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Alabama

Hunting

Hunting

You are viewing 2023's Legal Arms & Ammunition for Hunting. Click to here to view information for 2022

Legal Arms & Ammunition for Hunting

General Prohibitions

It shall be unlawful for any person to use any method, any weapon or ammunition contrary to this regulation while hunting or attempting to hunt game birds and animals or other species provided for herein unless expressly provided for by duly enacted laws of the State of Alabama. It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to submit firearms and ammunition or any device, instrument or accessory used in hunting to Conservation Officers for inspection. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt using laser sights, attachments and light sources to project a beam forward of a gun or bow, except those who possess a current nighttime feral swine and coyote license, hunting those species during dates of the established special nighttime feral swine and coyote season or for legally blind hunters (220-2-.11), or to possess such a light source adapted for attachment to said bow or gun while hunting, except as provided for in 220-2-.02. It shall be unlawful to possess any equipment that uses electronics to increase the ability to see in the dark (night vision equipment) while hunting any species of wildlife, both protected or unprotected species, except during the special nighttime feral swine and coyote hunting season with valid license. Hunting with fully automatic firearms is prohibited.

Deer

  • Rifles using centerfire, mushrooming ammunition.
  • Pre-charged pneumatic air powered guns, .30 caliber or larger.
  • Pre-charged pneumatic arrow shooting rifles using an arrow equipped with a broadhead which has a minimum cutting diameter of 7/8 inch and 2 sharpened edges.
  • Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller using buckshot, slugs, or single round ball.
  • Muzzleloaders and Black Powder Handguns: .40 caliber or larger.
  • Long bows, compound bows, or crossbows in conformance with regulation 220-2-.03.
  • Handguns or pistols using centerfire, mushrooming ammunition.
  • Hunting with fully automatic firearms is prohibited.

Turkey

  • Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller using standard No. 2 shot or smaller.
  • Long bows, compound bows and crossbows in conformance with regulation 220-2-.03.
  • Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the possession of rifles, shotgun/rifle combinations (drilling) or buckshot and slugs when the hunter is stalk hunting both deer and turkey provided no person shoots or attempts to shoot turkey with the rifle or shotgun using buckshot or slugs.
  • Pre-charged pneumatic arrow shooting rifles using an arrow equipped with a broadhead which has a minimum cutting diameter of 7/8 inch and 2 sharpened edges.

Migratory Birds

  • Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller, plugged with a one piece filler incapable of removal without disassembling the gun or otherwise incapable of holding more than 3 shells using shot compositions and shot sizes that are approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Waterfowl hunters shall not possess any size lead shot.
  • Long bows, compound bows, or crossbows.

Raccoon & Opossum

  • Nighttime hunting: Shotguns using No. 6 shot or smaller; .22 caliber rimfire firearms.
  • Daytime hunting: see Other Game Birds Or Animals.

Bobcat, Groundhog, Unprotected Wildlife, Fox, Coyote & Feral Swine

  • Rifles of any caliber.
  • Handguns or pistols.
  • Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller.
  • Pre-charged pneumatic air powered guns, .25 caliber or larger.
  • Long bows, compound bows, or crossbows.
  • Muzzleloaders and black powder handguns of any caliber.
  • Pre-charged pneumatic arrow shooting rifles using an arrow equipped with a broadhead which has a minimum cutting diameter of 7/8 inch and 2 sharpened edges.
  • Spear or sharpened blade.

Bullfrog and Pig Frog

  • Air powered rifles .25 caliber or smaller.
  • Gig or spear.
  • Long bows, compound bows, or crossbows.
  • Hand or dip net.

Other Game Birds or Animals

  • Rifles using rimfire ammunition or those operated by air.
  • Muzzleloaders and black powder handguns of any caliber.
  • Long bows, compound bows, or crossbows.
  • Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller, using standard No. 4 shot or smaller.
  • Handguns or pistols.
  • Blowguns using darts propelled by the hunter’s breath only.
  • Sling shots.