Georgia game and fish [Vol. 8, no. 2 (Fall 1959)]

GEORGIA GAME aJtd FISH
U,'i-.,C:ilSITY 0~ GEORGIA
DEC 12'59
HUNTING EDITION 1 9 59

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

STATE OF GEORGIA

IN THIS ISSUE

ERNEST VANDIVER, Governor

COMMISSIONERS

RICHARD TIFT, Chairman Second District
J. T. TRAP ELL
First Di strict
WILLIAM E. SMITH
Third District
c. J. OWEN, ]R.
Fourth District CHARLES L. DAVIDSO ' , ]R.
Fifth District

GEORGE EAST
Sixth District ]A MES B. LANGFORD, ]R .
Seventh District
ALvA J. HoPKINS, ]R .
Eighth Di strict FRED C. ]o ' Es, JR .
inth District L uKE L. CoucH,
Tenth District

]AMES GoETHE
Coastal Area

. New Plans for Chattahoochee

3

The Fabulous Blue Ridge . .

4

Bows, Arrows and Blue Ridge

8

Ducks on the Pond

10

Shooting's a Clean Sport

12

Boat Law Shaping Up .

14

Turkeys " Ain't " Human ...

16

They Hunt Deer with a Needle . . . . . 18

Public Hunt Areas Grow by Leaps, Bounds 25

1959-60 Game Seasons

26

FULTON LOVELL, Director
DIVISION CHIEFS CLIFFORD P. PAI,MER ~------------- - _ ____ Enforcement GEORGE C. MooRE ___ __ __ ______ ____ Game Management Bos SHORT----------- - ---- Education and Information
FRED J. DICKSON -----------------Fish Management
ToM SANDERS --- ------ - - -------- -- - - - ___ __ _ _ _License DAVID GouLO ____ __ _______________ _Coastal Fisheries VENNIE M. ]ONES ____ ____ ___ _ ___ _______ Bookkeeping GEORGE CREAL ______ _ _ _____________ __ _ __ _ Personnel
FEDERAL AID DIVISION
]ACK CROCKFORD ___ ______ _ ____ _ __ _ _Pittman-Robertson HoWARD ZELLER __ __ __ _________ __ ___ Dingell-/ohnson

COVER
Lovely, auburn-haired Betty Young takes time out from her busy schedule to get in some quail hunting at Mike's Preserve near Da cula . (Photo by Charles Jackson .)

EDITORIAL OFFICES-401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia

Bos SHORT, Editor

NANCY BELK, Circulation

Vol. 8, No. 2

HUNTING EDITION

Geo~gia ~vildlife fisherme;''ch~fr,t~ Publlshed by the
ers, nature lover s

Georgia Game and Fi;h Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georg ia, in the inter est of and conservation of natu ral reso urces. There is no subscription fee--this publication is 1ree and

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patd

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b

and y the

fopur r~.a.seT~.

~ubli~

.:d and hunting licenses. Please n oti fy us at once of a n y change of address. C ontents of this ma'gazil_le ma_y be reprmte<! w1th prol?er cr t.

nle&l

cation welcomes pictur es, drawings, stories and articles dealing with outdoor s ubjects for constderatton. No contnbut10_ns wtll be return u

solicited by authorized party representing Game & Fish Commission and accompanied by sufficient J.IOStage. Entered as t hud class postaa-e.

NEW PLANS /or the CHATTAHOOCHEE

By FULTON LOVELL
The Chattahoochee National Forest is one of the most popular hunting and fishing areas in the state.
Located mainly in 13 northeast Georgia counties, the forest is composed of 666,000 acres of woodlands, which provide excellent deer, t u r k e y and small game habitat as well as trout streams.

To sustain good hunt-

ing and fishing within

the Chattahoochee Na-

tional Forest, the State

Game and Fish Depart-

FULTON LOVELL

ment, in co-operation

with the U.S. For es t

Service, maintains a year-round program of game

and fish management in eight separate manage-

ment areas.

All eight of these areas are opened for controlled deer hunting periodically each year. In addition, three of the area s are open for spring turkey hunting and small game hunting is permitted on some of the areas when fea sible.

The 20 trout streams within the Commi ss ion's management areas are opened at specific times each year for fi shing. Thi s period of tim e, of course, is within the state's trout season. Managed streams are given consta nt attention by fi sh er y biologi st s and are stocked according t o a predetermined schedule.

Hunting and fi shing activity in the fo r est in creases each \'ear. ::\lindful of the increa se, the Game a nd Fis.h Commi ssion ha s proposed a longrange management which will ultimately eng ul f the entire forest.

The plan al so pr ovides fo r t h e development of pri\ately-owned la nds wh en suitabl e lease agr eements can b e ma de wit h la ndowner s.

\Yithin th e next 12 to 15 ~'ear s, it is the Com mi ssion's desire to ma nage t h e fo r est as o 1e large ma nagement unit a nd to eliminate t he special permit fees now cha rged hu nter s and fi.she r men.

Du e to man y probl em s, ma inly those of management, thi s plan cannot be placed into operation

overnight. It will take a co nsidera ble a mount of planning, sweat and labor, r est ocki ng. habitat improvem ent and g ood game a nd fi sh ma nagement t o accomplish the ultimate goal.
The plan calls for gradual enlargement of the state's present game managem ent a r eas a nd aclclition of at least six new a r eas.
For fi shermen the plan will a dd many new streams to the present managed trout strea m setup. Ju st how m a ny depend s on th e s ui ta bili tv of each stream for trout. Some 100 streams rna~' prove able to support trout popula ti on s. If so, these streams will be a dd ed without delay.
Here are the obj ectives of the Game a nd F ish Commission's Chattahooch ee Ma nagement Plan:
1. To establis h and ma nage a suffi cient number of new areas throughout t he forest so that game populations can be increased to huntable numbers in a ll secti ons of the forest in the least possible time.
2. To manage present ga me ma nagement a r eas in such a manner as to prov:de optimum conditions for game a nd t he hun ti ng pu blic.
3. To restock , when necessary, deer a nd turkeys on newly-select ed areas.
4. T o provid e a nd ma int a in sui table envi ronment for g a me on a ll ma naged a reas.
5. To control deer herd s to t he ca rrving capacity of individua l areas, mai nl y through proper hunting proced ures.
6. T o est a blis h sma ll ga me hunt ing program. wh ere desira ble, fo r a ll ga me management areas.
7. To con tinu e r esear ch stu dies and imestigations necessa ry to properly manage game reso urces.
8. To pr otect game resources from illegal hunting, predation and free-running dogs.
9. Tu co-operate with all inte rested agenci es and citizens of the state in th e management of game resources in the Chattahoochee Forest.
The Con1miRs ion fe els that th e hunt er s of th e state stands behind it in this efl'ort t o reap t he biggest dividend possible from tlw forest. Copies of the proposed plan ma ~' be obtained fr om th e Game a nd Fis h Commi ssion Offi ce. WI State Capitol, Atlanta.

