A Few General AL Deer Hunting Regulations

Always review the current Official 2006/2007 Alabama Hunting Guide or contact the "Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries " for the complete and the most current Alabama deer hunting rules and regulations. The information contained on this page is for quick reference purposes only and is subject to change at any time.

"CLICK HERE FOR THE 2006-2007 HUNTING SEASON DATES AND BAG LIMITS" General:
ALL PERSONS HUNTING ON PRIVATE LANDS OF ANOTHER MUST HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE LANDOWNER WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS. LANDOWNER OR AGENT MAY IMPOSE FURTHER RESTRICTIONS. HUNTING BY THE AID OF BAIT IS ILLEGAL IN ALABAMA. ALL REQUIRED HUNTING LICENSES MUST BE IN POSSESSION WHEN HUNTING.

SEE HUNTER ORANGE REQUIREMENT AND DEFINITION OF OPEN PERMIT ~ PUBLIC LAND. CONSULT MANAGEMENT AREA LEAFLET FOR SPECIAL RULES, REGULATIONS AND SEASONS BEFORE HUNTING STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS.

Any party controlling hunting rights may, by choice, be more restrictive on seasons and bag limits than those stipulated below.

Archery

1. A legal bow for hunting is defined as either a long bow, a recurve bow or a compound bow designed to be held, drawn, and fired in the upright (vertical) position. There shall be no attachment or extensions on the bow upon which the shooter may rest the string, drawing hand, fingers, release aid or arm to assist in holding or to hold the bow at full draw. The bow must be supported only by the shooter's hand, and the string and arrow must be drawn and held using only the shooter's strength while the bow is being shot. This does not prohibit the use of cable guards on compound bows or the use of string releases or mechanical releases which are hand-held and hand-drawn with no other attachments, connection or contact with the bow other than to the bow string. It shall be unlawful to hunt with any bow which does not conform to the requirements of this paragraph, except as otherwise provided by law or regulation.
2. Sighting and aiming devices on all bows shall be void of any electronics with computational capabilities. The use of electrically assisted aiming devices shall be limited to illuminated sight pins/beads/markings which are attached to the bow. Sights with magnification or light projection (laser type) features are prohibited.
3. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt wildlife with a crossbow or with any mechanical device that holds a bow at full or partial draw, except as otherwise provided by law or regulation.
4. It shall be unlawful, except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, for any person to hunt deer and turkey with bow and arrows that are not in conformance with the following specifications:
• Bows must have a minimum peak tension (within the user's normal draw length) of 35 pounds. Compound bows shall not have draw reduction (let-off) greater than 90 percent at full draw.
• Arrows shall be a minimum of 24 inches in length (nock slot to end of shaft) and equipped with a broadhead which has a minimum of 2 sharpened edges.
• Broadheads shall have a minimum weight of 100 grains. The minimum cutting diameter for any broadhead shall be 7/8 inch. Expandable broadheads shall have a minimum 7/8 inch cutting diameter prior to any expansion of the broadhead. The minimum thickness for fixed blade broadheads shall be .015 inch, and the minimum thickness for expanded broadheads shall be .025 inch.
• Mechanical devices that hold a bow at full draw and crossbows are illegal for hunting. Small handheld devices are permitted. Lighted pin sights are legal. LAser sights, attachments and light sources to project a beam forward of the bow are illegal for hunting.

Crossbows:
Anyone may use a crossbow during regular deer archery season

Spear:
DEER may be taken by hand thrown spear during the open Bow and Arrow season on these species. The hand thrown spear shall have a sharpened blade a minimum of two inches in width. The spear shall only be hand thrown.

Fluorescent Orange Requirements:
All persons hunting any wildlife species (except waterfowl, turkey, and mourning dove and while hunting legally designated species during legal nighttime hours) during dates and in areas open by regulation to gun deer season are required to wear an outer garment above the waist with a minimum of 144 square inches of hunter orange or either a full size hunter orange hat or cap. Hunters are not required to wear hunter orange when hunting from a stand elevated twelve (12) feet or more from the ground, when hunting in an enclosed box stand, when traveling in an enclosed vehicle, or when traveling on foot no more than twenty (20) feet directly between an operating enclosed vehicle and a stand where the hunter is exempt from the hunter orange requirement. The hunter orange must be worn when traveling on foot between an operating enclosed vehicle and exempt stand when the distance is more than a direct distance of twenty (20) feet. A small logo and/or printing is permitted on the front of hunter orange caps; otherwise, hunter orange must be of solid color and visible from any angle. Only hunter orange, commonly called blaze orange, ten-mile cloth, etc., is legal. The various shades of red as well as camo orange are not legal.

Open Permit ~ Public Land
Open Permit-Public Land is defined as governmentally owned land open for public hunting and/or lands made available to the public on an individual basis whether for a fee or not. Examples of such lands would be National Forest Lands, lands owned by lumber companies and utility companies available for use by hunters either through free permits, fee permits or no permit requirement.

Mandatory Hunter Education:
Mandatory Hunter Education became effective in 1991. The law states that all first time hunting license buyers born on or after August 1, 1977 complete a hunter education course prior to purchasing their first hunting license. The course consist of a minimum of 10 hours of instruction plus a written examination. The course is taught by Game and Fish Division personnel and volunteer instructors. The mimimum age to take the course is 10 years old."HUNTER EDUCATION INFORMATION"

Special Youth Deer Hunt:
Youth between the ages of 10 and 15 have the opportunity to participate in special deer hunts. The hunt is scheduled for the Saturday before opening of gun season on selected Wildlife Management Areas. Each youth must be accompanied by a non-hunting, properly-licensed adult, at least 25 years old, and both the hunter and the youth must wear hunter orange.

Deer:

Other State & Local Laws:
There are many laws affecting deer hunting in Alabama. Many are listed in the official Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest. Also consult the "Alabama Game, Fish and Wildlife Law" book and the "Game and Fish Regulation" book for the complete law and regulation. Be sure you check them before you hunt!