Georgia game and fish [Vol. 7, no. 2 (Fall 1958)]

GEORGIA GAME AND FISH
Published twice annually by the Georgia Game and Fish Commission in the interest of wildlife and for fishermen, hunters, nature lovers, and conservationists.

STATE OF GEORGIA

MARVIN GRIFFIN/ Governor

COMMISSIONERS

]. T. TRAPNELL, Chairman First District
]. 0. BowEN, Vice-Chmn. Fifth District
RICHARD TIFT
Second District
MAYo P. DAVIS Third District
EDWARD E. McGARITY
Fourth District

GEORGE EAsT
Sixth District
W. B. ( BILL) AusTIN Seventh District
ALVA J. HOPKINS
Eighth District
c. FRED }ONES, }R.
Ninth District
LuKE L. CoucH, Secretary Tenth District

} AMES GOETHE
Coastal Area

FULTON LOVELL/ Director
DIVISION CHIEFS
GEORGE C. MooRE ____Game Management, Enforcement BoB SHORL _____________ _Education and Information
FRED J. DICKSON _______ ___________ Fish Management
HowARD ZELLER __________Dingell-]ohnson Coordinator JACK CROCKFORD _______Pittman-Robertson Coordinator ToM SANDERS ___________ _____________________ License CLAUDE McGAHA _____________________Communications DAVID GouLD ___________________ ___Coastal Fisheries VENNIE M. ]O NES _______ _____________ ____ Bookkeeping GLORIA GRIFFIN ________ ________________ ___ Personnel

IN THIS ISSUE

Director Speaks

3

Governor Griffin on Conservation

4

Governor-Nominate Vandiver on Conservation 5

What Is a Hunter?

6

Canada Geese

8

Science vs. Screwworms

10

Georgia's Deer Herd-Past, Present, Future 13

Conservation-a Challenge

14

Jack of All Trades . . .

16

Fire Ant-Friend or Foe?

18

Season and Bag Limits

21

Fair Exhibit . .

22

Rodgers Named Miss Game and Fish

25

Four Rangers Retire . . . . . .

26

Palmer Named Enforcement Chief

26

Reaching Outdoors

27

COVER PAGES
FRONT COVER-Canadian Geese are perhaps the most beautiful of oil waterfowl specie. They're increasing annually in Georgia. See story on poge 8.
BACK COVER-Redtail Howks are not always VICious. These youngsters look harmless enough at the age of three weeks. Photographer Glynn Worley captured this scene near Tignall.

EDITORIAL OFFICES-404 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia

BoB SHORT, Editor

GLYNN V. WORLEY, Photographer

BILL ATKINSON, Assistant

NANCY RoDGERS, Circulation

FISHING EDITION

Vol. 7, No. 2

Published by th e Geo r~ia Ga me a nd Fish Commission . 412 Stat e Ca pitol. Atl anta. Geo rgia. in th e In te rest of Georgia wild life a nd f or fi she rme n . h unt-
ers. nature lo,ers and conservation of natural r esources . Th er e Is no subsc rip tio n fee-this pu blication Is fr ee a nd is pa id for br th e purr h ase or fi shing and huntln~ licenses. Please notify us at once of any change of a ddress . Content s of this magazine may be reprint ed wi th proper credi t. This publi cation welcomes pictures, drawings, stories and articles dealing with outdoor s ubjects for consideration. Xo contributions wilt be returned
unless solicited by authorized party representlne; Game & Fish Commission and accompanied by sufficient postage. Entered as third class postage.

Editorial

Outlook for Hunters in Georgia

By F ULTON LOVELL

Deer are many different things. To farmers, they are worrisome creatures that help themselves to crops ... to sportsmen, they are a challenge, a trophy ... to the youngsters, the artists, the students of nature, they are a thrill, a picture of beauty, a living symbol of our wildlife heritage.

There are three basic requirements for deer. They need food. They also need cover (shelter). They must have protection (from illegal hunting, predators, etc.). Given all these things, deer can replenish themselves de sp ite h eavy hunting pressures.

CAHRYING CAPACITY

Deer range in Georgia

varies from dense, heav-

ily-underbrushed regions

FULTON LOVE LL

on the coast to hardwoodtype conditions in the

Chattahoochee forest of north Georgia's moun-

tains. However, one thing is certain in all types

of habitat and that is a given unit of land will

support only the number of deer for \Vhich it can

supply food and cover adequately. This is known

as "carrying capacity."

Sometimes, deer overcrowd the carrying capacity and the range soon becomes bare of food. When such conditions occur, it is necessary to harvest some of the deer in order to give the 1est of the herd a chance to eat and grow properl y.

Such a condition exists now on the Game and Fish Commission's Blue Ridge Management Area. That's the reason a controlled doe hunt has been set up for this fall. It has become necessary to invest in the future, to harvest a portion of the overcrowded does before they are lost to starvation and the diseases that are rampart in an undernourished herd.

SLIGHT STABILITY
~ature provides slight stabil ity in deer herds. In one way or another, a henl will be balanced with its food supply. Deaths must balance births in a stable deer population. If the range is improved through the planting of food patches or habitat improvement methods, it is pc 1sihle to
stabilize deer at a hi g h density. However, since more deer are born, more must die or he harvested in order to keep the population in balance with the food supply.

ANNUAL TtTRl\.OYEJ{ Annual turnover, (the rate at which death s are

replaced by l>i rth s ), is usually higher in areas with large deer populations. In some areas, the turnover may be as high as 30 per cent, which means the life span of an individual deer may be !"horter.
In 1857, Georgia's first "buck" law was passed. Since then, hunters have been able to harvest only buck deer. It has been proven through research (Dr. Starker A. Leopold, VIRGINIA WILDLIFE , May, 195G) that buck hunting only limits the max imum kill to between four and nine per cent of t he population. This is not sufficient to remove harvestable dee r in areas such as the Blue Ridge, where there is definitely an unbalanced deer-food ratio.
Georgia Hunters will again enjoy liberal seasons and bag limits, as well as success for most species. Shooting started with the opening of dove season on Sept. 15th and will continue until the last shot is fired at quail and wild turkeys in south Georgia.
DOVES Fin;t half of dove season was not spectacular due to the abundance of food, which did not enable the birds to group. Better concentrations, however, are seen for the second half.
DEER
This will be another good deer season. Track counts and other management tools prove conclu sive ly that more deer are found in Georgia than at any time during the past few years. The outlook is also good for the eight management areas which will be open for controlled hunting.
\VATEHFO\VL
The forecast for geese is about the same as last year due to little change in the goose population. Indications are that other waterfowl will be off slightly due to poor reproduction in northern nesting grounds. Bag limits have dropped on canvasbacks and redheads because of droughts suffered in the nesting area.
:\JAHSH HENS. WOODCOCK SNIPE
Litt:e change is forecast for marsh hens, woodrock and snipe. Shooting is <>xpected to be the same as a year ago.
RABBITS
The outlook for rabbit season, which opened 1\ov. 20. is good throughout th e statP. Bag limits have not changed from the us ual five north of Heard, C'o\Yeta, Spalding, nutts, .Jasper, Putnam, Hancock, Gla scock, Warren, :\le Duffie a nd Ri chmonel Counti es or th e usual 10 south of those counties.
(Continued on Poge 24 1

3

A MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR MARVIN GRIFFIN
As an outdoor sportsman, I have taken a personal interest in the recent growth of our Game and Fish Department. During my administration, I have watched the Game and Fish Department become a highly effective wild-life conservation organization with a yearly expenditure of over one million dollars. I am particularly proud of the notable strides made in the management of our game population in Georgia.
The admirable work of Mr. Fulton Lovell and the entire Commission in their survey and research programs and in the enlargement of our modern fish hatcheries and the many other wildlife conserva tion projects has set a record for efficiency and progress in the enrichment of Geor.. gia's excellent hunting and fishing reserve.
As Ch ief E xecutive of our State, it has been a privilege for me to work with the Game and Fish Commission in enhancing and preserving one of Georgia's richest natural resources. This is r eflPctPd in the fact that the sale of hunting and fishing licenses reached the one million mark dur;ng th (' 1~l5G-195 7 year for the first time in Georgia history.
As a hunter and fi sherman myself, I am proud of the many accomplishments made by the Game and Fi~h Com miss ion reflected in better hunting and fishing conditions throughout our State.

A MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR-ELECT ERNEST VANDIVER
It has always been my firm conviction that no state is any stronger than the strength of its natural r esources. Georgia's f uture industrial, agricultural. economical and recreational growth depends on how wisely we use our soil, our water, and our wildlife and fish.
As a boy in Fran klin County, I enjoyed many pleasant hours hunting and fishing in the fields and streams near my home. Indeed, my fee ling for conservation is real and I share with you the hope that all Georgians will continue to enjoy the many values of outdoor living.
During the Vandiver administration, I intend to fully support the continuation of progress that has been made by the State Game and Fish Department and assure you that I will utilize all avail able faci lities to properly conserve, preserve and restore our natural resources.
One of the first physical considercttions given to any area of Georgia by concerns desiring to locat e industry is th e available resources for industrial and recreational uses. There is no stronger attraction than clean water, abundant wildlife and good fishing to provide relaxation and recr eation to workers and tourists, as well as the people of Georgia.
Let all Georgians join together to provide our great State with a bigger and better conservation program and to keep our natural resources at the prominent place they have attained through the yea r s.
5

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) I
By BILL ALLEN
THE definition of "a hunter" changes for all men and women from their first experience with one.
On the lighter side, the young children of both genders first conceive of a hunter as the type of brawny, strong and courageous person who would rescue Little Red Riding Hood and Grandma from the mean ole Wolf, and the children apply this apothogem to their father when he dons the unlaundered uniform of Nimrod.
Then, young girls alternately hate and adore the vision of the hunter. Revulsion usually follows the first sight of a dead creature in the hands of the hoy next door whose flip (or slingshot) has scored.
After marriage, overwork, loneliness, jealously and pure cussedness may construct in the wife's mind a conception of the hunter as a guzzling, poker-playing, nasty-smelling, muddy-footed lummox who expects bear steaks to taste like filet a la Stanley.
This happens when the distaff helpmate is never checked out on firearms and no effort is made by hubby to take her hunting at whatever cost.
When he does, and she kills a deer (as Claude Kimzey's wife in Towns County does almost eYery year ), she will probably snort superciliously and annou nce: "'"'ell, so that's all there is to it ..."
This has neve1 happened to Claude, but it did happen to me when I found myself married to a modern Annie Oakley.
All of this is how a hunter appears. or may appear, to his femalefolk - unless the female folk are hungry and appreciative of the meat provided - usually at budget-crushing cost.
A hunter. howe\'er can be as useless a friend of the out doors as a forest tire. This is, if he is immaturt:, S('lfish, greedy, discourteous or intemperate.
The immature hunter has never outgrown the urge he had when he owned his first BB gun, to
(,

HUNTER?
Loved , Hated, Cussed, Discussed; No Definition for Today's Sportsman
Governor Morvin Griffin, an avid conservationist, adm ires harvest of ducks with san, Som (L), whi le Ro mm el, th e Governor's prize retriever, looks on.

Clarence Merck checks with Edgar Woodall before hunting on his form .
kill everything he saw- bluebirds, mockingbirds, chipmunks, chickadees, cardinals, brown thrashers and hummingbirds alike.
Selfish hunters will set fires deliberately to public or private land to punish someone they have never met for having hunted a place they have not had the opportunity to walk.
Greedy hunters will poach and drive away all the game they can in fear that someone else might get a shot.
Discourteous hunters will leave fences down, even cut them down deliberately, burn down trees without permission, and even after getting per-

mission to hunt a farm, leave without a thought of sharing the kill or even a thank-you.
Intemperate hunters drink too much, are careless aLout their Ligarettes and fires, shoot too much (their spoor is the punctured highway sign) and, iike the greedy, care little for game sex, reproduction or limit on the license.
None of these is the Hunter. The ideal Hunter, either through careful instruction by a parent or youth group leader or sometimes this is of miracle material - by special announcAment by Mother Nature in an early and beautiful outdoor experience, learns the true values. He co uld never kill a songb ird for any reason. He would never kill anything he could not eat, or by the death of which he knew, without opposing evidence, he would be saving life. The hunter is less interested in poundage and numerical superiority than he is in accomplishment. The hunter does not feel that he is "due" a limit of squirrel, rabbit, deer or quail every time he goes out every season,, and he does not raise all manner of Hades if he fails once or twice to get the limit, making all sorts of silly charges against all game protectors, biologists and forest supervisors. On the other hand, the hunter realizes he must depend upon his ability instead of on other people 's day and night labors, to the most extent , for success in the field with a gun. The hunter knows Ly rote and by heart the ten
(Continued on Page 24 )

A good hunter tokes only his shore and tokes pride in his dog.

IF there is anything more spectacular or pulsequickening than the V-shape of a flight of migrating Canada geese, few eyes have ever seen it. These majestic creatures are easily the prize of waterfowl and many Georgia sportsmen have spent hours eagerly scanning the skies for them during season.
According to reports from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Game and Fish Commission waterfowl biologists there will soon be more geese on the Atlantic flyway than ever before. Management administered by the Service has payed off during the past twenty years and there's a promise of increasing the population another 50 percent in the next decade.
Of all waterfowl, the Canada goose offers most
A Canada goose looks aver the situation.
(--

THE WATERFOWL PRIZE OF HUNTERS

These Conodo goslings will soon be sought by hunters who enjoy waterfowl hunting.
food for thought. Biologists have been able to determine certain characteristics of the bird, but none has succeeded in solving the mystery of the V-shaped flight. Canadas are the only member of the goose family that have nested in large numbers in areas now heavily used by man. This could be the tipoff as to the reason behind increasing populations.
Honkers, as Canada geese are sometimes called by hunters because of the musical honking that heralds their approach, are monogamous. Once they choose a mate, it is for life. After the death of a male or female, the other half of the marriage picks another mate and continues to raise familie s. They breed from the Arctic coast south to South Dakota and the Gulf of St. Lawrence and winter from the Great Lakes and Nova Scotia south to the Gulf of Mexico.
Canada geese are very suspicious and are seldom seen in timberlands. They prefer open grasslands and large bodies of open water where visibility is good and chance of ambush is slight. In Georgia, honkers usually follow rivers and light
Mama goose never leaves her eggs until her young ore hatched .

on sand bars, from where they drift, often far from water, to feed. Honkers' diet is made up of various types of grain such as wheat, oats and the like and grass. They are particularly fond of grazing and are often seen in open grasslands.
Unfortunately, few Canada geese stop in Georgia. The bulk of them take rest breaks in Delaware, \Vest Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, particularly in the Matamuskeet area where food is plentiful and they are given protection from hunters' guns. The few that do make their way into Georgia usually range around large reservoirs and rivers where food is available and their privacy is undisturbed.
A peculiar characteristic of the Canada goose, its tendency to return to the same feeding areas, makes it easily guided and managed. Several states have succeeded in building flock s by furnishing good feeding areas and protection. Georgia has a program of this type in operation on the
Around the first of April Conodo geese, like these, begin the job of repopulating their breed.
Clark Hill manageme1.t area. There, gras0land areas have been developed to attract geese.
\Vhen honkers return with their families each year, it takes little time to develop a flock and provide more shooting for hunters. It has been established by biologists that family groups of Canada geese remain together all winter and part of spring. They return to last year's nesting grounds together and, if junior and sissy ha\e failed to realize it's no place for "chillu n," mom and pop chase them away into a new life of their own. Most yearlings spend the summer in a rem ote location of their choice but when they r each maturity they ahva~s return t o the area where they were hatched and visit it each nesting season from then on. The Fish and Wildlife Senicc and cooperating agenc ies hme been able to find out these facts, and manr more, by the use of neck bands. which make geese more easily recognized while in flight.
(Continued on Page 24!

9

SCIENCE vs SCREWWORM

Atomic Process Key to New Attack On One of Wildlife's Biggest Killers

Ravenous Pest Under
Control; Deer Herd
To Suffer Less
SpACE age scientists are using a new weapon in their attack on one of wildlife's biggest killers, the ravenous screwworm. Sterile male screwworm flies are now being released in Georgia and Florida in an effort to wipe out the loathsome pest once and for all.
It's all a part of a new program to eradicate screwworms with radio active cobalt, a byproduct of atomic energy. Cobalt is a silver-white metal related to iron and nickel that, when made radio active, creates sterility in male screwworm flies upon exposure.
The agriculture departments of Georgia and Florida, with a ssistance from the United States Department of Agriculture, are spreading sterile male flies at the rate of two million a week from aircraft flying a pattern

Fronk Dudley checks temperature of meot mixture in which screwworm larvae ore rea red.
10

After rodiotion a meosureful of pupae is placed in ventila t ed box for storage.

proven successf ul in experiments.
The program operates on the theory that, since female screwworm flies mate only once in a lifetime, sterility in male flies will eliminate hatching of the eggs, thus wiping out the screwworm population perma nently.
Screwworm larvae live in the flesh of live animals and for that reason are a seriou s hazard to deer, cattle and swine. Although it has not been determined exactly how seriously the screwworm affects wildlife population, it is known that approximately 20 million dollars' worth of clamage is clone annually t o cattle and swine in the Southeast.
Screwworms have a recorded history in the United States elating back to 1842, when Texas had a serious infestation. Evidence has been found which shows that native animals during that time, especially bison and coyotes, were infested with the pest, but it was not serious until white man brought livestock into that area.
The first trace of screwworms in the southeast was in Boston, Georgia, in 1933. It was believed to be the result of the importation of infested livestock from the Southwest. In any case, screwworms spread very rapidly through Georgia and Florida and by 1935 were found in ever y county in Florida.
Deer are very susceptible to screwworm s, particularly during the fawning period and hunting season in the extreme southern part of the state. Gunshot wounds, scratches and cuts received from snags, brush and fences enable screwworms to enter the fle sh and spread.
During the fawning season, does are highly susceptible to screwworms and new-born fawns are sometimes infested in the naval region. Another peak period of infestation, to bucks only, is from the time he drops his antlerR un t il new ones are developed. TickR and insects also open up avenues for the bloodthirsty worms to find and explore.

Headquarters for the screwworm era di cation program is in Sebring, Florida, wh er e an old airplane hangar has been renovated and a laboratory set up. The new lab, which was official!y opened July 10, contains modern atomic equipment ancl all the necessary facilities to raise and release sterile flies.
The laboratory process consists of inducing female flies to lay their eggs on a special warm meat mixture. Once th is is done, the eggs are collected and transferred to moist paper before they hatch. After the hatch, the larvae a r e reared in special vats of blood and grou nd beef, then transferred to sand trays. From there, now in the pupa stage, they are held in air-conditioned cabinets to await irradiation. A Rpecial canister houses the pupae and they are lowered into an irradiation chamber and exposed to radio active cobalt. Irradiated pupae are then stored in a special cabinet until adulthood, at which time they are released. There is no danger in handling the pupae or the flies because they give off no radiation.
Phil Campbell, head of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, says farmen; can be extremely helpful in eradicating screwworms by inspecting livestock frequent}~; prompt l y treating all wounds with approved remedies: keeping animals in pens until wounds are healed and by reporting all screwworm cases to the local county agent.
Georgia's deer herd has suffered immensely from the effects of screwworms, just as has cattle and swine. Relief may be in sight if modern science can do what man has never been able to do-wipe out the screwworm forever.
.Tack Gilchrist, public relations man for the State Department of A ~riculture, says farmers can help themselves, other farmers and the state's wildlife population by keeping records of screwworm infestations among their herds and b~r u~ing approvC'd management methods to reduce the screwworm population.

Screwworm's Life Cycle
From top to bottom: Eggs, larvae, pupae and screwworm fli es.
II

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... PAST
BY JACK CROCKFORD
Pittnwn-Robertson Coo1diua tor
In 1773 a broad shouldered, deeply-tanned Georgian stood before a colonial j udge to receive his punishment for hunting deer at night with a light.
He neither winced nor smi led when the judge pronounced the sentence.
''Give him thirty lashes on the back," His Honor said. " \Vell laid," he thoughtfully added.
In those days, that was the sentence for "jacklightin~" deer. It was brought about by the Colonial Governing Board in 1773 and it was Georgia's first game law. It was also the beginning of a game conservation program.
In past years Georgia has had a good population of Virginia white-tail deer, Odocoilrus virgim'anus, especially during colonial times. The coming of settlers, however, brought on complications for excessive clearing of woodlands for agricultural uses and heavy hunting caused a decline in deer and forced them to scatter and form concentrated herds in areas where food and cover were available. Such ch anges in terrain opened the door for sound and stable management practices.
Georgia deer have been classified into three types according to their habitat (Allen, Management of Georgia Deer, 1948). They are: the "north Georgia deer," the "south Georgia deer" and the "coastal island deer."
First actual organized management of Georgia deer occurred in south Georgia where plantations cared for deer to provide hunting for the owners and their friends. However, such management did little good because no effort was made to set aside ar eas of cover and food. Not until recently, when improved management techniques became known, did plantation manage-

ment really pay ofl'. Certain portions of plantations are now managed as deer habitat and left in an undeveloped state, thereby providing deer with the range they must have.
North Georgia deer are different in habits and ancestry from the south Georgia deer. Importation of stock from many states and Europe has made north Georgia a "melting pot" for many species of North American deer. The first real management of deer was in the Chattahoochee National Forest with the creation of the Blu e Ridge Management Area by the Game and Fish Commission.

