Bull Shoals and Heber Springs Urban Hunts
Because of increasing nuisance urban deer conflicts, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the cities of Heber Springs and Bull Shoals have joined together to offer a limited urban archery hunt to reduce the overpopulated deer herd.
This special season requires more of hunters than most, although it’s worth the effort. One hundred applicants will be randomly selected in each city. Chosen applicants must pass the International Bowhunter Education Course before they attend a hunter-orientation class and pass a shooting proficiency test.
The season is open Sept. 10 thru Nov. 18 and Jan. 1 thru Jan. 31, 2008 within each city’s boundaries – has no bag limit, although the first deer taken by a hunter must be a doe. Deer taken after that may be either sex. Deer taken in the urban hunts do not count in a hunter’s seasonal bag limit, and the three-point rule does not apply. Hunters must hold an Arkansas Sportsman’s License and an Urban Bowhunting Permit.
Donation of the first deer harvested by each hunter participating in the Bull Shoals Urban Archery Deer Hunt to the Arkansas Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry organization is strongly encouraged. Donation of the first deer harvested by each hunter participating in the Heber Springs Urban Archery Deer Hunt to the Arkansas Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry organization is mandatory.
A $35 fee, which includes Arkansas Bowhunters Association membership, covers liability insurance. Only longbows, recurve bows or compound bows with at least 40-pound draw weight and arrowheads at least seven-eighths of an inch wide may be used. Hunters on private property must have written permission from the landowner.
Other regulations apply. Applications will be available at Bull Shoals and Heber Springs city halls, local license dealers in those towns and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Little Rock office. Applications must be postmarked by July 31, 2007.
Click here to view images of the shooting proficiency test from the 2006 Heber Springs hunt.