Altamaha WMA: 2026-27 seasons, quota hunts and deer harvest
Altamaha WMA is 31,569 acres of public hunting land in McIntosh County, managed by Georgia DNR's WRD (Region 6). For 2026-27, WRD lists these deer dates on Altamaha WMA - Buffalo Swamp, Lewis Island, and McGowan Lake Tracts: archery, Sept. 12 to Oct. 9; primitive, Oct. 10 to 16; firearms, Oct. 17 to Jan. 10. Hunters reported 21 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check (7 bucks, 14 does). WRD drew 20 quota hunts here in its 2026 lottery.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: WRD's 2026-27 WMA listings. Harvest: WRD Game Check reports to the 2025-26 season. Quota hunts: WRD's 2026 lottery reports.
Altamaha WMAOther WRD WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 31,569 acres (WRD's 2026-27 regulations, page 33) |
|---|---|
| County | McIntosh County |
| WRD region | Region 6, office 912-262-3173 |
| WRD's listing | Natural Area |
| Deer, 2026-27 | Archery: Sept. 12 to Oct. 9. Primitive: Oct. 10 to 16. Firearms: Oct. 17 to Jan. 10 |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 21 (7 bucks, 14 does) |
| Quota hunts, 2026 lottery | 20, with 7,028 applications |
| Camping | Allowed (WRD) |
| Nearest towns | Darien (next to it), Brunswick (12 mi), Jesup (19 mi) and Ludowici (19 mi) |
What is Altamaha WMA like?
The Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area at Altamaha WMA consists of 3,154 acres of managed waterfowl impoundments and some 27,000 acres of bottomland hardwoods and cypress-tupelo swamps. The property offers hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl, and dove. The waterfowl impoundments are in three units.
WRD lists these facilities: boat ramp, campsites, canoe access, dock, lake and nature trails.
From WRD's page for Altamaha WMA.
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Altamaha WMA?
WRD sets each WMA's own dates. It lists 2 parts of Altamaha WMA separately: Altamaha WMA - Waterfowl Management Area and Altamaha WMA - Buffalo Swamp, Lewis Island, and McGowan Lake Tracts. These are WRD's 2026-27 dates and notes for the area, as printed:
Altamaha WMA - Waterfowl Management Area
| Season | 2026-27 dates and WRD's notes |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery | Sept. 12 to Nov. 15 |
| Dove | Sept. 5 to 7, 12 to 13, 19 to 20, 26 to 27 |
| Small Game | Aug. 15 to Nov. 15, Feb. 1 to 28 No furbearers. Butler Island opens after last Saturday of waterfowl season. BUTLER ISLAND: RABBIT - ARCHERY Youth Jan. 23 to 24 CHAMPNEY ISLAND: WATERFOWL Youth or Veteran: Nov. 21 to 22 RHETT’S ISLAND: WATERFOWL Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, State Holidays during State Seasons |
| Alligator | Aug. 14 to Oct. 5 |
| Coyote, small game weapons | Mar. 1 to May 31. Feral hogs may be hunted and taken with dogs. |
Altamaha WMA - Buffalo Swamp, Lewis Island, and McGowan Lake Tracts
| Season | 2026-27 dates and WRD's notes |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery | Sept. 12 to Oct. 9 |
| Deer, primitive | Oct. 10 to 16 |
| Deer, firearms | Oct. 17 to Jan. 10 |
| Turkey | Apr. 3 to May 15 |
| Coyote | May 16 to 31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. |
| Small Game | State Seasons. |
| Waterfowl | State Seasons |
Source: WRD WMA hunting opportunities, 2026-27 season (FY27). The area's full listing in the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, page 33 adds its quota, youth and special hunts and its area notes, and is the final word. WRD can change a hunt during the year: check WRD's page for the area before you go.
Does Altamaha WMA have quota hunts?
Yes. WRD's 2026 lottery reports list 20 quota hunts on Altamaha WMA. The most applied for was Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 1st Hunt (waterfowl): 1,512 applicants for 20 spots.
| Hunt | Lottery | Applicants | Selected | First-choice applicants | Share selected | Priority points sure of a spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 1st Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 1,512 | 20 | 1,303 | 1.3% | 10 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 2nd Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 956 | 20 | 223 | 2.1% | 7 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 3rd Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 957 | 20 | 249 | 2.1% | 5 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 4th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 419 | 20 | 134 | 4.8% | 4 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 5th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 225 | 20 | 58 | 8.9% | 3 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 6th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 323 | 20 | 118 | 6.2% | 3 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 7th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 323 | 20 | 95 | 6.2% | 3 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 8th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 313 | 20 | 89 | 6.4% | 3 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 9th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 268 | 20 | 71 | 7.5% | 2 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Butler Island, 10th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 277 | 20 | 86 | 7.2% | 3 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 1st Hunt, Youth or Veteran Only | Waterfowl, 2026 | 147 | 20 | 70 | 13.6% | 2 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 2nd Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 336 | 20 | 89 | 6% | 3 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 3rd Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 192 | 20 | 35 | 10.4% | 1 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 4th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 150 | 20 | 35 | 13.3% | 1 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 5th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 72 | 20 | 16 | 27.8% | 0 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 6th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 103 | 20 | 26 | 19.4% | 1 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 7th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 109 | 20 | 25 | 18.3% | 1 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 8th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 114 | 20 | 24 | 17.5% | 1 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 9th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 101 | 20 | 20 | 19.8% | 1 |
| Waterfowl Management Area - Champney Island, 10th Hunt | Waterfowl, 2026 | 131 | 20 | 33 | 15.3% | 2 |
Source: WRD's 2026 quota lottery reports. "Share selected" is WRD's selected count divided by its applicant count for that year's lottery, not a forecast. "Priority points sure of a spot" is WRD's own column: applicants with at least that many priority points were selected; the rest went to a random draw.
How many deer are taken on Altamaha WMA?
Hunters reported 21 deer on Altamaha WMA in the 2025-26 season: 7 bucks and 14 does. Over the 10 seasons WRD reports, the area averaged 23 deer a season, from 9 in 2016-17 to 34 in 2022-23.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Bucks per 100 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 33 |
| 2024-25 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46 |
| 2023-24 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 44 |
| 2022-23 | 34 | 18 | 16 | 53 |
| 2021-22 | 31 | 11 | 20 | 35 |
| 2020-21 | 31 | 16 | 15 | 52 |
| 2019-20 | 26 | 11 | 15 | 42 |
| 2018-19 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 33 |
| 2017-18 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38 |
| 2016-17 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by WMA, adding WRD's lines for Altamaha WMA, Altamaha WMA Buffalo Swamp, Lewis, Island, McGowan Lake Tracts and Altamaha WMA Waterfowl Management Area. Deer from bonus hunts are tagged at the check station and may not be in Game Check's count. WRD records the 2026-27 season as it goes; it is left out until it ends.
Which county is Altamaha WMA in?
All of Altamaha WMA lies in McIntosh County. Each county's deer harvest for 2025-26, for the whole county, private land included:
| County | WMA acres in it | County deer reported, 2025-26 | Deer per square mile | Rank of 159 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McIntosh County | 31,443 | 422 | 1 | 149th |
County harvest: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check). WMA acres in each county measured by FilledTag on WRD's boundary map and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; the mapped boundary can take in water or tracts that WRD's stated acreage leaves out.
How do you get to Altamaha WMA?
WRD gives this address: 2613 US Highway 17, Darien, GA 31305 (GPS 31.3511, -81.4476). Highways through the area: GA 405, I-95, GA 25 and GA 99. Nearest towns: Darien (next to it), Brunswick (12 miles), Jesup (19 miles), Ludowici (19 miles) and Riceboro (20 miles).
Besides hunting, WRD lists boating, camping, canoeing, hiking, lake fishing, river fishing and wildlife viewing here.
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Townsend WMA (next to it), Clayhole Swamp WMA (next to it), Sansavilla WMA (next to it) and Altama Plantation WMA (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Altamaha WMA in 2026-27?
WRD lists these 2026-27 deer dates for Altamaha WMA: archery, Sept. 12 to Oct. 9; primitive, Oct. 10 to 16; firearms, Oct. 17 to Jan. 10. WMA dates can differ from the statewide dates, and sign-in is required for deer hunts unless WRD's listing says otherwise.
When is turkey season on Altamaha WMA?
WRD's 2026-27 listing for Altamaha WMA gives turkey: Apr. 3 to May 15. On a WMA the limit is one gobbler a season per area.
How many deer were killed on Altamaha WMA last season?
21 deer were reported on Altamaha WMA in the 2025-26 season, 7 bucks and 14 does, by WRD's Game Check reports by WMA.
Is Altamaha WMA a quota hunt?
Some of its hunts are. WRD's 2026 lottery listed 20 quota hunts on Altamaha WMA, with 7,028 applications for 400 spots. Its other seasons need sign-in, not a draw.
Can you camp on Altamaha WMA?
Yes. WRD's listing for Altamaha WMA allows camping, with campsites. Follow the area's posted rules.
What county is Altamaha WMA in?
All of it is in McIntosh County, by WRD's boundary.
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Where these numbers come from
- Seasons and notes: WRD WMA hunting opportunities, 2026-27 season (FY27); general WMA rules: 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, pages 19 to 21.
- Deer harvest by WMA and county: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check).
- Quota hunts: WRD quota hunt lottery reports, 2026.
- Area description, facilities and address: WRD, Altamaha WMA. Boundary and acres: WRD WMA boundaries.
- Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of Georgia DNR. Numbers are copied from WRD or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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