Kids Outdoor Outpost – September 2021

Hunting Reg Changes

And so it begins. Another fall hunting season is at our front door. It’s always a time when the majority of our hunters are primed and ready to go at it. Small game, dove and big game seasons are kicking off, and with it, close to 300,000 hunters will be spending time in the woods. 

I had the recent opportunity to work the Georgia DNR Hunter Education booth at an outdoor trade show. Seemingly, the most interest was centered around the newest copy of our hunting regulations. I told folks that my copies were still warm and fresh off from being printed. 

As a hunter, it’s your responsibility to be familiar with any of the changes established with our regulations. A big one that I noticed was the change to the dove season opener being 1/2 hour before sunrise, not at noon, so I guess l’ll have to eat my barbeque sandwich as a late breakfast. 

Here are some of the regulation changes. 

Antler Restrictions: Statewide, one of the two antlered bucks must have a minimum of 4 points, 1-inch or longer, on either antler or a minimum 15-inch outside antler spread to be legal. In counties with county-wide antler restrictions (except Dooly and Macon counties.), antlered bucks must have a minimum of 4 points, 1-inch or longer, on either antler or a minimum 15-inch outside antler spread to be legal.

Bear Harvest Reporting and Season: All Northern Zone bear hunters are required to have a bear harvest record. Bear harvested in the Northern Zone must be reported using the Georgia Game Check system within 24 hours of harvest.

Youth (under 16 years of age) may hunt bear with any legal bear firearm during the primitive weapons season (Northern Bear Zone).

Dove Season: The statewide dove season has changed by expanding the first season into early October and changing opening day hours from noon-sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise-sunset.

Extended Archery Season: Extended archery season has been added to the following counties: Barrow, Cherokee, Columbia, Decatur, Douglas, Fayette, Hall, Muscogee, Paulding and Seminole.

Turkey Season and Bag limits: Statewide turkey season is shifted to open one week later on April 2, 2022. On WMAs, VPAs and national forests, the turkey season opens two weeks later on April 9, 2022. The season still closes on May 15. The statewide bag limit has been reduced to two gobblers per season, with a one-gobbler daily bag limit. Additionally, the bag limit on WMAs, VPAs and national forest lands (outside WMAs) is one gobbler per area.

Small Game: On most WMAs, small game may be hunted any time a small game species statewide season is open except during area specific quota hunts or as otherwise specified for that area.

All the best for a great hunting season and stay safe in the field!