Prohibited Methods of Hunting
The following are prohibited methods of hunting as condensed from Alabama law and regulation. Consult the Code of Alabama Title 9 and Alabama Game, Fish, Furbearers, and Other Wildlife Regulation Book for the entire law or regulation. Cites are provided below.
It is ILLEGAL to:
- Hunt deer or turkey without a deer or turkey harvest record (paper or app form) in his/her possession or move any deer or turkey before recording harvest on the harvest record. Failure to report all deer and turkey harvested on your harvest record in Game Check is unlawful. (220-2-.146)
- Hunt any game animal which does not exhibit wild characteristics or under conditions where animals do not have opportunity for escape. (9-11-501/502)
- Hunt any exotic game such as wild goat, wild sheep, deer other than white-tailed or fallow or elk except those certified prior to 2006. (9-11-503)
- Hunt in lawful areas where baiting/feeding has occurred until 10 days after all bait/feed has been removed or consumed. (*Except those in possession of a baiting privilege license hunting white-tailed deer or feral swine. 220-2-.11)
- Hunt any game animal or bird with a gun or bow and arrow except during daylight hours, with the exception of those species with legal night time seasons. (220-2-.07)
- Shoot or hunt a turkey from an elevated tree stand with a firearm. All other legal game animals and birds may be taken with a bow and arrow or firearm from an elevated tree stand. (9-11-245)
- Take a deer, whether dead or alive, from the public waters of this State. (9-11-250)
- Use live decoys for migratory birds and turkey. (220-2-.11)
- Use electronic dove, turkey or waterfowl calls. Electronic calls may be used to call predators during open hunting season for that species. (220-2-.11)
- - Hunt by the aid of fire or smoke, whether man-made or natural. (220-2-.11)
- Hunt resident birds or animals on any floodwaters or backwaters, or islands less than 40 acres created by such. (220-2-.11)
- Hunt or discharge a firearm from, upon or across any public road or railroad, or the right-of-way of any public road or railroad. You may not hunt or discharge a firearm within 50 yards of the right-of-way of any public road, highway, or railroad with a centerfire rifle, a shotgun using slugs or shot larger than number four (4) shot or a muzzle loading rifle .40 or larger. (9-11-257)
- Willfully throw or cast the rays of a spotlight, headlight or artificial light from any motor vehicle while the vehicle is on any highway or public road and casting said light on any real property, between the hours of sunset and sunrise. (32-5-17)
- Concentrate, drive, rally, molest, hunt, take, capture or kill any bird or animal from or by the aid of any automobile, ATV, aircraft, train, motor boat, sailboat or any other type mechanically propelled device. Persons may hunt from a floating craft or motor vehicle once the motor is shut off and all forward motion has ceased. It is not legal to hunt from a vehicle on a public road. (220-2-.11)
- Use gasoline or other noxious chemical to drive wildlife from their burrows, dens or retreats. (220-2-.11)
- Kill unantlered deer except during unantlered deer seasons. (9-11-236)
- Use or possess a decoy while turkey hunting which has mechanical and/or electronic parts that have the capabilities of movement or producing sound or which can be manipulated to do so, including any that are handheld or attached to weapons such as fanning or reaping. Legal turkey decoys shall be allowed after the first 10 days of spring turkey season. In addition, legal turkey decoys are allowed during the special youth hunt and the spring special disabled hunt. (220-2-.01) (220-2-.11)
- Take or attempt to take or have in possession more than the daily bag limit of any game bird or animal. (220-2-.18)
- Import, possess, sell or offer to sell live: any species of mongoose, any species of wild rabbit or hare and any deer, raccoon, fox, skunk, coyote, wild turkey, wild rodents and any wild goat, sheep, antelope or other exotic game from any area outside of Alabama. (Also, see Sale of Game Birds and Game Animals, Hunting Laws & Regulations) or any fish from the genus Clarias, Serrasalmus or Mylopharyngodon. (220-2-.26) (9-11-237)
- Release any tame or wild turkey into any of the wild areas of the state. (220-2-.26)
- Utilize firearms for hunting deer during the preliminary archery only season, except handguns may be possessed for personal protection. (220-2-.10)
- 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)
- Hunt or take wildlife using poisons or explosives. (9-11-245)
- Have in possession or keep in captivity any protected live wild bird or wild animal. (220-2-.26)
- Trail wounded game onto property where the hunter does not have permission to enter. (9-11-241/242)
- Possess live feral pig. To release any feral or domestic pig into the wild. Upon capture by trap or dog, feral pigs may not be released alive. (220-2-.86)
- Hunt within 100 yards of any dwelling without the permission of the owner or lessee or discharge a firearm while hunting so that any projectile strikes any dwelling or building used for human occupation, or any commercial vessel, without the permission of the owner or lessee. This does not apply to a landowner or member of his/her immediate family hunting on his/her own property provided that no projectile strikes the above property of another without the permission of the owner or lessee. (220-2-.139)