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Alabama national forest ranger district
Bankhead Ranger District hunting guide
Public national forest ranger district in Lawrence County and 1 neighboring county, 182,014 acres, WFF District I.
Photo: Fredlyfish4 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Getting to Bankhead Ranger District
Bankhead Ranger District hunting rules
Outside the WMAs inside it, Bankhead Ranger District is open-permit public land under state law, with federal restrictions. Stalk hunting, one deer daily, on national forest ground outside the dog-hunting counties. The ranger-district turkey season for Bankhead Ranger District opens Mar 27, 2027 and ends May 3, 2027, mornings only (to 1 p.m.). 25,810 acres carry wilderness status. The Bait Privilege License covers private or leased land only, so no hunting over bait on Bankhead Ranger District.
Bankhead Ranger District federal rules
- No discharge within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, across or on a Forest road or into a cave
- No permanent tree stands or cutting limbs
- No food plots
- Motor vehicles only on designated routes (no ATV/UTV game retrieval)
- Leashed dogs may be used to trail wounded deer
| County | Acres (EDW) |
|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 90,719 |
| Winston County | 90,019 |
| Franklin County | 1,277 |
Linked records: Bankhead National Forest, Black Warrior WMA.
Sources: National Forests in Alabama hunting and shooting, ADCNR deer season and USFS EDW statistics. Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bankhead Ranger District
Bankhead Ranger District: the record behind the page
Bankhead Ranger District covers 182,014 acres in Lawrence and Winston counties, the figure given by Forest Service land statistics. The map polygon works out to 353,041 acres; the two figures differ. Sorted by acres, Bankhead Ranger District comes 1st of 3 in Lawrence County. USDA Forest Service, National Forests in Alabama has charge of it, inside WFF District I.
ADCNR and its partners list it under the National Forest System. Lawrence County holds 97,922 acres of public land on the GIS layers.
Hunted on Bankhead Ranger District, per the source: Deer, Turkey, Small game.
From the agency record (USDA Forest Service, National Forests in Alabama); checked November 1, 2026.
Bankhead Ranger District zones, dogs and harvest class
| County rule | Lawrence County | Winston County |
|---|---|---|
| Deer zone | C, D | C, D, A (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 2 | 2 |
| Fall turkey | Closed | Closed |
| Dove zone | North | North |
| Dog deer | Stalk only | Stalk only |
| Waterfowl zone | Statewide | Statewide |
| Alligator area | None | None |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 76-136 | 209-296 |
| WFF district | I | I |
The ADCNR zone text names this county for Zone C and Zone D, a partial-county zone. For A or B status in Winston County, go by the ADCNR deer zone map; the line runs on highways and rivers. No dog deer hunting in the stalk-only parts of Lawrence County and Winston County. Buck limit: 3 a season, 1 a day; one of them must have 4 points or more on one side. 2025 turkey class for Lawrence County: 76-136. Alabama publishes no deer harvest by county.
ADCNR deer zones, turkey zones, dove zones, dog deer rules, CWD rules and the 2025 Alabama Wild Turkey Report; checked November 1, 2026.
Bankhead Ranger District: opening and closing days
Windows for Bankhead Ranger District in 2026-27, one per row.
| Species | Hunt | Scope | First day | Last day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | USFS group | Mar 20, 2027 | Mar 20, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring, hunters with disabilities | USFS group | Mar 26, 2027 | Mar 26, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | USFS group | Mar 27, 2027 | May 3, 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, stalk, public land | Deer Zone C | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone C | Jan 2, 2027 | Feb 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Deer Zone D | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Deer Zone D | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader and air rifle | Deer Zone D | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone D | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone D | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun, stalk, public land | Deer Zone D | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 27, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late archery, bucks only | Deer Zone D | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 27, 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 |
Ranger districts use their own turkey group dates.
From the ADCNR seasons and bag limits, the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest and the 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide; checked November 1, 2026. All Alabama seasons.
