David K. Nelson WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for David K. Nelson WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22, Dec. 5-6, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17 and Feb. 4-7; spring turkey is Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only. The area is 7,810 acres of public hunting land in Greene, Sumter, Hale and Marengo counties, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Around it, hunters took an estimated 1,825 deer in Greene 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.
David K. Nelson WMAOther ADCNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 7,810 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County, Sumter County, Hale County, Marengo County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth, Primitive Weapons and Gun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 |
| Gun deer | Nov. 21-22, Dec. 5-6, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17 and Feb. 4-7 |
| Spring turkey | Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only |
| Dogs for deer | No dog deer hunting |
| Deer check station | No mandatory check days; record every hunt in the app or on the daily permit |
| Contact | Biologist Aide – Josh Weeks (205) 737-2156 |
| Nearest towns | Demopolis (next to it), Forkland (5 mi) and Newbern (9 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on David K. Nelson 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. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Youth | Nov. 14-15 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. No antler restrictions apply. |
| Primitive Weapons | Nov. 16-20 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Gun | Nov. 21-22, Dec. 5-6 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Gun | Dec. 17-20, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17, and Feb. 4-7 | 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 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
Harvest must be recorded using the Outdoor Alabama App or Daily Permit and submitted at kiosk at the conclusion of every hunt day.
Source: ADCNR, David K. Nelson WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on David K. Nelson 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 David K. Nelson WMA.
What else can you hunt on David K. Nelson WMA?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | State season. 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12:00 noon. No hunting on days of primitive weapons or gun deer hunts. State bag limits. |
| Dove | State Season. (Opening day: 12:00 noon to sunset, remainder of season– 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset). No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 15 per day. |
| 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. |
| Feral swine (special season) | Mar. 3-7 – 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. Bag limit: 8 per day. |
| Woodcock | State season. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 3 per day. |
| 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 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 – Permits must be obtained from Area Biologist. |
Which county is David K. Nelson 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene County | 3,803 | 1,825 | 230 |
| Sumter County | 2,877 | 3,782 | 1,442 |
| Hale County | 941 | 3,175 | 240 |
| Marengo County | 190 | 5,595 | 1,134 |
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 David K. Nelson WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: AL 8, US 80, AL 13 and US 43. Nearest towns: Demopolis (next to it), Forkland (5 miles), Newbern (9 miles) and Greensboro (10 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Oakmulgee WMA (24 miles), William R. Ireland, Sr. Cahaba River WMA (46.4 miles), Lowndes WMA (55.1 miles) and Red Hills WMA (56.6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on David K. Nelson WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for David K. Nelson WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22, Dec. 5-6, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17 and Feb. 4-7.
How many deer can you take a day on David K. Nelson 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; gun Nov. 21-22 and Dec. 5-6. One antlered buck a day: gun Dec. 17-20, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 14-17 and Feb. 4-7. 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 David K. Nelson WMA in?
Greene County (3,803 acres), Sumter County (2,877 acres), Hale County (941 acres) and Marengo County (190 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on David K. Nelson WMA?
No mandatory check station days are set for David K. Nelson WMA. Harvest 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 David K. Nelson 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 David K. Nelson 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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