Home › Arkansas › Counties › Polk County
Seat: Mena
Hunting in Polk County
What a hunter needs before driving into Polk County: which deer zone a stand sits in, what CWD tier means here, where public land starts and who answers the phone at AGFC.
Photo: SlapTheWorld (CC0 1.0)
Polk County deer zones side by side
2 deer zones meet in Polk County: 11 and 13, each with its own alternative firearms and modern gun calendar. Modern gun opens on November 14 in every zone, but the first window ends December 6 in Zone 11 and runs to December 20 in Zone 13. Muzzleloader hunters in Polk County get nine October days starting October 17, and Deer Zone 11 reopens for three days in December.
| Zone | Bag note | Bucks | Dog season | Alt. firearms | Rifle season | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Zone 11 | 2 antlerless by gun | 3-point, any in CWD | Nov 14-Dec 6 | Oct 17-25/Dec 12-14 | Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 19 |
| Deer Zone 13 | 3 antlerless by gun | 3-point, any in CWD | Nov 14-Dec 20 | Oct 17-25 | Nov 14-Dec 20/Dec 26-28 | Guidebook p. 19 |
Deer dogs are legal in Deer Zones 11 and 13 on the printed dates; nonresidents are held to the last nine days of regular gun season and a $100 permit. On private land in Polk County the antler standard is three points on one side. Whatever the zone, the archery season runs from September 26 to February 28, 2027, and a hunter may take six deer statewide in a season, two of them antlered at most. The AGFC zone map shows the roads and rivers that divide Polk County.
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.
Polk County CWD status for 2026-27
No part of Polk County is on AGFC's CWD Management Zone list. Next door, Scott County and Sevier County sit inside the zone; only low-risk parts may come out of it. If you hunt a zone county, bring the deer back here as deboned meat or other low-risk parts.
A buck shot in another state comes into Arkansas only as low-risk parts such as boned meat, cleaned antlers and a finished mount. AGFC tests deer free of charge; drop-off containers, taxidermists on the CWD list and regional offices all take samples. CWD has been known in Arkansas since February 2016.
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.
What is open in Polk County and when
2 rows in the list are closed outright for Polk County, which AGFC marks where a zone has no season for that game.
| Quarry | Window | Zone | Paperwork | Start | Finish | Parts | Right now | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 11 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 19 | |
| Deer | Alternative Firearms | Zone 13 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 19 | |
| Deer | Youth gun hunt | Statewide | License | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 22 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 11 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 19 | |
| Deer | Modern Gun | Zone 13 | License | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 19 | |
| Deer | Christmas gun hunt | Statewide | License | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 3 | |
| Elk | Outside core counties | Outside core | License | Aug 29, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | One | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Bear Zone 2 | License | Sep 9, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Black bear | Alternative Firearms | Bear Zone 2 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Black bear | Youth gun hunt | Bear Zone 2 | License | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | One | Guidebook p. 29 | |
| Black bear | Modern Gun | Bear Zone 2 | 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 | 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.
Polk County beyond deer
Polk County black bear zones and quotas
AGFC counts Polk County in Bear Zone 2, and the quota line reads Zone 2 (no quota printed). A quick call to 833-345-0398 the evening before tells you whether the bear quota has been reached. Private land bear baiting is allowed in the open zones starting 30 days ahead of the first bear season. AGFC's 2025 bear report ranks Polk County number 4 among counties, with 30 bears checked.
Turkey hunting near Mena
Turkey hunters in Polk County use Turkey Zone 1 (from AGFC's zone map): Zone 1 from April 19 to May 9, 2027. AGFC sets the 2027 youth turkey hunt for April 10 and 11.
Alligators and elk in Polk County
The Polk County share of Alligator Management Zone 5 stays closed for alligators. Polk County is outside the five core elk counties, so an elk may be taken here during any open deer season. AGFC requires every elk to be checked and tested.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | Open | Booklet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear | Archery | Bear Zone 2 | Sep 9-Nov 30 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Black bear | Alternative Firearms | Bear Zone 2 | Oct 17-25 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Black bear | Youth Modern Gun Hunt | Bear Zone 2 | Nov 7-8 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Black bear | Modern Gun | Bear Zone 2 | Nov 14-30 | Guidebook p. 29 |
| Turkey | Spring 2027 | Zone 1 (map) | Apr 19-May 9 | 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.
Drawn hunts on Polk County public land
Our parse of the guidebook found no permit hunts in Polk County; check the WMA listings themselves before assuming none. AGFC takes WMA turkey permit applications January 15 to February 15, 2027, at agfc.com. Permit hunts reserve the WMA for drawn hunters; waterfowl seasons stay open.
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 from Polk County since 2021-22
AGFC's 2025-26 report counts 2,951 checked deer from Polk County, which ranks it 28th statewide. From 2021-22 to 2025-26 the county total went down, with 2024-25 the strongest season (3,669). Divide by land area and the county checked 3.4 deer per square mile.
| Year | Checked | Rank of 75 | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 3,153 | 22nd | Table 6 |
| 2022-23 | 3,044 | 24th | Table 6 |
| 2023-24 | 3,286 | 24th | Table 6 |
| 2024-25 | 3,669 | 20th | Table 6 |
| 2025-26 | 2,951 | 28th | Table 6 |
AGFC's record table splits the three seasons into 46% antlered bucks, 47% does and the rest button bucks. Bowhunters (archery and crossbow) checked 12% of the three-season total, behind modern gun at 75%.
