Small game
Groundhog hunting in Alabama
Groundhog in Alabama: every 2026-27 season row with its source.
Photo: Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0)
Groundhog: the 2026-27 picture
The Alabama tables give groundhogs the whole license year; read the method rows for what changes at night or on public land. Bag rule for groundhogs: No bag limit.
The short version for groundhogs
- Daily bag: No limit.
- Dates and methods: No closed season, daylight.
From ADCNR page (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
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Groundhog dates, 2026-27
One statewide calendar covers groundhogs; no zone changes the dates.
| Season | Covers | Bag | Opening | Closing | Span | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver, nutria, groundhog | Statewide | No limit. | Year-round | Year-round |
Notes on the groundhog rows
- No closed season (license year shown).
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
How many groundhogs one hunter may take
Limits for groundhogs, with the possession rule that goes with them.
| Bag row | What it allows |
|---|---|
| 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.
Licenses and forest closures for groundhogs
Nonresidents hunting groundhogs can choose an annual, 10-day or 3-day small game license.
Beaver, nutria and groundhog sit together in one ADCNR row with no closed season.
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 42 and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Methods that apply to groundhog hunting
| Season | Legal gear | Illegal gear |
|---|---|---|
| Predators and hogs | For groundhogs: 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 groundhogs, not: lights/night vision except in the nighttime swine/coyote season with the license. |
- Fire, smoke, chemicals (groundhog): No hunting with fire or smoke; no gasoline or noxious chemicals to drive wildlife from dens.
- Traps, snares, poisons (groundhog): No pitfalls, deadfalls, cages, nets, snares, poison or explosives for protected birds/animals (licensed fur catchers may trap furbearers under 220-2-.30).
Statewide, lights or lasers projecting ahead of a gun or bow and night vision or thermal gear are banned for groundhogs except in the nighttime hog and coyote season.
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 34, ADCNR Regulation Book p. 45 and Code of Alabama 9-11-245, checked November 1, 2026.
Paying to hunt groundhogs in Alabama
Resident landowners and their immediate family hunting their own land need no license for groundhogs; nonresidents 16 and older need one everywhere.
| License | Who | Category | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Game | Resident | Age 16-64 | $23.40 | License year |
| Small Game, annual | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $134.10 | License year |
| Wildlife Heritage | Resident | Any age | $14.30 | License year |
From the ADCNR license pages and the Digest license section, checked November 1, 2026.
How many groundhogs are taken
ADCNR publishes no harvest figures for groundhogs: no table for waterfowl, doves, small game, furbearers or alligators turned up in the pages read.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Hours for groundhogs across Alabama
Sunrise in Mobile and in Huntsville can be many minutes apart, so the groundhog hours below are computed for four counties rather than read from one table.
The groundhog hours rule: 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.
| Date | Point | County | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal 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.
Groundhog FAQ for Alabama
Does the orange rule apply to groundhog hunters?
During any open gun deer dates (youth and muzzleloader days included) a groundhog hunter wears 144 square inches of hunter orange or fluorescent pink above the waist, or a full-size orange or pink cap.
Must groundhog harvests be reported?
Reporting is not required for groundhogs in the sources read; it applies to deer, turkey, alligators and tagged pelts.
Is there a Sunday ban for groundhogs?
There is no Sunday restriction on groundhogs in Alabama.
Do groundhogs have a season in Alabama?
No closed season: ADCNR lists the whole license year, September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027.
What bag limit applies to groundhogs?
Groundhog limit: No bag limit.
What does a groundhog hunter need to buy?
Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10); Wildlife Heritage (resident, $14.30). Residents under 16 and 65 or older need no hunting license, but bait and nighttime licenses have no exemptions.
What gear is legal for taking groundhogs?
Methods for groundhogs: 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.
Can I hunt groundhogs at night in Alabama?
Applied to groundhogs, 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.