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Starting June 1, hunters can apply electronically for most quota hunts including certain youth, deer, alligator, waterfowl, dove and many others, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
“If you want to apply for a quota hunt, be sure to check those deadline dates and don’t wait until the last minute,” says Tina Johannsen, Assistant Chief of the Game Management Section with the Wildlife Resources Division. “Quota hunts allow hunters to participate in high-quality hunts on some great Georgia Wildlife Management Areas.”
A quota hunt is a scheduled event at a Wildlife Management Area or other state-managed property where a limited number of hunters are allowed. Quota levels, such as the number or type of hunters that can participate and the harvest limit, are based upon the sound principles of wildlife management and public desires for a quality hunt. These hunts provide a challenging and rewarding experience for hunters of all levels. Selected hunters must be properly licensed to participate in a quota hunt.
How do you apply? It’s easy! Visit GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com and select “Quota Hunts” and follow the steps to complete your application. Be sure your email is current and correct to receive quota updates, confirmations, or any further notices about quota hunts. If you are still unsure how to apply or want to check to see if you applied correctly, call 1.800.366.2661 to receive assistance.
Application deadlines vary depending on the hunt type. The first deadlines are July 15 for Alligator, August 15 for Dove (including Adult/Child hunts), and September 1 for most types of Deer Hunts (including Youth hunts).
Youth hunters – take note of changes! A Youth quota hunter is now defined to mean those aged 15 and under to be eligible to participate in youth quota lotteries such as Youth Deer, Youth Dove, etc. If you are going to turn 16 on or before June 1, 2026, you will age out and should use your accumulated priority points (if available) to apply for a youth quota hunts during the 2025-2026 year (hunts occurring July 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026). Please note that this does not affect any quota lottery priority point balances in the more traditional adult categories such as Alligator, Deer, Dove, etc. Specifically, the change mentioned only applies to the Youth Quota Hunt Lottery categories (Youth Deer, Youth Dove, Youth Quail, Youth Small Game, Youth Turkey, Youth Waterfowl, Any other Youth Quota Lottery Category created in the future.
For all quota hunt deadlines, selection odds and more, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/hunting/quota.
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