One of the longest deer seasons in the country, a 200,000+ deer harvest most years, and national forest WMAs open to any licensed hunter.
Terrain shifts sharply north to south: the Appalachian foothills and Bankhead/Talladega National Forest country in north and central Alabama are ridge-and-hollow hardwoods with lower deer densities, while the Black Belt prairie and southern coastal plain hold flatter farmland and pine plantation habitat with much higher deer numbers.
- Agency
- Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division
- Region
- Southeast
- Deer rank
- #23 of 50
- Species guides
- 3
01
Alabama hunting license and tag costs
Deer license and tag prices as last reviewed. Other species' permits are listed in the agency fee schedule.
| License / tag | Price |
|---|---|
| Resident hunting license (annual) | approx. $17-24 |
| Resident all-game/big game license | approx. $25-35 |
| Nonresident 3-day trip all-game license | approx. $174 |
| Nonresident annual all-game license | approx. $400 |
| Baiting Privilege License | approx. $16 |
02
Alabama hunting laws to know
Rules that catch hunters out most often. Not a substitute for the regulations book.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Blaze orange | Hunter orange is required for all hunters (including archers) on WMAs during gun deer season; specific requirements vary by WMA, so check individual area regulations. |
| Baiting/feeding | Baiting is legal for deer on private and leased land with a Baiting Privilege License, but it is prohibited on all public hunting lands, including WMAs and national forests. |
| Crossbow legality | Crossbows are legal for any hunter throughout archery season and all other deer seasons, with no special permit required. |
| Sunday hunting | Sunday deer hunting is allowed statewide on private land with landowner consent; some public lands and specific counties retain historical restrictions, so check local rules. |
| Legal firearms | Centerfire rifles and handguns, shotguns with slugs, muzzleloaders, and crossbows are legal during open gun seasons; airguns of sufficient caliber are also permitted for deer. |
| Tagging/harvest reporting | Hunters must report each deer harvest through Alabama Game Check (phone app, website, or licensed dealer) before the carcass is moved from the kill site. |
| CWD carcass transport | Deer harvested inside Alabama's CWD Management Zone in west Alabama are subject to carcass movement and disposal restrictions; check current CWD zone maps before transporting a carcass. |
| Hunter education | Anyone born on or after Aug. 1, 1977 must complete a hunter education course to buy an Alabama hunting license. |
03
Alabama deer season structure (2025-26)
Alabama's six deer zones each carry different opening and closing dates for every weapon type, and dates shift year to year — always confirm the current zone map and dates on Outdoor Alabama before you hunt.
| Season | Weapon | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Bow / crossbow | Early-to-mid Oct – early Feb, zone dependent |
| Gun (general firearms) | Rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, crossbow | Mid-Nov – late Jan/early Feb, zone dependent |
| Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Roughly one week before gun season opens in each zone |
| Youth deer hunt | Firearms/archery | Late Oct/early Nov weekend, zone dependent |
What you can hunt in Alabama
- Deer — White-tailed deer
Very good · ranked #23 of 50 for deer.
- Wild Hog
River-bottom hogs with generous rules and public national forest
Access: License only; night hunting rules vary by county
- Wild Turkey
Long spring seasons and heavy Eastern bird numbers
Access: Over-the-counter; some WMAs require a separate quota permit
Public hunting land in Alabama
Alabama's public deer hunting is concentrated on Wildlife Management Areas, several of which overlap national forest land and are open to any licensed hunter.
Bankhead National Forest / WMA
National forest / WMA · North Alabama
Rugged, heavily wooded Sipsey Wilderness country in the Cumberland Plateau, offering lower-density but classic north Alabama ridge hunting.
Official pageTalladega National Forest (Shoal Creek & Talladega WMAs)
National forest / WMA · East-central Alabama
Large blocks of national forest split into multiple WMAs, with rolling hardwood ridges and quota gun hunts each fall.
Official pageOakmulgee WMA
WMA / National forest · West-central Alabama (Talladega N.F.)
One of the state's most popular public archery and gun tracts, spanning parts of the Black Belt transition zone.
Barbour WMA
WMA · Southeast Alabama
A well-known trophy-management WMA in the Black Belt region, historically producing some of Alabama's best public-land bucks under special antler restrictions.
Choccolocco WMA
WMA · East Alabama
Mountainous public tract near Anniston with a mix of quota and non-quota deer hunts.
Uchee WMA
WMA · East-central/southeast Alabama
Pine flatwoods and hardwood drains near Fort Moore, popular with archery hunters chasing higher-density southern deer.
Mobile-Tensaw Delta WMAs
WMA / River delta · South Alabama
Bottomland hardwood and swamp habitat along the Delta, holding good deer numbers alongside strong duck and turkey hunting.
Official Alabama links
- Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division
- Current regulations
- Buy hunting & fishing licenses
Last reviewed 2026-09.
Nearby state hunting guides
Questions
Frequently asked
- Where do I buy a Alabama hunting license?
- Alabama hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.
- When is Alabama hunting season?
- Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Alabama season dates change every year. Our Alabama deer guide summarizes the 2025-26 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division regulations before you plan a hunt.
- What can you hunt in Alabama?
- Besides white-tailed deer, our species guides single out Alabama for wild hog, wild turkey. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.
- Where is public hunting land in Alabama?
- Good starting points include Bankhead National Forest / WMA, Talladega National Forest (Shoal Creek & Talladega WMAs), Oakmulgee WMA. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.
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