Apply for a chance to hunt an Arkansas Elk

LITTLE ROCK — Hunters interested in pursuing Arkansas’s largest big game animal can apply for a limited hunting permit draw from 8 a.m. May 1 through 11:59 p.m. June 1. Applications will be available at the AGFC’s licensing site (www.agfc.com/license) under the “Special Hunt Applications” tab.

Eighteen permits will be available for public draw through online applications this season. Six of those permits will be either-sex tags and 12 will be antlerless-only tags. All elk permits will be drawn at the Buffalo River Elk Festival in Jasper, scheduled for June 27-28. Winners will be notified via email and phone once the draw is concluded. Three on-site permits will be drawn at the festival. Only people who attend the festival in person will be eligible for the on-site permit drawing.

Only Arkansas residents may apply for an Arkansas public land elk hunting permit. Applicants must have a valid Resident Sportsman’s Hunting License or must be a holder of a Lifetime Sportsman’s Permit. Applicants must be 6 years or older as of the beginning of the hunt (Oct. 4) to participate. Anyone with 18 or more AGFC wildlife violation points is ineligible for the permit.

Hunters with access to private land in elk country will follow the same regulations as last year, using a quota system instead of drawn permits. Anyone may purchase a Private Land Elk Permit (labeled PLE in the AGFC licensing system) for $5 in addition to a valid Resident Sportsman’s Hunting License or Nonresident All Game Hunting License.

The private land quota is 18 total, six either sex and 12 antlerless. Hunters must call each evening to determine if the quota has been met before the next day’s hunt. The season ends early if the quota is filled.

Arkansas’s 2025 elk hunting season will be as follows:

Core Elk Management Zone public land hunts (by drawn permit only)
Youth Hunts: Oct. 4-5, 2025, and Oct. 25-26, 2025
Regular Elk Hunts (youth eligible): Oct. 6-10, 2025, and Oct. 27-31, 2025

Core Elk Management Zone private land hunt (by Private Land Elk Permit)
Youth Hunts (antlerless elk only): Oct. 4-5, 2025, and Oct. 25-26, 2025
Regular Elk Hunts (youth eligible): Oct. 6-10, 2025, and Oct. 27-31, 2025

Additionally, hunters may take any elk they see outside of the Core Elk Management Zone (Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton and Searcy counties) while legally deer hunting with archery, muzzleloaders or modern guns of at least .24 caliber.

Visit www.agfc.com/elk for more information on elk and elk hunting in Arkansas.

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CUTLINES:

Elk turning head
Mature bull elk tend to harems of cows during their breeding season. 

Elk bugling with herd
Elk were reintroduced to Arkansas in the early 1980s. AGFC photo.