Home › Arkansas › Public land › Fort Chaffee WMA
Arkansas wildlife management area
Fort Chaffee WMA Hunting, 2026-27
Wildlife management area in Crawford County and 3 more counties, 66,000 acres, WMA zone 230.
Photo: Jason Ronza (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Getting to Fort Chaffee WMA
Fort Chaffee WMA sized up for 2026-27
Fort Chaffee WMA is an AGFC wildlife management area, listed here for the 2026-27 season. Expect about 66,000 acres by the 2026-27 guidebook, inside Crawford County and 3 other counties. Questions about local conditions go to AGFC Region 5 (Fort Smith). Ownership in the guidebook: U.S. Army.
The land is part of a military installation, NG Fort Chaffee MTC, and AGFC runs the hunting as a WMA. Guidebook counties for this entry: Crawford, Franklin and Sebastian, which differs from the list page.
Wide view over brown winter ridges of the Boston Mountains in Crawford CountyPhoto: Clinton Steeds (CC BY 2.0)
From lands.json records (Guidebook · Source 2 · Source 3 · Source 4); acres: 2026-27 AGFC Hunting Guidebook WMA entry ("66,000 acres"). Checked November 9, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Fort Chaffee WMA
Fort Chaffee WMA seasons from the guidebook
Everything in this table is the guidebook entry for Fort Chaffee WMA (WMA zone 230), cut into short cells. Check the Waterfowl Guidebook before any duck hunt here; its WMA pages were not parsed. Statewide private land dates do not apply on the WMA when its own entry differs. AGFC marks alligator as closed here.
| Season | Open days | Entry | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer archery | Aug 29–31 Sep 26–Feb 28 | License | One antlered buck |
| Deer alt firearms | Nov 22 | Permit | – |
| Deer gun | Nov 21 | Permit | – |
| Bear archery | Sep 9–Nov 30 | License | – |
| Bear alt firearms | Nov 22 | License | deer alternative firearms permit holders only |
| Bear gun | Nov 21 | License | deer modern gun permit holders only |
| Quail | Dec 1–Feb 7 | License | – |
| Turkey youth | Apr 10–11 | License | One turkey |
| Turkey | Apr 19–May 9 | License | One turkey |
How many deer on Fort Chaffee WMA
| Number | Deer type | Weapons |
|---|---|---|
| two | antlered bucks | archery |
| three | antlerless deer | archery |
- One antlered buck or antlerless deer with alternative firearms permit
- One antlered buck or antlerless deer with modern gun permit
Every WMA deer also counts against the six-deer statewide season limit.
Small print on Fort Chaffee WMA
- Public use compartments may be closed at any time due to military training.
- All forms and permits of the Outdoor Recreation Program are online at fortchaffee. recaccess.com.
- The Open Compartment Schedule is available online.
- Users required to check-in/out.
- Call the Environmental Branch of the training center, 479-484-3575, for details.
- Modern gun and alternative firearms hunt permit holders are required to have a valid FCJMTC permit.
- Gates 16 and 22 open at 4:30 am for the hunts.
Guidebook p. 79 of the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook (WMA-specific regulations; Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); waterfowl: 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook. Checked November 9, 2026.
Fort Chaffee WMA deer, bear and turkey zones
Inside the boundary, zone 230 governs; outside it, Deer Zone 7 sets the dates. Dog hunting by nonresidents takes a $100 permit and fits only the last nine days of modern gun.
| Deer zone | Gun dates | Alternative firearms | Dog hunting | Antlers | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 7 | Nov 14–Dec 6 Dec 26–28 | Oct 17–25 Dec 12–14 | Nov 14–Dec 6 | 3 points one side CWD zone: any buck | 4 (2 antlered) |
- Fort Chaffee WMA is CWD Management Zone land, tier by county: Crawford Tier 2, Franklin Tier 2, Logan Tier 2 and Sebastian Tier 2.
- Bear Zone 2 applies to bear hunters on Fort Chaffee WMA.
