ALC-Game & Fish/State Police

Call committee to order of. The first is that let me find the agenda got it turned over of. Blatt everybody's here of we've we've sort postpone the meeting the last couple of months and I don't have any further remarks my co chair Representative Miller any any any comments for the good of this group. Known for the good and non for the good okay first item on the agenda today is items the discussion of the regulations by game and fish commission if they would come down first item that we're going to take up is the point system. Thank you gentlemen for being here and if you would introduce yourself to the committee then you can proceed. Yes Sir good morning I'm Pat fits director of the game and fish. Good morning I'm Gregg ray colonel the enforcement division Arkansas game and fish welcome to committee German of please make a presentation yes thank you Mr chairman of it's good to be here this morning and that certainly good to see some people in person if you will it's been a tough few months you'll notice I have a large group with me these are the subject matter experts on the things that are on the agenda to address if you have specific questions there will be ready to take care of take your questions and and the colonel I'll be ready to take the point system if there's any questions there. Up questions committee. Senator rice. Thank you Mr rector fit Carl right of. As I said when we've a business number time to appreciate the time you always given million and concerns that we have and I'll start off what complimenting game fish about all the good you do good people you have were I have found myself at necessary to be engaged is Normally on things that I don't have first hand knowledge Joan and I try to be careful because I'm in retail business customers not always right. They're always the customer taxpayer not always wrapped always tax by. When I saw and I scanned a report system on a on a have a problem with that what I would like you that day be on since we haven't talked in a number of months in in specifically with law enforcement division And out of citizen committee before I have never heard a cross word about my home county. The people that people respect more they like the policy the rules that they they have dialogue have respect but as we have in law enforcement you don't have one everyone's while that that people don't get along with may be something the citizens of the initiated or whatever but I've had. Enough contact with enough of those overtime and do we have any commissioners here no Sir okay A one thing I I've thought about is if you all ever consider any. Top of a panel out something would have to meet regular whatever it something. That citizens could go to. four bytes specifically on the point system. I've heard from a number of different places in again people I don't know Sir no thank you for. For whatever it's worth. Were they said yeah that a violation NATO could pay my fine and not contest called what trouble would maybe points into a went back what it was officer with it was whoever A said dying they put point to house of more maybe it wouldn they're called to do that they solution to tell me that. When you have other specific I would like to consider is. Have we increased anything in law enforcement training. In the way of any offers maybe check compliance get justified or not. That that that is reviewed for additional training. I I gave the specifics on that and To me he it was. Total out of hand but I can see were one might have been thank in some and a madman thank it's something but it would be got totally. Out of hand in a place where other what I'm calling regular law enforcement said will take care of this in a wooden to stand down. By game and fish. So. When I talked to. The major or who ever higher up. there was probably review to. To offer said. The substantiated each other no problem. At the end of. I'm looking for something a citizen. Can have an input from something more independent not say in if you're told by somebody who can only go by what information you got something independent of that but again going back to the point system when a mis skin this is or something more. Fire in this is there something in safeguards in this point system that is. Letting people know are your all should know. One don't tell somebody. not too many points against me because reason for point In the other. If you could address this. Once in a great while. what I consider less than professional. Officer problem is there a way to handle it of with some top independent oversight. You have so all I'll open and then I'll let the colonel come in behind me even so just kind of addressing some of the things you said I appreciate your words on how are officers or in your counties and of in your district we work hard to recruit these officers from those areas we want them to be part of that community we don't want to send them there we've learned over time that that's the way your officers of. Work the best with your communities is be a part of it go to school go to church be involved in those communities so that's a very very important thing. Switching to the points of I spent many years in the field as a wildlife officer or point systems been around a long time senator rice and I've heard a lot of what you just said before we go to great lengths to to train our officers that that's not something you say now of I'm not saying that everybody that that makes that allegation is is lying I'm just say and we go to great lengths to tell our officers that the the points are not attached with the fourth. The points are what they our and so I would I would respond to that by saying this that are are officers try not to be over heavy handed they tried to write a ticket were a ticket is needed and to the maybe write a warning or even a verbal warning when it is something minor that can be corrected we don't want these pull we don't want our user group out there to be suspended we want them to to be enjoying the outdoors and be able to buy a license and but we also a lot of our regulations carry different levels of points considering what the severity is and we tried to Push that to our hunting and fishing public so they know beforehand what those of points for on a on a particular regulation and we try to do everything we can on the front in to keep that violation from happening so your your letter question was how do we engage with the public and give them an opportunity to have a say on the points in my room my repeating that question right of we we try to stay open to the public at all levels to engage with them in dialogue does that mean if the public doesn't want night hunting to carry a certain point restriction that that's that's going to be applied there no Sir that's not what that means at all but we we want to engage with the public we want to offer them that opportunity to be a part of our agency of the things that we do depend on them when you