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White County · WMA
Chattahoochee WMA Hunting Guide
Chattahoochee WMA, 25,150 acres in White, Union and Towns counties: whitetails, black bears, gobblers and coyotes, this season's dates, Game Check harvest, rules and the ground nearby.
Photo: Thomson200 (CC0 1.0)
Sizing up Chattahoochee WMA
Kind of ground: wildlife management area run by WRD. Where: White, Union and Towns counties. The Gainesville regional office (Region 2) is the WRD contact. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. With 25,150 acres, it sits at 11th of 121 WMAs by acreage. Helen is the closest town with a guide here, about 4 miles away; the area lies northwest of it.
Chattahoochee WMA, county by county
| County | Courthouse town | Population 2024 | Doe-day zone | Bear zone | Alligator zone | Deer 2025-26 (reported) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White County | Cleveland | 29,668 | Orange | Northern | — | 1,092 |
| Union County | Blairsville | 27,601 | Cyan | Northern | — | 1,755 |
| Towns County | Hiawassee | 13,184 | Yellow | Northern | — | 505 |
From the source page (Georgia 2026-27 Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) area listing); 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.
Dates WRD set for Chattahoochee WMA
This year's listing gives Chattahoochee WMA 8 lines of dates: deer & bear, bear, turkey, coyote and small game. You must be drawn for 1 of the hunts (9 permits combined). Flags to note: 1 bonus deer line.
| Game | Segment | When | Flags | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 12-20, 25-31 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 21-Oct. 24, Nov. 21-28 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Dec. 9-12 | Bonus deer | |
| Bear | Firearms | (Bag limit 2/person or 5/party) Dog/Bear: Oct. 3-11 | Quota 9 | |
| Bear | Firearms | Sept. 26-Oct. 2 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
How many deer come off Chattahoochee WMA
Bucks 17, does 0: that is the 2025-26 reported harvest on Chattahoochee WMA. Range across the chart: 8 up to 17 deer. 113 gobblers have been checked from Chattahoochee WMA in the springs listed, 18 of them in 2026. Counts are raw Game Check reports from the area; WRD does not adjust them for non-reporting at this level.
Deer reported from Chattahoochee WMA
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 2024-25 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| 2022-23 | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| 2021-22 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2020-21 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 2018-19 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| 2017-18 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| 2016-17 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
Chattahoochee WMA spring turkey counts
| Season | Gobblers checked |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 18 |
| Spring 2025 | 9 |
| Spring 2024 | 15 |
| Spring 2023 | 9 |
| Spring 2022 | 11 |
| Spring 2021 | 10 |
| Spring 2020 | 5 |
| Spring 2019 | 8 |
| Spring 2018 | 7 |
| Spring 2017 | 12 |
| Spring 2016 | 9 |
Legal bears around Chattahoochee WMA
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.
What Chattahoochee WMA requires
What applies here, card by card.
How Chattahoochee WMA works
Before stepping onto the area, hunters and visitors 16 and older need a license or the Lands Pass. Bear, deer and turkey hunters sign in online on Go Outdoors Georgia, from the day before. Some hunts are drawn: apply in advance on Go Outdoors Georgia. Take bonus deer to the check station before you leave.
- US Forest Service property
- No ATV’s/UTV’s
- Electric bicycles restricted to roads open to motor vehicles
Licenses for Chattahoochee WMA
The free Harvest Record is mandatory for deer, bear, turkey and alligator, whatever license you hold.
Rules that follow you onto Chattahoochee WMA
Firearms and primitive weapons dates mean orange or pink on top, at least 500 square inches. Bait is legal on private land with permission, never on WMAs, VPAs, national forests or other public land. Within 24 hours, report big game and turkeys on Game Check.
Quota hunts at Chattahoochee WMA
Apply through Go Outdoors Georgia. Missing out builds a priority point for next time.
Getting to Chattahoochee WMA
The Chattahoochee WMA Check Station has moved to DNR-owned land near Smithgall Woods/Dukes Creek State Park at 34.6720932° N, -83.778786° W. From Cleveland, go north on Main Street (U.S. 129) for 3.5 miles, turn right onto GA Hwy 75A, and travel 4.2 miles towards Helen. The station driveway will be on the left, across from Duke’s Creek Baptist Church, before Asbestos Road.
Chattahoochee WMA up close
Quoted from the managing agency, then the lists that tie this page to others.
Notes from WRD
Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area is located in White County on property owned by the U.S. Forest Service. This 25,150-acre property has hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey and small game. Vehicle Usage: ATVs and UTVs are not allowed on U.S. Forest Service roads. They may only be used on roads/trails designated specifically for their use. Check Road Closures: Road closures due to damage or weather-related conditions for this property will be listed at the agency website.
