Hunting is something that is coded in our genes. Some have it more prominent others not so much but don’t be fooled if push comes to shove we all can turn into hunters, especially if our survival is at stake. When you say hunting you probably think about forest, creeks, rivers, mountains and you would be right.
These are all the regular places one would go hunting and they are mostly remote. Today we have something interesting for you though, and it concerns whitetail deer hunting. Believe it or not, the best place to hunt some major whitetail deer is suburban Atlanta.
Atlanta has a lot to offer, and you can learn more about it here, from fantastic weather to incredible cost of living, but there is something more that draws a certain type of people. Yes, you guessed it the hunters and it’s the abundance of deer that the residential area of Atlanta holds.
These are not ordinary bucks or does, bucks here at Atlanta have some serious weight, looks and antlers that any real hunter would be proud of. Imagine going in a suburb and walking out with a buck that is in the 130″-160″ range! Now that is called hunting for a trophy that can rival the biggest Midwestern deer. Now before you embark on the hunting trip of your life here are some things that you need to know about deer hunting in Atlanta.
Table of Contents
1. Be informed
An interesting thing is that in Metro Atlanta the state does not regulate or manage any public hunting. If you are wondering why this is this so then you have to know that almost all of the huntable land that exists in Atlanta is privately owned so if you want to hunt or you are following tracks, all you have to do is knock on doors and get permission from a landowner for that. Simple as it seems sometimes this is more tedious but if you want to get the biggest and the proudest out there this a necessary action that you have to take.
2. Way of life
Atlanta area had a problem with whitetail deer and they managed to thin the herd several times throughout history. What is interesting is that the numbers of deer are growing again and since they are roaming the suburbs and around the Metro area they are causing all kinds of troubles on highways and roads. The means to fight this is allowing hunting in the Atlanta way, we already mentioned.
But what brought to this? Since everything grew and expanded the city went deep in the territory of deer and their natural predators. Since the predators won’t go near something that has men roaming around Atlanta deer have a lot longer lifespan and they tend to get really big, Bucks especially.
3. Know your areas
According to more experienced hunters, several counties boast trophy Bucks but DeKalb and Fulton counties are the ones that should interest you the most. We also got reports that people had luck finding decent bucks over at Beaver Pond Farm, but feel free to ask around as well because the locals know the routes very well and they will surely point you in the right direction. Even more interesting is the fact that you don’t have to look that hard, all you have to do is a park somewhere near the woods and wait. In a few hours, you will see your first dear for sure, relentless and accustomed to audiences.
4. Regulations
When hunting important thing is to get up to speed with regulations to make everything clean and safe for everyone. There is no year-round hunting in or around Atlanta and you have to have proof that you finished a hunter’s education in the US. According to GDNR or Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, you can legally hunt either sex from mid-September to early October each year. The only thing you have to remember here is that fall season allows hunting only with the bow, and some of the counties forbid the use of firearms for hunting.
As far as the bag limits go you can legally bag only 12 deer per season across the state and you cannot kill more than 12 deer without antlers and you can’t kill more than two deer with antlers. If you manage to snag two kills in one trip and they are both antlered deer then one of those must have at least four points one inch or longer on one side of the antlers.
5. Safety
Hunting is a noble sport but it’s also very dangerous. This is why there are few rules you need to abide by if you want to go hunting pretty much anywhere. Most experienced hunters out there already know this but it doesn’t hurt to make a small recap. The first thing that will increase your chances of getting out of the hunting trip safe and sound is that hunters safety course. This is mandatory and a first step to getting to know all the things, especially if it is your first time hunting.
Wear hunter’s orange it can save your life. Although most hunters out there are concerned that the orange jackets they are required to wear messes up their hunting trip it is a necessity and must be worn especially when you are involved in a bigger hunting party. According to the Georgia Hunting Seasons & Regulations “A hunter, and anyone accompanying the hunter, must at all times wear as an outer garment at least 500 square inches of visible hunter orange above the waist (which may include a head covering).”
So, after everything said do you like your odds for snagging a huge Buck over at Atlanta? Do you like what you read and did it make you rethink Atlanta’s suburbs and metro area as a viable hunting ground? We believe this info would make anyone go there and have a look-see at least to clinch the curiosity. Don’t let anything pull you off this hunting trip because hunters have returned with some great trophies from Atlanta so why shouldn’t you?!