think about hunting and fishing. These things rely on the management of the species relies on participation from our constituents across the state we want to keep them in the field we want to keep them taken part of those activities we don't want to drive them away but in a lot of cases of these very serious violations that come to is don't come by way of patrolling they come by way a complaint by another citizen that may be colony and say and I need some help my neighbor's doing X. or or trying to A do their part to to save the resource of the state so with that Carl I'll throw it to you for whatever you have. Thanks for the question senator rice on the on the points As the director mentioned. This this last revamp it was needed it was there was a clean up that was needed on the points and in many cases they're less punitive than they were before for the majority of them we've in this last time did away with a lifetime suspension on points to do what we don't want somebody to not be able to do that not be able to purchase a hunter fishing license against we did away with that we reduced most of the ones are suspended on the first time I mean in which we take we take the public input on those points seriously and I know when we reduce the last one like just as an example on how to Turkey over but when it was reduced to twelve points the and. That created a lot of social media blitz on that for why did we reduce it to that because it is a serious violation for something like that the night hunting the same with the night hunting or hunting out of season we we split it up into small game and big gang reduce the points on the small game so it was and is in a serious violation person by that hundred square last season is it'd be returned to you so we split the stuff up listening to the public on the on the training A Sir we do we take that very serious I do and I can tell you from anybody that's been to one of my district matings one of my staff meetings I talk about this one making sure officers are being professional out there I tell the captains it's it's the worst part of their job is dealing with that this move but it's also the most important part because we can't let it get out of hand because it then it creates more problems down the road force so we are addressing them I act I can tell you that there's been several people that they've been disciplined over the way they've acted and there's been people terminate in the last few years for the way they've acted so we do look into sometimes as you stated in your opening statement about it sometimes you don't get all of the story sometimes we don't get all of the story but we do look into on we probably look into complaints three four times a week on officers Not formal complaints we hear about them we check in with the captain's if a person files a formal complaint we require paperwork follow up communications with the person that filed a formal complaint also. A and I appreciate that feedback the nothing nighters me more than what we're seeing on TV and in other places that that law enforcement is being disrespected and and even realize put in danger in again A realized game fish most all in most all ways I'm not a single out a single person that always that way at times things. Again public can can be MALOCH your or whatever reason not cooperative or whatever and inset somebody out in and out about your don't justify either side there but I would appreciate continued oversight and would appreciate the use DO if you say that. Repeatedly over time is like I have two in my business even though they've heard it before I'm fighting massive repeat myself were used it maybe once a month I'm happy to their per week to make impact. It is we're just in a different day and time and and we have different. levels now and I I can understand any frustration people have dealing with public I I I get it to but to thank you for taking my question review time Mr yes Sir. Up Senator hammer you're recognized thank you could you tell me specifically how the point system relates to something we all worked on a lot lately and that's the feral hog situation or somebody being cited for you know of illegal activities so to a feral hog or they are they capable of being put on the point system or not. No Sir no Sir we don't have point for the feral hog are there other areas don't have points for. Senator hammer if I could jump in here one there there are things that go along with of. Taking of feral hall of as far as shooting from the road and things like that you're gonna have some points attached to but but keep in mind that A feral hog is not considered a wildlife in the state of Arkansas and our point system is attached to the the takeover attempt to take of of wildlife for fish in the state of Arkansas and that's how the the disconnect comes with the whole go issue okay I just wanna make sure there was any latitude allowed through this because of the severity of the problem so that's all wanna make sure of thank you. Any further questions on item one yes represented Cozart. I just had a quick thank you Mr chair I have a quick question about is there any place for points that you get so many points you will never have a license back again what is that called. No Sir we we had up to recently a lifetime suspension of were were somebody accumulated just a massive amount of points that they fell into that category we have reduced that and the reason being and when you when you think about things in our country that that keep you from doing something for the rest of your life that we felt like that was a little over the top and just to be open and honest with you of somebody who is prone to violate. Is going to violate enters and no amount of tickets or fines or anything like that that's going slow down I don't know why that is but it is and they will just continue being of service to yes or they're going to they're going to implement a lifetime suspension on them sales and a follow up please. The question of one of the question I know of you always heard this and there's animals out there are things out there you're not supposed to kill is your point violation for killing snakes I've heard this for every you're not supposed to kill and you're not supposed to do this if you kill a snake and get caught doing that such as a rattlesnake is zero point violation for that are fine so yes Sir which way is that well there there is a regulation that deals with anything that does not have a season for and points would come along with that but I'll I'll pivot on that statement and say that we recognize that a person has a right to protect themselves and and protect their property and so we would be looking into that just like we would any other regulation and and to see if that action was warranted or not. Thank you thank you Mr. Thank you represent close art any other questions regarding this. A represented very. You're recognized thank you Mr. What's the the biggest violation