Big game
Elk Hunting in Arkansas for 2026-27
When and how to hunt elk in Arkansas this season, from the August 29 opener to February 28, 2027.
Photo: latteda (CC BY 2.0)
Quick read on Arkansas elk
The 2026-27 elk calendar in Arkansas starts August 29, 2026 and ends February 28, 2027, across 5 printed rows. Bag line for elk: One elk per season. In brief, the elk rules run like this: permit hunts October 5-9 and October 26-30 (youth October 3-4, October 24-25) in the Buffalo River core counties; outside them during deer season. The data adds this for elk: core Elk Management Zone: Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton, Searcy counties.
Sources: Guidebook p. 25 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Elk seasons in the AGFC guidebooks
Sorted by opening day; a elk row with several date lines has breaks between its windows.
| Season | Zone or area | Date range | Bag | Open? | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outside core counties | Outside core | Aug 29–Feb 28 | One elk | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Private Land Youth Hunt | Core elk counties | Oct 3–4 Oct 24–25 | One antlerless elk | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Public Land Youth Hunt | Public land, core | Oct 3–4 Oct 24–25 | One elk either sex per season | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Private Land | Core elk counties | Oct 5–9 Oct 26–30 | One elk either sex; one legal bull per landowner… | Guidebook p. 25 | |
| Public Land | Public land, core | Oct 5–9 Oct 26–30 | One elk either sex per season | Guidebook p. 25 |
- Elk outside the Core Elk Management Zone may be taken without a permit during deer season; call 833-356-0824 immediately. Dates = the span of 2026-27 deer seasons (early buck archery August 29 to archery close February 28).
- Antlerless only.
- Permit required.
- October 5-9 either sex, contingent on quota; October 26-30 antlerless only. Private land permits sold after May 15, no deadline (nonresident private land elk permit $300).
- Permit by random draw (apply May 1-June 1; drawn late June). Nonresidents ineligible for public land permits. Check online within 12 hours; call 833-356-0824 immediately on harvest; CWD sample required.
Sources: Guidebook p. 25 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Core elk counties compared
Outside Boone, Carroll, Madison, Newton and Searcy counties there is no elk permit: the statewide elk rule ties elk to open deer seasons.
| County | Deer zones | Tier | Bear zones | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone | 2, 3 | Tier 1 | 1 | 1,638 |
| Carroll | 1, 2 | Tier 1 | 1 | 1,053 |
| Madison | 1, 2, 6 | Tier 1 | 1 | 2,975 |
| Newton | 2, 6 | Tier 1 | 1 | 1,211 |
| Searcy | 2, 6 | Tier 1 | 1 | 1,931 |
Sources: elk seasons and CWD rules (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Limits on Arkansas elk
Limits for elk come straight from the 2026-27 bag table; where a limit is shared with another species it says so.
| Applies to | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Elk | One elk either sex per season; one legal bull per landowner property on private land. | Guidebook p. 25 |
Equipment rules for Arkansas elk
The weapons table names what the guidebook allows for elk and what it bans outright.
- Archery
For elk in archery seasons, AGFC allows long, recurve and compound bows 35 lb pull or more; crossbows 125 lb pull with mechanical safety; scopes and releases allowed; broadheads at least 7/8 inches for big game; spears allowed in archery seasons. Banned for elk hunters: arrows with firearm ammunition or poison; arrows propelled by compressed air or explosive propellant; firearms in immediate possession while bowhunting bear, deer or turkey (except a legally possessed handgun or when a firearms season is open).
- Alternative firearms (formerly muzzleloader)
Elk may be taken under the alternative firearms (formerly muzzleloader) list with muzzleloading rifles .40+ with 18 inches+ barrel (magnifying sights; buckshot No. 4+), muzzleloading handguns (9 inches+ barrel; .45+ conical 200 gr+ or .530+ round ball), non-semiautomatic straight-wall centerfire .30+ (bolt, break, falling block, lever, pump, rolling block, straight-pull), large bore air rifles .40+, archery. Banned for elk hunters: shotguns with slugs; semiautomatic centerfire firearms unless the upper receiver is replaced with a listed action.
- Modern gun (deer, bear)
What the modern gun (deer, bear) list allows for elk: modern guns, alternative firearms and archery; centerfire .22 and larger; shotguns with slugs or No. 4 buckshot or larger; handguns with barrels 4 inches or longer; large bore air rifles .40+ (not for elk); Bear: shotguns 20 gauge or larger with rifled slugs. Elk hunters may not use buckshot in a .410; shot smaller than No. 4 buckshot; rimfire cartridges; centerfire smaller than .22; handguns under 4 inches barrel.
How elk may be taken, per row
- How elk may be taken: Weapons legal for deer.
- How elk may be taken: Weapon legal for the open deer season.
