Dardanelle WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and map
Dardanelle WMA is 42,500 acres of public hunting land in Johnson, Logan, Pope, Franklin and Yell counties, AGFC's WMA zone 160. Hunters checked 129 deer on it in the 2024-25 season, 48 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.
Dardanelle WMAOther AGFC WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 42,500 acres (AGFC) |
|---|---|
| County | Johnson County, Logan County, Pope County, Franklin County, Yell County |
| AGFC WMA zone | 160 |
| Deer zone around it | Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8 |
| Area rules | CWD Zone and Dogs Allowed (during a specific portion of deer season) |
| Deer checked, 2024-25 | 129 (48 antlered bucks, 10 button bucks, 71 does) |
| Phone | 833-356-0871 |
| Nearest towns | Clarksville (next to it), Morrison Bluff (next to it) and Scranton (next to it) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Dardanelle WMA?
AGFC sets each WMA's own dates and limits. These are its big game seasons for the area.
2026-27 Closed Seasons
- Alligator
2026-27 Deer
- Deer Archery: Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28.
- Johnson County Waterfowl Rest Area: Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Oct. 31 and Feb. 16-28.
- Deer Alternative Firearms: Oct. 17-25.
- Deer Modern Gun: Nov. 14-Dec. 6 (dogs allowed except on islands) and Dec. 26-28 (no dogs).
- Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts: Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3 (no dogs).
- Deer Special Modern Gun Mobility-Impaired Hunt (permit required): Johnson County Waterfowl Rest Area only: Nov. 3-5, As set by Army Corps of Engineers. Three permits for Johnson County WRA (no dogs). Call Army Corps of Engineers, 479-968-5008. Shotguns with slugs or alternative firearms may be used.
- WMA Deer Bag Limit: Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks (no antler restrictions), which may include:
- Two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun,
- Three antlerless deer with archery.
- One antlerless deer with alternative firearms and modern gun combined,
- Nonresidents hunting deer with dogs are limited to one deer during the last nine days of the regular modern gun season.
2026 Bear
- Bear Archery: Sept. 9-Nov. 30.
- Bear Alternative Firearms: Oct. 17-25.
- Bear Modern Gun: Nov. 14-30.
- Bear Modern Gun Youth Hunt: Nov. 7-8.
- Bear Modern Gun Mobility-Impaired Hunt (permit holders only): Johnson County Waterfowl Rest Area only: Nov. 3-5. Three permits for Johnson County WRA (no dogs). Call Army Corps of Engineers, 479-968-5008. Shotguns with slugs or alternative firearms may be used.
2027 Turkey
- Youth Hunt: April 10-11. One legal turkey.
- Firearms Hunt: April 19-May 9. One legal turkey.
Other seasons AGFC lists for the area: crow, dove, quail, rabbit, squirrel and waterfowl. Their dates are on AGFC's page.
Source: AGFC, Dardanelle WMA, read October 2026. AGFC's page and its regulations are the final word.
How many deer are taken on Dardanelle WMA?
Hunters checked 129 deer on Dardanelle WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 3 seasons in AGFC's records, the area averaged 123 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 129 | 48 | 10 | 71 |
| 2023-24 | 114 | 48 | 8 | 58 |
| 2022-23 | 125 | 41 | 10 | 74 |
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 Dardanelle WMA?
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.
The WMA boundary includes lands within the Corps of Engineers boundary, including islands and shoreline acreage.
Additional Corps of Engineers regulations apply. Contact Corps of Engineers, 479-968-5008.
Dogs, hunting or trapping equipment are not allowed on Johnson County Waterfowl Rest Area, except as noted above.
Horsehead Creek, Johnson County and and Bob Young Carbon City WRAs are closed to access Nov. 1-Feb. 15 (Johnson County WRA open for mobility-impaired permit hunt).
Ownership
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
From AGFC's page for the area.
Which county is Dardanelle WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024-25 | Rank of 75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 20,922 | 3,160 | 26th |
| Logan County | 19,598 | 2,541 | 39th |
| Pope County | 10,386 | 4,046 | 10th |
| Franklin County | 3,223 | 2,190 | 46th |
| Yell County | 3,057 | 4,055 | 9th |
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 Dardanelle WMA?
Highways through the area: I-40, US 64, AR 22 and AR 309. Nearest towns: Clarksville (next to it), Morrison Bluff (next to it), Scranton (next to it) and London (next to it).
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Mount Magazine WMA (next to it), Ozark Lake WMA (3 miles), Galla Creek WMA (5.3 miles) and White Rock WMA (6.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Dardanelle WMA in 2026-27?
AGFC's dates for Dardanelle WMA: Deer Archery, Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28. Johnson County Waterfowl Rest Area, Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Oct. 31 and Feb. 16-28. Deer Alternative Firearms, Oct. 17-25. Deer Modern Gun, Nov. 14-Dec. 6 (dogs allowed except on islands) and Dec. 26-28 (no dogs). Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts, Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3 (no dogs).
How many deer can you take on Dardanelle WMA?
Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks (no antler restrictions), which may include: two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun, three antlerless deer with archery, one antlerless deer with alternative firearms and modern gun combined and nonresidents hunting deer with dogs are limited to one deer during the last nine days of the regular modern gun season. (AGFC's 2026-27 rules for the area).
How many deer were killed on Dardanelle WMA last season?
Hunters checked 129 deer on Dardanelle WMA in the 2024-25 season: 48 antlered bucks, 10 button bucks and 71 does, by AGFC's deer check records. The 3-season average is 123.
What county is Dardanelle WMA in?
Johnson County (20,922 acres), Logan County (19,598 acres), Pope County (10,386 acres), Franklin County (3,223 acres) and Yell County (3,057 acres), measured on 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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