Georgia Hunting Season 2023-2024 [Updated Schedule!]

The Georgia Hunting Season 2023–2024 provides hunters of all skill levels with various thrilling chances. Georgia is a top location for those looking for exhilarating hunting experiences due to the abundance of animals and strictly controlled hunting seasons. The state offers a range of game species to chase, from deer and turkey to small game like squirrels and rabbits. Georgia is a paradise for hunters wishing to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature while participating in their favorite sport because of its stunning landscapes and well-maintained hunting zones.

HuntingSeasons.org is dedicated to providing you with the best hunting schedule and guide possible. This website is updated every year to provide you the most up-to-date information possible on hunting in Georgia.

Georgia Hunting Seasons

All hunting in Georgia must be licensed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Hunting seasons begin and conclude at various times of the year depending on the sort of animals or game being pursued. It’s possible that county boundaries may cause seasonal dates to shift.

DNR announces these dates and any associated restrictions, prohibitions, or quotas.

Take a look below for a brief calendar of all hunting seasons in Georgia for 2023 and 2024:

Georgia Deer Season

The Georgia deer hunting season normally lasts from late September through early January. Hunting with firearms, bows, and crossbows is permitted during this period. As well as distinct hunting zones and seasons, there are various laws for every counties. Before entering the field, hunters must be aware of these regulations and have the necessary licenses and permissions. Consider reading a related post on our website to find out more about the latest Georgia deer hunting season.

GA Deer Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Deer (Archery Extended)	Sept. 9	Jan. 31	Either Sex (ONLY for Baker, Barrow, Bibb, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Decatur, DeKalb, Douglas, Early, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Grady, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Miller, Mitchell, Muscogee, Paulding, Richmond, Rockdale, Seminole, and Thomas Counties)
Deer (Archery Either Sex)	Saturday, September 09, 2023	Friday, October 13, 2023	Statewide-Either Sex
Deer (Primitive Weapons & Youth-Only Firearms)	Oct. 14	Oct. 20	Statewide-Either Sex
Deer (Firearms, Buck Only)	Oct. 21	Jan. 14	Statewide-Either Sex dates vary by county
Deer (Extended Firearms)	Oct. 21	Jan. 15	Baker, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Thomas, and Seminole Counties

GA Deer Season Update 2023-2024

Aspect	Details
Hunting Opportunity	Archery and Muzzle-loader Deer Hunts
Location	Bussey Point in Lincoln County, Clarks Hill Lake Peninsula (2,545 acres)
Registration Process	First-come, first-served basis
Maximum Hunters Per Day	100 hunters
Scheduled Hunt Dates	Oct. 20-21, Nov. 17-18, Dec. 15-16
Check-in and Check-out	Entrance gate check-in and check station at the entrance gate
Hunt Hours	One hour before sunrise through one hour after sundown
Licensing	Hunters must be licensed as per Georgia Department of Natural Resources Regulations
Wildlife Management Area Permit	Not required
Bag Limit	Two does and one quality buck each day of each hunt
Quality Buck Criteria	Racks with 15-inch or more main beam length on one side OR 14-inch or greater outside spread
Park Visitors During Hunts	Advised to visit other recreation areas during scheduled hunts
Area Closure	Management area closed two days before each hunt, except for scouting and placing deer stands
Scouting Days	No weapons allowed in Bussey Point on scouting days

Alligator Season

GA Alligator Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Alligator	18-Aug-23 (sunset)	2-Oct-23 (sunrise)	Limited by Zone and Quota For further information, see the regulations

Bear Season

GA Bear Season	Method	Hunting Start Dates	Hunting End Dates	Limit
Northern Zone	Archery	9-Sep-23	13-Oct-23	2
Northern Zone	Primitive Weapons	14-Oct-23	20-Oct-23	2
Northern Zone	Firearms	21-Oct-23	14-Jan-23	2
Central Zone	Firearms	16-Dec-23		2
Southern Zone	Firearms	21-Sep-23	23-Sep-23	2
Southern Zone	Firearms	28-Sep-23	30-Sep-23	2
Southern Zone	Firearms	5-Oct-23	7-Oct-23	2
Southern Zone	Firearms	12-Oct-23	14-Oct-23	2

Bobcat Season

GA Bobcat Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Bobcat	Friday, December 01, 2023	Thursday, February 29, 2024	Statewide. There is no limit.

