General Introduction 

Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1961, is 

one of over 548 national wildlife refuges administered by the 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The primary objective of the 

refuge is to provide habitat for migratory waterfowl. The 

refuge is located in Crittenden 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 

The refuge is closed to all entry and public use November 8 - 

9, 2008, during the Quota Gun Deer Hunt. 

A portion of the refuge is closed to all entry and public use 

from December 1 through February 28 as a Waterfowl 

Sanctuary (see map). 

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

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

roads may be closed at any time road conditions 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. 

ATVs may be used only by mobility-impaired hunters 

possessing a refuge Special Use Permit. 

Horses/mules are prohibited. Airboats, personal watercraft 

(jet-ski, etc), and hover craft are prohibited on refuge waters. 

You must use the public boat ramp off Highway 77 to launch 

boats into Wapanocca Lake. 

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. 

The Visitor Center located in the headquarters building is 

open weekdays during normal office hours. 

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 frogging and/or raccoon/ 

opposum hunting and the appropriate tackle must be 

possessed. 

Round Pond Unit (St. Francis County): Closed to all

migratory bird hunting. The Round Pond Unit is open to 

hunting of state species in accordance with state seasons 

and bag limits. A Wapanocca Refuge general hunt 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 that allow use 

of those devices. 

Only biodegradable paper flagging or reflective tape/tacks 

may be possessed or used to mark trails. 

Sport Fishing Regulation 

Sport fishing is permitted from March 15 through October 31 

in Wapanocca Lake and Woody Pond. 

Big Creek and other ditches which flow through the refuge 

are closed to fishing year-round. 

Crawfish may be collected for personal use only. All crawfish 

traps must have the owner’s name and address permanently 

affixed. Collecting or possessing of frogs, mollusks, and 

turtles is prohibited. The possession or use of yo-yos, jugs, or 

other floating containers, drops or limb lines, trotlines or 

commercial fishing tackle is prohibited. 

General Hunt Regulations 

Hunter orange must be worn in accordance with Arkansas 

Game & Fish Commission regulations during Quota Gun 

Deer Hunt. 

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

limits unless specified otherwise. 

Stop Poaching Hotline 1800/482 9262 

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. 

Mobility-impaired hunters 

Mobility-impaired hunters may apply for a special permit 

allowing the use of ATVs on existing 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 

870/343 2595. 

Firearms 

Firearms must be completely unloaded, including chamber 

and magazine and caps on muzzleloaders, when carried in/on 

land vehicles or boats under power. 

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 is prohibited. 

■ Building or hunting from permanent blinds. 

■ Hunting from a vehicle or use of a vehicle as a deer 

stand. 

■ 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 and within 150 

yards of refuge buildings is prohibited. 

■ 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/ 

waterfowl 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 (except Quota Gun Deer Hunt) and must 

be carried on your person while hunting. A quota deer permit 

is also required for the Quota Gun Deer Hunt. Refuge 

regulations differ from surrounding deer zones and state 

seasons as follows: 

* The refuge is closed to all entry and public use

November 8 - 9, 2008 during the Quota Gun Deer Hunt.

Only Quota Gun Deer Hunt permit holders are allowed on

the refuge during this hunt.

Migratory Birds 

Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge is closed to waterfowl 

hunting, except snow goose, which hunting is allowed after 

February 28 until the end of State conservation season, 

according to applicable federal and state regulations. 

Small Game 

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

Spring season closed. 

Rabbit: September 6 - October 31, 2008. Dogs prohibited. 

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: November 1-30, 2008*, and March 

1-31, 2009. Dogs are required for night hunting of raccoons. 

Big Game 

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

immediately recorded on your hunting license is 640. 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. 

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 

from the waterfowl sanctuary prior to December 1 and from 

the rest of the refuge by the end of archery season. 

For all refuge hunts, the limit is one either-sex deer per hunt 

except for the archery season in which the statewide bag 

limit of three applies. The total number of bucks that can be 

harvested through a combination of all refuge hunts 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): October 1, 2008 -January 31, 

2009*. Either sex. State limit applies. 

Deer (Quota Gun): November 8 - 9, 2008. Quota hunt permit 

required. Only shotguns with slugs, legal pistols, and 

muzzleloaders shooting a single projectile are permitted. 

Either sex. One deer limit. 

To apply for a quota hunt permit 

Print or type your name, address and birth date on one side 

of a 3x5 index card. Indicate that you are applying for the 

Wapanocca hunt opposite your name. To apply as a party 

(maximum of three) list information for all applicants on the 

same card. NOTE: Applicants under the age of 16 must apply 

with an adult age 21 or older. Return completed application 

by mail to: Central Arkansas Refuges, 26320 Highway 33 

South, Augusta, AR, 72006, between July 1 and August 15. 

Duplicated, unclear or incomplete applications will not be 

considered. Permits are non-transferable and nonrefundable. 
Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Highway 42 East 

Turrell, AR 72384 

870/343 2595 

http://www.fws.gov/wapanocca

http://www.fws.gov/southeast

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD 

July 2008 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wapanocca 

National Wildlife 

Refuge Public Use, 

Hunting and Fishing 

Regulations 2008-2009 

2008-2009 General Hunting Permit – Wapanocca NWR 

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

carried by the hunter during the hunts. This permit 

expires 6/30/09. NOTE: Quota Permit also required 

for Quota Gun Deer Hunt. 

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) 

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 all public

use.

Some areas such as 

waterfowl sanctuaries are 

only seasonally closed. 

Seasonally closed areas 

have the specific closure 

dates printed on the face 

of the sign. 

NATIONAL

WILDLIFE

REFUGE

UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY

PROHIBITED U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

AREA

BEYOND

THIS

SIGN

CLOSED All public entry prohibited

101 0.5 Miles

±

DITCH 8

N

Wapanocca 

Refuge boundary

Cropland

Grassland

Reforested

Hardwoods

Baldcypress

Impoundment

Nature Drive

Unpaved Roads/Trails

Levee

Ditch 8

Closed to Public Dec 1 - Feb 28

NWR

55

42

To Blytheville

Turrell

To

Memphis

77

Exit 21

Wapanocca Lake

Woody Pond

County Road

Clarkdale

County Road