- Turkey zones for Fort Chaffee WMA: Turkey Zone 1, read from AGFC's zone map.
Zones from the guidebook deer zone pages, the AGFC zone layers and the CWD zone list; turkey zones from AGFC’s zone map. Checked November 9, 2026.
Draw dates and permit hunts on Fort Chaffee WMA
What permit holders on Fort Chaffee WMA are after.
White-tailed deer buckPhoto: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)
The guidebook parse finds 11 permit hunts on Fort Chaffee WMA: 10 deer and 1 turkey. Plan around permit dates: the WMA is reserved for permit holders then, apart from waterfowl.
| Animal | Hunt | Dates | Count | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Deer alt firearms | Nov 22 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun | Nov 21 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer alt firearms | Oct 17–21 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun | Nov 14–18 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer alt firearms | Dec 5–9 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun | Dec 12–16 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun youth | Nov 28–29 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun mobility | Oct 24–26 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Turkey | Turkey | Apr 5–7 Apr 10–12 Apr 17–19 Apr 23–25 | 4 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun | Oct 24–25 | 1 | Guidebook p. 79 |
| Deer | Deer gun youth | Nov 21–22 Dec 5–6 Dec 12–13 | 3 | Guidebook p. 79 |
When to apply for Fort Chaffee WMA hunts
| Game | Apply | Drawing |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | June 1-July 1, 2026 | – |
| Turkey | January 15-February 15, 2027 | Late February |
guidebook entry; draw rules. Checked November 9, 2026.
County harvest for Fort Chaffee WMA
The 2025-26 deer report credits Crawford County with 2,921 deer, 1 percent more than 2024-25. These are county totals from AGFC Game Check, so they include private land as well as public ground. Fort Chaffee WMA made the 2025 top public turkey areas list in 8th place (47 birds).
| County | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford | 2,921 | 2,893 | 29 |
| Franklin | 2,095 | 2,190 | 48 |
| Logan | 2,421 | 2,541 | 36 |
| Sebastian | 1,713 | 1,409 | 56 |
| Spring | Rank | Turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 47 |
deer report 2025-26; turkey report 2025 (checked deer by county (AGFC deer reports, Table 6)). Checked November 9, 2026.
No-hunting places close to Fort Chaffee WMA
Fort Smith NHS is 18 miles away and closed to hunting; do not cross into it from Fort Chaffee WMA. Code 05.11 closes Arkansas parks to hunting, with the two WMA exceptions.
| Name | Closed by | Away | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith NHS | Park Service unit | 18 miles | Sebastian |
AGFC Code 05.11; closed places from lands.json (PAD-US 4.1, NPS, FWS). Straight-line miles. Checked November 9, 2026.
How Fort Chaffee WMA lines up with nearby WMAs and refuges
Cherokee Prairie, 9 miles northeast, is the next pin over. By type, the nearest six are 2 natural area WMAs, 2 wildlife management areas and 2 lake projects.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Prairie | Natural area WMA | 584 | Franklin | 9 miles | northeast |
| Flanagan Prairie | Natural area WMA | 340 | Franklin | 12 miles | northeast |
| Ozark Lake WMA | WMA | 7,834 | Crawford | 13 miles | north |
| Ozark Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | 17,696 | Franklin | 13 miles | north |
| Frog Bayou WMA | WMA | 2,325 | Crawford | 14 miles | north |
| J.P. Hammerschmidt Lake | Corps lake | 4,472 | Sebastian | 14 miles | northwest |
Point: AGFC WMA boundary layer (GIS/wmas_website_link) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Arkansas public land map.
When the clock says go at Fort Chaffee WMA
Deer, bear, elk, turkey and small game follow the general window; the migratory bird column applies to ducks, geese, doves, woodcock and snipe near Fort Chaffee WMA.
| Day | Why it matters | Sun up | Sun down | Deer and turkey | Ducks and doves | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Early buck archery | 6:46 a.m. | 7:50 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:06 a.m. | 7:09 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Zone 6 alt-firearms | 7:27 a.m. | 6:42 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun weekend | 6:46 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 6 gun opener | 6:53 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:00 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Zone 6 gun closes | 7:13 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:23 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Apr 19, 2027 | Turkey Zone 1 opens | 6:43 a.m. | 7:55 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:25 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:55 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.
