Hunting in Alabama: 5 Animals To Hunt in the Winter

Deer hunting in Alabama continues to be the top sport in the state through fall and into winter, but other animals also make for great hunting expeditions during Alabama winters as well.

Here are five animals to hunt in Alabama during the winter:

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1. Woodcock

Woodcocks are wading birds that are most active at night and can be difficult to spot during the day due to their brown coloring and sleeping patterns. They mostly sustain on earthworms, and experts advise that woodcocks “are making great use of dense oak and sweetgum saplings in clear-cuts in northeastern Alabama,” according to Dennis Walrod of Outdoor Life.

2. Waterfowl

Regular waterfowls, including duck, coot, and merganser, are eligible to hunt during the winter from the end of November to the end of January. Limits in 2014 were for six ducks per day, five mergansers and 15 coots. Each type of duck has its own bag limits, so be sure to check the season’s regulations before going out on a duck hunt. Goose are also included in this grouping, and all geese are eligible during the regular waterfowl season; Canadian geese have an added two-week season in the fall.

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3. Squirrel

Many small game are free to be hunted during the winter, including squirrel, raccoon, and opossum. The bag limits in 2014 were 8 per day. And as Michael C. Bolton writes for Al.com, “On occasion, I hear from a deer hunter who explains that they did something a little different and went squirrel hunting. They go on and on about how they had forgotten the fun of squirrel hunting.”

4. Quail


Decades ago, bobwhite quails were found in abundance in Alabama, but today, “much of Alabama’s quail hunting now takes place on commercial quail hunting preserves,” according to Outdoor Alabama. 


5. Deer

Last, but not least, the No. 1 game in Alabama is deer, and most hunters don’t consider hunting season to have officially started until deer season comes around. Bow season starts in mid-October, but hunting for both antlered and unantlered deer carries on until the end of January. According to DeerHuntingGuide.net, Alabama tops the list as one of the most hunter friendly destinations to enjoy deer hunting. The total number of days is over 100, and a variety of methods are permitted including bow, shotgun, and crossbows. The site also states that some of the best trophy animals can be found in East Central Alabama due to the fertility of the area.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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