The Fabulous Blue Ridge
DEER HUNTER ' S PARADISE

Small Game, Trout, Deer Flourish in North Georgia Mountain Retreat Of High Timbered Ridges, Jungled Oaks and Towering Pines

The best place to get a quick buck or fill ~our creel with trout is the Blue Ridge Management Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
The massive Blue Ridge, one of the largest game acres in Georgia, is rich in natural assets with plenty of rugged terrain thrown in for those who prefer untamed hunting and fishing.
It is the most popular of all state management areas. Last fall, over 1,700 hunters took part in the series of hunts conducted by the Game ancl Fish Commission. There would have been more if safety regulations clid not prohibit more than one hunter per eighty acres.
The Blue Ridge is a management area of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission, open to hunters who first make application and are selected at a public drawing each fall.
It is comprised of 38,000' acres of jungled oaks and towering pines with high, timbered ridges jutting up on all sides. Just a few miles away to the east is Dahlonega and on the western side lies the town of Blue Ridge. Atlanta is only about GO mi les away and the area is just a few hours' drive from any city in Georgia.
Game technicians say the Blue Ridge has the biggest deer population of any state game management area. In fact, there are so many deer that a special "anterless" hunt will be ordered for the fall in an attempt to reduce the size of the herd to the carr~ ing capacity of the land.
"There is definitely too many deer on the Blue Ridge," says refuge management project leader Bob Cannon. "The average weight of deer taken up there is around B3 pound s - less than on any other area in th e state. The food supply is running out clue t o th e number of dee r."
While this should be th e news hunter s ha ve been waiting for, it has game t echnicians working overtime for a solut ion .
"The only an swer ," say Cannon , "is f or hunter s t0 harves t m or e d ee r. La st year , onl y 11 h unte r s out of a hundred bro ug ht hom e a de~r. T h er e a r e pl e nt~ of deer on th e Blu e Rid ge a nd t h r> s uccess percentage is certa in b t oo lo\\, eons id e t"i ng t hP number of hunter s and th e a vail ab ili ty of dee r. "
The Blue Ridge, called Noontootly by some, was the fir st r ea l ga me m a nagem ent a r ea in t he state. For est lt a nge r Art h u r \\' oody, in cooperati on wi t h t h e Sta te De pa r tment of ?\atural ltesour ces und er t he di r ec ti on of Zack Cravp~ . obtain ed Pnoug h dePr from Asa Cancll(' l" in Atlanta

Small game hunting, comparatively new in the Blu e Ridg e, attracts many hunters.
Some of the state's best trout waters flow through the Blue Ridge.
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The Blue Ridge (shaded area) is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

and the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina to stock the area for the first time.
There is still evidence on the area of the holding pens erected by the State and U. S. Forest Service to make sure the deer did not high-tail it out of the area.
With nobody around to bother it, Blue Ridge's deer herd expanded from that initial stocking into what it is today - the largPs1 concentration of deer in 3~.uuo "'LTl's in the state.
Cood protedion and habitat improvement played an impor-
6

tant role in the expansion. At first, the area was protected by only a single game warden, working in the area when his schedule permitted. Now, a fulltime man, a devoted, well-liked ranger named W. C. Dunn, lives on the area and patrols it fulltime.
Ranger Dunn is a good source of information for hunters who wish to know where to find deer on the Blue Ridge.
Although the fall means deer hunting time, it must not be forgotten that some of the state's best trout fishing, turkey and

small game hunting is found on the ridges and in the valleys of this mountainous region.
During last spring's gobbler season, 139 hunters brought home 15 toms, a number which contributed to the record established for a spring season. The area's turkey population is growing, technicians report, and good gobbler hunting in the spring should continue. Turke~ hunting is allowed only during the special spring season set b~' the Game and Fish Commission. During the spring hunts, only tom turkeys are legal targets.

Game technicians say Blue Ridge has the biggest papulation of whitetail deer af any state managed area .

Rock Creek, Noon tootl ey Creek, Jones and Nimblewill Creeks combine to give the Blue Ridge area some of the state's finest trout fi shing.
In addition to the streams, the Game and Fish Department maintains Rock Cr eek Lake and Edmundson Pond for the exclusive use of femal e fi sh erm en , children and handica pped persons.
The s treams a nd lakes me open periodically f r om mwApril until Labor Day a nd fis hing is permitted to those who buy a s pecial per m it costing $1.00.
Small game h unt ing is a com-

paratively new thing on th e Blue Ridge area but hunters have far ed w ell during t he coupl e of seasons it has been open.
During '58, 73 1 hunters bagged a total of 38 rufl'ed grouse, 58G squirrels and 351 1accoons during small game hunts.
Archers, during their special week-long hun t on t he Blue Ridge, brought home 18 deer, the .argest total ever taken by the boys with the bows and arrows.
The Blue Ridge has been wPll managed. its abundance of game and fish pro,es that, but it is

still not w ithout its problems. For one t hing, deer will be harmed unless more are harvested. Then, too, it is impossible to catc h all the poachers and game hogs who vio late the law within the boundaries of the area.
But the future of hunting and fishing in the area is bright. indeed, according to game and fish biologists.
This is the report that will interest hunters and fishermen because more and more of th('m are enjoy ing their sport in thl' nlue Ilidge area.
7

BOW!
Comp scenes like this one ore common during speciol archery hunt.

.. '

Archery tokes time out for lunch during o nnuo l hunt.

Big smile like this meons only one thing -o cleon kill.

RROWS and BLUE RIDGE
If rou think bagging a deer with a modern, high-powered rifle is difllcult, just try bow hunti n g.
Bringing home a trophy buck or doe with th e help of only a bow and arrow is man~'. many times more difficult than bagging one with a rifle or shotgun.
Nevertheless, archery hunting is gaining fans so fast that man:v states h ave special deer and small game hunts especially for bowmen.
In 1950, the Blue Ridge Management Area, located in the Chattahooch ee National Forest, was opened to an.~hers for the first time. Thus, the bow and arrrow became a weapon uf the woods, just as the rifle and shotgun. Many deer have been taken during the special archery hunts on the Blue Ridge but, compared to the number taken by guns, it's safe to say the arrow is still an inferior weapon.
\\'hen it comes to stalking a deer, however, archers must know their business if thev are to enjoy success. Most archers show an uncanny knack of pursuit and ability to adjust "to their surroundings with little waste of time.
Every successful bowhunter takes great pains to bone up on his woodlore and habits of wildl ife. After all, who can bag a deer without knowing the habits of the anima l and where to find it?
The archer must be an exceptionally skilled hunter to bag his quarry, and must have the abil ity to move silently through the woods, being able to come within range of his \\eapon so that he may have a "shot."
Having all of the abilities necessary to be a top quality hunter does not necessarily mean that every archer will get his deer. Archers suffer from buck fever, also. However, once a deer has been stalked and the shot is at hand, a goo d arc her shows no trace of "buck fe,er." \Vith deliberate movements, he draws his bow; steadies his bow-arm; "feels" the distance; sparches the path of the arrow; then without uatting his eyes or flinching a musele, releases thr arrow toward its mark with a prayer.
The Blue Ridge Area offers e\ery t~ pe of hunting terrain th e archer desires. However, deer seldom follow the desires of the archer. The most popular place for hunting, th<' bowmen han found, are those areas where shots of onl~ 20 to :10 yards arc possible, and thPn onl~ with the possibility that fate will allcw an arr,)\v to earn to its mark \vithout deflection.
Ha\rk Mountain ranks No. 1 in the minds of most archers, but kills have been made in near!~ all section s of the area. Buzzard's roost, Frozen Knob, ;\1auldin Gap, Long and Frick Creek. and Springe1 Gap have pro,en to be as successful for some an:hrrs as an~ where else. An ~ flat or any fi eld offers just as excellent opportunities as does Ha\vk :\fountain, but the pref'ennce of thP archer is the only paramount issue that they consideL If ~ou are a good (Continued on Page 20 )
9

.... ~ .,
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Nesting Mallard
End of o Goose hunting doy
10

