Can You Hunt Bears in Arkansas This Fall? What AGFC Rules Require
November 6, 2026
Yes, you can hunt black bears in Arkansas, but only in specific zones and only until a quota closes the season. Bear Hunting Season in Arkansas 2026 runs on a zone-by-zone schedule, and Zone 1 can shut down overnight once its harvest quota is met.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) sets every date, zone and limit below. Because the season is open today in some zones and closed in others, check the quota hotline before each hunt.
This guide covers dates, weapons, tags, bait, dogs, youth hunts and check-in rules, in the order you will need them. If you also chase other game, our Arkansas rifle deer season guide covers the overlap.
Bear Hunting Season Dates in Arkansas 2026
According to the AGFC, the 2026 bear seasons are split by weapon type. Archery runs Sept. 9-Nov. 30, alternative firearms Oct. 17-25, the special youth modern gun hunt Nov. 7-8, and modern gun Nov. 14-30. Zone 1 closes earlier if its quota is reached.
Zones 3, 4, 5 and 5A have their own short windows. The AGFC lists late-season dates in those zones that begin on the 19th and run through the 25th, and each of those zones also closes early once its quota fills. Check the AGFC zone page for the exact month in each zone before you plan a trip.
| Season | 2026 Dates | Early Closure |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sept. 9-Nov. 30 | Zone 1 on quota |
| Alternative Firearms | Oct. 17-25 | Zone 1 on quota |
| Special Youth Modern Gun | Nov. 7-8 | Zone 1 on quota |
| Modern Gun | Nov. 14-30 | Zone 1 on quota |
Pro Tip: Call 833-345-0398 the evening before every hunt. Hunters must call that number for the number of bears checked. A zone can close the day its quota is reached.
Bear Season by Weapon and Method in Arkansas: Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearm
Archery gives you the longest window, running from early September through the end of November. The alternative firearms season, which covers muzzleloaders, is the shortest at nine days in mid-October.
Modern gun hunters get the final stretch, Nov. 14-30, with a two-day youth hunt just before it. The AGFC also changed the archery opener: bear archery season in zones 1 and 2 now opens annually on the closest Wednesday to Sept. 11, to make harvest more stable and predictable.
Spring Bear Season in Arkansas
Arkansas has no spring bear season. All of the AGFC’s published 2026 bear seasons fall between early September and the end of November, with the late short windows in the southern zones.
If you want spring hunting in Arkansas, turkey is your option. See our Arkansas turkey season guide for dates and tag rules.
Bear Hunting Zones, Units and Management Areas in Arkansas
Arkansas divides bear hunting into numbered zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 5A, plus closed zones. Zones 1 and 2 are the main opportunity, and the AGFC publishes a 2026 bear zone map on its seasons page.
Quota rules differ by zone. Bear Zone 2 does not have a quota, while Zone 1 does. The AGFC rule book also states that the Zone 1 quota is an additive quota not to exceed 500 bears for all combined seasons.
If you hunt a wildlife management area or national wildlife refuge, use the WMA/NWR number instead of the bear zone number. Some WMAs also require a deer permit to harvest a bear, so read the area’s page first.
Bear Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Arkansas
Residents need a valid Arkansas hunting license, and the bear tag now comes with it. The AGFC reports that Resident Turkey Tags and Resident Bear Tags have been eliminated as individual license products and are automatically uploaded to each resident hunting license holder.
Youth hunters need a free Youth Game Tag. All youth hunters must have free Youth Game Tags to harvest deer, as well as turkey and bear during their youth hunts.
If you hunt AGFC-owned WMAs or lakes, you may also need the AGFC WMA/Lake Conservation Permit. Per the AGFC’s new-rules page, all persons 16 and older using AGFC-owned wildlife management areas and lakes must possess an annual AGFC WMA/Lake permit unless they are exempt.
Bear Permit Draws and Lotteries in Arkansas
Arkansas does not run a bear permit draw or lottery. Access is controlled by zone quotas that close the season in real time, not by drawing applicants.
That makes the nightly quota call the key step. You hunt first-come within the season dates, and a zone with a quota closes the day the count is reached.
Nonresident Bear Hunting in Arkansas
Nonresidents can hunt bear in Arkansas, but they need the right license package. Third-party sources report a $300 nonresident bear permit plus the nonresident all-game license, though you should confirm the current fee on the AGFC bear page before buying.
Nonresidents follow the same zones, dates, quotas and one-bear limit as residents. They also face the same nightly quota call.
Bear Bag Limit and Harvest Quota in Arkansas
The limit is simple. The statewide bag limit is one bear, either sex, by any method. That is one bear per hunter for the entire season, not per zone.
Harvest quotas are the part that catches hunters off guard. Bear season closes the day each quota has been reached. AGFC harvest reports show quotas have been set since the first managed seasons; the 2020 report listed an archery quota of 400 bears in Zone 1.
