Bell Slough WMA

Three-point rule

Waterfowl Season Access Restrictions

Valid Hunting or Fishing License or a WMA/Lake Conservation Permit is Required for All Users

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Acres: 2,366

2026-27 Closed Seasons

• Deer Modern Gun (youth hunt available)
• Bear Modern Gun (youth hunt available)
• Alligator

2026-27 Crow

Sept. 3, 2026-Feb. 21, 2027. Open Thursdays through Mondays only. No limit.

2026-27 Deer

Deer Archery: Aug. 29-31 (one antlered buck only); Sept. 26-Feb. 28.
Deer Alternative Firearms (permit required): Oct. 17-21.
Deer Modern Gun Youth Hunts: Nov. 7-8 (permit required) and Jan. 2-3 (no permit).

WMA Deer Bag Limit: Three deer, no more than two antlered bucks (3-Point Rule applies), which may include:

• Two antlered bucks with archery,
• Three antlerless deer with archery,
• One antlered buck and one antlerless deer with alternative firearms permit,
• During youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck (no antler restrictions) and one antlerless deer.

2026 Bear

Bear Archery: Sept. 9-Nov. 30.
Bear Alternative Firearms: Oct. 17-251 (deer permit holders only).
Bear Modern Gun Youth Hunt (youth deer hunt permit holders only): Nov. 7-8.

Bear Notes:

• Seasons close earlier when Bear Zone 1 quota is reached. Click here for details.

2026-27 Quail

Nov. 1, 2026-Feb. 7, 2027. Daily limit – 6

2026-27 Rabbit

Sept. 1, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027. Daily limit – 8

2026-27 Squirrel

May 15, 2026-Feb. 28, 2027. Dogs allowed. Daily limit – 12

2027 Turkey

Youth Hunt (permit required): April 10-11. One legal turkey.
Firearms Hunt (permit required): April 19-21, April 24-26, May 1-3 and May 7-9. One legal turkey. Includes Camp Robinson WMA

Turkey Notes: 

• A WMA Turkey Hunt Permit is required to hunt turkeys on this WMA. Click here for details.
• All hunters including permit holders are required to apply for and obtain a Recreational Pass from the Department of the Army at Robinson Maneuver Training Center prior to entry. For questions regarding the Recreational Pass please call 501-212-4090 or visit https://arkansas.nationalguard.mil/Home/Camp-Robinson-Maneuver-Training-Center/. Vehicular access is limited to designated improved surface roads. Military activities take precedence over recreational activities and may cause changes to access requirements, dates and available training areas without notice.

2025-26 Waterfowl

• 2025-26 Arkansas Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook
• 2025-26 Statewide Waterfowl Season Dates and Bag Limits
• 2025-26 General WMA Regulations

Waterfowl Notes:

• Waterfowl hunting allowed only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
• No boats allowed Nov. 15-21, Dec. 2-9 and Dec. 24-26.
• Closed to all access (except in parking areas and boat launch ramps) from 2-4 a.m. Nov. 22-Jan. 31 and Feb. 7-8.
• Palarm Creek Waterfowl Rest Area is closed to all access from Nov. 1-Feb. 15 (except for youth deer modern gun permit holders on Nov. 1-2).
• No boats allowed from 1 p.m. to 4 a.m. Nov. 22-Dec. 1, Dec. 10-23 and Dec. 27-Jan. 30.
  Exception – Boats allowed from 1-6:30 p.m. Jan. 31 and Feb. 7-8.
• No boats allowed Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Nov. 24-Jan. 30.
• No airboats during duck season.
• Hunters accessing Grassy Lake from Bell Slough are not required to have a Camp Robinson sportsman’s pass, but must stay in or on the water. For information on the sportsman’s pass, call 501-212-4090.

Access

Access to Bell Slough is available from Grassy Lake Road and from the backside of the Lake Conway Dam.

Area Notes

• Free georeferenced maps are available for this WMA and others at https://apps.agfc.com/maps/. These maps are frequently updated and include features such as parking, types of road and land boundaries.
• The Palarm Creek Waterfowl Rest Area closes to access Nov. 1-Feb. 15.

Description

Bell Slough WMA consists of 2,366 acres of woodlands and wetlands nestled between Little Rock and the growing city of Conway. Palarm Creek Rest Area offers birders a chance to view waterfowl, shorebirds and Neotropical migrants, and provides feeding and loafing habitat for migrating waterfowl.

Hunting Opportunities

Waterfowl hunting is available at Bell Slough. Mallards, gadwall and wood ducks are the primary waterfowl species seen on the area during winter. Bowhunting for deer and squirrel hunting are available on the area as well.

Location

Bell Slough WMA lies just south of Mayflower off Interstate 40.

Ownership

AGFC

Phone

833-356-0879

Recreation Other Than Hunting

The area is home to Kenny Vernon Nature Trail and Bell Slough Water Trail. These trails offer excellent bird-watching and the hiking trail boasts an observation area with mounted binoculars near Palarm Creek Waterfowl Rest Area.

Restaurants and Other Facilities

Restaurants are available in Mayflower, Conway and Little Rock, all less than a 15-minute drive from the area.

Safety

Because the area is home to a nature trail, hunters should pay particular attention to hikers and birdwatchers who may not be wearing safety orange. Hikers and birdwatchers are strongly encouraged to wear safety orange during hunting seasons.