Home › Georgia › Public land › Camp Thunder VPA
2026-27 · VPA property
Camp Thunder VPA 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 Upson County.
Photo: LittleT889 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Getting to Camp Thunder VPA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Camp Thunder VPA
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 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.
Camp Thunder VPA by the numbers
Hunters find Camp Thunder VPA in Upson County; it is a privately owned tract that WRD leases for public hunting. Game Management Region 3 (Thomson) takes in this ground. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. At 1,527 acres it ranks 2nd of 9 Georgia VPA properties with a published size. From Sunset Village, our nearest town guide, head northwest for roughly 7 miles.
Camp Thunder VPA, county by county
| County | Seat | Residents | ESZ colour | Bear | Gator | Checked deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upson County | Thomaston | 28,358 | Green | None | Zone 3 | 1,662 |
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 Camp Thunder VPA
Camp Thunder VPA hunt dates and quota lines
The 2026-27 regulations list 5 dated lines for Camp Thunder VPA, covering deer, turkey, coyote, small game and waterfowl.
| Species | Hunt | Open days | Guide symbols | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | — | Sept. 12-Jan. 10 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | — | — | Waterfowl allowed during state season dates that overlap with small game dates. |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Camp Thunder VPA licenses and access
What applies here, card by card.
Entry and limits, Camp Thunder VPA
Access is by WRD lease on private land, listed dates only. 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). Deer hunting is archery only.
- No ATVs or camping allowed
- No firearms hunting allowed
- No ATVs
What to buy before Camp Thunder VPA
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 Camp Thunder VPA
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.
Camp Thunder VPA by road
From Thomaston: Take Hwy 74 west approximately 12 miles and go left on Thundering Springs Rd, in approximately 2.4 miles the sign-in kiosk will be on the right.
How many deer come off Camp Thunder VPA
Game Check shows 11 deer for Camp Thunder VPA in the 2025-26 season. 2024-25 was the top season (18); 2018-19 the leanest (3). 5 deer are in Game Check for 2026-27 so far; the season is still open. Reported numbers only: WRD publishes no compliance-adjusted estimate for a single area.
Camp Thunder VPA bucks and does
| Season | Bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 2025-26 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| 2024-25 | 11 | 7 | 18 |
| 2023-24 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| 2021-22 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 2020-21 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| 2019-20 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Camp Thunder VPA: game list
Whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese, per the area record.
Ducks and geese
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
The ground at Camp Thunder VPA
The agency text first, then linked areas.
Camp Thunder VPA as WRD describes it
Camp Thunder VPA is a 1,627-acre property located outside of Thomaston. Opportunities include archery hunting for deer, turkey and small game during state seasons. Hunters utilizing this area for deer or turkey hunting should be sure to check their game using Georgia Game Check and select Public Land option, Upson County, and then Camp Thunder VPA. Camping allowed only at designated sites and must register at: campreservation.com/095/Camps/157
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Camp Thunder VPA on the map, with its neighbours
Camp Thunder VPA sits at the orange pin, with 9 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Together they publish 47,420 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprewell Bluff WMA: West | WMA | 6,571 | 5 mi | south | 59 |
| Sprewell Bluff WMA: East | WMA | 1,330 | 6 mi | south | 12 |
| Joe Kurz WMA | WMA | 3,700 | 12 mi | north | 31 |
| Big Lazer Creek WMA | WMA | 7,200 | 13 mi | southeast | 51 |
| F.D. Roosevelt State Park | State park | 9,049 | 13 mi | southwest | — |
| Upatoi Ravines Natural Area | Natural area | 9,500 | 24 mi | south | — |
| Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Almo Tract | WMA | 6,700 | 26 mi | south | 31 |
| Sandhills WMA: West | WMA | 2,500 | 28 mi | south | 19 |
| Sandhills WMA: East | WMA | 870 | 29 mi | southeast | — |
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.
Camp Thunder VPA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Village | Upson | 7 mi | — | 16,690 |
| Thomaston | Upson | 11 mi | 9,850 | 7,723 |
| Woodland | Talbot | 11 mi | 303 | 15,324 |
| Lincoln Park | Upson | 11 mi | — | 10,361 |
Its counties, each with a guide: Upson County.
Local businesses for Camp Thunder VPA hunters
Who to call about Camp Thunder VPA
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.
Camp Thunder VPA: nearest ranges
No range sits on Camp Thunder VPA; the nearest WRD-listed range is Big Lazer Creek Shooting Range, about 12 miles away. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
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.
Camp Thunder VPA 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 Camp Thunder VPA 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 Camp Thunder VPA questions
Is there a check-in for Camp Thunder VPA?
Use Go Outdoors Georgia for the online sign-in, required for deer, bear and turkey.
What are the deer dates for Camp Thunder VPA?
Sept. 12-Jan. 10, deer, is the first listed. More lines sit in the season table.
What are the spring turkey dates at Camp Thunder VPA?
Turkey runs Apr. 3-May 15. Each hunter may take one gobbler from the area.
What can be hunted at Camp Thunder VPA?
Per the area record, whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
Is Camp Thunder VPA a quota hunt?
Nothing is quota only.
Does Camp Thunder VPA allow camping?
Camping is permitted where designated.
How many bucks came off Camp Thunder VPA?
5 bucks and 6 does were checked in 2025-26.
Is Camp Thunder VPA in an alligator hunt zone?
Alligator zone 3; hunting is by quota permit only.
Which areas are close to Camp Thunder VPA?
Within reach are Sprewell Bluff WMA: West (5 miles), Sprewell Bluff WMA: East (6 miles) and Joe Kurz WMA (12 miles), nearest first.
Is blaze pink legal on Camp Thunder VPA?
Orange or pink, 500 square inches, whenever firearms or primitive weapons deer or bear hunts are on. Archery-only areas are exempt.
Where do I check game taken on Camp Thunder VPA?
Game Check within 24 hours, after noting date and county on the Harvest Record.
Can I put out corn on Camp Thunder VPA?
No; bait is only legal on private land with written permission.
Camp Thunder VPA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Camp Thunder VPA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: camp thunder vpa · Georgia regulations: voluntary public access opportunities · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: davedehetre (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0).