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Clarke County, Georgia
Hunting Near Athens, Georgia
Hunting around Athens, Georgia: land within reach, 2026-27 dates for Clarke County private land, deer, turkey and bear numbers, and nearby businesses.
Photo: Photo taken at Fort Yargo State Park, 21 miles from town. TranceMist (CC BY 2.0)
The seat of Clarke County, Athens lies in northeast Georgia, served by the WRD Gainesville region office. Population sits near 128,691 (2024 estimate). Expect to drive: no mapped public hunting acreage lies within 10 miles. Nearest on the list: Redlands WMA, about 20 miles away.
Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates (Gazetteer, estimates); acreage within 10 miles from places.json, a GIS measure over WRD WMA, USFS, USFWS and DoD boundaries (WRD WMA layer); region from the WRD contact page. Checked October 13, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Athens
WMAs and federal land by distance from Athens
8 public properties sit within reach of Athens. Mileage is straight-line from the town point, so the drive will be longer on county roads.
WMAs within reach: Redlands WMA, Broad River WMA and Walton WMA. Some dates on Redlands WMA are quota-only; WRD fills them by application.
| Public area | Type | Edge | Centre point | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redlands WMA Quota hunt | WMA | – | 20 mi S | 37,500 | deer, turkey, dove |
| Fort Yargo State Park Quota hunt | State park | – | 21 mi W | 1,816 | deer |
| Broad River WMA | WMA | – | 21 mi NE | 440 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Hard Labor Creek State Park Quota hunt | State park | – | 24 mi SW | 5,804 | deer, feral hog |
| Walton WMA Quota hunt | WMA | – | 28 mi SW | 200 | deer, dove |
| Wilson Shoals WMA Quota hunt | WMA | – | 35 mi N | 2,800 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Don Carter State Park Quota hunt | State park | – | 37 mi NW | 1,316 | deer |
| B.F. Grant WMA Quota hunt | WMA | – | 37 mi S | 11,400 | deer, turkey, dove |
Lands, acreage and species from WRD area pages and the 2026-27 hunting regulations; boundaries within 10 miles from places.json (WRD WMA Boundary GIS, USFS, USFWS and DoD layers); centre distances are straight-line from the Census point for Athens to each mapped point. Checked October 13, 2026. Statewide map.
Athens and the Clarke County zone map
Either-sex dates around Athens follow the Green colour zone. Clarke County lies outside the Northern, Central and Southern bear zones. As an extended archery county, Clarke lets bowhunters keep going into January.
Zones from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations and the WRD county zone layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Seasons for Clarke County land near Athens
16 species and 24 season segments reach Athens. The status column checks each against today’s date.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or scope | From | Through | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Private land | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Either-Sex) | Green zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery | Extended archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlerless Only) | Green zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Weapons (Either-Sex) | Green zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive weapons & youth-only firearms | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Green zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Special Opportunity (youth under 16 and mobility-impaired) | Private land | Mar 20, 2027 | Mar 21, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring gobbler | Private land | Mar 27, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Feral hog | Private land | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Bobwhite quail | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Hunting (gray and fox squirrel) | Statewide | Aug 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round (unprotected) | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Opossum | Hunting | Private land | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Gray and red fox | Hunting (gray and red fox) | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Armadillo | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Groundhog | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Beaver | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Nutria | Year-round (unprotected) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 big game seasons, either-sex days and small game seasons, checked October 13, 2026.
Harvest records for Clarke County and Athens
Counts come from Georgia Game Check, which every deer, turkey and bear hunter must use within 24 hours; WRD also adjusts deer for unreported animals.
Game Check shows 231 bucks and 252 does reported in Clarke County last season. WRD’s compliance-adjusted estimate is 651, which ranks 149th statewide. Reports for 2026-27, still in progress: 98.
Turkey reports for Clarke County, spring 2026: 12; the 2016-2026 average is 7.
Nearby WMA harvest, Athens area
| Area | To centre | Deer checked | Bucks checked | Gobblers checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redlands WMA | 20 mi | 421 | 250 | 38 |
| Broad River WMA | 21 mi | 12 | 6 | 1 |
Deer from the WRD deer harvest dashboard (data layer); turkeys from the WRD turkey harvest dashboard; WMA figures from the WMA harvest layer. Checked October 13, 2026.
