Deer Hunting Season Opens for Archers on Saturday, Sept. 8

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division announced that opening of Deer Hunting Season for archers will be Saturday, Sept. 8. According to the DNR, for most hunters in Georgia, the deer season is the most anticipated time of the year and this year, archers get first draw.

“Archery season in the Peach State offers excellent deer hunting opportunities and a chance to bag a ‘quality buck,’” John W. Bowers, assistant chief of Game Management, said in a press release. “Georgia has more than one million acres of public land and has had 460 Georgia bucks accepted into the Pope and Young Club. This makes it a top destination for non-resident hunters.”

According to the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Georgia is No. 1 in the nation for attracting out-of-state hunters and hunting accounts for $679 million in retail sales in Georgia each year with a $1.1 billion ripple effect.

According to the press release, many of Georgia's public lands offer specialty hunts, including primitive weapons hunts, adult/child hunts and ladies-only hunts. Dates and locations for these hunts can be found in the 2012-2013 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide. Georgia offers more than 90 state-operated wildlife management areas (WMAs) for the public’s use. These areas are funded through a combination of state license fees and matching federal funds from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services’ Wildlife Restoration Program.

Statewide archery season runs through Oct. 12, although hunters may hunt deer with archery equipment through the entire deer season.

For more information on deer hunting seasons, regulations, licenses and WMA maps, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting.