Small game
Rabbit hunting in Alabama
2026-27: Sep 12–Feb 28; limits, licenses, public land and legal hours from ADCNR.
Photo: btrentler (CC BY 2.0)
Alabama rabbit rules this season
The 2026-27 season for rabbits in Alabama runs Sep 12 to Feb 28, spread over 1 dated row in the ADCNR tables. On limits for rabbits: 8 per day, 8 in possession.
How ADCNR sums up rabbits
- Bag: 8/day, 8 possession.
- Methods and dates: Second Saturday in Sept. to last day of Feb.
- Background: Marsh rabbit and Appalachian cottontail are protected nongame (220-2-.92).
From ADCNR page and ADCNR Regulation Book p. 127 (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Rabbit calendar statewide
No zones split the rabbit season; the 1 row below cover the whole state.
| Hunt | Applies to | Limit | Start | End | Days | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbits | Statewide | 8/day, 8 in possession. | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 170 |
What the rabbit rows add
- Rule: second Saturday in September through last day of February (dates computed).
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Rabbit: limit rows
Bag and possession rules that touch rabbits, word for word from the ADCNR sources.
| Covers | Bag and possession |
|---|---|
| Rabbit | Rabbit: 8 per day, 8 in possession. |
| 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 page and ADCNR Regulation Book p. 47, checked November 1, 2026.
Rabbit: license and land notes
No deer or turkey license is needed for rabbits: the small game license or the Wildlife Heritage License (on WMAs) covers them.
Only eastern cottontails and swamp rabbits are game: the marsh rabbit and the Appalachian cottontail are protected nongame mammals.
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 42 and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
How rabbits may be taken
| Weapons row | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Small game | For rabbits: Rimfire or air rifles; muzzleloaders any caliber; bows/crossbows; shotguns 10 ga or smaller with No. 4 shot or smaller; handguns; blowguns (breath-powered); slingshots. | – |
- Floodwaters (rabbit): No taking resident birds/animals taking refuge in floodwaters or on flood-created islands under 40 acres (waterfowl excepted).
- Retrieval and waste (rabbit): Reasonable effort required to retrieve crippled game and count it in the bag (220-2-.13).
Landowner permission in writing, or the landowner present, is required to hunt rabbits on someone else's land.
From 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 34, ADCNR Regulation Book p. 45 and 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 38, checked November 1, 2026.
Public land for rabbits in Alabama
Public land for rabbits: 46 areas, from WMAs to national forest districts and refuges, sorted by acres.
| Area | Category | Counties | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Warrior WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lawrence, Winston | 91,263 |
| 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 |
| Coosa WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Coosa | 17,486 |
Rabbit hunts by draw
| Area | County | Hunt | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles F. Sykes – Cedar Creek SOA | Dallas | Quail, Rabbit, Squirrel, & Raccoon | Feb 11-14, Feb 18-21 |
| Portland Landing SOA | Dallas | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Regular – Feb 11-14, Feb 18-21 |
| Portland Landing SOA | Dallas | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Mar 5-7 |
| Uchee Creek SOA | Russell | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb 8-14, Feb 15-21 |
| Thigpen Hill SOA | Butler | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb 10-14, Feb 15-21 |
| Thigpen Hill SOA | Butler | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb 25-28, April 1-4, April 8-11, April 15-18, April 22-25, April 29-May 2 |
| Little River SF SOA | Escambia | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb 8-14, Feb 15-21 |
| Blackwater River SOA | Baldwin | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb 15-21, Feb 22-28 |
| Fred T. Stimpson SOA | Clarke | Rabbit & Squirrel | Youth – Oct 10-11, Feb 6-7 |
| Shelby SOA | Shelby | Rabbit, Squirrel, & Raccoon | Feb 11-14, Feb 18-21 |
| Chalk Hill SOA | Tallapoosa | Quail, Rabbit & Squirrel | Feb 8-14, Feb 15-21 |
To hunt an SOA, buy an Alabama hunting license and a WMA license before registering for the draw.
From lands.json (ADCNR WMA AREA Permits, SOA page, federal rules) and the ADCNR SOA page, checked November 1, 2026.
Rabbit license prices
Carry the license, stamps and any harvest record while hunting rabbits; lending or borrowing a license is a Class B misdemeanor.
| License | Buyer | Age or group | Price | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Game | Resident | Age 16-64 | $23.40 | License year |
| Small Game, annual | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $134.10 | License year |
| Small Game, 10-day | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $81.70 | 240 consecutive hours |
| Small Game, 3-day | Nonresident | Age 16+ | $59.10 | 72 consecutive hours |
| Wildlife Heritage | Resident | Any age | $14.30 | License year |
From the ADCNR license pages and the Digest license section, checked November 1, 2026.
Rabbit numbers and data gaps
Harvest totals for rabbits are not in any ADCNR page or report read for this guide, and none are estimated here.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Rabbit shooting light on key dates
These rabbit hours use county-centre sun times; check your own spot if you hunt near a county line.
Hour rule (rabbits): 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | First day | Madison County | 6:26 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | First day | Jefferson County | 6:28 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | First day | Montgomery County | 6:26 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | First day | Mobile County | 6:35 a.m. | 7:04 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last day | Madison County | 6:18 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 5:48 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last day | Jefferson County | 6:19 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last day | Montgomery County | 6:15 a.m. | 5:41 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Last 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.
Rabbit, answered
Which rabbits are protected in Alabama?
Eastern cottontails and swamp rabbits are game; the marsh rabbit and Appalachian cottontail are protected nongame mammals under 220-2-.92.
Is Sunday rabbit hunting legal in Alabama?
Yes. No Sunday hunting restriction. Code of Ala. 13A-12-1 (acts prohibited on Sunday) was repealed by Act 2015-70 effective April 21, 2015; seasons run on Sundays (e.g., CWD sampling weekends, Saturday-Sunday dog deer days on USFS land). Area-specific day rules exist (Mobile-Tensaw Delta WMZ closed Mon-Tue; some WMA hunts on set days).
What does ADCNR allow per day for rabbits?
The rabbit limit reads: 8 per day, 8 in possession.
When does rabbit season open in Alabama?
ADCNR opens rabbits on Sep 12, 2026; the final day is Feb 28, 2027.
What firearms are allowed for rabbit hunting?
Rabbit hunters may use rimfire or air rifles; muzzleloaders any caliber; bows/crossbows; shotguns 10 ga or smaller with No. 4 shot or smaller; handguns; blowguns (breath-powered); slingshots.
How much is a license for rabbits in Alabama?
Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10); Small Game, 10-day (nonresident, $81.70); Small Game, 3-day (nonresident, $59.10); prices are for 2026-27.
Where are rabbits hunted on public ground?
Yes: 46 areas, starting with Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area, Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area and Mobile-Tensaw Delta and W.L. Holland Wildlife Management Areas.
How early may I shoot rabbits?
Rabbit hours follow this 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.
Is there a harvest report for rabbits?
Game Check covers deer and turkey only, so rabbits need no harvest report; on WMAs every hunter still checks in and out through the Outdoor AL app or a paper daily permit.
Do rabbit hunters need hunter orange in Alabama?
When gun deer season is open, yes; Alabama now accepts fluorescent pink as well as orange, and WMAs require it of rabbit hunters on every day.