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2026-27 county guide
Madison County Hunting Guide
Zone dates, CWD rules, bear and alligator quotas, deer harvest since 2021-22 and every public tract in or near Madison County, checked November 9, 2026.
Photo: Marco Becerra (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Deer zones that cover Madison County
The county touches Deer Zones 1, 2 and 6, which means checking the AGFC zone map before every season if a lease sits near a boundary road. Expect the rifle opener on November 14 and the end of the first gun window on December 6. The October alternative firearms window runs October 17 to 25 in Deer Zones 1, 2 and 6; Deer Zones 1, 2 and 6 also get a short December window.
| Deer zone | Gun does | Buck rule | Dog dates | Muzzleloader | Gun dates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Zone 1 | 3 antlerless by gun | No point rule | No dogs | Oct 17-25/Dec 12-14 | Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 14 |
| Deer Zone 2 | 2 archery, 1 gun doe | No point rule | No dogs | Oct 17-25/Dec 12-14 | Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 14 |
| Deer Zone 6 | 3 antlerless by gun | Any buck (CWD zone) | Nov 14-Dec 6 | Oct 17-25/Dec 12-14 | Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 17 |
AGFC allows dogs for deer in Deer Zone 6, and the dog column in the table gives the exact dates. For a legal buck in Madison County, look for no antler minimum. Statewide pieces apply on top: early buck-only archery August 29 to 31, archery September 26 to February 28, 2027, youth gun weekends November 7 to 8 and January 2 to 3, and a season limit of six deer with no more than two antlered bucks. If a property crosses a zone line, each half follows its own zone rules.
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.
CWD tier and carcass rules for Madison County
The CWD Management Zone takes in Madison County as a Tier 1 county. AGFC lifted antler rules inside the zone, so young bucks count as legal bucks. Inside the zone, putting out feed is illegal apart from AGFC's exceptions; deer and elk bait on private land is allowed September 1 to December 31 while a season is open.
Moving a deer out of Tier 1 means boning it out or taking only the low-risk parts. Out-of-state cervids follow AGFC's import rule: deboned meat, clean skull plates and antlers, cleaned teeth, hides and finished mounts only. To test a deer, leave the head and roughly six inches of neck at an AGFC drop-off container, a participating taxidermist or a regional office. The disease turned up in Arkansas in February 2016; elk surveillance goes back to 1998 and statewide deer sampling to 2002.
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.
Madison County hunting calendar by zone
A split season shows its first and last day here; the Splits cell says how many separate windows AGFC set between them.
| Species | Hunt | Applies in | Needs | First day | Last day | Pieces | Status | Booklet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Alternative Firearms | Zone 1 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 14 | |
| Deer | Alternative Firearms | Zone 2 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 14 | |
| Deer | Alternative Firearms | Zone 6 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 17 | |
| Deer | Deer permits, WMAs | 5 hunts | Permit | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 18, 2026 | 5 parts | Guidebook p. 85 | |
| Deer | Youth gun hunt | Statewide | License | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 22 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 1 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 14 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 2 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 14 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 6 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 17 | |
| Deer | Christmas gun hunt | Statewide | License | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 3 | |
| Elk | Private Land Youth Hunt | Core elk counties | Permit | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Elk | Public Land Youth Hunt | Public land, core | Permit | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Elk | Private Land | Core elk counties | Permit | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Elk | Public Land | Public land, core | Permit | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Bear Zone 1 | License | Sep 9, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Black bear | Alternative Firearms | Bear Zone 1 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Black bear | Youth gun hunt | Bear Zone 1 | License | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Black bear | Modern Gun | Bear Zone 1 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Turkey | Youth spring 2027 | Turkey Zone 1 | License | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 31 | |
| Turkey | Turkey permits, WMAs | 2 hunts | Permit | Apr 10, 2027 | May 9, 2027 | 5 parts | Guidebook p. 93 | |
| Turkey | Spring 2027 | Turkey Zone 1 | License | Apr 19, 2027 | May 9, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 31 | |
| Alligator | All seasons closed | AMZ 5 | 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.
Other big game in Madison County
Madison County black bear outlook
Open bear zones in Madison County: 1, with Zone 1 (archery 450, alternative firearms 50, modern gun 50). Check the quota line (833-345-0398) the night before; seasons end when a quota fills. Bear bait is legal only on private land in Bear Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 5A, from 30 days before the first bear season to the end of the last. 29 bears were checked here in 2025, 5th on AGFC's list of top counties.