DUCKS 0~
Georgia has over 11,500 duck stamp purchasers. indicating an interest by that many people in duck and goose hunting. If one-fourth of these fellows will make some effort to HELP clucks, as well as shoot them, they will have a better state in \Yhich to pursue the web-footed quackers.
Georgia has ne\er been a major waterfowl mea -except in the coastal estuary areas around the Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha and Satilla River!'\.
During the rice-growing era, prior to and shortly after the \Var Between the States, clucks are said to have "blackened the sky."
Abandonment of rice culture permitted the encroachment of such non-producing plants at cattail and cutgra:o:s in the rice fields and though water continued to be held in the fields through the continued automatic operation of the old slaveconstructed ticlegates. rank vegetation hindered its use by large numbers of waterfowl.
Proof of the attractiveness of the old rice-field marshes for waterfowl, when properly managed. is apparent at S:nannah Ri,cr ?'\ational Wildlife

If Managed Properly, Farm Ponds Can Provide Good Waterfowl Habitat

"HE POND
By PARKER SMITH
Refuge managed by the U. S. Fish and \Vildlife Service, and the Altamaha area operated by the Georgia Game and Fish Commission. In addition, numerous "pockets" of waterfowl are found today in privately operated coastal marshes and ponds where food and open water are maintained to attract waterfowl.
\Vhat is wrong with the hundreds of natural and man-made ponds lying inland from the coast but in the lowlands of the southern part of the state?
Here water quality often enters the picture. In a majority of these ponds. acid. as evidenced by water stained a clark brown or black, prevents grocwth of aquatic food plants for waterfowl. \Vh er e plants are present , th er e r e weeds or grasses having littl e or no food value. These includ e alligator weed, maiden cane. pi cker el weed and plume grass.
What about the thousands of farm ponds and lakes in the Piedmont Piatea u of Georgia'?
A glance at almost any of these ponds by a

trained waterfowl biologist is all that is needed to point out their shortcomings-as far as waterfowl are concerned.
First, they are usually mana ged for fi sh and for that reason, water level fluctuation s a nd aquatic vegetation are held to a minimum. Secondly, many of them are deep bodies of water with a minimum of shallows; again for fish and / or irriga tion, stock water or other purposes; Third, a large proportion lie in wide-open pastureland o1 meado\NS, and marginal cover such as willow. alder, buttonbush, etc., is kept clear because of Health Department regulation s, and fo1 "looks."
\Vhy do the ducks dodge the big r eservoirs of the power companies and the Corps of Engineers'!
It's true that a few birds. mostly divin g clucks and fish ducks. utilize these impoundments: however, puddlers or pond ducks including mallards, pintails and blacks. shy away from these large bodies of water clue to the lack of food. R easons for this food shortage:
Management of these reservoirs are for the primary purpose of power and flood control. As a result, water levels are high in summer and low in winter. Drawdown usually occurs fr om July to December leaving bare mud banks a nd deep water to greet the migratory ducks in late fal l.
If the exact opposite were true, i.e., low water in spring and summer and full levels in f a ll and winter, vegetation wou ld grow on t he exposed lake bottom and would be flooded in la te fal l. Then the ducks would find huncheds of acres in the shallower parts covered in matured weeds, grasses and bru s h which would be loaded with tons of seed and s hallowl~' flood ed - a r eg ular "duck cafeteria."
Most power reservoirs in the state are located in areas which, due to their topography. ofl'er little or no m arsh , swamp or lakes nearby \\"here the du cks can go for food.
Basic to all of the vario us anas is the matt er of hunting pressure and the lack of suitable sanctuary t o whieh ducks and geese ma~ go \\"hen the ''going gets too hot."
\Vaterfowl tend to vi~it ~uch places as East Lake in Atlanta, the parks of major cities and coa sta l cr eeks \\"here human habitation makL:-; ~hoo tin g dangerou~ and certainly on the \\'ildlife refuges in the state where protection is the prime reason for the existenl'e of the area. This pro\es the value of protection in holding birds in a ghen a rea.
(Continu ed on Page 21 )
11

Shooting's a Clean

Billy Johnson gets instruction from Marine Sergeant Do n White ,
2

As su r ely as th e sun rises and se ts . parents \Yil l inevita bly be asked the question : "When can I have a g un of my own ?"
U nl e~s moth er s and father s are set with their ans wer, proba bl~' deri ved from searching r ecollections of their own youth, this query can easily throw th em into a r eal tizzy.
This neecl not be, if parents will follow th e same prac ti ca l g uid es \:vhi ch apply in ans\Yering most oth e r qu e~tion s which beg in , " Wh en can I .. . ?" Ma ny t im es t he an swer is, " Big enoug h - old enoug h,' ' provid ed yo ur 1Joy or g irl ha s g ive n ample evid ence of a willing ness a nd a hilit~' to acce pt r esponsib ili t ies. a n awa r eness of social oblig ations, a nd a r es pect for th e ri g hts and privileges of oth er s.
H ow do yo u weigh th e evid ence r cq uirecl to fit t hese prov isos'! Th a t 's something no man in his r ig ht mind ,,ottlcl cla r e tell a noth er. \\'ha t's rig ht for yo ur kid ~. th e wa y you settl e in tra- famil~ problems, m a~ no t be rig ht f or min e, and vice ver sa. H er e are a few qu esti ons a bout yo ur bo~

Good Training Makes Young Gunners Clear Thinkers

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port
or girl. Your answers may help determine your yo ungster's fitness to own and use guns.
If yo u assign a job, such as the lawn-cutting chore or basement-cleaning detail, does your son finish it satisfactorily in r easonable time without nagging and pm.;hing'? \Vhen yo u reprimand j ustly, let's :say fo r sloppy h edge-clipping or poo r personal housekeeping, will your youngster accept and act upon the criticism without sulking and prolonged muttering'!
Does yo ur boy or g irl select f ri ends you yourself would pi ck'! Can you count on your son not to ue th e lad alwa~'S b lam ed for uroken windows near t he pl ayground'! Do yo ur you ngsters most often stay in the good grac es of your I~e ighbors '!
Will you leaYe big s ister in charge of the house for a day, perhaps a week-end, while you and the missus visit some\Yher e four hours or so di stant'! \\' hen yo u do, can ~ou count on younger urother, say age nin e or old er, not to turn hi s home and yours into a shamule '?

Hitting the torget's importont, but Sofety comes first os Sgt. White tells Billy Johnson.
Are your children capable of caring for all their belongings'? Do they'! Their games, bicycles. roller ska t es, t oys'? Are they co nsiderate and careful of the belongings of others'? Not just your possessions, but the coaster wagon of the children next door, the rowboat of the family down by the lake, the commu nal baseba ll bats and recreation equipment at the town park '?
If your answer is a firm YES to these and similar questions, yo ur !Joy or girl is prouably ready for that first gun! If your responses are only halfheartedly positive, it might ue best to consider the matter another day, after putting Junior on notice what it is you expect of him before entrusting a firearm to his ownership.
\Vhen asking questions about your offspring, it's also wise to inquire, "Will I. as his parent, see that he learns correctly all he needs to know about gun hand ling and shooting safet\ '?" \\'i ll vou make certain he's trained proper!~:'! That he 'understands the havoc which careless, irresponsible actions can create'? After all, our children are our responsibility, even if the town laws don't say so in so many words.
For obvious reasons, Dad doesn't turn .] unior loose in his tool shop without careful instruction and close initial supenisiou. l\Iom doesn't put Sister on her own in the kitchen \Yith the mixer and meat grinder without first providing patiPnt. complete advice on thcit use. The gym teacher at sc hool never thinks of letting a class of budding athletes fend for itself among the apparatus and equipment without first bPing sun tach member can and does use the facilitiPs propel'ly and safe!,\.
Neither \Yot!lcl you, as a parent , open up the (Con tinued on Page 23 )
13

