There are several significant changes to Georgia hunting seasons and regulations this year, none more significant than the addition of an antlerless-only weekend of firearms deer hunting during archery season.

Early Gun Hunting Weekend For Antlerless Deer Approved By DNR Board

Another change is for deer hunters in Calhoun County, who are now included in the block of southwest Georgia counties with extended gun season to Jan. 15, and archery-only hunting through Jan. 31. These nine southwest Georgia counties also have a special archery regulation—it’s buck-only for the first two weeks of archery season Sept. 13-26.

Most Georgia counties are either-sex for deer—meaning antlerless deer can be taken during the entire deer season. However, there are exceptions, particularly in north Georgia. As always, make sure to check the regulations and either-sex days before you pull the trigger on an antlerless deer because there are certain dates that are buck-only in some counties. See the doe-day map below.

Georgia’s archery season for deer opens Sept. 13, and the statewide gun season opens Oct. 18. This year’s deer season will close statewide on Sunday, Jan. 11. A significant recent change to Georgia’s deer season is in eight southwest Georgia counties, which now close on Jan. 15 each season. That’s only three days of difference this year, but based on how the calendar falls, it could be up to six additional days some seasons.

Those nine southwest Georgia counties also join a growing list of suburban counties that allow archery-only deer hunting until Jan. 31. The following counties allow either-sex, archery-only hunting for deer until Jan. 31: Baker, Barrow, Bibb, Calhoun, 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.

Turkey hunters will for the fourth straight season have a later opening day—March 28 on private land and April 4 on public land—and the season limit is again two gobblers, and there’s again a one-gobbler-per-day restriction. Make sure you’re not feeding deer—lots of turkey-baiting cases are made.

The complete 2025-26 Georgia Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits will be available soon at the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division website, or look for a printed copy at license vendors. Hunters are responsible for knowing and abiding by seasons and limits or be subject to charges and fines.

2025-26 Georgia Hunting Season Dates

Deer Seasons

Archery Sept. 13 – Jan. 11

Extended Archery* Sept. 13 – Jan. 31: Extended Archery (ONLY for Baker, Barrow, Bibb, Calhoun, 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) *Buck only for the first two weeks (Sept. 13-26) in Baker, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Thomas and Seminole counties.

Special Antlerless-Only Firearms Weekend Oct. 4-5 (not open to archery-only counties of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and north Fulton, and not open in these mountain counties: Whitfield, Murray, Gilmer, Fannin, Pickens, Dawson, Lumpkin, Union, White, Towns, Rabun, Habersham and Stephens.

Youth Firearms Week Oct. 11-17

Primitive Weapons Oct. 11 – Jan. 11

Firearms Oct. 18 – Jan. 11
Firearms deer hunting is not allowed in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton (north of GA Highway 92), and that portion of Glynn County lying within Jekyll Island. In the portion of Forsyth County south of GA Highway 20, only shotguns and muzzleloaders may be used (no other firearms allowed).

Extended Firearms Southwest GA Oct. 18 – Jan. 15 (Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Thomas and Seminole counties).

National Forest Deer Hunting
Chattahoochee National Forest East of I-75 (outside of WMAs): archery buck-only Sept. 13 – Oct. 10; primitive-weapons buck-only Oct. 11-17; firearms buck-only Oct. 18 – Jan. 1; archery buck-only Jan. 2-11. East of I-75, entirely closed to antlerless deer hunting seasons, buck-only including during archery and primitive-weapons dates. West of I-75, follow county either-sex days; firearms Oct. 18 – Jan. 1; archery buck-only except during county either-sex days Jan. 6-11.
Oconee National Forest (outside of WMAs): archery either-sex Sept. 13 – Oct. 10; primitive-weapons Oct. 11-17; firearms buck-only Oct. 18-31; Nov. 3-21; nov. 24 – Dec. 12; Dec. 15-26; Dec. 29 – Jan. 11. Either-sex days on Oconee NF (outside of WMAs): Nov. 1-2, Nov. 22-23, Dec. 13-14.; Dec. 27-28.

Waterfowl Seasons

Early Teal Sept. 13-21

Canada Geese  Sept. 6-28; Oct. 11-26; Nov. 22-30; Dec. 6 – Jan. 25

Duck   Nov. 22-30; Dec. 6 – Jan. 25

Youth/Military Waterfowl Nov. 15-16
Veterans, active-duty military age 15 and younger.

Bear Seasons

Bear Northern Zone
Archery Sept. 13 – Oct. 10
Primitive Weapons/Youth* Oct. 11-17
*During the northern zone primitive weapons season, only youth may use any firearm legal for deer.
Firearms Oct. 18 – Jan. 11

Bear Central Zone
Firearms Dec. 20
*A second day may be offered in the Central Bear Zone; details after Dec. 23, 2025.

Bear Southern Zone
Firearms Sept. 18-20; Sept. 25-27; Oct. 2-4; Oct. 9-11

2026 Turkey Seasons

Kids (under 16 years of age), Mobility Impaired: March 21-22
Private-Land: March 28 – May 15
Public-Land: April 4 – May 15
* Two gobbler per season limit; one-gobbler-per-day restriction.

Alligator

Zone & Quota Limited Aug. 15 (sunset) – Oct. 6 (sunrise)

Dove Statewide

Sept. 6 – Oct. 12; Nov. 22-30; Dec. 19 – Jan. 31

Opossum & Raccoon (No Limit)

Private-Land: No Closed Season
Public-Land: Aug. 15 – Feb. 28

2025-2026 Small Game & Other Seasons

Crow: Nov. 1 – Feb. 28

Fox & Bobcat: Dec. 1 – Feb. 28

Grouse: Oct. 15 – Feb. 28

Quail: Nov. 8 – Feb. 28

Rabbit: Nov. 15 – Feb. 28

Snipe: Nov. 15 – Feb. 28

Squirrel: Aug. 15 – Feb. 28

Woodcock: Dec. 6 – Jan. 19