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WMA · Region 1
Hunting Coosawattee WMA
A hunter's summary of Coosawattee WMA in Murray County: listing dates, harvest, rules and local services.
Photo: Edwards_SA (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Coosawattee WMA: every dated hunt
Across 8 rows, the 2026-27 listing sets dates for deer & bear, turkey, dove, coyote, small game and waterfowl. Quota draws cover 1 line and 150 slots in total. Watch for 2 bonus deer lines and 1 specialty hunt.
| Species | Weapon or type | 2026-27 dates | Tags | Area notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 15, Oct. 19-Nov. 12, Nov. 16-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Oct. 16-18 | Specialty Bonus deer | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Nov. 13-15 | Quota 150 Bonus deer | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Dove | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | State Seasons | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Coosawattee WMA: the essentials
Murray County holds Coosawattee WMA, a wildlife management area run by WRD. For WRD purposes it belongs to Region 1, the Armuchee region. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. The 2,714-acre figure makes it 75th largest of 121 WMAs. Base town: Resaca, about 10 miles away to the northeast.
Where Coosawattee WMA sits by county
| County | Seat | 2024 residents | Deer colour zone | Bear zone | Gator zone | Deer reported 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County | Chatsworth | 41,316 | Orange | Northern | — | 1,558 |
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.
Coosawattee WMA: reported deer and gobblers
Last full season (2025-26) the reported count stood at 110, with 58 bucks. Reported totals peaked at 110 in 2025-26 and bottomed at 7 in 2018-19. Partial count for the current season: 16. Game Check lists 3 gobblers for spring 2026 (113 since records began here). These are deer and turkeys hunters reported through Game Check, not WRD estimates, and bonus deer checked at the station are not included.
Season-by-season deer, Coosawattee WMA
| Season | Males | Females | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 4 | 12 | 16 |
| 2025-26 | 58 | 52 | 110 |
| 2024-25 | 35 | 50 | 85 |
| 2023-24 | 26 | 34 | 60 |
| 2022-23 | 31 | 31 | 62 |
| 2021-22 | 22 | 21 | 43 |
| 2020-21 | 32 | 30 | 62 |
| 2019-20 | 28 | 21 | 49 |
| 2018-19 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| 2017-18 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 2016-17 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
Gobblers by spring, Coosawattee WMA
| Spring | Gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 3 |
| Spring 2025 | 5 |
| Spring 2024 | 8 |
| Spring 2023 | 3 |
| Spring 2022 | 6 |
| Spring 2021 | 20 |
| Spring 2020 | 29 |
| Spring 2019 | 16 |
| Spring 2018 | 13 |
| Spring 2017 | 6 |
| Spring 2016 | 4 |
Coosawattee WMA county bear counts
| County | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray | 64 | 46 | 69 | 49 |
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 Coosawattee WMA is like
The manager describes the place; related areas follow.
What WRD says about Coosawattee WMA
Coosawattee Wildlife Management Area is an annually leased property located in Murray County. This 2,043-acre property offers hunting for deer, bear, turkey and small game. WMA user information and sign-in is located at the Carter's Lake WMA Check Station. Hunters must sign-in for big game hunts and check-out bonus deer and bear at Carters Lake WMA check station.
Dove field forecast for Coosawattee WMA
| Property | Region | Acres planted | Crops | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coosawattee WMA | 1 | 19 | Proso Millet, Browntop Millet, Clover | Fair |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Coosawattee WMA: rules before the first hunt
Prices are the WRD figures for this license year.
Coosawattee WMA access
A Lands Pass or a Georgia hunting or fishing license is the ticket in for anyone over 15. Deer, turkey and bear trips start with the Go Outdoors Georgia sign-in. Quota lines are by application only. Bonus deer are checked on site the same day.
- No ATVs are allowed on the property
- No ATV’s
Coosawattee WMA: licenses and passes
Deer, bear or turkey means a Harvest Record (no charge) on top of the license; the Sportsman's License covers the rest for residents.
Before the shot at Coosawattee WMA
During primitive weapons and firearms deer or bear dates, hunters show 500 square inches of orange or pink. No bait on public ground: hunting game or hogs over bait is illegal on state and federal land. Record the kill first, then report it through Game Check inside 24 hours.
Getting drawn for Coosawattee WMA
Quota permits are drawn on Go Outdoors Georgia; a hunter not drawn earns a priority point for that category.