that you have to deal with most of the time of the What's the. Number one violation addition issue. Call it that that you had to deal with that that's. Violated yeah I'm not talking about points just. What's the. Major violation that you deal with on a day to day basis I'm I'm going to pitch that to the colonel now there's there's two questions I think he'll probably answer both of those there what is the most serious violations that we still deal with and what is the most common. Yes thank you up it's it's basically it's seasonal this time of the year it's going to be your boating fishing violations over limit fish no life jackets on a boat during the fall and winter is it's going to be the having hunt license is a very common one not having or hunt license with them but the most serious ones are gonna be night hunting hunting out of season and that's that year round the hunting of the season I know officers just to just a few weeks ago or already right and pay for hunting deer out a season so that's that's that are most common ones shooting from the road is very very common but our most serious ones are gonna be not hunting and and hunting out of season Sir. I called in I ask you guys look into someone come in appreciate it on a river called you. Taking care of the problem but you know he is represented a lot of people think you can fix anything I had a call from a gentleman one time and he said the I've been charged with killing the Turkey hill the cal my truck. He said not kill the Turkey season but I didn't shoot it out of the truck so but he had a thirty day grace par waiting period to. Whatever we call that to the. Look at that violation he extended it over the thirty day so we didn't get. A a conference or whatever but I appreciate you guys for what you do and promised that up the questions of the day. I know that my the Turkey feel better they didn't shoot out the truck let's let's move to item up to see two if there are no further questions up director item see to the spring fishing proclamation. Yes Sir this is a of an annual event that the nation wide hunting and may not fishing and boating week is is held annually across our nation we try to coincide a free fishing weekend with with that week of the governor always comes out and makes a proclamation recognizing what boating and fishing mange to our state not only from a resource standpoint but from the economic impact that it has for our state's in our in our in our different counties around the state but that's what this was I would like to add here that that was June twelfth through June fourteenth were no fishing license was required to go out and fish of we also did something a little bit unique this year as the covert started to break in people were reacting in different ways to the first news and we suspended our commissioners did voted to suspend the requirement for a fishing license for the week that would have normally been spring break for all of our kids and the weekend before and after it was nine days of of a free fishing period because we as people started to cancel vacations may be going to the beach or different trips the opted to stay home and I don't know how much you all have been out this summer but every weekend on the lake looks like a holiday weekend with the number of people that are participating in boating and fishing it's it's good it warms my heart trust me as the director of the agency and we have seen a bump in fission Lysons and my guess is we're going to see a pop and hunting licenses whale but so we thank. Lee had to free fishing periods the spring one was in response to cove it and one is our traditional free Fishin weekend that we have. Any questions if not let's move to item three of this is the policy on land use around game fish lakes of baton if you would join us at the table and give us your name and title. Good morning thank you very much appreciate being here my name is Ben baton and I'm chief of fisheries for the Arkansas game and fish commission in short we own a number of lakes were we on the property we on the lake that and then we generally own some perimeter often dictated by level above sea level and we allow private landowners that own adjacent to that strip of land next door lake to own and and maintain a boat docks boat slips boat peers and things like that. And we we do that through a permit process and the change that we made in April twentieth was very simple back in October of twenty eighteen we had changed instead of doing permits year by year we change to a three year permit schedule in order to make it simpler both on our folks in on the public the only have to worry about it once every three years like about registration or something like that and so when we made that we just had one spot in our code that was a little bit unclear a little bit a language and and this change and not April was was simply to clear that up and make it clear what that three year period was. Any questions for of the Mr baton. If not thank you very much of let's move on to the wildlife regulations that were approved on may of this year. Welcome if you give your name and title we. Appreciate. Morning Mr chairman my name's Brad corner on the wall of division chief with Arkansas game and fish commission. You're recognized. Thank you Sir just a little bit of background about our general hunting regulations process in recent years we have transition to a two year cycle so every every two years our agency initiates a process we our staff internally coordinates with partners and others to develop items of consideration for hunting regulation proposals and and then that process internally ends up for those items we solicit public input on those and and then ultimately bring those four to our commissioners make formal proposals have a thirty day a formal public comment period and then by bring those items back before commission for approval and so in. in may of this year which the our our process was delayed a little bit with the cancellation of our March meeting due to the code concerns and so in in may of this year are commission approved of that A two year packet for our general hunting regulations of that packet was a large packet is if if any of you looked in your in your backup material it's I thank hundred and seventy something pages you'll notice so it was eighty four proposals of those we we intentionally looked at these from a standpoint of how can we simplify regulations clarify things that are confusing either to our staff or the public how can we provide additional opportunities open up new areas new seasons and and in some cases there were valid reasons to be more restrictive on areas so a quick summary of those eighty four proposed changes were that forty of those eighty four we were either simplifying regulations clarify and so forty eight percent were were on target to make things less confusing less restrictive we twenty six percent we were liberalizing providing more opportunity and