Corps Hunting Permits Now Available For West Point Lake

David Bailey and his son Brady with a nice buck taken in 2020 on West Point Lake Corps land. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages approximately 10,000 acres of land around West Point Lake that is open to public hunting with a $25 annual Corps permit.

About 10,000 acres of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) land around West Point Lake is open to public hunting, but a $25 Corps permit is required. Hunting permits and maps for the 2024-2025 seasons are now available. These Corps hunting permits do not cover the West Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

Hunters should carefully review the hunting maps and permits to ensure compliance with all rules, regulations and weapon restrictions, in addition to adhering to all applicable state hunting laws. Hunters are not permitted to use centerfire rifles on Corps of Engineers hunting lands at West Point Lake. They may use shotguns, muzzleloaders, rimfire rifles and bows. Hunting areas and the types of weapons that may be used in that area are designated on the West Point Lake hunting map. Both trapping and the use of buckshot are prohibited on Corps of Engineers lands. These restrictions, along with other Corps rules and regulations, are enforced on top of existing state hunting regulations.

Permits can be purchased at the West Point Lake Visitors Center by phone at 706.645.2937, or a permit can be requested by mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, West Point Project Management Office, 500 Resource Management Dr., West Point, GA 31833-9517. When requesting a permit by mail, please provide your name, mailing address and telephone number. Checks and money orders should be made payable to: F&A Officer, USACE Mobile. Cash is not accepted.

Hunters must always carry a valid West Point Project hunting permit while hunting. If a permit is lost, a new one must be purchased.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages approximately 10,000 acres of hunting land at West Point Lake. Each year rangers at West Point maintain these lands by planting food plots and dove fields, conducting prescribed burns, harvesting timber to diversify habitat and doing road maintenance.

The Corps of Engineers also leases approximately 10,000 acres to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to manage as West Point WMA. West Point WMA is comprised of three areas—West Point WMA, Dixie Creek WMA and Lakeside WMA. This land is managed under GA DNR guidelines, so some rules and restrictions are different from Corps-managed lands, such as the use of centerfire rifles. To hunt the WMA at West Point, hunters must have a valid state hunting license, as well as a WMA stamp. Hunters do not need a Corps permit to hunt the WMA, and likewise do not need a WMA stamp to hunt Corps lands. Species that may be hunted on both Corps of Engineers hunting areas as well as the WMA include deer, turkey, dove, quail, waterfowl, rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, bobcat, opossum, feral hogs and coyotes. Feral hogs and coyotes may be taken during any open season with the appropriate weapon for that season, except for small game season when hunters are allowed to use black powder weapons to hunt feral hogs.

Hunting seasons are also different for both areas. Corps of Engineers property is open for the entire hunting season, while the WMA has specific dates for deer hunting and special quota hunts for turkey. The WMA also hosts special coyote hunts throughout the year. More information for the West Point WMA hunting dates visit the GA DNR’s website. For Alabama state hunting information visit the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website.

For questions, please contact Park Ranger Kevin Parsons at 706.645.2937.

For more information about West Point Lake, visit West Point Lake Recreation.