Kids, Muzzleloader Hunters Hit The Deer Woods Saturday

Deer season kicks into high gear at daylight this Saturday morning, Oct. 15, as kids, disabled hunters and those who use primitive muzzleloading rifles take to the woods. Until now, only archery season has been open for Georgia deer hunters.

Georgia deer hunting from Saturday, Oct. 15 through Friday, Oct. 21 is called the Special Opportunity Season. During this week, kids 15 and younger and disabled hunters are allowed to hunt deer with modern firearms a full week before the general modern firearms deer season opens. This week is either-sex for deer, so both antlered bucks and does are legal.

This week is also the primitive-weapons season, when hunters using muzzleloading rifles can take deer. Archery gear is legal every day of deer season from the archery opener until the firearms deer season closes Jan. 15.

The Special Opportunity regulations do not apply to archery-only counties in the metro Atlanta area.

If you are taking a youth to the woods this weekend, make sure they are eligible for GON’s Youth Big-Buck Contest. The best buck entered each week of deer season earns a youngster a Strike Force Elite HD camera from Browning Trail Cameras, and the 17 weekly winners will get to compete in a pellet-rifle Shoot-Out for the grand prize $3,000 shopping spree at Adventure Outdoors and a 3-day Hunt with Woods-N-Water outfitters.

To be eligible to enter a buck in this great contest, the youth either needs a subscription of their own, or their mom, dad or legal guardian must have a GON subscription.

As always, before any type of hunting, check the official regulations available online at www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations.