Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.01
The following 2019 -2020 hunting seasons, in accordance with the below-stated times, places, manner, and means, are hereby established:
ANTLERED BUCKS are defined as those male deer with bare antlers visible above natural hairline.
UNANTLERED DEER are defined as all deer without bony antlers visible above the natural hairline.
WHITE-TAILED ANTLERED BUCK LIMIT - Three per hunter during all combined seasons, one per day. One of the three must have at least 4 antler points 1" or longer on one antler (except for Barbour County). A point is defined as an antler projection of at least one inch in length from base to tip. Main beam tip shall be counted as a point regardless of length.
EXCEPTIONS:
* BARBOUR COUNTY ANTLER RESTRICTION - white-tailed deer antlered bucks must have a minimum of three points on one side, (except on the statewide special youth deer hunting dates during which any antlered buck may be taken).
* WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA) BONUS BUCK - One per hunter during all combined bonus buck hunt dates will be allowed to be harvested from a selected collection of WMA's on specific hunt dates depicted on the WMA map permits that will not count towards the hunter's State three buck limit. Must be validated at WMA check station by WFF personnel.
WHITE-TAILED UNANTLERED DEER LIMIT - During the Unantlered Deer Gun, Special Muzzleloader, Bow and Arrow, and Special Youth (under 16) Seasons, one unantlered deer may be taken per day in addition to one antlered buck per day. See Special Exception #3 for selected areas with one deer per day limit on U.S. Forest Service Lands.
SPECIAL YOUTH (UNDER 16) DEER HUNTING - Statewide, (includes all Privately Owned, Leased Lands and Open Permit - Public Lands (except Wildlife Management Areas) on November 15 - 18. Dog hunting in those counties or parts of counties where and how it is allowed during the regular dog deer hunting season. Same legal arms and ammunition apply as in Deer season, in accordance with Rule 220-2-.119. See the 2019 - 2020 Wildlife Management Area Map Permits for youth deer hunting dates and other information.
SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS: If notes 1, 2, or 3 appear by the county listed, see the special exceptions at the end of this chart. Note (1) relates to dog deer hunting. Note (2) relates to U.S. Corp of Engineers Lands. Note (3) relates to U.S. Forest Service Lands.
DEER SEASON ZONES:
ZONE A (see map): Those areas north or east of a line described as: Beginning at the intersection of the Mississippi state line and US Hwy. 80 in Sumter County follow US Hwy. 80 east to the US Hwy. 80 Bypass and Alabama River; upstream along the Alabama River to I- 65; south along 1-65 to the intersection with 1-85; north along 1-85 to AL Hwy. 169 (exit 60); south along AL Hwy. 169 to AL Hwy. 1/US Hwy. 431; south along AL Hwy. 1/US Hwy. 431 to AL Hwy. 2 6; west along AL Hwy. 2 6 to Russell County Rd. 65; south along Russell County Rd. 65 to Russell County Rd. 4; west along Russell County Rd. 4 to Russell County Rd. 49; south along Russell County Rd. 49 to US Hwy. 82; east along US Hwy. 82 to the Chattahoochee River; south along the Chattahoochee River to AL Hwy. 10; west along AL Hwy. 10 to Henry County Rd. 57; south along Henry County Rd. 57 to Henry County Rd. 99; south along Henry County Rd. 99 to US Hwy. 431; south along US Hwy. 431 to Ross Clark Circle (bypass around Dothan); east along Ross Clark Circle to US Hwy. 231 to the Alabama/Florida state line. Excludes Zone C description below.
ZONE B (see map): Those areas south or west of a line described as: Beginning at the intersection of the Mississippi state line and US Hwy. 80 in Sumter County follow US Hwy. 80 east to the US Hwy. 80 Bypass and Alabama River; upstream along the Alabama River to 1-65; south along 1-65 to the intersection with 1-85; north along 1-85 to AL Hwy. 169 (exit 60); south along AL Hwy. 169 to AL Hwy. 1/US Hwy. 431; south along AL Hwy. 1/US Hwy. 431 to AL Hwy. 2 6; west along AL Hwy. 2 6 to Russell County Rd. 65; south along Russell County Rd. 65 to Russell County Rd. 4; west along Russell County Rd. 4 to Russell County Rd. 49; south along Russell County Rd. 49 to US Hwy. 82; east along US Hwy. 82 to the Chattahoochee River; south along the Chattahoochee River to AL Hwy. 10; west along AL Hwy. 10 to Henry County Rd. 57; south along Henry County Rd. 57 to Henry County Rd. 99; south along Henry County Rd. 99 to US Hwy. 431; south along US Hwy. 431 to Ross Clark Circle (bypass around Dothan); east along Ross Clark Circle to US Hwy. 231; south along US Hwy. 231 to the Alabama/Florida state line.
