Hunting Seasons in Arkansas 2022-2023

By / July 6, 2022

There is a big tradition of hunting in Arkansas, starting with a big population of whitetail deer reaching around one million animals, to famous duck hunting grounds in the Arkansas Delta along the Mississippi Flyway.

Arkansas is also the only state in America with elk and alligator populations and offers tags for both species simultaneously.

Deer

Archery

DatesZonesNotes
Sep. 24 2022 – Feb. 28 20231 – 17No dogs allowed for deer hunting; CWD regulations apply.

Muzzleloader

DatesZonesNotes
Oct. 15 – Oct. 23 20221 – 3, 4A, 5A, 6 – 17 
Dec. 10 – Dec. 12 20221 – 3, 4A, 6 – 8, 10, 11
Dec. 17 – Dec. 19 20225A, 14, 15, 

Private Land Antlerless-only Modern Gun

DatesZonesNotes
Dec. 29 – Dec. 31 20221 – 17

Special Youth Modern Gun Hunt

DatesZonesNotes
Nov. 5 – Nov. 6 20221 – 17
Jan. 7 – Jan. 8 20231 – 17

Modern Gun

DatesZonesNotes
Nov. 12 – Dec. 4 20221 – 3, 4A, 6 – 8, 10, 11
Nov. 12 – Dec. 11 20224A, 5A, 14, 15
Nov. 12 – Dec. 18 20229, 12, 13,
Nov. 12 – Nov. 20 20224, 5, 
Nov. 12 – Dec. 28 202216, 16A, 17
Dec. 26 – Dec. 28 20221 – 15 
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Elk

Youth Hunt

DatesZonesNotes
Oct. 1 – Oct. 2 2022Core Elk Management Zone Public Lan Hunts / Private Land HuntDrawn Permit Only / Private Land Elk Permiy Only – Antlerless elk only
Oct. 29 – Oct. 30 2022Core Elk Management Zone Public Lan Hunts / Private Land HuntDrawn Permit Only / Private Land Elk Permiy Only – Antlerless elk only

Regular Hunt

DatesZonesNotes
Oct. 3 – Oct. 7 2022Core Elk Management Zone Public Lan Hunts / Private Land HuntDrawn Permit Only / Private Land Elk Permiy Only
Oct. 31 – Nov. 4 2022Core Elk Management Zone Public Lan Hunts / Private Land HuntDrawn Permit Only / Private Land Elk Permiy Only

Elk may be taken outside of Core Elk Management Zone during deer hunt with muzzleloader, bow, or rifle caliber .24 or up.

Bear

Archery

DatesZonesNotes
Sep. 17 – Nov. 30 20221, 2

Muzzleloader

DatesZonesNotes
Oct. 15 – Oct. 23 20221, 2

Special Youth Modern Gun

DatesZonesNotes
Nov. 5 – Nov. 6 20221, 2does not include WMAs requiring a deer permit to harvest a bear

Modern Gun

DatesZonesNotes
Nov. 12 – Nov. 30 20221, 2
Nov. 19 – Dec. 4 20225A
Nov. 26 – Dec. 4 20225
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16 20223, 4

Alligator

DatesZonesNotes
Sep. 16 – Sep. 19 20221, 2, 3 Public Land Hunts, 3 Private Land HuntsDrawn Permit Only (1 and 3 Public Land), Private Land Alligator Permit (1, 2, 3 Private Land)
Sep. 23 – Sep. 26 20221, 2, 3 Public Land Hunts, 3 Private Land HuntsDrawn Permit Only (1 and 3 Public Land), Private Land Alligator Permit (1, 2, 3 Private Land)

Turkey

Special Youth Turkey Hunt

DatesZonesNotes
Apr. 9 – Apr. 10 20231, 2

Regular Hunt

DatesZonesNotes
Apr. 18 – Apr. 26 20231
Apr. 18 – May 8 20232

Feral Hogs

Private Land

DatesZonesNotes
Open SeasonStatewideHogs may be killed or trapped by landowner or anyone with landowner’s permission

