Can't comment on the legal issues in Arkansas, But I took my first critter ever this year with my CCW, legal here, as long as it's legal for hunting.
I'm new at hunting, just started last year. I hunted a couple of days last year and never got a darned thing, had to get serious this year. And as serious as I was, couldn't get a darned thing.
After two weekend long quota hunts 100 miles from my house, not even getting a shot off at anything, I found a WMA within 20 miles of home that I never knew existed. I drove by after work one friday afternoon before season,and saw pigs on a trail. I scouted out the trail. I walked up to a pig got 10 feet away from it and called my buddy to tell him to come hunting with me. I yelled "BANG!" at the pig and it didn't even move. I was all set to get a pig now.
All weekend I came to the same spot and there were always 2 or 3 cars there. Walked all over the place didn't see a darned thing except for the FWC officer who was waiting for me every time I came out of the woods.
MOnday morning showed up for work in a blind stagger, flat wore out. I work for a company that installs electronic equipment, fortunately I had a slow day and was on my way home when I decided to stop by the WMA to see if the spot i scouted out was empty. Goshdarned if there wasn't somebody already there at 4:00 on a monday! Don't these people work? Figured I was already there might as well walk around a bit. I drove to another trail. Didn't have my bugsuit, most of my gear for that matter. I had a pair of blue jeans in the van so I put those on and my snake boots, put my Glock 30 (compact 45) in an IWB holster under my Hawaiian shirt, put my snubby in my back pocket, grabbed my knife and a piece of rope in a little fanny pack (camo, so it's not gay), doused myself in bug spray and went for a walk.
I walked... maybe a mile or so, and found fresh tracks. I stopped sat down to rest and had no sooner got comfy between a couple of trees and leaned my head over to take a nap, but I heard something rustle in the brush. Holy crap! There's animals here! I presented my Glock in low ready and saw the pig turn to the side and pause. Bang! I rushed and got a bad shot. I hit the spine and the pig was still going on front legs mostly. I felt bad about that, but I never shot anything except at a range with marked distance. I realized later I was shooting at 25 yards and my glock shoots hot 230 gr about 8" high at that range. I simply misjudged the distance. I'll do better next time. Anyway, the pig got closer and out of the brush and I got a good head shot. I called my buddy and my wife and told them of my good fortune.
Boy, talk about dead weight. This pig was only like 150# and I like to never have drug it back to the van. Fortunately, I was in the middle of the marsh, so I went wading with the gators annd floated it most of the way. After 15 minutes wading in over my waist- shoot!- i left my snub in my pocket. I took it out, unloaded it and shook the water out of it. Dang... walked about another 15 minutes- shoot!- left my cellphone in my pocket, too> couldn't shake the water out of it. Company cellphone, how do I explain that one to the boss?
Finally made it back to the van. whew.... Shoot! where the hell are my keys?! In my shorts in the van. crap. Where the hell are my spare keys? In the front seat. Can't call- no cellphone. Where the hell is that game officer now? No luck flagging down cars... 45 minutes later game officer shows.
Me; " Man, am I glad to see you guys"
FWC: "What are you doing here?"
ME (in hawaiian print and blue jeans): "Hunting, what's it look like?"
The junior officer loaned me his personal cell and I called my wife:
Me: " Hey babe. I need help."
Her: "Of course you do"
Me: "Seriously. I'm locked out of the van and need you to bring me a screwdriver and pliers. I'm at (detailed directions)"
Her: "You're in the van, right?"
Me: "Yup."
Her: "Doesn't your boss have a key?"
Me: "I'm gonna call my boss and have him drive to Boca to get me a key to unlock the company van?"
Her:"Yeah."
Me: "Maybe he'll help me dress out the pig and load it in the van."
Her(with no sense of sarcasm):"Sure, I guess so."
Me:"I'm hunting out of a g0dd@m company van! I'm gonna get fired! I'm not callin' my boss!"
Her: "Fine! What do you need?"
Me: "A pair of pliers and a screwdriver. I'm at (detailed directions)."
Her: "Don't you have those?"
Me:"Yes. They're in my tool box"
Her:"You've got your tool box? Why do need me to bring you tools?"
Me: "'Cause they're locked in the damned van!"
Her:"Fine! Where are you?"
Me: "(detailed directions)"
Her: "Where is that?"
Me: "You've lived here your whole life. What do you mean where is that? Past your old high school."
Her: "I still don't know what you're talking about."
etc., etc.
Anyway, after 10 minutes on this poor guy's cellphone I got her out there. He was a heckuva nice guy.
Some days I can't believe my poor wife is still married to me.
I have 3 spare keys for this van now.
Anyhow I went to dressing the pig out. No clue what I'm doing, never done it, never seen it done. My buddy gave me a couple of pointers over the phone while it still worked. I told him I'd call him later. Lotsa luck now.
A sheriff's deputy pulls up.
Deputy: What are you doing?
Me: Dressing out a pig.
Deputy: (looking at the van, then at the pig, then back at me in my hawaiian shirt) What... did you hit it with your vehicle?
Me: No, I'm hunting.
Deputy: Where's your gun?
Me: Glock. On my right hip.
Deputy: You hunt with a glock? never heard of that...
Deputy: You taking out the backstrap?
Me (thinking what the hell is a backstrap?): Yeah, yeah, taking out the backstrap.
Anyway, I told the deputy I was new at this and and he talked me through it. He held the flashlight for me, too. He was a heckuva nice guy.
I took the pig home. The wife took pictures of my first quarry with no film in the camera. I have no proof. Got to bed at 2am and somehow still made it to work the next day, although a little late as i stopped at the butcher on the way.
In short, it was my best hunting trip ever. I had a blast! I can't wait until next hunting season.