Geneva State Forest WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Geneva State Forest WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-24 (bucks only) and Oct. 25-Feb. 10; youth dog Nov. 14 (by limited quota permit); primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22, Nov. 26-29, Dec. 31-Jan. 4, Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24 and Feb. 1-10; dog Dec. 11-12 (by limited quota permit); spring turkey is Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only. The area is 16,486 acres of public hunting land in Covington and Geneva counties, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the Alabama Forestry Commission. Around it, hunters took an estimated 5,509 deer in Covington 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.
Geneva State Forest WMAOther ADCNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 16,486 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Covington County, Geneva County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth Dog, Primitive Weapons, Gun and Dog |
| Archery deer | Oct. 15-24 (bucks only) and Oct. 25-Feb. 10 |
| Gun deer | Nov. 21-22, Nov. 26-29, Dec. 31-Jan. 4, Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24 and Feb. 1-10 |
| Spring turkey | Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only |
| Dogs for deer | Only on the dog hunt dates listed, by limited quota permit where the permit says so |
| Deer check station | Mandatory on set dates (below) |
| Contact | Biologist – Lawson Amlong (334) 850-5458 |
| Nearest towns | Kinston (2 mi), Florala (5 mi) and Onycha (5 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Geneva State Forest WMA?
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Daily limit and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct. 15-24 | One antlered buck a day. * Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Archery | Oct. 25-Feb. 10 | Two deer a day, one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. No hunting on days of dog deer or youth gun hunts. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Youth Dog | Nov. 14 | Two deer a day, one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. By limited quota permit only, dogs must be approved by DCNR personnel. *No antler restrictions apply. |
| Primitive Weapons | Nov. 16-20 | Two deer a day, one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Gun | Nov. 21-22, Nov. 26-29, and Dec. 31-Jan. 4 | Two deer a day, one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Gun | Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24, and Feb. 1-10 | One antlered buck a day. (Feb. 6 Bonus Buck Day, must be validated by WFF personnel at check station prior to leaving area). *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Dog | Dec. 11-12 | One unantlered deer or one antlered buck per day. By limited quota permit only. Dogs must be approved by DCNR personnel. *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 (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. 21-22, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 11-12, Jan. 1-2, Jan. 15-16, Jan. 22-23, Feb. 5-6. The check station is open from 9:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. (5 a.m. on dog hunt dates). 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, Geneva State Forest WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on Geneva State Forest 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 Geneva State Forest WMA.
What else can you hunt on Geneva State Forest WMA?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | State Season. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, dog, 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) Saturdays and Wednesdays only. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, dog, 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, dog, 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, dog, or gun deer hunts. No bag limit. |
| Quail | Nov. 7-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, dog, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 8 per day. |
| Woodcock | State season. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, dog, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 3 per day. |
| Snipe | State season. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, dog, 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 weapons, gun, or dog 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 (Excluding Nov. 14 and Dec. 11-12) – Trapping permits must be obtained from Area Biologist. |
Which county is Geneva State Forest 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covington County | 9,610 | 5,509 | 904 |
| Geneva County | 6,874 | 3,266 | 80 |
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 Geneva State Forest WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: AL 52, US 331, AL 54 and AL 9. Nearest towns: Kinston (2 miles), Florala (5 miles), Onycha (5 miles) and Lockhart (6 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Blue Spring WMA (11.6 miles), Boggy Hollow WMA (21.4 miles), Barbour WMA (65.2 miles) and Perdido River WMA (72.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Geneva State Forest WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Geneva State Forest WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-24 (bucks only) and Oct. 25-Feb. 10; youth dog Nov. 14 (by limited quota permit); primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22, Nov. 26-29, Dec. 31-Jan. 4, Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24 and Feb. 1-10; dog Dec. 11-12 (by limited quota permit).
How many deer can you take a day on Geneva State Forest WMA?
It depends on the hunt. One antlered buck a day: archery Oct. 15-24; gun Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24 and Feb. 1-10. Two deer a day, one unantlered deer and one antlered buck: archery Oct. 25-Feb. 10; youth dog Nov. 14; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22, Nov. 26-29 and Dec. 31-Jan. 4. One unantlered deer or one antlered buck per day: dog Dec. 11-12. To be legal for harvest, antlered bucks must have at least (3) antler points (1 Inch or longer) on at least one main beam.
What county is Geneva State Forest WMA in?
Covington County (9,610 acres) and Geneva County (6,874 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on Geneva State Forest WMA?
All deer harvested must be submitted at check station for data collection on the following dates: Nov. 21-22, Nov. 27-28, Dec. 11-12, Jan. 1-2, Jan. 15-16, Jan. 22-23, Feb. 5-6. The check station is open from 9:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. (5 a.m. on dog hunt dates). 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 Geneva State Forest 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 Geneva State Forest 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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