LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Game and Fish commissioners changed hunting regulations, including the season dates for all game, at a meeting last week.
Staff proposed the changes at the March commission meeting and surveyed the public for the last two months.
“All proposals had a majority of support,” said Steven Fowler, assistant chief of the agency’s Wildlife Management Division. “There was fairly high opposition to one regulation change, which was not being able to carry two weapons during the modern gun antlerless only deer hunt.”
Brad Carner, chief of wildlife management, said many comments in opposition to the regulation concerned the ability to carry a concealed firearm if a hunter had a concealed carry permit.
“That won’t be impacted by this regulation,” he said.
The commission also added Van Buren County to the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone. This comes after samples from last season turned up a positive case within 10 miles of the county line.
Only cleaned, deboned meat and taxidermy products from deer taken within the disease management zone may be taken outside the zone, according to regulations. Supplemental feeding of wildlife also may not be conducted outside of baiting deer for hunting from Sept. 1-Dec. 31.
2017-2018 Seasons
Deer
Opening days— Archery, Sept. 23; muzzleloader, Oct. 21; modern gun, Nov. 11
Private land modern gun antlerless – Oct. 14-18
Special modern gun youth – Nov. 4-5 and Jan. 6-7
Christmas modern gun – Dec. 26-28
Waterfowl
Duck, coot and merganser — Nov. 18-26, Dec. 7-23, Dec. 26-Jan. 2
Special youth — Dec. 2 and Feb. 3
Turkey
Special Youth — April 7-8
Firearms and archery — Zones 1, 2, 3, 4B, 5, 5B, 6, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 10 and 17, April 9-24; zones 1A, 4, 4A, 5A and 9A, April 9-17
Complete season dates are available online at www.agfc.com.