Waterfowl
Ducks Seasons and Limits in Arkansas, 2026-27
The 2026-27 duck calendar for Arkansas with bags, weapons, hours and public land picks.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Quick read on Arkansas ducks
Arkansas sets 3 season rows for ducks this year, beginning November 21, 2026. On limits, the guidebook says this about ducks: 6/day with species limits (4 mallards incl. 2 hens, 3 pintails, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 scaup, 1 mottled duck); possession 3x. Timing for ducks, as AGFC sums it up: november 21-29, December 10-23, December 26-January 31; youth and veterans February 6-7. Further duck detail: single statewide zone.
Sources: Waterfowl guide p. 3 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
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Ducks seasons in the AGFC guidebooks
One row per printed duck season; the last column links the guidebook page it came from.
| Hunt | Area | Windows | Limit | Now | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular duck season | Statewide | Nov 21–29 Dec 10–23 Dec 26–Jan 31 | 6 ducks/day: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 pintails, 1… | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Statewide | Feb 6–7 | Regular season limits | Waterfowl guide p. 3 | |
| Veteran and military | Statewide | Feb 6–7 | Regular season limits | Waterfowl guide p. 3 |
- Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset; on WMAs waterfowl hunting ends at noon November 21-January 30 (to sunset January 31 and February 6-7). HIP, federal duck stamp and Arkansas waterfowl stamp required (16+). Single statewide zone.
- Youths 15 and younger; youth without hunter education accompanied by a licensed hunter 21+ who may call but not hunt (veteran mentors excepted). WMA hours to sunset.
- Veterans and active-duty military; mentors may call but not hunt. WMA hours to sunset; nonresident WMA waterfowl permits not required.
Sources: Waterfowl guide p. 3 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Arkansas duck hunting on WMAs and rice fields
Ducks share the statewide waterfowl calendar; the WMA noon rule and weekly draws are the local twists.
The WMA clock for ducks: on WMAs waterfowl hunting runs 30 minutes before sunrise until noon November 21-January 30; to sunset on January 31 and February 6-7. Hunters must leave flooded areas by 1 p.m. (noon on Dave Donaldson Black River and George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMAs).
Weekly waterfowl draws work like this: weekly: 3 p.m. Thursday to midnight Sunday before the hunt date at agfc.com/licenses; drawn and notified each Monday.
Each WMA prints its own waterfowl rules in the Waterfowl Guidebook; check the area before you launch a boat.
Sources: Waterfowl Guidebook, shooting hours and draws (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
How many ducks you may take
Check the duck limit before each trip: the rows below cover daily, season and possession limits as printed.
| Row | Bag | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks | 6 ducks/day: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck, 1 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks; possession 3x daily (Regular duck season (with coots and mergansers)) | Waterfowl guide p. 3 |
Equipment rules for Arkansas ducks
Methods for ducks come from two places: the weapon group lists and each season row.
- Waterfowl and migratory birds
Duck hunters following the waterfowl and migratory birds list may use shotguns 10 gauge or smaller holding no more than three shells; nontoxic shot T or smaller for waterfowl and coots; other migratory birds nontoxic T or smaller or lead BB or smaller. The same list rules out, for ducks, rifles, pistols, traps, live decoys, sink boxes, motorboats under power, bait.
Method notes on the duck rows
- Duck row method: Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller plugged to 3 shells; federally approved nontoxic shot size T or smaller for waterfowl and coots; no live decoys; no bait.
Sources: Waterfowl guide p. 36 and Waterfowl guide p. 3 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Licenses that cover ducks
An Arkansas resident needs 60 days of primary residence to buy resident licenses for ducks; owning land here does not count. For ducks, budget for the federal stamp and the Arkansas stamp along with the hunting license.
| Product | For | Cost | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combination Sportsman's License | Resident | $35.50 | CS |
| Sportsman's License | Resident | $25 | RS |
| Wildlife Conservation License | Resident | $10.50 | HNT |
| Federal duck stamp (paper) | Anyone | $25 | DFS |
| Federal duck stamp (e-stamp) | Anyone | $30 | FDE |
| Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp | Resident | $7 | DSR |
| Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp | Nonresident | $50 | DSN |
| 3-Day WMA Waterfowl Permit | Nonresident | $40 | NW3 |
| 30-Day WMA Waterfowl Permit | Nonresident | $200 | NW30 |
Sources: license list and license requirements (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Ducks: rules beyond the season dates
For ducks, use a shotgun that holds no more than three shells; rifles and pistols are not legal.
