ALABAMA · SMALL GAME · 2026–27
Alabama small game
seasons 2026–27.
Individual animals, regional dove dates and daylight furbearer rules, with local restrictions kept beside the dates.
SMALL GAME
Squirrel, rabbit & quail
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SquirrelOpen now · through Feb. 28Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 12, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Statewide; private land Fox squirrel is closed on Bankhead and Tuskegee National Forests. | 8 daily; 8 in possession.source · source |
| RabbitOpen now · through Feb. 28Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 12, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Statewide; private land Check legal equipment, local land access and hours. | 8 daily; 8 in possession.source · source |
| Bobwhite quailOpens Nov. 7 (in 3 days)Legal hunting equipment | Nov. 7, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 | Statewide; private land Closed on Bankhead National Forest. | 8 daily; 8 in possession.source · source |
MIGRATORY BIRDS
Doves, woodcock, snipe & rails
South Dove Zone: Baldwin, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Mobile. All other counties use North Zone dates. Select a county to match the correct dove schedule.
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone · Mourning / white-winged doveReopens Nov. 21, 2026Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 5 – Oct. 18, 2026 Nov. 21 – Nov. 29, 2026 Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 17, 2027 | North Dove Zone: all counties except the 9 South Zone counties Opening day in this zone: noon to sunset. All other listed dates: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. HIP and applicable licenses required. | 15 daily combined mourning and white-winged doves.source · source |
| South Zone · Mourning / white-winged doveReopens Nov. 21, 2026Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 12 – Oct. 25, 2026 Nov. 21 – Nov. 29, 2026 Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 17, 2027 | South Dove Zone: Baldwin, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Mobile Opening day in this zone: noon to sunset. All other listed dates: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. HIP and applicable licenses required. | 15 daily combined mourning and white-winged doves.source · source |
| WoodcockOpens Dec. 18, 2026Legal migratory-bird equipment | Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. HIP and applicable licenses required. Check federal restrictions and possession limits. | 3 daily.source · source |
| SnipeOpens Nov. 7 (in 3 days)Legal migratory-bird equipment | Nov. 7, 2026 – Feb. 21, 2027 | Statewide; private land Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. HIP and applicable licenses required. Check federal restrictions and possession limits. | 8 daily.source · source |
| Rails, sora & gallinuleReopens Nov. 27, 2026Legal migratory-bird equipment | Sept. 12 – Sept. 20, 2026 Nov. 27, 2026 – Jan. 26, 2027 | Statewide; private land Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. HIP and applicable licenses required. Check federal restrictions and possession limits. | 15 daily across this combined group; confirm federal species limits.source · source |
YEAR-ROUND HUNTING
Furbearers & feral swine
No closed hunting season does not remove daily legal-hours, equipment, land or tagging requirements. Listed calendar dates are bounded to the current guide window. Trapping and special nighttime hunting use different rules.
| Season | Dates | Where | Bag limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| RaccoonOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Day and night; nighttime arms restrictions apply. No running dogs on open-permit land during daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season, where specified by the rule. | Private/leased: no bag limit. Open-permit public land: 5 per party.source · source |
| OpossumOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Day and night; nighttime arms restrictions apply. No running dogs on open-permit land during daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season, where specified by the rule. | No bag limit.source · source |
| BobcatOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight only. Bobcat must be tagged by WFF within 14 days of harvest, or follow the taxidermist tagging procedure. No running dogs on open-permit land during daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season, where specified by the rule. | No bag limit.source · source |
| Coyote · daylightOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight only under this entry. Special nighttime hunting is separate. No running dogs on open-permit land during daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season, where specified by the rule. | No bag limit.source · source |
| Feral swine · daylightOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight only under this entry; never release captured live feral swine. Special nighttime hunting is separate. No running dogs on open-permit land during daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season, where specified by the rule. | No bag limit.source · source |
| Fox · daylightOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight under this entry; nighttime with dogs only requires separate rule review. No running dogs on open-permit land during daytime or after 3 a.m. during spring turkey season, where specified by the rule. | No bag limit.source · source |
| BeaverOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight only; hunting and trapping rules differ. | No bag limit.source · source |
| NutriaOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight only; hunting and trapping rules differ. | No bag limit.source · source |
| GroundhogOpen now · through July 31Legal hunting equipment | Sept. 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 | Statewide; private land No closed hunting season. Calendar limited to the current guide window (Sept. 1, 2026–July 31, 2027). Daylight only; hunting and trapping rules differ. | No bag limit.source · source |
| Coyote / feral swine · special nighttimeCheck ADCNRNighttime hunting; verify species-specific arms and dog rules | Check ADCNR | Private/leased land only Season is tied to the last gun-deer day and next archery opening in the same deer zone. Separate dog-only swine dates and permit rules apply. No dates are rolled forward from a previous guide. | No bag limit; special license and zone dates apply.source · source |
NO OPEN SEASON
Bear, mountain lion & ruffed grouse
Alabama has no open season for bear, mountain lion or ruffed grouse. They are not offered as huntable choices in the finder.
BEFORE YOU GO
Licenses, permits & harvest reporting
- Check your hunting license, hunter education, age/residency exemptions, legal equipment and local shooting hours with ADCNR. Get landowner permission.
- WMAs require their own current AREA permit and check-in/check-out; license and daily permit requirements vary. SOA and other quota hunts have selected dates and authorizations.
- Hunting and trapping are different. These dates summarize hunting only; bobcat tagging, dog-running and nighttime rules still apply.
- HIP applies to migratory game birds. Opening-day dove shooting starts at noon in each zone. Fox squirrel is closed on Bankhead and Tuskegee National Forests; quail is closed on Bankhead.
Source: Outdoor Alabama: license information ↗; Outdoor Alabama: harvest records and Game Check ↗; Alabama Rule 220-2-.02: legal arms and ammunition ↗; Alabama Rule 220-2-.119: special youth hunting ↗; Outdoor Alabama: current WMA maps and area permits ↗
GET READY FOR THE WOODS
Plan your hunt
WHERE THESE DATES COME FROM
Official sources
We use Outdoor Alabama, ADCNR guides and the current Alabama Administrative Code. Formula dates for squirrel, rabbit and quail are calculated from the published 2026–27 rule. Missing or location-dependent dates stay marked for confirmation. Sources are reviewed weekly; changes receive editorial review before publication.
- Alabama Rule 220-2-.01: 2026–27 hunting seasons ↗
- Outdoor Alabama: Squirrel ↗
- Outdoor Alabama: Rabbit ↗
- Outdoor Alabama: Bobwhite quail ↗
- Outdoor Alabama: Doves ↗
- Outdoor Alabama: Woodcock ↗
- Outdoor Alabama: Bobcat, coyote, feral swine and fox ↗
- Alabama Rule 220-2-.02: legal arms and ammunition ↗
Last checked: Nov. 2, 2026. Saved calendar files and printouts do not update automatically. Report a change.