Ohoopee Dunes WMA: 2026-27 seasons, quota hunts and deer harvest
Ohoopee Dunes WMA is 9,271 acres of public hunting land in Emanuel County, managed by Georgia DNR's WRD (Region 4). For 2026-27, WRD lists these deer dates on Ohoopee Dunes North WMA: archery, Sept. 12 to Oct. 9, Dec. 6 to Jan. 10; firearms, Bonus Oct. 22 to 24; Dec. 3 to 5. Hunters reported 28 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check (9 bucks, 19 does). WRD drew 1 quota hunt here in its 2025 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 2025 lottery reports.
Ohoopee Dunes WMAOther WRD WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 9,271 acres (WRD's 2026-27 regulations, page 43) |
|---|---|
| County | Emanuel County |
| WRD region | Region 4, office 229-426-5267 |
| WRD's listing | Natural Area |
| Deer, 2026-27 | Archery: Sept. 12 to Oct. 9, Dec. 6 to Jan. 10. Firearms: Bonus Oct. 22 to 24; Dec. 3 to 5 |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 28 (9 bucks, 19 does) |
| Quota hunts, 2025 lottery | 1, with 426 applications |
| Camping | Not listed (WRD) |
| Nearest towns | Kite (3 mi), Nunez (4 mi) and Swainsboro (5 mi) |
What is Ohoopee Dunes WMA like?
Ohoopee Dunes Wildlife Management Area is a 9,271-acre property located in Emanuel County. This WMA offers opportunities for hunting deer, turkey, squirrel, and waterfowl. There is an interpretive hiking trail located on Old McLeod's Bridge Road. The WMA is managed to provide both firearms deer hunting opportunities on the North Tract and more traditional season-long archery deer hunting on the South Tract. Camping is available at the end of Claxton Scott Way off HWY 57 on the North Tract. Ohoopee Dunes contains rare species and sensitive habitats associated with the unique Ohoopee River dune systems. To protect these resources, vehicular access is limited and no ATVs or horses are allowed on the property.
WRD lists these facilities: boat ramp, canoe access and nature trails.
From WRD's page for Ohoopee Dunes WMA.
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Ohoopee Dunes WMA?
WRD sets each WMA's own dates. It lists 2 parts of Ohoopee Dunes WMA separately: Ohoopee Dunes North WMA and Ohoopee Dunes South WMA. These are WRD's 2026-27 dates and notes for the area, as printed:
Ohoopee Dunes North WMA
| Season | 2026-27 dates and WRD's notes |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery | Sept. 12 to Oct. 9, Dec. 6 to Jan. 10 |
| Deer, firearms | Bonus Oct. 22 to 24 Dec. 3 to 5 |
| Turkey | Apr. 10 to May 15 |
| Coyote | May 16 to 31 |
| Small Game | State Seasons |
| Waterfowl | State Seasons |
Ohoopee Dunes South WMA
| Season | 2026-27 dates and WRD's notes |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery | Sept. 12 to Jan. 10 |
| Turkey | Apr. 3 to May 15 |
| Coyote | May 16 to 31 |
| Small Game | State Seasons |
| Waterfowl | State Season |
Source: WRD WMA hunting opportunities, 2026-27 season (FY27). The area's full listing in the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, page 43 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 Ohoopee Dunes WMA have quota hunts?
Yes. WRD's 2025 lottery reports list 1 quota hunt on Ohoopee Dunes WMA. The most applied for was North Tract, Only Hunt (turkey): 426 applicants for 20 spots.
| Hunt | Lottery | Applicants | Selected | First-choice applicants | Share selected | Priority points sure of a spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Tract, Only Hunt | Turkey, 2025 | 426 | 20 | 258 | 4.7% | 4 |
Source: WRD's 2025 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 Ohoopee Dunes WMA?
Hunters reported 28 deer on Ohoopee Dunes WMA in the 2025-26 season: 9 bucks and 19 does. Over the 10 seasons WRD reports, the area averaged 23 deer a season, from 11 in 2023-24 to 48 in 2022-23.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Bucks per 100 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 32 |
| 2024-25 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 48 |
| 2023-24 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55 |
| 2022-23 | 48 | 14 | 34 | 29 |
| 2021-22 | 33 | 14 | 19 | 42 |
| 2020-21 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 44 |
| 2019-20 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 75 |
| 2018-19 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 47 |
| 2017-18 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 53 |
| 2016-17 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 58 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by WMA, adding WRD's lines for Ohoopee Dunes North, Ohoopee Dunes South and Ohoopee Dunes 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 Ohoopee Dunes WMA in?
All of Ohoopee Dunes WMA lies in Emanuel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emanuel County | 9,304 | 2,036 | 3 | 23rd |
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 Ohoopee Dunes WMA?
WRD gives this address: 1899 West Street, Swainsboro, GA 30401 (GPS 32.651746, -82.46077). Highways through the area: GA 26 and US 80. Nearest towns: Kite (3 miles), Nunez (4 miles), Swainsboro (5 miles) and Adrian (7 miles).
Besides hunting, WRD lists canoeing, hiking, river fishing and wildlife viewing here.
The closest other WMAs with a page here: River Bend WMA (18.1 miles), Big Dukes Pond WMA (24.6 miles), Beaverdam WMA (26.4 miles) and Di-Lane WMA (27.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Ohoopee Dunes WMA in 2026-27?
WRD lists these 2026-27 deer dates for Ohoopee Dunes WMA: archery, Sept. 12 to Oct. 9, Dec. 6 to Jan. 10; firearms, Bonus Oct. 22 to 24; Dec. 3 to 5. 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 Ohoopee Dunes WMA?
WRD's 2026-27 listing for Ohoopee Dunes WMA gives turkey: Apr. 10 to May 15. On a WMA the limit is one gobbler a season per area.
How many deer were killed on Ohoopee Dunes WMA last season?
28 deer were reported on Ohoopee Dunes WMA in the 2025-26 season, 9 bucks and 19 does, by WRD's Game Check reports by WMA.
Is Ohoopee Dunes WMA a quota hunt?
Some of its hunts are. WRD's 2025 lottery listed 1 quota hunt on Ohoopee Dunes WMA, with 426 applications for 20 spots. Its other seasons need sign-in, not a draw.
Can you camp on Ohoopee Dunes WMA?
WRD's listing for Ohoopee Dunes WMA does not show camping. Ask the region office before planning to stay on the area.
What county is Ohoopee Dunes WMA in?
All of it is in Emanuel County, by WRD's boundary.
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
- 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, Ohoopee Dunes 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.
Georgia hunting All Georgia WMAs Emanuel County deer harvest