Why neighborhoods call us
The same complaints, every board meeting
Ruined landscaping in the common areas. Residents' gardens and shrubs eaten to the stems. Deer crossing the entrance road at dusk. Questions about ticks. Surveys have found suburban deer densities far above what the land can support. A 2025 survey in Peachtree Corners counted about 193 deer per square mile, against roughly 25 recommended for suburbs.
Repellents, fencing and deer-resistant plants help individual yards, but they don't reduce the herd. Georgia DNR has sole authority over wildlife, does not authorize relocation, sterilization or contraception for population control, and calls regulated hunting the primary tool for managing deer. In metro Atlanta, nearly all huntable land is private, so it only happens when landowners, including HOAs, give permission.
How a community program works
Free, discreet and run with your board
There is no charge to the HOA or to residents at any step.
Board briefing
We meet with the board or a committee, walk the common areas and look at browse damage, deer trails and where deer bed.
Rules check
We review city and county rules on firearm discharge and archery, and the board checks the HOA's declaration and bylaws for anything that limits hunting on common property.
Written permission
The HOA signs a permission form for the common areas it owns or controls. Residents with suitable lots can opt in with their own forms. Nobody is included without consent.
Safety plan
Archery only in dense areas, elevated stands so shots angle down, set days and hours, marked boundaries and no hunting near homes, trails or roads.
Licensed hunters
Every hunter holds a Georgia hunting license and hunter education, follows DNR seasons and bag limits, and reports each harvest through Georgia Game Check.
Venison donated
Meat from deer harvested in your community is donated through Georgia Hunters for the Hungry. Each season we give the board a harvest summary to share with residents.
Liability
What Georgia law says about the HOA's risk
Boards worry most about being sued. Georgia has two statutes written to address exactly that.
O.C.G.A. § 51-3-21An HOA can be an "owner"
The Recreational Property Act defines owner broadly: the title holder, a tenant, a lessee, an occupant or anyone in control of the premises. An association that owns or controls common areas fits that definition.
§ 51-3-22, -23Reduced duty when access is free
An owner who allows recreation, including hunting, without charge owes no duty to keep the land safe or to warn of dangers, doesn't promise the land is safe, and isn't made responsible for injuries the users cause.
§ 27-3-1(e)Hunting-specific protection
Any owner or lessee who gives a person permission to hunt receives the same civil-liability protection, with or without charge, even when the land isn't open to the public.
§ 51-3-25, -26Where protection stops
It doesn't cover a willful or malicious failure to guard or warn against a known, hidden danger. Hunters also stay responsible for their own negligence.
For your board: our service is free, so the HOA isn't charging anyone for access, and written permission documents that § 27-3-1(e) applies. Boards should still confirm with the association's insurance agent and attorney before approving a program. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Board checklist
Before you vote
Bring these to the meeting where the board considers a program.
- ☐ Review the HOA declaration, bylaws and any rules on hunting or weapons on common property.
- ☐ Confirm city and county rules on firearm discharge and archery for your area.
- ☐ Ask the association's insurance agent to confirm coverage for recreational and hunting use.
- ☐ Have the association's attorney review the permission form.
- ☐ Identify common areas large enough for safe archery, away from homes, trails and roads.
- ☐ Decide how residents will be notified and how lots can opt in.
- ☐ Inspect for hazards on common property, such as old structures, wells and steep drop-offs, and fix or mark them.
- ☐ Consider a DMAP cooperative. Adjacent properties can combine acreage to qualify for Georgia DNR biologist support. DMAP is run by the state, so contact Kevin Rose, DNR's DMAP Supervisor, at 706-318-0823 or kevin.rose@dnr.ga.gov for details. See our DMAP guide.
Common questions
What residents ask
CostWhat does it cost the HOA?
Nothing. The service is free to the association and to residents.
SafetyIs it safe near homes?
In dense areas we use archery only, from elevated stands, with set hours and boundaries kept away from homes, trails and roads, and within local ordinances.
ConsentWill hunters be on my lot?
Only if you sign a permission form. HOA permission covers common areas only.
VenisonWhat happens to the deer?
The meat is donated through Georgia Hunters for the Hungry to feed Georgia families in need.
ResultsHow will we know it's working?
We share a harvest summary each season. Many communities also track browse damage or run camera surveys, as Peachtree Corners does each year.
Bring this to your next board meeting
Call 404.312.0368 or request a free community assessment. Choose "Neighborhood / HOA" on the form.