ZONE C- UNANTLERED DEER SEASON: Those areas of Blount, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Morgan, Marshall, St. Clair, Walker, and Winston Counties inside the following boundaries: begin at the intersection of US Hwy 431 and AL Hwy. 79 in Marshall County; north on US Hwy. 431 to Paint Rock River; Paint Rock River (Marshall County/Madison County line) to Tennessee River; west on Tennessee River to US Hwy. 43; south on US Hwy. 43 to intersection with AL Hwy. 13; south on AL Hwy. 13 to AL Hwy. 5; south on AL Hwy. 5 to Nauvoo, Walker County; east/north on Poplar Springs Road to Winston County Road 21; north on Winston County Road 21 to AL Hwy. 195; north on AL Hwy 195 to Clear Creek; south on Clear Creek to Sipsey Fork; south on Sipsey Fork to US Hwy. 69; north on US Hwy. 69 to Interstate 65; south on Interstate 65 to Interstate 59; north on Interstate 59 to US Hwy. 11; north on US Hwy. 11 to AL Hwy. 68; west on AL Hwy. 68 to AL Hwy. 227; north on AL Hwy. 22 7 to AL Hwy. 75; north on AL Hwy. 7 5 to AL Hwy. 35; north on AL Hwy. 35 to US Hwy. 72; west on US Hwy. 72 to AL Hwy. 279; south on AL Hwy. 27 9 to AL Hwy. 79; south on AL Hwy. 79; ending at the junction of US Hwy. 431 and AL Hwy. 79.
DOG DEER HUNTING RESTRICTIONS AT A GLANCE
Dog Deer Hunting Prohibited Except by Special Permit from the Department:
Baldwin; Chambers; Choctaw (that area south of al Hwy. 10 and west of AL Hwy. 17 and north of County Road 18 from AL Hwy. 17 to County Road 14 then north of County Road 14 to the Mississippi state line); CLAY; COLBERT (that area inside the following boundaries: from the intersection of the Natchez Trace Parkway and US Hwy. 72 west along US Hwy 72 to the Mississippi State line, north along the Mississippi State line to the Tennessee River, east along the Tennessee River to the intersection of the Natchez Trace Parkway, south along the Natchez Trace Parkway to the intersection of US Hwy. 72); COOSA; Covington (north of US Hwy. 84); Elmore (that area inside the following boundaries: from the Coosa County/ Elmore County line at the east bank of Lake Jordan, to AL Hwy. 9, south along AL Hwy. 9 to the intersection of US Hwy. 231, south along US Hwy. 231 to the intersection of AL Hwy. 14, west along AL Hwy. 14 to the east bank of the Coosa River, north along the east bank of the Coosa River to Lake Jordan, back to the Coosa County/Elmore County line) ; GENEVA; HENRY; MACON (that area inside the following boundaries: from County Road 24 at the Lee County line, west and south to County Road 26, west to County Road 10, southeast to County Road 5, south to County Road 47, south to County Road 2, east to the Russell County line); MARENGO; MONROE; PICKENS (north of US Hwy. 82); TALLADEGA; TALLAPOOSA; and WILCOX counties. Individual property owners in CHAMBERS and COOSAcounties may hunt with dogs on their own property without special permit. No dog deer hunting allowed on Open Permit-Public Land (see 220-2-.85 ).
