However, every hunt is filled through an online draw rather than open walk-up access.
More than 85% of Arkansas is privately owned, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's own Private Lands Habitat Division. HuntWise maps current public and WRICE-adjacent boundaries on satellite imagery, so you can see property lines while hunting and confirm exactly where a drawn permit applies.
Arkansas's version of access is the most restrictive compared to other states. WRICE is species-specific to waterfowl, hunts run weekends only during duck season, and hunters may only access their field on the exact day they're drawn for. You can’t simply show up with a license.
Keep reading to find out exactly how the WRICE draw works, what else is available if you don't draw a permit, and what to check before heading out.
What Is Walk-In Hunting Access?
In most states, a walk-in hunting access program pays private landowners to open their land to the public, typically without requiring hunters to ask permission individually. Some states run this as an open, license-only system; others fold it into permits or draws.
Names vary everywhere: WIHA in Kansas, IHAP in Iowa, and VPA in Georgia. What usually stays constant is that a hunter with the right permit can simply walk onto enrolled land during the open season.
Arkansas breaks from that pattern almost entirely. Rather than opening private land to any permit holder, AGFC's WRICE program assigns each rice field or wetland tract to a specific hunter for a specific weekend day through a competitive draw, closer to a lottery than a walk-in system.
How to Find Walk-In Hunting Access in Arkansas
Since WRICE has no walk-up option, the process here is about applying for a draw rather than scouting a map and showing up.
- Open HuntWise and enable the Public Land layer. Turn on this mapping layer to see Arkansas's WMAs and national forest land on satellite imagery. Download your target county before you leave home so the map works without service.
- Apply for a WRICE or WMA waterfowl permit hunt online. Applications open Thursday at 3 p.m. and close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. for the following weekend's hunt. You'll find results the Monday before your hunt date.
- Check whether your target area is WRICE, a WMA permit-hunt unit, or open access. Some WMA waterfowl areas allow self-serve permits with no draw, while WRICE fields and other WMA units are strictly draw-only. Confirm which rule applies before planning around a specific location.
- Cross-check drawn locations against other public land options. WMAs, national forest land, and leased private tracts operate under different access rules than a WRICE draw hunt, so know which category applies to your plans.
- Download your drawn location to HuntWise before your hunt day. You're only permitted to access WRICE and WMA permit-hunt fields on the exact day you're assigned, so confirm your boundary in advance instead of guessing when you arrive.
AGFC's Special Waterfowl Permit Hunts page covers current application windows, draw results, and location maps for WRICE and other permit-hunt areas.
Why Arkansas Hunters Should Use the WRICE Program
For duck hunters without a club membership or a paid lease, WRICE and the WMA permit-hunt system are often the only way onto prime flooded rice ground during peak migration weekends. These fields are chosen specifically for their proximity to established waterfowl areas.
That access comes with a hard limit most other states don't have. A drawn WRICE permit only covers a single day at a single location. Showing up on a different day or in a different field, even one enrolled in the same program, isn't authorized.
Before applying, check the current season against AGFC's waterfowl season dates, since WRICE hunts only run on the specific weekends that fall within the broader duck season.
Because landowner participation in WRICE is voluntary and re-evaluated through a competitive application each spring, respecting draw-day rules matters for the program's future as much as for any individual hunt.
What Are the Types of Hunting Land in Arkansas?
Arkansas hunters rely mostly on a large WMA system, supplemented by a narrow, draw-only private-land program built specifically for waterfowl.
