Prairie Bayou WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and map
Prairie Bayou WMA is 453 acres of public hunting land in Lonoke County, AGFC's WMA zone 535. Hunters checked 3 deer on it in the 2024-25 season, 1 antlered buck 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.
Prairie Bayou WMAOther AGFC WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 453 acres (AGFC) |
|---|---|
| County | Lonoke County |
| AGFC WMA zone | 535 |
| Deer zone around it | Zone 9 |
| Area rules | Three-point rule and Valid Hunting or Fishing License or a WMA/Lake Conservation Permit is Required for All Users |
| Deer checked, 2024-25 | 3 (1 antlered buck, 0 button bucks, 2 does) |
| Phone | 833-345-0283 |
| Nearest towns | Carlisle (6 mi), Hazen (10 mi) and Humnoke (11 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Prairie Bayou WMA?
AGFC sets each WMA's own dates and limits. These are its big game seasons for the area.
2026-27 Closed Seasons
- Deer firearms (youth modern gun allowed)
- Bear
- Quail
- Alligator
2026-27 Deer
- Deer Archery: Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 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,
- Three antlerless deer with archery.
- During youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck (no antler restrictions) and one antlerless deer.
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, rabbit and squirrel. Their dates are on AGFC's page.
Source: AGFC, Prairie Bayou WMA, read October 2026. AGFC's page and its regulations are the final word.
How many deer are taken on Prairie Bayou WMA?
Hunters checked 3 deer on Prairie Bayou WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 3 seasons in AGFC's records, the area averaged 4 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
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 Prairie Bayou 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.
Camping
No camping is allowed on the WMA.
Description
Prairie Bayou WMA encompasses 453 acres in southeastern Lonoke County, south of Carlisle. The area was acquired through the Farmers Home Administration program in 1994. The WMA is part of the Grand Prairie Ecosystem.
Ownership
AGFC
From AGFC's page for the area.
Which county is Prairie Bayou WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024-25 | Rank of 75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lonoke County | 450 | 2,043 | 52nd |
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 Prairie Bayou WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: AR 13, AR 86, AR 381 and US 70. Nearest towns: Carlisle (6 miles), Hazen (10 miles), Humnoke (11 miles) and Allport (11 miles).
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Railroad Prairie Natural Area WMA (4.9 miles), Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA (10.3 miles), Roth Prairie Natural Area WMA (18.8 miles) and George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA (19.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Prairie Bayou WMA in 2026-27?
AGFC's dates for Prairie Bayou WMA: Deer Archery, Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28. Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts, Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3.
How many deer can you take on Prairie Bayou WMA?
Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks (3-Point Rule applies), which may include: two antlered bucks with archery, three antlerless deer with archery and during youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck (no antler restrictions) and one antlerless deer. (AGFC's 2026-27 rules for the area).
How many deer were killed on Prairie Bayou WMA last season?
Hunters checked 3 deer on Prairie Bayou WMA in the 2024-25 season: 1 antlered buck, 0 button bucks and 2 does, by AGFC's deer check records. The 3-season average is 4.
What county is Prairie Bayou WMA in?
All of it is in Lonoke 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.
Arkansas hunting All Arkansas WMAs Lonoke County deer harvest