Bankhead Ranger District and the closest public tracts
Bankhead Ranger District is pinned with its 8 nearest public neighbors; Black Warrior WMA heads the table.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Warrior WMA | WMA | 91,263 | Lawrence, Winston | 7.3 mi | northwest |
| Lewis Smith PDHA | PDHA | 9.7 | Walker | 26 mi | southeast |
| Mallard-Fox Creek WMA | WMA | 1,742 | Lawrence, Morgan | 33 mi | northeast |
| Swan Creek WMA | WMA | 8,870 | Limestone | 35 mi | northeast |
| Wheeler NWR | Wildlife refuge | 34,427 | Limestone, Morgan | 37 mi | northeast |
| Fayette PDHA | PDHA | 1,105 | Fayette | 40 mi | southwest |
| Sam R. Murphy WMA | WMA | 16,372 | Lamar, Marion | 41 mi | southwest |
| Seven-Mile Island WMA | WMA | 4,685 | Lauderdale | 43 mi | northwest |
Points: USFS EDW Ranger Districts layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Bankhead Ranger District: nearest towns, offices and shops
For fuel and a meal, Double Springs is 6.4 mi out. Haleyville counted 4,313 people in 2024, the most of the five. Lawrence County is served by the ADCNR WFF office in Tanner, (256) 353-2634.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Springs | Winston | 1,121 | 6.4 mi | southwest |
| Addison | Winston | 676 | 8.9 mi | east |
| Arley | Winston | 333 | 12 mi | southeast |
| Haleyville | Winston | 4,313 | 16 mi | west |
| Lynn | Winston | 628 | 17 mi | southwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024); offices and businesses from services.json (ADCNR offices and business listings, chain stores left out); straight-line miles. Checked November 1, 2026.
Legal hours in Bankhead Ranger District
Mobile and Huntsville see sunrise many minutes apart in winter, so use the times worked out for Bankhead Ranger District.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:54 a.m. | 6:16 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 6:16 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:28 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:34 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:52 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:56 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:41 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:55 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:00 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.
Alabama views around Bankhead Ranger District
Nearest ADCNR range to Bankhead Ranger District, plus others
Swan Creek WMA Range (public, license needed) is 37 miles from Bankhead Ranger District. After it come ranges within 30 miles.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Bankhead Ranger District answers from the sources
Which office handles Bankhead Ranger District?
Manager: USDA Forest Service, National Forests in Alabama. Closest WFF office: Tanner, 36 mi.
What species does Bankhead Ranger District offer?
Sources name deer, turkey and small game.
Which tract is closest to Bankhead Ranger District?
Black Warrior WMA (7.3 mi away). 9 more lie within 50 miles.
Turkey season on Bankhead Ranger District: when?
Spring runs Mar 27, 2027 to May 3, 2027, daylight to 1 p.m.
When is shooting light at Bankhead Ranger District?
On November 21, 2026, about 5:58 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. for deer (Lawrence County centre).
Do I need hunter orange on Bankhead Ranger District?
Gun deer dates require it: 144 square inches above the waist, or a full-size cap; pink counts.
Is Bankhead Ranger District a big tract?
182,014 acres, from Forest Service land statistics.
Where exactly does Bankhead Ranger District lie?
Look in Lawrence and Winston counties; ADCNR places those counties in WFF District I. Double Springs is the closest town with a page here, about 6.4 mi away.
Which Alabama deer zone covers Bankhead Ranger District?
The county is named in Zone C and Zone D; for Winston County, Zone A versus B depends on which side of the highway line you stand.
What paperwork covers Bankhead Ranger District?
Just the license outside WMAs, WMA license and AREA Permit inside them.
Is baiting legal on Bankhead Ranger District?
No. Bait hunting is legal only on private or leased land with the Bait Privilege License, never on public land.
Bankhead Ranger District trip checklist
Permits, closures and draw notices on Bankhead Ranger District can change; posted signs and the agency page have the final word.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. Checked November 1, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Forest Service, USDA (Public Domain Mark 1.0); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).