Regulations

Bag It and Tag It

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has streamlined the hunting license system.  Current hunting licenses expire a year from the date of purchase. Under the new system, hunting licenses will expire June 30 each year. The new annual big game license will have seven tags attached to it. Four tags will be used for the 2007-08 deer season, two for fall 2007 turkey season and two for spring 2008 turkey season. Other hunting licenses will have an appropriate number of tags depending on harvest limits connected specifically to the license.

Download a Printable Game Tag

Checking a Deer 

Regulations for Button Bucks

Button bucks and young male deer with antlers shorter than two inches long count as bucks. Button bucks are male fawns and often their antlers have not broken the skin. The term "nubbin buck" is used by some hunters.

The significance of this rule is that any male deer will count as a buck in the bag limit and any female will be counted as a doe. The category of "antlerless" deer no longer applies and has been removed from AGFC deer hunting regulations.

By including button bucks in the more restrictive buck bag limit, it is hoped that hunters will be motivated to reduce the number of button bucks taken while continuing to take does and legal antlered bucks.

Tips for Selective Deer Harvest

Protect the "Nubbin" Bucks and Resist Taking Solitary Does

The following tips will help protect these "nubbin" bucks:

• Avoid long shots when taking does. Added distance makes positive identification more difficult under any circumstance.        
• Look extra close on cloudy days or in poor light conditions.        
• Good binoculars are especially useful when using weapons without magnifying scopes such as archery tackle, primitive firearms or shotguns.    

Resist Taking Solitary Does

In many circumstances, deer seen alone or the first solitary deer entering food plots or approaching feeders are "nubbin" or young bucks who have been abandoned by their mother. When in doubt, let the animal walk.

Differences in the adult doe and the fawn:        

• The side view of an adult doe's head resembles a glass 12-ounce drink bottle. Fawn heads are more stubby like a 6-ounce drink bottle.        
• Adult does act like they are walking on coiled springs, ready to launch at the slightest hint of danger. Fawns are much less deliberate in their actions.        
• Adult does have elongated, suitcase-shaped torsos while fawns are more squared, like a briefcase.    

Legal doe. Any female deer taken is counted as a doe in the bag limit. Look for a long head and neck in an adult doe to differentiate from a button buck.	Legal ... but avoid this. Button bucks and male deer with spikes up to two inches long are counted as bucks in the bag limit.

What is a Legal Buck?

When counting the number of points, the end of the main beam constitutes one point. Points must be at least one inch long to count. Antler restrictions increase average buck age by reducing the harvest pressure on yearling bucks. On some WMAs and all NWRs, antler restrictions are not the same as the statewide three-point rule. These restrictions allow biologists to try different management techniques and collect additional data from deer harvested.

Three-point rule: A legal buck must have both antlers shorter than two inches or have three or more points on one side of his rack. The three-point rule applies statewide unless mentioned below. Button bucks may be taken.

Four-point rule:Lafayette County, Rick Evans Grandview Prairie and St. Francis National Forest WMAs require bucks to have both antlers shorter than two inches or have four or more points on one side of his rack before being taken. Button bucks may be taken.

4x4 Slot:Cut-off Creek, Bayou Meto, Dagmar, Henry Gray Hurricane Lake, Little Bayou, Moro Big Pine Natural Area, Rex Hancock Black Swamp, Trusten Holder, Seven Devils, Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMAs and UA Pine Tree Experimental Station WDA require that a legal buck must have:

• four or more points on one side of his rack, or

• four or fewer total points on both sides of his rack (button bucks included).

On Choctaw Island WMA, a legal buck is either:

• a Type A buck with five or more points on one side of his rack or an inside spread 15 inches or more (measured at widest point at a right angle to the centerline of the skull); button bucks included.

• a Type B buck with five or fewer total points.

On Greers Ferry Lake WMA any buck may be legally harvested during the deer muzzleloader mobility impaired hunt.

Youth hunters: Hunters under 16 may take any buck as their first buck of the season, except on Choctaw Island WMA and Pond Creek NWR where they must comply with area restrictions. Their second buck must comply with legal buck criteria. Youth hunters may harvest any buck during the permit youth hunts on DeGray Lake WMA, Hobbs State Park Conservation Area, Hope Upland WMA, Howard County WMA, St. Francis National Forest WMA, Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA, U of A Pine Tree Experimental Station WDA, Holla Bend NWR, Howard Hensley Searcy County WMA, Lake Greeson WMA and Provo WMA and Cook’s Lake Area within the White River NWR.

During Special Modern Gun Youth Deer Hunt, hunters aged 15 years and younger are not under any antler restrictions.

Legal buck...but avoid this. Button bucks and male deer with spikes up to two inches long are counted as bucks in the bag limit.	Don't shoot any buck that does not have at least three points on one side of its antlers or any buck with spikes longer than two inches.	Legal buck. This buck has five points on one side. Any buck having three or more points may be taken under the three-point rule.

Special Youth Modern Gun Deer Hunt

A two-day youth-only modern gun deer hunt will be held during the 2008-09 season.  Dates will be published in March 2008.

Only youths 15 years of age or younger are allowed to harvest deer during the special youth modern gun deer hunt. Youths who have completed a hunter education course must be accompanied by an adult mentor who is 18 years of age or older. Youths who have not completed a hunter education course must be under the direct supervision of an adult mentor who is 21 years of age or older. Youths must comply with the following: One deer of choice, no antler restrictions, and Zone/WMA doe quota permit not required. This is not a bonus deer and will count toward the seasonal bag limit. During the special youth modern gun deer hunt, youths 15 years of age and younger can use doe permits or management deer tags on deer camps participating in the AGFC Deer Camp Program and/or DMAP. These deer do not count towards the youth’s bag limit. 

