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Putnam County, Georgia
Oconee Ranger District (Oconee National Forest) Hunting Notes
2026-27 dates for whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese, quota lines, reported harvest, access rules and the nearest towns.
Photo: US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Where Oconee Ranger District sits and who runs it
Oconee Ranger District (Oconee National Forest) is a ranger district of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in Putnam, Jasper, Greene, Jones and 4 more counties. It falls in Game Management Region 3, served by the Thomson office. It is run by the USDA Forest Service. Size: 116,724 acres, number 4 of 4 ranger districts. Look south of Godfrey (the nearest town we cover), about 5 miles out. Agency lists file it under Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. 1 units make it up, listed further down.
County context for Oconee Ranger District
| County | Seat | People (2024) | Private-land deer zone | Bear zone | Gator zone | Deer checked 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | Eatonton | 23,383 | Green | None | — | 1,740 |
| Jasper County | Monticello | 17,219 | Green | None | — | 1,871 |
| Greene County | Greensboro | 21,091 | Green | None | — | 2,153 |
| Jones County | Gray | 29,047 | Green | None | Zone 5 | 1,471 |
| Oglethorpe County | Lexington | 16,172 | Green | None | — | 2,394 |
| Morgan County | Madison | 21,940 | Green | None | — | 1,743 |
| Monroe County | Forsyth | 31,437 | Green | None | Zone 3 | 1,340 |
| Oconee County | Watkinsville | 44,751 | Green | None | — | 670 |
From the source page (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics (USDA Forest Service ownership in the district, sum of gis_acres)); 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.
When Oconee Ranger District is open this season
Oconee Ranger District has 9 season lines in the 2026-27 guide, for deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl, dog training and hitchiti experimental forest.
| Species | Season | Days open | Symbols | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 17-30, Nov. 2-20, Nov. 23-Dec. 11, 14-25, Dec. 28-Jan. 10 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 21-22, Dec. 12-13, 26-27 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | Bag Limit: 1 gobbler |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Dog training | — | Aug. 1 – Sept. 7, Jan. 2 – Mar. 31 | — | |
| Hitchiti Experimental Forest | — | — | — | Hitchiti Experimental Forest is only open during Piedmont Refuge hunting seasons with a valid Piedmont Refuge hunting permit and in accordance with Refuge regulations. See Piedmont NWR listing. |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Oconee Ranger District harvest from Game Check
Game Check logged 385 deer from Oconee Ranger District in 2025-26: 260 antlered, 125 antlerless. Since 2016-17, totals have run from 240 to 413. The 2026-27 season is under way: 16 deer reported so far. Turkey hunters reported 72 gobblers from Oconee Ranger District in spring 2026, and 488 across the springs shown. Unadjusted Game Check reports, the finest level WRD publishes.
Deer by season at Oconee Ranger District
| Year | Bucks | Does | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| 2025-26 | 260 | 125 | 385 |
| 2024-25 | 210 | 115 | 325 |
| 2023-24 | 257 | 156 | 413 |
| 2022-23 | 231 | 96 | 327 |
| 2021-22 | 172 | 68 | 240 |
| 2020-21 | 217 | 100 | 317 |
| 2019-20 | 211 | 130 | 341 |
| 2018-19 | 178 | 86 | 264 |
| 2017-18 | 198 | 90 | 288 |
| 2016-17 | 159 | 97 | 256 |
Oconee Ranger District turkey table
| Spring | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 72 |
| Spring 2025 | 29 |
| Spring 2024 | 31 |
| Spring 2023 | 32 |
| Spring 2022 | 25 |
| Spring 2021 | 44 |
| Spring 2020 | 77 |
| Spring 2019 | 49 |
| Spring 2018 | 41 |
| Spring 2017 | 45 |
| Spring 2016 | 43 |
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.
Oconee Ranger District: rules before the first hunt
The first card is specific to this ground; the rest are statewide rules that matter here.
Rules on Oconee Ranger District
Hunting on national forest land outside WMAs follows Georgia statewide seasons and licensing plus the national forest listings in the Georgia regulations; WMAs on the forest have their own WMA seasons and sign-in rules. No bear hunting with dogs outside designated WMAs. No shooting within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, or across a Forest Service road or body of water; no loaded weapons in vehicles; baiting prohibited.
- Hogs may be taken during daylight hours only
Paperwork for Oconee Ranger District
A Sportsman's License bundles hunting, big game and fishing for residents; the Harvest Record is free but still required for deer, bear and turkey.
Oconee Ranger District: orange, pink and baiting
Wear 500 sq in of fluorescent orange or blaze pink above the waist whenever deer or bear firearms or primitive weapons hunts are on. The private-land baiting allowance stops at the boundary; public land is bait-free. Log the animal on your Harvest Record, then report it to Game Check within a day.
Inside Oconee Ranger District
Agency description, field lists and related areas.
Description from the Forest Service
Address: 1199 Madison Road, Eatonton, GA 31024; phone 706-485-7110. The Oconee National Forest is about 60 miles southeast of Atlanta. The Hitchiti Experimental Forest on the district is open to hunting only during Piedmont NWR seasons with a Piedmont Refuge permit. On all National Forest lands, discharging a firearm or any implement capable of causing injury or property damage is prohibited within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area; across or on a Forest Service road; across any water body; or into or within a cave.
Coyotes may be taken during hunts using legal firearms or archery equipment for the specified game species; electronic calls are allowed; night hunting is prohibited. Pursuit of bears with dogs is prohibited. Placing, leaving, or depositing food, bait, or refuse in any manner likely to attract or concentrate wildlife — whether for hunting or viewing — is prohibited, as is failing to properly store food or refuse to prevent wildlife access.
