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Alabama wildlife management area
Perdido River Wildlife Management Area hunting guide
Public wildlife management area in Baldwin County, 17,337 acres, WFF District V.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Perdido River Wildlife Management Area
Paperwork and rules for Perdido River WMA
| Paperwork | Status |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Expect to need three things beyond a hunting license on Perdido River WMA: the WMA license ($23.40), the AREA Permit and a daily check-in. Small-game-only visits need the Wildlife Heritage License at $14.30 if you hold no resident hunting license. From May 1 until September 15, ADCNR closes the gates on most WMAs to vehicles. Stalk hunting only for deer, since the permit reads "No Dog Deer Hunting". ADCNR leaves WMA deer dates to the AREA Permit, and the bonus buck there (one a season) does not count toward the statewide three. Each hunt day ends with a report: log the results in the app or on the paper daily permit and leave it at the kiosk. The Bait Privilege License covers private or leased land only, so no hunting over bait on Perdido River WMA.
From the 2026-27 permit: All deer harvested must be submitted at check station for data collection on the following dates: Nov. 21, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 26, Jan. 8-9, Jan. 22-23, Jan. 29-30.The check station is open from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sources: source, source, source, source (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Perdido River Wildlife Management Area
Perdido River WMA: the record behind the page
Perdido River WMA covers 17,337 acres in Baldwin County, the figure given by the ADCNR WMA table. Sorted by acres, Perdido River WMA comes 3rd of 6 in Baldwin County. It is ADCNR ground, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, WFF District V. ADCNR and its partners list it under the ADCNR Wildlife Management Area system.
The WMA table places it in Baldwin County, north of Interstate 10, near Gateswood. Land partners: Forever Wild Land Trust. Baldwin County holds 107,622 acres of public land on the GIS layers.
Hunted on Perdido River WMA, per the source: Turkey, Waterfowl, Deer, Doves, Rabbits, Squirrels, Crows, Quail, Woodcock, Snipe, Raccoon, Opossum, Bobcat, Coyote, Feral hogs, Foxes, Furbearer trapping.
- Wild turkey
- Ducks
- Canada goose
- White-tailed deer
- Mourning dove
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Crows
- Bobwhite quail
- Woodcock
From the agency record (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division); checked November 1, 2026.
Perdido River WMA zones, dogs and harvest class
| County rule | Baldwin County |
|---|---|
| Deer zone | B (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed |
| Dove zone | South |
| Dog deer | Permit only |
| Waterfowl zone | Delta zone or statewide |
| Alligator area | Southwest |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 297-444 |
| WFF district | V |
For A or B status in Baldwin County, go by the ADCNR deer zone map; the line runs on highways and rivers. On Perdido River WMA itself, the area permit or draw schedule sets the deer days, so zone dates are background here. The permit-only dog deer list includes Baldwin County. The Delta waterfowl zone in Baldwin and Mobile shuts duck hunting on Mondays and Tuesdays, with a 1 p.m. stop on other days. Buck limit: 3 a season, 1 a day; one of them must have 4 points or more on one side. 2025 turkey class for Baldwin County: 297-444. 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.
Perdido River WMA: opening and closing days
Windows for Perdido River WMA in 2026-27, one per row.
| Species | Hunt | Scope | First day | Last day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Doves | Segment 1 | South Zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 12, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | South Zone | Sep 13, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 3 | South Zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 4 | South Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 |
Turkey rows come from the WMA group list; everything else for Perdido River WMA is on the area permit.
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.
Perdido River WMA dove fields
ADCNR lists 1 dove field on Perdido River WMA for 2026, 8 acres planted, mostly browntop millet, sesame and corn.
| Field name | Crop | Acres | Work done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perdido River WMA | Browntop Millet, Sesame, Corn, and Egyptian Wheat | 8 | Mowed, disked, and planted |
Hunting days, as ADCNR lists them: State season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Thursdays and Saturdays ONLY) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts.
ADCNR WMA Dove Field Information; checked November 1, 2026.
