Georgia Considers Allowing Drone Hunting of Feral Hogs

New legislation would permit the use of unmanned aircraft to track and hunt wild pigs without a license.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 9:15am

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The Georgia House of Representatives is considering a bill, House Bill 946, that would allow residents to hunt feral hogs using drones. The proposed legislation would permit the use of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, to locate and hunt feral hogs on private property without the need for a hunting license. While the bill does not authorize the use of drone strikes or weaponized drones, it would give Georgians a new high-tech tool in their efforts to control the growing feral hog population.

Why it matters

Feral hogs are an invasive species that cause significant agricultural and environmental damage across the Southeast, including in Georgia. Current hunting methods have struggled to keep up with the prolific breeding and spread of feral hogs. Allowing drone-based hunting could provide a new, more effective tool to help manage the feral hog population.

The details

House Bill 946 would permit Georgians to hunt feral hogs on private property using unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, without the need for a hunting license. The drones could be used to locate and track the hogs, but the bill does not authorize the use of drone strikes or weaponized drones for the actual hunting. Hunters would still need to physically pursue and kill the hogs once they are spotted from the air.

  • House Bill 946 is currently under consideration by the Georgia House of Representatives.

The players

Georgia House of Representatives

The legislative body of the U.S. state of Georgia that is considering House Bill 946 to allow drone-based hunting of feral hogs.

House Bill 946

Proposed legislation in the Georgia House of Representatives that would permit the use of drones to hunt feral hogs on private property without a hunting license.

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What’s next

If passed, House Bill 946 would need to be signed into law by the Georgia governor before the new drone hunting regulations could take effect.

The takeaway

Facing a growing feral hog problem, Georgia is exploring innovative new hunting methods like drone-based tracking and pursuit to help manage the invasive species. This legislation represents an effort to leverage emerging technologies to address an environmental challenge.