Arkansas · Public Land · 2026 Edition
Arkansas Public Hunting Land 2026: WMAs & Access Rules
2 wildlife management areas tracked here, from 25,000 to 33,832 acres. A hunting license covers you on Arkansas WMA land the same as anywhere else in the state — but read the access rules below before you assume that's all you need.
01 — Wildlife management areas
| Area | County | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area | Arkansas, Jefferson | 33,832 | Waterfowl, Deer, Turkey, Small game |
| Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Area | Clay, Greene, Randolph | 25,000 | Waterfowl, Deer, Bear, Turkey, Small game |
Bayou Meto is the name that carries nationally — flooded green-timber duck hunting on a scale few other public areas in the country can match, popular enough that AGFC has had to add non-motorized-only zones and permit-hunt segments just to spread out the pressure. Off the water by noon here, not the 1 p.m. general rule, and outboard motors are capped at 25 horsepower. Dave Donaldson Black River, up in the northeast corner near the Missouri line, runs the same green-timber-duck identity at a smaller scale, with nonresidents shut out of the first waterfowl segment entirely. This list is a starting point, not AGFC's full inventory of more than 70 wildlife management areas statewide.
02 — Access rules beyond your hunting license
A valid Arkansas hunting or fishing license covers WMA access on its own — there's also a standalone WMA/Lake Conservation Permit for anyone who wants access without buying a full license. Arkansas's flooded green-timber duck WMAs run their own layer of rules on top: seasonal boat-motor horsepower caps, no-boat-zone windows during peak weeks, and an early off-the-water time (often noon, an hour earlier than the general 1 p.m. rule) that catches hunters used to other states off guard.
03 — Where to go next
Verified · Arkansas Game and Fish Commission · Last verified 2026-08-08
Publisher's note. WMA list and access rules read from AGFC, retrieved 2026-08-08. Review due 2027-08-01. This is a starting list, not the agency's full WMA inventory — confirm current rules for a specific area before you hunt it.