Georgia Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Hunting: 2026-2027 Season

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting on three upland units totaling about 3,822 acres. Hunters must follow the refuge’s current hunt regulations brochure and carry all required licenses and tags.

Suwannee Canal Recreation Area: white-tailed deer only, with shotguns or muzzleloaders. The 2026 hunt is October 23 and 24. Permits are sold first come, first served through Recreation.gov, with sales that began at 10 a.m. Eastern on August 12, 2026. Up to 30 general permits and 10 mobility-impaired or youth permits are available.

Pocket Unit: white-tailed deer and feral hog by archery, September 12 to November 10, 2026. Hunters must carry a signed Refuge Hunt Permit (the signed hunt brochure) and sign in and out.

Cowhouse Unit: deer, feral hog, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, and bobwhite quail, with seasons that follow the Dixon Memorial Wildlife Management Area dates. Access on the refuge portion of Cowhouse Island is by foot only. Hunters must carry a signed Refuge Hunt Permit and sign in and out.

Dates, quotas, and rules change from season to season, so check the refuge’s official hunting page for the current hunt brochure and permit details before you plan a trip.

Alligator hunting is prohibited on the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Hunter education: Georgia requires hunters born on or after January 1, 1961 who are 12 or older to complete a hunter education course before buying a season hunting license to hunt outside their own land. See Georgia DNR hunter resources for courses and licenses.