Finding somewhere to hunt can be one of the hardest parts of hunting. It’s also something that can prevent new hunters from participating. There’s good news though – there’s always room on one of Georgia’s 105 wildlife management areas (WMA) and all you need is valid hunting license to access them.

Whether you’re new to hunting or new to hunting public land, here are step-by-step instructions on locating a wildlife management area (WMA) near you that fits your needs.

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James Jordan and his 4.5 year old, 11 point buck from Ocmulgee WMA.

 

  1. Head over to the Wildlife Resources Division hunting locations page.

Once the page loads, you’ll see an interactive map of Georgia with orange dots scattered across the state. The orange dots are Georgia’s public hunting opportunities.

 

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2. Pick your hunting quarry.

Click the deer icon to display a list of game species. Select the species you’re interested by toggling the switch next to the name. It will turn green when it’s activated.

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The brown circle is around the button that generates the list of game species you can filter from.

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List shows the green “activated” toggle switch for deer.

 **Note: You can select multiple species. However, the map will show areas that offer hunting opportunities for species 1 AND species 2 not areas open for species 1 OR species.

 

3. Find the perfect place to hunt close to home.

The button to the right of the deer is the Near Me command (circled above). Type in your address and enter how many miles away from your location you’re willing to travel. Once you press enter, a list of WMA’s meeting your requirements will appear below your address. Click on the WMA’s listed beneath your address for more information, a link to the property, and the area’s phone number.

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Brown circle is around the “Near Me” button.

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Map showing WMAs within selected distance from address.

 

4. Get ready for your hunt!

Before you head out for your WMA hunting adventure check the hunting regulations for season dates and any restrictions the property has. These can be found on beginning on page 46 of the hunting regulations popular guide. The WMAs are listed in alphabetical order in the popular guide, so you can easily flip through the properties to find your desired WMA. You can also visit the WMA’s website for more information.

 

5. What should you do when you get there?

When you arrive at the WMA, park in the designated parking area, should the WMA have one, or park along the side of the road and hike in. The Go Outdoors Georgia app provides a map of the WMA to use as a guide of the property on the convenience of your phone. If you’re hunting a sign-in or bonus hunt make sure you sign or check in. You can register beginning at noon one day before the hunt at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com. Remember to have fun and use good hunting etiquette!

 

*These instructions can also be used to locate public fishing areas by substituting the link in Number 1 with https://georgiawildlife.com/locations/fishing.