DMU Chatham, Georgia
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey
- Group
- Green Zone
- Area
- N/A
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 418
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Wild Turkey also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedChatham County sits in Georgia's coastal lowcountry anchored by Savannah, featuring tidal marsh, hardwood hammocks, river swamp, and coastal plain pine flatwoods. It falls under Georgia WRD's most liberal antlerless framework — either-sex harvest is permitted throughout the entire deer season with no doe-day restrictions. The extended archery season runs through January 31, giving bowhunters a full four-and-a-half months of opportunity. Deer densities are solid in the river bottoms and swamp edges; bucks tend to run smaller-bodied than Piedmont deer but trophy-class animals are taken annually. Public land is limited in the county itself, but the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (29,000+ acres of managed impoundments and hardwood hammocks straddling the GA-SC border) offers quota deer hunts nearby. Private hunting clubs and leases dominate access; hunting pressure on public parcels is moderate-to-high given proximity to metro Savannah.
Coastal lowcountry: tidal marsh, baldcypress and tupelo river swamp, hardwood hammocks, coastal plain pine flatwoods, and managed rice-field impoundments. Low relief, mostly at or near sea level. The Savannah River forms the northern border with South Carolina.
Moderate to high on accessible public land due to metro Savannah population. Private-land clubs and leases are significantly less pressured. Ossabaw Island quota hunts represent the lowest-pressure experience in the region.
Georgia WRD Green Zone / liberal antlerless management: either-sex harvest is permitted every day of the deer season with no restricted doe days. Statewide bag limit is 12 deer total (no more than 10 antlerless, no more than 2 antlered). Of the 2 antlered deer, one must have at least 4 points (1 inch or longer) on one side OR a minimum 15-inch outside spread. Chatham County also qualifies for the early October 2-day antlerless-only firearms season on private lands (if the hunter opts in).
Archery: Sept 13 – Oct 10 (either-sex throughout; no buck-only restriction applies to Chatham). Extended Archery: continues through Jan 31 with either-sex harvest allowed. Primitive Weapons/Muzzleloader: Oct 11 – Oct 17. Firearms (Gun): Oct 18 – Jan 11 (2025-26 season). Wild turkey season runs spring only statewide; coastal counties have good populations in the pine flatwoods and hardwood edges.
Extended archery through January 31 gives bowhunters an unusually long season. Either-sex harvest all season long — no doe-day counting required. Savannah NWR quota hunts offer a unique managed-impoundment lowcountry experience. Ossabaw Island boat-in primitive hunts are bucket-list quality with extremely low pressure. Swamp-edge ambushes during the November rut can be exceptional as bucks cruise hardwood hammock funnels between marsh and upland.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about DMU Chatham— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
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Boundaries: GADNR Wildlife Resources Division official deer zones. Community info last updated 16d ago.