Youth and mobility-impaired hunters get an early start to turkey season on March 21-22, 2026. This special opportunity gives youth and mobility-impaired hunters a chance to harvest a gobbler on private lands before the statewide turkey season opens, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.
This early weekend hunt opportunity is available on private lands and is only for youth under 16 years of age, or hunters that are mobility impaired (i.e. confined to a wheelchair, hemiplegia, monoplegia, paraplegia, or single-leg amputation above the knee). Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older) who may call for turkey but may not take or attempt to take a turkey. The season bag limit for turkeys is one gobbler (male turkey) per hunter per day, and a season total of two gobblers.
All turkey hunters, including those under 16 years of age, landowners, honorary, lifetime, and sportsman license holders, must obtain a free harvest record each season. Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters are required to immediately enter the date and county on the harvest record, and within 24hours, must complete the reporting process through Georgia Game Check. More information atGeorgiaWildlife.com/HarvestRecordGeorgiaGameCheck. Resident youth hunters under age 16 do not need a license. Hunters ages 16 years or older (including those accompanying youth or others) will need a hunting license and a big game license unless hunting on their own private land.
Get your license at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, at a retail license vendor or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.The 2026 Georgia statewide turkey season opens Sat., March 28 (Private Land) and Sat. April 4 (Public Land). For more information, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/turkey-info
Photo Credit by Brian Vickery
