The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission prepares a few fields each year for the opening weekend of dove season so the public has a place to enjoy this exciting form of wingshooting.
Dove fields on WMAs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. WMA acreage put into dove fields is relatively small because most hunters only pursue doves the first few days of the season. However, after opening weekend of dove season, many wildlife species feed in the fields, particularly those that were topsown with winter wheat.
Steel shot is required for all migratory bird hunting (including doves) on the following WMAs: Bell Slough, Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita, Big Lake, Camp Robinson, Cypress Bayou, Cut-Off Creek, Dave Donaldson Black River, Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois d’Arc, Earl Buss Bayou DeView, Ed Gordon Point Remove, Frog Bayou, Galla Creek, George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto, Harris Brake, Henry Gray Hurricane Lake, Petit Jean, Rex Hancock Black Swamp, Seven Devils, Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms, Sheffield Nelson Dagmar, Shirey Bay Rainey Brake.
| WMA | County | Acres of Dove Fields | Forage Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Mississippi | 15 acres | Map | Sunflowers, Millet |
| Cache River NWR *Nontoxic shot only. Requires a signed free permit. Download Permit |
Woodruff | 40 acres | Map | Millet |
| Camp Robinson SUA | Faulkner | 35 acres | Map | Sunflowers, Wheat |
| Dave Donaldson Black River WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Clay, Greene, Randolph | 15 acres | Map | Sunflowers |
| Dardanelle WMA | Johnson, Logan | 15 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Conway | 63 acres | Map | Millet, Wheat |
| Fort Chaffee WMA A General Use Permit (WMP) is required. The process and requirements for participating in hunting, fishing, trapping and other approved recreational activities at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center (FCJMTC) has changed. All facets of the Outdoor Recreation Program are conducted online at fortchaffee.recaccess.com. Permits are issued exclusively online through RecAccess at fortchaffee.recaccess.com. All current (not expired) permit holders must integrate with fortchaffee.recaccess.com by September 1, 2022. The Open Compartment Schedule is available online and must be checked prior to entry. Beginning September 1, 2022, users are required to check-in/out when recreating at FCJMTC. For more information, visit fortchaffee.recaccess.com or call the FCJMTC Environmental Branch at 479-484-2226 or 479-484-2777. Public use compartments may be closed at any time due to military training. |
Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Sebastian |
28 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA | Desha | 32 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Frog Bayou WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Crawford | 22 acres | Map | Millet, Wheat |
| Galla Creek WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Pope | 44 acres | Map | Wheat |
| George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Jefferson | 32 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Hope Upland WMA *Dove hunting allowed only on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday |
Hempstead | 55 acres | Map | Wheat |
| J. Perry Mikles Blue Mountain SUA | Logan | 4 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA | Yell | 30 acres | Map | Millet, Sorghum |
| Ozark Lake WMA | Crawford | 17 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Petit Jean River WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Yell | 10 acres | Map | Millet, Sorghum |
| Poison Springs WMA | Nevada | 30 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Rick Evans Grandview Prairie WMA *Dove hunting allowed only on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday |
Hempstead | 59 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA *Nontoxic shot only. | Lawrence | 38 acres | Map | Sunflowers, Whesat, Milo |
| St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA | Craighead | 10 acres | Map | Sunflowers |
| Trusten Holder WMA | Desha | 4 acres | Map | Wheat |
| U of A Pine Tree Experimental Station WDA | St. Francis | 54 acres | Map | Wheat |
| Wedington WMA | Benton, Washington | 32 acres | Map | Millet, Wheat |