Alabama › Species › River Otter
Furbearers
River otter trapping in Alabama
Dates, limits, licenses, legal hours and public land for river otters.
Photo: Maria Brindle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What Alabama allows for river otters
Dates for river otters in 2026-27: first day Oct 31, 2026, last day Feb 28, 2027, across 1 season row. Otter limit: No limit.
ADCNR summary for river otters
- Take: No limit.
- In short: Trapping season; pelts tagged within 14 days.
From ADCNR page and ADCNR Regulation Book p. 51 (as of Nov 1, 2026), checked November 1, 2026.
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River Otter dates, 2026-27
River otters carry 1 statewide row in the 2026-27 ADCNR tables.
| Window | Zone or area | Take | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Statewide | No limit. | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 121 |
Footnotes for river otters
- 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.
How many river otters one hunter may take
The otter limits below come from the Digest and the ADCNR season pages; possession rules are in the same table.
| Applies to | Rule |
|---|---|
| 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.
Fur catcher rules for river otters
| Trapping row | Opens | Closes | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The furbearer rule, 220-2-.30, names river otters among 12 species that licensed fur catchers may trap.
From ADCNR Regulation Book p. 51 and ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
Weapons and field rules for river otters
- Traps, snares, poisons (otter): No pitfalls, deadfalls, cages, nets, snares, poison or explosives for protected birds/animals (licensed fur catchers may trap furbearers under 220-2-.30).
- Sale of game (otter): No sale of game birds or animals or parts except lawfully taken deer hides, hooves, squirrel skins/tails and finished products.
Conservation Enforcement Officers may inspect game bags, vehicles and gear of otter hunters.
From Code of Alabama 9-11-245 and 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest p. 52, checked November 1, 2026.
River Otter on WMAs, forests and refuges
The largest of 30 public areas that name river otters.
| Public land | Kind | County | 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.
License costs for river otters
Residents 65 and older and everyone under 16 need no hunting license for river otters, but the bait and nighttime licenses have no exemptions.
| License | Who buys | Group | Fee | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
River Otter: the harvest record
ADCNR has not published a otter harvest table; only turkey, crane and CWD numbers exist.
From ADCNR page, checked November 1, 2026.
River Otter: sunrise, sunset and legal time
Times for river otters are worked out for the centre of four counties with the NOAA solar formula; the Digest prints only a Birmingham table and warns that other places differ.
ADCNR hour rule for river otters: 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 | Season point | County | First sun | Last sun | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Opening | Madison County | 7:05 a.m. | 5:55 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Opening | Jefferson County | 7:05 a.m. | 5:58 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Opening | Montgomery County | 7:00 a.m. | 5:57 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:27 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Opening | Mobile County | 7:06 a.m. | 6:07 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Final day | Madison County | 6:18 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 5:48 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Final day | Jefferson County | 6:19 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Final day | Montgomery County | 6:15 a.m. | 5:41 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Final 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.
Common questions on river otters
When does legal shooting time start for river otters?
Hours for river otters work like this: 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.
Which license covers otter hunting in Alabama?
For river otters: Fur Catcher’s (resident, $28.70); Fur Catcher’s (nonresident, Varies); Small Game (resident, $23.40); Small Game, annual (nonresident, $134.10).
Must I wear orange or pink when hunting river otters?
Yes, while gun deer dates are open in the area. During dates and in areas open to gun deer season (including youth deer and special muzzleloader/air rifle seasons), everyone hunting any species on private, leased and open permit-public land must wear an outer garment above the waist with at least 144 sq. in. of hunter orange or fluorescent pink, or a full-size hunter orange or fluorescent pink hat or cap.
Where can I hunt river otters on public land in Alabama?
The biggest of the 30 listed areas are Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area, James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife Management Area and Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area.
Does Alabama allow otter hunting on Sunday?
Sundays are open for river otters; the old Code 13A-12-1 was repealed effective April 21, 2015.
Does Game Check apply to river otters?
Pelt tagging within 14 days is the rule for river otters.
What does a nonresident trapper pay?
A Fur Catcher’s License: $28.70 for residents (90 days residency proof); nonresidents pay the nonresident fee of their home state.
How long is otter trapping open?
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.
How many river otters can I take in Alabama?
For river otters the rule is no limit.
When can I hunt river otters in Alabama?
Opening Oct 31, 2026, closing Feb 28, 2027.