The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has eleven opportunities throughout the state this year for hunters looking to hunt doves during the Labor Day Weekend opener. Four of these managed fields are on AGFC Wildlife Management Areas and seven are privately owned fields the AGFC has leased from farmers to offer additional opportunities for the public to enjoy the kickoff to hunting season. Applications will be accepted Aug. 1-15 at www.agfc.com.
The permit dove hunts on WMAs are only for opening weekend. Locally the permits are for Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA’s Powhatan Field in Lawrence County.
Dove hunting is open on a first-come, first-served basis on all other WMA fields and on the fields listed above after opening weekend.
Locally, the private fields leased for this year’s permit dove hunts are as follows:
Fulton County (40 acres of topsown wheat)
Applications require a $5 processing fee. Applicants may choose a particular day and field. Permit winners will be notified after the drawing and will be emailed maps and directions to their fields. No other hunting is allowed on these fields. No scouting or access to the fields will be allowed outside of the hunt days drawn. Hunters may bring one hunting partner with them to enjoy the hunt, but both hunters must hunt together at a designated shooting station within the permitted area. Sunflowers: Drought conditions have plagued some agricultural areas, but some sunflower fields still show promise for opening morning.
Many other fields are being prepared on AGFC Wildlife Management Areas for the 2022-23 season, but current drought conditions may affect their availability for the opening weekend of dove season. Visit www.agfc.com/dove For more information about dove fields on WMAs.
New for this year, steel shot is required for all migratory bird hunting (including doves) locally, on Shirley Bay Rainey Brake.
The 2022-23 Arkansas Dove Season is Sept. 3-Oct. 23, 2022 and Dec. 8, 2022-Jan.15, 2023. The daily bag limit for mourning dove and white-winged dove is 15, with a possession limit of 45. There is no daily bag limit or possession limit for Eurasian collared-dove.