... PRESENT
A remarkable change has occurred in Georgia during the past 30 years, leading up to the present status of our deer herd. While deer have come and gone during that time in local areas as a result of local conditions, the general trend has been upward. Georgia now ranks well up as an important deer state, and is only beginning to fulfill its ultimate potentialities in this respect. Thirty years ago, Georgia's deer herd had fallen to its all-time low. They were completely gone in the mountains and Piedmont, and occurred in substantial numbers in only isolated areas in south Georgia.
The re-introduction of deer began in the mountains in 1928, when Ranger Arthur Woody purchased six deer and stocked them on what is now the Blue Ridge Game Management Area. Deer stocking continued ~ n varying amounts and in 1940 the first hunt was held on that area. Other areas were established and carefully regulated hunting continued from that time. Today good deer hunting is available both inside and outside of the management areas in the mounta ins.
More recently, areas were selected in the Piedmont section and stocked with deer. Almost

without exception deer have beeome established on these areas and now native wild deer inhabit an unbroken belt across Georgia from the Thomas Seawell \Vildlife Management Area on the Chattahoochee River near Columbus, northeastward to the Clark Hill \Vildlife Management Area on the Clark Hill Reservoir. Hunting has been open on the Piedmont \Vildlife Area in Jones, Jasper and Putnam Counties since 1954, and record deer have been taken. Mea nwhile, other areas have been established and stocked, and deer have increased in many areas over south Georgia. In several local areas, namely in the mountains, deer have outgrown their range, and are eating themselves out of house and home. This is indeed a remarkable change in 30 short years since the first six deer were released at Blue Ridge.
... FUTURE
The future outhok is bright indeed. First, changing land use patterns are favorable to Georgia's growing deer herd. Much of Georgia, which only a few years ago was excellent farm game habitat, associated with intensive agriculture, has now become ideal deer range, as increasing amounts of land are going out of agricultural crop production. It is true that this trend does not favor quail nnd other small game. but it is fortunnte that the change fits so well with another important game animal. A ride through many parts of the state which were marginal farmland, now reveals ab<tndoned house places and advancing brushlands. Such a combination is ideal.
In keeping with this changing land use, our department is cnrrying out an accelerated stot:king program. As suitable areas become available, they nre leased as public shooting nreas, and stocked with deer to assure a breeding stock in nll sections of the state.

13

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J-\ C~IJ-\ttE i'l GE
All Life Depends on Natural Resources; To Use Them Wisely Is to Live Better

'Jflh en th e soil is gone, men must
i go . awl the process does not take
lon g . . . What has thu s happened ~
I
in northem China , what has /zap- : pened in Central Asia , in Palestin e, : in 1\ orth Africa, in parts of th e 1ll edi- : terran ean co untries of Europe uill su rely happen in our country if 1ce d o not ex ercise that ll'ise fore/ hou ght which should be one of the chief marks of any people calling itself ci uili:::erl..,
- Theodore Roose!'elt.

Good wildlife habitat means good hunting.

Good soil equals good crops.

Good conservation provides better outdoor recreation.

orestotion insures wildlife of better homes.

Squirrels depend on hardwoods {or food, homes.

.It lespedezo gives quail big boost .

Na t u re ha s many inhabitants , one of wh ich is sea turtle.
15

JACK OF ALL TRADES

Georgia Wildlife Rangers Are a Versatile Corps of Enforcement Officers, Public Relations Workers and Friends to Hunters and Fishermen

By J. l\1. NeSMITH
HOLLYWOOD script writers who clamor for action, drama, comedy and suspense would have a field day recording the life of a wildlife ranger. Maybe we're not as funny as Keystone Cops and maybe our perils are not as perilous as Pauline's but we do lead interesting lives.
Some of us lead more than one life. We are (1) husbands and fathers (2) public relations men (3) enforcement officers and (4) teachers and each life is a separate one.
A typical day for wildlife rangers (some people still call us "game wardens," although the name has been changed by law) usually begins before daylight. Most rangers get up early enough to awaken the rooster so it can ctow. After breakfast and as soon as dawn bteaks we are on the road toward our day's work. We may check fish baskets, fishing or hunting licenses; we may help game management personnel r elease deer or fishPry biologists with a population study; we may be called upon to appear in court or to speak to a civic club on conservation; or it could be that we watch a dove field, duck pond or investigate reported night hunting violations.
There's no doubt as far as \\ e're concerned. Being a wildlife ranger is hard, the plaudits few and the wages just barely. But despite the long and strenuous hours we mnst devote to duty, it's fun and all of us derive
I(>

(1. M. N eSmith is Chief wildlife ranger for th e Game a11d Fish Commission's Pm e JUountain District. His headquarters is in Jl,lanchester , Ga. As Chief of the district, he is wzdely hnozun as an enforcement officer, conservation teacher and a friend to hunt e rs and fishermen. in this story, Chief NeSmith reveals th e activities in the life of a Georgia wildlife ranger.)
pleasure out of knowing that we are helping the people protect one of its most important natural resources, wildlife.
When I said long hours, I meant thuse days and nights we often consume while "laying out" for violators we know will sooner or later show up. Other times we are called into special assignments and investigations which require night work- sometimes all night.
On a cold, bleak January night six units of the Pine Mountain district were asked by the commanding genetal of Fort Benning

to assist his range guards in a raid on night hunters, who were using spotlights and rifles to wantonly take deers on the Benning refuge.
The spotlighters were smart, there's no taking that away from them. They were entering the Benning refuge, stalking deer and, when range guards approached, escaping on the back roads through our own Thomas Seawall management area, which borders Benning to the south.
After a preliminary meeting with personnel from Benning, we made our plans. I stationed my men on all the possible exits from the Refuge. Benning had three radio jeeps stationed inside its territory. Three aircraft, L-19s, light, liaison planes, flew over the area and reported any suspicious autos, lights or movements for our men to check out. We had all two-way radios on the job tuned to the same frequency so we could communicate with the planes.
Lieutenant Sutherland, a tall raw Texan who seemed to love the animals inside the Benning refuge with a special sort of love, rode with me and together we supervised the operation. As usual, thete were several investigations which proved nothing. But there were some which helped us find a band of night hunters. A radio message from the plane said spotlights had been spotted on a small creek inside the Benning refuge. \Ve sent a wildlife ranger to check out the report.
"Nothing, Chief," he radioed

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Chief NeSmith and Sgt. Davis of Fort Benn ing ready to board plane used in hunting violators on refuge.

me. "Just an old man up her e making m oonshine likker ."
Another radio message from a pilot asked us to ch eck som e lig hts in an oth er part of t h e refuge. 'Ve did and this time it payed off fo r th e m en had spotlights, but no g un s. 'Ve fi gured t h ey had hid their guns to beat the rap and they had. They were caught as redhanded as a cookie-stealer with his mitts in the cookie jar but we cou ldn't pr ove a thin g. They said they wer e 'coon hunting; they had no g uns nor other evidence we could use against them. They had us and they k new it - no jury would ever comict th em on th e evid ence we

had. So, they g ot a way scot free. But next time t hey may not be as lucky. If th ey come back, we'll get them aga in f or we will sooner or later st a mp out a ll t h e nigh thunting in t hose t wo areas.
This is one exa mple of t h e man y acti viti eR of a wi ldl ife ranger . And who would have ever thou ght a qu a r ter of a century ago that "game wardens" would be u-;ing a irplanes to catch game
viol ators?
Speaking of the years gone by, I wou ld like to put in a word for the modern wildlife ranger. Used to be, the onh qualifications necessarr to bt'comc a \\i ldlife

ranger was a little political influence and a stomachfu l of guts. Tha t 's rig h t g uts. Ne r ve enough to stand up to a man who might sh oot yo ur in ~des out or beat you across t h e h ead with the atock of a shotgun. It's different today. Brute force is not the forte of enforcement. ' Vildlife ranger R must be more versatile -they must meet stiffer qualificati ons. bot h mental and physical, and they must have at least a high school education.
Like I said before, being a wi ldlife ranger is a privilege because if you are one you r ealize that you hme many talents. In short. ~ou ' re a jack-of-all-trades.

