Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA

Zone	County
575	Monroe, Woodruff

Mobility-Impaired Access

Flood Prone Region

AGFC Camping Permit Required

Waterfowl Season Access Restrictions

15-Inch Inside Spread or 18-Inch Main Beam Rule

Factory Exhaust Only

Shell Limit (25 shells max per hunter)

Water Trail (paddling allowed)

Waterfowl Hunting Ends at Noon

Acres: 10,297

2024-25 Closed Seasons

Alligator
Bear
Turkey

2024-25 Crow

Sept. 1, 2024-Feb. 17, 2025. Open Thursdays through Mondays only. No limit.

2024-25 Deer

Deer Archery: Sept. 7-9 (one buck only); Sept. 28-Feb. 28.
Deer Alternative Firearms (permit hunt): Oct. 19-23.
Deer Modern Gun (permit hunt): Nov. 9-13.
Deer Modern Gun Special Youth Hunt: Nov. 2-3.
WMA Deer Bag Limit: Three deer, no more than two bucks, which may include:

Two bucks with archery,
Three does with archery,
Limit two (one buck and one doe) with alternative firearms permit,
Limit two (one buck and one doe) with modern gun permit.
Limit during the modern gun special youth hunt is two deer; one buck and one doe.

Deer Notes:

15-inch inside spread or 18-inch main beam rule.
No dogs.

2024-25 Quail

Nov. 1, 2024-Feb. 2, 2025. Daily limit – 6, possession limit – 12.

2024-25 Rabbit

Sept. 1, 2024-Feb. 28, 2025. Daily limit – 8, possession limit – 16.

2024-25 Squirrel

May 15, 2024-Feb. 28, 2025. Dogs allowed. Daily limit – 12, possession limit – 48.

2024-25 Waterfowl

Waterfowl Notes:

No boats allowed Nov. 16-22, Dec. 3-9 and Dec. 24-26.
Exception – Boats allowed on the following waters:
• Robe Bayou from the WMA northern boundary to the low water crossing at I-40.
• Gator Pond to include only the open water pond area.
Closed to all access (except in designated campsites, parking areas and boat launch ramps) from 2-4 a.m., Nov. 23-Jan. 31 and Feb. 8-9.
No boats allowed from 1 p.m. to 4 a.m. Nov. 23-Dec. 2, Dec. 10-23 and Dec. 27-Jan. 31.
Exception 1 – Boats allowed from 1-6:30 p.m. Jan. 31 and Feb. 8-9.
Exception 2 – Boats allowed from 1-6:30 p.m. on the following waters:
• Robe Bayou from the WMA northern boundary to the low water crossing at I-40.
• Gator Pond to include only the open water pond area.
No airboats during duck season.

Conway George Tract on Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA Online Draw Dates
2024-25 WMA Waterfowl Hunt Application Totals
Hunting allowed only in designated locations through an online permit lottery.
The Conway George Tract is closed to all access from Nov. 21, 2024-Feb. 9, 2025, except for permit holders during permit waterfowl hunts.
Visit www.agfc.com and click on “GET A LICENSE” to apply. Youth permit applications only appear if logged in under the youth hunters’ Customer ID.
All day hunting on Saturday and Sunday (Youth/Adult Hunt) and half-day hunting on Wednesday (Adult Hunt).
No more than four participants per party are allowed in each designated location. During Youth/Adult Hunt there is a minimum of one adult mentor per party not to exceed one adult mentor per youth hunter. During Youth/Adult Hunts all members of the party may hunt.

About the Name

The management area received its name from a small farming community that located in the vicinity prior to the 1927 flood. On March 20, 2008, the area was renamed after former commissioner Sheffield Nelson of Little Rock. Nelson served on the commission from 2000 to 2007. He was appointed by former governor Mike Huckabee. Nelson grew up in Monroe County where the WMA is located.

