Alabama · Turkey · 2026–27 Edition
Alabama Turkey Season 2026–27: Fall & Spring Dates, Bag Limits
01 — Fall turkey
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Season · Segment 1 (no decoys) | Zone 3 (Clarke, Clay, Covington, Monroe, Randolph, Talladega) | Nov 14 – Nov 22 |
| Fall Season · Segment 2 (no decoys) | Zone 3 | Dec 12 – Dec 27 |
02 — Spring gobbler
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Special Youth Hunt | Zone 1 | Mar 13 – Mar 14 |
| Special Youth Hunt | Zone 3 | Mar 13 – Mar 14 |
| Special Disabled Hunt | Zone 1 | Mar 19 – Mar 19 |
| Special Disabled Hunt | Zone 3 | Mar 19 – Mar 19 |
| Spring Season | Zone 1 | Mar 20 – May 3 |
| Spring Season | Zone 3 | Mar 20 – May 3 |
| Special Youth Hunt | Zone 2 (Colbert, Cullman-north, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Winston) | Mar 20 – Mar 21 |
| Special Disabled Hunt | Zone 2 | Mar 26 – Mar 26 |
| Spring Season | Zone 2 | Mar 27 – May 3 |
| Spring Season (daylight–1 p.m.) | Talladega, Shoal Creek, Oakmulgee, Tuskegee, Conecuh Ranger Districts + turkey-open WMAs | Mar 20 – May 3 |
| Spring Season (daylight–1 p.m.) | Bankhead Ranger District; Lauderdale, Freedom Hills, Black Warrior, Coon Gulf, Riverton CHA, Martin CHA | Mar 27 – May 3 |
03 — Bag limits
| Statewide | Gobblers only. One gobbler per day; 4 gobbler bag limit across the combined fall and spring seasons. |
|---|---|
| WMA / CHA / National Forest district | No more than 2 gobblers from any one area; no more than 1 during the first 10 days of each season per area. |
04 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (November 14, 2026) 06:17 — 16:46
Rule: Daylight hours only (official sunrise to official sunset) — turkey is classified as a game animal under Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.07 ('Legal Hunting Hours for Game Animals'), which sets 'daylight hours only' with no half-hour margin, unlike the ½-hour-before-sunrise game-bird rule that applies to dove, quail, and waterfowl. NOTE: on WMAs and National Forest Ranger Districts hunting is further restricted to daylight to 1 p.m. only. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Alabama sun times for any other date.
05 — License
An Alabama hunting license and turkey permit are required. Spring and fall permits are often sold separately, and some states cap the number of gobblers per hunter per year across both seasons.
Alabama hunting license cost & turkey permits →
Where to hunt public land in Alabama — WMAs by county & access rules →
06 — Scouting gear
Patterning a gobbler's roost and strut zone before Alabama's opener usually means glassing from a distance and running a trail camera through late winter and early spring.
- Hunting binoculars on Amazon →
- Trail cameras on Amazon →
- Trail camera SD cards — class, capacity & format explained →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category links, not a single named pick — we run no product tests of our own.
07 — FAQ
When does turkey season start in Alabama?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is November 14, 2026. Fall and spring seasons run separately — see the tables above.
When does turkey season end in Alabama?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is May 3, 2027. Individual segments and zones close on their own dates.
When does spring turkey season start in Alabama?
Special Youth Hunt opens March 13, 2027 (Zone 1).
When does fall turkey season start in Alabama?
Fall Season · Segment 1 (no decoys) opens November 14, 2026 (Zone 3 (Clarke, Clay, Covington, Monroe, Randolph, Talladega)).
How many turkeys can you shoot in Alabama?
2026–27 bag limits: Statewide — Gobblers only. One gobbler per day; 4 gobbler bag limit across the combined fall and spring seasons. WMA / CHA / National Forest district — No more than 2 gobblers from any one area; no more than 1 during the first 10 days of each season per area. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting turkey in Alabama?
On opening day (November 14, 2026) legal light runs 06:17 to 16:46. The rule is: Daylight hours only (official sunrise to official sunset) — turkey is classified as a game animal under Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.07 ('Legal Hunting Hours for Game Animals'), which sets 'daylight hours only' with no half-hour margin, unlike the ½-hour-before-sunrise game-bird rule that applies to dove, quail, and waterfowl. NOTE: on WMAs and National Forest Ranger Districts hunting is further restricted to daylight to 1 p.m. only. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Alabama sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt turkey on my own land in Alabama without a license?
Alabama resident landowners — plus their immediate family, and tenants with their resident families — may hunt the land without a hunting license. The Baiting Privilege License, required to hunt deer or feral swine over bait, still applies to every hunter regardless of this exemption.
Verified · Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (WFF) · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. Three turkey zones. ONLY Zone 3 (Clarke, Clay, Covington, Monroe, Randolph, Talladega) has a fall season — Zones 1 and 2 are spring-only. Decoys are allowed in spring but NOT in the Zone 3 fall seasons. WMAs and National Forest Ranger Districts run their own dates and are limited to daylight-to-1 p.m.; their bag caps differ (max 2 gobblers per WMA/CHA/district, max 1 during each season's first 10 days). Gobblers only. Re-verified 2026-08-16: all zone dates, WMA/Ranger-District dates, and bag limits confirmed exact against the current page. Shooting hours (previously unconfirmed) resolved via Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.07 — see shootingHours note.