Home › Georgia › Public land › Hartwell Lake
Corps lake · Region 2
Hunting Hartwell Lake
A hunter's summary of Hartwell Lake in Hart County: listing dates, harvest, rules and local services.
Photo: Harrison Keely (CC BY 4.0)
Hartwell Lake: permits and hunt days
Hartwell Lake has no dated WMA listing of its own. Corps hunting areas follow Georgia seasons and licensing, inside the areas the Corps designates.
Rules from the manager page, DNR Law Enforcement, Recreation.gov. Checked October 13, 2026.
Hartwell Lake: the essentials
Hart County holds Hartwell Lake, an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir with hunting areas. For WRD purposes it belongs to Region 2, the Gainesville region. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District manages it. Its huntable acreage is not published. Base town: Hartwell, about 8 miles away to the north.
Where Hartwell Lake sits by county
| County | Seat | 2024 residents | Deer colour zone | Bear zone | Gator zone | Deer reported 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hart County | Hartwell | 28,052 | Green | Northern | — | 1,970 |
From the source page (acreage not published); 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.
Hartwell Lake: reported deer and gobblers
Last full season (2025-26) the reported count stood at 99, with 42 bucks. Reported totals peaked at 99 in 2025-26 and bottomed at 29 in 2017-18. Partial count for the current season: 28. Game Check lists 2 gobblers for spring 2026 (22 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, Hartwell Lake
| Season | Males | Females | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 5 | 23 | 28 |
| 2025-26 | 42 | 57 | 99 |
| 2024-25 | 22 | 35 | 57 |
| 2023-24 | 38 | 44 | 82 |
| 2022-23 | 41 | 32 | 73 |
| 2021-22 | 24 | 27 | 51 |
| 2020-21 | 18 | 33 | 51 |
| 2019-20 | 21 | 31 | 52 |
| 2018-19 | 14 | 21 | 35 |
| 2017-18 | 18 | 11 | 29 |
| 2016-17 | 15 | 21 | 36 |
Gobblers by spring, Hartwell Lake
| Spring | Gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 2 |
| Spring 2025 | 1 |
| Spring 2024 | 3 |
| Spring 2022 | 3 |
| Spring 2020 | 4 |
| Spring 2019 | 3 |
| Spring 2018 | 2 |
| Spring 2017 | 2 |
| Spring 2016 | 2 |
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 Hartwell Lake is like
The manager describes the place; related areas follow.
What the state regulations guide says about Hartwell Lake
Project office (888) 893-0678. The lake straddles Georgia and South Carolina.
Text and lists from the source page, DNR Law Enforcement, Recreation.gov; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Hartwell Lake: rules before the first hunt
Prices are the WRD figures for this license year.
Hartwell Lake access
Hunting opportunities vary by area; see the project hunting page and the USACE hunting map application. Georgia DNR Law Enforcement: archery-only deer and turkey hunting in designated areas (Hartwell Dam Quarry, New Prospect Park, Jenkins Ferry Park); small game outside those seasons with shotguns and #4 shot or smaller; walk-in or boat-in access; a free permit from the Hartwell Lake Visitor Center is required for Hartwell Dam Quarry.
Hartwell Lake: 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 Hartwell Lake
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.
Hartwell Lake species and bags
Game on the list: whitetails, gobblers and squirrels and rabbits.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Hartwell Lake plotted with nearby areas
Hartwell Lake sits at the orange pin, with 6 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Combined, about 24,141 acres are on record.
| Area | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tugaloo State Park | State park | 393 | 9 mi | west | 1 |
| Hart County WMA | WMA | 1,000 | 11 mi | south | 40 |
| Richard B. Russell State Park | State park | 2,508 | 22 mi | southeast | — |
| Broad River WMA | WMA | 440 | 23 mi | southwest | 12 |
| Elbert County WMA | WMA | 2,500 | 28 mi | south | 32 |
| Lake Russell WMA | WMA | 17,300 | 30 mi | west | 11 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (Recreation.gov rec area 454 point). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Hartwell Lake: nearest ranges
The WRD range closest to Hartwell Lake is Victoria Bryant Archery Range (18 miles). Private ranges within 30 miles are included.
Facilities: 7 Bow Butt Target Lanes, 3-D Trail
Lines for archery and 3D archery
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Hartwell Lake: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartwell | Hart | 8 mi | 4,701 | 1,005 |
| Carnesville | Franklin | 19 mi | 771 | — |
| Elberton | Elbert | 25 mi | 4,760 | 3,461 |
| Toccoa | Stephens | 25 mi | 9,389 | 40,486 |
County pages for this ground: Hart County.
Services close to Hartwell Lake
Nearest offices to Hartwell Lake
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 Hartwell Lake
Four picks matched to this ground and its seasons.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Hartwell Lake: 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 Hartwell Lake 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.
Hartwell Lake: what hunters ask
What does Hartwell Lake hold for hunters?
Whitetails, gobblers and squirrels and rabbits.
Must I win a draw for Hartwell Lake?
No draw is listed for it.
What was last season's deer harvest at Hartwell Lake?
Game Check: 42 bucks and 57 does in 2025-26.
Which bear rules apply on Hartwell Lake?
Georgia puts it in the Northern zone. Bear is not listed.
Where else can I go near Hartwell Lake?
In order of distance: Tugaloo State Park (9 miles), Hart County WMA (11 miles) and Richard B. Russell State Park (22 miles).
When is orange required on Hartwell Lake?
Pink counts: 500 square inches of either colour above the waist in firearms and primitive weapons hunts.
Is Game Check required for Hartwell Lake?
Report through Game Check within a day; bonus deer go to the area check station instead.
Can I hunt over bait on Hartwell Lake?
No. State and federal land prohibit bait.
Which agency is in charge of Hartwell Lake?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District runs it as an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir with hunting areas.
Is Hartwell Lake big enough for a full day?
The agency prints no acreage.
Which town makes a good base for Hartwell Lake?
Hart County; Hartwell is the nearest town we cover, 8 miles away.
What paperwork does Hartwell Lake require?
Hunting opportunities vary by area; see the project hunting page and the USACE hunting map application. Georgia DNR Law Enforcement: archery-only deer and turkey hunting in designated areas (Hartwell Dam Quarry, New Prospect Park, Jenkins Ferry Park); small game outside those seasons with shotguns and #4 shot or smaller; walk-in or boat-in access; a free permit from the Hartwell Lake Visitor Cente
Hartwell Lake, the last word
Double-check Hartwell Lake with its manager: open areas, gates, sign-in and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: Georgia regulations: federal area regulations · DNR Law Enforcement: specialfederalregulations · Recreation.gov; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).