It is that time of year again—time to renew hunting and fishing licenses in the state of Alabama. Licenses for the 2012-2013 seasons go on sale Aug. 27. Here are a few things to remember if you plan on hunting and fishing in Alabama this year.

Residents, as well as non-residents, must purchase the appropriate license before doing any recreational hunting or fishing in Alabama.

Any person born on or after Aug. 1, 1977 must take and pass a hunter education course, which includes 10 hours of instruction and an exam. For those who cannot go to a location where the course is offered, most of the classroom instruction may be taken online at outdooralabama.org. An exception to the course requirement is someone who hunts under a mentor program and buys a license while under the supervision of a licensed hunter age 21 or older.

Who does not have to have a license? A resident of Alabama who is 65 or older. However, the person must be able to prove he or she is a resident of Alabama.

A landowner does not have to have a license to hunt or fish on his or her own property. This also applies to the landowner's immediate family. The landowner may not, however, give permission for others to hunt or fish without a license.

Please keep in mind that there are rules and regulations regarding hunting and fishing. Hunting from a public road is illegal. You could be charged with a misdemeanor and be fined up to $1,000 for the first offense, up to $2,000 for each offense thereafter, and lose all hunting license privileges for one year from the date of conviction.

It is also illegal to hunt with lasers or other electronic sighting devices in Alabama. You cannot even have these in your possession while hunting. Similarly, night vision goggles, automatic weapons, and silenced weapons are all prohibited. It is also illegal to hunt deer in any type of enclosure where the deer have no practical means of escape. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources can ban a hunter from hunting a piece of land for two years should that person be caught hunting deer in an enclosure.

If an enforcement officer or inspector from Conservation and Natural Resources catches you breaking the rules, they have the power and authority of deputy sheriffs and can arrest you. So be nice.

A complete list of Alabama's hunting and fishing regulations, as well as bag limits and seasons can be found in the latest annual version of “Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest.” You can get a copy where licenses are sold or online at www.outdooralabama.com. Have fun and, most of all, be safe.