Tift County deer harvest: Georgia Game Check, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 744 deer in Tift County in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check: 362 bucks and 382 does (WRD). That is 2.9 deer per square mile of land, and 122nd of Georgia's 159 counties by total. The count was 25% above 2024-25 (596).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WRD Game Check reports to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: WRD's 2026-27 regulations.
Tift CountyWRD WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 744 (362 bucks, 382 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.9, 109th of 159 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 557 deer a season |
| Highest season | 744 in 2025-26 |
| Private-land deer zone | Green (WRD) |
| WRD region | Region 4 |
| Land area | 260.9 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | No WRD WMA |
| Towns | Tifton, Omega and Ty Ty |
How many deer are killed in Tift County each season?
WRD has reported Tift County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 557 a season; the most was 744 in 2025-26 and the fewest 445 in 2021-22. 2025-26 was 28% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Per square mile | WRD's adjusted total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 744 | 362 | 382 | 2.9 | 1,113 |
| 2024-25 | 596 | 309 | 287 | 2.3 | 868 |
| 2023-24 | 599 | 292 | 307 | 2.3 | 840 |
| 2022-23 | 505 | 274 | 231 | 1.9 | 754 |
| 2021-22 | 445 | 208 | 237 | 1.7 | 663 |
| 2020-21 | 507 | 255 | 252 | 1.9 | 701 |
| 2019-20 | 514 | 268 | 246 | 2 | 754 |
| 2018-19 | 455 | 210 | 245 | 1.7 | 746 |
| 2017-18 | 627 | 288 | 339 | 2.4 | 996 |
| 2016-17 | 579 | 277 | 302 | 2.2 | 773 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by county. Per square mile uses the county's 260.9 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 Tift County for 2025-26 are 77% of bucks and 60% of does.
When is deer season in Tift County in 2026-27?
On private land Tift County is in WRD's Green zone. These are the zone's 2026-27 dates.
| 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. 3 to 4, 2026 | Antlerless only |
| Firearms | Oct. 17, 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 Tift County?
No WRD WMA boundary falls in Tift County. The closest WMAs with a page here: Alapaha River WMA (about 10 miles), Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog WMA (about 24 miles) and Grand Bay WMA (about 40 miles).
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 Tift County compare with its neighbors?
Tift County touches 6 Georgia counties. Their 2025-26 harvest, and the change since 2016-17:
| County | Deer reported, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tift County | 744 | 2.9 | 28% |
| Berrien County | 1,286 | 2.8 | 4% |
| Colquitt County | 1,861 | 3.4 | 49% |
| Cook County | 655 | 2.9 | 12% |
| Irwin County | 1,123 | 3.2 | -16% |
| Turner County | 793 | 2.8 | -8% |
| Worth County | 1,981 | 3.5 | -5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Tift County, Georgia last season?
744 deer were reported through Georgia Game Check in Tift County in the 2025-26 season: 362 bucks and 382 does, by WRD's harvest reports.
What deer zone is Tift County in?
Tift County is in WRD's Green zone for private land in 2026-27. Firearms either-sex days in the zone: Oct. 17, 2026 to Jan. 10, 2027. Source: WRD regulations, pages 12 to 13.
Is there public hunting land in Tift County?
No WRD WMA boundary falls in Tift County. The closest WMAs with a page here: Alapaha River WMA (about 10 miles), Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog WMA (about 24 miles) and Grand Bay WMA (about 40 miles).
Has the deer harvest in Tift County gone up or down?
From 579 in 2016-17 to 744 in 2025-26, 28% higher. The high in that span was 744 (2025-26) and the low 445 (2021-22).
Get a Georgia hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Georgia are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Georgia included.
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 Berrien County Colquitt County Cook County Irwin County