Four of Arkansas’s regular public dove hunting locations that have drawn intense opening weekend pressure in recent seasons are being converted to permit-only hunting for the upcoming season’s first two days.
The fields are in wildlife management areas that are annually prepared weeks in advance for the September opening of dove hunting season. The four areas that will be permit-only this upcoming season are the Camp Robinson Special Use Area in Faulkner County, Shirey Bay Rainey Brake Wildlife Management area’s Powhatan Field in Lawrence County, Black River Wildlife Management Area Brookings Field in Clay County and Frog Bayou Wildlife Management Area Powerline Field in Crawford County.
Each of these fields will have separate, one-day hunt permits for Saturday and Sunday of opening weekend, Sept. 3-4. After opening weekend, these fields will be open to public access without permit. Hunters can apply for permits through Aug. 15. Cost to apply for a permit is $5. The application site will be available at www.agfc.com under the “Buy Licenses/Check Game” button.
Steel shot will be required this year on all wildlife management areas that are managed for migratory waterfowl hunting. Three of the four areas for the special permit hunts fall under that category. Camp Robinson is not covered under the code, and hunters can use lead shot.