White River National Wildlife Refuge- Friends

06/18/2026

"Closed-canopy forests provide approximately 20 to 100 pounds per acre of food, whereas open-canopy forests managed with prescribed fire often provide 500 to 1,000 pounds of deer forage per acre. Early successional openings managed with fire can provide 600 to 2,000 pounds per acre of high-quality forage"

Dr. Mark Turner studied 43 deer properties across 25 states and found “good” deer habitat may not be as good as you think. Here are two ways to make it better.

06/14/2026

06/13/2026

We couldn't have asked for better weather this morning, Saturday, June 13, for our annual Free Fishing Derby! The comfortable temperatures helped bring out one of our biggest crowds ever, with 75 amazing kids participating.

An event like this doesn't happen without a village. A massive thank you to our dedicated refuge staff and the wonderful volunteers from our Refuge Friends Group. For us, this derby is more than just a fun day by the water...it's a vital opportunity to connect with our surrounding community.

Why the Outdoors and the Refuge Matter to Kids:

First-Time Visitors: For many of these children, today was their very first time visiting the refuge. In a world where it's so easy to get caught up in endless scrolling on mobile devices and computer screens, these early outdoor experiences create lifelong bonds with nature.

Building Values: Beyond catching fish, today was a chance to teach sportsmanship, outdoor ethics, and conservation values.

First Impressions: For many kids, this was their also their first interaction with refuge personnel. We love guiding the next generation of conservationists and shaping a lifetime of positive perceptions about our public lands.

In noting the success of the event, long time refuge advocate and Refuge Friends Group volunteer Walter Jones said: "Providing these positive early experiences creates a lifelong bond between kids and the outdoors. It's our best opportunity to teach sportsmanship, ethics, and values that last a lifetime."

06/12/2026

06/10/2026

🎣 Youth Fishing Derby at the Refuge! 🎣

Join us for a free Youth Fishing Derby (ages 12 & under)!

When: Saturday, June 13th | 8:00 - 10:00 AM (Registration: 7:30 AM)

Where: The Farm Unit, near Ethel (Follow HWY 1 signs)

Bring your favorite pole! The Friends of the Refuge group, will provide refreshments and host a 10:00 AM prize drawing.

No licenses are required, but daily limits still apply.

Bonus: The pond opens to all ages after 10:00 AM through Sunday!

Need to borrow gear? Call (870) 282-8200.

As advocates for the Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge, we believe protecting our precious habitats starts with connecting the next generation to the great outdoors. To celebrate National Boating and Fishing Week, we are thrilled to support this upcoming free Youth Fishing Derby!

Teaching our kids ethical angling and a deep respect for our refuge waters ensures these wild resources remain pristine for generations of hunters, fishers, and conservationists.

See you Saturday.

🌊🐟

05/25/2026

This graphic, on display at the recent refuge public meeting, highlights one of the key proposals currently on the table: shifting the South Unit racc**n hunting season earlier. Moving the dates to a time when bottomlands are more accessible and less prone to spring flooding—while also offering a longer season—would provide more reliable c**n hunting.

The refuge needs to hear from the folks who actually use these public lands. Click the link in the comments section below to review the full details and submit your feedback!

Credit for the Graphic: Jennifer Jones

05/24/2026

DEWITT — The community building at Dewitt City Park was packed last Thursday, May 14th, following a public invitation from leaders and staff from the Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge Project Leader Pat Fitzmorris kicked off the meeting by sharing his own passion for hunting and waterfowl. He noted that his background as a Ducks Unlimited biologist was a primary reason he was drawn to this refuge.

His experience with non-profit conservation groups like DU has also driven him to foster a more collaborative relationship with local users, while stressing a vital balance:

The Core Mission: Meeting the refuge's foundational purpose of providing an inviolate sanctuary for wintering mallards.

The Sportsman's Role: Accommodating hunting and fishing opportunities whenever they aren't detrimental to that core waterfowl mission.

This meeting was a direct reflection of that approach, offering local hunters, anglers, and conservationists a seat at the table to provide input on several sweeping proposals aimed at balancing recreational access with long-term habitat protection.

But before refuge staff could dive into their scheduled agenda, the public brought their own. Several attendees quickly pointed out that discussing new rules and policies would be hollow without the means to back them up, instantly turning the floor into a serious discussion about the long-running lack of law enforcement on the refuge.

A Lone Officer for Hundreds of Thousands of Acres
Refuge staff completely acknowledged this crisis, explaining that Washington-level budget cuts across the entire National Wildlife Refuge System have left our region with just a single USFWS law enforcement officer. This lone officer is currently tasked with patrolling hundreds of thousands of contiguous acres spanning multiple refuges.

Here is a quick, summary of the proposals the refuge needs our feedback on:

1. North Unit Access (Holly Grove)
Private land sales have blocked ATV access to 8,234 acres and 29 miles of ATV trails to the general public.
Option 1: Build a 10-mile gravel road from Brown Shanty to Cut Bluff and add two ATV bridges.
Option 2: Switch the area to walk-in only.

2. Waterfowl Hunt Quality & Sanctuary
Wintering mallards are avoiding public areas due to heavy hunting pressure.
Proposal 1: Create motorless boating zones.
Proposal 2: Double the required distance between hunting parties from 100 to 200 yards.

3. Modern Gun Deer Permits
Proposal: Change the modern gun quota hunt from a lottery to a first-come, first-served system.

4. South Unit Racc**n Season
Moving the season out of December to protect wintering ducks and avoid seasonal flooding.
Option A: Shorten to an 18-day window between the autumn deer hunts (mid-Oct to early Nov).
Option B: Expand to a 45–50 day season running from September 1 through early October.

Comment Period closes Friday, May 29! To submit comments a link to the USFWS Refuge page is in the comment section below-

04/12/2026

567 refuges. 150 million acres. Bigger than Washington, Nebraska, and South Dakota combined. And it started with a handful of hunters who refused to watch it all disappear.

More than a century ago, members of the Boone and Crockett Club looked at the rapid destruction of America's fish and wildlife habitat and decided to do something about it. They spearheaded the effort to set aside areas of land and water where conservation would be the number one priority.

What they built became the National Wildlife Refuge System, one of the most ambitious conservation achievements in history. But how it all began is a story most people have never heard.
Read more: https://www.boone-crockett.org/origins-national-wildlife-refuge-system-bc-impact-series

03/31/2026