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Gun | Muzzleloader | Archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 1,408 | 198 | 1,438 | 2,332 | 337 | 375 |
| 2023-24 | 1,502 | 271 | 1,513 | 2,537 | 334 | 415 |
| 2024-25 | 1,683 | 275 | 1,711 | 2,585 | 317 | 433 |
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.
Polk County public ground, owner by owner
Mapped public land open to hunting covers 210,327 acres of Polk County, a GIS measure rather than an official figure. Sort the land by owner and national forest comes first at 204,382 acres.
| Kind | Acres | Access |
|---|---|---|
| WMA acres | 61,957 | WMA zone rules |
| Forest acres | 204,382 | Open, zone dates |
| Corps lakes | 1,273 | Office rules |
| Park land | 471 | Closed |
| Open land, merged | 210,327 | Union |
Federal rules let hunters use Corps land unless the District Commander has posted a closure. Leave Cossatot River State Park – Natural Area out of any plan, since parks are closed to hunting.
WMAs, forests and lakes in Polk County
Ouachita National Forest
National forest
Caney Creek WMA
Zone 120
Gillham Lake (Corps land)
note on page
Mena Ranger District, Ouachita National Forest
Ranger district
Poteau Ranger District, Ouachita National Forest
Ranger district
Womble Ranger District, Ouachita National Forest
Ranger district
Polk County neighbours with public land
- Howard County WMALeased land, 1 mi
- De Queen Lake WMAWMA, 1 mi
- Dequeen Lake (Corps land)Corps lake, 1 mi
- Muddy Creek WMAWMA, 2 mi
- Dierks Lake (Corps land)Corps lake, 7 mi
- Cedar Creek WMAWMA, 8 mi
- Lake Greeson (Corps land)Corps lake, 10 mi
- Lake Greeson WMALeased land, 10 mi
No-hunting ground in Polk County
- Cossatot River State Park – Natural AreaOff limits · 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.
Local contacts and towns of Polk County
District staff for Polk County work out of 8000 Taylor Ave in Fort Smith. Fort Smith has the AGFC office nearest the county centre, 56 miles out. 3 towns have their own hunting pages here, led by Mena. Shops and processors below come from directory listings and AGFC's CWD taxidermist list; call ahead before you drive.
Polk County district and offices
Polk County towns with hunting guides
- Mena5,594 people
- Grannis499 people
- Board CampTown
Polk County service listings
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.
Polk County: firing lines and clay fields
Polk County counts 1 range in this guide.
For a rifle, the nearest listed line is in Montgomery County: Bear Mountain Shooting Range, 46 miles away.
Ranges from the AGFC Shooting and Archery Ranges page, the AGFC range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 9, 2026.
Polk County sun table for opening days
WMA duck hunts, the early teal season and night alligator hunts keep their own hours, which the Polk County table does not show.
| When | Opener or event | First light | Last light | Most game | Migratory | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Early buck archery | 6:47 a.m. | 7:49 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 8:19 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:07 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Zone 11 alt-firearms | 7:28 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun weekend | 6:47 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 11 gun opener | 6:54 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:01 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Zone 11 gun closes | 7:14 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:24 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Apr 19, 2027 | Turkey Zone 1 opens | 6:44 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:56 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.
Cossatot River bending past a white gravel bar under summer trees in Polk CountyPhoto: robert thigpen (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Clear green pool on the Cossatot River with a gravel bar, Polk CountyPhoto: robert thigpen (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Clear Cossatot River pool beneath a rock bluff in Polk CountyPhoto: robert thigpen (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Polk County questions from deer camp
Can I take a whole deer out of Polk County?
Yes, the county is outside the zone; a deer killed in a zone county is a different matter.
Which modern gun windows cover Polk County this season?
Zone 11: Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28; Zone 13: Nov 14-Dec 20/Dec 26-28.
What is the spring gobbler limit in Polk County?
Zone 1: Two legal turkeys (zones from AGFC’s zone map).
May I bait bears on private land in Polk County?
On private land in the open zones, from 30 days before the first bear season.
What is the elk rule in Polk County?
Statewide zone: elk may be taken during deer seasons.
Which nights are open for gators around Polk County?
There is no season in the closed zone.
What did Polk County hunters check in 2025-26?
2,951, from AGFC Table 6.
Which public tract is handiest from the Mena courthouse?
Ouachita National Forest, Caney Creek WMA and Queen Wilhelmina State Park WMA.
When can dogs be used for deer in Polk County?
Zone 11: Nov 14-Dec 6; Zone 13: Nov 14-Dec 20.
How many miles separate Mena from the nearest AGFC office?
About 56 miles from the county centre to Fort Smith.
Which private land zone number goes on a Polk County deer?
Deer Zone 11 and Deer Zone 13. Zone lines follow roads and rivers, so check the AGFC map near a line.
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.