DMU Long, Georgia

Long County sits in Georgia's Lower Coastal Plain roughly 50 miles from Savannah, covering about 452 square miles of flat to gently rolling landscape north of the Altamaha River. Elevations stay mostly under 100 feet with slight ridge-and-swale relief. Dominant cover is managed loblolly pine plantation interspersed with remnant longleaf pine stands, bottomland hardwood drains, and pocosins. Wetland creek swamps fringe the Altamaha drainage, creating diverse edge habitat that benefits deer and turkey alike.

Moderate. Long County's small rural population keeps recreational pressure well below north Georgia or metro-adjacent counties. However, most quality private ground is locked under long-term timber company leases, leaving walk-in hunters limited to Morgan Lake WMA's 1,492 acres. Opening weekends at Morgan Lake can concentrate archers, but mid-week pressure is light.

Georgia statewide bag limit is 12 deer per season — no more than 10 antlerless and no more than 2 antlered (at least one antlered deer must meet the Georgia antler or spread standard). As a Lower Coastal Plain county in the GREEN zone, Long County allows either-sex harvest throughout the entire firearms season. A new antlerless-only firearms weekend runs Oct 4–5, 2025. Archery: Sept 13–Oct 10; Primitive weapons: Oct 11–17; Firearms: Oct 18–Jan 11, 2026.

White-tailed deer are the primary target across archery (Sept 13–Oct 10, 2025), primitive weapons (Oct 11–17), and firearms (Oct 18–Jan 11, 2026) seasons. Eastern wild turkey season runs in spring, typically late March through mid-May. Feral hogs are abundant on private land and may be taken year-round with no bag limit on private property; on Morgan Lake WMA they are legal concurrent with all other open seasons using weapons appropriate for the concurrent season. Small game (squirrel, rabbit), waterfowl along Altamaha corridors, and incidental coyote and bobcat opportunities round out the county's game list.

Long County's greatest asset is its position in the Altamaha River corridor — one of the Southeast's most ecologically rich river systems — producing big-bodied coastal plain deer on acorns, agricultural edges, and river-bottom browse. Young pine clearcuts adjacent to hardwood drains create ideal staging habitat for mature bucks. Hog populations are strong enough to provide bonus action on virtually any outing. Morgan Lake WMA gives archery hunters free public river-bottom access beyond the cost of a WMA stamp. The county's low human density leaves rut activity largely undisturbed, with peak rutting typically mid-November, and private lease holders consistently report quality buck sightings on mature timber tracts.