LURES.

>> THIS HERE WANTS TO KNOW IF SOMEONE OWNS LAND INSIDE OR SURROUNDED BY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS, ARE THEY GOVERNED BY THE ZONE REGULATIONS OR THE WMA REGULATIONS?

>> IF THEY OWN PROPERTY WITHIN THE WMA, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA THAN THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY THE WMA, THEN THEY MUST FOLLOW THE WMA BAG LIMITS AS THAT WMA.

THEY ARE SEPARATE FROM THE ZONE REGULATIONS.

>> OKAY, WE HAVE A CALLER WHO WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY SHALLOW RESTRICTIONS ON WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS?

>> YES THERE ARE.

THERE'S NOT MANY.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE SIX OF UNA'S ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAVE SHOT SHOW LIMIT RESTRICTIONS.ON THOSE SIX, THE LIMIT IS 15.

ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD ADVISE PEOPLE THAT ONCE OUR WATERFOWL GUIDEBOOK COMES OUT YOU PICK UP A COPY, YOU GO TO THE BACK AND LOOK THROUGH THE WMA SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AND READ FOR THAT PARTICULAR WMA YOU ARE HUNTING AND CHECK TO SEE IF IT MIGHT APPLY.

>> HERE'S A QUESTION FORMAT, CAN SOMEONE TAKE AN L WILD DEER HUNTING OUTSIDE THE CORE HEALTH MANAGEMENT ZONE?

>> THEY CAN, THEY CAN TAKE AN ELK OF THE MANAGEMENT ZONE.

IT CAN BE HARVESTED WHILE LEGALLY DEER HUNTING AND WITH A WEAPON LEGAL FOR THAT STATE.

DURING THAT, THE BAG LIMIT FOR THEELK IS ONE .

>> AND HERE'S ONE LAST QUESTION CONCERNING REGULATIONS, KURT, THIS COUNTRY WANTS TO KNOW IF HIS DEER COUNTS TOWARDS A BOATS CAPACITY LIMIT?

>> ABSOLUTELY, GOOD QUESTION.

THE THING ABOUT THIS IS IT'S VERY MUCH A SAFETY CONCERN.

ALL YOUR GEAR INSIDE YOUR BOAT DOES APPLY TO THE BOATS CAPACITY AND SO ESPECIALLY FOR WATERFOWL HUNTERS.

YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION GUNS, AMMO, DOGS, DECOYS, WAITERS, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THAT BOAT DOES APPLY TO THAT CAPACITY.

THE SAFETY PART OF THAT IS ONCE YOU GET OVERLOADED, YOU ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO POSSIBLY OVERTURN THE BOAT.

NOW WE HAVE HUNTERS IN COLD WATER AND THE PONTOONS DON'T MATCH SO YOUNEED TO ADD UP ALL THE WEIGHT OF EVERYTHING IN THAT BOAT .

>> AS WE LOOK AT ALL THESE REGULATIONS, THESE ARE ALL BASICALLY TWO THINGS, PRESERVING RESOURCES AND KEEPING HUNTERS SAFE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> REALLY, YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING OUT FOR US SO PAY ATTENTION .

ALL RIGHT.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

OUR NEXT TOPIC IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, ESPECIALLY FOR DEER AND ELK HUNTERS, CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT CWD IN ARKANSAS.

>> AS THE NATURAL STATE ENTERS ITS SECOND DEER SEASON SINCE THE DETECTION OF.

[MUSIC] FOUR, THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION CONTINUES TO TAKE ACTIONS TO MANAGE THE DISEASE AND GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF IT.

SINCE ROUTINE TESTING DETECTED THE DISEASE AND A COW ELK IN NEWTON COUNTY IN OCTOBER 2015, THE DISEASE HAS BEEN FOUND IN A TOTAL OF 216 ANIMALS, 209 WHITE TALES AND SEVEN ELK IN SIX ADDITIONAL COUNTIES.

LAST YEAR THE COMMISSION ESTABLISHED A 10 COUNTY CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE.

ALTHOUGH THE DISEASE HAS BEEN FOUND IN JUST SEVEN COUNTIES, JOHNSON, LOGAN AND YELL COUNTIES WERE INCLUDED BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO POSSIBLE CWD CASES.

THIS YEAR VAN BUREN LT WATO THE POSITIVE ELK WAS HARVESTED ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REGULATIONS FOR THE CWD ZONE PROHIBITS THE MOVEMENT OF ANY PORTION OF A DEER OR ELK FROM A CWD ZONE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.

THERE'S AN EXCEPTION FOR DEBONED MEAT AND FINISHED TAXIDERMY PRODUCTS.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE REGULATIONS THE COMMISSION PASSED.WE VIEW THEM AS STRATEGY, STRATEGY TO HELP US REACH OUR GOALS AND WE HAVE TWO GOALS ASSOCIATED WITH.

[MUSIC] FOR MANAGEMENT AND ONE OF THEM IS TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.

WE WANT TO CONTAIN IT INSIDE THE MANAGEMENT AREA AND THE SECOND GOAL IS TO MINIMIZE APPLICATION OF THE DISEASE.

IF WE DO NOT AMPLIFY IT IN THOSE AREAS, >> THE COMPLETE REGULATIONS AS WELL AS AN EXTENSIVE SHEET ABOUT CWD ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT ARKANSAS CWD.COM.

IN ADDITION TO IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO MANAGE CWD, THE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION IS TACKLING THE DISEASE THROUGH RESEARCH.

ONCE THE INITIAL SAMPLING EFFORTS WERE COMPLETED, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONS NEXT STEPS WAS ESTABLISHING A NEW RESEARCH DIVISION WHICH INCLUDED THE HIRING OF THE COMMISSIONS FIRST STATE WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN, DOCTOR JIM BALLARD.

>> AFTER THE DETECTION OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, THE COMMISSION BROUGHT IN A TEAM OF EXPERTS TO HELP GUIDE THE MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE TO THE DISEASE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TEAM OF EXPERTS RECOMMENDED IS THAT WE HAVE A GREATER PRESENCE IN DOING .

