Steve “Wild Man” Wilson retiring from AGFC

Steve Wilson, better known to Arkansans as “Wild Man,” began his career with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as a hunting safety training officer in 1978, and was named Chief of the Information and Education Division in 1987. He has served as AGFC public affairs coordinator for the past 20 years.

He is host of “Talkin’ Outdoors,” a 30-minute, weekly television program. He’s also the host and producer of “Call of the Wild,” a weekly, statewide radio broadcast on Arkansas Radio Network.

During his distinguished career, he has earned the AGFC Employee of the Year Award twice, and the Arkansas Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Communicator of the Year Award twice. He also received the Ducks Unlimited Jerry Jones Sportsman of the Year award in 2011.

He is charismatic, to say the least, and a great representative for AGFC. There’s no doubt he’ll be missed when in retires this spring. Here are some thoughts from Wild Man about his time with AGFC.

Jill:      How long have you worked for the AGFC and when are you retiring?

Steve:  I have worked for AGFC over 37 years. My official retirement date is April 29.

Jill:      What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment in your career with AGFC?

Steve:  Biggest accomplishment had to be working for the passage of the 1/8 cent conservation sales tax which put AGFC on solid funding ground. It passed in 1996.

Jill:      Where is your favorite place to fish in Arkansas?

Steve:  Favorite places to fish are small farm ponds and small creeks and rivers. The smaller the body of water, the better I like it. My favorite types of fishing are for bream, smallmouth bass, and trout.

Jill:      What is the best hunting experience you’ve ever had in Arkansas?

Steve:  Best hunting experience has to be when I called in a big ole gobbler for my brother to kill a few years ago. The gobbler strutted across an open field for over 200 yards. I got it all on video.

Jill:      What might be one thing people would be surprised to know about hunting and fishing opportunities in Arkansas?

Steve:  I think what I want the people of Arkansas to realize more than anything else is that the great bass fishing, trout fishing, turkey hunting, deer hunting, duck hunting etc. that we have here in Arkansas just doesn’t happen. It takes lots of money, manpower, research, protection, and management to make it happen.

Jill:      How did you get the nickname “Wild Man?”

Steve:  I headed up Project WILD for AGFC in 1984. We also had three other Steve Wilsons working for AGFC at the time. Folks would call the office and ask for Steve Wilson. The receptionist would say “which one” and they would say THE WILD ONE……..the name stuck. I am the last Steve Wilson.

Jill:      What do you plan to do in retirement?

Steve:  I plan to keep my weekly one hour radio talk show “Call of the Wild”’ which airs around the state each Saturday morning at 6 a.m. I plan to do some public speaking at banquets and wild game dinners, spend time with my wife, Gail, who is retiring from Children’s Hospital on April 1, and can’t wait to spend more time in the outdoors with my 5-year-old grandson, Luke.

Jill:      Anything else you would like to share with readers about your distinguished career, about AGFC, or about the great outdoors of Arkansas?

Steve:  It’s been a great career with some great people for a great agency.