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WRD Gainesville region · Lumpkin County
Hunting Near Dahlonega, Georgia
From Dahlonega: public tracts by distance, quota-hunt areas, the Lumpkin County zones and either-sex days, county harvest and the WRD office that covers it.
Photo: Shown here: Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), the nearest land we have a photo of (18 miles). Thomson20192 (CC0 1.0)
Dahlonega holds the Lumpkin County courthouse and falls in WRD Region 2, whose game management office is in Gainesville. The town counted 7,830 residents in the 2024 Census estimate, on 8.9 square miles of land. 2 public properties reach within 10 miles, about 28,679 mapped acres in all. The first public land you reach is Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), with a boundary inside 10 miles.
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.
Georgia public land closest to Dahlonega
Sorted with the closest boundaries first, then by distance to each property’s centre point. The map pins 17 properties in reach of Dahlonega.
12 WMAs within 30 miles, starting with Chestatee WMA. Quota hunts apply on 10 nearby areas, including Chestatee WMA. Forest Service land: Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) and Chattooga River Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest). Army Corps ground at Lake Sidney Lanier is also in reach. Look at London Farms Dove Field for a short hunt.
| Land | Kind | Boundary | To centre | Acres | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest) | Ranger district | 10 mi or less | 18 mi N | 302,238 | bear, deer, turkey |
| Chestatee WMA Draw | WMA | 10 mi or less | 11 mi N | 27,123 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Cochrans Creek WMA | WMA | – | 14 mi W | 2,057 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Dawson Forest WMA Draw | WMA | – | 15 mi SW | 25,658 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Blue Ridge WMA | WMA | – | 15 mi NW | 20,900 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Don Carter State Park Draw | State park | – | 16 mi SE | 1,316 | deer |
| Cooper's Creek WMA | WMA | – | 17 mi N | 30,000 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Dukes Creek – Smithgall Woods State Park Draw | State park | – | 17 mi NE | 4,500 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Lula Bridge WMA | WMA | – | 18 mi SE | 513 | waterfowl |
| London Farms Dove Field Draw | Dove field | – | 18 mi E | 111 | dove |
| Chattahoochee WMA Draw | WMA | – | 18 mi NE | 25,150 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Buck Shoals WMA Draw | WMA | – | 20 mi E | 582 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Wilson Shoals WMA Draw | WMA | – | 24 mi E | 2,800 | deer, bear, turkey |
| McGraw Ford WMA Draw | WMA | – | 25 mi SW | 2,067 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Lake Sidney Lanier Draw | Corps lake | – | 26 mi S | – | deer, waterfowl |
| Rich Mountain WMA: Cartecay Tract | WMA | – | 28 mi W | 2,165 | deer, bear, turkey |
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 Dahlonega to each mapped point. Checked October 13, 2026. Statewide map.
Deer processing and shops in reach of Dahlonega
The businesses Dahlonega hunters lean on, sorted by distance and grouped by trade. Hunters for the Hungry processor nearby: The Steel Buffalo Butchery. Trophy Taker Taxidermy (21 miles) takes deer heads for CWD testing.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 30 mi | Nearest business | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing | 2 | 10 | Southers Deer Cooler (Murrayville) | 9 miles |
| Taxidermy studios | 2 | 12 | Moon's Taxidermy (Dawsonville) | 6 miles |
| Gear and license counters | 14 | 57 | Wal-Mart #2513 (Dahlonega) | 1 mile |
| Preserves and guides | 2 | 3 | Etowah Valley Game Preserve (Dawsonville) | 10 miles |
Processing
Taxidermy studios
Gear and license counters
Preserves and guides
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.
Offices responsible for Dahlonega
Ask the Gainesville office about area rules and check stations; the nearest DNR Law Enforcement office handles enforcement.
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.
Which zones cover Dahlonega
The Orange zone governs either-sex days across Lumpkin County. Bear season here follows the Northern Zone.
Zones from the 2026-27 Georgia hunting regulations and the WRD county zone layer, checked October 13, 2026.
Dahlonega: private-land season dates
Dahlonega falls in the Orange either-sex zone, which decides the doe days on private land. The 30 rows below are every dated segment that applies there.
| Game | Season | Covers | Begins | Finishes | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Private land | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery (Either-Sex) | Orange zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Weapons (Either-Sex) | Orange 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 (Antlered Bucks Only) | Orange zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 5, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Orange zone | Nov 6, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlered Bucks Only) | Orange zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 19, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Orange zone | Nov 20, 2026 | Nov 26, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Antlered Bucks Only) | Orange zone | Nov 27, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (Either-Sex) | Orange zone | Dec 28, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Northern bear zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Primitive weapons & youth-only firearms | Northern bear zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Firearms | Northern bear 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.
Dahlonega area harvest reports
Georgia publishes no town-level harvest. The nearest measures are Lumpkin County and the WMAs in reach of Dahlonega.
