New Public Dove Hunting Area in Franklin County Opens in November

MARTIN, GA

Dove Hunters in Franklin County have a new public hunting location available this season.

As of May 2022, Chapman Farm has been removed from the VPA program and will not be re-enrolled this year.

The Chapman Farm Voluntary Public Access (VPA) area is a 303-acre piece of property located near Martin, Ga that will open to dove hunters beginning November 20, 2021, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

Chapman Farm VPA consists of two main tracts of land that have a mixture of wooded areas and approximately 100-acres of agricultural fields. The fields were planted in soybeans and browntop millet this past summer, and a portion of the crop was left unharvested for manipulation during late dove seasons. 

The area will be open to hunting on the following 2021-2022 season schedule:  

•    Dove: Nov. 20 and Nov. 26, 2021; Jan. 15, 22, and 29, 2022

This new area is one of several in Georgia in which landowners have worked with WRD in utilizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service-funded Voluntary Public Access (VPA) Program to provide short-term leases of their properties.  The lands are then included in the WRD Wildlife Management Area system for the purpose of allowing public hunting access.  

WRD is interested in leasing private land for public hunting and outdoor recreation opportunities.  Private landowners that enroll in the program are eligible for a negotiable lease rate and are provided with a legal agreement giving maximum liability protection. More information at www.georgiawildlife.com/VPA-HIP

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