The Peak Ambitions of the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation

Deke Whitbeck, executive director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, wants people to know his organization is more than just “hooks and bullets.”

While the foundation was formed in 1982 to work alongside the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to promote hunting, fishing and conservation, it has grown to become an innovative organization that ensures there are accessible, quality outdoor recreational and educational opportunities in our state.

“The outdoors is the lifeblood of every Arkansan, and I truly believe there is so much to learn from being immersed in nature,” Whitbeck says. “We may not all grow up with the same connection to the outdoors, but to me, it’s so important to ensure that all Arkansans have access to experience the excitement and wonder of the great outdoors, as only nature provides.”

It’s a calling the AGFC and AGFF face head-on together.

“Our mission is two-fold: conservation of natural resources and bringing them to the people of Arkansas,” AGFC Director Austin Booth says. “The foundation is our important partner in both. The foundation has been instrumental in providing funding for many AGFC projects and recruiting the next generation of Arkansas outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen.”

Whitbeck points to studies that show a connection to nature helps reduce stress and anxiety while improving focus and attention, and he often ruminates on what author Richard Louv calls “nature-deficit disorder,” describing how digital devices have increasingly brought people, especially young people, indoors over the last two decades.

The AGFC and AGFF seek to reverse this trend.

“Eliminating barriers to outdoor access and enhancing agency education initiatives and outreach programs has historically been a key focus of our foundation,” Whitbeck says. “Our rallying call is to get Arkansans ‘unplugged and engaged in the outdoors.’”

Accessibility & Alliances

One way the AGFF is making sure the outdoors is available to all is by teaming up with the Simmons First Foundation and the AGFC to improve outdoor accessibility for people with mobility concerns.

This initiative includes a $60,256 donation from the Simmons First Foundation to fund adaptive recreation equipment like off-road electric wheelchairs equipped with rubberized tracks.

According to Whitbeck, the chairs “will allow users to navigate different types of terrain, making it possible for mobility-impaired individuals to fully enjoy activities like hunting, shooting and angling.”

The AGFC is also looking to add other adaptive gear for fishing, archery, hunting and paddling that would be available for use at its nine nature centers. ADA-compliant fishing piers and trails at AGFC facilities are future goals of the foundation for even more inclusivity.

Across the state, the AGFF collaborates with high schools and community groups to carry out habitat enhancement projects. One project, for example, saw Cedarville High School students working with the city of Fort Smith and the AGFC to build and implement fish habitat structures in Lake Fort Smith.

Biologists in the fisheries division devised the idea to create a public-private sector partnership that would benefit student learning and the agency simultaneously. Whitbeck says it’s a good way for students to learn the many different specialties within the field of conservation, whether it be biology or another subject area students might choose to pursue after graduation.

“It’s a great example of how we’re breaking down barriers and giving students hands-on experiences to discover the wonders of nature and fostering a deeper connection to the outdoors,” Whitbeck says. “I think it’s a fantastic idea, and I hope it can be a blueprint for other areas of Arkansas.”

Gains for Game Wardens

In 2021, the foundation began raising money for equipment and resources not covered in the annual budget for game wardens in the state. This gear allows them to protect natural resources and enforce wildlife regulations more effectively. The program has raised more than $425,000 and has allowed game wardens to purchase decoys, e-bikes, drones and more to assist in the carrying out of their duties.

“The needs in northwest Arkansas could be completely different from the needs in southeast Arkansas just because of different terrains or different activities people are doing in those cities,” Whitbeck says. “We go out and visit with each captain and get them involved, and they come back to us with their needs.”

“Through this program, the game wardens have access to equipment they could otherwise only dream about,” says Dr. Hayden Franks, chair of the AGFF board. “We recently received a grant from Attorney General Tim Griffin for $250,000 that will really jumpstart this important program. Through this program, Arkansans can donate and know their dollars will stay locally in their area to enhance the game wardens’ ability to deliver top notch service.”

This year, the organization is rolling out a new backer membership program, which aims to bring together community leaders and businesses across every AGFC enforcement district to support the “Get It for Game Wardens” initiative. An annual $1,000 membership fee plays a crucial role in providing funding for new equipment, and members will receive logo-branded merchandise and a newsletter to keep them up to date on the program.

Arkansas Outdoor Society

The Arkansas Outdoor Society was founded in 2018 to introduce new people, specifically young adults, to the outdoor experience.

“If you didn’t grow up with exposure to the outdoors, it can be pretty intimidating,” Whitbeck says. “There are barriers to entry, and the AOS aims to teach new outdoor skills and experiences to others.”

The AOS is a community based on sharing knowledge and building skills.

“Let’s say, for example, I grew up duck hunting with my family, but I’ve never been fly fishing. You grew up on the Little Red River, but don’t know the first thing about duck hunting,” Whitbeck explains. “That’s what these events are all about — AOS members working together to share their knowledge through mentored experiences so that others can not only learn a new skill, but pass along one to someone else.”

Corporate & Personal Giving

The foundation’s corporate partnership program is a mutually beneficial initiative that supports the AGFF while giving companies tailored brand exposure opportunities. These include recognition and appearances on AGFC promotional materials, events and media shared with Arkansans who share a passion for the outdoors

“It was designed through a marketing lens allowing for a partnership with companies seeking to sponsor specific agency programs that align with their marketing strategies and goals,” Whitbeck says.

Corporate partners can collaborate with the AGFC on initiatives such as sponsorships, cause-marketing campaigns and employee engagement projects. AGFC’s popularity and brand recognition boosts company visibility, while the financial support helps AGFC continue outdoor activities for future enthusiasts.

For donors with particular passions, the Impact Fund allows the opportunity to dedicate contributions to specific areas of interest, including wildlife habitat restoration and research projects. Each donation can be increased through the fund’s matching programs, which often reach ratios as high as 3-to-1.

“Recently, through a partnership with the Midway USA Foundation and the AGFC, the foundation was able to turn $500,000 into $3 million in one year,” AGFF Vice President Thomas Shurgar says. “That gift will now disperse 5% annually in perpetuity for the benefit of the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports program.”

These funds will be used to expand training seminars and classes for coaches, improve access to shooting facilities and fund additional equipment.

But for Booth, one area stands above the rest.

“I am most proud of the foundation’s Leaving a Legacy initiative,” he says. “It’s one thing to come to an event and bid on auction items, but we keep hearing from people that they want to have a more lasting impact, and the program provides people with that opportunity. It’s tailored around the commission’s three highest priorities: habitat, recreation and access.”

This program offers various planned gift options that correspond with the donors’ interests and resources. Planned gifts can come in many forms, such as living wills or trusts, legacy endowments, gifts of securities, gifts of personal or real estate property, retirement plan assets, annual fund membership program, capital gifts, memorials and honorariums, gifts in-kind and corporate matching gifts.

“The foundation simply offers a wide array of opportunities for people to align their generosity with their passion for the outdoors,” Whitbeck says, underlining AGFF’s purpose of connecting the namesake of The Natural State with those who enjoy and revere it.

“Arkansans are genuine, generous and deeply committed to being part of the solution in conserving our state’s natural spaces for generations to come.”

Learn more about the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation at agff.org.