Choccolocco WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Choccolocco WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 1-Jan. 15 and Jan. 16-27 (bucks only); youth Oct. 31-Nov. 1; primitive weapons Nov. 2-6; gun Nov. 7-8, Nov. 21-22, Dec. 3-6 and Dec. 17-20 in Zone A and Nov. 12-15, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27 in Zone B; spring turkey is Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only. The area is 51,516 acres of public hunting land in Cleburne and Calhoun counties, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the US Forest Service, Alabama Forestry Commission, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Around it, hunters took an estimated 2,064 deer in Cleburne 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.
Choccolocco WMAOther ADCNR WMAsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 51,516 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Cleburne County, Calhoun County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth, Primitive Weapons and Gun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 1-Jan. 15 and Jan. 16-27 (bucks only) |
| Gun deer | Zone A: Nov. 7-8, Nov. 21-22, Dec. 3-6 and Dec. 17-20; Zone B: Nov. 12-15, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27 |
| 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 – Brandon Howell (256) 846-3004 |
| Nearest towns | Anniston (next to it), Heflin (2 mi) and Hobson City (5 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Choccolocco WMA?
No dog deer hunting and no buckshot on the area.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Daily limit and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Zones A & B: Archery | Oct. 1-Jan. 15 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. No hunting on days of youth gun deer hunt. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zones A & B: Archery | Jan. 16-27 | One antlered buck a day. *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 hunts. |
| Youth | Oct. 31-Nov. 1 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *No antler restrictions apply. |
| Primitive Weapons | Nov. 2-6 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zone A: Gun | Nov. 21-22 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zone A: Gun | Nov. 7-8, Dec. 3-6, and Dec. 17-20 | One antlered buck a day. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zone B: Gun | Nov. 27-28 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zone B: Gun | Nov. 12-15, Dec. 10-13, and Dec. 24-27 | One antlered buck a day. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
Zones A and B here are the hunting zones on the area's own map, not ADCNR's statewide deer zones; the permit's map shows where each lies.
- To be legal for harvest, antlered bucks must have at least four (4) antler points (1 Inch or longer) on at least one main beam.
Deer check station
All deer harvested must be submitted at the check station in Zone open for gun deer hunt for data collection on: Nov. 7, Nov. 13-14, Nov. 21, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 4-5, Dec. 11-12, and Dec. 18-19. The check station is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Zone A check station is located at the intersection of Forest Service Rd 500 and 553. Zone B check station is located at the intersection of Forest Service Road 522 and AL Hwy 9. 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, Choccolocco WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on Choccolocco 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 Choccolocco WMA/Shoal Creek Ranger District.
What else can you hunt on Choccolocco WMA?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl and snipe | No Open Season |
| Dove | State Season (Opening day: 12:00 noon until sunset, remainder of season – 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset) – Bag limit: 15 per day. Closed on Mt. Longleaf NWR Segment. |
| Rabbit and squirrel | Sept. 12-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Fox squirrel season closed. No hunting Quail Areas A or B on Wednesdays and Saturdays during quail season. Bag limit: 8 squirrels per day. 8 rabbits per day. |
| Feral swine | Oct. 1-9 and Mar. 1-10 – Permitted firearms and archery equipment same as for gun deer hunts on the WMA. No buckshot. No dogs allowed. Daylight hours only. No bag limit |
| Crow | Sept. 1-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. No bag limit. |
| Quail | Nov. 7-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Quail AREAS A and B hunting only on Wednesdays and Saturdays of state season. Bag limit: 4 per day. |
| Woodcock | State season – No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 3 per day. |
| Raccoon and opossum | Sept. 1-Feb. 28 – Nighttime hours only. No hunting on nights preceding or nights of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. No dogs – daylight hours only on Mt. Longleaf NWR Segment. |
| 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 – Permits must be obtained from Area Biologist. Closed on Mt. Longleaf NWR Segment. |
Which county is Choccolocco 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleburne County | 40,719 | 2,064 | 452 |
| Calhoun County | 10,797 | 3,309 | 470 |
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 Choccolocco WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: I-20, AL 21, AL 4 and US 78. Nearest towns: Anniston (next to it), Heflin (2 miles), Hobson City (5 miles) and Weaver (5 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Hollins WMA (31.6 miles), Little River WMA (34.9 miles), Martin Community Hunting Area (48.9 miles) and Coosa WMA (54.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Choccolocco WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Choccolocco WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 1-Jan. 15 and Jan. 16-27 (bucks only); youth Oct. 31-Nov. 1; primitive weapons Nov. 2-6; gun Nov. 7-8, Nov. 21-22, Dec. 3-6 and Dec. 17-20 in Zone A and Nov. 12-15, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27 in Zone B.
How many deer can you take a day on Choccolocco WMA?
It depends on the hunt. One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck: archery Oct. 1-Jan. 15; youth Oct. 31-Nov. 1; primitive weapons Nov. 2-6; gun in Zone A Nov. 21-22; gun in Zone B Nov. 27-28. One antlered buck a day: archery Jan. 16-27; gun in Zone A Nov. 7-8, Dec. 3-6 and Dec. 17-20; gun in Zone B Nov. 12-15, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27. To be legal for harvest, antlered bucks must have at least four (4) antler points (1 Inch or longer) on at least one main beam.
What county is Choccolocco WMA in?
Cleburne County (40,719 acres) and Calhoun County (10,797 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on Choccolocco WMA?
All deer harvested must be submitted at the check station in Zone open for gun deer hunt for data collection on: Nov. 7, Nov. 13-14, Nov. 21, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 4-5, Dec. 11-12, and Dec. 18-19. The check station is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Zone A check station is located at the intersection of Forest Service Rd 500 and 553. Zone B check station is located at the intersection of Forest Service Road 522 and AL Hwy 9. 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 Choccolocco 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 Choccolocco WMA/Shoal Creek Ranger District.
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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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