Alabama hunters could be in store for the longest white-tailed deer season in history if one stipulation becomes a reality.

At its second meeting of the year, the Alabama Conservation Advisory Board voted 7-3 to expand the February deer season to include the entire state. The February seasons were in effect last year in most of the state south of U.S. Hwy 80. The board’s recommended gun deer season would start on Nov. 19, 2016 and run through Feb. 10, 2017 without interruption.

The stipulation is that the Game Check harvest reporting system becomes mandatory for hunters who pursue deer and turkeys. Earlier in the meeting, the board approved a motion to recommend mandatory Game Check.

Cagle’s approved amendment stated that if Game Check does not become mandatory, the season dates would revert to those similar to the 2015-2016 seasons with a January 31 end date for deer season in the north zone.

Grady Hartzog, board member from Eufaula, made a motion to establish new standards for the dog deer hunting permit system. One standard would require those dog deer hunting clubs put on the permit system on or after the March 26, 2016, meeting to have a minimum of 500 contiguous acres. Hartzog also moved to put Baldwin and Marengo counties on the dog deer permit system for the upcoming season. Hartzog’s motions passed.

Stimpson also moved to prohibit the use of gasoline-powered motors in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta’s Big Bateau Bay from the second Saturday in November through the second Saturday in February.

Stimpson’s third motion would change hunting days and hours in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta Waterfowl Management Zone. The proposed changes would close waterfowl hunting in that zone on Mondays and Tuesdays. Hunting hours for Wednesday through Sunday would be from one-half hour before sunrise until 1 p.m. All three Stimpson motions were passed unanimously.

The Board also approved proposed changes to the squirrel, rabbit and dove seasons as well as adding an open hunting season provision for raccoons and opossums. Squirrel and rabbit seasons would run from Sept. 15, 2016, to March 5, 2017. Dove season in the north zone would shift dates from the first season split to the second split to take advantage of late-migrating birds. The North Zone dates would be September 10 through October 30 and December 8 through January 15, 2017. South Zone dates would be September 17-25, October 8-23 and November 12 through January 15, 2017. Also approved was a reduction in the number of days for antlerless deer harvests in one area of north Alabama. The recommendation is a 20-day either-sex season in that area. The rest of the state would keep the daily bag limit of one antlerless deer per day. In fishing changes, the minimum length limit on sauger was increased to 15 inches statewide. Also, the minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Pickwick Reservoir was increased to 15 inches.