Deer Seasons and Bag Limits for Arkansas

Deer Season Dates 2022-2023

Archery: September 24, 2022 – February 28, 2023

Muzzleloader: October 15-23

Modern Gun Hunt for Horned Animals Only on Private Land: December 29-31

Special Modern Gun Hunt for Youth: November 5-6 and January 7-8, 2023

Modern Gun: November 12 – December 18 and December 26 – 28

Zone 12 baggage limit

Outside of Union, Bradley and Ashley counties

Five deer, not more than two bucks, which may include:

• Two dollars with archery, muzzleloader or modern weapon, OR

• Five does with archery, OR

• Five females with muzzleloader and modern weapon combined.

Within Union, Bradley, and Ashley Counties (CWD Management Area)

Five deer, no more than two antlers, which may include:

• Two antlered males with archery, muzzleloader or modern weapon, OR

• Five anteless with archery, OR

• Five antlerless with muzzleloader and modern weapon combined.

Notice:

• Dogs are allowed for deer hunting from November 12 to December 18.

• Outside of Union, Bradley, and Ashley counties, legal bills must be button bills or have at least three points on one side of their grid. Within Union, Bradley, and Ashley counties (CWD Management Zone), there are no antler restrictions.

• Button bucks DO count toward the buck limit outside of Union, Bradley, and Ashley Counties (CWD Management Area) and DO NOT count toward the buck bag limit within Union Counties, Bradley and Ashley.

• Within Union, Bradley, and Ashley counties, CWD regulations apply.

Deer Hunting Regulations

Pole Point Restrictions: The end of the main beam and all 1-inch long poles count as points toward the pole point restrictions.

Three Point Rule: A legal male must have both antlers less than 2 inches (button male) or have three or more points on one side of his rack. The rule applies statewide, except where the 15-inch main beam or 12-inch interior extension; or the 15-inch interior or 18-inch main beam rule applies.

12-inch Inside Gap or 15-inch Main Rafter Rule: At Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc, Harold E. Alexander Spring River, Hope Upland, Lafayette County, Mike Freeze Wattensaw and Moro Big Pine Natural Area, Scott Henderson Gulf Mountain, Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA A Dollar Must Have:

• Both antlers less than 2 inches (male male included); either

• An interior extension of 12 inches or more in width; either

• At least one main beam 15 inches or more in length.

15-inch inside spacing or 18-inch main beam rule: One legal buck in deer zones 16, 16A, and 17 (Chicot, Desha, and Lincoln counties and portions of Arkansas, Jefferson, Phillips, Lee, and Crittenden counties ) and on Buck Island, Cut-Off Creek, Dave Donaldson Black River, Ed Gordon Point Remove, Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA Deer Research Area East Unit, George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto, Henry Gray Hurricane Lake, Rick Evans Grandview Prairie , St. Francis National Forest, Sheffield Nelson Dagmar, and Trusten Holder WMA a Dollar Must Have:

• Both antlers less than 2 inches (male male included); either

• An inside expanse 15 inches or more wide; either

• At least one main beam 18 inches or more in length.

Other Areas: In the Bald Knob, Big Lake, Cache River, Felsenthal, Holla Bend, Overflow, Pond Creek, Wapanocca, and White River NWRs; Rex Hancock Black Swamp and U of A Pine Tree Experimental Station WMA, any male deer may be legally taken during all deer hunts. At Greers Ferry Lake WMA, any buck may be legally taken during the Mobility Impaired Muzzleloader Deer Permit Hunt. In the Hobbs State Park Conservation Area, Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA and Johnson County WRA in Dardanelle WMA, any buck can be legally taken during mobility-impaired deer hunts with modern weapons.

Hunter Orange Color Requirements: Hunters and accompanying hunters in areas where modern firearm or muzzleloader deer, bear, or elk seasons are open must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange, chartreuse, or camouflage blaze above the waist and a headwear for that same security. colors. Safety colors are not required for hunters of migratory birds in these areas.

Deer Baiting: Baiting is the direct or indirect placement, exposure, deposit, distribution, or dispersion of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve to attract or attract wildlife to, on, or over an area where hunters are attempting to capture them. An area is considered baited for 10 days after complete bait removal.

• Hunters may bait and feed deer on private land outside of the CWD Management Zone year-round.

• Food plots can be used year-round.

• Baits are not allowed in wildlife management areas.

It is illegal to feed wildlife within the CWD Management Zone, which includes Union, Bradley, and Ashley counties, except:

• Bait may be used to hunt deer and elk on private land from September 1 to December 1. 31

• Harass bears.

• Hunting or trapping furbearing animals with the use of bait during open furbearing seasons on private land.

• Incidental feeding of wildlife from livestock operations.

• Normal farming, gardening, or soil stabilization practices are permitted.

• Attract or feed birds and squirrels with bird feeders, birdbaths.

Deer hunting near water:

• Swimming deer may not be hunted.

• Deer cannot be driven or captured from a boat.

• You may not hunt deer from a boat on public waters.

legal hunting equipment

Archery

Long, Recurve, and Compound Bows: Must have at least 35 pounds of force. Sights, string locks and mechanical string releases can be used. Big game hunters should use arrowheads at least 7/8 inch wide (mechanics OK). Arrows and arrowheads containing firearm ammunition or poison may not be used.

Crossbow: Crossbows must have at least a 125-pound pull and a mechanical safety. Scopes can be used. Big game hunters should use arrowheads at least 7/8 inch wide (including mechanical). Arrows and arrowheads containing firearm ammunition or poison may not be used.

Propelled Arrows: Arrows propelled by a compressed air system or by the action of an explosive or fuel propellant may not be used.

muzzleloader

To be used for deer hunting, muzzle-loading rifles must have an 18-inch or longer barrel and be .40 caliber or larger. Magnifying sights can be used. The use of shot is not legal. Legal muzzleloaders use flint, percussion cap, primer or electronic pulse, must have the bullet loaded through the muzzle, and are not capable of firing a cartridge.

Hunters can use muzzleloaders with:

• barrels 9 inches or longer

• 45 caliber or larger if shooting tapered bullets (200 grains or more), or

• Caliber 530 or larger if shooting round balls.

A hunter may carry a muzzle-loading pistol of any caliber as a backup to a muzzle-loading rifle.

modern weapon

Modern weapons may be used to hunt deer EXCEPT:

• buckshot in a .410 shotgun.

• Smaller pellets than the No. 4 pellets in any shotgun.

• Rimfire cartridges, military or all-metal ammunition.

• Centerfire rifles or pistols smaller than .22 caliber.

• guns with barrels less than 4 inches.

The AGFC has approved for the modern gun deer season the use of large caliber airguns that meet certain standards. The Large Bore Air Rifle must be at least .40 caliber, fire a single expandable bullet, produce at least 400 ft/lbs of muzzle energy, and be loaded from an external tank. Large caliber airguns are not legal for hunting bear or moose.