*ADF218* 04/02/2025 4:52:14 PM ADF218
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 HR 1106 3
4
By: Representatives Pearce, Wardlaw 5
6
7
HOUSE RESOLUTION 8
TO RECOGNIZE ARKANSAS STATE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION 9
GAME WARDEN BRADY SMITH AS THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY 10
FEDERATION'S WILDLIFE OFFICER OF THE YEAR. 11
12
13
Subtitle 14
TO RECOGNIZE ARKANSAS STATE GAME AND 15
FISH COMMISSION GAME WARDEN BRADY SMITH 16
AS THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION'S 17
WILDLIFE OFFICER OF THE YEAR. 18
19
WHEREAS, Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission Game Warden Brady 20
Smith earned the National Wild Turkey Federation's Wildlife Officer of the 21
Year Award at the forty -ninth annual National Wild Turkey Federation 22
Convention and Sport Show held on February 14, 2025; and 23
24
WHEREAS, the Wildlife Officer of the Year Award is given to individuals 25
who have excelled and demonstrated exceptional performance in teamwork and 26
innovation, attitude and leadership, and achievements and accomplishments; 27
and 28
29
WHEREAS, while this award is usually akin to a lifetime achievement 30
award, Game Warden Smith earned this award in only his second year as an 31
Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission Game Warden; and 32
33
WHEREAS, Game Warden Smith works in Cleburne County, which is one of 34
Arkansas's busiest counties for game wardens during hunting seasons, and he 35
also assists neighboring counties in their efforts to curtail poaching 36 HR1106
2 04/02/2025 4:52:14 PM ADF218
activities; and 1
2
WHEREAS, as the leading officer in his district, Game Warden Smith has 3
assisted with numerous cases, and he is a strong investigator who dedicates 4
long hours in his efforts to prevent and end poaching and other hunting 5
violations; and 6
7
WHEREAS, Game Warden Smith's interactions with the community have been 8
commended on several occasions, even by violators; and 9
10
WHEREAS, Game Warden Smith also assists with hunting and boating 11
education classes, attends high school trap tournaments, assists with the 12
annual fishing derby held on the Little Red River, speaks to elementary 13
school classes, assists with the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission 14
Youth Shooting Sports Program, and participated in "Shop with a Cop" during 15
the holiday season to assist underprivileged youth; and 16
17
WHEREAS, Game Warden Smith earned a bachelor's degree in the Science of 18
Criminal Justice from Williams Baptist University; and 19
20
WHEREAS, National Wild Turkey Federation Co -Chief Executive Officer 21
Kurt Dyroff said of Game Warden Smith, "Brady's love for the outdoors is 22
evident in his diligent work catching poachers and those who do not follow 23
the rules that ensure the sustainability of our natural resources . . . 24
Brady's work ethic represents the conservation of wildlife and sharing the 25
lifechanging power of the outdoors"; and 26
27
WHEREAS, Chief of the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission's 28
Enforcement Division Colonel Brad Young said of Game Warden Smith and his 29
work, "Catching people baiting or otherwise cheating the system to poach 30
turkeys is one of the more time -consuming and most challenging parts of a 31
game warden's duties, too, so we really take it personally. Smith's 32
recognition is well-deserved and something all our Arkansas game wardens take 33
pride in"; and 34
35
WHEREAS, Game Warden Smith said of receiving the award, "It is a great 36 HR1106
3 04/02/2025 4:52:14 PM ADF218
honor. I mean, words can't even describe it. I grew up hunting . . . I 1
started turkey hunting when I was six years old, and I wanted to be a game 2
warden ever since I was thirteen or fourteen, and to be here in this building 3
and convention, I mean, it is just amazing", 4
5
NOW THEREFORE, 6
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL 7
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 8
9
THAT the House of Representatives recognize Arkansas State Game and 10
Fish Commission Game Warden Brady Smith as the National Wild Turkey 11
Federation's Wildlife Officer of the Year. 12
13
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 14
presented to Game Warden Brady Smith by the Chief Clerk of the House of 15
Representatives. 16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36