Mgt areas in NW Alabama - anyone hunt 'em

[Matt Green]

I have a student of mine at University of North Alabama who just moved here for the year to complete grad school.  Wants to do some hunting and I have offered to help. I have a small track of public land where I've let him hunt some. would like to take him to local management area (7 mile island or others).  I'm NOT looking to identify someone's honey hole but if you hunt these areas and would offer me any advice on checking in, parking easiest acces from Florence/M Shoals area, I'd appreciate it.
plus Happy Thanksgiving to all this week
mg

[darin putman]

Forever wild land in St. Florian if he's a bowhunter is a good choice, especially since gun seasons open it will really clear out now. About 288 acres open permit public hunting land, walk in use only. Has plenty of hiking trails and folks use them all winter. Seven mile opens after Christmas for bowhunting deer, I usually go in behind water treatment plant off hgwy 20 just past Macfarland check in box at the gate, honor system through the week not a lot of folks there. Also pick up permits there or at any of the sporting goods stores in Florence. I use to hunt Waterloo (Lauderdale Mgmt. area) a lot haven't the last few years but have been told that it's not near as crowded as it use to be and they have a lot more land now thanks to foever wild program.

[hnt2mch]

black warrior in the bankhead national forest has some hogs and whopper deer as long as they aren't having a gun hunt bowhunting is allowed and not many to compete with.south of moulton on highway 33 go to the check station to get permit and info for the management area plus the boundry outside the wma is huntable also.south of mount hope and west on ridge road will get you into some hogs

[hnt2mch]

oh I also hunted a lease that was bought by forever wild and is now included in the freedom hills wma I haven't hunted it in years but know some pretty good spots on the 2400 acres we hunted it is near cherokee

[Eric Krewson]

Freedom Hills and Lauderdale have good hunting but you have to do your homework and lots of scouting, Lauderdale is overrun with hogs in the north section.

Seven Mile Island would be my pick when it opens after Christmas, again, do your homework before hand, plenty of hogs there as well.


Shoal Creek preserve is a beautiful place, almost all big woods, lots of deer and plenty of house dogs running them every time I hunted the place.

I never put in the time over there to get the deer nailed down and always hunted in the evenings. I suspect it is a morning place as my friend Darin, who posted above, has done quite well there in the mornings.

[rolltidehunter]

you have a PM

[Alan Hughes]

I hunted Wheeler but could not recommend it lol

[beendare]

So what time of year would be best to avoid gun hunts  if a guy was coming in from out of state?

[Eric Krewson]

You can go to this page; pull up public hunting, down load the permits for any or all of the mgt areas and see when the gun hunts are. The areas are bowhunting only for big game unless there is a scheduled gun hunt. Lauderdale is open for gun hunting for longer periods than the other areas. Half will be open for bow hunting while the other half is open for gun hunting then the sides swap.

 http://www.outdooralabama.com/hunting