2026-27 General WMA Regulations

A portable hunting stand is any device or structure used for the purpose of hunting that can be carried and erected by hand.

Portable hunting stands and blinds and associated equipment using no metal objects (such as screw-in steps) to be screwed or driven into trees may be used, but must have the owner’s name and address or CID permanently affixed and must be moved at least 200 yards after 14 consecutive days. AGFC is not responsible for damage to personal property (deer stands, blinds, trail cameras etc.) left on wildlife management areas from habitat management activities. The habitat management activities include but are not limited to timber harvest, controlled burns, food plot preparation, fire lane preparation.

Deer stands and blinds may not be placed on a WMA more than 14 days before deer archery season and must be removed from the WMA within 14 days after the close of deer archery season.

Portable, pop-up blinds must have 144 square inches of blaze orange or chartreuse visible from all sides of the blind during firearms deer, bear and elk seasons on WMAs.

On national forest lands, portable stands must comply with U.S. Forest Service regulations.

All private lands (including any combinations of lands separately owned, and regardless of whether such lands touch a road, creek, stream, river, lake or other waterbody) completely surrounded by WMA lands (except NWRs) are subject to the same regulations pertaining to hunting season dates, hunting hours and bag limits as the surrounding WMA.

Exception: Private lands completely surrounded by ANHC or NWR lands are subject to hunting season dates, hunting hours, bag limits and hunting permits as the surrounding or nearest adjacent private land deer zone plus any federal regulations pertaining to ANHC or NWR inholdings.

Any motorized vehicle including, all-terrain vehicles, dune buggies and amphibious vehicles are restricted on WMAs. Motorized vehicles as listed previously may not be operated off any open access road or parking area, behind gated, cabled or earthen barriers, or on levees, dams, food plots, fire lanes or roads developed for wildlife. All bicycles, including electric bikes, are allowed only in specified areas or designated trails of AGFC-owned WMAs (as indicated on the AGFC’s public use maps, online mapper or posted signage). Hunters with MobilityImpaired Access Permits may use ATVs with certain restrictions (see below).

On leased lands WMAs:

• ATVs, motorcycles and bicycles are allowed on open, maintained roads within Cherokee and Jim Kress WMAs by hunters in possession of a valid leased lands permit for the purposes of traveling to and from hunting locations and/or camping sites only.
• ATVs are allowed on open roads and trails on Casey Jones, Gum Flats, Howard County, Lafayette County, Lake Greeson, Provo and Poison Springs (motorized vehicles are not allowed on boundary lines that have been cleared by the Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture Division of Forestry) WMAs by hunters for the purposes of traveling to or from hunting locations and/or camping sites during open hunting seasons only. WMA maps of open roads and trails are available at agfc.com.
• ATVs are allowed on designated open, maintained roads on Big Timber WMA by hunters to access hunting locations and/ or camping sites during open hunting seasons only. Use of ATVs on right-ofways is prohibited unless designated as an open road.
• Motorized vehicles, except for ATVs on main access roads, may not be used on Big Timber Upland Demonstration Area.
• See Page 85 for ATV use on Jack Mountain WMA.

On Ouachita National Forest and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests:

The Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis national forests have designated systems of roads and trails for public motor vehicle use. Operating any motorized vehicle, including e-bikes, on a road or trail posted as closed, closed by an earthen mound, gate or other object, or not designated for motorized vehicle use on official Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps is prohibited. Maps showing designated routes are available at www.fs.usda.gov/ouachita and www.fs.usda.gov/osfnf.

On the Natural Areas:

All Natural Area WMAs are limited to foot traffic only.

A WMA/Lake Conservation Permit is required of all persons 16 years and older using AGFCowned wildlife management areas and lakes. Exceptions: persons with a valid Arkansas hunting or fishing license, persons traveling through a WMA on a direct route or designated through-trail without engaging in any activity, or persons on a public road (other than an AGFC-maintained road) or navigable waterway.

Mobility-Impaired Access Permit holders may use ATVs on AGFC-owned WMAs on graveled, all-weather roads (unless posted closed to vehicles) and on designated signed mobility-impaired access trails during hunting seasons with the following restrictions:

• Permit holders must keep the ATV/ transportation at least 100 feet but no more than 300 feet from graveled, all-weather roads. They may hunt anywhere within 300 feet of designated signed mobility-impaired access trails. It is unlawful to shoot or hunt within 100 feet of an all-weather road.
• ATVs must remain within 300 feet of centerline of roads and/or trails during any hunting season.
• ATVs may be used only for stand placement and hunting.
• ATVs may be used beyond 300 feet from a road or mobility impaired access trail only to retrieve big game taken by the permit holder.
• Holders of an AGFC Mobility-Impaired Access (MIA) card may operate ATVs only on designated mobility-impaired access areas on Big Timber, Jack Mountain and Moro Big Pine Natural Area WMAs.
• Permit holders must be able to see their ATV at all times while hunting.
• Firearms must be unloaded and cased while being transported by ATV.

