Georgia Hunting Laws
Georgia's centerfire deer rifles need only be .22 caliber or larger firing an expanding bullet — there is no straight-wall or magnum-caliber requirement. Primitive-weapons-season muzzleloaders must be at least .30 caliber, and turkey hunters are limited to shotguns (No. 2 shot or smaller) or primitive weapons — rifles are explicitly illegal for turkey.
Rules checked against Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division regulations, August 30, 2026.
At a Glance
Check a Cartridge in Georgia
Sourced Rules
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it.
Rifle
4 rulesDeer rifles must be centerfire and .22 caliber or larger.
"During the firearms season, hunters may use centerfire only, .22-cal. or larger, with expanding bullets as well as all weapons lawful for use during archery and primitive weapons seasons."
Legal Firearms — firearms season · verified Aug 2026
Deer rifles must fire centerfire cartridges — rimfire is not legal.
Legal Firearms — firearms season · verified Aug 2026
Deer rifle bullets must be of the expanding type.
Legal Firearms — firearms season · verified Aug 2026
Rifles may not be used to hunt turkey in Georgia — shotguns and primitive weapons (bows, crossbows, muzzleloaders) only.
"RIFLES ARE ILLEGAL"
"What Can I Hunt Turkey With?" slide · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer rifles must be centerfire and .22 caliber or larger.
"During the firearms season, hunters may use centerfire only, .22-cal. or larger, with expanding bullets as well as all weapons lawful for use during archery and primitive weapons seasons." |
Legal Firearms — firearms season | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer rifles must fire centerfire cartridges — rimfire is not legal. | Legal Firearms — firearms season | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer rifle bullets must be of the expanding type. | Legal Firearms — firearms season | Aug 2026 |
|
Wild Turkey
|
Rifles may not be used to hunt turkey in Georgia — shotguns and primitive weapons (bows, crossbows, muzzleloaders) only.
"RIFLES ARE ILLEGAL" |
"What Can I Hunt Turkey With?" slide | Aug 2026 |
Rifle, Shotgun, Handgun, Muzzleloader, Archery, and Crossbow
1 ruleDuring primitive weapons deer season, all hunters — including archers — must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent (blaze) orange above the waist.
"All hunters, including archers, must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist during the primitive weapons season."
Hunting Deer During Primitive Weapons Season — Need-To-Know Safety Info · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
During primitive weapons deer season, all hunters — including archers — must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent (blaze) orange above the waist.
"All hunters, including archers, must wear at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist during the primitive weapons season." |
Hunting Deer During Primitive Weapons Season — Need-To-Know Safety Info | Aug 2026 |
Shotgun
2 rulesTurkey shot may be no larger than No. 2 lead (or equivalent nontoxic) shot — smaller shot sizes are legal, larger (e.g., buckshot/BB) are not.
"Typically, 10 gauge or smaller with shot no greater than 3 ½ in length with no. 2 lead shot or smaller."
"What Can I Hunt Turkey With?" slide · verified Aug 2026
Waterfowl hunters must use nontoxic shot (size F or smaller) in a 10-gauge-or-smaller shotgun; lead shot may not even be in possession while hunting.
"Any 10-gauge or smaller loaded with federally approved nontoxic shot of size "F" or smaller. No lead shot may be in possession while hunting waterfowl."
Summary of Federal Regulations for Migratory Game Birds · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wild Turkey
|
Turkey shot may be no larger than No. 2 lead (or equivalent nontoxic) shot — smaller shot sizes are legal, larger (e.g., buckshot/BB) are not.
"Typically, 10 gauge or smaller with shot no greater than 3 ½ in length with no. 2 lead shot or smaller." |
"What Can I Hunt Turkey With?" slide | Aug 2026 |
|
Waterfowl
|
Waterfowl hunters must use nontoxic shot (size F or smaller) in a 10-gauge-or-smaller shotgun; lead shot may not even be in possession while hunting.
"Any 10-gauge or smaller loaded with federally approved nontoxic shot of size "F" or smaller. No lead shot may be in possession while hunting waterfowl." |
Summary of Federal Regulations for Migratory Game Birds | Aug 2026 |
Handgun
1 ruleDeer handguns fall under the same rule as rifles: any centerfire .22 caliber or larger with expanding bullets. The statute sets no handgun barrel-length or cartridge-case limit.
"Firearms for hunting deer and bear are limited to 20 gauge shotguns or larger shotguns loaded with slugs or buckshot ..., muzzleloading firearms of .44 caliber or larger, and center-fire firearms .22 caliber or larger..."
O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(3) (text as amended by 2019 SB 72) · verified Oct 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Deer handguns fall under the same rule as rifles: any centerfire .22 caliber or larger with expanding bullets. The statute sets no handgun barrel-length or cartridge-case limit.
"Firearms for hunting deer and bear are limited to 20 gauge shotguns or larger shotguns loaded with slugs or buckshot ..., muzzleloading firearms of .44 caliber or larger, and center-fire firearms .22 caliber or larger..." |
O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(3) (text as amended by 2019 SB 72) | Oct 2026 |
Muzzleloader
2 rulesMuzzleloading rifles/pistols must be at least .30 caliber; muzzleloading shotguns must be 20 gauge or larger.
