Antler Rule: Can You Keep Them After Hitting a Deer in Arkansas?
The fall season means pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and fall festivals, but for hunters, it means deer season. The archery deer season is underway in Arkansas through February 28, 2026, so it's time to bring back up the question: if you accidentally hit a deer in Arkansas, can you legally take its antlers?
Roadkill or Trophy? Legal Steps You Must Take If You Hit a Deer
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, a person is NOT allowed to remove the antlers from a dead deer. You have to have the deer tagged and checked; otherwise, it's illegal. If a person fails to do this, it could result in a fine or confiscation of the animal.
15.03 ANTLER REQUIREMENTS 04-98 It is unlawful to remove the antlers from the carcass of a buck deer before checking the deer using an official wildlife check method. PENALTY: Class 1
If you do hit a deer, you must report it to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as soon as possible. The AGFC will assess the situation and remove the carcass from the road if it's in a hazardous location.
READ MORE: Over 162 Alligators Tagged In Arkansas' 2025 Hunting Season
Once the person takes the necessary steps needed for proper authorization, such as tagging, and is cleared by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, they will then be allowed to take the antlers legally.
Stay Alert When Traveling in Arkansas This Fall and Winter
This is the time of the year when deer are most active, and chances are, when traveling on the highways in Arkansas, you'll likely see a deer. Drivers should be alert at all times when traveling through heavily wooded areas and be aware of deer crossing signs along the highway. Crashing into a deer could lead to deadly consequences for the driver, depending on how fast you were going at the time of the accident.
In the United States, approximately 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions occur annually, causing over $10 billion in economic losses, resulting in 59,000 injuries and 440 human deaths each year.
When are Deers Most Active in Arkansas?
The peak risk of collisions is between October and December, typically around dusk and dawn. Many accidents occur when a driver tries to avoid hitting a deer and swerves out of control, hitting an oncoming vehicle head-on, or going off the road.
Enjoy the fall season, drive carefully, and stay alert.
LOOK: Here are the states where you are most likely to hit an animal
Gallery Credit: Dom DiFurio & Jacob Osborn