The Corps of Engineers’ annual deer hunt on Lake Lanier begins in mid-November. Limited to bow hunting, participants were selected by a blind-draw lottery from hunters who registered in October.
“These hunts are conducted for public safety and the overall health of the deer population,” said Henry Way, park ranger. “We coordinate with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on these annual hunts.”
The Buford Dam Hunt takes place Nov. 17-19. This hunt is held on 611 acres of land around the Lake Lanier Project Management Office and Buford Dam and various other out-parcels as access allows. A total of 17 hunters were selected for the 2020 Buford Dam Hunt. GA DNR will also tag each deer harvested so hunters are not required to record them on their GA DNR deer harvest record. Island hunts are scheduled for Nov. 12-15, 26-29 and Dec. 10-13.
These hunts are held on 18 specified islands and three peninsulas on Lake Lanier. A total of 57 hunters were selected for the 2020 Islands Hunt. All deer taken during the Island Hunts must be recorded through the Georgia Game Check. Since 2007, a total of 1,418 hunters have safely hunted deer on public property around Lake Lanier. Applications for the 2021 hunt will begin being accepted in late summer or early fall next year.
For more information, call 770-945-9531.