Hunting Seasons & Bag Limits

TURKEY

• Gobblers only—one a day, five during combined fall and spring seasons.
• Special Youth Hunt—Saturday & Sunday prior to opening of the spring season, in accordance with rule 220-2-.119.
• Special Disabled Hunt—one day prior to all opening days. Participants must meet medical requirements of regulation 220-2-.109.
• Mandatory Harvest Record.

FALL SEASON (decoys not permitted)
November 19 – January 1

• Clarke; Clay; Covington; Monroe; Randolph; and Talladega. No decoys permitted during fall turkey season

SPRING SEASON (decoys permitted)
March 15 – April 30

• Autauga; Baldwin; Barbour; Bibb; Blount; Bullock; Butler; Calhoun; Chambers; Cherokee; Chilton; Choctaw; Clarke; Clay; Cleburne; Coffee; Conecuh; Coosa; Covington; Crenshaw; Cullman (except north of Lewis Smith Lake and north of Cullman County Road 437 and west of I-65); Dale; Dallas; DeKalb; Elmore; Escambia; Etowah; Fayette; Geneva (except south of AL Hwy. 52, east of AL Hwy. 167, west of Houston County line and north of the Florida line); Greene; Hale; Henry, Houston; Jackson; Jefferson; Lamar; Lee; Lowndes; Macon; Marengo; Marion; Marshall; Mobile (except south of I-10 from the Mississippi state line east to AL Hwy. 188 and south on AL Hwy. 188 to Coden, Alabama); Monroe; Montgomery; Perry; Pickens; Pike; Randolph; Russell; Shelby; St. Clair; Sumter; Talladega; Tallapoosa; Tuscaloosa; Walker; Washington; and Wilcox.

April 1 – April 30

• Colbert; Franklin; Lauderdale (west of US Hwy. 43); Lawrence (south of AL Hwy. 24); Limestone (north of US Hwy. 72); Madison; and Winston.

April 21 – April 25

• Cullman (north of Lewis Smith Lake and north of Cullman County Road 437 and west of I-65.); Lawrence (north and east of AL Hwy. 157 and west of AL Hwy. 33 and south of AL Hwy. 20); Lauderdale (east of US Hwy. 43); and Morgan (east of I-65).

No Open Season

• Morgan county is not open to turkey hunting west of I-65.

 

MOURNING DOVE
(including white-winged dove)

 

North Zone (All counties except those listed below in south zone.)

• 15 a day – 15 in possession (70 days)
• Split Season with Shooting Hours:
• September 3 – October 2
  September 3: 12 O’clock noon until Sunset
  (Afternoon Shooting Only)
  September 4 – October 2: One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
• October 22 – November 5
  One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
• December 10 – January 3
  One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)

South Zone

Baldwin; Barbour; Coffee; Covington; Dale; Escambia; Geneva; Henry; Houston; and Mobile.

• 15 a day – 15 in possession (70 days)
• Split Season with Shooting Hours:
• October 1 – October 30
  October 1: 12 O’clock noon until Sunset
  (Afternoon Shooting Only)
  October 2 – October 30: One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
• November 24 – November 27
  One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
• December 3 – January 7
  One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)

NOTICE: At the time of printing, federal guidelines were not final concerning all migratory birds, including dove season dates. Check www.outdooralabama.com for updates prior to September.

BOBWHITE QUAIL

November 12 – February 29

• 12 a day — 12 in possession

RABBIT

October 1 – February 29

• 8 a day — 8 in possession
• No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 a.m. during and in areas of spring turkey season.

SQUIRREL

October 1 – February 29

• 8 a day – 8 in possession

RACCOON

September 1 – February 29

• Private Owned and Leased Lands: 5 per person
• Open Permit-Public Land: 5 Per Party
• No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 a.m. during and in areas of spring turkey season.

OPOSSUM

September 1 – February 29

• No Bag Limit
• No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 a.m. during and in areas of spring turkey season.

ALLIGATOR (2011)

• By Special Permit Only
• Must register on-line at www.outdooralabama.com between June 1 (8:00 a.m.) and July 12 (8:00 a.m.).
• Must be Alabama Resident to register.

Sunset August 12 – Sunrise August 15 and
Sunset August 19 – Sunrise August 22

• Mobile Delta (nighttime only)
• Dallas; Monroe (north of US Hwy. 84) and Wilcox (nighttime only)

Sunset August 12 – August 28

• Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Russell counties (nighttime only)

BEAVER, NUTRIA, AND GROUNDHOG

No Closed Season

• No Bag Limit — Daylight Hours Only

STARLINGS, CROWS & BLACKBIRDS

No Closed Season

• No Bag Limit — Daylight Hours Only

BEAR, MOUNTAIN LION & RUFFED GROUSE

No Open Season

WOODCOCK

December 18 – January 31

• 3 a day — 6 in possession
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

SNIPE

November 14 – February 28

• 8 a day — 16 in possession
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

RAIL, PURPLE GALLINULE &
COMMON MOORHENS

November 25 – January 29

• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• 15 a day — 15 in possession
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

SPECIAL TEAL SEASON

September 10 – September 25

• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• 4 a day — 8 in possession
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

SPECIAL EARLY
CANADA GOOSE SEASON

September 1 – September 15

• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• 5 a day — 10 in possession
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

SPECIAL SNOW/
BLUE GOOSE SEASON

October 29 – November 13

• Monroe and Escambia Counties only
• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• 5 a day — 10 in possession
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

DUCK, COOT, MERGANSER

November 25 – November 26

December 3 – January 29

• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

Duck

• 6 ducks a day — may include no more than 4 Mallards (no more than 2 of which may be female), 3 Wood Ducks, 1 Mottled Duck, 1 Black Duck, 2 Redhead, 2 Pintail, 1 Canvasback, and 2 Scaup.
• The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.

Coot

• 15 a day — 30 in possession

Merganser

• 5 a day, only 2 may be a Hooded Merganser.
• The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.

GEESE

September 24 – October 5
December 3 – January 29

• Statewide (including Southern James Bay Population Zone)
• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• All geese: the daily bag limit of 5 shall not include more than 2 Canada geese or 2 white-fronted geese. The possession limit of 5 shall include no more than 4 Canada geese and white-fronted geese in aggregate.
• Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

SPECIAL YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS

February 11 – February 12

• Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
• Same shooting hours, bag limits, and legal arms and ammunition apply as did in regular waterfowl season, in accordance with Rule 220-2-.119.
• Sourse: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website
• For More information visit: www.outdooralabama.com