Furbearers
Muskrat trapping in Alabama
Seasons, bag limits, license prices and where to hunt muskrats in 2026-27.
Photo: Maria Brindle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Muskrat hunting overview
Alabama muskrat hunters get Oct 31 to Feb 28 in 2026-27, with 1 segment listed by ADCNR and the Digest. Limit for muskrats: No limit.
Muskrat: the key lines
- Limit: No limit.
- Season shape: Trapping season.
From ADCNR page (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Every muskrat season row
Every county shares the same muskrat dates this season.
| Season | Zone | Bag | From | To | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Statewide | No limit. | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 121 |
Muskrat row details
- Rule: last Saturday in October through last day of February (dates computed: last Saturday of Oct 2026 = Oct 31).
- Nuisance permits from district offices outside season.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
The Alabama muskrat bag
Alabama sets the muskrat limit in these rows; a crippled bird or animal that is retrieved counts toward the bag (220-2-.13).
| Row | Limit |
|---|---|
| General possession limit | No more than the daily bag of any game bird, game or furbearing animal in possession, except deer/turkey as above and game packaged or prepared for storage (220-2-.18). |
From ADCNR Regulation Book p. 47, checked November 1, 2026.
Muskrat trapping season
| Row | Begins | Ends | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcat, fox, mink, muskrat, otter and striped skunk | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | Rule: last Saturday in October through last day of February (dates computed: last Saturday of Oct 2026 = Oct 31). The ADCNR predator page says bobcat "can be tr |
A Fur Catcher's License ($28.70 resident) is needed to trap muskrats; bobcat and otter pelts are tagged within 14 days.
From ADCNR Regulation Book p. 51 and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Muskrat: guns, bows and methods
- Traps, snares, poisons (muskrat): No pitfalls, deadfalls, cages, nets, snares, poison or explosives for protected birds/animals (licensed fur catchers may trap furbearers under 220-2-.30).
- Floodwaters (muskrat): No taking resident birds/animals taking refuge in floodwaters or on flood-created islands under 40 acres (waterfowl excepted).
Reasonable effort to retrieve a crippled muskrat is required, and it counts in the bag.
From Code of Alabama 9-11-245 and ADCNR Regulation Book p. 45, checked November 1, 2026.
Where to hunt muskrats on public ground
30 public places carry a muskrat season in their 2026-27 permit or rule text; the biggest are below.
| Area | 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 |
From lands.json (ADCNR WMA AREA Permits, SOA page, federal rules) and the ADCNR SOA page, checked November 1, 2026.
Muskrat: licenses, stamps and permits
Residents 16-64 hunting land they do not own need a license; residents 65+ and all under 16 do not; resident landowners and immediate family (spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters) on their own land, and resident tenants living on the land, do not. Nonresidents 16+ need licenses everywhere. Bait Privilege and Nighttime licenses: all ages, no exemptions. Duck stamps: residents 16-64, nonresidents 16+.
| Name | Residency | Category | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fur Catcher's | Resident | Trappers | $28.70 | Oct 2026–Sept 2027 |
| Fur Catcher's | Nonresident | Trappers | Varies | Oct 2026–Sept 2027 |
| Small Game | Resident | Age 16-64 | $23.40 | License year |
| Small Game, annual | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $134.10 | License year |
From the ADCNR license pages and the Digest license section, checked November 1, 2026.
Harvest figures for muskrats
For muskrats the data gap is complete: no harvest by year or county.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
When muskrat hunting starts and stops
Legal light for muskrats on key dates, in Central Time, for north, central and south Alabama.
Muskrats, legal time: 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.
| When | Event | Place | Sunrise | Sunset | Shooting hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Season opens | Madison County | 7:05 a.m. | 5:55 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Season opens | Jefferson County | 7:05 a.m. | 5:58 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Season opens | Montgomery County | 7:00 a.m. | 5:57 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:27 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Season opens | Mobile County | 7:06 a.m. | 6:07 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closing day | Madison County | 6:18 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 5:48 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closing day | Jefferson County | 6:19 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closing day | Montgomery County | 6:15 a.m. | 5:41 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closing day | Mobile County | 6:22 a.m. | 5:50 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 6:20 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.
Muskrat questions
What is the muskrat limit in Alabama?
The muskrat limit reads: No limit.
What license do I need for muskrats in Alabama?
Look at Fur Catcher’s (resident, $28.70); Fur Catcher’s (nonresident, Varies); Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10).
What are the legal hours for muskrats?
The muskrat rule on hours: 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.
What public places are open for muskrats?
30 public places, including Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area, James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife Management Area and Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area.
Is hunter orange required for muskrats?
For muskrats, follow the gun deer calendar: orange or pink is mandatory during those dates, and always on WMAs, CHAs, SOAs and PDHAs.
How do I check in a muskrat in Alabama?
The Alabama harvest report rules name deer, turkey, bobcat and otter pelts, alligators and migratory birds; muskrats are not on that list, though WMA check-in still applies.
Does Alabama allow muskrat hunting on Sunday?
Yes; Alabama repealed its Sunday law in 2015, so muskrat seasons run every day except where an area sets its own days.
Is there a trapping season for muskrats?
Trapping: Oct 31 to Feb 28. Rule: last Saturday in October through last day of February (dates computed: last Saturday of Oct 2026 = Oct 31). The ADCNR predator page says bobcat “can be trapped October 25 – February 28”. Bobcat and otter tagged within 14 days. Nuisance permits from district offices outside season.
Is a trapping license required for muskrats?
A Fur Catcher’s License: $28.70 for residents (90 days residency proof); nonresidents pay the nonresident fee of their home state.
What are the 2026-27 muskrat dates in Alabama?
1 season row cover Oct 31 to Feb 28.