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Game Management Region 2
Rabun County Hunting
A county guide to Rabun County in northeast Georgia: deer and bear zones, every public tract, deer and turkey harvest rankings, towns, neighbours and nearby services.
Photo: Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0)
Rabun County, 370 square miles in northeast Georgia, is run from Clayton and answers to the Gainesville region office. With about 17,711 residents in 2024, it averages near 48 people a square mile. 4 public areas on the WRD, federal and Corps lists reach into the county, 2 WMAs among them. Mapped public acreage inside 10 miles of Clayton: about 96,466.
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.
Rabun County deer zone, bear zone and county rules
Rabun County follows the tighter Yellow zone rules, where 3 firearms days are either sex (Nov 28-Nov 29 and Jan 1) and the rest are buck only. The statewide season limit is 12 deer: up to 10 antlerless and up to 2 antlered.
Legal bucks
Only the statewide buck rule covers Rabun County: one of the two antlered deer needs 4 points (1 inch+) on one antler or 15 inches of spread.
CWD here
No CWD rules beyond the statewide ones apply here; the Management Area is limited to Atkinson, Berrien, Lanier and Lowndes.
Feeding and bait
Over bait in Rabun County? Fine on private land for deer and hogs if you carry written permission; illegal on public ground.
Black bear rules
Northern zone bears: archery from Sept. 12, primitive weapons Oct. 10-16 and firearms Oct. 17 to Jan. 10, without 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.
2026-27 calendar for Rabun County land
Rabun County falls in the Yellow either-sex zone, which decides the doe days on private land. The 29 rows below are every dated segment that applies there.
| Game | Season | Covers | Begins | Finishes | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Private land | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Either-Sex) | Yellow zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Weapons (Either-Sex) | Yellow 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 (Antlered Bucks Only) | Yellow zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Yellow zone | Nov 28, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlered Bucks Only) | Yellow zone | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Yellow zone | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlered Bucks Only) | Yellow zone | Jan 2, 2027 | 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.
Public tracts on the Rabun County map
4 public areas from the WRD, federal and Corps lists reach into Rabun County. Acres for areas that cross county lines are the whole area. Short drives out of the county: Swallow Creek WMA (16 miles), Chattahoochee WMA (24 miles) and Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park (24 miles).
| Public land | Kind | Acres | Quota | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warwoman WMA | WMA | 15,800 | — | deer, bear, turkey… |
| Tallulah Gorge WMA | WMA | 2,689 total | — | deer, bear, turkey… |
| Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests | Federal | 869,017 total | — | bear, deer, turkey… |
| Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Federal | 261,439 total | — | bear, deer, turkey… |
Close outside the line: Swallow Creek WMA (16 miles), Chattahoochee WMA (24 miles), Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park (24 miles), Lake Russell WMA (26 miles), Buck Shoals WMA (26 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.
How many deer Rabun County produces
Rabun County logged 371 deer in Game Check for 2025-26, 152nd of Georgia’s 159 counties. Adjusting for hunters who never report, WRD estimates 463 deer, 155th statewide. In 2016-17 the county reported 216, so the change since is +72%. The in-progress 2026-27 bar shows 30 deer reported through Oct. 12.
| Year | Checked | Bucks | Does | Adjusted | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (to Oct. 12) | 30 | 15 | 15 | 36 | 0.08 |
| 2025-26 | 371 | 329 | 42 | 463 | 0.98 |
| 2024-25 | 288 | 250 | 38 | 389 | 0.76 |
| 2023-24 | 270 | 233 | 37 | 377 | 0.72 |
| 2022-23 | 261 | 219 | 42 | 336 | 0.69 |
| 2021-22 | 224 | 194 | 30 | 296 | 0.59 |
| 2020-21 | 243 | 215 | 28 | 314 | 0.65 |
| 2019-20 | 191 | 151 | 40 | 286 | 0.51 |
| 2018-19 | 205 | 162 | 43 | 287 | 0.54 |
| 2017-18 | 222 | 187 | 35 | 314 | 0.59 |
| 2016-17 | 216 | 172 | 44 | 255 | 0.57 |
Deer by WMA
| Area | 2025-26 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Warwoman WMA | 2 | — |
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.
Gobbler counts and bear data for Rabun County
Reported spring harvest in Rabun County: 104 gobblers in 2026, out of 12,634 statewide. Turkeys must be reported through Game Check within 24 hours, like deer and bears. WMA gobblers in 2026: Warwoman WMA 16.
| Spring of | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkeys reported | 95 | 50 | 65 | 106 | 97 | 104 |
Black bear harvest
In 2025, Rabun County hunters took 21 bears; the Northern zone total was 326.
| Year | Taken legally | Males | Females | Vehicle kills | Mortality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 33 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 33 |
| 2023 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 30 |
| 2024 | 42 | 23 | 19 | 1 | 43 |
| 2025 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 25 |
Turkey: WRD Turkey Harvest service (Game Check, not adjusted). Bears: WRD north Georgia harvest summaries (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Checked October 13, 2026.
Rabun County game processing and agency desks
Georgia keeps no taxidermist or guide registry, so these come from WRD partners and directories; Rabun County entries lead.
Butchering and processing
Hunters for the Hungry lists 1 of them as participating processors.
Taxidermists
Gear shops
WRD and ranger 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.
Legal light at Rabun County this week
WRD’s rule: half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, with migratory birds ending right at sunset.
Worked out for Rabun 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.
Rabun County towns, plus bordering counties
Towns for Rabun County hunters, starting from the courthouse town.
- Claytonseat of county · 2,090 people · 96,466 mapped public acres in 10 miles
- Mountain City964 people · 92,861 mapped public acres in 10 miles
- Sky Valley491 people · 69,251 mapped public acres in 10 miles
Rabun County touches 2 other Georgia counties; Clay (NC), Macon (NC) and Oconee (SC) lie out of state.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Can you burn in Rabun County?
- Burn permit: Year-round.
- Georgia EPD Summer Burn Ban counties (May 1 to Sep 30): Rabun County is not 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.
- 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.
Rabun County: where to shoot
No range turned up inside Rabun County; the nearest three are measured from the county center.
Lines for handgun, rifle and archery
Lines for rifle, handgun, muzzleloader and air gun
Facilities: Air Gun Range
About 21 miles away, Unicoi Air Rifle Range is the closest public range Georgia DNR lists.
Upcoming in Rabun County
| Date and match | Category | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 5-6, 2026 · Gem Capitol Clayton Gun & Knife Show | Gun show | Hours and tickets |
Ranges from the WRD range list and directory listings, checked October 13, 2026.
Fishing in Rabun County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Rabun County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Rabun County: short answers
Which public tract in Rabun County has the most acres?
Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), at 261,439 acres counting any part outside the county.
May I hunt deer over a feeder in Rabun County?
On private land, yes, for deer and feral hogs, as long as you have the landowner’s permission in writing. Never on public land.
What goes on the Harvest Record?
The date and county of the kill, before you move the animal, and later the Game Check confirmation number.
Do I need to wear orange in Rabun County?
Yes, during primitive weapons and firearms deer and bear seasons: 500 square inches of orange or blaze pink above the waist.
Is Rabun County in the CWD Management Area?
No.
Is there a deer processor in or near Rabun County?
Yes: Blalock's Meat Processing, Cypress Processing and Taxidermy and Trails End Processing, nearest first.
What either-sex zone is Rabun County in?
The Yellow zone, with 3 firearms either-sex days on private land.
How many deer did Rabun County hunters report last season?
371 through Game Check in 2025-26; WRD scales that to 463 for non-reporting.
What was the 2026 turkey harvest in Rabun County?
104 reported gobblers (0.28 per square mile).
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.
Packing up for Rabun County
If anything here disagrees with the regulations guide, the guide wins.
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: StephenGA (CC0 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0); Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0).