Georgia Deer Season 2026–27

Georgia's 2026–27 deer season runs from September 12, 2026, to January 10, 2027, for most hunters. Statewide firearms season opened Saturday, October 17, 2026, and it stays open through January. Nine southwest Georgia counties get five extra days of firearms season, through January 15, 2027. Twenty-nine counties have extended archery through January 31, 2027. The opener, bag limit and license rules come from the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) firearms season announcement. The zone dates come from the official Georgia hunting regulations.

Georgia Deer Season 2026–27 at a Glance

Season dates are statewide, but which days you can take a doe with a gun depends on your zone. Georgia splits private land into color-coded zones, so find your county on the either-sex zone map before you sit.

Either-Sex Days by Zone (Private Land, Firearms)

Two rules help on buck-only days. On private land, you can take a deer of either sex with archery equipment any time during primitive weapons and firearms seasons, according to WRD. In every zone, primitive weapons week (Oct. 10–16) was either sex too. Wildlife management areas (WMAs) set their own hunt dates, so check the WMA listings before you hunt public land.

Southwest Georgia's Extended Season

In Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole and Thomas counties, firearms season runs through Jan. 15, 2027. Archery in those counties was bucks only Sept. 12–27, then either sex through Oct. 9. Archery reopens Jan. 16–31, 2027, either sex. Those nine counties also have some of the latest ruts in the state, so the extra days matter.

Extended Archery Counties

Bowhunters in these 29 counties can keep going through Jan. 31, 2027: Baker, Barrow, Bibb, Calhoun, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Decatur, DeKalb, Douglas, Early, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Grady, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Miller, Mitchell, Muscogee, Paulding, Richmond, Rockdale, Seminole and Thomas. That includes most of metro Atlanta, so if you live in the city, late January is still bow season.

Bag Limits and Antler Rules

• Season limit: 12 deer, with no more than 10 antlerless and no more than 2 antlered.
• Second buck: one of your two antlered bucks must have at least four points, 1 inch or longer, on one side, or a 15-inch outside spread.
• Hancock, Harris, Meriwether, Montgomery, Randolph, Talbot and Troup counties: every antlered buck must meet that four-point or 15-inch rule.
• Dooly and Macon counties: every antlered buck must have at least a 15-inch outside spread.

Limits come from WRD and the county rules from the Georgia regulations.

Licenses, Orange and Game Check

• Licenses: you need a hunting license, a big game license and a current deer harvest record. Buy them at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, by phone at 1-800-366-2661, or from a license agent.
• Hunter orange or pink: during primitive weapons and firearms seasons, you and anyone with you must wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink above the waist. A hat counts toward the total, according to the Georgia hunting regulations.
• Game Check: report every deer within 24 hours through the Outdoors GA app, which works without cell service, at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, or at 1-800-366-2661.
• Legal firearms: centerfire rifles .22 caliber or larger with expanding bullets, plus anything legal for archery and primitive weapons season.

Licenses, Game Check and legal firearms all come from WRD's season announcement.

Hunting South Georgia? CWD Testing

If you hunt in Atkinson, Berrien, Lanier or Lowndes County, WRD asks you to get your deer tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Ask a participating processor or taxidermist, or drop the head at a freezer site. Testing is optional but available in every other county too. Locations and results are on WRD's CWD page.

When Is the Rut in Georgia?

Georgia doesn't have one rut date. The Georgia DNR rut map is built from deer-vehicle collision data and checked against conception dates and GPS-collared deer. It shows the peak week of deer movement in each of the state's 159 counties. The earliest counties, like Camden, Glynn and McIntosh on the coast, peak around Oct. 13–19. The single busiest week is Nov. 3–9, which covers 53 counties, including Cobb, DeKalb, Bibb, Houston and Floyd. Gwinnett, Fulton, Clarke and Hall peak around Nov. 10–16. The far southwest corner runs latest: Decatur and Grady around Dec. 8–14, Early and Miller around Dec. 15–21, and Seminole around Dec. 22–28. The full county-by-county list is in Sparrow Expeditions' county breakdown of the DNR map.

These are peak movement weeks, not a promise that every doe is bred that week, so use them to plan your vacation days, then trust what you see on your own ground. See how Georgia lines up with Alabama, Florida and South Carolina in our Southeast deer rut dates 2026 guide.

Planning Around Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is Nov. 26, 2026. In the Orange zone, either-sex days run Nov. 20–26, right through the holiday. In the Yellow zone, the weekend after, Nov. 28–29, is either sex. Green and Magenta zones are either sex the whole time. If you're traveling to hunt Alabama or Florida that week, check our Thanksgiving week hunting guide and our Alabama deer season 2026–27 guide.

Georgia Deer Season FAQ

When does deer season end in Georgia?

For most hunters, Jan. 10, 2027. Firearms season runs through Jan. 15 in Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole and Thomas counties. Archery runs through Jan. 31 in 29 extended-archery counties.

When did Georgia rifle season start in 2026?

Statewide firearms season opened Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Primitive weapons and youth-only firearms week ran Oct. 10–16.

Can I shoot a doe in Georgia right now?

It depends on your zone. Green and Magenta zones are either sex all firearms season. Orange, Cyan and Yellow zones have set either-sex days. On private land, you can take a doe with a bow any day of the season.

How many deer can you kill in Georgia?

Twelve per season: up to 10 antlerless and 2 antlered. One of the two bucks needs at least four points on one side or a 15-inch spread.

Do I have to report my deer in Georgia?

Yes. Report every deer through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours, using the Outdoors GA app, GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com or 1-800-366-2661.

Can I wear pink instead of orange in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia allows fluorescent pink or fluorescent orange. You need at least 500 square inches above the waist during primitive weapons and firearms seasons.

Gear Up for the Season

Every Hunt One More® design is built around faith, service and time in the field. Grab The Lord Is My Guide® tees and hoodies for those cold December sits, and put a Hunt One More decal on the truck before you head to the lease.

Trust the process. Trust the hunt. And when the sun's going down, hunt one more.

Keep Reading on Camp Talk

• Alabama Deer Season 2026–27
• Southeast Deer Rut Dates 2026
• Thanksgiving Hunting 2026: What's Open
• Late-Season Whitetail Hunting

Season dates come from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division and the official 2026–27 Georgia hunting regulations. This guide is for planning only. Always confirm current regulations, license requirements and bag limits with Georgia WRD before you hunt.