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Unprotected and nuisance in Georgia
Georgia Nutria Hunting
Nutria are on Georgia’s unprotected list, alongside coyotes, so they have no closed season and no limit. 2026-27 nutria dates, limits and public areas in Georgia.
Photo: michaelhunter5 (CC BY 2.0)
Nutria are non-native marsh rodents; Georgia sets no season or limit on them. 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.
The guide’s summary for nutria
- Weapons: Unprotected; no closed season.
Georgia limits on nutria
Nutria limits from the 2026-27 guide.
Coyote, armadillo, groundhog, beaver, nutria (unprotected)
No limit.
Every nutria segment on the 2026-27 calendar
Nutria can be taken any day of the year.
| Segment | Applies to | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | No closing date | Year-round |
What WRD attaches to these nutria rows
- 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.
Mapped public land for nutria
The WMA listings do not name nutria; shown instead are the 130 areas open for waterfowl. No trapping on WMAs without a permit.
| Tract | Type | County | 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 |
The rest of the nutria list
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) · plus 60 more
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.
What Georgia law says about nutria
Licenses, hours, orange, bait and the other WRD rules that apply to nutria.
Paperwork
| Permit | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| Sportsman's License | $65.00 | $400.00 |
| Trapping License | $40.00 | $325.00 |
When to hunt
The day for nutria starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset.
Orange
Nutria hunters on a WMA wear orange or pink when the area has a firearms deer or bear hunt going on.
Bait
The general rule bars hunting game on or within 200 yards of bait, and for 10 days after it is cleared.
Sunday rule
No Sunday ban applies to nutria in Georgia.
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.
Guns, bows and methods for nutria
What the guide says about dens, sales and WMAs, as it affects nutria.
Other nutria method rules
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.
Closed areas
Counties or parts not opened by law or regulation are closed; Morgan Falls Lake (Bull Sluice) in Fulton County and Willeo Creek closed to all hunting.
2026-27 guide (PDF) and the hunting information page, checked October 13, 2026.
Nutria questions and answers
Is there a season on nutria in Georgia?
No closed season and no limit; nutria are unprotected under the 2026-27 guide.
Is Sunday nutria hunting legal in Georgia?
No Sunday ban applies to nutria in Georgia.
Is hunting nutria near bait legal?
The general rule bars hunting game on or within 200 yards of bait, and for 10 days after it is cleared.
How many nutria may I keep in Georgia?
No limit.
Is nutria hunting seasonal in Georgia?
Nutria may be taken any day of the year.
Where can I hunt nutria without private access?
130 areas, among them Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) and Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest). That list is by category, since no listing names the species itself.
Do nutria hunters need anything beyond a hunting license?
Resident licenses for nutria: Hunting License ($15.00); Sportsman's License ($65.00); Trapping License ($40.00).
Do nutria fall under the orange rule?
Nutria hunters on a WMA wear orange or pink when the area has a firearms deer or bear hunt going on.
When can nutria hunters start in the morning?
The day for nutria starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset.
Nutria: final checks
Pair this nutria guide with the area listing for the WMA you plan to hunt; quota and sign-in rules live there.
Other photos on this page: irio.jyske (CC BY 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain); Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0); chumlee10 (CC BY-SA 2.0); Clinton Steeds (CC BY 2.0); Colin Durfee (CC BY 2.0).