When does deer season open in Huntsville Alabama?

Huntsville (Madison County, Deer Zone A): archery Oct 15, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027; youth gun Nov 13–16; muzzleloader Nov 16–20; gun deer on private land Nov 21, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027.

Where can I hunt near Huntsville Alabama?

Near Huntsville, public options include Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and the James D. Martin–Skyline WMA.

Do I need a license to hunt in Alabama?

Yes. Alabama requires a hunting license (plus a WMA license for wildlife management areas and HIP for migratory birds). Licenses are sold through My Outdoor Alabama, by phone and at license agents.

Can you hunt on Sundays in Alabama?

Sunday hunting rules in Alabama vary by land type and local ordinance. Verify with ADCNR and Madison County before hunting on Sunday.

What is the deer bag limit in Deer Zone A?

3 antlered bucks per season (one with at least 4 points on one side), 1 per day. Zone A unantlered: 2 per day.

Are there bear in the Huntsville area?

Alabama has no open bear season (ADCNR).

HERE Huntsville

Huntsville AL
Hunting
Report

Live conditions, season status, solunar ratings, WMA profiles, and community hunting coverage for Madison County and Deer Zone A.

Hog: Open Year-Round Turkey: Closed Dove: Closed Deer: Open Deer Zone A

2 WMAs Profiled

Live Hunt Conditions

Solunar Rating

2026 Season Guide

First Look • Hunt Conditions

🌔

Waxing Gibbous

Illumination: 90%

Sunrise 6:56 am

Sunset 6:04 pm

Temp 47°F

Wind 0 mph

Weather as of 8:15 AM ET

Fair — bright nights keep deer nocturnal. Hunt midday movement.

PRIME

Prime hunting conditions. Get in the stand early.

Deer Zone A • Madison County

In Season Now: Huntsville Hunting · Oct. 22

Open now

Archery Deer Oct 15, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027 · Zone A
Squirrel Sep 12, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 · Statewide
Rabbit Sep 12, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 · Statewide

Coming up

Bobwhite Quail Nov 7, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 · Statewide
Special Youth Deer Nov 13 – 16, 2026 · Zone A
Muzzleloader and Air Rifle Deer Nov 16 – 20, 2026 · Zone A
Gun Deer (private or leased land) Nov 21, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027 · Zone A

From this page's the state wildlife agency season calendar. Always verify current regulations before you hunt.

Huntsville Hunting Season Status

Whitetail Deer

OPEN

Season DatesZone A, 2026–27: archery Oct 15, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027; special youth gun Nov 13–16; special muzzleloader and air rifle Nov 16–20; gun deer (stalk hunting, private or leased land) Nov 21, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027. Open-permit public land has buck-only and either-sex periods.

Bag Limit:3 antlered bucks per season (one must have at least 4 points 1 inch or longer on one antler); 1 buck per day. Zone A unantlered: 2 per day, or 1 unantlered and 1 buck.

Deer season is OPEN in Zone A — check which method is legal today.

Hunter orange or fluorescent pink required during gun seasons. Report harvest through Game Check.

per ADCNR · verified 2026-10-22

Feral Hog

OPEN YEAR-ROUND

Season DatesNo closed season (daytime hours only).

Bag Limit:No bag limit.

Feral swine: no closed season.

Upon capture, live feral swine may not be released (ADCNR).

per ADCNR · verified 2026-10-22

Spring Turkey

CLOSED

Season DatesMadison County (Turkey Zone 2): special youth Mar 20–21, 2027; spring season Mar 27 – May 3, 2027.

Bag Limit:1 gobbler per day; 4 gobblers combined fall and spring.

Turkey season closed. Spring 2027 opens in March.

Turkey hunting license privileges required; report harvest through Game Check.

per ADCNR · verified 2026-10-22

Mourning Dove

CLOSED

Season DatesNorth Zone: Sept 5 (noon to sunset), Sept 6 – Oct 18, Nov 21–29, and Dec 12, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027.

Bag Limit:15 per day.

Dove season closed.

HIP required.

per ADCNR · verified 2026-10-22

Season dates shown are for Deer Zone A private lands. WMA dates, license requirements, and antlerless regulations may differ. Always verify current regulations with ADCNR before hunting.

Report a Season Update

First Look

Huntsville Hunting Weather Now

47^F

Clear

Feels like 47°F

as of 8:15 AM ET

Wind 0 mph N

Humidity 87%

Pressure 1023 hPa

Moon Waxing Gibbous

Location Huntsville, AL

Field Scout Tips

Deer season is open — focus today's hunt on deer. Also open: Hog.
Cool temps in the optimal range — deer are on their feet. Expect movement throughout shooting hours.
Calm winds are ideal for scent control. Play the wind carefully — enter and exit your stand downwind.
High humidity (87%) intensifies scent. Spray down thoroughly and hunt with wind in your face.

Solunar Index

Huntsville Hunt Conditions Today

Temperature

47°F

Optimal

Wind Speed

0 mph

Ideal — Calm

Barometric

1023 hPa

High — Active

Moon Phase

🌔

Fair

PRIME

Prime hunting conditions. Get in the stand early.

Extended Outlook

Huntsville Hunt Forecast — 5 Days

TODAY

Sunny

77° / 48°

5 mph wind

FAIR

FRI

Sunny

79° / 50°

3 mph wind

FAIR

SAT

Sunny

76° / 49°

3 mph wind

FAIR

SUN

Sunny

75° / 48°

3 mph wind

GOOD

MON

Mostly Sunny

74° / 48°

0 mph wind

GOOD

Public Hunting Lands

Huntsville Alabama Wildlife Management Areas

2 public hunting areas near Huntsville. Check the state wildlife agency maps and rules for each property before you go.