Transportation of any loaded weapon in a motor vehicle is prohibited.
Other pages that share Oconee Ranger District's land
| Name | Kind | County | Acres | Deer reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests | National forest | Rabun, Fannin, Union | 869,017 | 1,531 |
| Hitchiti Experimental Forest | Experimental forest | Jones | 4,591 | — |
| Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | Union, Lumpkin, Fannin | 302,238 | — |
| Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | Rabun, White, Habersham | 261,439 | — |
| Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | 188,617 | — |
| Redlands WMA | WMA | Greene, Oglethorpe, Morgan | 37,500 | 425 |
| Cedar Creek WMA | WMA | Putnam, Jones, Jasper | 41,000 | 93 |
Text and lists from the source page, USFS EDW, USFS EDW, Georgia regulations; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Game at Oconee Ranger District, with limits
Listed game for Oconee Ranger District: whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, ducks and geese, feral hogs and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Opening line: Buck Only: Oct. 17-30, Nov. 2-20, Nov. 23-Dec. 11, 14-25, Dec. 28-Jan. 10, firearms.
Feral hog
Coyote
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Oconee Ranger District on the map, with its neighbours
Oconee Ranger District sits at the orange pin, with 12 public neighbours inside 30 miles. That is 150,642 acres of listed ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Straight line | Direction | Game Check deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.F. Grant WMA | WMA | 11,400 | 3 mi | north | 47 |
| Little River WMA | WMA | 1,475 | 4 mi | southeast | 14 |
| Cedar Creek WMA | WMA | 41,000 | 11 mi | south | 93 |
| Clybel WMA | WMA | 6,700 | 15 mi | west | 40 |
| Gaither WMA | WMA | 2,129 | 19 mi | northwest | 25 |
| Hard Labor Creek State Park | State park | 5,804 | 21 mi | north | — |
| Oconee WMA | WMA | 7,930 | 21 mi | east | 153 |
| Walton WMA | WMA | 200 | 21 mi | northwest | 1 |
| Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife refuge | 35,000 | 22 mi | southwest | 8 |
| Redlands WMA | WMA | 37,500 | 25 mi | northeast | 425 |
| Rum Creek WMA: Berry Creek Area | WMA | 161 | 26 mi | southwest | 5 |
| Bartram Forest WMA | WMA | 1,343 | 30 mi | southeast | 17 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (USFS EDW Ranger District boundary (polygon centroid, Georgia portion)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Practice before hunting Oconee Ranger District (Oconee National Forest)
Cedar Creek Shooting Range in Putnam County is the nearest range on the WRD list, 11 miles out. Closer private options sit beside it.
Facilities: 100-yard Range
Lines for sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore, muzzleloader and archery
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Oconee Ranger District: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godfrey | Morgan | 5 mi | — | 30,096 |
| Shady Dale | Jasper | 6 mi | 296 | 35,292 |
| Eatonton | Putnam | 7 mi | 6,641 | 47,004 |
| Monticello | Jasper | 12 mi | 2,969 | 35,316 |
Counties covered: Putnam County, Jasper County, Greene County, Jones County, Oglethorpe County, Morgan County, Monroe County, Oconee County.
Help near Oconee Ranger District
Oconee Ranger District contacts
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.
Loading the truck for Oconee Ranger District
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A week of shooting light for Oconee Ranger District
WRD’s rule: half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, with migratory birds ending right at sunset.
Worked out for Oconee Ranger District 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.
Oconee Ranger District, asked and answered
What game is listed for Oconee Ranger District?
The area lists whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits, ducks and geese, feral hogs and coyotes.
Is hunting at Oconee Ranger District first come?
No application is needed; the area has no quota lines.
How many deer get reported from Oconee Ranger District?
Hunters reported 385 deer in 2025-26 (260 bucks).
Are alligators hunted around Oconee Ranger District?
It is in zone 5, 3; apply in the alligator draw.
What areas neighbour Oconee Ranger District?
Try B.F. Grant WMA (3 miles), Little River WMA (4 miles) and Cedar Creek WMA (11 miles); each has its own page.
How much orange does Oconee Ranger District require?
500 square inches of orange or blaze pink above the waist during primitive weapons and firearms deer and bear hunts.
What reporting applies at Oconee Ranger District?
Log it on the Harvest Record before moving it, then report it to Game Check the same day or next.
Is it legal to bait hogs on Oconee Ranger District?
Not here: the baiting allowance covers private land only.
What kind of place is Oconee Ranger District?
A ranger district of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests; the manager is the USDA Forest Service.
Is Oconee Ranger District big enough for a full day?
About 116,724 acres.
Which town makes a good base for Oconee Ranger District?
Base in Godfrey, 5 miles off; the area is in Putnam, Jasper, Greene, Jones and 4 more counties.
Can anyone hunt Oconee Ranger District?
Hunting on national forest land outside WMAs follows Georgia statewide seasons and licensing plus the national forest listings in the Georgia regulations; WMAs on the forest have their own WMA seasons and sign-in rules. No bear hunting with dogs outside designated WMAs. No shooting within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, or across a Forest S
Oconee Ranger District: confirm before you go
Public land rules change more often than the printed guide. Recheck Oconee Ranger District with the manager before you go.
Sources for this page: USFS: oconee ranger district · USFS EDW · USFS EDW · Georgia regulations: federal area regulations; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Luiz Lapa (CC BY 2.0); Wesley Fryer (CC BY 2.0).