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2026-27 · WMA
Lower Broad River WMA for Hunters
Who runs it, what the regulations list for whitetails, gobblers, doves and coyotes, how many deer and gobblers are reported, and the public land around it in Wilkes, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
Photo: Shawn Taylor (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Lower Broad River WMA
Lower Broad River WMA by the numbers
Hunters find Lower Broad River WMA in Wilkes, Elbert and Lincoln counties; it is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Game Management Region 3 (Thomson) takes in this ground. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. At 1,500 acres it ranks 90th of 121 Georgia WMAs with a published size. From Elberton, our nearest town guide, head southeast for roughly 15 miles.
Lower Broad River WMA, county by county
| County | Seat | Residents | ESZ colour | Bear | Gator | Checked deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County | Washington | 9,567 | Green | None | — | 2,775 |
| Elbert County | Elberton | 20,152 | Green | None | — | 2,075 |
| Lincoln County | Lincolnton | 8,049 | Green | None | — | 1,316 |
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 Lower Broad River WMA
Lower Broad River WMA hunt dates and quota lines
The 2026-27 regulations list 9 dated lines for Lower Broad River WMA, covering deer, turkey, dove, coyote, small game and waterfowl. 45 quota permits are spread over 1 dated line.
| Species | Hunt | Open days | Guide symbols | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 17-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Dove | — | Sept. 5 | Quota 45 Sign-in | |
| Dove | — | Sept. 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3, 10, Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-Jan. 31 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. | — | |
| 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.
Lower Broad River WMA licenses and access
What applies here, card by card.
Entry and limits, Lower Broad River 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). Quota hunts need an application before the deadline.
- No camping is allowed on the WMA
- No camping
What to buy before Lower Broad River 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 Lower Broad River 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.
Applying for Lower Broad River WMA hunts
Draw results come by email; unsuccessful applicants gain a point.
Lower Broad River WMA by road
From Elberton: Take HWY 72 east 11 miles. Turn right on HWY 79, go 7.3 miles to River Rd., turn right. Go 0.75 miles to Kiosk on left.
How many deer come off Lower Broad River WMA
Game Check shows 23 deer for Lower Broad River WMA in the 2025-26 season. 2017-18 was the top season (36); 2024-25 the leanest (17). 3 deer are in Game Check for 2026-27 so far; the season is still open. Gobblers reported in spring 2026: 2. All listed springs: 12. Reported numbers only: WRD publishes no compliance-adjusted estimate for a single area.
Lower Broad River WMA bucks and does
| Season | Bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2025-26 | 12 | 11 | 23 |
| 2024-25 | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | 11 | 17 | 28 |
| 2022-23 | 11 | 17 | 28 |
| 2021-22 | 9 | 25 | 34 |
| 2020-21 | 12 | 15 | 27 |
| 2019-20 | 13 | 11 | 24 |
| 2018-19 | 10 | 19 | 29 |
| 2017-18 | 23 | 13 | 36 |
| 2016-17 | 13 | 16 | 29 |
Turkey counts, Lower Broad River WMA
| Spring | Birds reported |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 2 |
| Spring 2022 | 1 |
| Spring 2021 | 6 |
| Spring 2018 | 3 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Lower Broad River WMA: game list
Whitetails, gobblers, doves, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits, ducks and geese and feral hogs, per the area record.
White-tailed deer
First line in the listing: Sept. 12-Oct. 9 (archery).
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 Lower Broad River WMA
The agency text first, then linked areas.
Lower Broad River WMA as WRD describes it
Lower Broad River Wildlife Management Area is located in Wilkes, Elbert and Lincoln counties. This 1,500-acre property has hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, small game, and dove.
Planted dove fields, Lower Broad River WMA
| Property | Region | Field acres | Crop | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Broad River WMA | 3 | 29 | Wheat, browntop millet, proso millet, sorghum strips | Good |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Lower Broad River WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Lower Broad River WMA sits at the orange pin, with 10 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Together they publish 26,319 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard B. Russell Lake | Corps lake | — | 5 mi | southeast | 121 |
| Elbert County WMA | WMA | 2,500 | 9 mi | northwest | 32 |
| Fishing Creek WMA | WMA | 2,900 | 9 mi | southeast | 18 |
| Richard B. Russell State Park | State park | 2,508 | 14 mi | north | — |
| Soap Creek WMA | WMA | 1,000 | 15 mi | southeast | 12 |
| Clarks Hill WMA – East | WMA | 10,224 | 25 mi | south | 159 |
| Hart County WMA | WMA | 1,000 | 25 mi | northwest | 40 |
| Germany Creek WMA | WMA | 1,200 | 28 mi | south | 21 |
| Mistletoe State Park | State park | 1,920 | 28 mi | southeast | — |
| Clarks Hill WMA – West | WMA | 3,067 | 29 mi | south | 159 |
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.
Lower Broad River WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elberton | Elbert | 15 mi | 4,760 | 3,461 |
| Lincolnton | Lincoln | 16 mi | 1,431 | 5,554 |
| Washington | Wilkes | 18 mi | 3,623 | 799 |
| Lexington | Oglethorpe | 27 mi | 217 | 1,182 |
Its counties, each with a guide: Wilkes County, Elbert County, Lincoln County.
Local businesses for Lower Broad River WMA hunters
Who to call about Lower Broad River 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.
Lower Broad River WMA: nearest ranges
No range sits on Lower Broad River WMA; the nearest WRD-listed range is Bobby Brown Archery Range, about 4 miles away. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: Static Archery Range with 4 Targets, 20 3-D Target Trail
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun and archery
Lines for archery and 3D archery
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Lower Broad River 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 Lower Broad River 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 Lower Broad River WMA questions
What sort of property is Lower Broad River WMA?
Wildlife management area run by WRD, under the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.
Is Lower Broad River WMA big enough for a full day?
1,500 acres, per Georgia 2026-27 Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) area listing.
Which town makes a good base for Lower Broad River WMA?
It lies in Wilkes, Elbert and Lincoln counties. Elberton sits 15 miles away.
What license gets me onto Lower Broad River 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 Lower Broad River WMA?
Use Go Outdoors Georgia for the online sign-in, required for deer, bear and turkey.
What are the deer dates for Lower Broad River WMA?
Sept. 12-Oct. 9, archery, is the first listed. More lines sit in the season table.
What are the spring turkey dates at Lower Broad River WMA?
Turkey runs Apr. 3-May 15. Each hunter may take one gobbler from the area.
What can be hunted at Lower Broad River WMA?
Per the area record, whitetails, gobblers, doves, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits, ducks and geese and feral hogs.
Is Lower Broad River WMA a draw hunt?
Some hunts are drawn (45 permits across 1 lines).
Does Lower Broad River WMA allow camping?
The area does not allow camping.
How many bucks came off Lower Broad River WMA?
12 bucks and 11 does were checked in 2025-26.
Which areas are close to Lower Broad River WMA?
Within reach are Richard B. Russell Lake (5 miles), Elbert County WMA (9 miles) and Fishing Creek WMA (9 miles), nearest first.
Lower Broad River WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Lower Broad River WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: lower broad river 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: ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0); Wesley Fryer (CC BY 2.0).