Boat Law Shaping Up

1960 will br ing a new look t o Georgia waterways as r evolu tionary as was creation of t he State Highway Patrol.
Imagine being arrested for drunk driving in the middle of the Wilmington River-or having someon e jot down the license num ber of your boat and report you to t h e police for speeding.
Well, it can h a ppen to you . It looks m; if t he Georgia legislature will pass a bill thi s winter which will create new boating laws, and set up t he necessary police force for Georgia's river s, lals and the three-mile ma rk in
' IH. ()('(':t 11.
This a" started with passage of a federal bill, the Bonner Act, giving the statPs until April 1.
!4

1960, to adopt their own laws regulating the rapidly increase in power boat traffic.
After that date, the Coast Guard will take over in all states where the laws have not been provided.
In Georgia, the difficult task of draw ing up a bill satisfactory to a ll pa rties co ncern ed h as been assig ned to Fulton Lovell, director of the State Game and Fish Departm ent.
Lovell says mos t Georgia ns agree t hat a stat e law must be passed. But t hat's wh ere the agreement ends a nd differences of opi ni on begin . T ha t' s wh y it is necessary t o have public h earings in cities throughout the state to determine j ust what

should-and what shouldn't-be incorporated into the bill.
Here are a few things which have gone into a lengthy bill to be presented to the next session of the General Assembly.
First, enforcement would come under the Game and Fish Department. Lovell estimates the first year's operation plus initial outlay will cost about $250,000. He says he will need 50 to 75 additional patrol boats, a s well a s 80 trained men.
That means there must be m oney from :-;omewhere. Lovell said the plan is for the program to be self-sustaining. So. the an swer is license fees.
The present bill, which has the blessing of boatsmen and th e

Registration, Sa fety Laws Must Be in Effect by April Or Coast Guard Moves in

By BILLY PARR

New bill will clearly define boating's "rules of the road."

Georgia \Vildlife Federation, calls for these fees :
Boats less than 16 feet in length , $5.75; 16 to 26 feet, $7.75; 26 to 40 feet, $10.25; over 40 feet, $15.75.
Operation of a boat under the influence of alcoholic beverages would become a misdemeanor offense. No persons would be allowed to sit on the sides or bows of boats which are less than 25 feet in length. Water skiing at night would be taboo.
All boats would be required to

have mufflers. License numbers would have to be marked clearly on the sides or windshields of the boats.
Speed laws present about the biggest headache. The game and fish director points out that small er boats can go faster than larger ones in some areas because of a less dangerous wake. Take it from there and you can well imagine that speed limits will not be as easy to establish on the water as on the roads.
There will also be plenty of

discussion on how small a boat must be to escape the license provision.
You don't have to go near the water to see that something has to be done to regulate the increasing boat traffic. Just watch the boat trailers go by on any highway leading from town.
It also seems logical that boat laws will help bring high insurance rates down.
It's hard to tell what shape the bill will take if and when it goes through the General Assembly.

Speeding regulations are always hard to enforce .

Thousands of Georgians enjoy recreation an the water.
15

Results of a Southwest Georgia turkey hunt.

I have often heard \Vill Zoellner, the Sage of the Mountains, say "when a man gets as smart as a wild turkey, he's too smart for his own good."
Perhaps Will exaggerates a little, but there's no denying the fact that the wily turkey, the real prize of the fowl kingdom, has made a fool of many intelligent men. \Vhat really makes you feel foolish is to stop and think what an egg-head you are for ever thinking you can outsmart 'em.
Yet, every fall a few lucky hunters manage, somehow or other, to become a turkey hunter fm li fe by wooing and bagging a pri ncely tom or hen in a secluded forest retre.lt.
Then there are those who shocked into a state of "tom fever" by the mere appearance of the stately bird, dressed in its brown and green attire, with bronzed wing-tips and coral-pink legs glittering in the mo rning s un. I know, for I have once sutrerecl such s hock a nd missed the first turkey I drew a bead on as a boy, simply by paying too much attention to the primal bird and not enough 1o m.\ husi1wss.
Wild tnrkt>ys an truly the prize of all upland game birds becattsl' thPy are keen of mind, sharp of <',\'t> and l'ar. sl~ as a detective, shy a s a school-
16

girl and sometimes as bold as Old McDonald's bull.
Their traits, plm; being unpredictable to the point of pure cussedness, explain why the bird is becoming more and more the object of hunter's pursuit.
There is a great deal of personal satisfaction in bagging a wily turke~r. The most gratifying thing - from a hunter's standpoint-is the feeling of accomplishment one gets from wooing- or clucking-the animal kingdom's most suspicious creature with a man-made device.
It is much easier to fool a tom in the spring, the season of mating, than it is during the regular season. Like many creatures with primitive ins tincts, both wild and human, tom turke~rs cannot resist the temptation of investigating the clucking plea of a hen. Thus, the unl-\uspecting bird can be lured into a trap b~ a hunte r, wise in the ways of the turkey call.
There are man y schools of thought on turke~ callers. Som e hunters prefer the cedar box t~pe, which is operated by hand. Others swear on the wing bone of a t urkey, which can be mad e into an effective call. S till others prefer the mouth-

- " - .::.-> ti -~ ':.;- ,~ :~ ... - ...

. '..:.,._

.~
J.'

Intensive management by the Game and Fish Commission has made turkey hunting a successful sport.

By BOB SHORT

type Latex device, which fits snugly into the hunter's buccal cavity.
Raleigh \Vood, an old-time turkey hunter and expert yelper from Hazlehurst, prefers the latter type.
"I can use the mouth-type more effectively, in the first place," he says, "and still have both hands free for shooting."
Like most turkev hunters who have been luck~r - and patient - ~nough to Lring home a bird, \Vood has his own theory on hunting.
"A man who has hunted turkeys over a period of years gets familiar with its haLits," Wood reasons. "But, even so, unless you learn as much as vou can about sounds of the LinJ and its surrou.ndings ~o u will never become a successful turkey hunter. Calling a turkey, although it is perhaps the most important phase of the sport, is only half of the tedious j ol) of baggldg one."
\Vood belie\es that the majority of turkeys are killed as the~ come ofl' the roost, earb in th e morning. Say around four A.l\T.
As \Vood ::;ays, calling the turkey is only half of the joL. The other half is to remain t.:alm and

qecJ-9i11 qatne 111ft/ ?iJA
OUTDOOR SPECIAL
shoot true. \Vill Zoellner, who makes his home in the woods of north Georgia, says as a youngster he "shot turkeys so far a wa~ that he had to put salt on the Luckshot to keep the meat from spoiling until I got to it."
Th = comeback of wild turke~s throughout the United States has been the suL.iect of man~ magazine and newspaper stories. Consenationists feel that turkey hunting "is over the Loard'' as a sport in most states. And, the experts agree that the southeast, with Georgia a forerunner. provides the Lest hunting.
Brantley, Camden, Decatur and Gl~nn t.:otmties, located in Georgia's fonsted L'oastal plains, are the four top turke~ area s in the state. llo\\en r , an increase in populati on ha:-; Leen noted Ly game
(Continued on Page 24 )
17

TBE Y BUNT DEE R WITB II
N EEDLE

Game technicians examine young doe as part of deer disease study.

