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Region 5 (Albany) · 2026-27
Early County Hunting
Doe days, bear and alligator zones, WMAs and other public ground, reported and adjusted deer harvest, gobbler counts and processors for Early County in WRD Region 5.
Photo: David Dugan (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Early County covers 513 square miles of land and 4 of water, governed from Blakely. The county counted 10,444 people in 2024, roughly 20 per square mile. Public hunting here runs through 1 listed area.
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 Early County
What sets Early County apart: zones and rules
In the Magenta zone, which takes in Early County, the bow season opens buck only for Sept. 12-27; firearms season stays either sex to Jan. 15 and archers get Jan. 16-31. Bag: 12 deer a season, up to 10 of them antlerless and 2 antlered.
Long archery season
Bowhunters in Early County get the extended season, Sept. 12 through Jan. 31, three weeks past the firearms closing.
Buck limit
Early County follows the general rule: two bucks a season, one of which must have 4 points on a side or a 15-inch outside spread.
Archery opener rule
Archery opens Sept. 12 for antlered bucks; either-sex archery starts Sept. 28.
Dog-deer season
Early County is on the dog-deer list: Early (Oct. 17-Jan. 15). A DNR permit is required, on 1,000-acre leases or 250-acre owned tracts.
CWD testing
The four CWD Management Area counties are in south Georgia; this county is not one of them.
Hunting over bait
Early County follows the statewide baiting law: private land yes (deer and hogs, written permission), public land never.
Bear hunting
Bears may not be hunted in this county, which lies in no bear zone.
Gator hunting
Quota alligator hunting in Zone 1 includes Early County; the season opens at sunset in mid-August.
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.
What is open in Early County this year
WRD sets most Georgia seasons statewide; the colour zone, bear zone and archery county lists are what make Early County different.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Private land | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Antlered Bucks Only) | Magenta zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery | Extended archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Either-Sex) | Magenta zone | Sep 28, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlerless Only) | Magenta zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Weapons (Either-Sex) | Magenta 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) | Magenta zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Hunting deer with dogs (either sex) | Dog-deer: Early | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Either-Sex) | Magenta zone | Jan 16, 2027 | Jan 31, 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 |
| Alligator | Quota hunt (2026 season) | Zone 1 | Aug 14, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 | |
| 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.
Early County WMAs, federal tracts and parks
Early County overlaps 1 record on the public land list; quota hunts on them are applied for through Go Outdoors Georgia. Early County also sits within 35 miles of Mayhaw WMA, Walter F. George Lake (Lake Eufaula) and Elmodel WMA.
| Name | Category | Acres | Quota | Listed game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George W. Andrews Lake | Corps lake | — | — | — |
Over the county line: Mayhaw WMA (10 miles), Walter F. George Lake (Lake Eufaula) (23 miles), Elmodel WMA (25 miles), Lake Seminole WMA (28 miles), Chickasawhatchee WMA (30 miles).
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.
Reported and adjusted deer harvest, Early County
1,967 deer were reported in Early County last season (2025-26), ranking it 31st in the state. The adjusted total, 2,980, works out to 3.81 deer a square mile, 76th of 159. Ten seasons back, 2016-17, the report was 1,393 (+41% since). So far in 2026-27 (through Oct. 12), Early County hunters have checked 84 deer.
| Harvest year | Reported | Males | Females | Adjusted total | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (to Oct. 12) | 84 | 33 | 51 | 129 | 0.16 |
| 2025-26 | 1,967 | 857 | 1,110 | 2,980 | 3.81 |
| 2024-25 | 2,077 | 960 | 1,117 | 3,066 | 4.02 |
| 2023-24 | 2,058 | 1,005 | 1,053 | 2,884 | 3.99 |
| 2022-23 | 1,691 | 854 | 837 | 2,534 | 3.27 |
| 2021-22 | 1,458 | 685 | 773 | 2,169 | 2.82 |
| 2020-21 | 1,587 | 760 | 827 | 2,204 | 3.07 |
| 2019-20 | 1,326 | 669 | 657 | 1,948 | 2.57 |
| 2018-19 | 1,082 | 540 | 542 | 1,759 | 2.10 |
| 2017-18 | 1,479 | 720 | 759 | 2,342 | 2.86 |
| 2016-17 | 1,393 | 664 | 729 | 1,861 | 2.70 |
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.
