2016-17 Georgia Hunting Seasons

For the second consecutive Georgia hunting season, more than half the state will experience periods of buck-only hunting during firearms deer season. Make sure to always check the date and the regulations prior to pulling the trigger on an antlerless deer. The change to buck-only days was brought on by hunters complaining of seeing fewer deer in the woods. Complaints centered around a liberal bag limit—which hasn’t changed—while biologists say reducing either-sex days is the most effective way to reduce harvest.

This year’s deer season will close statewide on Jan. 8. The only exception is the suburban Atlanta archery-only counties that are open to bowhunting until Jan. 31.

The map attached to this article breaks down the days when hunters can shoot antlerless deer with a firearm during firearms season on private lands. Antlerless deer maybe taken statewide with archery equipment Sept. 10-Jan. 8 and with muzzleloaders Oct. 15-21.

Below we’ve included upcoming dates and daily bag limits for those of you interested in bears, dove, waterfowl and small-game hunting.

The complete 2016-17 hunting seasons and regs booklet will soon be available at license vendors and online at www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations. Be sure to consult the official 2016-2017 Georgia Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits booklet, or view it online before heading afield.

TURKEY SEASON
Statewide: March 25 – May 15; limit 3 gobblers per season.
Special Opportunity Season: March 18-19; only for youth 16 years of age and younger and mobility impaired persons (i.e. confined to wheelchair, hemiplegia, monoplegia, paraplegia, or single-leg amputation above the knee). Such hunters must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older) who may call but may not take or attempt to take a turkey. This season does not apply to public lands unless otherwise specified.

DEER SEASON
Archery Only: Sept. 10 – Oct. 14
Statewide, either-sex
Either-sex deer maybe taken with archery equipment statewide from Sept. 10-Jan. 8.

Extended Archery Counties: Sept. 10 – Jan. 31: Either-sex For Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb,Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties.

Primitive Weapons Week: Oct. 15-21

Youth Week: Oct. 15-21

Firearms Season:  Oct. 22 – Jan. 8

Deer Limit: 12 per season. Ten may antlerless and no more  than two may be antlered. One of the antlered bucks must have at least 4 points 1-inch or longer on one side of the rack.

Hunting Over Feed/Bait: It is legal to hunt deer over feed with no restrictions in the Southern Zone and illegal to hunt any game except hogs over feed in the Northern Zone.

BEAR SEASON
Northern Zone: Archery: Sept. 10 – Jan. 8
Primitive Weapons: Oct. 15-Jan. 8
Firearms: Oct. 22-Jan. 8

Central Zone: Firearms: Dec. 10

Southern Zone: Firearms: Sept. 29-Oct. 1; Oct. 6-8; Oct. 13-15.

Bear Limit: 2 per season; however only one may be taken from the Central or Southern Zones.

DOVE SEASON:
Statewide: Sept. 3-18; Oct. 8-28; Nov. 24-Jan. 13.

Daily Limit: 15

WATERFOWL SEASONS: Georgia’s waterfowl seasons are set in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For additional waterfowling dates, see  www.georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/Waterfowl.

Early Teal: Sept. 10-25

Early Canada Geese: Sept. 3-25, Oct. 8-23

Youth Waterfowl: Nov. 12-13

Ducks/Geese: Nov. 19-27, Dec. 10-Jan. 29

SMALL-GAME SEASONS
Quail: Nov. 12 – Feb. 28, Daily Limit: 12

Rabbit: Nov. 12 – Feb. 28, Daily Limit: 12

Squirrel: Aug. 15 – Feb. 28, Daily Limit: 12

Raccoon: Oct. 15 – Feb. 28, Daily Limit: 3

Grouse: Oct. 15 – Feb. 28, Daily Limit: 3

Opossum: Oct. 15 – Feb. 28, No limit

Woodcock: Dec. 10 – Jan. 23, Daily Limit: 3

Snipe: Nov. 15 – Feb. 28, Daily Limit: 8

Fox: Dec. 1 – Feb. 28, No bag limit.

Bobcat: Dec. 1 – Feb. 28, No bag limit.

Wild Hogs: No bag limit; no closed season.

Coyotes: No bag limit; no closed season.

Crows: Nov. 5 – Feb. 28, No bag limit.