Sources: Guidebook p. 50, Guidebook p. 51 and Guidebook p. 25 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Paperwork for elk
Hunters 16 and up need a license before going after elk; the list below holds the AGFC products that cover them.
| License | Who | Price | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combination Sportsman's License | Resident | $35.50 | CS |
| Sportsman's License | Resident | $25 | RS |
| Annual Hunting License | Nonresident | $410 | NBG |
| Private Lands Elk Permit | Nonresident | $300 | NRE |
Sources: license list and license requirements (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
What else applies to elk
The visibility rule for elk: 400 square inches of hunter orange, chartreuse or blaze camouflage, and a hat, whenever gun seasons for deer, bear or elk are open. After the shot on a elk: call 833-356-0824 immediately; check online within 12 hours; present the head to an AGFC biologist for a CWD sample. The CWD rules for elk cover carcass movement between tiers and the ban on most cervid parts from other states.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Lights | Hunting elk: no shining an artificial light from a public road or within a WMA. |
| Others' game | Hunting elk: 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 | For elk hunters: no hunting from a moving motorized land vehicle or from an aircraft. |
| Permission and posting | Hunting elk: 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. |
Sources: Guidebook p. 48, Guidebook p. 49, Guidebook p. 55, hunter orange and Game Check (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Elk on WMAs and other public ground
A short list of public ground for elk; the land pages carry the full entry, permit hunts and closures.
Buffalo National River WMA
Entry line for elk: Elk (permit required): October 5-9 and October 26-30.
Bearcat Hollow WMA
Entry line for elk: Elk (permit required): October 5-9 and October 26-30.
Gene Rush WMA
Entry line for elk: Elk (permit required): October 5-9 and October 26-30.
Sources: WMA listings (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
The elk clock in Arkansas
For elk, hunting ends 30 minutes after sunset and may not start earlier than 30 minutes before sunrise. Clocks fall back November 1, 2026 and spring forward March 14, 2027, which shifts the listed times by an hour.
| Town | On | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal | Worked from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonesboro | Aug 29, 2026 | 6:32 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Jonesboro | Oct 5, 2026 | 6:55 a.m. | 6:36 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Jonesboro | Oct 26, 2026 | 7:13 a.m. | 6:10 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Aug 29, 2026 | 6:42 a.m. | 7:42 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 8:12 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| El Dorado | Oct 5, 2026 | 7:08 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Oct 26, 2026 | 7:26 a.m. | 6:23 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mountain Home | Aug 29, 2026 | 6:38 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Mountain Home | Oct 5, 2026 | 7:06 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mountain Home | Oct 26, 2026 | 7:24 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Fayetteville | Aug 29, 2026 | 6:45 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 8:21 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Fayetteville | Oct 5, 2026 | 7:17 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Fayetteville | Oct 26, 2026 | 7:35 a.m. | 6:32 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. | AGFC table |
Sources: shooting hours and AGFC Little Rock sun table (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Two bull elk standing in a frosty field in the Boxley ValleyPhoto: Noel Pennington (CC BY 2.0)
Bull elk and cows in a green field at the edge of the woods in the Boxley ValleyPhoto: Noel Pennington (CC BY 2.0)
Two elk resting in a grassy field near Lost Valley on the Buffalo National RiverPhoto: amanderson2 (CC BY 2.0)
Elk, answered
Which Arkansas license covers elk?
Resident options include the Combination Sportsman's License, Resident Sportsman's License and Nonresident Annual Hunting License; everyone 16 or older needs one.
Which guns or bows can I use on elk?
For elk (archery rules): long, recurve and compound bows 35 lb pull or more; crossbows 125 lb pull with mechanical safety; scopes and releases allowed; broadheads at least 7/8 inches for big game; spears allowed in archery seasons.
Is elk season open right now?
Elk were open on November 9, 2026 under outside core counties.
How early can I shoot elk?
Legal time for elk is 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset; Little Rock, August 29, 2026: 6:10 a.m. to 8:12 p.m.
Is elk hunting limited to the Buffalo River area?
Permit hunts are in the five core counties; All counties outside the core five (elk may be taken during deer season).
Where should I look for elk?
Try Buffalo National River WMA, Bearcat Hollow WMA and Gene Rush WMA, and read each area entry for its own dates.
Can I trust these elk dates?
They match the AGFC books as of November 9, 2026; each row links its page.
Can nonresidents draw an elk permit?
No. Residents only; private land elk permits sold after May 15 with no deadline.
How many elk can I take in Arkansas?
The limit summary reads: one elk per season.
Which days are open for elk in 2026-27?
As printed for 2026-27: public land October 5 to 9, 2026 and October 26 to 30, 2026; public land youth hunt October 3 to 4, 2026 and October 24 to 25, 2026; private land October 5 to 9, 2026 and October 26 to 30, 2026; private land youth hunt October 3 to 4, 2026 and October 24 to 25, 2026; outside core counties August 29, 2026 to February 28, 2027.