YELLVILLE — Arkansas squirrel hunters showed off their woodsmanship skills Saturday afternoon at the 2026 Umarex Big Squirrel Challenge at 13 weigh-in facilities scattered throughout the state. This year’s competition saw record participation, a trend that’s remained constant throughout the event’s five-year history.
“We had 419 people show up at the weigh-in stations this year,” Eric Maynard, AGFC education assistant chief, said. “They provided 266 total entries into the contest, 80 entries more than last year.”
Maynard says some of the added entries came from the opening of a new “gray squirrel only” division, and the ability of some very successful hunters to enter three squirrels in each of the three divisions, but the attendance at the event has steadily increased as well…