By Randy Zellers
Arkansas squirrel hunters showed off their woodsmanship skills Saturday afternoon at the 2026 Umarex Big Squirrel Challenge at 13 weigh-in facilities scattered throughout the state. This year’s competition saw record participation, a trend that’s remained constant throughout the event’s five-year history.
“We had 419 people show up at the weigh-in stations this year,” Eric Maynard, AGFC education assistant chief, said. “They provided 266 total entries into the contest, 80 entries more than last year.”
Maynard says some of the added entries came from the opening of a new “gray squirrel only” division, and the ability of some very successful hunters to enter three squirrels in each of the three divisions, but the attendance at the event has steadily increased as well.
Once again, Fred Berry Crooked Creek Nature Center had the most teams, with 56 entries from local bushytail fanatics. The next largest turnout was at the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center in Jonesboro, which accounted for 34 entries.
The weights were impressive, but the day was all about fellowship with fellow outdoors enthusiasts. Many teams showed up with only a squirrel or two to weigh, and a few arrived at the weigh-ins with an empty game pouch just to touch base with other hunters, gain some tips and enjoy the show.
“Anyone who came to a weigh-in was eligible for the door prize drawing, which included squirrel calls and other outdoor gear. It was great to see everyone turn out,” Maynard said.
The Crooked Creek location didn’t have only the largest turnout; three of the statewide division winners weighed their squirrels at the nature center, including the team that had the heaviest weight overall. Austin Tate and Laine Hilliard turned in three fox squirrels for the adult fox squirrel division that weighed 2,494 grams; that’s three squirrels tipping the scale at 5½ pounds after field dressing. Ty and Bob Cason won the youth fox squirrel division with 2,370 grams (only 1.5 ounces short of the top weight overall), and Tate Milligan and Owen Pearson brought in the top weight for the youth mixed bag division with a weight of 2,122 grams of squirrels.
The J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale may have had a leg up on the competition, as it is the home of the annual World Champion Squirrel Cook Off. Maybe tasting some of the treats at that event inspired the team of Blade and Megan Elmore to get their bushytail on, as they brought in a mixed bag of fox and gray squirrels to take the top weight in the adult mixed bag division with a total of 2,148 grams of squirrely goodness.
Gray squirrels must run a little fatter in Fort Smith; both of the gray squirrel titles came from the weigh-in at Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center there. Hunter Moore weighed in three gray squirrels weighing 1,543 grams as a single hunter in the adult category, but he and his son also teamed up for the youth gray squirrel category with an additional three squirrels weighing 1,683 grams, both of which took top honors in the statewide competition’s bantamweight division.
Big Squirrel Challenge Results
Fort Smith — Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center
Fox Squirrel Adult Division — Lyle Smith and Jack Ishii, 2,425 grams
Mixed Bag Adult Division — Lyle Smith and Jack Ishii, 1,969 grams
Gray Squirrel Adult Division — Hunter Moore, 1,543 grams
Fox Squirrel Youth Division — Corbin Lujan and Jayden Ishii, 2,184 grams
Mixed Bag Youth Division — Hunter and Matthew Moore, 1,782 grams
Gray Squirrel Youth Division — Hunter and Matthew Moore, 1,683 grams
