alabama managment area question

poeman

New member
it states on the permit for approved weapons

BOBCAT, FOX, COYOTE &
FERAL SWINE: Open during any other scheduled WMA hunting season using weapons ammunition approved for those hunts. No Dogs Allowed. Daylight hours only

PERMITTED FIREARMS, BOW AND ARROW, & FALCONRY:
Deer: Deer: Stalk Hunts: As defined in Alabama Regulations legal arms and ammunition in 220-2-.02(2), (excluding buckshot) and archery equipment in 220-2-.03.
Primitive Weapons: Using only muzzle loading rifles (.40 caliber or larger), muzzle loading shotguns, air-powered guns (.30 caliber or larger) or archery equipment as defined in 220-2-.03.
Turkey: As defined in 220-2-.02(3), except no center-fire pistols or crossbows allowed.
Remainder of Seasons: Legal arms and ammunition as defined in 220-2-.02 and archery equipment in 220-2-.03.Trapping: As Defined in 220-2-.30(2), except no .22 magnums are allowed.
Falconry will be legal on all AREA scheduled hunts for legally permitted falconers; following the dates those seasons are open on each AREA.

its say to refer to 220-2-2.02


220-2-.02 Legal Arms, Ammunition, and Equipment for Hunting says this

(6) BOBCAT, GROUNDHOG,
UNPROTECTED WILDLIFE,
FOX, COYOTE & FERAL SWINE

• Rifles of any caliber.
• Handguns or pistols.
• Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller.
• Long bows, compound bows, or crossbows.
• Muzzleloaders and black powder handguns of any caliber.
• Spear or sharpened blade.
• Raptors by properly permitted falconers.

im confused at what firearm I can use to hunt coyotes with on a management area in Alabama, do I have to only use a shotgun with 4 gauge or smaller or a larger caliber rim fire or can I use my 223.
 
New member here...very useful forum. Thank you.
I realize this is an old thread, but I may can help.
Hunting of any kind is only allowed on Alabama Management Areas during scheduled hunts. Even though coyotes, bobcats and hogs have no closed season or bag limits in Alabama, they can only be hunted on management areas during another scheduled hunt, and only with the firearms or methods legally allowed for game for that scheduled hunt. Example: during mid March thru the end of April (turkey season), you may hunt coyotes, bobcat and hogs on management areas but only using legal firearms during legal hours for turkey. Once turkey season closes, the management area is closed for ALL hunting. Same hold true for all other hunts. Small game, deer, etc. Come the end of the last day of April, all Alabama management areas will be under lock and key until this fall with the opening of squirrel season. It’s best not to be caught with a 22-250 or the like during the lock down, even if you state that you’re hunting for coyotes. The wardens will ruin your day.

Doesn’t make much sense to me. After all, state biologists will encourage folks to thin out the coyotes on management areas , but they make it very difficult to do so. I am told it is due to budgetary constraints. However, on private land within the state, it can be legal to hunt them 24/7/365 with no bag limits. Easily obtained permits allow for night hunting for no additional cost to ones hunting license. But only the landowner can obtain the permit, with a simple no hassle phone call, who then can authorize an agent to hunt at night on their land on their behalf. Be advised, as a curtesy sure ,game wardens strongly ask that they be made aware of any night hunts prior to and the day of the night hunts. So, when their phone lights up at 2am with a complaint about shots fired, they know what’s going down. Otherwise, they will roll out and investigate. It is not illegal if you don’t call, but Mr.Warden will be pissed.

In my experience, it is best to target coyotes on management areas during scheduled deer hunts. Required firearms and ammo for deer are simply centerfire mushrooming ammunition, no specifics in regard to calibers or bullet weights . Therefore, a 223 with soft points are legal for deer in Alabama, and in turn legal for coyotes. In reality, we just whackem with .270s and 06s while biding our time for deer. Every Bama deer hunter understands the unwritten rule: if you get an opportunity on a yote , you wax him DRT, then continue with your deer hunt.
 
Originally Posted By: Sammy_JoeHowever, on private land within the state, it can be legal to hunt them 24/7/365 with no bag limits.

You mean 12/7/365 daylight hours only
 
I used to hunt the Bankhead NF and the Black Warrior WMA for years for feral hogs.

Basically, you use anything that's legal for the season you're hunting:

Deer season/days (WMA limits deer days during the normal AL deer season): Deer guns

- Squirrel season (except during deer days): Squirrel guns

- Turkey season: Turkey guns.

- Special Feral Hog days (3 weeks in Sept and March): Deer season guns.

We used to hunt feral hogs on the BW WMA during squirrel season (early Oct. to near Feb) with .22 Mag Savage rifles (except during deer days). It was not a spray and pray type weapon but strictly a "sneak up on them and ambush them behind the ear" weapon.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.
 

I live 30 miles south of the Alabama line and have occasionally gone up there to hunt hogs and coyotes for landowners.

Generally speaking AL regs are a PITA compared to FL regs. They are wrapped a little tight when it comes to night hunting.
 
it's why I hardly ever get to hunt any more. I have no access to private land in this area and the WMA regs are a real PITA for the most part.

The Upper Delta WMA is 50 miles from me, lots of deer & pigs. Gun deer hunting totals 2 days out of the entire season, which starts before thanksgiving and ends in february.

I just can't talk myself into that much time & gas to drive up there, scout the land only to be limited to 2 days of hunting. Especially when you know it's going to be loaded up full of other hunters for those 2 days.

I had to drive 4 hours to hunt a 40 acre bit of land a friend of mine owns to kill my last buck.
 
Originally Posted By: 64DodgeOriginally Posted By: Sammy_JoeHowever, on private land within the state, it can be legal to hunt them 24/7/365 with no bag limits.

You mean 12/7/365 daylight hours only

Negative...one may legally hunt coyotes at night on private land with the proper permit. Only exception is no night hunting during gun deer season.
 
Originally Posted By: Sammy_Joe Originally Posted By: 64DodgeOriginally Posted By: Sammy_JoeHowever, on private land within the state, it can be legal to hunt them 24/7/365 with no bag limits.

You mean 12/7/365 daylight hours only

Negative...one may legally hunt coyotes at night on private land with the proper permit. Only exception is no night hunting during gun deer season.


Thats true you can hunt them at night with proper permit.
BUT how many permits do you think they are going to hand out.
I dont think they are going to give you one just because you
want to hunt at night.
 
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