Feral Pig Hunting in Arkansas: Laws, Seasons, and Where You Can Hunt
November 8, 2026
Feral pig hunting in Arkansas works differently from nearly every other kind of hunting in the state. On private land, there is no season, no bag limit, and in most cases no hunting license requirement. Public land flips that picture almost completely, with narrow windows, weapon limits, and outright bans in some places.
The reason is a legal oddity: Arkansas does not treat feral hogs as wildlife. That one fact drives nearly every rule you will run into, from who can shoot a hog to why you can never move one alive. This article walks you through each rule, so you know what is legal before you load a rifle or step onto a WMA.
Important Note: Arkansas hog rules come from several agencies, and public land rules change by area and season. Treat this article as a starting point and confirm the details with the agencies listed in the final section before you hunt.
Can You Hunt Feral Pigs in Arkansas?
Yes, you can hunt feral pigs in Arkansas, and the state actively encourages their removal. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission states that feral hogs may be killed or trapped year-round by a landowner or anyone with the landowner’s permission.
The Commission also describes feral hogs as an invasive species and a public nuisance. They compete for food, root up habitat, and eat ground-nesting birds, eggs, and fawns. That is why you will find almost no barriers to shooting them on private ground.
Public land is a different story. You can only take hogs there under specific conditions, covered in the sections below. If you are new to the state’s broader rules, the overview of hunting laws in Arkansas gives useful background.
Feral Pig Status and Classification in Arkansas
Arkansas classifies feral hogs as “a public nuisance” under A.C.A. § 2-38-501 through § 2-38-504, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The same publication explains that the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division, not the Game and Fish Commission, sets and enforces feral hog regulations.
Because feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are not considered wildlife, the Game and Fish Commission does not regulate their harvest. It does allow anyone to take hogs while legally hunting other wildlife. This split explains why you will see different rules depending on whether you are on a farm, a WMA, or a national refuge.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette outdoors coverage from May 2026 adds a practical angle. Hogs have more standing as livestock than as game, which is why the state cannot sell pig hunting permits the way California does. Since pigs not native to the state are assumed to be owned by somebody, they are treated as private property.
There is also a definition worth knowing. According to the UA Division of Agriculture, a stray domestic hog counts as feral once it has escaped confinement for more than five days. If the owner notifies adjacent landowners within that window, the hog stays non-feral for 15 days total.
Feral Pig Hunting Season Dates or Year-Round Rules in Arkansas
On private land, feral pig hunting in Arkansas is open all year. The UA Division of Agriculture’s feral hog control page confirms it is legal to shoot or trap feral hogs, day or night, on privately owned land.
Public land runs on a different calendar because it is tied to other seasons. The table below summarizes how access generally works.
| Land Type | When You Can Take Hogs | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Private land | Year-round, day or night | Landowner or permission holder |
| Most AGFC-managed WMAs | During open firearms bear, deer, or elk seasons | Weapon legal for that season |
| Archery option on WMAs | November and December portions of open archery seasons | Legal archery hunter only |
| Holla Bend NWR and Natural Area WMAs | Not allowed | Closed to hog killing |
The archery window comes straight from Code 20.24, which allows archery hunters to take hogs on a WMA only during the part of an open bear, deer, or elk archery season that falls in November or December. If you plan a fall deer trip, check the Arkansas deer hunting season dates to line up your hog opportunity.
License and Permit Requirements for Feral Pig Hunting in Arkansas
On private land, you generally do not need a hunting license to take feral hogs. The UA Division of Agriculture states that landowners and hunters do not need a Game and Fish Commission hunting license to take feral hogs on private land. One catch: anyone whose hunting license has been revoked cannot hunt feral hogs during the revocation period.
Public land is where licensing kicks in. The Game and Fish Commission says hunters must comply with all hunting license and permit requirements when taking hogs while hunting bear, deer, or elk. That means your regular license, any big game permits, and the WMA permit all apply.
The 2026-27 General WMA Regulations require a WMA/Lake Conservation Permit for anyone 16 or older using AGFC-owned areas. People holding a valid Arkansas hunting or fishing license are exempt from that separate permit. For license types and costs, see the Arkansas hunting license requirements page.
Pro Tip: Even where no license is required, carry written permission from the landowner. A text message or signed note settles questions quickly if a wildlife officer or neighbor stops by.
Bag Limits and Possession Rules for Feral Pigs in Arkansas
There is no bag limit on private land. The UA Division of Agriculture states there is no limit to the number of feral hogs that can be removed from private land. Hunters are also not required to tag or check pigs, so the state has no exact count of annual hunter harvest.
Possession is where hunters get tripped up. The UA Division of Agriculture’s control page says hogs must be killed immediately upon capture, and it is illegal to possess, sell, transport, or release hogs. That rule applies to live animals, not meat you are taking home.
On WMAs, the Game and Fish Commission says hogs you kill can be taken for processing or left where they were shot. A harvested hog is also fair game for the table, and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist coverage describes sows and young pigs as good eating.
Legal Weapons and Hunting Methods for Feral Pigs in Arkansas
On private land, the rules are wide open. Per the UA Division of Agriculture, landowners may control hogs themselves or let others use any method with their permission. A 2026 Democrat-Gazette column lists modern firearms, muzzleloaders, vertical bows, crossbows, and even spears as options for year-round hunting.
