Black Warrior Management Area Size: 91,263 acres Location: Lawrence and Winston Counties, Alabama Nearest City: Moulton, Alabama What You Can Hunt: Big Game (Deer, Turkey), Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove), Special Hog Days Shooting Range: Yes Check-In Before Hunting Required: Yes Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: 2 Wildlife Sightings: Hogs Terrain: Limestone cliffs and canyons along the Sipsey River with many streams and old growth hardwoods, some planted pines in cutover areas. Overview: The Black Warrior is within the Bankhead National Forest, which is also home to the Sipsey River Wilderness Area. There are many trails for hiking that can be used to access hunting areas. The vast expanse of this WMA sometimes makes it difficult to find your prey, but also offers a variety of land to enjoy. If you are deer hunting, make sure that you know what … Continue reading
Black Warrior Wildlife Management Area
Black Warrior Management Area Size: 91,263 acres Location: Lawrence and Winston Counties, Alabama Nearest City: Moulton, Alabama What You Can Hunt: Big Game (Deer, Turkey), Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove), Special Hog Days Shooting Range: Yes Check-In Before Hunting Required: Yes Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: 2 Wildlife Sightings: Hogs Terrain: Limestone cliffs and canyons along the Sipsey River with many streams and old growth hardwoods, some planted pines in cutover areas. Overview: The Black Warrior is within the Bankhead National Forest, which is also home to the Sipsey River Wilderness Area. There are many trails for hiking that can be used to access hunting areas. The vast expanse of this WMA sometimes makes it difficult to find your prey, but also offers a variety of land to enjoy. If you are deer hunting, make sure that you know what … Continue reading
Mulberry Fork Wildlife Management Area
Size: 35,260 acres Location: Tuscaloosa and Walker Counties, AL Nearest City: Tutwiler, AL What You Can Hunt: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: No Check-In Before Hunting Required: Yes Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Fair (Some roads not correctly marked) Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: one Wildlife Sightings: turkey Terrain: Very thick vegetation of hardwood and pine mix on hilly terrain above a wide portion of the Black Warrior River. Be ready for a tough hike! Overview: The location of Mulberry Fork WMA makes an approach from the east very difficult. Roads are not clearly marked in the area and do not necessarily correspond in name to the maps. The location takes a while to get to, even though it appears to be located within a relatively short distance of both Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. However, the effort may be worth … Continue reading
Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area
Size: 56,838 acres Location: Calhoun and Cleburne Counties, AL Nearest City: Heflin, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: Yes Check-In Before Hunting Required: No Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good Management Roads: Very Good Number of Hunts: one Wildlife Sightings: Turkey (not within view, but gobbled back to call) Terrain: Hilly with mature hardwoods (part of the Talladega National Forest) and some areas of planted pines Overview: The second largest wildlife management area in the state, Choccolocco has much to offer. The easily-traversed road system and proximity to I-20 make this WMA very accessible. The land is not broken up by any private holdings so it is a huge area to explore…be prepared to walk a lot!
St. Clair Community Hunting Area
Size: 6,052 Location: St. Clair County, AL Nearest City: Pell City, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: No Check-In Before Hunting Required: No Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: one Wildlife Sightings: none Terrain: Lots of Pines; rocky ground; somewhat mountainous; creek bottoms Overview: St. Clair is a very small hunting area. I only hunted there once and did not see anything, but I have heard there are deer there if you are willing to hunt far off the road.
Coosa Wildlife Managment Area
Size: 32,624 acres Location: Coosa County, AL Nearest City: Clanton or Rockford, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: Yes Check-In Before Hunting Required: No Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good (Check-In Station difficult to locate) Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: four Wildlife Sightings: Deer Terrain: Lots of Pines, Hilly Overview: Coosa WMA’s location is most easily accessed from the Clanton exit off I-65, but the small county roads leading to it are not well marked. It borders Lake Mitchell south of the Lay Lake Dam. There are a few creeks on the north end of the WMA, and a lot more water to deal with on the south end. The forest is thick, filled with pines and undergrowth. The land has small hills with plenty of flat areas. The check-in station is out of the way and difficult … Continue reading
Oakmulgee Wildlife Management Area
Size: 44,500 acres Location: Bibb, Hale, Perry, and Tuscaloosa Counties, AL Nearest City: Moundville, AL and Brent, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: Yes Check-In Before Hunting Required: Yes Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Excellent (Food Plots marked also) Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: three Wildlife Sightings: Deer Terrain: Thick Pine Forest with some Hardwoods and several swampy areas; relatively flat, with some rolling hills; thick undergrowth Overview: The check-in station for Oakmulgee WMA is far to the interior and somewhat out of the way of the main roads to have to get to before going to your hunting spot. The thick forest and swamp can make it tough to set up, especially if using a blind. This WMA is very large, yet compact which can make it difficult to become familiar with.
Hollins Wildlife Management Area
Size: 29,002 acres Location: Clay and Talladega Counties, AL Nearest City: Sylacauga or Hollins, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: No Check-In Before Hunting Required: No Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good Management Roads: Fair (some going up and down steep slopes are extremely rough) Number of Hunts: Multiple Wildlife Sightings: Several Large Deer; Many flocks of Turkey with active Gobblers. Quail Terrain: Mature Hardwood Forest (part of the Talladega National Forest) with clean forest floor; somewhat mountainous; many small, clear, rocky creeks Overview: Hollins WMA is one of the most picturesque I’ve hunted, with so many clean streams crossing the terrain and the easily-traversed clean forest floor. It is an excellent place for turkey hunting. Many areas are easily accessed from the paved road by walking in on one of the gated dirt roads, but some of the … Continue reading
Little River Wildlife Management Area
Size: 13,100 acres Location: Cherokee and DeKalb Counties, AL Nearest City: Fort Payne, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: No Check-In Before Hunting Required: No Check-In After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Good Management Roads: Good (Four-wheel drive necessary) Number of Hunts: one Wildlife Sightings: none (black bear killed by a car the day after my hunt) Terrain: Mountainous, with Little River and Little River Falls flowing through; Hardwoods and Pines Overview: The area around the Little River Falls has recently been upgraded to a National Park. There are limited access points and roads through the interior. The steep canyon surrounding Little River is difficult to traverse; take extra precaution when walking before dawn or after twilight as there are many high cliffs and steep drop-offs.
William R. Ireland, Sr. – Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area
Size: 40,504 acres Location: Bibb and Shelby Counties, AL Nearest City: West Blocton or Montevallo, AL Hunted: Big Game (Deer, Turkey); Small Game (Squirrel, Rabbit, Quail, Dove, etc.) Shooting Range: Yes Check-in Before Hunting Required: Yes (For Deer Gun Days) Check-in After Kill Required: Yes Map Accuracy: Excellent (Food Plots marked also) Management Roads: Good Number of Hunts: Multiple, due to close proximity to home Wildlife Sightings: Multiple Deer, including more Bucks than Does during the Rut; Fewer Turkey than in other WMA’s; Bobcat; Fox Terrain: Planted Pines with Hardwood Creek Bottoms and sloping land; thick undergrowth in areas previously cut Overview: Cahaba WMA offers plenty of access points in both Bibb and Shelby Counties, with dirt and gravel roads traversing the interior. The terrain offers plenty of cover, with several creeks crossing the area as well as the larger Cahaba River. The area is broken up by private land … Continue reading