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Georgia migratory birds
Georgia American Woodcock Hunting
Woodcock season runs Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 18, 2027, three birds a day. Season rows, limits, legal equipment and mapped public land for woodcock.
Photo: AcrylicArtist (CC BY 2.0)
Woodcock use wet bottomland thickets and creek edges. Shooting ends at sunset, and the migratory bird license is needed at 16 and older. No public tract on our list names woodcock, so the land below is the ground listed for small game.
The WRD woodcock summary
- Legal methods: Shotguns plugged to 3 shells (federal rules apply).
- More: Dec. 5-Jan. 18.
How many woodcock one hunter may take
The limits a ranger will check for woodcock.
American woodcock
3 per day; possession 3x daily.
American Woodcock opening and closing days
Woodcock hunters get 1 segment this season. Day counts include the opening and closing day.
| Season | Zone | Begins | Ends | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodcock | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 18, 2027 | 45 |
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 season page and the 2026-27 guide (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
Georgia public areas with room for woodcock
These 145 areas list small game; no listing names woodcock on its own.
| Public land | Type | County | WRD region | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests | National Forest | Rabun, Fannin, Union | – | 869,017 |
| Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Charlton, Ware, Clinch | Brunswick | 407,038 |
| Blue Ridge Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Union, Lumpkin, Fannin | Gainesville | 302,238 |
| Chattooga River Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Rabun, White, Habersham | Gainesville | 261,439 |
| Conasauga Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | Gainesville | 188,617 |
| Oconee Ranger District | National Forest Ranger District | Putnam, Jasper, Greene | Thomson | 116,724 |
| Cohutta WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | Armuchee | 92,647 |
| Cedar Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Putnam, Jones, Jasper | Thomson | 41,000 |
| Redlands WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Greene, Oglethorpe, Morgan | Gainesville | 37,500 |
| Dixon Memorial WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Ware, Brantley | Brunswick | 35,247 |
| Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Jones, Jasper | Thomson | 35,000 |
| Townsend WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Long, McIntosh | Brunswick | 34,294 |
| Altamaha WMA | Wildlife Management Area | McIntosh | Brunswick | 31,569 |
| Savannah National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Effingham, Chatham | Fitzgerald | 30,715 |
| Cooper's Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Union, Fannin | Gainesville | 30,000 |
Smaller woodcock areas
Paulding Forest WMA (28,183 ac) · Chestatee WMA (27,123 ac) · Dawson Forest WMA (25,658 ac) · Chattahoochee WMA (25,150 ac) · John's Mountain WMA (23,710 ac) · Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA (21,895 ac) · Blue Ridge WMA (20,900 ac) · Rich Mountain WMA (20,674 ac) · Chickasawhatchee WMA (19,700 ac) · Sansavilla WMA (19,084 ac) · Swallow Creek WMA (19,000 ac) · Lake Russell WMA (17,300 ac) · Bullard Creek WMA (17,005 ac) · Little Satilla WMA (16,990 ac) · Paulks Pasture WMA (16,066 ac) · Ceylon WMA (16,000 ac) · Warwoman WMA (15,800 ac) · Berry College WMA (15,605 ac) · Ocmulgee WMA (15,475 ac) · Tuckahoe WMA (15,100 ac) · Oaky Woods WMA (13,450 ac) · B.F. Grant WMA (11,400 ac) · Penholoway Swamp WMA (11,177 ac) · Canoochee Sandhills WMA (10,224 ac) · Clarks Hill WMA – East (10,224 ac) · West Point WMA (10,000 ac) · Upatoi Ravines Natural Area (9,500 ac) · Ohoopee Dunes WMA (9,271 ac) · Silver Lake WMA (9,200 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: VPA Tracts (9,048 ac) · Sapelo Island WMA (9,000 ac) · Flat Tub WMA (8,748 ac) · Grand Bay WMA (8,700 ac) · Lake Seminole WMA (8,300 ac) · Di-Lane WMA (8,100 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Hilliard Plantation Tract (8,089 ac) · Oconee WMA (7,930 ac) · Yuchi WMA (7,800 ac) · Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (7,760 ac) · Allatoona WMA (7,589 ac) · Richmond Hill WMA (7,400 ac) · Horse Creek WMA (7,397 ac) · Big Hammock WMA (7,315 ac) · Treat Mountain WMA (7,260 ac) · Big Lazer Creek WMA (7,200 ac) · Alapaha River WMA (6,870 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Almo Tract (6,700 ac) · Clybel WMA (6,700 ac) · Sprewell Bluff WMA: West (6,571 ac) · Mayhaw WMA (6,300 ac) · Griffin Ridge WMA (5,975 ac) · Rum Creek WMA (5,800 ac) · Hannahatchee Creek WMA (5,600 ac) · Sheffield WMA (5,556 ac) · Beaverdam WMA (5,500 ac) · and another 75
Areas and species lists from WRD’s 2026-27 area listings, the WRD WMA layers and federal managers, retrieved 2026-10-13. Harvest by area from WRD Game Check.
