Fishing and Hunting

Fishing
The mention of the Ozarks brings to mind rugged mountains carpeted with colorful hardwoods and thousands of miles of clear flowing streams teeming with fish. Imagine watching your favorite bait drift quietly into the depths of a clear Ozark pool, and suddenly being startled by the brilliant flash of bronze that transforms the majestic tranquility into a heart racing, exploding fight with the "tiger fish" - the smallmouth bass

If thoughts like this stir your soul, the the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests are for you. Our 1.2 million acres harbor hundred of miles of pristine cool water streams. Anglers can match wits with native fish like smallmouth, spotted, shadow and Ozark bass. If you prefer, try your luck on the world-renowned White River, with its rainbow and cutthroat trout, not to mention world record brown trout that lurk in the dark pools. If lakes and largemouths are more to your liking, the Ozark-St. Francis can make you feel at home as well. The forest is home to over 2,000 acres of lakes and ponds, from small two-acre ponds nestled in the mountain and forests, to the 825 acre Bear Creek Lake. Many of these lakes and ponds are full of largemouth bass, blue gill and redear sunfish, channel and blue catfish, as well as other species that were "made for the frying pan."  Lakes include man-made structures, as well as Mississippi River oxbow lakes. How about trying your luck trolling for hybrid striped bass? Storm Creek Lake has a large population of 12 to 15 pound fish ready to test your skills. With the wide variety of quality fishing opportunities and breathtaking scenery available in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests, the toughest choice you have is deciding what species you want to catch.  They're all here, waiting for you!

Want to know what types of fish are in our forest's lakes and streams?Check out our Fishing Guide for details on what fish are where.

 

Hunting

Wildlife on the National Forests is managed cooperatively with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The U.S. Forest Service is chiefly responsible for providing and managing habitat for the animals, while the Game and Fish Commission manages the animal populations and regulates hunting and fishing.

Six Wildlife Management Areas (WMA's) are located within the forest boundaries: White Rock, Piney Creeks, Sylamore, Magazine, Ozark National Forest, and St. Francis WMA. These areas are also managed cooperatively with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

White-tailed deer, black bear, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, cottontail rabbit, wild turkey, mourning dove, bobwhite quail and waterfowl are the principle game species that are hunted in the Forests. Fur bearer trapping and hunting is allowed in the Forests as well.

There are special archery, muzzle loading and modern gun seasons for white-tailed deer and black bear, and special archery and modern gun seasons for wild turkey. There are spring and fall seasons for both wild turkey and squirrel.

A State Hunting or Fishing License is required to take game or fish from the National Forests. Regulations established by both the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Forest Service must be followed when hunting or fishing on the National Forests. Regulations and hunting zone maps are provided in the current issue of the General Arkansas Hunting Regulations, Arkansas Turkey Hunting Guidebook, Arkansas Waterfowl Hunting Regulations, and the Arkansas Fishing Regulations books distributed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

 

 

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