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Bartow County · WMA
Allatoona WMA Hunting Guide
Allatoona WMA, 7,589 acres in Bartow and Cherokee counties: whitetails, black bears, gobblers and coyotes, this season's dates, Game Check harvest, rules and the ground nearby.
Photo: TranceMist (CC BY 2.0)
Sizing up Allatoona WMA
Kind of ground: wildlife management area run by WRD. Where: Bartow and Cherokee counties. The Armuchee regional office (Region 1) is the WRD contact. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. With 7,589 acres, it sits at 45th of 121 WMAs by acreage. Emerson is the closest town with a guide here, about 5 miles away; the area lies northeast of it.
Allatoona WMA, county by county
| County | Courthouse town | Population 2024 | Doe-day zone | Bear zone | Alligator zone | Deer 2025-26 (reported) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartow County | Cartersville | 117,508 | Green | Northern | — | 2,505 |
| Cherokee County | Canton | 293,513 | Green | Northern | — | 2,506 |
From the source page (Georgia 2026-27 Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) area listing); counties and zones from the WRD county zone tables; county deer counts from WRD Game Check; population from the Census 2024 estimates. Checked October 13, 2026.
Dates WRD set for Allatoona WMA
This year's listing gives Allatoona WMA 7 lines of dates: deer & bear, turkey, coyote, small game and waterfowl. Flags to note: 1 specialty hunt.
| Game | Segment | When | Flags | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 16 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Oct. 17-31 | Specialty | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Nov. 1-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | State Seasons | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
How many deer come off Allatoona WMA
Bucks 115, does 82: that is the 2025-26 reported harvest on Allatoona WMA. Range across the chart: 127 up to 197 deer. This season's running total stands at 17 (incomplete). 214 gobblers have been checked from Allatoona WMA in the springs listed, 18 of them in 2026. Counts are raw Game Check reports from the area; WRD does not adjust them for non-reporting at this level.
Deer reported from Allatoona WMA
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 5 | 12 | 17 |
| 2025-26 | 115 | 82 | 197 |
| 2024-25 | 106 | 80 | 186 |
| 2023-24 | 93 | 69 | 162 |
| 2022-23 | 89 | 59 | 148 |
| 2021-22 | 80 | 47 | 127 |
| 2020-21 | 74 | 68 | 142 |
| 2019-20 | 72 | 81 | 153 |
| 2018-19 | 75 | 64 | 139 |
| 2017-18 | 76 | 62 | 138 |
| 2016-17 | 70 | 62 | 132 |
Allatoona WMA spring turkey counts
| Season | Gobblers checked |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 18 |
| Spring 2025 | 19 |
| Spring 2024 | 29 |
| Spring 2023 | 21 |
| Spring 2022 | 14 |
| Spring 2021 | 15 |
| Spring 2020 | 23 |
| Spring 2019 | 21 |
| Spring 2018 | 16 |
| Spring 2017 | 24 |
| Spring 2016 | 14 |
Legal bears around Allatoona WMA
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer, bears from the WRD north Georgia bear summary; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
What Allatoona WMA requires
What applies here, card by card.
How Allatoona WMA works
Before stepping onto the area, hunters and visitors 16 and older need a license or the Lands Pass. Bear, deer and turkey hunters sign in online on Go Outdoors Georgia, from the day before.
- No ATVs and no camping allowed on the WMA
- No ATVs
- No camping
Licenses for Allatoona WMA
The free Harvest Record is mandatory for deer, bear, turkey and alligator, whatever license you hold.
Rules that follow you onto Allatoona WMA
Firearms and primitive weapons dates mean orange or pink on top, at least 500 square inches. Bait is legal on private land with permission, never on WMAs, VPAs, national forests or other public land. Within 24 hours, report big game and turkeys on Game Check.
Getting to Allatoona WMA
From Cartersville Take HWY 20 east from I-75, 5.5 miles to check station.
Allatoona WMA up close
Quoted from the managing agency, then the lists that tie this page to others.
