Furbearers

2023-24 Furbearer Hunting Season Dates

Badger, Spotted Skunk (Civet Cat) and Weasel Hunting

Statewide hunting: closed

Beaver and Nutria
Statewide, sunrise, Sept. 1, 2023-sunset, March 31, 2024

Day hunting only.

Daily limit unlimited, possession unlimited.

Bobcat
Sunrise, Sept. 1, 2023-sunset, Feb. 29, 2024 (dogs allowed to hunt bobcats during the day; dogs required to hunt bobcat at night).
During turkey season (day hunting only; no dogs allowed).

Dogs are not allowed in deer zones where a firearms deer season is in progress that prohibits the use of dogs.
During youth turkey hunts, only youths may take bobcats.
Bobcats may be taken with archery equipment, or any rifle or shotgun ammunition.

Daily limit 2, possession unlimited.

Coyote
Sunrise, Jan. 1-sunset, Dec. 31 (dogs are allowed to hunt coyote during the day; coyote may not be hunted at night).
Statewide: during turkey season (day hunting only; no dogs allowed).

Dogs are not allowed in deer zones where a firearms deer season is in progress that prohibits the use of dogs.
During youth turkey hunts, only youth may take coyotes.
Coyotes may be taken during daylight hours with archery equipment, or any rifle or shotgun ammunition.

Daily limit unlimited, possession unlimited.

Gray Fox, Red Fox, Muskrat and Mink
Statewide, sunrise, Sept. 1, 2023-sunset, Feb. 29, 2024
Day hunting only.

Foxes may be taken during daylight hours with archery equipment, or any rifle or shotgun ammunition. Refer to Page 75 for hunting equipment legal on WMAs.

Bag limit is two per day.

Opossum, Raccoon and Striped Skunk
Statewide: Jan. 1-Dec. 31
Day or night hunting; dogs are required for hunting at night.

Daily limit unlimited, possession unlimited.

River Otter
Statewide: sunrise, Nov. 12, 2023-sunset, Feb. 29, 2024
Day hunting only.

Daily limit 2, possession unlimited.

2023-24 Furbearer Trapping Season Dates

Furbearer Hunting and Foxpen Regulations

Furbearer Hunting Regulations

It is unlawful to hunt raccoon, opossum, or bobcat at night with any rifled slug or shot size larger than No. T, or with any rifle or handgun ammunition other than rimfire ammunition of .22 caliber or smaller.

Licenses Needed to Hunt Furbearers

Furbearer hunters and trappers 16 and older must have a valid Arkansas hunting license.

Foxpens

No permit is required to operate a fenced facility where fox and coyote are chased for pleasure. However, if any other wildlife are hunted within the fenced area, the operator must obtain an AGFC-issued Wildlife Hunting Resort Permit.
When chasing wildlife for pleasure, hunters may not possess any killing device except:
- If a hunting season is open, the weapon legal for the season may be possessed.
- Concealed-carry firearms may be possessed by certified concealed-carry permit holders.
Live foxes and coyotes that are legally trapped alive in Arkansas may be sold to foxpen operators by those holding Commission Live Fox and Coyote permits. These permits can be obtained from the Commission Licensing Division in Little Rock, 833-345-0325.
A Commission Wildlife Importation Permit is necessary to bring any wildlife, including fox and coyote, into Arkansas.
It is illegal for those with Commission Wildlife Importation Permits or anyone else to bring live coyotes into Arkansas that originate from or have lived in Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming or Canada.
It is illegal for those with Commission Wildlife Importation Permits or anyone else to bring live foxes into Arkansas that originate from or have lived in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming or Canada.

Buying and Selling Furs

Not only do furbearer hunters and trappers enjoy the thrill of the hunt and some decent meals, they also can make a few extra dollars selling the furs if they take the time to preserve them properly. Click on the Buying and Selling Furs tab below to learn how and where to sell your harvested furs.

Furbearer Trapping Regulations

Checking Requirements

Traps must be checked daily except kill traps, which shall be checked within 72 hours.

Permissible Land-Set Traps

Smooth-jawed foothold traps with a jaw spread of 6 1/4 inches or less (measured from the inside edge of the trap at the dog) (traps in excess of 5 inches must have offset or rubber-padded jaws); body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of 6 inches or less (measured on the inside edge of the trap from hinge-to-hinge and from top-to-bottom at the dog and may not exceed the specified maximum size either horizontally or vertically); and box traps.

Permissible Water-Set Traps

Smooth-jawed foothold traps with a jaw spread of 8.5 inches or less (measured from the inside edge of the trap at the dog); body-gripping traps with a jaw spread of 11 inches or less (measured on the inside edge of the trap from hinge-to-hinge and from top-to-bottom at the dog and may not exceed the specified maximum size either horizontally or vertically); and box traps.

