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Joe Kurz WMA Hunting
Everything we could verify about Joe Kurz WMA: acreage, rules, dates, harvest and the ground nearby.
Photo: GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Joe Kurz WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Joe Kurz WMA
- White Oak Creek Boat RampBoat ramp · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Joe Kurz WMA in brief
Sitting in Meriwether County, Joe Kurz WMA is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Region 1 staff in Armuchee cover it for WRD. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. By area (3,700 acres) it comes 67th of the 121 WMAs. Roughly 12 miles separates it from Zebulon, the closest town page on this site.
County context for Joe Kurz WMA
| County | County seat | Population | Either-sex zone | Bear | Alligator | Game Check deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meriwether County | Greenville | 21,439 | Green | None | — | 2,942 |
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Joe Kurz WMA
The 2026-27 Joe Kurz WMA hunt calendar
Game with dates here this year: deer, turkey, small game, dove, waterfowl and dog training (10 lines in all). 4 hunts are quota only, with 228 hunter slots between them; apply on Go Outdoors Georgia. Other marks in the list: 2 bonus deer lines.
| Game | Hunt | Dates | Symbols | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-20, Nov. 8-15 | — | Antler Restricted Area. |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 15-17 | Quota 100 Bonus deer | Antler Restricted Area. |
| Deer | Firearms | Either-Sex Last Day: Nov. 5-7 | Quota 100 Bonus deer | Antler Restricted Area. |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-11, Apr. 24-May 2 | Quota 25 | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | Small game hunting prohibited during deer hunts and quota quail.Rabbit daily bag limit: 3/person. |
| Small game | Quail | Dec. 5, Jan. 9, Feb. 6 | Quota 3 Sign-in | Bag limit: 3/person or 9/party. Quail hunting on designated dates only. Small game hunting prohibited during deer hunts and quota quail.Rabbit daily bag limit: 3/person. |
| Dove | — | Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3, 10-11, Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-Jan. 31 | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | Wednesdays, Saturdays during small game dates and Federal Youth Day. | — | Legal hours end at noon. |
| Dog training | — | Aug. 15-Mar. 19 in designated area only except during deer and quota quail hunts. | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Joe Kurz WMA: rules before the first hunt
Area rules first, then licenses, orange and bait.
Getting in at Joe Kurz 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. Apply early for the quota dates. On bonus hunts, check each deer at the area station that day. Bucks must show 4 points on one side or a 15-inch spread.
License costs for Joe Kurz 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 Joe Kurz 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.
Joe Kurz WMA: quota deadlines
Apply online by the deadline; points accumulate for every year you are not selected.
Finding Joe Kurz WMA
From Woodbury: Take HWY 85 north for 7.5 miles to Gay, turn right at red light, check station is 2.7 miles on left.
What hunters report from Joe Kurz WMA
The 2025-26 Game Check total for Joe Kurz WMA was 31 (12 antlered, 19 antlerless). High mark: 46 (2017-18). Low mark: 21 (2018-19). So far in 2026-27, 17 deer have been checked (season in progress). Spring 2026 brought 4 reported gobblers; the table sums to 57. Only reported animals appear here; WRD adjusts for non-reporting at county level, not per area.
Joe Kurz WMA deer table
| Season | Bucks checked | Does checked | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 6 | 11 | 17 |
| 2025-26 | 12 | 19 | 31 |
| 2024-25 | 18 | 22 | 40 |
| 2023-24 | 14 | 30 | 44 |
| 2022-23 | 13 | 22 | 35 |
| 2021-22 | 17 | 22 | 39 |
| 2020-21 | 8 | 20 | 28 |
| 2019-20 | 11 | 24 | 35 |
| 2018-19 | 6 | 15 | 21 |
| 2017-18 | 13 | 33 | 46 |
| 2016-17 | 21 | 25 | 46 |
Turkeys reported from Joe Kurz WMA
| Season | Reported gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 4 |
| Spring 2025 | 4 |
| Spring 2024 | 2 |
| Spring 2023 | 3 |
| Spring 2022 | 3 |
| Spring 2021 | 3 |
| Spring 2020 | 14 |
| Spring 2019 | 12 |
| Spring 2018 | 3 |
| Spring 2017 | 4 |
| Spring 2016 | 5 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Game at Joe Kurz WMA, with limits
The listing and the manager name whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, doves, ducks and geese and coyotes for Joe Kurz WMA.
