Chattooga County was among the stronger deer harvest areas in Northwest Georgia during the 2025–2026 hunting season, according to a new statewide map showing the number of deer reported harvested per square mile.

The map, published by Georgia Afield, uses reported harvest information to compare all 159 Georgia counties. Chattooga County falls in the 4-to-less-than-5 deer harvested per square mile category.

Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources maintains county-level harvest information through Georgia Game Check, which provides detailed harvest data by county and Wildlife Management Area. Georgia hunters are required to report harvested deer through Game Check within 24 hours. Georgia Wildlife

The statewide map shows a noticeable concentration of higher harvest rates across portions of North and Northwest Georgia, although neighboring counties don’t necessarily fall into the same category.

The figures represent reported deer harvested per square mile — not the number of deer living in a county. A county’s harvest rate can be affected by several factors, including available hunting land, access to private property, hunting pressure and hunter participation.

That distinction is important when comparing counties. A higher harvest rate does not necessarily mean a county has a larger or denser deer population.

Georgia DNR also uses annual scientific surveys to estimate statewide deer harvest, hunter effort and hunter success. Game Check serves a different purpose, providing more detailed county-level reporting of harvested animals. Georgia Wildlife

The numbers provide an interesting look back at last year’s season as Chattooga County hunters are already back in the woods for 2026–2027.

Georgia’s statewide archery deer season opened September 12. The regular firearms deer season begins October 17 and continues through January 10 under the state’s 2026–2027 season schedule. Georgia Afield

Sources

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division — Georgia Game Check and Harvest Summaries
Georgia Afield — Georgia Deer Harvest, 2025–2026 Deer Season