Waterfowl
Coot hunting in Alabama
The 2026-27 ADCNR rules for coots, with public land and computed legal light.
Photo: Birding for Climate (Public domain)
Coot in Alabama for 2026-27
Coots are legal game in Alabama for part of 2026-27: Nov 27 to Jan 31, as 2 rows in the season tables. ADCNR coot limit: 15 per day.
Coot at a glance
- Allowed: 15/day.
- How and when: Duck dates.
From ADCNR page and 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 32 (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
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When coots are open in Alabama
Statewide dates for coots, as ADCNR printed them for 2026-27.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coot season | Statewide | 15/day; possession 3x daily. | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | 2 | |
| Coot season | Statewide | 15/day; possession 3x daily. | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 58 |
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 32, checked November 1, 2026.
Daily and season limits for coots
ADCNR writes the coot limits as below; any area permit can be stricter on a WMA or SOA.
| Rule for | Limit |
|---|---|
| Coots | 15 per day. |
| Waterfowl possession | Possession limit is 3 times the daily bag for all waterfowl species. |
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 32 and 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide p. 3, checked November 1, 2026.
Zone and refuge rules for coots
- Statewide: One statewide zone for ducks, coots, mergansers, geese and teal (no duck zones listed for Alabama).
- Mobile-Tensaw Delta WMZ: Boundary: US 90 at the west bank of the Mobile River east to I-10 at Chacaloochee Bay, east on I-10 to US 98, north on US 98 to US 90, north on US 90 to AL 225, north on AL 225 to the railroad near lat. 30.857136, west on the railroad to the Mobile River west bank, south to US 90. Excludes Apalachee Refuge. Rules: closed to waterfowl hunting Mondays and Tuesdays; Wednesday-Sunday shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1:00 p.m.; special early teal and goose seasons open all week to sunset.
- Apalachee Refuge: No hunting and no gas-powered motors from the second Saturday in November through the second Saturday in February (I-10/US 90 at Chacaloochee Bay to the western channel of the Apalachee River).
- Big Bateau Bay: Closed to gas-powered motors from the second Saturday in November through the second Saturday in February.
- Corps lands: Corps of Engineers lands and waters in Pickens, Greene and Sumter: shooting hours as stated on ACOE permits.
- WMA rules: Crow Creek, Mud Creek and Raccoon Creek WMAs (220-2-.164) and Mallard-Fox and Swan Creek WMAs (220-2-.165) have their own waterfowl rules.
Near Mobile Bay, coot hunters must know the Delta zone line and the Apalachee Refuge, closed to hunting from mid-November to mid-February.
From 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide p. 3 and 2026-27 Waterfowl Hunting Guide, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal weapons and methods for coots
| Season | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory birds | For coots: Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells with No. 2 shot or smaller; waterfowl with steel or other USFWS-approved nontoxic shot (T or smaller per the waterfowl guide); bows/crossbows; permitted raptors. | For coots, not: lead shot in possession while waterfowl hunting; rifles, pistols; unplugged guns. |
- Vehicles and boats (coot): No hunting, driving or rallying wildlife from automobiles, aircraft, trains, motorboats or other mechanically propelled devices; hunting from a floating craft or a vehicle allowed only once the motor is off and motion has stopped; never from a vehicle on a public road.
- Baiting (coot): No hunting over bait or a fed area until feed is gone 10 days, except deer and feral swine on private/leased land with a Bait Privilege License; bait over 100 yards and out of sight presumed not a lure on private land; no baiting on public land or in the CMZ.
No coot may be shot from a vehicle on a public road or from a moving boat; motors must be off and motion stopped.
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 34, ADCNR Regulation Book p. 45 and Code of Alabama 9-11-244, checked November 1, 2026.
Alabama public land with coot seasons
50 public areas in this guide list coots among the species open on the area permit or refuge rules; the 15 largest follow.
| Name | Type | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Warrior WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lawrence, Winston | 91,263 |
| James D. Martin-Skyline WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Jackson | 60,732 |
| Choccolocco WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Cleburne | 56,838 |
| Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland WMAs | Wildlife Management Area | Baldwin, Mobile | 51,040 |
| Oakmulgee WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Bibb, Hale +2 | 44,500 |
| Upper Delta WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Baldwin, Mobile | 42,451 |
| William R. Ireland, Sr.-Cahaba River WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Bibb, Shelby | 35,559 |
| Mulberry Fork WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Tuscaloosa, Walker | 35,260 |
| Freedom Hills WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Colbert | 33,539 |
| Hollins WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Clay, Talladega | 28,802 |
| Barbour WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Barbour, Bullock | 28,214 |
| Jackson County Waterfowl Areas and Refuges (Jackson County WMA) | Wildlife Management Area | Jackson | 26,934 |
| Blue Spring WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Covington | 24,783 |
| Lauderdale WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lauderdale | 20,344 |
| Coosa WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Coosa | 17,486 |
Special Opportunity Area dates for coots
| Area | County | Hunt | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Landing SOA | Dallas | Waterfowl/Woodcock | Jan 2-3 |
| Uchee Creek SOA | Russell | Waterfowl | Dec 12-13, Jan 9-10 |
| Crow Creek SOA | Jackson | Waterfowl | Jan 2-3, Jan 9-10, Jan 16-17, Jan 23-24, Jan 30-31 |
| Crow Creek SOA | Jackson | Waterfowl | Youth – Feb 6 |
SOA hunts are limited-quota random draws; drawn hunters and guests get a dedicated unit for 2 to 4 days.
