The four finalists at the recent 7th annual Alabama Seafood Cook-Off at The Lodge at Gulf State Park gave the five esteemed judges a difficult task in determining who will represent the state in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans. With a variety of creative dishes to sample, the judges voted the more […]

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 […]

Auburn University’s bass fishing team capped an historic season with its all-time best finish at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops by taking second place in the final season team standings after the two-day event concluded on May 27. The Tigers landed two teams in the top 10 and four in the […]

Summer may turn a wildflower hike into a sauna, but there are plenty of creeks, caves, swimming holes and natural phenomena to make working up a sweat worthwhile. Our famed hydrangeas are in full bloom in every variety from climbing to giant foot-long blooms. Creature features include the largest emergence of bats east of the […]

A small, rare crayfish thought to be extinct for 30 years has been rediscovered in a cave in the City of Huntsville in northern Alabama by a team led by an assistant professor at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). Dr. Matthew L. Niemiller’s team found individuals of the Shelta Cave Crayfish, known scientifically […]

The U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer said only minutes remained before he reached the point of no return. Kevin Olmstead of Fairhope, a veteran angler and fishing guide for more than 20 years, had been in the water in Mississippi Sound for 10 hours after being dumped overboard by a wave as he tried to […]

Back for 2022, the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association wants to see your fish photos again this year.

The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery, known to locals as “The Kelly,” recently announced its partnership with the Smoot Harris family and City of Wetumpka to offer a premier wildlife arts festival in downtown Wetumpka this fall.

The University of Montevallo fishing team was once again crowned the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Nearly 200 collegiate bass fishing teams from across the nation competed in the Bass Pro Shops 2022 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship tournament at Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama on May 26-27, but […]

The open road: a temptress that calls to every soul eager to explore. In Alabama, few things top a spring drive through the countryside. Dense forest highways spill into a coastline of creamy white sands. When the moment calls and the horizon beckons, adventure can be found on one of these scenic routes along the […]

Memorial Day weekend not only marks the unofficial beginning of summer but has anglers who love Alabama’s coastal waters excited for the start of red snapper season. Alabama state waters and federal waters will open to private and state-licensed charter vessel anglers for red snapper harvest this Friday, May 27, according to the Alabama Department of […]

By a wide margin, Alabama voters approved the amendment on Tuesday’s ballot to provide as much as $80 million in funding for improvements and enhancements to Alabama’s 21 State Parks. “I would like to thank the voters of Alabama for their overwhelming support of our beautiful State Parks,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama […]

Alabama students with special needs enjoyed the thrill of fishing at the annual Exceptional Anglers event at Oak Mountain State Park.

As part of its campaign to educate the public about the need to keep Alabama’s biorich watersheds free of litter that could pose threats to marine life, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has installed in Mobile County the first of several wildlife sculptures to be placed at state welcome centers. The “Help Keep Our Waters […]

A storied history, rich culture and fertile soil are not the only features of the Alabama Black Belt to be celebrated. The Black Belt is also an important economic driver in our state’s outdoor recreation industry.

Alabama’s state park system is considered a jewel. According to its co-sponsor, if Amendment 1 is passed, that jewel could shine brighter.

Ten-year-old Owen Rouse was named the winner of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association’s 2022 Big Gobbler Photo Contest.

Hiking deep into the Alabama woods can produce a diverse bounty for food loving foragers.

Alabama boasts some of the most beautiful and highest-rated state parks in the nation. To maintain that beauty and integrity, a funding mechanism will be on the May 24 ballot. The State Parks Amendment is the only amendment on the May ballot. If approved by voters, the State Parks Amendment will authorize the issuance and sale of […]

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 […]

Alabama is known for some of the best bass fishing in the world. Our state is blessed with an abundance of rivers, reservoirs and waterways teeming with numerous black bass species, which means bass fishing tournaments abound throughout the state. Except for one location – Tuscaloosa. Stan Adams, Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports’ Executive Director of […]

Bald eagles are thriving in Alabama. A recent count conducted by biologists at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), Alabama Power and other partner organizations found 10 new bald eagle nests throughout Alabama’s 15 major waterways since the survey was previously conducted in 2021. Of those 10 new nests, seven were found by Alabama Power biologists […]

NOAA Fisheries announced over the weekend a 79-day red snapper season for for-hire vessels with federal reef fish permits in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The season for federally permitted for-hire vessels (charter boats) will open seven days a week at 12:01 a.m. on June 1, 2022, and will close at 12:01 a.m. […]

At the celebration of the purchase of the 1,644-acre Belcher Tract property adjacent to Oak Mountain State Park, the Forever Wild Land Trust Board exhibited the benefits of prudent spending. The picturesque property in Shelby County will become a part of Oak Mountain State Park to be enjoyed by the citizens of Alabama and visitors […]