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Deer zones
Alabama Deer Zone D
Zone D for 2026-27: Oct 1 to Jan 27; boundary, counties, every season row and public land.
Photo: formulanone (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Deer Zone D in brief
From Oct 1 to Jan 27, 2027, Zone D hunters work a calendar of 18 deer rows, gun season opening Nov 7.
How ADCNR draws Zone D
Those areas of Cullman, Lawrence, Morgan and Winston Counties with the following boundaries: beginning at the intersection of AL Hwy. 157 and AL Hwy. 24 in Moulton (Lawrence County); south along AL Hwy. 157 to Cullman County Road 1114; south along Cullman County Road 1114 to US Hwy. 278 in Jones Chapel (Cullman County); west along US Hwy. 278 to Helicon Road (Winston County Road 77); west along Helicon Road (Winston County Road 77) to Winston County Road 41 in Arley (Winston County); south along Winston County Road 41 to the Sipsey Fork; south along the Sipsey Fork to the Winston County/Walker County line; west along the Winston County/Walker County line to AL Hwy. 5; north along AL Hwy. 5 to AL Hwy. 13 at Natural Bridge (Winston County); north along AL Hwy. 13 to AL Hwy. 195 in Haleyville (Winston County); north along AL Hwy. 195 to Winston County Road 93; north along Winston County Road 93 to the Franklin County line; east along the Franklin County/Winston County line to the Lawrence County line; North on the Lawrence County/Franklin County line to AL Hwy. 24; east along AL Hwy. 24 ending at intersection with AL Hwy. 157 in Moulton (Lawrence County).
From the ADCNR deer season page and the Digest zone map, checked November 1, 2026.
Every Zone D season row
Gun dates for private or leased land and for open-permit public land differ in Zone D.
| Species | Season | Zone or area | Opens | Closes | Days | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Zone D | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 107 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Late archery, bucks only | Zone D | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | 12 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zone D | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 | 4 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader and air rifle | Zone D | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | 5 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone D | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 14 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone D | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 9 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone D | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 12 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone D | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 21 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone D | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | 26 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Zone D | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 35 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Zone D | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 21 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Zone D | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | 26 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Zone D | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 14 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Zone D | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 9 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Zone D | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 12 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Zone D | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 21 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Zone D | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 35 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Zone D | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 21 | Either sex |
| Feral hogs | Night season | Deer Zone D | Jan 28, 2027 | Not set | No limit | |
| Coyote | Night season | Deer Zone D | Jan 28, 2027 | Not set | No limit |
- Buck rule: 1 per day; 3 per hunter for all seasons combined. One of the three must have at least 4 points (1 in. or longer) on one antler; main beam tip counts. Barbour County: every antlered buck must have 3+ points on one side (except on statewide youth days).
- Unantlered bag: Zones A, B, D, E and CMZ: 2 unantlered, or 1 unantlered + 1 antlered, per day during unantlered (either-sex) gun, muzzleloader/air rifle, archery and youth dates. Zone C: 1 unantlered + 1 antlered per day. No season limit stated for unantlered deer.
From the Digest deer tables and the ADCNR deer page, checked November 1, 2026.
Deer Zone D counties and dogs
Zone D reaches into 4 counties without covering any of them whole.
| County | Share in Zone D | Other zones | Dog deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston County | 65% | A, C | Stalk only |
| Lawrence County | 62% | C | Stalk only |
| Morgan County | 16% | C | Stalk only |
| Cullman County | 4% | C, A | – |
Permit-only dog counties in Zone D: none. Stalk-only: Winston, Lawrence and Morgan.
Counties from regs.json zones.deer_zones (map shading or zone text) and dog lists from the Digest dog deer page, checked November 1, 2026.
Zone D WMAs and public areas
Zone D public areas, by acres (5 in all).
| Area | Type | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bankhead NF | National Forest | Lawrence, Winston | 182,014 |
| Bankhead district | National Forest district | Lawrence, Winston | 182,014 |
| Black Warrior WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lawrence, Winston | 91,263 |
| Wheeler NWR | National Wildlife Refuge | Limestone, Morgan +1 | 34,427 |
| Mallard-Fox Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lawrence, Morgan | 1,742 |
From lands.json, checked November 1, 2026.
Sun times for Zone D deer dates
The Digest prints sun times only for Birmingham, so this table works them out for Winston County in Zone D.
| Date | Zone date | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and game | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:43 a.m. | 6:35 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 6:35 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Gun opener | 6:14 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. | 5:44 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 5:44 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:51 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Jan 27, 2027 | Last deer day | 6:50 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
Hours rule from the Digest; sunrise and sunset computed (NOAA solar formula, Central Time); checked November 1, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Zone D questions
How is the Zone D boundary defined?
Follow the ADCNR text, which opens: Those areas of Cullman, Lawrence, Morgan and Winston Counties with the following boundaries: beginning at the intersection of AL Hwy. 157 and AL Hwy..
What is the Zone D doe limit?
The rule is 2 unantlered, or 1 unantlered and 1 antlered, a day on either-sex dates.
When do dog seasons close in Zone D?
Jan 1, 2027 on private or leased land where dogs are allowed.
When can I hunt hogs at night in Zone D?
It begins Jan 28, 2027 after gun deer closes.
Does public land in Zone D have buck-only stretches?
Bucks only on open-permit public land: Nov 7 to Dec 11; Jan 2 to Jan 27.
What is the buck limit in Zone D?
Yes, one of the 3 bucks must carry 4 or more points on one antler.
What are the Zone D opening dates?
Bows from Oct 1, 2026, guns from Nov 7, 2026, all ending Jan 27, 2027.
What area does Zone D take in?
Zone D takes in parts of Winston, Lawrence, Morgan and Cullman.