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WFF District I county page
Colbert County Hunting
A county guide to Colbert County, served by the WFF District I office in Tanner: deer zones, season table, turkey class, alligator and SOA hunts where they apply, and public land.
Photo: Warren LeMay (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Open hunting ground inside Colbert County
The table below covers all 3 hunting areas on our list that reach into Colbert County. GIS layers map about 49,385 public acres here, close to 13.0% of the land area. TVA holds near 6,083 acres here, mostly reservoir shoreline.
| Place | Type | Acres | Hunted for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Hills WMA | WMA | 33,539 | turkey, ducks, deer | 1 dove field, no deer dogs |
| Riverton CHA | Community hunting area | 5,285 | turkey, ducks, deer | no deer dogs |
| Cherokee PDHA | Disabled hunting area | 242 | deer | disabled hunters, draw hunts |
Biggest public areas in Colbert County
- Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area covers 33,539 acres within Colbert County. ADCNR lists turkey, ducks, deer and doves among its game. Look out for 1 dove field, no deer dogs. Call (256) 353-2634 (Biologist).
- Riverton Community Hunting Area is a community hunting area of about 5,285 acres. Its species list covers turkey, ducks, deer and doves. Also flagged: no deer dogs. Questions go to the biologist, (256) 353-2634.
- Cherokee Physically Disabled Hunting Area counts as a disabled hunting area with 242 acres on record. Its species list covers deer. Also flagged: disabled hunters, draw hunts.
Public land just outside Colbert County
- Key Cave NWRLauderdale County, 4 miles (1,079 ac)
- Seven-Mile Island WMALauderdale County, 5 miles (4,685 ac)
- Shoal Creek Nature Preserve Tract (Forever Wild)Lauderdale County, 18 miles (303 ac)
- Lauderdale WMALauderdale County, 26 miles (20,344 ac)
- Blowing Springs Cave Tract (Forever Wild)Lauderdale County, 30 miles (60 ac)
- Black Warrior WMALawrence County and Winston County, 35 miles (91,263 ac)
Areas from our Alabama land list (ADCNR WMA area permit maps, the ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas page, ADCNR where to hunt, USFS, USFWS and Corps records); acres by kind from the ADCNR WMA, Forever Wild and SOA layers, USFS, USFWS, PAD-US (Corps, TVA, state parks) and NPS GIS layers (GIS measures, not official acreages). Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Colbert County
Deer rules that apply in Colbert County
The deer zone for Colbert County is the CWD Management Zone, named outright in the ADCNR regulations.
Deer season markers for Colbert County
| Point | CMZ |
|---|---|
| Bow season starts | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Youth days | Nov 13–Nov 16 |
| Air rifle, muzzleloader | Nov 16–Nov 20 |
| Gun season opens | Nov 21, 2026 |
| Dog hunting closes | Jan 15, 2027 |
| Season closes | Feb 10, 2027 |
Each hunter gets three antlered bucks per season in Alabama, no more than one a day, with at least one showing 4+ points on one side.
Can you run deer dogs in Colbert County?
Hunting deer with dogs is banned in Colbert County without an ADCNR permit (west of US 43).
Colbert County baiting rules
Feeding and baiting wildlife are prohibited throughout Colbert County under the CMZ rule.
Colbert County and the CMZ
Within the CMZ, Colbert County falls in the High Risk Zone in full. On November 21-22, 2026, January 16-17, 2027 and February 6-7, 2027, sampling of HRZ deer is required. On WMAs and other public areas inside the zone, sampling is required daily, not only on the set weekends.
