Home › Georgia › Public land › Piedmont NWR
Wildlife refuge · Region 3
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge Hunting Guide
A hunter's summary of Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Jones and Jasper counties: listing dates, harvest, rules and local services.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0)
Piedmont NWR: every dated hunt
Across 9 rows, the 2026-27 listing sets dates for deer, turkey and small game. Quota draws cover 3 lines and 2,800 slots in total. Watch for 1 youth line and 1 mobility-impaired hunt.
| Species | Weapon or type | 2026-27 dates | Tags | Area notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 4 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Oct. 29-31 | Quota 1250 | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 17-18 | Mobility-impaired | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 17-18 | Youth | |
| Deer | Firearms | Nov. 5-7, 12-14 | Quota 1250 | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 6-10, 20-24, May 4-8 | Quota 300 | Bag Limit: 1 gobbler |
| Small game | Rabbit/Quail/Squirrel | Nov. 15-Jan. 31 | — | |
| Small game | Raccoon & Opossum | Fri. & Sat.: Dec. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, Jan. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30 | — | |
| Small game | Squirrel | Aug. 15-Sept. 11, Oct. 5-16, 19-28, Nov. 1-4, 8-11 | — | Limit 1 fox squirrel/day |
Dates and symbols from the 2026-27 Georgia regulations listing, wording as printed by the source. Checked October 13, 2026.
Piedmont NWR: the essentials
Jones and Jasper counties hold Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program. For WRD purposes it belongs to Region 3, the Thomson region. It is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 35,000-acre figure makes it 2nd largest of 9 refuges. Base town: Juliette, about 7 miles away to the east.
Where Piedmont NWR sits by county
| County | Seat | 2024 residents | Deer colour zone | Bear zone | Gator zone | Deer reported 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County | Gray | 29,047 | Green | None | Zone 5 | 1,471 |
| Jasper County | Monticello | 17,219 | Green | None | — | 1,871 |
From the source page (USFWS refuge page ("the 35,000 acre wildlife refuge")); 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.
Piedmont NWR: reported deer and gobblers
Last full season (2025-26) the reported count stood at 8, with 3 bucks. Reported totals peaked at 19 in 2020-21 and bottomed at 3 in 2018-19. Partial count for the current season: 10. Game Check lists 57 gobblers for spring 2026 (304 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, Piedmont NWR
| Season | Males | Females | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (in progress) | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 2025-26 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 2024-25 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 2023-24 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| 2022-23 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| 2021-22 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 2020-21 | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 2019-20 | 5 | 12 | 17 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 5 | 8 | 13 |
| 2016-17 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
Gobblers by spring, Piedmont NWR
| Spring | Gobblers |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 57 |
| Spring 2025 | 15 |
| Spring 2024 | 19 |
| Spring 2023 | 26 |
| Spring 2022 | 13 |
| Spring 2021 | 14 |
| Spring 2020 | 35 |
| Spring 2019 | 31 |
| Spring 2018 | 33 |
| Spring 2017 | 33 |
| Spring 2016 | 28 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
What Piedmont NWR is like
The manager describes the place; related areas follow.
What the Fish and Wildlife Service says about Piedmont NWR
Established in 1939 on abandoned farmland and restored to upland pine and pine-hardwood forest. Located in Jones and Jasper counties about 25 miles north of Macon and 18 miles east of Forsyth (Exit 186 on I-75, then 18 miles east on Juliette Road). Small game: squirrel, rabbit, quail and raccoon. Feral hogs may be taken on quota deer hunts. Mobility-impaired deer hunt requires medical documentation of wheelchair use. Baiting prohibited.
Units and neighbours of Piedmont NWR
| Unit | Type | Counties | Acres | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitchiti Experimental Forest | Experimental forest | Jones | 4,591 | — |
Text and lists from the source page, USFWS, FWS realty layer, Georgia regulations; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Piedmont NWR: rules before the first hunt
Prices are the WRD figures for this license year.
Piedmont NWR access
All hunting requires a refuge-specific permit. Quota deer and turkey hunt permits are bought on the refuge Recreation.gov page (recreation.gov/camping/gateways/1565); a permit fee applies to all quota hunts, which are limited but no longer drawn by lottery. Georgia license rules apply.
- No May 16-31 coyote season
Piedmont NWR: 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 Piedmont NWR
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.
Getting drawn for Piedmont NWR
Quota permits are drawn on Go Outdoors Georgia; a hunter not drawn earns a priority point for that category.
