LITTLE ROCK — If you’re looking for a place to hunt white-tailed deer this fall in Arkansas, don’t miss the opportunity to apply for one of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s permit-based deer hunts on a wildlife management area near you. Applications for these draw hunt opportunities are available from 8 a.m. June 1-11:59 p.m. July 1 at www.agfc.com.
Hunting deer on privately owned land and many WMAs throughout the state requires only a hunting license with big-game privileges, but some of the AGFC’s most popular hunting areas can become crowded or overhunted without special restrictions. Special draw hunts reduce the number of hunters to maintain healthy deer herds and enhance the overall hunting experience for those who successfully draw a permit.
Permit applications are available for $5 per application type. If successful, applicants receive their permit without additional fees. Each hunter may submit one application for each type of permit hunt: youth hunt, archery, alternative firearms (formerly muzzleloader) and modern gun. Mobility-impaired individuals also may apply for special mobility-impaired hunts through the permit system.
Hunters must be at least 6 years old by the beginning of the hunt, and hunters applying for youth hunts must be at least 6, but no older than 15, the day the hunt begins. To apply for a youth hunt, the youth hunter must be logged in under his or her own Customer ID in the licensing system. Youth hunts do not appear as an option to choose in the licensing system for any hunters older than 16.
Hunters applying for modern gun and alternative firearms hunts may do so as individuals or they may apply as a group of up to four, thanks to the AGFC’s party hunt system. To apply as a group, the party hunt leader applies as though he or she were applying as an individual. Once the permit application is completed and paid for, he or she will receive a party hunt code listed underneath the application line on their updated hunting license via email. They may then share that code with up to three other individuals. The rest of the party will then apply and respond “yes” when asked if they are members of a party hunt. They may then enter the code and continue with their application and payment. Applying as a party does not increase the chances of each individual being drawn.
Click here for more information on deer permit hunts, including a list of hunts available.
