Alabama’s Open-gate Weekends Improve Hunting Access on Four Forever Wild Properties

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

The Forever Wild properties listed below are open-permit public lands. Unlike hunting on private land or Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), the hunter only needs a hunting license to hunt the properties. All other hunting rules and regulations apply and the tracts will be patrolled and monitored by conservation enforcement officers.

Open-gate properties and dates during the 2012-2013 hunting seasons:

• Lillian Swamp Tract in Baldwin Co. will be open December 8-9, 2012, January 12-13, 2013, and February 9-10, 2013.
• Splinter Hill Bog Tract in Baldwin Co. will be open December 8-9, 2012, January 12-13, 2013, and February 9-10, 2013.
• Red Hills Tract in Monroe Co. will be open December 1-2, 2011, January 12-13, 2013, and February 9-10, 2013.
• Old Cahaba Tract in Dallas Co. will be open December 8-9, 2012, January 12-13, 2013, and February 9-10, 2013.

During the open-gate weekends the entire tract will be open to hunting. Hunters are encouraged to practice hunter safety. All published rules and regulations for these specific tracts remain the same during the open-gate weekends. More information about hunter safety can be found in the hunter education section of www.outdooralabama.com.

For other periods of the hunting season, the tracts remain open under the routine designated means of access by public roads and parking area points of entry. Visit www.alabamaforeverwild.com for more information about hunting provisions on Forever Wild properties.

Since 1992, the Forever Wild Land Trust has purchased more than 226,000 acres for public recreation including additions to Alabama State Parks and lands for public hunting. It is supported in part by a special Forever Wild car tag available at all probate offices.

Alabama DCNR

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is the state agency responsible for the conservation and management of Alabama's natural resources including state parks, state lands, wildlife and aquatic resources. ADCNR also issues hunting and fishing licenses for the state. The department promotes wise stewardship and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll.