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Arkansas wildlife management area
Wattensaw WMA Hunting Guide
Wildlife management area in Prairie County, 19,184 acres, WMA zone 433.
Photo: Sara (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Wattensaw WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Wattensaw WMA
- Truck ParkingParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Truck ParkingParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Wattensaw WMA basics for 2026-27
Wattensaw WMA is an AGFC wildlife management area, listed here for the 2026-27 season. Expect about 19,184 acres by the 2026-27 guidebook, inside Prairie County. Questions about local conditions go to AGFC Region 2 (Brinkley). Ownership in the guidebook: AGFC.
Long rows of young soybeans on a farm near De Valls Bluff in Prairie CountyPhoto: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
From lands.json records (Guidebook · Source 2 · Source 3 · Source 4); acres: 2026-27 AGFC Hunting Guidebook WMA entry ("19,184 acres"). Checked November 9, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Wattensaw WMA
Wattensaw WMA seasons from the guidebook
Everything in this table is the guidebook entry for Wattensaw WMA (WMA zone 433), 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 bear, quail and 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 | Oct 17–21 | Permit | – |
| Deer gun | Nov 14–18 | Permit | – |
| Deer gun youth | Nov 7–8 Jan 2–3 | License | – |
| Turkey youth | Apr 10–11 | Permit | One turkey |
| Turkey | Apr 19–21 Apr 24–26 | Permit | One turkey |
How many deer on Wattensaw WMA
| Number | Deer type | Weapons |
|---|---|---|
| two | antlered bucks | archery |
| three | antlerless deer | archery |
| one | antlered buck and one antlerless deer | alternative firearms permit |
| one | antlered buck and one antlerless deer | modern gun permit |
- During youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck (no antler restrictions) and one antlerless deer
Every WMA deer also counts against the six-deer statewide season limit.
Guidebook p. 93 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.
Wattensaw WMA deer, bear and turkey zones
Inside the boundary, zone 433 governs; outside it, Deer Zone 9 sets the dates.
| Deer zone | Gun dates | Alternative firearms | Dog hunting | Antlers | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 9 | Nov 14–Dec 20 Dec 26–28 | Oct 17–25 | No dogs | 3 points one side CWD zone: any buck | 4 (2 antlered) |
- CWD zone status for Wattensaw WMA: outside.
- Part of the area lies in closed Bear Zones 6 and 7.
- Turkey zones for Wattensaw WMA: Turkey Zone 1A, read from AGFC's zone map.
- For alligator, the county falls in Alligator Management Zones 2 and 3.
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 Wattensaw WMA
What permit holders on Wattensaw WMA are after.
Flock of wild turkeys feeding along a grassy roadsidePhoto: Dennis Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The guidebook parse finds 4 permit hunts on Wattensaw WMA: 2 deer and 2 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 | Oct 17–21 | 1 | Guidebook p. 93 |
| Deer | Deer gun | Nov 14–18 | 1 | Guidebook p. 93 |
| Turkey | Turkey youth | Apr 10–11 | 1 | Guidebook p. 93 |
| Turkey | Turkey | Apr 19–21 Apr 24–26 | 2 | Guidebook p. 93 |
When to apply for Wattensaw 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 Wattensaw WMA
The 2025-26 deer report credits Prairie County with 1,773 deer, 16 percent fewer than 2024-25. These are county totals from AGFC Game Check, so they include private land as well as public ground.
| County | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie | 1,773 | 2,118 | 54 |
deer report 2025-26 (checked deer by county (AGFC deer reports, Table 6)). Checked November 9, 2026.
No-hunting places close to Wattensaw WMA
The Lower White River Museum (state Park) is 9 miles away and closed to hunting; do not cross into it from Wattensaw WMA. Code 05.11 closes Arkansas parks to hunting, with the two WMA exceptions.
| Name | Closed by | Away | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Lower White River Museum (state Park) | State park (Code 05.11) | 9 miles | Prairie |
AGFC Code 05.11; closed places from lands.json (PAD-US 4.1, NPS, FWS). Straight-line miles. Checked November 9, 2026.
How Wattensaw WMA lines up with nearby WMAs and refuges
Railroad Prairie, 10 miles southwest, is the next pin over. By type, the nearest six are 3 wildlife management areas, 2 natural area WMAs and 1 national wildlife refuge.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railroad Prairie | Natural area WMA | 250 | Lonoke | 10 miles | southwest |
| Cache River NWR | Wildlife refuge | 73,563 | Woodruff | 10 miles | southeast |
| Dagmar WMA | WMA | 10,297 | Monroe | 12 miles | east |
| Bayou Des Arc | WMA | 953 | Prairie | 12 miles | north |
| Benson Creek | Natural area WMA | 1,458 | Monroe | 14 miles | northeast |
| Prairie Bayou WMA | WMA | 453 | Lonoke | 16 miles | southwest |
Point: AGFC WMA boundary layer (GIS/wmas_website_link) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside)). Straight-line distances. Arkansas public land map.
