Georgia Quail Hunting Season: Dates, Limits, and Rules for Bobwhite Hunters
October 23, 2026
Quail hunting season in Georgia opens on the second Saturday in November, and for 2026-27 that means November 14. Georgia is the home of the Thomasville-Tallahassee plantation belt, yet the rules that govern a plantation hunt are not the same ones that apply on a state wildlife management area. The daily limit can drop from 12 birds to just 3 depending on where you set foot.
This guide walks you through the dates, species, bag limits, licenses, legal guns, shooting hours, and places to hunt, so you can plan a trip without second-guessing the regulations. If you hunt other Georgia game too, our pages on dove hunting season in Georgia and turkey hunting season in Georgia cover the rest of your fall calendar.
Important Note: Dates, limits, and area rules change from year to year. Always confirm them against the current Georgia DNR Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide before you head out.
Quail Hunting Season Dates in Georgia
The statewide bobwhite season is the same one you will see on most hunting calendars. Georgia’s quail season runs November 14, 2026 to February 28, 2027, according to a season summary that read its dates from the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. The season opens the second Saturday in November.
Falconers get a longer window. A season table verified against the 2026-2027 Georgia DNR regulations guide lists the general season as November 14, 2026 to February 28, 2027, with falconry running October 1 to March 15.
You will also see plantations advertise October 1 through March 31. That is not a typo. Plantation quail seasons open October 1 and run through the end of March, which reflects the longer shooting preserve season for released birds rather than the wild bird season.
| Season Type | Dates (2026-27) | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide bobwhite season | November 14, 2026 to February 28, 2027 | Wild birds on private land and open WMA dates |
| Falconry | October 1 to March 15 | Licensed falconers |
| Plantation and preserve hunts | October 1 to March 31 (typical) | Released birds on shooting preserves |
As for timing within the season, many hunters prefer the colder stretch. The cooler months, after the first frosts have reduced some vegetation, are often considered ideal. Calm, dry days also help, since your dog needs to scent birds and you need clear sight lines.
Quail Species You Can Hunt in Georgia
In Georgia, quail hunting means one bird: the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). It is Georgia’s state gamebird. You will not find a second huntable wild quail species here, so there is no species-by-species limit to memorize.
Bobwhites favor ground cover with room to move. They gather in open fields and woody areas and prefer thin grass over thick grass, which lets them run quickly when threatened. In South Georgia, quail thrive in habitats supported by longleaf pines, where fire and thinning let sunlight reach the ground.
Wild numbers are not what they were. Wild quail populations have declined in recent decades, but managed lands and preserves continue to provide quality upland bird hunting. That decline is why habitat programs and preserve hunting matter so much to Georgia quail hunters.
Quail Bag and Possession Limits in Georgia
The statewide daily bag limit is simple. The daily bag limit is 12 quail. Possession limits are where sources disagree, so read this part carefully.
Important Note: One source lists a 36-bird possession limit (three times the daily limit), while another lists 24. Check the possession limit in the current DNR regulations guide before you plan a multi-day trip.
Hunting Locator lists a 36-quail possession limit, which applies to birds not yet processed. AskHunting’s statewide summary shows a daily limit of 12 and a possession limit of 24. Since the two figures conflict, treat the official DNR guide as the final word.
Public land is much stricter. On WMAs, the daily bag limit on bobwhite quail is 3 per hunter unless a specific area rule says otherwise. Some areas also set a party cap. Joe Kurz WMA, for example, lists 3 per person or 9 per party.
| Where You Hunt | Daily Limit |
|---|---|
| Private land (wild birds) | 12 per hunter |
| Most WMAs | 3 per hunter |
| Joe Kurz WMA | 3 per person or 9 per party |
| Commercial preserves | Set by the preserve (some advertise no limit on released birds) |
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Quail in Georgia
You need a valid Georgia hunting license, and you also need to meet the age and education requirements. Anyone 16 or older must hold a current Georgia hunting license to hunt any game species. One licensing guide adds that a Game Bird License is required for turkey, quail, and migratory birds.
Hunter education applies to most people. Hunters born on or after January 1, 1961, must complete a hunter education course, unless they qualify for an exemption such as hunting their own land or a licensed shooting preserve. If you plan to hunt public land, you need a Georgia hunting license and a WMA permit.