A group of veterinarians, armed with needles and teRt tubes, are deer hunting in the southeastern United States for a ver~' unusual reason.
They are not looking for a trophy buck, like most hunters, nor even a mess of venison. Their goal is to find out all they can about the various diseases of deer and what can be done to prevent them.
The men, under the careful guidance of Dr. Frank Hayes, professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia in Athens, are the staff of the Southeastern Cooperative Deer Disease study, paid for by the Game and Fish Department of 11 states and the U. S. Fish and \Vildlife Service.
The study was born at a meeting of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners in response to the deer die-offs of the early and middle fifties and the very obvious lack of information on deer diseases and their causes.
Each state, including Georgia. contributes an equal share and. in return, receives dignostic facilities and basic research. A

Dart technique far capturing deer, in which this gun is used, is helpful to researchers.
18

Wildlife t e chn ician s wo rk oil over the stote gathering dato.

field team stands ready to move into any area in the Southeast to investigate any problem involving deer.
Research is clone on all diseases common to deer and any diseases that may be transferred from deer to domestic animals.
In early America, the Indian reigned supreme in this land so graciously endowed by nature. Roaming the woodlands and praries, little did they realize the vast wealth of resources about them. \Yild game was usually abundant and furnished not only food. but the string for their bows, their clothing, shelter for their families and even the ornaments and charms of their religion. \Yith the arrival of the white man, the reel man' s carefree existence was gradually forced into the past. Pushing across the Mi ssissippi into the grassland region, white man's advancing civilization marked the coming of the "Old \Ve st" and the great, gun-totin' cattle barons.
Recent years have br ought a changing agriculture, and vesteryear's row crop farmer. like the Indian, is being forc ed into the past and mu ch of the "cow country" has moved into th e South ea st. In m a n~ ways thi s growth and expansion of the lives tock indu st r~ in t h e South east has been paralleled by a

Dr. Bill Greer puts o sample of deer blood through field centrifuge.

similar emphasis and an increasing interest in the conservation of our wildlife resources.
\Ve have become conscious of the vast wealth of wildlife about us. The present abundance of game is testimony of the fine job being clone. But let us not overlook a very important fact. More than S5 c-; of toclay's hunting land is privately owned or controlled, and it is easy to understand why landowners hold the key to the success of future conservation efforts. Since farmers or ranchers mu st look to land for a livelihood, his deci sions may at times be adverse to maximum wildlife production. Certainly he is rightly interested in any diseases whir h can be transmitted from wild to domestic animals. and to what extent wildlife may serve as reservoirs or carri er s of di sease.
State and fede ral governments have invested heavily toward the eradication and control of livest oc k diseafes. They are inter ested in th e possibili t:-, of wildlife as rese rvoirs of disease. Recently the Ag ri cu ltura l Research Service of the Depa rtmelt of Agriculture sent a memorandum to each of ib state offices requ esting all available info rma t ion on brucellosis in wil dlife.
W hat will :-,ou tell the fearful farmer that comes to you

wondering if deer are giving his cows brucellosist or leptospirosis, blackleg or some other disease? \Ve mu st have t h e a nswer to these and the many other questions that have arisen in the past and that are likeb to arise in the future.
These an swer s mu st come from th e research dat a collecte d by field worker s in t he Cooperati ve st ud:'-'.
During the past year, there ha ve been no ma j or dee r dieoft's in th e South east. bu t there ha ve bee n se,era l occasions when deer were incriminated as carrier s of di sease fo r domestic stock. For inst a nce, in Arka nsas a n out brea k of leptospirosis in cattle last fall rai sed t his question. Althoug h present information suggests t hat deer probably acquire t he disease from cattle or wild hogs, the question remains: once infected. no deer spread le ptos pirosis? This is one of t he research projects planned for the coming :-,ear, and we hope to hme that answer shortl:'o'
A similar situation occurred in \'irginia, but here the disease was blackleg. 1n this case the economically sound practice of cattle vaccination relieved not only the threat to lhestock but to deer as well.
One of the first research projects was a preliminar:-, sune:-,
(Cont inued on Page 23 )

19

Alton Sargeant (ri ght) hangs 7 5 pound doe taken during archery hunt on Blue Ridge.

Bows, Arrows and Blue Ridge

(Continued from Page 9)
hunter, you can find deer. If yo u are a good bowman, the venison can be in th e pot . . . but not always.
For e ver~ hard-luck story the gun-hunter tells, the archers can top it. One such story occurred during the 1958 hunting season.
It was an archer's first hunt with a bow, although he had hunted with a gun for over 10 yean;. He knew the area, the ga me, a nd hunting was as much a part of his nature as eating an d sleep ing. H e a lso was fairly good with a bo w. but not an expert.
Having bef' n on a "sta nd " for about an ho ur a nd a ha lf, he d<'cicltd to move to lowe r g r ound , hoping- lo walk up a shot , but nwrv i1npnrtant. movP closer t o sidP ridgp:-; <tlld draws where tlf'C'I' wpre known lo pa:-;s. Five

minutes or so after heading down hill, he saw a deer and a fawn feeding some 70 or 80 yards away. Fifteen minutes later, h e was within 40 yards. Each time the deer raised its head, the archer froze. Then the head went do wn , t he archer moved forward . The wind was moving f rom left to right.
Not having suspected an intruder, the dee r continued feeding, a nd the archer finally go t within 30 yards, and nocked an arrow. The only shot possible was through some small brush, and since the deer were a pparently moving slowly do\-\'11 hill the arche r took aim an d r eleased his arrow. A sapling defl ected the arrow. a nd the deer jumped at least ten feet to the left. Fortu nate ly the arrow had deflcded down hill, causing the deer to move up hill.

Minutes later, he nocked a second arrow and a better shot presented itself at the same deer. This time the arrow must be able to pass between two trees approximately 18 inches apart. He released the arrow and it passed between the trees, but a fraction of an inch over the back of the deer. This time the doe caught sight of the archer. For about ten minutes neither the archer nor the deer moved.
Apparently satisfied that the archer was a tree, the deer put its head down and continued feeding, but not without looking up every ten or 15 seconds. The fawn was also watchful.
The archer nocked a third arrow, took aim, and just as he was about to release it, the deer looked straight at him. A shot at that moment would have r es ulted in the deer jumping immediately. For one or two painful minutes, all \vas still. Down went the deer's head, and the arrow was released, but once again, a fraction too high. It barely grazed the deer 's back, a nd clown the hiil she went, th e fawn close behind.
The amazing thing in the s tory is the archer's ability to secure three shots at the same deer. This would probably be consid ered some sort of a record.
Archery hunters in Blue Ridge are increasing every year and the number of deer taken by the arrovv is also increasing, not only in number, but in percentages of hunter success. 1~58 recorded 18 kills during the " Bowhunters' \Veek''; 309 archers participated. This is the highest percentage ever for Blue Ridge. 1959 will be even better. But e\'en if the percentages remain the same, or fa ll off some. the number of bowhuuters will increase, and with each succeeding hunting season, more and more bows wi ll be st rung; mor0 a rrows noc ked. and more sha ttered fragments picked up at Blue Ridge.

