2020-2021 ALABAMA WATERFOWL HUNTING GUIDE The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) is dedicated to improving waterfowl habitat and hunting opportunities on public and private lands throughout Alabama. WFF biologists strive to provide quality waterfowl hunting opportunities on our waterfowl management areas and science-based technical assistance to interested landowners and other entities regarding many aspects of waterfowl management. Waterfowl stewardship activities of WFF biologists also include conducting annual aerial waterfowl surveys, wood duck banding, and serving on waterfowl Flyway and other national committees to represent the interests of Alabama waterfowl hunters. WATERFOWL SEASON SPECIAL TEAL: 6 a day, Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset & BAG LIMITS DUCKS: 6 ducks a day and may include no more than 4 Mallards (no more than 2 of which can be female), 3 Wood Ducks, 1 Mottled Duck, 2 Black Ducks, 2 Redhead, DUCK, COOT AND 1 Pintail, 2 Canvasback and 1 Scaup. MERGANSER: ALL GEESE: SEPT. 1-30 - The total bag limit of 5 dark geese (Canada, White- November 27 - November 28 fronted, Brant) can not include more than 1 Brant. Additionally, a total bag limit of 5 light geese (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) may be harvested per day. December 5 - January 31 OCT. 10-24, NOV. 27-28, DEC. 5 - JAN. 31 GEESE: DARK GEESE: (Canada, White-fronted, Brant) - 5 a Day. The total bag limit of 5 September 1 - September 30 shall not include more than 3 Canada Geese or 1 Brant. October 10 - October 24 LIGHT GEESE: (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) - The total bag limit shall be 5 a day. November 27 - November 28 MERGANSERS: 5 a day, only 2 may be a Hooded Merganser. Scan the QR Code to learn December 5 - January 31 COOT: 15 a day. more information about SPECIAL TEAL SEASON: Alabama’s Waterfowl season September 12 - September 27 and bag limits NOTICE: The material in this document is only a summary of Alabama Laws and Regulations relating to the hunting of Migratory Waterfowl. All land in Alabama is posted by law – Hunting is by landowner permission only. Landowner or agent may impose further restrictions. 1 2020-2021 ALABAMA WATERFOWL | HUNTING GUIDE SPECIAL YOUTH, VETERAN, & ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL WATERFOWL HUNTING LICENSES HUNTING DAYS RESIDENT Annual All Game $28.20 Nov. 21, 2020 & Feb. 6, 2021. The regular waterfowl Small Game $18.70 season shooting hours, bag limits, and legal arms and NON-RESIDENT ammunitions apply to the special days. Individuals must Annual All Game $325.90 follow the listed rules to participate in the scheduled Small Game $106.40 special waterfowl hunts: 10-day Trip All Game $201.25 10-day Trip Small Game $64.90 1. Up to two (2) youth participants must be 3-day Trip All Game $142.00 accompanied by an adult supervisor. The adult 3-day Trip Small Game $47.05 supervisor is to remain within arm’s length of the youth at all times. Federal Duck Stamp $27.50 2. Youth is defined as those individuals who have not State Duck Stamp $11.00 WMA License $18.70 reached their sixteenth birthday. H.I.P. FREE 3. Adult is defined as those individuals twenty-one years old or older or the parent of the youth who are in possession of all valid state hunting licenses and state and federal waterfowl stamps that are required to hunt waterfowl. Possession of the mandatory hunting licenses and stamps is required. HARVEST INFORMATION PROGRAM 4. Only one firearm will be allowed per youth. Only the All licensed waterfowl hunters are required to complete youth hunters will be permitted to utilize the firearm a Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey and will be for hunting. The adult is expected to review with provided proof of certification with your license. The each youth the rules of firearm safety and hunter certification is free but must be available for inspection ethics and to ensure they are followed. while hunting. 5. Veterans & Active Military Personnel must have in possession a valid proof of service (Military, VA, or REPORT BANDS Veteran ID Card, or a Copy of Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty Form (DD214)). To properly manage migratory birds, biologists must Possession of the mandatory hunting licenses and know migration patterns, harvest and survival rates, and stamps is required. ecological processes. Reporting banded bird recoveries will help provide the needed information. All band reports are very important. Visit www.reportband.gov to LEGAL ARMS AND AMMUNITION report a recovery. Your help will greatly FOR HUNTING benefit waterfowl. Long Bows; Compound Bows; or Crossbows. Shotguns of 10 gauge or smaller plugged with one-piece filler, HUNTING TIMES FOR DUCK, COOT, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so MERGANSER, AND GOOSE its total capacity does not exceed three shells and using T size steel shot or smaller or with other U.S. Fish and That area north of Highway 90 (Battleship Parkway), west Wildlife Service approved shot and sizes. of Alabama Highway 225, south of CSX Railroad