Arkansas deer Zone 1: 2026-27 seasons, counties and harvest
Arkansas deer Zone 1 covers 1,343,095 acres, by AGFC's zone map, across 4 counties. Off WMAs, refuges and urban zones, hunters checked 7,460 deer in it in the 2024-25 season, 4,291 antlered bucks among them (AGFC's deer check records). 6 WMAs with 87,281 acres lie inside it.
Data updated October 2026. Zone: AGFC's deer zone map. Harvest: AGFC's deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25. Seasons: AGFC's 2026-27 deer seasons by zone.
Zone 1AGFC WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
When is deer season in Zone 1?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Early Buck-only Archery | Aug. 29-31, 2026 |
| Archery | Sept. 26, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Alternative Firearms | Oct. 17-25 and Dec. 12-14, 2026 |
| Youth Modern Gun Hunt | Nov. 7-8, 2026 and Jan. 2-3, 2027 (public land youth hunters, check WMA for exceptions) |
| Modern Gun | Nov. 14-Dec. 6 and Dec. 26-28, 2026 |
Zone bag limit
Four deer, no more than two antlered bucks, which may include:
- Two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun
- Four antlerless deer with archery
- Three antlerless deer with alternative firearms and modern gun combined.
Zone notes
- No dogs allowed for deer hunting.
- No antler-point restrictions on harvest.
- Button bucks count as antlerless deer, but must be checked as a button buck.
- CWD regulations apply.
Source: AGFC deer seasons and limits by zone, read October 2026. WMAs inside the zone set their own dates.
How many deer are taken in Zone 1?
AGFC files deer taken on WMAs, refuges and in urban zones under those areas, so these counts are the rest of the zone. 2024-25 was 4% above 2022-23.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 7,460 | 4,291 | 445 | 2,724 | 3.6 |
| 2023-24 | 8,948 | 4,985 | 715 | 3,248 | 4.3 |
| 2022-23 | 7,195 | 4,089 | 417 | 2,689 | 3.4 |
Source: AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25. Per square mile uses the zone's 2,099 square miles.
Which counties are in Zone 1?
| County | Acres in Zone 1 | County deer, 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 565,863 | 3,480 |
| Madison County | 393,523 | 2,590 |
| Washington County | 272,050 | 4,337 |
| Carroll County | 111,333 | 1,115 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on AGFC deer zones and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County counts include WMA deer.
Which WMAs are in Zone 1?
| WMA | Acres in the zone | Deer on the whole WMA, 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Kirk Dupps Beaver Lake WMA | 38,175 | 81 |
| Wedington WMA | 15,858 | 118 |
| McIlroy Madison County WMA | 15,042 | 59 |
| Hobbs State Park Conservation Area WMA | 12,166 | 64 |
| Devils Eyebrow Natural Area WMA | 3,916 | 9 |
| White Rock WMA | 2,124 | 742 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in Arkansas Zone 1 for 2026-27?
Early Buck-only Archery: Aug. 29-31, 2026. Archery: Sept. 26, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027. Alternative Firearms: Oct. 17-25 and Dec. 12-14, 2026. Youth Modern Gun Hunt: Nov. 7-8, 2026 and Jan. 2-3, 2027 (public land youth hunters, check WMA for exceptions). Modern Gun: Nov. 14-Dec. 6 and Dec. 26-28, 2026.
What counties are in Arkansas deer Zone 1?
Benton (565,863 acres), Madison (393,523 acres), Washington (272,050 acres) and Carroll (111,333 acres), measured on AGFC's zone map. A county can lie in more than one zone.
How many deer are killed in Zone 1?
Hunters checked 7,460 deer in Zone 1 in 2024-25, not counting WMAs, refuges and urban zones, which AGFC records apart: 4,291 antlered bucks, 445 button bucks and 2,724 does.
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Sources: AGFC deer zones; AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25; AGFC deer seasons and limits by zone. FilledTag is not part of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Arkansas hunting All Arkansas deer zones Benton County Madison County Washington County