By Stalk Hunting Only, (No Dogs): Bibb; Perry: (that area inside the following boundaries: east of AL Hwy. 219, south of US Hwy. 82 and north of AL Hwy. 183); Bulter (that area south of AL Hwy. 106 and east of 1-65) ; Cherokee; Chilton; Cleburne; Coffee (that area inside the following boundaries: AL Hwy. 134 from the Covington County Line, east to County Road 460, south to the Geneva County line, east to the Dale County line, north to AL Hwy. 134, west to AL Hwy. 87, north to US Hwy. 84, west to AL Hwy. 189, south to AL Hwy. 141, north to US Hwy. 84, west to the Covington County line) ; Crenshaw (north of AL Hwy. 10 and that area inside the following boundaries, from the east city limit of Luverne, US Hwy. 29 east to the junction of County Road 57, County Road 57 south to the junction of Davis Road, Davis Road west to County Road 41, County Road 41 south to US Hwy. 331, US Hwy. 331 north to County Road 41, County Road 41 north to County Road 39, County Road 39 north to the Luverne city limit); Dale (that area inside the following boundaries: Judy Creek south to Dale County Road 36, east to AL Hwy. 27, north to the Henry County line, north to the Barbour County line, west to Judy Creek); DeKalb; Elmore (that area inside the following boundaries: east of US Hwy. 231, south of AL Hwy. 14, west of Tumkeehatchee Creek and north of the Tallapoosa River); Fayette (that area inside the following boundaries: west of US Hwy 43 and north of AL Hwy. 18); Franklin; Hale; Perry: (that area inside the following boundaries: from Hale County Road 32 at the Hale County Line, west to the intersection of AL Hwy. 25, AL Hwy. 25 north until it intersects with the Talladega National Forest boundary, following the boundary south until it intersects the Perry County line, following the National Forest boundary east to Perry County Road 23, south to the intersection of Perry County Road 29, south to the Spring Hill Church Road, Spring Hill Church Road west to the junction of Perry County Road 23 and AL Hwy. 14, west to the Hale County line); Greene; Pickens; Tuscaloosa: (that area inside the following boundaries: in Pickens County from the intersection of US Hwy. 82 and County Road 63, south on County Road 63 to Benevola, County Road 2 (commonly known as the Romulus Road) east through Greene County to US Hwy. 82 in Tuscaloosa County) ; Houston; Jackson; Lamar; Lauderdale; Lawrence; Limestone; Madison; Marion; Marshall; Morgan; Randolph; Tuscaloosa (that area north of US Hwy. 82); and Winston (that area east of AL Hwy. 5 from the Walker County line to Natural Bridge and all that area north of US Hwy. 278).
U.S. Corp of Engineers Lands in Chambers, Greene; Pickens;
Randolph and Sumter counties special muzzleloader and air rifle and unantlered deer season same as privately owned or leased lands in those counties.
Be aware to consult U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) regulations regarding hunting activities and boat ramp use prior to hunting USACE regulated areas. Special Permits from the USACE may be required and some USACE refuge areas are closed to hunting. For complete information concerning hunting on the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway (TTWW), visit the website at http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Recreation/TennesseeTombigbee-Waterway/ or contact the TTWW office at (662)327-2142.
Stalk Hunting Only- No Dogs (except for USFS Lands within Calhoun, Clay & Talladega counties): Same season and dates as open permit-public lands.
Dog Deer Hunting - Calhoun, Clay & Talladega counties during the Dog Deer Season on open permit-public lands on Thursdays and Fridays until 2:00 p.m.; on weekends during legal shooting hours. No Dog Deer hunting on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of each week unless a holiday falls on those days; No Dog Deer hunting on the Piney Woods/Ivory Mountain Area, the borders of which are defined as: bounded by the Cleburne County line to the north running east and west, then to the west by Clay CR 3 running south to State Rte. 49; The south border is Clay CR 66 running east and west from State Rte. 49 to Hwy. 9; The eastern border is Hwy. 9 running north from Clay CR 66 to the Cleburne County line.
SPECIAL YOUTH HUNT: SATURDAY & SUNDAY THE WEEK 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(2)(d).
WMA DELAYED SPRING TURKEY SEASON: Barbour, Choccolocco, Hollins, J.D. Martin-Skyline, Lowndes, Oakmulgee, and Perdido River
March 28 - May 3
TURKEY SEASON ZONES:
ZONE 1: Autauga; Baldwin; Barbour; Bibb; Blount; Bullock; Butler; Calhoun; Chambers; Cherokee; Chilton; Choctaw; Cleburne; Coffee; Conecuh; Coosa; Crenshaw; Cullman (except north of Lewis Smith Lake and north of Cullman County Road 437 and west of 1-65.); 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; Montgomery; Perry; Pickens; Pike; Russell; Shelby; St. Clair; Sumter; Tallapoosa; Tuscaloosa; Walker; Washington; and Wilcox.
SPRING SEASON (decoys permitted):March 21 - May 3
ZONE 2; Colbert; Franklin; Lauderdale (west of US Hwy. 43); Lawrence (south of AL Hwy. 24); Limestone (north of US Hwy. 72); Madison; and Winston.
SPRING SEASON (decoys permitted):March 28 - May 3
ZONE 3: Cullman (north of Lewis Smith Lake and north of Cullman County Road 437 and west of 1-65.); Geneva (south of AL Hwy. 52, east of AL Hwy. 167, west of Houston County line and north of the Florida line); Lawrence (north of AL Hwy. 24); Lauderdale (east of US Hwy. 43); and Morgan.
SPRING SEASON (decoys permitted):April 18 - April 22
ZONE 4: Clarke; Clay; Covington; Monroe; Randolph; and Talladega.
FALL SEASON (decoys not permitted): November 23 - December 5
December 14 - January 1
SPRING SEASON (decoys permitted):March 21 - May 3
NORTH ZONE: All counties except those listed below in South Zone.