License Costs and Shooting Preserve Options
Hunting Locator’s guide lists an annual hunting license at about $15 for residents and $100 for non-residents, but that page dates from 2025, so verify current prices when you buy. Preserves offer a shortcut for visitors. Gopher Plantation notes that a $12 Shooting Preserve License is required if you do not have a Georgia hunting license.
If you hold a regular license, you do not need the extra one. Those with an active Georgia general hunting license do not need an additional shooting preserve license. Landowners have their own rules too, and you can read how the state treats them in our deer hunting season in Georgia guide, which covers license basics that carry over.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Quail Hunting in Georgia
The shotgun is the standard tool. Shotguns are the primary legal weapon for quail. Most hunters choose a light gauge for quick mounts on fast flushes, and a 20-gauge or 28-gauge is popular because of the fast flushes and short shot distances.
Shot choice matters on managed land. Hunting Locator lists No. 7½, 8, or 9 lead shot, or federally approved non-toxic shot in size F or smaller. Rules on individual WMAs can be tighter, so read the area listing before you load up.
Bird Dogs, Gear, and Blaze Orange
Quail hunting in Georgia is dog work. The method is primarily hunting with bird dogs such as pointers, setters, and Brittanys. A good dog finds the covey, holds point, and retrieves downed birds from cover you could never search on foot.
For orange, treat it as a must. Blaze orange is required on WMAs and VPAs during concurrent deer and bear hunts. Another source simply says blaze orange is required while hunting small game, which is a good reason to wear it everywhere.
Pro Tip: Pack brush pants and boots with ankle support. Wiregrass, briars, and uneven pine flatwoods wear out cheap gear fast.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Quail in Georgia
My research did not turn up a clearly dated, official statement of Georgia’s quail shooting hours or a Sunday-specific rule for quail, so I will not guess at them. The Georgia DNR regulations guide lists legal hunting hours for small game, and you should confirm the current times there before you go.
What the sources do support is how guided hunts are scheduled. One South Georgia plantation runs morning hunts from 9:00 am to noon and afternoon hunts from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Another notes that early mornings after sunrise and late afternoons before sunset are the best times to find active coveys.
On public land, the calendar can limit your days more than the clock does. Sandhills WMA-East, for example, allows quail hunting on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the state season. If you plan a Sunday outing, check the area listing and the DNR guide first, and consider a preserve, which sets its own schedule.
Quail Hunting on Public Land and Hunting Preserves in Georgia
You do not need to own land to hunt bobwhites here. Southwest Georgia hunters do not need private land access to enjoy quail hunting. Still, public hunting comes with more rules and fewer birds per trip than a plantation.
Public Land and WMA Rules
Georgia has over one million acres of public hunting land, and quail are available on a handful of areas. Chickasawhatchee and Silver Lake WMAs are commonly cited for access, and Altamaha WMA and Paulks Pasture WMA have sections of early successional habitat.
Many of these hunts are by quota or on set dates. Under the state’s WMA regulations, quail hunting happens on designated dates only, and your party must check in its harvest at a kiosk or online, with one survey per party. For 2026-27, listed dates on one area run from November 14 through February 13, mostly on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Small game rules can also overlap with other seasons. At some areas, small game hunting is prohibited during deer hunts and quota quail. That makes the area-by-area WMA listings your best planning tool.
Shooting Preserves and Plantation Hunts
Preserves trade wild-bird challenge for reliability and a longer season. Guided hunts typically include dogs and a buggy. Fieldstone Hunting Preserve lists $600 for a half day or $1,200 for a full day per shooter, with a maximum group size of four. Prices vary widely, so compare outfitters in the Georgia quail directory.
Habitat programs help the birds you hunt. Georgia runs a Quail Focus Area initiative for habitat restoration, and its Voluntary Public Access program opens private land to hunters through landowner agreements.
Key Insight: A WMA is a good choice if you want a wild-bird hunt on a small budget and can live with a 3-bird limit. A preserve is better if you want a guaranteed day afield with dogs and guides.
Planning a longer Georgia hunting season? You may also like our guides to duck hunting laws in Georgia, bear hunting season in Georgia, and alligator hunting season in Georgia.
Quail season in Georgia is short on paper and long on tradition, so a little preparation goes a long way. Lock in the November 14 opener, confirm your license and the possession limit, and pick between a quota WMA hunt and a preserve outing. Check the official DNR regulations one more time before you load the truck.