Access

Sheffield Nelson Dagmar is accessible from I-40 exiting at either Brinkley or Biscoe, depending on direction of travel, and traveling state highway 70 west 6 miles from Brinkley or east 10 miles from Biscoe. Signs are posted at the entrance of Sheffield Nelson Dagmar on highway 70.

Age

The area came into being in 1952.

Area Notes

A free annual General Use Permit (WMP) is required to hunt or trap on WMAs. Permits are available online by clicking “Buy Licenses” at agfc.com or by calling 833-345-0325 or any regional office.
A hunting or fishing license or AGFC Camping Permit is required to camp.
Check antler restrictions for important additional information.
Apple Lake WRA closed to access Nov. 1-Feb. 15.
Conway George Tract open only to waterfowl permit holders after deer permit hunt.
Road closure available at 833-345-0398.
For access restrictions that affect all users during waterfowl season, check the waterfowl guidebook.

Camping

There are 14 primitive campsites on the area maintained by area personnel.

Description

Sheffield Nelson Dagmar is a bottomland hardwood overflow area with many lakes, ponds, sloughs and bayous. Bayou Deview, Robe Bayou, Hickson lake, Gator Pond, Bowfin Overflow, Straight Lake, Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area and numerous other small lakes and sloughs occupy approximately 800 acres.

Hunting Opportunities

The hunting opportunities on Sheffield Nelson Dagmar are available for the following species; cottontails, swamprabbits, coyotes, deer, ducks and furbearers. Geese, dove, woodcock and snipe are hunted but with poor success. Raccoon hunting is good to excellent depending on water levels. Squirrel hunting is excellent some years and is probably the most sought after species on the management area. In order of hunter use I would list squirrel, deer, ducks and rabbits, as the most heavily hunted animals on Sheffield Nelson Dagmar.

Management Practices

Practices are carried out as directed in the Wildlife Management Master Plan. Wildlife openings are maintained by dicing, controlled burning, planting or mowing. These methods are used to treat particular openings by rotation and are treated as deemed necessary by the openland inventory.

Ownership

Acquisition began in 1952 with the purchase of 5,265 acres from the Dacus Lumber Company. In 1955, an additional 1,209 acres was purchased from the Townsend Lumber Company. In 1971, 1,262 acres was purchased from the Deview Water Company. In recent years, several small acquisitions brought the total acreage of the management area to 7,976 acres. The Commission owns the entire area.

Phone

833-345-0283

Purpose

It was purchased as a refuge for waterfowl and small game.

Recreation Other Than Hunting

Sheffield Nelson Dagmar is known for being an excellent fishing area. This activity may constitute the largest use by the public each year. Crappie, bass, bream and catfish are the most sought after on the bayous, sloughs and lakes throughout the management area. Birds of many species frequent the area and provide recreational opportunity for the bird enthusiast. During some winters eagles may be observed in and around Sheffield Nelson Dagmar. The 400-acre Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is utilized by large numbers of ducks and wading birds. Bayou DeView would be a portion of the management area well worth viewing. The bayou is dominated by cypress and tupelo trees with many of the large cypress being 450 to 1200 years old, according studies completed by the University of Arkansas. In 1989 Sheffield Nelson Dagmar was included as a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention.

Restaurants and Other Facilities

Brinkley, located 6 miles east of Sheffield Nelson Dagmar has 4 motels and a RV site to accommodate visitors. The management area has 5 concrete boat launching ramps. They are located at Gator Pond, Big and Little Robe Bayous, Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area and Hickson Lake.

Safety

Some visitors have been lost on Sheffield Nelson Dagmar, but it is not a common occurrence. Due to the topography, a compass would be advisable. Mosquitoes are abundant during the summer and sprays are a must to survive. One main road traverses the area and is the only road designated as open. Non-graveled roads are closed and three or four wheel ATVs not allowed except by permit.

WMA Master Plan

View the master plan for this AGFC-owned WMA.