then twenty six percent we were placing additional restrictions were we felt they were warranted to protect the resources we had an online public survey we had eight thousand six hundred and seventy one individuals comment on those proposed changes. That we brought for two or commission I am not intending to go through all AT for those proposals I will just give a for a few brief highlights of the more significant changes and and then we'll address any questions that that you all might have one of the big changes that that we're excited about is implementing a quota system for private lands alligator hunts that occur in late September a previously those private land permits had been a limited draw so only a very limited number of individuals were able to participate we have to insure that we're not over harvesting those populations and so now we have transition to a quota system that unlimited number of individuals can obtain a a permit and then the the hunt will stop once the quota is met that Meares how we of handled our our private lands L. cuts in recent years so that this will provide of an exponential increase an opportunity for for individuals with permission on private land to harvest alligators. we've increased our bear quota in the Ozarks in bears on one due to to continued increasing bear numbers an expansion of that bear population we've increased our quota there from three hundred and forty to the five hundred bears we did a major overhaul of our Turkey regulations we we took our eighteen turkeys owns and combined those into two to greatly simplify that process we made we did make some restrictive changes their due to concerns over our Turkey population and continued a downward trends and and poor reproduction that we've seen over a number of years within and so we had some restrictions there we restricted the harvest a beard hands are no longer legal you'll only allowing one bird to be harvested on each wildlife management area it said so there were some restrictions with their Turkey seasons but we feel that those are warranted and we did have five focus group meetings with avid Turkey hunters and and and stakeholders to discuss those before these even moved forward as proposals we made some revisions and and simplifications to our dear zones and and combined a number of our tears owns reducing those from twenty five to twenty to simplify the this season structure in process for the public. We we did implement not opened up nineteen additional W. Macy's for use deer hunting opportunities to provide more youth youth opportunities there in addition to to Debbie amaze for youth a Turkey had an opportunity we did add two new counties to our chronic wasting disease management zone those being independence and Jackson counties. And of the last one that I would mention we had a a number of of those proposals that were approved in may did include some changes to our captive wildlife regulations as we have been working relate for about a two year process to overhaul our captive wildlife regulations Again that is centered at it trying to be less restrictive where we can in implementing the a a fairly rigorous species of valuation so that we are not you know and we've less and restrictions on many species that were included in this packet some were we've decided that there to be permitted in and we had a few that were listed on a prohibited last for their significant concerns whether it's public health of concerns to what disease reus invasiveness it cetera so that that is a very high level overview of that entire hundred and seventy four page packet that the commission approved in may and indeed any questions that you all have about specifics all I'll be happy to address Senator hammer you're recognized. I'm just curious you brought it up this many go that you opened up nineteen I think you said more W. made for the Yukon with you know leasing land to go honey on is getting quite pricey and with also bigger blocks of land be sold to private hunting clubs which is a putting more pressure on the W. M. Asian what do you do to analyze what the future looks like to make sure that there's enough room in the W. made for everybody to hide or we getting over populated in the W. mace. So yes we do. That that's a great question we do we do look at that or we have a a limited number of areas where we require a permit so that we can control numbers during major seasons like modern gun deer season and muzzle loader and and spring Turkey seasons but really that's on a minority number of our total Debbie Amazin that that's areas that we know from previous experience that they're incredibly popular and and if without some means to control numbers they do become crowded and potentially unsafe but the others you'll well over half of our W. mais have unlimited access is far as it's open to anyone with a hunting license it cetera so of you know we we closely monitor participation on those areas whether it's through coordination with local enforcement officers and how many people they're seeing on the ground it cetera you know we feel like there's opportunity for more users particularly whether it's small game hunting in those sorts of things of water fell hunting we have done. Our relief for four years we've done a survey eighties every weekend of water fell season and one week day during waterfall season on two of our largest W. maze to get a handle on number of users out there and and from running those numbers in that for years of data even even waterfowl hunting on public land on those most popular Debbie Amazin those being by made at W. may and I've Donaldson Black River we feel that that those are not overcrowded based on the numbers of that for years of data so That's not to say that one spot on a given day that there there may be what someone might seem to think is overcrowded but we feel that there's space we we are working you mention leases and and and not a lot of people realize that our agency annually leases two hundred ninety thousand acres of private mostly timber company property to provide public hunting opportunity public hunting access in parts of the state where there is little otherwise little public land and so our agency is spending one point six million dollars a year in annual leases to provide almost three hundred thousand additional acres of public land for public Connors so that that's a long answer to your question Sir but uh and I still think generally speaking all of our data and everything that we've been analyzing and reviewing suggests that there is still space and in in most places nothing that's an alarming indication to us that that's causing concern at this time. Can I follow Mr. Do I have a choice yes go ahead go ahead senator. Thank you Sir. The price that you're paying to lease up land is it comparable to what the average hunter pays are you all paying above market rate because what I one one see happen is what your doing game and fish pain above rate drives out