Deer Hunting in Georgia

The Gopher Plantation offers Whitetail Deer Hunting in Georgia on over 8,000 private owned acres that spans over diverse habitats. There are over 100 tower stands strategically located throughout the hunting property. The deer hunting stands are all equipped with metal roofs to keep rain and other elements from mother nature off the hunters during their hunt. The rifle tower stands are all equipped range from 4’x4’ to 4’x6’ in size and are approximately 10’ high to the platform. Every tower hunting stand has office chairs to ensure a comfortable sit every hunt. Most of our tower stands are 4’x6’ and these deer hunting stands are great for sharing the hunt with family or a friend.

We also have permanent and pop-up ground blinds for hunters that physically can’t climb elevated stands. In the case of bow hunters there are ladder stands available and maintained each hunting season. We require a safety harness to whitetail deer hunt from ladder stands. Every deer hunting stand has a food plot and or a feed spot/feeder. These feed spots and feeders are fed year-round, not just during deer hunting season. The Gopher Plantation staff plants over 200 acres of food plots each year to ensure the whitetail have adequate feed throughout the season.

With the multitude of hunting stands found on the property we can cater to any deer hunter’s shooting ability. Some of the hunting stands have views that don’t exceed 100 yards while in other locations a hunter can see 500 plus yards. Our deer hunting stands are strategically located looking over a wide array of habitat. The guides at Gopher Plantation are competent and will pick stands that ensure the best chance for success for each individual guest.

What makes Gopher Plantation special is that it’s situated between the Satilla River and the 17-mile river systems. With miles upon miles of river frontage there is never a shortage of game. Our whitetail deer hunting stands are situated on pine hills, oak ridges, ty ty bays, river bottoms and field edges. There are approximately 600 acres of agricultural fields located on the interior of the plantation. This is great for deer but also a great opportunity to add in a thermal hog hunt during your deer hunt. So, in short there is a habitat type for everyone. One thing our clients and repeat customers like about the Gopher deer policy is none of our staff, guides, friends, or family hunt the property. Only Gopher guests have a chance at hunting the big whitetail bucks that call Gopher Plantation home.

A Typical Deer Hunting Trip at Gopher Plantation

A typical deer hunting trip at Gopher Plantation starts with guests arriving around 2:00 PM or later the day prior to the whitetail hunt's start date. No evening meal is provided on the day of check-in. We recommend picking up supper during travel. On arrival, Ryan or some of the Gopher Plantation crew will meet the hunters to help them get acquainted with their lodging. After the hunters and guests have settled their gear into their cabin it is encouraged by the Gopher Plantation staff to use the shooting range to double check zero from travel or a competent guide will be available to help with sight in. We recommend arriving around 2 to 4 PM, that way there is adequate daylight to complete the task. After waivers are signed and orientation is completed, the hunters will be instructed to meet at the main lodge for coffee and a continental breakfast in the morning before their whitetail deer hunt.

If a hunter chooses to arrive early and sight in their rifle before eating supper they have the choice to go to Waycross for supper, approximately 25 minutes east of the plantation, and find a wide array of restaurants to choose from or go to a marathon gas station 8 minutes from the plantation that will serve cook to order pizza and burgers. All 3 meals will be provided all 3 days of your scheduled deer hunting dates. Continental Breakfast is provided prior to the early whitetail hunt. After the morning hunt, a southern home-style lunch is served. The evening feast after the afternoon hunt consists of southern farm-hand type vegetables with a touch of the wild. Unusual game dishes are a part of the Gopher Plantation experience. Please tip our cooks and housekeepers as gratuities are not included in the meal and lodging prices. If you have food allergies, please let Ryan know when booking your whitetail deer hunt.

A guide will transport the hunter to and from his deer hunting stand. For safety reasons, the hunter is expected to stay in his hunting stand barring nature calls until the guide returns. No scouting is allowed. The quoted price includes an early morning deer hunt of approximately 3.5 to 4 hours. After the morning hunt the guest will have a home-cooked lunch prepared for them in the main lodge. Through lunch the guides will go over with each group what time they would like to go to the stands for the afternoon whitetail hunt. Some guests like to take naps and others are anxious to get back in the stand, so the staff at Gopher Plantation is happy to accommodate both.

The hunters will be taken out for the afternoon hunt and the guide will be back when legal shooting light ends to start pick up. Game may be taken with any legal rifle, muzzle loader, bow or handgun. Hunters can sit all day upon request and lunch and a cooler with drinks will be made in this case to accommodate. Gopher has 2 walk-in coolers on site. There is one for harvested game and one for cape and quartered meat after the guides have cleaned the game foy you. When guests get ready to depart the guides will layer the guests’ cooler with ice from two ice makers on site and send each hunter home with well taken care of meat.

Caping and Processing of Whitetail Deer Harvest

Effective immediately and going forward via Georgia law hunters may not take whole or gutted carcasses or whole heads of whitetail deer taken in Georgia across state lines. So, if you are deer hunting with us as a nonresident, Ryan and his guides will take the time to debone all your whitetail meat. We will also go so far as to cape out your trophy buck and skull cap him so that you can take him to a taxidermist of your choosing in your home state.

