The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has published its 2025-26 Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook, just in time for hunters statewide to familiarize themselves with new regulations ahead of the new season.
Guidebooks should be available at every AGFC hunting license dealer in the state, but many are scooped up quickly, so it’s not uncommon for a location to run out temporarily until they can be resupplied. But hunters can always carry a copy of the rules on their phones, either through the AGFC’s smartphone app or downloaded directly from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s website at agfc.com/guidebooks.
This year, the most notable change for duck hunters is the increase in the daily bag limit from one to three pintails per day. This is part of a new interim harvest strategy that offers a cautious step forward to open opportunities for hunters during those few hunts during the season when they might have the opportunity to add an additional pintail or two to their daily bag.
“There’s been extensive research for the last decade leading to this change, and just about every study we have shows that hunting mortality is actually a low driver of populations compared to habitat quality and seasonal weather fluctuations,” Brett Leach, AGFC waterfowl program coordinator, said. “As one of the leading states in the Mississippi Flyway in pintail harvest, it’s important that we work within this new strategy to accurately measure any effects.”
Although pintails are below their long-term average, the primary decline in their populations actually occurred 40 years ago through habitat conversion throughout the Prairie Pothole Region. Wheat fields now occupy what was once shortgrass prairies, and the disturbance of those fields quickly led to a decline in continental pintail populations.
“This interim harvest strategy needs at least three years of a three pintail bag limit if the population levels allow for it,” Leach said. “It just happens that the first year for the strategy to go in place will operate at that higher level. According to the Breeding Population and Pond Count Estimates from this year, we anticipate having the three-pintail rule in place next year as well.”
Other notable changes include:
– The Veterans and Active-duty Military Waterfowl Hunt is again two days, coinciding with the Special Youth Hunt, Feb. 7-8.
– Frog Bayou WMA will have an additional draw permit hunt area available for youth and mobility-impaired hunters. The mobility-impaired area will have access to a blind.
– The fine level for reckless operation of a motorboat or vessel (intentional hazardous operation) on any WMA or NWR was raised to $750-$7,500, and violators may be sentenced up to 180 days in jail, will be prohibited from accessing any WMA for one year from date of conviction, and will lose hunting and fishing privileges statewide for a minimum of one year from the date of conviction.
– Obstruction or harassment of hunting, fishing or trapping activities and public disorder (non-physical) fines were raised to $500-$5,000, and violators may be sentenced up to 90 days in jail. Public disorder (physical with injury) fines increased to $750-$7,500 and violators may be sentenced up to 180 days in jail, and will lose hunting and fishing privileges statewide for a minimum of one year from the date of conviction.
– The annual early teal hunting season in September was reduced to nine days.
– Cache River National Wildlife Refuge is instituting a permit draw hunting system beginning this season. Visit fws.gov/cacheriver or call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 501-203-7253 for details.
The 2025-26 duck season kicks off Nov. 22. For more information, visit the AGFC website.
