Bayou Des Arc WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and map
Bayou Des Arc WMA is 953 acres of public hunting land in Prairie County, AGFC's WMA zone 005. Hunters checked 12 deer on it in the 2024-25 season, 6 antlered bucks among them (AGFC's deer check records). AGFC's 2026-27 dates for the area: Deer Archery, Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and area rules: AGFC's page for the area. Harvest: AGFC's deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25.
Bayou Des Arc WMAOther AGFC WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 953 acres (AGFC) |
|---|---|
| County | Prairie County |
| AGFC WMA zone | 005 |
| Deer zone around it | Zone 9 |
| Area rules | Flood Prone Region, Three-point Rule and Valid Hunting or Fishing License or a WMA/Lake Conservation Permit is Required for All Users |
| Deer checked, 2024-25 | 12 (6 antlered bucks, 1 button buck, 5 does) |
| Phone | 833-345-0283 |
| Nearest towns | Des Arc (2 mi), Georgetown (7 mi) and Griffithville (9 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Bayou Des Arc WMA?
AGFC sets each WMA's own dates and limits. These are its big game seasons for the area.
2026-27 Closed Seasons
- Bear
- Alligator
2026-27 Deer
- Deer Archery: Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28.
- Deer Alternative Firearms: Oct. 17-25.
- Deer Modern Gun: Nov. 14-Dec. 20 and Dec. 26-28.
- Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts: Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3.
- WMA Deer Bag Limit: Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks (3-Point Rule Applies), which may include:
- Two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun,
- Three antlerless deer with archery,
- Two antlerless deer with alternative firearms and modern gun combined.
2027 Turkey
- Youth Hunt: April 10-11. One legal turkey.
- Firearms Hunt: April 19-27. One legal turkey.
Other seasons AGFC lists for the area: crow, quail, rabbit and squirrel. Their dates are on AGFC's page.
Source: AGFC, Bayou Des Arc WMA, read October 2026. AGFC's page and its regulations are the final word.
How many deer are taken on Bayou Des Arc WMA?
Hunters checked 12 deer on Bayou Des Arc WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 3 seasons in AGFC's records, the area averaged 12 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| 2023-24 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 2022-23 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
Source: AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25, counted by FilledTag from the records AGFC files under this WMA.
What should you know before hunting Bayou Des Arc WMA?
Location
Bayou Des Arc is 5 miles north of the city of Des Arc on Highway 11.
Area Notes
Free georeferenced maps are available for this WMA and others at https://apps.agfc.com/maps/. These maps are frequently updated and include features such as parking, types of road and land boundaries.
Camping
Primitive camping is available.
Description
The 300-acre area is a bottomland hardwood overflow tract.
Ownership
The AGFC owns the lake and Wildlife Management Area.
Age
Des Arc WMA was created in 1966 after the acquisition of property for the construction of a 320-acre public fishing lake. After the creation of Lake Des Arc, bottomland hardwood habitat remained outside the levee system, providing an opportunity for development of this small management area.
From AGFC's page for the area.
Which county is Bayou Des Arc WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024-25 | Rank of 75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie County | 940 | 2,118 | 49th |
Acres measured by FilledTag on AGFC WMA boundaries and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County harvest: AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25.
How do you get to Bayou Des Arc WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: AR 11, AR 38, AR 323 and AR 33. Nearest towns: Des Arc (2 miles), Georgetown (7 miles), Griffithville (9 miles) and West Point (13 miles).
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms WMA (4.1 miles), Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA (5 miles), Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA (7.7 miles) and Rex Hancock Black Swamp WMA (9.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Bayou Des Arc WMA in 2026-27?
AGFC's dates for Bayou Des Arc WMA: Deer Archery, Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28. Deer Alternative Firearms, Oct. 17-25. Deer Modern Gun, Nov. 14-Dec. 20 and Dec. 26-28. Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts, Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3.
How many deer can you take on Bayou Des Arc WMA?
Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks (3-Point Rule Applies), which may include: two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun, three antlerless deer with archery and two antlerless deer with alternative firearms and modern gun combined. (AGFC's 2026-27 rules for the area).
How many deer were killed on Bayou Des Arc WMA last season?
Hunters checked 12 deer on Bayou Des Arc WMA in the 2024-25 season: 6 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 5 does, by AGFC's deer check records. The 3-season average is 12.
What county is Bayou Des Arc WMA in?
All of it is in Prairie County, by AGFC's boundary.
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Where these numbers come from
- Seasons, limits, size and area notes: AGFC's page for each WMA (AGFC Wildlife Management Areas).
- Deer harvest on the area and by county: AGFC deer check records, 2022-23 to 2024-25.
- Boundary: AGFC WMA boundaries. Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. Refuges: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Numbers are copied from AGFC or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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