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Seat: Dardanelle and Danville
Hunting in Yell County
What a hunter needs before driving into Yell 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: Marcus O. Bst (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Yell County deer zones side by side
2 deer zones meet in Yell County: 7 and 11, each with its own alternative firearms and modern gun calendar. In Yell County the gun calendar starts November 14 and the first window ends December 6. Muzzleloader hunters in Yell County get nine October days starting October 17, and Deer Zones 7 and 11 reopen for three days in December.
| Zone | Bag note | Bucks | Dog season | Alt. firearms | Rifle season | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Zone 7 | 3 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. 17 |
| 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 dogs are legal in Deer Zones 7 and 11 on the printed dates; nonresidents are held to the last nine days of regular gun season and a $100 permit. On private land in Yell County the antler standard is no antler minimum (CWD county). 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 Yell 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.
Yell County deer and the CWD rules
For 2026-27 AGFC keeps Yell County inside the CWD Management Zone at Tier 2. One practical effect of the zone is that spikes and small bucks are legal. Private land bait for deer and elk is the main exception to the zone's feeding ban, and only from September 1 through December 31 in an open season.
A Tier 2 carcass may move to other Tier 2 counties or into Tier 1; outside the zone, only low-risk parts may go. 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 Yell County and when
2 rows in the list are closed outright for Yell 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 7 | License | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 17 | |
| Deer | Deer permits, WMAs | 4 hunts | Permit | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 18, 2026 | 4 parts | Guidebook p. 75 | |
| 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 7 | 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 | 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 | |
| Turkey | Turkey permits, WMAs | 2 hunts | Permit | Apr 19, 2027 | May 9, 2027 | 8 parts | Guidebook p. 81 | |
| Alligator | Permit hunt | AMZ 2 | Permit | Sep 18, 2026 | Sep 28, 2026 | 2 parts | Guidebook p. 28 | |
| 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.
Yell County beyond deer
Yell County black bear zones and quotas
AGFC counts Yell 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.
Turkey hunting near Dardanelle
Turkey hunters in Yell 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 Yell County
Alligator hunters in Yell County work Alligator Management Zone 2, quota AMZ 2: 5, at night in late September. The guidebook prints the Zone 2 quota as 5 alligators. Permits: public land by the July draw, private land by purchase. The Yell County share of Alligator Management Zone 5 stays closed for alligators. Yell 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 |
| Alligator | Permit | AMZ 2 | Sep 18-21; Sep 25-28 | Guidebook p. 28 |
| 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 Yell County public land
4 public areas in Yell County hold 6 permit-only hunts this season (4 deer and 2 turkey). 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.
| Land | Animal | Hunt | Dates | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galla Creek WMA | Deer | Deer Alt. firearms | Oct 17-21 | Guidebook p. 81 |
| Galla Creek WMA | Deer | Deer Modern Gun | Nov 14-18 | Guidebook p. 81 |
| Galla Creek WMA | Turkey | Turkey | Apr 19-21 + 3 more | Guidebook p. 81 |
| Dardanelle WMA | Deer | Deer Special Modern Gun | Nov 3-5 | Guidebook p. 75 |
| Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA | Deer | Deer Modern Gun Mobility-impaired/Disabled | Oct 28-29 | Guidebook p. 94 |
| Petit Jean River WMA | Turkey | Turkey | Apr 19-21 + 3 more | Guidebook p. 96 |
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 Yell County since 2021-22
AGFC's 2025-26 report counts 3,066 checked deer from Yell County, which ranks it 23rd statewide. From 2021-22 to 2025-26 the county total went down, with 2024-25 the strongest season (4,055). Divide by land area and the county checked 3.3 deer per square mile.
| Year | Checked | Rank of 75 | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 3,292 | 19th | Table 6 |
| 2022-23 | 3,059 | 23rd | Table 6 |
| 2023-24 | 3,585 | 15th | Table 6 |
| 2024-25 | 4,055 | 9th | Table 6 |
| 2025-26 | 3,066 | 23rd | Table 6 |
AGFC's record table splits the three seasons into 47% antlered bucks, 45% does and the rest button bucks. Bowhunters (archery and crossbow) checked 15% of the three-season total, behind modern gun at 67%.
| Season | Bucks | Button bucks | Does | Gun | Muzzleloader | Archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 1,458 | 200 | 1,401 | 2,069 | 531 | 459 |
| 2023-24 | 1,680 | 310 | 1,595 | 2,507 | 494 | 542 |
| 2024-25 | 1,881 | 320 | 1,854 | 2,593 | 420 | 603 |
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.
Yell County public ground, owner by owner
Mapped public land open to hunting covers 257,829 acres of Yell County, a GIS measure rather than an official figure. Sort the land by owner and national forest comes first at 214,092 acres.
| Kind | Acres | Access |
|---|---|---|
| WMA acres | 110,330 | WMA zone rules |
| Forest acres | 214,092 | Open, zone dates |
| Refuge acres | 745 | Per refuge |
| Corps lakes | 25,054 | Office rules |
| Park land | 2,295 | Closed |
| Open land, merged | 257,829 | Union |
Federal rules let hunters use Corps land unless the District Commander has posted a closure. National wildlife refuges here run their own seasons and permits. Leave Lake Dardanelle State Park and Mount Nebo State Park out of any plan, since parks are closed to hunting.
