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Deer Zones 4 and 5
Craighead County, Arkansas Hunting
Craighead County, 2026-27: Deer Zones 4 and 5, AGFC Region 1 (Jonesboro), 11,530 mapped public acres and 1 public land record with their own pages.
Photo: William Julius Allen (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Which deer zone applies in Craighead County
Zone lines in Craighead County cut across the county map, giving it a piece of Deer Zones 4 and 5. Modern gun season opens November 14 and its first window closes November 22 in every zone here, then the Christmas hunt adds December 26 through 28. Hunters on the Deer Zones 4 and 5 side of Craighead County get no October alternative firearms hunt.
| Private zone | Antlerless | Legal buck | Deer dogs | Alt. guns | Modern gun | Booklet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Zone 4 | 1 antlerless by gun | 3-point, any in CWD | No dogs | None | Nov 14-22/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 15 |
| Deer Zone 5 | 1 antlerless by gun | 3-point, any in CWD | No dogs | None | Nov 14-22/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 16 |
Dog hunting for deer is closed throughout Craighead County. AGFC's antler rule for this county reads as no antler minimum (CWD county). Button bucks count as antlerless deer, the statewide cap is six deer with two antlered bucks, and the youth modern gun hunts fall on November 7 to 8 and January 2 to 3. Report every deer under the zone where it was taken, which near a boundary means checking the map.
Zone bags, antler rules, dogs and dates from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook zone pages and AGFC’s deer seasons by zone page; county lists from the 2026-27 regs data (AGFC deer zone layer). Checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County CWD status for 2026-27
Craighead County counts as Tier 2 on AGFC's CWD map, which covers 32 counties this season. Within the zone a hunter does not need to count points before shooting a buck. The zone bans feeding wildlife, with exceptions such as deer and elk bait on private land between September 1 and December 31 during open seasons.
Carcass rule for Tier 2: whole deer travel within Tier 2 or into Tier 1, never out of the zone. Hunters returning from other states may bring in deboned venison, clean antlers or skull plates, cleaned teeth, hides and finished taxidermy, nothing else. Sampling costs nothing: AGFC offers refrigerated head drop-offs, taxidermist sampling and office testing. Since its February 2016 discovery, AGFC has built its CWD rules around this county-based zone.
Zone list, tiers and rules from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook CWD pages and the zone map; tiers read from the map shading. Checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County seasons, zones and permits
Each line links the guidebook page it came from, so a date that looks odd for Craighead County can be checked in one tap.
| Animal | Season name | Covers | Ticket | Begins | Ends | Segments | Open? | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Early buck archery | Statewide | License | Aug 29, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 14 | |
| Deer | Archery | Statewide | License | Sep 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 3 | |
| Deer | Youth gun hunt | Statewide | License | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 22 | |
| Deer | Deer permits, WMAs | 1 hunt | Permit | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 18, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 101 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 4 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 15 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 5 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 16 | |
| Deer | Christmas gun hunt | Statewide | License | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 3 | |
| Deer | Alternative Firearms | Zone 4 | Closed | – | – | – | Closed | Guidebook p. 15 |
| Deer | Alternative Firearms | Zone 5 | Closed | – | – | – | Closed | Guidebook p. 16 |
| Elk | Outside core counties | Outside core | License | Aug 29, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Black bear | All seasons closed | Bear Zone 7 | Closed | – | – | – | Closed | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Turkey | Youth spring 2027 | Turkey Zone 1A | License | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 31 | |
| Turkey | Spring 2027 | Turkey Zone 1A | License | Apr 19, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 31 | |
| Alligator | All seasons closed | AMZ 4 | Closed | – | – | – | Closed | Guidebook p. 28 |
| Feral hog | Private land | Statewide | License | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 40 | |
| Squirrel | Squirrel | Statewide | License | May 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 36 | |
| Rabbit | Rabbit | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 36 | |
| Quail | Quail | Statewide | License | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 36 | |
| Crow | Crow | Statewide | License | Sep 3, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 36 | |
| Bullfrog | Bullfrog | Statewide | License | Jun 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | One | Date sheet | |
| Ducks | Regular duck season | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Coot | Coot | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Mergansers | Merganser | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Teal | Special Early Teal | Statewide | License | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | One | Date sheet | |
| Canada Goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Canada Goose | Regular Canada goose | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| White-fronted Goose | White-fronted goose | Statewide | License | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 4 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Light geese | Light geese (regular) | Statewide | License | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 4 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Light geese | Conservation order | Statewide | License | Feb 1, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Ducks and geese | Youth waterfowl | Statewide | License | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 7, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Ducks and geese | Veteran and military | Statewide | License | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 7, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Doves | Dove | Statewide | License | Sep 5, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 2 parts | Waterfowl guide p. 4 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | License | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 4 | |
| Gallinules | Gallinule | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 4 | |
| Rails | Rails | Statewide | License | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 4 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | License | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 | One | Waterfowl guide p. 4 | |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk | Hunting | Statewide | License | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Bobcat | During turkey season | Statewide | License | Apr 5, 2027 | May 9, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Coyote | Hunting | Statewide | License | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Coyote | Trapping | Statewide | License | Aug 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 38 | |
| Fox, muskrat, mink | Hunting | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| River Otter | Hunting | Statewide | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Beaver, nutria | Hunting | Statewide | License | Sep 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Beaver, nutria | Trapping | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 38 | |
| Badger, weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Closed | – | – | – | Closed | Guidebook p. 37 |
| Furbearers | Trapping | Statewide | License | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 38 |
Dates from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook, the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook and the AGFC season date sheet (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); zone county lists from AGFC zone layers and maps; checked November 9, 2026.
