The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

The mission of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is to conserve and enhance Arkansas’s fish and wildlife and their habitats while promoting sustainable use, public understanding, and support.

• The AGFC was established in 1915 by the Arkansas Legislature. Concerned conservationists saw the need to manage the natural resources so that fish and wildlife would be here for public needs.
• In 1945, Arkansas voters passed Amendment 35 to the state constitution. This brought the AGFC into a system of independent regulation by a seven-member board of commissioners appointed by the governor.
• An important part of the AGFC is to enact regulations, including setting season dates and bag limits. In addition to the regulations and laws, the AGFC works to manage all wildlife of the state. These efforts have proven to work over the years. One example is the white-tailed deer population whose numbers were around 500 in the 1940s and today number over one million.
• In 1996, the voters of Arkansas passed Amendment 75. This amendment established a ⅛ of 1% sales tax for conservation. The tax revenue is shared among four state agencies: the AGFC, Arkansas State Parks, the Arkansas Heritage Commission, and the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission. The AGFC receives 45% of these funds.