HCWA wraps us successful 2025 hunting season

    (McDonough, GA – Dec. 5, 2025) The 2025 Hunting Season at the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) has ended following the completion of two Youth Hunts and a Veteran’s Hunt, which successfully provided both outdoor recreation for local families and wildlife management and habitat preservation for the Authority.

    The HCWA Youth Hunts were held on the Saturdays of Oct. 25 and Nov. 22, with the HCWA Veteran’s Hunt held on Saturday Nov. 8, prior to the Veteran’s Day holiday on Nov. 11. All HCWA hunts take place on the Authority’s Walnut Creek Land Application System (LAS) site, which has nearly 1,000 acres of protected green space used for spray irrigation of recycled water, where the deer population thrives.

    HCWA hunts are free of charge, with participants selected through a blind draw/lottery among applicants. In addition to the fellowship these hunts provide, the Veteran’s Hunt gives the Authority an opportunity to thank those from the community who have served in the military.

    These hunts adhere to the safety standards and harvesting limits under the direction of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, who provides oversight during the HCWA Hunting Season. Conservation through proper land management is one of many roles the Authority provides for the community.

    Following the 2025 HCWA Hunting Season, the adult-youth tandems spoke glowingly about the Authority as a host, including the excellent customer service provided. During each hunt, the HCWA staff transports the hunters to and from their blinds, assists with field dressing and processing, provides breakfast and lunch during the day, and even hosts a raffle for prizes, thanks to the generosity of event sponsors.

    Robert Bell, 14, was the last participant selected for the second HCWA Youth Hunt. He was an alternate after the lottery was conducted, but he received an invite following a cancellation by another young hunter. That fortunate turn of events resulted in him shooting the only deer of the morning hunt that day.

    “My hands were shaking, so it was a lot of fun,” says Bell, after shooting his first buck. “I enjoyed spending that time outdoors with my dad.”

    In addition to accompanying his son on the second HCWA Youth Hunt, as every youth hunter must have an adult chaperone, Bell’s father Michael also coaches his travel baseball team. So, with fall baseball season concluding, they turned their attention to hunting season.

    “My baseball number is 27, the hat I wore says 27, and I was in blind number 27, so I guess it was meant to be,” says the younger Bell.

    In addition to providing ideal hunting conditions for local hunters – participants must qualify as either a resident of Henry County or customer of the HCWA – the Authority’s staff also is providing memories for these parents and children.

    “The Water Authority does a great job of taking care of parents and kids during these hunts,” says Lee Smith, who accompanied his son Henry, 13, on the first HCWA Youth Hunt. “This is a nice setting for spending time with family and enjoying fellowship with others. Everything they (HCWA staff) do is first class.”

    Troy Walcott, who enjoyed watching his son Logan, 14, hunt the HCWA Walnut Creek LAS property during the first Youth Hunt, echoed those sentiments.

    “This was an amazing hunt, and the Authority does a fantastic job of taking care of these kids, from the safety briefings to the day of the event,” says Walcott. “The blinds are as good as can be, and you can tell how much care the (HCWA) staff puts into managing this property. They process the deer, the meals are always delicious, and this is a fantastic way to get young people into the outdoors.”

    Rick Kingerski is an Army Veteran who enjoyed both the Veteran’s Hunt as a participant and the Youth Hunt as his daughter’s chaperone. Kingerski lost his wife in 2011, so raising three children as a single parent has meant he values any opportunity to spend time with his kids, as well as other veterans. He’s been enjoying HCWA outdoor recreational events for years.

    “I mostly enjoy the camaraderie and spending time with other vets, so this event (the HCWA Veteran’s Hunt) is special,” says Kingerski. “I’ve also enjoyed the (HCWA) Youth Hunts and Fishing Days with my family. These are ideal ways to keep us all together.”

    In addition to the Authority, sponsors of the 2025 HCWA Hunting Season included the Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center and Henry County Outdoor Education Partnership, as well as Southside Sportsman Association and Hilsman’s Deer Cooler.

Photo galleries from this year’s HCWA Hunting Season are provided on the Authority’s website at www.hcwa.com.



The HCWA hosts its annual Veteran’s Hunt as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to those local veterans (pictured) who have served and are retired or active-duty military.






The 2025 HCWA Hunting Season featured two Youth Hunts and a Veteran’s Hunt. Participants in the first Youth Hunt are pictured returning from their blinds. In addition to transporting kids to and from their blinds to hunt, the Authority staff assists them with field dressing and processing.








(L to R): Ames Reynolds, 13, Steven Reynolds, and Carson Cook, 14, enjoy the first Youth Hunt of the 2025 HCWA Hunting Season.
















Participants in HCWA Youth Hunts are treated to breakfast and lunch, in addition to having a chance to win prizes, thanks to the generosity of event sponsors.