Georgia Hunting Rules & Regs: What’s Changed?

This guide provides important information on season dates, bag limits, hunting licenses, wildlife management areas, quota hunts, youth opportunities and much more.  You may view, download and print the guide at https://georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations. Pick up a printed copy at Wildlife Resources Division offices and license vendors throughout Georgia.

Some of the major changes to the hunting regulations this year include:

• New Public Hunting Opportunities: Several new (or additions to existing) properties will be available, including Canoochee Sandhills WMA (Bulloch/Bryan counties), Bullard Creek WMA (Appling County), Rum Creek WMA (Monroe County), Berry Creek Area (Monroe County), and  Lanahassee WMA (Webster County). More about each property at www.georgiawildlife.com/allwmas.
• Air Guns: Air guns are legal weapons for hunting big game during primitive weapons and firearms seasons. Review definitions and restrictions.
• Additions-Extended Archery Deer Season: Bibb, Chatham, Clarke and Henry have been added to the list of counties where archery season is open until Jan. 31.
• Bear: Central Zone hunt moved to third Saturday in December. Camden County added to Southern Bear Zone.
• Deer Either-Sex Days: The number of either sex days increased for Banks, Franklin and Hart counties, and decreased for counties in the Mountains and Ridge Valley regions. All Chattahoochee National Forest lands east of I-75 are closed to antlerless deer hunting during archery, primitive weapons, and firearms deer seasons.

CORRECTIONS: Please note the following corrections to the printed guide. The e-regulations (online) are correct:

• Quail/Rabbit Opening Date: Nov. 16, 2019
• Crow Season: Nov. 2, 2019-Feb. 28, 2020
• Ossabaw Island Either Sex Deer Quota Hunt (Nov. 28-30, 2019) is a Youth Hunt, not available to adults.

Members of the Board of Natural Resources enact hunting regulations by acting on recommendations made by the Division’s professional wildlife biologists.  Georgia’s game and fish laws are enacted by the elected members of the General Assembly.

For more information on Georgia hunting seasons and regulations, visit http://georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations or contact a local Wildlife Resources Division office (http://georgiawildlife.com/about/contact).