Arkansas’ modern gun deer season opened Saturday with about 300,000 licensed hunters expected to take part, according to estimates from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The number could approach 500,000 when hunters younger than 16 and older than 65 are included.
The opening weekend remains Arkansas’ largest hunting event by participation, even as hunters have more opportunities to pursue deer during other portions of the season. Keith Stephens, former chief of communications for the commission, said about 300,000 licensed hunters typically participate on opening day.
Ralph Meeker, the commission’s deer project leader, said favorable weather was expected to support both hunter activity and deer movement. Modern gun season follows the state’s long archery season and an alternative firearms season, which has expanded the number of opportunities to harvest deer outside the traditional opening weekend.
“Opening day of modern gun season is like Super Bowl Sunday.”
— Ralph Meeker, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission deer project leader
Participation remains high
Meeker said about 95% of people who buy Arkansas hunting licenses do so to hunt deer. With the state’s population a little above 3 million, an opening-day turnout of 300,000 licensed hunters would represent roughly 10% of the population. Including younger and older hunters increases the total number of people in the woods.
The commission’s deer seasons have continued to spread participation across the fall. Archery season began in September, followed by the alternative firearms season in October. The modern gun season is longer in much of Arkansas than it once was, reducing the pressure on hunters to take part only on opening day while preserving the weekend’s importance to deer camps and families.
- 300,000: estimated number of licensed hunters taking part on opening day.
- 500,000: estimated total participation when hunters younger than 16 and seniors older than 65 are included.
- 95%: share of hunting-license buyers who hunt deer, according to Meeker.
Meeker described deer camp traditions as part of the season’s continuing appeal, including time spent hunting with relatives and friends. The season also remains significant for the state’s hunting economy and outdoor culture because of the number of residents who participate, although the commission’s estimates focus on hunters rather than economic activity.
The opening came after earlier archery and alternative firearms activity, giving hunters several established methods and seasons for pursuing deer. Meeker said the weather forecast for Saturday looked favorable for hunting and expected both turnout and success to be strong.
