Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Oct 14, 2026
Georgia deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, by season and zone, plus the public land in Georgia from our directory. Archery opens September 2026 (see the WRD 2026–27 guide). Firearms: Oct. 17, 2026 (Statewide firearms).
Last checked Oct 14, 2026 against the official Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in Georgia?
- September 2026 (see the WRD 2026–27 guide), per Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Georgia?
- Oct. 17, 2026 (Statewide firearms).
- Where are the official rules?
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
Georgia deer season dates, 2026–27
Deer (statewide; WMAs and some counties differ)
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Primitive weapons (week-long) | Statewide | Opens Sat. Oct. 10, 2026; firearms season follows on Oct. 17 |
| Firearms | Statewide | Oct. 17, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027 for most hunters |
- Archery season opened in September; the exact archery dates, either-sex days by county, archery-only counties and extended seasons are in the WRD 2026–27 Hunting & Fishing Regulations guide linked above.
- WRD says most hunters’ season ends Jan. 10, 2027 (firearms release, Oct. 13, 2026). Its earlier primitive-weapons release said Jan. 11, so confirm the closing date in the guide.
- Georgia WMAs set their own deer dates and sign-in rules. Check the WMA’s listing with WRD (GeorgiaWildlife.com/allwmas).
Official sources (checked Oct 14, 2026)
Public land in Georgia that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 151 named public land units in Georgia (about 2.8M ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 111 state wildlife & game areas, 8 forests & grasslands, 9 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 12 lake & reservoir project lands, 11 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in Georgia
All 111 →- State wildlife / game area
Cohutta Wildlife Management Area
91,611 acres
State: department of natural resources · Murray County, Fannin County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Cedar Creek Wildlife Management Area
42,297 acres
State: department of natural resources · Putnam County, Jones County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Dixon Memorial Wildlife Management Area
35,028 acres
State: department of natural resources · Ware County, Brantley County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Redlands Wildlife Management Area
32,705 acres
State: department of natural resources · Greene County, Oglethorpe County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Altamaha Wildlife Management Area
31,719 acres
State: department of natural resources · McIntosh County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Townsend Wildlife Management Area
30,009 acres
State: department of natural resources · Long County, McIntosh County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Coopers Creek Wildlife Management Area
29,338 acres
State: department of natural resources · Union County, Fannin County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area
28,572 acres
State: department of natural resources · Paulding County, Polk County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Ossabaw Island Wildlife Management Area
28,176 acres
State: department of natural resources · Chatham County
Open access
National & state forests and grasslands in Georgia
All 8 →- National Forest land
Chattahoochee National Forest
751,522 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Rabun County, Fannin County + 15 more
Open access - National Forest land
Oconee National Forest
116,289 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Putnam County, Jasper County + 3 more
Open access - State forest
Baldwin State Forest
2,148 acres
State: department of natural resources · Baldwin County, Wilkinson County
Open access - National Forest land
Yonah Mountain Purchase Unit
356 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · White County
Open access - National Forest land
Ocmulgee Purchase Unit
259 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Monroe County, Butts County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Georgia
All 9 →- National Wildlife Refuge
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
404,208 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Charlton County, Ware County + 1 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge
34,950 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Jones County, Jasper County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
15,421 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Effingham County, Chatham County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge
10,206 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Chatham County
Restricted access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Mcintosh County (10)
- Gilmer County (6)
- Murray County (6)
- Fannin County (6)
- Gordon County (5)
- Lincoln County (5)
- Wilkes County (5)
- Union County (5)
- White County (5)
- Wayne County (5)
- Cherokee County (4)
- Elbert County (4)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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