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WRD Thomson region
Morgan County Hunting
Everything county-level for Morgan County: either-sex days, extended archery and dog-deer status, public land with acres, 2025-26 deer harvest, towns and services.
Photo: KW Baker (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Madison is the seat of Morgan County, a 347 square mile county served by the WRD Thomson office. Census Vintage 2024 puts Morgan County at 21,940 people, +9.2% against 2020. Morgan County touches 2 wildlife management areas and 3 other public tracts. Within 10 miles of Madison there are about 11,361 acres of mapped public land.
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 Morgan County
Morgan County either-sex days and local rules
Morgan County gets the Green zone treatment, meaning no buck-only stretch on private land and 88 firearms days when a doe is legal. Statewide, a hunter may take 12 deer per season, 10 antlerless and 2 antlered at most.
Antlered deer
Buck rules here are statewide: any antlered deer for the first, a 4-point or 15-inch-spread buck for the other.
CWD and carcasses
Outside the CMA, deer from Morgan County need no test, though WRD still samples through processors and taxidermists.
Bait rules
Deer and feral hogs may be hunted over bait on private land in Morgan County with the landowner’s written permission. Bait is never legal on WMAs, the national forest or other public land.
Bear calendar
The county is not in the Northern, Central or Southern bear zone.
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.
Morgan County season dates at a glance
Archery, primitive weapons, firearms, small game and furbearer dates for private land in Morgan County, taken from the 2026-27 guide.
| Game | Segment | Zone | First day | Last day | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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.
Public ground in and around Morgan County
Morgan County counts 5 listed areas open to hunters, and WMA deer, turkey and bear hunters must sign in before each hunt. Grey pins mark 5 more areas across the border.
| Land | Type | Size (ac) | By quota | Hunted for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redlands WMA | WMA | 37,500 overall | Yes | deer, turkey, dove… |
| B.F. Grant WMA | WMA | 11,400 overall | Yes | deer, turkey, dove… |
| Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests | Federal | 869,017 overall | — | bear, deer, turkey… |
| Oconee Ranger District (Oconee National Forest) | Federal | 116,724 overall | — | deer, turkey, small game… |
| Hard Labor Creek State Park | State park | 5,804 overall | Yes | deer, feral hog |
Next door: Walton WMA (11 miles), Clybel WMA (17 miles), Gaither WMA (19 miles), Little River WMA (19 miles), Oconee WMA (26 miles).
Morgan County is on the list of counties with a WRD public dove field. Public dove fields.
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.
Ten seasons of deer in Morgan County
Morgan County hunters checked in 847 bucks and 896 does in 2025-26, 1,743 in all. WRD’s adjusted figure for 2025-26 is 2,347, using reporting rates of 80% for bucks and 70% for does. Reported harvest peaked in 2020-21 (2,444) over the 2016-17-2025-26 run. Early 2026-27 reports, to Oct. 12: 252 deer, 149 of them does.
| Season | Total reported | Bucks | Does | Compliance-adjusted | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (to Oct. 12) | 252 | 103 | 149 | 343 | 0.71 |
| 2025-26 | 1,743 | 847 | 896 | 2,347 | 4.92 |
| 2024-25 | 2,175 | 1,094 | 1,081 | 2,982 | 6.13 |
| 2023-24 | 2,145 | 1,076 | 1,069 | 2,584 | 6.05 |
| 2022-23 | 2,003 | 1,044 | 959 | 2,706 | 5.65 |
| 2021-22 | 2,088 | 1,084 | 1,004 | 2,823 | 5.89 |
| 2020-21 | 2,444 | 1,183 | 1,261 | 3,206 | 6.89 |
| 2019-20 | 2,006 | 988 | 1,018 | 2,844 | 5.66 |
| 2018-19 | 1,981 | 1,036 | 945 | 2,854 | 5.59 |
| 2017-18 | 1,615 | 889 | 726 | 2,276 | 4.55 |
| 2016-17 | 1,598 | 783 | 815 | 2,209 | 4.51 |
Deer from the WMAs here
| Area | 2025-26 reported | 2024-25 reported |
|---|---|---|
| Redlands WMA | 421 | 427 |
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.
