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Georgia Lands Pass vs Fishing License for WMA Archery Ranges

Last checked 2026-10-26

Georgia DNR's Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) lists 17 of its 24 archery ranges with the access requirement "Fishing License, Hunting License or Lands Pass". These ranges sit on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and Public Fishing Areas (PFAs). There is no separate range fee, but anyone 16 or older needs one of those three credentials. This page explains which one to buy and what each costs, using WRD's own pages.

The short answer

• Any license that includes basic hunting or fishing privileges covers range access. WRD: "A license that includes the privilege to hunt or fish on state lands is all that is needed to shoot on state shooting ranges, or be on state WRD lands." (License Changes)
• The Lands Pass is for people who don't want a license. WRD: "For those 16 and older who choose not to buy a hunting or fishing license, a Lands Pass provides access to WRD properties but not hunting and fishing privileges." (What License Do I Need?)
• A license is usually cheaper. WRD: "Buying a basic hunting or fishing license for access costs less in most cases, and returns a share of federal excise taxes paid by hunters and anglers to Georgia for wildlife work." WRD also notes that "the least costly basic fishing or hunting license for short term or annual use will suffice for basic access."
• Age: the rule applies to people 16 and older. WRD says that "All persons 16 and older on designated state WRD lands must have an individual basic hunting or fishing privilege" or the Lands Pass.

What each option costs

Prices below are copied from WRD's License Prices sheet (marked "Updated May 2025") and its What License Do I Need? page. Both were retrieved on 2026-10-26.

Transaction fees are extra. WRD says "Transaction fees apply for all licenses that have a cost" and that the Lands Pass works the same way. WRD's License Changes page lists an online recreational license transaction fee of $3.00 (effective August 16, 2022) and says fees are "subject to change". Check the current fee at checkout.

How long they last. WRD says annual licenses "cover the 365 days after date of purchase". One-day licenses "cover 1 day (which may be a future date)", and up to 10 additional consecutive days can be added, for 11 days in total.

Which should you buy?

The arithmetic below uses WRD's published prices and leaves out transaction fees.

• Georgia resident, one range visit: a one-day combo license ($5) is the cheapest option WRD lists for access. No hunter education is needed for short-term licenses (WRD: "Hunter Safety Certification (HSC) is NOT required to purchase any of the short term hunting licenses").
• Georgia resident, regular visits: an annual fishing license ($15) costs half as much as the resident Lands Pass ($30). WRD's fishing-license description does not mention hunter education. It does mention it for the annual hunting and combo licenses. Three separate one-day visits ($5 each) cost as much as the annual fishing license.
• Nonresident: an annual nonresident fishing license ($50) costs less than the nonresident Lands Pass ($60). For a single visit, the one-day nonresident fishing license ($10) is the lowest price on WRD's sheet.
• You already hunt or fish in Georgia: you need nothing extra. Your basic hunting or fishing privilege covers access.
• You object to buying a hunting or fishing license: buy the Lands Pass. WRD describes it as "optionally available for those that have objections to purchasing hunting or fishing licenses". It costs more "to make up for loss of federal funds that come with hunting or fishing licenses."
• Nonresident youth (15 or younger): WRD says they "do not need a license or pass to access state WMAs and PFAs."

Where to buy: WRD says passes and licenses are sold at GoOutdoorsGeorgia (gooutdoorsgeorgia.com). WRD's license line is 800-366-2661. Most of these ranges are listed as unmanned in the DNR dataset, so buy before you go.

Archery ranges where the license / Lands Pass rule applies

The table below comes from the GA DNR range dataset. The Land Access Chart column is WRD's separate chart of which WMAs require a license or Lands Pass for entry. PFAs are not on that chart.

Conflicting sources: WRD's Land Access Chart says "No" (no license or pass needed to enter the land) for the properties of Clarks Hill Archery Range (Clarks Hill WMA - East) and Coosawattee Carters Lake Archery Range (Carters Lake WMA). Both are U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land according to the chart. WRD's range listing for each of these ranges still says "Fishing License, Hunting License or Lands Pass". We have not been able to resolve this. Until WRD clarifies, carry a license or pass when you use these ranges, or call the regional contact on the listing page.

Ranges that charge a fee instead

These 7 archery ranges are mostly in state parks or partner facilities. The DNR dataset lists a day fee and/or parking pass for them rather than a license or Lands Pass. A Lands Pass or fishing license is not listed as the requirement here.

Related pages

• All Georgia archery ranges
• Georgia public archery ranges: all 24 GA DNR ranges, fees and license rules
• What "free" public archery ranges really mean
• First visit to a public archery range: checklist
• Range examples: Clybel Archery Range, Walton Archery Range, Richmond Hill Archery Range

What we could not confirm

• Single-privilege one-day licenses for residents. The What License Do I Need? page lists a resident one-day hunting license and a resident one-day fishing license at "$5 for one-day & $1 for additional days". The License Prices sheet (May 2025) shows "–" (not offered) for both. We list only the resident one-day combo at $5, which appears on both.
• The current transaction fee. The $3.00 figure comes from WRD's 2022 change notice, and WRD says fees are subject to change.
• Clarks Hill and Carters Lake: see the conflict noted above.

Sources: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, What License Do I Need?, License Prices (PDF, updated May 2025), License Changes, Land Access Chart, Interactive Shooting & Archery Map and its "Public DNR Ranges" ArcGIS dataset. All retrieved 2026-10-26. Prices and rules can change, so check georgiawildlife.com before you buy.

Sources

• https://georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes/choose
• https://georgiawildlife.com/sites/default/files/wrd/pdf/license-applications/License%20Prices.pdf
• https://georgiawildlife.com/LicenseChanges
• https://georgiawildlife.com/LandAccess
• https://georgiawildlife.com/locations/ranges
• https://services6.arcgis.com/9QlSLDqa0P1cHLhu/arcgis/rest/services/Public_DNR_Ranges/FeatureServer/0