Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22 and Jan. 15-31 in every zone, plus Nov. 26-29, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27 in Zone A and Dec. 3-6, Dec. 17-20 and Dec. 31-Jan. 3 in Zone B; spring turkey is Mar. 20-May 3, gobblers only. The area is 5,974 acres of public hunting land in Elmore County, run by ADCNR in cooperation with the Forever Wild Land Trust. Around it, hunters took an estimated 4,933 deer in Elmore 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.
Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMAOther ADCNR WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,974 acres (measured on ADCNR's WMA boundary) |
|---|---|
| County | Elmore County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth, Primitive Weapons and Gun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 |
| Gun deer | Every zone: Nov. 21-22 and Jan. 15-31; Zone A: Nov. 26-29, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27; Zone B: Dec. 3-6, Dec. 17-20 and Dec. 31-Jan. 3 |
| 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 – Kara Glassey (334) 530-1758 |
| Nearest towns | Eclectic (5 mi), Tallassee (5 mi) and Franklin (13 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA?
No dog deer hunting and no buckshot on the area.
| Hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Daily limit and rules |
|---|---|---|
| Zone A & B: Archery | Oct. 15-Feb. 10 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. No hunting on days of youth deer hunts. Archery hunters must abide by all gun deer hunting regulations when hunting days of gun deer hunts. |
| Zone A & B: Youth | Nov. 14-15 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. |
| Zone A & B: Primitive Weapons | Nov. 16-20 | One deer a day, either one unantlered deer or one antlered buck. |
| Zone A & B: Gun | Nov. 21-22 and Jan. 15-31 | One antlered buck a day. |
| Zone A: Gun | Nov. 26-29, Dec. 10-13, and Dec. 24-27 | One antlered buck a day. |
| Zone B: Gun | Dec. 3-6, Dec. 17-20, and Dec. 31-Jan. 3 | One antlered buck a day. |
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.
Deer check station
It is MANDATORY to bring all deer harvested on Jan. 15-16 and Jan. 29-30 (including archery) to the check station (kiosk off Hwy 229) for data collection. Check station will be open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. The results of all hunts for all species must be recorded using the Outdoor Alabama App or Daily Permit and submitted at kiosk at the conclusion of every hunt day.
Source: ADCNR, Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA 2026-27 AREA Permit, read October 2026. The permit and Regulation 220-2-.55 are the final word.
When is turkey season on Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake 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 Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA.
What else can you hunt on Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake 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. Small game hunting is permitted in zone not open for gun deer hunting. |
| 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. Small game hunting is permitted in zone not open for gun deer hunting. Bag limit: 8 squirrels per day. 8 rabbits per day. |
| Crow | Sept. 1-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Small game hunting is permitted in zone not open for gun deer hunting. No bag limit. |
| Quail | Nov. 7-Feb. 28 – No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Small game hunting is permitted in zone not open for gun deer hunting. Bag limit: 8 per day. |
| Woodcock | State season. No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. Small game hunting is permitted in zone not open for gun deer hunting. 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 bag limit. |
| 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 Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elmore County | 5,974 | 4,933 | 230 |
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 Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: AL 229, AL 14, AL 50 and AL 63. Nearest towns: Eclectic (5 miles), Tallassee (5 miles), Franklin (13 miles) and Dadeville (13 miles).
The closest other Alabama WMAs with a page here: Martin Community Hunting Area (19 miles), Coosa WMA (26.4 miles), Charles D. Kelley Autauga County WMA (31.3 miles) and Hollins WMA (33 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA in 2026-27?
ADCNR's 2026-27 AREA Permit for Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA sets these deer seasons: archery Oct. 15-Feb. 10; youth Nov. 14-15; primitive weapons Nov. 16-20; gun Nov. 21-22 and Jan. 15-31 in every zone, plus Nov. 26-29, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27 in Zone A and Dec. 3-6, Dec. 17-20 and Dec. 31-Jan. 3 in Zone B.
How many deer can you take a day on Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake 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. One antlered buck a day: gun Nov. 21-22 and Jan. 15-31; gun in Zone A Nov. 26-29, Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 24-27; gun in Zone B Dec. 3-6, Dec. 17-20 and Dec. 31-Jan. 3.
What county is Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA in?
All of it is in Elmore County (5,974 acres), measured on ADCNR's boundary.
Do you have to check deer at a check station on Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake WMA?
It is MANDATORY to bring all deer harvested on Jan. 15-16 and Jan. 29-30 (including archery) to the check station (kiosk off Hwy 229) for data collection. Check station will be open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. The results of all hunts for all species 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 Forever Wild Gothard-AWF Yates Lake 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 Gothard-AWF Yates Lake 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.