Home › Alabama › Public land › Oak Mountain State Park SOA
Alabama state park special opportunity area
Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area hunting guide
Public state park special opportunity area in Shelby County, 3,695 acres, WFF District III.
Photo: André Natta (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area
- North Trailhead ParkingParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- North TrailheadTrailhead · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- North Trailhead ParkingParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 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.
Oak Mountain State Park SOA: draw, fee and dates
Hunting Oak Mountain State Park SOA means winning a limited-quota draw for a bow hunt for deer. Budget for the $40 park fee plus a hunting license and WMA license; a single guest can join. Dates as posted: Oak Mountain Mon-Thu from Nov. 2; Frank Jackson Thu-Sun from Nov. 5.
The Bait Privilege License covers private or leased land only, so no hunting over bait on Oak Mountain State Park SOA.
Sources: Alabama State Parks SPSOA deer hunts, park page. Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area
Oak Mountain State Park SOA: the record behind the page
Oak Mountain State Park SOA covers 3,695 acres in Shelby County, the figure given by the ADCNR SOA map layer. Sorted by acres, Oak Mountain State Park SOA comes 2nd of 3 in Shelby County. It is ADCNR ground, State Parks Division, WFF District III. ADCNR and its partners list it under the Alabama State Parks SPSOA deer management hunts (limited quota, archery only).
Shelby County holds 23,428 acres of public land on the GIS layers.
Hunted on Oak Mountain State Park SOA, per the source: Deer.
From the agency record (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Parks Division); checked November 1, 2026.
Oak Mountain State Park SOA zones, dogs and harvest class
| County rule | Shelby County |
|---|---|
| Deer zone | A (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed |
| Dove zone | North |
| Dog deer | Allowed |
| Waterfowl zone | Statewide |
| Alligator area | None |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 137-208 |
| WFF district | III |
For A or B status in Shelby County, go by the ADCNR deer zone map; the line runs on highways and rivers. On Oak Mountain State Park SOA itself, the area permit or draw schedule sets the deer days, so zone dates are background here. Buck limit: 3 a season, 1 a day; one of them must have 4 points or more on one side. 2025 turkey class for Shelby County: 137-208. 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.
Oak Mountain State Park SOA and the closest public tracts
Oak Mountain State Park SOA is pinned with its 8 nearest public neighbors; Shelby SOA heads the table.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby SOA | SOA | 1,198 | Shelby | 16 mi | south |
| Cahaba River WMA | WMA | 35,559 | Bibb, Shelby | 28 mi | southwest |
| Cahaba River NWR | Wildlife refuge | 4,774 | Bibb | 29 mi | southwest |
| Hollins WMA | WMA | 28,802 | Clay, Talladega | 36 mi | east |
| Mulberry Fork WMA | WMA | 35,260 | Tuscaloosa, Walker | 38 mi | west |
| Coosa WMA | WMA | 17,486 | Coosa | 38 mi | southeast |
| Talladega Ranger District | Ranger district | 116,093 | Clay, Talladega | 41 mi | east |
| Lewis Smith PDHA | PDHA | 9.7 | Walker | 44 mi | northwest |
Points: ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Oak Mountain State Park SOA: nearest towns, offices and shops
For fuel and a meal, Indian Springs Village is 2.9 mi out. Birmingham counted 196,357 people in 2024, the most of the five. Shelby County is served by the ADCNR WFF office in Northport, (205) 339-5716.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Springs Village | Shelby | 2,551 | 2.9 mi | west |
| Hoover | Jefferson | 93,013 | 6.5 mi | west |
| Columbiana | Shelby | 4,904 | 13 mi | south |
| Birmingham | Jefferson | 196,357 | 13 mi | northwest |
| Brantleyville | Shelby | – | 15 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.
Dates tied to Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area and its surroundings
This property or a spot within about 10 miles hosts 1 upcoming date (hunter education course). Checked November 1, 2026.
Dates to come
| Held | Event | Miles | Where held | Action | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2027 | Traditional Hunter Education Course | 4 | Pelham: Oak Mountain State Park, Main Park Office | Register | Source |
Legal hours in Oak Mountain State Park SOA
Mobile and Huntsville see sunrise many minutes apart in winter, so use the times worked out for Oak Mountain State Park SOA.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:50 a.m. | 6:15 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:23 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:28 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:46 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:50 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:36 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:52 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:58 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 Oak Mountain State Park SOA
Nearest ADCNR range to Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area, plus others
Cahaba River WMA Shooting Range (public, license needed) is 14 miles from Oak Mountain State Park Special Opportunity Area. After it come ranges within 30 miles.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Oak Mountain State Park SOA answers from the sources
Where exactly does Oak Mountain State Park SOA lie?
Look in Shelby County; ADCNR places those counties in WFF District III. Indian Springs Village is the closest town with a page here, about 2.9 mi away.
When is shooting light at Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
On November 21, 2026, about 5:53 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. for deer (Shelby County centre).
What paperwork covers Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
Apply in the drawing with a hunting license and WMA license in hand and pay $40 if selected.
Is Oak Mountain State Park SOA a big tract?
3,695 acres, from the ADCNR SOA map layer.
Are deer dogs legal on Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
The listed hunts are stalk, primitive weapon or archery hunts.
Which Alabama deer zone covers Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
For Shelby County, Zone A versus B depends on which side of the highway line you stand. Permit areas keep their own calendar.
What species does Oak Mountain State Park SOA offer?
Sources name deer.
Is baiting legal on Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
No. Bait hunting is legal only on private or leased land with the Bait Privilege License, never on public land.
Which tract is closest to Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
Shelby SOA (16 mi away). 9 more lie within 50 miles.
Which office handles Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
Manager: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Parks Division. Closest WFF office: Northport, 56 mi.
Do I need hunter orange on Oak Mountain State Park SOA?
Gun deer dates require it: 144 square inches above the waist, or a full-size cap; pink counts.
Final checks for Oak Mountain State Park SOA
Permits, closures and draw notices on Oak Mountain State Park SOA 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: carmichaellibrary (CC BY 2.0); Tyler Lahti (CC BY-SA 2.0); Benny Mazur (CC BY 2.0).