Sandhills WMA: 2026-27 seasons and deer harvest
Sandhills WMA is 3,370 acres of public hunting land in Taylor County, managed by Georgia DNR's WRD (Region 5). For 2026-27, WRD lists these deer dates on Sandhills WMA - West: archery, Sept. 12 to Oct. 9; primitive, Oct. 10 to 16; firearms, Oct. 17 to Jan. 10. Hunters reported 19 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season through Georgia Game Check (11 bucks, 8 does).
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.
Sandhills WMAOther WRD WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 3,370 acres (WRD's 2026-27 regulations, page 46) |
|---|---|
| County | Taylor County |
| WRD region | Region 5, office 229-430-4254 |
| 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 | 19 (11 bucks, 8 does) |
| Camping | Not allowed (WRD) |
| Nearest towns | Butler (2 mi), Junction City (4 mi) and Geneva (8 mi) |
What is Sandhills WMA like?
Sandhills Wildlife Management Area is located in Taylor County on the north side of GA Highway 96 and about 2.5 miles west of the square in Butler. This 892-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, turkey and small game. No camping is allowed. The State of Georgia acquired the land in 2007 for its high diversity of rare species. The list of rare and threatened animals and plants includes Southeastern kestrels (a type of falcon), Bachman's sparrows, gopher tortoises, southern hognose snakes, gopher frogs, striped newts, federally endangered pondberry, sandhill golden-aster, Pickering's morning-glory, and lax water-milfoil. DNR Wildlife Resources Division personnel are using a variety of methods to aggressively manage and restore these habitats to their natural state, ultimately benefiting rare and common species native to this area. Techniques include prescribed burning, thinning and mulching trees, using herbicide on exotic and weedy vegetation, and planting longleaf pine seedlings. Such management comes with inherent growing pains; namely, it will make the site look somewhat ugly before time allows it to rebound with greater natural beauty.
From WRD's page for Sandhills WMA.
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Sandhills WMA?
WRD sets each WMA's own dates. It lists 2 parts of Sandhills WMA separately: Sandhills WMA - East and Sandhills WMA - West. These are WRD's 2026-27 dates and notes for the area, as printed:
Sandhills WMA - East
| Season | 2026-27 dates and WRD's notes |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery | Sept. 12 to Jan. 10 |
| Turkey | Apr. 3 to May 15 |
| Quail | Wednesdays, Saturdays during state season Nov. 14, 18, 21, 25, 28, Dec. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30, Jan. 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30, Feb. 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27 |
| Waterfowl | State Seasons Legal hours end at noon. |
| Coyote | May 16 to 31 No night hunting. |
| Small Game | State Seasons No fox squirrel hunting. |
Sandhills WMA - West
| 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 |
| Quail | Wednesdays, Saturdays during state season. |
| Waterfowl | State Seasons Legal hours end at noon. |
| Bird Dog Training | Aug. 15 to Mar. 19 |
| 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 46 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.
How many deer are taken on Sandhills WMA?
Hunters reported 19 deer on Sandhills WMA in the 2025-26 season: 11 bucks and 8 does. Over the 8 seasons WRD reports, the area averaged 18 deer a season, from 14 in 2023-24 to 24 in 2019-20.
| Season | Deer reported | Bucks | Does | Bucks per 100 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 58 |
| 2024-25 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 55 |
| 2023-24 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 50 |
| 2022-23 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 63 |
| 2021-22 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 76 |
| 2020-21 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 81 |
| 2019-20 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 46 |
| 2018-19 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 47 |
Source: WRD deer harvest reports (Georgia Game Check), deer reported by WMA, adding WRD's lines for Sandhills WMA - East and Sandhills WMA - West. 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 Sandhills WMA in?
All of Sandhills WMA lies in Taylor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor County | 3,370 | 1,708 | 4.5 | 42nd |
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 Sandhills WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: GA 96, US 19, GA 3 and GA 137. Nearest towns: Butler (2 miles), Junction City (4 miles), Geneva (8 miles) and Reynolds (10 miles).
Besides hunting, WRD lists wildlife viewing here.
The closest other WMAs with a page here: Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA (2.2 miles), Big Lazer Creek WMA (12.8 miles), Sprewell Bluff WMA (19.3 miles) and Montezuma Bluffs WMA (20.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Sandhills WMA in 2026-27?
WRD lists these 2026-27 deer dates for Sandhills 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 Sandhills WMA?
WRD's 2026-27 listing for Sandhills 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 Sandhills WMA last season?
19 deer were reported on Sandhills WMA in the 2025-26 season, 11 bucks and 8 does, by WRD's Game Check reports by WMA.
Can you camp on Sandhills WMA?
No. WRD's page for Sandhills WMA says camping is not allowed on the area.
What county is Sandhills WMA in?
All of it is in Taylor 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, Sandhills 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.