Sam R. Murphy WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Sam R. Murphy WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17 and Jan. 21-24; spring turkey is Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only. The area is 15,652 acres of public hunting land in Lamar and Marion counties, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the Sam Murphy Estate and W. W. Ogden. Around it, hunters took an estimated 4,092 deer in Lamar 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.
Sam R. Murphy WMAOther ADCNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 15,652 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Lamar County, Marion County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth, Primitive Weapons and Gun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 |
| Gun deer | Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17 and Jan. 21-24 |
| Spring turkey | Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only |
| Dogs for deer | Not listed on the permit |
| Deer check station | Mandatory on set dates (below) |
| Contact | Biologist – Kevin Pugh (256) 431-4711 |
| Nearest towns | Guin (next to it), Twin (next to it) and Beaverton (2 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Daily limit and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 | Two deer a day, two unantlered deer, or one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. No hunting on days of youth gun deer hunt. |
| Youth | Nov. 14-15 | Two deer a day, two unantlered deer, or one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. |
| Primitive Weapons | Nov. 16-20 | Two deer a day, two unantlered deer or one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. |
| Gun | Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17, and Jan. 21-24 | Two deer a day, two unantlered deer or one unantlered deer and one antlered buck. |
- 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.
Deer check station
All deer harvested on Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3 (excluding Dec. 25), Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17, and Jan. 21-24 must be submitted at check station for data collection. The check station is open from 9:00a.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, Sam R. Murphy WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on Sam R. Murphy 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.
- Bag limit: No more than 1 gobbler during the first 10 days of each season. No more than 2 gobblers total per hunter from Sam R. Murphy WMA.
What else can you hunt on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | State Season. – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. State bag limits. |
| Dove | State Season. (Opening day: 12:00 noon to sunset; remainder of season: ½ 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. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Fox squirrel season closed during February. Bag limit: 8 squirrels per day. 8 rabbits per day. |
| Feral swine (special season) | Sept. 5-12 and Feb. 13-20. 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 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 hunting on nights preceding or nights of youth, primitive weapons, 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 – Permits must be obtained from Area Biologist. |
Which county is Sam R. Murphy 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County | 8,782 | 4,092 | 160 |
| Marion County | 6,871 | 5,067 | 514 |
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 Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Highways through the area: AL 4, I-22, US 78 and AL 171. Nearest towns: Guin (next to it), Twin (next to it), Beaverton (2 miles) and Hamilton (3 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Black Warrior WMA (26.1 miles), Freedom Hills WMA (35 miles), Mulberry Fork WMA (39.6 miles) and Seven-Mile Island WMA (44.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Sam R. Murphy WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Sam R. Murphy WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17 and Jan. 21-24.
How many deer can you take a day on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
Two deer a day, two unantlered deer or one unantlered deer and one antlered buck: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17 and Jan. 21-24.
What county is Sam R. Murphy WMA in?
Lamar County (8,782 acres) and Marion County (6,871 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on Sam R. Murphy WMA?
All deer harvested on Nov. 23-29, Dec. 10-13, Dec. 25-Jan. 3 (excluding Dec. 25), Jan. 7-10, Jan. 14-17, and Jan. 21-24 must be submitted at check station for data collection. The check station is open from 9:00a.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 Sam R. Murphy 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 Sam R. Murphy 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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