Baiting Rules for Bear Hunting in Arkansas
Baiting is allowed, but only on private land. The AGFC states that bait, foodstuffs or any lure to attract bears is not allowed except on private lands in bear zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 5A, from 30 days before the first bear season opens until the last day of the last bear season in that zone.
Public land, WMAs and refuges are off limits for bear bait. Hunters in the CWD Management Zone face extra restrictions, so read the AGFC’s CWD baiting notes before setting a site.
Hunting Bears with Hounds in Arkansas
You cannot use hounds to take a bear in Arkansas. It is unlawful to take a bear that is being pursued by dogs.
Plan on stand, spot-and-stalk or baited-site hunting instead. A dog on a bear’s track makes any shot illegal.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Bear Hunting in Arkansas
Bear hunters use deer equipment with one shotgun rule. Legal equipment for bear is the same as for deer, except shotguns must be 20-gauge or larger and use rifled slugs.
- Archery and crossbow: open during the long September-November season
- Muzzleloader and alternative firearms: Oct. 17-25
- Modern gun and shotgun with rifled slugs: Nov. 14-30, plus the youth hunt
Match your weapon to the season you are hunting, since each segment has its own dates.
Legal Bears and Protected Bears in Arkansas
Either sex is legal statewide. The AGFC bag limit text allows one bear, either sex, by any method.
Arkansas has a history of protecting bears. Bear hunting was closed in 1927 because of declining bear numbers, and the state later restored the population through reintroduction. Modern seasons are tightly managed for that reason, so leave any bear you cannot positively identify as legal for your zone and date.
Youth and Special Bear Hunts in Arkansas
Young hunters get their own weekend before modern gun opens. The AGFC lists the Youth Modern Gun Bear Hunt for Zones 1 and 2 on Nov. 7-8, 2026, with Zone 1 closing early if its quota is reached.
Age rules matter here. Only youths 6 to 15 may harvest a bear, and those without a hunter education course must be under direct supervision of a licensed hunter 21 or older.
Zones 3, 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 7 are closed to the youth hunt. For other youth opportunities, see our Arkansas rabbit season page, a good starter hunt.
Where to Hunt Bear in Arkansas: Public and Private Land
Most bear hunters head to the Ozarks and the Boston Mountains in northwest Arkansas, where Zones 1 and 2 sit. Public land is available through WMAs and national forest, while private land gives you access to baiting.
The trade-off is simple: public land has no bait but more room, and private land allows bait but needs landowner permission. On a WMA, check that area’s own regulations, since the AGFC notes WMA rules and dates override the general zone rules.
For local color, a regional hunting guide describes Arkansas bear hunting across published zones and weapons, but always confirm the unit on the AGFC map. You can compare how neighboring states manage seasons in our Mississippi deer season guide and Louisiana deer season guide.
Best Time to Hunt Bear in Arkansas
Late October is the peak window in the Ozarks, when acorns pull bears to oak flats. That timing falls in the alternative firearms week, Oct. 17-25, and the end of the long archery season.
Hunters in Zone 1 should not wait for November. Quotas often fill before modern gun, so the early archery and October weeks give you the surest chance of an open season.
Bear Hunting Hours, Sunday Hunting and Blaze Orange in Arkansas
Legal shooting hours follow the sunrise and sunset tables in the AGFC Hunting Guidebook. Check those tables for your hunt date, since the AGFC publishes them each year.
The AGFC’s bear seasons page does not list a Sunday restriction, but WMA rules can differ by area. Wear blaze orange where the guidebook requires it during firearm seasons, and confirm the exact requirement for your zone.
Tagging, Check-In and Reporting a Bear in Arkansas
Every harvested bear must be checked. Because the resident bear tag is now loaded onto your license automatically, you tag the animal through your license record rather than a separate paper tag.
One rule changed this year. The requirement to submit a harvested bear’s premolar has been eliminated, though hunters are still encouraged to submit one. Older AGFC youth-hunt text still mentions the premolar requirement, so follow the current rule above.
Pro Tip: Field dress your bear if you must, but keep proof of sex attached until it is checked, and report the harvest promptly so zone quota counts stay accurate for the next hunter.
Bear Hunting Season in Arkansas 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Bear Season Start in Arkansas?
Archery opens Sept. 9, according to the AGFC’s 2026 schedule. Modern gun runs Nov. 14-30.
How Many Bears Can You Take?
One per hunter per season, either sex, by any method.
Can You Hunt Bears With Dogs?
No. Taking a bear that dogs are pursuing is unlawful.
Can You Bait Bears?
Only on private land in zones 1 through 5A, starting 30 days before the first season opens.
Do You Need a Draw Permit?
No. Arkansas uses zone quotas, and residents receive the bear tag with their license.
How Do You Know If a Zone Is Still Open?
Call 833-345-0398 the evening before you hunt. The AGFC posts the count of bears checked.
For other Arkansas seasons, see our guides to alligator and dove hunting, and the AGFC’s new regulations page for 2026-27 changes.