Howdy! I got a black bear in 2001 in Pope County near Jerusalem, AR. I have hunted the last 3 to 4 years near Alpena, AR. Going back up there next month to hunt. There is lots of public hunting land and WMAs in Arkansas. The best hunting is probably in bear zone 1 and 2. I hunt best with an outfitter that provides lodging and meals. It seems to work best for me since I live in Texas and can't get up to AR to scout around on public land. However, since you live in AR, it is some very inexpensive hunting if you know where to go. Up until a few years ago there were very few outfitters for black bear in Arkansas. Most outfitted for deer with bear being a bonus if you ran across one during deer hunting. If you are interested, send me a private email and I will tell you the outfitters I used. Also, see the Arkansas Dept of Wildlife for additional info on seasons, etc. Hope this helps! Good hunting!
