Alabama Bird Hunting
Seasons Span November 14 – February 28, 2027
State Drought Monitor – Upland hunting conditions are often highly dependent upon moisture for both habitat production and bird survival.
License Costs:
Resident: $33.55 (All-Game License)
Non-Resident: $363.30 (Annual All-Game) or $156.15 (7-Day Small Game)
Species, Season Dates & Limits:
| Species | Season Dates | • Daily Limit | • Possession Limit |
| • Bobwhite Quail | • Nov 21, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 | • 8 | • 8 |
| • American Woodcock | • Dec 18, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027 | • 3 | • 9 |
| • Wilson’s Snipe | • Nov 14, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 | • 8 | • 24 |
12-Month Weather & Hunting Outlook:
Alabama experienced a mild, wet winter in 2025–2026 across the Coastal Plain and Black Belt, minimizing winter die-offs. Spring 2026 brought consistent rainfall that stimulated early cover growth and insect production, critical for young quail chicks during early brooding.
Hot, dry stretches in mid-summer 2026 pushed birds toward shaded creek drainages and dense woody cover. Overall hunting conditions are expected to be fair to good, with the best wild covey encounters occurring on managed pine savanna lands and clear-cuts.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, visit Outdoor Alabama or consult the 2025-2026 Alabama Hunting & Fishing Digest
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The Quail Hunter’s Lost Code
There’s a small, back corner on a piece of public land in Kansas that my dad and I have hunted for 10 years. It’s a good walk, probably a mile and a half each way. We are always drawn to the corner because every year there is a covey of Bobwhite in this tiny, scrubby…
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Embrace the Hunting Curve
I kicked off this season hunting the entire month of September without ever pulling the trigger—for birds, not for big game, not for a once-in-a-lifetime tag draw. I never even came close. True, the Himalayan Snowcock might be the most challenging hunt in the country. This was my second attempt at those demons and I…
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Backyard Bobwhite: Part 1
Is the key to restoring quail right out your back door? I grew up in small farming community in rural Northeast Ohio. It’s not considered an upland bird hot spot. But I still remember seeing wild quail when I was a kid. And I’ve verified this with others from the area. Bobwhite used to inhabit…
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Inroads
We’ve been coming to this area of the grain belt for over 20 years. It took the locals at least seven of those to warm beyond a passing nod or the requisite finger waive to oncoming trucks. We now know many by name though most likely still recognize us only as familiar faces. Every year…
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3000 Miles for One Bird
The sun is dipping into the horizon and the thermometer reads 19° when the dogs and I return to the truck after hunting the final day of upland season in Kansas. A quick check of the fitness band reveals I’ve hiked over 12 miles in eight inches of new snowfall. The dogs never stopped hunting…
