Exploring the Ozarks Outdoors: freshare.net

Volunteers recently came together to take almost 170 kids from Oklahoma Children’s Hospital fishing at Lake Texoma.

Camp Cavett offers outdoor experiences to children who are undergoing treatments for illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, sickle cell anemia and other childhood illnesses, and each year anglers and boaters from across Oklahoma, Texas and even Louisiana volunteer their time and their boats to take them fishing. [more]

When National Geographic producers were looking for an expert to interview on alligator gar eating habits, they called Chris Kennedy in Cape Girardeau. Kennedy works with alligator gar as part of his duties as the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Southeast Region Fisheries Supervisor.

According to National Geographic Television’s associate producer, Abigail Pilgrim, Kennedy was one of the most passionate advocates for alligator gar they came across in their…[more]

Like big game hunting guides giving tourists a glimpse of African lions, a growing group of commercial storm chasing companies are providing people from all over the world a close look at tornadoes. Gaining in popularity since the movie Twister in 1996, these tours have become a regular part of Tornado Alley, following super cell storms and hoping to see a tornado.

While others run away from severe…[more]

It was a day to remember for Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Officer Michael Neal. Neal was honored last week for his heroics during a fierce gun battle in West Memphis. Gov. Mike Beebe presented Neal with the Medal of Valor for his actions May 20.

Beebe said Neal’s efforts to stop two gunmen who had killed two West Memphis police officers and wounded two Crittenden County…[more]

Kathryn Womack’s graduate studies at the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources into the habitats of bats is quickly going from an academic pursuit to one that may play a role in saving the nocturnal creatures from an epidemic.

In April, a deadly and still mysterious disease that has wiped out entire bat colonies in the eastern US was found in caves north of St. Louis. The…[more]

Three young Arkansas artists won their age divisions in the 2010 State-Fish Art Contest.

Taylor Phillips of El Dorado won the fourth-grade to sixth-grade division, Desirai Myers of Cabot won the seventh-ninth division and Allison Backus of Lakeview won the division for grades 10-12.

“Wildlife Forever is pleased to honor the talented young artists, educators and parents who make the State-Fish Art Contest such a successful…[more]

For the third year in a row, Stephan Richardson’s focus, talent and practice paid off when he won the Gobbling Division at the Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Turkey Calling Championships in Nashville, Tenn.

The competitions took place during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show, held Feb. 18 to Feb. 21, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

“I…[more]

Archers in the elementary and middle school divisions outshot high-school-aged competitors to take top honors in the second Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) tournament Feb. 13.

MoNASP gives students in participating schools the opportunity to shoot bows and arrows under close supervision during physical education classes. One of the program’s biggest selling points is that any student can succeed, regardless of size or athletic ability.…[more]

Competition was fierce this weekend as over 1,500 kids from 72 schools competed in the Arkansas National Archery in the Schools Program state tournament. The program is part of the National Archery in the Schools Program and is a part of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s education division. The tournament was held at Summit Arena in Hot Springs.

The archery program involves students beginning in the fourth…[more]

The newest member of the Missouri Conservation’s leadership team has practiced conservation in places as distant as Africa but formed the ambition to work in Missouri while still in college.

At the Conservation Commission meeting Jan. 28, Conservation Department Director Bob Ziehmer announced his choice of Ozark Regional Forestry Supervisor Tom Draper as the agency’s deputy director – resource management. Draper will oversee the Fisheries, Forestry, Private Land…[more]