Public Land

DatesZonesNotes
During bear, deer, elk seasonsStatewide (excluding areas listed on https://www.agfc.com/en/hunting/feral-hogs/)

Waterfowl

BirdDatesZonesNotes
Special Early TealSep. 15 – Sep. 30 2022StatewideBlue-winged, Green-winged and Cinnamon teal
Duck, Coot, MerganserNov. 19 – Nov. 27 2022Statewide
Dec. 10 – Dec. 23 2022Statewide
Dec 26 2022 – Jan. 31 2023Statewide
Special Youth Waterfowl HuntDec. 3 2022Statewide
Feb. 4 2023Statewide
Special Active Duty Military and Veteran HuntDec. 3 2022Statewide
Feb. 4 2023Statewide
Canada GooseSep. 1 – Oct. 15 2022StatewideDaily limit – 5
Nov. 19 – Nov. 27 2022StatewideDaily limit – 2
Dec. 10 – Dec. 23 2022StatewideDaily limit – 2
Dec. 26 2022 – Jan. 31 2023StatewideDaily limit – 2
White-fronted GooseOct. 29 – Nov. 11 2022Statewide
Nov. 19 – Nov. 27 2022Statewide
Dec. 10 – Dec. 23 2022Statewide
Dec. 26 2022 – Jan. 31 2023Statewide
Snow, Blue, Ross’s GooseOct. 29 – Nov. 11 2022Statewide
Nov. 19 – Nov. 27 2022Statewide
Dec. 10 – Dec. 23 2022Statewide
Dec. 26 2022 – Jan. 31 2023Statewide
Light Goose Conservation Order (Snow, Blue, Ross’s)Feb. 1 – Feb. 3 2023StatewideNo limit
Feb. 5 – Apr. 25 2023StatewideNo limit

Migratory Birds

BirdDatesZonesNotes
DoveSep. 3 – Oct. 23 2022StatewideNo limit on Eurasian Collared Dove
Dec. 8 2022 – Jan. 15 2023StatewideNo limit on Eurasian Collared Dove
Virginia Rail and SoraSep. 10 – Nov. 18 2022Statewide
Common and Purple GallinuleSep. 1 – Nov. 9 2022Statewide
Wilnon’s SnipeNov. 1 2022 – Feb. 15 2023Statewide
WoodcockNov. 5 – Dec. 19 2022Statewide
CrowSep. 1 2022 – Feb. 20 2023Statewide

Small Game

AnimalDatesZonesNotes
QuailNov. 1 2022 – Feb. 5 2023Stationwide
RabbitSep. 1 2022 – Feb. 28 2023StatewideNo rifles and handguns larger than .22 rimfire, muzzleloaders larger than .40 unless modern gun or muzzleloader deer, bear, or coyote season is open
SquirrelMay 15 2022 – Feb. 28 2023StatewideNo rifles and handguns larger than .22 rimfire, muzzleloaders larger than .40 unless modern gun or muzzleloader deer, bear, or coyote season is open
Beaver and NutriaSep. 1 2022 – Mar. 31 2023StatewideHunting
Nov. 12 2022 – Mar. 31 2023StatewideTrapping
CoyoteJan. 1 – Dec. 31 2022StatewideHunting with dogs allowed during daylight, except during turkey season
Aug. 1 2022 – Mar. 31 2023StatewideTrapping
BobcatSep. 1 2022 – Feb. 28 2023StatewideHunting with dogs allowed during the day, required at night, except deer zones during firearm season
Gray and Red Fox, Muskrat, MinkSep. 1 2022 – Feb. 28 2023Statewide
Opossum, Raccoon, Striped SkunkJan. 1 – Dec. 31 2022StatewideDogs required for nighttime hunting
River OtterNov. 12 2022 – Feb. 28 2023StatewideDaytime only
Furbearers (excluding beaver, coyote, nutria)Nov. 12 2022 – Feb. 28 2023StatewideTrapping, No limits

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