The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Foundation held its annual Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet Aug. 1 at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock.
The 2015 inductees are Steve Bowman, the late Joel Campora, George Dunkin Jr. and Jerry Fisk. The last Jim Gaston received the Legacy Award.
Just before the ceremony, we spoke to Gov. Asa Hutchinson about this year’s inductees.
“All have contributed something different to Arkansas,” he said, whether promoting tourism or the state’s hunting industries. “I’m thrilled they’re being inducted.”
Joe Morgan, a Game and Fish commissioner, echoed the governor’s sentiments. He said the 2015 class has been dedicated to conservation of Arkansas’ wildlife and fish, preserving it for future generations.
Bowman is an outdoor writer and editor. Campora, Wildlife Officer First Class, died while assisting victims during a severe flood in 2013. Dunklin is a past AGFC commissioner and the current chairman of Ducks Unlimited. Fisk is a master bladesmith and internationally recognized artist. Gaston played a key role in establishing trout fishing in Arkansas.
More than 1,600 people attended this year’s ceremony. Proceeds from the event support AGFC Foundation initiatives. The foundation, created in 1982, supports the commission.