Bear, gobblers, gators and elk in Craighead County
Craighead County bear zones
The part of Craighead County in Bear Zone 7 has no bear season.
Craighead County turkey outlook
Turkey Zone 1A covers Craighead County according to AGFC's zone map, with the 2027 season set for Zone 1A from April 19 to April 27. A two-day youth hunt (April 10 to 11, 2027) comes first.
Craighead County alligator and elk rules
Alligators may not be hunted in Alligator Management Zone 4. Elk outside the core counties, Craighead County included, may be taken during open deer seasons. Report an elk at 833-356-0824 for checking and sampling.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | Calendar | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Spring 2027 | Zone 1A (map) | Apr 19-27 | Guidebook p. 31 |
| Elk | Statewide Elk Zone | Statewide zone | Aug 29-Feb 28 | Guidebook p. 25 |
Bear, turkey, alligator and elk seasons, quotas and rules from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook (bear, turkey, alligator, elk); bear and alligator county lists from AGFC zone layers; turkey zone counties read from AGFC’s zone map; ranks from the 2025 bear report and turkey reports. Checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County permit hunt list
The guidebook lists 1 permit hunt on public land that reaches Craighead County (1 deer), spread over 1 area. WMA deer permit applications ran June 1 to July 1, 2026; WMA turkey permit applications run January 15 to February 15, 2027. During a permit hunt only permit holders may hunt there, and other seasons except waterfowl close on that area.
| Area | Game | Draw hunt | Window | Booklet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA | Deer | Deer Modern Gun | Nov 14-18 | Guidebook p. 101 |
Permit hunts parsed from the WMA pages of the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook (“permit required”); application windows from the guidebook draw page. The parse misses some text on a few listings. Checked November 9, 2026.
Checked deer in Craighead County by season
Craighead County produced 697 checked deer in 2025-26 (71st of 75 counties). Five reports, five totals: the average is 736, the peak 843 in 2024-25. 1.0 checked deer per square mile is the 2025-26 density here.
| Season | Harvest | Statewide | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 603 | 72nd | Table 6 |
| 2022-23 | 806 | 71st | Table 6 |
| 2023-24 | 733 | 71st | Table 6 |
| 2024-25 | 843 | 71st | Table 6 |
| 2025-26 | 697 | 71st | Table 6 |
Does were 40% of the 2022-23 to 2024-25 harvest and antlered bucks 54%. The weapon split puts modern gun first (39%) and archery with crossbow at 52%.
| Year | Antlered | Buttons | Does | Rifle | Muzzleloader | Bows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 414 | 42 | 350 | 358 | 51 | 397 |
| 2023-24 | 388 | 45 | 300 | 287 | 55 | 391 |
| 2024-25 | 490 | 50 | 303 | 289 | 28 | 439 |
Checked deer by county from AGFC White-tailed Deer Reports, Table 6 (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26); sex and weapon from the AGFC deer harvest record table (2022-23 to 2024-25). Checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County public land by owner
Merging the WMA, national forest, refuge, Corps of Engineers and Buffalo National River layers gives Craighead County about 11,530 GIS acres of public ground, 3% of its land. Most of it is WMAs (11,530 acres).
