By Randy Zellers

Commissioners at today’s meeting heard the first reading of proposed regulations changes for 2026; the common theme: reduction in both the number and complexity of the rules hunters and anglers must follow as they enjoy the woods and waters of The Natural State.

AGFC Deputy Director Brad Carner led a team of biologists during Wednesday’s briefings to go in depth on the many regulations under consideration for consolidation or removal.

Many regulations proposed for elimination had simply outgrown their use, having received very few, if any, warnings or citations issued within the last five years.

“We’ve been very intentional about ways to reduce, combine and eliminate regulations,” Carner said. “More than 65 regulations were eliminated that were either out of date, redundant or deemed unnecessary during our internal review process,” Carner said. “You’ll also see some major consolidation in many of our season structures and limits on deer on public land as well as daily fishing bag limits for many lakes and streams.”

AGFC Deer Program Coordinator Ralph Meeker presented the proposals for deer season, the product of months of work with wildlife biologists and land managers throughout the state.

The focus on clarity and consistency for hunters touched nearly every aspect of deer hunting. If passed, deer will be categorized as either “antlered bucks” or “antlerless deer,” regardless of the status of chronic wasting disease in the zone.

“You will still check a button buck as a button buck when you harvest one, but it will go toward the hunter’s antlerless bag limit,” Meeker said. “You’ll be allowed two antlered bucks per year.”

The statewide seasonal limit of six deer with no more than two being bucks will remain in place, but private and public land zone limits will see a major standardization. Each private land zone will have a limit of four deer (no more than two bucks), and each WMA will have a limit of three deer (no more than two bucks). Hunters who have reached a zone limit and still wish to hunt can still go to another zone, public or private, to fill out their statewide limit of six.

It was also recommended that the three-day early antlered buck archery hunt be moved to begin the last Saturday in August, a little earlier than last year. This will allow hunters more opportunities to get a buck before it sheds its velvet, and it will reduce conflicts with the opening of dove season.

“After speaking with all of our conservation partners who own land in the WMA system, the early antlered buck archery season will be opened on all but four WMAs that allow deer hunting,” Meeker said.

A few major revisions to waterfowl hunting on wildlife management areas are also being considered. The agency is considering the creation of nonmotorized boat access only in Galla Creek WMA and on portions of George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto, Dave Donaldson Black River and Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMAs. Limited permit hunts also are being considered on the Buckingham Flats Greentree Reservoir on Bayou Meto, the Wyville Tract at Rex Hancock Black Swamp WMA, Prairie Bayou WMA and portions of Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA. Both regulations are in response to continued complaints of crowding and pressure on Arkansas’s public duck-hunting areas and reduced hunt quality.

“These restrictions are only in parts of these WMAs, not the entire area,” AGFC Wildlife Management Chief Luke Naylor said. “I encourage everyone commenting to see the proposed maps in the survey to get an idea of what areas will be affected.”

Fishing regulations, too, saw a drastic reduction in complexity. AGFC Fisheries Chief Tommy Laird said that in addition to removing more than 30 outdated regulations, his team was able to greatly reduce the number of products in the AGFC’s licensing system.

“There were a lot of permits and licenses that applied to a small number of individuals, and we were able to eliminate or combine many of these so people could find what they needed without sorting through too many options,” Laird said.

For recreational anglers, the largest change will be the consolidation of smallmouth bass fisheries throughout the state to a standard set of harvest limits.

“We will have ‘blue-ribbon streams,’ like the Buffalo River, Caddo River, Current River and Crooked Creek,” Laird said. “These will have a daily harvest limit of one fish, and that must be 15 inches or longer. This was at the request of many stream anglers working with the AGFC Black Bass Program. In other flowing waters, we’ll see a standard 12-inch minimum length for smallmouth, eliminating the need for the current smallmouth zone map.”

All regulation changes will be available for public comment through a survey at www.agfc.com/regssurvey. Participants have until March 6 to complete the survey. Commissioners will review public comments and vote on any changes during their regularly scheduled April meeting. All changes will become effective July 1.

“Both fishing and hunting regulations changes will become effective at that time, which is different than in years past,” Carner said. “This will enable us to better communicate with the public about regulations at the same time. It will also align regulations changes for commercial anglers with recreational anglers.”

Commissioner Chris Caldwell of Little Rock commended staff for their diligence in the elimination and consolidation of so many regulations, an agency-wide effort he said he knew it required to prepare for the public.

“When government creates something, it’s very rare that they go back and undo it,” Caldwell said. “The public servants and staff here at Game and Fish have done something that is not very common, very challenging and very time-consuming to make this process easier, simpler and more user-friendly for the public.”

Commissioner Bill Jones of Pine Bluff echoed Caldwell’s statements.

“Eliminations of regulations are rarely to be found in government, and that’s what we have more of than anything in these proposals,” Jones said. “I can’t even imagine the countless hours it took to go through these, and I thank you for that.”

In other business, the Commission:

• Recognized 34 employees with a combined 415 years of service to the natural resources of The Natural State. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]
• Heard a presentation from AGFC Fisheries Supervisor Jon Stein on many projects completed along Beaver Lake and its tributaries to increase habitat in the lake, remove invasive species and increase wildlife habitat along its shoreline and drastically reduce sediment and siltation in Northwest Arkansas streams and reservoirs. He also shared a new partnership with local high schools to increase conservation education while creating fish habitat in area lakes. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

A complete video of today’s meeting is available on the AGFC’s YouTube Channel.