Ducks on the Pond
(Continued fr om Pa ge 11 )
In many cases waterfowl feed in areas adjacent to such protected spots and provide sustained hunting opportunity for man~ hunters.
There is no doubt that tlw creation of refuges and st ri ct enforcement of state, federal a ncl private regulations are necessan to attrad and hold waterfowl.
There are two other requisites for making an area attracti,e to ducks - food and ,ater.
As for planting and producing freshwater duck foods, the \arious advertisements which paint a rosy picture of waterfowl ha,ens stocked with wi ld celery, wild ric e. duck potato. etc .. should not be tak en too se rious!~ for several reasons: these plants, if adapted to your particular water

area, are probably there now; many of them are present but known by different local names: and native plants which produce duck food will yield much moee bountifully than the same species g-athered from other sections of the country having different climate, soils, etc.
For Georgia the following plants are recommended:
SUMMER DRAWDOWN
\Vild Millet (Ecbiuocloo spp ) Fall Pauic Grass (Pauicnm dicbotomiflunnu) Smorfu eeds (Polygounm spp) C lwfa (Cyperns escn leufu s) Rice Cuf~rass (Leersia orz oides) Japauese Milles (Ecbi uoclo a crnsgalli frnmcnfosa) Buckubeaf (Fa~opyrnm c.scnlcufum) Cont (Zea mays) Milo (Sor~ bnm sp p )
SHALLOW FLOODED MARSH
Swamp Smartweed (Poly'{ouum bydropiperoide.s) Joiuted Spilurn .s b ( Elcocharis equis fetoides) Square Stem Spil~cnnh ( Elcocboris qnadraufpllota) Three Sqnare Bnllrnsb (Scirpus oluni)
FLOATING ON SURFACE OF W'ATER
Watersbield ( Braseuio scbrebcri) Dnck Weeds (Le mua, Spirodella, \Volffia, W"olffiella)
SUBMERGED AQUATICS
Bushy Poudtl'eed (Naias quadolueusis) Cooutail (Ceratop!Jyl/ nm demerwm) Mnsk~ra.ss (C/){na) Sago {Potamogefou fJecfiuatus)
It is recommended that diked ponds hold water levels of from 1 to 36 inches in depth where food plants are to be gtown by seasonal clraw<low11 methods. On permanent type ponds, maximum depth from 36 inches to 48 inches would be suitable.
Ponds ,,hich have dark stained \Yaters and or emergent plants of little value. present different problems. The stained waters prevPnt sunlight from reaching the bottom. Therefore. aquatic plant production should be forgotten.

Pla11t Species
''Conz ( yello w-sbort season)
:Milo or begira
Jap millet (Ecbi11ocloa crusga lli frumeutosa)
Wild millet ( Ecbi11ocloa crusgalli)
Buckwbeat Brow11top millet

Amt. Per Acre
----
8-10 lbs.
8/bs.
20-50 lbs.
20-50 lbs. ~4- 1 busbel 20-30 lbs.

How to Pla11t rows drill ill rows broadcast broadcast broadcast broadcast

W be11 to Pla11t julie-July Jnly 15-31 July 10-Aug, 10 Jnly 10-Aug. 10 July 10-Aug. 20 July 10-Au g. 20

R emarks
Pla11t so as to c ultit'ate
Pla11t so as to cu lth'a te (Ca11 b e broadcast)
Seed rate accordi11g to soil fertility
Seed rate accordi11g to soil fertility
Soil fertility got'er lt s seedi11g rate

''Conz a 11 d milo sbould be plmzted far ellougb out to permit Po11d, at 11ormal wilzter lez 'e l, to put water at or just Ot 'e r seed, (Note-Complete floodillg of beads or ears tdll pret'e llt blackbird depredatiolls.)

Power reservoirs and some other larger lakes can be attractive to waterfowl if the following procedures are practiced:
(1) \Vhere summer drawdovm occurs in September and October seed Italian rye grass on exposed mud flats while they are still wet enough to cause a man to mire in the mud.
(2) Plant millet, corn, buckwheat, milo in the fields adjacent to reservoirs and leave part or all of the crop in the field unharvested.
(3) Plant islands to the above crops if accessible to agricultural machine17 and land is good.
(4) Plant wheat. rye grass. crimson clover and alfalfa on islands and adjacent fi elds for goose browse. Some ducks. especia lly mallards . black cluck. widgeon and pintail. as well as coots, also use green browse.
(5) On all reservoirs in excess of 2,000 acres, establish 25r ~ minimum. if possible, of open waters as a rest area or sanctuary where shooting, boating or any other form of distur-
bance is prohibited. This should include open water, shoreline or mud bars for loafing and f eeding areas.
( 6) On ponds withm five miles of large reservoirs, food may be provided so that the prot ection afforded b~ the large open reservoirs and food on these nearby waters, will combine the requisites for holding waterfowl in the area.
Let's ta lk now about creating llf'W waterfowl habitat.
For i ll'-'1<~ncc you and I own a fa r m on or nPar Lake Lanier in no r th Georgia. On this farm

there are no ponds, lakes or swamps; however. a fair sized creek flows through bottomland fields of about 50 acres. The land is good corn lancl. The creek flows to one side of the largest field of about 35 acres. 'Ve want some duck shooting on the place!
In devloping this field we survey the land and find that a
three-foot dam located % mile
up the creek will divert the water into the field through a low "swag" which traverses the entire length of the bottom. \Ve also note from taking levels that a dike four feet high, running around the creek bank and into the hill at the lower side of the field will permit holding 21~ feet of water \Vithout danger of overflow from the creek.
\Ve construct this dike and install a culvert and slide gate at the lower end, plant the field in corn and buckwheat. divert the creek in late fall until water barely covers the ears of cornand we're in business.
lVIigraton ducks immediate!) find the area and call in additional birds passing over. In ten clays time we have 1,000 or more mallards, pintail, wood cluck widgeon and ringnecks feeding in the flooded field and retreating to nearby Lake Lanier when disturbed.
By the time the hunting season opens established feeding flights guarantee duck shooting.
Based on a 60-da~ season and shooting every third clay for two men, abo ut 40 man-cla~s of hunting per sea son with theoretical bag limits for each man-day would r esu lt in a take of 1GO ducks. Cost of dike construction

can be amortized over man~ years. As for State and Federal hunting regulations as they stand today, no laws have been broken - just so long as the crop is left standing unclistmbecl. on the stalk, where grown.
After the season of wintering and spring migration is over the field can be drained and farming operations repeated.
In some places mast bearing trees in flat, swampy locations offer excellent ODportunity for diking flooding timbered lands. providing flooded food in the form of acorns.
After the crop has matured. reflooding should be commenced and if possible, water permitted to cover crops in several stages. In other words, first, about onefourth of the crop; then after clucks have about used up the supply, one-half. etc., until the pond is completely flooded.
As a word of caution, it is inadvisable to undertake this type of management unless acreages to be flooded will exceed 100 and water depth will not be more than 30 inches.
More of these areas in Georgia will mean more ducks for evenone. 'Vhile it isn't always as simple as it sounds, it's still a matter of providing plent~ of protection. water. and food.
Assistance in planning projects of these types is available from the Georgia Game and Fish Commission, U. S. Fish and 'Vildlife Service, U. S. Soil Conservation Service's Small "ratershed Program. and through G-2 provisions of the Soil Rank Conservation Reserve.

22

Youngste rs get instruction s fro m No tional Rifl e Association teachers oil over t he notion.

Shooting's a Clean Sport

(Cont i nued from Page 13)
wonders of the s por tsman's world which includes rifles and shotguns without positive knowledge your boy and gir l are correctly trained and adequately supervised.
A gun is a marvelous tool of precision workmanship and ingen ui ty, capable of providing recreation and pleasure for a li fetime. As a gift, it's nothing to be given on the spur of the moment. Ideally a youngster will earn not only his r ight to own and use a gun, but also some if not all of the money to buy that fi r st r ifle.
True, not a ll parents are capable of providing the instruction and super vision needed bv a bov and his first gun. They 1;erhaps don't hunt or shoot, or their work makes the time to give this important training unavailable. The training is still available in practically every American community through many schools, churches, civic recreation centers, and most of the yo uth groups such as Bov Scouts and Girl Scouts, Yl\'I . or Y\VCAs, 4-H, Future Farmers, Boys of \Voodcraft, and similar organizations. Countless civic and service clubs also sponsor riflery, along with police departments and veterans' groups.
:\Iany of these groups maintain affiliation with the National

Rifle Association which has directed markmanship training for several million boys and girls for many years. Thousands of

adults devote their time and

skills to the supervision of Junior NRA clubs with extremely gratifying results. Whether you personally train that budding marksman, or depend

upon an NRA or other club to do it, it's always advisable for your youngster to join the local junior rifle club where he can take part in sponsored competition.