Coyote Season

GA Coyote Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Coyote	Sunday, January 01, 2023	Sunday, December 31, 2023	Statewide

Fox Season

GA Fox Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Fox	1-Dec-23	29-Feb-24	Statewide There is no limit

Hog Season

GA Hog Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Private Land Feral Hogs	Sunday, January 01, 2023	Sunday, December 31, 2023	Statewide
Public Land Feral Hogs	Tuesday, May 16, 2023	Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Rabbit Season

GA Rabbit Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Rabbit	18-Nov-23	29-Feb-24	Statewide

Raccoon Season

GA Raccoon Season	Start Date	End Date
Private Land	1-Jan	31-Dec-23
Public Land	15-Aug	29-Feb-24

Opossum Season

GA Opossum Season	Start Date	End Date
Private Land	1-Jan	31-Dec-23
Public Land	15-Aug	29-Feb-24

Squirrel Season

GA Squirrel Season	Start Date	End Date
Squirrel	15-Aug-23	29-Feb-24

Squirrel Hunting Update

Aspect	Details
Squirrel Hunting Season Start Date	15-Aug
Squirrel Season End Date	Feb-29
Types of Squirrels Allowed	Gray and Fox Squirrels
Maximum Daily Bag Limit	12 per hunter
Beginner's Course Information	GeorgiaWildlife.com/LearnToHuntFish
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)	Access available on nearly 1 million acres
Gray Squirrel Characteristics	Abundant, common in both rural and urban areas, weighs 12 oz to 1.5 lbs
Fox Squirrel Characteristics	Varied color phases, larger, weighs 1 lb to nearly 3 lbs
Culinary Inspiration for Squirrel Recipes	GeorgiaWildlife.blog/2018/08/26/5-squirrel-recipes-youll-ever-taste
More Information on Hunting Seasons and Licenses	GeorgiaWildlife.com/hunting/hunter-resources
Hunting License Renewal/Purchase	GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com

Grouse Season

GA Grouse Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Grouse	15-Oct-23	29-Feb-24	Statewide

GA Turkey Season 2023

Georgia Turkey Season 2023
Statewide Private Land: Mar. 30 – May 15, 2024
- Bag Limit: 2 gobblers per season
- Daily Bag: 1 gobbler
Public Land: April 6 – May 15, 2024
Special Opportunity Youth/Mobility Impaired:
- Mar. 23 – 24, 2024
- Only for youth 16 years of age or younger and mobility impaired persons. Not applicable to public lands unless specified.
Changes Implemented Last Season:
- Statewide bag limit reduced to two gobblers per season, with a one gobbler daily bag limit.
- Bag limit on WMAs, VPAs, and National Forest lands (outside WMAs) set at one gobbler per area.
- Private and leased land had a later turkey season opening (April 1, 2023).
- WMAs, VPAs, and National Forests opened a week after private land (April 8, 2023).
Reason for Delayed Opening:
- Allows more breeding to take place, enabling hens to start nesting during the peak incubation period. Based on scientific research.
Turkey Hunter Numbers:
- 2022 season saw 16,941 fewer hunters than the previous season, a 31% drop.
- 2021 season had 54,509 hunters, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions and anticipation of regulation changes.
- 2020 season experienced a 17% decline with 7,637 fewer hunters than 2019.
Challenges to Turkey Population:
- Urbanization and habitat problems, particularly in Piedmont areas.
- Decreased habitat management in urbanized regions leading to increased predator pressure on turkey nests.
Property-by-Property Basis:
- Success in turkey populations varies by individual properties based on landowner management practices.
Private Ownership:
- Nearly 93% of Georgia's land is privately owned, providing opportunities for landowners to develop turkey management plans with DNR assistance.
Continued Research:
- Ongoing turkey research projects, including poult monitoring, bird banding, and satellite tracking to monitor movements.
Impact of Weather:
- Weather conditions can affect turkey habitat, insect abundance, and poult survival. A wetter winter may promote insect availability for poults.
Return of Hunters:
- Uncertain if changes will bring back hunters, with weather and other factors playing a role.

