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SOA · WFF District V · AL
Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area for hunters
What the sources say about this special opportunity area in Escambia County, with the zone rules that reach it.
Photo: Melissa McMasters (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 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.
Little River State Forest SOA in numbers and names
The ADCNR SOA map layer puts Little River State Forest SOA at 2,929 acres in Escambia County. Of the 3 public places with acreage we list in Escambia County, it ranks 2nd by size. ADCNR manages it through its Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, in WFF District V. Program: ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas (limited quota draw hunts).
GIS counts 32,181 public acres in Escambia County.
Listed game on Little River State Forest SOA: Deer, Doves, Turkey, Quail, Rabbits, Squirrels, Bobcat, Coyote, Feral hogs, Foxes.
- White-tailed deer
- Mourning dove
- Wild turkey
- Bobwhite quail
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Bobcat
- Coyote
- Feral swine
- Red and gray fox
From the agency record (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division); checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area
How to hunt Little River State Forest SOA
Little River State Forest SOA is hunted only through limited-quota hunts: apply online for a date, and a random drawing picks who goes. Have the hunting and WMA licenses in hand first; the Conservation ID is free. Drawn hunters and their guest get a dedicated unit of 300 to 400 acres for a hunt of two to four days. The legal-buck test here is at least 3 antler points (1 inch or longer) on at least one main antler.
| Species | Dates |
|---|---|
| Deer | Archery – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice: Oct. 15-18, Oct. 22-25, Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 |
| Deer | Gun – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice: Dec. 3-6, Dec. 31 – Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24, Jan. 28-31, Feb. 4-7 |
| Deer | Primitive Weapons – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice: Nov. 19-22 |
| Dove | Sept. 12, Oct. 3 |
| Turkey | April 2-4, April 9-11, April 16-18, April 23-25, April 30 – May 2 |
| Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb. 8-14, Feb 15-21 |
| Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
Little River State Forest SOA draw deadlines
| Hunt group | Opens | Last day |
|---|---|---|
| SOA deer hunts | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 |
| Adult dove hunts | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 |
Draw note: Opens 8 a.m., closes 1 p.m.; results Sept. 15, 2 p.m.
Adult dove hunts on Little River State Forest SOA run through their own drawing.
Leave the feed at home; bait is illegal for hunting on Little River State Forest SOA and every other public tract.
Sources: ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas, ADCNR draw deadlines. Checked November 1, 2026.
Deer zone and dog rules near Little River State Forest SOA
| Rule | Escambia County |
|---|---|
| Deer zone | B (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed |
| Dove zone | South |
| Dog deer | Allowed |
| Waterfowl zone | Statewide |
| Alligator area | None |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 209-296 |
| WFF district | V |
ADCNR gives no county list for Zones A and B. Shading on the ADCNR deer zone map puts Escambia County in one or both. Use zone dates for land around Little River State Forest SOA, the permit dates on it. Alabama caps antlered deer at three a season and one a day; one buck needs a 4-point side. For 2025, Escambia County sat in the 209-296 turkey class on the ADCNR map; deer totals by county do not exist publicly.
ADCNR deer zones, turkey zones, dove zones, dog deer rules, CWD rules and the 2025 Alabama Wild Turkey Report; checked November 1, 2026.
Little River State Forest SOA on the map with its neighbors
Point the truck north for 1.8 mi and you reach Little River State Forest PDHA.