[MUSIC] FOR RESEARCH AND A VARIETY OF RESEARCH BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HELPS SUPPORT OUR MISSION AS A FISHERY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

FROM THAT CAME THE NEW RESEARCH EVALUATION AND COMPLIANCE DIVISION.

THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH HAPPENING AROUND THE AGENCY SO WE ARE HELPING TO DO MORE RESEARCH AND HELPING SOME OF OUR BIOLOGISTS DO THEIR RESEARCH BETTER OR GET NEW IDEAS OR MAKE SURE THEY ARE USING THE ABSOLUTE CUTTING EDGE METHODS THAT WE CAN BE USING TO GET THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION.

ISS COMMISSION IN FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IN MANAGING OUR RESOURCES FOR OVERALL POPULATION HEALTH SO INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUAL MERIT ANIMAL HEALTH, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MANAGING IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE POPULATIONS ARE HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE.

>> THAT INCLUDES ALL KINDS OF WATER SUCH AS THESE SURGERIES TO IMPLANT TRAFFIC TRACKING DEVICES.

BUT BECAUSE CWD POSES SUCH A SERIOUS RISK TO THE STATE DEER AND ELK POPULATIONS, BALLARD SPENDS TIME WORKING WITH COMMISSION BIOLOGISTS TO MANAGE CWD IN ARKANSAS.

>> I HELP THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WITH SEVERAL ASPECTS, I HOPE THEY'LL DEVELOP BY SECURITY PROTOCOL TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HANDLING EVERYTHING APPROPRIATELY , WE WORK ON THE REGULATIONS TOGETHER THOUGH THAT WE TRY TO COME UP WITH REGULATIONS THAT REFLECT THE BEST POSSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF THE DISEASE, THEN I ALSO HELP DIRECT THE RESEARCH PROJECTS AND ASSIGN SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE NEED TO MANAGE THE DISEASE, AND THEN LOOKING FOR RESEARCHERS TO COLLABORATE WITH THE MAKE THOSE PROJECTS HAPPENED.

>> ONE ONGOING PROJECT IS LOOKING INTO GENETICS AS A WAY OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING DISEASE PATHWAYS.

>> YOU CAN LOOK HOW THE POPULATION SUBDIVIDES THEMSELVES AND BY UNDERSTANDING HOW GENES GROW BETWEEN POPULATIONS, YOU CAN GET AN ESTIMATE OF HOW YOU WOULD EXPECT DISEASE TO FLOW OR MOVE BETWEEN POPULATIONS SO THAT HELPS TO BETTER MANAGE OUR POPULATIONS, HELP TO MANAGE.

[MUSIC] FIVE AND IT TELLS US THE RELATEDNESS OF THE INDIVIDUALSTHAT ARE EXPECTED TO MAYBE IDENTIFY PATTERNS .

>> ONE THING HASN'T CHANGED FOR THE STATES SECOND DEER SEASON SINCE CWD PROTECTION.

GAME AND FISH BILL NEEDS THE PUBLIC'S HELP TO MANAGE THE DISEASE.

>> WE NEED A LOT MORE INFORMATION TO MANAGE THIS PROPERLY AND WE CAN'TPOSSIBLY GO OUT AND COLLECT ALL THE SAMPLES WE NEED ON OUR OWN WE DEPEND ON THE PARTICIPATION OF OUR HUNTERS .

>> GAME AND FISH STAFF WILL OPERATE DEER CHECK STATIONS IN EACH OF THE 11 COUNTIES IN THE CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE DURING THE OPEN OPENING WEEKEND OF THE SEASON THIS FALL.

IT WILL TAKE SAMPLE TO TEST AND GIVE HUNTERS THE NUMBER THAT CAN BE CHECKED LATER TO FIND OUT IF THERE DEER TESTED POSITIVE.

HUNTERS CAN HELP BY COMPLYING GREG WITHREGULATIONS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CWD .

>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS HUNTERS CAN DO TO HELP US IS TO NOT MOVE CARCASSES OR POTENTIALLY INFECTED OUTSIDE OF THE MANAGEMENT ZONE SO ANYONE WHO HARVESTS AN ANIMAL WITHIN THE ZONE, WE ASK THEY GO AHEAD AND DEBONE THEIR MEAT AND LEAVE THE BRAIN, SPINAL CORD AND BONES AND ALL OF THOSE MATERIALS INSIDE THE ZONE AND BRING THE DEBONED MEAT, FINISHED TAXIDERMY PRODUCTS , THINGS LIKE THAT OUT OF THE ZONE.

>> MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CWD REMAIN FOR BOTH WILDLIFE MANAGERS AND HUNTERS AMONG THE STATES ENTERS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS CENTERS ON THE SAFETY OF EATING DEER OR ELK.

THE FEDERAL CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION RECOMMENDS NOT CONSUMING ANIMALS THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR CWD.

>> WE DEFER TO THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEY RECOMMEND TESTING ANIMALS, IF YOUR NEW YOU KNOW YOU'RE HUNTING IN A POSITIVE ZONE, WE HAVE CREATED AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THAT EASY AND SIMPLE AND TO GET RESULTS BACK TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO IF YOU ARE IN THE ZONE WE HAVE LOTS OF OPTIONS EVEN OUTSIDE THE ZONE, YOU WOULD FEEL BETTER HAVING YOUR ANIMALS TESTED, WE HAVE VETERINARIANS AND TAXIDERMIST PARTICIPATING IN THOSE EFFORTS AND ALL THE INFORMATION SO WHERE YOU CAN GET YOUR DEAR SAMPLE IS AVAILABLE AT ARKANSAS CWD.COM.

>> JOINING US TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ARE CORY GRAY, RESEARCH EVALUATION AND COMPLIANCE MANAGER, DR.

JEN BALLARD, WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN AND RALPH MEEKER, PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION.

DOCTOR BALLARD, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE SINCE THE LATE 60S, 70S.

WHEN IT WAS IDENTIFIED BY DOCTOR ELIZABETH WILSON OF COLORADO.

