Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA

Zone: 025

Counties: Ashley, Union

2023-24 Closed Seasons

Alligator
Bear

2023-24 Crow: Sept. 1, 2023-Feb. 19, 2024. Open Thursdays through Mondays only. No limit.

2023-24 Deer

Deer Archery: Sept. 23, 2023-Feb. 29, 2024
Deer Muzzleloader: Oct. 21-29, 2023 and Dec. 29-31, 2023
Deer Modern Gun: Nov. 11-Dec. 17, 2023 and Dec. 26-28, 2023
Deer Modern Gun Special Youth Hunt: Nov. 4-5, 2023 and Jan. 6-7, 2024

WMA Deer Bag Limit: Five deer, no more than two antlered bucks, which may include:

Two antlered bucks with archery, muzzleloader or modern gun,
Five does with archery, muzzleloader and modern gun combined.
During the modern gun special youth hunt, youths may take five deer, no more than two bucks (no antler restrictions) or up to five antlerless.

Deer Notes:

No antler restrictions.
No dogs.

2023-24 Quail

Nov. 1, 2023-Feb. 5, 2024. Daily limit - 6, possession limit -12.

While training bird dogs, you may use handguns or shotguns with blank ammunition. Pen-raised quail may be taken with a Shoot-To-Kill Bird Dog Field Training Permit. This permit is available from your local wildlife officer.

2023-24 Rabbit: Sept. 1, 2023-Feb. 29, 2024. Daily limit - 8, possession limit - 16.

2023-24 Squirrel: May 15, 2023-Feb. 29, 2024. Dogs allowed. Daily limit - 12, possession limit - 48.

2023-24 Waterfowl

Waterfowl Notes:

Spinning-wing and mechanically operated decoys not allowed. See Page 43.
Hunters may not enter the WMA before 4 a.m. (excluding the Ouachita River). Waterfowl hunting ends at noon.
All waterfowl hunting equipment (blinds, guns, decoys, etc.) must be removed by 1 p.m. each day. Fishing and nonhunting activities allowed.
Motors with factory exhaust systems only during waterfowl season.
No airboats during duck season. (excluding the Ouachita River)

2024 Turkey

Youth Hunt: April 6-7, 2024. One legal turkey.
Firearms Hunt (permit required): April 15-17, April 20-22, April 27-29, 2024. One legal turkey.

Turkey Notes: A WMA Turkey Hunt Permit is required to hunt turkeys on this WMA. Click here for details.

About the Name: The area was named after a former AGFC commissioner who assisted with acquisition of the area. Before it was renamed, this area was known as Lower Ouachita WMA.

Access: There are two access roads on the Union County side of the WMA. One road exists along the west side of the river. The other road coming off First Street on the west side of the WMA is seasonally gated when the WMA is flooded.

Age: The AGFC purchased the land in 1987.

Area Notes

A free annual General Use Permit (WMP) is required to hunt or trap on WMAs. Permits are available online by clicking "Buy Licenses" at agfc.com or by calling 833-345-0325 or any regional office.
CWD regulations apply.
Only non-toxic shot may be possessed and used while hunting small game with shotguns.
For access restrictions that affect all users during waterfowl season, check the waterfowl guidebook.
The Clear Lake access road is subject to seasonal closures due to high river levels on the Ouachita River. Unless otherwise specified, during these closure periods the Clear Lake Access Road Gate will be closed to all vehicular traffic to include ATVs. Prior to reopening, this access road will be evaluated for obstructions, safety hazards and overall suitability for travel. Current information regarding road conditions and vehicular accessibility can be obtained on the Wildlife Information Hotline at 833-345-0398.

Camping: Currently, two designated primitive campsites exist along the access road on the west side of the river.

Description: The Beryl Anthony WMA comprises seasonally flooded bottomland hardwoods. A few pine ridges and prairie remnants also occur on the area.

Hunting Opportunities: The area provides excellent waterfowl hunting opportunities when the Ouachita River floods. Deer and squirrel hunting is fair to good.

Location: The area is 15 miles west of Crossett between Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas and Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.

Management Practices: Management goals for this area are to sustain bottomland hardwood habitat by protecting the existing young hardwood forest from disease and year-round flooding caused by beavers.

Ownership: This 10,986-acre area is owned by the AGFC. It includes Coffee Prairie Natural Area, which belongs to the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.

Phone: 833-356-0860

Purpose: The area was purchased in order to provide hunting fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities in south Arkansas.

Recreation Other Than Hunting: The Ouachita River, oxbows and sloughs provide excellent fishing opportunities.

Restaurants and Other Facilities: Nearest towns are Huttig, Crossett and El Dorado.

Safety: Care should be taken when driving along the access road. There are a couple of places where it gets very near the high bank of the Ouachita River. Care should also be taken when the area becomes flooded.

WMA Master Plan: View this AGFC-owned WMA's master plan for operations details.

Detailed Interactive Map Public Use Maps