Hunting is a big deal in the American South, and the state of Georgia, with nearly 630,000 hunters, is no exception. With a mix of private lands as well as 104 Wildlife Management Areas, Georgia has plenty of room for wildlife and hunters alike. With a humid, subtropical climate and has large areas of swampland as well and forests consisting of pine, oak, cypress, red cedar, and hickory. Game species include white-tailed deer, black bears, wild turkeys, alligators, feral hogs, small game, doves, and waterfowl. The deer population in Georgia exceeds 1.2 million. They are found statewide, with the best deer habitat in the Georgia Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain regions. Baiting is allowed in the southern portion of the state, but not in the northern. Biologists estimate that there is a healthy population of about 5,100 black bears statewide. Bear hunting is in the fall only, and allowable methods of take vary by region. Eastern wild turkeys flock throughout Georgia in staggering numbers; latest estimates peg the population at some 400,000 birds. The state is plagued with feral hogs, and licensed hunters can take an unlimited number in most areas. Perhaps Georgia’s most unusual hunting opportunity is for alligators. A limited number of tags are available through an application process, and hunters who are successful in drawing an alligator tag may hunt them day or night using ropes or snares, snatch hooks, harpoons, gigs, or arrows with a restraining line attached. During the firearm deer season in Georgia, all deer, bear and feral hog hunters must wear at least 500 square inches of blaze orange on outer garments, above the waist. For more information on hunting in the state of Georgia, visit georgiawildlife.com.