A few methods deserve extra detail:
- Night shooting: The UA Division of Agriculture notes a thermal scope and suppressor can be effective for removing a few hogs at a time. Spotlighting on private land is permitted, though the extension publication recommends telling your local wildlife officer first.
- Dogs: Dogs can remove single boars or stragglers, but the extension service does not recommend them for population control. They are banned on WMAs.
- Baiting: Baiting for nuisance wildlife control requires prior approval from the Game and Fish Commission. In a Chronic Wasting Disease zone, you need special permission to bait outside hunting season.
- Trapping: Corral traps are legal on private land and are the method the Commission calls most efficient for reducing numbers.
On WMAs, you must use a weapon legal for the season you are in. Code 20.02 of the AGFC Code Book limits firearms on WMAs outside modern gun season, and several areas allow only slug shotguns or muzzleloaders. If you hunt with a bow, review the state’s bow hunting laws in Arkansas first.
Private Land and Public Land Feral Pig Hunting Rules in Arkansas
Private land hunting is simple: get permission and hunt. Hunting leases are common across the state, and the written agreement protects both sides. Many landowners welcome hunters because shooting hogs near crops can push them off for a while, even though hunting alone rarely solves the problem.
Public land is regulated by whichever agency manages it. The UA Division of Agriculture notes you need a valid Arkansas hunting license and must follow state hunting rules to pursue hogs on public land. Code 20.24 makes it unlawful to hunt feral hogs on WMAs except under listed exceptions, and it bans dog hunting and trapping there.
The penalties are real. Under Code 20.24, hunting hogs on a WMA outside the exceptions, or with dogs or traps, is a Class 3 violation, while possessing or releasing live hogs on a WMA is Class 4.
| Rule | Private Land | AGFC WMAs |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Year-round | Tied to big game seasons |
| Hunting license | Not required | Required |
| Dogs | Allowed with permission | Prohibited |
| Trapping | Allowed | Prohibited for hunters |
| Night shooting | Allowed | Not part of the exceptions |
| Bag limit | None | None stated |
Important Note: Federal refuges set their own rules, and the Game and Fish Commission lists Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge and Natural Area WMAs as places where hogs may not be killed. Always check the specific refuge or WMA before you go.
Transport, Release, and Live Possession Rules for Feral Pigs in Arkansas
This is the strictest area of hog law. The Game and Fish Commission says Arkansas prohibits the sale and transport of live feral hogs, and it points to Act 723 of 2015 and Act 697 of 2016. The UA Division of Agriculture adds that Act 1104, effective August 2013, was passed to reduce indiscriminate capture and relocation.
The backstory explains the zero tolerance. Commission staff reported catching hogs with ear notches and tags, a sign that illegal releases were still happening, and that finding led the Commission to once ban all hog hunting on its WMAs, according to a KARK news release. That rule was later relaxed to the current incidental take allowance.
- Do not move a live trapped hog, even to a neighbor’s property.
- Do not keep hogs as pets or hold them in pens for later hunting.
- Do not buy or sell live feral hogs.
- Kill trapped hogs on site, then transport the carcass or meat.
Releasing hogs is also a serious matter. Those who release hogs into the wild face arrest and stiff penalties, according to the Arkansas Land Conservation Assistance Network. On a WMA, possessing or releasing live hogs falls under Code 20.24.
Where to Hunt Feral Pigs or Report Sightings in Arkansas
Your best access is private land, since that is where year-round hunting is legal. Ask neighbors, farmers, and timber landowners whether they have hog damage. Many are happy to give permission. Hog populations are spread statewide, and the Only In Arkansas history of the species notes that by 2009 they had spread to nearly every county.
For public land, hunt a WMA that is listed as open to hog take during firearms or archery big game seasons. Code 20.24 names the eligible areas, including Bearcat Hollow WMA, Beaver Lake WMA, and Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA. You might also pair a hog hunt with other seasons such as bear hunting season in Arkansas, since the rule ties your take to those seasons.
If you see hog sign but do not plan to hunt, report it. The UA Division of Agriculture lists USDA APHIS Wildlife Services as the agency that assists private landowners statewide with hog damage, including aerial shooting. Look for rooting, tracks, wallows, beds, and tree and post rubs as evidence of hogs on a property.
Pro Tip: Avoid shooting single hogs on land where a landowner or agency has a trap running. The Commission notes that individual shooting makes it nearly impossible to catch a whole sounder at once.
How to Confirm Current Feral Pig Regulations With Arkansas’s Wildlife Agency
Start with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s feral hog page and its general WMA regulations, which list the current exceptions and closed areas. Keep in mind that the agency’s code book is revised periodically, so a printed copy or an old blog post can be out of date. The Cornell Legal Information Institute’s copy of Code 20.24 shows the most recent adoption we found as effective May 29, 2023.
Because hog rules involve more than one agency, confirm with each one that applies to your hunt:
- Check the AGFC feral hog page for statewide hunting and shooting rules.
- Read the current WMA regulations for the specific area you plan to hunt.
- Call the AGFC at the number published in the UA Division of Agriculture’s guide if you want to bait, since approval is required.
- Contact the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division for questions on transport and swine regulations.
- For federal refuges and national park areas, call the refuge or park office directly, because they set their own rules.
You can also pull in related state rules, such as the feral dog laws in Arkansas if you run hounds, or the coyote hunting laws in Arkansas if you also hunt predators on the same property. When in doubt, a quick call to a local wildlife officer is the safest way to avoid a citation.