WMAs, forests and lakes in Yell County
Ouachita National Forest
National forest
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
National forest
Muddy Creek WMA
Zone 460
Mount Magazine WMA
Zone 450
Dardanelle Lake (Corps land)
note on page
Dardanelle WMA
Zone 160 · by permit too
Nimrod Lake (Corps land)
note on page
Nimrod Lloyd Millwood WMA
Zone 470 · by permit too
Blue Mountain Lake (Corps land)
note on page
Petit Jean River WMA
Zone 510 · by permit too
Blue Mountain WMA
Zone 060
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge
Zone 330 · changes proposed
- Galla Creek WMAWMA
- Fourche Mountain Walk-In Turkey Hunting AreaWalk-in turkey area
- Oden Ranger District, Ouachita National Forest (ranger district)Ranger district
- Cold Springs Ranger District, Ouachita National ForestRanger district
- Fourche Ranger District, Ouachita National ForestRanger district
- Jessieville Ranger District, Ouachita National ForestRanger district
- Magazine Mountain Ranger District, Ozark-St. Francis National ForestsRanger district
Yell County neighbours with public land
- Winona WMAWMA, 2 mi
- Ed Gordon Point Remove WMAWMA, 6 mi
- J. Perry Mikles Lick Creek WMAWMA, 6 mi
- Toad Suck Ferry Pool (Corps land)Corps lake, 7 mi
- Cedar Mountain WMALeased land, 8 mi
- Cedar Creek WMAWMA, 8 mi
- Lake Overcup WMAWMA, 10 mi
No-hunting ground in Yell County
- Lake Dardanelle State ParkOff limits · State Park
- Mount Nebo State ParkOff 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 Yell County
District staff for Yell County work out of 8000 Taylor Ave in Fort Smith. Russellville has the AGFC office nearest the county centre, 22 miles out. 7 towns have their own hunting pages here, led by Dardanelle. Shops and processors below come from directory listings and AGFC's CWD taxidermist list; call ahead before you drive.
Yell County AGFC contacts
Towns in Yell County
- Dardanelle4,531 people
- Danville1,990 people
- Ola927 people
- Plainview461 people
- Belleville313 people
- CentervilleTown
- RoverTown
Yell 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.
Yell County ranges: gun clubs, clays and bow lanes
Yell County counts 1 range in this guide.
For a rifle, the nearest listed line is in Montgomery County: Bear Mountain Shooting Range, 29 miles away.
Ranges from the AGFC Shooting and Archery Ranges page, the AGFC range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 9, 2026.
Yell County sun table for opening days
WMA duck hunts, the early teal season and night alligator hunts keep their own hours, which the Yell County table does not show.
| When | Opener or event | First light | Last light | Most game | Migratory | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Early buck archery | 6:43 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:03 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Zone 7 alt-firearms | 7:23 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun weekend | 6:42 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 7 gun opener | 6:49 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:56 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Zone 7 gun closes | 7:09 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:19 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Apr 19, 2027 | Turkey Zone 1 opens | 6:39 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 8:21 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:51 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.
Clear stream winding through pines and hardwoods in the Ouachita National Forest, Yell CountyPhoto: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Lake Dardanelle and the river valley seen past two trees from Mount NeboPhoto: Profmarv (CC0 1.0)
The Arlington Hotel and fall-colored hills on Central Avenue in Hot Springs, Garland CountyPhoto: Eric Friedebach (CC BY 2.0)
Yell County questions from deer camp
Which AGFC office building is nearest to Yell County?
West Central Office in Russellville, about 22 miles from mid-county.
What weapon takes the most deer in Yell County?
Modern gun, over 2022-23 to 2024-25.
Which private land zone number goes on a Yell County deer?
Deer Zone 7 and Deer Zone 11. Zone lines follow roads and rivers, so check the AGFC map near a line.
When can dogs be used for deer in Yell County?
Zone 7: Nov 14-Dec 6; Zone 11: Nov 14-Dec 6.
What CWD tier is Yell County?
Tier 2.
Which modern gun windows cover Yell County this season?
Zone 7: Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28; Zone 11: Nov 14-Dec 6/Dec 26-28.
What is the spring gobbler limit in Yell County?
Zone 1: Two legal turkeys (zones from AGFC’s zone map).
May I bait bears on private land in Yell County?
On private land in the open zones, from 30 days before the first bear season.
What is the elk rule in Yell County?
Statewide zone: elk may be taken during deer seasons.
Which nights are open for gators around Yell County?
September 18 to 21 and September 25 to 28, 2026, at night only.
Which public tract is handiest from the Dardanelle courthouse?
Ouachita National Forest, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests and Muddy Creek WMA.
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.