When the dawn breaks over Arkansas’s marshy lands, the sound of flapping wings announces duck season – a period hunters eagerly wait for. This season, 2024-2025, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) mixed things up a bit. They tweaked the rules, marrying old traditions with current needs. So, what’s the scoop for this year’s duck season in the Natural State? Here’s the lowdown.
Duck, Coot and Merganser Season Dates
- Nov. 23 – Dec. 2, 2024
- Dec. 10 – Dec. 23, 2024
- Dec. 27, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025
In addition to these dates, there are special days set aside for specific groups:
- Special Early Teal Season: Sept. 15-30, 2024
- Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt: Feb. 8-9, 2025
- Special Active Duty Military and Veteran Hunt: Feb. 9, 2025
Bag Limits
Daily Bag Limit: 6 ducks total, with specific species limits:
- 4 mallards (no more than 2 hens)
- 1 scaup
- 3 wood ducks
- 1 pintail
- 2 redheads
- 2 canvasbacks
- 2 black ducks
- 1 mottled duck
If a species isn’t listed above, you can take up to 6 birds of that species, including teal.
Coot Daily Bag Limit: 15 coots
Merganser Daily Bag Limit: 5 mergansers, with a maximum of 2 hooded mergansers
Possession Limit: The possession limit for ducks, coots, and mergansers is three times the daily bag limit.
AR Duck Regulations
Key Changes:
- Mallard Bag Limit: You can bag up to four mallards per day, with a two hen limit.
- White-Fronted Geese: The daily count limit is now two, not three, and the season is 69 days long.
- Spinning-Wing and Motion Decoys: Got some Motorized or motion decoys? Great news! There’s no ban on these in state wildlife areas.
- Standardized Shell Limit: On the subject of shells, each hunter is allowed 25 at waterfowl-centered wildlife regions. This rule is set to cut down on excessive shooting, lower the number of birds not retrieved, and reduce disruption in the hunt zones.
General Regulations:
- HIP Registration: If you’re in Arkansas and over 16, aiming to hunt migratory birds, don’t forget to get your Harvest Information Program (HIP) card.
- WMA Hunting: WMAs wraps up at midday during the regular season, with exceptions noted in specific WMA details. On regular duck season’s final day, and during events for young people and special military/veteran hunts, waterfowl hunting is permitted until sundown.
- WMA Access: During duck season, all waterfowl hunters need to clear any water-filled region by 1 p.m., sometimes noon in particular WMAs. Lastly, the final day of the season, or during those special hunts, everyone should be off these spots by 6:30 p.m.
WRICE Program:
- Private Land Fields: The WRICE Project offers chances on land owned privately, leased by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC).
- Permit Requirements: To hunt, you need a permit you’ve drawn for each duck weekend and two special hunts for youngsters.
- Hunt Periods: Usually, hunts are held on two straight days, Saturday and Sunday, though some dates get exceptions.
- Party Size: A hunting group can have no more than four people.
- Permit Applications: You can apply online for each pursuing session. If successful, the applicants are informed through email.
- Guest Limits: If you win a permit, you can bring up to three guests. So, your parties can hold a maximum of four hunters.
- Field Access: Hunters may only enter the property on the hunting days they’re given.
- Hunting Hours: Hunters can hunt from half an hour before the sun comes up until it sets on each hunting day.
Duck Hunting Licenses and Permits
- Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp – Resident (DSR)
- Cost: $7.00
- Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp – Nonresident (DSN)
- Cost: $50.00
- Nonresident 5-Day WMA Waterfowl Permit (NW5)
- Cost: $40.00
- Harvest Information Program Registration (HIP)
- Cost: Free
- Federal Duck Stamp
- Cost: $29.00
Top Arkansas Duck Hunting Locations
Arkansas is famous for its assorted habitats beneficent to waterfowl and the large numbers of ducks it houses. As a result, it’s a choice spot for waterfowl hunters. Following are some of the preferred duck game locations in the state:
1. Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area (WMA):
- Bayou Meto WMA, found in the eastern side of Arkansas, holds the title as a top go-to spot for ducks.
- It’s loved for its wide expanse of inundated woods and rice fields, drawing different types of waterfowl like mallards, pintails, and teal.
- The WMA has options for everyone with public and private hunting opportunities. It even organizes a lottery system for public hunts.
2. White River National Wildlife Refuge:
- Located in the northeast part of Arkansas, this haven is a large spread of marshy lands. These consist of forests, lakes, and even fields of rice.
- Various kinds of waterfowl species call it home. You’ll find mallards, pintails, geese, and wood ducks here.
- This refuge gives outdoor enthusiast lots of choices. Public spots and hunting with a guide are both available options.
3. Arkansas Post National Memorial:
- In the southeast corner of Arkansas, you’ll find a historical hotspot loved by fans of waterfowls.
- The spot is a buffet of wetland types: there’s flooded timber, expanses of rice fields, and horseshoe-shaped lakes aplenty.
- And the waterbirds! Mallards, pintails, geese, and more in large numbers.
4. Cache River National Wildlife Refuge:
- Found up north in Arkansas, this safe haven boasts a vast spread of dense hardwood forests and marshy lands.
- Many who enjoy chasing waterfowl often visit, particularly those fond of wood ducks and mallards.
- The refuge offers different game choices, from open hunting territories to assisted hunts.
5. Crowley’s Ridge State Park:
- Crowley’s Ridge State Park isn’t just a pretty sight. Think about duck hunting? You’ve got a spot.
- The park’s marshlands and lower woods are homes for waterfowl like mallards, pintails, and geese. Some parts of the park let you hunt. You might need a permit, though.
Jacob Ross, an avid outdoorsman, is a seasoned bird hunter, particularly skilled in turkeys, doves, and snipes. With years of field experience and a deep understanding of bird behavior, Jacob shares his expertise through compelling content on DoveHunting.us. As the driving force behind various esteemed websites, Jacob's insights and practical advice cater to hunters of all levels, enriching their dove hunting adventures and nurturing a profound connection with the wilderness.