Chattahoochee WMA: 2026-27 seasons, quota hunts and deer harvest
Chattahoochee WMA is 25,150 acres of public hunting land in White County, managed by Georgia DNR's WRD (Region 2). For 2026-27, WRD lists these deer dates: archery, Buck Only: Sept. 12 to 25, Oct. 12 to 20, 25 to 31; firearms, Buck Only: Oct. 21 to Oct. 24, Nov. 21 to 28; Bonus Buck Only: Dec. 9 to 12. Hunters reported 17 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check (17 bucks, 0 does). WRD drew 4 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.
Chattahoochee WMAOther WRD WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 25,150 acres (WRD's 2026-27 regulations, page 35) |
|---|---|
| County | White County, Union County, Towns County |
| WRD region | Region 2, office 770-535-5700 |
| WRD's listing | WMA on leased or partner land |
| Deer, 2026-27 | Archery: Buck Only: Sept. 12 to 25, Oct. 12 to 20, 25 to 31. Firearms: Buck Only: Oct. 21 to Oct. 24, Nov. 21 to 28; Bonus Buck Only: Dec. 9 to 12 |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 17 (17 bucks, 0 does) |
| Quota hunts, 2026 lottery | 4, with 2,645 applications |
| Camping | Allowed (WRD) |
| Nearest towns | Helen (2 mi), Cleveland (5 mi) and Young Harris (8 mi) |
What is Chattahoochee WMA like?
Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area is located in White County on property owned by the U.S. Forest Service. This 25,150-acre property has hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey and small game. Vehicle Usage: ATVs and UTVs are not allowed on U.S. Forest Service roads. They may only be used on roads/trails designated specifically for their use. For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/conf/home/?cid=fseprd1154774 . Check Road Closures: Road closures due to damage or weather-related conditions for this property will be listed at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conf/ . Hunters: Check Station Location: The check station is located on DNR-owned land near Smithgall Woods/Dukes Creek State Park. Find the Check Station at 34.6720932 degrees latitude and -83.778786 degrees longitude. Directions from Cleveland: From the downtown square, take Main Street (U.S. 129) north approximately 3.5 miles to GA Hwy 75A. Take a right on GA Hwy 75A and go approximately 4.2 miles towards Helen. The new check station driveway will be on the left across the highway from Duke’s Creek Baptist Church and before the intersection with Asbestos Road.
WRD lists these facilities: hiking trails, picnic sites and primitive campsites.
From WRD's page for Chattahoochee WMA.
Nearly all of the area lies on national forest land, measured on the U.S. Forest Service map. On national forest land the Forest Service runs the roads and campgrounds; WRD runs the hunting.
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Chattahoochee WMA?
WRD sets each WMA's own dates. These are WRD's 2026-27 dates and notes for the area, as printed:
| Season | 2026-27 dates and WRD's notes |
|---|---|
| Deer and bear, archery | Buck Only: Sept. 12 to 25, Oct. 12 to 20, 25 to 31 |
| Deer and bear, firearms | Buck Only: Oct. 21 to Oct. 24, Nov. 21 to 28 Bonus Buck Only: Dec. 9 to 12 |
| Bear, firearms | Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 |
| Turkey | Apr. 3 to May 15 |
| Coyote | May 16 to 31. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. |
| Small Game | 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 35 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 Chattahoochee WMA have quota hunts?
Yes. WRD's 2026 lottery reports list 4 quota hunts on Chattahoochee WMA. The most applied for was Chattahoochee Fall Line (Almo, Ft. Perry, Hilliard), 2nd Hunt, Bonus Quality Buck and Antlerless, Firearms (deer): 1,009 applicants for 304 spots.
| Hunt | Lottery | Applicants | Selected | First-choice applicants | Share selected | Priority points sure of a spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee Fall Line (Almo, Ft. Perry, Hilliard), 1st Hunt, Quality Buck and Antlerless, Firearms | Deer, 2026 | 789 | 301 | 348 | 38.1% | 1 |
| Chattahoochee Fall Line (Almo, Ft. Perry, Hilliard), 2nd Hunt, Bonus Quality Buck and Antlerless, Firearms | Deer, 2026 | 1,009 | 304 | 457 | 30.1% | 1 |
| Chattahoochee Fall Line (Almo, Ft. Perry, Hilliard), 1st Hunt | Turkey, 2025 | 511 | 45 | 277 | 8.8% | 3 |
| Chattahoochee Fall Line (Almo, Ft. Perry, Hilliard), 2nd Hunt | Turkey, 2025 | 336 | 45 | 40 | 13.4% | 0 |
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 Chattahoochee WMA?
Hunters reported 17 deer on Chattahoochee WMA in the 2025-26 season: 17 bucks and 0 does. Over the 10 seasons WRD reports, the area averaged 11 deer a season, from 8 in 2018-19 to 17 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Bucks per 100 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 100 |
| 2024-25 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 91 |
| 2023-24 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 85 |
| 2022-23 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 93 |
| 2021-22 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100 |
| 2020-21 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 100 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 100 |
| 2018-19 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88 |
| 2017-18 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 73 |
| 2016-17 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by WMA. 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 Chattahoochee WMA in?
Chattahoochee WMA spreads over 3 counties. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White County | 21,033 | 1,092 | 4.5 | 91st |
| Union County | 2,257 | 1,755 | 5.4 | 37th |
| Towns County | 1,496 | 505 | 3 | 145th |
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 Chattahoochee WMA?
Highways through the area: GA 348 and GA 75. Nearest towns: Helen (2 miles), Cleveland (5 miles), Young Harris (8 miles) and Hiawassee (9 miles).
Besides hunting, WRD lists hiking, primitive camping, river fishing and wildlife viewing here.
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Chestatee WMA (next to it), Swallow Creek WMA (next to it), Coopers Creek WMA (6.9 miles) and Blue Ridge WMA (14.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Chattahoochee WMA in 2026-27?
WRD lists these 2026-27 deer dates for Chattahoochee WMA: archery, Buck Only: Sept. 12 to 25, Oct. 12 to 20, 25 to 31; firearms, Buck Only: Oct. 21 to Oct. 24, Nov. 21 to 28; Bonus Buck Only: Dec. 9 to 12. 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 Chattahoochee WMA?
WRD's 2026-27 listing for Chattahoochee 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 Chattahoochee WMA last season?
17 deer were reported on Chattahoochee WMA in the 2025-26 season, 17 bucks and 0 does, by WRD's Game Check reports by WMA.
Is Chattahoochee WMA a quota hunt?
Some of its hunts are. WRD's 2026 lottery listed 4 quota hunts on Chattahoochee WMA, with 2,645 applications for 695 spots. Its other seasons need sign-in, not a draw.
Can you camp on Chattahoochee WMA?
Yes. WRD's listing for Chattahoochee WMA allows camping, with primitive campsites. Follow the area's posted rules.
What county is Chattahoochee WMA in?
White County (21,033 acres), Union County (2,257 acres) and Towns County (1,496 acres), measured on 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, Chattahoochee 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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