Pro-Hunting Bill Heads to Georgia Governors Desk
April 2nd the Georgia Legislature passed Georgia SB 72. This pro-hunting bill does a lot for those hunting in Georgia so let’s take a look and break it down. Keep in mind that the governor still has to sign the bill into law.
- Address changes to wildlife management areas
- Allow for the use of air guns .30 caliber or larger
- Hunting with a silencer
- Modifies the seasons and bag limits on deer, opossum, and raccoon
- Changes the restrictions on hunting feral hogs
- Makes the shoal bass the official Georgia state native riverine sport fish
A Closer Look
For wildlife management areas in Georgia, this bill changes the code to require the use of a permit to hunt in management areas. Previously there was a provision for certain people that are specifically excluded by law to hunt the management areas. This section refers to several codes in the Georgia Fish and Game code. Basically, it clarifies some language that was ambiguous before.
Air Gun Hunting Now Legal in Georgia
Air guns are now legal for hunting nongame animals or feral hogs. The bill defines an ‘air gun’ as ” any pistol, handgun, or shoulder-held device, each of not less than 0.30 caliber, or air bow that propels a projectile in the form of a slug, shot, or arrow equipped with a broadhead utilizing unignited compressed air or gas.”
Additionally, air guns are legal for hunting big game during only during primitive weapon hunts, primitive weapon seasons, and firearm seasons.
That is the good news the semi-bad news is that this law is repealed in 2024 unless the General Assembly determines at that time that it should be continued.
How Silencers are Impacted
Silencers are now legal to hunt with at night. This change might seem small but it really helps out predator hunters and feral hog hunters. The use of silencers on these hunts greatly improves not only the quality of the hunt but also the success rate. We reached out to Todd Huey from Lone Star Boars for his take “It’s really good for those guys in Georgia. The use of silencers should save a lot of ears and help hog hunters. Welcome to the 21st century.”
Additional changes to the hunting of feral hogs include the ability to bait using corn or other feed bait. Previously this was illegal but it seems that Georgia recognizes the issues caused by the abundance of feral hogs and wants to curb their population as much as the other states that have been invaded.
Changes to Hunting Seasons
Counties may not extend deer season till January 31st for archery only as appropriate. Essentially this cleans up some language and allows for an extended season if applicable. Opossum and raccoon hunting is no longer restricted by counties but has a season of October 15th – February 29th. There is also no limit on Opossum or raccoon.
Deer hunters have a big win. The restrictions on buck limits have been removed. Previously the limit was 10 antlerless deer and two antlered bucks. That has since been changed to a total season limit of 12 deer with no restrictions on antlered and antlerless deer. It also grants the Fish & Game Department the right to rule exempt deer taken on department-managed lands from the limit.
Lastly, the Shoal Bass is now the official Georgia state native riverine sport fish.
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.