you know drives because timber lands L. they'll set price here and if they get over here they're awesome they're gonna squeeze out these guys over here they're want not so what about what what's the rate that you're paying yes Sir act actually in in most every case we are paying well below market rate and and are working in conversation and dialogues with with some of the larger landowners two to work out plans to to maintain eight a discounted rate of. For those lands so not no Sir we we are not. Driving up the price but paying above market it it's quite quite the opposite good I thank you bye Mr. Of. Represent okay Senator Stubblefield. Thank you Mr chairman of chi corner you mentioned that there was a decline in the Turkey population I don't remember if it was declined and of my or female or what but how much of that decline is to. specifically to feral hogs and exactly where are we in the and this war that we waged on for a long. And the. So for your first question there the our our decline in Turkey numbers have have been a a little a little long precipitous decline over the past fifteen plus years that decline is not only been evident here in Arkansas but across almost every other southeastern state and and the reasons for those declines are probably that that is a long list of of reasons it it primarily goes back to poor reproduction and and that's a combination of increased rainfall much wider springs in recent years there's probably some impacts from predation and of season structure can have impacts which led us to the changes that we made specific to your question about feral hogs is that there is really a a minimal amount of evidence to show or to quantify the the impacts that feral hogs have undoubtedly they would you'll destroy any ness that they came across but you'll see it in but there are a lot a lot of other species that also per date Turkey nest everything from black rat snakes the armadillos to crows to recommends and opossums specific deferral hogs it it's probably pretty small to your question about overall were we at with feral hog control. I will say that that I think the state as a whole is beginning to make significant grounds and and I'll point back to the state for a whole task force that Representative hammer and others were influential and and the state legislature establishing a few years ago and and that continues to operate under the leadership of the secretary of agony and and our agency and then seventeen partners working to advance those efforts a notable achievements over the past year so you know that for a whole task force and with Arkansas nature resources commission and lead submitted for request for funding to the State Farm bill do the federal farm bill and received about three million dollars in federal funding to work in some pilot counties to put additional trappers through the county conservation districts and also through of the federal USDA aphis while of services to put additional trappers on the ground that that process was delayed a little bit but there are now beginning to be boots on the ground in some of those counties to trap hogs on private lands that's where we have to have the impact ninety percent of the state is privately owned if we are to be successful in controlling feral hogs we have to make significant progress on private land so we continue on on our commission down land we're annually trapping around six thousand hogs a year off of our wildlife management areas and some of joining private lands but the work of the feral hog task force and putting more effort into controlling on private land is is making progress and we are having discussions there's the potential for another round of federal funding in coming up in the next few months and and the frog task forces working. To to develop additional proposals to try to bring in additional federal dollars to expand the scope of of that work that's already been started. You're just one follow up brief okay. You know how much is a what the total is the amount of money we spend every year in this reading cation process. I would including federal fund. I do not have those numbers as far as the federal funds at I know our agency if it was you know probably close. Staff time it said I mean it it's your own three quarters of a million dollars or so six from our agency but that's a small part again that's not how much federal funds on top of this three quarters of a million. Those are all state state dollars up again I'm just speaking for our agency for Arkansas game and fish the the feral hog initiative is led by the task force under secretary of agriculture in an Arkansas natural resources commission you know that they would be better able to answer that that holistic question of federal dollars are you so we spent more than three quarters of a million replicating six thousand hogs is that would that be accurate. US. Staff time and and traps and resources correct yes alright thank you Mr chairman. Representative rye you're recognized. Thank you thank you Mr chair guys I've got three or four situations that I'd like to bring up in it it very well Aphex. Senator Blake in and senator Ingram two in its dealing with the delta area of the state and I have noticed over the past couple years that you've had less rabbits. Last revocation okay and I just wonder if that could be traced to the herbicides or could it be that we've had a lot of dredging of our of our streams or rivers like St Francis river this you know across the side of the state and and you know once you do that you're actually taken a lot of trees away from the the size of of the rivers that are running through those areas and I just wonder if that would not have some impact to own owner game that used to be a twenty five thirty thirty five years ago that was you know available at a you know a big time way could you all kind of give us some answers on that yes Sir so in which you mention the St Francis river and I mean I I I grew up I'm from Lake City in eastern Craighead county so I'm St Francis rivers near and dear to my heart but each time I go back home to visit my parents they're they're more and more fence rows that have been cleared and its banks that are clean now and and with really cleaner more efficient farming practices all of that cover that that supported rabbit populations and quail populations that to a large extent that has been eliminated and so the impact is that those of species in there there's a list of of of even non game birds quail rabbit I mean that those have impacts to all of those so I I think what we're seeing now with with declining rabbit numbers in some areas is is largely due just to a decline in amount of available habitat and cover for those animals and with less cover their more susceptible whether it's to predation from hawks or whatever it might be cathodes it centers so thank you really points back to just. The a decline in available habitat which is goes back to the importance of of some