Notes from WRD
Allatoona Wildlife Management Area is located in Cherokee and Bartow counties and owned by The Corps of Engineers. This 6,818-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey, small game and waterfowl. Firearms prohibited in U.S. Corps of Engineers developed campsites. Horse and bicycle trails & areas are closed all day during Firearms Specialty Hunt and before 10 am EST during other deer and turkey seasons.
Allatoona WMA: parent, units and overlapping ground
| Area | Category | Counties | Acres | Game Check deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allatoona Lake | Corps lake | Bartow, Cherokee | 2,777 | 83 |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona WMA species and bags
Hunters come to Allatoona WMA for whitetails, black bears, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Pins around Allatoona WMA
Allatoona WMA sits at the orange pin, with 6 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Acres on file for the neighbours: 41,293.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Deer reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Top Mountain State Park | State park | 1,776 | 3 mi | southwest | — |
| Allatoona Lake | Corps lake | 2,777 | 5 mi | west | 83 |
| Pleasant Valley VPA | VPA property | 934 | 15 mi | northwest | 8 |
| Sheffield WMA | WMA | 5,556 | 16 mi | southwest | 26 |
| Paulding Forest WMA | WMA | 28,183 | 22 mi | southwest | 106 |
| McGraw Ford WMA | WMA | 2,067 | 22 mi | northeast | 38 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (WRD WMA Boundary GIS (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Allatoona WMA: nearest ranges
About 31 miles separates Allatoona WMA from Coosawattee-Carter's Lake Archery Range, the nearest WRD range. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: Static Bullseye Targets
Lines for handgun, rifle, archery and action pistol
Lines for rifle, handgun, smallbore and action pistol
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson | Bartow | 5 mi | 2,192 | 8,957 |
| Cartersville | Bartow | 8 mi | 25,082 | 8,910 |
| Canton | Cherokee | 12 mi | 38,049 | 3,831 |
| Euharlee | Bartow | 15 mi | 4,139 | 13,499 |
Hunting guides for its counties: Bartow County, Cherokee County.
After the shot at Allatoona WMA
Offices for Allatoona WMA
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from WRD, USFS, USFWS and DoD layers; businesses from WRD lists, store locators and listings; offices from WRD, DNR Law Enforcement and USFS pages. Checked October 13, 2026. Call ahead.
Allatoona WMA hunting kit
Matched to the species on this page.
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Legal light at Allatoona WMA this week
Georgia shooting time starts a half hour before sunrise. Big game and small game end a half hour after sunset; doves and ducks end at sunset.
Worked out for Allatoona WMA in Eastern time from the rule in the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division guide (hunting hours). Hogs, coyotes, raccoons and some furbearers may be hunted at night on private land; check the guide. Shooting hours for every county.
Common Allatoona WMA questions
When is turkey season on Allatoona WMA?
Apr. 3-May 15, per the 2026-27 listing. Limit on WMAs: 1 gobbler per area.
When does deer season open on Allatoona WMA?
Archery dates start Sept. 12-Oct. 16. All later dates are in the table.
Are Allatoona WMA hunts limited?
No; the listing has no quota hunts.
What can be hunted at Allatoona WMA?
Listed game: whitetails, black bears, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
How many bucks came off Allatoona WMA?
The 2025-26 reported total was 197.
Where can I stay overnight at Allatoona WMA?
Camping is prohibited here.
Where else can I go near Allatoona WMA?
Within reach are Red Top Mountain State Park (3 miles), Allatoona Lake (5 miles) and Pleasant Valley VPA (15 miles), nearest first.
Which bear zone is Allatoona WMA in?
The Northern bear zone, and bear is on the area's game list.
How do I report a deer or gobbler from Allatoona WMA?
Record it on your Harvest Record, then report through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours (app, GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com or 1-800-366-2661).
Is blaze pink legal on Allatoona WMA?
In deer and bear gun hunts, wear 500 sq in of orange or blaze pink.
Which agency is in charge of Allatoona WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division runs it as a wildlife management area run by WRD.
Is baiting allowed at Allatoona WMA?
No. Baiting for game or feral hogs is illegal on state and federal land.
Allatoona WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Allatoona WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: allatoona wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations a c · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Monkeystyle3000 (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region (Public domain).