# WMA Hog Hunting/Small Game Rules



## OptimumShine

Ok guys,

Plan to do a little bit of WMA hog hunting (first time) in the near future.  

I see that hog hunting is available during small game season as well, but must be hunted with that firearm specifications.

I see that I can use a .22 rifle, while I have that and can, I would prefer  a little more umph while being out there by myself.  It also states any shotgun with a shell 3.5" or smaller with #2 or smaller shot is legal.

My plan originally was to use a 2.75" rifled 1oz slug in a Remington 870 Express 12ga.  But this was for some family leased land, not taking into account the WMA small game rules.

Would the slug be illegal? 

Do I need to just use the .22LR and hope the shot placement is correct or run like CensoredCensoredCensoredCensoredCensoredCensored


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## HogSlayer13

Slugs are illegal on WMA during small game season. Each WMA has it's own regulations and dates.   Muzzleloader, 22mag, 17wsm , 17hmr or a bow would be better than the 22lr.   If  a 22lr is your best and only option I would aim behind the ear.


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## OptimumShine

HogSlayer13 said:


> Slugs are illegal on WMA during small game season. Each WMA has it's own regulations and dates.   Muzzleloader, 22mag, 17wsm , 17hmr or a bow would be better than the 22lr.   If  a 22lr is your best and only option I would aim behind the ear.



Kind of what I was afraid of.  I only have access to an SKS 45, Ruger Mini-14, 30M1, and Marlin and Ruger 22 Rifles.


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## fishtail

#2 shot will be devastating provided you don't pick on a good sized boar with a shield. I've killed quite a few with #2 and #4 shot, even a couple with a 20ga & #4 shot. 
I had a 180lb boar with a shield that stopped a 150gr 30-30 from penetrating at 25 yards. Unbeknownst to me till I stood over him, it simply knocked the breath out of him.


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## j_seph

Find a good deal on muzzleloader


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## OptimumShine

j_seph said:


> Find a good deal on muzzleloader



I am liking the #2 shot idea for the first few times.  I want to make sure this is something I want to continue doing before throwing money at it.  Not sure why I wouldn't want to.

Will need to get some and see how they do on the targets.  Can I use an IC choke for the #2 as well?


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## fishtail

It definitely would be preferable to pattern it ahead of time, at least you will see how it does with an improved cylinder.


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## Danny Leigh

As long as the particular WMA you are hunting has a furbearer season you can hunt fox, bobcat (hogs) with a centerfire over .17. Fox/bobcat season runs Dec 1 - Feb 28 and unless the regs specially say "no furbearer season" for that WMA then you can hunt them during open small game dates.


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## bfriendly

OptimumShine said:


> Kind of what I was afraid of.  I only have access to an SKS 45, Ruger Mini-14, 30M1, and Marlin and Ruger 22 Rifles.



Either will be fine, but the #2 shot may make you feel more comfortable........Turkey loads are devastating and a 3" is plenty.........Then again, a 3.5" #2 or 4 load will really let the woods ROCK!.....And kill that pig! Be ready to trash a shoulder and go heart/lung.....


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## Offroadtek

Danny Leigh said:


> As long as the particular WMA you are hunting has a furbearer season you can hunt fox, bobcat (hogs) with a centerfire over .17. Fox/bobcat season runs Dec 1 - Feb 28 and unless the regs specially say "no furbearer season" for that WMA then you can hunt them during open small game dates.



THIS. If you can hunt Fox or Bobcat on the WMA your hunting, just use your deer rifle. Any centerfire over .17 cal.


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## OptimumShine

The 2 I am considering are Chickasawhatchee and Hannahatchee, and it looks like Hanna is the only one with a very limited Yote season.  

Too bad, I was about to add the Remington 783 to my Christmas wish list since it had the $40 rebate.  The hard decision was just if I wanted the .270 or .30-06


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## OptimumShine

Ok it says on page 44 in the guide that Coyotes may be taken during big game, small game, and special hot hunts as well as special coyote hunts.  Weapons are restricted to legal firearms and archery equipment for the game species, etc etc.

