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Norfork Lake WMA

Zone: 480

Counties: Baxter, Fulton

2023-24 Closed Seasons
  • Alligator
2023-24 Crow

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

2023-24 Deer

Deer Archery (all units): Sept. 23, 2023-Feb. 29, 2024.
Deer Muzzleloader: Oct. 21-29, 2023 at Seward Point, Bennett’s Bayou and Fulton County Units. Chapin Point and Indian Head Units closed.
Deer Modern Gun: Nov. 11-19, 2023 at Seward Point, Bennett’s Bayou and Fulton County Units. Chapin Point and Indian Head Units closed.
Deer Modern Gun Special Youth Hunt: Nov. 4-5, 2023 and Jan. 6-7, 2024 at Seward Point, Bennett’s Bayou and Fulton County Units. Chapin Point and Indian Head Units closed.

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

  • Two antlered bucks with archery,
  • Four antlerless with archery,
  • One antlered buck and one antlerless with muzzleloader or modern gun.
  • During youth hunt, youths may take two deer, one antlered buck and one 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.

Quail Notes: Chapin Point and Indian Head units only: Nov. 1, 2023-Feb. 5, 2024. Quail hunting ends at noon. 

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 Bear

Bear Archery: Sept. 13-Nov. 30, 2023
Bear Muzzleloader: Chapin Point and Indian Head Units closed. Seward Point, Bennett’s Bayou and Fulton County Units: Oct. 21-29, 2023
Bear Modern Gun: Chapin Point and Indian Head Units closed. Seward Point, Bennett’s Bayou and Fulton County Units: Nov. 11-19, 2023
Bear Modern Gun Special Youth Hunt: Chapin Point and Indian Head Units closed. Seward Point, Bennett’s Bayou and Fulton County Units: Nov. 4-5, 2023

Bear Notes:

2024 Turkey

Youth Hunt: April 6-7, 2024. One legal turkey.
Firearms Hunt: April 15-May 5, 2024. One legal turkey.

About the Name

Named from Norfork lake.

Access

Access by lake, can be gained by any of the several access areas, Pegion Creek Access, Red Bank Access, Cranfield Access, Jordan and Gamaliel.

Age

Established in 1967.

Area Notes
Camping

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campsites are available around lake area. No camping on WMA.

Description

This area consists of five units, on Norfork Lake: Chapin Point, Indian Head, Seward Point, Bennets Creek and Fulton County. Mixed hardwood forest with scattered tracts to pine plantations, topography ranges from flat to moderately sloped. Walk-in hunting only.

Hunting Opportunities

Deer and turkey is good on area, small game ranked in order of importance: furbearers, squirrel, quail, rabbit and ducks.

Location

Baxter county: Indian Head Unit and Chapin Point Unit, 16 miles north of Mtn. Home and east off state hwy 201; Seward Point Unit, 8 miles north of Mtn. Home west of hwy 101; Bennetts Creek Unit, 12 miles east of Mtn. Home on hwy 62 then north 3 miles on county road 46. Fulton county: Fulton County Unit approximately 15 miles north of Calico Rock hwy 87. At Elizabeth take county roads 15, 17 and 33.

Management Practices

There are 10,000 acres of land managed by AGFC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for wildlife management purposes. Controlled burning is carried out on an average of 200 acres of the area per year. Pine stands are burned to control hardwood competition and stimulate weedy plants preferred by wildlife. Food plots and old fields comprise 980 acres of the area and are maintained by the AGFC and Corps of Engineers as a cooperative effort.

Ownership

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Phone

833-356-0879

Purpose

Now being managed for deer, turkey and small game. In addition to numerous non-game birds and animals, there is an abundance of white-tail deer, wild turkey, fox and grey squirrel, rabbit, red and grey fox, opossum, raccoon and mourning dove. Migratory waterfowl are attracted to the lake during the spring and fall flights. Although the waterfowl use the lake to rest, they offer little hunting since there is not enough food available to keep them in the area.

Recreation Other Than Hunting

Good for walking and observing wildlife. Numerous amount of birds.

Restaurants and Other Facilities

Mtn. Home for restaurants and motels. Clark Ridge and Gamaliel has phone and supplies.

Safety

During turkey season and deer season hunter density is increasing. Watch out for other hunters.

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