Buffalo River Elk Festival offers last shot to apply for Arkansas elk hunting permit

JASPER — If you didn’t apply for one of Arkansas’s public land elk permits in May, you still have a chance to get one of the most coveted hunting tags The Natural State has to offer. In addition to 15 public elk hunting tags pulled from the applicants who applied in May, three special permits will be drawn from participants who register at this year’s Buffalo River Elk Festival in Jasper on Friday, June 28, and Saturday, June 29.

Registration for the onsite Elk Permit drawing will be at the Little Buffalo River Visitor’s Center from 1-4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Requirements are the same as in the online process. Only Arkansas residents can apply. You must have a current Arkansas Sportsman’s combination hunting and fishing license. And you must be present for the drawing of these three permits at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The on-site draw is a separate drawing from the online applicants, who do not have to be present to win and will receive notices of their draw the week following the festival. Hunters who already applied online may also apply for these tags to increase their chance of drawing.

The elk-hunting permits are the capstone of the festival, but there are plenty of other activities and events to keep families entertained throughout the two-day celebration of the elk’s return to Arkansas. Music and dancing in the street will be available until 11 p.m. Friday. The festivities will continue Saturday with elk calling contests, a fishing derby, a Dutch oven cooking contest, shotgun shell drop and a 5K run dubbed “Run with the Elk.” You may even catch a glimpse of “The King” as an Elvis impersonator is listed in the main stage appearances Saturday. Music and festivities will continue well after permit draws are complete, and the festival will conclude with a fireworks show in the square at 9:50 p.m. Saturday.

Visit https://www.buffaloriverelkfestival.com/wp/ for more information on the Buffalo River Elk Festival.

Arkansas’s 2024 elk hunting season dates and information are available at www.agfc.com/elk

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CUTLINES:

ELK IN WATER
18 public land elk hunting permits will be drawn at this year’s Buffalo River Elk Festival.

HUNTER WITH ELK
Hunter Brent Hohenstein tagged this excellent bull elk in 2012.