Quail Season

GA Quail Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Quail	18-Nov-23	29-Feb-24	Statewide

Georgia Migratory Bird Season

Sora & Rails Season

GA Sora & Rails Season	Season Dates	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
King & Clapper	8-Oct-23 - 28-Oct-23	15	45
	8-Nov-23 - 26-Dec-23	15	45
Sora & Virginia	8-Oct-23 - 28-Oct-23	25	75
	8-Nov-23 - 26-Dec-23	25	75

Crow Season

GA Crow Season	Start Date	End Date	Note
Crow	4-Nov-23	1-Feb-29	Statewide There is no limit

Woodcock Season

Species	Season Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Woodcock Season	9-Dec-23 - 22-Jan-23	3	9

Duck Season

GA Duck Season	Season Dates	Daily Limits	Possession Limits
Duck (Early) Statewide	18-Nov-23 - 26-Nov-23	6	18
Duck (Late) Statewide	9-Dec-23 - 28-Jan-23	6	18
Sea Ducks (Scoters, Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks)	18-Nov - 26-Nov	5	15
Sea Ducks (Scoters, Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks)	9-Dec - Dec Jan 28	5	15

Mergansers

Species	Season Start Date	Season Start Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Mergansers	18-Nov-23	26-Nov-23	5	15
	9-Dec-23	28-Jan-23	5	15

Teal Season

Species	Season Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Teal	9-Sep-23 - 22-Sep-23	6	18

Coots

Species	Season Start Date	Season Start Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Coots	18-Nov-23	26-Nov-23	15	45
	9-Dec-23	28-Jan-23	15	45

Youth, Active Duty Military & Veterans Waterfowl Days

Species	Season Date	Season Date
Youth, Active Duty Military & Veterans Waterfowl Days	11-Nov-23	12-Nov-23

Snipe Season

Species	Season Start Date	Season Start Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Common (Wilson’s) Snipe	18-Nov-23	28-Nov-23	8	24

Falconry Season

Species	Season Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Falconry	2-Sep-23 - 24-Sep-23	3	9
	7-Oct-23 - 22-Oct-23	3	9
	11-Nov-23 - 12-Nov-23	3	9
	18-Nov-23 - 2-Dec-23	3	9
	9-Dec-23 - 28-Jan-23	3	9

Goose Season

GA Goose Season	Season Dates	Daily Limits	Possession Limits
Early Canada Geese	Sept 2–24	5	15
Canada Geese	Oct 14–29	5	15
Canada Geese	Nov 18–26	5	15
Canada Geese	Dec 9–Jan 28	5	15
White-fronted Geese	Oct 14–29	5	15
White-fronted Geese	Nov 18–26	5	15
White-fronted Geese	Dec 9–Jan 28	5	15
Snow Geese	Oct 7–22	5	15
Snow Geese	Nov 18–26	5	15
Snow Geese	Dec 9–Jan 28	5	15

Dove Season

Georgia Dove Hunting Season 2023
Opening Date: September 2, 2023
Hunting Season Dates:
- Sept. 2 to Oct. 8, 2023
- Nov. 18 to 26, 2023
- Dec. 19 to Jan. 31, 2024
Shooting Hours:
- One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Dove Field Forecast:
- Provides information on crops and hunting conditions for opening day. Available at GeorgiaWildlife.com/hunting/dove.
Dove Harvest Survey:
Public dove field hunters are urged to take the Georgia DNR Dove Harvest Survey to rate their experience. Details at GeorgiaWildlife.com/hunting/dove.
Report Banded Doves:
Hunters may help conserve doves by reporting leg band numbers to the USFWS. Learn more at reportband.gov. More information at reportband.gov.
Field Legality:
The online brochure, "Dove Hunting and Agricultural Practices in Georgia," at GeorgiaWildlife.com/migratory-bird-info will help hunters determine whether private fields are permissible.
License Requirements:
All hunters 16 and older need a hunting license and Georgia Migratory Bird license. Purchase licenses online at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, via phone at 800-366-2661, or at licensing vendor locations (list online).

