According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division, an estimated 300,000 hunters will take to the woods between tomorrow and the last day of the season, January 12. The majority of these men and women will be seeking deer.

As the firearms season gets underway, hunters should be aware of several major changes in regulations.

The firearms deer season has been extended by one week this year. This resulted in an earlier opening dates for archery and primitive weapons.

The deer bag limit has been increased. Hunters may now take a total of 12 deer during the season. No more than two may be antlered bucks and no more than 10 may be antlerless deer. And one of the two antlered bucks must have at least four points on one side of the antlers.

There are no antler restrictions for the other of the bucks except in counties that have special antler restrictions in place. Those counties in the southern part of the state with antler restrictions are Dooly, Harris, Macon, Montgomery, Randolph and Talbot.

In the area of weapons, crossbows have become a legal weapon for hunting game in Georgia as the law restricting the use of that weapon has been changed.

Crossbows may now be used to hunt deer during the archery, primitive weapons and firearms deer seasons, bear during bear season, turkey during turkey season, and small game during small game seasons.

According to Georgia Department of Natural Resources Conservation Ranger Tommy Daughtrey, the changes came about through efforts in the Georgia State legislature.

“Most of the changes were made to affect the Atlanta area,” Daughtrey said, adding that the regulation changes were made in an attempt to thin the deer population.

According to Daughtrey, reports have the deer population increasing in the Atlanta area.

“Actually, the deer population is decreasing state wide,” said Daughtrey.

The change in the regulations concerning the use of crossbows will also affect residents of several northern counties that do not allow firearms hunting at all. According to Daughtrey, firearms are not allowed in parts or all of Cobb, Dekalb, Forsyth, Clayton and Bibb Counties.

“There are so many people who live in those areas and a high powered rifle has such tremendous power,” said Daughtrey.