Lumpkin County logged 1,172 Game Check deer for 2025-26 (787 bucks, 385 does). Adjusted for reporting compliance, WRD estimates 1,536 deer, 4.1 per square mile, 95th of 159 counties. This season’s running count stands at 222 deer (in progress).
Game Check recorded 132 gobblers from Lumpkin County in spring 2026. The 2025 north Georgia bear report credits Lumpkin County with 49.
Deer and turkeys checked on nearby WMAs
| WMA | Miles out | 2025-26 deer | Of which bucks | 2026 gobblers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chestatee WMA | 11 mi | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Cochrans Creek WMA | 14 mi | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dawson Forest WMA | 15 mi | 33 | 17 | 18 |
| Blue Ridge WMA | 15 mi | 38 | 32 | 18 |
| Lula Bridge WMA | 18 mi | 2 | 2 | – |
| Chattahoochee WMA | 18 mi | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Buck Shoals WMA | 20 mi | – | – | 2 |
Deer from the WRD deer harvest dashboard (data layer); turkeys from the WRD turkey harvest dashboard; bears from the WRD harvest summaries; WMA figures from the WMA harvest layer. Checked October 13, 2026.
What is coming up near Dahlonega
6 upcoming events within about 30 miles, soonest first: DU Sportsman's Night Out, NWTF banquet, Youth Hunt and Learn and adaptive hunt. Retrieved October 13, 2026.
Upcoming
| Dates | Name | Distance | Place | Entry | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2026 | Dahlonega Sportsman Night Out · DU Sportsman's Night Out | 0 | Blue Mountain Vineyards, Dahlonega, Lumpkin Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 6–8, 2026 | 2026 Buck Shoals WMA Youth Deer Hunt and Learn · Youth Hunt and Learn | 20 | Buck Shoals WMA, Cleveland, White Co. | Apply | Source |
| Dec 11–12, 2026 | Adaptive/Supported Hunt – DEER at Buck Shoals WMA · Adaptive hunt | 20 | Buck Shoals WMA, Cleveland, White Co. | Apply | Source |
| Mar 1, 2027 | Amicalola Longbeards · NWTF banquet | 3 | Dahlonedga, Lumpkin Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 12, 2027 | Sawnee Mountain Chapter · NWTF banquet | 24 | Cumming, Forsyth Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 13, 2027 | Georgia Mountain Chapter · NWTF banquet | 13 | Cleveland, White Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
First and last light at Dahlonega
In Georgia, legal hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and other migratory birds stop at sunset.
Worked out for Dahlonega 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.
Sighting in near Dahlonega
Three ranges closest to Dahlonega, with the entry rule on each.
Lines for rifle, handgun and shotgun
Lines for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, archery and shotgun
Lines for skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle and muzzleloader
Unicoi Air Rifle Range is the nearest range on the WRD list, roughly 20 miles out.
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 13, 2026.
Dahlonega hunting questions, sorted out
Which deer zone is Dahlonega in?
Dahlonega follows the Orange zone calendar. See the season table for the exact doe days.
How much WMA and federal acreage is close to Dahlonega?
The 10 mile circle around town takes in about 28,679 public acres. 2 propertys reach that close; 17 are listed within reach.
How many bucks came out of Lumpkin County in 2025?
Hunters checked in 1,172 deer last season. Adjusted for compliance: 1,536.
Are bears hunted around Dahlonega?
Yes, under the Northern Zone dates. Public land with bears nearby: Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest).
Where is the closest place to get a deer cut up near Dahlonega?
Start with Southers Deer Cooler, 9 miles away in Murrayville. A 30 mile radius holds 10 processor listings.
How many gobblers come from the Dahlonega area?
Hunters reported 132 birds in spring 2026.
Where is the closest license counter to Dahlonega?
The nearest listed agent is Wal-Mart #2513, 1 mile away. You can also buy online through Go Outdoors Georgia.
How many taxidermists are there around Dahlonega?
Moon's Taxidermy, 6 miles. Inside 15 miles we count 2.
Can I apply for a quota hunt near Dahlonega?
Yes, including Chestatee WMA, Dawson Forest WMA and Don Carter State Park. Apply by the deadline listed in the guide.
Which WRD region office is closest to Dahlonega?
Call the Region 2 office in Gainesville, (770) 535-5700. Conservation rangers are based in Gainesville (16 miles).
Is any public hunting land right next to Dahlonega?
Blue Ridge Ranger District (Chattahoochee National Forest), with a boundary inside 10 miles. Next comes Chestatee WMA.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 13, 2026.
Before leaving Dahlonega
The Georgia hunting regulations guide is the final word for hunts out of Dahlonega.
Other photos on this page: ChattOconeeNF (CC BY 2.0); qvfp (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); jeffgunn (CC BY 2.0); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0).