17

Friend or Foe?
Fire Ant
on
Hot Seat

Wildlife Experts Air Views
In Special Albany
Conference

The national controversy over the use of pesticides in the fire ant eradication program still goes on but the principals in the debate-namely conservation agencies and the U. S. Department of Agriculture-agree on one thing.
More time is needed to evaluate the effects of the fire ant eradication program on wildlife before any concrete accusations can be made by either part;\'.
Co nservationists have leveled blasts at the USDA deploring the use of dieldren and heptachlor in the eradication program. They say that the chemicals may destroy not only wildlife, but also the various organisms on which they feed and insects a nd songbirds which would ultimately destroy th e fire ant.
Much of th is cr iticism has been based on data obtained fro m Alabama, where conservation department surveys sho\7 that as much as 75 per ('ent of the wildlife populations in treated areas have been wiped out.
Th e Department of Agri cultu r e, on the other hand, has staunchly defended the program, saying that the fire ant is a ravenous pest that devours major food crops, preys on the eggs and ~otmg of groundnesting birds, is h azardous t o chicken and cattle and even humans.
I11 an effort to iron out some of the probl ems of the 'nHlication program in Georgia, t h e Geo r gia DepartmPnt of Agriculture, the State Departnwnt of EntomologT and the c;eorgia Ga me a nd Fish Commi -;sion sponsored an ope n hea ring in
J-:

Albany to air vievvs on the program and to attempt to create a feeling of harmony among the various agencies until such research data that would prove conclusively the effects of the program on wildlife could be completed.
Answers to many questions that have been asked by laymen were answered at the meeting by experts in many fields.
Here are some of the questions and answers:
Ho1u serious is the fire ant prolJlem?
"The imported fire ant is potentially a pest of major importance in Georgia," sa~rs Bill Blasingame, State Department of Entomology. "This is already the case in Louisiana. Alabama and Mississippi. The fire ant is capable of causing severe agricultural damage, will attack domestic animals and wildlife and by its sting can be harmful to humans. As a result of the eradication program, the necessity of living with this pest will be eliminated.
"So far, imported fire ants have been found in 46 Georgia counties on approximateb 400,000 acr es of land. Over 114,000 acres have been treated. All known infested acres have been treated in 25 of 46 infested counties.''
How z's th e program beiug carried out ?
" The two chemicals being used in the program, dieldrin a nd heptachlor, are applied two pounds of material per acre either by hand or aircraft. T he material is applied in granular form. which has proven less danger ous to wildlife."

Fire ont mounds ore commonly foun d in open o re os on d in most cases ore Io rge.
"Is th e emdication prug}'(un doing its job as far us eliminating fire ants is concerned?
Blasingame said that it has been estimated to be 98 per cen t effective in wiping out all fire ant co lonies.
H olt' do es dield1in and hep tachlor affect ll'ildl i f e?
So far a conclusive answer has not been given. Th is remains the bon e of co ntention between the two corners in the fir e ant bout. As a result, th e United States Fish and \Vildlife Service has r eceived an app r opriation from Co ngress to stud y the effects of the chemicals on wildlife and fi~h and to uncover some of th e facts that are nO\v missing.
\\7alter Gresh, regional supervisor of the Sen'ice, has promised full speed a head in the research. The public can be ass ured of the answ"rs when they are found.
The Georgia Game and Fish Commission avoided preliminary scraps in t he fire ant issue saying simply, "We must wait and see." Director Fulton Lovell very wisely avoided the fight until more data could be obtained to give an insight on what the program is doing to wi ldlife.

Dept. of Interior
Clarifies Bait Rules
Clarifying cha nges in basic waterfowl regulations, inc lu d ing the definition of "baiting" and "baited areas," have been announced by th e Department of the Interior.
The r Pvi sed regulations also require commercial picking establishments to keep records of the migratory game birds they process. The revisions contain a prohibition against tran sporting or possessing live m igratory game birds by perso ns without permits.
Ofllcials of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, U. S. Fish and Wi ldlife Service, dec lare that the pr ohibition against transporting live migratory game birds without permit is a necessary enforcement measure. They see as an example the tendency to build up captive flocks and then use these flocks and the feed distributed for the fiock s for decoy purposes.
Experience has also shown, they sa id, that enforcement wi ll be more effective if commercial pickers have the same reporting requirements now in effect for co ld storage and locker plants.
Here is the revised definition of "baiting" and "baited areas":
"As used in this subparagraph, 'baiting' shall mean the placing, exposing, depositing, di stributing or scattering of shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed so as to constitute for such birds a lure, attraction or enticement to, on or over any area wher e hunters are attempting to take them; and 'baited area' means any area where shelled, s hucked, or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, sa lt or any other feed whatsoever capable of attracting such birds is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed or scattered. Nothing in this s ubparagraph sha ll prohibit t he taking of such birds over sta nding cro ps, Hooded sta nd ing crops (including aquatics), flooded harvested croplands, g rain crops properly shocked on the field where grown, or g r a ins fo und scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural harvesting.
The Commission's game management division has co mpleted one r esea r ch project into the possible lasting effects of the insecticides on wildlife a nd more proj ects will be carried out in the future.
While the meeting in Albany did not answer all the questions, it did make the Yarious agencies repre::;ented aware of thP fact that a joint re:-;ea rch efl'ort is needed as opposed to seve ral indPpendent agencies all crying for the same thing.
19

Georgia Rates High in Commercial Shooting Preserves

Fourteen commercial shooting preserves opened on Oct. 1 for a six months season on pen-raised pheasants, bobwhite quail, chukar partridges, mallards and corturnix quail.
The preserves in operation in Georgia are rated in the top 25 in America by the Sportsman's Service Bureau, an organization of shooting arms and ammunition manufacturers.

The following preserves will be open during the coming season :
Mike's Quail Preserve, Dacula, Ga. \Villiams Shooting Preserve, 1093 Columbia Dr., Decatur, Ga. Briar Creek Hunting Lodge, Thomson, Ga. Hutchins Hunting Preserve, Lithonia, Ga. Jones Hunting Preserve, Alma, Ga.
.. , .....

',..

' l
~

~. ' ;l' ""

~ 1

Georgia Shooting Preserves furnish guides, dogs far all hunters.
Although most of Georgia's 14 preserves are still in their infancy, lodges, fishing ponds and boats a re available to sportsmen. Both resident and non-resident hunting licenses are available at all pr eser ves.
Hunters are cha r g ed a fee for shooting on these preserves, usually at a per day rate or according to thP number of birds bagged .
All of tlw'"'" places fur ni sh dogs and guides and many prt>:-i( rn" furnish trans portation and facili1i(s to dns:-- ),aggl'd birds.
<:1'< 1rgia llU\\ lws more commercial preserves tha11 ~lilY Soutlw:tskrn state. T hey are located in all st>dions of tht -tat< and are conve nient t o most major population unt<'l'~.

Pheasants and Quail are most papular birds on commercial Shooting preserves.
McNatt Shooting Preserve, Uvalda, Ga. Pinevale Quail Preserve, RFD No. 1, Millen, Ga. Eel Fulcher's Preserve, 212 E. 8th St., Waynesboro, Ga. Riverview Shooting Preserve, TIFD No. 1, Camilla, Ga. Griffin Lakes, Inc., P.O. Box 834, Savannah, Ga. Hall's Shooting Club, Barton Road, Acworth. Ga. Log Cabin Hunting Preserve, TIFD No. 3, 1\Iilledgeville, Ga. Pratt's Shooting Preserve. Lithonia, Ga. North Georgia Shooting Preserve, Commerce. Ga. Services and rates may ue obtained by writing each preserve and requesting information.

