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Alabama wildlife management area
Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area for hunters
Where, when and how to hunt the wildlife management area in Baldwin County and 1 neighboring county.
Photo: Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Rice Creek LandingBoat ramp · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 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.
Upper Delta WMA WMA rules and permits
| What | 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 | Waterfowl, big game, and small game |
Rule 220-2-.55 sets the WMA paperwork for Upper Delta WMA: hunting license, WMA license at $23.40, AREA Permit and a check-in and check-out each day. The Wildlife Heritage License ($14.30) is what small game hunting on WMAs requires; resident hunting licenses bundle it. Plan on locked gates from May 1 to September 15 on most WMAs; you can still walk in. WMA deer dates and bonus-buck days are printed on each AREA Permit; a bonus buck is one per hunter per season, outside the three-buck limit, checked at the WMA station. Results for every species go into the Outdoor Alabama app or onto the daily permit, which is dropped at the kiosk after each hunt day. Bait is off the table on Upper Delta WMA: ADCNR bans hunting with the aid of bait on all public land, WMAs, SOAs and federal tracts included.
Printed on the area permit: IMPORTANT: All hunters must be familiar with WMA Regulation 220-2-.55.This regulation contains complete rules for
Sources: source, source, source, source (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). Checked November 1, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area
County rule table for Upper Delta WMA
| Rule | Baldwin County | Mobile County |
|---|---|---|
| Deer zone | B (map) | B (map) |
| CWD zone | Outside | Outside |
| Turkey zone | 1 | 1 |
| Fall turkey | Closed | Closed |
| Dove zone | South | South |
| Dog deer | Permit only | Allowed |
| Waterfowl zone | Delta zone or statewide | Delta zone or statewide |
| Alligator area | Southwest | Southwest |
| Turkeys, 2025 | 297-444 | 76-136 |
| WFF district | V | V |
Whether ground in Baldwin County and Mobile County is Zone A or B depends on a road-defined line: read the ADCNR deer zone map. Managed-area dates on Upper Delta WMA come from its permit, not from the zone table. Dog deer hunting in Baldwin County needs a Department permit (in some cases only part of the county). Waterfowl inside the Mobile-Tensaw Delta zone (Baldwin and Mobile) is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and ends at 1 p.m. the rest of the week. Three bucks per season, no more than one a day, with at least one carrying 4+ points on one antler. Game Check put Baldwin County at 297-444 turkeys in 2025, a binned range. ADCNR gives deer harvest only statewide.
ADCNR deer zones, turkey zones, dove zones, dog deer rules, CWD rules and the 2025 Alabama Wild Turkey Report; checked November 1, 2026.
Who runs Upper Delta WMA and how big it is
Expect about 42,451 acres of hunting ground at Upper Delta WMA, Baldwin and Mobile counties. Baldwin County has 6 records with acreage here; Upper Delta WMA is number 2. Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division staff of ADCNR run it as part of WFF District V. It belongs to the ADCNR Wildlife Management Area system.
The agency table says Baldwin & Mobile Counties near Stockton. Forever Wild Land Trust is named on the permit as cooperating. All mapped public land in Baldwin County adds up to 107,622 acres in GIS.
Species the source gives for Upper Delta WMA: Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl, Doves, Rabbits, Squirrels, Crows, Quail, Woodcock, Snipe, Raccoon, Opossum, Bobcat, Coyote, Feral hogs, Foxes, Furbearer trapping.
- White-tailed deer
- Wild turkey
- Ducks
- Canada goose
- 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.
