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Northeast Georgia
Hall County Hunting
Hall 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: Thomson200 (CC0 1.0)
Census measures Hall County at 392 square miles of land; the courthouse is in Gainesville. Roughly 221,745 people lived there in 2024, 9.3% more than the 2020 base. Hunters have 2 public tracts to choose from inside the line, led by Don Carter State Park at 1,316 acres. A 10-mile circle around Gainesville takes in some 1,248 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.
2026-27 zone rules for Hall County
Doe hunters in Hall 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.
Extended bow season
Extended archery applies across Hall County: Sept. 12, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 for archery equipment.
Buck rule
Hall 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.
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 Hall County, written permission required; it is banned on every state and federal tract.
Bears
Bears are legal here on the Northern zone calendar (Sept. 12-Jan. 10); the season limit is 2.
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 Hall 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 | 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.
Hall County public areas with acreage
Here are all 2 public areas with ground in Hall County, WMAs first, then federal land, parks and lakes. 5 out-of-county tracts also appear on the Hall County map.
| Area | Owner type | Acres | Quota | Game named |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lula Bridge WMA | WMA | 513 | — | waterfowl, small game |
| Don Carter State Park | State park | 1,316 | Some | deer |
Just beyond the county: Wilson Shoals WMA (16 miles), Lake Sidney Lanier (18 miles), London Farms Dove Field (19 miles), Buck Shoals WMA (20 miles), Fort Yargo State Park (25 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 Hall County, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Game Check shows 2,874 deer for Hall County in 2025-26, 1.4% of the state’s reported harvest. Scaled up for non-reporting, the estimate is 3,836 deer, which ranks 8th. Compared with 2,033 in 2016-17, reports are up 41%. This season’s running count stood at 481 on Oct. 12, before the firearms opener.
| Season | Reported | Bucks | Does | WRD adjusted | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (to Oct. 12) | 481 | 233 | 248 | 648 | 1.12 |
| 2025-26 | 2,874 | 1,571 | 1,303 | 3,836 | 6.70 |
| 2024-25 | 3,389 | 1,826 | 1,563 | 4,628 | 7.89 |
| 2023-24 | 2,813 | 1,561 | 1,252 | 3,354 | 6.55 |
| 2022-23 | 2,866 | 1,575 | 1,291 | 3,849 | 6.68 |
| 2021-22 | 2,230 | 1,277 | 953 | 2,940 | 5.20 |
| 2020-21 | 2,611 | 1,444 | 1,167 | 3,385 | 6.08 |
| 2019-20 | 2,303 | 1,261 | 1,042 | 3,257 | 5.37 |
| 2018-19 | 2,719 | 1,487 | 1,232 | 3,904 | 6.33 |
| 2017-18 | 2,459 | 1,435 | 1,024 | 3,446 | 5.73 |
| 2016-17 | 2,033 | 1,169 | 864 | 2,748 | 4.74 |
WMA Game Check deer
| Tract | 2025-26 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Lula Bridge WMA | 2 | 1 |
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.
Hall County turkey and bear numbers
83 gobblers were checked in Hall County in spring 2026, ranking 60th of 159. These are Game Check reports, not adjusted estimates; WRD’s 2024 survey put the statewide gobbler harvest at 11,924.
| Season | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported birds | 84 | 48 | 54 | 70 | 90 | 83 |
Black bears
Legal bear harvest in Hall County: 1 in 2025, ranking 17th (tied) in the Northern zone table.
| Year | Harvest | Boars | Sows | Road kills | Total deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Turkey: WRD Turkey Harvest service (Game Check, not adjusted). Bears: WRD north Georgia harvest summaries (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Checked October 13, 2026.
Butchers, mounts and shops serving Hall 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 Hall 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 Hall 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 Hall County, then its ring of counties
Public acres beside each town are a GIS total for a 10-mile circle, not a published figure.
- Gainesvillecourthouse town · 47,712 inhabitants · 1,248 acres of public land inside 10 miles
Hall County shares borders with 9 Georgia counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Hall County burn ban and campfire rules
- Burn permit: Year-round.
- Georgia EPD Summer Burn Ban counties (May 1 to Sep 30): Hall County is on this list.
- Ban orders: (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.
- Campfires while hunting: 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.
Hall County gun ranges and clubs
Hall County holds 4 listed ranges; none of them is on the WRD list.
Lines for handgun, rifle and shotgun
Lines for rifle, handgun, smallbore and air gun
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore, action pistol, cowboy action and shotgun
Lines for archery and 3D archery
The closest range on the WRD list is Wilson Shoals Shooting Range, 14 miles off in Banks County. See the range
On the local calendar
| Day and event | Discipline | Enter |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 12, 2026 · ATA Registered Trapshoot at Cherokee Gun Club (Nov 12, 2026) | Trap | Source page |
| Nov 28, 2026 · ATA Registered Trapshoot at Cherokee Gun Club (Nov 28, 2026) | Trap | Source page |
| Nov 29, 2026 · Tactical Tuesday at Patriot Firearm Training | Class | Source page |
| Dec 10, 2026 · ATA Registered Trapshoot at Cherokee Gun Club (Dec 10, 2026) | Trap | Source page |
| Dec 26, 2026 · ATA Registered Trapshoot at Cherokee Gun Club (Dec 26, 2026) | Trap | Source page |
| Mar 5, 2027 · Tactical Tuesday at Patriot Firearm Training | Class | Source page |
Ranges from the WRD range list and directory listings, checked October 13, 2026.
Fishing in Hall County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Hall County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Hall County hunters often ask
Where do Hall County hunters drop off deer?
Most often at Southers Deer Cooler, North Georgia Processing and The Steel Buffalo Butchery.
What are the deer dates in Hall County for 2026-27?
Archery Sept. 12, primitive weapons Oct. 10-16, firearms Oct. 17-Jan. 10, extended archery to Jan. 31.
How many bucks came from Hall County last season?
1,571 reported bucks and 1,303 does in 2025-26.
Can I hunt turkeys in the fall in Hall County?
No. Georgia opens turkeys in spring only, and only for gobblers.
Where do I check a bear from Hall County?
Northern zone: hide and skull to a Game Management office (not Fitzgerald) or cooperator within 3 business days.
Are there quota hunts on public land in Hall County?
Quota hunts are listed for Don Carter State Park.
How does Georgia’s bait law apply in Hall 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 Hall County?
24 hours, through Game Check.
Do turkey hunters need orange in Hall County?
No; the orange rule covers deer, bear and hogs during gun seasons.
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 Hall 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: gailhampshire (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Michael Fraley (CC BY 2.0); PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public Domain Mark 1.0); davedehetre (CC BY 2.0); Gunn Shots ! (CC BY 2.0); Birding for Climate (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); StephenGA (CC0 1.0).