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Cooper's Creek WMA Hunting
Everything we could verify about Cooper's Creek WMA: acreage, rules, dates, harvest and the ground nearby.
Photo: TranceMist (CC BY 2.0)
Cooper's Creek WMA in brief
Sitting in Union and Fannin counties, Cooper's Creek WMA is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Region 2 staff in Gainesville cover it for WRD. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. By area (30,000 acres) it comes 7th of the 121 WMAs. Roughly 10 miles separates it from Blairsville, the closest town page on this site.
County context for Cooper's Creek WMA
| County | County seat | Population | Either-sex zone | Bear | Alligator | Game Check deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | Blairsville | 27,601 | Cyan | Northern | — | 1,755 |
| Fannin County | Blue Ridge | 25,854 | Cyan | Northern | — | 1,740 |
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.
The 2026-27 Cooper's Creek WMA hunt calendar
Game with dates here this year: deer & bear, turkey, coyote and small game (9 lines in all). Other marks in the list: 2 bonus deer lines and 1 specialty hunt.
| Game | Hunt | Dates | Symbols | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 3-9 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Primitive | Buck Only: Oct. 21-24 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Nov. 4-7 | Specialty Bonus deer | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Nov. 25-28 | Bonus deer | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Dec. 26-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Bear Only: Sept. 26-Oct. 2 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Cooper's Creek WMA: rules before the first hunt
Area rules first, then licenses, orange and bait.
Getting in at Cooper's Creek WMA
Visitors 16+ carry either a Georgia hunting or fishing license or the Lands Pass. Big game and turkey hunters complete the online sign-in first, available a day early. On bonus hunts, check each deer at the area station that day.
- US Forest Service property
- No ATV’s/UTV’s
- Electric bicycles restricted to roads open to motor vehicles
License costs for Cooper's Creek WMA
Residents can skip the separate licenses with a Sportsman's License. Deer, bear and turkey hunters of any age carry the free Harvest Record.
Statewide rules at Cooper's Creek WMA
Georgia accepts blaze pink as well as orange: 500 square inches, worn above the waist, in gun and muzzleloader deer and bear hunts. Baiting is banned for any game or feral hog on state and federal land, WMAs and national forests included. Game Check reporting is due within 24 hours of harvest.
Finding Cooper's Creek WMA
From Dahlonega Take GA HWY 60 north 26 miles to jct. of Coopers Creek Rd., turn right and go 0.5 mile to jct. of USFS Road #236, turn left and go 4 miles to jct. of USFS Road #4, turn right and go 0.5 mile to check station. From Blairsville Take Old Blue Ridge HWY west 5 miles to Mulkey Gap Rd., turn left and travel 8.5 miles to check station.
What hunters report from Cooper's Creek WMA
The 2025-26 Game Check total for Cooper's Creek WMA was 9 (9 antlered, 0 antlerless). High mark: 10 (2022-23). Low mark: 2 (2018-19). So far in 2026-27, 1 deer have been checked (season in progress). Spring 2026 brought 21 reported gobblers; the table sums to 182. Only reported animals appear here; WRD adjusts for non-reporting at county level, not per area.
Cooper's Creek WMA deer table
| Season | Bucks checked | Does checked | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 2024-25 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2023-24 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2021-22 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2019-20 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 2016-17 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Turkeys reported from Cooper's Creek WMA
| Season | Reported gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 21 |
| Spring 2025 | 19 |
| Spring 2024 | 19 |
| Spring 2023 | 25 |
| Spring 2022 | 14 |
| Spring 2021 | 19 |
| Spring 2020 | 14 |
| Spring 2019 | 10 |
| Spring 2018 | 14 |
| Spring 2017 | 17 |
| Spring 2016 | 10 |
Bear harvest in the Cooper's Creek WMA counties
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.
Game at Cooper's Creek WMA, with limits
The listing and the manager name whitetails, black bears, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs for Cooper's Creek WMA.
White-tailed deer
Archery dates: Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 3-9.
Feral hog
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
About the land at Cooper's Creek WMA
From the agency page, word for word.
In the agency's own words
Cooper's Creek Wildlife Management Area is one of Georgia's larger wildlife management areas. It spans more than 30,000 acres, and lies within the Chattahoochee National Forest. This WMA is located in the extreme northeast corner of Georgia and nearly borders North Carolina. This WMA offers hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey and small game. 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.
