Alabama is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and opportunities to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. However, if you have little to no experience in the outdoors or you are moving to Alabama as an entrepreneur or member of the workforce, you are probably not familiar with the vast number of outdoor recreational opportunities available […]

Another step toward an aquatic center for the Mobile County Sportsplex was taken on Monday when the Mobile County Commission said it would comply with best management practices connected to a land disturbance permit. Commissioner Connie Hudson, one of the driving forces behind the aquatic center, said complying with the plan was a housekeeping item […]

The University of Montevallo has set a new record of winning four consecutive Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia titles following the season-ending 2024 Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship at Pickwick Lake in Florence. Approximately 200 teams of the top collegiate anglers from across the country competed for two days in hopes […]

Sweet Trails Alabama is a collaborative initiative to create Alabama’s first statewide trail plan through efforts on state, regional, and local levels. The Public Draft of the Sweet Trails Alabama (Statewide Trails) Plan has recently been released. The plan, to be completed this summer, will identify a trail network spanning a large portion of the state. […]

The annual Buckmasters Expo in Montgomery, Alabama has officially been set for August 16 ,17, and 18th. The event will offer both families and hunting enthusiasts the opportunity to explore over three hundred booths offering a full range of hunting products.

Although he may rank in the stratosphere among his peers after receiving the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Guy Bradley Award earlier this year, Michael “Matt” Weathers prefers to keep his feet firmly grounded in Alabama’s fertile soil. Weathers, the Law Enforcement Section Chief with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife […]

Buckmasters, a leading media marketing company dedicated to promoting the appreciation of wildlife and outdoor traditions, is excited to announce the relocation of its headquarters to The Sterling Centre on Carmichael Road in Montgomery.

When about 100 first graders from Brooks Elementary School in Lauderdale County excitedly stepped off three yellow school buses for an educational program at Joe Wheeler State Park in early May, they probably weren’t thinking about Teddy Roosevelt, but they were about to get an up-close experience with what America’s 26th president called “the wonder-book […]

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association has announced that as of late last week its first ever Black Belt Road Trip Photo Contest is now officially open to the public. The organization is asking participants to document their summer outdoor recreational activities in the Black Belt via camera.

The inaugural class of the Alabama Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame was inducted last weekend during the World Championship Turkey Calling competition at the Mobile Convention Center, and the inductees should come as no surprise to those who call themselves a turkey hunter. Of the six inductees, only two are still living, Eddie Salter of […]

Innovate Alabama has launched SEEK AL, a digital campaign dedicated to showcasing the rich variety of outdoor recreational assets the state has to offer to its citizens and to innovators looking for a place to play, work, and put down roots. “Alabama is home to a wealth of natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities,” Innovate Alabama […]

Three swimmers, including two teenagers, were attacked by sharks in separate incidents at Walton County beaches on Friday, authorities say. A 45-year-old woman was bitten by a shark around 1:20 p.m. at Watersound Beach while swimming past a sandbar. She suffered significant midsection trauma, and part of her left arm was amputated. She is in […]

Outdoors professionals from around the country converged on Mobile and Riverview Plaza last week to brainstorm on recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) of hunters, anglers and other outdoors enthusiasts. The 210 National R3 Symposium attendees from all over the U.S., as well as New Zealand and Guam, heard reports on hunting and fishing participation numbers, […]

Alabama's annual Free Fishing Day, set for this Saturday, is almost here and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources wants to remind both Alabamians and visitors to the state of its rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water filled with almost 360 different species of fish.

The Alabama Conservation Advisory Board (CAB) had a busy weekend recently.  They began their day May 18 with the second 2024 CAB meeting, where the 2024-2025 hunting and fishing regulations were approved, and then joined in the ribbon-cutting at the newly renovated Oak Mountain State Park Campground. Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of […]

Two brothers from Smith Station have made statewide news after winning this year's Alabama Black Belt Adventures Big Gobbler Photo Contest. Logan Warrick, 14, and Declan Warrick, 12, were announced as the winners of the competition after their photo drew over 1,000 votes, roughly twice as much as second place.

In a multi state natural phenomenon, billions of cicadas have appeared this Spring across a significant portion of the southeastern United States. The event is the result of the emergence of multiple groups of cicadas at once, often referred to as a "super brood."

Alabama’s wetlands and diverse ecosystems serve as a haven for a wide variety of waterfowl, encompassing diving ducks, puddle ducks, and tree ducks and geese among others. Understanding some of the distinct characteristics of waterfowl enhances the experience of both hunting and birdwatching in the state. Hunting waterfowl is a pastime enjoyed by a huge […]

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey joined in the celebration of Safe Boating Week at the Academy Sports + Outdoors store in Montgomery earlier this week as Academy donated $5,000 worth of life jackets to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). “I am pleased to join you and our Conservation Enforcement Officers (CEOs) as […]

A well-known ecotourism expert has released a new report concluding that Alabama’s 23-county Black Belt region has everything needed to become a premier ecotourism destination. Ecotourism, which is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that protects nature and sustains the well-being of local people”, is one of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism […]

As Memorial Day approaches, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has announced that it is taking part in National Safe Boating Week to promote responsible and cautious behavior during the unofficial start of the summer boating season.

A project to restore the Eastern indigo snake to Alabama is one step closer to its goal with the release of 40 indigos in the Conecuh National Forest last weekend. The reintroduction project aims to establish a viable population of this threatened species within its historic range along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Representatives from the Alabama […]

As part of the SEC Softball Tournament last week at Auburn University, eight female Conservation Enforcement Officers (CEOs) from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources were honored during the tournament and with a shopping trip by Academy Sports + Outdoors at its Auburn location. Cody Reid, Academy’s Regional Marketing Specialist for Alabama, east […]

If you're looking for a free day of fishing in Alabama, the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has some news that might interest you. The agency has recently announced that it has designated June 8 as this year's Free Fishing Day in Alabama.