The summer of 1980 is the benchmark for heat and drought in Arkansas, but 1997 was pretty tough, too.<\/p>\n
It was so bad that a rumor swept through the Hartford community in south Sebastian County that the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was considering closing modern gun deer season to relieve pressure on heat-stressed deer. Of course, that didn’t happen. Deer are resilient, and they continued to thrive.<\/p>\n
Summer 2026 tops 1997 by a wide margin, and deer are feeling it. More of our correspondents from around the state shared their observations. Of course, these are anecdotal and not scientific, but this is what deer enthusiasts are seeing.<\/p>\n
We mentioned on Thursday that white-tailed deer in Little Rock’s residential neighborhoods are in good physical condition. There are plenty of well-hydrated, succulent ornamental plants for them to eat and plenty of architectural water features from which to sip. The Arkansas and Little Maumelle rivers are nearby. City deer are doing fine.<\/p>\n
Our friend Bill Steward reported by text message that deer seem to be healthy in Sherwood.<\/p>\n
“We see three or four or as many as 10 every afternoon,” Steward said.<\/p>\n
Notably, Steward said he has seen no fawns this summer.<\/p>\n
Mike Stanley of Highland keeps close tabs on deer at a nearby Game and Fish Commission wildlife management area. He sent photographs of several ponds that are critically low, but Stanley said deer appear to be handling conditions well.<\/p>\n
“They are holding their own, but I did have a couple of does with ribs showing,” Stanley wrote. He also shared photos of malnourished does.<\/p>\n
“Interestingly enough, I’m still seeing a lot of fawns that appear healthy, and I think more does on the WMA with more twins than I’ve ever seen,” Stanley wrote.<\/p>\n
Deer social structures seem to be different than usual this year, Stanley observed. That could be the result of multiple herds congregating around available food and water.<\/p>\n
“I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen this before,” Stanley wrote. “A bachelor group of bucks mixed up with does and fawns together. The heat and drought is pushing them into abnormal activity to adapt.”<\/p>\n
The most detailed report came from Donny Harris, former chief of wildlife management for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Harris manages large acreages for a few wealthy clients in the Ouachita Mountain region that have the means to provide food and water for deer in difficult conditions.<\/p>\n
“We talked about the stress (that) ticks pose to deer,” Harris wrote. “I think what’s taking place with respect to deer during this extended drought and high temperatures represents additional stress.<\/p>\n
“The Ouachita Mountain region differs significantly from the Ozarks. The east\/west orientation of the Ouachitas results in half the area to be south-facing slopes. These are subjected to significant exposure to the sun. Consequently, these slopes are drier and run more to pine forests than the more moist north slopes which favor hardwoods.”<\/p>\n
Additionally, Harris noted that the bedrock in the Ouachitas is highly fractured. This allows significant portions of streams to seep underground, leaving only small, stagnant, often fetid pools on the surface.<\/p>\n
“Does are nursing fawns and require lots of water intake,” Harris said. “My photos indicate significant stress occurring in adult does and fawns, as well.”<\/p>\n
Drought also diminishes food quality for wildlife.<\/p>\n
“Quantity and digestibility of nutritious browse is severely lacking and could impact fawn survival,” Harris wrote. “I predict a poor hard and soft mast crop to add additional stress.”<\/p>\n
The combined effects of heat and drought might be conspicuous in coming years, Harris added.<\/p>\n
“In my opinion, in many places, our deer population has reached or exceeds environmental carrying capacity,” Harris wrote.<\/p>\n
Environmental carrying capacity is a local habitat’s ability to supply adequate nutrition for the deer it supports.<\/p>\n
“Too many deer dealing with subpar nutrition doesn’t bode well for herd health,” Harris wrote.<\/p>\n
Our correspondent in southern Washington County reported that acorns are already falling in great numbers. Many are malformed, and all appear to be smaller than usual. Harris reported the same observation in the Ouachitas.<\/p>\n
“The acorns in the area I manage never really developed,” Harris wrote in concurrence. “There were a few post oak acorns early, but they dropped underdeveloped a month ago. It’s almost a perfect storm of adversity for critters.”<\/p>\n
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