(L-R) Caleb Giddens, Allyn Stockton and Richard Davis. Allyn's bear in the center weighed 500-pounds and was among the largest checked in.

(L-R) Caleb Giddens, Allyn Stockton and Richard Davis. Allyn’s bear in the center weighed 500-pounds and was among the largest checked in.

Things slowed quite a bit this week in south Georgia, with a harvest of 20 bears (15 male/5 female), for a six-day total of 65 (49 male/16 female).  The largest bear harvested thus far was a 520-pound male from the Fargo area. No harvest reported yet from Dixon Memorial WMA after three days of archery and three days of primitive weapons hunting.

Rangers have checked 177 hunters during the bear firearms season in the Southern Bear Zone Sept. 26-28 and Oct 3-5. They also made 15 hunting bear over bait charges and several other related charges.

Remaining hunting opportunities are the five-county firearms season Oct. 10-12, three days of sign-in primitive weapons hunting on Dixon Memorial, and a November three-day check-in firearms hunt on Dixon Memorial.

Bears in harvested in the Southern Bear Zone must be checked and tagged at on of these locations:

  • Fargo Georgia Forestry Commission Office
    • Noon – 9 p.m. during all hunt days
  • Waycross Department of Natural Resources Office
    • Thursdays and Fridays: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    • Saturdays: noon – 9 p.m.
    • Oct. 10-12: noon – 9 p.m.