of the farm bill programs that that helped to reestablish some cover in places feel borders buffer strips it cetera but it it it is a concerning trend with a lot of our of our small game and and non game species. Follows please. Has the yes Hey guys I just wonder if you do the eighty year for say if anything in the near future especially in the rivers owns of having some type of program for trees or something like that that you know could actually start helping us again with the game this in those areas that there have been significant accomplishments made through and in most all of this points back to the federal farm bill Programs like the wetland reserve easement or wetland reserve program that that takes properties reestablishes trees plant you know forced restoration there of some of the conservation reserve program has practices for planting of of filter strips and and buffers to to reestablish cover in those areas so there are programs and funding available in some parts of the state which those are voluntary so you it has to be a willing landowner that's wanting to do that and so there has been in parts of the state where those programs and practices have been better received than others and and we have made significant impacts there's over three hundred thousand acres in the state has been reforested and that and that is all within farm country over three hundred thousand acres in the state that went into the wetland reserve program so that took out marginal crop land that was prone to flood and reestablish trees on those acres so that that's some significant gains but there's there's still more more room but a particular area and the and the lack of involvement there may be due to you know landowner's simply not being willing or as agreeable to to enroll in lands in in those programs but we there are programs available and we have a staff of eleven private lands biologist that are there to work with private landowners to try to address some of those resource concerns. US senator Bledsoe you're recognized thank you Mr chair you mention the word invasive which brought to my mind the un Asian carp and couple years ago we had the very vigorous debate on that can you bring me up to date on what you've done about that and how you've control that and I remember some of the policy decisions and I guess where they effective so I'm not asking the right person. And I will quickly tag out so for invasive species your for hogs is one I mean there there there's a whole list but your specific question about Asian carp it is of a fisheries question that I'm I'm let been baton kinda address that specifically alright thank you been I should a basket earlier maybe no problem thank you I appreciate the question are your question I think of I understand was have we been successful in in some of the and I will say on the Asian carp front at this moment in time yes because as I'm aware of we we don't have any new major infestations especially at that time we were we're very worried and and still are worried about our some or major recreational corps of engineers lakes large lakes and things like that but I will say an invasive nuisance species acquired means a species is about a we're going to fight the rest of my career and beyond and plants are are a major problem in south Arkansas we've got a lot of of a nuisance species vegetation that's moving around but as of right now to to that issue that you're talking about no I considered sex success because we have not had any major changes or major movements A what about those lakes that already have the Asian carp have you had any success with. Getting rid of them or I'm. Not not yet but I will say I'm I'm very optimistic Congress and their last budget increased funding around the country by about fourteen million dollars and we expect over the next couple of fiscal years to see at least about eight hundred thousand go into research and revocation efforts for Asian Kerr where they're established in our major river systems so I'm optimistic that we're gonna how we find they're getting some resources from the federal and to to maybe start moving this battle for well if you want more help just put out the head video again that. That I saw a few years ago in and I live in Rogers and beaver lake it's pretty important to us and I think I had a few nightmares about the and they sit species getting in to beaver lake so anyway I'm glad to hear that report thank you thanks and thanks for your support on that issue. Of back to the feral hog the issue that I had somebody that tax that ask we know what we're spending do we have any figure all what one feral hog does annually damage in our state. And no Sir we the last estimates I believe date all the way back to two thousand fourteen data that there's annually nineteen million dollars worth of damage just to agriculture row crop agriculture in the state and so that would not include damage to pastures and and and other force lands it cetera so that that that's just just a figure and and that is a little bit dated but that was the most recent data available for Arkansas was nineteen million dollars a year okay thank you up Representative group. Yes yes thank you chairman of our question is about Canadian geese is a nuisance over at lake Hamilton in hot springs and get a lot of calls from constituents not only on the lake but even all properties on pond where the the geese are leaving a lot of waste and they're also concerned about the waste in the water and what that will call time of read the the preservation permit requirement for I'm assuming they can be trapped and removed if you remove the grease they can fly back pretty quick and had to be released within twenty four hours what's the game if issues is that take on that or tell me a little bit about that so Canada geese are course their their migratory birds so ultimately they're regulated by the US fish and Wildlife Service and and efforts options for landowners to either harassed or or to seek a depredation permit four Canada geese ultimately has to flow back through the US fish and Wildlife Service the USDA aphis wall of services staff also assist with that around the state of you're correct that that actually moving those birds with them being how A mobile unable to return usually moving relocating birds is just honestly not not a and a a good option and and rarely I would I would stop short of saying never but day it's just almost never successful and so things like harassment there there's a period where they go through a mold and they're flat less usually during late June they're they're molding losing feathers replacing those and and it's at those periods that there because most of the problems whether congregated in there really not mobile and once they are able to fly which they should be now once you know the first couple weeks of July. They're they're able to fly again that if there's some harassment it will usually move them somewhere else temporarily