Georgia Deer Hunting Archives

31Mar 2021 by Brian Grossman 10 Comments

Official 2021-2022 Georgia Hunting Season Dates

The Georgia DNR Board of Directors met on May 25, 2021 to approve the proposed hunting season regulations for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 hunting seasons. While there were some significant changes coming for next turkey season, very little changed for Georgia deer hunters. In fact, there were no changes to deer season dates (other than what is noted below) and bag limits other than the normal shift in dates so that all season openers fall on their respective Saturdays. Change 1: More Extended Archery Counties The only proposed regulation changes for the 2021-2022 season is adding 10 counties to the extended archery season, which will allow bowhunters to continue hunting in those counties until January 31. Those additional counties include Barrow, Cherokee, Columbia, Decatur, Douglas, Fayette, Hall, Muscogee, Paulding, and…

02Sep 2020 by Brian Grossman

6 Steps to a Successful Quota Deer Hunt

Georgia Deer Hunting

Congratulations! I assume if you're reading this, you were selected for one of Georgia's upcoming quota deer hunts. These limited-entry hunts can be a great way to enjoy the fun and fellowship of a quality deer hunt without having to join a lease or own your own hunting land. I have enjoyed hunting quota hunts for years, but have spent many more hours working them as a wildlife technician. Those who are routinely successful at these types of hunts are the ones who take the time to do a little homework and take the necessary steps to ensure they get the opportunity to fill a deer tag. Let's look at six of those steps that can help you tip the odds in your favor this fall. Read the Rules This…

16Aug 2020 by Brian Grossman 2 Comments

12 Quota Deer Hunts You Can Draw With Zero Points

Georgia Deer Hunting

Don't have any preference points built up for Georgia's 2020-2021 quota deer hunts? No problem! There are a handful of quota deer hunts you may still be able to draw. In 2019, everyone who put one of the 12 quota deer hunts listed below as their first choice were successfully drawn to participate, even with zero preference points. While there’s no guarantee the chips will fall the same way this season, this should give you a starting point. Keep in mind, though, if you want to draw one of these hunts with no preference points, you will need to put that hunt as your FIRST CHOICE when you apply. Keep in mind that with unemployment still high from the COVID-19 pandemic and many kids participating in virtual learning, there could…

05Jun 2020 by Brian Grossman 5 Comments

Official 2020-2021 Georgia Deer Season Dates

Georgia Deer Hunting

The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division recently released the official dates for Georgia's 2020-2021 deer season. The overall season structure remains the same as last season, with just the normal shift in dates so that all season openers fall on their respective Saturdays. The only proposed regulation change for the 2020-2021 season is moving the Mistletoe State Park deer hunt from November 11-12, 2020 to December 1-2, 2020 due to the Masters golf tournament being rescheduled for November 9-15. Always remember to consult with the latest official Georgia Hunting Regulations before heading afield. Those can be found at Georgia's Wildlife Resources Division homepage. Official Georgia Deer Season Dates [table id=44 /] Twelve (12) per season, Statewide. No more than ten (10) may be antlerless and no more than two (2)…

15Oct 2019 by Brian Grossman 8 Comments

Georgia’s 2019-2020 Either Sex Deer Hunting Dates

DNR News, Georgia Deer Hunting

Georgia DNR recently announced the dates for Georgia's 2019-2020 deer season. For firearms hunters, those dates are October 19, 2019 to January 12, 2020 (see restrictions below). Once again, the dates in which you can legally harvest does with a firearm vary by county. Those dates are listed on the map and in the table below. If you prefer to search by county name rather than a map, scroll down to the listings at the bottom of the page. We've made every effort to ensure these dates are accurate, but ALWAYS check the newest hunting regulations booklet before heading afield. Firearms deer hunting is not allowed in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton (north of GA Hwy 92), and the portion of Glynn County lying within Jekyll Island. In the portion of…

07Oct 2019 by Brian Grossman No Comments

Georgia’s 2019-2020 Primitive Weapons Deer Season Opens October 12

Georgia Deer Hunting

The week-long primitive weapons deer hunting season opens Saturday, Oct. 12. Last year, almost 30,000 hunters took to the woods with muzzleloaders, bringing in more than 5,000 deer, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). “Dust off that smoke pole, or your stick and string, and hit the woods because the primitive weapons season is a great time to hunt, and we are already seeing bucks exhibiting pre-rut patterns,” said Charlie Killmaster, state deer biologist with the WRD Game Management Section. “Share Your Passion! Remember to find time during the season to introduce someone new to hunting and share your love of the outdoors with others.” Over one million acres of public hunting land is available to hunters in Georgia, including more than 100 state-operated…

16Sep 2019 by Brian Grossman

2019 Georgia Deer Season Opening Weekend Results

Georgia Deer Hunting

Georgia's 2019-2020 deer season is now underway after an opening weekend that saw continued above average temperatures for this time of year. I've seen reports of a few respectable bucks taken that I have been sharing on our Facebook page, as well as a fair number of antlerless deer. I took a look at Georgia DNR's game check report this evening and wanted to share those results with you. There are two tables in this report. The first is deer harvest on Georgia's public lands, organized by WMA. The second is the overall deer harvest by county. Keep in mind that hunters have 72 hours to report their harvest, so there may be some deer killed over the weekend that have not yet been recorded. And, as we all know,…

19Aug 2019 by Brian Grossman No Comments

Georgia’s 2019-2020 Quota Deer Hunts (with Drawing Odds)

Georgia Deer Hunting

Time is running out to apply for one of Georgia's 2019-2020 quota deer hunts. The deadline is September 1. Georgia offers a wide variety of these limited draw hunts, ranging from those that provide your best opportunity at a mature buck to those that offer great odds of putting fresh venison in your freezer. Here is a full list of WMA quota deer hunts offered for the 2019-2020 season, including the type of hunt, the number of hunters to be drawn, and the dates of the hunt. Below that table, we will discuss how many points it will likely take to draw each of these hunts. Georgia's 2019-2020 Quota Deer Hunts [table id=40 /] Your Odds of Getting Drawn Applying for Georgia's quota deer hunts can be a gamble. You…

08Aug 2019 by Brian Grossman No Comments

5 Last Minute Steps to a Successful Deer Season

Georgia Deer Hunting

We are just over a month away from the opening day of Georgia’s deer season. Can you believe it? I hope you’ve been scouting and shooting your bow all summer, so you can just kick back these last few weeks and wait for your alarm to go off on September 11. If you like me, however, that’s not the case. While I have been doing a good bit of scouting and shooting my bow a little this summer, I still seem to have more to do before opening day than I can possibly accomplish. But I know come sunrise on opening day, I’ll be settled in my Tethrd saddle ready to mark the first deer of the season on my harvest log. If you’re feeling a little behind and don’t…

19Jun 2019 by Brian Grossman

5 Reasons You’re Not Filling Your Public Land Buck Tag

Georgia Deer Hunting

[caption id="attachment_400" align="alignnone" width="1136"] The author’s friend Jeff Goins shot this tremendous Georgia public land buck by focusing his efforts in an area that most other hunters overlooked. (Jeff Goins photo)[/caption] Deer season will be here before you know it, and hunters across the country will be heading to their favorite public land destinations. Will it be another season full of regret and unfilled deer tags? Or have you finally taken the necessary steps to ensure a trip to the local taxidermist? Regardless of what you have or haven’t done up to this point, it’s not too late to take the necessary steps to tip the odds in your favor this season. Let’s look at five common mistakes public land deer hunters make and how you can avoid each this…