| Rule | ADCNR text |
|---|---|
| High Risk Zone | All of Lauderdale and Colbert, and Franklin County north of State Hwy 24 from the Mississippi line east to US 43 (and west of US 43). |
| Buffer Zone | Remainder of Franklin County (south of Hwy 24 / east of US 43). |
| Sampling, HRZ | November 21-22, 2026, January 16-17, 2027, February 6-7, 2027 |
| Sampling, BZ | February 6-7, 2027 |
| Carcass rules | No whole cervid or parts out of the HRZ (HRZ) or out of the CMZ (BZ) except deboned meat, cleaned skull plates with bare antlers, bare antlers/sheds, raw capes without brain/spinal tissue, upper canines without tissue, finished taxidermy and tanned hides. Processors/taxidermists need a Carcass Disposal Transport permit to move parts out. No cervid rehabilitation in the CMZ. Florence Frozen Meats and Fancher's Taxidermy & Deer Processing are treated as inside the HRZ for sampling/processing transport. |
| Feeding and bait | No baiting or supplemental feeding of wildlife anywhere in the CMZ (exceptions: normal agricultural/food-plot seed, feed inside an active hog trap, bird/squirrel feeders within 100 ft of a residence, feed permitted by the Commissioner; baiting stays legal in a new or expanded CMZ area until the end of that deer season). |
| History | First CWD-positive deer: west-central Lauderdale County, confirmed January 2022 (CMZ = Lauderdale + Colbert). Colbert detection Dec. 2024 expanded the CMZ to all of Franklin. Seven confirmed cases statewide as of Dec. 12, 2024 (CWD News). |
Zones and dates from the ADCNR deer zones and seasons and 2026-2027 Digest season tables; dog rules from the Digest dog deer section; bait from the ADCNR feeding and baiting rules; CWD rules from Ala. Admin. Code 220-2-.167 and ADCNR CWD pages. Checked November 1, 2026.
Colbert County season table for 2026-27
Statewide rows and the zone rows for Colbert County are merged here, 46 in all.
| Game | Method | Covers | Opening day | Closing day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | CWD zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | CWD zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader and air rifle | CWD zone | Nov 16, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | CWD zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | CWD zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | CWD zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | CWD zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | CWD zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | CWD zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Turkey Zone 2 | Mar 20, 2027 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring, hunters with disabilities | Turkey Zone 2 | Mar 26, 2027 | Mar 26, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Turkey Zone 2 | Mar 27, 2027 | May 3, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Feral swine | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Night, with dogs | Statewide | May 8, 2027 | Aug 30, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Bobwhite quail | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Rabbits | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Squirrels | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Doves | Segment 1 | Dove North Zone | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 5, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | Dove North Zone | Sep 6, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 3 | Dove North Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 4 | Dove North Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Teal | Special teal season | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Geese | Geese, segment 1 | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Geese | Geese, segment 2 | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Geese | Geese, segment 3 | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Geese | Geese, segment 4 | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Coots | Coot season | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Coots | Coot season | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mergansers | Merganser season | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Mergansers | Merganser season | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Coyote | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Foxes | Fox | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Opossum | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Beaver, nutria, groundhog | Beaver, nutria, groundhog | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Bullfrogs and pig frogs | Bullfrog and pig frog | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected birds | Unprotected birds | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Rails, sora, gallinule | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Wilson's snipe | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Rails, sora, gallinule | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 |
From the ADCNR seasons and bag limits, the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest and the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources), checked November 1, 2026.
Turkey, doves and waterfowl in Colbert County
Colbert County turkey facts
Colbert County hunts turkeys under Zone 2 dates. Gobblers may be hunted from March 27 to May 3, 2027 outside WMAs and ranger districts. Game Check reports from Colbert County in 2025 fell in the 209-296 bird range on the ADCNR map, alongside 27 other counties. The state total was 17,049 birds in 2025, down from 18,263.
Colbert County dove segments
ADCNR lists Colbert County in the North Zone for doves, with a noon start on opening day.
| Period | Dates |
|---|---|
| Segment 1 | Sep 5 |
| Segment 2 | Sep 6–Oct 18 |
| Segment 3 | Nov 21–Nov 29 |
| Segment 4 | Dec 12–Jan 17 |
Waterfowl around Colbert County
Alabama has one statewide duck zone, so Colbert County follows the statewide waterfowl dates in the table above.
Turkey zones and dates from the Digest turkey section; 2025 harvest class from the 2025 Alabama Wild Turkey Report; dove from the ADCNR dove zones; waterfowl from the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide. Checked November 1, 2026.