we have early seasons the fission Wallace service allows us to have an early Canada goose season the entire month of September with a by much larger bag limit you can you can harvest five of those a day at that time and so we really encourage people if they're outside of the a community outside of the city and they have opportunity to to actually try to harvest a few of those that is is highly effective at getting those birds to to move and and to disperse elsewhere but that that's kind of the the take on that it some disturbance particularly during that period that they're flightless is is most effective. Follow. And is there any regulations you know the part of the problem is called by Rick my residence feeding those keys so that they become residences sure anything about that right and so that it goes back to kind of an education process that when when we receive those calls like said a lot of them we we pass along to the USDA aphis staff in state and they have staff around the state that respond to those but part of it is is an assessment of of our other issues that are causing them to to congregate more and and feeding is definitely a problem and so we uh it try to educate folks and and whether it's placing signs or whatever around the areas so that yeah feeding is discouraged any anything that's going to to make the problem worse and so part of that with dealing with the issue is is an education process with either the land owners of the individuals around whether it's a golf course you'll community swimming area whatever it is is is trying to young educate everyone on ways to to mitigate and minimize the the congregation in the impacts thank you up next is represented Burch. And not you what's been up Bragg it the please come back. Mr baton would you come back. Thank you thank you Mr chair. Thank you so you sort of open the door to this and then scurried back to the seat so sorry to bring back but I appreciate your willingness to talk about invasive vegetation and south Arkansas see I know Grampus in Wallace's were issues that were dealt with not too long ago and there was a concern about or a a problem with contracting for the folks that could a radic Kate that so the sprayers the particular people that were expert in doing that that resolved we have any in house folks are doing that I think we were even looking out of state for someone at one time yeah I believe at this moment as of this fiscal year that just started that we have five contractors that we have a a type of contract I can't speak to the exact details of our fiscal folks are here if you need any more to go but we have five folks we can call and and the way the contractor in they must be on site and and sprain within five days so we're very responsive right now we we've gotten through most of those challenges we early at two to three years ago we had some significant issues with being able to be timely about it and the thing is some of these things can you know increased by forty percent in a week or something like that so we we've got Grandison Wallace back under control we still have so we're more maintenance spring there and and I feel like that's what we're doing in most place but yeah we're response of the contracting issues are resolved and and we're able to. do a better job staying had fallen Mr. Yes Sir along the lines of the maintenance there was another issue how far out to do a contract to be able to maintain that how far out do you contractor is that just a reactive whenever we hear or go check on it we can't see. I'm not sure a hundred percent I understand the question we we have these folks for for the entire fiscal year they're on contract that at any time we but I our folks monitor the vegetation issues and or we are response of many times you know the public's out there every day all over the place so a lot of times it'll be just like our wildlife officers or anything else we get a call from the public Hey this is getting out of hand could you come have a look we'll assess and then and then Collins prayers and contractors as necessary I guess that and that's my concern being so reactive which is great that you can be so quickly reacted now but. By now you can have a pattern are you have a history of what some of these issues are in some of these lakes do you have somebody that's that sprays we know that every spring we're gonna do that we and looking at doing that was an issue before perhaps it was because of the individual contractors and that was difficult to to maintain them there was also some kind of fiscal issue with projecting out how long there could be a a proactive contract with someone I do not believe that that that is an issue at this point and and yes there's a lot of seasonality to the spraying you know there's basically once water temp it's sixty five in the spring stuff to starts taking off and and we're ready to go like I said we're ready for for for now through next fiscal year and at the end of this fiscal year will be preparing the contract for the next year so I I believe all those issues that should not be a problem well just as a thank you very much Sir heard recently that grandpa so so much better so thank you Representative Watson you're recognized. Thank you Mr chair. Director fits colonel ray of recently. You guys were call to assist in the unrest in the. Downtown little rock I just want to say it does not go unnoticed your agency is in my words is somewhat selective enforcement we thank you for all the officers for the works they do do in the field and for all of our a biologist but I just wanna say thank you for being called upon your wildlife officers or certified police officers of they are trying to a city and state please highway police a little rock PT sure would whoever north little rock but again yelp at the met the challenge we your call upon I just wanna make sure that thanks goes to you guys and When your as to show of the audit more the show up it was will say thank you for all the work of the. Thank you up next item is C. five. Red you want to speak to it please yes Sir of this particular item was approved by our commission and June of this year and the one item the vehicle restrictions on W. Mays it it was an item that was pulled from our larger regulations packet in may for additional discussion and public comment and and it really pertain to the use of the box OR electric bicycles on our wildlife management areas and ultimately after a lot of discussion a lot of a coordination with our partner agencies both federal and state were and input from the public we know that what originated here was that with the growing. Popularity of the box that we quickly realized over the course of the previous year that are regulations currently did not speak to the use of electric bicycles on our wildlife management areas and so we we as we entered that process realize that we had to be specific to clarify whether they were allowed or not and and what was approved by June