If you choose to use a taxidermist in Georgia to shoulder mount your deer, the guides don’t have to skull cap and cape the buck. If you choose to do a European mount, we recommend using a taxidermist in Georgia and having them ship the head after completion. Ryan and staff can’t remove all the soft tissue and make a whole head legal for transport within the 3 days of your hunt time period.

You can also use a local Georgia processor for your meat and the meat does not have to be deboned. Deboning, caping, and quartering are included in your whitetail deer hunting package. If you decide to use a Georgia meat processor or taxidermist, they are not affiliated with Gopher Plantation in any way.

What to Bring on your Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip:

Weapon of choice and backup if desired
Ammunition and adequate amount for hunt booked

Orange Hunting Vest
Binoculars and or range finder if you have one
Clothing and camouflage for warm and cold weather including layers
Gear pack and or seat cushion if desired
Therma cell or non-scented insect repellent

Hunting boots
Flashlight or headlamp
Adequate coolers for hog and deer to keep the meat separate
Rain Suit if the weather is calling for rain. Look up Millwood, GA for accurate weather.
Bowhunters bring safety harness and hook up system if you would like to hunt from an elevated stand. We also have some on hand if forgotten.

Deer Hunting Season in Georgia

Archery Deer Hunting Season in Georgia

Archery deer hunting season in Georgia starts around the second Saturday in September and runs through the last day of rifle season. We only take archery hunters if the group is 8 or larger during the early season (September) hunt. Feel free to book an archery hunt during muzzleloader or rifle season as well. The Gopher Plantation crew loves to bow hunt and we have designated areas and hunting stands that are bow only.

Muzzle Loader and Youth Rifle Deer Hunting Season

Muzzle loader and youth rifle deer hunting season in Georgia historically started the Saturday before October 15th and runs for one week preceding the rifle opener. This is also youth (under 16) firearm season. It is a great time to get a young person a big buck because the bucks are starting to travel in daylight more frequently. Muzzle loader and youth rifle hunting are the first scheduled whitetail deer hunting dates of the year. This 3-day hunt starts Saturday of the opener and includes Sunday and Monday.

Rifle Deer Hunting Season

Rifle deer hunting season in Georgia is historically the first Saturday after October 15th. This will be the second scheduled set of whitetail deer hunting dates. The hunt will start on Saturday of opening day and includes Sunday and Monday. The past couple hunting seasons Saturday and Sunday of opening weekend was buck only via Georgia law in our zone.

Call Ryan Solomon at (912) 381-1482 for available whitetail deer hunting dates

Deer Hunting Packages

Deer Hunting with the Entire Family and Parent and Child Hunts are Encouraged at the Gopher Plantation.

October, November, and December Whitetail Deer Hunt - $2,500.00 for a 3-day 4-night all-inclusive whitetail deer hunting package.

Includes:
- 1 Whitetail Buck per hunter
- 1 Doe on Either Sex Days
- Hogs

Late December - January Adult and Child Whitetail Deer Hunt - $2,000.00 for a 3-day 4-night all-inclusive deer hunt for the youth plus $500.00 for lodging and meals for the accompanying adult.

Includes:
- 1 Whitetail Buck per hunter
- 1 Doe on Either Sex Days
- Hogs

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Non-Hunters accompanying a paid hunter

Four nights lodging and 3 days with meals for a non-hunter accompanying a paid hunter is $500.00 for adults and $300.00 for kids under 16.

If a hunter chooses to take a second whitetail buck it will cost the price of another 3-day deer hunt. Any whitetail buck harvested in excess of 1 per 3-day deer hunt is $2,500.00.

Cape and Quarter fees are included in all deer packages.

The prices noted for hunting whitetail deer includes 8% sales tax.

We do accept most major credit cards; however, a 3.5% charge will be added to use a card. We also accept checks and cash.

A Big Game License, a Hunting License, and Free Harvest Record are required to hunt deer. Having the license mentioned prior makes the guest legal if they decide to take hogs on their whitetail deer hunt as well.

A 50% deposit is required with your whitetail deer hunting package reservation. The deposit is refundable up to 60 days before the hunt date or transferable to another person.

A gratuity of 10% or $100 per day is suggested for Hunting Guides when deer hunting.

Quality Deer Management Parameters

For a whitetail buck to be legal by Gopher Plantation’s standards he must meet two out of three of the following criteria:

8 points or more 1” or longer
14 inch minimum inside spread or wider
4.5 years old or older

If a whitetail buck is taken and he doesn’t meet 2 out of 3 of the preceding criteria it is a penalty of $ 850.00

When a button buck or spike buck is taken trying to take a doe the penalty is $600.00. If a hunter shoots a spike or button buck by mistake it does not go against his buck tag. The guest can continue to hunt for their buck.

Wounded deer are up to the discretion of Plantation Management and may be treated as harvested deer.

Hogs may be taken on a Deer Hunt if the hunter wants to eat them. Cape and Quarter fees are included in the deer hunt.

We also offer Night Hunts with Thermal Imaging Scopes for Hogs and Predators that you can add to any deer hunt.