The trails in this wildlife management area offer nearly eight miles of easy to moderate hiking. The trails follow old logging trails and new footpaths through a variety of hardwood, mixed pine and hardwood, and white pine and hemlock forests. 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.
Related to Cooper's Creek WMA
| Area | Type | Where | Size (ac) | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Cooper's Creek WMA plotted with nearby areas
Cooper's Creek WMA sits at the orange pin, with 12 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Published acres across them: 638,193.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction | Deer, last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 302,238 | 1 mi | north | — |
| Chestatee WMA | WMA | 27,123 | 7 mi | southeast | 6 |
| Blue Ridge WMA | WMA | 20,900 | 9 mi | southwest | 38 |
| Chattahoochee WMA | WMA | 25,150 | 15 mi | east | 17 |
| Rich Mountain WMA | WMA | 20,674 | 17 mi | west | 6 |
| Cochrans Creek WMA | WMA | 2,057 | 18 mi | southwest | 1 |
| Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park | State park | 4,500 | 18 mi | east | 18 |
| Swallow Creek WMA | WMA | 19,000 | 22 mi | east | 6 |
| Rich Mountain WMA: Cartecay Tract | WMA | 2,165 | 24 mi | west | 33 |
| Dawson Forest WMA | WMA | 25,658 | 24 mi | southwest | 33 |
| London Farms Dove Field | Dove field | 111 | 26 mi | southeast | — |
| Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 188,617 | 28 mi | west | — |
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.
Cooper's Creek WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blairsville | Union | 10 mi | 849 | 76,827 |
| Morganton | Fannin | 13 mi | 294 | 41,402 |
| Dahlonega | Lumpkin | 17 mi | 7,830 | 28,679 |
| Blue Ridge | Fannin | 17 mi | 1,246 | 45,909 |
County guides: Union County, Fannin County.
Services close to Cooper's Creek WMA
Agency offices by Cooper's Creek 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.
Cooper's Creek WMA: nearest ranges
For a public range, drive about 14 miles to Union County Gun Range. Closer private options sit beside it.
Facilities: Pistol Range, Rifle Range, Paved Parking
Lines for skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle and muzzleloader
Lines for rifle, handgun, muzzleloader and air gun
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
First and last light at Cooper's Creek WMA
Deer, turkey and small game hunters get 30 minutes of light on each side of the day; dove and waterfowl hunters quit at sundown.
Worked out for Cooper’s Creek 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.
Cooper's Creek WMA gear list
Chosen for the game hunted here; listings load when you click.
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Cooper's Creek WMA: what hunters ask
Is hunting at Cooper's Creek WMA first come?
No quota lines are listed; hunt the dates shown under the area rules.
Which species can I hunt on Cooper's Creek WMA?
The record lists whitetails, black bears, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs.
How many deer are taken on Cooper's Creek WMA?
9 deer, 9 of them bucks, in Game Check for 2025-26.
Can I camp on Cooper's Creek WMA?
Designated camping is available.
What areas neighbour Cooper's Creek WMA?
Close by: Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) (1 mile), Chestatee WMA (7 miles) and Blue Ridge WMA (9 miles), straight-line.
Are bears hunted near Cooper's Creek WMA?
Bear zone: Northern. Check the listing for bear dates.
How fast must I report a kill on Cooper's Creek WMA?
Within 24 hours, by app, online or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.
Can I wear pink instead of orange on Cooper's Creek WMA?
Yes in gun and primitive weapons big game hunts: 500 sq in, orange or pink.
Which agency is in charge of Cooper's Creek WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division is the manager; the ground is a wildlife management area run by WRD.
Does the private-land bait rule apply on Cooper's Creek WMA?
No, public land is closed to baiting.
Which town makes a good base for Cooper's Creek WMA?
In Union and Fannin counties, about 10 miles from Blairsville.
Is Cooper's Creek WMA big enough for a full day?
Published acreage: 30,000.
Cooper's Creek WMA, the last word
Double-check Cooper's Creek WMA with its manager: open areas, gates, sign-in and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: WRD: coopers creek 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: stefpet (CC BY-SA 2.0); Dana Beveridge (CC BY 2.0).