LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas turkey hunters will need to add one more item to their hunting vest this season: an Arkansas Turkey Hunting Tag. The tags and a valid hunting license are required to enable the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to more accurately judge the number of hunters taking to the field in the search of a gobbler.

The resident versions of the turkey tags, labelled RTT for adults and YTT for youth hunters, are free but must be acquired through the AGFC’s licensing system before the hunter takes to the woods. Even residents who hold lifetime licenses and disability licenses are required to add this free permit to their licensing account before hunting. Checking out the tags will enable all resident hunters a total of two legal gobblers.

Nonresidents have a few more hoops than resident hunters to jump through if they wish to chase an Arkansas turkey. For nonresident hunters under 16, the Nonresident Youth Turkey Tag remains free and will be the only license they need. Adult hunters, on the other hand, will need to either purchase a Nonresident Turkey Tag (NRTT) for $100 in addition to their Nonresident Annual Hunting License (NBG), which costs $410, or they may opt for the newly created Nonresident Annual Turkey Hunting License (NRTL), which includes a tag, for $325.

“Many hunters who chase turkeys in Arkansas may not have an annual license from last deer season, so we wanted to offer this $325 license as a more affordable option for nonresidents wanting to pursue turkeys in Arkansas,” Brad Carner, deputy director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. “If you already hunt deer here, you can just buy the $100 tag to add to your annual license as well. Whichever way is more economical will work.”

Nonresidents who hold a Non-expiring Lifetime Hunting and Fishing Permit from their time as residents in Arkansas will still need to get the Nonresident Turkey Tag in the license system, but will not be charged the $100 fee when they check out of the system.

Regardless of the license, all nonresidents will need to choose wisely this spring, as all nonresident options are limited to a single legal turkey per year.

“The Commission has heard from many hunters through the regulations public comment process as well as during informal conversations about the idea of reducing bag limits for turkeys to one per year in order to preserve hunt quality and protect Arkansas’s turkey flock,” Carner said. “Although very few hunters actually harvest two birds, the Commission did decide to opt for a more conservative limit on nonresidents after many discussions.”