Lt. Michael Bloxom of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division handed control of the Hunter Education Program to WFF’s R3 staff on September 1 this year, but as he heads toward retirement, Bloxom highlighted the effectiveness of hunter education with a milestone achievement during the 2024-2025 […]

A 14-year-old from Enterprise has been named the winner of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association’s (ALBBAA) 2025 Road Trip Photo Contest. Enterprise High School freshman Lucas Garrard said he heard about the contest from local TV stations in the Dothan area and decided to take part. “I saw two of her teammates walking toward […]

Tony Diliberto has always been drawn to the outdoors, and he is now sharing his love of the outdoors with others. What started by chance a few years ago has become a ministry of sorts for Diliberto, who uses Alabama State Parks to introduce families to the wonders of nature, the joy of being outdoors, […]

Pam Swanner’s career is a testament to perseverance, innovation, and a deep love for connecting people to place. For more than four decades, she has worked at the crossroads of tourism, economic development, and cultural preservation. Today, as president of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA), she leads efforts to showcase one of Alabama’s […]

A couple of welcome cool fronts have moved through Alabama recently, increasing the hope that the state’s waterfowl seasons will start with a bang when the early teal season opens Saturday, September 13, and runs through September 21. Several reports have indicated that blue-winged teal are on the move with the changing weather patterns. Unfortunately, […]

A South Alabama family stumbled onto quite the discovery while fishing along a riverbank — the fossilized shell of a 32-million-year-old leatherback sea turtle, according to a news release issued jointly by the McWane Science Center, Poarch Creek Indians, and the Learning Campus. The specimen, nearly four feet long and three feet wide, represents a […]

When Trade Desk, a 60-foot Hatteras, left Orange Beach for three days of catch-and-release billfishing, hooking a swordfish was just an afterthought, one that would stress all their resources as well as enter the Alabama Saltwater Record Book. Robert Fritze, his dad (Ron) and four buddies (Harold Wells, Jamie Boyd, Wes Hagler, Robert Parks) had […]

One of Alabama’s most storied sporting estates is now available. The historic Maytag Plantation, a 1,579-acre recreational retreat in Union Springs, has been listed for $11.1 million. The plantation traces its origins to the 1920s, when L.B. Maytag of the Maytag appliance family acquired the land as a private retreat. It later became known as […]

Alabama’s outdoors are a driver of economic growth and community pride. In the latest episode of Afield, host Christiana Roussel sits down with Commissioner Chris Blankenship of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to explore the projects shaping the state’s future. From brand-new cottages at Wind Creek State Park to the Forever Wild Land Trust’s 300,000 acres […]

The 30th Annual Buckmasters Expo, presented by Mountain Dew, brought more than 25,000 attendees to downtown Montgomery from August 15–17, 2025, marking what organizers called the event’s best year yet. This year saw the return of the Young Bucks Ballroom, where children and families enjoyed free activities such as balloon art, arts and crafts, face […]

The South Alabama Land Trust (SALT) is passing the torch for one of the state’s most beloved nature festivals – the John L. Borom Alabama Coastal BirdFest – to Alabama’s preeminent birding conservation organization, Alabama Audubon. Established in 2004, the festival name honors John L. Borom, a founder of the South Alabama Land Trust. Under SALT’s leadership, the Coastal BirdFest […]

At the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism this week, one of the highest awards went to an unusual recipient. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) received the 2025 Governor’s Tourism Award for its contribution to Alabama’s burgeoning tourism industry. Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell said the award presented to ADCNR was special […]

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced Thursday morning that it would open more than 7,000 acres of Alabama’s Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge for hunting in the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Hunters will now be permitted to enter a lottery to hunt waterfowl on the land, including mourning dove, Eurasian-collared dove, duck, and goose. The […]

State Rep. Chip Brown (R-Hollinger’s Island) has pre-filed three bills aimed at growing Alabama’s commercial seafood industry while shoring up the coastal habitats that sustain it. Among them include a state sales-tax exemption on direct seafood sales (HB3), a refundable income-tax credit to spur oyster-shell recycling by restaurants (HB28), and the creation of an Alabama […]

Following instincts led Tucker Smith to his best finishes during his rookie year on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. He made his most impactful gut feeling move on Day 2 of the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River, earning him yet another trophy for his trophy case. The Birmingham, Ala., pro claimed the 2025 Dakota Lithium Rookie […]

Local leaders gathered Friday to celebrate major upgrades at Meaher State Park, including expansion of the campground, the addition of four new tiny cabins and construction of a new park office. Local government and tourism officials joined State Parks staffers for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to officially open and dedicate the new amenities. “We’ve made it no […]

Buckmasters, the renowned outdoors organization that started in Montgomery, is celebrating milestones that include the 30th Buckmasters Expo, founder and CEO Jackie Bushman’s 70th birthday this fall and the organization’s 40th birthday in January. The 30th Expo at the Montgomery Convention Center attracted massive crowds for its three-day run last weekend. Not only did plenty of Alabamians enjoy the […]

Eili Beck, along with his father Christopher and uncles, Ryan Speir and Brian Miller, captured a mammoth of an alligator from the West Central Alligator Management Area on August 14, 2025. Along with their catch, a record 23 alligators were harvested that night. According to the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, the Beck family’s […]

If you’ve traveled to Dauphin Island in the past two years, you’ve obviously noticed all the work that’s ongoing along the Dauphin Island Causeway. Rows of riprap, piles of dredge material and heavy equipment dot the east side of the roadway for more than 3 miles. The Dauphin Island Causeway Shoreline Restoration Project is being […]

PowerSouth Energy executive Taylor Williams and Casey B. Rogers, the deputy director of the Alabama State Military Department, have been elected as the newest board members for the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA). The ALBBAA is committed to enhancing outdoor recreation and promoting tourism opportunities in the Black Belt in a manner that provides economic […]

A routine night aboard the 40-foot Prime Time quickly turned into an epic fishing saga during the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club’s annual Billfish Limited tournament in early August. What started as a sleep-ready drift in the early morning hours suddenly became a full-on showdown, with a rare deep-water fish setting the stage for a […]

When consumers consider their choices for fish on the dinner menu, many opt for grouper, a delicious species found in Gulf waters. When one of the participants at the 2025 Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) Wild Game Cook-Off State Finals had a choice of which fish to prepare, he ruled out the grouper in favor of […]

Educators are expanding their education this summer in a rather unusual class setting – Alabama State Parks. The Teacher-Educator Workshop Adventures series takes 25 educators on a first-come basis to visit State Parks in the five different districts in the state to learn about the wealth of outdoor educational opportunities.   The 2025 workshop series, […]

A statewide photo contest is casting a spotlight on the thrill of fishing in Alabama’s Black Belt, inviting anglers of all ages to share their favorite catches for a chance to win a prize. The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) has launched the 2025 Best Fish Photo Contest, which opens Aug. 1 and runs […]