THERE'S NO SIMPLE WAY TO ANSWER THIS BUT WHAT MAKES CWD SO DIFFERENT THAN OTHER DISEASES THAT MAY IMPACT DEER OR ELK AND WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH?

>> IT IS A COMPLICATED QUESTION BUT IT'S PART OF A GROUP OF DISEASES KNOWN AS TRANSMITTABLE FUNGI FORM.

AND THOSE ARE CAUSED BY PROTEINS THAT ARE VERY PERSISTENT IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND SO ONCE THEY ARE THERE, THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S SUCH A CHALLENGE TO MANAGE.

>> THESE THINGS ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DESTROY, IT'S NOT LIKE A VIRUS OR A BACTERIA.

THEY ARE THERE, ONCE THEY ARE THERE, THEY ARE THERE .

>> OVER TIME THEY EVENTUALLY WRITE DOWN.

MAYBE LONG-TERM, WE KNOW THERE ARE A FEW CHEMICALS AND HIGH HEAT AND PRESSURE CAN DESTROY THEM SO THEY ARE NOT INDESTRUCTIBLE BUT THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO BREAK DOWN.

>> I'M SURE THERE'S RESEARCH ABOUT HOW YOU CAN DO JUST THAT.

>> DEFINITELY.

IT'S A GLOBAL QUESTION.

THERE'S MANY DISEASES AND THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS AROUND ALL OF THEM.

>> COREY, WE HAVE DISCUSSED HERE BEFORE THE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION NEW ABOUT CWD, YOU KNEW THIS BEFORE IT WAS DETECTED IN ARKANSAS, YOU KNEW ABOUT IT EARLY ON SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING READY FOR THIS FOR SOME TIME.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

I GUESS IF THERE IS A GOOD SIDE TO THIS STORY IT'S THAT WE ARE THE 24TH STATE TO FIND IT AND THERE'S 23 OTHERS WE CAN LEARN FROM BUT IN 2006 WE DEVELOPED A RESPONSE PLAN AND SO WE PLACED THAT PLAN ON THE SHELF FOR WHEN THE DAY COMES.

WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO FIND CWD IN 2016 WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT PLAN DOWN.

WE WERE ABLE TO MODIFY IT BECAUSE THE SIZE HAD CHANGED BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND THEN GET IMPROVED BY OUR COMMISSION AND START IMPLEMENTING OUR PLAN SO WEWEREN'T CAUGHT FLAT FOOTED .

THAT'S THE GOOD PART OF THIS STORY.

>> DID YOU TRAVEL TO OTHER STATES WHERE IT WAS AND SEE HOW THEY WERE DEALING WITH IT AND HOW THAT MIGHT WORK OR NOT WORK IN ARKANSAS?

>> WE WENT OUT AND SOME OF THE LEADING RESEARCHERS AND VETERINARIANS IN THE NATION, WE WENT AND ASKED THEM TO COME TO THE PARKS SERVICE, HE WAS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS THAT SET FOOT IN ARKANSAS IMMEDIATELY.

MIKE SAMUEL FROM WISCONSIN ALSO CAME IN AND THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHERS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN ANDASK THEM, HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CWD IN ARKANSAS, HELP US BUILD A GAME PLAN GOING FORWARD .

>> IS A QUESTION, OR ARKANSAS WILDLIFE SPECIES DO WE KNOW ARE AFFECTED BY CWD?

>> CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE OR CWD AFFECTS MEMBERS OF THE DEER FAMILY SO HERE IN ARKANSAS THAT WOULD BE OUR WHITE TAILED DEER AND RL.

>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS AGAIN, I MAY BE REPETITIVE HERE BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH IS THE SPREAD, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A REMARKABLE JOB BUT IT CAN BE SPREAD BY SCAVENGERS LIKE CROWS.

TALK ABOUT HOW CWD IS PRIMARILY SPREAD.

>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IT CAN BE SPREAD BY PEOPLE MOVING MATERIALS, INFECTIOUS MATERIALS, INFECTED ANIMALS.

IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO PASS THROUGH THE G.I.

TRACT OF OTHER ANIMALS SO IT CAN TRAVEL ON THE HOOK, IT CAN TRAVEL IN A TRUCK, ITCAN TRAVEL A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

SO THERE'S NO ONE SINGLE ANSWER, I THINK .

>> WE KNOW THAT AS YOU SAID EARLIER, IT'S SIMILAR TO THE OTHER DISEASES LIKE MAD COW DISEASE AND THE OTHER VERSION WITH SHEEP.

ARE THERE INSTANCES WHERE CWD HAS BEEN SPREAD TO LIVESTOCK?

>> THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT IT CAN BE UNDER VERY SPECIFIC EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS IN A LAB, SPECIFICALLY IF IT'S INJECTED DIRECTLY INTO THE BRAIN BUT UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS ON THELANDSCAPE, I'M NOT AWARE OF ITEVER HAVING BEEN DOCUMENTED TO SPREAD TO LIVESTOCK .

>> NOTE SO NO NEED TO PANIC IF YOU SEE A DEER IN YOUR CATTLE .

THE MAJOR CONCERN IS CAN CWD BE TRANSMITTED TO HUMANS?

>> WE ALWAYS DEFAULT TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL.

THOSE ARE THE EXPERTS WHEN IT COMES TO HUMAN ILLNESS SIDE OF THIS.

THERE'S BEEN NO DOCUMENTATION THAT IT CAN TRANSFER FROM A DEER INTO A HUMAN BUT WE ALWAYS NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU NOT CONSUME ANY POSITIVE ANIMAL BUT WE ALWAYS TAKE THAT ONE STEP FURTHER.

IF THERE'S ANY SICKNESS OR ILLNESS OR ODDITY ABOUT THE ANIMAL, WE DON'T RECOMMEND YOU EAT THEM.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ILLNESSES OUT THERE EITHER WHITETAIL OR OTHER ANIMALSCAN CARRY THAT IF YOU RUN ACROSS THAT, WE ASKED YOU NOT TO CONSUME THE ANIMAL.