Georgia rules for woodcock: licenses, hours, orange
These cards cover the paperwork and the field rules for woodcock.
What to buy
| Item | Georgia resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| GA migratory bird license | $5.00 | $5.00 |
Legal light
Plan on quitting at sunset: woodcock fall under the migratory bird hours that begin 30 minutes before sunrise.
Blaze orange and pink
Woodcock hunters do not need orange: the WMA rule for small game during deer gun dates leaves out dove and waterfowl hunting.
Feed and bait
For woodcock, federal migratory bird baiting rules apply.
Sunday hunting
Sunday hunting for woodcock is legal statewide; check area listings for day-of-week limits.
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 guide, licenses and fees and hunting information, checked October 13, 2026. Georgia hunting laws · License guide.
American Woodcock legal equipment
From the guide’s hunting information and unlawful acts pages, the rows that apply to woodcock.
| Season | Permitted | Not permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl / migratory birds | Shotguns 10 ga or smaller with federally approved nontoxic shot size F or smaller for waterfowl; shotguns limited to 3 shells (one-piece plug) for all migratory birds. | Possessing lead shot while hunting waterfowl. |
How woodcock may be taken
Dogs on WMAs
No big game, feral hog or coyote hunting with dogs unless specified; dogs marked with owner name/address/phone; raccoons with trail dogs only; rabbit trail dogs limited to beagles, bassets and dachshunds; dogs picked up by noon the day after a night hunt.
Training dogs on private land
Hunting license required (except own/immediate family land); no closed season; unlawful to run deer with dogs except in dog-deer season or to take game while training except in season.
2026-27 guide (PDF) and the hunting information page, checked October 13, 2026.
What to pack for American Woodcock country
Four picks matched to this ground and its seasons.
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American Woodcock: what hunters ask
What is the woodcock limit in Georgia?
Three a day; possession is three times the daily limit.
Which Georgia licenses cover woodcock?
The woodcock list, resident: Hunting License ($15.00); GA migratory bird license ($5.00).
Is there a bag limit on woodcock in Georgia?
3 per day; possession 3x daily.
What are legal hours for woodcock in Georgia?
Plan on quitting at sunset: woodcock fall under the migratory bird hours that begin 30 minutes before sunrise.
Which Georgia public lands list woodcock?
Start with Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), the biggest of 145. Matched by the broader game heading.
Does Georgia allow bait for woodcock?
For woodcock, federal migratory bird baiting rules apply.
What orange rules apply to woodcock?
Woodcock hunters do not need orange: the WMA rule for small game during deer gun dates leaves out dove and waterfowl hunting.
What does Georgia allow for woodcock?
Waterfowl / migratory birds: Shotguns 10 ga or smaller with federally approved nontoxic shot size F or smaller for waterfowl; shotguns limited to 3 shells (one-piece plug) for all migratory birds.
Can I hunt woodcock on Sunday in Georgia?
Sunday hunting for woodcock is legal statewide; check area listings for day-of-week limits.
When is woodcock season in Georgia for 2026-27?
Woodcock run woodcock Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 18, 2027.
American Woodcock checklist
For woodcock on public ground, read the area’s own listing as well as the statewide rules.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Wesley Fryer (CC BY 2.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Andrew Weitzel (CC BY-SA 2.0); watts_photos (CC BY 2.0).