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Russell County · SOA
Uchee Creek Special Opportunity Area hunting
Hunting access on public ground in Russell County, about 4,734 acres.
Photo: US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Uchee Creek Special Opportunity Area
Uchee Creek SOA: hunt dates and draw rules
Uchee Creek SOA works on limited-quota draws; winners get their dates, everyone else waits for the next round. Registration asks for your hunting license, your WMA license and a no-cost Conservation ID. Units run 300 to 400 acres and hunts last two to four days, one drawn hunter plus guest per unit. Bucks must meet the Uchee Creek SOA antler rule (main beam spread 16" (outside the ears) or 18" main beam (3x length of ear)).
| Game | Hunt dates |
|---|---|
| Deer | Archery – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice: Oct. 15-18, Oct. 22-25, Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 |
| Deer | Gun – Stalk Hunting Antlerless Only: Nov. 5-8 |
| Deer | Gun – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice: Dec. 3-6, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17, Jan. 28-31 |
| Deer | Primitive Weapons – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice: Nov. 17-20 |
| 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 |
| Waterfowl | Dec. 12-13, Jan 9-10 |
| Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
Application windows for Uchee Creek SOA
| Draw | Opened | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| SOA deer hunts | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 |
| SOA adult waterfowl | Oct 13, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 |
| SOA small game and turkey hunts | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 |
Fine print: Opens 8 a.m., closes 1 p.m.; results Sept. 15, 2 p.m.
Hunting deer or hogs over bait is a private-land privilege in Alabama and does not extend to Uchee Creek SOA.
Sources: ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas, ADCNR draw deadlines. Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Uchee Creek Special Opportunity Area
The Uchee Creek SOA file
Size on record: 4,734 acres, per the ADCNR SOA map layer; the ground lies in Russell County. Among 2 sized records in Russell County, it places 2nd. ADCNR, through the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, manages it (WFF District IV). It is part of the ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas (limited quota draw hunts).
7,107 acres of Russell County are mapped as public land.
The record names this game: Deer, Turkey, Quail, Rabbits, Squirrels, Waterfowl, Bobcat, Coyote, Feral hogs, Foxes.
From the agency record (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division); checked November 1, 2026.
Uchee Creek SOA: the county rules that apply
| Zone or rule | Russell County |
|---|---|
| Deer zone | E, B/A (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed |
| Dove zone | North |
| Dog deer | Allowed |
| Waterfowl zone | Statewide |
| Alligator area | Southeast |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 137-208 |
| WFF district | IV |
Zone E is listed for the county around Uchee Creek SOA; the boundary runs on highways and rivers. The A/B boundary through Russell County follows US 80, the Alabama River, I-65, I-85 and other roads, so the ADCNR deer zone map is the reference. The permit for Uchee Creek SOA overrides the zone calendar for deer. The season limit is three antlered deer (one per day), and one must show 4 or more points on one antler. Turkey reports for Russell County in 2025: 137-208 birds (ADCNR class). Deer harvest by county is not released.
ADCNR deer zones, turkey zones, dove zones, dog deer rules, CWD rules and the 2025 Alabama Wild Turkey Report; checked November 1, 2026.
Uchee Creek SOA on the map with its neighbors
Rows run from nearest to farthest, beginning with Macon State Forest PDHA (19 mi, northwest).
| Neighbor | Category | Acreage | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon State Forest PDHA | PDHA | 190 | Macon | 19 mi | northwest |
| Tuskegee National Forest | National forest | 11,347 | Macon | 21 mi | west |
| Tuskegee Ranger District | Ranger district | 11,347 | Macon | 21 mi | west |
| Eufaula NWR (Alabama portion) | Wildlife refuge | 7,631 | Barbour, Russell | 28 mi | south |
| Barbour WMA | WMA | 28,214 | Barbour, Bullock | 30 mi | south |
| Walter F. George Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Barbour, Henry | 30 mi | south |
| Coon Creek Tract (Forever Wild) (316 acres) | Forever Wild tract | 316 | Tallapoosa | 39 mi | northwest |
| Chalk Hill SOA | SOA | 3,466 | Tallapoosa | 40 mi | northwest |
Points: ADCNR Special Opportunity Areas layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Supplies and help around Uchee Creek SOA
The nearest town page is Ladonia, 11 mi from Uchee Creek SOA. Auburn (83,757 residents) has the most services, 21 mi away. The WFF district office for this county is at 3520 Plaza Dr., Enterprise.
