With a bag limit of three gobblers per season, turkey hunters in Georgia have from March 25 through May 15—one of the longest seasons in the nation—to harvest their birds.
“Reproduction in 2016 was the best we have seen since 2011, so I am hopeful we can build on that recent success and expect 2017 to be a better hunting season,” according to Kevin Lowrey, Wildlife Resources Division wild turkey project coordinator. “Turkey hunters also need to remember the Georgia Game Check requirement for all harvested birds.”
Hunters pursuing wild turkeys on private land are reminded to obtain landowner permission before hunting.
All turkey hunters, including those under 16 years of age, landowners, honorary, lifetime and sportsman license holders, must obtain a free harvest record each season.
Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters are required to immediately enter the date and county on the harvest record, and within 72 hours, must complete the reporting process through Georgia Game Check or go paperless and report through the Outdoors GA app.
More information on Game Check, click here.
A WMA license is required for any person 16 years or older who does not possess a valid honorary, sportsman or lifetime license when hunting wild turkey on a WMA or public fishing area. A valid hunting license and a big game license also are required. Legal firearms and archery equipment for hunting wild turkey are shotguns (loaded with No. 2 or smaller shot), any muzzleloading firearm, longbow, crossbow or compound bow.
Licenses can be purchased online.