Does this mean I am good to go with a deer rifle on the hogs or yotes while in small game?

Maybe it is just me, or possibly being green, but some of the wording in the guide is clear as mud and could be interpreted differently.


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## Danny Leigh

OptimumShine said:


> Ok it says on page 44 in the guide that Coyotes may be taken during big game, small game, and special hot hunts as well as special coyote hunts.  Weapons are restricted to legal firearms and archery equipment for the game species, etc etc.
> 
> Does this mean I am good to go with a deer rifle on the hogs or yotes while in small game?
> 
> Maybe it is just me, or possibly being green, but some of the wording in the guide is clear as mud and could be interpreted differently.



Special coyote hunts are limited to small game weapons. The only time you can use a centerfire rifle is during special hog only hunts, deer hunts, and during small game dates that coincide with fox/bobcat season assuming that WMA allows furbearer hunting.

The regs used to be more simple until they added that fox/bobcats could be taken with centerfire .17 and greater. Prior to the reg change you had to strictly use small game weapons during small game dates. Most people use(d) bows, muzzleloaders, .22HMR or .17WMR.


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## bfriendly

Pinelog is a perfect example of a WMA that says "No Furbearer Season". That means, you cannot Hunt Fox/Bobcat, so that in turn means you cannot use centerfire  during Fox/Bobcat season. 

As far as Yotes AND Pigs, they are incidental take and have NO SEASON. If you are allowed to be hunting the WMA(meaning there is an open season of some kind), you CAN Kill Pigs AND Yotes. If there is no open season, you cannot hunt the WMA Period.


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## huntsman

I thought I read in this years rules that .223 was OK for designated hog hunts only, otherwise the small game rules applied, meaning no center fire?


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## bfriendly

huntsman said:


> I thought I read in this years rules that .223 was OK for designated hog hunts only, otherwise the small game rules applied, meaning no center fire?



Special hog hunts have no weapon restrictions so you can use anything. During the Fox/Bobcat hunt, aka furbearer season, you can use .17 cal+ center fire, but Only during those dates. There are small game dates that are NOT Furbearer dates.


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## AllTerrainAngler

I use my .223 or .300 to hog hunt during the "fox/bobcat" small game hunt.


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## Rabun

OptimumShine said:


> Ok guys,
> 
> Plan to do a little bit of WMA hog hunting (first time) in the near future.
> 
> I see that hog hunting is available during small game season as well, but must be hunted with that firearm specifications.
> 
> I see that I can use a .22 rifle, while I have that and can, I would prefer  a little more umph while being out there by myself.  It also states any shotgun with a shell 3.5" or smaller with #2 or smaller shot is legal.
> 
> My plan originally was to use a 2.75" rifled 1oz slug in a Remington 870 Express 12ga.  But this was for some family leased land, not taking into account the WMA small game rules.
> 
> Would the slug be illegal?
> 
> Do I need to just use the .22LR and hope the shot placement is correct or run like CensoredCensoredCensoredCensoredCensoredCensored



You can legally use a centerfire for fox and bobcat, so you can legally hunt hogs with a centerfire...as long as you are hunting fox or bobcat  Verify the furbearer season in the WMA you plan to hunt and have at the hogs with plenty of fire power.

SMALL GAME & FURBEARER FIREARMS
• Rifles and Handguns: Any .22-cal. or smaller rimfire, air rifle, or any
muzzleloading firearm. For fox & bobcat, centerfire firearms of .17
caliber and larger may be used. There is no restriction on magazine
capacity for rifles

Fox & Bobcat Statewide Dec. 1 – Feb. 29 No limit


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## jwillban

Danny Leigh said:


> As long as the particular WMA you are hunting has a furbearer season you can hunt fox, bobcat (hogs) with a centerfire over .17. Fox/bobcat season runs Dec 1 - Feb 28 and unless the regs specially say "no furbearer season" for that WMA then you can hunt them during open small game dates.



