Big Squirrel Challenge is this weekend, January 12-13

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s statewide squirrel-hunting celebration is back for its third year. The Big Squirrel Challenge was started in May of 2021 at the J.B. And Johnelle Hunt Family Ozarks Highland Nature Center and it was so popular it was expanded to a statewide event with 12 locations for people to weigh-in their squirrels and win prizes.

The official rules are available at www.agfc.com/education/2024-big-squirrel-challenge, but here are the main details in a nutshell. Teams hunt from noon on Friday, January 12 through noon on Saturday, January 13 during legal shooting hours to harvest the three largest squirrels they can find. Hunters can use squirrel dogs or still hunt.
Hunters can harvest up to their legal limit of 12 squirrels per person.

Squirrels will be weighed skin on and field-dressed and the winning teams will be announced at 1L30 for each region. Each regional first and second place team will receive medals and bragging right for their effort. The top teams in the state will be announced on January 15 and will receive additional prizes, including a Umarex air rifle.

No registration or entry fees are required to participate in the contest. Participates just need to show up at a weigh-in site between noon and 1 pm on January 13 to compete.

The sites in Southwest Arkansas include: Grandview Prairie Nature Center in Columbus and SAU Laney Farm in Magnolia.