The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, J. Strom Thurmond Project – Forest, Fish, and Wildlife Section – will host primitive weapons deer hunts at the Bussey Point Corps Management Unit (CMU), located in Lincoln County, Georgia.
These annual hunts are conducted to help maintain the deer population within the area’s carrying capacity, improve herd quality, and provide quality trophy opportunities. The 2,545-acre peninsula will be open for scheduled hunts on the following dates:
Dates Hunt Types
Sep. 18-19 Archery
Oct. 23-24 Archery / Muzzleloader
Nov. 13-14 Archery / Muzzleloader
Hunters must check in and out at the entrance gate, where the check station is located. The gate will open one hour before sunrise and remain open until the last hunter exits the area.
All hunters must be properly licensed in accordance with current Georgia Department of Natural Resources regulations. A Wildlife Management Area (WMA) permit is not required for these hunts. Hunting licenses will be inspected and temporarily collected at check-in, along with vehicle tag information, and returned at check-out. Upon check-out, hunters are required to report any harvest and complete a brief survey before leaving the property.
The bag limit is two does and one quality buck per day of each hunt. A quality buck is defined as having a main beam length of at least 15 inches on one side or an outside spread of 14 inches or greater. These limits will be strictly enforced. All state regulations, including harvest reporting, apply. As a non-quota hunt, all harvests count toward the statewide bag limit.
Hunts are limited to 75 hunters per day and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Archery hunters may participate in all scheduled hunts.
Non-hunting park visitors are encouraged to use other recreation areas during scheduled hunt dates. The management area will also be closed two days prior to each hunt, except for scouting and stand placement. No weapons are allowed in Bussey Point during scouting days.
To reserve or obtain a campsite at Bussey Point Recreation Area, call 877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov. For information about nearby campgrounds and site availability, visit the J. Strom Thurmond Lake webpage at https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-and-Offices/Operations-Division/J-Strom-Thurmond-Dam-and-Lake/ .
For more information, contact Conservation Biologist, Evan Brashier at the J. Strom Thurmond Office 864-333-1159 or email evan.g.brashier@usace.army.mil.