Madison County spring turkey dates
AGFC's zone map puts Madison County in Turkey Zone 1, which opens for gobblers Zone 1 from April 19 to May 9, 2027. Youth turkey hunters have a weekend of their own in April 2027, the 10th and 11th.
Alligator and elk notes for Madison County
No alligator season is open in Alligator Management Zone 5. Permit elk hunting in Madison County runs October 5 to 9 and October 26 to 30, 2026, the core county calendar. AGFC's guidebook lists youth elk dates of October 3 to 4 and 24 to 25, 2026.
| Game | Kind | Applies in | Dates | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear | Archery | Bear Zone 1 | Sep 9-Nov 30 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Black bear | Alternative Firearms | Bear Zone 1 | Oct 17-25 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Black bear | Youth Modern Gun Hunt | Bear Zone 1 | Nov 7-8 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Black bear | Modern Gun | Bear Zone 1 | Nov 14-30 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Turkey | Spring 2027 | Zone 1 (map) | Apr 19-May 9 | Guidebook p. 31 |
| Elk | Public Land | Core county | Oct 5-9; Oct 26-30 | Guidebook p. 25 |
| Elk | Public Land Youth Hunt | Core county | Oct 3-4; Oct 24-25 | Guidebook p. 25 |
| Elk | Private Land | Core county | Oct 5-9; Oct 26-30 | Guidebook p. 25 |
| Elk | Private Land Youth Hunt | Core county | Oct 3-4; Oct 24-25 | 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.
Madison County WMA draws for 2026-27
Permit hunts on the county's WMAs and refuges number 7 in the parsed guidebook list, broken down as 5 deer and 2 turkey. Next up is the WMA turkey draw, January 15 to February 15, 2027. When a permit hunt is under way, the WMA is reserved for permit holders apart from waterfowl.
| Public area | Game | Type | When | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McIlroy Madison County WMA | Deer | Deer Alt. firearms | Oct 17-21 | Guidebook p. 93 |
| McIlroy Madison County WMA | Deer | Deer Modern Gun | Nov 14-18 | Guidebook p. 93 |
| McIlroy Madison County WMA | Turkey | Turkey Youth | Apr 10-11 | Guidebook p. 93 |
| McIlroy Madison County WMA | Turkey | Turkey | Apr 19-21 + 3 more | Guidebook p. 93 |
| Hobbs State Park Conservation Area WMA | Deer | Deer Alt. firearms | Oct 17-21 | Guidebook p. 85 |
| Hobbs State Park Conservation Area WMA | Deer | Deer Modern Gun | Nov 14-18 | Guidebook p. 85 |
| White Rock WMA | Deer | Deer Modern Gun Mobility-impaired | Nov 7-8 | Guidebook p. 108 |
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.
Five seasons of Madison County deer
Hunters checked 2,975 deer in Madison County in 2025-26, 27th among the 75 counties. Checked deer peaked at 3,164 in 2023-24 and averaged 2,750 across the five reports. Harvest density came to 3.6 deer for each square mile of land.
| Season | Deer | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 2,789 | 25th | Table 6 |
| 2022-23 | 2,234 | 44th | Table 6 |
| 2023-24 | 3,164 | 25th | Table 6 |
| 2024-25 | 2,590 | 36th | Table 6 |
| 2025-26 | 2,975 | 27th | Table 6 |
Across 2022-23 to 2024-25, antlered bucks made up 56% of the checked deer here and does 37%. By method, modern gun led with 76%; bows and crossbows together took 14%.
| Season | Antlered | Button | Doe | Modern gun | Muzzleloader | Bow/crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 1,254 | 124 | 856 | 1,754 | 227 | 253 |
| 2023-24 | 1,754 | 257 | 1,153 | 2,393 | 244 | 515 |
| 2024-25 | 1,455 | 149 | 986 | 1,919 | 170 | 337 |
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.
Madison County public acres
Of every hundred acres in Madison County, roughly 12 are public hunting land, 66,178 acres in all. 66,134 of those acres are WMAs, more than any other kind.
| Owner | Acres (GIS) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| AGFC WMAs | 66,134 | Per WMA entry |
| NF land | 49,183 | Private zone dates |
| Corps acres | 14 | Local closures |
| State parks | 1,046 | Off limits |
| Public total | 66,178 | No double count |
Withrow Springs State Park is off limits; state and national parks are closed to hunting.
