The state of Alabama, in the heart of the American South, has a strong hunting culture and some of the longest seasons and most generous bag limits in the nation. The state is 67 percent forested and has more than 1.3 million acres of public hunting land. In Alabama, hunters can pursue white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, feral hogs, alligators, bobwhite quail, waterfowl, and small game. Alabama has a huge population of a million and a half whitetails, and while it’s not a top state in terms of trophy quality, it is a great destination for the hunter who is looking for a high success rate. In most years, an average of 180,000 hunters take more than 300,000 deer. Eastern wild turkeys are the second most popular game animal in Alabama. The spring turkey season lasts four to six weeks, giving hunters plenty of opportunities. Feral pigs, once seen mostly in the southwestern part of the state, have increased their numbers and are now common in most areas of the state. Hunters can hunt hogs year-round on private land with no harvest restrictions, but when hunting on public land, a hunting license, management area permit, and management area license are required. Alabama also has an alligator hunting season in the Mobile Delta, southeastern Alabama, Monroe, Wilcox, and Dallas counties. Bobwhite quail hunting was once a staple of hunting in Alabama and across the South, but habitat changes have significantly reduced quail populations, so most quail hunting now takes place on commercial preserves. Waterfowl hunting, however, is excellent, especially in the Tennessee River drainage and the Mobile Tensaw Delta. Small game species such as doves, rabbits, and squirrels round out the outstanding hunting opportunities in Alabama. For information and regulations on hunting in Alabama, see http://www.outdooralabama.com.