Online registration for waterfowl hunters to secure one of 30 hunting blind locations on the Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) during the regular 2022-2023 waterfowl season opens on September 1, at 8 a.m., and closes on September 14, at 12 p.m.
To register you must be 16 years old or older, have a Conservation ID, a valid hunting license, WMA license and State Duck Stamp. For those not required to purchase a hunting license (Alabama residents 65 or older), a Game Check H.E.L.P. number is required. There is a $20 fee to register.
The Swan Creek WMA duck blind drawing is the only hunting opportunity in the state that allows the selected hunters to place their blind at a stationary location on public land with excellent waterfowl habitat for the entire waterfowl season.
“Swan Creek has some of the best public waterfowl hunting in the state,” said Drew Able, Swan Creek WMA manager for the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). “Waterfowl hunting can be a lot of work. This limited-quota opportunity helps cut down on some of that work each morning in the field. Perhaps the main attraction to this style of hunting is how comfortable it is. Having heaters, cooking breakfast, and sitting in a chair appeals to most waterfowl hunters.”
Hunting opportunities—including the use of boat blinds or hunting from more shallow waters by foot—are still available at the Swan Creek WMA to those who are not selected in the random drawing, but these must be located more than 150 yards from the permitted duck blinds.
After registration closes, 30 duck blind permit holders and 10 alternates will be selected via a randomized computer drawing and notified of their selection by email. Successful registrants have until 1 p.m. on September 16 to accept their hunter or alternate status. After accepting their status, hunters will receive more information about the hunts including their randomly selected blind location.
If selected, the permit holders must bring their blind to the Swan Creek WMA at 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2022, for a mandatory inspection by WFF staff. If the blind passes inspection, it can be hunted Friday through Monday (closed Tuesday-Thursday) each week of the regular waterfowl season excluding the last 14 days. The last 14 days are open to hunting all week. For waterfowl season dates and bag limits, visit www.outdooralabama.com/waterfowl-season.
For more information about the hunts or to register during the dates listed above, visit www.outdooralabama.com/swan-creek-wma-dewatering-unit-duck-blind-drawing.
Swan Creek WMA is located in Limestone County near Decatur, Alabama. The WMA offers 8,870 acres of waterfowl and small game hunting opportunities along Wheeler Lake. For more information, visit www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/wildlife-management-areas.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit https://www.outdooralabama.com.
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