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Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area, Alabama hunting
A 2026-27 guide to the wildlife management area in Lamar County and 1 neighboring county (16,372 acres).
Photo: formulanone (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area
Sam R. Murphy 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 | Per permit |
| Bait | Not allowed |
| Table type | Big and small game |
Hunters 16 and older on Sam R. Murphy 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. 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 Sam R. Murphy WMA.
The permit adds: All deer harvested on Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3 (excluding Dec. 25), Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17, and Jan. 21-24 must be submitted at check station for data collection.The check station is open from 9:00a.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 Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area
Zones and county rules around Sam R. Murphy WMA
| Topic | Lamar County | Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| Deer zone | A (map) | C, A (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed | Closed |
| Dove zone | North | North |
| Dog deer | Stalk only | Stalk only |
| Waterfowl zone | Statewide | Statewide |
| Alligator area | None | None |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 209-296 | 297-444 |
| WFF district | I | I |
Named-zone list: Zone C. The rest of the county falls in Zone A or B. Zones A and B split along roads and rivers; for Lamar County and Marion County use the ADCNR deer zone map to see which side you are on. Sam R. Murphy WMA keeps its own calendar, set by permit, whatever the zone dates say. Lamar County and Marion County appear 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. Lamar 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.
Sam R. Murphy WMA on paper
Lamar and Marion counties holds the 16,372 acres of Sam R. Murphy WMA (the ADCNR WMA table). The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of ADCNR looks after it in WFF District I. The record files it under the ADCNR Wildlife Management Area system. Location on the ADCNR table: Lamar and Marion Counties near Guin.
The AREA Permit names Sam Murphy Estate as cooperating landowners or agencies. The county total for public land is 8,907 acres (Lamar County).
The record names this game: 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.
Other public land a short drive from Sam R. Murphy WMA
Rows run from nearest to farthest, beginning with Fayette PDHA (16 mi, southeast).
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette PDHA | PDHA | 1,105 | Fayette | 16 mi | southeast |
| Bankhead National Forest | National forest | 182,014 | Lawrence, Winston | 41 mi | northeast |
| Bankhead Ranger District | Ranger district | 182,014 | Lawrence, Winston | 41 mi | northeast |
| Black Warrior WMA | WMA | 91,263 | Lawrence, Winston | 42 mi | northeast |
| Sipsey River Swamp North Zone (Forever Wild) | Forever Wild tract | 4,959 | Tuscaloosa | 45 mi | south |
| Freedom Hills WMA | WMA | 33,539 | Colbert | 47 mi | north |
| Mulberry Fork WMA | WMA | 35,260 | Tuscaloosa, Walker | 50 mi | southeast |
Points: ADCNR WMA layer (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside) of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Sam R. Murphy WMA dates for 2026-27
Rows trimmed to the game and land type of Sam R. Murphy 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 Sam R. Murphy 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.
Sam R. Murphy 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 Sam R. Murphy WMA
Guin, 5.1 mi off, is the closest town with a page here. Hamilton is the largest of these towns, with 6,944 people in 2024. ADCNR handles Lamar County from Tanner; call (256) 353-2634.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guin | Marion | 2,137 | 5.1 mi | east |
| Hamilton | Marion | 6,944 | 10 mi | north |
| Vernon | Lamar | 1,835 | 18 mi | southwest |
| Fayette | Fayette | 4,080 | 23 mi | southeast |
| Hodges | Franklin | 262 | 24 mi | north |
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.
Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area: ADCNR range details
Sam R. Murphy WMA Shooting Range sits on Sam R. Murphy Wildlife Management Area; there is no range fee, but adult shooters need a license. The Range will be closed until further notice due to logging activity in the area.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Sam R. Murphy WMA photo row
When shooting light starts in Sam R. Murphy 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 | 6:56 a.m. | 6:20 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:30 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:35 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:53 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:57 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:42 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:58 a.m. | 7:03 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:03 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 Sam R. Murphy WMA
Is there other public hunting land close to Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Nearest on our list: Fayette PDHA, 16 mi. 6 more lie within 50 miles.
When is spring turkey season on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Mar 20, 2027 to May 3, 2027, daylight to 1 p.m. Gobblers only.
When does legal light start on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
6:00 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. on November 21, 2026, for deer and other game.
What about hunter orange or pink on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
During gun deer dates, 144 square inches of orange or fluorescent pink above the waist, or a full-size orange or pink cap.
How large is Sam R. Murphy WMA?
The ADCNR WMA table gives 16,372 acres.
Where is Sam R. Murphy WMA?
WFF District I covers it: Lamar and Marion counties. Guin is the closest town with a page here, about 5.1 mi away.
Is Sam R. Murphy WMA in Zone A, B, C, D or E?
ADCNR text puts its county in Zone C; Lamar County and Marion 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 Sam R. Murphy 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 Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Not allowed. The bait license covers private or leased land only.
May I run hounds for deer on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Stalk only in Lamar County, under the county list.
Which office handles Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Management sits with Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. Biologist: Kevin Pugh, (256) 431-4711.
Sam R. Murphy WMA: last-minute checks
Report deer and turkey through Game Check (Outdoor Alabama app) within 48 hours, and carry your harvest record while hunting Sam R. Murphy 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); formulanone (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).