State Opens 200 Alligator Gar Trophy Tags, Anglers Must Apply by Year End

On December 4 the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission opened applications for the 2026 Alligator Gar Trophy Tag program, setting a firm application deadline of December 31, 2025. The agency will accept entries through its licensing portal for a five dollar application fee. A drawing for 200 tags is scheduled for January 2, 2026, and winners will receive email notifications with instructions to claim their tag.

The program imposes clear rules designed to balance recreational opportunity with conservation. Alligator gar may not be taken from noon on May 1 through noon on July 1. An Alligator Gar Trophy Tag is required to keep any alligator gar 36 inches or longer. Anglers who harvest fish under the program must temporarily attach the possession tag provided with the permit and report the harvest using the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission mobile application within 12 hours.

The commission framed the tag program as a managed way to allow trophy harvest while supporting conservation and research. Biological context cited in the agency release notes the slow maturity of female alligator gar and ongoing habitat pressures as central reasons for limiting and monitoring large fish removals. The controlled tag allotment and mandatory reporting are intended to produce data on harvest locations sizes and timing that managers can use to refine regulations and habitat protections.

For Phillips County residents the program matters because it affects local recreational anglers and the health of fish populations in regional waters. Limited tag availability may concentrate permit holders across regions and increase the need for clear communication between anglers and enforcement staff. The 12 hour reporting requirement and temporary possession tag will also demand prompt compliance to avoid violations. Local boat shops guide services and marinas should be prepared to inform clients about the deadline application fee and app reporting process.

The commission directs applicants to its licensing portal on the agency website where they can submit the five dollar application and find additional instructions about claiming tags and reporting harvests. The tag program represents a regulatory compromise that permits some trophy harvest while creating a data stream managers will use to track population responses, enforce protections during the closed period and assess whether the program meets conservation objectives.