of our commission in June allowed the the use of the class one electric bicycle and and it's defined there there's kind of a standard three classes of of those bicycles and and this allows the use of the class one bicycle anywhere a traditional bicycle is allowed on our commissioned owned while I've management areas that supported an important distinction that many many of our what management areas around the state are owned by other agencies with there is the US for service US army corps of engineers US fish and Wildlife Service and so this regulation applies to the three hundred and eighty two thousand acres that the Arkansas game and fish commission owns and so this allows class one bass electric bicycles on anywhere that a traditional bicycle is allowed which is anywhere on that three hundred eighty two thousand acres of in this is consistent with other. Other agencies as best we can be and but it's a it's still the class two and class three are considered motorized bicycles or motorized vehicles and would be restricted to to where motorized vehicles are allowed we did have individuals with this additional input we heard from from the other side where you know concerns over conflicts with hunting groups we had four different individuals that spoke at our commission meeting concerns about interference and impacts with horseback riders it centers so we felt like this struck a balance with providing use by some but restricting some use the other the captive wildlife codes there that were in that June packet was just continuing to add species to those various less as our team evaluates each of those various species that we were coming back before the commission adding more to both the unrestricted permitted and prohibited lest and I'll having any entertain any questions on that item I don't see any questions if not let's move on to item six of veteran an active duty military water file hunt special youth waterfowl hunting season all right very very quickly here last year the US fish and Wildlife Service which state ultimately have oversight over all migratory bird hunting seasons they allowed beginning last year a provision that would allow a special Tuesday hunting season waterfowl hunting season for veteran and active duty military and so we last year added that and so that it coincided and overlapped with art to special youth waterfowl hunting days we simply changed the way the. Calendar fail this year we moved for those dates from we have one day a Saturday in December the first Saturday in December and last year it was the second Saturday in February we moved that this year to this the first Saturday in December which is no change and then the first Saturday in February so that that's all that is so that is a continuation of those two special days but it overlap so that if an adult that's either veteran veteran or active duty if they have a child they can also since the youth days overlap I can also take them with them on those days so we those seem to be very popular last year we had you know nothing but but good to that good feedback from those so that simply that's that that item. Any questions if not director we appreciate your joining us today and if anybody's got a question further with they can contact. Yes what we've got one item on the back thank you all. Take up item D. discussion of law enforcement training. Thank you all would your old state your names and identify yourself and your position. Good afternoon I'm Jamie cook on the secretary for the department of public safety and I'm also the director of law enforcement standards and training. Good afternoon I'm captain Robbie roads with the Arkansas state police training and recruiting section. We had a request to sort of walk us through briefly of troops Gould the training that goes on and what all that entails. FOR the Arkansas state police troop school we have a twenty one week course and it covers all of the same topics that the state academy does in Camden we have a few more weeks added in for some of our specific things that we do but we cover every every topic that that's required by state plus a lot of others. What would you give us a of example of of it's certainly the thing that's obviously the news is everything from of of defusing situations to diversity training things like this or is that part of the curriculum yes Sir we we have a a person come in from Harding university she's a professor there an attorney and she teaches cultural diversity classes for hours for she teaches or sexual harassment class we bring in experts one dealing with mentally impaired and veterans awareness we do ethics courses we try to combine ethics in every class that we teach in some some fashion we do vice free policing in the academy and that's got continued after you get in the field that's mandatory every year that we continue to do the vice free policing course. And then our de escalation is done. Throughout every reality based scenario that we do so any anytime we do any reality based scenario traffic stops defensive tactics we combined some type of de escalation and all of those scenarios. One one last question and I'll turn over the committee for questions as far as the mental health training on the legislation that was passed how is that being incorporated now. We do we do the mental health. The throughout the lady name deb Collins comes in and she's from Henderson university and she teaches that walk force and we do Alzheimer's awareness which UAMS comes in teaches is that and Senator you referred ACT four twenty three two thousand seventeen it did require sixteen hours of crisis intervention training and and all of the academy's to be certified by the commission on law enforcement standards and training which all basic academies do have to be they have to meet those sixteen hours of a crisis intervention training in in that training it does talk about a responding to vote to to situations were persons are in crisis it focuses on de escalation it focuses on those resources to to guided that of individual from of the the criminal justice system into the the help that they need to we focus on that during those sixteen mandated hours like captain road said any all of the scenarios in reality based training be it domestic violence be it traffic stop things like that we branch all of those scenarios to have those de escalation components embedded. Questions from the committee. If not. Then I think that up we will we appreciate Charles could come in your input of sherry did you tell me that the next set regulations that are gonna be sent out. Many have many. There's two hundred different regulations that will be sent out to you all there will be each regulation with a short explanation. If one would like the entire regulation sent to home all you have to do is contact Shiri otherwise it would probably be a thousand pages that would be filed out so that would be for our next meeting anything else a missed cochair. We stand adjourned.