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2026-27 · Green zone
Cherokee County Hunting
Built from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations and Game Check: zone rules for Cherokee County, public land, harvest history, sunrise times and businesses that serve hunters.
Photo: TranceMist (CC BY 2.0)
Cherokee County belongs to WRD Game Management Region 1 and spans 421 square miles around Canton. Its 2024 Census estimate is 293,513 residents (+10.1% since 2020). 3 public areas have ground in the county; 2 are WMAs. Canton has roughly 3,831 public acres within 10 miles, by GIS measure.
Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates (population), WRD region and zones from the GA County Zones layer, public acres within 10 miles from WRD, USFS, USFWS and DoD boundaries. Checked October 13, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cherokee County
Cherokee County: doe days, bears, gators and bait
Cherokee County is a Green zone county, the most liberal colour: deer of either sex are legal on private land every day of archery, primitive weapons and firearms season, 88 firearms days in all. The season limit counts all of Georgia: 12 deer, with a cap of 2 bucks and 10 antlerless.
Every county in the Green zone
Extended archery
Cherokee County archers can keep hunting after Jan. 10, because the county is on the extended archery list (to Jan. 31).
Antler rule
No county-wide antler restriction here. Statewide, the second of your two bucks must have at least 4 points on one side or a 15-inch spread.
CWD status
Cherokee County is outside the CWD Management Area. Testing is optional here but free through cooperating processors and taxidermists.
Bait on private land
Private land: bait allowed for deer and hogs with written landowner permission. Public land: no bait, and no hunting within 200 yards of it.
Bear zone
Cherokee County is in the Northern bear zone: archery Sept. 12-Oct. 9, primitive weapons Oct. 10-16, firearms Oct. 17-Jan. 10. No dogs.
Zones from the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division either-sex days, bear and turkey rules and 2026-27 guide (PDF); DMU from the GA County Zones layer. Checked October 13, 2026.
Cherokee County: dates for every game animal
From the September archery opener through the last rabbit days, 27 segments apply to Cherokee County this season.
| Species | Segment | Where | Opening day | Closing day | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Private land | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Either-Sex) | Green zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery | Extended archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlerless Only) | Green zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Weapons (Either-Sex) | Green zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive weapons & youth-only firearms | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Green zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Northern bear zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Primitive weapons & youth-only firearms | Northern bear zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Firearms | Northern bear zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Special Opportunity (youth under 16 and mobility-impaired) | Private land | Mar 20, 2027 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler | Private land | Mar 27, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Feral hog | Private land | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Bobwhite quail | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Hunting (gray and fox squirrel) | Statewide | Aug 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round (unprotected) | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Opossum | Hunting | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Gray and red fox | Hunting (gray and red fox) | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Armadillo | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Groundhog | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Beaver | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Nutria | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 big game seasons, either-sex days and small game seasons, checked October 13, 2026.
Cherokee County: WMAs plus other public acres
Cherokee County has 3 listed public areas; the map pins them along with 5 close by over the county line. Lighter pins mark Red Top Mountain State Park and Dawson Forest WMA, which sit outside Cherokee County.
| Area | Type | Acres | Quota hunts | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allatoona WMA | WMA | 7,589 (all) | — | deer, bear, turkey… |
| McGraw Ford WMA | WMA | 2,067 | Yes | deer, bear, turkey… |
| Allatoona Lake | Corps lake | 2,777 (all) | — | deer, turkey, small game… |
Also near the county: Red Top Mountain State Park (15 miles), Dawson Forest WMA (20 miles), Pleasant Valley VPA (22 miles), Lake Sidney Lanier (24 miles), Cochrans Creek WMA (25 miles).
There is a state-managed dove field in Cherokee County. Dove field list.
Public land from WRD area listings in the 2026-27 guide, the WRD WMA boundary layer, USFS, USFWS and Corps pages, checked October 13, 2026. Acres within 10 miles of the county seat are a GIS measure. All Georgia public land · Quota hunts.
Cherokee County deer: Game Check reports by season
Hunters reported 2,506 deer from Cherokee County through Game Check in 2025-26: 1,403 bucks and 1,103 does. WRD’s compliance-adjusted estimate is 3,339, or 5.77 deer per square mile (14th by density). That is 81% above the 2016-17 report of 1,385; the best season in the series was 2024-25 at 2,675. With firearms season still ahead, 2026-27 reports reached 393 by Oct. 12.
| Season | Game Check total | Antlered | Antlerless | Adjusted estimate | Deer/sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (to Oct. 12) | 393 | 179 | 214 | 531 | 0.91 |
| 2025-26 | 2,506 | 1,403 | 1,103 | 3,339 | 5.77 |
| 2024-25 | 2,675 | 1,519 | 1,156 | 3,640 | 6.16 |
| 2023-24 | 2,301 | 1,279 | 1,022 | 2,743 | 5.30 |
| 2022-23 | 2,398 | 1,365 | 1,033 | 3,208 | 5.52 |
| 2021-22 | 2,050 | 1,213 | 837 | 2,678 | 4.72 |
| 2020-21 | 1,946 | 1,095 | 851 | 2,519 | 4.48 |
| 2019-20 | 1,908 | 1,084 | 824 | 2,696 | 4.39 |
| 2018-19 | 1,807 | 944 | 863 | 2,604 | 4.16 |
| 2017-18 | 1,643 | 915 | 728 | 2,313 | 3.78 |
| 2016-17 | 1,385 | 748 | 637 | 1,890 | 3.19 |
Deer checked on public land in Cherokee County
| WMA | 2025 season | 2024 season |
|---|---|---|
| Allatoona WMA | 197 | 186 |
| McGraw Ford WMA | 38 | 42 |
WRD DeerHarvestReports service and deer harvest dashboard (county summary; 2026-27 through Oct. 12, 2026 and provisional). Adjusted values and per-square-mile figures are WRD’s. Checked October 13, 2026.
Beyond deer: Cherokee County harvest figures
Cherokee County produced 131 reported toms in 2026; its best spring since 2016 was 2020 with 210. The limit is one gobbler a day and two a season; only gobblers may be taken. On public land, Allatoona WMA (18) and McGraw Ford WMA (3) reported birds in 2026.
| Year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gobblers | 156 | 146 | 150 | 150 | 128 | 131 |
Bears in Cherokee County
32 bears were legally taken in Cherokee County from 2022 to 2025, 10 of them in 2025.
| Season | Legal bears | Male | Female | Road-kill | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 2024 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| 2025 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 13 |
Turkey: WRD Turkey Harvest service (Game Check, not adjusted). Bears: WRD north Georgia harvest summaries (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Checked October 13, 2026.
After the shot in Cherokee County: who to call
Distances are straight-line miles from the middle of Cherokee County.
Taking a deer in
Processors from the Georgia Wildlife Federation list accept Hunters for the Hungry donations.
For a mount
Guides and plantations
Where to buy a license
Region offices
Processors: Georgia Hunters for the Hungry, WRD CWD drop-off sites and directory listings; shops from the Go Outdoors Georgia license agent locator and directories; guides from Discover Georgia Outdoors; offices from WRD, DNR Law Enforcement and USFS. Checked October 13, 2026; call ahead. All Georgia hunting services.
Cherokee County: daily hunting hours
In Georgia, legal hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and other migratory birds stop at sunset.
Worked out for Cherokee County 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.
Cherokee County base towns and next-door counties
Population figures come from the Census 2024 estimates; unincorporated places have none.
- Cantoncounty seat · 38,049 residents · 3,831 public acres within a 10-mile radius
Adjacent Georgia counties: 7.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burn bans and permits in Cherokee County
- Burn permit: Year-round.
- Georgia EPD Summer Burn Ban counties (May 1 to Sep 30): Cherokee County is on this list.
- Who declares bans: (1) The State Forester/GFC Director may order outdoor burning banned in one or more counties when drought or other conditions make burning unusually hazardous (O.C.G.A.
- Public land fires: Georgia DNR WMAs: Rule 391-4-2-.60(8) allows camping and other recreational use year-round unless indicated or posted otherwise at the check station or site.
Cherokee County: where to shoot
Cherokee County holds 3 listed ranges; none of them is on the WRD list.
Lines for handgun, rifle, archery and action pistol
Lines for rifle, handgun, smallbore and action pistol
Lines for muzzleloader, archery and 3D archery
Coosawattee-Carter's Lake Archery Range in Murray County is the nearest WRD range, about 28 miles. Open it
Ranges from the WRD range list and directory listings, checked October 13, 2026.
Fishing in Cherokee County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Cherokee County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Cherokee County FAQ
Can I use dogs for bears in Cherokee County?
No, except the Chattahoochee and Chestatee WMA dog-bear quota hunt.
How many gobblers can I take in Cherokee County?
One a day and two a season, statewide.
Do I need permission to hunt over bait in Cherokee County?
Yes, written permission from the landowner.
How much public land does Cherokee County have?
3 listed areas touch it, Allatoona WMA and McGraw Ford WMA among them.
Is a blaze orange hat enough in Cherokee County?
Only if your outer garments total 500 square inches above the waist.
Does the Outdoors GA app work without signal in Cherokee County?
Yes, Game Check in the app works without cell service.
When does bow season end in Cherokee County?
Jan. 31, 2027.
Can I bring a deer from another state into Cherokee County?
Only boned meat, hides without heads, clean antlers and skulls, and finished taxidermy.
When can I shoot a doe in Cherokee County?
Cherokee County is in the Green zone: 88 firearms days are either sex, the whole season plus Oct. 3-4. Archery and primitive weapons are either sex.
Answers drawn from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting guide, big game seasons, harvest reporting rules, WRD Game Check data and the sources cited above. Checked October 13, 2026.
Loose ends before Cherokee County
Quota hunt deadlines come early; apply through Go Outdoors Georgia well ahead.
Sources: WRD 2026-27 hunting guide (PDF), big game seasons, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0); irio.jyske (CC BY 2.0); Thomson20192 (CC BY 2.0); John Phelan (CC BY 4.0); StephenGA (CC0 1.0); Aly3naa (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); btrentler (CC BY 2.0).