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Hunting seasons
Alabama Waterfowl Zones
One statewide zone, the Mobile-Tensaw Delta WMZ, the Apalachee Refuge, Corps lands, season rows and public waterfowl areas.
Photo: Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0)
Alabama waterfowl zone and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta rules
Alabama runs one statewide waterfowl zone, with no separate duck zones. The exception is the Mobile-Tensaw Delta Waterfowl Management Zone in Baldwin and Mobile counties, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays with shooting ending at 1 p.m. on open days; next to it, the Apalachee Refuge is closed to hunting and gas motors through the winter.
- Statewide zone: One statewide zone for ducks, coots, mergansers, geese and teal (no duck zones listed for Alabama).
- Mobile-Tensaw Delta Waterfowl Management Zone: Boundary: US 90 at the west bank of the Mobile River east to I-10 at Chacaloochee Bay, east on I-10 to US 98, north on US 98 to US 90, north on US 90 to AL 225, north on AL 225 to the railroad near lat. 30.857136, west on the railroad to the Mobile River west bank, south to US 90. Excludes Apalachee Refuge. Rules: closed to waterfowl hunting Mondays and Tuesdays; Wednesday-Sunday shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1:00 p.m.; special early teal and goose seasons open all week to sunset.
- Apalachee Refuge: No hunting and no gas-powered motors from the second Saturday in November through the second Saturday in February (I-10/US 90 at Chacaloochee Bay to the western channel of the Apalachee River).
- Big Bateau Bay bay grass area: Closed to gas-powered motors from the second Saturday in November through the second Saturday in February.
- Corps of Engineers lands: Corps of Engineers lands and waters in Pickens, Greene and Sumter: shooting hours as stated on ACOE permits.
- WMA waterfowl rules: Crow Creek, Mud Creek and Raccoon Creek WMAs (220-2-.164) and Mallard-Fox and Swan Creek WMAs (220-2-.165) have their own waterfowl rules.
From the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide, checked November 1, 2026.
Alabama waterfowl and migratory bird season rows
| Species | Season | Zone or area | Opens | Closes | Days | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teal | Special teal season | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | 6/day |
| Ducks | Ducks | Statewide (Delta zone rules) | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | 2 | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset elsewhere |
| Coots | Coot season | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | 2 | 15/day; possession 3x daily |
| Mergansers | Merganser season | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | 2 | 5/day, max 2 hooded; possession 3x daily |
| Ducks | Ducks | Statewide (Delta zone rules) | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 58 | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset elsewhere |
| Coots | Coot season | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 58 | 15/day; possession 3x daily |
| Mergansers | Merganser season | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 58 | 5/day, max 2 hooded; possession 3x daily |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | 1 | Regular waterfowl bag limits |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | 1 | Regular waterfowl bag limits |
| Geese | Geese, segment 1 | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 30 | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset |
| Geese | Geese, segment 2 | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | 15 | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset |
| Geese | Geese, segment 3 | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | 2 | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset |
| Geese | Geese, segment 4 | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 58 | 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset |
| Sandhill crane | Sandhill crane (limited quota permit) | North Alabama crane zone | Nov 27, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 38 | Residents and AL lifetime license holders 16+; 750 permits drawn (3 tags each, 2,250 tags) |
| Sandhill crane | Sandhill crane (limited quota permit) | North Alabama crane zone | Jan 11, 2027 | Jan 25, 2027 | 15 | Residents and AL lifetime license holders 16+; 750 permits drawn (3 tags each, 2,250 tags) |
| Rails and gallinules | King, clapper, Virginia rail, sora, gallinule | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | 15/day aggregate |
| Rails and gallinules | King, clapper, Virginia rail, sora, gallinule | Statewide | Nov 27, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | 61 | 15/day aggregate |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 45 | 3/day |
| Snipe | Wilson's snipe | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 107 | 8/day |
- Teal (September): 6 per day.
- Ducks: 6 per day: no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 female), 3 wood ducks, 1 mottled duck, 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 3 pintails, 2 canvasbacks, 1 scaup.