Licensed sportsmen who meet the following criteria are eligible for Mobility-Impaired Access Permits:

• A permanent physical condition requiring the use of a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, walker or portable oxygen Permanent lung disease which severely restricts respiration to the levels stipulated on the application form
• A permanent cardiac condition classified as Class III or IV by the American Heart Association

Applications are available at AGFC regional offices, by phone (833-345-0325 during business hours) or online at www.agfc.com/license.

A permit is available for $75 (product code LLP), which entitles the holder to hunt, trap and camp on all AGFC Leased Lands WMAs: Big Timber WMA, Casey Jones WMA, Cedar Mountain WMA, Cherokee WMA, Gum Flats WMA, Howard County WMA, Jack Mountain WMA, Jim Kress WMA, Lafayette County WMA, Lake Greeson WMA and Provo WMA. A valid Arkansas hunting license is also required to hunt on any WMAs.

Youths under 16 years of age are not required to have a permit. Permits expire annually on June 30. WMA maps are available at www.agfc.com.

Nonhunters camping with a permit holder do not need to have a permit while camping.

Hunters must have landowner permission to travel through neighboring private lands.

Shooting from or across any public road or hunting within 100 feet of a public or privately maintained road on any WMA is prohibited (see exceptions below).

• Exception 1: Trappers may use legal firearms to harvest animals caught in legally set traps.
• Exception 2: Licensed/permitted falconers may hunt with and trap birds of prey in accordance with state and federal falconry regulations.
• Exception 3: Small game (excluding fox, bobcat and coyote) being pursued or treed by a dog or under the point of a dog may be taken within 100 feet from the centerline of a road on Big Timber, Casey Jones, Cedar Mountain, Cherokee, Gum Flats, Howard County, Jack Mountain, Jim Kress, Lafayette County, Lake Greeson, Moro Big Pine Natural Area and Provo WMAs provided the road is not city, county, state or federally maintained.

Traps may not be possessed on WMAs unless a season is open. Only rifles and handguns larger than .22 caliber rimfire, buckshot or rifled slugs, and muzzleloaders larger than .40 caliber may be used during firearms deer, bear or elk seasons or during daylight hours during bobcat, fox and coyote seasons. Unless otherwise prohibited, bobcat, fox and coyote may be taken during daylight hours with firearms of any caliber during bobcat, fox and coyote seasons on AGFC-owned WMAs, Blue Mountain WMA, Dardanelle WMA, J. Perry Mikles Lick Creek WMA, Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA, Ozark Lake WMA and all U.S. Forest Service lands including WMAs lying within the Ouachita National Forest and the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.

Firearms may be carried on WMAs, but may not be used for any hunting purpose, unless the weapon is legal for that season. Only shotguns (10 gauge or smaller) and archery equipment (including crossbows) are legal for turkey hunting. Shot larger than No. 2 common shot is prohibited for turkey hunting.

Dogs are not allowed for hunting feral hogs on WMAs. Unless noted on specific areas, wildlife management areas are closed to dogs, except in the following instances:

• Quail and rabbit dog training is allowed Sept. 1-March 31, except during firearms deer hunts where dogs are not allowed.
• Quail and woodcock hunting are allowed with bird dog breeds.
• Waterfowl retrievers may be used during open migratory bird seasons.
• Dogs are required for raccoon, bobcat and opossum hunting at night.
• Dogs may be used for hunting squirrel, rabbit or bobcat except during firearms deer hunts where dogs are not allowed.
• A valid Arkansas hunting license is required for training dogs and use of dogs for field trials on Commission-owned WMAs.
• Nonresidents must obtain a Nonresident Hunting Dog Owner’s Permit (NDP, $100) to hunt, chase, pursue or retrieve deer. Nonresidents may hunt deer with dogs on private and public land where it is allowed only during the final nine days of the regular modern gun deer season (not including Dec. 26-28). Nonresidents may take only one deer per year with the use of deer dogs. See Page 50 for additional regulations concerning deer dogs.
• Hunting dogs in the pursuit of deer, fox or coyote must be equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote GPS tracking and behavior correction while on public land. (Collars are not required for dogs during sanctioned field trial events approved by the AGFC).

