HB946: HB946 Game and fish; authorize hunting and trapping of feral hogs under certain circumstances

Georgia law currently requires people to have a hunting, fishing, or trapping license before pursuing most wildlife, including feral hogs, which are considered an invasive nuisance species that damages crops and land. House Bill 946 changes several parts of Title 27 of Georgia's game and fish code to loosen those rules specifically for feral hogs. The bill lets a person trap feral hogs without a hunting or trapping license, as long as any hog caught is killed upon capture. It also updates the rules for wildlife control permits, which already let landowners or lessees hunt feral hogs at night, from vehicles, or without a license under certain conditions, and sets those permits to expire after at least five years unless the underlying lease ends first. It adds a new provision letting people use unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, to locate feral hogs, as long as the drone use follows other applicable laws. The bill repeals conflicting laws and takes effect according to standard legislative procedure.

• Allows a person to trap feral hogs without first getting a hunting or trapping license, as long as any hog caught is killed upon capture.
• Keeps and updates the wildlife control permit system for feral hogs, letting permit holders hunt hogs at night with a light, from motor vehicles, or without a license on certain owned or leased land used for crops or livestock.
• Sets wildlife control permits for feral hogs to last at least five years, but ends automatically if a lease on the hunted land ends early.
• Adds a new rule letting people use unmanned aircraft systems (drones) to locate feral hogs, as long as other drone laws and regulations are followed.
• Keeps the existing misdemeanor penalty, a fine of at least $250 and up to 12 months of confinement, for illegally hunting wildlife or feral hogs from boats, aircraft, or vehicles.

Landowners and lessees dealing with feral hog damage, hunters and trappers who pursue feral hogs, holders of wildlife control permits issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and anyone who wants to use drones to spot feral hogs on private land.

Feral hogs cause significant crop and land damage in Georgia, and this bill makes it easier and less regulated for landowners and others to trap or hunt them, including removing the license requirement for trapping and allowing drone use to find them, while keeping permit rules for more aggressive hunting methods like night hunting from vehicles.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 27-2-1 to let people trap feral hogs without a hunting or trapping license, provided the hogs are killed once captured.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 27-2-31(b), keeping wildlife control permit rules that allow night hunting, hunting from vehicles, and unlicensed hunting on certain owned or leased land for feral hogs.
• Section 2 sets wildlife control permits for feral hogs to expire after at least five years, or automatically if the permittee's lease on the land ends sooner.
• Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 27-3-13 to add subsection (a.1), allowing unmanned aircraft systems (drones) to locate feral hogs subject to other applicable drone laws.
• Section 3 keeps the misdemeanor penalty for illegal hunting from boats, aircraft, or vehicles at a fine of not less than $250 and up to 12 months of confinement.
• Section 4 repeals any other Georgia laws that conflict with the bill's changes.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 479
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Rob Clifton (R, HD-131)Primary sponsor
• Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 3, 2026

   161 yea, 1 nay (4 not voting, 9 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #473

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   46 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #772

• feral hogs
• hunting and trapping laws
• wildlife control permits
• drone use
• game and fish regulations