Title 27 — Game And Fish

It shall be unlawful for any person on any wildlife management area owned or operated by the department: (1) To possess a firearm other than a handgun, as such term is defined in Code Section 16-11-125.1, during a closed hunting season for that area unless such firearm is unloade…

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt pen raised game birds, other than ring-necked pheasants, on a shooting preserve except between October 1 and March 31 of the following year, and except from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. (b) It shall be unlawful to exceed the daily or se…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the ‘‘Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973.’’ (Ga. L. 1973, p. 932, § 1.)

(a) The department shall identify and inventory any species of animal life within this state which it determines from time to time to be rare, unusual, or in danger of extinction; and, upon such determination, such species shall be designated protected species and shall become su…

Any person who violates any rule or regulation promulgated by the board pursuant to this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Ga. L. 1973, p. 932, § 4.)

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to: (1) Interfere with the lawful taking of wildlife by another person by intentionally preventing or attempting to prevent such person from such lawful taking of wildlife; (2) Disturb or engage in activity tending to disturb wildlife for t…

(a) The superior court of a county may enjoin conduct which would be in violation of Code Section 27-3-151 upon the petition of a person who is affected or who reasonably may be affected by such conduct upon a showing that such conduct is threatened or that such conduct has occur…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession any firearms, axes, climbers, or other equipment for taking game while training hunting dogs, provided that handguns with blank ammunition or shot cartridges may be used for training hunting dogs, and shotgu…

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with dogs except during such special open seasons for the hunting of deer with dogs as may be designated by the board on a state-wide, regional, or local basis. (b) In accordance with subsection (a) of this Code section, the board is authoriz…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully feed or bait any wild alligator not in captivity. For purposes of this Code section, willfully tossing any food item edible by alligators to or in the vicinity of a live alligator or willfully leaving any such item in or near t…

It shall be lawful to hunt foxes with dogs; provided, however, that no hunter shall go upon the land of another without the permission of the owner or the lessee of such land or the lessee of the game rights of such land. (Ga. L. 1931, p. 172, § 1; Code 1933, § 45-333; Ga. L. 195…

The General Assembly recognizes that the hunting and taking of wildlife pursuant to this title are a valued cultural heritage consistent with the sound scientific principles of wildlife management and play an essential and effective role in the management of wildlife populations.…

(a) As used in this article, the term ‘‘fertility control’’ means any action that results in contraception, contragestation, or sterilization or produces a temporary or permanent state of infertility. (b) It shall be unlawful to apply any fertility control to any wildlife, except…

The board is authorized to promulgate and adopt any rules and regulations, consistent with sound wildlife management practices and not inconsistent with law, as it deems necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article. (Code 1981, § 27-3-183, enacted by Ga. L.…

(a) Any person who violates any provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,500.00 nor more than $5,000.00, imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months, or bot…

(a) Except as provided in Code Section 27-3-15, it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt alligators within this state. The display or use of a light in any area closed to alligator hunting by any person not otherwise authorized to do so by regulations of the board in a place w…

It shall be unlawful to hunt at night any game bird or game animal in this state except for alligators, raccoons, opossums, foxes, and bobcats. Any light used to hunt raccoons, opossums, foxes, or bobcats shall be carried on the person of a hunter, affixed to a helmet or hat worn…

It shall be unlawful for any person to take rabbits or hares in this state except during the lawful hunting season as prescribed by law or rules and regulations. Persons under 16 years of age may trap or capture rabbits or hares by use of rabbit boxes or similar traps and sell th…

Any property owner or his or her agent shall have the right to petition the department to remove any bear which shall constitute a clear and immediate threat to his or her property. The property owner shall petition the department for such removal on a form containing such inform…

It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, trap, take, possess, sell, purchase, ship, or transport any hawk, eagle, owl, or any other bird or any part, nest, or egg thereof, except for the English or European house sparrow, the European starling, feral pigeons, and domestic fow…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this title to the contrary, it shall be lawful to sell the tails of legally taken squirrels. (Code 1933, § 45-526, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1.)

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt, or engage in the hunting of, feral hogs: (1) Upon the lands of another or enter upon the lands of another in pursuit of feral hogs without first obtaining permission from the landowner or lessee of such land or the lessee of the game rights of su…

It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt bears or for any person to accompany another person hunting bears unless each person shall wear a total of at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material as an outer garment during firearms and primitive weapons seas…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to: (1) Hunt, take, or attempt to take a bear except during the open season for hunting and taking bears or under authority of a permit by the Department of Natural Resources to kill or take a bear; (2) Buy, sell, barter, or exchange a bear…

27-3-28. Person may take possession of native wildlife which has been killed by a motor vehicle. 27-3-29. Recording and reporting requirements for game animals and birds; penalty for violations. PART 2 DEER 27-3-40. 27-3-41. 27-3-42. 27-3-43. 27-3-44. 27-3-45. 114 Required clothi…

It shall be unlawful to hunt migratory game birds between sunset and one-half hour before sunrise. It shall also be unlawful to hunt migratory game birds between one-half hour before sunrise and sunset, except that it shall not be unlawful to hunt migratory game birds during thos…

It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt deer or for any person to accompany another person hunting deer during the firearms deer season unless each person shall wear a total of at least 500 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material as an outer garment. Such clothi…

It shall be unlawful to take any deer by any means while the deer is in any lake, stream, or pond. (Code 1933, § 45-519, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1.)