1958-59 GEORGIA GAME LAWS
Stasons and Bag Limits

01' EX D.ATES (Inclusive)

Bear (a)

November 1. Hl58-January 5, 1959

Deer (See Below)

Quail

November 20 , 1958-Febru ary 25, 1959

Ruffed Grouse

November 20, 1U58-Janu ary 5, 1D59

Rabbits (b)

November 20, 1958- Febru m y 25, 195~J

Opossum (c)

Octob er 15, 1958-January 3 1, 19 5H

Raccoon

Octo be r 15, 1958-January 31, 1959

Alligators

June 4, 1958-Ja nuary 3 1, 1959

Sea Turtles

No Open Season

Squirrels (d)

September 15, 1958-J anuary 5, 195H

Turkeys (See Below)

~IIGIL\TOHY BIRDS

Rails, Gallinules

Se p te m ber 10, 1958-Nove mb er 18, 1!:159

Ducks

November 17, 1958-January 15, 1959

Gee se (Except Snow Geese) November 17 , 1958-J anuary 15, 195!:1

Coots

November 17, 1958-J anuary 15, 1959

Doves

(See Below for Split Season)

W oodcock

Decem ber 12, 1958-January 20, 1959

Wilson's Snipe

Dece mber 5, 1958-Janua ry 1, 1959

T RAI'PING SEASONS

Fox

November 20, 1958-February 25, 1959

l\Iink

Nove mbe r 20, 1958- F ebruary ~)v-, 1959

l\Iu skrat

November 20, 1958-February 25, 1959

Skunk

November 20, 1958-F'ebruary 25, 1959

Opossum

November 20, 1958-February 25, 1959

Raccoon

November 20, 1958-February 25, 1959

Beaver and Otter (e)

Novem ber 20, 1958-February 25, 1959

D"\ILY BAG Lll\IITS
No Limit

WEEKLY BAG l'OSSESS IO:\

LDIITS

LI:\IITS

12

30

3

3

10

No Limit

No Limit

No Limit

10

10

15

30

4

8

2

4

10

10

10

10

8

8

8

8

No Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit No Limit No Lim it No Limit

EXCEI'TIOXS
(a) - The following cou nties wh ich have no open season : Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Da\\ son, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, H abersham, Lumpkin, Murray, Pickens, Rabun, Stephens, T owns, Union, Walker, White, Whitfield.
(b)-Bag limits 5 rabbits daily north of following counties: H eard, Coweta, Spalding, Butts, Jasper, Putnam, H ancock, Glascock , W arren, :\IcDuffie, Richmond.
(c)-Coweta County only sea so n opens Oct. I, 1957, ends Jan. 31, 195~:~ . N o limit.
(d) - Season for all counties so uth o f, but n ot including, C arro ll, Douglas, Fulton, De Kalb, Rockdal e, Walto n , Oco n ee, Ogletho rp e, Wilk e" and Linco ln, will he No\', 1, 1957-Jan. 5, 195:,;. Bag limits , 10 daily, 10 weekly.
(e) - Except all counties north of and including Carroll, Fulton, DeKalb, \Valton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Wilk es a nd Lincoln are closed to the trapping of Beaver and Otte r. Trappers must r<>port to Gam< and Fish Commission number of hides s hipped.
Paulding and P o lk Cou nties-Nov. 5, 6, 7. Bag limit-One buck per season. D ogs proh ibit<<!.
NOVEMBER 5, 195 ~ -NOVEI\Il!ER 20, 195.'- Ba ldwin, Butts, Chattooga, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, H abersham, H ancock , .Jasper, .Jonts, Lumpkin, ~.! o n roe, ;\I urra y, * Picken s, Putnam, Rabun , Stephen", T owns, Union, walk er, Whit<" .
Bag limit is Oil<' buck p er season. Dugs prohibited. *1! 11 of l' ickcns Coun ty ,,.,st of Groruia ll iui"''"Y So. 5, zl'lnch runs north from Ua/1 (;round through Jaspr towurd Ell i)a y, ;,, clos< d. ,111 of r;hattooga and Walk er Countis cast oj C, S. ll lg lnNl!f :!7, which runs Jrom Rome to Summerville north throuuh lAzFaycttr, is also closnl to deer hunting. Chandler County's season is December 15, 22 and 2\l only. Ba~ limit is one p er person.

NOVEMBEH ! , 1958-JANUARY 5 , 19 59-The following cou nties are open t o the taking of <leer: Appling, Atkinson, flacon, Baker, Ben Hill, Be rrien , Blakely , Brantley , Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Deca tur, Dodge , Dooly Dough e rt y Early, Ech o ls, Effing ham, Emmanuel, F:vans, Glascoc k, Glynn , Grady , Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins , Johnson, Lani<>r, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, L on g , L owndes, Marion, Mcintos h, Miller, Mitchell, 1\I u ntgomny, *1\luscogee, *Pi<>rce, Pul aski, Quitman, Handolph, Screv e n, Seminole, *Stewart , Sumter, T attnall, T <>lf a ir, T e rrell, Thomas, Tift, T oombs, Treutl<>n, Turner , Twiggs, \V ar<>, Wa s hington, Wayn<, Wthster , Wl1<'eler , Wilcox, Wilkinson.
Bag limit is two huck s ner season. f,';rccp t thr Thom as Sraw,ll U efugc , uhiclt is closrd.
:\IOU{:\'1:\'G DO\'ES
Seasou s on :\lourning Do ves will lw split. Fi rst half open" Sept. 1:i, l!l5H, and clos<>s Ort. 1,195. S<cond ha lf co mm ences D ec. :!, 1\l.'i~. and e nds Jan. 15, 195\l. Bag limit is 10 hird s. Shooting is permitt<'d from 12 noon unti l su nset.
WILD TPW\EYS
Sea~on on Wild 'fu rkl'YS will b e Nov. I, 1!J5R, throu~h .Jan. 5, 1\lfJ!l, in tlw following countie~: An pling, Atk in Hn, Baron, Urantl<"Y, Bryan, Bulloch, Camd<>l, Ca ndler, Charlto n, Chatham, Clinch, Coif<"<', Echols, btli n~ham, E\'an", Glynn, J eff ])avis, Lanier, Lib<rty, Long, Lowndes, ~lrlntlJ~h. ~lunt~omPry, l'iercl.', Scrt\tn. T attnall, T t>lfair, T<Hmhs, Wan, \1/ ayne a nd \V h<"ekr. Bag limit i~ two p er "''ason.
Stason on W ild Turk eys will b, l"ov. 20, 1951-\, throu~h F<"b. 25, 1!!5!!. in tlw followin~ counties: Baker , !!ton Il ill, !ltrri<"n, BrooJ..s, Calhoun, Chattahoochee, Clay, r,.,]quitt, Cook, Cri"p, llecatur, Dooly, Dou~herty, Early, Grady, I rwin, Lt'<', :\la con, ~!arion, !llill<>r, ~IIt clwll, :\lu"co~<<. (Juitrnan, H andolph, Schley, S<"min<>l<. Stewart, Sumt..r, 'rl'rrell, Tift. Thomas. T urrwr, \\' ~b~ttr, Wilcox and W orth. Bag limit is two per p"r"on.
Th< Thoma :-> S(H\\t~ll H.c>fu~< in Mu scogee, Chnttahoochtt urttl St(wart \viii not he oven.
Th( nnHUtHhr of the State i:-; <'lo:-.('tl <.ntirely.

21

Scenes fro

exhibits
The Game and Fish Commission's wildlife exhibit, an annual presentation at the Southeastern, State and Coastal Empire fairs, was one of the most popular on the grounds. Pictured on these two pages are the variety of animals fair-goers saw in the exhibit.
The life of a skunk is not a pleasant one. In fact, his was short lived because he was eaten by the owl during the Southeastern Fair.