Madison County public land with its own page
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
National forest
White Rock WMA
Zone 670 · draw hunts
McIlroy Madison County WMA
Zone 430 · draw hunts
Hobbs State Park Conservation Area WMA
Zone 320 · draw hunts
Kirk Dupps Beaver Lake WMA
Zone 020 · call first
Sweden Creek Natural Area WMA
Zone 615
Next-door public land for Madison County
- Buffalo National River WMAWMA, 2 mi
- Piney Creeks WMAWMA, 3 mi
- Table Rock Lake (Corps land)Corps lake, 10 mi
- Devils Eyebrow Natural Area WMA (natural area wma)Natural area, 10 mi
Madison County parks and closed places
- Withrow Springs State ParkNo hunting · State Park
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.
Madison County AGFC contacts and shops
AGFC groups Madison County with the Jasper district, reached at (866) 253-2506. For questions or a CWD sample, the Fort Smith Office in Fort Smith is about 60 miles off in a straight line. Town pages for Madison County: Huntsville and Kingston. Call ahead: these are directory rows, not checked visits.
Nearest AGFC doors to Madison County
Madison County communities
- Huntsville3,426 people
- KingstonTown
Where Madison County hunters buy shells and drop deer
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.
Madison County: firing lines and clay fields
Madison County range count: 1. Every card states who may shoot.
Madison County deer hunters needing a rifle bench can drive 20 miles to Black Oak Gun Club (Washington County).
Ranges from the AGFC Shooting and Archery Ranges page, the AGFC range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 9, 2026.
When legal light starts around Madison County
Deer, bear, elk, turkey and small game follow the general window; the migratory bird column applies to ducks, geese, doves, woodcock and snipe near Madison County.
| Date | Marker | Rise | Set | Big and small game | Waterfowl window | Worked from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Early buck archery | 6:44 a.m. | 7:49 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 8:19 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:05 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Zone 1 alt-firearms | 7:25 a.m. | 6:40 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun weekend | 6:44 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 1 gun opener | 6:51 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:58 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Zone 1 gun closes | 7:11 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:21 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Apr 19, 2027 | Turkey Zone 1 opens | 6:41 a.m. | 7:53 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 8:23 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 7:53 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.
Fall-colored trees on the White Rock Mountain bluff above miles of Ozark ridges at sunrisePhoto: Marco Becerra (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Pale stone Madison County Courthouse in HuntsvillePhoto: Brandonrush (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Brick buildings on a downtown street in Fayetteville lit by evening sun, Washington CountyPhoto: Clinton Steeds (CC BY 2.0)
Madison County FAQ
Are deer dogs legal in Madison County?
Yes, in Deer Zone 6, not elsewhere in the county.
What zone do I report a Madison County deer under?
Under the private land zone where it fell (Deer Zone 1, Deer Zone 2 and Deer Zone 6); on a WMA or refuge, use that area’s own zone number.
How long is gun season in Madison County?
Zone 1 has 26 gun days; Zone 2 has 26 gun days; Zone 6 has 26 gun days, holiday days included.
Where can I get a deer tested near Madison County?
At an AGFC drop-off container, a taxidermist on the CWD list, or by calling the Fort Smith Office in Fort Smith.
What dates can I hunt bears around Madison County?
Archery Sep 9-Nov 30; Alternative Firearms Oct 17-25; Youth Modern Gun Hunt Nov 7-8; Modern Gun Nov 14-30.
When does spring turkey season open in Madison County?
Zone 1 from April 19 to May 9, 2027 (zone from AGFC’s zone map).
Is there an alligator quota in Madison County?
No; the zone is closed.
Which days are elk legal in Madison County?
October 5 to 9 and October 26 to 30, 2026.
What public hunting ground sits just outside Madison County?
Within reach are Buffalo National River WMA (2 mi), Piney Creeks WMA (3 mi) and Table Rock Lake (Corps land) (10 mi).
How many antlered bucks come out of Madison County?
4,463 antlered bucks over 2022-23 to 2024-25.
How many miles separate Huntsville from the nearest AGFC office?
About 60 miles from the county centre to Fort Smith.
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.