Georgia has a rich tradition of hunting. Around 630,000 people hunt in the state and spend more than 9.9 million days a year doing so. This makes it one of the top three most avid hunting states and a particularly savvy one as well with a 11.4% success rate for archery deer hunting and impressive 47.1% success rate for firearms. If you think you could be one of those successes, make sure you know the Georgia deer hunting season dates and other important regulations.
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Georgia Deer Hunting Season Dates for 2022-2023
The Georgia deer hunting seasons are determined by county, which are grouped into six colored zones. The zones aren’t necessarily contiguous, so check the map for your county or the counties where you plan to hunt, and then verify its season dates based on the color.
Furthermore, Georgia seasons aren’t just based on location but sex as well. Even within a general season for a given method of take, there are specific dates for antlered versus either-sex harvests.
Yellow
| Method of Take | Sex | Dates |
| Archery | Either | Sept. 10-Jan. 8 |
| Primitive Weapons | Either | Oct. 15-21 |
| Firearms | Antlered only | Oct. 22-Nov. 25 |
| Either | Nov. 26-27 | |
| Antlered only | Nov. 28-Dec. 31 | |
| Either | Jan. 1 | |
| Antlered only | Jan. 2-8 |
Orange
| Method of Take | Sex | Dates |
| Archery | Either | Sept. 10-Jan. 8 |
| Primitive Weapons | Either | Oct. 15-21 |
| Firearms | Antlered only | Oct. 22-Nov. 20 |
| Either | Nov. 21-27 | |
| Antlered only | Nov. 28-Dec. 31 | |
| Either | Jan. 1 | |
| Antlered only | Jan. 2-8 |
Green
| Method of Take | Sex | Dates |
| Archery | Either | Sept. 10-Jan. 8 |
| Primitive Weapons | Either | Oct. 15-21 |
| Firearms | Antlered only | Oct. 22-Nov. 4 |
| Either | Nov. 5-Jan. 8 |
Gray
| Method of Take | Sex | Dates |
| Archery | Either | Sept. 10-Jan. 8 |
Magenta
| Method of Take | Sex | Dates |
| Archery | Either | Sept. 10-Jan. 8 |
| Primitive Weapons | Either | Oct. 15-Jan. 8 |
| Firearms | Either | Oct. 22-Jan. 8 |
Cyan
| Method of Take | Sex | Dates |
| Archery | Either | Sept. 10-Jan. 8 |
| Primitive Weapons | Either | Oct. 15-21 |
| Firearms | Antlered only | Oct. 22-23 |
| Either | Oct. 24-Jan. 8 |
Extended Archery Season
There is also an extended archery season for either sex running from January 9 to January 31 in the following counties:
- Barrow
- Bibb
- Chatham
- Cherokee
- Clarke
- Clayton
- Cobb
- Columbia
- Decatur
- DeKalb
- Douglas
- Fayette
- Forsyth
- Fulton
- Gwinnett
- Hall
- Henry
- Muscogee
- Paulding
- Rockdale
- Seminole
Georgia Bag Limits
Compared to other states, Georgia has a high bag limit of 12 deer in total. Of these 12, no more than 10 may be antlerless and no more than two antlered. Of the two antlered deer, one must meet one of two conditions:
- At least four points of one inch or longer on one side
- 15-inch outside spread
In seven counties, both antlered deer must meet one of those two conditions. They are:
- Hancock
- Harris
- Meriweather
- Montgomery
- Randolph
- Talbot
- Troup
In two counties, both antlered deer must meet the condition of having a minimum 15-inch outside spread. They are:
- Dooly
- Macon
Georgia Deer Hunting License Requirements and Costs
One thing I love about Georgia is that they provide a simple chart showing you the licenses you need to hunt or fish a given game animal. If you check it, you’ll see that you’ll need the following three licenses to hunt whitetail deer:
- Hunting
- Big Game
- Harvest Record
You’ll also need the Georgia Lands Pass if you wish to hunt public land.
Instead of purchasing a separate hunting license and big game license, you can also opt for a sportsman’s license, which includes both privileges as well as a wide range of other hunting and fishing privileges. There are also other combo licenses. License fees vary based on the length of their validity as well as your resident status.
