The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Beaver Lake Project Office are accepting applications for a two-day alternative firearms deer hunt for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
USACE and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are hosting the two-day hunt. It will take place Dec. 9-10, 2026, at Beaver Lake. Due to limited space, only four hunters will be selected via a random lottery and notified on Nov. 9.
To qualify, applicants must provide a Department of Defense Form 214 alongside either a Veterans Affairs Health Identification Card or a VA Summary Award Letter that describes their service connected disability. Selected hunters must obtain all permits and licenses required by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission before Dec. 8. Two deer management tags will be provided to each hunter.
Selected hunters and their assistants are required to attend a mandatory safety meeting at 9 a.m. Dec. 8, at the Beaver Lake Project Office, 2260 N 2nd st., Rogers, AR. Following the meeting, park ranger staff will lead hunters to the Rogers Gun Club shooting range to check their firearms for proper operation and accuracy. Hunters should allow time to travel from the project office to the gun club and conduct the firearms safety check.
Hunters must provide their own transportation to and from, as well as their own compliant firearm. To ensure safety, USACE and AG&F have modified the compliant firearms for this hunt to include:
- Muzzleloading rifles: Must have a barrel 18 inches or longer and be .40 caliber or larger.
- Straight-walled centerfire firearms: Non-semiautomatic centerfire firearms that fire a straight-walled metallic cartridge .30 caliber or larger.
- Large-bore air rifles: Must be at least .40 caliber, shoot a single expandable slug, produce at least 400 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle and be charged from an external tank.
Shotguns and semiautomatic rifles are strictly prohibited.
Hunting areas and blinds will be arranged prior to the event, and all participants will be accompanied by park ranger staff or volunteers for the duration of the hunt.
Upon a hunter's request, ranger staff and volunteers will field dress and quarter harvested game for transportation.
If needed, commercial meat processing and packaging will also be provided free of charge.
Applications can be submitted online at www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Lakes/Beaver-Lake/ or in person at the Beaver Lake Project Office.
For more information about the hunt or application requirements, contact the hunt coordinator at 479-636-1210.
Recreation information can be found on the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace and on the USACE Little Rock water level mobile app at www.swl.usace.army.mil/Home/water-control-app/.