White-tailed deer
Firearms dates: Either-Sex Last Day: Nov. 5-7.
Mourning dove
Dates: Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3, 10-11, Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-Jan. 31.
Ducks and geese
Dates: Wednesdays, Saturdays during small game dates and Federal Youth Day.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
About the land at Joe Kurz WMA
From the agency page, word for word.
In the agency's own words
Located in the Piedmont region, Joe Kurz Wildlife Management Area is 3,700 acres and offers hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, small game, dove and quail.
Dove fields on Joe Kurz WMA
| Property | Region | Acres planted | Crops | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Kurz WMA | 1 | 190 | Wheat, Sunflowers, Proso Millet, Sorghum, Egyptian Wheat, Corn, Browntop Millet | Good |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Joe Kurz WMA plotted with nearby areas
Joe Kurz WMA sits at the orange pin, with 5 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Published acres across them: 25,677.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction | Deer, last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Thunder VPA | VPA property | 1,527 | 12 mi | south | 11 |
| Sprewell Bluff WMA: West | WMA | 6,571 | 16 mi | south | 59 |
| Sprewell Bluff WMA: East | WMA | 1,330 | 18 mi | south | 12 |
| F.D. Roosevelt State Park | State park | 9,049 | 20 mi | southwest | — |
| Big Lazer Creek WMA | WMA | 7,200 | 24 mi | south | 51 |
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.
Joe Kurz WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zebulon | Pike | 12 mi | 1,330 | — |
| Greenville | Meriwether | 12 mi | 819 | 276 |
| Sunset Village | Upson | 17 mi | — | 16,690 |
| Griffin | Spalding | 18 mi | 23,994 | — |
County guides: Meriwether County.
Services close to Joe Kurz WMA
Agency offices by Joe Kurz 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.
Joe Kurz WMA: nearest ranges
For a public range, drive about 24 miles to Big Lazer Creek Shooting Range. Closer private options sit beside it.
Facilities: 100-yard Range
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle and handgun
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
First and last light at Joe Kurz 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 Joe Kurz 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.
Joe Kurz WMA: what hunters ask
Which species can I hunt on Joe Kurz WMA?
The record lists whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, doves, ducks and geese and coyotes.
What turkey dates does Joe Kurz WMA list?
The listing gives Apr. 3-11, Apr. 24-May 2. The WMA bag is 1 gobbler per area per hunter.
Can I camp on Joe Kurz WMA?
Designated camping is available.
How do I get a quota permit for Joe Kurz WMA?
Apply for the 4 quota lines through Go Outdoors Georgia.
What areas neighbour Joe Kurz WMA?
Close by: Camp Thunder VPA (12 miles), Sprewell Bluff WMA: West (16 miles) and Sprewell Bluff WMA: East (18 miles), straight-line.
How many deer are taken on Joe Kurz WMA?
31 deer, 12 of them bucks, in Game Check for 2025-26.
How fast must I report a kill on Joe Kurz WMA?
Within 24 hours, by app, online or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.
Can I wear pink instead of orange on Joe Kurz WMA?
Yes in gun and primitive weapons big game hunts: 500 sq in, orange or pink.
Which agency is in charge of Joe Kurz 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 Joe Kurz WMA?
No, public land is closed to baiting.
Which town makes a good base for Joe Kurz WMA?
In Meriwether County, about 12 miles from Zebulon.
Is Joe Kurz WMA big enough for a full day?
Published acreage: 3,700.
Joe Kurz WMA, the last word
Double-check Joe Kurz WMA with its manager: open areas, gates, sign-in and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: WRD: joe kurz wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations i p · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD: dove; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: michaelhunter5 (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).