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WMA, northwest Georgia
Cohutta WMA A Hunter's Guide
92,647 acres of wma in Murray, Fannin and Gilmer counties, with 2026-27 dates, harvest numbers, licenses and a map.
Photo: Tamparitus (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cohutta WMA season dates, 2026-27
6 lines in this season's WRD listing apply to Cohutta WMA: deer & bear, turkey, coyote, small game and waterfowl. Also marked: 1 bonus deer line.
| Game | Type | Dates | Marks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Buck only: Sept. 12-30, Oct. 5-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 1-4, Dec. 2-6 | Bonus deer | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | No May 16-31 coyote or hog season. | — | |
| 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.
Cohutta WMA by the numbers
Think of Cohutta WMA as a wildlife management area run by WRD spread over Murray, Fannin and Gilmer counties. WRD handles it out of the Armuchee office (Game Management Region 1). It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. Its 92,647 acres put it 1st by size among 121 WMAs on our list. The nearest covered town is Eton, around 10 miles off in a straight line.
Cohutta WMA, county by county
| County | Seat of county | People | Either-sex colour | Bear zone | Alligator | Deer checked, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County | Chatsworth | 41,316 | Orange | Northern | — | 1,558 |
| Fannin County | Blue Ridge | 25,854 | Cyan | Northern | — | 1,740 |
| Gilmer County | Ellijay | 33,327 | Orange | Northern | — | 1,417 |
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.
Deer and turkeys taken on Cohutta WMA
In 2025-26 the reported take on Cohutta WMA reached 4. The best season on the chart is 2019-20 at 15; the lowest, 1 in 2024-25. Early 2026-27 figure, still climbing: 2. The spring 2026 turkey count for Cohutta WMA was 22, out of 353 across the years shown. Treat them as a floor. They are Game Check entries, not adjusted totals.
Deer counts, Cohutta WMA
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025-26 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024-25 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 2017-18 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 2016-17 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Spring gobblers at Cohutta WMA
| Year | Gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 22 |
| Spring 2025 | 19 |
| Spring 2024 | 23 |
| Spring 2023 | 22 |
| Spring 2022 | 26 |
| Spring 2021 | 44 |
| Spring 2020 | 48 |
| Spring 2019 | 52 |
| Spring 2018 | 36 |
| Spring 2017 | 29 |
| Spring 2016 | 32 |
North Georgia bears near Cohutta 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.
Cohutta WMA described
Nothing here is our wording: it is the manager's own description.
Agency description
Cohutta Wildlife Management Area is located in Murray, Fannin and Gilmer counties. This 96,583-acre property is owned primarily by the U.S. Forest Service with additional properties annually leased to provide hunting opportunities for deer, turkey and small game. Over 158 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails are open to the public. 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.
Linked ground around Cohutta WMA
| Area | Type | Counties | Acres | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | 188,617 | — |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Cohutta WMA licenses and access
Ground rules, then the paperwork.
Cohutta WMA ground rules
Anyone 16 or older needs a Georgia hunting or fishing license, or a Lands Pass, just to enter. Online sign-in is mandatory for deer, bear and turkey; it opens the day ahead. Bonus-hunt deer are checked at the station on the day of harvest.
- No ATVs except on designated ATV trails
- Electric bicycles restricted to roads open for motor vehicles
Cohutta WMA license checklist
Big game hunters add the Big Game License to a hunting license, or buy the Sportsman's, and always carry the free Harvest Record.
Three statewide rules for Cohutta WMA
Orange or blaze pink, 500 square inches above the waist, during primitive weapons and firearms deer and bear hunts. Hunting over bait is unlawful on every state or federal property, this one included. Every deer, turkey and bear goes into Game Check within 24 hours.
