Shelby County deer harvest: Alabama estimates, 2019-20 to 2024-25
Hunters took an estimated 6,721 deer in Shelby County in the 2024-25 season, by ADCNR's hunter harvest survey: 3,055 bucks, 3,666 does, over about 144,255 days of deer hunting. That is 8.6 deer per square mile of land. The county ranks 14th of Alabama's 67 counties by total and 11th by deer per square mile. Over 6 seasons the estimate has run from 3,340 (2022-23) to 8,681 (2023-24), 5,736 on average. The same survey puts the 2024-25 turkey harvest at 160.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ADCNR's hunter harvest survey, 2019-20 to 2024-25. Seasons: ADCNR's 2026-27 deer and turkey pages.
Shelby CountyADCNR WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer, 2024-25 (estimate) | 6,721: 3,055 bucks (1,480 to 4,630), 3,666 does (1,443 to 5,889) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 8.6, 11th of 67 |
| Deer hunting days, 2024-25 | 144,255 (48,143 to 240,367) |
| Turkeys, 2024-25 (estimate) | 160 (0 to 392) |
| Turkey zone | Zone 1 |
| Land area | 785.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 WMA with a page, 16,138 acres |
| Towns | Pelham, Chelsea, Alabaster, Calera and Helena |
How many deer are killed in Shelby County each season?
| Season | Deer (estimate) | Bucks | Bucks, range | Does | Does, range | Fawns | Hunting days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 6,721 | 3,055 | 1,480 to 4,630 | 3,666 | 1,443 to 5,889 | 0 | 144,255 |
| 2023-24 | 8,681 | 4,017 | 2,530 to 5,505 | 4,412 | 2,727 to 6,098 | 252 | 153,325 |
| 2022-23 | 3,340 | 1,196 | 456 to 1,935 | 1,944 | 925 to 2,963 | 200 | 77,946 |
| 2021-22 | 5,655 | 2,913 | 1,507 to 4,319 | 2,570 | 1,253 to 3,886 | 172 | 102,300 |
| 2020-21 | 6,197 | 3,074 | 1,166 to 4,981 | 3,044 | 1,658 to 4,431 | 79 | 129,421 |
| 2019-20 | 3,820 | 1,778 | 893 to 2,664 | 1,970 | 849 to 3,091 | 72 | 120,459 |
Source: ADCNR Alabama Hunter Harvest 2024-2025 annual report and the reports for the five seasons before it (ADCNR hunter survey results). The range is the survey's own lower and upper bound; a lower bound below zero is shown as 0. Deer is bucks, does and fawns added together by FilledTag. Survey estimates for one county swing from year to year more than the harvest itself does, so read the six seasons together.
How many turkeys are killed in Shelby County?
| Season | Turkeys (estimate) | Range | Turkey hunting days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 160 | 0 to 392 | 7,213 |
| 2023-24 | 780 | 68 to 1,492 | 11,280 |
| 2022-23 | 394 | 0 to 803 | 13,869 |
| 2021-22 | 1,023 | 420 to 1,626 | 12,035 |
| 2020-21 | 473 | 0 to 1,083 | 24,339 |
| 2019-20 | 433 | 18 to 847 | 14,519 |
Shelby County is in turkey Zone 1: youth hunt March 13-14, disabled hunt March 19, spring season March 20 to May 3, 2027 (ADCNR turkey season 2026-2027).
What deer rules apply in Shelby County?
ADCNR lists no countywide dog restriction for Shelby County; dog deer hunting is allowed where and how ADCNR's regular dog deer season allows it. No dog deer hunting is allowed on open permit public land. Zone dates are on the Alabama hunting page.
Source: ADCNR deer season 2026-2027.
Where is the public hunting land in Shelby County?
| WMA | Acres in Shelby County | First gun or primitive weapons deer hunt, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA | 16,138 | Nov. 21-23 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on ADCNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, 2026-27, U.S. Forest Service land ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does Shelby County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Deer, 2024-25 | Bucks | Per square mile | Turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 6,721 | 3,055 | 8.6 | 160 |
| Bibb County | 3,653 | 1,312 | 5.9 | 151 |
| Chilton County | 5,480 | 2,829 | 7.9 | 1,109 |
| Coosa County | 4,470 | 2,275 | 6.9 | 639 |
| Jefferson County | 3,393 | 1,191 | 3.1 | 543 |
| St. Clair County | 3,016 | 853 | 4.8 | 951 |
| Talladega County | 4,376 | 2,147 | 5.9 | 447 |
All survey estimates for 2024-25.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Shelby County, Alabama last season?
About 6,721 in the 2024-25 season, by ADCNR's hunter harvest survey: 3,055 bucks (between 1,480 and 4,630), 3,666 does (between 1,443 and 5,889). It is an estimate from a survey of licensed hunters, not a count.
How many turkeys are killed in Shelby County?
ADCNR's survey estimates 160 turkeys in 2024-25 (between 0 and 392), from about 7,213 days of turkey hunting. Shelby County is in turkey Zone 1: youth hunt March 13-14, disabled hunt March 19, spring season March 20 to May 3, 2027.
Is there public hunting land in Shelby County?
Yes. ADCNR's map puts William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA (16,138 acres in the county) in Shelby County.
Can you hunt deer with dogs in Shelby County?
ADCNR lists no countywide dog restriction for Shelby County; dog deer hunting is allowed where and how ADCNR's regular dog deer season allows it. No dog deer hunting is allowed on open permit public land.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer and turkey harvest and hunting days: ADCNR Alabama Hunter Harvest 2024-2025 annual report and earlier reports (ADCNR hunter survey results).
- Seasons and rules: ADCNR deer season 2026-2027; ADCNR turkey season 2026-2027. Public land: ADCNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, 2026-27. County land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from ADCNR and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
Alabama hunting Alabama deer harvest by county Bibb County Chilton County Coosa County Jefferson County