Archery Deer Season in Georgia Begins September 10

Archers will get the first shot at bringing home a deer this season in Georgia, when archery deer season opens on Saturday, September 10.

Last year, 132,641 archery hunters harvested more than 66,039 deer, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Statewide, hunters can use archery equipment throughout the entire 2016-2017 deer season, which ends January 8.

"The early part of archery season occurs before mature bucks shift into their fall movement patterns," said the DNR's state deer program coordinator Charlie Killmaster. "With their home range near its smallest at this time of year, hunters should concentrate on food sources closest to thick cover for the best chance at an early-season buck."

New this hunting season will be Georgia Game Check, a new system for hunters to record their kills.

Beginning this season, all hunters on public and private lands must record the deer on their harvest record and report the harvest using Georgia Game Check.

Hunters are allowed a season bag limit of 10 antlerless deer and two antlered deer. One of the two antlered deer must have a minimum of four points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers.

Special regulations apply to archery-only counties and extended archery season areas. Counties in the Metro Atlanta area -- Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Rockdale counties -- offer either-sex archery deer hunting through January 31.

Additionally, deer of either sex may be taken with archery equipment at any time during the deer season on private land.

Many public lands offer specialty hunts, including primitive weapons hunts, adult/child hunts and ladies-only hunts. Dates and locations for these hunts are listed in the 2016-2017 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide. Georgia offers more than 100 state-operated wildlife management areas (WMAs) for the public’s use.

To hunt deer in Georgia, hunters must have a valid hunting license and a big game license. If hunting on a WMA, a WMA license is required.

Licenses can be purchased online at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/licenses-permits-passes, by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at a license agent (list of agents available online).

For more information on deer hunting seasons, regulations, licenses and WMA maps, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting.

Photo courtesy Georgia Department of Natural Resources