National Wildlife Refuge · Arkansas · FWS Region 4

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge lies in Pope County, Arkansas, with about 6,032 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 5,982 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
6Khuntable acres
6KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Holla Bend NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Holla Bend NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, wild turkey, upland birds, small game, and feral & exotic here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Holla Bend NWR is a bowhunter's paradise. With the exception of a youth gun hunt, the refuge's deer seasons are restricted to bow and crossbow hunters. This creates a perfect place for bowhunters to pursue unpressured deer.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Arkansas regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 5,982 (99%)Closed: 52 (1%)6Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations5,982 ac 99%
  • Closed52 ac 1%
Units by size (acres)
Hunt Area
5,366 ac
Waterfowl Sanctuary
616 ac
Closed Area
52 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 5,366 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 Small and Big Game
Waterfowl Sanctuary
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 616 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 Small and Big Game
Closed Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 52 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 Small and Big Game

Holla Bend NWR by the numbers

With about 5,982 huntable acres, Holla Bend NWR ranks #8 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Arkansas and #249 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 99% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Hunt Area (5,366 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Waterfowl Sanctuary, covers 616 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 52 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Area). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 6,032 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 0.7 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Holla Bend NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Arkansas sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

Small and Big Game

Type: Other, Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Arkansas hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Holla Bend NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Available species include largemouth bass, striped bass, white bass, crappie and catfish.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Holla Bend NWR

Navigate

Destination: Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
35.14001, -93.06030
DMS
35°08′24.0″N 93°03′37.1″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Little Rock, AR51 mi NW of town
  • Fort Smith, AR78 mi E of town
  • Pine Bluff, AR87 mi NW of town
  • Fayetteville, AR89 mi SE of town

Closest airports

  • LIT Little Rock Clinton National55 mi
  • SGF Springfield–Branson147 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Holla Bend NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:14 AM6:44 AM7:41 PM12h 57m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM7:21 PM12h 27m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM6:57 PM11h 52m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM6:38 PM11h 22m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:02 AM6:32 AM5:19 PM10h 47m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:16 AM6:46 AM5:07 PM10h 21m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM5:01 PM9h 59m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM5:01 PM9h 49m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:50 AM7:20 AM5:10 PM9h 50m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:49 AM7:19 AM5:21 PM10h 02m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:41 AM7:11 AM5:39 PM10h 27m

Computed for 35.140, -93.060 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Holla Bend NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, and…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Your First Public-Land Hunt: A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Hunters

Hunter education, licenses, choosing a first species, gear, practice, scouting with maps and what to expect on your…

Feral Hog Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

Why many refuges allow — and encourage — feral hog hunting, how refuge rules handle hogs, safe shot placement, disease…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

Holla Bend NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Holla Bend NWR?

Yes. Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (5,982 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, wild turkey, upland birds, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Holla Bend NWR?

Yes — Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other and Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained kiosk, online through fws, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Holla Bend NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Holla Bend NWR located?

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is in Pope County, Arkansas, about 51 miles NW of Little Rock, AR (straight-line). GPS: 35.14001, -93.06030.

What are legal shooting hours at Holla Bend NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Greers Ferry NFH

Cleburne County, AR · 65 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Bald Knob NWR

White County, AR · 84 mi E

4 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

15.4K huntable acres

Norfork NFH

Baxter County, AR · 89 mi NE

1 closed
🎣

Ozark Plateau NWR

Adair County, OK · 92 mi NW

1 special1 closed
🦌🐇🐗

799 huntable acres

Cache River NWR

Monroe County, AR · 100 mi E

10 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

75.2K huntable acres

Logan Cave NWR

Benton County, AR · 105 mi NW

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Arkansas →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.