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Lincoln County · WMA
Soap Creek WMA Hunting Guide
Soap Creek WMA, 1,000 acres in Lincoln County: whitetails, gobblers, coyotes and squirrels and rabbits, 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 Soap Creek WMA
Parking, trailheads and gates near Soap Creek WMA
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 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 · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 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.
Soap Creek WMA by the numbers
Kind of ground: wildlife management area run by WRD. Where: Lincoln County. The Thomson regional office (Region 3) is the WRD contact. It is run by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. With 1,000 acres, it sits at 100th of 121 WMAs by acreage. Lincolnton is the closest town with a guide here, about 3 miles away; the area lies north of it.
Soap Creek WMA, county by county
| County | Courthouse town | Population 2024 | Doe-day zone | Bear zone | Alligator zone | Deer 2025-26 (reported) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Soap Creek WMA
Dates WRD set for Soap Creek WMA
This year's listing gives Soap Creek WMA 7 lines of dates: deer, turkey, coyote, small game and waterfowl.
| Game | Segment | When | Flags | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sept. 12-Oct. 9 | — | |
| Deer | Primitive | Oct. 10-16 | — | |
| Deer | Firearms | Oct. 17-Jan. 1 | — | |
| Turkey | — | Apr. 3-May 15 | — | |
| Coyote | — | May 16-31 | — | |
| 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 Soap Creek WMA
Bucks 7, does 5: that is the 2025-26 reported harvest on Soap Creek WMA. Range across the chart: 7 up to 26 deer. 9 gobblers have been checked from Soap Creek 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 Soap Creek WMA
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 2024-25 | 12 | 5 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | 12 | 14 | 26 |
| 2022-23 | 9 | 2 | 11 |
| 2021-22 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| 2020-21 | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 2019-20 | 7 | 12 | 19 |
| 2018-19 | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| 2017-18 | 9 | 13 | 22 |
| 2016-17 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
Soap Creek WMA spring turkey counts
| Season | Gobblers checked |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 2 |
| Spring 2025 | 4 |
| Spring 2024 | 1 |
| Spring 2023 | 1 |
| Spring 2019 | 1 |
Deer from WRD deer harvest reports, turkeys from WRD turkey harvest layer; as of 2026-10-13. Checked October 13, 2026.
What Soap Creek WMA requires
What applies here, card by card.
How Soap Creek 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.
- No camping is allowed on the property
- No camping
Licenses for Soap Creek WMA
The free Harvest Record is mandatory for deer, bear, turkey and alligator, whatever license you hold.
Rules that follow you onto Soap Creek 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.
Getting to Soap Creek WMA
From Lincolnton: Take HWY 79 north 2 miles. Turn right on New Petersburg Rd. Sign-In board is on left.
Soap Creek WMA up close
Quoted from the managing agency, then the lists that tie this page to others.
Notes from WRD
Soap Creek Wildlife Management Area is located in Lincoln County. This 1,000-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, and small game.
Text and lists from the source page, Georgia regulations, WRD GIS, WRD GIS; retrieved 2026-10-13, checked October 13, 2026.
Soap Creek WMA species and bags
Hunters come to Soap Creek WMA for whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
Species from the area record; bag limits from the WRD bag limit table. Checked October 13, 2026.
Soap Creek WMA on the map, with its neighbours
Soap Creek WMA sits at the orange pin, with 11 public neighbours inside 30 miles. Acres on file for the neighbours: 26,619.
| Nearby area | Kind | Size (ac) | Miles | Heading | Deer reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing Creek WMA | WMA | 2,900 | 7 mi | west | 18 |
| Richard B. Russell Lake | Corps lake | — | 10 mi | northwest | 121 |
| Mistletoe State Park | State park | 1,920 | 14 mi | south | — |
| Clarks Hill WMA – East | WMA | 10,224 | 14 mi | south | 159 |
| Lower Broad River WMA | WMA | 1,500 | 15 mi | northwest | 23 |
| Germany Creek WMA | WMA | 1,200 | 16 mi | south | 21 |
| Keg Creek WMA | WMA | 800 | 16 mi | southeast | 9 |
| Clarks Hill WMA – West | WMA | 3,067 | 18 mi | south | 159 |
| J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill Lake) | Corps lake | — | 19 mi | southeast | 327 |
| Elbert County WMA | WMA | 2,500 | 23 mi | northwest | 32 |
| Richard B. Russell State Park | State park | 2,508 | 28 mi | northwest | — |
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.
Soap Creek WMA: nearest ranges
About 12 miles separates Soap Creek WMA from Bobby Brown Archery Range, the nearest WRD range. The other cards are private ranges within 30 miles.
Facilities: Static Archery Range with 4 Targets, 20 3-D Target Trail
Lines for archery and 3D archery
From the WRD range list and the GA DNR range layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Soap Creek WMA: nearest towns and businesses
Town guides first, then businesses in the same and neighbouring counties.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnton | Lincoln | 3 mi | 1,431 | 5,554 |
| Washington | Wilkes | 17 mi | 3,623 | 799 |
| Appling | Columbia | 20 mi | — | 3,795 |
| Thomson | McDuffie | 25 mi | 6,792 | 5,266 |
Hunting guides for its counties: Lincoln County.
After the shot at Soap Creek WMA
Offices for Soap 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.
Legal light at Soap Creek 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 Soap 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.
Common Soap Creek WMA questions
When is turkey season on Soap Creek WMA?
Apr. 3-May 15, per the 2026-27 listing. Limit on WMAs: 1 gobbler per area.
When does deer season open on Soap Creek WMA?
Archery dates start Sept. 12-Oct. 9. All later dates are in the table.
Are Soap Creek WMA hunts limited?
No; the listing has no quota hunts.
What can be hunted at Soap Creek WMA?
Listed game: whitetails, gobblers, coyotes, squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese.
How many bucks came off Soap Creek WMA?
The 2025-26 reported total was 12.
Where can I stay overnight at Soap Creek WMA?
Camping is prohibited here.
Is blaze pink legal on Soap Creek WMA?
In deer and bear gun hunts, wear 500 sq in of orange or blaze pink.
Where else can I go near Soap Creek WMA?
Within reach are Fishing Creek WMA (7 miles), Richard B. Russell Lake (10 miles) and Mistletoe State Park (14 miles), nearest first.
Is baiting allowed at Soap Creek WMA?
No. Baiting for game or feral hogs is illegal on state and federal land.
How do I report a deer or gobbler from Soap Creek 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 Soap Creek WMA big enough for a full day?
Roughly 1,000 acres.
Which agency is in charge of Soap Creek WMA?
The Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division runs it as a wildlife management area run by WRD.
Soap Creek WMA: confirm before you go
The manager has the last word on Soap Creek WMA. Read its page and the WRD guide the week of your hunt.
Sources for this page: WRD: soap creek wma · Georgia regulations: wma regulations q s · WRD GIS · WRD GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations. Checked October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).