Gun Season for Deer Opens Saturday
Gun season for deer opens this Saturday, and with Jasper County being the Deer Capital of Georgia, and having thousands of acres in public lands as well as plenty of private hunting land, residents can expect an influx of hunters this weekend.
Some were here last week for primitive weapons season, and some came before then to bow hunt. But, this is the big weekend. Deer season continues through the end of the year in the northern zone which Jasper is a part.
State-managed public hunting lands are funded through a combination of state license fees and matching federal funds from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services’ Wildlife Restoration Program. Hunters account for $977 million in retail sales in Georgia each year with a $1.6 billion ripple effect and almost 24,000 jobs.
To pursue deer in Georgia, hunters must have a valid hunting license, a big game license and a current deer harvest record. If hunting on a WMA, a WMA license is required. Licenses can be purchased online at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/licenses-permits-passes, by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at a license agent (list of agents available online).
The season bag limit is 10 antlerless deer and two antlered deer (one of the antlered deer must have at least four points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers). Special regulations apply to archery-only counties and extended archery season areas. Counties in the Metro Atlanta area (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Rockdale counties) offer either-sex archery deer hunting Sept. 13-Jan. 31.
All deer hunters, including archers, are required to wear a minimum of 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist during primitive weapons season. Scopes and other optical sighting devices are legal for muzzleloading firearms and archery equipment.
Get a preview of what to expect during deer season with a brand, new video. Go to www.youtube.com/georgiawildlife and click on “Georgia Deer Season 2014-2015: Firearms and Primitive Weapons Preview.”
Georgia’s new deer rut map can be found at www.georgiawildlife.com/rut-map . For more information on deer hunting seasons, regulations, licenses and WMA maps, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting .
