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2026-27 · WMA
Townsend WMA for Hunters
Who runs it, what the regulations list for whitetails, gobblers, coyotes and squirrels and rabbits, how many deer and gobblers are reported, and the public land around it in Long and McIntosh counties.
Photo: Jud McCranie (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Townsend WMA by the numbers
Hunters find Townsend WMA in Long and McIntosh counties; it is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Game Management Region 6 (Brunswick) takes in this ground. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. At 34,294 acres it ranks 5th of 121 Georgia WMAs with a published size. From Gardi, our nearest town guide, head northeast for roughly 8 miles.
Townsend WMA, county by county
| County | Seat | Residents | ESZ colour | Bear | Gator | Checked deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long County | Ludowici | 20,439 | Green | None | Zone 7 | 414 |
| McIntosh County | Darien | 11,800 | Green | None | Zone 7 | 422 |
From the source page (Georgia 2026-27 Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) area listing (sum of listed sections)); 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.
Townsend WMA hunt dates and quota lines
The 2026-27 regulations list 15 dated lines for Townsend WMA, covering deer, turkey, coyote, small game and waterfowl. 3 quota permits are spread over 1 dated line. It also carries 2 bonus deer lines. Lines come from 2 listings, labelled at left.
| Tract | Species | Hunt | Open days | Guide symbols | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Deer | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Deer | Firearms | Oct. 17-Jan. 10 | — | |
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. | — | |
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Townsend WMA Buck Island Tract | Waterfowl | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-30 | — | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Deer | Firearms | Oct. 1-3, Nov. 5-7 | Bonus deer | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Deer | Firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 17-25 | — | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Deer | Firearms | Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-27 | — | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Deer | Firearms | Dog Deer: Dec. 2-3, 9-10, 16-17 | Quota 3 Bonus deer | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. | — | |
| Townsend WMA North, South and Pine Island Tracts | Small game | — | State Seasons | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Townsend WMA licenses and access
What applies here, card by card.
Entry and limits, Townsend 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. Same-day check at the station for bonus deer.
What to buy before Townsend 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 Townsend 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 Townsend WMA hunts
Draw results come by email; unsuccessful applicants gain a point.
Townsend WMA by road
From Ludowici: Entrance to Townsend WMA – Buck Island Tract is located off HWY 301 approximately 4.75 miles west of Ludowici. This WMA has 3 tracts. Directions and maps are available from the Region 6 Game Management Office, (912) 262-3173, or can be printed from gohuntgeorgia.com.
How many deer come off Townsend WMA
Game Check shows 46 deer for Townsend WMA in the 2025-26 season. 2019-20 was the top season (60); 2016-17 the leanest (32). 11 deer are in Game Check for 2026-27 so far; the season is still open. Gobblers reported in spring 2026: 4. All listed springs: 56. Reported numbers only: WRD publishes no compliance-adjusted estimate for a single area.
Townsend WMA bucks and does
| Season | Bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 2025-26 | 27 | 19 | 46 |
| 2024-25 | 24 | 26 | 50 |
| 2023-24 | 15 | 34 | 49 |
| 2022-23 | 24 | 34 | 58 |
| 2021-22 | 18 | 25 | 43 |
| 2020-21 | 16 | 26 | 42 |
| 2019-20 | 21 | 39 | 60 |
| 2018-19 | 18 | 23 | 41 |
| 2017-18 | 17 | 18 | 35 |
| 2016-17 | 18 | 14 | 32 |
Turkey counts, Townsend WMA
| Spring | Birds reported |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 4 |
| Spring 2025 | 6 |
| Spring 2024 | 6 |
| Spring 2023 | 1 |
| Spring 2022 | 6 |
| Spring 2021 | 6 |
| Spring 2020 | 4 |
| Spring 2019 | 9 |
| Spring 2018 | 7 |
| Spring 2017 | 4 |
| Spring 2016 | 3 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Townsend WMA: game list
Whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits, ducks and geese and feral hogs, per the area record.
White-tailed deer
First line in the listing: Buck Only: Oct. 17-25 (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 Townsend WMA
The agency text first, then linked areas.
Townsend WMA as WRD describes it
Townsend Wildlife Management Area is located in Long and McIntosh counties. The property offers deer, turkey, small game and waterfowl hunting. Townsend WMA is made up of four tracts of land: North Townsend, South Townsend, Buck Island, and Pine Island Tract. Together, they comprise 32,000 acres of land on the north side of the Altamaha River between Route 301 and the city of Darien. The archery-only area is archery only for all species.
Dog-deer hunters must check in at the station and hunt in designated areas only. The hunting area is closed to all except quota permit holders during dog-deer hunts.
Planted dove fields, Townsend WMA
| Property | Region | Field acres | Crop | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Townsend WMA | 6 | 57 | Browntop millet | Fair |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Pins around Townsend WMA
Townsend WMA sits at the orange pin, with 12 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Together they publish 118,344 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penholoway Swamp WMA | WMA | 11,177 | 3 mi | southwest | 7 |
| Rayonier Corridor Lands WMA | WMA | 41 | 7 mi | northwest | — |
| Morgan Lake WMA | WMA | 1,493 | 10 mi | northwest | — |
| Sansavilla WMA | WMA | 19,084 | 10 mi | south | 47 |
| Griffin Ridge WMA | WMA | 5,975 | 11 mi | northwest | 24 |
| Clayhole Swamp WMA | WMA | 5,242 | 16 mi | southeast | 9 |
| Altamaha WMA | WMA | 31,569 | 18 mi | southeast | 21 |
| Paulks Pasture WMA | WMA | 16,066 | 18 mi | south | 17 |
| Rogers WMA | WMA | 3,340 | 20 mi | southwest | 12 |
| Altama Plantation WMA | WMA | 4,612 | 21 mi | southeast | 13 |
| Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife refuge | 2,755 | 25 mi | east | 14 |
| Little Satilla WMA | WMA | 16,990 | 25 mi | southwest | 119 |
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.
Townsend 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardi | Wayne | 8 mi | — | 49,418 |
| Ludowici | Long | 10 mi | 1,802 | 32,076 |
| Jesup | Wayne | 13 mi | 10,235 | 18,146 |
| Everett | Glynn | 13 mi | — | 80,973 |
Its counties, each with a guide: Long County, McIntosh County.
Local businesses for Townsend WMA hunters
Who to call about Townsend 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.
Townsend WMA: nearest ranges
No range sits on Townsend WMA; the nearest WRD-listed range is Richmond Hill Archery Range, about 31 miles away. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: 4 static archery range target stations, Archery tower with 6 3D targets, 3D archery trail with 15 targets
Lines for handgun and rifle
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Townsend 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 Townsend 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.
Townsend WMA hunting kit
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Common Townsend WMA questions
Where is Townsend WMA?
It lies in Long and McIntosh counties. Gardi sits 8 miles away.
What license gets me onto Townsend 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 Townsend WMA?
Use Go Outdoors Georgia for the online sign-in, required for deer, bear and turkey.
What are the deer dates for Townsend WMA?
Sept. 12-Oct. 9, archery, is the first listed. More lines sit in the season table.
What are the spring turkey dates at Townsend WMA?
Turkey runs Apr. 3-May 15. Each hunter may take one gobbler from the area.
What can be hunted at Townsend WMA?
Per the area record, whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits, ducks and geese and feral hogs.
Is Townsend WMA a draw hunt?
Some hunts are drawn (3 permits across 1 lines).
Does Townsend WMA allow camping?
Camping is permitted where designated.
How many bucks came off Townsend WMA?
27 bucks and 19 does were checked in 2025-26.
Is Townsend WMA in an alligator hunt zone?
Alligator zone 7; hunting is by quota permit only.
Which areas are close to Townsend WMA?
Within reach are Penholoway Swamp WMA (3 miles), Rayonier Corridor Lands WMA (7 miles) and Morgan Lake WMA (10 miles), nearest first.
Is blaze pink legal on Townsend WMA?
Orange or pink, 500 square inches, whenever firearms or primitive weapons deer or bear hunts are on.
Townsend WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Townsend WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: townsend wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations t z · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD: dove · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0).