Arkansas Closes Buffalo National River WMA to Spring Turkey Hunting and Fishing
The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission has closed Buffalo National River Wildlife Manage Area until further notice. The closure includes fishing and spring turkey hunting. All other WMAs remain open to turkey hunting at this time. Spring turkey season opens April 13.
Buffalo National River WMA is associated with the national park of the same name and is owned by the National Park Service. Hutchinson asked the US secretary of the Interior to close the park because nonresidents make up 60 percent of visitors. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Hutchinson wants to limit the number of out-of-staters going to Arkansas. He and local authorities fear the number of visitors would further the spread of COVID-19 in the rural communities around the park.
To further discourage nonresident visitors, Hutchinson also placed all of Arkansas’ state park facilities under day-use operations only, closing all overnight facilities such as cabins and campgrounds. There are currently no other closures or restrictions affecting hunters.
