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Corps lake, northwest Georgia
Allatoona Lake A Hunter's Guide
2,777 acres of corps lake in Bartow and Cherokee counties, with 2026-27 dates, harvest numbers, licenses and a map.
Photo: Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0)
Getting a permit for Allatoona Lake
No lake-specific dates are printed for Allatoona Lake. Use the statewide calendar, and hunt only where the Corps allows it.
Rules from the manager page, DNR Law Enforcement, Recreation.gov. Checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona Lake by the numbers
Think of Allatoona Lake as an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir with hunting areas spread over Bartow and Cherokee counties. WRD handles it out of the Armuchee office (Game Management Region 1). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District manages it. Area: 2,777 acres. The nearest covered town is Emerson, around 2 miles off in a straight line.
Allatoona Lake, county by county
| County | Seat of county | People | Either-sex colour | Bear zone | Alligator | Deer checked, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartow County | Cartersville | 117,508 | Green | Northern | — | 2,505 |
| Cherokee County | Canton | 293,513 | Green | Northern | — | 2,506 |
From the source page (Recreation.gov Allatoona Lake Project Hunting Permits page ("the current 2,777 acres of public land available for this activity", Corps permit areas only)); counties and zones from the WRD county zone tables; county deer counts from WRD Game Check; population from the Census 2024 estimates. Checked October 13, 2026.
Deer and turkeys taken on Allatoona Lake
In 2025-26 the reported take on Allatoona Lake reached 83. The best season on the chart is 2024-25 at 88; the lowest, 31 in 2016-17. Early 2026-27 figure, still climbing: 26. The spring 2025 turkey count for Allatoona Lake was 6, out of 33 across the years shown. Treat them as a floor. They are Game Check entries, not adjusted totals.
Deer counts, Allatoona Lake
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 7 | 19 | 26 |
| 2025-26 | 47 | 36 | 83 |
| 2024-25 | 48 | 40 | 88 |
| 2023-24 | 22 | 33 | 55 |
| 2022-23 | 28 | 21 | 49 |
| 2021-22 | 30 | 15 | 45 |
| 2020-21 | 41 | 25 | 66 |
| 2019-20 | 28 | 27 | 55 |
| 2018-19 | 27 | 29 | 56 |
| 2017-18 | 22 | 21 | 43 |
| 2016-17 | 18 | 13 | 31 |
Spring gobblers at Allatoona Lake
| Year | Gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | 6 |
| Spring 2024 | 5 |
| Spring 2023 | 4 |
| Spring 2022 | 1 |
| Spring 2021 | 4 |
| Spring 2020 | 5 |
| Spring 2019 | 3 |
| Spring 2018 | 2 |
| Spring 2017 | 2 |
| Spring 2016 | 1 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer, bears from the WRD north Georgia bear summary; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona Lake described
Nothing here is our wording: it is the manager's own description.
Agency description
Resource manager office (678) 721-6700. Rules: stay on existing roads (no off-road driving or ATVs); no night hunting, trapping or target practice; no permanent tree stands, unattended portable stands, tree spikes or screws; 500 sq. in. of hunter orange above the waist during firearm deer season; no shooting within 600 feet of developed areas. Seasons follow Georgia DNR.
Linked ground around Allatoona Lake
| Area | Type | Counties | Acres | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allatoona WMA | WMA | Bartow, Cherokee | 7,589 | 197 |
Text and lists from the source page, DNR Law Enforcement, Recreation.gov, Recreation.gov; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona Lake licenses and access
Ground rules, then the paperwork.
Allatoona Lake ground rules
The Corps sells 500 permits a year, first come, first served, for eleven designated management areas ($25 special activity fee per season; permits cannot be cancelled, changed or transferred). The permit is not needed for, and not valid on, Allatoona WMA (operated by Georgia DNR) or Durham's Pasture/Cobb County Hunting Area. Deer hunting in Corps areas is archery only; waterfowl needs separate permission. Hunt only in shaded areas on the Corps maps.
Allatoona Lake license checklist
Big game hunters add the Big Game License to a hunting license, or buy the Sportsman's, and always carry the free Harvest Record.
Three statewide rules for Allatoona Lake
Orange or blaze pink, 500 square inches above the waist, during primitive weapons and firearms deer and bear hunts. Hunting over bait is unlawful on every state or federal property, this one included. Every deer, turkey and bear goes into Game Check within 24 hours.
