The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission convened last week in El Dorado to discuss changes for the upcoming hunting season.
Hunters successfully lobbied for a new regulation: non-semi-automatic firearms can now use straight-walled centerfire cartridges during deer and bear muzzleloader season.
Another change permits the incidental take of feral hogs during open seasons for bear, elk, and deer.
Additionally, removing an apparently abandoned fawn remains illegal, as it could be separated from its mother.
All regulations passed unanimously, and the dates for the 2024-2025 hunting season were set as follows:
**Deer:**
– **Early Buck Archery Hunt:** Sept. 7-9
– **Archery Deer:** Sept. 28-Feb. 28
– **Alternative Firearms (formerly muzzleloader season):**
– Zones 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11: Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 14-16
– Zones 4A, 5A, 14, and 15: Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 21-23
– Zones 9, 12, 13, 16, 16A, and 17: Oct. 19-27
– **Modern Gun:**
– Zones 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11: Nov. 9-Dec. 1 and Dec. 26-28
– Zones 4A, 5A, 14, and 15: Nov. 9-Dec. 8 and Dec. 26-28
– Zones 4 and 5: Nov. 9-17 and Dec. 26-28
– Zones 9, 12, and 13: Nov. 9-Dec. 15 and Dec. 26-28
– Zones 16, 16A, and 17: Nov. 9-Dec. 28
– **Youth Modern Gun Deer:** Nov. 2-3 and Jan. 4-5
**Bear:**
– **Archery (Zones 1 and 2 only):** Sept. 18-Nov. 30
– **Alternative Firearms (formerly muzzleloader season) (Zones 1 and 2 only):** Oct. 19-27
– **Special Youth Modern Gun Bear Hunt (Zones 1 and 2 only):** Nov. 2-3
– **Modern Gun:**
– Bear Zones 1 and 2: Nov. 9-30
– Bear Zones 3, 4, 5, and 5A: Dec. 21-27
**Waterfowl:**
– **Special Early Teal Season:** Sept. 15-30
– **Duck, Coot, and Merganser:** Nov. 23-Dec. 2, Dec. 10-23, and Dec. 27, 2024-Jan. 31, 2025
– **Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt:** Feb. 8-9, 2025
– **Special Active Duty Military and Veteran Hunt:** Feb. 9, 2025
– **White-fronted, Snow, Blue, and Ross’s Goose:** Oct. 26-Nov. 3, Nov. 23-Dec. 2, Dec. 10-23, and Dec. 27-Jan. 31
– **Canada Goose:** Sept. 1-Oct. 15, Nov. 23-Dec. 2, Dec. 10-23, and Dec. 27-Jan. 31
– **Light Goose Conservation Order (Snow, Blue, and Ross’s Goose):** Feb. 1-7, Feb. 10-April 25
**Early Migratory Birds:**
– **Dove (Mourning, White-winged, and Eurasian collared-dove):** Sept. 7-Oct. 27 and Dec. 8-Jan. 15
– **Virginia Rail and Sora:** Sept. 14-Nov. 22
– **Common and Purple Gallinule:** Sept. 1-Nov. 9
– **Wilson’s Snipe:** Nov. 1-Feb. 15
– **Woodcock:** Nov. 2-Dec. 16
**Small Game:**
– **Quail:** Nov. 1-Feb. 1
– **Rabbit:** Sept. 1-Feb. 28
– **Squirrel:** May 15-Feb. 28
