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WMA, south-central Georgia
Horse Creek WMA A Hunter's Guide
7,397 acres of wma in Telfair County, with 2026-27 dates, harvest numbers, licenses and a map.
Photo: StephenGA (CC0 1.0)
Horse Creek WMA season dates, 2026-27
9 lines in this season's WRD listing apply to Horse Creek WMA: deer, turkey, coyote, small game and waterfowl. Also marked: 1 bonus deer line and 1 specialty hunt.
| Game | Type | Dates | Marks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-16, Sept. 20-Oct. 2, 5-20, Jan. 1-10 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Sept. 17-19 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 3-4 | Specialty | |
| Deer | Firearms | Nov. 19-21 | Bonus deer | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct 21-24, Dec. 10-12 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — | |
| Small game | — | State Seasons | — | |
| Waterfowl | — | State Season | — |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Horse Creek WMA by the numbers
Think of Horse Creek WMA as a wildlife management area run by WRD spread over Telfair County. WRD handles it out of the Fitzgerald office (Game Management Region 4). It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. Its 7,397 acres put it 47th by size among 121 WMAs on our list. The nearest covered town is Lumber City, around 12 miles off in a straight line.
Horse Creek WMA, county by county
| County | Seat of county | People | Either-sex colour | Bear zone | Alligator | Deer checked, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telfair County | McRae-Helena | 11,000 | Green | None | Zone 5 | 1,384 |
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.
Deer and turkeys taken on Horse Creek WMA
In 2025-26 the reported take on Horse Creek WMA reached 69. The best season on the chart is 2025-26 at 69; the lowest, 13 in 2024-25. Early 2026-27 figure, still climbing: 15. The spring 2026 turkey count for Horse Creek WMA was 7, out of 79 across the years shown. Treat them as a floor. They are Game Check entries, not adjusted totals.
Deer counts, Horse Creek WMA
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| 2025-26 | 28 | 41 | 69 |
| 2024-25 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| 2023-24 | 13 | 23 | 36 |
| 2022-23 | 15 | 29 | 44 |
| 2021-22 | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| 2020-21 | 19 | 27 | 46 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 16 | 25 |
| 2018-19 | 12 | 11 | 23 |
| 2017-18 | 16 | 25 | 41 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | 17 | 40 |
Spring gobblers at Horse Creek WMA
| Year | Gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 7 |
| Spring 2025 | 1 |
| Spring 2024 | 4 |
| Spring 2023 | 9 |
| Spring 2022 | 5 |
| Spring 2021 | 13 |
| Spring 2020 | 2 |
| Spring 2019 | 9 |
| Spring 2018 | 11 |
| Spring 2017 | 8 |
| Spring 2016 | 10 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
Horse Creek WMA described
Nothing here is our wording: it is the manager's own description.
Agency description
Horse Creek WMA resides on just over 7,397 acres in Georgia's coastal plains. Hunting opportunities include deer, turkey and small game and waterfowl hunting in 2 impoundments.
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Horse Creek WMA licenses and access
Ground rules, then the paperwork.
Horse Creek WMA ground rules
Anyone 16 or older needs a Georgia hunting or fishing license, or a Lands Pass, just to enter. Online sign-in is mandatory for deer, bear and turkey; it opens the day ahead. Bonus-hunt deer are checked at the station on the day of harvest.
Horse Creek WMA license checklist
Big game hunters add the Big Game License to a hunting license, or buy the Sportsman's, and always carry the free Harvest Record.
Three statewide rules for Horse Creek WMA
Orange or blaze pink, 500 square inches above the waist, during primitive weapons and firearms deer and bear hunts. Hunting over bait is unlawful on every state or federal property, this one included. Every deer, turkey and bear goes into Game Check within 24 hours.
Driving to Horse Creek WMA
From Jacksonville: Take HWY 117 east 6 miles, turn right at sign, then turn right at information board, follow road to check station.
Game at Horse Creek WMA, with limits
Species with a season or a mention here: whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
White-tailed deer
Listing starts with archery, Sept. 12-16, Sept. 20-Oct. 2, 5-20, Jan. 1-10.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Horse Creek WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Horse Creek WMA sits at the orange pin, with 6 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Their published acreage adds up to 29,700.
| Public ground | Type | Acres | Distance | Which way | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Tub WMA | WMA | 8,748 | 3 mi | southeast | 170 |
| Alligator Creek WMA | WMA | 3,086 | 14 mi | northeast | 23 |
| Bullard Creek WMA | WMA | 17,005 | 24 mi | east | 107 |
| Appling County Dove Field | Dove field | 123 | 28 mi | southeast | — |
| Dodge County PFA | Public fishing area | 444 | 28 mi | northwest | 8 |
| Cedar Grove VPA | VPA property | 294 | 29 mi | north | 5 |
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.
Horse Creek WMA: nearest ranges
Bullard Creek Archery Range in Jeff Davis County is the nearest range on the WRD list, 22 miles out. Nearby private ranges are shown too.
Facilities: 26 3-D Target Trail, 6 Static Target Range
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Horse Creek WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Closest towns first; businesses by county and distance.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumber City | Telfair | 12 mi | 966 | 5,775 |
| Broxton | Coffee | 14 mi | 1,076 | 1,687 |
| Hazlehurst | Jeff Davis | 15 mi | 4,124 | 10,399 |
| McRae-Helena | Telfair | 17 mi | 5,186 | — |
Read the county pages: Telfair County.
Shops and processors by Horse Creek WMA
WRD and ranger offices near Horse 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.
Gear picked for Horse Creek WMA
Picked around the hunting done here; prices change daily.
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Hunting hours near Horse Creek WMA
In Georgia, legal hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and other migratory birds stop at sunset.
Worked out for Horse 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.
Horse Creek WMA, asked and answered
Does game from Horse Creek WMA go through Game Check?
Yes: deer, bear, turkey and alligator are reported on Game Check inside 24 hours.
What is the orange rule at Horse Creek WMA?
Yes, 500 square inches of orange or pink during gun and muzzleloader big game dates.
What kind of place is Horse Creek WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division manages this wildlife management area run by WRD.
Are feeders legal on Horse Creek WMA?
No bait of any kind on public land.
Which town makes a good base for Horse Creek WMA?
Lumber City is closest (12 miles); the ground is in Telfair County.
Is Horse Creek WMA big enough for a full day?
7,397 acres, per Georgia 2026-27 Hunting Regulations (eRegulations) area listing.
Where do I sign in to hunt Horse Creek WMA?
For bear, deer and turkey, yes, online, starting a day ahead.
Can I walk onto Horse Creek WMA without a license?
Anyone 16 or older needs a Georgia hunting or fishing license, or a Lands Pass ($30.00 resident, $60.00 nonresident).
Can I turkey hunt Horse Creek WMA in April?
Gobblers: Apr. 3-May 15. Public-land limit: one gobbler per area.
When is the first deer hunt at Horse Creek WMA?
Deer begin with Sept. 12-16, Sept. 20-Oct. 2, 5-20, Jan. 1-10 (archery). More lines sit in the season table.
Is hunting at Horse Creek WMA first come?
The listing carries no quota symbol.
What can be hunted at Horse Creek WMA?
5 groups: whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
Horse Creek WMA: confirm before you go
Before the drive to Horse Creek WMA, confirm the listing dates, your licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: WRD: horse creek wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations d h · WRD GIS · WRD GIS · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0).