The end of duck season is upon us, and for many waterfowlers, hunting went out with a whisper, not a bang, thanks to the near-arctic conditions Arkansas has faced since heavy snowfall and low temperatures hit last weekend (Jan. 24).
Undoubtedly, some brave few made it to their favorite holes and broke the ice, and some may have one more chance this weekend, before the regular season closes at sunset on Saturday, Jan. 31.
Overnight drops in temperature are expected to refreeze any afternoon melts, and by Saturday, forecasters say daytime temperatures will again drop to the single digits.
Youth, military hunts
Youths under 16, veterans of the armed forces and active duty military will get the final hunts of Arkansas’s 2025-26 season on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 7-8, statewide.
Youths may apply for any of the Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement program fields that are made available for that weekend. Those fields are privately owned and managed by their owners to help waterfowl habitat.
Youths just need a customer identification number through the AGFC licensing system to apply. The application period runs from 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, to midnight Sunday, Feb. 1. The system is set up to recognize the age of the applicant, meaning veterans and active military won’t be able to apply for permits for WRICE.
Youths may also apply for the designated youth blinds in the WMAs that contain them (Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek Bottoms, Sheffield Nelson Dagmar, Freddie Black Choctaw Island West Unit and Frog Bayou). All the WMAs outside of the designated youth blinds will be open for hunting for youths, veterans and active military next weekend.
Youths winning a permit for a WRICE hunt may take up to three others (a non-hunting mentor who can call and retrieve the ducks, and two other youths; or two non-hunting mentors and another youth) along for all-day hunting at the same WRICE field Feb. 7-8. The same rules apply for a permit to the youth blinds (they are for one of the two days). Click here to apply. Information is provided to the winning applicant on Mondays. The fee for all permit applications is $5.
Youths who have not completed a hunter education course must be accompanied by a mentor 21 or older. With the way the hunts are set up concurrently, and with the second day restored to the veterans and active duty hunts this season, veterans can mentor the youth and hunt both days.
Also of note
Based on the numbers seen by the AGFC biologists in their waterfowl surveys so far this season, the snow goose population in Arkansas seems in great shape this season compared to recent years. Snow geese began arriving in Arkansas County earlier, before Thanksgiving, than AGFC officials recall in prior years, and the numbers have steadily picked up. Estimated counts of lesser geese were close to two million in the late December survey and still over 1.4 million in the midwinter survey of waterfowl in Arkansas’s Delta.
The Light Goose Conservation Order opens on Sunday, Feb. 1. During the Conservation Order, hunters have more liberal regulations while hunting snows, blues and Ross’s geese (greater white-fronted geese and Canada geese cannot be hunted during the Conservation Order).
The order is halted for the Feb. 7-8 youth, veterans and active duty military hunts, but resumes on Monday, Feb. 9, and concludes on April 25.
There is no bag or possession limit of geese harvested during the order, which was established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service so hunters could reduce the snow, blue and Ross’s goose numbers through increased harvest. Hunters must call 833-345-0325 or request a permit to receive a free snow goose registration permit (youths 15 and under are excluded from needing the permit).
Hunters may use electronic calls and unplugged shotguns; they do not need a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp or HIP registration, but they must have a valid hunting license from any state (youths 15 and under are excluded from needing a license).
Shooting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
