Prairie Bayou WMA
| Zone | County |
|---|---|
| 535 | Lonoke |
Three-point rule
Valid Hunting or Fishing License or a WMA/Lake Conservation Permit is Required for All Users
Waterfowl Hunting Ends at Noon
Permit
Acres: 453
2026-27 Closed Seasons
- Deer firearms (youth modern gun allowed)
- Bear
- Quail
- 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 Modern Gun Youth Hunts: Nov. 7-8 and Jan. 2-3.
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.
- During youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck (no antler restrictions) and one antlerless deer.
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: April 10-11. One legal turkey.
Firearms Hunt: April 19-27. One legal turkey.
2026-27 Waterfowl
- 2026-27 Arkansas Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook
- 2026-27 Statewide Waterfowl Season Dates and Bag Limits
- 2026-27 General WMA Regulations
Waterfowl Notes:
- Waterfowl hunting allowed only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Hunting ends at noon.
- On Saturdays and Sundays, a limited number of waterfowl hunting permits are available by online drawing. Up to four hunters are allowed per party. All hunters must be within immediate proximity of each other. Apply online at agfc.com/licenses.
- On Tuesdays, Thursdays and the last day of the regular waterfowl season, nonrestricted permits will be available in the parking area. Hunters are not restricted to a designated location. The top portion of the permit must be completed and deposited in the collection box before the hunt. The bottom portion must be carried while hunting, completed and returned to the collection box at the end of the hunt.
- Permits are not required during the Youth Hunt and Veterans/Active-Duty Military Hunts Feb. 6-7.
- From Nov. 21 – 29, 2026; Dec. 10 – Dec. 23, 2026; Dec. 26, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027, Prairie Bayou WMA is open for waterfowl hunting only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and the last day of regular duck season.
- On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and the last day of regular duck season, self-serve permits are available at the parking area. Hunters are not restricted to designated locations on these days. Anyone entering flooded areas must have a signed Prairie Bayou Waterfowl Hunting Daily Use Permit on their person. The top portion of the permit must be completed and deposited in the collection box before the hunt. The bottom portion must be carried while hunting, completed, and returned to the collection box at the end of the hunt.
- On Saturdays and Sundays, a limited number of permits will be available by online drawing. Permits will be for designated locations. No more than four participants per party are allowed and all members of the party must hunt within immediate proximity of each other.
- Applications will be accepted online for each hunt period from 3 p.m. Thursday through midnight Sunday of the weekend immediately preceding the hunt period. Permits will be drawn and winners notified via email the Monday preceding the hunt period. Visit www.agfc.com and click on “GET A LICENSE” to apply.
- Hunting ends at noon. On the last day of regular duck season, hunting ends at sunset.
- Permits are not required during the Special Youth or Active-duty Military and Veteran Waterfowl Hunt.
About the Name
The name for the WMA is derived from the bayou that runs along the southwest side of the area.
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.
Camping
No camping is allowed on the WMA.
Description
Prairie Bayou WMA encompasses 453 acres in southeastern Lonoke County, south of Carlisle. The area was acquired through the Farmers Home Administration program in 1994. The WMA is part of the Grand Prairie Ecosystem.
Hunting Opportunities
Hunting opportunities exist for deer, turkey and small game.
Management Practices
Management practices include planting of native warm-season grasses, which provide habitat for rabbit and quail.
Ownership
AGFC
Phone
833-345-0283
Recreation Other Than Hunting
A main recreation opportunity people pursue on this WMA is training dogs for rabbit hunting.
Restaurants and Other Facilities
Restaurants and other facilities can be found in Carlisle.