Seasons and rules, 2026-2027

Black Warrior WMA: gun deer, by zone

• Zones A and B: gun deer November 7-8, 2026.
• Zone A (gun, antlered bucks only): November 12-15, November 26-29, December 10-13, 2026.
• Zone B (gun, antlered bucks only): November 19-22, December 3-6, December 17-20, 2026.
• Archery hunting is permitted in the zone closed to gun deer hunting.
• Zone B antler rule: to be legal for harvest, antlered bucks in Zone B must have at least four (4) antler points (1 inch or longer) on at least one main beam.
• Which half of the area is Zone A and which is Zone B is shown on the official map only; neither the rule nor the map gives a written boundary, so the map on this page cannot draw it.

Sources: Ala. Admin. Code 220-2-.56, 2026-2027 Wildlife Management Area Hunting Seasons; Black Warrior WMA 2026-27 map and area permit (ADCNR, PDF)

Black Warrior WMA: permits, check-in and licences

• For all hunts, a paper AREA permit and a paper WMA daily permit are required unless you use the Outdoor Alabama WMA Check-In application to check in and out each hunt day.
• Deer and turkey must be reported in Game Check before transport off the area and brought to the check station on mandatory data-collection days; the check station is open 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on those days.
• Licences: a WMA licence plus an All Game licence for deer and turkey; the Wildlife Heritage licence covers small game except waterfowl.
• Turkey: no more than 2 gobblers total per hunter from Black Warrior WMA / Bankhead Ranger District.
• Waterfowl and dove: no open season on this WMA.
• Roads: refer to the Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map for the roads open to public motor vehicles.

Sources: Black Warrior WMA 2026-27 map and area permit (ADCNR, PDF); Ala. Admin. Code 220-2-.56, 2026-2027 Wildlife Management Area Hunting Seasons; Outdoor Alabama: Wildlife Management Areas

Turkey, Zone 2 (Winston, Lawrence, north Cullman)

• Youth hunt March 20-21, 2027; disabled hunt March 26, 2027; regular season March 27 to May 3, 2027.
• One gobbler a day, four for the season; no more than two from any one WMA or National Forest Ranger District.

Source: Outdoor Alabama: turkey season

Waterfowl (statewide; none on the Black Warrior WMA)

• Ducks: November 27-28, 2026 and December 5, 2026 to January 31, 2027.

The published page says federal guidelines were not final at the time of printing; check it before the season.

Source: Outdoor Alabama: waterfowl season

Statewide deer season (outside the WMA)

• Winston, Lawrence and Cullman counties fall under the statewide deer zone map (Zones C and D in the published boundary descriptions), which is separate from the WMA's Zone A and Zone B.
• Dates and bag limits are published on the deer season page; read the page for your county before you hunt private or other public land.

Source: Outdoor Alabama: deer season

Small game

• Squirrel, rabbit and quail seasons are published on their own pages.

Sources: Squirrel season; Rabbit season; Bobwhite quail season