The black bear, a symbol of Georgia’s natural diversity, is the only bear found in the state and is a conservation success story. Though now the most common bear in North America, the species was nearly eradicated from Georgia in the 1930s due to unregulated hunting, illegal harvest, and large-scale habitat loss. Sound wildlife management has restored Georgia’s black bears to a thriving population estimated at 4,100 bears statewide. Our state is home to 3 distinct populations of black bears, in the north Georgia mountains, in central Georgia along the Ocmulgee River, in and around the Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia, and occasionally, anywhere in between.

Bear Management and Resources

• Bear Strategic Management Plan: Georgia's black bear strategic management plan aims to ensure the long-term, science-based conservation of the state's black bear population—supporting sustainable harvest, preserving the species' ecological value, and minimizing human-bear conflicts.
• Be Bearwise: Free resources and information about how to safely coexist with black bears and avoid conflicts.
• Black Bear Fact Sheet (PDF): This fact sheet covers Georgia's black bear population, including their history, range, habitat, physical traits, diet, and tips for preventing and resolving human-bear conflicts. Learn how to safely coexist with bears and reduce nuisance encounters at home, while camping, or hiking.

Bear Hunting

Northern Zone

There are 38 counties in the northern zone: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, Whitfield.

Central Zone

There are 4 counties in the northern zone: Bibb, Bleckley, Houston, Twiggs.

Southern Zone

There are 8 counties in the southern zone: Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Ware.

Hunter Resources

• Dog-Bear Quota Hunts: Georgia's dog-bear quota hunts allow hunters to pursue black bears with the aid of dogs in designated zones during a limited season. Visit the link above for eligibility, application deadlines, and zone-specific regulations.
• 2026 Mast Summary: Report summarizing annual oak acorn and hickory nut production across North Georgia, providing insight into food availability that can influence bear activity and movement patterns.
• Ecoregion Map
• Harvest Summaries
• Georgia's Guide to Hunting & Fishing Regulations

Bear Tagging and Checking

All Bear Hunters Need To Know:

• Where the bear was harvested. Tagging instructions vary depending on where the bear was killed (i.e. bear zone). 
• All harvested bears must be reported through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours AND
• All harvested bears must be tagged by DNR or a state approved black bear cooperator.

Northern Bear Zone

Within 3 business days, harvested bears (minimum of hide and skull) must be taken to one of the following locations for biological data collection and tagging:

1. Any Game Management Office (except Fitzgerald) during regular business hours
2. A state approved black bear cooperator (see list below)
3. Harvested bears may be checked at any WMA check station in the counties listed above that are open for a bear or bonus deer hunt between 8am – 8pm (see link to hunting regulations above). Bears killed during bonus deer hunts on WMAs must be reported via Georgia Game Check and taken on the day of kill to the check station for sample collection and tagging.

County	First Name	Last Name	Business	Address	City	State	ZIP	Phone	Hours
Banks	Stacey/Cindy	Miller	Cherokee Farm Deer Processing	330 West Coker Road	Alto	GA	30510	706-968-2847	Hours may vary. Contact cooperator for details.
Dawson	Joseph	Green	The Steel Buffalo Butchery	1500 Harmony Church Road	Dawsonville	GA	30534	706-216-2170	8 AM - 5 PM (Mon-Thurs); 8 AM - 9 PM (Fri-Sun)
Habersham	Chad	Ivester	Chad's Meat House	564 Hills Crossing Road	Clarkesville	GA	30523	706-499-4280	Hours may vary. Contact cooperator for details.
Habersham	Chris	Carter	Trophy Taker	4243 Duncan Bridge Rd SW	Cornelia	GA	30531	706-894-1230	Hours may vary. Contact cooperator for details.
Lumpkin	Joe	Simmons	Rock Acres Deer Processing	349 Rock Acres Rd	Dahlonega	GA	30533	706-300-7233	8 AM - 9 PM (Mon-Sun)
Towns	Jeff	Youngblood	Mill Creek Taxidermy	2485 Mill Creek Road	Hiawassee	GA	30546	706-994-9597	Flexible hours; call for availability
Forsyth/Cherokee	Paul	Reed	Paul Reed Taxidermy	471 Old Brown Road	Alpharetta	GA	30004	814-312-0968	8 AM - 5 PM (Mon-Sat), Closed Sunday
White/Lumpkin/Dawson/Hall/Rabun	Frank	Manning	Bear Scat LLC	Anywhere in listed counties	Multiple Areas	GA	N/A	706-878-0751	Flexible hours; can meet; call for availability
Murray	Larry	Etheridge	—	105 Hensley Rd	Chatsworth	GA	30705	706-847-5194	8 AM - 9 PM (Mon-Sun)
Murray	Jimmy	Patterson	Patterson Processing	1120 Sumach Church Rd	Chatsworth	GA	30705	706-847-6875	Hours may vary. Contact cooperator for details.
Murray	Brady	Sluder	North Georgia Skullworks	19 Stewart Creek Rd	Chatsworth	GA	30705	423-716-7262	Hours may vary. Contact cooperator for details.
Gilmer	Terry	Payne	Tail's Creek Processing	34 Burgess Cir	Ellijay	GA	30540	706-273-8928	—

Central Bear Zone

Harvested bears (minimum of hide and skull) must be taken to the Oaky Woods WMA check station between 12pm and 9pm on the day of the hunt(s) for biological data collection and tagging.

Southern Zone

Harvested bears (minimum of hide and skull) must be taken within 24 hours to one of the following locations for biological data collection and tagging: 

• Fargo Georgia Forestry Commission Office (Open all hunt days)
  • Thursdays and Fridays 11am - 6pm, Saturdays 12pm - 9pm 
• Folkston Georgia Forestry Commission Office (Open all hunt days)
  • Thursdays and Fridays 11am - 6pm, Saturdays 12pm - 9pm 
• Dixon Memorial WMA (Open September 24th- Sept 26th; 8am - 8 pm)
• After hours, call 1-800-241-4113, or 912-262-3173 on the following business day to arrange tagging.