Arkansas · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
Arkansas Duck Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Special Early Teal Season | Statewide | Sep 19 – Sep 27 |
| Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 21 – Nov 29 |
| Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 10 – Dec 23 |
| Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 3 | Statewide | Dec 26 – Jan 31 |
| Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt | Statewide | Feb 6 – Feb 7 |
| Special Active Duty Military & Veteran Hunt | Statewide | Feb 6 – Feb 7 |
02 — Bag limits
| Teal — Daily | 6 (blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal combined) |
|---|---|
| Teal — Possession | 18 |
| Duck — Daily | 6 total, with max: 4 mallards (2 hens), 1 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 3 pintails, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck. If not listed, up to 6 of a species (including teal) may be taken. |
| Coot — Daily | 15 |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 19, 2026) 06:26 — 19:10
Rule: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset (off-WMA). On WMAs, shooting ends at NOON during regular duck season (with WMA-specific exceptions). Special Early Teal shooting hours begin at SUNRISE (not sunrise −30).. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Arkansas sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in Arkansas need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): an Arkansas hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
Arkansas hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in Arkansas — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in Arkansas?
The 2026–27 opener is September 19, 2026. Waterfowl seasons run under federal flyway frameworks with state-set zone splits — see the zone table above.
When does duck season end in Arkansas?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is February 7, 2027. Late-zone and second-segment closes vary — see the zone table.
Do I need a Federal Duck Stamp?
Yes. Every waterfowl hunter 16 or older must carry a signed current-year Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp). It is available at U.S. Post Offices, many license retailers, most National Wildlife Refuges, and online from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
How many ducks can you shoot in Arkansas per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Teal — Daily — 6 (blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal combined). Teal — Possession — 18. Duck — Daily — 6 total, with max: 4 mallards (2 hens), 1 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 3 pintails, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck. If not listed, up to 6 of a species (including teal) may be taken. Coot — Daily — 15. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting ducks in Arkansas?
On opening day (September 19, 2026) legal light runs 06:26 to 19:10. The rule is: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset (off-WMA). On WMAs, shooting ends at NOON during regular duck season (with WMA-specific exceptions). Special Early Teal shooting hours begin at SUNRISE (not sunrise −30). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Arkansas sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in Arkansas without a license?
No — Arkansas's own regulation is unconditional: a resident must carry a hunting license to hunt by any means, with only two listed exceptions (licensed game-bird shooting resorts, and a narrow age-based carve-out) — neither is a landowner exemption. This directly contradicts a claim that circulates on several third-party sites.
Verified · Arkansas Game and Fish Commission · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. Statewide dates per AGFC 2026-27 Waterfowl Season Dates. WMA hunts end at noon during regular duck season (with WMA-specific exceptions); shooting is 30-min-before-sunrise-to-noon on WMAs, otherwise 30-min-before-sunrise-to-sunset off-WMA. On the LAST day of regular season and during Youth/Special Active Duty & Veteran hunts, WMA hunting runs the full day. Re-verified 2026-08-16 via the Browser pane (agfc.com blocks curl/WebFetch with 403). The page's season dates live in a collapsed accordion not present in the visible-text extraction — pulling `main.textContent` directly (not just what's rendered/visible) surfaced the full table. All dates confirmed exact, no changes.