Rifle markmanship is perhaps the only participant r ec r eation

open to individual as well as team activities and competition. Physical prowess and strength are of very minor importance, making it possible for girls and boys, all shapes, ages and ~izes, to compete on equal footing. The emphasis in shooting is upon precision, split-second coordination of eye, mind, and hand. and

mental alertness. These are cap-

abilities which, when developed,

can mean so much to complete

enjoyment and success in e\en

phase of daily living.



Finally , it'~ important to note th;' t in shooting sports there's

no \\'ay to lea rn to teach deceit o1 c:heating. Th e ~portsman 's skills are clearly, deanly recorded on the Uugd. It's a clean ~ port - shooting - for straight thinkers, your -;on and mine!

They Hunt With a Needle
(Continued from Page 19)
for the incidence of brucellosis and lepto~piro~is. The purpose of this preliminary study was not only to gather information relative to the incidence of these diseases in deer, but also to determine if a large scale blood collection program was practical. The excellent cooperation received from the participating states proved that a lmge scale operation was feasible and the survey was continued during the past year. Three thousand four hundred fifty-five usable whitetailed deer blood specimens were screened for btucellosis and of these, only two could be classified as suspects. A reactor was not found. These data indicate that the white-tailed deer in this region play an insignificant part as carriers of brucellosis.
White- tailed deer are the major big game animals in the Southeast, and it appears that within t he next decade most of the suitable ra:1geland in this region will be reinhabited with this species. In view of the past and present interest in these animals, it is indeed surprising that more information is not available on their di:;;eases and their relationship to man and ihs animals. Founded by the foresight of the wildlife profession, the Southeastern Cooperative Deer Disease Study is attempting to supply a portion of this much needed information.

Only abvut half of the rabbits

born each year li\e past their

first birthday.

A recent stud\' b\' the \\'est \irginia Conser~ation Depart-

ment re,eals that of t'\'en 100 ju\'C' Ilile rabbits ali\e duri1~g th e>

summer, 52 were dead In their
first fall : (i() \\'ere dead \n the
second fall; ~)2 \\'ere de:;d bv

their third fall and neal'i\' ail

\\'ere The

dead b\' a\'Pi':tgl'.

the four longevit ,.

tfhor.,ceoatr~

toutails in the \\'ild has.l>et'n com-

puted at 1.1 ~ears.

23

Turkeys Ain't Human
(Continued from Page 17)
technicians in all areas in the state, even in the north Georgia mountains, where the bird has suffered its worst decline.
In 1953, Professor Jim J enkins of the University of Georgia's school of forestry estimated a total of almost 25,000 turkeys in the state. This figure is considered far under the present population - the increase has been so prolific.
Game management technicians confess that there is only one real way to properly disperse and increase the state's population of turkeys. That methodtrapping and relocating wild birds - is a year-round project of the Game and Fish Commissio n.
Experiments have been made and discarded on the possibility of crossing wild t urkeys with "tame" or domestic, hatcheryreared birds in the same manner mallard ducks are crossed and used in commercial shooting operations.
Technicians found that mixing wild birds with tame ones led to a diluti on of the wild stock and the tendency of the birds to feed in open areas and around farmsteads. This made them easily shot out and reduced the sport of hunting them.
Domestic turkey diseases. too, took their toll of wild birds when tame stock was introduced into native flocks. Attempts have been made - and without success - to artificially propagate

wild turkeys in hatcheries. w hile there is reproduction, the results do not produce huntab le turkeys.
Still another "solution" to the problem of turkey propagation is mass stocking of domestic birds by persons thinking they will naturally become "wild" in wild environs. This usually results in turkeys showing up at some isolated farm and becoming absorbed in a domestic flock or simply disappearing.
The creation of a spring gobbler season in game management areas in north Georgia is proof that turkeys are successfully coming back. During the past spring hunts, in which 139 nimrods participated, a total of 39 birds were harvested on thtee areas. This a new record for the state.
\Vhile the number is an alltime high, hunters who were lucky enough to bring home a bird say it took all the patience and skill that a turkey demands to accomplish their feats.
Patience - and the ability to wait, wait, wait-is the forte of successful turkey hunters. Without these traits, a hunter is about as well off at home as he is in the woods, regardless of how good he is at luring the bird with a callet.
But even though he possesses patience, desire and quickness, the hunter must r eali ze that th e odds of his bagging a turkey are high.
Turkeys are smarter than hunters- that's for sure- and make very few mistakes.
"Turkeys just ain't human," said a bearded old man of the

woods during the spring hunt on the Blue Ridge area. "If they were, we'd seen our last one many years ago."
It Is Unlawful
To hunt a ny game over or in the vicinity of any baited area.
To molest, kill, hunt, or trap fur bearing animals out of season.
To take sea turtles or their eggs.
To trap, molest, or kill alligators except in opened counties.
To hunt on any game refuge except on supervised hunts.
To ship game except by permit from the State Game & Fish Commission.
To shoot from public highway or railroad right-of-way.
To take or sell plumage or eggs of game or song birds without a permit.
To sell, offer for sale, barter, or exchange, any of the protected game animals, or game birds or parts thereof, taken in the State of Georgia.
To take any game bird or animal for holding in captivity, except by permit.
To trap, net or ensnare game birds and game animals, except fur-bearing animals, in season.
To poison game or non-game birds or animals.
To use a light of any kind in hunting game animals and birds except raccoons, frogs, opossums, fox, mink, skunk, otter and muskrat.
To fail to report to the Game and Fish Commission any deer or turkey killed in the State of Georgia.
To kill any deer other than bucks with spiked antlers or larger.
To hunt on lands of another without permission from the landowner.
To hold any game in cold storage longer than five days after the season has expired, without permit from the Game and Fish Commission.
To take any fresh water fish with any device except hook and line, trot line, rod and reel, and set hooks.
To fish in streams on lands of another
without permission from the landowner.

License Fees

COMBINATION: Hunting and Fishing

$ 3.25

FISHING:

Resident _

1.25

Resident Shad

1.00

Residents under 16 yea rs of age _

None

Residents 65 years of age and over - Honorary

huntin. and fis hing licenses required

Nonresident

2.25

Nonresident Shad

10.00

HUNTING: Resident _

______ _ __ _______

2.25

Residents und er 16 years of age __

_____ None

Residents 65 years of age and over - Honorary

hunting and fishing licenses required

Nonresident State Season

20.25

Nonresident 10 Day or County

10.25

ROUGH FISH BASKET:

Resident

1.10

TRAPPING:

State Resident

3.00

Nonresident

25.00

Public Hunt Areas Grow By Leaps and Bounds

Georgia's game management area program is growing by leaps and bounds.
In addition to the eight areas opened each year for controlled deer, and in some cases. turkev hunting, the Game and Fish Department has established management programs for nine others.
These areas, with the exception of two wildlife refuges. will Le opened eventually for controlled hunting.
A total of some 5,500 hunters took part in managed hunts during the past season.
The results were gratifying. A new record of 450 bucks were harvested on the eight areas which were open and 139 does \Vere taken during the special "antlerless" season on the Blue Ridge area.
To faci litate the steady increase of hunters applying for Lerths on managed hunts (there were 1,711 more in '58 than during '57) the Commission is constantly on the alert for new acreage to lease, stock and manage.
Game management technicians have surveyed sites near Lake Allatoona, in Pickens, Harris. Tift. 1\Iontgomer:v, Oglethorpe and \Vilkes counties as possible sites for new areas.