Game at Allatoona Lake, with limits
Species with a season or a mention here: whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, feral hogs, coyotes and ducks and geese.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Small game
Feral hog
Coyote
Ducks and geese
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona Lake on the map, with its neighbours
Allatoona Lake sits at the orange pin, with 8 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Their published acreage adds up to 46,919.
| Public ground | Type | Acres | Distance | Which way | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Top Mountain State Park | State park | 1,776 | 3 mi | east | — |
| Allatoona WMA | WMA | 7,589 | 5 mi | east | 197 |
| Sheffield WMA | WMA | 5,556 | 12 mi | southwest | 26 |
| Pleasant Valley VPA | VPA property | 934 | 13 mi | northwest | 8 |
| Paulding Forest WMA | WMA | 28,183 | 18 mi | southwest | 106 |
| McGraw Ford WMA | WMA | 2,067 | 26 mi | northeast | 38 |
| Arrowhead WMA | WMA | 337 | 30 mi | northwest | 1 |
| J.L. Lester WMA | WMA | 477 | 30 mi | southwest | 8 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (Recreation.gov rec area 440 point). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Allatoona Lake: nearest ranges
Closest public range: J.L. Lester Archery Range, roughly 30 miles from the middle of Allatoona Lake. Nearby private ranges are shown too.
Facilities: Bullseye Targets
Lines for archery and 3D archery
Lines for handgun, rifle, archery and action pistol
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Allatoona Lake: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson | Bartow | 2 mi | 2,192 | 8,957 |
| Cartersville | Bartow | 3 mi | 25,082 | 8,910 |
| Euharlee | Bartow | 10 mi | 4,139 | 13,499 |
| Taylorsville | Bartow | 14 mi | 265 | 23,371 |
Read the county pages: Bartow County, Cherokee County.
Shops and processors by Allatoona Lake
WRD and ranger offices near Allatoona Lake
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from WRD, USFS, USFWS and DoD layers; businesses from WRD lists, store locators and listings; offices from WRD, DNR Law Enforcement and USFS pages. Checked October 13, 2026. Call ahead.
Gear picked for Allatoona Lake
Picked around the hunting done here; prices change daily.
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Hunting hours near Allatoona Lake
In Georgia, legal hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and other migratory birds stop at sunset.
Worked out for Allatoona Lake 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.
Allatoona Lake, asked and answered
Which town makes a good base for Allatoona Lake?
Emerson is closest (2 miles); the ground is in Bartow and Cherokee counties.
Is Allatoona Lake big enough for a full day?
2,777 acres, per Recreation.gov Allatoona Lake Project Hunting Permits page ("the current 2,777 acres of public land available for this activity", Corps permit areas only).
What can be hunted at Allatoona Lake?
6 groups: whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, feral hogs, coyotes and ducks and geese.
What paperwork does Allatoona Lake require?
The Corps sells 500 permits a year, first come, first served, for eleven designated management areas ($25 special activity fee per season; permits cannot be cancelled, changed or transferred). The permit is not needed for, and not valid on, Allatoona WMA (operated by Georgia DNR) or Durham's Pasture/Cobb County Hunting Area. Deer hunting in Corps areas is archery only; waterfowl needs separate per
How did Allatoona Lake do in 2025-26?
Reported deer, 2025-26: 83.
Is hunting at Allatoona Lake first come?
The listing carries no quota symbol.
Which areas are close to Allatoona Lake?
The closest on our list are Red Top Mountain State Park (3 miles), Allatoona WMA (5 miles) and Sheffield WMA (12 miles).
Is Allatoona Lake in bear country?
It lies in the Northern bear zone. Bear is not on its list.
Does game from Allatoona Lake go through Game Check?
Yes: deer, bear, turkey and alligator are reported on Game Check inside 24 hours.
What is the orange rule at Allatoona Lake?
Yes, 500 square inches of orange or pink during gun and muzzleloader big game dates.
What kind of place is Allatoona Lake?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District manages this Army Corps of Engineers reservoir with hunting areas.
Are feeders legal on Allatoona Lake?
No bait of any kind on public land.
Allatoona Lake: confirm before you go
Before the drive to Allatoona Lake, confirm the listing dates, your licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: Georgia regulations: federal area regulations · DNR Law Enforcement: specialfederalregulations · Recreation.gov · Recreation.gov; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0); Dana Beveridge (CC BY 2.0).