Rabbit Hunting Season in Arkansas: Dates, Limits, and Rules for 2026-27
October 28, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in Arkansas is one of the longest on the calendar. It opens before dove season wraps up and runs well into the last week of winter. If you have been waiting on cold weather to chase cottontails, you have more time than you might think.
This article covers the 2026-27 season dates, the species you can take, bag limits, licenses, legal weapons, shooting hours, and public land rules. Regulations change from year to year, so confirm anything you plan to rely on with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) before you head out.
Whether you run beagles through Delta bottomlands or walk Ozark fencerows with a .22, the basics below keep your hunt legal.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in Arkansas
According to the AGFC rabbit season page, the 2026-27 rabbit season runs statewide from September 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027. That is a six-month window with no zones or split seasons to track.
Because the season is already open as of October 11, 2026, you can hunt now. Many hunters wait for November through February, when leaves drop and cover thins. HuntWise notes that late-season hunts around January and February are often the easiest because rabbits are simpler to spot and flush.
| Season Detail | 2026-27 Information |
|---|---|
| Opening Date | September 1, 2026 |
| Closing Date | February 28, 2027 |
| Coverage | Statewide |
| Daily Limit | 8 |
Important Note: A few third-party sites list a November 1 to February 1 rabbit window. The AGFC page lists September 1 to February 28, and that is the official source, so treat the shorter window as an error.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in Arkansas
Arkansas has no hares to hunt, so your targets are rabbits. Two species matter, and they live in very different places.
The eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is the one most hunters pursue. It lives statewide in brushy fields, forest edges, and overgrown farmland, according to Dive Bomb Industries. Look for thick cover near clearings, brush piles, and abandoned farmsteads.
The swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is larger and tied to water. Outdoor Life describes it as found only near water and notorious for swimming to break a beagle’s scent trail. If you hunt river bottoms in the Delta, expect to find these instead of cottontails.
- Eastern cottontail: Statewide, brushy edges, fencerows, and thickets
- Swamp rabbit: River bottoms, swamps, and wetlands, mostly in the Delta
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in Arkansas
The AGFC sets the daily limit at 8 rabbits for the 2026-27 season. Cottontails and swamp rabbits count toward the same limit, so keep a running tally if you take both in one day.
Possession limits are changing. AskHunting reports that possession limits were eliminated for nearly all small game in 2026-27, while earlier seasons used a possession limit of 16. The AGFC rabbit page lists only the daily limit of 8, which fits that report, but check the current AGFC guidebook if you plan to freeze or carry several days of harvest.
Pro Tip: Count rabbits in the field, not at the truck. A daily limit of 8 is easy to exceed on a good beagle day when multiple hunters are shooting.
If you also hunt other small game, remember that limits differ by species. StateHunting.org lists squirrel at 12 per day, which is a separate limit from your 8 rabbits.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in Arkansas
You need a valid Arkansas hunting license to take rabbits. Residents have the cheapest route through the Wildlife Conservation License, which Hunting Locator lists at $10.50 and covers rabbit, squirrel, quail, and migratory birds. The Resident Sportsman’s License, listed at $25, covers all game species.
Nonresidents have two options for small game. Hunting Locator lists an Annual Small Game License at $110 and a 5-Day Small Game License at $80. Those prices come from a 2024-25 season guide, so confirm current fees with the AGFC before you buy.
Hunter education is also required for anyone born after 1968, according to Hunting Prime. If you are new to the sport, finish the course before you buy your license.
| License | Listed Cost | Covers Rabbit? |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Wildlife Conservation License | $10.50 | Yes |
| Resident Sportsman’s License | $25 | Yes |
| Nonresident Annual Small Game License | $110 | Yes |
| Nonresident 5-Day Small Game License | $80 | Yes |
| Nonresident Annual All-Game License | $410 | Yes |
Fees above come from a 2024-25 season source and may differ for 2026-27. Hunting deer or turkey on the same trip adds different licensing and tag requirements, covered in our guides to deer hunting season in Arkansas and turkey hunting season in Arkansas.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in Arkansas
Arkansas gives you plenty of ways to hunt rabbits, but the weapon limits are specific. The AGFC says rabbits may not be hunted with rifles or handguns larger than .22 caliber rimfire, or alternative firearms larger than .40 caliber, unless a modern gun, muzzleloading deer, bear, or coyote season is open.
Shotguns are legal, with a firm restriction on ammunition. The AGFC prohibits rifled slugs and shot larger than T shot for rabbits. Most hunters use 20 or 12 gauge shotguns with open chokes and small shot, a setup recommended by Dive Bomb Industries.
You can also use box traps. The AGFC allows up to eight, with interior dimensions up to 8 inches wide and 10 inches tall.
- Shotgun: Any gauge, no slugs, nothing larger than T shot
- Rimfire: .22 caliber rimfire rifle or handgun at most
- Box traps: Up to eight, within the size limits above
- Dogs: Beagles are a traditional choice in brushy and swampy ground
Pro Tip: The AGFC asks hunters to clean rabbits harvested out of state and dispose of unwanted parts before returning to Arkansas. This helps limit the spread of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV-2).
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Arkansas
Arkansas’s general rule allows hunting from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset for most species, according to AskHunting. The official sunrise and sunset tables are published in the AGFC Hunting Guidebook, so check those for your hunt date. I did not find a rabbit-specific hours rule in the AGFC page, so treat this as the general rule.
Sunday hunting is legal in Arkansas, per Hunting Prime. That gives you seven days a week to hunt rabbits during the season, which is a real advantage over states that restrict Sundays.
If you hunt on public land, individual WMAs may set their own rules on days or hours, so check the area’s page first.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Arkansas
My research did not turn up a firm AGFC rule requiring hunter orange for rabbit hunting outside of deer seasons. Dive Bomb Industries still recommends blaze orange for visibility, and it makes sense when you are walking brush with other hunters nearby.
Wear orange anyway if a modern gun deer season overlaps your hunt, and read the AGFC guidebook for current requirements on the specific WMA you are using.
Public land is plentiful. The Ouachita and Ozark national forests dominate squirrel and rabbit hunting, and Baldknob Bottoms, Big Lake NWR, and Dave Donaldson Black River WMA also offer public opportunities, per AskHunting. HuntingSeasons.org reports that starting July 1, 2026, hunters 16 and older on AGFC-owned WMAs and lakes must carry the $10.50 AGFC WMA/Lake Conservation Permit unless exempt.
Important Note: Other game seasons often overlap with rabbit season on public land. If you also chase gators, bears, or doves, see our guides to alligator hunting season in Arkansas, bear hunting season in Arkansas, and dove hunting season in Arkansas.
Confirm every rule in the current AGFC Hunting Guidebook before your first hunt. Seasons, fees, and WMA regulations can shift, and the guidebook is the final word on what is legal.