Firearms deer hunting season opens Saturday

SOCIAL CIRCLE — The Georgia deer firearms season opens Saturday and continues through Jan. 12 statewide, prompting the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to educate hunters on what they need to know ahead of time.

“We are shaping up for yet another excellent deer season,” Charlie Killmaster, state deer biologist for the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, said in a news release. “Through reductions in doe harvest, deer population goals have been met for most of Georgia, and the population is stable.

“Let’s all do our part to maintain this wonderful tradition and introduce a new hunter, youth or adult, to share our passion.”

DNR officials said that, during firearms deer season last year, more than 185,000 hunters harvested almost 170,000 deer in the state. The use of regulated deer hunting ensures that Georgia’s deer population continues to be healthy and strong.

More than 1 million acres of public hunting land is available to hunters in Georgia, including more than 100 state-operated wildlife management areas. Many areas offer special hunts throughout the season, including primitive weapons and modern firearms hunts.

Dates and locations for Georgia hunts are available in the 2019-20 hunting seasons and regulations guide, available online at georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations.

“Oh, and with all the media coverage on deer diseases lately, let’s cut through the confusion and talk facts,” Killmaster said. “To date, neither chronic wasting disease nor tuberculosis has been detected in Georgia deer. However, there are circumstances where wildlife biologists rely on the public to notify them of sick animals in order to monitor disease issues.

“Visit our website at https://georgiawildlife.com/deer-info to view the top five reasons to call.”

The season bag limit is 10 antlerless deer and two antlered deer; one of the antlered deer must have at least four points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers. Special regulations apply to archery-only counties and extended archery season areas.

To pursue deer in Georgia, hunters must have a valid hunting license, a big game license and a current deer harvest record. Licenses can be purchased online at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com, by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at a license agent.

Once someone harvests a deer, they are required to report it through Georgia Game Check. Deer can be checked on the Outdoors GA app, at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com or by calling 1-800-366-2661.

For more information, visit georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations.

Even with minor chances for issues, the Georgia DNR encourages hunters to review the “Four Primary Rules of Firearms Safety” before heading to the woods. Out of almost 652,000 hunters afield last year, Georgia reported 33 hunting incidents with two fatalities. Twenty of the incidents were tree stand use-related, DNR said.

The recommended safety checklist comprises four items and can be remembered with the acronym ACTT:

Always♦ treat every firearm as if it were loaded;

Control♦ the muzzle of the firearm at all times;

♦ Be certain of the Target♦ and what is in front of it and beyond it;

♦ Keep fingers outside of the Trigger guard♦ until ready to shoot.

For more information on firearms safety, visit georgiawildlife.com/hunting/huntersafetytips or contact the Wildlife Resources Division hunter education office at (706) 557-3355.

Special Photo: Georgia DNR