Arkansas · Rabbit · 2026–27 Edition
Arkansas Rabbit Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | Statewide | Sep 1 – Feb 28 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 8 |
|---|---|
| Possession | 16 |
| Weapons | No rifle/handgun larger than .22 rimfire, no shotgun shot larger than T shot (no slugs), unless a concurrent modern-gun or muzzleloader deer, bear or coyote season is open. Up to 8 box traps are also permitted |
| Disease advisory | AGFC advises cleaning and disposing of out-of-state rabbit carcasses carefully, due to ongoing RHDV-2 (rabbit hemorrhagic disease) outbreaks elsewhere |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 1, 2026) 06:13 — 20:05
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. AGFC Code 05.02 states 'It is unlawful to hunt any wildlife at night', and Code 01.00 defines NIGHT as 'The time period 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise' — the inverse of that window is legal hunting time, and it covers rabbit because 05.02 says any wildlife. Read from the Code Book PDFs on AGFC's own S3 bucket (agfc-omnibus.s3.amazonaws.com). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Arkansas sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Rabbit hunters in Arkansas need an Arkansas hunting license.
Arkansas hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Arkansas — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does rabbit season start in Arkansas?
The 2026–27 opener is September 1, 2026. See the table above for the full window.
When does rabbit season end in Arkansas?
The 2026–27 closing date is February 28, 2027.
Is there a closed season on rabbit in Arkansas?
Yes — see the dates above. Outside that window, taking rabbit is closed in Arkansas.
How many rabbits can you shoot in Arkansas per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 8. Possession — 16. Weapons — No rifle/handgun larger than .22 rimfire, no shotgun shot larger than T shot (no slugs), unless a concurrent modern-gun or muzzleloader deer, bear or coyote season is open. Up to 8 box traps are also permitted. Disease advisory — AGFC advises cleaning and disposing of out-of-state rabbit carcasses carefully, due to ongoing RHDV-2 (rabbit hemorrhagic disease) outbreaks elsewhere. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting rabbit in Arkansas?
On opening day (September 1, 2026) legal light runs 06:13 to 20:05. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. AGFC Code 05.02 states 'It is unlawful to hunt any wildlife at night', and Code 01.00 defines NIGHT as 'The time period 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise' — the inverse of that window is legal hunting time, and it covers rabbit because 05.02 says any wildlife. Read from the Code Book PDFs on AGFC's own S3 bucket (agfc-omnibus.s3.amazonaws.com). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Arkansas sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt rabbits 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 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Official AGFC page, fetched directly. Arkansas has two native rabbit species (eastern cottontail and swamp rabbit) but does not regulate them separately — the same season and bag limit apply to both. AGFC's own page does not state a possession limit or rabbit-specific shooting hours — both are genuine gaps in the public-facing page, not something inferred elsewhere; call AGFC (833-345-0325) to confirm before relying on either. UPDATE 2026-08-27, two gaps closed from the codified rule. The possession limit, which the AGFC rabbit page does not print, comes from AGFC Code Book A1.04 Rabbit Season And Limits: 'First day of September through last day of February statewide. EXCEPTION: In compliance with Addendum C1.06. LIMIT: Daily limit 8, possession limit 16.' - read as PDF from AGFC's own S3 mirror. Shooting hours likewise: Code 05.02 states 'It is unlawful to hunt any wildlife at night' and Code 01.00 defines NIGHT as 'The time period 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise', so legal time runs half an hour before sunrise to half an hour AFTER sunset. This file previously ended the window at sunset, understating legal light by 30 minutes; corrected. Addendum C1.06 sets the WMA and NWR variations (federal dates on Dale Bumpers White River, Felsenthal, Pond Creek, Overflow and Holla Bend, archery only on Holla Bend; closed on Electric Island WMA and the Johnson County WRA on Dardanelle WMA) and is not modeled here.