Limit 15 a Day - (90 Days)
Split Season with Shooting Hours:
12 O'clock noon until Sunset (Afternoon Shooting Only)
September 7
One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
September 8 -October 27
One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
November 23 - December 1
One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
December 14 - January 12
SOUTH ZONE: Baldwin; Barbour; Coffee; Covington; Dale; Escambia; Geneva; Henry; Houston; and Mobile.
Limit 15 a Day - (90 days)
Split Season with Shooting Hours:
12 O'clock noon until Sunset (Afternoon Shooting Only)
September 14
One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
September 15 - November 3
One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
November 23 - December 1
One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)
December 14 - January 12
Limit 8 a Day - 8 in Possession November 2 - February 29
September 14 - March 8
No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 A.M. during and in areas of spring turkey season.
Limit 8 a Day - 8 in Possession
September 14 - March 8
No Bag Limit - Private Owned and Leased Lands No Closed Season
Limit 5 Per Party - Open Permit-Public Land No Closed Season
May be hunted daytime and nighttime hours.
No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 A.M. during and in areas of spring turkey season.
Note: Check with USFS for further restrictions.
May be hunted daytime and nighttime hours.
No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 A.M. during and in areas of spring turkey season.
Note: Check with USFS for further restrictions.
By Special Limited Quota Permit Only
Must apply on-line at www. outdooralabama. com between June 4 (8:00 a.m.) and July 10 (8:00 a.m.). Must be an Alabama resident or an Alabama lifetime hunting license holder to apply.
West Central Zone: Dallas; Monroe (north of US Hwy. 84) and Wilcox (nighttime only)
Sunset August 8 - Sunrise August 11
Sunset August 15 - Sunrise August 18
Southwest Zone: Baldwin; Clarke; Mobile; Monroe (east of US Hwy. 4 3 and south of US Hwy. 84); and Washington counties (nighttime only)
Sunset August 8 - Sunrise August 11
Sunset August 15 - Sunrise August 18
Southeast Zone: Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Russell counties (nighttime only)
Sunset August 10 - Sunrise September 2
Lake Eufaula Zone: Alabama State Waters Only (daytime and nighttime)
Sunset August 16 - Sunrise September 30
No Closed Season
See 220-2-.07 for legal hunting hours.
Dogs cannot be used to hunt during and in areas of spring turkey season.
See tagging requirement under regulation 220-2-.30
Trapping is limited to legal fur bearer season.
*Check with USFS for further restrictions
No Closed Season
See 220-2-.07 for legal hunting hours.
Dogs cannot be used to hunt during and in areas of spring turkey season.
Trapping by landowner or his agent.
*Check with USFS for further restrictions
No Closed Season
See 220-2-.07 for legal hunting hours.
Dogs cannot be used to hunt during and in areas of spring turkey season.
Upon capture, it shall be unlawful to release any live feral swine. See regulation 220-2-.86.
Trapping by landowner or his agent.
Privately owned and leased lands only Special Nighttime Season
May 1 - August 31
No Bag Limit - May be hunted daytime or nighttime hours
Dogs only - no firearms allowed.
*Check with USFS for further restrictions
May be hunted daytime and nighttime hours.
Nighttime hours with dogs only.
No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 A.M. during and in areas of spring turkey.
*Check with USFS for further restrictions
No Bag Limit - Daylight Hours Only
No Closed Season
No Bag Limit - Daylight Hours Only
No Open Season
December 13 - December
15 December 21 - January 31
Shooting Hours - One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.
Note: Contingent upon federal register
Shooting Hours - One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.
Note: Contingent upon federal register
Limit 15 a Day September 14 - September 29
November 29 - January 21
Shooting Hours - One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.
Note: Contingent upon federal register
Limit 20 frogs in aggregate per person from 12 Noon to 12 Noon the following day.
May be hunted daytime or nighttime hours.
BOBCAT, FOX, MINK, MUSKRAT, OTTER, AND STRIPED SKUNK:
November 2 - February 29
Note: See tagging requirements for Bobcat and Otter under Rule 220-2-.30
Note: Permit may be obtained through your local District Office for the trapping of nuisance furbearers outside the dates of trapping season.
BEAVER, COYOTE, NUTRIA, RACCOON, OPOSSUM & FERAL SWINE:
No Closed Season
Note: All bobcat and otter, regardless of method of harvest, are required to be tagged by a representative of the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division within 14 days of harvest or may be left with a taxidermist with a completed tagging form, and the taxidermist is required to have the bobcat or otter tagged within 14 days of receipt.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.01
Author: Christopher M. Blankenship
Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 9-2-7, 9-2-8, 9-2-12, 9-11-235, 9-11-240.
PENALTY: As provided by law.