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Georgia small game
Georgia Ruffed Grouse Hunting
Ruffed grouse season runs Oct 15, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027, three birds a day. Season rows, limits, legal equipment and mapped public land for grouse.
Photo: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)
In Georgia the grouse is a bird of the north Georgia mountains and the Chattahoochee National Forest. Falconers may fly at grouse Oct 1, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027, with the same daily limit. The public land listed below is limited to the Armuchee and Gainesville regions, where the mountains are.
The WRD grouse summary
- Legal methods: Rimfire .22 or smaller, muzzleloaders, any air gun, shotguns (3.5 in. shells, No. 2 or smaller shot); falconry with permit.
- More: Oct. 15-Feb. 28; falconry Oct. 1-Mar. 15.
How many grouse one hunter may take
The limits a ranger will check for grouse.
Ruffed grouse
3 per day (regular and falconry).
Ruffed Grouse opening and closing days
Grouse hunters get 2 segments this season. Day counts include the opening and closing day.
| Season | Zone | Begins | Ends | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 137 | |
| Falconry | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | 166 |
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 grouse
These 47 areas list small game; no listing names grouse on its own.
| Public land | Type | County | WRD region | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Cohutta WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Murray, Fannin, Gilmer | Armuchee | 92,647 |
| Redlands WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Greene, Oglethorpe, Morgan | Gainesville | 37,500 |
| Cooper's Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Union, Fannin | Gainesville | 30,000 |
| Paulding Forest WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Paulding, Polk | Armuchee | 28,183 |
| Chestatee WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Lumpkin, White | Gainesville | 27,123 |
| Dawson Forest WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Dawson | Gainesville | 25,658 |
| Chattahoochee WMA | Wildlife Management Area | White, Union, Towns | Gainesville | 25,150 |
| John's Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Gordon, Walker, Floyd | Armuchee | 23,710 |
| Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Walker | Armuchee | 21,895 |
| Blue Ridge WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Fannin, Union, Lumpkin | Gainesville | 20,900 |
| Rich Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Gilmer, Fannin | Armuchee | 20,674 |
| Swallow Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Towns | Gainesville | 19,000 |
Smaller grouse areas
Lake Russell WMA (17,300 ac) · Warwoman WMA (15,800 ac) · Berry College WMA (15,605 ac) · West Point WMA (10,000 ac) · Allatoona WMA (7,589 ac) · Treat Mountain WMA (7,260 ac) · Sprewell Bluff WMA: West (6,571 ac) · Sheffield WMA (5,556 ac) · Tallapoosa River WMA (5,215 ac) · Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park (4,500 ac) · Joe Kurz WMA (3,700 ac) · Carter's Lake WMA (3,300 ac) · Rocky Mountain Recreation Area & PFA (3,000 ac) · Wilson Shoals WMA (2,800 ac) · Allatoona Lake (2,777 ac) · Coosawattee WMA (2,714 ac) · Tallulah Gorge WMA (2,689 ac) · Elbert County WMA (2,500 ac) · Rich Mountain WMA: Cartecay Tract (2,165 ac) · McGraw Ford WMA (2,067 ac) · Cochrans Creek WMA (2,057 ac) · Zahnd WMA (1,642 ac) · Sprewell Bluff WMA: East (1,330 ac) · Hart County WMA (1,000 ac) · Pleasant Valley VPA (934 ac) · Otting WMA (700 ac) · Buck Shoals WMA (582 ac) · Lula Bridge WMA (513 ac) · Conasauga River WMA (509 ac) · J.L. Lester WMA (477 ac) · Arrowhead WMA (337 ac) · Hartwell Lake
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 grouse: licenses, hours, orange
These cards cover the paperwork and the field rules for grouse.
What to buy
| Item | Georgia resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| Sportsman's License | $65.00 | $400.00 |
Legal light
Legal hours for grouse run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Blaze orange and pink
Expect to wear orange or pink for grouse on public land during deer and bear gun hunts.
Feed and bait
Georgia’s 200-yard, 10-day bait rule applies to grouse.
Sunday hunting
Sunday hunting for grouse 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.
Ruffed Grouse legal equipment
From the guide’s hunting information and unlawful acts pages, the rows that apply to grouse.
| Season | Permitted | Not permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Small game & furbearers | .22-cal. or smaller rimfire rifles/handguns; any muzzleloading firearm; any caliber air rifle/air gun; shotguns with shells 3.5 in. or shorter and No. 2 or smaller shot. Fox and bobcat: centerfire .17-cal.+ also legal (not on WMA small game dates). | Centerfire rifles for other small game; centerfire rifles on WMA small game dates day or night. |
| Air guns | Air rifles .30-cal.+ and air bows (unignited compressed gas/air) legal for deer/bear during primitive weapons and firearms seasons and for turkey; any caliber air rifle for small game. | – |
How grouse 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.
National Forest rules
No discharge within 150 yards of residences, campsites or developed sites, across Forest Service roads or water bodies, or into caves; no loaded weapons in vehicles; hogs daylight only; no night hunting of coyotes; no placing food or bait that attracts wildlife.
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 Ruffed Grouse country
Four picks matched to this ground and its seasons.
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Ruffed Grouse: what hunters ask
Where can I hunt grouse in Georgia?
In the north Georgia mountains: the Chattahoochee National Forest and the mountain WMAs of the Armuchee and Gainesville regions.
What does Georgia allow for grouse?
Small game & furbearers: .22-cal. or smaller rimfire rifles/handguns; any muzzleloading firearm; any caliber air rifle/air gun; shotguns with shells 3.5 in. or shorter and No. 2 or smaller shot. Fox and bobcat: centerfire .17-cal.+ also legal (not on WMA small game dates).
Can I hunt grouse on Sunday in Georgia?
Sunday hunting for grouse is legal statewide; check area listings for day-of-week limits.
Is there a bag limit on grouse in Georgia?
3 per day (regular and falconry).
When is grouse season in Georgia for 2026-27?
Grouse run hunting Oct 15, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
Which Georgia public lands list grouse?
Start with Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) and Conasauga Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), the biggest of 47. Matched by the broader game heading.
Which Georgia licenses cover grouse?
The grouse list, resident: Hunting License ($15.00); Sportsman's License ($65.00).
What orange rules apply to grouse?
Expect to wear orange or pink for grouse on public land during deer and bear gun hunts.
What are legal hours for grouse in Georgia?
Legal hours for grouse run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Does Georgia allow bait for grouse?
Georgia’s 200-yard, 10-day bait rule applies to grouse.
Ruffed Grouse checklist
For grouse 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 – Midwest Region (Public domain); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain); Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0); AcrylicArtist (CC BY 2.0); Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).