Old Gus, the bear, is annually the mast papular of all fair animals. Ranger Tam Smith, his keeper, was always nearby--especially at feeding time.

"Haaty" Owl turned aut to be the bigget story of the Southeastern Fair. His hearty appetite lead to his eating the skunk and national headlines.

TECHNIQUE Tt..TRING D

White tail deer, Georgia's only big game animal, were brought in from throughout the state especially for the exhibit.

Jack Crockford's display of his dart technique for capturing deer aroused many questions from people who attended the fair. The gun, the dart and t he drug was all a part of the display.

The entire exhibit was built around this waterfall, which was the center of attraction. Beneath the falls was a model lake, complete with bass, bream, shellcrackers and minnows.
Despite their hideous appearance, the six different types of Georgia snakes on display got a second look from everyone.

The sight of a bobwhite quail never fails to quicken the pulse of every Georgia hunter. Amid bicolor lespedeza and annual food and cover, the most papular game bird in the state was a crowd pleaser.
The mysterious night prowler, Mr. Raccoon, put on quite a show, especially during mealtime. Here, he carefully washes his food before sitting down for a good meal.

What Is a Hunter?
(Continued from Page 7 )
commandments of gun safety and teaches them to his wife, children and to everyone with whom he hunts - before he goes with them.
The hunter never wastes meat, never kills more than he and his friends can enjoy and takes great pains and care -and great delight -in cleaning and preparing game for his family.
The hunter who owns a hunting dog cares more for the dog's performance than he does for the death of his quarry. He rarely brags about his killing ability, because he doesn't have to. and is not the most important thing in his hunting e x p e r ienc e.
Like an archer or an Indian with a coup-stick. he would rather see how close he can come to his game before killing it than to gutshoot it and leave it to rot in th e woods.
The hunter follows every wounded animal or bird to the last chance to return it to the game bag, feels that the retriever is more to be prized than any clog, and is sick when he leaves a wounded bird to die.
Finally, the hunter is self-reliant, a lover of even the tracks left by his quarry, delighted at the sight of Jenny quail and her little 'uns, feels a pang of excitement at the dappled fla sh of a fawn's flank. admires t he king snake and all other protectors of wildlife habitat and protect s them with knowledge.
The ideal hunter can be identified by the longing in his eves on the first frosty morning. by the laughter on his lips when his puppy burst s through the first quail covey, and by the song in his throat when a campfire climbs the high ceilinged forest clark.
His one hope is that he can do some one thing during his life to leave the earth a bit more full of game for his sons and daughters, to see, if not to shoot, for to the hunter, there is a mystery which, in many cases he cannot explain to himself. Pursuit and longing search for the excitement of a single moment in the outdoors is his wont. Paradoxically killing is not synonomous with hunting to The Hunter.
Canada Geese
(Co ntinued from Page 9)
Hunting Canada geese in Georgia is a tedious and often unfruitful sport. P erhaps the best wa~' 1o fincl them is to float down a river. where occa:"ionall~ a hunter may run into a flock and get s('Vcral shots. It is possible to h unt geese from l>lincl:-; )llt one ma~ spen d many ho urs without results. Since tlwy are very observant a nd follow their "leader" witlwut quest ion, onl.v blinds offering complet e concealment are of a ny value.
'i

Outdoor Nevvs
COMMISSIONERS FORM vVA TER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE. The Association of County Commissioners of Georgia has formed a standing water conservation committee. Members of the committee are J. L. Spivey, Valdosta (chairman); H. G. McKemie, Coleman (vicechairman); M. L. Clay, Monticello; B. B. Joiner, Coleman; H. \V. Poteet, Augusta.
LICENSE SALES INCREASE DURING 195758. Revenue from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses increased $96,956.20 during 1957-58. Record s in the office of License Division Director Tom Sanders show that $1,125,585.15 was collected as compared to $1,028,628.95 for 1956-57. Georgia hunters and fisherm en bought 604,035 licenses.
NEW MARINE PATROL FORMED. Georgia's new Marine Patrol, composed of volunteers who are deputy wildlife rangers, is now operating on two lakes. Tom Moran, an Atlanta attorney, is commander of the patrol, which has boats in operation on Lake Allatoona and Lake Lanier. The patrol is uncler the supervision of the Georgia Ga me and Fish Commission.
SAFETY AFIELD \VEEK OBSERVED IN STATE. The Georgia Game and Fish Commission sponsored "Safety Afield" week in Georgia during the week of Nov. first. Director Fulton Lovell said the week was planned to focus attention on hunting safety not onl~ during Safety Afield \Yeek, but also throughout the hunting season.
Hunting Outlook
(Con t inued f rom Page 3)
QUAIL Quail hunting wa s exce ll ent last season and an equal season is the outlook for the one beginning Nov. 20 and ending Feb. 25. Quail expert Herbert St oddard of Thomasville h as said that more quail are evident now than in the past 30-ocld ~'ea rs he has worked as a consulta nt.
OPOSSUl\1, RACCOO~ Opossum and raccoon hunting got off to a good start in the Blue Ridge, Cohutta and Lake Ru ssell management areas, where small ga me huntin g was permitted this year during October. Elsewhere. t he season should be about the same as last year.
" 'ILD TURI\EYS A noticeable increase in turkevs has been noted in some sections of t he state, ac~ording to r eports from the field. Generally. ttnke~' hunting sho uld be good in southwest and southeast Georgia a nd spring hunters should pick up a few gobblers during the special gobbler season in north Georgia if th e Commission offers it this ~ear.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Sirs:
I started hunting when I was nine years old, which is longer ago than I prefer to publicly say, and ha:ve been interested in hunting and wildlife ever since. Between 1926 and my election to the Hou se in 1932, I served as Chairman of the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries and in that capacity one of my major undertakings was to try to bring back to Virginia some semblance of the quail supply we had when I was a boy.
Of course, I failed in that undertaking because vastly changed farming operations had made too great an inroad into the best habitat for quail. I experimented with the r elease of pen-raised birds and with the importation of wild birds from Mexico and both of those experiments were a failure. Perhaps the best thing that our Commi ss ion did during that oeriocl was to start the free distribution of Korean lespedeza to farmers willing to plant it. Eventually. \ve had that ty})e of quail food and cover all over the State. Later, there h as been som e planting of bi-color lespecleza which furnishes a better food supply but no cover.
You can well imagine, therefore, how delighted I was to visit a farm of Judge Langdale's in Georgia, wh ere we were able to put up, as I recall, some twentysix coYeys the first clay and eighteen or twentv the next. I never cou ld do that well in Virginia even \Vhen I was a bo~', although in those clavs I hunted on foot and usually. with just one bird clog. You can get over a heap of ground in a clav in a Jeep with four or five pairs of dogs to be run an hour each and hunted from horseback.
I warmlY commend the conservation ,~ork that .Judge Langdale h as clone in th e natural pro-

duction of qu a il and. of course, as a major timber owner he has cl one much t o see that Georgia developed the best State forest fire protection of most any State in the Union.
Sincerely yours, A Willis Robertson U. S. Senator State of Virginia
Dear Mr. Short:
I would like to pass a long the compliments of the National Rifle Association on your ed itorial. "Common Sense Afield Needed to Reduce Sting of Accidents," which anneared in the special hunting edition of Georgia Game and Fish.
As you probably know, the National Rifl e Association is g r eatly interested in t h e subject of hunting safety. I am not sure whether you are personally ac<lUainted with the details of our hunters safety course or not.
The training of young hunters based upon the NRA hunter safetv course has been the subject of legislation in quite a number of states. Some make it mn.nclatorv for a :voungster within a certain age bracket to complete such a course before he can secure his first hunting license. In other states a "permissive" type of legislation makes such training available, usually through the school svstem. In still other states a statewide program of voluntary training is being conducted, usually throu gh a cooperative effort by NRA affiliated clubs and sportsmen's organizations. Statewide progra ms exist through any of th ese three metl. )(Is and they cover pro babb more than half the country a s far as active hunting areas are concerned. Even in th ose states wh er e there is no s tatew ide program many clubs arc conduc tin!! courses in t h eir 0 .\'11 com m un it ies a s public se r Yic c.

