Feral hogs and coyotes
Feral hog hunting in Alabama
The 2026-27 ADCNR rules for feral hogs, with public land and computed legal light.
Photo: Josh Henderson (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Feral Hog in Alabama for 2026-27
Feral hogs may be hunted in Alabama on any day of the 2026-27 license year, within the method and hour rules below. ADCNR hog limit: No bag limit.
How ADCNR sums up feral hogs
- Allowed: No limit.
- How and when: Year-round daytime; nighttime on private/leased land after gun deer season with the nighttime license; dog-only night season May 8-Aug 30, 2027; trapping year-round. Kill on site, no live transport.
- Worth knowing: Designated both a game animal and a furbearer in Alabama.
From ADCNR page and ADCNR Regulation Book p. 126 (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
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When feral hogs are open in Alabama
These are the 2026-27 hog rows; WMAs and Special Opportunity Areas can add dates of their own on area permits.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feral swine | Statewide | No limit. | License year | Year-round | ||
| Feral hogs, night season | Deer Zone A | No limit. | Feb 11, 2027 | Open-ended | ||
| Feral hogs, night season | Deer Zone B | No limit. | Feb 11, 2027 | Open-ended | ||
| Feral hogs, night season | Deer Zone C | No limit. | Feb 11, 2027 | Open-ended | ||
| Feral hogs, night season | CWD Management Zone | No limit. | Feb 11, 2027 | Open-ended | ||
| Feral hogs, night season | Deer Zone D | No limit. | Jan 28, 2027 | Open-ended | ||
| Feral hogs, night season | Deer Zone E | No limit. | Jan 28, 2027 | Open-ended | ||
| Feral hogs, night, with dogs | Statewide | No limit. | May 8, 2027 | Aug 30, 2027 | 115 | |
| Nuisance trapping, trapping | Statewide | No limit. | License year | Year-round |
Fine print for feral hogs
- Live feral swine may not be released or transported; kill at site of capture (220-2-.86).
- Bait Privilege License needed to hunt over bait on private/leased land.
- Opens 12:00 a.m. the day after the zone's last gun deer day (date derived from 2026-27 gun deer dates); closes 30 min before sunrise on the 2027-28 archery deer opener in the zone (not yet set, end null).
- Requires the annual Nighttime Feral Swine and Coyote Hunting License (all ages); Bait Privilege License if over bait.
- No closed season (license year shown).
- Coyote and feral swine may be trapped by the landowner or agent; feral swine killed at the trap site.
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 31, ADCNR page and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Daily and season limits for feral hogs
ADCNR writes the hog limits as below; any area permit can be stricter on a WMA or SOA.
| Rule for | Limit |
|---|---|
| Opossum, beaver, nutria, groundhog, bobcat, coyote, fox, feral swine | No bag limit. |
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 31, checked November 1, 2026.
Feral Hog after dark: dates and licenses
| Zone | Opening | Closing | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Zone A | Feb 11, 2027 | Pending | Night season |
| Deer Zone B | Feb 11, 2027 | Pending | Night season |
| Deer Zone C | Feb 11, 2027 | Pending | Night season |
| CWD Management Zone | Feb 11, 2027 | Pending | Night season |
| Deer Zone D | Jan 28, 2027 | Pending | Night season |
| Deer Zone E | Jan 28, 2027 | Pending | Night season |
| Statewide | May 8, 2027 | Aug 30, 2027 | Night, with dogs |
- Night permit: Required for the special nighttime season on private/leased land; no exemptions. Bait license also needed over bait.
- Night methods: Fully automatic firearms; lights or lasers projecting forward of a gun/bow and night vision or thermal equipment while hunting any species, except with the nighttime feral swine/coyote license during that season; refusing to show firearms/ammunition to officers.
- Trapping row: No closed season (license year shown). Coyote and feral swine may be trapped by the landowner or agent; feral swine killed at the trap site.
Night seasons for feral hogs open at 12:00 a.m. the day after the last gun deer day in the zone and run only on private or leased land.
From ADCNR page and 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 42, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal weapons and methods for feral hogs
| Season | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Predators and hogs | For feral hogs: Rifles any caliber; handguns; shotguns 10 ga or smaller; PCP air guns .25+; bows/crossbows; muzzleloaders any caliber; PCP arrow rifles; spear or sharpened blade; permitted raptors. | For feral hogs, not: lights/night vision except in the nighttime swine/coyote season with the license. |
- Feral swine (hog): Live feral swine may not be released or transported; all captured feral swine must be killed on site; no releasing domestic swine.
- Night hunting (hog): No taking protected birds or animals at night except fox (lights and dogs), raccoon/opossum (lights, dogs), feral swine/coyote in the special season with license, frogs and alligators.
- Baiting (hog): 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.
- Traps, snares, poisons (hog): No pitfalls, deadfalls, cages, nets, snares, poison or explosives for protected birds/animals (licensed fur catchers may trap furbearers under 220-2-.30).
- Fair chase and exotics (hog): No hunting animals that cannot evade the hunter (tied, caged, released <10 days, remote/computer-aided); no hunting nonindigenous animals for fee or recreation except feral swine, nuisance species or animals lawfully held before May 1, 2006.
No hog 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. 126, Code of Alabama 9-11-235 and Code of Alabama 9-11-244, checked November 1, 2026.