THAT'S JUST A WISE , COMMON SENSE THING BUT REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S CWD OR OTHER ILLNESS, IF THE ANIMAL IS SHOWING SOME SORT OF ILLNESS, DON'T CONSUME THAT ANIMAL.

>> YOU BEEN MONITORING THIS FOR SOME TIME.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE WHEN AN ANIMAL ONCE AFFECTED WITH CWD BEGINS TO SHOW SYMPTOMS AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OUTWARD SYMPTOMS THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE?

>> RESEARCH SUGGESTS WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THAT ANIMAL PICKING IT UP IT CAN SHED THOSE PRIONS.

THE INCUBATION TIME OR BEFORE THE THEY START SEEING SOME OUTWARD SYMPTOMS IS USUALLY AROUND ECKSTEIN TO 18 MONTHS.

IT'S AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THAT ANIMAL LOOKS SICK.

SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS ARE DROOLING, SALIVATION, EXCESSIVE URINATION, LOSS OF FEAR TO HUMANS.

THEY MAY BE STANDING THERE IN THAT SAME POSITION WITH THE LEGS OUT STRAIGHT.

WIDE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.DROOPING HEAD, DROOPING EARS.

I WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT BECAUSE IT SHOWS SOME OF THESE SYMPTOMS, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT HAS CWD.

THERE ARE DISEASES AND INJURIES THAT CAN MANIFEST THEMSELVES INTO THOSE SAME SYMPTOMS.

IF SOMEONE DOES HAVE THAT LIKE THAT, WE WANT THEM TO CALL.

THEY CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE TO REPORT BACK.

JUST BECAUSE IT'S SHOWING SOME OF THOSE ABNORMALITIES DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS CWD.

>> ARE YOU ACTUALLY DOING THE TEST ON GEARS THAT YOU FIND LIKE ROADKILL, ARE YOU MONITORING THOSE AND THE RATE IN THE CONTAINMENT AREA IS ABOUT THE SAME AS ANYWHERE ELSE?

>> WE ARE PICKING UP ROADKILL STATEWIDE.

WE'RE ALSO GOING AFTER DEER THAT ARE GETTING SOME OF THOSE ABNORMAL BEHAVIORS INSIDE THAT CWD ZONE WHERE THOSE SEVEN COUNTIES WHERE WE HAVE DETECTED CWD, IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER AND THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED BUT WE ARE LOOKING STATEWIDE FOR DETECTION PURPOSES .

>> DO WE KNOW HOW CWD ARRIVED IN ARKANSAS?

>> KNOW AND WE PROBABLY WON'T EVER RECEIVE THAT LUXURY OF KNOWING HOW IT GOT HERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DID WE BRING ANY IN WHEN WE BROUGHT THE ELK IN?

WE BROUGHT A LOT OF HELP FROM 1985 AND IT'S NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES THAT SOME OF THESE MAY HAVE HAD THIS DISEASE, BUT WE ALWAYS TRIED TO GO WITH WHAT WE KNOW AND LIVE IN THAT WORLD EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE A SMALL WORLD WE STAY IN BUT WE NEED TO LIVE THERE.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE BROUGHT THEM IN, BROUGHT IT IN, THE SCIENCE WASN'T THERE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS DISEASE BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE IT AND THE HAND HAS BEEN DEALT BUT WENEED TO PLAY THAT HANDOUT AS BEST WE CAN WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE TIME THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW .

>> A WHILE AGO, IN THIS CONTAINMENT ZONE, WHAT KIND OF AREA ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AND I'LL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT MAP BUT HOW WIDE OF AN AREA IN ARKANSAS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHERE THERE HAS BEEN POSITIVE INDICATION OF CWD?

>> WE DETECTED IT IN SEVEN COUNTIES, THE NORTHERNMOST COUNTIES ORDER THE MISSOURI LINE.

THE SOUTHERNMOST COUNTY WHICH IS PULLED OUT THE AND WE FOUND THE VERY SOUTHERN TIP OF PULLED COUNTY, THE NUCLEAR ONE POWER PLANT.

SO OUR CWD ZONE EVEN THOUGH WE'VE ONLY DETECTED IT IN SEVEN COUNTIES, OUR CWD ZONE ENCOMPASSES 11 COUNTIES BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SOME OF THE POSITIVES THAT WE HAVE DETECTED.

>> I'M SURE THIS CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE SAMPLING THAT YOU TAKE BUT DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE PERCENTAGE OF CWD AND HELP THAT AFFECTED INSIDE THE CONTAINMENT ZONE?

>> NOT IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE, WE DO NOT BUT INSIDE NEWTON COUNTY WE DEVELOPED A FOCAL AREA AND FOR OUR ACTION BACK IN MARCH 2016, WE DID RANDOMLY SAMPLE 266 WHITETAIL IN THE, WE CALL IT THE RACETRACK BUT IT'S THE FOCAL AREA AND OUT OF THOSE SAMPLES 23 PERCENT WERE PREVALENT SO THOSEWERE RANDOMLY COLLECTED .

SO WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A GOOD, ADEQUATE SAMPLE TO LOOK AT THE PREVALENCE IN THE WHITETAIL IN THAT AREA HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH OTHER STATES WHERE CWD HAS BEEN DETECTED?

I'M SURE IT'S HOW YOU DEAL WITH IT THAT DETERMINES THE DIFFERENCE BUT GIVE ME A SYNOPSIS OF WHEN ITAPPEARS, HOW DOES IT SPREAD AND IS ARKANSAS, IS THE SAME THING HAPPENING HERE THAT HAPPENED IN OTHER STATES ?

>> I SAY IN GENERAL WHEN IT WAS FIRST DISCOVERED, OUR PREVALENCE WAS A BIT HIGHER THAN OTHER STATES BUT OVER TIME THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE A SIMILAR PREVALENCE AS THEY WORKED ON TRYING TO MANAGE THE DISEASE BUT OURS WAS A BIT HIGHER THAN EXPECTED FOR DETECTION.

>> THIS GOES BACK TO YOUR QUESTION A MINUTE AGO, ABOUT THE CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE IN ARKANSAS AND THE MEASURES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN WITHIN THAT ZONE.

>> THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT FOCUSES.