Early County gobblers and other big game
Spring 2026 brought 91 reported gobblers in Early County (0.18 per square mile). Spring 2027 opens Mar. 27 on private land (Apr. 3 on WMAs and the national forest) and closes May 15.
| Spring | ’21 | ’22 | ’23 | ’24 | ’25 | ’26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Check gobblers | 114 | 76 | 85 | 77 | 77 | 91 |
Alligators by year
Zone 1 alligator harvest in 2024: 29.
| Year | Alligators | Avg (in) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 29 | 115.9 |
| 2023 | 42 | 115.5 |
| 2021 | 30 | 116 |
Turkey: WRD Turkey Harvest service (Game Check, not adjusted). Alligators: WRD alligator reports. Checked October 13, 2026.
Early County hunting services
Order of each group: Early County listings, then neighbours by distance.
Deer processors
1 here take part in Hunters for the Hungry, run by WRD and the Georgia Wildlife Federation.
Guided hunts
Outfitters and license agents
Region and warden 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.
Hunting hours near Early County
Hunting opens 30 minutes before sunup statewide. Most game runs to 30 minutes after sundown, while migratory birds close at sunset.
Worked out for Early 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.
From Early County towns to the counties that touch it
Pick a base town in Early County; its page lists the public land within reach and the daily legal hours.
- Blakelycounty seat · 5,142 people in 2024
Next door to Early County are 5 Georgia counties plus Henry (AL) and Houston (AL).
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Fires, permits and bans around Early County
- Burn permit: Year-round.
- Georgia EPD Summer Burn Ban counties (May 1 to Sep 30): Early County is not on this list.
- Who sets a ban: (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.
- Fires on public land: 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.
Early County ranges and matches
Early County holds 2 listed ranges; none of them is on the WRD list.
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore, muzzleloader, air gun, action pistol, archery, benchrest, highpower, 3-gun and shotgun
Lines for trap, sporting clays and 5-stand
Nearest WRD-listed range: Mayhaw Shooting Range in Miller County, about 14 miles from the county center. Details
Ranges from the WRD range list and directory listings, checked October 13, 2026.
Early County on the Georgia events calendar
NWTF banquet account for 1 upcoming event here.
Still to come
| Day | Listing | Venue | Tickets or entry | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2027 | Sawhatchee Sweet Talkers Banquet · NWTF banquet | Blakely, Early Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Early County queries from hunters
Do archers wear orange in Early County?
Yes during firearms and primitive weapons deer seasons.
Has chronic wasting disease reached Early County?
Not so far. Only Atkinson, Berrien, Lanier and Lowndes make up the Management Area.
When is dog-deer season in Early County?
Oct. 17-Jan. 15.
How long is archery season in Early County?
Sept. 12, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027.
What alligator zone is Early County in?
Zone 1.
What deer processors are closest to Early County?
Chambliss & Son Deer Processing, Henry’s Deerhouse Processing and Flint's Wild Game, by straight-line distance.
Is every firearms day either sex in Early County?
Yes, through Jan. 15 in the Magenta zone.
How many deer per square mile are harvested in Early County?
3.81 in 2025-26, by WRD’s adjusted estimate (76th statewide).
Is Early County good turkey country?
It ranked 54th (tied) of 159 for reported gobblers in 2026 (91).
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.
Road check for Early County
WRD can change dates and limits between seasons. The printed guide is the legal reference.
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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0); gary_leavens (CC BY-SA 2.0); Cumberland Island NPS (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0); Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0); Gunn Shots ! (CC BY 2.0).