"archery equipment, air bows, muzzleloading shotguns (20 gauge and larger) and air rifles and muzzleloading firearms that are .30 caliber or larger."
Legal Firearms — primitive weapons season · verified Aug 2026
Scopes and other optical sights are allowed on muzzleloaders — Georgia has no open-sights-only rule.
"Scopes and other optical sighting devices are legal for muzzleloading firearms and archery equipment."
Legal Firearms — primitive weapons season · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Muzzleloading rifles/pistols must be at least .30 caliber; muzzleloading shotguns must be 20 gauge or larger.
"archery equipment, air bows, muzzleloading shotguns (20 gauge and larger) and air rifles and muzzleloading firearms that are .30 caliber or larger." |
Legal Firearms — primitive weapons season | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Scopes and other optical sights are allowed on muzzleloaders — Georgia has no open-sights-only rule.
"Scopes and other optical sighting devices are legal for muzzleloading firearms and archery equipment." |
Legal Firearms — primitive weapons season | Aug 2026 |
Air Gun
1 ruleAir bows and air rifles are legal deer weapons during the primitive weapons season; the page text does not clearly separate a caliber threshold for air rifles from the .30-caliber muzzleloader rule.
"archery equipment, air bows, muzzleloading shotguns (20 gauge and larger) and air rifles and muzzleloading firearms that are .30 caliber or larger."
Legal Firearms — primitive weapons season · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Air bows and air rifles are legal deer weapons during the primitive weapons season; the page text does not clearly separate a caliber threshold for air rifles from the .30-caliber muzzleloader rule.
"archery equipment, air bows, muzzleloading shotguns (20 gauge and larger) and air rifles and muzzleloading firearms that are .30 caliber or larger." |
Legal Firearms — primitive weapons season | Aug 2026 |
All Weapons
3 rulesGeorgia is the one state where hunting with a suppressor is banned by default and allowed only in named places. You may use one on land you own, on private land where the owner has given you verifiable permission, and on public land only where DNR has designated it — which in practice means Wildlife Management Areas. Anywhere else, including state parks and non-WMA public land, hunting with a suppressor is a misdemeanour. The limit applies to every species. Hunting without landowner permission, in a closed area, or big game out of season or at night with a suppressor-equipped firearm costs you three years of hunting privileges.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"The use of silencers or suppressors for hunting within this state is prohibited; provided, however, that a silencer or suppressor may be used for hunting on the private property of the person using such silencer or su..."
O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(8) · verified Oct 2026
On private land a suppressor is legal for any species, but only if the land is yours or the owner has given you verifiable permission — spoken permission you cannot prove is the thing the statute is aimed at.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"a silencer or suppressor may be used for hunting on the private property of the person using such silencer or suppressor, on private property for which the owner of such property has provided verifiable permission to ..."
O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(8) · verified Oct 2026
Wildlife Management Areas are the public land where DNR has designated suppressor use as legal for hunting, under the general WMA rule. Public land that is not a WMA is not covered, and the suppressor itself must still be lawfully possessed under federal law and Georgia's weapons statute.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"Suppressed firearms may be used for hunting on WMAs."
Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 391-4-2-.60(13) — General Regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (read 2026-10-16) · verified Oct 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
All species
|
Georgia is the one state where hunting with a suppressor is banned by default and allowed only in named places. You may use one on land you own, on private land where the owner has given you verifiable permission, and on public land only where DNR has designated it — which in practice means Wildlife Management Areas. Anywhere else, including state parks and non-WMA public land, hunting with a suppressor is a misdemeanour. The limit applies to every species. Hunting without landowner permission, in a closed area, or big game out of season or at night with a suppressor-equipped firearm costs you three years of hunting privileges.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"The use of silencers or suppressors for hunting within this state is prohibited; provided, however, that a silencer or suppressor may be used for hunting on the private property of the person using such silencer or su..." |
O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(8) | Oct 2026 |
|
All species
|
On private land a suppressor is legal for any species, but only if the land is yours or the owner has given you verifiable permission — spoken permission you cannot prove is the thing the statute is aimed at.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"a silencer or suppressor may be used for hunting on the private property of the person using such silencer or suppressor, on private property for which the owner of such property has provided verifiable permission to ..." |
O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(8) | Oct 2026 |
|
All species
|
Wildlife Management Areas are the public land where DNR has designated suppressor use as legal for hunting, under the general WMA rule. Public land that is not a WMA is not covered, and the suppressor itself must still be lawfully possessed under federal law and Georgia's weapons statute.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"Suppressed firearms may be used for hunting on WMAs." |
Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 391-4-2-.60(13) — General Regulations on Wildlife Management Areas (read 2026-10-16) | Oct 2026 |
Federal Rules That Apply in Every State
These federal requirements apply in Georgia on top of state law.
Sources
How to Use This Page
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it. Rules marked needs review come from summaries rather than the regulation text, and never produce a green answer in the checker. The checker's energy figures are typical factory loads, so where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, check your own load's rating. This page covers equipment only, not seasons, tags or local ordinances, and it isn't legal advice. The current Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division regulations are the final word.