ONE OF THEM IS TO MANAGE THE PRESENT PARAMETER.

WE WANT TO DO THINGS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT FLYING MUCH CWD YOU HAVE ON THE LANDSCAPE.

THE OTHER IS TO MANAGE DISTRIBUTION, WE DON'T WANT IT TO SPREAD TO NEW AREAS SO WE HAVE TO PREVENT MULTIPLE OUTBREAKS.

A LOT OF THAT GOES BACK TO HOW WE MANAGE YOUR POPULATIONS, HOW WE POTENTIALLY MOVE AROUND AFFECTED MATERIALS.

THAT'S WHY WE REQUIRE FOLKS TO ONLY BRING OUT THE BONES MEET AND TAXIDERMY PRODUCTS.

THAT'S WHY WE BANNED THE USE OF NATURAL DEER URINE BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE ARE BOTTLED WITHIN CWD STATES IN ENCLOSURES SO THERE'S A LOT OF RISK MANAGEMENT THERE ON WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.

WE DON'T WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH BURDEN ON OUR HUNTERS.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO DEER HUNT, WE WANT THEM TO ENJOY THEMSELVES BUT ON THE SAME SENSE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE LAMENTING REGULATIONS GOING TO HELP US BATTLE CWD.

>> WHAT ABOUT OUTSIDE THE CONTAINMENT ZONE, THE MEASURES OUTSIDE THE ZONE, ARE THEY SIMILAR?

>> THERE PRETTY MUCH BUSINESS AS USUAL.

WE'RE STILL PICKING UP ROADKILL, WE'VE ASKED TAXIDERMY'S EVEN OUTSIDE THE MANAGEMENT ZONE TO HELP US DETECTED SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS THIS AS USUAL, WE DID NOT REGULATE OR MINIMIZE THE USE OF BAITING OUTSIDE THE MANAGEMENT ZONE, BAITING IS ANOTHER THING THAT OUTSIDE THE MANAGEMENT ZONE, HE DIDN'T WANT TO ARTIFICIALLY CONGREGATE DEER UNNECESSARILY SO THE INCREASE OF SPREAD WILL HAPPEN.

OUTSIDE THE ZONE, WE'RE STILL DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE LOOKING EVEN CLOSER THOUGH THAT WE CAN DETECT IT IF IT IS THERE AND RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

>> WILL CWD EVER BE ERADICATED COMPLETELY?>> THAT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION TO ANSWER.

>> I THINK IT'SUNLIKELY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT .

UNLESS THERE WAS A NEW TECHNOLOGY OR A HUGE DRIVE MADE, I THINK WE'RE A LONG WAY FROM A DAY THAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT ERADICATION.

>> IF I HAVE A DEAR I'VE HARVESTED AND OUTSIDE OF THE ZONE, CAN I HAVE TESTED IN WAYS TO CONSUME IT UNTIL I GET THE RESULTS BACK AND HOW LONG THE PROCESS IS IT?

>> IT GENERALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

ONCE THE LAB RECEIVES THE TISSUES, WE DO ON ARKANSAS CWD.COM, WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH TAXIDERMIST IN THE STATE.

WE ALSO HAVE THE PARTICIPATING VETERINARIANS SO WE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO GO TO ARKANSAS CWD.COM AND IF YOU WANT YOUR HARVEST TESTED, MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT THOSE TAXIDERMIST PRIOR TO SHOWING UP BECAUSE THEY ARE HUNTERS AS WELL.

IT WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE, IF YOU TAKE IT TO A TAXIDERMIST.

THE VETERINARIAN MAY CHARGE YOU A FEE BUT IF YOU'LL VISIT ONE OF THESE PARTICIPATING TAXIDERMIST, WE WILL HANDLE THE SAMPLE.

IT TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

>> THEY'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME FOR THE SEGMENT BUT I WANTED YOU TO TELL ME ABOUT THE RESEARCH EVALUATION AND COMPLIANCE DIVISIONAND ITS ROLE .

>> IT'S A BRAND-NEW DIVISION IN THE AGENCY AND I WAS SELECTED TO LEAD THIS AGENCY, THIS DIVISION.

DOCTOR ABOUT IS OUR FIRST HIRE, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE HER, BUT IT'S A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED UNIT, WE HAVE DOCTOR CHRIS GROHL IS OUR RESEARCH BIOLOGIST AND IT'S GOING TO BE A SPECIALIZED UNIT RESEARCH NOT ONLY CWD BUT ALL THE OTHER SPECIES THAT WE HAVING OUR STATE.

>> YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK, THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDWELCOME TO ARKANSAS .

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, WERE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION WATER MINUTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND THE AGFC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS, LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>>.

[MUSIC] THE NATURAL STATE IS KNOWN FAR AND WIDE FOR ITS SUPERB DUCKHUNTING BUT IT'S THE ABUNDANCE OF GREEN TIMBER HUNTING THAT SUCKS ARKANSAS APART FROM OTHER DUCKHUNTING DESTINATIONS.

>> I'VE HEARD.

OR TO CONVERT DUCKHUNTING AND ALL SORTS OF WOOD THAT ARE ANYTHING LIKE THE TRUE TIMBER HUNTING ARKANSAS.

YOU DON'T HAVE THESE LARGE BLOCKS OF PUBLIC LAND LIKE WE HAVEN'T ARKANSAS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PRETTY MUCH ANYONE.

THERE ARE RESOURCE, IT'S SOMETHING UNIQUE, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE ON THIS TALE REALLY ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

>> ARKANSAS POSTED MORE THAN 5 MILLION ACRES OF BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FOREST PRIOR TO EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT AND WHILE MAYBE 20 PERCENT IS ALL THAT REMAINS, THE NATURAL STATE IS FAR BETTER OFF IN MANY OF ITS MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA NEIGHBORS.THE CONSTRUCTION OF GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS HAS ALSO HELPED TO PRESERVE THE STATE GREEN TIMBER HUNTING LEGACY.

ADRS AS THEY ARE KNOWN ALLOW LAND MANAGERS TO ARTIFICIALLY REPLICATE THE SEASONAL FLOODING PATTERN OF TRADITIONAL BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FORESTS.