Snares

Leg snares are prohibited.
Snares are allowed in water sets.
Snares are allowed on land, but land snares set farther than 20 feet from a permanent body of water must have a functional “deer lock” that prevents them closing smaller than 2-1/2 inches.
Land snares must have a single-piece lock and must be braided cable with a loop no larger than 12 inches in diameter (from side-to-side) and the bottom of the loop no higher than 10 inches from the ground.
No snare may be set or maintained in a public road right-of-way or touch any fence when fully extended.

Bait

Animal matter may not be used as bait within 20 feet of a trap set unless it is covered.
Bait must be covered in such a way as to withstand wave action, wind action or other normal environmental conditions that could cause it to become visible.

Identification

Traps, including snares, must have either the trapper’s name and address, their driver’s license number, their vehicle license plate number or customer ID number.
Pelts: Untanned pelts must belong to species of furbearers that have an open season in Arkansas. Bobcat and river otter pelts must have CITES tag attached prior to being shipped out of state. Possession of untagged river otter pelts from April 1 to the beginning of the river otter hunting season is not allowed except for those taken with a depredation permit. However, a CITES tag does not need to be affixed to bobcat or other pelts that are shipped out of state to be tanned and then returned to Arkansas.

Licenses Needed to Hunt and Trap Furbearers

Furbearer hunters and trappers 16 and older must have a valid Arkansas hunting license.
Resident trappers 16 and older must have a valid Resident Trapper Permit in addition to their hunting license. This permit is free.
Nonresident trappers 16 and older must have a valid Nonresident Trapper Permit in addition to their hunting license.

Trapper Education and Introduction to Trapping

Looking for information on how to get involved in trapping and selling furs? The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies produced a special trapper education program to teach newcomers about the sport and explain why responsible trapping is vital to the health of an ecosystem.

Click on the Trapper Education and Introduction to Trapping tab below for information on beginning trapping.

Buying and Selling Furs

Not only do furbearer hunters and trappers enjoy the thrill of the hunt and some decent meals, they also can make a few extra dollars selling the furs if they take the time to preserve them properly.

Click on the Buying and Selling Furs tab below to learn how and where to sell your harvested furs.

Trapper Education and Introduction to Trapping

Trapper Education

The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies developed a comprehensive trapper education program, which is mandatory before trapping in many states. The program not only teaches trappers how to use traps without harming people or domestic animals, it also teaches new trappers skills, legal methods of trapping and ethical behavior to maximize their enjoyment of the resource. A key component of the course is explaining how trapping fits into the overall scheme of scientific wildlife management. Trapper education is not mandatory to trap in Arkansas, but is highly encouraged.

Arkansas Trappers Association Trapper Workshop

The Arkansas Trappers Association holds a two-day trapper education workshop each October.

Click here for more information on the association and workshop.

Best Management Practices for Trapping Arkansas Species

Buying and Selling Furs

Licenses Needed to Buy and Sell Furs

A valid Arkansas Hunting License is required to sell pelts of harvested furbearers
A valid Resident Fur Dealer Permit ($50) or Nonresident Fur Dealer Permit ($100) is required to buy or resell furs in Arkansas unless you are an Arkansas resident purchasing tanned pelts, taxidermy mounts or whole carcasses of legally taken furbearers for personal use. Permits are available by calling 833-345-0325.

Possession and Tagging of Furbearer Pelts

Untanned pelts in a person’s possession must belong to a species of furbearer that has an open season in Arkansas.
Bobcat and river otter pelts must be tagged by an AGFC employee before being shipped out of state unless they are being sent to be tanned and will return to Arkansas. Possession of untagged otter pelts from April 1 to the beginning of river otter hunting season is not allowed (except those taken with depredation permits).

Furbuyer Lists

Looking for a place to sell the fruits of your season? Click below for a list of Arkansas Furbuyers

Arkansas Furbuyers List
Arkansas residents also may sell their legally taken fur pelts to dealers in other states. All bobcat and otter pelts must be tagged by the AGFC before leaving Arkansas unless they are being sent to be tanned and will return to Arkansas. Check with the state wildlife agency on their rules relating to selling furs in their state before doing so.
Louisiana Furbuyers List: www.louisianafur.com/louisianafurdealers.html
Oklahoma Furbuyers List: www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/resources/furbearers-trapping
Fur Harvesters Auction: www.furharvesters.com/

Beaver Bounties

Furbearer hunters and trappers may be eligible for bounties on beavers if they were taken in a county participating in an approved beaver control program. Funding is provided by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to participating County Conservation Districts. For more information about the program, visit the ANRC Beaver Control Program website. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission does not administer this program, but AGFC regulations regarding the methods of take, hunting and trapping seasons, and nuisance animal control regulations apply to all beaver trapping and hunting.

Furbearing Animal Report

Predator Control

The Commission Predator Control Permit (PCP) allows the permit holder to conduct year-round shooting during the day and night and trapping of bobcat, coyote, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, red fox, and striped skunk on private land for the purpose of removing predators that impact game species such as wild turkey and northern bobwhite.