tracks, and east of the west bank of the Mobile River, shooting days and hours shall be: THE POSSESSION OF LEAD SHOT WHILE • Monday and Tuesday: Closed to Waterfowl Hunting HUNTING WATERFOWL IS ILLEGAL. • Wednesday through Sunday: Shooting Hours shall be one-half hour before sunrise to 1:00 P.M. 2 2020-2021 ALABAMA WATERFOWL | HUNTING GUIDE Notice: That area of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta crippled shall be retrieved, if possible, and retained in the encompassed by Interstate 10 from the intersection of custody of the hunter in the field. Highway 90 (Mobile Causeway), East to the western Tagging: No person shall give, put or leave any channel of the Apalachee River as marked by boundary migratory game birds at any place or in the custody of signs, North to the intersection of Highway 90 (Mobile another person unless the birds are tagged by the hunter Causeway), West along Highway 90 with the following information: (Mobile Causeway) to the intersection of Interstate 10 1. The hunter’s signature. depicts the Apalachee Refuge boundaries and is closed 2. to hunting and the operation of all gas-powered motors The hunter’s address. from November 14, 2020 through February 13, 2021. 3. The total number of birds involved, by species. That area of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta known as Big 4. The dates such birds were killed. Bateau Bay and Bay Grass shall be closed to the operation No person or business shall receive or have in of all gas-powered motors from November 14, 2020 custody any migratory game birds belonging to through February 13, 2021. another person unless such birds are Notice: Corp. of Engineers lands and waters in Pickens, properly tagged. Greene, and Sumter: shooting hours as stated on Possession of Live Birds: Wounded birds reduced to ACOE permits. possession shall be immediately killed and included in the Remainder of the State: Shooting hours shall be from daily bag limit. one-half hour before sunrise to sunset each day. State Dressing: No person shall completely field dress any laws and regulations that are the same as Federal migratory game bird (except doves and band-tailed rules shown are NOT relisted. pigeons) and then transport the birds from the field. The head or one fully feathered wing must remain attached SUMMARY OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS to all such birds while being transported from the field to RELATING TO THE TAKING OF one’s home or to a commercial preservation facility. MIGRATORY BIRDS Shipment: No person shall ship migratory game birds In addition to State regulations, the following Federal unless the package is marked on the outside with: (a) the rules apply to the taking, possession, shipping, name and address of the person sending the birds, (b) transporting, and storing of migratory game birds. the name and address of the person to whom the birds are being sent, and (c) the number of birds, by species, Notice: The material below is only a summary. Each contained in the package. hunter should also consult the actual Code of Federal Regulations (CFR Title 50), which may be accessed at: Harvest Information Program: All licensed waterfowl www.ecfr.gov hunters are required to complete a Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey and will be provided proof of A reader friendly overview of waterfowl hunting and certification with your license. The certification is free but baiting is available at: must be available for inspection while hunting. www.fws.gov/le/HuntFish/waterfowl_baiting.htm Importation: For information regarding the importation Shooting or Hawking Hours: No person shall take of migratory birds killed in another country, hunters migratory game birds except during the dates and hours should consult 50 CFR 20.61 through 20.66. One fully open to shooting or hawking as prescribed. feathered wing must remain attached to all migratory Daily Bag Limit: The number birds of each species that game birds being transported between a port of entry any person may take or possess in the field during any and one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation one day. facility. No person shall import migratory game birds Possession Limit: The possession limit is three times the killed in any foreign country, except Canada, unless such daily bag limit for all waterfowl species. The possession birds are dressed (except as required above), drawn, and limit is the number of birds that any person may possess the head and feet are removed. No person shall import in total at home or in storage. migratory game birds belonging to another person. Wanton Waste: All migratory game birds killed or 3 2020-2021 ALABAMA WATERFOWL | HUNTING GUIDE Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp: confined within an enclosure which substantially The law requires that each waterfowl hunter 16 years reduces the audibility of their calls and totally of age and over must carry on his person a valid Federal conceals such tame birds from the sight of Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or duck migratory waterfowl.