Participation in Deer Hunting in Georgia

Participation in any type of hunting in the past 2 years obviously varied widely among groups: 22% of the general population, 89% of hunters, and 44% of landowners had hunted in the past 2 years in Georgia. Most of those who had hunted had hunted deer. The next question asked specifically about deer hunting: 20% of the general population, 84% of hunters, and 38% of landowners had hunted deer. Additionally, substantial percentages of each group said that other members of their household had hunted deer in Georgia in the past 2 years: 36% of the general population, 59% of hunters, and 49% of landowners said another member of their household had hunted deer.

• Hunters were also asked whether they hunted deer primarily on private or public land, with the overwhelming majority (79%) of deer hunters saying they hunted primarily on private land.
• Deer hunters were asked on which public lands they had hunted; the most common types of public land on which they had hunted were Wildlife Management Areas and National Forest lands.

Hunting deer with dogs is not common: 18% of deer hunters have hunted with dogs in the past, and 6% have hunted deer with dogs in the past year.

Roughly two-thirds of hunters who had hunted deer in the past season in Georgia had harvested a deer.

Hunters were asked about the number of days they had hunted deer in the past season in Georgia: the responses followed a bell curve, with the most common answer falling from 20 to 29 days.

The most common motivation of deer hunters for hunting deer is for the sport or recreation, followed closely by those who hunt deer for the meat.

Work obligations and lack of access are the most common factors that have reduced the quality of deer hunting experiences.