Route to Coosawattee WMA
From Chatsworth: Go 11 miles south on old US 411, turn left at Carters Lake Powerhouse sign, go 1 mile to check station.
Coosawattee WMA species and bags
Game on the list: whitetails, black bears, gobblers, doves, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
White-tailed deer
The guide lists Sept. 12-Oct. 15, Oct. 19-Nov. 12, Nov. 16-Jan. 1 first (archery).
Black bear
The guide lists Sept. 12-Oct. 15, Oct. 19-Nov. 12, Nov. 16-Jan. 1 first (archery).
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Coosawattee WMA plotted with nearby areas
Coosawattee WMA sits at the orange pin, with 11 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Combined, about 332,988 acres are on record.
| Area | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McEntire Road VPA | VPA property | 95 | 2 mi | south | — |
| Carters Lake | Corps lake | — | 6 mi | east | — |
| Carter's Lake WMA | WMA | 3,300 | 8 mi | east | 44 |
| Conasauga River WMA | WMA | 509 | 15 mi | north | 18 |
| John's Mountain WMA | WMA | 23,710 | 16 mi | west | 19 |
| Rich Mountain WMA: Cartecay Tract | WMA | 2,165 | 19 mi | east | 33 |
| Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 188,617 | 19 mi | northeast | — |
| Cohutta WMA | WMA | 92,647 | 21 mi | northeast | 4 |
| Pleasant Valley VPA | VPA property | 934 | 22 mi | south | 8 |
| Arrowhead WMA | WMA | 337 | 25 mi | southwest | 1 |
| Rich Mountain WMA | WMA | 20,674 | 25 mi | east | 6 |
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.
Coosawattee WMA: nearest ranges
The WRD range closest to Coosawattee WMA is Coosawattee-Carter's Lake Archery Range (6 miles). Private ranges within 30 miles are included.
Facilities: Static Bullseye Targets
Lines for handgun, rifle and smallbore
Lines for rifle, handgun and smallbore
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Coosawattee WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resaca | Gordon | 10 mi | 1,137 | 31,080 |
| Chatsworth | Murray | 10 mi | 4,943 | 33,452 |
| Ranger | Gordon | 10 mi | — | 7,595 |
| Calhoun | Gordon | 13 mi | 19,592 | 12,026 |
County pages for this ground: Murray County.
Services close to Coosawattee WMA
Nearest offices to Coosawattee 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.
Bring this to Coosawattee WMA
Four picks matched to this ground and its seasons.
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Coosawattee WMA: daily hunting hours
Hunting opens 30 minutes before sunup statewide. Most game runs to 30 minutes after sundown, while migratory birds close at sunset.
Worked out for Coosawattee 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.
Coosawattee WMA: what hunters ask
Do I need to be drawn for Coosawattee WMA?
Yes: 1 listing line is quota only, 150 hunters in all.
Is camping allowed at Coosawattee WMA?
Yes; use the designated sites.
What was last season's deer harvest at Coosawattee WMA?
Game Check: 58 bucks and 52 does in 2025-26.
Which bear rules apply on Coosawattee WMA?
Georgia puts it in the Northern zone. Bear is listed.
Where else can I go near Coosawattee WMA?
Within reach are McEntire Road VPA (2 miles), Carters Lake (6 miles) and Carter's Lake WMA (8 miles), nearest first.
When is orange required on Coosawattee WMA?
Pink counts: 500 square inches of either colour above the waist in firearms and primitive weapons hunts.
Is Game Check required for Coosawattee WMA?
Report through Game Check within a day; bonus deer go to the area check station instead.
Can I hunt over bait on Coosawattee WMA?
No. State and federal land prohibit bait.
Which agency is in charge of Coosawattee WMA?
A wildlife management area run by WRD; the manager is the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.
Is Coosawattee WMA big enough for a full day?
Roughly 2,714 acres.
Which town makes a good base for Coosawattee WMA?
Murray County; Resaca is the nearest town we cover, 10 miles away.
What do adults need to enter Coosawattee WMA?
The old WMA license was dropped in 2017. Now a Georgia hunting or fishing license, or the Lands Pass, covers entry at 16+.
Coosawattee WMA, the last word
Double-check Coosawattee WMA with its manager: open areas, gates, sign-in and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: WRD: coosawattee wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations a c · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD: dove · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: StephenGA (CC0 1.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).