Arkansas Bowhunter

The Arkansas Bowhunter isn't a retail operation—it's a conservation platform and personal hunting journal maintained by Jim Taylor, a lifelong outdoorsman from Fort Smith, Arkansas. Taylor grew up hunting White River National Wildlife Refuge (about $2 worth of gas from Dewitt, where he was raised) and has spent decades documenting his experiences, sharing tactics, and advocating for public land protection.

Background & Experience: - BS in Marketing - 12 years in leadership roles within the hunting and archery industry - 22 years running his own successful business - 7 years on the board of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation - Recently appointed to the board of the Arkansas Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) - Board member, Friends of the Dale Bumpers White River NWR - Served as Treasurer for Arkansas Wildlife Federation and coordinated with USFWS on "Partners for Wildlife" program (earned national recognition)

This blog covers:

• •Hunting tactics for public lands including White River NWR, Arkansas WMAs, and other public hunting areas
• •Specific game including whitetail deer, elk, caribou, pronghorn, black bears, and waterfowl
• •Equipment reviews featuring brands like Baker climbing stands, Game-Getter arrows, and Savora arrow tips
• •Conservation analysis tracking threats to America's public lands and policy victories
• •Hunt logs and personal accounts dating back decades, with detailed records of locations, deer trails, and game taken
• •Public land management including detailed coverage of Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge
• •Arkansas Game & Fish updates and WMA management strategies

Taylor's most visible recent work involves fighting to protect America's 640 million acres of public land. His blog documents:

The 2025 Public Lands Battle: Taylor covered the House and Senate attacks on public lands through budget reconciliation, including Utah Senator Mike Lee's attempt to sell off 11 million acres of National Forests and BLM lands across multiple states. The effort was ultimately withdrawn after a coalition of mainstream conservation groups (National Wildlife Federation, The Wilderness Society), hunter organizations (Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Boone and Crockett Club, Ducks Unlimited), and industry leaders (REI, Patagonia) mobilized opposition.

Key advocacy positions: - Led grassroots campaign to expand Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge, collecting over 1,300 signatures in support of protecting bottomland habitat - Serves as treasurer and board member for Arkansas BHA - Advocates for the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and public input in land management decisions - Supports targeted, smart land exchanges (like Arkansas's 1993 Bumpers-era swap trading scattered Arkansas timber tracts for 41,000 acres of Potlatch bottomland connecting White River and Cache River refuges)

Popular posts include:

• •Arkansas' Top 25 Public Deer Lands – Analysis of AGFC's most productive public hunting areas
• •Wattensaw WMA – Detailed coverage of this productive public hunting area
• •5 Tactics for Refuge Whitetails – Specific strategies for hunting public refuge lands
• •White River Refuge: If You Want Easy, Don't Come Here – Honest assessment of hunting difficulty on this 41,000-acre refuge
• •History of Hunting on White River National Wildlife Refuge – Dating to 1956
• •Can You Name America's Greatest Conservation Program? – Feature on the Land and Water Conservation Fund
• •The Real Reason You Aren't Allowed to Take Feral Hogs on WMAs – Policy analysis with personal hunting photos
• •Colorado Hail Bowhunt – Personal hunt account from September 2009

• •Arkansas Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (Board Member)
• •Arkansas Wildlife Federation (Former 7-year board member)
• •Friends of the Dale Bumpers White River NWR (Board Member)
• •Arkansas Bowhunters Association
• •National Wildlife Federation network

Taylor has documented interviews with refuge managers like Patrick Fitzmorris (Project Leader of Dale Bumpers White River NWR), who brings experience from Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, Tewaukon NWR in North Dakota, and seven years with Ducks Unlimited.