Eley Talley, AGFC biologist for the relatively small facility, pinpointed the primary reason for the increase: "We've had quite a bit of timber-harvesting in that area, and the new growth that has sprung up in the created openings has certainly helped the herd's physical condition."

As informed hunters understand, food sources represent a critical part of deer management. A healthy, well-fed doe is far more likely to drop twin fawns in the spring. Talley went on to note that in pockets of Howard County, overall numbers are high for this part of the state.

Hunting seasons at Howard County WMA follow statewide guidelines; no special permits are required. It's not an especially easy place to get to: State Highway 278 runs from Wickes to Dierks, skirting the eastern and northern sides. Various county roads turning off the highway will take you into the area's interior. Call 1-877-777-5580 for additional information.

FORT CHAFFEE WMA
Farther north, close to the Oklahoma line, lies this 66,000-acre facility, part of the old military installation, a staple of deer hunters from the Fort Smith area for decades, some 332 deer were taken there in 2004-05, or 199 acres per deer -- down from the 483 taken the previous season.

Scott Montgomery and I hunted this area during one of the one-day gun hunts last season, and learned a lot. We went up a day early to scout out the area that we planned to hunt and found that it was closed. Going into your hunting area before daylight without ever seeing the spot is not the way to go! Closures occasionally occur on a day-to-day basis, so you must check the maps at the various entry gates to see if your area's open. That explains why locals kill most of the deer taken at Chaffee each year.

The area consists of rolling hills covered by a variety of trees, with hardwoods along the streams. There are few maintained food plots, but this could change in the future. When the oaks are dropping acorns, hunting along the various drainages will be productive. The area offers a pair of one-day muzzleloader hunts and a pair of one-day rifle hunts, both in November, both by permit only, with 650 issued for each day. For the gun hunts, a daily check-in is required. First-time hunters must attend an on-base orientation and purchase a $15 biannual sportsman's permit.

ARKANSAS' TOP WMAs/NWRs IN TERMS OF ACRES PER KILL (5,000 acres or more)
WMA/NWR	Kills	Acres	Acres Per Kill
Choctaw Island WMA	272	7,676	28
Trusten Holder WMA	72	8,173	114
Wattensaw WMA	153	19,184	125
Wapanocca NWR	40	5,485	137
Howard County WMA	176	26,000	148
ARKANSAS' TOP OVERALL COUNTIES (2004-2005 Totals)
County	2004-2005	2003-2004	herd
Union	5,788	4,973	+14%
Dallas	5,056	3,503	+31%
Ashley	4,853	3,939	+19%
Cleveland	4,732	3,808	+20%
Bradley	4,508	4,014	+11%
ARKANSAS' TOP WMAs/NWRs (2004-2005 Totals)
WMA/NWR	2004-2005	2003-2004	herd
White River NWR	724	553	+24%
Felsenthal NWR	388	283	+27%
Fort Chaffee WMA	332	483	-31%
Winona WMA	328	143	+56%
Ozark National Forest WMA	313	354	-12%

Getting to Chaffee is easy: Take state Highway 22 east from Fort Smith. Call 1-877-478-1043 for more information.

WHITE ROCK WMA
Hunters up in the northwest corner of the state, in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers multiplex, have unlimited access to the state's largest management area, 280,000-acre White Rock WMA. But kill numbers there have been down the last few years, and last year only 243 deer, a figure down from 307 in 2003-04, were taken there, which amounts to 1,152 acres per deer killed.

MADISON COUNTY WMA
This 14,496-acre facility south of Eureka Springs saw 84 deer taken in 2004-05. Eighty-four deer may not sound like much, but the total works out to a fair-to-good ratio of 173 acres per deer.

Bob Wilson, AGFC area manager pointed up some reasons for Madison County WMA's excellence. "Going to the permit system years ago helped our numbers grow," he said, "and also improved our overall quality. We have also planted quite a few food plots throughout the interior of the area, and for about the last five years have been doing selective timber harvest there. This has created openings, giving the deer places to feed and also bed."

Like most mountain WMAs, Madison County has a lot of rough and rugged topography, typified by steep ridges and deep draws. Gun hunting there is limited to a weeklong muzzleloader segment in October and a five-day modern gun hunt in November. Only 250 permits are given out for each of those seasons. State Highway 23 north from Huntsville offers the easiest access. Call 1-877-967-7577 for more information.

WAPANOCCA NWR
Wapanocca is way up in Crittenden County, southeast of Jonesboro and near the town of Turrell. With open hunting land at a premium throughout Deer Zone 4, this small spot stands out. Last year, 40 deer were surrendered by the 5,485-acre area -- certainly not a large total, but a ratio of 137 acres per kill.