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WFF District I county · 2026-27
Limestone County Hunting
Limestone County sits in Zone A for deer, Turkey Zone 2 and the dove North Zone. This guide lists every 2026-27 season date that reaches the county, 2 public areas inside its line and the ADCNR offices that serve it.
Photo: formulanone (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Land a Limestone County hunter can walk onto
Our Alabama land list has 2 hunting areas inside Limestone County; the largest is Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge at 34,427 acres. Mapped public land in the county adds up to roughly 14,252 acres (4.0% of its land). The TVA layer adds 7,150 acres of lake and river land.
| Area | Kind | Acreage | Game | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler NWR | Refuge | 34,427 | deer, squirrels, rabbits | — |
| Swan Creek WMA | WMA | 8,870 | turkey, ducks, deer | draw hunts, 1 dove field |
Limestone County areas worth a closer look
- The refuge Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge runs to 34,427 acres and crosses into Morgan County and Madison County. Expect deer, squirrels, rabbits and quail on its permit.
- Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA, 8,870 acres) lies wholly inside Limestone County. Hunters go there for turkey, ducks, deer and doves. Look out for draw hunts, 1 dove field, blind rules. Call (256) 278-0681 (Biologist).
Across the Limestone County line
- Mallard-Fox Creek WMA1,742 acres in Lawrence County and Morgan County; 12 miles off
- Blowing Springs Cave Tract (Forever Wild)60 acres in Lauderdale County; 19 miles off
- Shoal Creek Nature Preserve Tract (Forever Wild)303 acres in Lauderdale County; 37 miles off
- Black Warrior WMA91,263 acres in Lawrence County and Winston County; 41 miles off
- Seven-Mile Island WMA4,685 acres in Lauderdale County; 43 miles off
- Bankhead Ranger District182,014 acres in Lawrence County and Winston County; 45 miles off
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 Limestone County
Limestone County deer zone and dog, bait rules
The zone map puts the whole of Limestone County in Zone A. Zones A and B are not listed by county: the line follows highways and rivers, so check the ADCNR zone map if you hunt near a county edge.
Limestone County deer dates by zone
| Season point | Zone A |
|---|---|
| Archery opener | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Youth gun days | Nov 13–Nov 16 |
| Muzzleloader season | Nov 16–Nov 20 |
| Gun opener | Nov 21, 2026 |
| Last dog day | Jan 15, 2027 |
| Last day (stalk) | Feb 10, 2027 |
Three bucks a season, one per day, one with 4 or more points on a single antler: that is the statewide antlered limit.
Limestone County dog hunting status
No deer dogs anywhere in Limestone County: it is a stalk-only county.
Hunting over bait in Limestone County
Bait is legal for deer and hogs in Limestone County only on private or leased land and only with a Bait Privilege License, which costs $18.95 for residents and $65.25 for nonresidents. Bait is never legal on WMAs, SOAs or federal land, including TVA and Corps ground.
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.
Every season that reaches Limestone County
Type a species to filter the 48 rows. WMA, SOA and national forest hunts follow their own permits.
| Species | Window | Reach | From | Through | 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 | |
| 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 | Rail and gallinule | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Wilson's snipe | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Rail and 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.
Limestone County small-zone rules for birds
Turkey hunting in Limestone County
Zone 2 is the turkey zone for Limestone County. Expect spring turkey from March 27 until May 3, 2027. The 2025 harvest class for Limestone County is 76-136 reported turkeys (ADCNR publishes ranges, not exact county counts). Alabama hunters reported 17,049 turkeys in 2025 and 18,263 a year earlier.
Dove shoots around Limestone County
Doves in Limestone County: North Zone segments, with shooting from noon to sunset on the opener.
| Segment | Dates |
|---|---|
| Segment 1 | Sep 5 |
| Segment 2 | Sep 6–Oct 18 |
| Segment 3 | Nov 21–Nov 29 |
| Segment 4 | Dec 12–Jan 17 |
Limestone County duck and goose notes
Duck, goose, coot and merganser dates in Limestone County are the statewide ones; there are no duck zones apart from the Mobile-Tensaw Delta rules.
Limestone County sandhill crane facts
45 cranes came from Limestone County in 2024-25, by the ADCNR report. Hunting needs a drawn crane permit. Zone: North of I-20 from the Georgia line to I-65, east of I-65 to I-22, north of I-22 to the Mississippi line; rest of state closed.
| Segment | Dates |
|---|---|
| Crane season | Nov 27–Jan 3 |
| Crane season | Jan 11–Jan 25 |
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; cranes from the 2024-25 sandhill crane report. Checked November 1, 2026.
Offices, towns and shops around Limestone County
Biologists and officers for Limestone County work out of Tanner, the WFF District I office. Nearest ADCNR office: Tanner, about 10 miles from the middle of Limestone County. The district staff work Monday to Friday from 9 to 4 and will sample a deer for CWD by appointment.
Towns in Limestone County
Limestone County has 5 incorporated towns and cities and 0 census-designated places. Leading towns by size are Athens (32,587), Ardmore (1,452) and Elkmont (444). About 118,942 residents (2024) live on 563 land square miles, 14.9% up since 2020.
- Athenspop. 32,587 · seat
Limestone County processors, taxidermists and shops
In Limestone County itself we found 1 processor, 8 gear shops and 2 guides and preserves. The county has no listed taxidermists. Tags mark ADCNR program partners; untagged rows are from Yellow Pages and store locators.
Counties bordering Limestone County
| County | Deer zones | Turkey | Doves | Deer dogs | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | Zone A | 2 | North | Stalk only | 25 miles |
| Morgan County | Zone C/Zone D | 2 | North | Stalk only | 26 miles |
| Lawrence County | Zone D/Zone C | 2 | North | Stalk only | 27 miles |
| Lauderdale County | CMZ | 2 | North | Stalk only | 39 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.
Limestone County ranges and shoot dates
Each Limestone County card gives the access rule and the source (5 ranges in all).
Shoots coming up here
| Date and event | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | ADCNR 101 class | Enroll |
Ranges from ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Limestone County shooting light
Migratory birds run from half an hour before sunrise to sunset; game animals get the extra half hour after sunset, unless a night season applies.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and game | Ducks, geese, doves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:52 a.m. | 6:15 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:28 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Mid-November | 6:33 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:51 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:55 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:40 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:25 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.
What Limestone County hunters keep asking
Which WFF district office looks after Limestone County?
WFF District I, based in Tanner.
Which public tract in Limestone County covers the most acres?
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, about 34,427 acres.
Which deer processors on this page sit closest to Limestone County?
The Meat House, Heaps Meat Processing and Brewer Deer Processing/Bart Brewer, nearest first; call before you drop off a deer.
Could a black bear be taken legally in Limestone County?
No; there is no open bear season anywhere in Alabama.
Does Limestone County get the early D/E deer dates or the later ones?
The later dates: Zone A opens archery on October 15.
Why does this page show turkey numbers but no deer numbers for Limestone County?
ADCNR maps turkey harvest by county class but publishes no county deer harvest.
Which turkey zone number applies across Limestone County?
Zone 2.
Can a deer dog be used on public tracts around Limestone County?
Only if the area permit says so; many WMAs prohibit dog deer hunting.
Does Limestone County have a random-draw SOA hunt?
No; no Special Opportunity Area lies in the county.
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.
Limestone County trip reminders
ADCNR can change dates after the Digest prints; recheck the season pages before a Limestone County hunt.
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 – Midwest Region (Public domain).