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American Alligator Hunting in Arkansas for 2026-27
Arkansas alligator dates for 2026-27, from September 18, 2026 to September 28, 2026, with limits, methods, licenses and public land.
Photo: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0)
Where Arkansas alligators stand this season
Alligators get 2 rows in the 2026-27 guidebooks, and the earliest one opens September 18, 2026. Limits that apply to alligators: one alligator 4 feet or longer. How the alligator season is laid out: night only, September 18-21 and 25-28, zones 1-3, permit. One more alligator note from the books: quotas AMZ 1 57, AMZ 2 5, AMZ 3 106.
Sources: Guidebook p. 28 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
All alligator windows in Arkansas
Rows are sorted by first day, and the status column compares each alligator window with today.
| Season | Area | Dates | Bag | Now | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit hunt | AMZ 1, 2, 3 | Sep 18–21 Sep 25–28 | One alligator 4 feet or longer per season | Guidebook p. 28 | |
| All seasons closed | AMZ 4, 5 | Closed | – | Closed | Guidebook p. 28 |
- Closed ("All other zones closed").
Sources: Guidebook p. 28 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Where alligator season opens
Two four-day alligator windows in September, three open zones and a four-foot minimum make up the whole season.
| Zone | Counties | Open or closed | Quota | Square miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZ 1 | 6 | Open | 57 | 3,436 |
| AMZ 2 | 27 | Open | 5* | 11,324 |
| AMZ 3 | 13 | Open | 106 | 6,706 |
| AMZ 4 | 15 | Closed | – | 8,194 |
| AMZ 5 | 38 | Closed | – | 23,530 |
Alligator quota check: AMZ quotas 57 / 5 / 106; private land hunters call 833-345-0398 after 2 p.m. the day of the hunt.
Sources: alligator zones and quota hunts (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
American Alligator: daily and season limits
Bag rows that name alligators, as AGFC printed them for 2026-27.
| Bag row | Limit | From |
|---|---|---|
| American alligator | One alligator 4 feet or longer per season. | Guidebook p. 28 |
Guns, bows and gear for alligators
For alligators, AGFC sets methods on the season rows themselves rather than in a weapon group list.
Sources: Guidebook p. 28 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
American Alligator: licenses, tags and stamps
For alligators, start with one of the resident or nonresident licenses below; all of them end on June 30.
| Item | Who buys | Price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combination Sportsman's License | Resident | $35.50 | CS |
| Sportsman's License | Resident | $25 | RS |
| Annual Hunting License | Nonresident | $410 | NBG |
| Private Lands Alligator Permit | Nonresident | $300 | NRG |
Sources: license list and license requirements (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Before you hunt alligators
Alligator check-in: check online within 12 hours; CITES tag mailed after verification.
| Topic | As printed |
|---|---|
| Others' game | When after alligators: wildlife taken by someone else must have a signed statement (name, address, species, date, license number); also applies to camps, processors and taxidermists. |
| Vehicles, aircraft | Alligator hunters note: no hunting from a moving motorized land vehicle or from an aircraft. |
| Permission and posting | When after alligators: written permission (relatives excepted) required to hunt, trap or run dogs on private land; Posting: signs or 8-inch purple paint marks at most 100 feet apart (1,000 feet on cultivated land, pasture etc.) and at road entrances. |
| Lights | When after alligators: no shining an artificial light from a public road or within a WMA. |
Sources: Guidebook p. 48, Guidebook p. 49, Guidebook p. 55 and Game Check (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Public ground that names alligators
Picked for alligators: each card quotes the guidebook statement that names them, so you can see the area rule at a glance.
Sulphur River WMA
Area rule for alligators: Alligator (permit required): September 18-21 and September 25-28.
Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D'Arc WMA
Area rule for alligators: Alligator (permit required): September 18-21 and September 25-28.
Trusten Holder WMA
Area rule for alligators: Alligator (permit required): September 18-21 and September 25-28.
Sources: WMA listings (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
When you may shoot alligators
Alligators are hunted at night only: from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise. Each town gets its own times; AGFC's Little Rock table covers most dates, and the NOAA formula fills the rest.
| Town | Day | Sun up | Sun down | Hunting window | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Dorado | Sep 18, 2026 | 6:55 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 7:45 p.m. to 6:26 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| El Dorado | Sep 25, 2026 | 7:00 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 7:35 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| El Dorado | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:14 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 5:34 p.m. to 6:45 a.m. | AGFC table |
| Mountain Home | Sep 18, 2026 | 6:53 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 7:44 p.m. to 6:24 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| Mountain Home | Sep 25, 2026 | 6:59 a.m. | 7:04 p.m. | 7:34 p.m. to 6:29 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| Mountain Home | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:12 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 5:32 p.m. to 6:43 a.m. | AGFC table |
| Fayetteville | Sep 18, 2026 | 7:00 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 7:51 p.m. to 6:31 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| Fayetteville | Sep 25, 2026 | 7:06 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 7:41 p.m. to 6:36 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| Fayetteville | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:23 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 5:43 p.m. to 6:54 a.m. | AGFC table |
| Fort Smith | Sep 18, 2026 | 7:01 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 7:52 p.m. to 6:32 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| Fort Smith | Sep 25, 2026 | 7:07 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 7:42 p.m. to 6:37 a.m. | NOAA formula |
| Fort Smith | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:25 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 5:45 p.m. to 6:56 a.m. | AGFC table |
Sources: shooting hours and AGFC Little Rock sun table (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Fall-colored Ozark hills behind a farm pasture between Batesville and Mountain ViewPhoto: Michael McGaha (CC BY 2.0)
Red, orange and green fall foliage on a forested Ouachita Mountains slopePhoto: Tammo2011 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mist drifting over the forested Buffalo River valley below tall bluffsPhoto: Thomas Shahan (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about Arkansas alligators
Is it legal to hunt alligators this week?
No. Alligators closed September 28, 2026 this season.
Which WMAs are good for alligators?
Areas such as Sulphur River WMA, Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D'Arc WMA and Trusten Holder WMA name alligators in their guidebook entries.
When is the alligator draw?
8 a.m. July 1-11:59 p.m. July 31, 2026.
Which alligators are legal?
Alligators four feet or longer, one per hunter per season.
What source does this alligator page use?
AGFC guidebooks and season date sheets for 2026-27.
What are the 2026-27 alligator dates in Arkansas?
The 2026-27 dates for alligators: permit hunt September 18 to 21, 2026 and September 25 to 28, 2026.
Is there a daily limit on alligators?
Per the guidebook: one alligator 4 feet or longer.
What does the alligator row allow?
AGFC lists night hunting only (30 min after sunset to 30 min before sunrise); bowfishing tackle allowed on privately owned water during the season (new)
Is a license required for alligators?
Yes, for anyone 16 or older; the license table on this page lists every product for alligators.
What hours apply to alligator hunting?
Alligators follow 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, which on September 18, 2026 at Little Rock ran 7:44 p.m. to 6:24 a.m.