New and old members of the Tenth Legion will head afield this week with the opening of Alabama’s spring turkey season on Saturday, March 20. Successful hunters in Alabama’s Black Belt, widely regarded as one of the best turkey hunting areas in the country, are encouraged to enter into the ninth annual Big Gobbler Photo Contest.
The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association is proud to continue the annual tradition of hosting this contest in conjunction with Alabama’s turkey season to showcase the region as well as to highlight both seasoned and new hunters.
“Spring in the Black Belt is synonymous with hunting hard-gobbling eastern turkeys,” said Pam Swanner, executive director of the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association. “We invite you to visit our 23-county region to experience the thrill of pursuing North America’s largest game bird in the Black Belt’s bottomlands and beautifully thinned pine stands. While you’re here, be sure to stop in at any of the local establishments for great eats, drinks and friendly chats with the locals who characterize the fabric of the Black Belt.”
The winner will receive a copy of the recently released book by famed Alabama turkey hunter Ron Jolly entitled “Memories of Spring” along with a limited-edition commemorative “Memories of Spring” box call that Jolly produced with another turkey hunting legend, Preston Pittman (combination of book and call valued at $150).
The contest, conducted online, will begin on opening day and close on Sunday, May 2. Please note that Barbour, Lowndes, and Oakmulgee Wildlife Management Areas will all have a delayed start to the season that will begin on Saturday, March 27.
Hunters are also reminded to comply with all game laws, including purchasing a valid hunting license and game-checking their harvested bird.
Participants are limited to only one entry and must fully complete the online form with the necessary information, including person (or persons) in the photo and the county where the gobbler was harvested. Visitors to the contest webpage may vote once per day, per entry, per IP address.
Only photos of turkeys taken in the Black Belt during the 2020-21 season (including those taken in Clarke and Monroe counties during the 2020 fall season) are eligible. Previous winners of the Big Gobbler Photo Contest from 2018-19 and 2019-20 are not eligible this year.
The Black Belt includes the following counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.
The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association promotes and encourages ethical hunting and fishing practices. Our Big Gobbler Photo Contest was created to further educate the public on the abundance of natural resources found in Alabama’s Black Belt region.