Piedmont NWR species and bags
Game on the list: whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs.
White-tailed deer
The guide lists Sept. 12-Oct. 4 first (archery).
Wild turkey
The guide lists Apr. 6-10, 20-24, May 4-8 first.
Small game
The guide lists Nov. 15-Jan. 31 first (rabbit/quail/squirrel).
Feral hog
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Piedmont NWR plotted with nearby areas
Piedmont NWR sits at the orange pin, with 11 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Combined, about 199,083 acres are on record.
| Area | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitchiti Experimental Forest | Experimental forest | 4,591 | 3 mi | southeast | — |
| Rum Creek WMA: Berry Creek Area | WMA | 161 | 6 mi | west | 5 |
| Rum Creek WMA | WMA | 5,800 | 9 mi | west | 36 |
| Cedar Creek WMA | WMA | 41,000 | 13 mi | northeast | 93 |
| Little River WMA | WMA | 1,475 | 20 mi | northeast | 14 |
| Oconee Ranger District (Oconee National Forest) | Ranger district | 116,724 | 22 mi | northeast | 385 |
| Clybel WMA | WMA | 6,700 | 24 mi | north | 40 |
| B.F. Grant WMA | WMA | 11,400 | 25 mi | northeast | 47 |
| Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife refuge | 7,760 | 26 mi | south | 26 |
| Gaither WMA | WMA | 2,129 | 26 mi | north | 25 |
| Bartram Forest WMA | WMA | 1,343 | 29 mi | east | 17 |
Points from WRD, USFS, USFWS, NPS, DoD and Recreation.gov layers (FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified (polygon centroid, Georgia portion)). Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge: nearest ranges
The WRD range closest to Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge is Cedar Creek Shooting Range (13 miles). Private ranges within 30 miles are included.
Facilities: 100-yard Range
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand and shotgun
Lines for rifle and handgun
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Piedmont NWR: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juliette | Monroe | 7 mi | — | 61,012 |
| Gray | Jones | 11 mi | 3,541 | 17,455 |
| Bolingbroke | Monroe | 13 mi | — | 11,194 |
| Smarr | Monroe | 13 mi | — | 5,735 |
County pages for this ground: Jones County, Jasper County.
Services close to Piedmont NWR
Nearest offices to Piedmont NWR
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 Piedmont NWR
Four picks matched to this ground and its seasons.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Piedmont NWR: 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 Piedmont NWR 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.
Piedmont NWR: what hunters ask
Which agency is in charge of Piedmont NWR?
A national wildlife refuge with a hunt program; the manager is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Is Piedmont NWR big enough for a full day?
Roughly 35,000 acres.
Which town makes a good base for Piedmont NWR?
Jones and Jasper counties; Juliette is the nearest town we cover, 7 miles away.
What paperwork does Piedmont NWR require?
All hunting requires a refuge-specific permit. Quota deer and turkey hunt permits are bought on the refuge Recreation.gov page (recreation.gov/camping/gateways/1565); a permit fee applies to all quota hunts, which are limited but no longer drawn by lottery. Georgia license rules apply.
When do deer hunts start on Piedmont NWR?
First deer line: Sept. 12-Oct. 4 (archery). Every other line is in the season table above.
When does spring turkey open at Piedmont NWR?
Spring dates: Apr. 6-10, 20-24, May 4-8. One gobbler per area per person on public land.
What does Piedmont NWR hold for hunters?
Whitetails, gobblers, squirrels and rabbits and feral hogs.
Do I need to be drawn for Piedmont NWR?
Yes: 3 listing lines are quota only, 2,800 hunters in all.
What was last season's deer harvest at Piedmont NWR?
Game Check: 3 bucks and 5 does in 2025-26.
Which alligator zone covers Piedmont NWR?
Gator zone 5; one alligator per permit.
Where else can I go near Piedmont NWR?
In order of distance: Hitchiti Experimental Forest (3 miles), Rum Creek WMA: Berry Creek Area (6 miles) and Rum Creek WMA (9 miles).
When is orange required on Piedmont NWR?
Pink counts: 500 square inches of either colour above the waist in firearms and primitive weapons hunts.
Piedmont NWR, the last word
Double-check Piedmont NWR with its manager: open areas, gates, sign-in and any drawn hunts.
Sources for this page: USFWS: hunting · USFWS: piedmont · FWS realty layer · Georgia regulations: federal area regulations · DNR Law Enforcement: specialfederalregulations; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).