Modern gun deer hunting season opens Saturday and will run through Dec. 4, with a second modern gun season Dec. 26 through 28.
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, deer are plentiful in every county throughout the state and the outlooks shows to be another banner deer season. Total deer harvest county by county for 2020-2021 includes: Baxter 2,197; Marion 1,900; Fulton 2,770; Izard 1,993; Stone 1,682; Searcy 1,745, Boone 1,555; and Newton 1,466.
Archery deer season has been open more than a month. The first segment of muzzle-loader deer season (Oct. 15-23) is over. The total 2022-2023 deer harvest as of Nov. 1 was 31,708. Last season’s deer harvest (2020-2021) was 181,379 for all seasons combined — archery, muzzle-loader and modern gun.
Arkansas’ record deer harvest was in 2012-2013 when 213,487 deer were checked by hunters. In 1938, the first year harvest data was kept, the tally was 208 deer.
All counties in north central Arkansas, northwest Arkansas and most of the River Valley are in the Game and Fish chronic wasting disease management zone. Hunters should check CWD regulations regarding transportation of deer at agfc.com/CWD.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has a mobile app where deer can be checked. It also shows legal sunrise and legal sunset for hunting spots along with weather conditions, which helps hunters prepare and know when they can shoot.
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