Home › Alabama › Counties › Jefferson County
2026-27 county guide
Jefferson County Hunting
Plan a season in Jefferson County: ADCNR deer Zone A and Zone C, dated openers and closers, dog deer status, the 2025 turkey harvest class, about 1,698 mapped public acres and help near Birmingham.
Photo: André Natta (CC BY 2.0)
Jefferson County public ground, tract by tract
Our land list has no entry inside Jefferson County, which makes private and leased land the norm. By GIS measure about 0.2% of Jefferson County, some 1,698 acres, is public ground. State park acreage (364) is shown with an asterisk: it sits outside the hunting total.
Nearby areas for Jefferson County hunters
- Oak Mountain State Park SOA18 miles from mid-county (3,695 ac)
- Mulberry Fork WMA24 miles from mid-county (35,260 ac)
- Lewis Smith PDHA27 miles from mid-county (10 ac)
- Shelby SOA33 miles from mid-county (1,198 ac)
- William R. Ireland, Sr.-Cahaba River WMA33 miles from mid-county (35,559 ac)
- Cahaba River NWR35 miles from mid-county (4,774 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.
Deer hunting rules for Jefferson County
Jefferson County is split between deer zones. By map shading it is Zone A (about 83%) and Zone C (about 17%). The Digest names Jefferson County under Zone C, with the boundary set by the roads it lists. The A/B split comes from map shading, not from a county list; anyone hunting near the road-defined line should read the ADCNR map.
Key deer dates for Jefferson County
| Date type | Zone A | Zone C |
|---|---|---|
| First archery day | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Youth deer days | Nov 13–Nov 16 | Nov 13–Nov 16 |
| Muzzleloader, air rifle | Nov 16–Nov 20 | Nov 16–Nov 20 |
| Rifle season starts | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 |
| Dog season ends | Jan 15, 2027 | Jan 15, 2027 |
| Closing day | Feb 10, 2027 | Feb 10, 2027 |
The Zone C daily bag is lower: one unantlered deer and one antlered deer. Alabama caps antlered deer at 3 per season and 1 per day, and one buck must have 4+ points on one antler.
Deer dogs and Jefferson County
The dog deer lists skip Jefferson County: dog hunting runs on the regular dog dates.
Jefferson County bait status
A Bait Privilege License ($18.95 / $65.25) is needed to hunt deer or hogs over bait on private land in Jefferson County; it is required at every age. Public land stays bait-free: WMAs, SOAs, national forests, refuges, TVA and Corps land.
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. Checked November 1, 2026.
Jefferson County openers and closers by species
The 65 rows below cover private, leased and open permit-public land in Jefferson County.
| Game | Season | Zone | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Deer Zone A | Oct 15, 2026 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Deer Zone A | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader and air rifle | Deer Zone A | Nov 16, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Deer Zone A | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Deer Zone A | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone A | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Deer Zone A | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Deer Zone A | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone A | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Deer Zone A | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone A | Jan 4, 2027 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Deer Zone C | Oct 15, 2026 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Deer Zone C | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader and air rifle | Deer Zone C | Nov 16, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Deer Zone C | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Deer Zone C | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone C | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Deer Zone C | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Deer Zone C | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Deer Zone C | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Deer Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Deer Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Deer Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Deer Zone C | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Deer Zone C | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone C | Jan 2, 2027 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Deer Zone C | Jan 2, 2027 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Turkey Zone 1 | Mar 13, 2027 | Mar 14, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring, hunters with disabilities | Turkey Zone 1 | Mar 19, 2027 | Mar 19, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Turkey Zone 1 | Mar 20, 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 and gallinules | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Wilson's snipe | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Rails and gallinules | 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.
Bird and alligator hunting in Jefferson County
Turkey in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is in Turkey Zone 1. The 2027 spring opener is March 20; the last day is May 3. ADCNR binned Jefferson County at 209-296 gobblers reported in 2025, the 3rd of five classes. For scale, the 2025 statewide Game Check total was 17,049.
Jefferson County and the dove zones
Jefferson County hunts doves under the North Zone dates; opening day shooting runs from noon to sunset.
| Part | Window |
|---|---|
| Segment 1 | Sep 5 |
| Segment 2 | Sep 6–Oct 18 |
| Segment 3 | Nov 21–Nov 29 |
| Segment 4 | Dec 12–Jan 17 |
Jefferson County waterfowl zone
Waterfowl seasons in Jefferson County run on the single statewide calendar.
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.
People and places that back Jefferson County hunters
Northport is home to the WFF District III staff who serve Jefferson County. The nearest ADCNR office open to the public, WFF District 3 Office in Northport, is about 49 miles from mid-county in a straight line. District offices keep hours Monday to Friday, 9 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, and take deer for CWD sampling; call ahead.
