Commission Sets Hunting Seasons in Arkansas

First posted on 03-27-2009

Arkansas youth deer hunters will enjoy two extra days for their modern gun hunt and a relaxed antler restriction during the upcoming deer season. Commissioners from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission formally approved the regulation changes as part of the 2009-10 hunting season-setting process at its monthly meeting today.

Two additional days will be added to the youth modern gun deer hunt on Jan. 2-3 to go along with Nov. 7-8 youth hunt. The Jan. 2-3 days will be bucks only in zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15. No hunters 65 years and older are allowed to harvest deer during the January youth hunt. The bag limit revision allows a youth to take any buck (no antler restrictions) during any season. Youths must comply with the zone or WMA seasonal bag limit.

One major change revised several of the current deer zones. The changes modify the existing boundaries for deer zones 1, 2, 3, 14 and 15; dividing deer zone 6 into three zones and splitting deer zone 8 into two zones. The changes were introduced to address goals of the Strategic Deer Management Plant. The new zones will be 1A, 6A and 8A.

Another change for deer season removed the zone doe quota permit requirements for zones 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 11 in order to manage the doe harvest utilizing doe days. The zone doe quota permits will be replaced with doe days to manage the doe deer herd in Arkansas.

A change in the antler restrictions from a 3-point rule to a 4-point rule in deer zones 16, 16A and 17 was also approved. The change allows for a buck with at least one main beam 18 inches or more in length, regardless of the number of antler points, to be harvested.

A proposal to add telephone checking also was approved by the commission. The proposed change would eliminate all county check stations as well as check sheet programs. Deer Management Assistance Program camps will continue to receive check sheets so biological data can be collected. The new checking option begins with the October archery season. Along with the phone checking, on-line checking will still be available as will the check sheets at DMAP camps. The change allows more real-time, accurate data for the AGFC biologists.

Season dates for the 2009-2010 deer hunting season:

Archery – All zones: Oct. 1 to Feb. 28.

Modern Gun - Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10 and 11: Nov. 14-Dec. 6.
Zone 4: Nov. 14-15.
Zone 5: Nov. 14-15 and Nov. 21-22.
Zone 4A, 5A, 13, 14 and 15: Nov. 14-Dec. 13.
Zones 4B and 5B: Nov. 14-22.
Zones 9 and 12: Nov. 14-Dec. 20.
Zone 16, 16A and 17: Nov. 14-Dec. 25.

Muzzleloader - Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4A, 5A, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15: Oct.17-25 and Dec. 19-21.
Zones 9, 12, 16, 16A and 17: Oct. 17-25 and Dec. 29-31.
Zones 4, 4B, 5 and 5B: Closed.

The statewide Christmas holiday modern gun deer hunt is Dec. 26-28 with two special youth modern gun deer hunts.

During the special modern gun youth deer hunt, holders of 65+ licenses, who are accompanying a hunting youth, will be allowed to hunt deer and take the bag limit legal for the deer zone or WMA in which they are hunting.

Fall turkey season was also set by the commission:

Fall Wild Turkey Archery/Crossbow Seasons:
Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 6, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 9A, 10 and 17: Oct. 1, 2009-Feb. 28, 2010. Zone 1A: Closed.

Fall Wild Turkey Firearms Season:
Zones 3, 5B, 6, and 17: Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2009. Zones 1, 1A, 2, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 9A and 10: Closed.

Additionally, the commission raised the possession limit for squirrels to 32 from 16 while keeping the daily limit of 8 in tact.

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