- Coots: 15 per day.
- Mergansers: 5 per day, only 2 hooded mergansers.
- Dark geese (Canada, white-fronted, brant): 5 per day aggregate.
- Light geese (snow, blue, Ross's): 5 per day aggregate.
- Waterfowl possession: Possession limit is 3 times the daily bag for all waterfowl species.
From the Digest waterfowl tables and the waterfowl guide, checked November 1, 2026.
Shot, stamps and special waterfowl days
- Shotguns and shot: Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells with No. 2 shot or smaller; waterfowl with steel or other USFWS-approved nontoxic shot (T or smaller per the waterfowl guide); bows/crossbows; permitted raptors.
- Not legal: Lead shot in possession while waterfowl hunting; rifles, pistols; unplugged guns.
- Youth, veteran and military days: Special youth, veteran and active military days Nov 21, 2026 and Feb 6, 2027; adult supervisor within arm's length and may hunt only if a veteran/active military.
- Stamps: State Duck Stamp $12.70 (Waterfowl hunters 16-64 (residents), 16+ (nonresidents)); Federal Duck Stamp $30.00 (Waterfowl hunters 16+)
From the Digest weapons page and the ADCNR license pages, checked November 1, 2026.
Public waterfowl areas in Alabama
50 public areas list waterfowl among their species; the 20 largest follow. The Jackson County units and the Swan Creek, Mallard-Fox Creek and Mud Creek areas set their own waterfowl rules.
| Area | Type | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Warrior WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lawrence, Winston | 91,263 |
| James D. Martin-Skyline WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Jackson | 60,732 |
| Choccolocco WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Cleburne | 56,838 |
| Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs | Wildlife Management Area | Baldwin, Mobile | 51,040 |
| Oakmulgee WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Bibb, Hale +2 | 44,500 |
| Upper Delta WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Baldwin, Mobile | 42,451 |
| William R. Ireland, Sr.-Cahaba River WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Bibb, Shelby | 35,559 |
| Mulberry Fork WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Tuscaloosa, Walker | 35,260 |
| Freedom Hills WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Colbert | 33,539 |
| Hollins WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Clay, Talladega | 28,802 |
| Barbour WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Barbour, Bullock | 28,214 |
| Jackson County Waterfowl Areas and Refuges (Jackson County WMA) | Wildlife Management Area | Jackson | 26,934 |
| Blue Spring WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Covington | 24,783 |
| Lauderdale WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lauderdale | 20,344 |
| Coosa WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Coosa | 17,486 |
| Perdido River WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Baldwin | 17,337 |
| Sam R. Murphy WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lamar, Marion | 16,372 |
| Geneva SF WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Geneva | 16,093 |
| Lowndes WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lowndes | 15,920 |
| Red Hills WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Monroe | 13,930 |
From lands.json, checked November 1, 2026.
Waterfowl zone questions
Does Alabama have duck zones?
No. There is one statewide zone, plus the Mobile-Tensaw Delta Waterfowl Management Zone with its own days and hours.
Do I need a state duck stamp in Alabama?
Yes, residents 16-64 and nonresidents 16 and older; residents 65 and older are exempt. The federal stamp is required from age 16.
Can I hunt the Apalachee Refuge?
No hunting and no gas-powered motors from the second Saturday in November through the second Saturday in February (I-10/US 90 at Chacaloochee Bay to the western channel of the Apalachee River).
What days is the Mobile-Tensaw Delta closed to duck hunting?
Mondays and Tuesdays; on Wednesday to Sunday shooting ends at 1 p.m. (teal and early goose seasons run all week to sunset).
What is the Alabama duck limit?
6 per day: no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 female), 3 wood ducks, 1 mottled duck, 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 3 pintails, 2 canvasbacks, 1 scaup.
When is the Alabama duck season?
November 27-28 and December 5, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
What is the waterfowl possession limit?
Possession limit is 3 times the daily bag for all waterfowl species.
When are the Alabama youth and veteran waterfowl days?
November 21, 2026 and February 6, 2027.