THEY PROVIDE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MIGRATING WATERFOWL AND HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STATE HUNTERS.

>> GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT'S LEFT OF THE BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FOREST THAT WAS HISTORICALLY WIDESPREAD IN ARKANSAS ACROSS THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE.

>> ARKANSAS IS FAMOUS FOR ITS WEALTH OF GREEN TIMBER HUNTING INPLACES SUCH AS BY OMEGA AND BLACK RIVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS .

THE STATE'S REPUTATION AS A MECCA FOR DUCKHUNTING IS GOING TO PROCESS, WATER MANAGEMENT ON PUBLIC GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS MUST CHANGE.

THE ARTIFICIAL FLOODING REGIME THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADES HAS HAD NEGATIVE AFFECTS ON FOREST HEALTH.

>>THAT LIVE IN THOSE AREAS ARE TREES THAT TOLERATE SOME FLOODING DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, MAINLY DORMANT SEASON FLOODING BUT NOT GROWING SEASON FLOODING.

GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS HAVE BEEN MANAGED FOR WATERFOWL HUNTING PRIMARILY, AT LEAST IN RECENT YEARS SO THE TIMING OF THE FLOODING IN MANY CASES IN THE PAST WAS GEARED MORE TOWARD THE TIMING OF THE SEASON AS OPPOSED TO THE TIMING OF WHEN THE NATURAL FLOODING WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IN THOSE FORESTS.

OVER A LOT OF YEARS WE'VE LEARNED THAT WHAT WE CALL DORMANT SEASON FLOODING MAYBE IS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING NAVY NOT PERFECT .

AND MAYBE SOME OF THE FLOODING TIME HAS BEEN OFF QUITE A BIT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.

>> A GROWING BODY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES HAS TAUGHT LAND MANAGERS AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS THAT LONG-STANDING ARTIFICIAL FLOODING PRACTICES HAVE CAUSED TREES TO GET SICK AND IN SOME CASES, TO DIE.

THEY ALSO LEARNED THAT OAK SPECIES THAT ARE MOST BENEFICIAL TO DOCS AND OTHER WILDLIFE ARE BEING REPLACED BY MORE WATER TOLERANT SPECIES SUCH AS GREEN ASKED, HOME AND OVER COUPLE THAT HAVE FAR FEWER WILDLIFE BENEFITS.

>> THERE'S NO RED OAK GREEN GENERATION WITHIN A 10TH OF AN ACRE, EVERYTHING'S BEEN HERE AND OVER WHICH ARE MORE AQUATIC SAFETY.

IF YOU GO OUT DUCKHUNTING AND YOU THINK A TREE IS A TREE, MAYBE WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CYPRUS AND HOPE BUT WITHIN THE OAK TREES THERE'S HUGE DIFFERENCES AND THE VALUE TO DOCS.

AND MAINLY IT BOILS DOWN TO THE EGG NOT BEING SMALL ENOUGH THAT THE DOG AND GET IT IN ITS MOUTH.

>> WENT ARTIFICIAL FLOODING COMES TOO EARLY, STAYS TOO LONG OR RISES TOO HIGH, THE SIGNS OF DIMINISHING FOREST HEALTH SLOWLY APPEAR OVER TIME.

>> ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNINTENTIONAL IS THAT THE TREES HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THIS KIND OF UNNATURAL WAY THAT THEY HAVE FLOODING IN TERMS OF THE TIMING, DEPTH, DURATION, THE SAME THING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WHEN THE TREES GET STRESSED, JUST LIKE IF YOU AND I GOT SICK, WE START TO SEE SYMPTOMS THAT INDICATE THE TREE IS NOT AS HEALTHY AS IT WAS.

>> IT'S LEANING BECAUSE IT'S ROOT MASS IS DYING.

>> ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION WILL ALTER WATER MANAGEMENT ON ITS GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS TO MIMIC WHAT HAPPENS NATURALLY.

>> NO ROCKET SCIENCE HERE BUT TRYING TO EMULATE OR TO REPLICATE IF YOU WILL WHAT MOTHER NATURE WOULD HAVE DONE NATURALLY ANYWAY.

FIRST OFF, MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE PROLONGED FLOODING IN THE GROWING SEASON, EITHER IN THE FALL OR THE SPRING.

SECONDLY, TO TRY TO REPLICATE THE THINGS THAT OCCURSO THAT WE SAME THING YEAR AFTER YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW MOTHER NATURE DID IT.

>> DAYS.HUNTERS MAY HAVE TO MAKE SHORT-TERM SACRIFICES BUT THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS MAKE IT WORTHWHILE .

>> I'M AN ACTIVE DUCK HUNTER, PROBABLY A LOT OF THE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THIS ARE ACTIVE.HUNTERS.

EVERYTHING WE'REDOING IS NOT IN ANY WAY TO JEOPARDIZE THAT LEGACY .

WE WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE AND FOR SURE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT NOT JUST YOU AND I CAN ENJOY OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND THE GENERATIONS TO COME.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGHTO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THESE , TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S SUSTAINABLE AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD.

>> JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THESE CHANGES WE HAVE WITH US BRAD CARNER, CHIEF OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, LUKE WHEELER, PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION AND JASON JACKSON, PROGRAM COORDINATOR.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

LOOK, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REASON FOR THESE CHANGES IN WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

IS IT'S TO PRESERVE RESOURCES.

>> RIGHT, WE ARE FINALLY JUST TAKING NOTICE , FOLKS HAVE BEEN NOTICING FOR A LONG TIME DECLINING HABITAT QUALITY, A LOT OF HARDWOOD FORESTS THAT ARE MANAGED AS GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS SO THAT ANY FOREST OR LEVEE OR WATER CONTROL STRUCTURE.

AND YEARS AND YEARS OF MANAGING THOSE, MOSTLY THE SAME WAY YEAR AFTER YEAR HAS LED TO A LOT OF CHANGES IN HABITAT QUALITY AND COMPOSITION OF THAT HABITAT BUT WE ARE TAKING ACTIONS TO MOVE THEM BACK THE OTHER DIRECTION.

