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Fishing Creek WMA Hunting
Everything we could verify about Fishing Creek WMA: acreage, rules, dates, harvest and the ground nearby.
Photo: Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Fishing Creek WMA
Fishing Creek WMA in brief
Sitting in Wilkes and Lincoln counties, Fishing Creek WMA is a wildlife management area run by WRD. Region 3 staff in Thomson cover it for WRD. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. By area (2,900 acres) it comes 73rd of the 121 WMAs. Roughly 8 miles separates it from Lincolnton, the closest town page on this site.
County context for Fishing Creek WMA
| County | County seat | Population | Either-sex zone | Bear | Alligator | Game Check deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County | Washington | 9,567 | Green | None | — | 2,775 |
| Lincoln County | Lincolnton | 8,049 | Green | None | — | 1,316 |
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 Fishing Creek WMA
The 2026-27 Fishing Creek WMA hunt calendar
Game with dates here this year: deer, turkey, dove, waterfowl, coyote and small game (8 lines in all).
| Game | Hunt | Dates | Symbols | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 17-Jan. 10 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Dove | — | Sept. 5-Oct. 11, Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-Jan. 31 | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | Wednesdays, Saturdays during state season on waterfowl impoundments. | — | Legal hours end at noon. |
| 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.
Fishing Creek WMA: rules before the first hunt
Area rules first, then licenses, orange and bait.
Getting in at Fishing Creek WMA
Visitors 16+ carry either a Georgia hunting or fishing license or the Lands Pass. Big game and turkey hunters complete the online sign-in first, available a day early.
License costs for Fishing Creek WMA
Residents can skip the separate licenses with a Sportsman's License. Deer, bear and turkey hunters of any age carry the free Harvest Record.
Statewide rules at Fishing Creek WMA
Georgia accepts blaze pink as well as orange: 500 square inches, worn above the waist, in gun and muzzleloader deer and bear hunts. Baiting is banned for any game or feral hog on state and federal land, WMAs and national forests included. Game Check reporting is due within 24 hours of harvest.
Finding Fishing Creek WMA
From Washington: Take HWY 44 East 12.8 miles to O’Hara-Standard Rd., turn right, at end turn left on Jones Chapel and continue to area. To Waterfowl Area from Lincolnton: Take HWY 79 eight miles to Midway Church Rd. and turn left. Go 1.5 miles to sign on right.
What hunters report from Fishing Creek WMA
The 2025-26 Game Check total for Fishing Creek WMA was 18 (11 antlered, 7 antlerless). High mark: 39 (2017-18). Low mark: 13 (2024-25). So far in 2026-27, 1 deer have been checked (season in progress). Spring 2026 brought 3 reported gobblers; the table sums to 30. Only reported animals appear here; WRD adjusts for non-reporting at county level, not per area.
Fishing Creek WMA deer table
| Season | Bucks checked | Does checked | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | 11 | 7 | 18 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| 2023-24 | 13 | 11 | 24 |
| 2022-23 | 18 | 11 | 29 |
| 2021-22 | 16 | 8 | 24 |
| 2020-21 | 16 | 9 | 25 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| 2018-19 | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| 2017-18 | 17 | 22 | 39 |
| 2016-17 | 12 | 15 | 27 |
Turkeys reported from Fishing Creek WMA
| Season | Reported gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 3 |
| Spring 2024 | 3 |
| Spring 2023 | 2 |
| Spring 2022 | 4 |
| Spring 2021 | 4 |
| Spring 2020 | 3 |
| Spring 2018 | 4 |
| Spring 2017 | 4 |
| Spring 2016 | 3 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Game at Fishing Creek WMA, with limits
The listing and the manager name whitetails, gobblers, doves, ducks and geese, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs for Fishing Creek WMA.
Feral hog
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
About the land at Fishing Creek WMA
From the agency page, word for word.
In the agency's own words
The Fishing Creek Wildlife Management Area is located in Tignall. This 2,900-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, small game, and waterfowl.
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Fishing Creek WMA plotted with nearby areas
Fishing Creek WMA sits at the orange pin, with 11 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Published acres across them: 24,719.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction | Deer, last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard B. Russell Lake | Corps lake | — | 6 mi | north | 121 |
| Soap Creek WMA | WMA | 1,000 | 7 mi | east | 12 |
| Lower Broad River WMA | WMA | 1,500 | 9 mi | northwest | 23 |
| Clarks Hill WMA – East | WMA | 10,224 | 16 mi | south | 159 |
| Elbert County WMA | WMA | 2,500 | 18 mi | northwest | 32 |
| Germany Creek WMA | WMA | 1,200 | 19 mi | south | 21 |
| Mistletoe State Park | State park | 1,920 | 19 mi | southeast | — |
| Clarks Hill WMA – West | WMA | 3,067 | 20 mi | south | 159 |
| Keg Creek WMA | WMA | 800 | 22 mi | southeast | 9 |
| Richard B. Russell State Park | State park | 2,508 | 23 mi | northwest | — |
| J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill Lake) | Corps lake | — | 26 mi | southeast | 327 |
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.
Fishing Creek WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnton | Lincoln | 8 mi | 1,431 | 5,554 |
| Washington | Wilkes | 13 mi | 3,623 | 799 |
| Elberton | Elbert | 24 mi | 4,760 | 3,461 |
| Appling | Columbia | 25 mi | — | 3,795 |
County guides: Wilkes County, Lincoln County.
Services close to Fishing Creek WMA
Agency offices by Fishing Creek 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.
Fishing Creek WMA: nearest ranges
For a public range, drive about 8 miles to Bobby Brown Archery Range. Closer private options sit beside it.
Facilities: Static Archery Range with 4 Targets, 20 3-D Target Trail
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun and archery
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
First and last light at Fishing Creek WMA
Deer, turkey and small game hunters get 30 minutes of light on each side of the day; dove and waterfowl hunters quit at sundown.
Worked out for Fishing Creek 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.
Fishing Creek WMA: what hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Fishing Creek WMA?
18 deer, 11 of them bucks, in Game Check for 2025-26.
Can I camp on Fishing Creek WMA?
No, camping is not allowed.
Can I wear pink instead of orange on Fishing Creek WMA?
Yes in gun and primitive weapons big game hunts: 500 sq in, orange or pink.
What areas neighbour Fishing Creek WMA?
Close by: Richard B. Russell Lake (6 miles), Soap Creek WMA (7 miles) and Lower Broad River WMA (9 miles), straight-line.
Does the private-land bait rule apply on Fishing Creek WMA?
No, public land is closed to baiting.
How fast must I report a kill on Fishing Creek WMA?
Within 24 hours, by app, online or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.
Is Fishing Creek WMA big enough for a full day?
Published acreage: 2,900.
Which agency is in charge of Fishing Creek WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division is the manager; the ground is a wildlife management area run by WRD.
Is a WMA license still needed for Fishing Creek WMA?
Hunters carry their hunting license; non-hunting visitors 16+ need a fishing license or the $30.00 Lands Pass.
Which town makes a good base for Fishing Creek WMA?
In Wilkes and Lincoln counties, about 8 miles from Lincolnton.
What deer dates does Fishing Creek WMA list?
The listing opens with archery: Sept. 12-Oct. 9. Later hunts are listed above.
What is the sign-in rule at Fishing Creek WMA?
Sign in through Go Outdoors Georgia before any deer, bear or turkey hunt.
Fishing Creek WMA, the last word
Double-check Fishing Creek WMA with its manager: open areas, gates, sign-in and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: WRD: fishing creek 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: Cumberland Island NPS (CC BY-SA 2.0); BotheredByBees (CC BY 2.0).