Again congratulations on the fine information in your article. Here at NRA we believe em phatically in using every possible approach to reduce the number of accidents which happen each season in the hunting field. You, of course, put your finger on the "priceless ingredient" of any safety training- common sense.
Sincerely, C. Richard Rogers, Dir. Special Service Divison
* * *
(Editor's Note: We are very flattered, sir. and yom letter proves to us that our thoughts got an idea home. \Ve are vitally interested in promoting hunting safety to reduce needless accidents not only during hunting season but anytime. There is a great need for organizations such as yours and may we compliment you for service beyond the call in the battlefield of gun safety.)

LICENSE FEES

('0:\Inl~ATIOX:
Hunting and Fi s hin ~

$ 3 .2::i

FISIIIXG:

Re sid e nt

1.25

Resident Shad

1.00

Resident County:

R esiden t

1.:25

U nder 1G year s of age

None

Ove r G5 yea r s of age- H ono rary hunting an d fi shing licen:;es required

?\onresident

Heciprocal

).1 onr esi d e n t 1 Day

1.00

.:\on r esiden t 10 Days

3.25

::-\' onreside nt Shad

10.00

State seiners and netters

1.25

Ill r:'\TIXG :

J{ eside nt Resident County: Under 1G years of age

2.25 .:\one

0\'er G3 years of age Ilonol'ary hunting and fishing licenses required

).ionresident

20.25

.:\'onresident 10 Ilay or County 10.2;)

IWL'C.Il FISIJ IL\ShET:

Hesident

1.00

Palmer New
Enforcement Head
Director Fulton Lovell of the State Game and Fish Commis~ion ha~ named Cliff Palmer chief of enforcement.
Palmer, 36, is a native of Jackson County and has been employed by the Game and Fish Department for over 11 years. He came to the Atlanta office as enforcement chief from the Management Area District Headquarters in Gaine~wille where he served as chief for six years.
Palmer resides with hi~ wife Hazel and sons, Pete, Paul, Rex and Jeff, at 125 Brower St., Decatur.
Ranger \V. S. Taylor of Blue Ridge was appointed chief ranger in the Management Area District to replaLe Palmer.
Palmer succeeds W. H. Hodge~

I

Cliff Palmer (L) tokes oath of office from Director Fulton Lovell.

who retired a few months ago because of bad health. Game Management Chief George Moore served as interim en-

forcement chief until Palmer was named permanently to head the Department's enforcement division.

Four Wildlife Rangers Retire

Four wildlife rangers, whose total conservation enforcement careers totaled 58 years, retired recently from the Game and Fish Department.
The dean among those retiring is Charles H. Neeley of Covington, who served 21 years as a game warden and ranger. Neeley retired at the age of 68.
Next in length of service is

Frank Thornton, 69, of Athens. Ranger Thornton served 18 years as a member of the Plains District enforcement staff.
Ranger George Wiggins, 70, of Millen retired after a decade of faithful service and Frank A. Godfrey of Clayton, who is 73, hung up his badge and gun after a career of nine years as a wildlife ranger and manage-

ment area manager. Godfrey was the first manager on the Game and Fish Commission's \Varwoman Area in Rabun County.
None of the retired rangers gave any indication of what they will do as retired men, but it stands to reason that they will spend their spare time hunting and fishing.

FRANK GODFREY

GEORGE WIGGINS

FRANK THORNTON

CHARLES N EE L

B:v BOB SHORT
Edifo1, Grorgin Game n11d F'ish
THE PIPE O F PEACE

By BOB SHORT Editor
WHAT has happened to the rosy atmosphere, the congenial relationship that once existed between sportsman and farmer?
From the looks of things, it is dead. \Vhat's worse, little is being done to revive the kind understanding that once existed between landowner and hunter.
\Vhat has caused the misunderstanding? First, let us examine the case of the landowner.
Usually, farmers and landowners welcome those hunters who do not abuse propert~r to hunt on their lands. There has been too much abuse of late.
Too much hunting without permission ... too much damage to crops, livestock and fences ... too many litterbugs ... too many hunters too careless with fire. All of these things add up to an unfortunate equation: carelessness plus ruthlessness equals poor sportsman-farmer relations.
Now, let's look at the sad plight that has befallen hunters. Many lands that were once prime hunting spots now bear posted signs and are not available for hunting. This has caused sportsmen to congregate upon the lands of those farmers who are willing to let them hunt. Finding room for a hunting trip has become harder and harder because more and more private lands are posted against trespassing, hunting and fishing.
Then there's the so-called sportsman whose carelessness has added nothing to the situation.
A farmer not too long ago told me that some hunter pulled up his fence posts and used them as firewood. A year or two ago, a farmer near Macon reported some dead cows-the result of either poor shooting on the part of t mters or mistaken identity.
It is hard to blame a farmer who will not allow such destruction on his property. It is equall~ as hard to place the blame on a sportsman. who is only looking for a place to hunt. It is not hard, however, to finger a careless, ruthless hunter as t he culprit responsible for poor sportsman-fa rmer relations.

A good hunter is a courteous hunter. He always asks permission before he hunts on private property ... he is careful not to damage crops or livestock ... he is respectful of property and does not molest fences, crops and the like ... he is not a litterbug and is not careless with cigarette butts and campfires ... he aims carefully and does not shoot until he is sure of his target. Above all, a good hunter is a sportsman and a gentleman and does not hesitate to share his quarry with the farmer from whose land it came.
Good farmer-sportsmen relations can be restored, if both parties are willir.g to get together and smoke the pipe of peace.
* * * *
SHORT GLANCES OUTDOORS-For the record, 289 deer were harvested last season on the Game and Fish Commission's management areas. 100 were taken on the Blue Ridge; 61 on the Chattahoochee; 50 on the Chestatee; 35 on the Burton; 33 on Lake Ru ssell; 10 on the Cohutta. and 31 on the Piedmont. Eight fell victim to archers on the annual archery hunt on the Blue Ridge. . . . How much is wildlife and fish wo1th to Georgia? That's what a lot of people have wondered, so the Georgia Game and Fish staff stuck their pointed heads into the figure book and arrived at an answer.
According to the Department of Interior's national survey (1955) fishermen spend an average of $ 7~.49 annual!~ on fishing trips and tackle. Hunters average $91.~8. Mul tipb these figures by the number of li ce nsed hunters and fisher men in Georgia, whi ch is 575,000, and you come up with a total of $97,7:37,900. Almost a hundred million dollars!
And whatever became of baseball, our national pa st im e'? As more and more people turn to fishing, hunting, boating and other outdoor sports Abner Doubleday's game is vdlting on the vine.... :\Iilwaukee. holder of the National League attendance record, conducted another of those polls and found that more people prefer fishing than baseball. Long live the spirit of lzaak \\'alton.

iEORGIA GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
412 STATE CAPITOL BUILDING
ATLANTA . GEORGIA
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