It shall be unlawful to remove the head of any deer until the carcass is processed or surrendered to a storage facility for processing or storage. (Code 1933, § 45-520, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1.)

It shall be unlawful to kill any deer in this state unless the deer has antlers (bone) visible above the hair, provided that the board may by regulation authorize an antlerless or either-sex season or hunt in 155 27-3-48 accordance with sound wildlife management practices. (Ga. L…

Reserved. Repealed by Ga. L. 2010, p. 952, § 8, effective June 3, 2010. Editor’s notes. — This Code section was based on Ga. L. 1968, p. 497, § 20; Code 1933, § 45-525, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1. 27-3-48. Hunting deer at night.

(a) Any person who hunts deer at night shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not 156 27-3-49 less than $500.00 and, in the discretion of the sentencing court, imprisonment for not more than 12 months. (b) If, after July 1, 1…

(a) It shall be the duty of every conservation ranger to kill any dog pursuing or killing any deer in any locality other than that prescribed by law or rules and regulations permitting such hunting, and no action for damages shall be maintained against the person for such killing…

Reserved. Repealed by Ga. L. 1981, p. 798, § 7, effective July 1, 1981. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 27/HB 79, reserved the designation of this Code section, effective April 24, 2013. 27-3-6. Possession of firearm while hunting with bow and arrow.

Collision with deer by motor vehicle [Repealed]. Hunting deer at night. Killing of dogs running deer. Sale of antlers, hides, and tails of deer. Sec. 27-3-91. 27-3-92. 27-3-93. 27-3-94. Shooting Preserves Trapping, Trappers, and Fur Dealers 27-3-61. 27-3-62. 27-3-63. 27-3-64. 27-…

It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any center-fire or rimfire firearm other than a handgun, as such term is defined in Code Section 16-11-125.1, while hunting with a bow and arrow during archery or primitive weapons season for deer or while hunting with a muzzleloadin…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in business as a trapper unless that person or his agent has a current valid commercial trapping license issued by the department, as provided in Code Section 27-2-23. (b) A landowner or a member of his immediate family desiring t…

(a) Upon application for a nonresident commercial trapping license, the person making such application must do one of the following: (1) Post a cash forfeiture bond in the form prescribed by the board in favor of the State of Georgia in the amount of $2,500.00, conditioned upon f…

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Code section, it shall be unlawful to trap any wildlife in this state between March 1 and November 19. (b) It shall be unlawful to trap any wildlife during the period between November 20 and February 29, except as otherwise pr…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to: 160 27-3-63 (1) Trap any wildlife upon the right of way of any public road or highway of this state; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to any person licensed as required by Code Section 27-3-60 who traps beaver upon…

It shall be the duty of conservation rangers to confiscate any trap, pitfall, deadfall, scaffold, catch, snare, net, salt lick, blind pig, baited hook, or other similar device used in violation of the wildlife laws, rules, and regulations and to dispose of same as directed by the…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term ‘‘hunt’’ or ‘‘hunting’’ means the act of hunting, as such term is defined in Code Section 27-1-2, while in possession of or using a firearm, bow, or any other device which serves to launch a projectile. (b) A person shall not hunt while:…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in business as a fur dealer unless the person files an annual report with the department not later than 60 days after the close of the trapping season. The report shall list the number of each type of hide, fur, skin, or pelt purc…

It shall be unlawful for any fur dealer to dispose of any carcasses or parts of carcasses of any fur-bearing animals or alligators except pursuant to a written plan of disposal submitted to and approved by the department in writing. Such a plan of disposal shall be designed to mi…

27-3-9. Unlawful enticement of game. 27-3-10. Hunting upon or discharging weapons across a public road. 27-3-11. Confiscation of vehicles and firearms used in hunting big game on public roads; state not required to negate exemptions in prosecutions [Repealed]. 27-3-12. Unlawful s…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Northern zone’’ means the northern zone for hunting deer with firearms as established pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 27-3-15. (2) ‘‘Southern zone’’ means the southern zone for hunting deer with firearms as established …

It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, ship, or transport from any point within this state to another point within this state or from any point within this state to any point beyond the borders of this state, except as otherwise provided, any wildlife taken in this state …

It shall be unlawful for any person to take any wildlife and have such wildlife transported to his home or any other place within this state by a carrier unless the person files with the carrier a written statement giving his name and address and the number of wildlife to be so t…

It shall be unlawful for any person, other than a carrier who has complied with Code Section 27-3-94, to remove, ship, or transport wildlife out of this state except under the following conditions: (1) The person must have in his possession at the time of such removing, shipping,…

It shall be unlawful for any person to ship or transport from any point within this state to any other point within this state, or to points beyond this state, any wildlife or parts thereof for propagation or scientific purposes unless the person has been issued and is holding a …