>> HOW BAD WAS THE PROBLEM?

IT WAS OBVIOUSLY GETTING SERIOUS.

>> IT'S PRETTY BAD.

WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF IT, WITH SOME FOLKS WE STARTED THIS, THEY KIND OF PUT A NAME ON WHAT THEY BEEN SEEING FOR A LOT OF YEARS ANYWAY.

SOME FOLKS HAVE BEEN HUNTING IN THESE PLACES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

SEEING TREES DYING AROUND THEM, THEY SEEM THE FOREST CHANGE.

THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHY BUT WE'VE SEEN A HIGH NUMBER OF TREES DAMAGED .

LOTS OF RED OAKS, WILLOW, A LOT OF PIN OAK ARE REALLY DAMAGED, THERE DYING OR HAVE REDUCED BROWN SIZE, A LOT OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT SHOW THAT THEY'RE IN BAD SHAPE.

>> AS WE LOOK AT THESE CHANGES, ARE THERE GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS THAT ARE BEING KEPT DRIVE THIS YEAR?

>> THE CHANGES WE'VE IMPLEMENTED FOR THIS YEAR IS SIMPLY DELAYING THE TIMING OF WHEN WE CLOSE WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES.

WE ARE NOT INTENTIONALLY HOLDING ANYTHING DRY THROUGH THE ENTIRE YEAR.

WE PHYSICALLY CAN'T, MOTHER NATURE WILL FLOOD.

IT MAY BE LATER IN THE WINTER BUT WE'VE DELAYED CLOSING THE WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES UNTIL NO EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 15.

WITHOUT SHIFTING ACT OF THE LUMP LATER IN SOME CASES 45 DAYS LATER THAN WHAT THEY BEEN OPERATED THE PREVIOUS SEVERAL YEARS.

>> IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I GUESS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO IF THESE WATER LEVELS GO DOWN BECAUSE IT'S GOTTEN BAD.

HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE, IS THIS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING THING?

>> IT WILL AND IN SOME FORM OR FASHION WE DON'T KNOW THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING THIS YEAR IS REALLY JUST A FIRST STEP SO WE WILL HAVE DETAILS, WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR EVERY GTR.

2 TO 5 YEARS FROM NOW, MAYBE AND MAKING A BUNCH OF CHANGES IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO NOT EVERY YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE THIS IT'S GOING TO BE FOR A FEW YEARSWHILE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS .

>> IS THERE A ROTATION SYSTEM FOR THESE RESERVOIRS?

ARE YOU DOING THIS WITH ALL OF THEM OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT SOME THAT ARE MAYBE HAVING MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THAN OTHERS AND ROTATING AMONG THOSE THAT HAVE A BAD SITUATION?

>> THE GOAL, WILL BE REVIEWING, EVALUATING CHANGING, REVISING WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS ACROSS ALL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS THAT HAVE GTR'S.

ULTIMATELY, THE END GOAL WILL BE THAT WE HAVE SOME SORT OF ROTATION SO THAT IF THERE'S A GIVEN GROUP OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS IN THE REGION, WE WOULD OPERATE ALL OF THOSE THE SAME ON A GIVEN YEAR AND IDEALLY IF IT'S A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA THAT HAS MULTIPLE, THERE WOULD BE VARIATIONS EVEN WITHIN THAT WMA SO ALL WOULD BE OPERATED THE SAME ON A GIVEN YEAR BUT WE ARE STILL AS LUKE MENTIONED, STILL A COUPLE YEARS FROM BEING AT THAT POINT.

BUT IF EVERY WMA WITH A GREEN TREE RESERVOIR WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS NEW PROCESS IN THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.

>> IF YOU HAVE TIME IN THE STATE WITH THEIR BE OTHER ADDITIONAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS OR GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS?

DO WE HAVE A MAXIMUM NUMBER, CAN THE STATE HAVE MORE AREAS LIKE THIS?

>> WE COULD PURCHASE PURCHASE THEM, I SUPPOSE.

WHAT PEOPLE BUILDING GREEN TREE RESERVOIRS NOW, I DON'T KNOW FOR 10 OR 15 YEARS NOW HAD TO ABIDE BY DIFFERENT REGULATIONS, TO GET A PERMIT, TO BUILD A RESERVOIR, TO DAMAGE A SORT OF WATERWAY OF SOME KIND.

ITGOT TO KEEP IT DRY , OUT OF THREE YEARS OR TWO OUT OF FIVE.

>> THREE OUT OF FIVE YEARS.

THEN IT WILL HAVE TO BE DRY.

>> SO WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING, IF WE BUILT NEW GTR'S THEYWOULD FOLLOW MORE ADAPTIVE WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS .

>> BUT WE ARE LOOKING, NOT SPECIFICALLY AT THE STRUCTURE OF NEW GTR'S, WE ARE LOOKING TO ACQUIRE BOTH OF THE PLANS FOR WATERFOWLHUNTING OPPORTUNITY IN GENERAL .

AND WITH THE FIRST CONSIDERATION BEING NATURAL FLOODING OF THOSE NOT NECESSARILY GOING IN .

CONSTRUCTING MORE WINTER LIVING BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LANDS FOR WATERFOWL HUNTING IN THE STATE.

>> ARE YOU GOING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS DURING THE DRYER YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN THE DRYER YEARS, IS THERE GOING TO BE, A CUT BACK ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALLOWED TO COME IN?

>> WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS TO DO THAT AS OF NOW.

THESE AREAS HAVE EXPERIENCED DRY YEARS IN THE PAST ANYWAY AND ANY PUBLIC LAND HUNTER KNOWS SOME YEARS THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WATER AND SOME YEARS THERE'S NOT VERY MUCH.

LAST YEAR WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE ON A FEW WMA'S THAT DIDN'T GET A LOT OF WATER UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR.

WHAT WE ARE PLANNING ON DOING WITH MANAGEMENT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S JUST TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS REGULAR FLOODING ON PURPOSE SO IT'S, I DON'T THINK, THERE'S NO PLANS RIGHT NOW FOR ANY KIND OF CONTROLLED ACCESS, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

>> IS A QUESTIONFROM ANOTHER HUNTER .

