AGFC Proposes Waterfowl Hunting Draw for Portion of St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA

People can apply for a single day of the week about a week before (Thursday afternoon-Sunday night) the week they are applying to be drawn to hunt.

Application periods run Thursday-Sunday for the next Saturday-Sunday hunt days. For example, hunters would apply Nov. 12-15, 2026, for daily hunt opportunities Nov. 21-27. The next round would be applications Dec. 3-6 for Dec. 12-18 hunt days, and so on.

The Commission is accepting comments on the new proposal at regulations@agfc.ar.gov for the next 30 days, and comments will be compiled for consideration at the Aug. 19-20 meeting in Little Rock, when they are expected to vote on the regulation change.

Additional regulations changes proposed at the meeting included a clarification that hunters may carry any legal firearm during hunts that restrict their use, as long as they are not used for hunting purposes. This regulation initially allowed the legal carry of handguns and was clarified to include all legally owned firearms.

“This change is not changing the way our game wardens have been operating, but we are proposing it in an abundance of transparency to ensure there is no language in our code that infringes on people’s rights to possess firearms as determined by the state attorney general,” Brad Carner, AGFC deputy director, said. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

In his report to the Commission, AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock welcomed the agency’s newest commissioner, Steve Kueter, a fish farmer based in Paragould. He also highlighted the AGFC’s recent submission of the agency’s report to the Arkansas State Legislature regarding Act 817, which indicated the AGFC was responsible for adding 3,800 acres of additional public outdoor recreation opportunities in Fiscal Year 2026. He also congratulated the agency’s Information Technology, Fiscal, and Human Resources divisions for their diligence in transitioning to a new fiscal recording system adopted by the state of Arkansas on July 1. Not only did the AGFC manage a smooth transition, state auditors gave the agency a report of zero findings.

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