Pleasure riding and organized trail rides are allowed during February, March and June through September on AGFC-owned land and Cherokee, Jim Kress, Poison Springs, Jack Mountain and J. Perry Mikles Lick Creek WMAs. Permits for organized events involving 10 or more horses or mules are available by request from wildlife management area headquarters and must be obtained at least two weeks in advance of the event. Horses and riders are restricted to established trails or roads. Horses and mules are allowed only in camping areas that are designated for equestrian use. Horses in camping areas may be tied to trailers or to a highline using tree saver straps. Horses or mules may not be allowed to damage trees or other woody vegetation. Soil disturbance must be restored, manure must be scattered and excess feed, hay and any trash must be removed. Please contact the individual WMA for specific details.

Unless otherwise noted for specific WMAs, hunters may use horses or mules during open seasons on most WMAs or at night during furbearer season.

Unless otherwise noted for specific WMAs or SUAs, hunters may use horses or mules during open seasons on most WMAs or at night during furbearer season.

Unless otherwise noted under a specific WMA, camping is limited to no more than 14 consecutive days and must be in a designated camping area. All campers 16 and older on AGFC-owned WMAs must have a valid hunting or fishing license or a WMA/ Lake Conservation Permit ($10.50) available at agfc.com or at any AGFC Regional Office. Camps may not remain unoccupied for more than 48 hours. Creating a disturbance after 10 p.m. is not allowed. It is unlawful to camp or use any campsite for more than 30 days total during one calendar year.

It is unlawful to possess alcoholic beverages on Commission-controlled WMAs.

Except:

• on a private inholding.
• in a vehicle on a public road in compliance with applicable law.
• in a boat on a navigable waterway in compliance with applicable law.
• in a boat while fishing and in accordance with applicable law.

It is unlawful to operate a boat in any manner that is hazardous to persons or property on any part of a WMA or NWR including ramps, structures, boat lanes or other areas.

Examples of illegal boating practices include:

1. Weaving through congested vessel traffic;
2. Jumping the wake of another vessel too close to such other vessel;
3. Operating a vessel when visibility is obstructed;
4. Exceeding a safe speed or creating a hazardous wake;
5. Inattentive operation;
6. Failure to observe navigation rules;
7. Colliding with, striking or bumping another vessel, object or person;
8. Operating while intoxicated or under the influence of any drug, or while under any physical or mental disability which hinders safe operation;
9. Swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision where correction reasonably could have been made earlier;
10. Otherwise operating a vessel in a manner that endangers life, limb or property.
11. Intentionally impeding boat traffic.

Any person found guilty of negligent operation (unintentional hazardous operation) may be fined $250 to $2,500, may be sentenced up to 60 days in jail and will be prohibited from accessing any WMA and/or NWR for one year from date of conviction.

Any person found guilty of reckless operation (intentional hazardous operation) may be fined $750 to $7,500, may be sentenced up to 180 days in jail, will be prohibited from accessing any WMA and/or NWR for one year from date of conviction and lose hunting and fishing privileges statewide for one year from the date of conviction.

Unless otherwise noted in the WMA listings, all WMA season dates, limits and regulations for quail, rabbit, squirrel, crow, waterfowl and other migratory birds are the same as private land.

Gray Fox, Red Fox and Mink
Sunrise Sept. 1-sunset Feb. 28.
Day hunting only. Bag limit is two per day per species.

Opossum and Striped Skunk
Sept. 1-Feb. 28.
Day or night hunting allowed. No bag limit. Dogs are required for hunting at night.

Bobcat
Sunrise Sept. 1-sunset Feb. 28.
Dogs required for night hunting. During turkey season: Day hunting only – No dogs allowed. Bag limit is two per day.
During youth turkey hunts, only youths may take bobcats. Closed during turkey and squirrel seasons on WMAs where a turkey or squirrel season is closed. Refer to Page 60 for hunting equipment legal on WMAs.

River Otter
Sunrise Nov. 14-sunset Feb. 28.
Day hunting only. Bag limit is two per day.

Raccoon
July 1- Aug. 31 Night hunting only.
Sept. 1- Feb. 28 Day or night hunting; dogs required for hunting at night.
March 1-31 Night hunting only. Dogs required.

Coyote
Sunrise July 1-sunset Feb. 28.
Coyote may not be hunted at night.
During turkey season, day hunting only – No dogs allowed.
No bag limit. During youth turkey hunts, only youths may take coyotes. Closed during turkey and squirrel seasons on WMAs where a turkey or squirrel season is closed.