James D. Martin-Skyline WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for James D. Martin-Skyline WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20 and Dec. 3-6; gun Nov. 21-22, 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 59,994 acres of public hunting land in Jackson County, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the Forever Wild Land Trust and Alabama Power Company. Around it, hunters took an estimated 10,736 deer in Jackson 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.
James D. Martin-Skyline WMAOther ADCNR WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 59,994 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth, Primitive Weapons and Gun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 |
| Gun deer | Nov. 21-22, 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 – Reece Butler (256) 587-3114 |
| Nearest towns | Hytop (next to it), Pleasant Groves (next to it) and Skyline (next to it) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on James D. Martin-Skyline WMA?
No dog deer hunting and no buckshot on the area.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Daily limit and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Zones A & B: Archery | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 | One deer a day, one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. No hunting on days of youth gun deer hunt. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zones A & B: Youth | Nov. 14-15 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *No antler restrictions apply. |
| Zones A & B: Primitive Weapons | Nov. 16-20 and Dec. 3-6 | One deer a day, one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zones A & B: Gun | Nov. 21-22 and Nov. 28-29 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. *Antlered buck restrictions apply. |
| Zones A & B: Gun | Dec. 10-13, Dec. 17-20, Dec. 24-27, Dec. 31-Jan. 3, Jan. 7-10, and Jan. 21-24 | 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.
- 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.
- 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. 21-22, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 19, Dec. 26-27, Jan. 2-3, Jan. 9-10, and Jan. 23-24. 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, James D. Martin-Skyline WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on James D. Martin-Skyline 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 James D. Martin-Skyline WMA.
What else can you hunt on James D. Martin-Skyline WMA?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | State Season – State bag limits. No hunting on days of primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. |
| Dove | State Season (Opening day: 12:00 Noon until sunset, remainder of season 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset) – Wednesdays and Saturdays only. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. |
| Rabbit | Zone A: Oct. 1-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Bag limit: 8 per day. Zone B: Feb. 1-28 – Bag limit: 8 per day. |
| Squirrel | Oct. 1-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Fox squirrel season closed during February. Bag Limit: 8 per day. |
| 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 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 – Trapping permits must be obtained from Area Biologist. |
Which county is James D. Martin-Skyline 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 59,994 | 10,736 | 1,157 |
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 James D. Martin-Skyline WMA?
Highways through the area: AL 79 and AL 146. Nearest towns: Hytop (next to it), Pleasant Groves (next to it), Skyline (next to it) and Stevenson (4 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Mud Creek, Raccoon Creek and Crow Creek WMAs (next to it), North Sauty and Crow Creek Waterfowl Refuges (1.9 miles), Coon Gulf Tract (6.3 miles) and Little River WMA (28.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on James D. Martin-Skyline WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for James D. Martin-Skyline WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20 and Dec. 3-6; gun Nov. 21-22, 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 James D. Martin-Skyline 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 Dec. 3-6; gun Nov. 21-22 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 James D. Martin-Skyline WMA in?
All of it is in Jackson County (59,994 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on James D. Martin-Skyline WMA?
All deer harvested must be submitted at check station for data collection on the following dates: Nov. 21-22, Nov. 28-29, Dec. 19, Dec. 26-27, Jan. 2-3, Jan. 9-10, and Jan. 23-24. 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 James D. Martin-Skyline 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 James D. Martin-Skyline 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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