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little River State Forest PDHA in Monroe County | PDHA | 1,137 | Monroe, Escambia | 1.8 mi | north |
| Splinter Hill Bog Complex (Forever Wild) | Forever Wild tract | 631 | Baldwin | 17 mi | southwest |
| Fred T. Stimpson SOA | SOA | 5,280 | Clarke | 23 mi | northwest |
| Upper Delta WMA | WMA | 42,451 | Baldwin, Mobile | 29 mi | southwest |
| Upper State SOA | SOA | 1,918 | Clarke | 35 mi | northwest |
| Upper State PDHA | PDHA | 1,915 | Clarke | 35 mi | northwest |
| Red Hills WMA | WMA | 13,930 | Monroe | 36 mi | north |
| Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs | WMA | 51,040 | Baldwin, Mobile | 37 mi | southwest |
Points: ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and ADCNR offices near Little River State Forest SOA
Uriah sits 5.4 mi from Little River State Forest SOA in a straight line. Population leader in the list: Monroeville, 5,720. For permits and questions, the Spanish Fort district office ((251) 626-5153) covers Escambia County.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uriah | Monroe | – | 5.4 mi | north |
| Carlton | Clarke | – | 21 mi | northwest |
| Monroeville | Monroe | 5,720 | 23 mi | northeast |
| Rockville | Clarke | – | 23 mi | northwest |
| Stockton | Baldwin | – | 27 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.
First and last legal light in Little River State Forest SOA
Migratory birds run from half an hour before sunrise to sunset; game animals get the extra half hour after sunset, unless a night season applies.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:50 a.m. | 6:18 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 6:18 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:21 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 5:51 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 5:51 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:26 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:43 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:47 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:35 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:54 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 6:24 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.
Public and club ranges for Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area hunters
Drive about 21 miles from Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area to reach Upper Delta WMA Shooting Range, the nearest public bench. Ranges within 30 miles take the remaining cards.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Landscape and game photos for Little River State Forest SOA
Little River State Forest Special Opportunity Area, the nearby calendar
About 10 straight-line miles out from the area there are 4 upcoming dates. 4 of them are SOA draw hunts, open only to hunters drawn by ADCNR.
On the calendar
| Date | Event | Mi | Location | Sign-up or details | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19–22, 2026 | Little River State Forest SOA deer hunt: Primitive Weapons – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice · SOA deer (primitive weapons) draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Dec 3–Feb 7 (2026-27) | Little River State Forest SOA deer hunt: Gun – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice · SOA deer (gun) draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Feb 8–21, 2027 | Little River State Forest SOA quail, rabbit & squirrel hunt · SOA small game draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Apr 2–May 2, 2027 | Little River State Forest SOA turkey hunt · SOA turkey draw | On site | Event details | Source |
Little River State Forest SOA answers from the sources
Can I use corn on Little River State Forest SOA?
No baiting on public land in Alabama.
Can I hunt deer with dogs on Little River State Forest SOA?
Only the listed stalk and archery hunts.
Which office handles Little River State Forest SOA?
It is managed by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
What species does Little River State Forest SOA offer?
Deer, doves, turkey, quail, rabbits, squirrels, bobcat, coyote, feral hogs and foxes.
Must I wear orange on Little River State Forest SOA?
Orange or pink, 144 square inches above the waist or a full cap, while gun deer hunting is open.
What is the nearest other public land to Little River State Forest SOA?
Little River State Forest PDHA, about 1.8 mi north. 9 more lie within 50 miles.
Shooting hours near Little River State Forest SOA?
About 5:51 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. for game on November 21, 2026; ducks stop at sunset.
How do I apply to hunt Little River State Forest SOA?
Applications for soa deer hunts ran Sep 1, 2026 to Sep 14, 2026. See the table for 1 more.
Is Little River State Forest SOA a big tract?
2,929 acres; the number comes from the ADCNR SOA map layer.
How do I place Little River State Forest SOA on a map?
It sits in Escambia County (WFF District V). Uriah is the closest town with a page here, about 5.4 mi away.
Which deer zone rules apply around Little River State Forest SOA?
The A/B split in Escambia County runs along highways and rivers; read the ADCNR map. Managed-area permits set their own dates.
Little River State Forest SOA trip checklist
Confirm dates, permits and the deer zone for Little River State Forest SOA before the drive.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. Checked November 1, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Melissa McMasters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0); LouisvilleUSACE (CC BY 2.0).