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Deer zones
Alabama Deer Zone E
Zone E for 2026-27: Oct 1 to Jan 27; boundary, counties, every season row and public land.
Photo: Derek Morrison (CC BY 2.0)
Deer Zone E: area and calendar
The Zone E calendar opens Oct 1 and gun season Nov 7; the zone covers parts of Barbour, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne and Russell counties.
Zone E roads and rivers
Those areas of Barbour and Russell Counties with the following boundaries: beginning at the intersection of US Hwy. 82 and US Hwy. 431 in Eufaula (Barbour County), north along US Hwy. 431 to US Hwy. 280; east along US Hwy. 280 to the Chattahoochee River; south along the Chattahoochee River to US Hwy. 82;west along US Hwy. 82 ending at intersection with US Hwy. 431 (Barbour County); and those areas of Calhoun, Cherokee, and Cleburne Counties with the following boundaries: beginning at the intersection of I-20 and AL Hwy. 21 (Calhoun County); north along AL Hwy. 21 to AL Hwy. 9 in Piedmont (Calhoun County); north along AL Hwy. 9 to US Hwy. 278; east along US Hwy. 278 to the Alabama/Georgia state line; south along the Alabama/Georgia state line to I-20; west along I-20 ending at intersection with AL Hwy. 21 (Calhoun County).
From the ADCNR deer season page and the Digest zone map, checked November 1, 2026.
Zone E deer dates for 2026-27
Night hog and coyote dates in Zone E start after the last gun deer day.
| Species | Season | Zone or area | Opens | Closes | Days | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Zone E | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 107 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Late archery, bucks only | Zone E | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | 12 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zone E | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 | 4 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader and air rifle | Zone E | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | 5 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone E | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 70 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, private land | Zone E | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | 12 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Zone E | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 35 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Zone E | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 21 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Zone E | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | 26 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, private land | Zone E | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 56 | Either sex |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Zone E | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 35 | Antlered bucks only |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, dogs, public land | Zone E | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 21 | Either sex |
| Feral hogs | Night season | Deer Zone E | Jan 28, 2027 | Not set | No limit | |
| Coyote | Night season | Deer Zone E | Jan 28, 2027 | Not set | No limit |
- Buck limit: 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 rule: 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.
County shares of Zone E
Cleburne, Calhoun, Russell, Cherokee and Barbour each hold part of Zone E; the rest of each county is in another zone.
| County | Share in Zone E | Other zones | Dog deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleburne County | 51% | A | Stalk only |
| Calhoun County | 9% | A | – |
| Russell County | 6% | B, A | – |
| Cherokee County | 3% | A | Stalk only |
| Barbour County | 0% | B | – |
2 Zone E counties restrict dog deer hunting by permit or stalk-only rules.
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 E public lands
14 WMAs, forests, refuges and other public lands are tied to Zone E here.
| Area | Type | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talladega NF | National Forest | Cleburne, Clay +7 | 394,869 |
| Shoal Creek district | National Forest district | Cleburne, Calhoun +2 | 119,572 |
| Talladega district | National Forest district | Clay, Talladega +1 | 116,093 |
| Choccolocco WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Cleburne | 56,838 |
| Barbour WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Barbour, Bullock | 28,214 |
| Little River Canyon preserve | National Preserve | DeKalb, Cherokee | 15,641 |
| Little River WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Cherokee, DeKalb | 13,100 |
| Mountain Longleaf NWR | National Wildlife Refuge | Calhoun | 9,070 |
| Eufaula NWR (Alabama portion) | National Wildlife Refuge | Barbour, Russell | 7,631 |
| Uchee Creek SOA | Special Opportunity Area | Russell | 4,734 |
| Big Oak PDHA | Physically Disabled Hunting Area | Cleburne | 1,839 |
| Indian Mountain Complex (Forever Wild) | Forever Wild preserve | Cherokee | 1,127 |
| Fort McClellan Training Center – Clarke Range Complex | Military Installation | Calhoun | |
| Walter F. George Lake (Corps) | Corps of Engineers Lake | Barbour, Henry +1 |
From lands.json, checked November 1, 2026.
Zone E sunrise and sunset
Legal light in Zone E, using Cleburne County as the reference point; migratory birds stop at sunset.
| Date | Zone date | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and game | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:35 a.m. | 6:28 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Gun opener | 6:06 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 5:36 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 5:36 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:42 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Jan 27, 2027 | Last deer day | 6:42 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:07 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 E questions
What is the last dog deer day in Zone E?
Dog hunting ends Jan 1, 2027 where county rules allow it.
What is the antlerless limit in Zone E?
ADCNR allows 2 unantlered, or 1 unantlered and 1 antlered, a day on either-sex dates.
Are there buck-only dates on public land in Zone E?
Only on either-sex dates; Nov 7 to Dec 11; Jan 2 to Jan 27 are buck only.
What night season follows deer in Zone E?
Jan 28, 2027, on private or leased land with the nighttime license.
When do bows and guns open in Zone E?
Oct 1, 2026 for archery; Nov 7, 2026 for gun hunters; closing Jan 27, 2027.
Is there an antler rule in Zone E?
No. 1 a day and 3 a season statewide, one with 4 or more points on one antler (Barbour County: every buck 3 points on one side).
What roads mark Zone E?
Roads and rivers set it: Those areas of Barbour and Russell Counties with the following boundaries: beginning at the intersection of US Hwy. 82 and US Hwy. 431 in Eufaula.
Which part of Alabama is Zone E?
Zone E takes in parts of Cleburne, Calhoun, Russell, Cherokee and Barbour.