Colbert County contacts, towns and shops
The WFF District I office in Tanner covers Colbert County; call (256) 353-2634. The shortest hop to an ADCNR office is Tanner, near 48 miles out. Visit Monday to Friday, 9 until 4; ask about CWD sampling when you call.
Colbert County town guides
The Census lists 6 places in Colbert County: 6 incorporated and 0 census-designated. Top three by 2024 population: Muscle Shoals (17,409), Sheffield (9,335) and Tuscumbia (9,222). The county counted 58,785 people in 2024, 2.7% more than in 2020, on 593 square miles of land.
Trade listings for Colbert County hunters
Businesses on file in Colbert County: 7 gear shops and 1 guide or preserve. None of our processors and taxidermists are in Colbert County; the list reaches into adjoining counties. Call ahead: directory listings change, and only the tagged rows come from ADCNR.
Rules next door to Colbert County
| Neighbour | Deer zone | Turkey zone | Dove zone | Dog rule | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County | CMZ | 2 | North | Stalk only | 16 miles |
| Franklin County | CMZ | 2 | North | Stalk only | 18 miles |
| Lawrence County | Zone D/Zone C | 2 | North | Stalk only | 30 miles |
Offices from the ADCNR WFF district offices page; towns and places from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; services from ADCNR lists (Hunters Helping the Hungry, CWD sampling partners), store locators and Yellow Pages as tagged; neighbours from the Census county adjacency file. Checked November 1, 2026.
Colbert County: ranges, lanes and trap fields
2 ranges are on file for Colbert County, from ADCNR sites to gun clubs and indoor lanes.
Ranges from ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal hours in Colbert County
ADCNR prints one sunrise and sunset table for downtown Birmingham and warns that other places can differ by 10 minutes or more, so the times below are worked out for Colbert County.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:56 a.m. | 6:18 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:18 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:31 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Mid-fall | 6:36 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:54 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:58 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:43 a.m. | 5:28 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:58 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:57 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location (NOAA solar formula, Central Time), checked against the Digest’s Birmingham table; checked November 1, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Colbert County events and results
On November 1, 2026 the county held 1 upcoming date, covering DU chapter dinner.
Next up
| Date | Event | Location | Sign-up or details | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | Colbert-Lawrence Ducks Unlimited Dinner · DU chapter dinner | Sheffield: Clarion Inn Sheffield Muscle Shoals | Buy tickets | Source |
Colbert County, answered
What was the 2025 turkey harvest class for Colbert County?
209-296 birds reported through Game Check; ADCNR prints ranges, not exact county counts.
At what hour can dove hunters start shooting on opening day in Colbert County?
At noon; later days run from a half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Are state parks around Colbert County open for deer hunting?
Generally no; only the two state park SOAs hold draw hunts.
What number rings the district office serving Colbert County?
(256) 353-2634 in Tanner.
Does a 12-foot stand exempt a Colbert County deer hunter from orange?
Yes; hunters in a stand 12 feet or higher are exempt.
May a feeder stay up in Colbert County under the CWD rules?
No; baiting and supplemental feeding are banned across the CMZ.
Is a donated-venison processor listed near Colbert County?
See the Hunters Helping the Hungry tags in the services band; Florence Frozen Meat is nearest overall.
Does Game Check data for Colbert County deer appear anywhere public?
Not by county; ADCNR publishes no county deer harvest.
What day does deer hunting wrap up in Colbert County?
February 10, 2027, the last stalk-hunting day on private land.
Does the stalk-only list include Colbert County?
No, it is not on that list.
Answers from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest, ADCNR seasons and bag limits, the hunter orange rule, Game Check rules, Code of Alabama 13A-12-1, the ADCNR deer page and the sources above. Checked November 1, 2026.
Colbert County reminders for 2026-27
Get written permission before hunting private land in Colbert County.
Sources: 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest, ADCNR hunting, Census and the sources in each section. Checked November 1, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).