Carl G. Hunter, a prominent Arkansas conservationist and wildlife writer, was born in 1923 at Little Rock, Arkansas. He grew up in Little Rock, graduating from Little Rock Central High School in 1941. After attending Culver Military Academy, he attended Little Rock Junior College and in 1945 he received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree from the University of Arkansas.
While still in college Hunter accepted part-time employment with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. In July 1945 he joined the Commission as a full time employee. In these years he worked on a massive statewide wildlife inventory, which resulted in the book A SURVEY OF ARKANSAS GAME. He also did pioneering work in quail management, the booklet QUAIL FOOD AND COVER PLANTINGS IN ARKANSAS resulting.
Other work with the Game and Fish Commission dealt with studies of such game species as the white-tailed deer, beaver, and turkeys. He not only conducted research on waterfowl, but he was also active in many management projects.
In 1957 Hunter took a leave of absence from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to do specialized wildlife management work on a large private preserve, Wingmead Farms, Inc., near Stuttgart, Arkansas. This 11,000 acre operation was owned by Edgar Monsanto Queeny, an owner of Monsanto Chemical Company. Wingmead was not only a functioning farm, but also an intensively managed wildlife preserve. Hunter ultimately managed both the agricultural and wildlife components of Wingmead.
In 1977 Hunter resumed employment with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, working with the Real Estate Division. He acquired land for lakes and wildlife management areas.
Hunter became Assistant Director of the Game and Fish Commission in 1980. In that capacity he managed a wide variety of programs and activities, and supervised the Enforcement Division, the Wildlife Management Division, and the Fisheries Division. He retired from the Commission in 1986.
Despite his many professional responsibilities, Hunter wrote and published a variety of books and articles. His most famous work is WILDFLOWERS OF ARKANSAS, a 300 page full color book published in 1984. A companion volume, TREES, SHRUBS, and VINES OF ARKANSAS is scheduled for publication in late 1989.
NOTE: When requesting materials, please specify collection number (M89-16), series number, box number, and file number.
Arrangement: The Hunter Papers are arranged by subject in 21 file folders, plus one box of oversize materials consisting of seven scrapbooks.
Tracings: Counties-Arkansas; Ecology; Fish and Fish Culture; Flora and Fauna; Government-State; Sports and Recreation; Wildlife Writers; Hunter, Carl G.; Game and Fish Commission
Box 1
File 1 – Biographical/Family
File 2 – Unpublished Works: “The Biologist’s Role”
File 3 – Unpublished Works: “Muskrat and Beaver”
File 4 – Unpublished Works: “State-Wide Waterfowl Situation.”
File 5 – Unpublished Works: “Mississippi Flyway”
File 6 – Unpublished Works: “Managing Green Tree Reservoirs”
File 7 – Publications: Quail Studies
File 8 – Publications: Deer Studies
File 9 – Publications: “A Survey of Arkansas Game”
File 10- Publications: “Green Trees and Greenheads”
File 11- Publications: A Workable Approach to Hounds-man-trapper Relationships”
File 12- Publications: “Wildflowers of Arkansas”
File 13- Publications: “Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of Arkansas”
File 14- Publications: Miscellaneous
File 15- Periodical Articles: “Alligator Gar”
File 16- Periodical Articles: “One View of Wildlife Law Enforcement”
File 17- Periodical Articles: “Plan for Conservation”
File 18- Periodical Articles: “It’s Strictly Business”
File 19- Periodical Articles: “What Do Deer Eat?”
File 20- Map: “Wildlife and Cover Map of Arkansas”
File 21- Miscellaneous
End of Box 1
Box 2 – Oversize
Item 1 – Scrapbook, 1947-57
Item 2 – Scrapbook, 1977-79
Item 3 – Scrapbook, 1980
Item 4 – Scrapbook, 1981
Item 5 – Scrapbook, 1982
Item 6 – Scrapbook, 1983-84
Item 7 – Scrapbook, 1985-87
End of Box 2
End of Collection