Title 27

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt any wildlife or feral hog from an electric, gas, or diesel boat, a steamboat, a sailboat, an aircraft, a hydroplane, a hovercraft, or a motor vehicle; except that alligators may be hunted from any boat or watercraft under power and feral hogs may …

It shall be unlawful for any person to kill or cripple any game bird or game animal without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the same. (Code 1933, § 45-512, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1.)

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt the following game species at any time during the periods set forth below: Game Species Closed Season (1) Quail March 16 — Oct. 31 (2) Grouse March 1 — Oct. 14 (3) Turkey (A) Gobblers May 22 — March 14 (B) Hens All year (4) Deer Jan. 16 — Sept. 7;…

(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…

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…

(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…

(a) It shall be unlawful to export, farm, or sell any fresh-water turtle or part thereof except in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the board. (b) As the board deems appropriate for purposes of this Code section, it may promulgate such rules and regulations as are…

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…

(a) It is unlawful to use any type of bait to concentrate the bear population in any area or to lure them to any location which gives or might give a hunter an unnatural advantage when hunting bear. (b) Any person violating the provisions of this Code section is guilty of a misde…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, any person may lawfully possess native wildlife which has been accidentally killed by a motor vehicle. The following exceptions and conditions to this general rule shall apply: (1) Any person taking possession of a bear accid…

(a) The board shall promulgate rules and regulations establishing harvest recording and reporting requirements for game animals and game birds. Such rules and regulations shall describe the type of information that is required, the requirements for transportation of the carcass o…

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…

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt wildlife with any weapon, except that: (1) Longbows, recurve bows, crossbows, and compound bows may be used for taking small game, feral hogs, or big game. Arrows for hunting deer, bear, and feral hogs must be broadhead type; (2) During primitive …

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…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person who is under 12 years of age to hunt any wildlife in this state unless such person is under the direct supervision of an adult during the period in which such person is hunting. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or knowingly …

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 accordance with sound wildlife management practices. (Ga. L. 1968, p. 4…

(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 less than $500.00 and, in the discretion of the sentencing court, imprisonment for not more than 12 months. (b) If, after July 1, 1978, a perso…

(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…

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

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) 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:…

It shall be unlawful for any person to make use of any pitfall, deadfall, catch, snare, trap, net, salt lick, blind pig, baited hook, or other device for the purpose of taking any game animal or game bird or any other wildlife, except as otherwise provided in this title or by rul…

(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 …

(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: (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 the right o…

It shall be unlawful to use any kind of firearm to kill or injure mink or otter or to possess or sell any mink or otter, or the pelt thereof, which was killed by any kind of firearm, provided that nothing in this Code section shall prevent a person from dispatching a mink or otte…

It shall be unlawful for any person to remove a legally set trap, except for the owner of the land on which the trap is set, or to remove any lawfully trapped wildlife from any legally set trap or to possess any wildlife so removed from such a trap without the permission of the o…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this title to the contrary, it shall be permissible for any person, his family, and his tenants to trap rabbits upon the premises of such person by employing a device commonly called a rabbit box. No permit or license shall be required befor…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section, 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 of the board. (b) The director of the…

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) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in business as a fur dealer or in business as a fur dealer’s agent unless such person has a current valid license to engage in such business. (b) For purposes of obtaining a fur dealer license, a person who is a legal resident of …

(a) Upon application for a fur dealer license, the person making the 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 $5,000.00, condi165 tioned upon faithful compliance…

(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…