General Introduction

Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1915 is one

of over 548 national wildlife refuges administered by the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service. The primary objective of the

refuge is to provide habitat for waterfowl and other

migratory birds. The refuge is located in Mississippi County,

Arkansas.

Public use, hunting and fishing are allowed under carefully

controlled conditions in order to maintain wildlife populations

at levels compatible with the ecosystem. This permits the

wise use of a valuable natural resource and provides

wholesome recreational opportunities for the public. Users of

the refuge must obey all signs pertaining to visitation, access,

and public use regulations. All public uses, including hunting

and fishing, are conducted in accordance with state and

federal regulations as supplemented by the following special

refuge regulations.

Access and Vehicle Use

Hunters may enter the refuge no earlier than 4:00 am.

The eagle sanctuary is closed to all public entry.

The entire lake, Baker’s Field Island and the Sand-Slough

Moist Soil Unit are waterfowl sanctuaries and are closed to

all entry and public use November 15 through February 28.

Most refuge roads are open to the general public. However,

roads may be closed at any time hazardous or poor road

conditions exist or other administrative needs warrant. A

locked gate or other barrier, road closed sign, or no vehicle

sign means the road is closed to all vehicle travel but not to

foot travel unless signed otherwise.

All vehicles must stay on maintained roads or established

parking areas and meet all applicable federal and state

requirements regulating the use of a licensed motor vehicle.

Modified vehicles equipped with oversize tractor lug tires are

prohibited.

Horses are prohibited. Personal watercraft (e.g., jet-ski, etc.),

hover craft, and airboats are prohibited.

Boats may be launched only in designated areas. Boat access

by hunters after October 31 is limited to launching at Seven

Mile boat ramp and boat use in Ditch 28 only.

General Refuge Regulations

Public use of the refuge is permitted throughout the year.

Permitted activities are hunting, fishing, wildlife observation,

photography, environmental education and interpretation.

Refuge permits are required for all hunting activities.

Permits are nontransferable and must be carried at all

times by anyone on refuge land in possession of hunting

gear. A permit can be found on the front of this brochure.

Nighttime use is limited to fishing, frogging and/or raccoon/

opossum hunting and the appropriate tackle must be

possessed.

FmHA Tracts: (Lawrence & Craighead Counties) The

FmHA tracts are open to hunting of state species in

accordance with state seasons and bag limits, except closed

to all Migratory Bird hunting. A Big Lake Refuge general

permit is required for all hunts and the same refuge public

use regulations apply.

Commercial activities

Refuge regulations require anyone engaged in a commercial

activity to first obtain a refuge special use permit.

Prohibited activities

■ Camping

■ Building fires

■ Cutting or defacing trees, shrubs or other plants

■ Littering

■ Searching for or removal of artifacts

■ Horseback riding

■ Possession or use of fireworks

■ Target practice

■ Training and pleasure running of dogs

■ Taking or possessing turtles

■ Possession, use, or manufacturing of illegal drugs

■ Use of artificial light to locate wildlife except as

authorized for frogging and raccoon/opossum hunting.

■ Possession or use of firearms, archery equipment and

crossbows except during refuge hunts. Firearms are

prohibited south of Highway 18 and at Bright’s Landing

boat access.

Only biodegradable paper flagging or reflective tape/tacks

may be possessed or used to mark trails.

Sport fishing and Frogging regulations

Commercial fishing requires a Special Use Permit.

■ Sport fishing is permitted on all refuge waters from

March 1 through October 31.

■ The area around Floodway Dam south of Highway 18

Bridge is open to bank fishing year round, 24 hours a day.

■ Climbing onto and/or fishing from all electrically

operated water control structures and associated

wingwalls or from on top of the Floodway Dam south of

Highway 18 or entering associated signed closed areas is

prohibited.

■ Frogging is permitted in accordance with the state season

and regulations but ends on October 31.

■ Crawfish may be collected for personal use only. All

crawfish traps must have the owner’s name and address

permanently affixed.

■ Collecting or possessing turtles and mollusks is

prohibited.

■ Possessing largemouth bass less than the established

minimum length of 15 inches is prohibited.

■ Boats are prohibited November 1 through February 28

except in Ditch 28.

■ Sport fishing with the use of non-motorized boats and

boats with electric trolling motors is permitted in the

Sand Slough-Mud Slough area (designated on map and on

the area by signs) from November 1 through February 28

during daylight hours only.

General Hunt Regulations

Bag limits for all species except deer are the same as state

limits unless specified otherwise.

Stop Poaching Hotline 1800/482 9262

Mobility-impaired hunters

Mobility-impaired hunters may apply for a special permit

allowing the use of ATVs on existing refuge roads. Issuance of

the permit is restricted to persons who are permanently

confined to a wheelchair, require the use of mechanical aids

(braces, crutches, or walkers) to walk, or have complete single

leg amputations. For more information, please call the refuge

at 870-564-2429.

Hunter sign out requirements

Hunters must sign out after completion of the hunt and

provide harvest information at the Hunter Information

Station located outside the office building main entrance.

Firearms

Firearms must be completely unloaded, including chamber

and magazine and caps on muzzleloaders, and cased while in a

vehicle and on any refuge road, parking area or boat ramp.

Firearms are prohibited on the refuge except during refuge

squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, and opossum seasons.

Only non toxic shot or rimfire rifles may be possessed and

used for all small game hunting. The possession or use of

buckshot is prohibited.

Prohibited hunting activities

■ Trapping

■ Driving or screwing any metal object into a tree or

hunting from a tree in which a metal object has been

driven or screwed to support a hunter.

■ Building or hunting from permanent blinds.

■ Baiting or hunting over bait, salt, grain, or other feed

that could serve as a lure or attraction for wildlife.