Services for hunters staying in Athens
Sorted by straight-line miles from Athens. Processor listings come from Georgia Hunters for the Hungry, the WRD CWD drop-off map and Yellow Pages entries that mention deer or game. Donated deer can go to Pop’s Deer Processing, a Hunters for the Hungry participant.
| Service | Within 15 mi | Within 30 mi | Nearest | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venison processors | 2 | 9 | Firetower Meat Processing (Crawford) | 14 miles |
| Mounting shops | 1 | 9 | Jake Rowe (Watkinsville) | 7 miles |
| Gun, archery and license shops | 14 | 39 | Grand Slam Guns (Athens) | 2 miles |
| Hunting preserves | 0 | 2 | South Fork Hunting Preserve (Royston) | 25 miles |
Venison processors
Mounting shops
Gun, archery and license shops
Hunting preserves
Processors from Georgia Hunters for the Hungry, the WRD CWD testing map and Yellow Pages; shops from the Go Outdoors Georgia agent locator and Yellow Pages; preserves from Discover Georgia Outdoors. Checked October 13, 2026; hours were not checked.
WRD and warden offices for Athens
Agency contacts for Athens: the WRD region office for Clarke County and the nearest warden and Forest Service offices.
WRD Gainesville office
DNR Law Enforcement (Gainesville)
Forest Supervisor’s office
From the WRD contact page, the DNR Law Enforcement region offices and the Chattahoochee-Oconee offices page, checked October 13, 2026.
Upcoming hunting dates around Athens
Inside roughly 30 straight-line miles: 8 upcoming events (DU dinner, DU event, NWTF banquet and hunter education). Retrieved October 13, 2026.
Dates ahead
Where Athens hunters shoot
Three ranges closest to Athens, with the entry rule on each.
Lines for rifle, handgun and shotgun
Lines for archery
For a public range, Victoria Bryant Archery Range sits about 27 miles away. Range page
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 13, 2026.
Athens: daily hunting hours
WRD’s rule: half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, with migratory birds ending right at sunset.
Worked out for Athens in Eastern time from the rule in the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division guide (hunting hours). Hogs, coyotes, raccoons and some furbearers may be hunted at night on private land; check the guide. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions about hunting from Athens
What did hunters report in Clarke County in 2025-26?
Clarke County: 483 deer in 2025-26. The estimate after adjustment is 651.
Is turkey hunting good around Athens?
12 gobblers were reported in spring 2026.
Who will process a deer near Athens?
Firetower Meat Processing is the closest, at 14 miles. Processors inside 30 miles: 9.
Where can I find a taxidermist close to Athens?
Our list puts Jake Rowe closest. Taxidermists: 1 within 15 miles, 9 within 30.
Can I get a WMA license near Athens?
Wal-Mart #2811 (4 miles) sells licenses. Online purchase works too, at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com.
Which WRD office manages the land around Athens?
Gainesville (39 miles), the Region 2 office. DNR Law Enforcement Region 2 Office (Gainesville) handles wardens nearby.
Where are the draw hunts around Athens?
4 nearby areas list quota hunts, including Redlands WMA. Applications go through Go Outdoors Georgia.
What special deer rules apply in Clarke County?
Yes, extended archery keeps bows going to January 31.
Which public property lies nearest to Athens?
The list starts with Redlands WMA, about 20 miles away. Fort Yargo State Park is second.
What does the 10 mile public acreage around Athens add up to?
The 10 mile measure comes to zero acres. 8 public properties are in the table above.
What either-sex zone covers Athens?
It is a Green zone county. Antlerless deer are legal only on either-sex days, which the table shows.
Does Clarke County have bear hunting?
Clarke County has no open bear season.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 13, 2026.
Final checks before leaving Athens
Every distance on this page is straight-line from Athens. WMAs set their own dates, so read the area page and the 2026-27 WRD guide first.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Thomson M (CC BY 3.0); GlacierNPS (Public domain); I20sc (CC BY-SA 4.0); AcrylicArtist (CC BY 2.0); mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); davidwilson1949 (CC BY 2.0).