Distances from Upper Delta WMA to other public land
Should Upper Delta WMA be crowded, Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs lies 8.7 mi south.
| Public land | Type | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs | WMA | 51,040 | Baldwin, Mobile | 8.7 mi | south |
| South Alabama Foundation PDHA | PDHA | 4,462 | Mobile | 11 mi | west |
| Splinter Hill Bog Complex (Forever Wild) | Forever Wild tract | 631 | Baldwin | 15 mi | east |
| Fred T. Stimpson SOA | SOA | 5,280 | Clarke | 28 mi | north |
| Little River State Forest SOA in Escambia County | SOA | 2,929 | Escambia | 29 mi | northeast |
| Little River State Forest PDHA in Monroe County | PDHA | 1,137 | Monroe, Escambia | 31 mi | northeast |
| Perdido River WMA | WMA | 17,337 | Baldwin | 33 mi | southeast |
| Upper State SOA | SOA | 1,918 | Clarke | 40 mi | north |
Points: ADCNR WMA layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Dated windows on Upper Delta WMA
Only rows that fit Upper Delta WMA are kept.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Gobbler limits on WMAs: two per area, one in the first ten days of the season.
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.
Upper Delta WMA duck season
There are no duck zones in Alabama apart from the Delta rule; Upper Delta WMA uses the statewide dates shown. Mind the Delta rule: no Monday or Tuesday duck hunting, and stop at 1 p.m.
| Game | Segment | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Where Upper Delta WMA hunters resupply
Closest town: Stockton, roughly 2.7 mi away. With 8,505 people, Bay Minette is the biggest nearby town. Spanish Fort houses the WFF office that serves Baldwin County ((251) 626-5153).
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton | Baldwin | – | 2.7 mi | northeast |
| Bucks | Mobile | – | 7.6 mi | west |
| Bay Minette | Baldwin | 8,505 | 8.8 mi | southeast |
| Creola | Mobile | 1,972 | 9.2 mi | southwest |
| Chickasaw | Mobile | 6,241 | 17 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.
Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area range and nearby clubs
Before a hunt on Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area, the area’s own range (Upper Delta WMA Shooting Range) is the obvious place to check a zero.
From ADCNR’s range directory and range pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 1, 2026.
Dates tied to Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area and its surroundings
Near this ground on November 1, 2026: 1 upcoming date.
Next up
| Held | Event | Away | Where held | Action | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2027 | Let's Talk Turkey Hunting (ADCNR Learn to Hunt workshop) | On site | Upper Delta WMA near Stockton | Register | Source |
Photos near and like Upper Delta WMA
First and last legal light in Upper Delta WMA
The times below use the solar formula for Upper Delta WMA rather than the Birmingham table in the Digest, which can be off by several minutes this far from Birmingham.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and game | Ducks, geese, doves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Upper Delta WMA: short answers
How early can I shoot on Upper Delta WMA?
Game animals: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset; on November 21, 2026 that is 5:52 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. at the Baldwin County centre.
What part of Alabama is Upper Delta WMA in?
Baldwin and Mobile counties, inside WFF District V. Stockton is the closest town with a page here, about 2.7 mi away.
Is Upper Delta WMA a big tract?
Roughly 42,451 acres, per the ADCNR WMA table.
Which licenses or permits does Upper Delta WMA require?
Same as any WMA: hunting license, the $23.40 WMA license, AREA Permit, daily permit.
What zone is Upper Delta WMA for deer?
Baldwin County and Mobile County is shaded A or B on the ADCNR map, a road-defined line. Draw and WMA permits carry their own dates.
Is dog deer hunting allowed at Upper Delta WMA?
Baldwin County rule: permit only; confirm on the area rules.
Is hunting near bait allowed at Upper Delta WMA?
No, the privilege is for private land.
What species does Upper Delta WMA offer?
Listed game: deer, turkey, waterfowl, doves, rabbits, squirrels, crows, quail, woodcock, snipe, raccoon, opossum, bobcat, coyote, feral hogs, foxes and furbearer trapping.
Which office handles Upper Delta WMA?
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division manages it. The permit names biologist Jared Knight, (334) 530-1765.
Spring turkey dates at Upper Delta WMA?
Mar 20, 2027 to May 3, 2027, daylight to 1 p.m.
Which tract is closest to Upper Delta WMA?
Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs (8.7 mi away). 9 more lie within 50 miles.
Upper Delta WMA trip checklist
Report violations on Upper Delta WMA to Operation Game Watch at 1-800-272-4263.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. Checked November 1, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0); NatalieMaynor (CC BY 2.0); Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0).