To address an overpopulation of white-tailed deer in the south portion of Forsyth County, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved an urban deer management program during their Aug. 6, 2024 Work Session. The program is deemed necessary to minimize resulting damage to the natural habitat and landscaping as well as impacts to deer herd health and an increase in deer/vehicle collisions.

The program is a joint venture between Forsyth County and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Urban Deer Management Program. The program will include two free archery hunts to be held between dawn and dusk on Sept. 21-22 and Oct. 26-27. The hunts will take place on approximately 287 acres of land, the site of the County’s Shakerag Water Reclamation facility (545 Kemp Road).

“Having received a number of complaints from residents in the south Forsyth area about deer destroying their landscaping and deer-related vehicle accidents, we reached out the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to discuss options that have been successful not only in Georgia but also across the United States,” said Assistant County Manager Tony Tarnacki who has worked with County staff and the DNR to develop the deer management program.

The first hunt on Sept. 21-22 is intended to allow youth participation and will allow 16 Forsyth County residents between 10 and 17 years old, to sign up for participation when accompanied by an adult. The second hunt on Oct. 26-27 will allow Forsyth County residents ages 18 and up to sign up for participation. Applications for both hunts will open at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, and hunters will be selected on a first come, first served basis. Please note, a free CivicRec account is required to register for this activity and can be set up in advance by clicking here. To learn more and register for the youth hunt, click here. To learn more and register for the adult hunt, click here.

In addition to ensuring hunters have the proper license, modern archery equipment and tree stand/blind, all hunters will be required to attend a pre-hunt safety meeting. In addition, hunters may only hunt in their assigned hunting location on the property and will be transported to and from their location by Forsyth County staff. Hunters will use Department of Natural Resources urban deer management tags and may only harvest two deer per hunt, one must be an antlerless deer (doe).

For a complete list of rules and regulations, please click here. To learn more about the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ urban deer management program, view the presentation to the Board of Commissioners on May 21, 2024 by clicking here.