Georgia hunting and fishing laws

Residents and non-residents born on or after January 1, 1961 must successfully complete a hunter education course prior to purchasing a season hunting license. Those under 12 need no course but must be under direct supervision of a licensed adult 18 or older. Those 12 to 15 must complete it unless under direct adult supervision.

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Those 16 to 25 must present the certificate and possess it while hunting, and those 26 and older must complete the course but need not carry it. A hunter education course is not required to purchase an Apprentice License or a license identified as a Short Term License, and it is not required when hunting your own land or a parent's or guardian's land.

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A Resident Hunting, Combo or Sportsman's License is required for all resident hunters 16 years of age or older, with an exception for hunting on your own land.

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Applies to: Deer

You must wear 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange or blaze pink above the waist during primitive weapons and firearms deer seasons, and that includes archery hunters during those seasons, except in archery-only counties or WMAs.

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Georgia has no statewide Sunday hunting restriction; seasons run every day of the week. Individual WMAs set their own hunt dates, so check the WMA listing before hunting public land.

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Legal hours for hunting are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset, except for the species that may be hunted at night.

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Applies to: Deer

Bait means corn, wheat, other grains, salts, apples, and other feed that has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered so as to constitute a lure, attraction, or enticement to game animals or game birds. On private land, deer and feral hogs may be hunted over bait with the landowner's permission.

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Species other than deer and feral hogs, such as turkey, may not be hunted upon, over, around, or within 200 yards of bait, and require 10 days after complete bait removal. On public land it is unlawful to hunt any game over bait or place bait on any State or Federal managed lands, with penalties up to 5,000 dollars and up to 12 months imprisonment for big game other than deer.

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Applies to: Bear

Hunting bears over bait is prohibited statewide in Georgia. It is also unlawful to kill a female bear with cubs or a bear under 75 pounds.

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Applies to: Furbearers

Raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and feral hogs may be hunted at night (feral hogs at night on private land), and alligators under permit. Any light used for raccoons, opossums, foxes or bobcats must be carried on the hunter's body, attached to a hat or helmet, or part of a belt system; there is no voltage limit.

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Applies to: Big game

A current harvest record is required; record the date and county on it (paper, online or in the Outdoors GA app) before moving a deer, turkey or bear. Deer, turkey, bear and alligator must be reported through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours, give the confirmation number to any deer processor, and bears must also be presented for tagging.

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O.C.G.A. section 27-3-1(a) makes it unlawful to hunt upon the lands of another, or enter the lands of another in pursuit of wildlife, with or without a license, without first obtaining permission from the landowner or lessee. Where the land is posted and the owner has told law enforcement that written permission is necessary, that permission must be in writing and carried on the hunter's person.

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