One of the longest deer seasons in America, a huge annual harvest, and Chattahoochee National Forest WMAs open to everyone with a license.
Terrain varies dramatically by region: the Blue Ridge and Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in north Georgia are steep hardwood ridges with lower deer densities, while the Piedmont and Coastal Plain in middle and south Georgia are flatter pine-and-farmland country holding far more deer per square mile.
- Agency
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division
- Region
- Southeast
- Deer rank
- #11 of 50
- Species guides
- 6
01
Georgia hunting license and tag costs
Deer license and tag prices as last reviewed. Other species' permits are listed in the agency fee schedule.
| License / tag | Price |
|---|---|
| Resident hunting license (annual) | $15 |
| Resident big game license | approx. $19 |
| Nonresident hunting license (annual) | $100 |
| Nonresident big game license | approx. $150 |
| WMA quota hunt application | $5 per hunt choice |
02
Georgia hunting laws to know
Rules that catch hunters out most often. Not a substitute for the regulations book.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Blaze orange | Required during firearms deer season on WMAs for all hunters except archers in archery-only areas; check individual WMA regulations for specifics. |
| Baiting/feeding | Baiting is legal for deer hunting on private land in Georgia; it is prohibited on most WMAs and other state-managed public lands. |
| Crossbow legality | Crossbows are legal for any hunter during archery season and all other deer seasons, with no permit required. |
| Sunday hunting | Sunday hunting is allowed on private land with landowner permission; it is prohibited on most WMAs and other public hunting lands. |
| Legal firearms | Centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, muzzleloaders, and handguns meeting minimum caliber/energy rules are legal during firearms season; airguns of sufficient caliber are also permitted. |
| Tagging/harvest reporting | Hunters must record the harvest on paper or app immediately and report it via Georgia Game Check within 24-72 hours of kill, depending on method used. |
| CWD carcass transport | Deer taken inside the CWD Management Area (Atkinson, Lanier, Berrien, Lowndes counties) are subject to carcass movement restrictions; debone or follow WRD disposal rules before moving carcasses out of the zone. |
| Hunter education | Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1961 must complete a hunter education course to buy a Georgia hunting license. |
03
Georgia deer season structure (2025-26)
Georgia's deer season dates and either-sex days shift by county and by year — always confirm current dates on the WRD Season Dates PDF or the printed regulations guide before you hunt.
| Season | Weapon | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Bow / crossbow | Mid-Sept – early Oct statewide, reopens after firearms in most counties |
| Firearms | Rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, crossbow | Mid-to-late Oct – early Jan, varies by county |
| Primitive weapons | Muzzleloader | Roughly one week before firearms opener |
| Youth/mobility-impaired weekend | Firearms | Late Sept, before general firearms season |
What you can hunt in Georgia
- Deer — White-tailed deer
Excellent · ranked #11 of 50 for deer.
- Wild Hog
River-bottom hogs with generous rules and public national forest
Access: License only; night hunting rules vary by county
- Wild Turkey
Long spring seasons and heavy Eastern bird numbers
Access: Over-the-counter; some WMAs require a separate quota permit
- Northern Bobwhite Quail
The heart of managed quail plantation hunting with excellent habitat
Access: Mostly private plantation access; some public WMA quail hunting
- Mourning Dove
Traditional opening-day dove shoots on managed sunflower fields
Access: Over-the-counter license plus HIP; many hunts are invitation-based on private land
- Eastern Gray Squirrel
Abundant hardwood bottomland with excellent early-season hunting
Access: Over-the-counter small-game license
Public hunting land in Georgia
Georgia's public deer hunting centers on Wildlife Management Areas, many of which sit on national forest land and are open to any licensed hunter.
Chattahoochee WMA
WMA / National forest · North Georgia
One of the state's largest mountain WMAs inside the Chattahoochee National Forest near Helen, with rugged ridge hunting for a lower density of mountain bucks.
Official pageCooper's Creek WMA
WMA / National forest · North Georgia
More than 30,000 acres in the extreme northeast mountains, bordering North Carolina, with classic Southern Appalachian deer and bear habitat.
Official pageChattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
National forest · Statewide (north/central)
Nearly 900,000 acres of USFS land open to hunting under state seasons, spanning several WMAs and general forest hunting areas.
Official pageDi-Lane Plantation WMA
WMA · East-central Georgia
A former plantation managed intensively for deer and turkey, known for good buck age structure among Georgia public land.
River Creek WMA
WMA · South Georgia
Pine flatwoods and hardwood drains in the Coastal Plain near the Florida line, typical of high-density south Georgia deer habitat.
Oaky Woods WMA
WMA · Middle Georgia
A large tract along the Ocmulgee River with bottomland hardwoods and managed pine, popular with archery hunters.
Clybel WMA
WMA · Middle Georgia
Combines managed wildlife habitat with quota and non-quota hunts close to metro Atlanta.
Official Georgia links
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division
- Current regulations
- Buy hunting & fishing licenses
Last reviewed 2026-09.
Nearby state hunting guides
Questions
Frequently asked
- Where do I buy a Georgia hunting license?
- Georgia hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.
- When is Georgia hunting season?
- Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Georgia season dates change every year. Our Georgia deer guide summarizes the 2025-26 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division regulations before you plan a hunt.
- What can you hunt in Georgia?
- Besides white-tailed deer, our species guides single out Georgia for wild hog, wild turkey, northern bobwhite quail, mourning dove, eastern gray squirrel. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.
- Where is public hunting land in Georgia?
- Good starting points include Chattahoochee WMA, Cooper's Creek WMA, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.
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