YOU MAY HAVE ANSWERED THIS, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HUNT THE REST AREAS IN THE DRY YEARS WEST AND MARK.

>> KNOW, THE REST AREAS ARE REST AREAS AND THEY REALLY DON'T FUNCTION AS WATERFOWL REST AREAS IF THEY'RE HUNTED.

>> HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE THERE?

>> HOW MANY REST AREAS DO WE HAVE?

>> APPROXIMATELY 15.

>> THOSE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT.

TELL US ABOUT THE PURPOSE THEY SERVE.

IT'S KIND OF OBVIOUS BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE AREAS?

>> AND MOST OF THEM THEY ARE WHAT WE CALL MOIST HILL AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF FOOD FOR THE WATERFOWL.

FIRST OFF, IT FEEDS A LOT OF THEM.AND OF COURSE IT OFFERS EIGHT SANCTUARY TYPE AREA WHERE THERE NOT BEING SERVED A LOT.

AND THEN, LAST WEEK WE TRIED TO REGULATE WHEN, THERE'S NO FOOD AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OUT THERE FOR THEM.

TO KEEP A LOT OF THE AREAS FLOODED LONGER AFTER THE SEASON WHICH CAN ALSO PROVIDE A LOT OF INVERTEBRATES AND A LOT OF FUEL TO MIGRATE BACK TO THE NORTH.

SO THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT.

SOME OF THE REST AREAS ARE IN THE GTR'S.

BUT THEY ARE ON THE UPPER END, THERE IN NATURALLY FLOODED AREAS FOR THE MOST PART.

>> HERE'S A QUESTION.

WILL I BE ABLE TO RUN MY BOAT INTO LANDS WHERE THE SHALLOWER WATER AND ARE YOU GOING TO CUT MORTGAGES LIKE IN THE BIG LAKE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA?

>> IF THEY ARE PART OF INFRASTRUCTURE REDESIGN, I GUESS I WOULD SAY, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE GTR AND IF THERE'S SOME PART OF THAT THAT BENEFITS MOVING WATER, MAINLY OFF THE AREA, THEN YES, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY ALSO BE A PLACE FOR ACCESS WITH BOATS BUT I DON'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF GROWTH AND BOAT RUNS THAT ARE CREATED ON PURPOSE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE ONES THAT PEOPLE CREATED OVER YEARS AND YEARS OF RUNNING DOWN THE SAME PATH, NOT STUFF WE CREATED ANYWAY UNLIKE BIG LAKE WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE ABNORMAL.

>> THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE SLOUGHS AND A LOT OF OUR SLOUGHS ARE CHOKED UP NOW ANYWAY THOUGH THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED SO IT WOULD BE ALTBOA WILL.

>> ARE THERE GOING TO BE MORE WALK-IN AREAS?

>> WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT ESTABLISHING REGULATORY WALKING AREAS.

WE TOSSED IT AROUND A LITTLE BIT HERE AND THERE BUT THERE'S NO PROPOSALS, I DON'T SEE ANY PROPOSALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO CREATE ANY MEANS OF REGULATION.

IF WE HAVE SHALLOWER WATER BECAUSE OF THE WATER MANAGEMENT, MAYBE BY DEFAULT SOME AREAS MAY HAVE A LOT MORE BUT THERE MAY BE AREAS THAT YOU RUN A BOOK OF A SLEW THAT WE IMPROVE ACCESS.

AND THEN GET OUT OF THE BOAT AND WALK THE REST OF THE WAY WHICH A LOT OF FOLKS DO ANYWAY.

>> HERE'S A QUESTION, THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS ARE MEANT TO PROTECT THE TIMBER.

WHY ARE TREES BEING CUT IN SOME OF THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS?

>> PART OF THIS PROCESS IS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE REGENERATE THE DESIRABLE FORESTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND A COMPONENT OF THAT IS CREATING CANOPY GAPS SO THAT YOU HAVE ADEQUATE SUNLIGHT THAT THOSE DESIRABLE OAKS WILL REGENERATE AND SPROUT IN THE NEXT FOREST.

SO AN UNNECESSARY COMPONENT OF THIS PROCESS IS HAVING ACTIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT WITHIN THOSE AREAS TO GROW THOSE NEXT FORESTS.

>> HERE'S A QUESTION FROM A HUNTER, WHAT THE IMPACT OF PATROLLING THE FLOODING GOING ON TO HAVE ON FEEDING HABITS OF THE DUCK POPULATION IN ARKANSAS?

>> THESE DOCS ARE HARDWIRED TO COME HERE IN IF NATURAL FLOODING HAPPENS.

WE'VE BEEN PUTTING WATER EARLY IN THE GTR'S FOR 40 TO 60 YEARS, BUT 50 TO 60 YEARS DOESN'T RESET THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF BIRDS COMING DOWN THE FLYWAY AND GETTING INTO THESE AREAS WHEN NATURAL RAINFALL AND OVERFLOW HAPPENS WHICH IS NOT OCTOBER OR EARLY NOVEMBER.

IT'S TYPICALLY LATE NOVEMBER AND ESSENTIALLY IS BUILDING THROUGH MID-NOVEMBER.

WE SEE IT IN SURVEYS WE DO.

AND IT'S TYPICALLY THAT MID-DECEMBER IS WHEN MOST OF THE BIG INFLUXES OF MALLARDS ARE COMING TO ARKANSAS AND THAT'S WHEN NATURAL FLOODING IS HAPPENING.

A LOT OF WATER ON THE LANDSCAPE.

SO THEY'RE TIED INTO THAT MORE THAN THEY ARE THE 50 YEARS OF SO WE'VE BEEN DRIVING THIS WATER UNNATURALLY EARLY.

>> GENTLEMEN, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

WISH WE HAD MORE TIME BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING AND CALLING AND EMAILING IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

I'M TONY BROOKS AND WE WILL SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME ON OUTDOOR HOTLINE.