A resident is defined as someone who’s been domiciled in Georgia for at least three consecutive months as shown by a Georgia driver’s license or official Georgia ID card with a Georgia address. Additionally, the following people, technically non-residents, may purchase resident hunting licenses:
- Full-time military personnel on active duty as well as their dependents
- Non-resident full-time university students living in Georgia and attending a college or university in Georgia
| License | Length of Validity | Resident Cost | Non-Resident Cost |
| Combo Hunting & Fishing | Annual | $30.00 | $150.00 |
| One day | $5.00 | $30.00 | |
| Each additional day* | $1.00 | $10.00 | |
| Standard Hunting | Annual | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| One day | $5.00 | $20.00 | |
| Each additional day | $1.00 | $6.00 | |
| Big Game | Annual | $25.00 | $225.00 |
| One day | $10.00 | $130.00 | |
| Each additional day | $2.00 | $8.00 | |
| Sportsman’s | Annual | $65.00 | $400.00 |
| One day | $25.00 | $170.00 | |
| Each additional day | $3.00 | $20.00 | |
| Senior Sportsman’s (65+) | Annual | $7.00 | Not available |
| Youth Sportsman’s (Under 16) | Multi-year | $15.00 | Not available |
| Non-Resident Youth Sportsman’s (Under 16) | Annual | N/A | $50.00 |
| One-Time Honorary Veteran’s License | Annual | Free | Not available |
| Disability Sportsman’s | Annual | $5.00 | Not available |
| Three years | $15.00 | Not available | |
| Georgia Lands Pass | Annual | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Harvest Record | Annual | Free | Free |
Lifetime Licenses
Georgia also offers lifetime licenses. These are normally only available for residents but in some cases can be purchased for non-residents. The prices vary significantly by age.
| Lifetime License | Age | Resident Cost | Non-Resident Cost |
| Infant Sportsman’s | Under 2 | $500.00 | $500.00 |
| Youth Sportsman’s | 2-15 | $600.00 | Not available |
| Adult Sportsman’s | 16-49 | $750.00 | Not available |
| Older Adult Sportsman’s | 50-59 | $375.00 | Not available |
| Senior Discount Sportsman’s | 60-64 | $315.00 | Not available |
| Senior Sportsman’s | 65+ | $70.00 | Not available |
| Free Senior Sportsman’s | Born on or before June 30, 1952 | Free | Not available |
| Senior Hunting | 65+ | $35.00 | Not available |
| Military and Veterans Sportsman’s | N/A | $600.00 | Not available |
| Non-Resident Grandchild Sportsman’s | 2-15 | N/A | $1,500.00 |
| Shooting Preserve | N/A | $75.00 | $75.00 |
Hunter Education Requirements
Both resident and non-resident hunters aged 12 and older born on or after January 1, 1961, must have completed a hunter education course before obtaining a Georgia hunting license, though those over age 25 don’t actually have to present proof of meeting this requirement when purchasing the license.
Hunters from age 12-15 may hunt under the supervision of a licensed hunter if they do not meet the hunter education requirements. Hunters aged 16 and older who do not meet the hunter education requirements but still wish to hunt in Georgia must purchase an apprentice hunting and fishing combo license. It does not require supervision.
| License | Length of Validity | Resident Cost | Non-Resident Cost |
| Apprentice Hunting & Fishing | One day | $5.00 | $30.00 |
| Each additional day | $1.00 | $10.00 |
What Weapons Can You Hunt With in Georgia?
Archery
Georgia requires you to use broadheads for hunting but otherwise has no restrictions on archery equipment. Crossbows, longbows, recurve bows and compound bows are all legal, and there is no minimum draw weight or arrow length.
Primitive Weapons
The Georgia “Primitive Weapons” season allows for the following weapons:
- Archery equipment (see above)
- Air bows
- Air rifles shooting .30 caliber or larger
- Muzzleloaders
- Muzzleloading shotguns
Firearms
For deer hunting in Georgia, you may use a range of firearms during the firearms season. However, they all have certain restrictions.
Modern Rifles and Handguns
- Centerfire only
- .22 caliber or larger
- Expanding bullets
There is no restriction on magazine capacity.
Shotguns
- 20-gauge or larger
- Slugs or buckshot
Muzzleloaders
- .30 caliber or larger
- Muzzleloading shotguns 20-gauge or larger
Air Guns
- Air rifles .30 caliber or larger
- Air bows using unignited compressed gas or air
Can You Hunt With an AR-15 in Georgia?
You can hunt with an AR-15 in Georgia because this type of rifle meets the state’s firearm guidelines. Specifically, a standard AR-15 shoots .223 Remington ammunition, which is just larger than the .22-caliber requirement as well as centerfire and expanding. However, the term “AR-15” is often used loosely for rifles built in the style of the original Colt model, so check that your particular gun meets those requirements.
What Types of Deer Are Popular in Georgia?
The whitetail deer is the only widely distributed deer species in Georgia. Over 250,000 were harvested in the 2021-2022 season.
In fact, the whitetail deer is more than just a popular game animal. Thanks to elementary school students in Muscogee County, the animal was made the state’s official state mammal in 2015.
What Else Is Popular to Hunt in Georgia?
Georgia is similar to the rest of the nation in that whitetail deer represent the most popular game animal by far. Nevertheless, enthusiastic Georgia hunters take advantage of numerous other state-regulated seasons. Other popular game animals include bear, turkey and even alligator, 390 of which were harvested in 2022. Furthermore, there are seasons for:
- Crows
- Dove
- Squirrel
- Rabbit
- Quail
- Grouse
- Fox
- Bobcat
- Sora
- Rails
- Opossum
- Raccoon
- Snipe
- Woodcock