State leaders, conservation partners, and landowners gathered Nov. 6 at The Ridge in Greene County to launch a major effort to restore one of Alabama’s most endangered landscapes — the Black Belt Prairie. The Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (ALSWCC) announced the start of the Alabama Blackbelt Prairie Initiative, a five-year restoration project supported […]

What happened to the quail is a question that has been asked countless times, and although the question has been answered countless times, people are still asking the question. Out of curiosity, I conducted a search on a popular social media site to see what people were saying about the quail decline. My findings did […]

You may have seen Red Deese on Food Network, on local TV news, and in the Montgomery Advertiser. Clarence Ray “Red” Deese died earlier this month, on November 10 at age 93, at home with his family. Known for many unusual aspects of his long life, he was best known for founding a unique Southern-style […]

You have not heard this unusual bit of news in the national media. Likely you will not, unless those media outlets pick up the information from this Yellowhammer News article. Here is the unusual news bulletin: There have been no hurricanes in the Gulf of America. Ever. And no tropical storms. The 2025 hurricane season […]

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) has opened submissions for its 14th annual Big Buck Photo Contest, highlighting what the group calls one of the nation’s premier destinations for trophy whitetail deer. “We love having the photos shared with us every year in the Big Buck Photo Contest,” said ALBBAA director Pam Swanner. “The […]

The new Blankenship Event Center was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting event at the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area, much to the surprise of Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), and his wife, Allyson. The new 5,000-square foot Blankenship Event Center is located on ADCNR’s State […]

Rickwood Caverns State Park is once again preparing to turn its underground passageways into a festive spectacle as “Wonderland Under Warrior” returns for the 2025 holiday season. Now in its ninth year, the popular event invites families to walk through a cave system filled with holiday lights, themed rooms and Christmas characters. “This is the […]

The new Blankenship Event Center was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting event at the M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area, much to the surprise of Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), and his wife, Allyson. The new 5,000-square foot Blankenship Event Center is located on ADCNR’s State […]

Alabama State Parks has opened nominations for the 10th annual Eagle Awards, a statewide program that celebrates volunteers, partners, and public leaders who help support and enhance the state’s parks. Nominations are open through Jan. 3, 2026. Winners will be recognized during Eagle Awareness Weekend at Lake Guntersville State Park on Jan. 31, 2026. Anyone […]

The Great Northern Lights – aurora borealis – are normally seen only in high latitudes, think Canada and a dozen northern states. Tuesday night was not normal. A strong geomagnetic storm generated aurora in lower latitudes, including Alabama all the way to the Gulf Coast. It was a God-given light show on Veterans Day. Alabama […]

Alabama will add a marquee mountain destination in early 2026: A new three-tower hotel and meeting center at Cheaha State Park, perched at the state’s highest point and built to anchor year-round outdoor tourism. State Sen. Randy Price (R-Opelika), Chairman of the Senate Tourism Committee, announced on Tuesday that Alabamians will soon have another popular […]

After being part of an internal team to make Alabama’s saltwater fishing among the best in the nation for more than 27 years, Kevin Anson was recently promoted to Director of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD). Anson assumes the leadership role previously held by Colonel Scott Bannon, […]

A new scholarship is giving Alabama teens the chance to step outside, learn new skills, and connect with the state’s rich outdoor heritage. The AWF Thomas and Cindy Harris Foundation Shooting Sports Scholarship Fund, created by the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) in partnership with the Thomas and Cindy Harris Foundation, is now accepting applications for Alabama youth […]

What do you do after you plan a trip to north Alabama to get in the fall crappie bite and you’re greeted with bluebird skies the day after a cold front? You make lemonade, and the Tennessee River lakes have just the right recipes. Capt. Brian Barton, Andy Poss and I still wanted to try […]

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 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is inviting members of the Alabama shrimping industry and the public to weigh in on a new shrimp fishery management plan. The agency’s Marine Resources Division will host two listening sessions in November to collect input from stakeholders before the plan is finalized. “The Alabama shrimp […]

The Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) Wild Game Cook-Off Series returned to the place of its origin last week with its annual trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast. The first AWF Wild Game Cook-Off took place in the fall of 1996 in Mobile. The event was such a success that the concept quickly spread across the […]

Governor Kay Ivey has declared the third week of October “Alabama Woods to Goods Week” to coincide with National Forest Products Week. October 19-25, 2025, is a week-long celebration to promote the state’s forest products industry’s professionals, resources, companies, and environmental and economic impact. This year marks the fifth year  Governor Ivey has declared Alabama […]

The top bass anglers in the nation converged on Lake Guntersville last week to showcase what is arguably the best bass fishing lake in the nation. After three days of competition, without dissent, the anglers who competed in the Ultimate Angler Championship agreed that Lake Guntersville is the best. The unique tournament that was three […]

Bayou La Batre and Coden have been known for decades as the fishing village of Alabama and America. Now, that role will be enhanced for pier fishermen. Not everybody has a boat to go out fishing on the Bayou, Portersville Bay, or Mississippi Sound. But anyone can go fishing off Rolston Park Pier, the public […]

In the heart of Alabama’s Black Belt, 9-year-old Fin Rittenberry of Sweet Water School has been named the winner of the Alabama Black Belt Adventure Association’s (ALBBAA) 2025 Best Fish Photo Contest. Known to his family as “Fishing Fin,” the fourth grader has built quite a reputation for his love of the sport. “He’d fish […]

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 […]

When I think about fall in Alabama, I do not just think about the cooler mornings or the changing leaves. I think about the way the season feels. One of my favorite memories is sitting by a campfire with my kids, the sparks lifting into the night sky while we roasted marshmallows. The laughter when […]

With a planned opening in the first half of 2026, the new Gulf State Park Campground will make many campers happy with its extra space. a little more privacy and an abundance of amenities. The new campground will be built in two phases on the park’s former golf course. A new entrance will provide convenient […]