William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20 and Nov. 30-Dec. 4; gun Nov. 21-23, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 24-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10 and Jan. 21-24; spring turkey is Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only. The area is 33,729 acres of public hunting land in Bibb and Shelby counties, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the Forever Wild Land Trust, Manulife Investment Management Timberland and Agriculture LLC, USX Corporation, Green Diamond Management Company LLC, and USFWS. Around it, hunters took an estimated 3,653 deer in Bibb County in the 2024-25 season, by ADCNR's hunter harvest survey.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for the area. County harvest: ADCNR's hunter harvest survey, 2019-20 to 2024-25.
William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMAOther ADCNR WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 33,729 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary), in 2 parts |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County, Shelby County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth, Primitive Weapons and Gun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 |
| Gun deer | Nov. 21-23, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 24-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10 and Jan. 21-24 |
| Spring turkey | Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only |
| Dogs for deer | No dog deer hunting |
| Deer check station | Mandatory on set dates (below) |
| Contact | Biologist – Logan McCord (334) 850-5459 |
| Nearest towns | Brantleyville (next to it), West Blocton (next to it), Helena (2 mi) and Alabaster (3 mi) |
The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge lies inside the WMA's boundary. Deer hunting on the refuge is archery only, and several small game seasons do not open on it.
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
No dog deer hunting and no buckshot on the area.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Daily limit and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. No hunting on days of youth gun deer hunt. Including Cahaba River Refuge. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Youth | Nov. 14-15 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. No gun deer hunting permitted on Cahaba River Refuge; youth deer is archery only on Refuge. *No antler restrictions apply. |
| Primitive Weapons | Nov. 16-20 and Nov. 30-Dec. 4 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. Archery only for deer on Cahaba River Refuge *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Gun | Nov. 21-23 and Nov. 28-29 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. Archery only for deer on Cahaba River Refuge *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Gun | Dec. 10-13, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 24-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, Jan. 21-24 | (Dec. 12 Bonus Buck Day, must be validated by WFF personnel at check station prior to leaving area). One antlered buck a day. Archery only for deer on Cahaba River Refuge. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
- Archery hunters must abide by all mandatory check station day requirements and gun deer hunt regulations/antler restrictions when hunting on days of gun deer hunts.
- To be legal for harvest, antlered bucks must have at least three (3) antler points (1 Inch or longer) on at least one main beam.
Deer check station
All deer harvested must be submitted at check station for data collection on the following dates: Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 11-12, Dec. 19. The check station is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Additionally, the results of all hunts must be recorded using the Outdoor Alabama App or Daily Permit and submitted at kiosk at the conclusion of every hunt day.
Source: ADCNR, William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
- Youth: Mar. 13 (Daylight until 1 p.m.) Gobblers only. Decoys Allowed.
- Physically Disabled: Mar. 19 (Daylight until 1 p.m.) Gobblers only. Decoys Allowed.
- Regular: Mar. 20-May 3 (Daylight until 1 p.m.) Gobblers only. Decoys Allowed.
- Bag limit: No more than 1 gobbler during the first 10 days of each season. No more than 2 gobblers total per hunter from William R. Ireland-Cahaba River WMA.
What else can you hunt on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | State Season. ½ hour before sunrise until sunset. No hunting on days of primitive weapons or gun deer hunts. No open season on the Cahaba River Refuge. State bag limits. |
| Dove | State Season. (Opening day: 12:00 noon to sunset; remainder of season – 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset). Wednesday and Saturdays only. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 15 per day. No open season on Cahaba River Refuge. |
| Rabbit and squirrel | Sept. 12-Feb. 28 – Fox squirrel season closed during February. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 8 squirrels per day. 8 rabbits per day. |
| Crow | Sept. 1-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. No bag limit. No open season on Cahaba River Refuge. |
| Quail | Nov. 7-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit 8 per day. |
| Woodcock | State season. No hunting on days of primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 3 per day. No open season on Cahaba River Refuge. |
| Snipe | State season. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 8 per day. |
| Raccoon and opossum | Sept. 1-Feb. 28 – Nighttime hours only. No hunting on nights preceding or nights of youth, primitive weapon, or gun deer hunts. No bag limit. |
| Bobcat, coyote, opossum, feral swine, raccoon, fox | Open during any other scheduled WMA Hunting Season using weapons and ammunition approved for those hunts. No dogs allowed. Daylight hours only. No bag limit. |
| Furbearer trapping | Excluding feral swine: Oct. 31-Feb. 28 – Trapping permits must be obtained from Area Biologist. No open season on Cahaba River Refuge. |
Which county is William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA in, and what do hunters take there?
| County | Acres of the area in it | County deer, 2024-25 (estimate) | County turkeys, 2024-25 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bibb County | 17,590 | 3,653 | 151 |
| Shelby County | 16,138 | 6,721 | 160 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on ADCNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, 2026-27 and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County estimates: ADCNR Alabama Hunter Harvest 2024-2025 annual report, for the whole county, not the WMA; ADCNR does not publish harvest by WMA.
How do you get to William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: AL 5, AL 119, AL 25 and AL 3. Nearest towns: Brantleyville (next to it), West Blocton (next to it), Helena (2 miles), Alabaster (3 miles) and Woodstock (5 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Oakmulgee WMA (11 miles), Mulberry Fork WMA (24.8 miles), Coosa WMA (31.1 miles) and Charles D. Kelley Autauga County WMA (37.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20 and Nov. 30-Dec. 4; gun Nov. 21-23, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 24-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10 and Jan. 21-24.
How many deer can you take a day on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
It depends on the hunt. One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20 and Nov. 30-Dec. 4; gun Nov. 21-23 and Nov. 28-29. One antlered buck a day: gun Dec. 10-13, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 24-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10 and Jan. 21-24. To be legal for harvest, antlered bucks must have at least three (3) antler points (1 Inch or longer) on at least one main beam.
What county is William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA in?
Bibb County (17,590 acres) and Shelby County (16,138 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
All deer harvested must be submitted at check station for data collection on the following dates: Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 11-12, Dec. 19. The check station is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Additionally, the results of all hunts must be recorded using the Outdoor Alabama App or Daily Permit and submitted at kiosk at the conclusion of every hunt day.
When is turkey season on William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA?
Youth hunt Mar. 13; physically disabled hunt Mar. 19; regular hunt Mar. 20-May 3, daylight until 1 p.m., gobblers only. No more than 1 gobbler during the first 10 days of each season. No more than 2 gobblers total per hunter from William R. Ireland-Cahaba River WMA.
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What you need to hunt an Alabama WMA
For deer or turkey, ADCNR asks for a Wildlife Management Area License and the right resident or nonresident all-game hunting license, and for every hunt a paper AREA Permit and daily permit unless you check in and out with the Outdoor Alabama WMA Check-In app. Hunters must wear hunter orange or fluorescent pink during gun deer hunts. Full rules: ADCNR WMA Regulation 220-2-.55.
Where these numbers come from
- Seasons, limits, check days and area notes: ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for each WMA (ADCNR Wildlife Management Areas and 2026-27 AREA Permits).
- Boundary and acres: ADCNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, 2026-27. County harvest: ADCNR Alabama Hunter Harvest 2024-2025 annual report.
- Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service land ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from ADCNR or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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