Jefferson County towns and places
Census records show 34 incorporated places and 9 CDPs inside Jefferson County. The largest by 2024 estimate: Birmingham (196,357), Hoover (93,013) and Vestavia Hills (38,151). Population: 664,744 in 2024 (1.4% drop on 2020); land area 1,112 square miles plus 13 of water.
- Birminghampop. 196,357 · seat
- Hooverpop. 93,013
Jefferson County deer processing and gear
The county has 2 processors, 7 taxidermists and 39 gear shops on our list. Missing inside the line: guides and preserves. Phone first, especially in November; hours are not verified here.
Jefferson County neighbours compared
| Next door | Deer | Turkey | Dove | Dogs | Apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | Zone A | 1 | North | No rule | 24 miles |
| Walker County | Zone A/Zone C | 1 | North | No rule | 28 miles |
| Blount County | Zone C/Zone A | 1 | North | No rule | 35 miles |
| St. Clair County | Zone A/Zone C | 1 | North | No rule | 36 miles |
| Bibb County | Zone A | 1 | North | Stalk only | 39 miles |
| Tuscaloosa County | Zone A | 1 | North | Stalk only | 40 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.
Jefferson County ranges and shoot dates
Each Jefferson County card gives the access rule and the source (9 ranges in all).
| Name | Nearest town | Disciplines | Who shoots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Grove FOP Range outdoor range | Jefferson County | handgun/rifle/shotgun | Access not stated |
| Sentinel Firearms outdoor range | Birmingham | handgun/rifle/5-stand/smallbore rimfire/muzzleloader/shotgun | Access not stated |
| Southern Trap and Skeet trap and skeet club | Birmingham | shotgun/skeet/trap | Access not stated |
Nearest ADCNR shooting range: Cahaba River WMA Shooting Range in Shelby County, about 21 miles from the Jefferson County centre. Details
Shoots in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | ATA trap | Host page |
| Nov 14-15, 2026 | Gun show | Host page |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Pistol or rifle match | Entry |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Smallbore | Register |
| Dec 19-20, 2026 | Gun show | Host page |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Pistol or rifle match | Entry |
Ranges from ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
When shooting light starts in Jefferson County
The times below use the solar formula for Jefferson County rather than the Birmingham table in the Digest, which can be off by several minutes this far from Birmingham.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:51 a.m. | 6:15 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:25 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Mid-Nov. | 6:30 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:48 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:52 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:37 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:53 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 6:59 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.
Jefferson County events and results
County total as of November 1, 2026: 6 upcoming dates.
Scheduled
| Held | Event | Where held | Action | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | Traditional Hunter Education Course | Trussville: Trussville Fire Station #4 | Register | Source |
| Nov 10, 2026 | Birmingham Ducks Unlimited Evening of Conservation · DU chapter dinner | Birmingham: Ovenbird | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 12, 2026 | University of Samford Annual Dinner Banquet · DU chapter dinner | Birmingham: Sloss Furnace | Buy tickets | Source |
| Jan 23, 2027 | Traditional Hunter Education Course | Journey Assembly of God Church | Register | Source |
| Feb 27, 2027 | Traditional Hunter Education Course | Leeds: Bass Pro Shops | Register | Source |
| Jul 16–18, 2027 | World Deer Expo 2027 · hunting expo | Birmingham: Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex | Event details | Source |
Short answers for Jefferson County hunters
Is a county deer kill published for Jefferson County?
No; Alabama gives only a statewide deer statement.
How long does bow season for deer last in Jefferson County?
October 15, 2026 through February 10, 2027 in Zone A.
May deer be run with dogs in Jefferson County?
Yes, on the dog-season dates; no permit-only or stalk-only rule names the county.
Does Jefferson County get one of the rare fall turkey seasons?
No; only six Zone 3 counties have a fall season.
Which half of the state does Jefferson County fall in for doves?
The North Zone.
What paperwork does a WMA hunt in Jefferson County need beyond a license?
A WMA license for deer and turkey, the free WMA AREA Permit and a daily check-in for hunters 16 and older.
What are the steps for checking a deer killed in Jefferson County?
Log it on your harvest record before moving it, then report it in Game Check within 48 hours.
Will fluorescent pink pass for orange in Jefferson County?
Yes; pink is accepted in place of orange.
Where could a Jefferson County deer be cut and wrapped?
Brian's Deer Cutters is closest on our 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.
Final details for a Jefferson County outing
Rules here are for the 2026-27 license year; where this page and ADCNR differ, ADCNR wins.
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: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).