Stephens County deer harvest: Georgia Game Check, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 646 deer in Stephens County in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check: 432 bucks and 214 does (WRD). That is 3.6 deer per square mile of land, and 135th of Georgia's 159 counties by total. The count was 12% below 2024-25 (735).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WRD Game Check reports to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: WRD's 2026-27 regulations.
Stephens CountyWRD WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 646 (432 bucks, 214 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3.6, 86th of 159 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 469 deer a season |
| Highest season | 735 in 2024-25 |
| Private-land deer zone | Orange (WRD) |
| WRD region | Region 2 |
| Land area | 178.9 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 WMA, 10,622 acres; 23,545 acres of national forest |
| Bear zone | Northern (WRD) |
| Towns | Toccoa, Martin and Avalon |
How many deer are killed in Stephens County each season?
WRD has reported Stephens County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 469 a season; the most was 735 in 2024-25 and the fewest 339 in 2019-20. 2025-26 was 57% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Per square mile | WRD's adjusted total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 646 | 432 | 214 | 3.6 | 847 |
| 2024-25 | 735 | 471 | 264 | 4.1 | 992 |
| 2023-24 | 544 | 352 | 192 | 3 | 637 |
| 2022-23 | 415 | 312 | 103 | 2.3 | 535 |
| 2021-22 | 368 | 289 | 79 | 2.1 | 436 |
| 2020-21 | 398 | 299 | 99 | 2.2 | 497 |
| 2019-20 | 339 | 254 | 85 | 1.9 | 475 |
| 2018-19 | 407 | 261 | 146 | 2.3 | 576 |
| 2017-18 | 425 | 285 | 140 | 2.4 | 587 |
| 2016-17 | 411 | 265 | 146 | 2.3 | 545 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by county. Per square mile uses the county's 178.9 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 Stephens County for 2025-26 are 80% of bucks and 70% of does.
When is deer season in Stephens County in 2026-27?
On private land Stephens 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 Stephens County?
WRD's boundaries put 1 WMA in Stephens County:
| WMA | Acres in Stephens County | WMA deer reported, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Russell WMA | 10,622 | 11 |
23,545 acres of national forest lie in the county, measured on the federal maps. National forest land outside a WMA follows the national forest rules in the regulations (pages 56 to 57).
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 Stephens County compare with its neighbors?
Stephens County touches 3 Georgia counties. Their 2025-26 harvest, and the change since 2016-17:
| County | Deer reported, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephens County | 646 | 3.6 | 57% |
| Banks County | 1,731 | 7.4 | 80% |
| Franklin County | 2,035 | 7.8 | 92% |
| Habersham County | 1,338 | 4.8 | 38% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Stephens County, Georgia last season?
646 deer were reported through Georgia Game Check in Stephens County in the 2025-26 season: 432 bucks and 214 does, by WRD's harvest reports.
What deer zone is Stephens County in?
Stephens 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 Stephens County?
Yes. WRD's map puts Lake Russell WMA (10,622 acres in the county) in Stephens County. The county also holds 23,545 acres of national forest.
Has the deer harvest in Stephens County gone up or down?
From 411 in 2016-17 to 646 in 2025-26, 57% higher. The high in that span was 735 (2024-25) and the low 339 (2019-20).
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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 Banks County Franklin County Habersham County