Early Gun Hunting Weekend For Antlerless Deer Approved By DNR Board

The fourth weekend of archery season, Oct. 4-5, will be open to gun hunting for does in all but 13 mountain counties and three urban archery-only counties around Atlanta.

A two-day, early October firearms hunt for antlerless deer is coming to the deer woods this fall for most Georgia counties. The DNR Board recently approved hunting regulation changes proposed by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), including an Oct. 4-5 weekend of firearms hunting for antlerless deer for all of Georgia except 13 mountain counties and three archery-only counties around Atlanta. Counties on the map below in green, pink and purple counties will be open to gun hunting Oct. 4-5.

Antlered bucks will not be legal to take with a firearm during that weekend—but bucks can still be taken with a bow or crossbow. The mountain counties (orange, blue/cyan, yellow) and the archery-only counties (gray) will not have the early October firearms opportunity for antlerless deer and remain archery-only Oct. 4-5.

The 2025 Georgia archery season opens Saturday, Sept. 13. The Primitive-Weapons/Youth Firearms week is Oct. 11-17, and the regular firearms season opens Oct. 18.

Tina Johannsen, WRD Game Management’s assistant chief, said the early October firearms proposal stems from a segment of hunters asking to shoot does earlier in the season to help control numbers on their properties. Some hunters report it’s been a challenge in recent years to thin enough does with deer coolers staying full for a portion of the regular firearms season. The result of that has some hunters reluctant to pull the trigger—and doe numbers have continued to grow on some properties, according to hunters.

“The hope is that hunters so inclined will take their does during this early season before the scramble of opening weekend and the rut,” said Tina.

In addition, the early weekend of gun hunting will give hunters increased opportunities to find an open deer cooler that will take deer for the Hunters for the Hungry program. The Georgia state legislature has added $200,000 to the pot of money originally allocated for venison donation.

“With the funding now coming from the General Assembly, we are exercising the option of having this two-day firearms opportunity for antlerless deer to help those who need to get more deer harvested, as well as get more venison to people who need it,” said Tina. “Venison donation programs are such a win-win, and it’s very exciting to have the legislature funding this in our state.

“If they can donate the deer to someone else or to Hunters for the Hungry, they’re much likely to take more antlerless deer. Conversely, if they know their local processor is swamped on popular days, they may pass on a doe.”