| Category | Mapped acres | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife areas | 11,530 | See WMA page |
| Total open | 11,530 | Deduplicated |
Named public places in Craighead County
St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA
Zone 600 · permit days
Nearby public ground beyond the Craighead County line
- Frierson WMAWMA, under 1 mi
- Earl Buss Bayou DeView WMAWMA, 2 mi
- Village Creek WMAWMA, 5 mi
- Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMAWMA, 6 mi
- Cache River National Wildlife RefugeRefuge, 7 mi
- Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge (refuge)Refuge, 8 mi
- Big Lake WMAWMA, 9 mi
GIS acres from the AGFC WMA boundary layer, USFS ownership, 50 CFR 32.23 refuges, PAD-US Corps of Engineers and NPS units (merged, water over 2 square kilometres removed; not official acreage); land records from AGFC, USFS, USFWS and Corps sources; closures under AGFC Code 05.11, 36 CFR 327.8 and 50 CFR 32.23. Checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County towns and outfitters
Craighead County belongs to AGFC Region 1 (Jonesboro); the district office is at 600B E Lawson Rd, Jonesboro, phone (877) 972-5438. From the middle of Craighead County, Jonesboro is the closest AGFC office at 6 miles. For town-level planning, start with Jonesboro and Lake City. 9 listings in Craighead County and 0 next door; none is individually verified, so call first.
Nearest AGFC doors to Craighead County
Craighead County town guides
Deer processors, mounts and gun shops by Craighead County
District offices from the AGFC districts layer; offices from the AGFC regional offices page; towns from the 2024 Census gazetteer; shops from Yellow Pages listings, chain store locators and the AGFC CWD taxidermist list (not individually verified; call ahead). Checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County event listings
Listed here for the county: DU banquet and youth trapping workshop, which makes 2 dates ahead.
| Day | What | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16, 2027 | Craighead County DU Banquet & 100 Gun Giveaway – Jonesboro DU banquet | Embassy Suites (Jonesboro) | Tickets | Source |
| Jan 16, 2027 | Youth Trapping Workshop (Jonesboro) youth trapping workshop | Register | Source |
Craighead County shooters: ranges and shoot dates
2 ranges carry a Craighead County address; AGFC lists Jonesboro Shooting Sports Complex as public.
Upcoming here
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14-15, 2026 | NASP tournament | Posted at |
| Dec 11-12, 2026 | NASP tournament | Posted at |
| Jan 8-9, 2027 | NASP tournament | Posted at |
| Jan 23-24, 2027 | NASP tournament | Posted at |
| Jan 30, 2027 | ATA trap | Posted at |
| Jan 31, 2027 | ATA trap | Posted at |
Ranges from the AGFC Shooting and Archery Ranges page, the AGFC range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 9, 2026.
Craighead County legal light on opening days
Arkansas hunting hours run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, and the times below are figured for Craighead County itself.
| Date | Event | Sunrise | Sunset | General rule | Bird rule | Times via |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Early buck archery | 6:31 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 6:52 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun weekend | 6:24 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 4 gun opener | 6:31 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 22, 2026 | Zone 4 gun closes | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:01 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Apr 19, 2027 | Turkey Zone 1A opens | 6:21 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 5:51 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 5:51 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. | AGFC table |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook; sunrise and sunset from the AGFC Little Rock table with AGFC’s nine-mile correction, or the NOAA solar formula on Central Time where the table has no entry; checked November 9, 2026. Legal hours across Arkansas.
White historic bank building on a downtown corner in Jonesboro, Craighead CountyPhoto: William Julius Allen (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Bald cypress trees standing in still water on the Big Lake National Wildlife RefugePhoto: Jeremy Bennett (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) (CC BY 2.0)
Brick buildings on a quiet downtown street in Blytheville, Mississippi CountyPhoto: Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0)
Craighead County common questions
When is the youth turkey hunt in Craighead County?
April 10 and 11, 2027.
How do I get an alligator permit for Craighead County?
Permits are not issued for closed zones.
Can deer hunters take an elk in Craighead County?
Yes, during an open deer season.
Which owner holds most of the public ground in Craighead County?
Mostly WMAs.
How many deer did Game Check log for Craighead County last season?
697 checked deer in 2025-26.
Whom should I phone at AGFC about Craighead County?
The Region 1 district office, (877) 972-5438.
Which private land deer zones cover Craighead County?
AGFC’s 2026-27 county list gives Deer Zone 4 and Deer Zone 5.
When does deer gun season close in Craighead County?
The first window closes November 22 in Zone 4 and November 22 in Zone 5.
Which CWD rules bind hunters in Craighead County?
Any buck is legal, feeding wildlife is restricted and carcass movement follows Tier 2 rules.
Which bear zone numbers cover Craighead County ground?
Bear Zone 7; Bear Zone 7 closed.
From the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook, the AGFC deer zone page, CWD rules, quota lines, AGFC harvest reports and the county data above. Checked November 9, 2026.