Furbearers
Raccoon hunting in Alabama
The 2026-27 ADCNR rules for raccoons, with public land and computed legal light.
Photo: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0)
Raccoon in Alabama for 2026-27
Raccoons may be hunted in Alabama on any day of the 2026-27 license year, within the method and hour rules below. ADCNR raccoon limit: No limit on private/leased land; 5 per party on open permit-public land.
Raccoon at a glance
- Allowed: No limit private; 5/party on open permit-public land.
- How and when: Year-round hunting (night with lights and dogs) and trapping.
From ADCNR page (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
When raccoons are open in Alabama
Statewide dates for raccoons, as ADCNR printed them for 2026-27.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raccoon | Statewide | Read the limit | License year | Year-round | ||
| Nuisance trapping, trapping | Statewide | No limit. | License year | Year-round |
Fine print for raccoons
- No closed season (start/end = license year).
- No running dogs on open permit-public land in daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season.
- 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 ADCNR page and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Daily and season limits for raccoons
ADCNR writes the raccoon limits as below; any area permit can be stricter on a WMA or SOA.
| Rule for | Limit |
|---|---|
| Raccoon | No limit on private/leased land; 5 per party on open permit-public land. |
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Raccoon: trapping dates and licenses
| Covers | Opens | Closes | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver, coyote, nutria, feral swine, raccoon and opossum | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | 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. |
Licensed fur catchers may trap raccoons in season; pitfalls, poison and snares outside the furbearer rule stay illegal.
The night rule for raccoons: lights and free-running dogs, with small shot or .22 rimfire.
A coon hunting party on open permit-public land may keep 5.
From ADCNR Regulation Book p. 51 and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal weapons and methods for raccoons
| Season | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Night coon hunting | For raccoons: Shotguns with No. 6 shot or smaller; .22 rimfire; with lights and free-running dogs. | For raccoons, not: other arms at night. |
| Small game | For raccoons: 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. | – |
- Night hunting (raccoon): 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.
- Traps, snares, poisons (raccoon): No pitfalls, deadfalls, cages, nets, snares, poison or explosives for protected birds/animals (licensed fur catchers may trap furbearers under 220-2-.30).
- Landowner permission (raccoon): Hunting on another's land requires the landowner's written permission in possession or being accompanied by the landowner (day: 9-11-241; night: 9-11-242). Do not trail wounded game onto land without permission.
No raccoon 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, Code of Alabama 9-11-235 and Code of Alabama 9-11-245, checked November 1, 2026.
Alabama public land with raccoon seasons
34 public areas in this guide list raccoons 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 raccoons
| Area | County | Hunt | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles F. Sykes – Cedar Creek SOA | Dallas | Quail, Rabbit, Squirrel, & Raccoon | Feb 11-14, Feb 18-21 |
| Shelby SOA | Shelby | Rabbit, Squirrel, & Raccoon | Feb 11-14, Feb 18-21 |
| 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 raccoon 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 |
| 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 raccoon harvest
No raccoon harvest numbers are published by ADCNR, so this page gives none.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Legal hours for raccoons
Read the legal window column for raccoons; it already applies the half-hour rules where they exist.
For raccoons, 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 raccoons
Is blaze orange needed for raccoons in Alabama?
It depends on the date: in gun deer dates every hunter of any species, raccoon hunters included, wears orange or pink above the waist; on WMAs it is required at all times.
Do I have to report raccoons I take in Alabama?
For raccoons there is no harvest report; the Outdoor AL app is used only for WMA check-in on public areas.
Is Sunday raccoon hunting legal in Alabama?
Sunday is a normal hunting day for raccoons.
What are the trapping dates for raccoons?
Trapping: Sep 1 to Aug 31. 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.
How much is a fur catcher license?
A Fur Catcher’s License: $28.70 for residents (90 days residency proof); nonresidents pay the nonresident fee of their home state.
Can I take raccoons year-round in Alabama?
Yes, raccoons have no closed season in Alabama.
What does ADCNR allow per day for raccoons?
Raccoons: No limit on private/leased land; 5 per party on open permit-public land.
What licenses apply to raccoons?
The license rows that fit raccoons: Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10); Fur Catcher’s (resident, $28.70); Fur Catcher’s (nonresident, Varies).
Which weapons may be used on raccoons in Alabama?
Legal for raccoons: Shotguns with No. 6 shot or smaller; .22 rimfire; with lights and free-running dogs.
What hours apply to raccoon hunting in Alabama?
For raccoons: 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 raccoon seasons?
Yes: 34 areas, starting with Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area, James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife Management Area and Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area.