Who’s Ready to Hunt?

Hunting is a rite of passage in the south and Liberty County is no exception. As someone raised here I can attest that it didn’t matter if you were a girl or a boy, the expectation was that you would participate in hunting in some way. Whether you chose to learn to fire a gun or not, you would still be going to the hunting club every weekend. These were great times spent playing tag, eating from a communal table and trying to hide the best in epic games of Hide & Seek.

These times of community togetherness really helped shape who I am, or at least I think so, as it taught me that it really does take a village to raise a child and whether the lady spanking you was your mama or not, she still had every right to do so if you had misbehaved. And then you better believe you were going to get it again when your mama found out too. Riding dirt roads, roaming the woods and appreciating the bounty that nature provided for us was just what we did. In our house my parents very rarely bought beef or pork, the only real protein they bought at the store was chicken. Otherwise my dad hunted as often as possible and as a trained meat cutter he processed his own meat, as well as for most our neighborhood! Which is why I can also skin a deer and make sausage!

So for those out there already counting down the days to the opening of deer season (and other game) here is the info you need to make sure you’re operating within the guidelines set by the state.

1. Just a note for hunters worried about the deer limits, those are not set by Georgia Department of Natural Resources, those are set by the Georgia State Legislature, so learn who your state representative and state senator are and contact them if you are unhappy with those limits.
2. There are no longer Northern and Southern Zones in regards to season dates; however, the Northern and Southern Zones still apply to Georgia’s baiting law. Hunting deer over feed is legal in the Southern Zone and illegal in the Northern Zone. This is a state law so contact your state legislators to express any opinions you have about Georgia’s baiting laws for deer hunting.
3. All deer hunters are required to have a Harvest Record for the current season. Additionally, all harvest must be reported within 72 hours through Georgia Game Check or before leaving the deer with a processor.
4. You can now report your harvest through the GA Outdoors App when your phone has no service. Enter your harvest date and county on the Harvest Record through the App. When you get to a location with service, access the App and sync to receive your confirmation number.
5. Antlerless deer are those having no visible antlers above the hairline (including “button bucks”) and may only be taken during either-sex or antlerless seasons or hunts. During “buck-only” hunts or seasons, a deer must have antlers visible above the hairline to be legal for harvest.
6. Deer Seasons
   Archery Sept. 9 – Jan. 14
   Youth/Prim. Weapons Oct. 14-Jan. 14
   Firearms Oct. 21-Jan. 14
   • Archery Hunting is either sex Sept 9-Jan 14 statewide
   • October 23-Jan 14 are either sex days for Liberty County
7. Dove Statewide
   Sept. 2-17; Oct. 14-Nov. 2;
   Nov. 23-Jan. 15
8. Small Game & Other Seasons
   • Grouse Oct. 15-Feb. 28
     Quail Nov. 18-Feb. 28
   • Raccoon Oct. 15-Feb. 28

-Leah Poole, CEO for the Liberty County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce

The Right Blend Blog is written by two different authors employed by the Liberty County Chamber/CVB. As we are able, we rotate weeks and each writes about our individual experiences, opinions and let our writing reflect our personalities and creativity. All content provided on The Right Blend blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.