From lands.json (ADCNR WMA AREA Permits, SOA page, federal rules) and the ADCNR SOA page, checked November 1, 2026.
What coot hunters buy in Alabama
Licenses are sold through the new MyOutdoorAlabama system, launched in summer 2026; prices below are for 2026-27.
| Item | Resident? | Group | Fee | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Game | Resident | Age 16-64 | $23.40 | License year |
| Small Game, annual | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $134.10 | License year |
| HIP certification | Both | Migratory bird hunters | Free | License year |
| WMA | Resident | Age 16-64 | $23.40 | License year |
| WMA | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $23.40 | License year |
From the ADCNR license pages and the Digest license section, checked November 1, 2026.
What ADCNR publishes on coot harvest
No coot harvest numbers are published by ADCNR, so this page gives none.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal hours for coots
Read the legal window column for coots; it already applies the half-hour rules where they exist.
For coots, the Digest says: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for teal, ducks, coots, mergansers, geese, rails, gallinules, snipe and woodcock. Mobile-Tensaw Delta WMZ: closed Mon-Tue, Wed-Sun to 1:00 p.m. (teal and early goose seasons all week to sunset). Corps lands in Pickens, Greene and Sumter: per ACOE permit.
| Day | Marker | Where | Sun up | Sun down | Hunting window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 27, 2026 | Opener | Madison County | 6:31 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Opener | Jefferson County | 6:30 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Opener | Montgomery County | 6:24 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Opener | Mobile County | 6:29 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | End | Madison County | 6:46 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | End | Jefferson County | 6:45 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | End | Montgomery County | 6:40 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | End | Mobile County | 6:45 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
Rules from the Digest shooting hours section; sunrise and sunset computed (NOAA solar formula, Central Time); checked November 1, 2026. Legal hours for all 67 counties.
Answers about coots
Which weapons may be used on coots in Alabama?
Legal for coots: Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells with No. 2 shot or smaller; waterfowl with steel or other USFWS-approved nontoxic shot (T or smaller per the waterfowl guide); bows/crossbows; permitted raptors.
What hours apply to coot hunting in Alabama?
For coots: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for teal, ducks, coots, mergansers, geese, rails, gallinules, snipe and woodcock. Mobile-Tensaw Delta WMZ: closed Mon-Tue, Wed-Sun to 1:00 p.m. (teal and early goose seasons all week to sunset). Corps lands in Pickens, Greene and Sumter: per ACOE permit.
Which Alabama WMAs have coot seasons?
Yes: 50 areas, starting with Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area, James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife Management Area and Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area.
Is blaze orange needed for coots in Alabama?
The exemption list in the hunter orange rule covers turkey hunters and migratory bird hunters, which takes in coots; on WMAs, CHAs and SOAs only migratory bird hunters skip the orange.
Do I have to report coots I take in Alabama?
HIP certification covers coots: it is free and required for migratory birds, with the age exemptions on the ADCNR HIP page.
Can I hunt coots on Sunday in Alabama?
Sunday is a normal hunting day for coots.
Which days are closed in the Delta zone?
Alabama has one statewide zone plus the Mobile-Tensaw Delta Waterfowl Management Zone in Baldwin and Mobile, which is closed to waterfowl hunting on Mondays and Tuesdays and ends shooting at 1 p.m. on open days.
What shotgun rules apply to waterfowl?
Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells with No. 2 shot or smaller; waterfowl with steel or other USFWS-approved nontoxic shot (T or smaller per the waterfowl guide); bows/crossbows; permitted raptors. Not legal: Lead shot in possession while waterfowl hunting; rifles, pistols; unplugged guns.
Who can hunt the special waterfowl days?
Special youth, veteran and active military days Nov 21, 2026 and Feb 6, 2027; adult supervisor within arm’s length and may hunt only if a veteran/active military.
What are the 2026-27 coot dates in Alabama?
From Nov 27, 2026 through Jan 31, 2027; zone and segment details are in the season table.
How many coots may one hunter keep?
Coots: 15 per day. Possession limit is 3 times the daily bag for all waterfowl species.
What licenses apply to coots?
The license rows that fit coots: Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10); HIP certification (both, Free); WMA (resident, $23.40).