Furbearer
Muskrat Hunting in Arkansas (2026-27)
When and how to hunt muskrats in Arkansas this season, from the September 1 opener to February 28, 2027.
Photo: MyBiggestFan (CC BY 2.0)
Muskrat season snapshot for 2026-27
The 2026-27 muskrat calendar in Arkansas starts September 1, 2026 and ends February 28, 2027, across 2 printed rows. Bag line for muskrats: 2 per day (hunting). In brief, the muskrat rules run like this: hunting September 1-February 28 day only; trapping November 21-February 28.
Sources: Guidebook p. 37 and Guidebook p. 38 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
All muskrat windows in Arkansas
Sorted by opening day; a muskrat row with several date lines has breaks between its windows.
| Season | Zone or area | Date range | Bag | Open? | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Statewide | Sep 1–Feb 28 | 2 per day | Guidebook p. 37 | |
| Trapping | Statewide | Nov 21–Feb 28 | No limit | Guidebook p. 38 |
- Day hunting only.
- Furbearers other than beaver, coyote and nutria: sunrise November 21-sunset February 28.
Sources: Guidebook p. 37 and Guidebook p. 38 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Muskrat trapping rules and dates
Furbearer rules for muskrats come from the guidebook furbearer pages: one hunting row and one trapping row.
Muskrats may be trapped November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027 using land sets: smooth-jawed foothold jaw spread 7 inches or less (over 5 inches offset or padded), dogproof, body-gripping 6 inches or less, box traps; Water sets: foothold 8.5 inches or less, body-gripping 11 inches or less; Snares November 21-February 28 (not for coyote, beaver, nutria; land snares need deer locks beyond 20 feet of water).
Sources: trapping and Predator Control Permit (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Muskrat: daily and season limits
Limits for muskrats come straight from the 2026-27 bag table; where a limit is shared with another species it says so.
| Applies to | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gray fox, red fox, muskrat and mink | 2 per day (Furbearer hunting) | Guidebook p. 37 |
Muskrat weapons and methods
Read the method line on each muskrat row; that is where AGFC sets the legal gear.
Sources: Guidebook p. 37 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Paperwork for muskrats
Hunters 16 and up need a license before going after muskrats; 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 |
| Wildlife Conservation License | Resident | $10.50 | HNT |
| Annual Small Game License | Nonresident | $110 | NRH |
| 3-Day Small Game License | Nonresident | $80 | SG3 |
| Trapper's Permit | Nonresident | $125 | NFT |
Sources: license list and license requirements (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
What else applies to muskrats
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Roads | When after muskrats: 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. |
| Lights | Hunting muskrats: no shining an artificial light from a public road or within a WMA. |
| Permission and posting | Hunting muskrats: 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. |
| Others' game | Hunting muskrats: wildlife taken by someone else must have a signed statement (name, address, species, date, license number); also applies to camps, processors and taxidermists. |
Sources: Guidebook p. 48 and Guidebook p. 55 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Muskrat on WMAs and other public ground
A short list of public ground for muskrats; the land pages carry the full entry, permit hunts and closures.
Sylamore WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: Dogs, hunting or trapping equipment are not allowed in Blanchard Springs Recreation Area.
Buffalo National River WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: No trapping allowed on Buffalo National River.
Dardanelle WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: Dogs, hunting or trapping equipment not allowed on Johnson County WRA, except as noted above.
Cherokee WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: Dogs may be used for coyote, fox and bobcat hunting when the declared furbearer hunting season is open and firearms deer season is closed.
Poison Springs WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: Horses and mules allowed for legal hunting activities during specific hunting seasons and at night during furbearer season.
Cedar Mountain WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: Dogs may be used for coyote, fox and bobcat hunting when the declared furbearer hunting season is open and firearms deer season is closed.
Big Lake WMA
Entry line for muskrats: Furbearers: Ditch 28 closed to all trapping.
Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA/Deer Research Area East Unit
Entry line for muskrats: Area Notes: Horses and mules only allowed for nighttime furbearer hunting on East Unit.
Sources: WMA listings (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
The muskrat clock in Arkansas
Daylight hours apply to muskrats: sunrise until sunset. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monticello | Sep 1, 2026 | 6:40 a.m. | 7:35 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Monticello | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:45 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Monticello | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:08 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Little Rock | Sep 1, 2026 | 6:42 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Little Rock | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:49 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Little Rock | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:12 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Sep 1, 2026 | 6:35 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Helena-West Helena | Nov 21, 2026 | 6:38 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Helena-West Helena | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:01 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mena | Sep 1, 2026 | 6:49 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Mena | Nov 21, 2026 | 7:01 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mena | Dec 21, 2026 | 7:24 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | AGFC table |
Sources: shooting hours and AGFC Little Rock sun table (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Clark Creek and mossy boulders below a bluff in Lost Valley, Buffalo National RiverPhoto: Sharon Mollerus (CC BY 2.0)
View down the green Buffalo River valley and bluffs from the Steel Creek overlookPhoto: Jasari (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Buffalo National River flowing past a gravel bar under a tall green bluffPhoto: David Brossard (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Common questions on muskrats
What limit applies to muskrats?
AGFC sums it up as 2 per day (hunting).
When does Arkansas muskrat season open?
Muskrats may be hunted hunting September 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027; trapping November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
Is a license required for muskrats?
Yes, for anyone 16 or older; the license table on this page lists every product for muskrats.
What does the muskrat row allow?
AGFC lists daylight archery or any rifle or shotgun ammunition
Is muskrat season open right now?
Muskrats were open on November 9, 2026 under hunting.
What time can I start hunting muskrats?
Sunrise to sunset. On September 1, 2026 at Little Rock, the muskrat window ran 6:42 a.m. to 7:38 p.m.
Trapping dates for muskrats?
Muskrat trapping runs November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
Which WMAs are good for muskrats?
Areas such as Sylamore WMA, Buffalo National River WMA and Dardanelle WMA name muskrats in their guidebook entries.
Can I trust these muskrat dates?
They match the AGFC books as of November 9, 2026; each row links its page.
Can residents trap muskrats on a hunting license?
Yes, residents 16 and older trap on a hunting license.