Laws on Deer Decoys in Alabama
- You must be kind when using decoys to hunt your prey.deer image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com
The use of decoys in Alabama is regulated much the same way the rest of the hunting rules are laid out. There are very few specific decoy instructions, but when breaking down the law you can see some of the limitations on decoys in regards to the limitations on hunting. - As firearms are not to be discharged within 50 yards from a public road, decoys should not be set within that margin. Decoys should be utilized an appropriate distance from any road as not to attract deer to the roadside. It is not only dangerous due to the use of gunfire but also because it then encourages deer into a situation where they might be hit by a vehicle.
- Live decoys of any type are never permitted when deer hunting. This falls under the category of cruelty, as the only type of decoy would be another deer. Due to deer being vegetarians, they could not be lured by live food. Hunting with live decoys of any protected species is prohibited.
- As decoys are considered a form of baiting, you may not hunt an area where a decoy has been used until 10 days after the bait has been removed. This is the same rule for any type of feed that has be laid out to lure deer. All baits must be removed prior to the commencement of hunting.
- It is illegal to take deer in the water. Due to this law, it is standard practice to not place a decoy within 50 yards of the water. The water is considered a sanctuary for the deer and they may not under any circumstance be taken while in the water or drinking from the water.
- Hunters may only put decoys on property on which they have permission. This includes not putting decoys within 100 yards of any dwelling they do not own. This rule may be lifted if the dwelling owner offers permission, but you should attempt to get it in writing in case there is any debate along the way.
