BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — Arkansas' bear history and hunting community celebrated at the 3rd annual Black Bear Bonanza.
The event hosted at the Benton County Fairgrounds saw over 600 participate in ancient hunting lectures, butchering demonstrations, and even an owl hoot contest. Organizers say they're celebrating the most successful reintroduction of a large carnivore anywhere in the world.
"Arkansas back in the 50s and 60s brought black bears back from basically not being anywhere in Arkansas. And now we got thousands and thousands of them," said James Brandenburg of Arkansas Backcountry Hunter and Anglers.
According to the Arkansas Chapter website, the organization's priorities fall into three categories.
- Recruiting and welcoming new hunters and anglers
- Protection of access to public lands and waters
- Engagement with legislators, state agencies, and other conservation organizations
"We've got black bears on the landscape here in Arkansas, they live in wild places, which we need to protect, keep our access to those wild public places so we can get out there and hunt fish. And you know, more than anything, just let people know that hunting and fishing is a natural thing to do out here in Arkansas, and we all love to do it," Brandenburg said.
Brandenburg says the growth of the Black Bear in Arkansas has also expanded into Missouri and Oklahoma. For Bear Zone seasons and limits, visit the Arkansas Game and Fish page.
Anyone who visited the Bonanza, whether young or old, also got the chance to participate in their "world famous" Owl Hoot Contest.
"You use your natural voice to make the sound of a barred owl. And, you know people use that for all kinds of things. The main thing that turkey hunters use it in the springtime and try to get gobblers to sound off from the roof so they know where they are," Brandenburg explained.
You can visit the Backcountry Hunter and Anglers website to learn more about their organization and next year's bonanza.
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