2024 CODE OF GEORGIA
Title 27 - GAME AND FISH (§§ 27-1-1 — 27-5-12)
Chapter 3 - WILDLIFE GENERALLY (§§ 27-3-1 — 27-3-185)
Article 1 - HUNTING (§§ 27-3-1 — 27-3-50)
Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 27-3-1 — 27-3-29)
Section 27-3-15 - Seasons and bag limits; promulgation of rules and regulations by board; possession of more than bag limit; deer management assistance program

• (a) It shall be unlawful to hunt the following game species at any time during the periods set forth below:

  Game Species	Closed Season
  (1) Quail	March 16 - Oct. 31
  (2) Grouse	March 1 - Oct. 14
  (3) Turkey
  	(A) Gobblers	May 22 - March 14
  	(B) Hens	All year
  (4) Deer	Jan. 16 - Sept. 7; except that as may be appropriate, and based solely on sound wildlife management principles, the department may by rule extend the season by region, by county, or locale to Jan. 31 for archery only.
  (5) Bobcat	March 1 - Oct. 14
  (6) Opossum	No closed season, except as may be adopted by the board
  (7) Rabbit	March 1 - Oct. 31
  (8) Raccoon	No closed season, except as may be adopted by the board
  (9) Squirrel	March 1 - August 14
  (10) Bear	Jan. 16 - Sept. 7
  (11) Sea turtles and their eggs	All year
  (12) Cougar (Puma concolor)	All year
  (13) Alligators	Nov. 1 - March 31
  (14) Migratory game birds	March 11 - August 31

• (b) It shall be unlawful to hunt the following game species at any time during the period set forth below, except that it shall not be unlawful to hunt the following game species during such periods or portions thereof, and in such number not to exceed the following numbers, as may be designated by the board as open seasons and bag limits for such species:

  Game Species	Maximum Open Season	Maximum Bag Limits
  		Daily	Season
  (1) Quail	Nov. 1 - March 15	12	No limit
  (2) Grouse	Oct. 15 - Feb. 29	3	No limit
  (3) Turkey gobblers	March 15 - May 21	3	3
  (4) Deer	Sept. 8 - Jan. 15;	12	12
  	except that as may be appropriate and based solely on sound wildlife management principles, the department may by rule extend the season by region, by county, or locale to Jan. 31 for archery only	The department may by rule exempt deer taken on department managed lands from the state-wide bag limit.
  (5) Bobcat	Oct. 15 - Feb. 29	No limit	No limit
  (6) Opossum	Jan. 1 - Dec. 31	No limit	No limit
  (7) Rabbit	Nov. 1 - Feb. 29	12	No limit
  (8) Raccoon	Jan. 1 - Dec. 31	No limit	No limit
  (9) Squirrel	Aug. 15 - Feb. 29	12	No limit
  (10) Fox	Jan. 1 - Dec. 31	No limit	No limit
  (11) Migratory game birds	Sept. 1 - March 10	Subject to limits set by the federal government and adopted by the board
  (12) Bear	Sept. 8 - Jan. 15	2	2
  		The department may by rule exempt bear taken on department managed lands from the state-wide bag limit.
  (13) Alligators	April 1 - Oct. 31	Subject to limits adopted by the board

• (c) In accordance with subsection (b) of this Code section and as may be appropriate, based on sound wildlife management principles, the board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations establishing open seasons on a state-wide, regional, or local basis and establishing daily and season bag limits.

• (d) In accordance with subsection (b) of this Code section and in accordance with the framework of open hunting season dates for migratory game birds established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and as may be appropriate based on sound wildlife management principles, the board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations establishing methods of taking, daily and season bag limits, and open seasons for migratory game birds on a state-wide, regional, or local basis. The board is specifically authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations without complying with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act"; and all rules and regulations promulgated by the board pursuant to this subsection shall be effective immediately upon adoption by the board.

• (e) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than the daily bag limit or more than the aggregate of the daily bag limits while in the field or while returning from the field to one's automobile or principal means of land transportation or to one's permanent abode or temporary or transient place of lodging or to a commercial storage facility or to a post office or to a common carrier facility.

• (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section, it shall be unlawful to take the species designated below, except squirrels, by means of falconry at any time during the period March 16 through September 30; but it shall not be unlawful to take the species designated below, except squirrels, by means of falconry during the period October 1 through March 15. It shall be unlawful to take squirrels by means of falconry at any time during the period March 16 through August 14, but it shall not be unlawful to take squirrels by means of falconry at any time during the period August 15 through March 15 in such number not exceeding the bag limits for each such species as follows:

  Game Species	Maximum Bag Limits
  	Daily	Season
  (1) Quail	12	No limit
  (2) Grouse	3	No limit
  (3) Rabbit	12	No limit
  (4) Squirrel	12	No limit

• (g) As may be appropriate based on sound principles of wildlife management, the department is authorized to establish a deer management assistance program, which may include fees and may prescribe property-specific bag limits without complying with the state-wide bag limit specified in subsection (b) of this Code section.

Amended by 2022 Ga. Laws 863,§ 1, eff. 5/10/2022.

Amended by 2021 Ga. Laws 32,§ 2-4, eff. 4/27/2021.

Amended by 2020 Ga. Laws 600,§ 4-2, eff. 8/5/2020.

Amended by 2019 Ga. Laws 264,§ 5, eff. 7/1/2019.

Amended by 2010 Ga. Laws 635,§ 4, eff. 6/4/2010.

Amended by 2005 Ga. Laws 380,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2005.

Amended by 2005 Ga. Laws 380,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2005.

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 939, § 6, eff. 7/1/2002.