Ware County deer harvest: Georgia Game Check, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,278 deer in Ware County in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check: 605 bucks and 673 does (WRD). That is 1.4 deer per square mile of land, and 76th of Georgia's 159 counties by total. The count was 25% above 2024-25 (1,022).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WRD Game Check reports to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: WRD's 2026-27 regulations.
Ware CountyWRD WMAsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,278 (605 bucks, 673 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.4, 144th of 159 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 904 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,278 in 2025-26 |
| Private-land deer zone | Green (WRD) |
| WRD region | Region 6 |
| Land area | 899.2 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 WMA, 30,365 acres; 183,899 acres of national wildlife refuge |
| Bear zone | Southern (WRD) |
| Towns | Waycross |
How many deer are killed in Ware County each season?
WRD has reported Ware County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 904 a season; the most was 1,278 in 2025-26 and the fewest 669 in 2018-19. 2025-26 was 41% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Per square mile | WRD's adjusted total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,278 | 605 | 673 | 1.4 | 2,241 |
| 2024-25 | 1,022 | 478 | 544 | 1.1 | 1,881 |
| 2023-24 | 1,103 | 508 | 595 | 1.2 | 1,872 |
| 2022-23 | 894 | 419 | 475 | 1 | 1,534 |
| 2021-22 | 815 | 381 | 434 | 0.9 | 1,415 |
| 2020-21 | 873 | 456 | 417 | 1 | 1,557 |
| 2019-20 | 771 | 389 | 382 | 0.9 | 1,327 |
| 2018-19 | 669 | 332 | 337 | 0.7 | 1,409 |
| 2017-18 | 708 | 353 | 355 | 0.8 | 1,594 |
| 2016-17 | 906 | 447 | 459 | 1 | 1,584 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by county. Per square mile uses the county's 899.2 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 Ware County for 2025-26 are 68% of bucks and 50% of does.
When is deer season in Ware County in 2026-27?
On private land Ware County is in WRD's Green 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. 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 Ware County?
WRD's boundaries put 1 WMA in Ware County:
| WMA | Acres in Ware County | WMA deer reported, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Dixon Memorial WMA | 30,365 | 60 |
183,899 acres of national wildlife refuge lie in the county, measured on the federal maps.
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 Ware County compare with its neighbors?
Ware County touches 7 Georgia counties. Their 2025-26 harvest, and the change since 2016-17:
| County | Deer reported, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware County | 1,278 | 1.4 | 41% |
| Atkinson County | 636 | 1.9 | -22% |
| Bacon County | 754 | 2.7 | 22% |
| Brantley County | 584 | 1.3 | 83% |
| Charlton County | 633 | 0.8 | 167% |
| Clinch County | 884 | 1.1 | 59% |
| Coffee County | 1,428 | 2.4 | -22% |
| Pierce County | 599 | 1.8 | 90% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Ware County, Georgia last season?
1,278 deer were reported through Georgia Game Check in Ware County in the 2025-26 season: 605 bucks and 673 does, by WRD's harvest reports.
What deer zone is Ware County in?
Ware 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 Ware County?
Yes. WRD's map puts Dixon Memorial WMA (30,365 acres in the county) in Ware County.
Has the deer harvest in Ware County gone up or down?
From 906 in 2016-17 to 1,278 in 2025-26, 41% higher. The high in that span was 1,278 (2025-26) and the low 669 (2018-19).
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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 Atkinson County Bacon County Brantley County Charlton County