New rules for Georgia hunters could make bow season a little different. What is changing?
The weather is cooler, football is on the TV, and the kids are officially back in school. That means hunting season is upon us, so hunters across the state may want to brush up on the new rules for archery hunting in the state.
The 2024-2025 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Guide by Georgia Wildlife outlines exactly what bow-hunters need to know before you head out Saturday, Sept. 14.
Important dates to know
The statewide bow season opens on Sept. 14 and runs through Jan. 12, 2025. However, 28 counties have an extended archery season. Notably, Muscogee County is included in this list but not Harris, Troup, Chattahoochee, or Merriweather counties.
These counties allow either-sex, archery-only hunting for deer from the regular season until Jan. 31, 2025.
Barrow
Bibb
Chatham
Cherokee
Clarke
Clayton
Cobb
Columbia
DeKalb
Douglas
Fayette
Forsyth
Fulton
Gwinnett
Hall
Henry
Muscogee
Paulding
Richmond
Rockdale
It’s important to note that the below counties allow buck-only hunting for the first two weeks.
Baker
Decatur
Early
Grady
Miller
Mitchell
Seminole
Thomas
Other important information for hunters
Anterless deer can be hunted across the state with bows on any open date for deer hunting.
Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties are archery-only counties.
In the Chattahoochee National Forest east of I-75, anterless deer hunting is prohibited, including during archery dates.
Check the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website for up-to-date information about hunting season.
This story was originally published September 11, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "New rules for Georgia hunters could make bow season a little different. What is changing?."
