White Rock WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 seasons and map
White Rock WMA is 328,836 acres of public hunting land in Franklin, Johnson, Madison, Newton, Crawford and Washington counties, AGFC's WMA zone 670. Hunters checked 742 deer on it in the 2024-25 season, 468 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.
White Rock WMAOther AGFC WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 328,836 acres (AGFC) |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County, Johnson County, Madison County, Newton County, Crawford County, Washington County |
| AGFC WMA zone | 670 |
| Deer zone around it | Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 6 |
| Area rules | CWD Zone and Additional USDA Forest Service Regulations |
| Deer checked, 2024-25 | 742 (468 antlered bucks, 38 button bucks, 236 does) |
| Phone | 833-340-7506 |
| Nearest towns | St. Paul (next to it), Winslow (next to it) and Mountainburg (2 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on White Rock 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.
- Deer Alternative Firearms: Oct. 17-25.
- Deer Modern Gun: Nov. 14-Dec. 6 and Dec. 26-28.
- Deer Modern Gun Mobility-Impaired Hunt (permit required): Nov. 7-8.
- Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts: Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3.
- WMA Deer Bag Limit: Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks, which may include:
- Two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun,
- Two antlerless deer with archery,
- One antlerless deer during alternative firearms season or during the first two days of modern gun,
- During youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck and one antlerless deer,
- During mobility-impaired permit hunt, mobility-impaired hunters may take two deer, one antlered buck and one antlerless deer.
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: Nov. 7-8 (mobility-impaired deer permit holders only).
- Bear Notes:
- Seasons close earlier when Bear Zone 1 quota is reached.
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, quail, rabbit and squirrel. Their dates are on AGFC's page.
Source: AGFC, White Rock WMA, read October 2026. AGFC's page and its regulations are the final word.
How many deer are taken on White Rock WMA?
Hunters checked 742 deer on White Rock WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 3 seasons in AGFC's records, the area averaged 724 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 742 | 468 | 38 | 236 |
| 2023-24 | 662 | 389 | 40 | 233 |
| 2022-23 | 767 | 467 | 34 | 266 |
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 White Rock WMA?
Location
It lies in parts of Franklin, Johnson, Crawford, Madison and Washington Counties. It is situated 13 miles north of Ozark, 14 miles northwest of Clarksville and 25 miles southeast of Fayetteville.
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.
Contact the U.S. Forest Service for a mobility-impaired modern gun permit application at 479-667-2191.
Camping
Developed camping and picnic areas are located at Shores Lake, Horsehead Lake, Wolf Pen, Redding, White Rock Mountain and Turner Bend.
Description
The area is situated in the heart of the rugged Boston Mountains in Northwest Arkansas. The area is extensively forested with upland hardwoods occurring primarily on northern and eastern aspects and shortleaf pine and pine/hardwood mixtures on the southern and western exposures. Deep hollows and steep benched ridges best describe the terrain. The Mulberry River, a popular canoeing, kayaking and fishing stream runs through the southern part of the area. The area is very rugged with deep hollows, steep benched ridges and precipitous bluffs. The area has 4 major lakes; Shores Lake, Horsehead Lake, Lake Ft Smith and Lake Shepherd Springs.
Ownership
USDA Forest Service • 361,994 acresThe 280,000 acre White Rock WMA lies within the proclamation boundary of the main division of the Ozark National Forest. Most of the land within the area is federally owned and is administered by the U. S. Forest Service. There are privately owned tracts of land scattered throughout the area that may be legally posted against trespass.
Age
The area was officially designated in 1976.
From AGFC's page for the area.
Which county is White Rock WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024-25 | Rank of 75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 104,251 | 2,190 | 46th |
| Johnson County | 89,520 | 3,160 | 26th |
| Madison County | 49,746 | 2,590 | 36th |
| Newton County | 38,236 | 1,319 | 64th |
| Crawford County | 32,511 | 2,893 | 29th |
| Washington County | 10,885 | 4,337 | 7th |
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 White Rock WMA?
Highways through the area: AR 215, AR 16, AR 23 and AR 103. Nearest towns: St. Paul (next to it), Winslow (next to it), Mountainburg (2 miles) and Chester (3 miles).
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Buffalo National River WMA (next to it), Piney Creeks WMA (next to it), Lee Creek WMA (5.4 miles) and Ozark Lake WMA (6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on White Rock WMA in 2026-27?
AGFC's dates for White Rock 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. 6 and Dec. 26-28. Deer Modern Gun Mobility-Impaired Hunt (permit required), Nov. 7-8. Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts, Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3.
How many deer can you take on White Rock WMA?
Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks, which may include: two antlered bucks with archery, alternative firearms or modern gun, two antlerless deer with archery, one antlerless deer during alternative firearms season or during the first two days of modern gun, during youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck and one antlerless deer and during mobility-impaired permit hunt, mobility-impaired hunters may take two deer, one antlered buck and one antlerless deer. (AGFC's 2026-27 rules for the area).
How many deer were killed on White Rock WMA last season?
Hunters checked 742 deer on White Rock WMA in the 2024-25 season: 468 antlered bucks, 38 button bucks and 236 does, by AGFC's deer check records. The 3-season average is 724.
What county is White Rock WMA in?
Franklin County (104,251 acres), Johnson County (89,520 acres), Madison County (49,746 acres), Newton County (38,236 acres), Crawford County (32,511 acres) and Washington County (10,885 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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