Ouachita Mountains
Woodlands are extensive and cropland limited in the Ouachita Mountain Region. A large portion of this region lies within the Ouachita National Forest or is owned by private timber interests. Much of the remaining land is in pasture, and hay is the major crop, followed by corn. This is a region of few deer and very few trophy deer, but a hunter who scouts and finds a small grain field or other bit of farmland can increase the odds for killing a nice animal.

Arkansas River Valley
The Arkansas River Valley supports a large agriculture industry. Soybeans, corn, winter wheat, oats and other favored deer foods are abundant in the lower lands, and there is considerable emphasis on commercial, sometimes winter-grown, vegetables like spinach and green beans in the western part of the region. There's excellent trophy deer potential on private farmlands within the region, and on Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge near Russellville, where approximately 2,500 acres are planted in crops each year. Whitetails consume the farm foods produced and find refuge in the cover of bottomland woods. This area supports a thriving, healthy deer population.

Gulf Costal Plain
The Gulf Coastal Plain in south Arkansas is known as the state's "deer factory." Overall deer numbers are far higher here than in other areas of the state, so if your focus is simply on killing a deer, any deer, then the GCP is the way to go. An out-of-balance buck-doe ratio and widespread overpopulation limit chances of bagging a trophy here, but amidst the large commercial pine plantations are thousands of acres of farmland where deer are abundant.

HOW TO HUNT ARKANSAS FARMLAND
In January after the rut, bucks regain their strength by resting long hours and feeding on food sources convenient to their bedding areas. But winter is coming on, and the bucks feel the need to nourish themselves in preparation for the hard times ahead. Gradually, their daily routine shifts. They venture out farther and farther from their core areas in search of quality food. If preferred agricultural crops are in the area, you can be sure that most bucks eventually will end up feeding there.

In pressured areas, emphasis should be placed on hunting trails between bedding areas and crop fields. To determine the location of bedding areas, look for and follow well-used trails leading away from the perimeter of a crop field. It's best to enter these areas alone and quietly. When you begin to hit really dense cover, you're probably entering the bedding areas, especially if you jump some deer while scouting. It's not a good idea to push the deer, because it might spook them from the area. So when you have jumped a deer, back up and leave.