Early buck-only hunt offers head start to deer season

The near-record-setting heat wave that ended last week may have many people’s minds still focused on lake life, but the first opportunity for deer hunters to hit the field begins this weekend. Arkansas’s early buck-only archery hunt is Aug. 29-31, giving hunters in The Natural State the rare opportunity to hang their tag on a buck still “in velvet.”

Male deer shed their antlers at the end of each winter and begin to regrow a new set each spring. The developing antlers are soft and are protected by a velvety coating that nourishes the growing bone-like structures. In late summer, the buck rubs the velvet off, revealing a new set of hardened bone antlers to be used during the upcoming mating season while competing for females.

The hunt, initially proposed by Pine Bluff Commissioner Bill Jones and now in its third year, is an added opportunity for hunters who wish to pursue a mature buck in velvet, which has become popular in many states, particularly those in the West. In its first two years, the hunt was scheduled during the first week of September, but in response to many hunters’ requests, the dates were shifted earlier, to begin on the last Saturday of August.

“We heard from hunters and Commissioners that the original timing conflicted with the opening weekend of dove season, which forced hunters to choose one over the other,” Brad Carner, Deputy Director of the AGFC, said. “This shift also gives hunters a little more opportunity to get out in the woods before the majority of deer have shed their velvet.”

In addition to shifting to an earlier time, the hunt will now include many more public areas. Instead of being held only on private land and AGFC-owned or leased wildlife management areas, the hunt will now include nearly all WMAs.

“We worked with our partnering agencies who own a good percentage of public land that we cooperatively manage,” Carner said. “The hunt is now open on all WMAs, with the exception of the East Unit of Freddie Black Choctaw Island, Moro Big Pine and Rick Evans Grandview Prairie WMAs, where a doe must be harvested before you can legally harvest a buck.”

Hunters may harvest a single antlered deer with archery equipment during the three-day hunt, and the harvest does count toward the seasonal bag limit of two bucks. It does not have to be “in velvet,” but it does need to meet any antler point or size requirements for the zone being hunted.

The hunt really doesn’t affect deer populations or overall harvest that much, Carner indicated. It likely only shifts the timing of a hunter’s first buck harvest for the year earlier, leaving them to be more selective about their second and final buck for the season.

Hunters checked 1,431 bucks during the 2025 early buck archery season, which was a slight increase over the inaugural 2024 early buck hunt, when 1,302 bucks were checked. With recent high temperatures, Carner expects a similar turnout.

“The last two years have actually been fairly cool, so we may see a little decline in hunter participation from that, but we also have a lot more areas open to hunt, which may balance that number,” Carner said. “We have some die-hards who really enjoy this opportunity and will be out there.”

For hunters who brave the temperatures, Carner strongly advises they take precautions to stay hydrated during their hunt and stay protected from insect bites.

“Ticks, chiggers and mosquitoes are always a reality for early-season hunters,” Carner said. “A good insect repellent and a Thermacell will help keep the bugs away. And having some extra water is always a good idea, especially if your hunting stand is a decent walk from the truck. And always plan for your possible success. Have a cooler or two available with ice to help get that buck cooled down as quickly as possible once you recover it.”

If you do arrow a buck and want to preserve the velvet, try to touch it as little as possible. Dragging the deer will definitely rub the coating loose, so try to get an ATV to the animal if you’re hunting private land and lift the deer onto the back, taking care not to let the antlers rub against anything. If you’re on public land, a deer cart needs to be waiting at the truck to help you haul the deer out without dragging. In either case, a nonplastic game bag over the antlers also can protect the velvet and prevent flies from laying eggs in it until you get the deer to a taxidermist.

Visit www.agfc.com/guidebooks for a downloadable 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook.

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CUTLINES:

PROFILE
The 2026 Arkansas Deer Hunting Season will open with a special early buck-only archery hunt Aug. 29-31. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

HEAD-ON
Deer with or without velvet on their antlers may be harvested, but they must follow antler-point restrictions for the deer zone where the hunt is taking place. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.