Arkansas deer hunting: WMAs, deer zones and county harvest
Arkansas hunters checked 200,285 deer in the 2024-25 season, 97,445 antlered bucks among them (AGFC's deer check records). In most zones the 2026-27 archery season runs September 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027, after an early buck-only archery hunt August 29 to 31; modern gun opens November 14, with the closing date set by zone (AGFC deer seasons by zone).
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: AGFC's 2026-27 seasons by zone. Harvest: AGFC's deer check records to 2024-25.
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Arkansas hunt plans are coming
Hunt plans for Arkansas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free. Join the Arkansas list.
How many deer can you take in Arkansas?
AGFC's zone bag limit is four deer, no more than two antlered bucks. How many antlerless deer may be taken with each weapon depends on the zone, and in several zones legal bucks must have at least three points on one side outside the CWD Management Zone. Button bucks count as antlerless deer but must be checked as button bucks. WMAs set their own limits.
Source: AGFC deer seasons and limits by zone.
How do Arkansas's deer zones work?
The state is split into numbered deer zones, some with an A zone beside them (4A, 5A, 16A), each with its own gun dates, antlerless limits and antler and dog rules. 20 zones have a page here with their dates, counties and harvest. See every zone.
Where can you hunt public land in Arkansas?
112 WMAs have a page here, each with AGFC's 2026-27 seasons for the area and its deer checked by season. The most deer in 2024-25 came from Piney Creeks WMA (966), White Rock WMA (742), Sylamore WMA (522) and Mount Magazine WMA (437). See every WMA.
Which Arkansas counties have the most deer harvested?
Union County (6,937), Clark County (5,965), Bradley County (4,784), Saline County (4,566) and Drew County (4,496) led Arkansas in 2024-25. See all 75 counties.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 200,285 | 97,445 | 90,581 |
| 2023-24 | 192,393 | 92,429 | 85,822 |
| 2022-23 | 185,579 | 89,791 | 84,913 |
Source: AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25, counted by FilledTag.
Questions hunters ask
When does deer season open in Arkansas in 2026?
An early buck-only archery hunt runs August 29 to 31, 2026, and archery reopens September 26, 2026 through February 28, 2027 in most zones. Modern gun opens November 14, 2026; the closing date depends on the zone (AGFC deer seasons by zone).
How many deer can you kill in Arkansas?
Four deer a season, no more than two antlered bucks, under AGFC's zone bag limit; the number of antlerless deer allowed with each weapon depends on the zone. WMAs set their own limits, listed on each WMA's page here.
Where do the Arkansas harvest numbers come from?
From AGFC's own deer check records, which hold every deer checked through its Game Check from the 2022-23 to the 2024-25 season. FilledTag counts them by county, deer zone and WMA. Button bucks count as antlerless deer but are checked as button bucks, so they are shown apart.
Get a Arkansas hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Arkansas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Arkansas included.
Where these numbers come from
- Seasons and limits: AGFC deer seasons and limits by zone; each WMA's page (AGFC Wildlife Management Areas).
- Harvest: AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25.
- Maps: AGFC WMA boundaries; AGFC deer zones; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. AGFC's hunting pages are the final word on every rule.