Archery Season
Either Sex
- Statewide: Sept. 10–Oct. 14;
- Archery Only Counties: Fulton (north of GA Hwy 92) and all of Clayton, Cobb, and DeKalb Counties): Sept. 10–Jan. 1 in accordance with statewide bag limits, county-wide antler restrictions and other regulations.
- Extended Archery Season: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Rockdale Counties only; Jan. 2–31 in accordance with statewide bag limits.
Additional Archery Season Information: Archers may not possess any centerfire, rimfire, or muzzleloading firearm while hunting during the archery deer season , except that any person possessing a license to carry a concealed firearm that is valid in this state pursuant to OCGA §§ 16-11-126(f) or 16-11-129 may carry such firearm subject to the limitations of OCGA §§ 16-11-126 and 16-11-127 except where prohibited by federal law. Archery hunting is allowed during firearms deer seasons and deer of either sex may be taken except as otherwise specified on WMAs. Archery hunters must wear at least 500 square inches of hunter orange during primitive weapons and firearms deer seasons except in Archery-Only Counties.
Primitive Weapons Season
Either Sex: Youth under 16 may hunt deer with any legal deer firearm during primitive weapons deer hunts and seasons. Oct. 15–21; Statewide, except in archery-only counties and in accordance with bag limits, county-wide antler restrictions and other regulations. Primitive weapons hunters may not possess any centerfire or rimfire firearm while hunting during the primitive weapons season for deer, except that any person possessing a license to carry a concealed firearm that is valid in this state pursuant to OCGA §§ 16-11-126(f) or 16-11-129 may carry such firearm subject to the limitations of OCGA §§ 16-11-126 and 16-11-127 except where prohibited by federal law. Scopes may be used.
Firearms Season
See Northern and Southern Zones for firearms deer season, dog deer seasons and either-sex dates.
Deer Hunting With Dogs
Deer may be hunted with dogs only within authorized seasons and localities. Additionally, deer may be hunted with dogs only on leased properties of at least 1,000 contiguous acres or privately-owned properties of at least 250 contiguous acres that are permitted by DNR. Permits are specific to a piece of property. Only one annual permit application per property should be submitted. Applications for a permit must be received at least 30 days prior to hunting deer with dogs. Applicants wishing to hunt on opening day must submit an application by September 22, 2011. Applications for a permit may be obtained by visiting www.gohuntgeorgia.com. To legally hunt deer with dogs, each hunter 16 years and older must possess a deer dog hunting license in addition to all other required licenses and permits. The fee for this license is $5 except that Honorary, Sportsmen’s and Lifetime license holders may obtain the license at no charge. Dogs used for hunting deer on such properties must be marked with the assigned permit number during a hunt. The permit number also must be clearly displayed on all vehicles being used during a dog deer hunt. For more information visit gohuntgeorgia.com or call (770) 761-3044.
Season Limit is 10 antlerless deer and 2 antlered deer. One of the two antlered deer must have a minimum of 4 points, 1 inch or longer, on one side of the antlers except in counties with special antler restrictions (see Northern and Southern Zones). There are no antler restrictions for the other antlered buck except in counties with special antler restrictions (see Northern and Southern Zones). Deer killed on WMA sign-in hunts and all other deer killed in Georgia shall be recorded on the hunter’s deer harvest record and count against the hunter’s season limit. Failure to record harvested deer on the deer harvest record is a violation of state law. Deer killed on WMAs, NWRs, or State Parks requiring check-out of harvested deer will be tagged with a special tag and do not count toward the season limit unless otherwise specified.
Archery-Only Counties: Deer may be hunted only with legal archery equipment in Clayton, Cobb, and DeKalb Cos., and that portion of Fulton Co. lying north of GA Hwy 92. Hunter orange is not required in archery-only counties or portions thereof.
County-wide Antler Restrictions: Antlered bucks may be harvested in Dooly and Macon Cos. only if they have a minimum outside antler spread of 15 inches. In Hancock, Harris, Meriwether, Montgomery, Randolph, Talbot, and Troup Cos., antlered bucks may be taken only if they have a minimum of 4 antler points, 1 inch or longer, on one side of the antlers.
Antlers: It is unlawful to kill a deer unless it has antlers (bone) visible above the hair, except during either-sex or antlerless seasons or hunts.
Recording Deer Harvest: Except for WMA, State Park and NWR hunts requiring hunter check-out of harvested deer, hunters may not remove a deer from the place of kill until the deer harvest record has been permanently marked. Hunters may not possess multiple deer harvest records. All deer hunters regardless of age or residency must obtain a deer harvest record and must record all deer harvest information.
Transporting Deer Harvested by Another Hunter: Persons transporting deer harvested by another hunter must possess, in writing, the complete name, address, telephone and hunting license number of the person who harvested the deer.
Cooler Lockers: Whole or field dressed deer received by a cold storage or processing facility must be marked by the facility operator with hunter’s name, county of kill, sex of deer, and date of kill. A list of processors is available at gohuntgeorgia.com. See Importation section below for restrictions on importation of deer carcasses.
Head of Deer: It is unlawful to remove the head of a deer until the deer is self-processed or surrendered to a storage facility for storage or processing.
Rights-of-Way/Transmission Towers: Transmission towers are property of the utility company. Hunting from a stand or platform attached to a transmission tower is trespassing and is prohibited. Written permission must be obtained from the landowner to hunt on power line, gas line, railroad, or other rights-of-way.
Lakes, Streams & Ponds: It is unlawful to take a deer by any means while it is in a lake, stream, or pond.
Importation: It is unlawful to import or cause to be imported any live cervid (deer species) into Georgia. Violators are subject to fines, imprisonment, and loss of hunting privileges for at least three years. Also, it is unlawful to import any whole cervid carcass or carcass part from any state having a documented case of a cervid infected with CWD, except that the following may be imported:
- Boned-out meat
- Commercially processed cuts of meat
- Meat with no part of spinal column or head attached
- Clean skull plates w/antlers attached
- Clean antlers
- Finished taxidermy heads
- Clean upper canines (buglers, whistlers, ivories). Visit cwd-info.org for a list of states/provinces where CWD has been documented. Individuals with information concerning the importation of cervids are encouraged to report this activity to DNR at (478) 825-6354.
