Arkansas Alligator Hunters Harvest 150 Alligators in First Weekend Hunt, 62 Opportunities Remain

The first weekend of the Arkansas alligator hunting season, Sept. 18-21, yielded 150 gators across the state’s three alligator management zones. The second chunk of the hunt is set for sunset Sept. 25-sunrise 28.

Most hunting takes place on private property; hunters apply for permits to hunt public land during July.

Alligator management zone 3, which covers a piece of southeastern Arkansas along the Mississippi River from Louisiana to Monroe County, accounted for 90 alligators, nine with permits on public land and 81 on private property.

Zone 1, wedged into the southwestern corner of the state and the smallest of the three zones, produced 56 gators, 14 on public land and 42 on private land.

Four alligators were harvested on private land in zone 2, the largest zone, which reaches from the Louisiana state line to Pope County; none were taken on public land.

A new quota for public hunting at Millwood Lake in zone 1 was reached during the first weekend, which means that area is closed to hunting during the second weekend of the season. The area historically has had a lower harvest than permits allowed for, so the AGFC instituted a quota in 2025 to encourage hunters to take their alligator as soon as they could instead of holding out for a larger specimen.

“We did not meet that quota last year, but Millwood Lake hunters took advantage of their first weekend this year and filled the quota during the first two nights of this year’s hunt,” AGFC Herpetologist Amanda Bryant said. “That will be the only area closed to hunting at the start of the last weekend of the hunt.” Check current alligator harvest remaining for each management zone at www.agfc.com/hunting/more-game/alligator/season-dates.

This year’s alligator season is well on its way to perhaps setting another record. Hunters set the mark with 205 alligators in 2025, which broke the record of 202 set in 2023.

“Public land hunters have found the largest alligators so far this year,” Bryant said. “Seven of the top 10 largest alligators from the first weekend were from public hunts by people who applied for permits in July.”

The Arkansas alligator population was dwindling in 1960. AGFC biologists could find a few remaining in Grassy Lake near Hope, so the Commission passed a regulation to protect the species in 1961.

The AGFC began relocating alligators from southern Louisiana in 1972 to bolster the Arkansas population. Most of those were spread across southern Arkansas, although a few went to Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge. In all, 2,800 alligators were stocked in 12 years.

After the alligator populations rebounded and stabilized, AGFC received permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to open a hunting season for the species.  The AGFC’s first hunting season occurred on private and public land in 2007.

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CUTLINES:

GATORGIRL
Hannah Jester put her tag on this 12-foot, 4-inch alligator that weighed 448 lbs. at Millwood Lake on Saturday night during her first season as an Arkansas alligator hunter. Photo courtesy Hannah Jester.

ALLIGATOR IN BOAT
Roger Alexander got this impressive alligator at Millwood Lake on Saturday night. The alligator measured 11 feet, 2 inches, but Alexander later checked his tape measure and said it may have been a few inches longer than that. Hunters who drew Millwood Lake permits filled that area’s quota during the first weekend. All other areas remain open to alligator hunting during the upcoming final weekend of the hunt. Photo courtesy Roger Alexander.