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladonia | Russell | – | 11 mi | northeast |
| Phenix City | Russell | 38,509 | 14 mi | east |
| Opelika | Lee | 35,005 | 21 mi | north |
| Auburn | Lee | 83,757 | 21 mi | northwest |
| Tuskegee | Macon | 8,653 | 25 mi | west |
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 Uchee Creek Special Opportunity Area and its surroundings
Kinds close by: SOA deer (gun) draw, SOA deer (gun, antlerless) draw, SOA deer (primitive weapons) draw, SOA small game draw, SOA turkey draw and SOA waterfowl draw. Count: 6 upcoming dates. Count 6 limited-quota SOA hunts, by draw only.
Upcoming dates
| Date | Event | Miles away | Location | Sign-up or details | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5–8, 2026 | Uchee Creek SOA deer hunt: Gun – Stalk Hunting Antlerless Only · SOA deer (gun, antlerless) draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Nov 17–20, 2026 | Uchee Creek SOA deer hunt: Primitive Weapons – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice · SOA deer (primitive weapons) draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Dec 3–Jan 31 (2026-27) | Uchee Creek SOA deer hunt: Gun – Stalk Hunting Hunter's Choice · SOA deer (gun) draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Dec 12–Jan 10 (2026-27) | Uchee Creek SOA waterfowl hunt · SOA waterfowl draw | On site | Event details | Source | |
| Feb 8–21, 2027 | Uchee Creek SOA quail, rabbit & squirrel hunt · SOA small game draw | On site | Register | Source | |
| Apr 2–May 2, 2027 | Uchee Creek SOA turkey hunt · SOA turkey draw | On site | Register | Source |
Uchee Creek SOA shooting hours on key dates
ADCNR prints one sunrise and sunset table for downtown Birmingham and warns that other places can differ by 10 minutes or more, so the times below are worked out for Uchee Creek SOA.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery opens, A and C | 6:43 a.m. | 6:09 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 6:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer, A-C | 6:15 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Ducks open | 6:20 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 5:50 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 5:50 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:38 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-January | 6:42 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Feb 10, 2027 | Deer close, A-C | 6:29 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Mar 20, 2027 | Turkey opener | 6:46 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 6:52 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.
Landscape and game photos for Uchee Creek SOA
Public and club ranges for Uchee Creek Special Opportunity Area hunters
Barbour County has the ADCNR range nearest Uchee Creek Special Opportunity Area: Barbour County WMA Shooting Range (29 miles). Two more ranges follow.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Uchee Creek SOA questions and answers
Hunter orange rules for Uchee Creek SOA?
Yes in gun deer season: 144 sq. in. above the waist or a full-size cap, orange or pink.
When do applications close for Uchee Creek SOA?
The SOA deer hunts drawing ran Sep 1, 2026 to Sep 14, 2026. Later rounds: 2.
What time can I start hunting Uchee Creek SOA?
For deer on November 21, 2026: 5:45 a.m. until 5:09 p.m..
How do I place Uchee Creek SOA on a map?
Uchee Creek SOA lies in Russell County, in WFF District IV. Ladonia is the closest town with a page here, about 11 mi away.
Is Uchee Creek SOA a big tract?
The figure on file is 4,734 acres (the ADCNR SOA map layer).
Which permits apply on Uchee Creek SOA?
A draw win, a hunting license and a WMA license plus a free Conservation ID.
Deer zone for Uchee Creek SOA?
Named zone: Zone E; Russell County also has Zone A or B ground, and that line follows roads and rivers, so check the ADCNR zone map. Area permits override zone dates on managed areas.
Does Uchee Creek SOA allow dog hunting for deer?
The SOA schedule lists no dog deer hunt.
Bait and feeders on Uchee Creek SOA?
No. ADCNR bans hunting with bait on WMAs, SOAs and federal land.
Which animals may be hunted on Uchee Creek SOA?
The record lists deer, turkey, quail, rabbits, squirrels, waterfowl, bobcat, coyote, feral hogs and foxes.
Which office handles Uchee Creek SOA?
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. Try the Montgomery ADCNR office.
Uchee Creek SOA: last-minute checks
Signs on the ground outrank any web page; look for posted safety zones and closed areas on Uchee Creek SOA.
Sources: source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. Checked November 1, 2026.
Other photos on this page: US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0); PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0).