Pickens County deer harvest: Georgia Game Check, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,068 deer in Pickens County in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check: 662 bucks and 406 does (WRD). That is 4.6 deer per square mile of land, and 92nd of Georgia's 159 counties by total. The count was 2% above 2024-25 (1,050).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WRD Game Check reports to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: WRD's 2026-27 regulations.
Pickens CountyWRD WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,068 (662 bucks, 406 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.6, 51st of 159 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 762 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,068 in 2025-26 |
| Private-land deer zone | Orange (WRD) |
| WRD region | Region 1 |
| Land area | 232.1 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 WMA, 59 acres |
| Bear zone | Northern (WRD) |
| Towns | Jasper and Talking Rock |
How many deer are killed in Pickens County each season?
WRD has reported Pickens County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 762 a season; the most was 1,068 in 2025-26 and the fewest 515 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 107% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Per square mile | WRD's adjusted total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,068 | 662 | 406 | 4.6 | 1,411 |
| 2024-25 | 1,050 | 635 | 415 | 4.5 | 1,423 |
| 2023-24 | 884 | 551 | 333 | 3.8 | 1,040 |
| 2022-23 | 822 | 547 | 275 | 3.5 | 1,079 |
| 2021-22 | 667 | 472 | 195 | 2.9 | 823 |
| 2020-21 | 684 | 478 | 206 | 2.9 | 864 |
| 2019-20 | 675 | 445 | 230 | 2.9 | 950 |
| 2018-19 | 697 | 411 | 286 | 3 | 994 |
| 2017-18 | 560 | 365 | 195 | 2.4 | 776 |
| 2016-17 | 515 | 321 | 194 | 2.2 | 687 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by county. Per square mile uses the county's 232.1 square miles of land (Census). "Adjusted total" is WRD's own figure in the same layer, which allows for deer not reported through Game Check; the reporting rates WRD applies to Pickens County for 2025-26 are 80% of bucks and 70% of does.
When is deer season in Pickens County in 2026-27?
On private land Pickens County is in WRD's Orange zone. These are the zone's 2026-27 dates. WMAs in the county set their own dates, on their pages.
| Weapon | Dates | What may be taken |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sept. 12 to Oct. 9, 2026 | Either sex |
| Primitive weapons | Oct. 10 to 16, 2026 | Either sex |
| Firearms | Oct. 17 to Nov. 5, 2026 | Antlered bucks only |
| Firearms | Nov. 6 to 12, 2026 | Either sex |
| Firearms | Nov. 13 to 19, 2026 | Antlered bucks only |
| Firearms | Nov. 20 to 26, 2026 | Either sex |
| Firearms | Nov. 27 to Dec. 27, 2026 | Antlered bucks only |
| Firearms | Dec. 28, 2026 to Jan. 10, 2027 | Either sex |
Source: 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, pages 12 to 13; county zones: WRD county deer, bear and alligator zones.
Where is the public hunting land in Pickens County?
WRD's boundaries put 1 WMA in Pickens County:
| WMA | Acres in Pickens County | WMA deer reported, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Dawson Forest WMA | 59 | 33 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on WRD WMA boundaries, U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does Pickens County compare with its neighbors?
Pickens County touches 5 Georgia counties. Their 2025-26 harvest, and the change since 2016-17:
| County | Deer reported, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County | 1,068 | 4.6 | 107% |
| Bartow County | 2,505 | 5.5 | 75% |
| Cherokee County | 2,506 | 6 | 81% |
| Dawson County | 874 | 4.1 | 68% |
| Gilmer County | 1,417 | 3.3 | 113% |
| Gordon County | 2,894 | 8.1 | 94% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Pickens County, Georgia last season?
1,068 deer were reported through Georgia Game Check in Pickens County in the 2025-26 season: 662 bucks and 406 does, by WRD's harvest reports.
What deer zone is Pickens County in?
Pickens County is in WRD's Orange zone for private land in 2026-27. Firearms either-sex days in the zone: Nov. 6 to 12, 2026, Nov. 20 to 26, 2026 and Dec. 28, 2026 to Jan. 10, 2027. Source: WRD regulations, pages 12 to 13.
Is there public hunting land in Pickens County?
Yes. WRD's map puts Dawson Forest WMA (59 acres in the county) in Pickens County.
Has the deer harvest in Pickens County gone up or down?
From 515 in 2016-17 to 1,068 in 2025-26, 107% higher. The high in that span was 1,068 (2025-26) and the low 515 (2016-17).
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest, adjusted totals and reporting rates: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check); Georgia Game Check results.
- Deer zones and dates: 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, pages 12 to 13; WRD county deer, bear and alligator zones.
- Public land: WRD WMA boundaries; U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries. County land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of Georgia DNR. Numbers are copied from WRD and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
Georgia hunting Georgia deer harvest by county Bartow County Cherokee County Dawson County Gilmer County