Special Deer Regulations

• Special Deer Regulations Swimming deer may not be hunted. Deer may not be driven or captured from a boat. Deer may not be hunted from watercraft on public waters.

• Deer may not be hunted over bait from Feb. 1-29 if the hunter knows, or should reasonably know, the area is baited. An area is considered baited for 10 days following complete removal of the bait.

Hunting with Dogs

Each hunting dog is required to have a collar with its owner's name, phone number and address on it. Waterfowl retrievers do not need to wear collars while hunting or retrieving so long as the collar bearing the owner's name, address and phone number is carried. The owner's name and address tattooed in a hunting dog's ear may be substituted for the collar plate. While training bird dogs, handguns or shotguns with blank ammunition may be used. Individuals or organizations may hold captive on a temporary basis raccoons, fox, coyotes or pen-raised quail for the purposes of dog training or AKC, UKC or ACHA field trials with the approval of the AGFC chief of wildlife.

Chasing for Pleasure: Using dogs to chase wildlife for pleasure is prohibited from April 1, 2006 until May 15, 2006 with these exceptions: hunting within fox and coyote enclosures and during AKC or UKC sanctioned field trials is allowed. Chasing for pleasure is allowed from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.

Coyote and fox may not be chased for pleasure during a firearms deer season where dogs are prohibited. The only killing equipment that may be carried are those that may legally be used in a hunting season open at the time and place of the chase.

A dog controlled by a leash may be used to retrieve a wounded deer with the permission of a wildlife officer where dogs are not otherwise allowed. Chasing for pleasure is allowed from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. Using dogs to chase wildlife for pleasure is prohibited from April 1 until May 15 with these exceptions: hunting within fox and coyote enclosures and during AKC, UKC or PKC field trials (or similarly sanctioned events).

During the spring youth turkey hunt, the use of dogs to chase wildlife is prohibited during daylight hours.

Dogs may be used to chase deer for training purposes from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, except during firearms deer seasons where the use of dogs is prohibited. Killing devices may not be carried while training deer dogs unless a modern gun deer season is open when and where dogs are allowed.

Deer Hunting Equipment

Rifles, shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders or archery equipment may be used during modern gun hunts.

When muzzleloader seasons are open and modern gun seasons are closed, muzzleloading firearms or archery equipment may be used, but not modern guns. (Modern guns may not be carried when modern gun seasons are closed.)

When only archery seasons are open, archery equipment may be used, but not firearms. (Firearms may not be carried during archery seasons.)

Archery

Long, recurve and compound bows: Bows must have at least a 40-pound pull. Telescopic or magnifying sights may not be used. String locks and mechanical string releases are legal. Deer, turkey and bear hunters are required to use arrowheads at least 7/8-inch wide. Poison may not be used on arrows.

Crossbow: Crossbows must have at least a 125-pound pull and a mechanical safety. Deer, turkey and bear hunters are required to use arrowheads at least 7/8-inch wide. Poison may not be used on arrows. Magnifying sights may be used. Crossbows are not allowed for taking elk.

Muzzleloader

To be used for deer hunting, muzzleloading long guns must have a barrel at least 18 inches long and be at least .40 caliber. Magnifying sights may be used. The use of shot is not legal. Legal muzzleloaders use flintlock or percussion cap, are loaded only through the muzzle and are not capable of firing a cartridge. Hunters may use muzzleloading handguns as long as the barrels are at least nine inches long and at least .45 caliber if they shoot conical bullets (200 grains or heavier). If round balls are used, the minimum caliber is .530. A hunter may carry a muzzleloading handgun of any caliber as backup to a muzzleloading long gun.

Modern Gun

All modern guns are legal for deer hunting during modern gun season with the following exceptions:        

• You may not use buckshot in a .410-gauge shotgun.        
• You may not use shot smaller than No. 4 buckshot in any shotgun.        
• any centerfire rifle, pistol or revolver smaller than .22 caliber.        
• You may not use rimfire cartridges, military or full metal jacketed ammunition.        
• You may not use handguns with barrels shorter than four inches. See illustration below.    

In zones 4, 4B, 5, and 5B, modern guns are restricted to shotguns .410 or larger with slugs. Muzzleloading rifles also may be used.

The barrel of a handgun must be at least four inches measured from A to B.

Hunter Orange Requirements

Hunting accidents are reduced when safety colors are worn because visibility is greatly increased. Hunter orange or chartreuse must be worn by hunters during modern gun or muzzleloader deer, elk or bear seasons.

The colored area of the garment must total at least 400 square inches above the waist. In addition, a hunter orange or chartreuse head garment must be worn.

If you are hunting in an area that is closed to firearms deer, elk or bear seasons or if you are hunting migratory birds, these safety colors are not required.

Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP)

The Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) provides technical assistance to landowners and hunting clubs to improve deer populations. Biologists work with land managers to assess habitat quality and the potential to support a healthy, well-balanced deer herd. They evaluate historic, present and future deer management efforts and meet with clubs and land managers to explain options and expected results. They also train club members to correctly collect data on harvested and observed deer.

For more information, contact a Wildlife Regional Office nearest the private land or club land to be managed and ask about DMAP.

Check Sheet Program

The Check Sheet Program lets deer and turkey camp members check their harvest taken on their own (or leased) lands. More than 3,000 camps are enrolled in the program. Enrollment is open between May 1 and August 31.

Requirements for the program are:        

1. The camp must own or lease 200 or more acres;        
2. The camp must have six or more hunting members; and         
3. Wildlife officers have the authority to refuse to allow deer camps to participate in this program if violations occur.     

Call (501) 223-6430 for more information about the Check Sheet Program.