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Georgia Wild Turkey Hunting
Georgia has only a spring turkey season: private land opens Mar 27, 2027 and WMAs, VPAs and the national forest open a week later, Apr 3, 2027, both closing May 15, 2027. Season rows, limits, legal equipment and mapped public land for gobblers.
Photo: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0)
Youth under 16 and mobility-impaired hunters get the Special Opportunity weekend first, Mar 20 to Mar 21, 2027, with a licensed adult who may call but not shoot. The limit is one gobbler a day and two a season, and only one per public area. Game Check logged 12,634 gobblers in spring 2026; WRD’s 2024 survey counted 38,810 turkey hunters and a WMA success rate of 5.9 percent.
The WRD turkey summary
- Legal methods: Shotguns with No. 2 or smaller shot (no plug needed), muzzleloaders, .30+ air rifles, air bows, archery.
- More: Spring only: Special Opportunity (youth/mobility-impaired) Mar. 20-21, 2027; private land Mar. 27-May 15, 2027; public land Apr. 3-May 15, 2027. No fall season.
How many gobblers one hunter may take
The limits a ranger will check for gobblers.
Wild turkey
1 gobbler per day, 2 gobblers per season (including the Special Opportunity season). On WMAs, VPAs and National Forest lands: 1 gobbler per area per person.
Wild Turkey opening and closing days
Turkey hunters get 3 segments this season. Day counts include the opening and closing day.
| Season | Zone | Begins | Ends | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Opportunity (youth under 16 and mobility-impaired) | Statewide (private land unless otherwise specified) | Mar 20, 2027 | Mar 21, 2027 | 2 | |
| Spring gobbler | Private lands | Mar 27, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | 50 | |
| Spring gobbler | WMAs, VPAs and National Forest | Apr 3, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | 43 |
Notes printed with the turkey dates
- Must be accompanied by a licensed adult 18+ who may call but not take a turkey. Counts toward 1/day, 2/season.
- 1 gobbler per day, 2 per season.
- 1 gobbler per area per person; see individual area listings and quota hunts.
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 season page and the 2026-27 guide (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
WRD harvest figures for gobblers
The piedmont produced 37 percent of the 2024 turkey harvest.
By weapon, spring 2026
By land and beard, spring 2026
2024 hunter survey
Share of the 2024 harvest by region: Piedmont 37%, Upper Coastal Plain 32%, Lower Coastal Plain 14%, Ridge and Valley 13%, Blue Ridge 4%.
Harvest data: WRD turkey dashboard, 2024 turkey report. As published by WRD, checked October 13, 2026.
Georgia public areas with room for gobblers
147 public areas list turkey, most of them Wildlife Management Areas; the biggest is Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.
| 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 turkey 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 77
Wild Turkey counties to start with
- Floyd County372 gobblers reported
- Hancock County279 gobblers reported
- Burke County266 gobblers reported
- Bartow County254 gobblers reported
- Polk County253 gobblers reported
- Jasper County247 gobblers reported
- Jones County213 gobblers reported
- Walker County213 gobblers reported
- Gordon County207 gobblers reported
- Fannin County175 gobblers reported
Leading public areas for turkey harvest
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 gobblers: licenses, hours, orange
These cards cover the paperwork and the field rules for gobblers.
What to buy
| Item | Georgia resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| Big Game License | $25.00 | $225.00 |
| Harvest Record | Free | Free |
| Sportsman's License | $65.00 | $400.00 |
Legal light
Legal hours for gobblers run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Blaze orange and pink
The orange rule is written for deer and bear primitive and firearms seasons, which do not overlap spring turkey season.
Feed and bait
Georgia’s 200-yard, 10-day bait rule applies to gobblers.
Reporting
Write the confirmation number from Game Check on a paper Harvest Record; report gobblers within 24 hours.
Sunday hunting
Sunday hunting for gobblers is legal statewide; check area listings for day-of-week limits.
No fall season
Georgia has no fall turkey season, no elk season (free-ranging elk may not be taken without written DNR permission), no pheasant season and no sandhill crane season; these species are absent from the 2026-27 season tables.
Bait and turkeys
Placing bait for deer or hogs may make a property (or part of it) un-huntable for other species such as turkeys.
Quota turkey hunts
Turkey and youth turkey quota applications run June 1-Feb. 15.
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.
Wild Turkey legal equipment
From the guide’s hunting information and unlawful acts pages, the rows that apply to gobblers.
| Season | Permitted | Not permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Shotguns with No. 2 or smaller shot; any muzzleloading firearm; air rifles .30-cal.+; air bows; archery equipment. No plug required. | Rifles and handguns (not listed as legal). |
| Crossbows | Legal for any game or feral hog in any season where archery is legal; no draw, length or safety restrictions. | Possessing a cocked (loaded) crossbow in a motor vehicle on WMAs. |
| 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 gobblers may be taken
Baiting (general)
Unlawful to hunt game animals or game birds on, over, around or within 200 yards of bait, or for 10 days after complete removal of bait; unlawful to place bait so as to prohibit hunting on adjacent property.
Harvest Record and Georgia Game Check
Alligator, bear, deer and turkey hunters need a current free Harvest Record; record date and county before moving the animal; report through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours (app, online, 1-800-366-2661). Bears must also be presented for tagging by zone; alligators carry a CITES tag.
Electronic calls and devices
Electronically amplified sounds unlawful for game except electronic calls for bobcats, crows, foxes and coyotes (and feral hogs on WMAs). Electronic communications equipment may not be used to aid pursuit of game.
WMA sign-in and land access
Sign-in required for all WMA bear, deer and turkey hunts; anyone 16+ entering a WMA or PFA needs a license allowing state-land hunting/fishing or a Lands Pass.
2026-27 guide (PDF) and the hunting information page, checked October 13, 2026.
What to pack for Wild Turkey country
Four picks matched to this ground and its seasons.
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Wild Turkey: what hunters ask
Does Georgia have a fall turkey season?
No. Georgia’s turkey season is spring only, and the 2026-27 guide lists no fall dates.
Are hens legal during Georgia’s spring season?
No. The bag is gobblers only: one a day and two for the spring season.
Can I use a rifle for turkey in Georgia?
Shotguns with No. 2 or smaller shot; any muzzleloading firearm; air rifles .30-cal.+; air bows; archery equipment. No plug required. Rifles and handguns are not on the list.
When can kids hunt turkey in Georgia?
The Special Opportunity season, Mar 20 to Mar 21, 2027, is for youth under 16 and mobility-impaired hunters. Must be accompanied by a licensed adult 18+ who may call but not take a turkey. Counts toward 1/day, 2/season.
What does Georgia allow for gobblers?
Turkey: Shotguns with No. 2 or smaller shot; any muzzleloading firearm; air rifles .30-cal.+; air bows; archery equipment. No plug required.
Can I hunt gobblers on Sunday in Georgia?
Sunday hunting for gobblers is legal statewide; check area listings for day-of-week limits.
Is there a bag limit on gobblers in Georgia?
1 gobbler per day, 2 gobblers per season (including the Special Opportunity season). On WMAs, VPAs and National Forest lands: 1 gobbler per area per person.
When is turkey season in Georgia for 2026-27?
Gobblers run special opportunity (youth under 16 and mobility-impaired) Mar 20 to Mar 21, 2027; spring gobbler Mar 27 to May 15, 2027 (Private lands); spring gobbler Apr 3 to May 15, 2027 (WMAs, VPAs and National Forest).
Which Georgia public lands list gobblers?
Start with Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), the biggest of 147.
Which Georgia licenses cover gobblers?
The turkey list, resident: Hunting License ($15.00); Big Game License ($25.00); Harvest Record (Free); Sportsman's License ($65.00).
What orange rules apply to gobblers?
The orange rule is written for deer and bear primitive and firearms seasons, which do not overlap spring turkey season.
What are legal hours for gobblers in Georgia?
Legal hours for gobblers run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Does Georgia allow bait for gobblers?
Georgia’s 200-yard, 10-day bait rule applies to gobblers.
Wild Turkey checklist
For gobblers on public ground, read the area’s own listing as well as the statewide rules.
Other photos on this page: seabamirum (CC BY 2.0); Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); USDAgov (Public domain); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0).