^^^This. I called two separate offices, one in the Oaky Woods region and one in the Rich Mtn region and both said I could use my 30-06 during the fox/bobcat season that runs through February. One ranger was very knowledgeable and the other wasn't sure and needed to ask someone else before telling me it was legal.


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## huntsman

Am I missing something?  I see nothing about Oaky Woods having a 'fur bearer' season, only a special hog hunt season and a small game season.  So my question, If a game warden told you you can hunt   oaky woods with a 30-06 for furbearer hunts, where is he finding this information?

This from http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/specific-wma-pfa-state-park-hunting-regulations/

Oaky Woods WMA
C O P

13,240 acres • 478.825.6354

DEER
Archery
Either Sex: Sept. 12-Oct. 1 s | Oct. 10-16 s
Firearms
C Adult-Child/Either Sex: Oct. 3-9 s; Only youth may hunt.
Buck Only: Oct. 29-31 c | Dec. 31-Jan. 2 s
Buck Only/Either Sex Last Day: Dec. 3-5 c
TURKEY
Mar. 26-May 15 s

COYOTE
O May 16-31 s. No hog hunting during coyote hunt. No night hunting. Mandatory sign-in to hunt and sign out of harvest.

SMALL GAME
Aug. 18-Sept. 11 s, Oct. 17-27 s, Nov. 1-Dec. 1 s, Dec. 6-29 s, Jan. 3-Feb. 29 s.

FERAL HOG
P See General WMA Regulations. Special Hog Hunts: Aug. 15-17 s; hunter orange required; no dogs allowed.

SPECIAL SMALL GAME NOTE
Mandatory sign-in to hunt and sign-out of harvest.

SPECIAL REGS
No bear hunting.

DIRECTIONS
From Perry Take HWY 127 east 8 miles to HWY 247; turn right; go 1 mile; turn left on Oaky Woods Rd. At fork veer right and go 1.7 miles to check station.


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## OptimumShine

Kind of my thoughts huntsman, the WMAs I was considering don't have fur bearer seasons.  Or so I thought.


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## GTHunter

Under the General WMA Regulations section:

FURBEARERS: Raccoons, opossum, foxes and
bobcats may be hunted within statewide
seasons during small game and furbearer dates,
unless otherwise specified in the WMA listings...


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## huntsman

GTHunter said:


> Under the General WMA Regulations section:
> 
> FURBEARERS: Raccoons, opossum, foxes and
> bobcats may be hunted within statewide
> seasons during small game and furbearer dates,
> unless otherwise specified in the WMA listings...



That's how I understand it BUT Oaky Woods has only a small game season and no fourbearer season listed...I believe you are required to use only small game weapons during those hunts. 

I realize a game warden was asked and gave his opinion, my only fear would be if another ranger were to stop you and he has a different interpretation of the same rules. No disrespect intended to the wardens but all aren't on the same page on all issues.


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## pnome

Use your 22lr and shoot them in the ear with cci stingers.


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## Recurve

Your misunderstanding, if it is not stated under that particular WMA that fur bearer is not allowed then you CAN fur bearer hunt. Look under Pine Log and Elmodel both of these Wma state NO FUR BEARER hunting which means you have to use small game weapons


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## bfriendly

Recurve said:


> Your misunderstanding, if it is not stated under that particular WMA that fur bearer is not allowed then you CAN fur bearer hunt. Look under Pine Log and Elmodel both of these Wma state NO FUR BEARER hunting which means you have to use small game weapons



This^^^^^^ Get it? Got it? Good!
Furbearer season is state wide, but some WMA specifically state "No Furbearer season"........if it does NOT state that under the specific WMA guidelines, you are good to go. Just  remember that the early small game season dates are NOT furbearer seasons. Furbearer is from Dec 1 to Feb 29


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## NastyBruises11B

Is there a caliber restriction on the muzzle loaders? I have a .50 that I want to hog hunt with during this small game season


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## Recurve

There is no caliber restriction for muzzleloader,and you can have a scope on it.


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