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Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area, Alabama hunting
A 2026-27 guide to the wildlife management area in Cleburne County (56,838 acres).
Photo: Toby Gray (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Choccolocco WMA: licenses, check-in and limits
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hunting license | Required, 16+ |
| WMA license | $23.40 |
| AREA Permit | Free |
| Daily check-in | App or paper |
| Dog deer | Not allowed |
| Bait | Not allowed |
| Table type | Big and small game |
Hunters 16 and older on Choccolocco WMA carry a hunting license plus the $23.40 WMA license for deer, turkey or waterfowl, the free AREA Permit and a daily check-in. Non-waterfowl small game on WMAs falls under the Wildlife Heritage License ($14.30). Summer gate closures (May 1 to September 15) apply on most WMAs, so scouting then means walking. The AREA Permit rules out running deer with dogs on this ground. Read the permit for gun, archery and bonus-buck dates; one bonus buck per season is allowed and it is not part of the three-buck bag. Daily results are mandatory here, through the app or a daily permit left in the kiosk. No baiting: the ADCNR rule on public lands (WMA, SOA, USFWS, USFS, TVA, Corps) applies to Choccolocco WMA.
Sources: source, source, source, source (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area
Zones and county rules around Choccolocco WMA
| Topic | Cleburne County |
|---|---|
| Deer zone | E, A (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed |
| Dove zone | North |
| Dog deer | Stalk only |
| Waterfowl zone | Statewide |
| Alligator area | None |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 209-296 |
| WFF district | II |
Named-zone list: Zone E. The rest of the county falls in Zone A or B. Zones A and B split along roads and rivers; for Cleburne County use the ADCNR deer zone map to see which side you are on. Choccolocco WMA keeps its own calendar, set by permit, whatever the zone dates say. Cleburne County appears on the stalk-only list. Statewide, a hunter may take three antlered bucks a season, one a day, and one of the three must have at least 4 points on one antler. Cleburne County fell in the 209-296 class of 2025 reported gobblers. There is no county deer harvest figure from ADCNR.
ADCNR deer zones, turkey zones, dove zones, dog deer rules, CWD rules and the 2025 Alabama Wild Turkey Report; checked November 1, 2026.
Choccolocco WMA on paper
Cleburne County holds the 56,838 acres of Choccolocco WMA (the ADCNR WMA table). Rank by size in Cleburne County: 3rd of 4. The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of ADCNR looks after it in WFF District II. The record files it under the ADCNR Wildlife Management Area system.
Location on the ADCNR table: Cleburne County near Heflin. The county total for public land is 100,340 acres (Cleburne County).
Game listed for Choccolocco WMA: Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl, Snipe, Doves, Rabbits, Squirrels, Crows, Quail, Woodcock, Opossum, Raccoon, Bobcat, Coyote, Feral hogs, Foxes, Furbearer trapping.
From the agency record (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division); checked November 1, 2026.
Other public land a short drive from Choccolocco WMA
Within 50 miles of Choccolocco WMA there are 8 more public places, about 247,949 acres between them; Shoal Creek Ranger District is closest.
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoal Creek Ranger District | Ranger district | 119,572 | Cleburne, Calhoun | 2.9 mi | southwest |
| Big Oak PDHA | PDHA | 1,839 | Cleburne | 2.9 mi | southeast |
| Mountain Longleaf NWR | Wildlife refuge | 9,070 | Calhoun | 9.9 mi | west |
| Clarke Range Complex at Fort McClellan | Military land | – | Calhoun | 21 mi | west |
| Indian Mountain Complex (Forever Wild) (1,127 acres) | Forever Wild tract | 1,127 | Cherokee | 21 mi | northeast |
| Talladega National Forest | National forest | 394,869 | Cleburne, Clay | 23 mi | southwest |
| R. L. Harris PDHA | PDHA | 248 | Randolph | 34 mi | south |
| Talladega Ranger District | Ranger district | 116,093 | Clay, Talladega | 38 mi | southwest |
Points: ADCNR WMA layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Choccolocco WMA dates for 2026-27
Rows trimmed to the game and land type of Choccolocco WMA.
| Species | Window | Covers | Begins | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | WMA group | Mar 13, 2027 | Mar 13, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring, hunters with disabilities | WMA group | Mar 19, 2027 | Mar 19, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | WMA group | Mar 20, 2027 | May 3, 2027 |
Only the rows that ADCNR publishes for WMAs as a group are shown; read the Choccolocco WMA permit for deer 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.