Hunting Land in Arkansas | ||||
| Land Type | What It Is | What to Hunt Here | Public vs. Private | Permission Needed |
| WRICE Fields | Private rice fields and wetland easements AGFC leases near WMAs and refuges, open only on drawn weekend hunt days | Ducks and geese | Private land opened through the program | Free online draw application, valid only for your assigned location and date |
| Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) | More than 100 areas covering over 3.1 million acres, including land inside the Ouachita National Forest | Deer, turkey, waterfowl, and small game | Public | Arkansas hunting license plus a WMA/Lake Conservation Permit. Some hunts require a separate draw. |
| Leased Private WMA Tracts | Privately owned land that AGFC leases long-term and manages as part of the WMA system | Deer, turkey, and small game | Private land managed as public | Arkansas hunting license only |
| National Forests (Ozark-St. Francis & Ouachita) | About 2.5 million acres of federal forest land, much of it overlapping WMA designation | Deer, turkey, squirrel, and bear | Public (federal) | Arkansas hunting license only |
| Private Hunting Leases (Outside WRICE) | Land leased directly from a landowner or hunting club, not enrolled in any AGFC program | Deer, turkey, and duck | Private | Landowner permission or a signed lease agreement |
How Using a Hunting App Helps You Plan a Walk-In Hunt
A WRICE draw result only tells you which field and date you've been assigned, not necessarily how that field's edge relates to the surrounding private rice ground you're not authorized to enter. That distinction matters more here than almost anywhere else, since access is limited to a single day.
HuntWise helps by mapping current public land and known WRICE-adjacent WMA boundaries on the same satellite imagery you use to plan a hunt, so you can orient yourself before you ever load a boat.
Because many WRICE fields sit in remote Delta or river-valley terrain with unreliable cell service, downloading your drawn location ahead of time means you won’t be trying to confirm a boundary once you're already on the water.
Find Your Next Walk-In Hunt Before You Head Out in Arkansas
Arkansas doesn't offer the open walk-in access found in states like Kansas or Iowa, but WRICE and the WMA permit-hunt system still open prime waterfowl ground that would otherwise stay entirely private. The tradeoff is a competitive draw instead of a simple license purchase.
Apply during the Thursday-to-Sunday window, check your draw result before Monday, and load your assigned location into HuntWise before your hunt day arrives.
Get started with your HuntWise free trial today and hunt your next Arkansas walk-in tract with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is Arkansas's WRICE program?
A: WRICE is an AGFC program that pays rice producers and wetland easement holders to flood their fields for migrating waterfowl and allow public draw hunts on weekends during duck season. It's funded through a federal VPA-HIP grant and coordinated by AGFC's Private Lands Habitat Division.
Q: Can I just walk onto a WRICE field with a hunting license?
A: No, WRICE has no walk-up option. Every hunt is filled through an online draw, and access is limited to your specific assigned location and date.
Q: How do I apply for a WRICE or WMA waterfowl permit hunt in Arkansas?
A: Applications for a WRICE or WMA permit open online Thursday at 3 p.m. and close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. for the following weekend's hunt. Successful applicants are notified by email the Monday before their hunt day.
Q: What species can I hunt on WRICE land in Arkansas?
A: WRICE fields are managed specifically for waterfowl, primarily ducks and geese. The program doesn’t include other game species.
Q: Can HuntWise show me current public land near WRICE areas?
A: Yes, HuntWise maps current WMAs and national forest land on satellite imagery, which helps orient you around known WRICE-adjacent areas. You can download your target hunt area for offline use before your hunt.
Q: Is there a cost to apply for a WRICE draw hunt in Arkansas?
A: No, the online application itself is free. If you’re drawn, you’ll need a valid Arkansas hunting license and applicable waterfowl stamps to hunt.
Q: How is WRICE different from Arkansas's Wildlife Management Areas?
A: WMAs are state-owned or long-term leased public land covering more than 3.1 million acres, open under general hunting license rules with some draw-only units. WRICE fields in Arkansas are privately owned rice and wetland tracts open exclusively through weekend waterfowl draws.
Q: How do I download Arkansas public land boundaries for offline use?
A: Open HuntWise, enable the Public Land layer, and download your target county or WMA before you leave home. This lets you confirm your position against the boundary in the field even without cell service.
