Apply June 15-July 14 to hunt an Arkansas alligator this fall 

LITTLE ROCK — Hunting season for Arkansas’s largest reptile may be months away, but anyone looking to have a shot at a Natural State gator on public land needs to get their application in soon. Applications for the 2025 Arkansas alligator hunting season will be available at www.agfc.com from 8 a.m. June 15 through midnight July 14.

Like last year, hunters will be able to choose one of 10 public land hunting areas, all situated in the southern half of the state. Just like last year, Yellow Lake at the Pine Bluff Arsenal will allow a limited permit hunt, as will the Delta Wetland Complex (Lake Wallace, Lake Enterprise, Lake Chicot, Grand Lake and Wilson Brake Reservoir).

“Lake Grampus was originally in the Delta Wetland Complex, but due to recent issues with the dam, we’ve taken it out of the huntable area in that complex,” AGFC Assistant Chief of Fisheries Eric Brinkman said. “We expanded our surveys this spring and have been able to include Wilson Brake to take its place. Once Grampus is restored, we’ll actually see an increase in huntable areas for this public land opportunity.”

Another notable difference to this year’s permit hunts is a new quota system in place for hunters who draw a permit to hunt Millwood Lake in southwest Arkansas.

“We have seen success rates from hunters on Millwood ranging from 25 to 75 percent the last few years, and most of the unfilled tags are the result of hunters holding out for a huge alligator and running out of time,” Brinkman said. “Even though our target number of alligators to be removed is unchanged, we increased the number of permits slightly to allow a few more hunters an opportunity to hunt. To ensure that we do not overharvest alligators in this public hunting area, Millwood will also have a quota in place. Hunters will need to call in or check agfc.com before hunting each night to see if the quota has been met. If the quota is reached before the season ends, hunting in Millwood will be over.

Brinkman says the addition of the quota may encourage hunters to harvest a legal alligator instead of holding out for a larger one that may never appear.

The following hunts are available for the 2025 hunting season:

Alligator Management Zone 1

• 12 permits for Millwood Lake (nine alligator quota)

• five permits for Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D’Arc WMA

• two permits for Little River

• one permit for Lake Erling

Alligator Management Zone 2

• one permit for Bragg Lake

• two permits for Lake Columbia

Alligator Management Zone 3

• 11 permits for the Lower Arkansas River Wetland Complex (Arkansas River backwaters near Arkansas Post)

• two permits for Yellow Lake (Pine Bluff Arsenal)

• five permits for The Delta Wetland Complex

Each permit authorizes the harvest of one alligator, which must be at least 4 feet long. Alligator hunting is allowed 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise during the approved alligator hunting season dates – Sept. 19-22 and Sept. 26-29. Each permit holder may have up to three assistants with them on the hunt, but only the permit holder is allowed to snare, harpoon and dispatch the alligator.

Applicants must be at least 16 years of age the day the hunt begins, and only Arkansas residents may apply. Applicants with 18 or more AGFC violation points are ineligible to apply. Alligator hunt applicants must pay a $5 nonrefundable processing fee at the time of their application.

Anyone who has access to private land in Alligator Zones 1, 2 or 3 may purchase a private land alligator tag in addition to their big-game hunting license and be able to hunt during alligator season until the quota is met for their zone.

All alligator hunters must go through an online hunt orientation before going to the field. The orientation lays out the most important details and frequently asked questions about the hunt. The orientation and additional information about the hunt are available at www.agfc.com/alligator.

Visit www.agfc.com to apply for an alligator hunting permit.

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CUTLINES:

TAILGATOR
Chris Ryall shared this image of his 10-foot, 9-inch alligator taken in Alligator Management Zone 3 during the 2024 Alligator hunting season. Photo courtesy Chris Ryall. 

GATOR ON TRAILER
Cody Gourley and his uncle, Jason Mitchell, took the largest alligator of the 2024 hunting season, this 12-foot, 6-inch Millwood Lake monster. Photo courtesy Cody Gourley.