Corps provides winter campsites
Winter camping is available at several parks on Beaver Lake and on the White River below Beaver Dam. Sites may be reserved at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. All payments will be made online or over the phone.
Camping is available on the lake at these parks: Lost Bridge North, Prairie Creek, Horseshoe Bend and War Eagle. Dam Site River park below Beaver Dam is also open for winter camping.
Trail run funds scholarships
New Life Ranch will host its third annual Flint & Steel Trail Run at 7 a.m. Saturday. There are virtual and in-person race options on camp property, Flint Creek, at 160 New Life Ranch Drive, Colcord, Okla.
Proceeds from the race will be directed to the Mission 19:14 Scholarship fund that provided over $400,000 in scholarships for kids from the five-state area last summer.
Register for the race at newliferanch.com/flintandsteel. For questions, contact Shelby Mooty, race director, shelby@newliferanch.com.
Trails closed for hunt
Most trails at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will close Wednesday through Sunday for the park's permit modern gun deer season. The hunt is by permit only and permits have already been awarded. At 12,000 acres, Hobbs is Arkansas' largest state park and the only state park that allows hunting.
Funds aid water quality
Some landowners in the Beaver Lake watershed may be eligible for funding assistance to conduct voluntary agricultural conservation practices that protect water quality. Over $2 million in federal funding has been allocated to assist landowners in the Brush Creek and Roberts Creek watersheds in Madison and Washington counties. These are part of the larger Beaver Lake watershed.
For details contact the Beaver Watershed Alliance, info@beaverwatershedalliance.org or call 479-750-8007.
Park open for catch, release
Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Mo. is open for catch and release trout fishing.
Fishing is with flies only. Anglers may fish Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the second Monday in February. All trout must be released. A Missouri fishing license and annual trout permit are required.
Consider DU membership
Waterfowl enthusiasts may enjoy a gift membership in Ducks Unlimited, a leading waterfowl conservation organization in North America, for a holiday gift.
A one-year membership is $35. It includes a subscription to the Ducks Unlimited magazine, website access, event announcements and a Ducks Unlimited fleece pullover. Visit ducks.org for information.
Naturalists seek trainees
Applications are being accepted for Northwest chapter of Arkansas Master Naturalists training for new members. Classes start in late January preparing for graduation in May. Naturalists in training classes will occur via Zoom, with approximately 50 hours of virtual lectures and interpreted hike videos, with time allowed for discussion.
To graduate to full Master Naturalist status, one must attend a minimum of 40 hours classroom and field instruction. Cost is $135 for the training and materials plus $30 annual dues. Cost is $80 for an additional household member if materials are shared. To become a certified Master Naturalist, members must complete eight hours of continuing education and volunteer 40 hours annually.
Visit www.nwamn.org for more information and a link to an online application.
Study looks at small lakes
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has completed electrofishing studies on Bob Kidd, Elmdale and Lincoln lakes, reports Jon Stein, district fisheries supervisor.
Results show that Bob Kidd Lake has good numbers of big redear sunfish. Lake Elmdale has the most sunfish. Staff netted 1,000 bluegill and redear sunfish in one hour of electrofishing. Lincoln Lake contains some trophy largemouth bass.
With electrofishing, fish are stunned with electric current, netted, measured and released unharmed. Fishing should be good this fall as water temperatures cool, Stein said.