Arkansas Deer Season 2026–27

Arkansas's 2026–27 modern gun deer season opens Saturday, November 14, 2026, in every private-land deer zone. How long it stays open depends on your zone. Most zones run through December 6, Zones 4 and 5 close November 22, and the southern zones go as late as December 28. Every zone also reopens for a late Christmas hunt, December 26–28. The first youth modern gun weekend is November 7–8, and archery stays open all the way to February 28, 2027. All dates and bag limits come from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) deer seasons and limits by zone.

Arkansas Deer Season 2026–27 at a Glance

WMAs and national wildlife refuges set their own dates. If you hunt public land, check that area's page in the current AGFC hunting guidebook.

Modern Gun Dates by Zone

Arkansas splits private land into deer zones, and the modern gun season closes on different dates depending on which one you hunt. Find your zone on the AGFC deer zone map first.

Youth Modern Gun Hunt

Arkansas holds two youth weekends: Nov. 7–8, 2026, the week before the opener, and Jan. 2–3, 2027. Only hunters ages 6 to 15 may take deer, and every youth needs their own free Youth Game Tags. A youth who hasn't finished hunter education must be under the direct supervision of a licensed hunter who is at least 21, and mentors can't hunt anything themselves during the youth hunt. Bowhunters can still hunt that weekend but must wear hunter orange or chartreuse. Details are on the AGFC youth hunts page.

Bag Limits and Antler Rules

Every private-land zone has a seasonal limit of four deer, no more than two antlered bucks. How many of those four can be does with a gun changes by zone. In most zones it's three antlerless deer with alternative firearms and modern gun combined. Zones 4 and 5 allow only one with modern gun, and Zone 2 allows one during alternative firearms or the first two days of modern gun. According to AGFC, you can fill the statewide limit of six deer, no more than two bucks, by hunting in another zone or on a WMA. Button bucks count as antlerless deer, and they must be checked as button bucks.

Antler rules are where people get caught. In many zones, a legal buck has to have at least three points on one side, but that rule is lifted inside the CWD Management Zone. Zones 16 and 16A use a different rule: a legal buck must have at least a 15-inch inside spread or an 18-inch main beam. Zones 1, 2, 6, 15 and 17 have no antler-point restriction. Check your zone's notes on the AGFC zone page before you pull the trigger.

Hunting Deer With Dogs

Dogs are legal for deer in some southern and central zones, but not everywhere. Zones 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 allow dogs Nov. 14 – Dec. 6. Zones 12 and 13 run Nov. 14 – Dec. 20, Zones 14 and 15 run Nov. 14 – Dec. 13, and Zones 16A and 17 run Nov. 14 – Dec. 25. Nonresidents can only use dogs during the last nine days of the regular modern gun season in those zones. Dogs aren't allowed for deer in Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5, 5A, 9 and 16.

Hunter Orange and Checking Your Deer

Anyone hunting or with a hunter where modern gun or alternative firearms deer season is open must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange, chartreuse or blaze camo above the waist, plus a hat in one of those colors. That rule comes from the AGFC deer-specific regulations. This season marks 50 years of required hunter orange in Arkansas.

Every deer must be checked within 12 hours of harvest through the AGFC mobile app, at agfc.com or by phone at 833-289-2469. If you check it right where it fell and keep it with you, you don't need a paper tag. If you can't check it right away, fill out a tag with your name, customer ID, date, time and zone or WMA before you move the deer. The app works without cell service and syncs once you're back in range.

CWD Rules

Chronic wasting disease regulations apply in all or part of most Arkansas deer zones. AGFC added Grant and Sevier counties to the CWD Management Zone, so more south Arkansas hunters now need to follow the carcass transport rules. Don't move a whole deer out of the CWD Management Zone without following the steps on the AGFC deer page.

When Is the Rut in Arkansas?

It depends on which side of the state you're on. AGFC's breeding data shows most counties in the west, including the Ozarks, the Ouachitas and the Arkansas River Valley, peak between Oct. 28 and Nov. 21. In the east, the peak is more often Nov. 22 to Dec. 14, and the counties along the Mississippi River are the latest in the state. That data comes from AGFC's rut timing report. AGFC's deer program coordinator has said the statewide average peak is around Nov. 11, which is why modern gun always opens on the second Saturday of November.

That means the Nov. 14 opener lands right in the thick of it in the hills. In the Delta, plan your best sits for the week after Thanksgiving and the December splits. For the full picture across the South, see our Southeast deer rut dates guide.

Planning Around Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is Nov. 26, 2026, and modern gun season is open that week in every zone except 4 and 5, which close Nov. 22. If you hunt the Delta, that's the timing to watch: the rut is heating up in the east just as Zones 4 and 5 shut down, so the Dec. 26–28 Christmas hunt is your next gun chance there. If you're traveling for the holiday, check our Tennessee deer season guide and Thanksgiving week hunting guide.

Arkansas Deer Season FAQ

When does deer season open in Arkansas in 2026?

Modern gun season opens Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in every private-land zone. Archery opened Sept. 26, and the youth modern gun hunt is Nov. 7–8.

How long is gun season in Arkansas?

It depends on your zone. Most zones close Dec. 6, Zones 4 and 5 close Nov. 22, and Zones 16, 16A and 17 stay open through Dec. 28. Every zone reopens Dec. 26–28.

How many deer can you kill in Arkansas?

Four deer per private-land zone, no more than two bucks. You can reach the statewide limit of six by hunting another zone or a WMA.

What is alternative firearms season in Arkansas?

It's Arkansas's muzzleloader-style season. The first split ran Oct. 17–25 in most zones, and some zones have a second split Dec. 12–14 or Dec. 19–21. Check the AGFC zone page for the legal firearms.

Do I have to tag my deer in Arkansas?

You must check it within 12 hours. If you check it on the spot with the app and keep it with you, a paper tag isn't required. Otherwise, tag it before you move it.

Gear Up for the Season

Every Hunt One More® design is built around faith, service and time in the field. Grab The Lord Is My Guide® tees and hoodies for those cold November sits, and put a Hunt One More decal on the truck before opening day.

Trust the process. Trust the hunt. And when the sun's going down, hunt one more.

Keep Reading on Camp Talk

• Virginia Deer Season 2026–27
• Tennessee Deer Season 2026–27
• Georgia Deer Season 2026–27
• Alabama Deer Season 2026–27
• Southeast Deer Rut Dates 2026
• Late-Season Whitetail Hunting

Season dates and bag limits come from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. This guide is for planning only. Always confirm current regulations, license requirements and bag limits with the AGFC before you hunt.

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