New opportunities are now in place for Arkansas bowhunters to help reduce overcrowding of deer in local communities.
Deer hunters interested in an early chance to fill their freezer and help feed fellow Arkansans can register for one of nine urban archery hunts online. Registration for the 2023 Arkansas urban hunts is available until early July.
According to the Arkansas Bowhunters Association, one of three groups to coordinate with the Game and Fish Commission to conduct urban bowhunts in the state, the application period for the six hunts they administer ends July 11. That is the date of their first orientation meeting to go over this year’s rules for the hunts and conduct shooting proficiency tests.
Urban deer hunts are scheduled for the following cities in 2023-24: Bull Shoals, Cherokee Village, Fairfield Bay, Heber Springs, Helena-West Helena, Horseshoe Bend, Hot Springs Village, Lakeview and Russellville.
Urban archery hunts are a sound technique to manage deer populations where deer have become too abundant and have caused conflicts with people. This is especially true in semi-rural and suburban communities on the fringes of large blocks of forest and agricultural land. AGFC has worked with some of these cities and towns for more than two decades to explore solutions that are inexpensive and effective.
Urban hunts have proven one of the best tools wildlife managers can use to reduce these populations.
Because the hunting may take place fairly close to residential areas, all hunters who participate must attend an orientation where they must pass a proficiency test with the archery equipment they intend to use during the hunt. An orientation fee also is collected by the partnering organization, which covers the insurance policy for the hunt most cities require.
In addition to orientations and shooting proficiency tests, all hunters must have passed the International Bowhunters Education Program (IEBP) course to participate.
The Game and Fish Commission’s Hunter Education Division is offering this class for free on June 10 in Little Rock. Click here to register.
Deer harvested during urban hunts do not count toward a hunter’s seasonal limit. There are no limits to the number of deer that can be harvested in urban hunts, and all antler restrictions are lifted. However, a hunter’s first deer in an urban hunt must be donated to Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing ground meat to food pantries around the state.