Public and Private Dove Fields
2024 Public Dove Fields
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission prepares a few fields each year for the opening weekend of dove season so the public has a place to enjoy this exciting form of wingshooting.
Dove fields on WMAs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. WMA acreage put into dove fields is relatively small because most hunters only pursue doves the first few days of the season. However, after opening weekend of dove season, many wildlife species feed in the fields, particularly those that were top-sown with winter wheat.
Steel shot is required for all migratory bird hunting (including doves) on the following WMAs: Bell Slough, Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita, Big Lake, Camp Robinson, Cypress Bayou, Cut-Off Creek, Dave Donaldson Black River, Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc, Earl Buss Bayou DeView, Ed Gordon Point Remove, Frog Bayou, Galla Creek, George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto, Harris Brake, Henry Gray Hurricane Lake, Petit Jean, Rex Hancock Black Swamp, Seven Devils, Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms, Sheffield Nelson Dagmar, Shirey Bay Rainey Brake.
| WMA | COUNTY | ACRES OF DOVE FIELDS | FORAGE TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake WMA | Mississippi | 8 acres | Map | Sunflowers, Wheat |
| Dardanelle WMA | Johnson, Logan | 15 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Dave Donaldson Black River WMA | Clay | 6 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA | Conway | 59 acres | Map | Wheat, Millet |
| Fort Chaffee WMA *more info below | Sebastian | 28 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA | Desha | 32 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Frog Bayou WMA | Crawford | 22 acres | Map | Wheat, Sorghum |
| Galla Creek WMA | Pope | 45 acres | Map | Wheat |
| George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA | Jefferson | 9 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Hope Upland WMA *Dove hunting allowed only on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday | Hempstead | 75 acres | Map | Wheat |
| J. Perry Mikles Blue Mountain SUA | Logan | 4 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA | Yell | 42 acres | Map | Sorghum, Millet, Wheat |
| Ozark Lake WMA | Crawford | 12 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Petit Jean River WMA | Yell | 16 acres | Map | Sorghum, Millet, Wheat |
| Poison Springs WMA | Nevada | 30 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Rick Evans Grandview Prairie WMA *Dove hunting allowed only on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday | Hempstead | 77 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek WMA | White | 15 acres | Map | Millet |
| St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA | Craighead | 20 acres | Map | Sunflowers |
| Trusten Holder WMA | Desha | 4 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Wedington WMA | Benton, Washington | 32 acres | Map | Millet, Wheat |
*Fort Chaffee WMA: A General Use Permit (WMP) is required. The process and requirements for participating in hunting, fishing, trapping and other approved recreational activities at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center (FCJMTC) has changed. All facets of the Outdoor Recreation Program are conducted online at fortchaffee.recaccess.com. Permits are issued exclusively online through RecAccess at fortchaffee.recaccess.com. For more information, visit fortchaffee.recaccess.com or call the FCJMTC Environmental Branch at 479-484-2226 or 479-484-2777. Public use compartments may be closed at any time due to military training.
Private Dove Fields
Private land dove fields in Little River, Fulton and Franklin counties are also available for application. The Fulton and Franklin county fields are planted with sunflowers, while the Little River field is top-sewn wheat.
WMA Permit Dove Fields Available for 2024
The dove permit hunts are held Sept. 7-8, 2024. After these days, these fields will become open access.
| WMA | COUNTY | ACRES OF DOVE FIELDS | FORAGE TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Robinson SUA | Faulkner | 35 acres | Map | Millet, Sorghum |
| Dave Donaldson Black River WMA | Clay | 15 acres | Map | Sunflowers |
| Frog Bayou WMA | Crawford | 20 acres | Map | Wheat, Sorghum |
| Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA | Lawrence | 38 acres | Map | Sunflowers, Wheat |
