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South-central Georgia
Effingham County Hunting
Effingham County hunting from WRD data: 2026-27 private-land seasons, the WMAs and federal tracts in and near the county, ten years of deer harvest and where to process game.
Photo: isydiavibes (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Census measures Effingham County at 479 square miles of land; the courthouse is in Springfield. Roughly 73,148 people lived there in 2024, 12.9% more than the 2020 base. Hunters have 1 public tract to choose from inside the line, led by Savannah National Wildlife Refuge at 30,715 acres. A 10-mile circle around Springfield takes in some 1,056 acres of public ground.
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 Effingham County
2026-27 zone rules for Effingham County
Doe hunters in Effingham County have it easy: the Green zone makes all 88 firearms days either sex on private land. Two antlered and ten antlerless deer, 12 in all, make up the season limit.
Buck rule
Effingham County has no county antler rule, so the statewide one applies: of two antlered deer, one must carry 4 points of an inch or more on a side or a 15-inch outside spread.
Dog hunting for deer
Hounds may be used for deer, permit in hand, in Effingham (Oct. 17-Jan. 10).
Chronic wasting disease
Statewide carcass rules apply: leave it where the deer fell, take it to a processor, or use trash service or a landfill.
Corn and feeders
Baiting is legal for deer and hogs on private land in Effingham County, written permission required; it is banned on every state and federal tract.
Bears
Effingham County has no bear season; the nearest zone counties are on the bear zone page.
Gators
Effingham County lies in alligator Zone 8. The 2026 quota hunt ran Aug. 14 to Oct. 5; the 2023 zone map shows a quota of 176.
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.
Georgia seasons that reach Effingham County
These dates cover private land. A WMA or the national forest can be shorter or quota-only, so check the area page before you go.
| Animal | Hunt | Scope | Starts | Ends | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Hunting deer with dogs (either sex) | Dog-deer: Effingham | 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 |
| Alligator | Quota hunt (2026 season) | Zone 8 | 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.
Effingham County public areas with acreage
Here is the one public area with ground in Effingham County, WMAs first, then federal land, parks and lakes. 5 out-of-county tracts also appear on the Effingham County map.
| Area | Owner type | Acres | Quota | Game named |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah National Wildlife Refuge | Federal | 30,715 total | — | deer, turkey, waterfowl… |
Just beyond the county: Oliver Bridge WMA (15 miles), Canoochee Sandhills WMA (24 miles), Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield (30 miles), Evans County PFA (31 miles), Tuckahoe WMA (34 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.
Deer harvest in Effingham County, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Game Check shows 1,095 deer for Effingham County in 2025-26, 0.5% of the state’s reported harvest. Scaled up for non-reporting, the estimate is 1,930 deer, which ranks 68th. Compared with 975 in 2016-17, reports are up 12%. This season’s running count stood at 78 on Oct. 12, before the firearms opener.
| Season | Reported | Bucks | Does | WRD adjusted | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (to Oct. 12) | 78 | 34 | 44 | 138 | 0.16 |
| 2025-26 | 1,095 | 501 | 594 | 1,930 | 2.27 |
| 2024-25 | 1,028 | 464 | 564 | 1,901 | 2.13 |
| 2023-24 | 1,340 | 617 | 723 | 2,274 | 2.77 |
| 2022-23 | 1,096 | 523 | 573 | 1,877 | 2.27 |
| 2021-22 | 1,229 | 541 | 688 | 2,149 | 2.54 |
| 2020-21 | 1,303 | 552 | 751 | 2,347 | 2.70 |
| 2019-20 | 1,022 | 447 | 575 | 1,743 | 2.12 |
| 2018-19 | 1,246 | 507 | 739 | 2,644 | 2.58 |
| 2017-18 | 1,328 | 557 | 771 | 2,935 | 2.75 |
| 2016-17 | 975 | 428 | 547 | 1,706 | 2.02 |
WMA Game Check deer
| Tract | 2025-26 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Savannah National Wildlife Refuge | 9 | 5 |
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.
Effingham County turkey and bear numbers
98 gobblers were checked in Effingham County in spring 2026, ranking 47th of 159. These are Game Check reports, not adjusted estimates; WRD’s 2024 survey put the statewide gobbler harvest at 11,924. Savannah National Wildlife Refuge reported 2 gobblers in 2026.
| Season | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported birds | 109 | 93 | 114 | 101 | 110 | 98 |
Alligators
The 2024 season in Zone 8 ended with 80 gators checked.
| Season | Harvested | Avg length, in |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 80 | 97.1 |
| 2023 | 83 | 100.1 |
| 2021 | 68 | 88 |
Turkey: WRD Turkey Harvest service (Game Check, not adjusted). Alligators: WRD alligator reports. Checked October 13, 2026.
Butchers, mounts and shops serving Effingham County
Each group starts inside the county line and then reaches into adjacent counties.
Processors nearby
2 of these take donated deer for Georgia Hunters for the Hungry.
Taxidermy shops
Outfitters nearby
Sporting goods and licenses
Who to call
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.
First and last light at Effingham County
Whitetails, turkeys and squirrels: sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Migratory birds: same start, but they end at sunset.
Worked out for Effingham 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.
Towns of Effingham County, then its ring of counties
Public acres beside each town are a GIS total for a 10-mile circle, not a published figure.
- Springfieldcourthouse town · 3,223 inhabitants · 1,056 acres of public land inside 10 miles
- Rincon11,701 inhabitants · 20,534 acres of public land inside 10 miles
Effingham County shares borders with 4 Georgia counties, plus Hampton (SC) and Jasper (SC) in the next state.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Fires, permits and bans around Effingham County
- Burn permit: Year-round.
- Georgia EPD Summer Burn Ban counties (May 1 to Sep 30): Effingham County is not on this list.
- Burn bans come from: (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.
Effingham County gun ranges and clubs
No range sits in Effingham County on our list. These three are closest.
Lines for rifle, handgun, smallbore and action pistol
Lines for archery and 3D archery
Facilities: 16 Lane, 25-meter Firing Range, 16 Lane, 25-meter Archery Center, 2 Training Rooms
The closest range on the WRD list is Georgia Southern University Shooting Sports Education Center, 27 miles off in Bulloch County. See the range
Ranges from the WRD range list and directory listings, checked October 13, 2026.
Effingham County hunters often ask
Are there quota hunts on public land in Effingham County?
None of the listed areas here shows quota hunts.
How does Georgia’s bait law apply in Effingham County?
Deer and hogs may be hunted over bait on private land with written permission; WMAs and federal land stay bait-free.
How long do I have to report a turkey from Effingham County?
24 hours, through Game Check.
Do turkey hunters need orange in Effingham County?
No; the orange rule covers deer, bear and hogs during gun seasons.
What do I do with a deer carcass in Effingham County?
Leave it on the property, use a processor, or put it in household trash or a landfill.
Is Effingham County a dog-deer county?
Yes.
How do I get an alligator tag for Effingham County?
Apply for the Zone 8 quota hunt through Go Outdoors Georgia.
Where do Effingham County hunters drop off deer?
Most often at Wise Brothers Processing and Taxidermy, Deer Trax Processing LLC and Boddiford Deer Processing.
What are the deer dates in Effingham County for 2026-27?
Archery Sept. 12, primitive weapons Oct. 10-16, firearms Oct. 17-Jan. 10.
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.
Go time in Effingham County
Dates on this page are for 2026-27. Confirm with WRD before the trip.
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: Bruce Tuten (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); StephenGA (CC0 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); greenebriar (Public domain).