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2026-27 · WMA
Blue Ridge WMA for Hunters
Who runs it, what the regulations list for whitetails, black bears, gobblers and squirrels and rabbits, how many deer and gobblers are reported, and the public land around it in Fannin, Union and Lumpkin counties.
Photo: Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0)
Blue Ridge WMA by the numbers
Hunters find Blue Ridge WMA in Fannin, Union and Lumpkin counties; it is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Game Management Region 2 (Gainesville) takes in this ground. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. At 20,900 acres it ranks 14th of 121 Georgia WMAs with a published size. From Cherry Log, our nearest town guide, head southeast for roughly 14 miles.
Blue Ridge WMA, county by county
| County | Seat | Residents | ESZ colour | Bear | Gator | Checked deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fannin County | Blue Ridge | 25,854 | Cyan | Northern | — | 1,740 |
| Union County | Blairsville | 27,601 | Cyan | Northern | — | 1,755 |
| Lumpkin County | Dahlonega | 36,016 | Orange | Northern | — | 1,172 |
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.
Blue Ridge WMA hunt dates and quota lines
The 2026-27 regulations list 7 dated lines for Blue Ridge WMA, covering deer & bear, turkey, small game and coyote. It also carries 1 bonus deer line.
| Species | Hunt | Open days | Guide symbols | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 3-9 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Dec. 2-5 | Bonus deer | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Nov. 11-14, Dec. 26-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Bear Only: Sept. 26-Oct. 2 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Blue Ridge WMA licenses and access
What applies here, card by card.
Entry and limits, Blue Ridge WMA
No license, no entry for those 16 and up: a Georgia hunting or fishing license or a Lands Pass is required. Sign in on Go Outdoors Georgia before any bear, deer or turkey hunt (open the day before). Same-day check at the station for bonus deer.
- US Forest Service owned property
- No ATVs or UTVs
- Electric bicycles restricted to roads open for motor vehicles
What to buy before Blue Ridge WMA
Most residents buy the Sportsman's License. Whatever you buy, log deer, bear and turkey on the free Harvest Record.
Orange, bait and Game Check on Blue Ridge WMA
500 square inches of orange or blaze pink above the waist is the rule for gun and primitive weapons big game hunts. Keep corn and feed at home: baiting is prohibited on state and federally managed land. Report deer, bear and turkey on Georgia Game Check within 24 hours.
Blue Ridge WMA by road
From Dahlonega take GA 60 north for 28 miles to jct. with USFS Road #69, turn left and go 1 mile to the check station.
How many deer come off Blue Ridge WMA
Game Check shows 38 deer for Blue Ridge WMA in the 2025-26 season. 2017-18 was the top season (49); 2019-20 the leanest (21). Gobblers reported in spring 2026: 18. All listed springs: 180. Reported numbers only: WRD publishes no compliance-adjusted estimate for a single area.
Blue Ridge WMA bucks and does
| Season | Bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 32 | 6 | 38 |
| 2024-25 | 31 | 2 | 33 |
| 2023-24 | 36 | 9 | 45 |
| 2022-23 | 20 | 5 | 25 |
| 2021-22 | 44 | 0 | 44 |
| 2020-21 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| 2019-20 | 20 | 1 | 21 |
| 2018-19 | 19 | 9 | 28 |
| 2017-18 | 44 | 5 | 49 |
| 2016-17 | 33 | 12 | 45 |
Turkey counts, Blue Ridge WMA
| Spring | Birds reported |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 18 |
| Spring 2025 | 19 |
| Spring 2024 | 17 |
| Spring 2023 | 17 |
| Spring 2022 | 5 |
| Spring 2021 | 15 |
| Spring 2020 | 15 |
| Spring 2019 | 16 |
| Spring 2018 | 23 |
| Spring 2017 | 19 |
| Spring 2016 | 16 |
Bears by county near Blue Ridge 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.
Blue Ridge WMA: game list
Whitetails, black bears, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, coyotes and feral hogs, per the area record.
White-tailed deer
First line in the listing: Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 3-9 (archery).
Black bear
First line in the listing: Bear Only: Sept. 26-Oct. 2 (firearms).
Coyote
First line in the listing: May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs.
Feral hog
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
The ground at Blue Ridge WMA
The agency text first, then linked areas.