Driving to Cohutta WMA
From Ellijay to Holly Creek Check Station: Take Hwy 52 west 9.2 miles, turn right at Conasauga Lake sign, go 3.5 miles, turn right on USFS road #68, go 2 miles to check station. From Chatsworth to Holly Creek Check Station: Take US Hwy 411 north to Eton, turn right at traffic light and follow Holly Creek Rd 11.6 miles to check station. From Cisco to West Cowpen Check Station: Take GA Hwy 2, go 3 miles east to junction with West Cowpen Rd, check station at junction.
Game at Cohutta WMA, with limits
Species with a season or a mention here: whitetails, black bears, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
White-tailed deer
Listing starts with archery, Buck only: Sept. 12-30, Oct. 5-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-Jan. 1.
Black bear
Listing starts with archery, Buck only: Sept. 12-30, Oct. 5-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-Jan. 1.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Cohutta WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Cohutta WMA sits at the orange pin, with 9 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Their published acreage adds up to 238,974.
| Public ground | Type | Acres | Distance | Which way | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 188,617 | 7 mi | southeast | — |
| Conasauga River WMA | WMA | 509 | 14 mi | west | 18 |
| Rich Mountain WMA | WMA | 20,674 | 18 mi | southeast | 6 |
| Carter's Lake WMA | WMA | 3,300 | 20 mi | south | 44 |
| Rich Mountain WMA: Cartecay Tract | WMA | 2,165 | 20 mi | southeast | 33 |
| Carters Lake | Corps lake | — | 20 mi | south | — |
| Coosawattee WMA | WMA | 2,714 | 21 mi | southwest | 110 |
| McEntire Road VPA | VPA property | 95 | 22 mi | southwest | — |
| Blue Ridge WMA | WMA | 20,900 | 29 mi | southeast | 38 |
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.
Shooting range on Cohutta WMA
Cohutta WMA has its own public range: Sumac Shooting Range.
Facilities: 100-yard Range
- Firearm lines require the free Range Safety Video Certification on Go Outdoors Georgia.
- The range bans green-tip rounds.
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Cohutta WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eton | Murray | 10 mi | 851 | 50,371 |
| Chatsworth | Murray | 13 mi | 4,943 | 33,452 |
| Epworth | Fannin | 13 mi | — | 29,826 |
| Cherry Log | Gilmer | 15 mi | — | 60,036 |
Read the county pages: Murray County, Fannin County, Gilmer County.
Shops and processors by Cohutta WMA
WRD and ranger offices near Cohutta 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.
Gear picked for Cohutta WMA
Picked around the hunting done here; prices change daily.
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Hunting hours near Cohutta WMA
In Georgia, legal hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and other migratory birds stop at sunset.
Worked out for Cohutta 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.
Cohutta WMA, asked and answered
Can I turkey hunt Cohutta WMA in April?
Gobblers: Apr. 3-May 15. Public-land limit: one gobbler per area.
When is the first deer hunt at Cohutta WMA?
Deer begin with Buck only: Sept. 12-30, Oct. 5-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-Jan. 1 (archery). More lines sit in the season table.
Is hunting at Cohutta WMA first come?
The listing carries no quota symbol.
What can be hunted at Cohutta WMA?
5 groups: whitetails, black bears, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
How did Cohutta WMA do in 2025-26?
Reported deer, 2025-26: 4.
Is there a campground on Cohutta WMA?
Yes, in the designated camping areas.
Which areas are close to Cohutta WMA?
The closest on our list are Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) (7 miles), Conasauga River WMA (14 miles) and Rich Mountain WMA (18 miles).
Is Cohutta WMA in bear country?
It lies in the Northern bear zone. Bear hunting is listed.
Does game from Cohutta WMA go through Game Check?
Yes: deer, bear, turkey and alligator are reported on Game Check inside 24 hours.
What is the orange rule at Cohutta WMA?
Yes, 500 square inches of orange or pink during gun and muzzleloader big game dates.
What kind of place is Cohutta WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division manages this wildlife management area run by WRD.
Are feeders legal on Cohutta WMA?
No bait of any kind on public land.
Cohutta WMA: confirm before you go
Before the drive to Cohutta WMA, confirm the listing dates, your licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: WRD: cohutta 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: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).