HB 491: Game and fish; remove an exception for use of air guns to hunt wildlife

Georgia law lets hunters use certain air guns (powered by compressed air or gas rather than gunpowder) to hunt big game during specific seasons, but that permission was set to expire on July 1, 2025 unless lawmakers renewed it. This bill pushes that expiration date back five years, to July 1, 2030, and requires the General Assembly to review the rule again at its 2030 session before deciding whether to keep it. The bill also changes Georgia's bow-and-arrow fishing rules for catfish (O.C.G.A. § 27-4-34). Current law only allows bow fishing for channel catfish and flathead catfish, and only in the Savannah River and its tributaries and impoundments. The bill removes that geographic and species limit, allowing bow-and-arrow fishing for any catfish species in any waters of the state, while keeping existing safety rules such as requiring a fishing license, barbed arrows tied to a recovery line, a ban on poison or exploding arrowheads, and a 150-foot buffer from other people recreating in the water.

• Extends the sunset date on Georgia's air gun hunting authorization from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2030, keeping air guns legal for big game during primitive weapon and firearm seasons.
• Requires the General Assembly to review the air gun rule again at its 2030 regular session before it can be continued further.
• Expands legal bow-and-arrow fishing from only channel and flathead catfish to any catfish species in Georgia.
• Removes the geographic limit that restricted bow fishing for catfish to the Savannah River and its tributaries and impoundments, opening it to all waters of the state.
• Keeps existing safety and licensing conditions for bow fishing, including a valid fishing license, barbed arrows attached to a recovery line, a ban on poisoned or exploding arrowheads, and a 150-foot distance rule from other recreators.

Hunters who use air guns for big game during primitive weapon or firearm seasons, anglers who fish for catfish with bow and arrow, and the Department of Natural Resources, which enforces Georgia's hunting and fishing laws statewide.

Hunters who rely on air guns would be able to keep using them for five more years instead of losing that option in mid-2025. Bow fishers would gain the ability to target any catfish species anywhere in Georgia's waters, rather than being limited to two species in one river system.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 27-3-4(a)(9), moving the repeal date for the air gun hunting exception from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2030 and requiring legislative review in 2030.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 27-4-34(d), replacing the channel catfish and flathead catfish, Savannah River-only rule with a statewide allowance for any catfish species.
• Section 2 retains the licensing requirement, barbed-arrow and recovery-line rule, the ban on poisonous or exploding arrowheads, and the 150-foot buffer from other recreational users.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-14Act 268
3. 2025-05-14House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-04-10House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-04-04Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senado)
6. 2025-04-04House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senado)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senado)

• Johnny Chastain (R, HD-007)Patrocinador principal
• Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
• Jutt Howard (R, HD-071)
• Danny Mathis (R, HD-133)
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes6 de marzo de 2025

   171 a favor, 3 en contra (2 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #224

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2025

   52 a favor, 3 en contra (0 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #424

3. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes4 de abril de 2025

   170 a favor, 0 en contra (4 sin votar, 6 ausentes)

   Agree To Senate Am As Amended By House: House Vote #424

4. AprobadaVotación: Senado4 de abril de 2025

   52 a favor, 1 en contra (2 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Agree To House Amendment To Senate Amendment: Senate Vote #487

• hunting laws
• air gun hunting
• bow fishing
• catfish fishing
• wildlife regulations