The 2019-2020 Arkansas Hunting Season dates are set. The season dates and bag limits are subject to change at any time based on harvest results. For more information on the 2019-2020 Arkansas hunting season, regulations or licensing, click here.
Deer
- Archery
Statewide: Sept. 28-Feb. 29 - Muzzleloader
Deer zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10 and 11: Oct. 19-27 and
Dec. 14-16
Deer zones 4A, 5A, 14 and 15: Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 21-23
Deer zones 9, 12, 13, 16, 16A and 17: Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 29-31
Deer zones 4, 4B, 5 and 5B: closed - Modern gun
Deer zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10 and 11: Nov. 9-Dec. 1
Deer zone 4: Nov. 9-10
Deer zone 5: Nov. 9-10 and Nov. 16-17
Deer zones 4B and 5B: Nov. 9-17
Deer zones 4A, 5A, 14 and 15: Nov. 9-Dec. 8
Deer zones 9, 12 and 13: Nov. 9-Dec. 15
Deer zones 16, 16A and 17: Nov. 9-Dec. 25
Christmas holiday modern gun deer hunt
Statewide (excluding WMAs that are closed during modern
gun deer season): Dec. 26-28
Special modern gun youth deer hunt
All zones (excludes certain WMAs where a modern gun or
muzzleloader permit is required to hunt): Nov. 2-3 and
Jan. 4-5
Private land antlerless only modern gun deer hunt
Deer zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A and 17: Oct. 12-16
Bear
- Archery
Bear zones 1 and 2: Sept. 28-Nov. 30
Bear zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7: closed - Muzzleloader
Bear zones 1 and 2: Oct. 19-27
Bear zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7: closed - Modern gun
Bear zones 1 and 2: Nov. 9-30 (Zone 1 closes earlier if quota is
reached)
Bear zone 5: Nov. 23-Dec. 1 (closes earlier if quota is reached)
Bear zone 5A: Nov. 16-Dec. 1 (closes earlier if quota is reached)
Bear zones 3, 4, 6 and 7: closed
Special modern gun youth bear hunt
Bear zones 1 and 2 (does not include WMAs
requiring a deer permit to harvest a bear): Nov. 2-3
Bear zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7: closed
Elk
Core Elk Management Zone (all private and public lands within
Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton and Searcy counties)
- Public Land
Elk zones 1, 2, 3, and 4: Oct. 7-11 and Oct. 28-Nov. 1 (Permit
required)
Youth Hunts: Oct. 5-6 and Oct. 26-27 (Permit required) - Private Land
Private Land Core Elk Zone (Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton and
Searcy counties; excludes Boxley Valley): Oct. 7-11 and Oct. 28-Nov.
1 (Permit required) - Youth Hunt: Oct. 5-6 and Oct. 26-27 (Permit required)
Elk found outside of the Core Elk Management Zone may be taken during deer season with weapon legal for that season.
- Quail – Statewide: Nov. 1-Feb. 2
- Rabbit – Statewide: Sept. 1-Feb. 29
- Squirrel – Statewide: May 15-Feb. 29
- Crow – Statewide: Sept. 1-Feb. 21. (Thursday-Monday hunting only)
Furbearers
- Furbearer trapping (other than coyote, beaver, muskrat, nutria):
sunrise, Nov. 9-sunset, Feb. 29 - Coyote trapping: sunrise, Aug. 1-sunset, March 31
- Beaver, muskrat, nutria trapping: sunrise, Nov. 9-sunset, March 31
- Gray fox, mink, red fox hunting: sunrise, Sept.1-sunset, Feb. 29
- Opossum, raccoon, striped skunk day or night hunting:
Jan. 1-sunset, Dec. 31. Dogs are required for hunting at night. - Bobcat hunting: sunrise, Sept. 1- sunset, Feb. 29 and during turkey
season. - Coyote hunting: sunrise, Jan 1- sunset, Dec. 31 and no dogs during
turkey season. - River otter hunting: sunrise, Nov. 9-sunset, Feb. 29
- Muskrat, nutria, beaver hunting: sunrise, Sept. 1-sunset, March 31
- Badger, spotted skunk and weasel hunting: closed
Special Youth WaterfowI Hunt: Dec. 7, 2019, and Feb. 8, 2020
On these days, youths 15 and younger may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers. Youths who have completed a hunter education course must be accompanied by a mentor who is 18 or older. Youths who have not completed a hunter education course must be accompanied by a mentor who is 21 or older. Mentors may not hunt ducks, coots or mergansers, but may call waterfowl and hunt other in-season game. Shooting hours and bag limits are the same as regular waterfowl season. Hunting is allowed.
- Duck, Coot and Merganser
Nov. 23-Dec. 2, 2019, Dec 11-23, 2019 and
Dec. 26, 2019-Jan. 31, 2020 - Snow, Blue and Ross’s Goose
Oct. 26-30, 2019, Nov. 23-Dec. 6, 2019, and
Dec. 8, 2019-Jan. 31, 2020
Bag Limit – 20 - Light Goose Conservation Order
Oct. 5-25, 2019, Oct. 31-Nov. 22, 2019,
Feb. 1-7, 2020 and
Feb. 9-April 25, 2020
Bag Limit – None - White-fronted Goose
Oct. 26-30, 2019,
Nov. 23-Dec. 6, 2019, and
Dec. 8, 2019-Jan. 31, 2020
Bag Limit – 3
Possession Limit – 9 - Early Canada Goose
Sept. 1-30, 2019 (statewide)
Daily Limit – 5
Possession Limit – 15 - Canada Goose
Oct. 26-30, 2019, Nov. 23-Dec. 6, 2019 and
Dec. 8, 2019-Jan. 31, 2020
(statewide)
Daily Limit – 2
Possession Limit – 6 - Mourning Dove, White-Winged and Eurasian Collared-Doves
Sept. 1-Oct. 27, 2019
Dec. 14, 2019-Jan. 15, 2020
Mourning and White-Winged dove daily limit – 15
Mourning and White-Winged dove possession limit – 45
Eurasian collared-doves – No daily bag or possession limit - Virginia Rail and Sora
Sept. 14-Nov. 22, 2019
Daily Limit – 25
Possession Limit – 75 (combined) - Teal
Sept. 15-30, 2019Daily Limit – 6 (blue-winged, green-
winged and cinnamon teal combined) Possession Limit – 18 - Snipe
Nov. 1, 2019-Feb. 15, 2020, Daily Limit – 8, Possession Limit – 24 - Common Moorhen and Purple Gallinule
Sept.1-Nov. 9, 2019, Daily Limit – 15, Possession Limit – 45 - Woodcock
Nov. 2-Dec. 16, 2019, Daily Limit – 3, Possession Limit – 9
