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Hart County · WMA
Hart County WMA Hunting Guide
Hart County WMA, 1,000 acres in Hart County: whitetails, black bears, gobblers and doves, this season's dates, Game Check harvest, rules and the ground nearby.
Photo: Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Hart County WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hart County WMA
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 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.
Hart County WMA by the numbers
Kind of ground: wildlife management area run by WRD. Where: Hart County. The Gainesville regional office (Region 2) is the WRD contact. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. With 1,000 acres, it sits at 99th of 121 WMAs by acreage. Hartwell is the closest town with a guide here, about 5 miles away; the area lies southeast of it.
Hart County WMA, county by county
| County | Courthouse town | Population 2024 | Doe-day zone | Bear zone | Alligator zone | Deer 2025-26 (reported) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hart County | Hartwell | 28,052 | Green | Northern | — | 1,970 |
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 Hart County WMA
Dates WRD set for Hart County WMA
This year's listing gives Hart County WMA 9 lines of dates: deer & bear, turkey, dove, coyote, small game and waterfowl. You must be drawn for 1 of the hunts (5 permits combined).
| Game | Segment | When | Flags | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer & bear | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 17-Nov. 12 | — | |
| Deer & bear | Firearms | Nov. 13-15 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-9, 24-30 | Quota 5 | |
| Dove | — | Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3, Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-Jan. 31 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31. Feral hogs may also be taken. | — | |
| 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.
How many deer come off Hart County WMA
Bucks 32, does 8: that is the 2025-26 reported harvest on Hart County WMA. Range across the chart: 26 up to 47 deer. This season's running total stands at 4 (incomplete). 23 gobblers have been checked from Hart County WMA in the springs listed, 2 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 Hart County WMA
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2025-26 | 32 | 8 | 40 |
| 2024-25 | 30 | 12 | 42 |
| 2023-24 | 21 | 7 | 28 |
| 2022-23 | 25 | 17 | 42 |
| 2021-22 | 21 | 14 | 35 |
| 2020-21 | 33 | 14 | 47 |
| 2019-20 | 22 | 12 | 34 |
| 2018-19 | 22 | 13 | 35 |
| 2017-18 | 32 | 8 | 40 |
| 2016-17 | 17 | 9 | 26 |
Hart County WMA spring turkey counts
| Season | Gobblers checked |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 2 |
| Spring 2025 | 1 |
| Spring 2023 | 1 |
| Spring 2022 | 2 |
| Spring 2021 | 7 |
| Spring 2020 | 4 |
| Spring 2019 | 3 |
| Spring 2018 | 3 |
Legal bears around Hart County WMA
| County | In 2022 | In 2023 | In 2024 | In 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hart | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Hart County WMA requires
What applies here, card by card.
How Hart County 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.
Licenses for Hart County WMA
The free Harvest Record is mandatory for deer, bear, turkey and alligator, whatever license you hold.
Rules that follow you onto Hart County 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 Hart County WMA
Apply through Go Outdoors Georgia. Missing out builds a priority point for next time.
Getting to Hart County WMA
From Hartwell: Take HWY 77 south 1.5 miles, turn left onto Liberty Rd., go 4 miles to the end of the pavement at Cedar Creek, the area lies to the south.
Hart County WMA up close
Quoted from the managing agency, then the lists that tie this page to others.
Notes from WRD
Hart County Wildlife Management Area is located just outside of Hartwell. This 1,000-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey, small game and dove.
Hart County WMA dove plantings
| Field | WRD region | Acres | Planted with | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hart County WMA | 2 | 19 | Sorghum Wheat, Browntop Millet | Good |
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Hart County WMA species and bags
Hunters come to Hart County WMA for whitetails, black bears, gobblers, doves, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
White-tailed deer
Earliest listed: Buck Only: Oct. 17-Nov. 12, firearms.
Mourning dove
Earliest listed: Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3, Nov. 21-29, Dec. 19-Jan. 31.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Hart County WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Hart County WMA sits at the orange pin, with 7 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Acres on file for the neighbours: 7,341.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Deer reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard B. Russell State Park | State park | 2,508 | 11 mi | southeast | — |
| Hartwell Lake | Corps lake | — | 11 mi | north | 99 |
| Elbert County WMA | WMA | 2,500 | 16 mi | southeast | 32 |
| Broad River WMA | WMA | 440 | 18 mi | southwest | 12 |
| Tugaloo State Park | State park | 393 | 18 mi | northwest | 1 |
| Lower Broad River WMA | WMA | 1,500 | 25 mi | southeast | 23 |
| Richard B. Russell Lake | Corps lake | — | 29 mi | southeast | 121 |
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.
Hart County WMA: nearest ranges
About 17 miles separates Hart County WMA from Victoria Bryant Archery Range, the nearest WRD range. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: 7 Bow Butt Target Lanes, 3-D Trail
Lines for archery and 3D archery
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.
Hart County WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartwell | Hart | 5 mi | 4,701 | 1,005 |
| Elberton | Elbert | 14 mi | 4,760 | 3,461 |
| Carnesville | Franklin | 22 mi | 771 | — |
| Danielsville | Madison | 24 mi | 868 | 436 |
Hunting guides for its counties: Hart County.
After the shot at Hart County WMA
Offices for Hart 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.
Legal light at Hart County 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 Hart 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 Hart County WMA questions
Where else can I go near Hart County WMA?
Nearest: Richard B. Russell State Park (11 miles), Hartwell Lake (11 miles) and Elbert County WMA (16 miles).
Which bear zone is Hart County WMA in?
The Northern bear zone, and bear is on the area's game list.
How do I report a deer or gobbler from Hart County 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 Hart County WMA?
In deer and bear gun hunts, wear 500 sq in of orange or blaze pink.
Which agency is in charge of Hart County WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division runs it as a wildlife management area run by WRD.
Is baiting allowed at Hart County WMA?
No. Baiting for game or feral hogs is illegal on state and federal land.
Where do hunters stay for Hart County WMA?
Start from Hartwell; the area is 5 miles off, in Hart County.
Is Hart County WMA big enough for a full day?
Roughly 1,000 acres.
How does sign-in work on Hart County WMA?
Deer, bear and turkey hunters sign in online first; it opens the previous day.
Do I need a Lands Pass for Hart County 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 Hart County WMA?
Apr. 3-9, 24-30, per the 2026-27 listing. Limit on WMAs: 1 gobbler per area.
When does deer season open on Hart County WMA?
Archery dates start Sept. 12-Oct. 9. All later dates are in the table.
Hart County WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Hart County WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: hart county wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations d h · 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: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Maslowski, Steve, USFWS (Public domain).