Blue Ridge WMA as WRD describes it
Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area is located in Fannin, Union, and Lumpkin counties. This 20,900-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey and small game. Over 31 miles of hiking trails are open to the public. This property is owned by the U.S. Forest Service who manages all non-hunting aspects of their property such as roads, recreation, and land management. Vehicle Usage: ATVs and UTVs are not allowed on U.S. Forest Service roads.
They may only be used on roads/trails designated specifically for their use. Check Road Closures: Road closures due to damage or weather-related conditions for this property will be listed at the agency website.
Blue Ridge WMA: parent, units and overlapping ground
| Name | Type | Counties | Acreage | Deer, last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | Union, Lumpkin, Fannin | 302,238 | — |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Blue Ridge WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Blue Ridge WMA sits at the orange pin, with 12 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Together they publish 633,549 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper's Creek WMA | WMA | 30,000 | 9 mi | northeast | 9 |
| Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 302,238 | 10 mi | northeast | — |
| Cochrans Creek WMA | WMA | 2,057 | 10 mi | south | 1 |
| Rich Mountain WMA | WMA | 20,674 | 11 mi | west | 6 |
| Chestatee WMA | WMA | 27,123 | 12 mi | east | 6 |
| Rich Mountain WMA: Cartecay Tract | WMA | 2,165 | 16 mi | west | 33 |
| Dawson Forest WMA | WMA | 25,658 | 17 mi | south | 33 |
| Chattahoochee WMA | WMA | 25,150 | 22 mi | east | 17 |
| Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 188,617 | 23 mi | northwest | — |
| Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park | State park | 4,500 | 24 mi | east | 18 |
| McGraw Ford WMA | WMA | 2,067 | 27 mi | south | 38 |
| Carter's Lake WMA | WMA | 3,300 | 27 mi | west | 44 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (WRD WMA Boundary GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Base towns for Blue Ridge WMA
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Log | Gilmer | 14 mi | — | 60,036 |
| Morganton | Fannin | 14 mi | 294 | 41,402 |
| Blue Ridge | Fannin | 15 mi | 1,246 | 45,909 |
| Dahlonega | Lumpkin | 15 mi | 7,830 | 28,679 |
Its counties, each with a guide: Fannin County, Union County, Lumpkin County.
Local businesses for Blue Ridge WMA hunters
Who to call about Blue Ridge 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.
Blue Ridge WMA: nearest ranges
No range sits on Blue Ridge WMA; the nearest WRD-listed range is Rich Mountain: Cartecay Tract Archery Range, about 16 miles away. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: 3-D Targets (22)
Lines for skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle and muzzleloader
Lines for trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore, muzzleloader, archery and shotgun
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Blue Ridge WMA sunrise, sunset and shooting time
Whitetails, turkeys and squirrels: sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Migratory birds: same start, but they end at sunset.
Worked out for Blue Ridge 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.
Blue Ridge WMA hunting kit
Click for current models and prices.
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Common Blue Ridge WMA questions
Which town makes a good base for Blue Ridge WMA?
It lies in Fannin, Union and Lumpkin counties. Cherry Log sits 14 miles away.
What license gets me onto Blue Ridge WMA?
No separate WMA permit: a Georgia hunting or fishing license or the Lands Pass ($60.00 nonresident) covers it.
Is there a check-in for Blue Ridge WMA?
Use Go Outdoors Georgia for the online sign-in, required for deer, bear and turkey.
What are the deer dates for Blue Ridge WMA?
Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 3-9, archery, is the first listed. More lines sit in the season table.
What are the spring turkey dates at Blue Ridge WMA?
Turkey runs Apr. 3-May 15. Each hunter may take one gobbler from the area.
What can be hunted at Blue Ridge WMA?
Per the area record, whitetails, black bears, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, coyotes and feral hogs.
Is Blue Ridge WMA a quota hunt?
Nothing is quota only.
Does Blue Ridge WMA allow camping?
Camping is permitted where designated.
How many bucks came off Blue Ridge WMA?
32 bucks and 6 does were checked in 2025-26.
Can I hunt bears on Blue Ridge WMA?
Northern zone; bear appears in the listing.
Which areas are close to Blue Ridge WMA?
Within reach are Cooper's Creek WMA (9 miles), Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) (10 miles) and Cochrans Creek WMA (10 miles), nearest first.
Is blaze pink legal on Blue Ridge WMA?
Orange or pink, 500 square inches, whenever firearms or primitive weapons deer or bear hunts are on.
Blue Ridge WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Blue Ridge WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: blue ridge 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: NPS Photo (Public domain); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).