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Georgia furbearers
Georgia Muskrat Trapping
Muskrats are trapping-only in Georgia: the season runs Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027, 90 days, with no limit. Below: every 2026-27 segment, the limits, public land, legal weapons and the WRD rules for muskrats.
Photo: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
A Trapping License is required, $40.00 resident, $325.00 nonresident; nonresidents also post a forfeiture bond. Disturbing a den or driving wildlife from a den, hole or home is against the law. Hides of legally trapped furbearers are among the few wildlife parts that may be sold in Georgia.
Muskrat in the 2026-27 guide
- Method: Trapping Dec. 1-Feb. 28 with trapping license.
What WRD allows for muskrats
The wording on the cards is WRD’s own for muskrats.
Mink, muskrat, river otter, skunk, weasel (trapping)
No limit.
2026-27 muskrat dates in Georgia
The full muskrat calendar for 2026-27: 1 dated segment, newest status on the right.
| Hunt | Zone or land | Start | End | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 90 |
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 season page and the 2026-27 guide (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
Where muskrat trappers look
For muskrats we list the 130 public areas whose seasons include waterfowl; the area listing has the final word. WMA trapping is by permit only.
| Name | Land type | County | Region office | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests | National Forest | Rabun, Fannin, Union | – | 869,017 |
| Blue Ridge Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Union, Lumpkin, Fannin | Gainesville | 302,238 |
| Chattooga River Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Rabun, White, Habersham | Gainesville | 261,439 |
| Conasauga Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | Gainesville | 188,617 |
| Oconee Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Putnam, Jasper, Greene | Thomson | 116,724 |
| Cohutta WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | Armuchee | 92,647 |
| Cedar Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Putnam, Jones, Jasper | Thomson | 41,000 |
| Redlands WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Greene, Oglethorpe, Morgan | Gainesville | 37,500 |
| Dixon Memorial WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Ware, Brantley | Brunswick | 35,247 |
| Townsend WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Long, McIntosh | Brunswick | 34,294 |
| Altamaha WMA | Wildlife Management Area | McIntosh | Brunswick | 31,569 |
| Savannah National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Effingham, Chatham | Fitzgerald | 30,715 |
| Paulding Forest WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Paulding, Polk | Armuchee | 28,183 |
| John's Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Gordon, Walker, Floyd | Armuchee | 23,710 |
| Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Walker | Armuchee | 21,895 |
115 more areas for muskrats
Rich Mountain WMA (20,674 ac) · Chickasawhatchee WMA (19,700 ac) · Sansavilla WMA (19,084 ac) · Swallow Creek WMA (19,000 ac) · Lake Russell WMA (17,300 ac) · Bullard Creek WMA (17,005 ac) · Little Satilla WMA (16,990 ac) · Paulks Pasture WMA (16,066 ac) · Ceylon WMA (16,000 ac) · Warwoman WMA (15,800 ac) · Berry College WMA (15,605 ac) · Ocmulgee WMA (15,475 ac) · Tuckahoe WMA (15,100 ac) · Oaky Woods WMA (13,450 ac) · B.F. Grant WMA (11,400 ac) · Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge (11,184 ac) · Penholoway Swamp WMA (11,177 ac) · Canoochee Sandhills WMA (10,224 ac) · Clarks Hill WMA – East (10,224 ac) · West Point WMA (10,000 ac) · Ohoopee Dunes WMA (9,271 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: VPA Tracts (9,048 ac) · Sapelo Island WMA (9,000 ac) · Flat Tub WMA (8,748 ac) · Grand Bay WMA (8,700 ac) · Lake Seminole WMA (8,300 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Hilliard Plantation Tract (8,089 ac) · Oconee WMA (7,930 ac) · Yuchi WMA (7,800 ac) · Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (7,760 ac) · Allatoona WMA (7,589 ac) · Richmond Hill WMA (7,400 ac) · Horse Creek WMA (7,397 ac) · Big Hammock WMA (7,315 ac) · Treat Mountain WMA (7,260 ac) · Big Lazer Creek WMA (7,200 ac) · Alapaha River WMA (6,870 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Almo Tract (6,700 ac) · Clybel WMA (6,700 ac) · Sprewell Bluff WMA: West (6,571 ac) · Mayhaw WMA (6,300 ac) · Griffin Ridge WMA (5,975 ac) · Rum Creek WMA (5,800 ac) · Hannahatchee Creek WMA (5,600 ac) · Sheffield WMA (5,556 ac) · Beaverdam WMA (5,500 ac) · Clayhole Swamp WMA (5,242 ac) · Tallapoosa River WMA (5,215 ac) · Blanton Creek WMA (4,800 ac) · Moody Forest WMA (4,675 ac) · Altama Plantation WMA (4,612 ac) · Lanahassee Creek WMA (4,440 ac) · Joe Kurz WMA (3,700 ac) · River Bend WMA (3,670 ac) · Rogers WMA (3,340 ac) · and 60 more in the land directory
Areas and species lists from WRD’s 2026-27 area listings, the WRD WMA layers and federal managers, retrieved 2026-10-13. Harvest by area from WRD Game Check.
Muskrat licenses and requirements
License and calendar rules for muskrats.
Fees
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping License | $40.00 | $325.00 |
Hunting hours
The guide gives muskrats a trapping season only; traps may be set inside those dates.
Weekends
Georgia sets no statewide Sunday closure, so muskrat seasons run straight through each weekend.
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 guide, licenses and fees and hunting information, checked October 13, 2026. Georgia hunting laws · License guide.
Field rules for muskrat trapping
Rules for taking and selling muskrats.
Methods that matter for muskrats
Dens
Unlawful to disturb wildlife dens, holes or homes or drive wildlife from them.
Sale of game
Unlawful to sell or buy game or parts, except antlers, hides and tails of legal deer, squirrel tails, hides of legally trapped furbearers and legal alligator products.
WMA prohibited acts
Man-drives (3+ hunters driving deer/hogs); baiting; target practice off ranges; hunting within 50 yards of open roads; driving around gates; alcohol outside designated campsites; drones; dogs for big game/hogs/coyotes unless specified; loaded firearms in vehicles during open season (non-carriers); cocked crossbows in vehicles; trapping without permit.
2026-27 guide (PDF) and the hunting information page, checked October 13, 2026.
Quick answers on muskrats
Can I hunt muskrats with a gun in Georgia?
The 2026-27 guide lists muskrats with a trapping season only, Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
Can I trap muskrats on a WMA?
Only with a permit: trapping without one is on the WMA list of prohibited acts.
What does WRD allow per day for muskrats?
No limit.
What paperwork do muskrat trappers carry in Georgia?
For muskrats, resident prices: Trapping License ($40.00).
Can I hunt muskrats on a Georgia WMA?
Our list has 130; by acreage, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) and Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) come first. The listings name a broader game group, not this species.
Can muskrats be hunted at night in Georgia?
The guide gives muskrats a trapping season only; traps may be set inside those dates.
Does Georgia close Sundays for muskrats?
Georgia sets no statewide Sunday closure, so muskrat seasons run straight through each weekend.
When can I hunt muskrats in Georgia this season?
Muskrat trappers get trapping Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
Wrapping up muskrats
A WMA, refuge or Corps lake can add its own rules on top of the statewide muskrat rules here.
Other photos on this page: pedrik (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Birding for Climate (Public domain).