Restocking runs from Fort Chaffee WMA
For gas and groceries, Greenwood is 5 miles off. Greenwood, Charleston, Central City and Barling count Fort Chaffee WMA as nearby public land. The nearest AGFC building is in Fort Smith, 10 miles away. Confirm that a business is open by phone before you go.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwood | Sebastian | 9,730 | 5 miles | southwest |
| Charleston | Franklin | 2,731 | 7 miles | northeast |
| Central City | Sebastian | 470 | 7 miles | northwest |
| Barling | Sebastian | 5,284 | 8 miles | northwest |
| Branch | Franklin | 307 | 12 miles | east |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); AGFC buildings from the AGFC offices page and AGFC layers; businesses from services.json directory listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 9, 2026.
Fort Chaffee WMA: closest ranges for a zero check
The range map puts Arkansas Concealed 12 miles from Fort Chaffee WMA.
From the AGFC Shooting and Archery Ranges page, the AGFC range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 9, 2026.
Fall forest below Mount Magazine with Blue Mountain Lake in the distancePhoto: Jason Ronza (CC BY-SA 4.0)
View from Mount Magazine over forested slopes to the Arkansas River Valley under puffy cloudsPhoto: Ginny Keller (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Fort Chaffee WMA questions with sourced answers
Does Fort Chaffee WMA have permit hunts?
Yes: 11 in the parsed list, all requiring a drawn permit.
Is Fort Chaffee WMA turkey ground in spring 2027?
It sits in Turkey Zone 1 (from AGFC's zone map), with WMA dates Apr 19–May 9.
Which Arkansas town works as a base camp for Fort Chaffee WMA?
Greenwood is closest, roughly 5 miles. An AGFC office or nature center sits in Fort Smith, 10 miles away.
How many acres does Fort Chaffee WMA cover, by which source?
66,000 acres (2026-27 guidebook), in Crawford County and 3 other counties.
What are the opening-day shooting hours on Fort Chaffee WMA?
Opening day of modern gun, November 14, 2026, gives legal light here from 6:23 a.m. until 5:45 p.m.
Is blaze pink legal on Fort Chaffee WMA in Arkansas?
Yes, whenever firearm deer, bear or elk seasons are open: 400 square inches above the waist and a hat in orange, chartreuse or blaze camo.
What sources back this Fort Chaffee WMA page?
AGFC and federal agency sources, read for the 2026-27 season and checked November 9, 2026.
Which AGFC district looks after Fort Chaffee WMA?
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, with U.S. Army as landowner or partner; AGFC work in the area runs through AGFC Region 5 (Fort Smith).
How does zoning work on Fort Chaffee WMA?
Use 230, the guidebook zone for Fort Chaffee WMA, not the private land zone number.
What license do I need on Fort Chaffee WMA?
Your Arkansas hunting license, plus a drawn permit for any permit-required hunt.
Which CWD tier applies to deer from Fort Chaffee WMA?
Yes. Any buck is legal, feeding wildlife is unlawful except listed exceptions, and carcasses move by tier (Crawford Tier 2, Franklin Tier 2, Logan Tier 2 and Sebastian Tier 2).
When can I hunt deer with a rifle on Fort Chaffee WMA?
Nov 21; dates come from the guidebook entry.
Can a black bear be taken legally on Fort Chaffee WMA this fall?
Bear season applies through Bear Zone 2 with dates from the entry.
Before the alarm goes off for Fort Chaffee WMA
Rules, closures and permit dates for Fort Chaffee WMA can change during the season; posted signs and the managing agency outrank this page.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5; seasons from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook and the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook. Checked November 9, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Clinton Steeds (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).