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Morgan, Limestone and Madison counties • Tennessee River · southwest of Huntsville

Waterfowl Whitetail Deer Small Game

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge on Wheeler Reservoir with hunting under refuge rules.

Refuge permits and rules apply; check the refuge hunting page.

Field Tip

Read the refuge's current hunt brochure before you go.

James D. Martin–Skyline WMA

STATE WMA

Jackson County • northeast of Huntsville

Whitetail Deer Wild Turkey Small Game

An ADCNR wildlife management area in Jackson County.

Alabama hunting license plus WMA license.

Field Tip

Get the 2026–27 Skyline WMA map from ADCNR.

Did We Miss a Spot?

Know a Huntsville-area hunting land, WMA, or public access parcel that should be on this list? Let us know.

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Community Reviews

Huntsville Hunting Reviews

Share Your Hunt

Hunted a Huntsville-area WMA or private land? Tell us about it in 280 characters or fewer.

Location Hunted *

Your First Name *

How Was the Hunt? * (280 characters max)

Species Targeted

Best Spot / Stand Location

Gear That Made the Difference

Community

Here We...

Bag Them Big...

Trophy harvests, personal bests, and record-book moments from Huntsville hunters.

Don't Drink by the Swig...

Your favorite post-hunt watering hole. Where do you go when the hunt is done?

Coverage

Huntsville Hunting News

Local — Huntsville and Tennessee Valley

Alabama

Official

Huntsville hunting

No new Huntsville-area hunting stories this week. Check current Alabama hunting rules from the state wildlife agency, and watch this page for the next local report.

View All Huntsville Hunting Coverage →

More at Outdoor Sports

Fishing, camping, hiking, and all outdoor sports coverage for Huntsville and Tennessee Valley, AL

See All Outdoor Sports Coverage

Outfitters and Gear

Hunting Gear Guide

Gear reviews and picks for the Huntsville hunter — boots, optics, packs, and more.

Gear Reviews — Tested for Tennessee Valley, AL Hunting

As an Amazon Associate, HERE earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability subject to change.

Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound…

Decoy

Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound….

★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5

$13.99

Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk

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ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B…

Optic / Scope

Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B….

★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5

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Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount

Laser Rangefinder

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★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5

$2899.97

Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk

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Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,…

GPS / Navigation

Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,….

★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5

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Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars

Laser Rangefinder

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★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5

$799.00

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TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track…

Trail Camera

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★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5

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Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk

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Deer Zone A Key Dates

AL Hunting Season Calendar

Oct 15, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027

Archery Deer

Zone A, either sex.

Zone A

Nov 13 – 16, 2026

Special Youth Deer

Under 16, either sex.

Zone A

Nov 16 – 20, 2026

Muzzleloader and Air Rifle Deer

Either sex.

Zone A

Nov 21, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027

Gun Deer (private or leased land)

Stalk hunting, either sex. Dog deer hunting where allowed: Nov 21 – Jan 15.

Zone A

Sep 5 – Oct 18; Nov 21 – 29; Dec 12, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027

Dove (North Zone)

15 per day. Sept 5 is noon to sunset.

North Zone

Sep 12 – 20, 2026

Special Teal

6 per day.

Statewide

Nov 27 – 28 and Dec 5, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027

Ducks, Coots and Mergansers

6 ducks per day. Youth/military days Nov 21 and Feb 6.

Statewide

Sep 12, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Squirrel

8 per day.

Statewide

Sep 12, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Rabbit

8 per day.

Statewide

Nov 7, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Bobwhite Quail

8 per day.

Statewide

No closed season

Feral Swine and Coyote

Daytime hours; no bag limit.

Statewide

Closed

Bear

No open season in Alabama.

Statewide

Mar 27 – May 3, 2027

Spring Turkey (Zone 2)

Youth Mar 20–21; disabled hunt Mar 26.

Turkey Zone 2

Dates reflect 2026 Alabama hunting regulations for Deer Zone A. Always verify with the current ADCNR Hunting and Fishing Guide. Regulations are subject to change.

Questions and Answers

Huntsville Hunting FAQ

Common questions about hunting in the Huntsville area, answered.

Huntsville (Madison County, Deer Zone A): archery Oct 15, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027; youth gun Nov 13–16; muzzleloader Nov 16–20; gun deer on private land Nov 21, 2026 – Feb 10, 2027.
Near Huntsville, public options include Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and the James D. Martin–Skyline WMA.
Yes. Alabama requires a hunting license (plus a WMA license for wildlife management areas and HIP for migratory birds). Licenses are sold through My Outdoor Alabama, by phone and at license agents.
Sunday hunting rules in Alabama vary by land type and local ordinance. Verify with ADCNR and Madison County before hunting on Sunday.
3 antlered bucks per season (one with at least 4 points on one side), 1 per day. Zone A unantlered: 2 per day.
Alabama has no open bear season (ADCNR).

HERE City Network

HUNTING NEWS NEAR HUNTSVILLE AL

Hunting coverage from the 10 closest HERE cities.

Chattanooga TN Birmingham AL Nashville TN Atlanta GA Starkville MS Oxford MS Knoxville TN Memphis TN Clemson SC Asheville NC

Huntsville AL Hunting Report

In Season Now: Huntsville Hunting · Oct. 22

Huntsville Hunting Season Status

Huntsville Hunting Weather Now

Huntsville Hunt Conditions Today

Huntsville Hunt Forecast — 5 Days

Huntsville Alabama Wildlife Management Areas

Huntsville Hunting Reviews

Huntsville Hunting News

Hunting Gear Guide

AL Hunting Season Calendar

Huntsville Hunting FAQ

HUNTING NEWS NEAR HUNTSVILLE AL

Huntsville AL
Hunting
Report