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White-fronted Goose Hunting in Arkansas (2026-27)
When and how to hunt white-fronted geese in Arkansas this season, from the October 31 opener to February 7, 2027.
Photo: caroline legg (CC BY 2.0)
White-fronted Goose season snapshot for 2026-27
The 2026-27 white-fronted goose calendar in Arkansas starts October 31, 2026 and ends February 7, 2027, across 3 printed rows. Bag line for white-fronted geese: 2/day, possession 6. In brief, the white-fronted goose rules run like this: october 31-November 8 and with duck season.
Sources: Waterfowl guide p. 3 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
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White-fronted Goose seasons in the AGFC guidebooks
Sorted by opening day; a white-fronted goose row with several date lines has breaks between its windows.
| Season | Zone or area | Date range | Bag | Open? | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-fronted goose | Statewide | Oct 31–Nov 8 Nov 21–29 Dec 10–23 Dec 26–Jan 31 | 2/day, possession 6 | 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.
One statewide zone for Arkansas white-fronted geese
For white-fronted geese, the Waterfowl Guidebook prints one set of dates for the whole state; WMA hours and draws are the pieces that change.
Public land white-fronted goose hours: 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).
Draw timing for flooded rice fields and WMA permit areas: weekly: 3 p.m. Thursday to midnight Sunday before the hunt date at agfc.com/licenses; drawn and notified each Monday.
Rest areas, boat limits and greentree reservoir rules on WMAs are printed area by area in the Waterfowl Guidebook, so read your WMA there.
Sources: Waterfowl Guidebook, shooting hours and draws (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Limits on Arkansas white-fronted geese
Limits for white-fronted geese come straight from the 2026-27 bag table; where a limit is shared with another species it says so.
| Applies to | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| White-fronted goose | 2/day, possession 6 (White-fronted goose) | Waterfowl guide p. 3 |
Guns, bows and gear for white-fronted geese
The weapons table names what the guidebook allows for white-fronted geese and what it bans outright.
- Waterfowl and migratory birds
For white-fronted geese in waterfowl and migratory birds seasons, AGFC allows 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. Banned for white-fronted goose hunters: rifles, pistols, traps, live decoys, sink boxes, motorboats under power, bait.
How white-fronted geese may be taken, per row
- White-fronted geese, as printed: 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.
Paperwork for white-fronted geese
Hunters 16 and up need a license before going after white-fronted geese; the list below holds the AGFC products that cover them. Nonresidents hunting white-fronted geese on WMAs need a 3-day or 30-day WMA waterfowl permit in addition to the stamps.
| 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 |
| 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.
What else applies to white-fronted geese
Federal rules for white-fronted geese ban rifles, pistols, live decoys and motorboats under power.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Levees | Hunting white-fronted geese: 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 | On a white-fronted goose hunt: no guiding waterfowl hunters for pay on WMAs or NWRs. |
| Alcohol on WMAs | On a white-fronted goose hunt: 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 | When after white-fronted geese: 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 white-fronted geese
A short list of public ground for white-fronted geese; the land pages carry the full entry, permit hunts and closures.
Winona WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: Area Notes: 28 for wintering waterfowl.
Dardanelle WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: 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
Entry line for white-fronted geese: Area Notes: All waterfowl rest areas except for Snowden Field WRA closed to access Nov.
Sulphur River WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: Area Notes: The Henry Moore Waterfowl Rest Area closed to access Nov.
Dr. Lester Sitzes III Bois D'Arc WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: Area Notes: Red Slough Waterfowl Rest Area closes to access Nov.
Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: Area Notes: Moist-soil units and waterfowl rest areas closed to access Nov.
Sheffield Nelson Dagmar WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: Area Notes: Conway George Tract open only to waterfowl permit holders after deer permit hunt.
Camp Robinson WMA
Entry line for white-fronted geese: 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.
When you may shoot white-fronted geese
White-fronted goose hunting uses the migratory clock: half an hour before sunrise to 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonesboro | Oct 31, 2026 | 7:23 a.m. | 6:10 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Jonesboro | Dec 10, 2026 | 6:54 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Jonesboro | Feb 6, 2027 | 6:52 a.m. | 5:32 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Oct 31, 2026 | 7:27 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| El Dorado | Dec 10, 2026 | 7:07 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | AGFC table |
| El Dorado | Feb 6, 2027 | 7:05 a.m. | 5:45 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mountain Home | Oct 31, 2026 | 7:31 a.m. | 6:16 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 6:16 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Mountain Home | Dec 10, 2026 | 7:05 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Mountain Home | Feb 6, 2027 | 7:03 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Fayetteville | Oct 31, 2026 | 7:37 a.m. | 6:23 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 6:23 p.m. | NOAA formula |
| Fayetteville | Dec 10, 2026 | 7:16 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | AGFC table |
| Fayetteville | Feb 6, 2027 | 7:14 a.m. | 5:54 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | AGFC table |
Sources: shooting hours and AGFC Little Rock sun table (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission); checked November 9, 2026.
Canada goose swimming through water reflecting fall colorsPhoto: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0)
Flock of snow geese lifting off a fieldPhoto: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (posted by USFWS Southeast Region) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Two Canada geese taking off low over dark waterPhoto: Alyenaa Buckles (CC BY 2.0)
White-fronted Goose, answered
Is a license required for white-fronted geese?
Yes, for anyone 16 or older; the license table on this page lists every product for white-fronted geese.
Which guns or bows can I use on white-fronted geese?
For white-fronted geese (waterfowl and migratory birds rules): 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.
Is white-fronted goose season open right now?
No. Wait for November 21, 2026, when the next white-fronted goose row opens.
What hours apply to white-fronted goose hunting?
White-fronted geese follow 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset, which on October 31, 2026 at Little Rock ran 6:58 a.m. to 6:18 p.m.
Which stamps cover white-fronted geese?
Federal duck stamp, Arkansas waterfowl stamp and HIP registration.
Which WMAs are good for white-fronted geese?
Areas such as Winona WMA, Dardanelle WMA and St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA name white-fronted geese in their guidebook entries.
Can I trust these white-fronted goose dates?
They match the AGFC books as of November 9, 2026; each row links its page.
What are WMA hours for white-fronted geese?
30 minutes before sunrise to noon, November 21 to January 30.
How many white-fronted geese can I take in Arkansas?
The limit summary reads: 2/day, possession 6.
When does Arkansas white-fronted goose season open?
White-fronted geese may be hunted white-fronted goose October 31 to November 8, 2026, 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.