Georgia

Home to Realtree's headquarters, Georgia is one fine turkey hunting state to visit in spring.

Fact is, management of its turkey hunting populations is strictly a spring-oriented deal. No fall turkey hunting seasons are offered in the state. 

Georgia turkey populations, like those through much of the Southeast, are in decline from successful post-restoration numbers. Biologists esimated that the state had about 250,000 to 300,000 turkeys in 2022. That was down from about 350,000 a few years earlier. On the glass-half-full side, that's compared to 17,000 in 1973, mind you, when the Peach State started its turkey restoration program.

All said, the state still earns a "B" Turkey Hunting Nation ranking.

Where to Go

Another aspect of Georgia turkey hunting worth noting is the variety of habitats.

From sprawling flatland pinewoods to red-clay farm country, classic Southern swamps and big-woods/Appalachian-style mountain hunting in the north, Georgia is a mosaic of good turkey spots.  

Plus, you can find walk-in places to hunt gobblers.

Georgia has decent public-land hunting potential, with almost a million acres of good wildlife management area spread across 90 properties. There's also the sprawling and remote Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in northern Georgia, offering 867,000 acres of opportunity for the hunter willing to work a little for a bird.

You can also find plenty of good turkey hunting outfitters in Georgia. Do your homework (double-check references) and look for a reputable operation, of which there are many. Sometimes a turkey hunting insider can connect you with another person.

[Newsmaker: Turkeys for Tomorrow Group Aims to Help Declining Southeast Populations]

Go here for more Realtree turkey hunting.