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Richmond County · Army post

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) Hunting Guide

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) in Richmond, McDuffie, Jefferson and Columbia counties: whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs, this season's dates, Game Check harvest, rules and the ground nearby.

—Acres
4Counties
3 (Thomson)WRD region
189Deer 2025

Stand-in header from Jefferson County, not Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon): Old wooden bridge over the Ogeechee River near Wadley in Jefferson County.

Photo: c_live_lee (CC0 1.0)

Sizing up Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Kind of ground: Army installation with a permit hunting program. Where: Richmond, McDuffie, Jefferson and Columbia counties. The Thomson regional office (Region 3) is the WRD contact. It is run by the U.S. Army (Fort Eisenhower). There is no official acre count for the hunting ground. Blythe is the closest town with a guide here, about 4 miles away; the area lies northwest of it.

None printedAcreage
Army postCategory
3 (Thomson)Region
Richmond, McDuffie, Jefferson, ColumbiaCounty list
55,698GIS outline
9Gator zone
YesQuota

The 4 counties around Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

CountyCourthouse townPopulation 2024Doe-day zoneBear zoneAlligator zoneDeer 2025-26 (reported)
Richmond CountyAugusta206,303GreenNoneZone 9651
McDuffie CountyThomson21,764GreenNoneZone 91,508
Jefferson CountyLouisville15,019GreenNoneZone 92,185
Columbia CountyAppling167,472GreenNoneZone 91,385

Colour zones govern private land around the area, not the area.

From the source page (acreage not published); 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.

Who sets the dates on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) runs its hunts through iSportsman, which posts the dates and daily area status.

U.S. ArmyIn charge
YesQuota or lottery

Rules from the manager page, Georgia regulations, DNR Law Enforcement. Checked October 13, 2026.

Harvest numbers for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Bucks 117, does 72: that is the 2025-26 reported harvest on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon). Range across the chart: 69 up to 253 deer. This season's running total stands at 33 (incomplete). 277 gobblers have been checked from Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) in the springs listed, 21 of them in 2026. Counts are raw Game Check reports from the area; WRD does not adjust them for non-reporting at this level.

Deer taken on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) by season0751502253002016-17: 1611612016-172017-18: 2072072017-182018-19: 2332332018-192019-20: 2282282019-202020-21: 2532532020-212021-22: 2082082021-222022-23: 2462462022-232023-24: 2462462023-242024-25: 69692024-252025-26: 1891892025-26

Deer reported from Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

YearAntleredAntlerlessTotal
2026-27 (in progress)181533
2025-2611772189
2024-25333669
2023-2415195246
2022-23138108246
2021-2211791208
2020-21140113253
2019-20121107228
2018-1913598233
2017-1811196207
2016-179071161

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) spring turkey counts

SeasonGobblers checked
Spring 202621
Spring 202523
Spring 202420
Spring 202320
Spring 202221
Spring 202123
Spring 202033
Spring 201927
Spring 201823
Spring 201726
Spring 201640

Game Check entry: Fort Gordon.

Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.

What Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) requires

What applies here, card by card.

How Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) works

Source

Hunting and fishing permits are offered to the general public through a lottery on iSportsman (ftgordon.isportsman.net); the application period is July 1-15 each year and winners may buy permits valid one year (or until Aug. 1 of the following year). Hunter education certificate required for all hunters regardless of age; Georgia hunting license; mandatory daily check-in/check-out; annual Fort Gordon safety briefing (expires June 15). Weapons registration form FG 9243 required for hunters.

Licenses for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

License source

$15.00Resident hunting
$100.00Hunting license, nonresident
$25.00Big game (resident)
FreeHarvest Record
$5.00Migratory license
$29.00Federal stamp
$30.00Lands Pass (res.)
$65.00Sportsman's License

The free Harvest Record is mandatory for deer, bear, turkey and alligator, whatever license you hold.

Rules that follow you onto Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Guide, orange

Firearms and primitive weapons dates mean orange or pink on top, at least 500 square inches. Bait is legal on private land with permission, never on WMAs, VPAs, national forests or other public land. Within 24 hours, report big game and turkeys on Game Check.

Quota hunts at Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Quota hunts

Sept. 1Deer deadline
Feb. 15Turkey deadline

Apply through Go Outdoors Georgia. Missing out builds a priority point for next time.

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) up close

Quoted from the managing agency, then the lists that tie this page to others.

Notes from ftgordon.isportsman.net

Near Augusta; Georgia DNR Law Enforcement describes it as about 50,000 acres. Access may be limited during training; individual training areas close for timber harvest or construction (e.g., TA 46 closed in October 2026). Trail cameras are banned under FG Regulation 420-5 (effective April 15, 2026). 2026-27 deer harvest to date posted on iSportsman (as of Oct. 13, 2026: 21 bucks, 18 does).

Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, DNR Law Enforcement, DoD MIRTA; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) species and bags

Hunters come to Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) for whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, feral hogs and ducks and geese.

White-tailed deer

12 (2 antlered)Bag

Wild turkey

1 gobbler/areaBag

Small game

Squirrels 12/dayBag

Feral hog

No limitBag

Ducks and geese

6 ducks/dayBag

Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.

Around Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon): more public land

Orange is Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon); the other pins are public land within 30 miles. Acres on file for the neighbours: 28,537.