Gallinules Season

Species	Season Date	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Gallinules Season	18-Nov-23 - 26-Nov-23	15	45
	9-Dec-23 - 28-Jan-23	15	45

Download Printable Schedule

GA Hunting License

A valid basic hunting license is required for any squirrel hunting.

You can get an Apprentice License if you’re 16 or older and interested in hunting but still need a hunter education course. It is optional that you be accompanied by a licensed hunter, although doing so will greatly improve your chances of success.

You may purchase a Georgia hunting or fishing license by visiting the website https://www.gooutdoorsgeorgia.com, calling 1-800-366-2661, or visiting an approved license dealer in the state.

Hunting Regulations

General Rules

Here are several key rules. The rules we’ve mentioned are the most typically violated. Read on for common mistakes.

• Hunting from a moving automobile or roadway is prohibited. (Vehicles include cars, trucks, planes, and boats).

• Any hunting clothing must have 500 square inches of orange above the waist. Most hunters use a helmet and vest. During rifle season, you must wear orange.

• Without the landowner’s permission, hunting is unlawful. This includes power wires and railroad right-of-ways.

• Dogs can’t hunt deer without a license. This permission has a restricted scope and area. Only specified counties and dates may request this. Even if you didn’t own the dogs who pursued the deer, you might have committed a crime.

• Deer baiting is illegal. The use of bait to entice deer is prohibited. Feed for deer might be anything from grain to maize to wheat to salt to apples. Although you may keep deer food out, you won’t be able to hunt there for 10 days thereafter until you remove all bait.

• When shooting deer, elk, or wild hogs, you may use whatever kind of bow you choose, including a crossbow, longbow, recurve bow, or compound bow.

• Broadhead-style arrows are required for shooting deer, bears, or feral hogs.

• Draw weight, let-off, arrow length, and sights are all unrestricted.

• During the season for primitive weapons, archery supplies, air bows,.30-cal. Or bigger air rifles, muzzleloaders, or muzzleloading shotguns are all permitted.

• When using primitive weapons, scopes are acceptable.

• For shooting deer and bears, modern rifles and pistols must be centerfire.

• Expanding bullets, caliber 22 or higher For rifles, there are no limitations on magazine capacity.

• For shooting deer and bears, shotguns must be at least 20 gauge and loaded with slugs or buckshot.

• For shooting deer and bears, muzzleloaders are required.

• 30-cal. or bigger, or 20-gauge or bigger muzzleloading shotguns. Scoping is lawful.

• For deer and bear hunting during seasons for primitive weapons and guns, air rifles of at least.30 caliber or air bows using unlit compressed gas or air are permitted.

• Turkey hunting is permitted with shotguns that use No. 2 or smaller shots, any muzzleloader, and air rifles that are at least.30 caliber, and air bows that use unlit pressurized gas or air. For shooting turkeys, shotguns do not need to be plugged in.

• Rifles and handguns must be muzzleloading, rimfire, or.22 calibers or smaller for small game and furbearers. Centerfire weapons.17 caliber and bigger may be utilized for fox and bobcat hunting. For rifles, there are no limitations on magazine capacity.

• Shotshells of a length of 3.5 inches or less are required for shotguns used for small game and furbearers, and they must be loaded with No. 2 or smaller shots.

• Waterfowl hunters must use 10-gauge or smaller shotguns loaded with nontoxic shots no larger than size “F” that has received government approval. Hunting for ducks is prohibited while using lead shots.

• Hunting is prohibited in Willeo Creek or the Bull Sluice section of Morgan Falls Lake in Fulton County.

• Hunting is prohibited in all counties and portions of counties that are not expressly permitted by law or regulation.

• Unless expressly stated otherwise, state parks, wildlife management areas, public fishing areas, and other state or federal property are not included in the list of counties that are available for hunting.

• Georgiawildlife.com has details on protected species.

• Hunters and anyone accompanying them must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight bright orange above the waist during the seasons for shooting deer, bears, and feral hogs with handguns or other primitive weapons (including head covering).

