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Invasive species
Feral Hog Hunting in Arkansas (2026-27)
Feral hogs can be hunted in Arkansas every day of the year; rules, limits, public land and legal hours below.
Photo: Michael McGaha (CC BY 2.0)
Quick read on Arkansas feral hogs
Arkansas has no closed season for feral hogs: AGFC prints 2 rows for them and none carries a closing date. What a hog hunter may keep: no limit. The hog schedule in one line: private land year-round any method; WMAs only during open bear, deer or elk seasons. Also on the hog page of the guidebook: live hogs may not be sold or transported.
Sources: Guidebook p. 40 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
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The hog calendar for 2026-27
Each line is one AGFC row for feral hogs, earliest first, with its area, dates, limit and the guidebook page.
| Hunt | Where | When | Limit | Status | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private land | Statewide | Year-round | No limit | Year-round | Guidebook p. 40 |
| Public land (WMAs) | WMAs only | Closed | No limit | Closed | Guidebook p. 40 |
- Year-round. Sale and transport of live feral hogs prohibited.
- No hog season on WMAs: hogs may be killed only by hunters legally hunting bear, deer or elk during an open season; no trapping or dogs. Not on Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission WMAs or Hot Springs State Forest WMA.
Sources: Guidebook p. 40 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
The two Arkansas hog rules
Private ground is open all year for hogs; public ground only during open bear, deer or elk seasons.
The WMA line for hogs: no hog season on WMAs: hogs may be killed only by hunters legally hunting bear, deer or elk during an open season; no trapping or dogs. Not on Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission WMAs or Hot Springs State Forest WMA.
Sources: Guidebook p. 40 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Feral Hog weapons and methods
The hog rows carry their own method lines; there is no separate weapon group for feral hogs.
Sources: Guidebook p. 40 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Buying the right license for feral hogs
Anyone 16 or older needs an Arkansas hunting license for feral hogs; licenses run through June 30.
| License | Holder | Cost | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combination Sportsman's License | Resident | $35.50 | CS |
| Sportsman's License | Resident | $25 | RS |
| Wildlife Conservation License | Resident | $10.50 | HNT |
| Annual Hunting License | Nonresident | $410 | NBG |
| WMA/Lake Conservation Permit | Anyone | $10.50 | WMC |
Sources: license list and license requirements (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Field rules for hog hunters
| Area | Rule |
|---|---|
| Live animals | For hog hunters: no importing wildlife without permits, no releasing wildlife, no possessing deer of any age; no releasing domestic turkeys or capturing wild turkeys/eggs. |
| Roads | For hog hunters: no pointing, aiming, hunting or shooting a firearm or bow across, from or within 100 feet of the centerline of a city, county, state or federally maintained road (trappers dispatching trapped animals and falconers excepted); on WMAs within 100 feet of any public or privately maintained road. |
| Technology | On a hog hunt: no electronic tracking equipment to locate wildlife and no computer-assisted hunting. |
| Near homes | Hog hunters note: written permission of the owner or occupant needed to hunt with firearms within 150 yards or archery within 50 yards of a residence (owners and lessees excepted). |
Sources: Guidebook p. 53, Guidebook p. 48, Guidebook p. 49 and Guidebook p. 55 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Public land for feral hogs
Public land for feral hogs across Arkansas, spread over AGFC regions, with the line from each area entry that applies.
Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Cache River National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Overflow National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge
The land record lists feral hog among its game; check the entry for hog dates.
Sources: WMA listings (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Feral Hog: legal time of day
Feral hogs follow the general Arkansas rule: legal from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Dates outside AGFC's table are computed with the NOAA solar formula on Central Time; the last column says which.
| Place | Date | Rise | Set | Legal time | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena-West Helena | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:01 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Jan 15, 2027 | 7:05 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mena | Nov 21, 2026 | 7:01 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mena | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:24 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mena | Jan 15, 2027 | 7:28 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Jonesboro | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Jonesboro | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:01 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Jonesboro | Jan 15, 2027 | 7:05 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:51 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:14 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Jan 15, 2027 | 7:18 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | AGFC table |
Sources: shooting hours and AGFC Little Rock sun table (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Red, orange and green fall foliage on a forested Ouachita Mountains slopePhoto: Tammo2011 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Orange sunset over flat open fields in the Arkansas DeltaPhoto: pfly (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Farmstead with silos and a barn across a flat plowed field in eastern ArkansasPhoto: peggydavis66 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Feral Hog, answered
Which public areas name feral hogs?
Public ground for feral hogs includes Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge, Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge and Cache River National Wildlife Refuge.
Is the hog season open at the moment?
Yes. The hog line runs year-round.
What about live hog transport?
Prohibited.
Is there a hog season on public land?
No; hogs on WMAs are incidental to open bear, deer or elk seasons.
What does AGFC allow per day for feral hogs?
Limit for feral hogs: no limit.
When was this hog page checked?
November 9, 2026.
What does a hog hunter need to buy?
A hunting license, from age 16: for example the Combination Sportsman's License at $35.50.
What is the hog method line?
Any method, by the landowner or anyone with permission; trapping allowed
How early can I shoot feral hogs?
Legal time for feral hogs is 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset; Little Rock, December 21, 2026: 6:42 a.m. to 5:32 p.m.