Spring turkeys and more from Morgan County
Game Check logged 62 turkeys from Morgan County in 2026; the 2016-2026 average is 63. Youth and mobility-impaired hunters get Mar. 20-21, 2027 before the regular spring opener on Mar. 27. Spring 2026 on the WMAs: Redlands WMA, 38.
| Spring | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toms checked | 60 | 45 | 73 | 62 | 77 | 62 |
Bear harvest by year
Morgan County appears in the north Georgia table with no bears taken in 2022-2025.
| Year | Legal harvest | Males | Females | Road-killed | All mortality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Turkey: WRD Turkey Harvest service (Game Check, not adjusted). Bears: WRD north Georgia harvest summaries (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Checked October 13, 2026.
Morgan County: processing, mounts and license agents
Where Morgan County has too few listings, the bordering counties fill the gap.
Venison processing
Ask about Hunters for the Hungry if you have more venison than you need.
Taxidermists nearby
Hunting preserves
Gun stores and license agents
Wildlife and law enforcement 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.
A week of shooting light for Morgan County
Georgia shooting time starts a half hour before sunrise. Big game and small game end a half hour after sunset; doves and ducks end at sunset.
Worked out for Morgan 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.
Morgan County seat, towns and border counties
The 3 towns below have their own page, the county seat listed first.
- Madisonseat · 5,131 townspeople · 11,361 acres of WMA and federal land within 10 miles
- Bostwick400 townspeople · 7,306 acres of WMA and federal land within 10 miles
- Godfrey30,096 acres of WMA and federal land within 10 miles
Morgan County meets 6 in-state counties at its borders.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Morgan County burn ban and campfire rules
- Permit season: Year-round.
- Georgia EPD Summer Burn Ban counties (May 1 to Sep 30): Morgan 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.
- 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.
Morgan County gun ranges and clubs
Morgan County holds 1 listed range; none of them is on the WRD list.
Lines for sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore, muzzleloader and archery
For a public range, Walton Archery Range (Walton County) is roughly 10 miles away. Hours and rules
Ranges from the WRD range list and directory listings, checked October 13, 2026.
Morgan County on the Georgia events calendar
Retrieved October 13, 2026: 2 upcoming events, covering DU event and NWTF banquet.
Next dates
| Held | What | Where | Link | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 3, 2026 | Morgan County Annual Conservation Banquet & Auction · DU event | Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison, Morgan Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Feb 20, 2027 | Morgan County Swamp Roosters · NWTF banquet | Madison, Morgan Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Morgan County, answered
What day do rifles open for deer in Morgan County?
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, following the primitive weapons week; the gun season ends Jan. 10, 2027.
Which processor should I try first in Morgan County?
Start with Just Right Deer Processing, the nearest listing, and call ahead; hours change in season.
When is turkey season in Morgan County?
Mar. 27 to May 15, 2027 on private land; youth and mobility-impaired hunters get Mar. 20-21.
Is the deer harvest going up in Morgan County?
2025-26: 1,743 reported; 2024-25: 2,175; 2016-17: 1,598.
What do I need to hunt a WMA in Morgan County?
A Georgia hunting license and sign-in for deer, turkey and bear hunts on Go Outdoors Georgia; visitors 16 and up without a license need a Georgia Lands Pass.
Is Morgan County in a bear zone?
No.
What is Game Check?
Georgia’s reporting system for deer, turkey, bear and alligator; use the Outdoors GA app, GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com or 1-800-366-2661.
Is it legal to bait bears in Morgan County?
No. Bear baiting is not allowed anywhere in Georgia.
Do I have to test deer from Morgan County for CWD?
No, but free testing is available through cooperating processors and taxidermists.
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.
Morgan County, final word
WMAs post their own dates, quota hunts and sign-in rules. Read the area page before you go.
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: savoryexposure from Atlanta, GA, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0); Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0); I20sc (CC BY-SA 4.0); ChattOconeeNF (CC BY 2.0); ChattOconeeNF (CC BY 2.0); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); ChattOconeeNF (CC BY 2.0); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).