Arkansas Hunting Laws
Arkansas centerfire deer rifles must be at least .22 caliber, and handguns must fire a straight-wall cartridge of .357 caliber or larger from a barrel of at least 4 inches. Shotguns need at least No. 4 buckshot (or slugs in .410), and big-bore air rifles (.40 caliber, 400+ ft-lb) are legal for deer during modern gun season.
Rules checked against Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regulations, August 30, 2026.
At a Glance
Check a Cartridge in Arkansas
Sourced Rules
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it.
Rifle
3 rulesDeer rifles must be centerfire — rimfire cartridges are not legal during modern gun season.
"Any centerfire rifle smaller than .22 caliber"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
Centerfire deer rifles must be at least .22 caliber.
"Any centerfire rifle smaller than .22 caliber"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
During Arkansas's Alternative Firearms Season, non-semiautomatic centerfire rifles/handguns firing a straight-wall cartridge of .30 caliber or larger are also legal for deer, alongside muzzleloaders and qualifying air rifles.
"The following firearms are allowed during the alternative firearms season: ... Non-semiautomatic centerfire firearms (including non-semiautomatic handguns with barrels 4 inches or longer) that fire a straight-wall car..."
AGFC Deer-specific Hunting Regulations page — Legal Hunting Equipment: Alternative Firearms · verified Oct 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer rifles must be centerfire — rimfire cartridges are not legal during modern gun season.
"Any centerfire rifle smaller than .22 caliber" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Centerfire deer rifles must be at least .22 caliber.
"Any centerfire rifle smaller than .22 caliber" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
During Arkansas's Alternative Firearms Season, non-semiautomatic centerfire rifles/handguns firing a straight-wall cartridge of .30 caliber or larger are also legal for deer, alongside muzzleloaders and qualifying air rifles.
"The following firearms are allowed during the alternative firearms season: ... Non-semiautomatic centerfire firearms (including non-semiautomatic handguns with barrels 4 inches or longer) that fire a straight-wall car..." |
AGFC Deer-specific Hunting Regulations page — Legal Hunting Equipment: Alternative Firearms | Oct 2026 |
Shotgun
3 rulesDeer shotguns need at least No. 4 buckshot (or slugs); .410 gauge is legal for deer only with slugs, not shot.
"Any .410 shotguns using ammunition other than slugs ... Any shotguns using shot smaller than No. 4 buckshot"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
Turkey shotguns may be no larger than 10 gauge; only shotguns and archery tackle are legal for turkey.
"Only shotguns (10 gauge and smaller) and archery equipment (including crossbows) are legal for turkey hunting."
Turkey Dates, Rules and Regulations · verified Aug 2026
Turkey shot may be no larger than No. 2 (lead or nontoxic).
"Shot larger than No. 2 common shot is prohibited."
Turkey Dates, Rules and Regulations · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer shotguns need at least No. 4 buckshot (or slugs); .410 gauge is legal for deer only with slugs, not shot.
"Any .410 shotguns using ammunition other than slugs ... Any shotguns using shot smaller than No. 4 buckshot" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
Wild Turkey
|
Turkey shotguns may be no larger than 10 gauge; only shotguns and archery tackle are legal for turkey.
"Only shotguns (10 gauge and smaller) and archery equipment (including crossbows) are legal for turkey hunting." |
Turkey Dates, Rules and Regulations | Aug 2026 |
|
Wild Turkey
|
Turkey shot may be no larger than No. 2 (lead or nontoxic).
"Shot larger than No. 2 common shot is prohibited." |
Turkey Dates, Rules and Regulations | Aug 2026 |
Handgun
3 rulesDeer handguns must fire a straight-wall cartridge.
"Conventional straight-walled calibers less than .357"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
Deer handgun straight-wall cartridges must be at least .357 caliber.
"Conventional straight-walled calibers less than .357"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
Deer handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches.
"Barrels shorter than 4 inches"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer handguns must fire a straight-wall cartridge.
"Conventional straight-walled calibers less than .357" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer handgun straight-wall cartridges must be at least .357 caliber.
"Conventional straight-walled calibers less than .357" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches.
"Barrels shorter than 4 inches" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
Muzzleloader
3 rulesMuzzleloading deer rifles must be at least .40 caliber.
"barrel 18 inches or longer and of .40 caliber or larger"
Deer-specific Hunting Regulations — Muzzleloaders · verified Aug 2026
Muzzleloading deer rifles need a barrel of at least 18 inches.