Nearby areaKindSize (ac)MilesHeadingDeer reported
McDuffie PFAPublic fishing area60011 miwest—
Spirit Creek Forest WMAWMA57012 mieast9
Phinizy Swamp WMAWMA1,50016 mieast1
Keg Creek WMAWMA80019 minorth9
Collins Road VPAVPA property35620 misoutheast—
J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill Lake)Corps lake—21 minorth327
Mistletoe State ParkState park1,92022 minorth—
Germany Creek WMAWMA1,20022 minorthwest21
Clarks Hill WMA – WestWMA3,06723 minorthwest159
Mead Farm WMAWMA20025 misoutheast2
Clarks Hill WMA – EastWMA10,22426 minorthwest159
Di-Lane WMAWMA8,10028 misouth22

Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (DoD MIRTA installation polygon (polygon centroid, Georgia portion)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.

Where to sight in near Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

About 6 miles separates Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) from Pinetucky Gun Club, the nearest WRD range. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.

Pinetucky Gun Club, gun club, WRD partner in Blythe

Blythe, Richmond County · 6 mi

Facilities: 5 Skeet & Trap Fields, Sporting Clays Course, 5-Stand

License or Lands Pass · staffed

Hunt's Xtreme Outdoors, outdoor range in Hephzibah

Hephzibah, Richmond County · 9 mi

Lines for handgun and rifle

Access not stated

From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.

Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon): nearest towns and businesses

Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.

Base townCountyAwayResidentsPublic acres near
BlytheRichmond4 mi79354,950
GrovetownColumbia7 mi17,84341,970
AugustaRichmond9 mi201,73731,580
ApplingColumbia15 mi—3,795

Hunting guides for its counties: Richmond County, McDuffie County, Jefferson County, Columbia County.

After the shot at Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Cj's Guns and More

sporting goods · Blythe, Richmond County · about 4 mi away

Load Up Ammunition

sporting goods · Grovetown, Richmond County · about 4 mi away

Schmidt's Gun Service & Repair

sporting goods · Augusta, Richmond County · about 10 mi away

Wal-Mart #1293

sporting goods · Augusta, Richmond County · about 11 mi away

McDonald Deer Processing

deer processing · Wrens, Jefferson County · about 11 mi away

Walmart Supercenter #4144

sporting goods · Augusta, Richmond County · about 12 mi away

Happy Valley Store

sporting goods · Thomson, McDuffie County · about 13 mi away

Jays Hardware & Build. Ctr.

sporting goods · Wrens, Jefferson County · about 15 mi away

Offices for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Game warden office, Metter

DNR Law Enforcement Region 4 Office (Metter) · Metter, Candler County · about 66 mi away

WRD office, Social Circle

WRD Wildlife Resources Conservation Center · Social Circle, Walton County · about 85 mi away

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.

What to pack for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

Matched to the species on this page.

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Climbing tree stand

Most Georgia whitetails are hunted from a stand.

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Box call

Loud enough to reach across a pine flat on a breezy April morning.

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Thermal scope

Hogs move at night on private land, where night hunting is legal.

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Duck decoys

Wood ducks, ringnecks and mallards on beaver ponds and reservoirs.

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Legal light at Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) this week

Georgia shooting time starts a half hour before sunrise. Big game and small game end a half hour after sunset; doves and ducks end at sunset.

Worked out for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) 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.

Snow geese in flight
Snow geese in flightPhoto: Birding for Climate (Public domain)
Canada geese flying low over a marsh
Canada geese flying low over a marshPhoto: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain)

Answers for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) hunters

Which agency is in charge of Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

The U.S. Army (Fort Eisenhower) runs it as an Army installation with a permit hunting program.

Is baiting allowed at Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

No. Baiting for game or feral hogs is illegal on state and federal land.

Where do hunters stay for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

Start from Blythe; the area is 4 miles off, in Richmond, McDuffie, Jefferson and Columbia counties.

How large is Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

The agency prints no acreage.

Which animals are hunted on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

Listed game: whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, feral hogs and ducks and geese.

Is a special permit required on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

Hunting and fishing permits are offered to the general public through a lottery on iSportsman (ftgordon.isportsman.net); the application period is July 1-15 each year and winners may buy permits valid one year (or until Aug. 1 of the following year). Hunter education certificate required for all hunters regardless of age; Georgia hunting license; mandatory daily check-in/check-out; annual Fort Gor

Is Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) good for deer?

The 2025-26 reported total was 189.

Do I need to be drawn for Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

Yes, some hunts are limited by quota, lottery or permit; see the manager rules above.

Where else can I go near Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

Within reach are McDuffie PFA (11 miles), Spirit Creek Forest WMA (12 miles) and Phinizy Swamp WMA (16 miles), nearest first.

Can I hunt alligators near Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

9; alligators are a quota hunt.

How do I report a deer or gobbler from Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

Record it on your Harvest Record, then report through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours (app, GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com or 1-800-366-2661).

Do I need orange on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)?

In deer and bear gun hunts, wear 500 sq in of orange or blaze pink.

Closing notes on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon)

The manager has the last word on Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon). Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.

Sources for this page: ftgordon.isportsman.net · Georgia regulations: federal area regulations · DNR Law Enforcement: specialfederalregulations · DoD MIRTA; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.

Other photos on this page: fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).