■ Hunting from mowed or gravel roads.

■ Hunting in Sand Slough Moist Soils Unit and refuge

headquarters area (see map).

■ Possession or use of alcoholic beverages while hunting.

Hunters under the age of 16

Hunters under the age of 16 must be supervised by an adult

not less than 21 years old and must remain in sight and

normal voice contact with the adult. For small game hunts,

the adult may supervise no more than two youths. For big

game hunts, the adult may supervise only one youth.

A hunter born after 1968 must carry a valid Hunter

Education Card. Hunters under the age of 16 do not need a

card if they are under the direct supervision (within arm’s

reach) of a holder of a valid hunting license at least 21 years

of age. Home state Hunter Education Cards will be honored.

Specific Hunt Regulations

A refuge permit is required for all hunts. When signed, the

permit on the front cover of this brochure will serve as a

permit for all hunts and must be carried on your person while

hunting. Regulations differ from surrounding deer zones and

state seasons as follows:

Migratory Birds

Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge is closed to all waterfowl

hunting.

Small Game

Squirrel: September 6 - October 31, 2008. Dogs allowed

North of Timm’s Point. Spring season closed.

Rabbit: September 6 - October 31, 2008. Dogs allowed North

of Timm’s Point.

Furbearer

Beaver, nutria, feral hogs, muskrat, armadillo and coyote:

may be taken incidental to any refuge hunt by the use of the

device appropriate for that hunt and according to any

applicable state regulations.

Raccoon and Opossum: October 6-21, 2008. No limit. Dogs

are required for night hunting.

Big Game

For all deer harvested on the refuge, the zone to be

immediately recorded on your hunting license is 030. All

harvested deer must be recorded at the refuge Hunter

Information Station located at the refuge headquarters. All

deer must also be checked at an official State check station.

Hunters may possess long, recurve, compound and

crossbows for the archery deer hunt. Firearms,

muzzleloaders and dogs are prohibited.

Only portable stands capable of being carried by one person

may be used and the owner’s name and address must be

permanently affixed to the stand. Stands may be erected 7

days prior to the refuge deer season and must be removed by

the last day of archery season.

The refuge may be closed and archery hunting suspended

during periods of severe flooding.

Statewide bag limit of three deer applies. The total number

of bucks that can be harvested is two. A legal buck on the

refuge is defined as any male deer (no antler restriction).

Deer harvested on the refuge are NOT bonus deer.

Deer (Archery/Crossbow): November 1 – December 31,

2008.

Signs Protect Visitors and Resources

Millions of people visit national wildlife refuges each year.

The impact of human activity, if not regulated, can degrade

these wildlands. Signs control recreational activities while

protecting natural resources on the refuge. Please respect

the following signs:

Refuge boundary sign.

Public use permitted in

accordance with refuge regulations.

Area closed to public.

Some areas such as waterfowl sanctuaries are

only seasonally closed. Seasonally closed

areas have specific dates printed on the face

of the sign.

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

AREA

BEYOND

THIS

SIGN

CLOSED All public entry prohibited

NATIONAL

WILDLIFE

REFUGE

UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY

PROHIBITED U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

PO Box 67

Manila, Arkansas 72442

870/564 2429

http://www.fws.gov/southeast

http://www.fws.gov/biglake

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

July 2008

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Big Lake

National Wildlife

Refuge Public Use,

Hunting and Fishing

Regulations 2008-2009

2008-2009 General Hunting Permit – Big Lake NWR

This permit must be signed to be valid. It must be

carried by the hunter during the hunts. Permit

expires 6/30/2009.

I have read and understand the refuge hunting

regulations and realize that hunting on the refuge is

a privilege and willingly agree to allow USFWS

officers to inspect or search all equipment used

during my hunt.

Signature (Permit not transferable)

DUNKLIN CO.

MISSISSIPPI CO.

Earth

Plug

North

Dam

MISSOURI

ARKANSAS

Seven-mile Boat Access

Arkansas Game &

Fish Commission

MALLARD

LAKE

Timm‘s Point

Observation Area

Mid-Lake Water

Control Structure

Ditch 81 Water

Control Structure

Floodway Dam - Bank Fishing Access

2 Miles to Manila

12 Miles to Blytheville

Arkansas Game &

Fish Commission

BIG LAKE

WILDLIFE 

MANAGEMENT

AREA

GUN

ISLAND

HOG

ISLAND

DOG

ISLAND

BIG ISLAND OAK ISLAND

MO

AR

AR

M

TN

si s si s

i

p

pi

R vi er

R gi h Ht a nd

Ch u et

Blytheville

Manila

Osceola

61

55

Legend

Refuge Headquarters

Boat Access

Water Control 

Structure

Refuge Boundary

Gravel Roads

Wildlife Drive

3.1 Miles

Wilderness Area

Public Law 94/557

Ditch 28

Wildlife

Auto Drive

 Eagle Sanctuary Closed

Oak Island 

Nature Trail

1.2 miles

Sand Slough Moist Soil Unit

AGFC Headquarters - Big Lake WMA

Brights Landing Observation area

accessible pier, bank fishing 1 mile nature loop, Boat launch 

18

18

Big Lake

N

Miles 0 1

0 10 Miles

77 119

77

18

Big Lake National

Wildlife

Refuge

Jon

C

se

f ot u f

National Wildlife Refuge

North End

Water Control

 Structure

Ditch 81 

Floodway Dam

SLAND BIG IOAK ISLAND

Brights Landing Observation Area

18

18

Open to fishing November 1-February 28

Trolling motors only

Ditch 81 

Floodway Dam

SLAND BIG IOAK ISLAND

Brights Landing Observation Area

18

18

Closed to hunting