• On Wildlife Management Areas, Veterans’ Hunting Programs, and federal properties, hunters must wear hunter orange during hunts with primitive weapons and guns for deer, bear, and special opportunity coyote and feral hogs.

• When archery deer hunts are conducted in a Wildlife Management Area or during statewide primitive weapon or firearms seasons, hunter orange is unnecessary (unless otherwise indicated).

• On small game hunts conducted concurrently with firearms deer or bear hunts in Wildlife Management Areas and under the Veterans’ Hunting Program, hunter orange is needed (per General Wildlife Management Area Regulations).

• The only exceptions to this rule are alligators, raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and feral pigs, which may be killed at night. Legal hunting hours are from 30 minutes before dawn to 30 minutes after sunset.

• Raccoon, opossum, fox, or bobcat hunters must carry lights on their bodies, attach them to their hats or helmets, or incorporate them into their belt systems. These lights are not voltage-restricted.

• Hunting migrating birds is permitted from 30 minutes before dawn till sundown (per Migratory Bird Seasons). On the Go Outdoors GA App, you can get the hours of sunrise and sunset.

Transportation & Tagging

Before removing the deer from its site of harvest, register it using the Go Outdoors GA app, GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, or 1-800-366-2661. Using the App, you may report your whereabouts even without cell service.

Without a mobile device, a paper license must include the deer’s harvest date and county.

Your deer must be reported online or by phone within 24 hours. Write the confirmation number in your harvest journal.

If a deer is to be transported or processed by another person, it should be tagged with the owner’s name, date of harvest, county, and sex.

You must also submit the tag’s check-in confirmation number to prove a legal kill.

Violation & Fines

The Wildlife Violator Compact includes Georgia as a member state (WVC).

This means that hunters from other WVC states who are visiting Georgia may enjoy the same protections as Georgians should they be found in violation of any law.

Any hunting rights in other member states may be revoked due to a conviction in Georgia.

Costs associated with going to court and paying a fine may add up quickly. If you go deer hunting outside of the allowed hours, for instance, you may face a fine of at least $500 and a year in prison.

Before hitting the field, be sure you’ve read and fully grasped all applicable rules and regulations.

Contacts

Georgia Hunting Contact	Details
Department	Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division
Address	2067 US Highway 278 SE, Social Circle, GA 30025
Hours	Closed on Sunday and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Monday - Friday (Eastern Time Zone)
Contacts
Main Number	(706) 557-3333
Toll Free	(833) 557-3303
Game Management	(706) 557-3350
Fisheries Management	(706) 557-3305
Law Enforcement	(770) 918-6408
Wildlife Conservation	(706) 557-3213
Game Check Assistance	(800) 366-2661
Ranger Hotline	(800) 241-4113

FAQ on GA Hunting Seasons

When does Georgia deer season start?

Georgia’s firearm season begins on October 22, following the deer archery season, which starts on September 10. And Gun season is starting late due to a calendar quirk. Specifically, Gun deer season begins the Saturday after October 15, which in this case is October 22, 2022.

When does Georgia deer season end?

In Georgia, the last day of deer season for the entire state is observed from mid January. However, in the archery-only counties in the suburbs, bowhunting is allowed until January 31. Specifically, bow hunters may legally take antlerless deer from September 10 to January 8.

What is Georgia Game Check, and what are the harvest reporting requirements?

In Georgia, all alligator, bear, deer, and turkey harvests must be reported to Georgia Game Check within 24 hours. Additional reporting requirements may apply for hunts conducted on specific Wildlife Management Areas, Veterans’ Hunting Programs, and State Parks, as outlined in the General Wildlife Management Area Regulations.

How to Report a hunt in Georgia?

Harvests may be reported by using the Go Outdoors GA App, the website GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, or by calling the toll-free number 1-800-366-2661. If you do not have phone coverage at the time of the harvest, you can still use the app to record your harvest by entering the harvest date and county on the Harvest Record and then syncing to receive a confirmation number when you reach an area with phone service. The harvest must be reported before it is moved from the site of the kill.