"barrel 18 inches or longer and of .40 caliber or larger"
Deer-specific Hunting Regulations — Muzzleloaders · verified Aug 2026
Scoped/magnifying sights are allowed on muzzleloaders — Arkansas does not require open sights.
"with magnifying sights permitted"
Deer-specific Hunting Regulations — Muzzleloaders · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Muzzleloading deer rifles must be at least .40 caliber.
"barrel 18 inches or longer and of .40 caliber or larger" |
Deer-specific Hunting Regulations — Muzzleloaders | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Muzzleloading deer rifles need a barrel of at least 18 inches.
"barrel 18 inches or longer and of .40 caliber or larger" |
Deer-specific Hunting Regulations — Muzzleloaders | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Scoped/magnifying sights are allowed on muzzleloaders — Arkansas does not require open sights.
"with magnifying sights permitted" |
Deer-specific Hunting Regulations — Muzzleloaders | Aug 2026 |
Air Gun
2 rulesAir rifles for deer must be at least .40 caliber, firing a single expandable slug from an externally charged tank.
"A minimum of .40 caliber"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
Air rifles for deer must produce at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy.
"Produce a minimum of 400 foot pounds of muzzle energy"
AGFC Code 6.02(A) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Air rifles for deer must be at least .40 caliber, firing a single expandable slug from an externally charged tank.
"A minimum of .40 caliber" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Air rifles for deer must produce at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy.
"Produce a minimum of 400 foot pounds of muzzle energy" |
AGFC Code 6.02(A) | Aug 2026 |
All Weapons
2 rulesDuring open modern gun or alternative firearms deer, bear, or elk seasons, hunters (and anyone accompanying them) must wear at least 400 sq. in. of hunter orange or safety green above the waist plus a hat of the same color, visible at all times; migratory-bird hunting is exempt.
"Wearing an outer garment, above the waistline, of daylight fluorescent blaze orange (hunter orange) or fluorescent chartreuse (hunter safety green) totaling at least 400 square inches, and a hunter orange or hunter sa..."
AGFC Code 5.20(A) · verified Aug 2026
Arkansas's hunting rules never mention suppressors — the Commission's prohibited-methods rule, its deer-season and WMA firearm restrictions and the 2026-27 Hunting Guidebook deal with weapon type, caliber and barrel length only — so the hunting rules do not restrict them for any species. The suppressor itself still has to be lawfully possessed under federal law and Arkansas's weapons statutes.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"It is unlawful to hunt, take, or attempt to take wildlife by use of computer-assisted hunting, radio tracking electronic equipment, blow guns, dart guns, deadfalls, drugs, poisons, chemicals, explosives,"
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
All species
|
During open modern gun or alternative firearms deer, bear, or elk seasons, hunters (and anyone accompanying them) must wear at least 400 sq. in. of hunter orange or safety green above the waist plus a hat of the same color, visible at all times; migratory-bird hunting is exempt.
"Wearing an outer garment, above the waistline, of daylight fluorescent blaze orange (hunter orange) or fluorescent chartreuse (hunter safety green) totaling at least 400 square inches, and a hunter orange or hunter sa..." |
AGFC Code 5.20(A) | Aug 2026 |
|
All species
|
Arkansas's hunting rules never mention suppressors — the Commission's prohibited-methods rule, its deer-season and WMA firearm restrictions and the 2026-27 Hunting Guidebook deal with weapon type, caliber and barrel length only — so the hunting rules do not restrict them for any species. The suppressor itself still has to be lawfully possessed under federal law and Arkansas's weapons statutes.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"It is unlawful to hunt, take, or attempt to take wildlife by use of computer-assisted hunting, radio tracking electronic equipment, blow guns, dart guns, deadfalls, drugs, poisons, chemicals, explosives," |
AGFC Code 05.08 Prohibited Methods for Hunting Wildlife — no mention of suppressors, silencers or mufflers in 05.08, 06.02 or 20.02, or in the 2026-27 Hunting Guidebook (read 2026-10-16) | Oct 2026 |
Federal Rules That Apply in Every State
These federal requirements apply in Arkansas on top of state law.
Sources
How to Use This Page
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it. Rules marked needs review come from summaries rather than the regulation text, and never produce a green answer in the checker. The checker's energy figures are typical factory loads, so where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, check your own load's rating. This page covers equipment only, not seasons, tags or local ordinances, and it isn't legal advice. The current Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regulations are the final word.