November 2015 Outdoor Alabama Newsletter

Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 10/30/2015 04:05 PM CDT

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Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

November 2015 Outdoor Alabama Newsletter

NWTF Donates More Than $126,000 for Wildlife Management

The Alabama Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently allocated $126,053.68 in Hunting Heritage Super Funds for wild turkey projects in Alabama. Of that total, about $44,000 was donated to the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) to fund projects including wildlife habitat management and the publication of the annual wild turkey report, Full Fans & Sharp Spurs. More

Photo: National Wild Turkey Federation Representative Craig Scruggs, left, presents a check to Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division Director Chuck Sykes.

Snapper Check Numbers Much Lower Than Fed Total

When the mandatory Red Snapper Reporting System was implemented for the 2014 season, the Alabama Marine Resources Division had a pretty good idea that the catch numbers compiled by the NOAA Fisheries was significantly inflated. The catch data for the 9-day 2014 season reported through Alabama’s “Snapper Check” was 455,522 pounds, while the feds estimated the catch at a whopping 1,227,469 pounds. The discrepancy between the Alabama red snapper catch data and the federal catch data was recently confirmed with the 2015 numbers. More

Gun Deer Season Begins Nov. 21
In Most Locations

Hunters are encouraged to review the deer zone hunting map for season dates and zone locations. A valid hunting license and harvest record are required when hunting white-tailed deer or Eastern wild turkey in Alabama. Hunters are also encouraged to report their harvest via Game Check and practice hunter safety.

Hunters Needed for Avid Bowhunter Survey

The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) is encouraging bowhunters who hunt for at least 10 days during the 2015-2016 deer season to participate in the Avid Bowhunter Survey. Information collected will provide WFF personnel with the data needed to monitor deer populations and measure hunter satisfaction and success.

Forever Wild Opens Hiking Trail at Wehle

The Forever Wild Land Trust has recently opened a 1.9-mile hiking trail on the Wehle Tract in Midway, Ala. The trailhead and parking lot are located on Pleasant Hill Road (Bullock County Road 47) 3.5 miles southeast of the Alabama Highway 51 intersection in Midway (N32.04602, W-85.46914). The trail is blazed in white and open daily to hikers during daylight hours only. Recreational activities include hiking, wildlife watching, and photography. In addition to the new hiking trail, the Wehle Tract is home to the State Lands Division’s Wehle Land Conservation Center, which hosts public events and additional recreational opportunities throughout the year. For more information about the Wehle Land Conservation Center, click here.

Upcoming Hunter Education Courses

The traditional hunter education course is a minimum eight hours of instruction plus a written examination. The course is taught by Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries personnel and volunteer instructors to participants 10 years of age and older and is offered free of charge. The course includes but is not limited to firearms safety and handling, responsible hunting and hunter ethics, wildlife laws, wildlife management and identification, archery, muzzleloading, first aid, survival, and game care.

For a list of hunter education courses offered in November, click here.

Online certification also available.

Visit an Alabama State Park This Fall

Now is the perfect time to make outdoor plans for this weekend. Check the Alabama State Parks events page for an event near you! Events include: various Halloween activities (Oct. 30 and 31), scarecrow trails at Frank Jackson and Lake Guntersville (through November), Tentsile camping at Oak Mountain, photography workshop at DeSoto, New Year’s Eve Turkey Drop at Cheaha, and more!

For a complete list of state park events, click here.

Photo of Zip Line at Gulf State Park by Billy Pope, ADCNR.

Forever Wild Open-Gate Weekends

The Alabama State Lands Division announces a series of “open-gate weekends” on four Forever Wild Land Trust properties. These open-gate weekends are designed to increase access to hunting on public lands. During the weekends, the internal woods-roads gates will be opened to allow for easier access to hunting on the properties.

Locations: Red Hills (Monroe County), Splinter Hill Bog (Baldwin County), Old Cahawba Tract (Dallas County), and Lillian Swamp (Baldwin County)

Dates apply to each of the four locations:

• December 12-13, 2015

• January 9-10, 2016

• February 20-21, 2016

For more information, call 334-242-3484.

Freshwater Fishing License Plate, Get One

Join the effort to fund aquatic wildlife management and protection by acquiring a “Freshwater Fishing” distinctive license plate for your vehicle. For more information, click here or call 334-242-3471.