Choccolocco WMA waterfowl dates
One zone covers the state for waterfowl; these are the dates.
| Game | Season | First day | Last day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teal | Special teal season | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 |
| Ducks | Ducks | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 |
| Ducks | Ducks | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 |
| Geese | Geese, segment 1 | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
| Geese | Geese, segment 2 | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 |
| Geese | Geese, segment 3 | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 |
| Geese | Geese, segment 4 | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
| Coots | Coot season | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 |
| Coots | Coot season | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
| Mergansers | Merganser season | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 |
| Mergansers | Merganser season | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide; checked November 1, 2026.
Towns within reach of Choccolocco WMA
White Plains, 6.0 mi off, is the closest town with a page here. Jacksonville is the largest of these towns, with 14,651 people in 2024. ADCNR handles Cleburne County from Jacksonville; call (256) 435-5422.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Plains | Calhoun | – | 6.0 mi | west |
| Heflin | Cleburne | 3,557 | 7.2 mi | south |
| Nances Creek | Calhoun | – | 8.7 mi | northwest |
| Choccolocco | Calhoun | – | 9.0 mi | southwest |
| Jacksonville | Calhoun | 14,651 | 11 mi | northwest |
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.
Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area hunters: public range and clubs
From Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area, 30 miles separates hunters from Etowah Public Shooting Range, the closest ADCNR range. Other ranges within 30 miles fill the next cards.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Dates tied to Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area and its surroundings
Checked November 1, 2026, the 10-mile ring holds 1 upcoming date, covering Learn to Hunt workshop.
Still ahead
| When | Listing | How far | Venue | Next step | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2027 | Let's Talk Turkey Hunting (ADCNR Learn to Hunt workshop) | On site | Choccolocco WMA near Piedmont | Register | Source |
Choccolocco WMA photo row
When shooting light starts in Choccolocco WMA
Deer, turkey and other resident game may be hunted from 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset; ducks, geese and doves stop at sunset.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:46 a.m. | 6:10 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:19 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:25 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 4:35 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 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:46 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:32 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:47 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 6:53 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.
Before you ask about Choccolocco WMA
Is Choccolocco WMA in Zone A, B, C, D or E?
ADCNR text puts its county in Zone E; Cleburne County falls in Zone A and/or B; the boundary is road-defined, so use the map. WMA, SOA and PDHA dates come from their own permits.
What license lets me hunt Choccolocco WMA?
For big game and ducks: hunting license, $23.40 WMA license, AREA Permit and the daily permit or app check-in.
Does the Bait Privilege License work on Choccolocco WMA?
Not allowed. The bait license covers private or leased land only.
May I run hounds for deer on Choccolocco WMA?
No; the permit bars dog deer hunting.
Which office handles Choccolocco WMA?
Management sits with Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. Biologist: Brandon Howell, (256) 846-3004.
Which animals may be hunted on Choccolocco WMA?
Game on file: deer, turkey, waterfowl, snipe, doves, rabbits, squirrels, crows, quail, woodcock, opossum, raccoon, bobcat, coyote, feral hogs, foxes and furbearer trapping.
Is there other public hunting land close to Choccolocco WMA?
Nearest on our list: Shoal Creek Ranger District, 2.9 mi. 9 more lie within 50 miles.
When is spring turkey season on Choccolocco WMA?
Mar 20, 2027 to May 3, 2027, daylight to 1 p.m. Gobblers only.
When does legal light start on Choccolocco WMA?
5:49 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. on November 21, 2026, for deer and other game.
What about hunter orange or pink on Choccolocco WMA?
During gun deer dates, 144 square inches of orange or fluorescent pink above the waist, or a full-size orange or pink cap.
Is Choccolocco WMA a big tract?
The ADCNR WMA table gives 56,838 acres.
Choccolocco WMA: last-minute checks
Report deer and turkey through Game Check (Outdoor Alabama app) within 48 hours, and carry your harvest record while hunting Choccolocco WMA.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. Checked November 1, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Toby Gray (CC0 1.0); USFWS Mountain-Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Jay (CC BY 2.0).