Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

Site Search

Hunting

Season Dates

Furbearer Hunting Methods:   Furbearers may be taken with archery equipment, firearms no larger than .22 caliber rimfire or shotguns with shot no larger than T shot.  Bobcat, Raccoon, and Opossum may be taken at night when treed by dogs during an open season for that species.

Exceptions: Bobcat and coyote may be taken during day light hours with archery equipment, firearms no larger than .30 caliber or shotguns with shot no larger than T shot. Bobcat and coyote may be taken during daylight hours of any open deer, bear, spring turkey or spring squirrel season with hunting equipment legal for that season.

Note: Wildlife Management Areas have specific seasons and restrictions for furbearers.  Refer to the specific WMA information in the Hunting Guidebook for seasons and restrictions for that WMA>

 

Description

2008-2009 Season Dates

Limits

Hunting

Gray Fox, Mink, Red Fox and Striped Skunk

Sunrise , September 1, 2008–Sunset, February 28, 2009. 
Day hunting only.

No bag limit on Striped Skunk

Limit 2 per day
Opossum Sunrise , September 1, 2008–Sunset, February 28, 2009.
 Day or night hunting; dogs are required to hunt at night.

Limit 2 per day
Bobcat

Sunrise , October 1, 2008–Sunset, February 28, 2009 and from the first day of Spring Turkey Season through June 14.

Limit 2 per day

Coyote Sunrise , July 1, 2008–Sunset, February 28, 2009 and from the first day of Spring Turkey Season through June 14.

No daily limit
on coyotes.
River Otter Sunrise , November 15, 2008 – Sunset, February 28, 2008. 

Limit 2 per day
Raccoon
Sunset, July 1–Sunrise, August 31, 2008  (Night hunting only.  Dogs required).  Limit one
Raccoon
Day or Night Hunting 		Sunrise , September 1, 2008–Sunset, March 31, 2009 (Day or night hunting.  Dogs are required for hunting at night).

 

 Bag Limit 9/1-11/16
is 2 per day.
No limit from 11/17
through 03/31/08
Beaver, Muskrat and Nutria Sunrise , September 1, 2008 - Sunset, March 31, 2009.  No Limit
Information
During furbearer season, only snares, box traps, smooth-jawed steel leg-hold or Conibear-type traps may be used for trapping. Furbearers cannot be hunted with rifled slugs, shot larger than size T or any ammunition for rifle or handgun other than .22 caliber rimfire except during the daylight hours of modern gun deer seasons.
Badger, Spotted Skunk (Civet Cat),
and Weasel 		Hunting Closed

Trapping

Furbearer Trapping (Other than Beaver, Coyote, Muskrat, and Nutria): Sunrise , November 15, 2008–Sunset, February 22, 2009 No Limit
For recommended methods of trapping red fox and raccoon, please refer to
Best Management Practices for Trapping Red Fox in the Eastern U.S.
Best Management Practices for Trapping Raccoon in the Eastern U.S.
Coyote Trapping Sunrise , August 1, 2008–Sunset, March 31, 2009 No Limit
For recommended methods of trapping coyote, please refer to
Best Management Practices for Trapping Coyotes in the Eastern U.S
Beaver, Muskrat, and Nutria Sunrise , November 15, 2008 –Sunset, March 31, 2009 No Limit

During the extended beaver and raccoon trapping seasons other species are sometimes accidentally captured. Tips on avoiding the capture of other species such as otter may be found in "Avoiding Otter while trapping Beaver and Raccoon" published by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.