Hunters: Check Station Location: The check station is located on DNR-owned land near Smithgall Woods/Dukes Creek State Park. Find the Check Station at 34.6720932 degrees latitude and -83.778786 degrees longitude. Directions from Cleveland: From the downtown square, take Main Street (U.S. 129) north approximately 3.5 miles to GA Hwy 75A. Take a right on GA Hwy 75A and go approximately 4.2 miles towards Helen. The new check station driveway will be on the left across the highway from Duke’s Creek Baptist Church and before the intersection with Asbestos Road.
Dog-bear hunters must check in at the Chattahoochee WMA check station prior to hunting and are required to attend a pre-hunt meeting as directed in their notification email.
Chattahoochee WMA: parent, units and overlapping ground
| Area | Category | Counties | Acres | Game Check deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | Rabun, White, Habersham | 261,439 | — |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Chattahoochee WMA species and bags
Hunters come to Chattahoochee WMA for whitetails, black bears, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs.
White-tailed deer
Earliest listed: Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 12-20, 25-31, archery.
Black bear
Earliest listed: (Bag limit 2/person or 5/party) Dog/Bear: Oct. 3-11, firearms.
Feral hog
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Pins around Chattahoochee WMA
Chattahoochee WMA sits at the orange pin, with 12 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Acres on file for the neighbours: 670,411.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Deer reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park | State park | 4,500 | 5 mi | southeast | 18 |
| Swallow Creek WMA | WMA | 19,000 | 10 mi | northeast | 6 |
| Chestatee WMA | WMA | 27,123 | 10 mi | west | 6 |
| Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 302,238 | 15 mi | west | — |
| London Farms Dove Field | Dove field | 111 | 15 mi | southeast | — |
| Cooper's Creek WMA | WMA | 30,000 | 15 mi | west | 9 |
| Buck Shoals WMA | WMA | 582 | 16 mi | southeast | — |
| Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 261,439 | 19 mi | east | — |
| Blue Ridge WMA | WMA | 20,900 | 22 mi | west | 38 |
| Lula Bridge WMA | WMA | 513 | 23 mi | south | 2 |
| Tallulah Gorge WMA | WMA | 2,689 | 24 mi | east | 2 |
| Don Carter State Park | State park | 1,316 | 25 mi | south | — |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (WRD WMA Boundary GIS (polygon centroid)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Chattahoochee WMA: nearest ranges
About 4 miles separates Chattahoochee WMA from Unicoi Air Rifle Range, the nearest WRD range.
Facilities: Air Gun Range
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Chattahoochee WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen | White | 4 mi | 630 | 96,225 |
| Cleveland | White | 10 mi | 3,583 | 28,057 |
| Blairsville | Union | 13 mi | 849 | 76,827 |
| Hiawassee | Towns | 14 mi | 1,046 | 80,611 |
Hunting guides for its counties: White County, Union County, Towns County.
After the shot at Chattahoochee WMA
Offices for Chattahoochee WMA
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.
Chattahoochee WMA hunting kit
Matched to the species on this page.
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Legal light at Chattahoochee WMA this week
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 Chattahoochee WMA 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.
Common Chattahoochee WMA questions
How do I report a deer or gobbler from Chattahoochee WMA?
Record it on your Harvest Record, then report through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours (app, GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com or 1-800-366-2661).
Is blaze pink legal on Chattahoochee WMA?
In deer and bear gun hunts, wear 500 sq in of orange or blaze pink.
Which agency is in charge of Chattahoochee WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division runs it as a wildlife management area run by WRD.
Is baiting allowed at Chattahoochee WMA?
No. Baiting for game or feral hogs is illegal on state and federal land.
Where do hunters stay for Chattahoochee WMA?
Start from Helen; the area is 4 miles off, in White, Union and Towns counties.
Is Chattahoochee WMA big enough for a full day?
Roughly 25,150 acres.
How does sign-in work on Chattahoochee WMA?
Deer, bear and turkey hunters sign in online first; it opens the previous day.
Do I need a Lands Pass for Chattahoochee WMA?
Residents pay $15.00 for a hunting license or $30.00 for a Lands Pass; either lets you in.
When is turkey season on Chattahoochee WMA?
Apr. 3-May 15, per the 2026-27 listing. Limit on WMAs: 1 gobbler per area.
When does deer season open on Chattahoochee WMA?
Archery dates start Buck Only: Sept. 12-25, Oct. 12-20, 25-31. All later dates are in the table.
Do I need to be drawn for Chattahoochee WMA?
1 quota lines with 9 slots; apply on Go Outdoors Georgia.
What can be hunted at Chattahoochee WMA?
Listed game: whitetails, black bears, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs.
Chattahoochee WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Chattahoochee WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: chattahoochee wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations a c · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Cumberland Island NPS (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0).