Alabama public land with hog seasons
58 public areas in this guide list feral hogs 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 |
| Wheeler NWR | National Wildlife Refuge | Limestone, Morgan +1 | 34,427 |
| 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 |
Special Opportunity Area dates for feral hogs
| Area | County | Hunt | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles F. Sykes – Cedar Creek SOA | Dallas | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Portland Landing SOA | Dallas | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Uchee Creek SOA | Russell | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Thigpen Hill SOA | Butler | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Little River SF SOA | Escambia | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Blackwater River SOA | Baldwin | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Fred T. Stimpson SOA | Clarke | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Upper State SOA | Clarke | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Crow Creek SOA | Jackson | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Shelby SOA | Shelby | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine, Raccoon, Opossum, & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
| Chalk Hill SOA | Tallapoosa | Bobcat, Coyote, Feral Swine, Raccoon, Opossum, & Fox | Open during any scheduled Special Opportunity Hunting Season. |
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 hog 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 |
| Nighttime hog and coyote | Resident | All ages | $18.50 | License year |
| Nighttime hog and coyote | Nonresident | All ages | $63.45 | License year |
| Bait Privilege | Resident | All ages | $18.95 | License year |
| Bait Privilege | Nonresident | All ages | $65.25 | License year |
| Hog Wild Hunting Package | Resident | Package | $60.85 | License year |
| Hog Wild Hunting Package | Nonresident | Package | $262.80 | License year |
| Fur Catcher's | Resident | Trappers | $28.70 | Oct 2026–Sept 2027 |
| Fur Catcher's | Nonresident | Trappers | Varies | Oct 2026–Sept 2027 |
From the ADCNR license pages and the Digest license section, checked November 1, 2026.
What ADCNR publishes on hog harvest
No hog harvest numbers are published by ADCNR, so this page gives none.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal hours for feral hogs
Read the legal window column for feral hogs; it already applies the half-hour rules where they exist.
For feral hogs, the Digest says: Daylight hours only = 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset (deer and all resident game birds and game animals), except where a night season exists. Fox at night with lights and dogs only; raccoon and opossum at night with lights and free-running dogs; coyote and feral swine at night only in the special nighttime season with the nighttime license (220-2-.07); bullfrog/pig frog day or night; alligator official sunset to official sunrise.
| Day | Marker | Where | Sun up | Sun down | Hunting window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | Madison County | 6:49 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | Jefferson County | 6:48 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | Montgomery County | 6:42 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | Mobile County | 6:46 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Jun 21, 2027 | Longest day | Madison County | 5:33 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 5:03 a.m. to 8:32 p.m. |
| Jun 21, 2027 | Longest day | Jefferson County | 5:37 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 5:07 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
| Jun 21, 2027 | Longest day | Montgomery County | 5:38 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 5:08 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. |
| Jun 21, 2027 | Longest day | Mobile County | 5:50 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 5:20 a.m. to 8:28 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 feral hogs
What is the nighttime hog season?
Only on private or leased land in the special nighttime season, which opens the day after the zone’s last gun deer day (February 11, 2027 in Zones A to C and the CMZ, January 28 in D and E), with the Nighttime Feral Swine and Coyote Hunting License ($18.50 resident, $63.45 nonresident).
What happens to trapped feral hogs?
Live feral swine may not be released or transported; all captured feral swine must be killed on site; no releasing domestic swine.
Is hog baiting allowed on WMAs?
Hunting white-tailed deer or feral swine with the aid of bait is legal only on privately owned or leased land with a Bait Privilege License: resident $18.95, nonresident $65.25 (2026-27), required of all ages, no exemptions (Code 9-11-244; statutory base $14/$50 + $1 issuance, CPI-adjusted under 9-11-68).
Can I take feral hogs year-round in Alabama?
Yes, feral hogs have no closed season in Alabama.
How many feral hogs may one hunter keep?
Feral hogs: No bag limit.
What licenses apply to feral hogs?
The license rows that fit feral hogs: Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10); Nighttime hog and coyote (resident, $18.50); Nighttime hog and coyote (nonresident, $63.45).
Which weapons may be used on feral hogs in Alabama?
Legal for feral hogs: Rifles any caliber; handguns; shotguns 10 ga or smaller; PCP air guns .25+; bows/crossbows; muzzleloaders any caliber; PCP arrow rifles; spear or sharpened blade; permitted raptors.
What hours apply to hog hunting in Alabama?
For feral hogs: Daylight hours only = 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset (deer and all resident game birds and game animals), except where a night season exists. Fox at night with lights and dogs only; raccoon and opossum at night with lights and free-running dogs; coyote and feral swine at night only in the special nighttime season with the nighttime license (220-2-.07); bullfrog/pig frog day or night; alligator official sunset to official sunrise.
Which Alabama WMAs have hog seasons?
Yes: 58 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 feral hogs in Alabama?
It depends on the date: in gun deer dates every hunter of any species, hog hunters included, wears orange or pink above the waist; on WMAs it is required at all times.
Do I have to report feral hogs I take in Alabama?
For feral hogs there is no harvest report; the Outdoor AL app is used only for WMA check-in on public areas.
Can I hunt feral hogs on Sunday in Alabama?
Sunday is a normal hunting day for feral hogs.