Wildlife steward appointed
Beebe names Harrison exec Reeves to Game and Fish Commission.
Gov. Mike Beebe appointed Ken Reeves, 65, of Harrison to the state Game and Fish Commission on Wednesday, citing Reeves’ love for hunting and fishing and his commitment to mentoring young sportsmen.
Reeves’ seven-year term expires June 30, 2020. He is the first Harrison resident to be appointed to the commission since Dr. Ralph Bowers, who served from 1972-79. Hilary Jones, who served from 1979-86, was from the nearby Boone County community of Pruitt. He replaces Ronald Pierce of Mountain Home on the seven-member commission.
A University of Arkansas at Fayetteville graduate, Reeves is a vice president and general counsel for FedEx Freight in Harrison. He is an Arkansas Army National Guard veteran and has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited.
Beebe said the commission, which was meeting at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in Little Rock, is a dedicated group that preserves the state’s heritage of hunting, fishing and conservation, and that Reeves fits that mold.
“Ken has a keen understanding that we are here as stewards of the folks we currently represent, but also stewards of folks that we will never know 20, 30, 100 years from now that will need and want to enjoy Arkansas, the Natural State,” Beebe said.
He said Reeves is an ardent hunter and angler. He hunts squirrels, rabbits, upland birds, deer and turkey, but Beebe said Reeves also loves fishing for bass at Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes.
“Ken Reeves, who I have known since law school, has the same attributes we’re talking about: a love of the outdoors, the ability to get out and put a line in the water and try to shoot that elusive turkey,” Beebe said.
“He has that judgment, and he brings the additional attribute of a legal education and the analytical thought process that a legal education
actually helps develop. He is a leader in his community. He has character and judgment that fits nicely with other folks on the commission.”
Beebe also noted that Reeves might be the first wildlife violator to be appointed to the commission. He received a citation about 40 years ago in Searcy County for hunting with an unlicensed bird dog.
“When I got this ticket, the Game and Fish was broke, and they were trying to find any way they could to make money,” Reeves said. “They passed this $1 license for bird dogs. I told the officer, ‘ Had you been with me this morning, you wouldn’t write me a ticket because you’d have seen that dog hasn’t been hunting,’” Reeves quipped.
Fighting back tears, Reeves talked about fishing and hunting with his father, as well as with family members and friends during his youth. He said those experiences helped shape and define his values.
“This is an honor because it gives me an opportunity to give something back for the good times and the good memories that came my way through the outdoor opportunities I’ve enjoyed in Arkansas,” Reeves said. “Hunting and fishing have been a very big part of my life, and those pursuits led me to relationships with some of the finest men I’ve ever met.”
Evolving trends in society and technology have separated children from the outdoors to a great degree, Reeves said. He said he hopes to continue to enhance commission programs that influence youth to embrace outdoor recreation.
“It troubles me when I see children running around with their fingers wrapped around electrical devices,” Reeves said. “I’d rather see them wrapped around BB guns and fishing poles, to help them see that the virtual outdoors does not compare to the real outdoors.”
Reeves recalled his first rifle, a .22-caliber Remington Nylon 66 that his father gave him for Christmas at age 10.
“That’s all I wanted,” Reeves said. “They cost $49.99, and my dad was making $50 a week then. I got pajamas and two pairs of socks. I already figured out there wasn’t a box under the tree that would hold a Nylon 66, and I guess my lip was stuck out pretty far. Both of my brothers got something they asked for. Finally, my dad said, ‘ Ken, reach under the couch and see if there’s anything else under there.’
“It turns out that Dad found one at Alpena Hardware for $25, but the guy still had the box, so it was like brand new to me.”
Reeves said it was an emotional moment that brought the entire family to tears. He said his father taught him to shoot the Nylon 66 by throwing soda bottles and light bulbs in the air.
“At one time, I was a very good wing shot,” Reeves said.
Former state Sen. Randy Laverty, D-Jasper, attended the ceremony. He said hunting and fishing generate significant economic activity in the Ozarks, and he is pleased that the commission now has a representative from the area.
“In our part of the country, a good dimension of our economy is in visitation,” Laverty said. “With the wane of the timber industry, it has become even more important. Having a policymaker from our part of the country who understands the overall importance of wildlife management and proper development is very positive.”
Reeves acknowledged the importance of outdoor recreation in northern Arkansas, especially fishing.
“Fishing is such a huge business,” Reeves said. “The boats they have today are phenomenal. I saw a boat the other day that cost $60,000. I couldn’t believe it. A friend of mine bought it. I couldn’t believe that, either.”
Reeves said another goal is to help restore pride and confidence among the Game and Fish Commission employees. He said he read the employee morale survey that the agency commissioned in 2012, and he said he wanted to correct the problems that led to the poor feedback in that document.
“Frankly, the survey was heartbreaking,” Reeves said. “I work for a large company, and we do a lot of surveys. I’ve never seen anything like that survey. Nobody gets rich working for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Obviously they love what they do, and they need to be appreciated for it.”