The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is inviting hunters across the state to support wildlife management efforts by participating in its free Deer Hunting Observation Survey. Accessible through the AGFC smartphone app, the survey provides an easy way to document wildlife sightings during hunting trips.
Blake Sasse, Nongame Mammal Program Coordinator for the AGFC, explained that the survey initially launched in 2004 as the Bowhunters Observation Survey. At that time, it was distributed as a physical logbook to a small group of bowhunters, who submitted their observations at the end of the season. Today, the survey is fully digital and significantly streamlined, requiring just a few moments to complete after each hunting outing.
"It’s just as important to record trips when you don’t see anything as it is when you do," Sasse emphasized. "This helps us build a more accurate picture of the amount of time hunters spend in the woods compared to the number of wildlife sightings. If observations are only recorded when something is seen, it skews the data, making it harder to identify accurate habitat trends."
Hunters who wish to participate can open the AGFC app and navigate to the "Wildlife Surveys" tab, where they will find a brief table of questions. Participants document the species they encounter, ranging from game animals like deer, bear, quail, and turkey to feral hogs and other nongame species. Even when no wildlife is observed, reporting the effort itself is vital to the study.
"Most of our participants are deer hunters, and their input provides valuable insights into population trends for multiple species," Sasse said. "By combining this data with harvesting statistics and other population surveys, we can address gaps in our monitoring programs. These efforts directly support the AGFC’s ability to establish hunting and trapping seasons that ensure long-term sustainability of Arkansas’s wildlife resources."
Hunters interested in joining the initiative can download the AGFC app from the App Store or Google Play Store and begin contributing to the survey today.