Perdido River WMA duck season
Statewide waterfowl dates govern Perdido River WMA, subject to the area permit. Mobile-Tensaw Delta zone hours end at 1 p.m., and Mondays and Tuesdays are closed.
| Bird | Season | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Perdido River WMA and the closest public tracts
Perdido River WMA is pinned with its 8 nearest public neighbors; Blackwater River SOA heads the table.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackwater River SOA | SOA | 3,436 | Baldwin | 15 mi | south |
| Lillian Swamp Complex (Forever Wild) | Forever Wild tract | 2,262 | Baldwin | 17 mi | south |
| Splinter Hill Bog Complex (Forever Wild) | Forever Wild tract | 631 | Baldwin | 26 mi | northwest |
| Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs | WMA | 51,040 | Baldwin, Mobile | 31 mi | west |
| Upper Delta WMA | WMA | 42,451 | Baldwin, Mobile | 33 mi | northwest |
| Little River State Forest SOA in Escambia County | SOA | 2,929 | Escambia | 37 mi | north |
| Little River State Forest PDHA in Monroe County | PDHA | 1,137 | Monroe, Escambia | 39 mi | north |
| South Alabama Foundation PDHA | PDHA | 4,462 | Mobile | 42 mi | northwest |
Points: ADCNR WMA layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Perdido River WMA: nearest towns, offices and shops
For fuel and a meal, Lillian is 19 mi out. Gulf Shores counted 17,431 people in 2024, the most of the five. Baldwin County is served by the ADCNR WFF office in Spanish Fort, (251) 626-5153.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lillian | Baldwin | – | 19 mi | south |
| Spanish Fort | Baldwin | 11,118 | 24 mi | west |
| Bay Minette | Baldwin | 8,505 | 24 mi | northwest |
| Gulf Shores | Baldwin | 17,431 | 32 mi | southwest |
| Stockton | Baldwin | – | 32 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.
Legal hours in Perdido River WMA
Mobile and Huntsville see sunrise many minutes apart in winter, so use the times worked out for Perdido River WMA.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Game window | Migratory window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:52 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:22 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:27 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:44 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:49 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:37 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:02 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 Perdido River WMA
Nearest ADCNR range to Perdido River Wildlife Management Area, plus others
Upper Delta WMA Shooting Range (public, license needed) is 38 miles from Perdido River Wildlife Management 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.
Perdido River WMA answers from the sources
Turkey season on Perdido River WMA: when?
Spring runs Mar 20, 2027 to May 3, 2027, daylight to 1 p.m.
Which office handles Perdido River WMA?
Manager: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. The permit names biologist Eli Kimmons, (334) 719-4466.
Do I need hunter orange on Perdido River WMA?
Gun deer dates require it: 144 square inches above the waist, or a full-size cap; pink counts.
Which tract is closest to Perdido River WMA?
Blackwater River SOA (15 mi away). 7 more lie within 50 miles.
When is shooting light at Perdido River WMA?
On November 21, 2026, about 5:52 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. for deer (Baldwin County centre).
Are there managed dove fields on Perdido River WMA?
Yes, 1 on the 2026 list, 8 planted acres.
Is Perdido River WMA a big tract?
17,337 acres, from the ADCNR WMA table.
Where exactly does Perdido River WMA lie?
Look in Baldwin County; ADCNR places those counties in WFF District V. Lillian is the closest town with a page here, about 19 mi away.
Which Alabama deer zone covers Perdido River WMA?
For Baldwin County, Zone A versus B depends on which side of the highway line you stand. Permit areas keep their own calendar.
What paperwork covers Perdido River WMA?
A hunting license, the $23.40 WMA license for deer, turkey or waterfowl, the free AREA Permit and a daily check-in by app or paper.
Is baiting legal on Perdido River WMA?
No. Bait hunting is legal only on private or leased land with the Bait Privilege License, never on public land.
Other photos on this page: Melissa Johnson (CC BY 2.0); Bart Everson (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).