Squirrel fanatics from western Arkansas claimed top honors in this year's Big Squirrel Challenge statewide squirrel-hunting contest put on by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
The contest, which had more than 600 individuals register online through the Game and Fish Facebook page, saw 75 teams bring in their results of an evening and morning hunt for gray and fox squirrels. Each team of two people was allowed to bring in three field-dressed squirrels to be weighed. The father-son team of Jeff Armer and Aiden Armer took home the top prize with a bag limit weighing just over 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Not only did they win the statewide youth division, but they also brought in the biggest squirrels of any team statewide.
"We hunted a little Friday night, but we got most of our squirrels on Saturday after the wind stopped blowing around Van Buren," Jeff Armer said. "We got six fox squirrels and weighed in our heaviest three. Four of the six came out within 10 to 15 minutes of the wind dying down."
Armer said he and his son hunt and fish regularly and enjoy squirrel hunting fairly often.
"We're fortunate that we have access to some great private land through family and friends, and we also have great public opportunities with the Ozark National Forest right here," he said.
In the open class, Fort Smith hunters Eiichrio "Jack" and Jayden Ishii brought in the top spot behind their squirrel dog with their three squirrels weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces. In the adult class, Clayton Reano and Israel Kennedy edged out competition throughout the state with three squirrels weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces taken during the two-day event.
Winning teams weighing squirrels at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale were: youth class, Kale and Kord Jackson; adult class, Larry Walker, Caleb Goodman; open class, Dristian Starnes, Blake Goodine.
Winning teams weighing in at the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center were: youth class, Jeff and Aiden Armer (statewide winners); adult class, Eiichrio and Jayden Ishii (statewide winners); open class, Clayton Reno, Israel Kennedy (statewide winners).
The top three teams at each of the eight weigh-in locations received medals featuring an acorn to remember the event. The overall winners in each division also received a pair of Gamo Swarm hunting air rifles and a special engraved Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun.
"We had a good response from participants, and in many places hunters were hanging out after the weigh-in talking about getting together for future hunts and exchanging phone numbers," said Eric Maynard, Game and Fish assistant chief of education. "We also had quite a few hunters who harvested their first squirrel this year and received First Squirrel certificates."