Raccoons are a common fixture across Alabama — from rural farmland to suburban backyards — and they can cause real problems. Whether a raccoon is raiding your garbage, threatening your chickens, or nesting in your attic, you may be wondering whether you have the legal right to kill it. The short answer is yes, but the details matter.
Alabama law gives property owners meaningful options when raccoons become a nuisance, but it also sets firm rules about when, how, and where you can act. Ignoring those rules can turn a pest problem into a legal one. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about killing raccoons legally in Alabama, from hunting seasons to damage permits to the strict limits on relocation.
Are Raccoons Protected in Alabama?
The common raccoon (Procyon lotor) is classified as both a game animal and a furbearer under Alabama law. Raccoon is specifically listed among the designated game animals in Alabama, alongside deer, fox, beaver, opossum, squirrel, and others. That classification means raccoons receive a degree of state protection — but it does not mean they are off-limits.
Furbearers are a valuable and renewable natural resource managed and regulated by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). Regulated trapping and hunting are considered important parts of modern wildlife management programs in the state. Because raccoons hold game animal status, taking them outside of the permitted methods and timeframes can result in legal penalties…