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2026-27 WRD guide
Georgia Beaver Hunting
Beavers are on Georgia’s unprotected list, alongside coyotes, so they have no closed season and no limit. From the first opener to the last day, the 2026-27 beaver rules in one place.
Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Landowners dealing with flooded timber or blocked culverts can take beavers on any day of the year. A hunting license is still needed for residents 16 and older unless they are on their own or immediate family land. Landowner permission is required on private land, including power line and pipeline rights-of-way.
Beaver in brief
- How: Unprotected; no closed season.
Beaver limits for 2026-27
Quick figures first, then the limit text as the guide prints it.
Coyote, armadillo, groundhog, beaver, nutria (unprotected)
No limit.
Georgia beaver seasons, 2026-27
Georgia sets no season dates for beavers.
| Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Always open | Year-round |
Beaver season fine print
- Unprotected species: no closed season, no limit.
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 season page and the 2026-27 guide (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
Beaver public hunting areas
No area in WRD’s listings names beavers directly, so these are the 130 areas that list waterfowl, biggest first. Check each listing before you go. A WMA trapping permit is required.
| Area | Kind | Counties | Region | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests | National Forest | Rabun, Fannin, Union | – | 869,017 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Paulding Forest WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Paulding, Polk | Armuchee | 28,183 |
| John's Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Gordon, Walker, Floyd | Armuchee | 23,710 |
| Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Walker | Armuchee | 21,895 |
Further beaver options
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) · Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge (11,184 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) · Ohoopee Dunes WMA (9,271 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) · 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) · Clayhole Swamp WMA (5,242 ac) · Tallapoosa River WMA (5,215 ac) · Blanton Creek WMA (4,800 ac) · Moody Forest WMA (4,675 ac) · Altama Plantation WMA (4,612 ac) · Lanahassee Creek WMA (4,440 ac) · Joe Kurz WMA (3,700 ac) · River Bend WMA (3,670 ac) · Rogers WMA (3,340 ac) · 60 others
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.
Beaver regulations beyond the limit
Rules for beavers, with license prices as listed on October 13, 2026.
License list
| License | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| Sportsman's License | $65.00 | $400.00 |
| Trapping License | $40.00 | $325.00 |
Hours
Beaver trappers may shoot from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.
Wearing orange
On WMAs and VPAs, small game hunts held at the same time as firearms deer or bear hunts require orange or blaze pink.
Baiting law
Hunting beavers within 200 yards of bait, or for 10 days after the bait is gone, is not allowed.
Hunting on Sunday
Statewide beaver dates include Sundays.
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.
Legal weapons for beavers in Georgia
The method rules that bear on beavers, from the guide’s unlawful acts pages.
Method rules for beaver trappers
Trespass and permission
Landowner permission required, including on power line, gas line, railroad and other rights-of-way; written permission required if land is posted. Hunting from a stand attached to a transmission tower is trespassing.
Vehicles, boats and aircraft
Unlawful to hunt from a vehicle, plane, or boat under power; unlawful to hunt or shoot from or across a public road or discharge a firearm within 50 yards of a public road.
WMA prohibited acts
Man-drives (3+ hunters driving deer/hogs); baiting; target practice off ranges; hunting within 50 yards of open roads; driving around gates; alcohol outside designated campsites; drones; dogs for big game/hogs/coyotes unless specified; loaded firearms in vehicles during open season (non-carriers); cocked crossbows in vehicles; trapping without permit.
2026-27 guide (PDF) and the hunting information page, checked October 13, 2026.
Asked about beavers in Georgia
Is there a season on beavers in Georgia?
No closed season and no limit; beavers are unprotected under the 2026-27 guide.
Can I trap beavers in Georgia?
The guide lists beavers as unprotected with no closed season. Trapping on a WMA still needs a permit.
Must I wear orange for beavers?
On WMAs and VPAs, small game hunts held at the same time as firearms deer or bear hunts require orange or blaze pink.
Can I use feed or corn for beavers?
Hunting beavers within 200 yards of bait, or for 10 days after the bait is gone, is not allowed.
Are Sundays open for beavers?
Statewide beaver dates include Sundays.
Are beavers open year-round in Georgia?
There is no closed season on beavers.
What is the beaver limit in Georgia?
No limit.
What does it cost to hunt beavers in Georgia?
Buy, as it applies to beavers: Hunting License ($15.00); Sportsman's License ($65.00); Trapping License ($40.00).
Is there public land for beavers in Georgia?
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) and Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) lead a list of 130. None names the species directly; they list a broader category.
How late can I hunt beavers?
Beaver trappers may shoot from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.
Heading out after beavers
Dates and limits here match the 2026-27 guide as of October 13, 2026; WRD can change them, so check the season page before a beaver hunt.
Other photos on this page: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); colmmcsky (CC BY-SA 2.0); Russ (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).