22 Hornet will do the job at that distance easily. My neighbor started his daughter out with one and she took 7 deer the first 2 years, all one shot kills, DRT. Bullet placement is key.
As she got older, she went to the 223.
She was 7 when she started.
We are not talking mule deer in ga...
When my current Lab was a year old, I took him dove hunting. By the end of the second day, he was retrieving everything on the field, and I mean everything. If you shot one and did not get to it before the dog, he brought it to my cooler.
It was funny as all get out!
I got into some Tundra Swan a couple of times in NC. Had an average size lab, and he had a hell of a time with the Swans. Got them in, but he really had to work.
Canada's were no problem.
Lab or Chessie. Canadas are BIG birds, and it you ever get into Swans, you will want a big, long legged Lab.
You can get by with a Boykin Spaniel for ducks, but not geese.
There is no charge for a harvest record in Ga. You can download it from where you would buy your hunting license..Get the migratory bird stamp and that migratory survey stamp while you are at it.
Gotta keep the bunny cops happy.