When the clock says go at Wattensaw 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 Wattensaw WMA.
| Day | Why it matters | Sun up | Sun down | Deer and turkey | Ducks and doves | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Early buck archery | 6:36 a.m. | 7:39 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 8:09 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 6:56 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Zone 9 alt-firearms | 7:11 a.m. | 6:26 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 6:26 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun weekend | 6:30 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Zone 9 gun opener | 6:37 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:44 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 20, 2026 | Zone 9 gun closes | 7:07 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:07 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Apr 19, 2027 | Turkey Zone 1A opens | 6:27 a.m. | 7:39 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 8:09 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 7:39 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 Wattensaw WMA
For gas and groceries, De Valls Bluff is 5 miles off. The Census 2024 estimate puts Des Arc at 1,841, the largest nearby. Ten-mile neighbours of Wattensaw WMA: De Valls Bluff, Biscoe, Hazen and Des Arc. Brinkley has the closest AGFC office or center, 17 miles out. Confirm that a business is open by phone before you go.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Valls Bluff | Prairie | 495 | 5 miles | southeast |
| Biscoe | Prairie | 294 | 5 miles | east |
| Hazen | Prairie | 1,388 | 5 miles | southwest |
| Des Arc | Prairie | 1,841 | 9 miles | north |
| Clarendon | Monroe | 1,439 | 15 miles | southeast |
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.
Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA: practice before the trip
AGFC lists Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA Archery Range on Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA; its card comes first below.
From the AGFC Shooting and Archery Ranges page, the AGFC range layer, club sites and directory listings, checked November 9, 2026.
Dated events in reach of Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA
Held on this ground or at a venue within about 10 miles: 1 date ahead (NWTF banquet), read November 8, 2026.
| Starts | Event | Miles | Held at | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15, 2027 | Grand Prairie NWTF Banquet NWTF banquet listing | 5 | 401 | Tickets | Source |
Aerial view of green rice fields and a farm road on the Grand Prairie in Prairie CountyPhoto: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Bald cypress and fall color along Bayou DeView on the Cache River National Wildlife RefugePhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0)
Wattensaw WMA hunting questions
What are the opening-day shooting hours on Wattensaw WMA?
Opening day of modern gun, November 14, 2026, gives legal light here from 6:07 a.m. until 5:29 p.m.
Is blaze pink legal on Wattensaw 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 Wattensaw WMA page?
AGFC and federal agency sources, read for the 2026-27 season and checked November 9, 2026.
Which AGFC district looks after Wattensaw WMA?
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, with AGFC as landowner or partner; AGFC work in the area runs through AGFC Region 2 (Brinkley).
How does zoning work on Wattensaw WMA?
Use 433, the guidebook zone for Wattensaw WMA, not the private land zone number.
What do I carry to hunt Wattensaw WMA?
Your Arkansas hunting license, plus a drawn permit for any permit-required hunt.
Which CWD tier applies to deer from Wattensaw WMA?
No, it is outside the 32-county CWD Management Zone for this season.
When can I hunt deer with a rifle on Wattensaw WMA?
Nov 14–18; dates come from the guidebook entry.
Is Wattensaw WMA turkey ground in spring 2027?
It sits in Turkey Zone 1A (from AGFC's zone map), with WMA dates Apr 19–21 and Apr 24–26.
Can a black bear be taken legally on Wattensaw WMA this fall?
No open bear season in Bear Zones 6 and 7.
How many acres does Wattensaw WMA cover, by which source?
19,184 acres (2026-27 guidebook), in Prairie County.
Does Wattensaw WMA have permit hunts?
Yes: 4 in the parsed list, all requiring a drawn permit.
Which Arkansas town works as a base camp for Wattensaw WMA?
De Valls Bluff is closest, roughly 5 miles. An AGFC office or nature center sits in Brinkley, 17 miles away.
Before the alarm goes off for Wattensaw WMA
Rules, closures and permit dates for Wattensaw WMA can change during the season; posted signs and the managing agency outrank this page.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the 2026-27 Arkansas Hunting Guidebook and the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook. Checked November 9, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Dennis Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0).