The Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) will close the state’s 2025 private angler red snapper fishing season at midnight on Wednesday, December 31. Alabama’s 2025 federal allocation of red snapper was 664,552 pounds. “This was the first year under state management that we opened the red snapper […]

The Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has announced that, pursuant to state law, all public water bottoms will close to the harvest of oysters at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. Alabama’s public oyster reefs opened for harvest on October 6, 2025, and will close […]

The Board of Trustees of the Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust will hold its fourth quarterly meeting of 2025 on Thursday, November 6, at the new Event Center located at the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field at 10:00 a.m. At this meeting, updates on Forever Wild program activities and tract assessments will be presented. […]

The State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announces the youth deer and duck hunt schedules for the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area (FWFTA) in Hale County. The hunts will take place late November 2025 through February 2026. Registration opens October 1 and runs until October […]

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announces that Charlanna Skaggs has been appointed by Governor Kay Ivey to serve as Deputy Commissioner for the Department, which oversees the conservation of the state’s natural resources and helps promote outdoor recreation such as hunting, fishing and shooting sports. Skaggs has served as ADCNR’s General […]

For the third year in a row, the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail has been chosen as the top recreational trail in the country in the 2025 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The 29-mile multi-use trail connects Gulf State Park with Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Baldwin County. “This year’s win is especially […]

The State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is currently working on one of its most anticipated projects in years: a new lodge at Cheaha State Park atop Cheaha Mountain in Delta, Alabama. “We are very excited to announce the new Cheaha State Park Lodge as well as a […]

The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has reopened the Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp in Guntersville, Alabama, after the completion of facility upgrades. During the closure, a new three-lane launching slab and a new 150-foot floating access pier were installed. The facility also features […]

If you weren’t able to attend one of three public meetings recently, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) wants your input. The meetings were held in Spanish Fort, Tillman’s Corner and Orange Beach to engage the public on a variety of subjects concerning Alabama’s saltwater fisheries management, including […]

Pursuant to Section 9-12-28, Code of Alabama 1975 as stated by Rule 220-3-.02, the Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) will open certain areas of public oyster bottoms for weekday harvest beginning on Monday, October 7, 2024, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Harvesters can view their […]

Senator Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL) has signed on as a cosponsor of the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (S.1149), or RAWA. The legislation would make funds available for the management of fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need as determined by state fish and wildlife agencies. “Alabama is blessed with an abundance of wildlife […]

Biologists with the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alabama Bat Working Group have discovered a breeding population of endangered northern long-eared bats in coastal Alabama. The bats were discovered during the annual Bat Blitz – an event held […]

“People should hunt to connect with nature.” -Justin Grider, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources With more than 1.3 million acres of public hunting land, Alabama is known for its diverse species of wildlife and hunting heritage. The pride of this long-standing tradition in the state is rooted in a posture of stewardship. SoulGrown Founder […]

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is expanding its awareness campaign about two species of invasive carp that pose a potential threat to the state’s native freshwater fish and habitats – bighead and silver carp. The Fisheries Section of the department’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division is posting signs this fall at public […]

Learning to hunt may seem out of reach for those who didn’t grow up with hunting as part of their family experience. Fortunately, Alabama’s Adult Mentored Hunting program teaches all the skills needed to put wild game on the dinner table and help start new traditions. Getting started in the AMH program is as simple […]

The spar section of a decommissioned oil rig will soon become part of the state’s artificial reef system thanks to an agreement between the structure’s owner, Noble Energy and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. This new reef site is about 60 nautical miles off Alabama’s coast. It is being made available through […]

The largest youth archery competition in Alabama, the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Alabama State Championship, will be held April 6-7, 2023, at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl located at 220 Hall St. in Montgomery, Alabama.  This year’s event will feature nearly 2,000 student archers in Grades 4-12 from schools across the state […]

The 2023 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest will begin accepting entries on Tuesday, August 2, 2022. This year’s contest is a joint project between the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the Alabama Tourism Department. The deadline to enter is October 31, 2022. The 2023 photo contest will focus on traditional photography techniques […]

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced that Matt Young of Gulf Shores, Alabama, has been named Southwest District Superintendent for ADCNR’s State Parks Division. In addition to managing daily operations at Gulf and Meaher state parks, Young will work closely with State Parks staff and community leaders to strengthen local partnerships […]

On Saturday, June 11, 2022, Alabamians and out-of-state visitors alike will have the opportunity to fish for free in most public waters including both freshwater and saltwater. Free Fishing Day allows residents and non-residents to enjoy the outstanding fishing Alabama has to offer without purchasing a fishing license. The event is part of National Fishing and Boating […]

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) announces that Alabama state waters and federal waters will open to private and state-licensed charter vessel anglers for red snapper harvest on Friday, May 27, 2022. The season will consist of four-day weekends, Friday through Monday, beginning Friday, May 27, and continue […]

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced the results from additional Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) prevalence testing of white-tailed deer in northwest Alabama. A second case of CWD in a hunter harvested, white-tailed deer has been confirmed in Lauderdale County. The first case of CWD in Alabama’s deer herd was detected in […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed Eurasian H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a wild, hunter-harvested American wigeon in Limestone County, Alabama. In January 2022, Eurasian H5 HPAI was detected in South Carolina and has since been detected in 14 additional states. HPAI H5 viruses […]

The winners of the 2022 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest are listed below. As usual, the judges had a very difficult time selecting the winning photos from among the thousands entered. The 2023 contest will be announced later this year. “The abundant diversity in Alabama’s landscape and native wildlife make it a photographer’s paradise,” said Chris […]