2025-26 Arkansas Waterfowl Looking Guidebook accessible on-line – Arkansas Sport and Fish Fee

BY Randy Zellers
ON 10-29-2025
LITTLE ROCK — With lower than one month till the duck season opener, Arkansas duck hunters are going by way of their annual rituals of cleansing decoys, brushing blinds, checking wheel bearings on their boat trailers and praying for rain to assist flood Arkansas’s huge community of bottomland hardwoods. Another ritual so as to add to that record must be to obtain a duplicate of the 2025-26 Arkansas Waterfowl Looking Guidebook and familiarize your self with any modifications which have taken place within the laws.
Guidebooks must be accessible at each AGFC searching license seller within the state, however many are scooped up shortly, so it’s not unusual for a location to expire quickly till they are often resupplied. However you may at all times carry a duplicate of the foundations in your cellphone, both by way of the AGFC’s smartphone app or downloaded to your recordsdata straight from the Arkansas Sport and Fish Fee’s web site at www.agfc.com/guidebooks.
This yr, essentially the most notable change for duck hunters is the rise within the every day bag restrict from one to 3 pintails per day. That is a part of a brand new interim harvest technique that provides a cautious step ahead to open alternatives for hunters throughout these few hunts throughout the season once they may need the chance so as to add an extra pintail or two to their every day bag.
“There’s been intensive analysis for the final decade resulting in this transformation, and nearly each examine we now have exhibits that searching mortality is definitely a low driver of populations in comparison with habitat high quality and seasonal climate fluctuations,” Brett Leach, AGFC Waterfowl Program Coordinator, mentioned. “As one of many main states within the Mississippi Flyway in pintail harvest, it’s essential that we work inside this new technique to precisely measure any results.”
Though pintails are beneath their long-term common, the first decline of their populations really occurred 40 years in the past by way of habitat conversion all through the Prairie Pothole Area. Wheat fields now occupy what was as soon as shortgrass prairies, and the disturbance of these fields shortly led to a decline in continental pintail populations.
“This interim harvest technique wants no less than three years of a 3 pintail bag restrict if the inhabitants ranges enable for it,” Leach mentioned. “It simply occurs that the primary yr for the technique to go in place will function at that increased degree. Based on the Breeding Inhabitants and Pond Rely Estimates from this yr, we anticipate having the three-pintail rule in place subsequent yr as nicely.”
Different notable modifications embody:
The Veterans and Energetic-duty Navy Waterfowl Hunt is once more two days, coinciding with the Particular Youth Hunt, Feb. 7-8.
Frog Bayou WMA can have an extra draw allow hunt space accessible for youth and mobility-impaired hunters. The mobility-impaired space can have entry to a blind.
The positive degree for reckless operation of a motorboat or vessel (intentional hazardous operation) on any WMA or NWR was raised to $750-$7,500, and violators could also be sentenced as much as 180 days in jail, shall be prohibited from accessing any WMA for one yr from date of conviction, and can lose searching and fishing privileges statewide for at least one yr from the date of conviction.
Obstruction or harassment of searching, fishing or trapping actions and public dysfunction (non-physical) fines have been raised to $500-$5,000, and violators could also be sentenced as much as 90 days in jail. Public dysfunction (bodily with damage) fines elevated to $750-$7,500 and violators could also be sentenced as much as 180 days in jail, and can lose searching and fishing privileges statewide for at least one yr from the date of conviction.
The annual early teal searching season in September was decreased to 9 days.
Cache River Nationwide Wildlife Refuge is instituting a allow draw searching system starting this season. Go to fws.gov/cacheriver or name the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 501-203-7253 for particulars.
Go to www.agfc.com/guidebooks  to obtain a duplicate of the 2025-26 Waterfowl Looking Guidebook.
 
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CUTLINES:
COVER
The 2025-26 Arkansas Waterfowl Looking Guidebook is on the market at shops and on-line. AGFC picture.
PINTAIL
Hunters will be capable to carry dwelling three pintails of their every day bag restrict this yr if introduced the chance. AGFC photograph. 
BLIND
A mobility-impaired blind is on the market to attract at Frog Bayou WMA close to Alma. AGFC photograph. 
Oct. 28, 2025
Oct. 28, 2025
Don’t miss one other situation. Enroll now to obtain the AGFC Wildlife Weekly E-newsletter in your mailbox each Wednesday afternoon (Waterfowl Reviews are revealed weekly throughout waterfowl season and periodically outdoors the season). Fishing Reviews arrive on Thursdays. Fill within the following fields and hit submit. Thanks, and welcome!
Arkansas Sport and Fish Fee
2 Pure Assets Drive
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
833-345-0325

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