Governor Hutchinson declared this year's Free Fishing Weekend to be from noon, June 8 until midnight June 10 in Arkansas. During this time, all license and permit requirements to fish in the state are lifted, allowing anyone to get out and enjoy fishing without the purchase of a license or trout permit.
All other fishing regulations, including bag limits and size requirements for certain bodies of water, are still in effect during Free Fishing Weekend. Information on fishing regulations is available in a current Arkansas Fishing Guidebook.
Deer
Archery:
Zones 1,1A, 2 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 17 - Sept. 22, 2018-Feb. 28, 2019.
Muzzleloader:
Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10 and 11 - Oct. 20-28 and Dec. 8-10, 2018.
Zones 4A, 5A, 14, and 15 - Oct. 20-28 and Dec. 15-17, 2018.
Zones 9, 12, 13, 16, 16A and 17 - Oct. 20-28 and Dec. 29-31, 2018.
Modern Gun:
Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 6, 6A, 7, 8, 8A, 10 and 11 - Nov. 10-Dec. 2 and Dec. 26-28, 2018.
Zone 4 - Nov. 10-11 and Dec. 26-28, 2018.
Zone 5 - Nov. 10-11, Nov. 17-18 and Dec. 26-28, 2018.
Zones 4A, 5A, 14 and 15 - Nov. 10-Dec. 9 and Dec. 26-28, 2018.
Zones 4B and 5B: Nov. 10-18 and Dec. 26-28, 2018.
Zones 9, 12 and 13 - Nov. 10-Dec. 16 and Dec. 26-28, 2018.
Zones 16, 16A and 17 - Nov. 10-Dec. 28, 2018.
Private Land Antlerless Only Modern Gun Deer Hunt:
Statewide on all private land - Oct. 13-17, 2018.
Special Youth Modern Gun Deer Hunt:
Statewide - Nov. 3-4, 2018 and Jan. 5-6, 2019
Waterfowl
Early Teal Season:
Statewide - Sept. 15-30, 2018.
Early Canada Goose:
Statewide Sept. 1-30, 2018.
Duck, Coot and Merganser:
Nov. 17-25, Dec. 6-23 and Dec. 26, 2018-Jan. 27, 2019
Canada, White-fronted, Snow, Blue and Ross’s Goose:
Oct. 27-29, Nov. 17-30, Dec. 2, 2018-Jan. 27, 2019.
Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt:
Dec. 1, 2018 and Feb. 2, 2019
Bear
Archery:
Zones 1 and 2 - Sept. 22-Nov. 30, 2018.
Zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7 - closed
Muzzleloader:
Zones 1 and 2 - Oct. 20-28, 2018
Zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7 - closed
Modern Gun:
Zones 1 and 2 - Nov. 10-30, 2018
Zone 5 - Nov. 24-Dec. 2, 2018
Zone 5A - Nov. 17-Dec. 2, 2018
Zones 3, 4, 6 and 7 - closed
Special Youth Modern Gun Bear Hunt:
Zones 1 and 2 - Nov. 3-4, 2018
Zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7 - closed.
Mourning, White-Winged and Eurasian Collared Dove
Statewide - Sept. 1-Oct. 28 and Dec. 8, 2018-Jan. 15, 2019.
Wild Turkey
Zones 1, 2, 3, 4B, 5, 5B, 6, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 10 and 17 - April 8-23, 2019
Zones 1A, 4, 4A, 5A and 9A - April 8-16, 2019
Special Youth Turkey Hunt:
Statewide (except WMAs): April 6-7, 2019
In addition to season dates, many regulations were changed to offer more access and opportunity to hunters for 2018-19. Air rifles are now legal to hunt deer during modern gun deer season, as long as they fire a single, expandable projectile .40-caliber or larger, are powered by an external pump or tank and produce at least 400 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.