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Levees | For duck hunters: no hunting from or across the main levee of the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers from Louisiana to state Highway 11 north of Grady (Lincoln County). |
| Waterfowl guiding | When after ducks: no guiding waterfowl hunters for pay on WMAs or NWRs. |
| Alcohol on WMAs | When after ducks: no alcoholic beverages on Commission-controlled WMAs except on inholdings, in vehicles on public roads or boats on navigable water within the law. |
| Wanton waste | Duck hunters note: edible portions must not be wasted (game mammals: quarters, loins, tenderloins; birds: breasts; alligators: tail, legs, flanks, loins); no carcass disposal in cemeteries, waters or within 50 yards of a public road centerline. |
Sources: Guidebook p. 49, Waterfowl guide p. 43, Guidebook p. 63 and Guidebook p. 54 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Arkansas public areas for ducks
Where to start looking for ducks on public land, with the area statement that names them.
Winona WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: 28 for wintering waterfowl.
Dardanelle WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Johnson County Waterfowl Rest Area: August 29-31 (one antlered buck only); September 26-October 31 and February 16-28.
St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: All waterfowl rest areas except for Snowden Field WRA closed to access Nov.
Dave Donaldson Black River WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: Slough boats may be left overnight at select locations during duck season.
Sulphur River WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: The Henry Moore Waterfowl Rest Area closed to access Nov.
Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D'Arc WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: Red Slough Waterfowl Rest Area closes to access Nov.
Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: Conway George Tract open only to waterfowl permit holders after deer permit hunt.
Camp Robinson WMA
What the area prints for ducks: Area Notes: For access restrictions that affect all users during waterfowl season, check the waterfowl guidebook or visit www.agfc.com/camprobinsonwma.
Sources: WMA listings (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Ducks: legal time of day
The duck window closes at sunset, which is 30 minutes earlier than the general rule. Times below are worked out for Texarkana, Monticello, Little Rock and Helena-West Helena from AGFC's Little Rock table with the one-minute-per-nine-miles correction.
| Near | Date | Rise | Set | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texarkana | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:59 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Texarkana | Dec 26, 2026 | 7:24 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Texarkana | Feb 6, 2027 | 7:13 a.m. | 5:53 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Monticello | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:45 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Monticello | Dec 26, 2026 | 7:10 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Monticello | Feb 6, 2027 | 6:59 a.m. | 5:39 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Little Rock | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:49 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Little Rock | Dec 26, 2026 | 7:14 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Little Rock | Feb 6, 2027 | 7:03 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Dec 26, 2026 | 7:03 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Feb 6, 2027 | 6:52 a.m. | 5:32 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | AGFC table |
Sources: shooting hours and AGFC Little Rock sun table (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Mallard drake calling on open water in front of cattailsPhoto: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (posted by USFWS Southeast Region) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Northern pintail drake standing at the edge of ice and open waterPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain-Prairie Region (CC BY 2.0)
Wood duck drake on still waterPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Ducks, answered
What stamps does a duck hunter carry?
Federal and Arkansas waterfowl stamps.
Do WMA duck hunts stop at noon?
Yes, from November 21 to January 30.
Where do these duck rules come from?
The 2026-27 AGFC guidebooks and date sheets, checked November 9, 2026.
Which days are open for ducks in 2026-27?
As printed for 2026-27: regular duck season November 21 to 29, 2026, December 10 to 23, 2026 and December 26, 2026 to January 31, 2027; youth waterfowl February 6 to 7, 2027; veteran and military February 6 to 7, 2027.
What is the bag limit for ducks in Arkansas?
6/day with species limits (4 mallards incl. 2 hens, 3 pintails, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 scaup, 1 mottled duck); possession 3x.
What equipment is legal for duck hunting?
The waterfowl and migratory birds list applies: shotguns 10 gauge or smaller holding no more than three shells; nontoxic shot T or smaller for waterfowl and coots; other migratory birds nontoxic T or smaller or lead BB or smaller.
Which Arkansas license covers ducks?
Resident options include the Combination Sportsman's License, Resident Sportsman's License and Resident Wildlife Conservation License; everyone 16 or older needs one.
What are legal shooting hours for ducks?
The rule for ducks is 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset; in Little Rock on November 21, 2026 that meant 6:19 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Can I hunt ducks today in Arkansas?
Not yet: the following duck season starts November 21, 2026.
Where should I look for ducks?
Try Winona WMA, Dardanelle WMA and St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA, and read each area entry for its own dates.