Quick Guide to Georgia’s 2026 Spring Turkey Season
Deer season in Georgia is winding down, which always leaves me with a mix of emotions. I’m always sad to see it go, but that sadness quickly subsides as my attention shifts to the anticipation of strutting toms and early morning gobbles. And fortunately for Georgia hunters, the 2026 turkey season is shaping up to be a good one.
Before we dive into why this turkey season looks so bright, though, let’s take a look at everything you need to know opening day arrives.
Season Dates
First off, don’t look for any major changes in the season dates or bag limits, as they are essentially the same as last spring, other than the typical date shift to ensure opening day hits on Saturday.
For 2026, the statewide turkey season will open March 28 on private lands, and Saturday, April 4 for us public land peasants (yeah, I’m still a little bitter about that). It wraps up on the May 15 for both.
Keep in mind that each of Georgia’s 100+ wildlife management areas (WMAs) has specific season dates and rules, so check the current hunting regulations before heading out to your favorite WMA.
Youth and mobility impaired hunters continue to get a one-week jump on the spring turkey season, with a March 21-22 Special Opportunity Season on private lands only.
| Turkey Season | Season Dates |
|---|---|
| Special Opportunity Youth/Mobility Impaired | March 21-22, 2026 |
| Statewide (Private Land) | March 28 – May 15, 2026 |
| Statewide (Public Lands)* | April 4 – May 15, 2026 |
Bag Limits
In response to the steady decline in turkey numbers and hunter success, the Georgia DNR made some aggressive changes for the 2022 spring turkey season that are in still in effect for 2026, including:
- Reduced the season bag limit from three to two gobblers
- Reduced the daily bag limit to one bird per day
- Reduced the WMA bag limit to one bird per hunter per WMA
Season Outlook
A turkey season’s success often hinges on the poult hatch from two years prior, as those birds mature into two-year-old gobblers—the most vocal and sought-after targets. For the 2026 season, Georgia hunters can expect a great season, at least by modern Georgia turkey hunting standards.
That’s because the 2024 poult hatch was exceptional, setting the stage for a high number of vocal two-year-olds this spring. Of course, other factors can affect just how great a turkey season is in any given area, including weather conditions and hunting pressure.
Regional Outlook
While it may look like a great season overall for Georgia turkey hunters, success can vary by region. Some parts of the state experienced better poult production in 2024 than others.
Ridge & Valley Region
The Ridge & Valley Region has some of the best producing counties when it comes to turkey harvests, and poult production Has been steadily improving since a low of 1.3 poults per hen in 2020. In 2024, the region produced 1.71 poults per hen, up slightly from 1.52 in 2023, so hunters in the area can expect a slightly better season than last year.
Blue Ridge Region
The Blue Ridge Region has seen more fluctuation in recent years, with a significant rebound in 2024 from 1.24 poults per hen up to 1.71 — same as the Ridge and Valley. So hunters in this region can expect to hear more gobbles this season than they did the last two years.
Piedmont Region
Once the stronghold of turkey production in Georgia, the Piedmont Region has struggled in recent years, hitting a low in 2023 of 1.14 poults per hen. Fortunately, 2024 poult production was exceptional (at least for modern times) at 1.9 poults per hen, so there will be a lot of vocal two-year-olds out there this season, providing would could be the best turkey season in the last 5+ years.
Upper Coastal Plain
Poult production in the Upper Coastal Plain Region has also seen a lot of fluctuation over the last 6 years, hitting a low in 2022 of just 1.28 poults per hen. Things improved in 2023 with 1.77 poults per hen, before dipping again to 1.60 in 2024, which will likely result in a slight decrease in gobbling activity this spring.
Lower Coastal Plain
Aside from a serious dip in poult production in 2020, the Lower Coastal Plain Region has been the most consistent, with production typically surpassing 1.5 poults per hen. In 2024, hens produced an average of 1.85 poults per hen, down slightly from 1.96 in 2023. So hunters in this region should have a decent season, with slightly less gobbling than last year. It’s also worth noting that poult production jumped to 2.37 poults per hen this past year, so there should be a pile of jakes running around the Lower Coastal Plain Region this spring.
Public Land Turkey Hunting
If you don’t have access to private land, there are plenty of public land options for Peach State turkey hunters. Georgia hunters are fortunate enough to have access to over 1 million acres of public hunting land spread over 100 wildlife management areas and two national forests.
Some of these WMAs only allow turkey hunting through a quota system, while others are open for anyone who wants to sign in and hunt. More about the quota hunt system below.
In 2022, both hunter and harvest numbers decreased on WMAs. 11,452 hunters signed in, a 28% decrease from 2021. These hunters harvested 556 gobblers, down 48% from 2021’s total harvest. Jakes comprised 19% of the WMA harvest.
Overall, hunters had a success rate of 4.9% on wildlife management areas in Georgia. In 2022, Hunter satisfaction among public land hunters was 52%, a significant decrease from previous years.
Applying for Georgia Quota Turkey Hunts
As I mentioned earlier, many of Georgia’s best public land turkey hunting opportunities are quota hunts. That means you must apply for the hunt prior to turkey season and be drawn in order to participate.
Each year you apply for a hunt and don’t get drawn, you will earn a preference point, which improves your odds of being drawn in future seasons. The best hunts will probably take two to four years to draw.
You can see the odds of drawing specific hunts based on previous years on the Georgia DNR’s website at this link.
That application period for quota turkey hunts begins June 1 each year with a deadline of February 15. The DNR typically conducts the drawing and notifies everyone a day or two following the deadline.
Final Thoughts
While the “good old days” of Georgia turkey hunting may be in the past, there are still plenty of opportunities to have a great hunt in the Peach State. And who knows, maybe the shift to more conservative season dates and bag limits will turn the tide on the declining turkey population. Regardless, I’ll be out there on April 1 listening intently for that first gobble of the spring season.
