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2026-27 · WMA
Elbert County WMA for Hunters
Who runs it, what the regulations list for whitetails, gobblers, coyotes and squirrels and rabbits, how many deer and gobblers are reported, and the public land around it in Elbert County.
Photo: Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Elbert County WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Elbert County WMA
- Boat RampBoat ramp · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Elbert County WMA by the numbers
Hunters find Elbert County WMA in Elbert County; it is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Game Management Region 2 (Gainesville) takes in this ground. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. At 2,500 acres it ranks 77th of 121 Georgia WMAs with a published size. From Elberton, our nearest town guide, head east for roughly 8 miles.
Elbert County WMA, county by county
| County | Seat | Residents | ESZ colour | Bear | Gator | Checked deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbert County | Elberton | 20,152 | Green | None | — | 2,075 |
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Elbert County WMA
Elbert County WMA hunt dates and quota lines
The 2026-27 regulations list 7 dated lines for Elbert County WMA, covering deer, turkey, coyote and small game.
| Species | Hunt | Open days | Guide symbols | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 17-23 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 24-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Elbert County WMA licenses and access
What applies here, card by card.
Entry and limits, Elbert County WMA
No license, no entry for those 16 and up: a Georgia hunting or fishing license or a Lands Pass is required. Sign in on Go Outdoors Georgia before any bear, deer or turkey hunt (open the day before).
- No camping is allowed on the property
- No camping
What to buy before Elbert County WMA
Most residents buy the Sportsman's License. Whatever you buy, log deer, bear and turkey on the free Harvest Record.
Orange, bait and Game Check on Elbert County WMA
500 square inches of orange or blaze pink above the waist is the rule for gun and primitive weapons big game hunts. Keep corn and feed at home: baiting is prohibited on state and federally managed land. Report deer, bear and turkey on Georgia Game Check within 24 hours.
Elbert County WMA by road
This WMA consists of 5 separate tracts in Elbert Co. Directions to and maps of the various tracts can be obtained from: Region 2 Game Management Office, (770) 535-5700, and maps may be printed from gohuntgeorgia.com.
How many deer come off Elbert County WMA
Game Check shows 32 deer for Elbert County WMA in the 2025-26 season. 2023-24 was the top season (55); 2025-26 the leanest (32). 1 deer are in Game Check for 2026-27 so far; the season is still open. Gobblers reported in spring 2026: 1. All listed springs: 12. Reported numbers only: WRD publishes no compliance-adjusted estimate for a single area.
Elbert County WMA bucks and does
| Season | Bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | 18 | 14 | 32 |
| 2024-25 | 26 | 11 | 37 |
| 2023-24 | 30 | 25 | 55 |
| 2022-23 | 25 | 18 | 43 |
| 2021-22 | 19 | 22 | 41 |
| 2020-21 | 30 | 25 | 55 |
| 2019-20 | 30 | 12 | 42 |
| 2018-19 | 21 | 22 | 43 |
| 2017-18 | 35 | 19 | 54 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | 17 | 40 |
Turkey counts, Elbert County WMA
| Spring | Birds reported |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 1 |
| Spring 2023 | 1 |
| Spring 2021 | 2 |
| Spring 2020 | 6 |
| Spring 2019 | 1 |
| Spring 2018 | 1 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Elbert County WMA: game list
Whitetails, gobblers, coyotes and squirrels and rabbits, per the area record.
White-tailed deer
First line in the listing: Buck Only: Oct. 17-23 (firearms).
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
The ground at Elbert County WMA
The agency text first, then linked areas.
Elbert County WMA as WRD describes it
Elbert County Wildlife Management Area is located in Elberton. This 2,500-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, turkey and small game. Beverly Tract is Archery Only for deer. Sign-In required only on Vaughter Tract.
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Elbert County WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Elbert County WMA sits at the orange pin, with 8 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Together they publish 9,348 acres.
| Name | Type | Acres | Away | Bearing | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard B. Russell State Park | State park | 2,508 | 6 mi | north | — |
| Lower Broad River WMA | WMA | 1,500 | 9 mi | southeast | 23 |
| Richard B. Russell Lake | Corps lake | — | 13 mi | southeast | 121 |
| Hart County WMA | WMA | 1,000 | 16 mi | northwest | 40 |
| Fishing Creek WMA | WMA | 2,900 | 18 mi | southeast | 18 |
| Soap Creek WMA | WMA | 1,000 | 23 mi | southeast | 12 |
| Broad River WMA | WMA | 440 | 24 mi | west | 12 |
| Hartwell Lake | Corps lake | — | 28 mi | north | 99 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (WRD WMA Boundary GIS (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Elbert County WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elberton | Elbert | 8 mi | 4,760 | 3,461 |
| Hartwell | Hart | 21 mi | 4,701 | 1,005 |
| Washington | Wilkes | 24 mi | 3,623 | 799 |
| Lincolnton | Lincoln | 25 mi | 1,431 | 5,554 |
Its counties, each with a guide: Elbert County.
Local businesses for Elbert County WMA hunters
Who to call about Elbert County 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.
Elbert County WMA: nearest ranges
No range sits on Elbert County WMA; the nearest WRD-listed range is Bobby Brown Archery Range, about 11 miles away. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: Static Archery Range with 4 Targets, 20 3-D Target Trail
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun and archery
Lines for archery and 3D archery
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Elbert County WMA sunrise, sunset and shooting time
Whitetails, turkeys and squirrels: sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Migratory birds: same start, but they end at sunset.
Worked out for Elbert County 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 Elbert County WMA questions
What are the spring turkey dates at Elbert County WMA?
Turkey runs Apr. 3-May 15. Each hunter may take one gobbler from the area.
What can be hunted at Elbert County WMA?
Per the area record, whitetails, gobblers, coyotes and squirrels and rabbits.
Is Elbert County WMA a quota hunt?
Nothing is quota only.
Does Elbert County WMA allow camping?
The area does not allow camping.
How many bucks came off Elbert County WMA?
18 bucks and 14 does were checked in 2025-26.
Which areas are close to Elbert County WMA?
Within reach are Richard B. Russell State Park (6 miles), Lower Broad River WMA (9 miles) and Richard B. Russell Lake (13 miles), nearest first.
Is blaze pink legal on Elbert County WMA?
Orange or pink, 500 square inches, whenever firearms or primitive weapons deer or bear hunts are on.
Where do I check game taken on Elbert County WMA?
Game Check within 24 hours, after noting date and county on the Harvest Record.
Can I put out corn on Elbert County WMA?
No; bait is only legal on private land with written permission.
What sort of property is Elbert County WMA?
Wildlife management area run by WRD, under the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.
Is Elbert County WMA big enough for a full day?
2,500 acres, per Georgia 2026-27 Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) area listing.
Which town makes a good base for Elbert County WMA?
It lies in Elbert County. Elberton sits 8 miles away.
Elbert County WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Elbert County WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: elbert county wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations d h · WRD GIS · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: davedehetre (CC BY 2.0); Joe Mabel (CC BY-SA 4.0).