New Areas Posted, Stocked

When a site is selected for a new management

area, it is immediately posted against trespass-

ing and hunting. \Vhen this vital step has been

completed, game technicians begin to add the

necessary elements nature may have failed to

provide. Such as, food patches, brushy cover or

maybe a salt lick for deer.

It is not until these tasks are completed that

technicians stock the area with deer and turkeys

captured on coastal islands and other places where

game is abundant.

Each new area remains closed for a minimum period of five years to enabl e the deer and turke~r

populations to reach a huntable number.

.

Georgia's game management areas are play1ng

a vital role in the state':-; overall hunti 1g picture,

by providing a suitable place- to hunt for those

not fortunate enough to have one. Here is a summary of the areas now under

management, their size and types of game the,\

have to offer:

LAKE BURTON-15,000 acres in the Chatta-

hoochee National forest in Rabun County. Open for deer and spring gobbler hunting.
JOHN'S MOUNTAIN-22,000 acres located in Gordon County. Recently stocked with deer and turkeys. \Viii not be open until 1962.
COHUTTA-41,000 acres in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Open to deer, small game and turkey hunting.
BLUE RIDGE-45,000 acres in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Opened to managed deer hunts.
CHATTAHOOCHEE-35,000 acres in the Chattahoochee National Forest in White Count_,.. Open to deer and small game hunts.
\VARWOMAN-15,000 acres in the Chattahoochee National Forest in Rabun Count y. \Viii open approximately 1960.
LAKE RUSSELL-18,000 acres in HalJersham and Stephens counties. Open for deer and for small game hunting.
GREENE COUNTY-22,000 acres located in Greene County. Recently stocked \Vith deer and turkeys. Expected opening elate is 1961.
PJEDMONT-35,000 acres in .Jones, .Jasper and Putnam counties. Open for managed deer hunting.
CLARK HILL-26,000 acres located near the Clark Hill reservoir. Onen to managed deer hunts for the first time in 1958.
PINE MOUNTAIN- 2G,OOO acres in Talbot county. Rec ent! ~ stockr d with deer and turkeys. Exp~cted to open in I !)(i2.
ALTAl\JAIIA WATERFO\\'L AREA - 19,GOO acres located in ~Jl'lntosh county. Area surrounding refuge section open to waterfo\\'l hunting,
ATKINSON-CLI~CH -:~G.OOo acres in Atkinson and Clinch counties. So ne\\' it doe~ not han' name. Recently stocked \\'it h deer and turkeys. Expected to own in I !)G:L
Sl'\rA.0."XOOCI-IEE-GO.OOO acres in Echol s. Clinch and Lanier counties. Stocked \\'ith deer and turkeys during past ~ear. Expectt>d to open in I9G:).
25

1959-60 GEORGIA GAME LAWS
Seasons and Bag Limits

RESIDENT GAME

OPEN DATES (Inclusive)

Bear (a)

November 1, 1959-January 5, 1960

Deer (See Below)

Quail

November 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Ruffed Grouse

November 20, 1959-January 5, 1960

Rabbits (b)

November 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Opossum (c)

October 15, 1959-January 31-1960

Raccoon

October 15, 1959-January 31-1960

Alligators

June 2, 1959-January 31, 1960

Sea Turtles

.0J o Open Season

Squirrels (d)

November 1, 1959-January 5, 1960

Turkeys (See Below)

MIGRATORY BIRDS

Rails, Gallinules

September 4, 1959-November 12, 1959

Ducks

November 30, 1959-January 3, 1960

Geese (Except Snow Geese) November 10, 1959-January 8, 1960

Coots

November 30, 1959-January 8, 1960

Doves

(See Below for Split Season)

Woodcock

December 7, 1959-January 15, 1960

Wilson's Snipe

December 10, 1959-January 8, 1960

TRAPPING SEASONS

Fox

.0J ovember 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Mink

November 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Mu skrat

November 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Skunk

November 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Opossum

November 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

Raccoon

November 20, 1959-February 25. 1960

Beaver and Otter (e)

N ovember 20, 1959-February 25, 1960

DA I LY BAG LIMITS
No Limit

WEEKLY BAG POSSESSION

LIMITS

LIMITS

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 Limit No Limit

EXCEPTIONS
(a J T he fo llowing cou nti es which hav e n o o p e n seaso n : Catoosa. Chattooga, Dade. Dawson . Fannin. Floyd, Gilmer. Gordon. Habersh a m. Lumpkin . Mur ray, P ickens, Rabun , S tephe ns , T own s, Unio n, Walker. White. W hi tfield.
( b) - Bag lim its 5 rabh its daily north o f f ollowing co un t ies: Heard, Coweta. Spalding , Butts, Jasper . Putna m . H a ncock , Glascock . Warre n . McDuffi e. Richm o nd.
(c)- Cowet a County only sea'io n o p e n s Oct. 1. 195!1, e nd s Jan. :n .
1%0. No limit. (d J Excep t Fan ni n. Gilmer. P icke ns, U nion . L u mpkin. Dawson.
Towns. W hi te. R abu n. H ah<>rs h am a'1 d Steph e n s . wh ere the season w ill he from SPptem h er 15, 1959. t o Ja n uary 5. 1!16 0. B ag limi ts 10 d a ily, ]f) WePk]y.
(e)-ExcPnt all counti!'s north of a nd in cluding Ca rroll. Fulton. flel\a lb. Walton. Oconee. Ogleth o rp e, W ilkes a nd Lincoln a r e closed to th<> trapping o f Beaver a n d Otter. T rap p ers mu s t r e p ort to G a m e and Fi~h Comnli:.;~inn nun1her o f hi de:-; s hinn e d .
DEER SEASONS
l'aulding, H andson, Polk Cou n t 1es-Nm. 5. 1\, 7. Hag limit-On e b u c k pcr St':t...,on. Dogs proh ibited.
NOVEM!lr;R 5. 195\l-NOVEM B ER 20. 1960 Ba ld wi n . But ts, C hat toog a . Dade. Dawson, Fannin, G il mer. H abersham. Han cock . Jasper , .J o nes. Lumpkin. ;'.tonroe. Murray, *PickPns, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens , T owns, ITnion, Walker, White.
llag limit is one hnrk per se:1snn. Dogs prohibi ted . .1/1 nf Pirkrnff rnunf11 wrsf nf (,"rnr_qia // iplnt'fl11 J.Vo. S, uh ir h run .q lorrh from llnll r:rmmd th TOII(fh .Ja.qprr tnwnrd f:lliia11, is rlosd . All of (II 'llllf}1 0}1 J H'n.//ur rounfif'S f'OM of ll. S. /{ i!JhUJfl?l 21, u h i rh runl )rom ll'IIH)( to Surnmrnilh north through l~aFn.yf'/tf', is also rl osc d fr, df'f'T hlHl(/U(}, ('h:tndiPr (\nurtv':-. ... (a:-;on i..:. [)('('(rnlwt 1-1, 21 and :!~ nnly. Ba g ]iJnit
huck p0r :-:.;ason.

NOVEMBEH I. 1959-JANUAHY 5, l!H\0- The following counties ar e open t o the taking of dPer: Appling, Bacon . Bake r. BPn Hill. Berrien, Blakelv, Brantley. Brooks. Bryan. Bulloch. Burke. Calhoun, Camden. Charlt"o n, Chatham . Chattahoochee . Clay , Clinch, Coffee. Cook. Crisp. Decatur, Dodge, Dougherty, E a rly, Echols. Effingham. Emmanuel. Evans. Glas cock, Gl~nn, Grady, Irwin. Jpff Davi s . Jeffe r son, Jenkins. John.son, Lanie r, Lauren s , L<>e. Liberty, Long , Lowndes . Marion. Mcintosh. M iller, :\litchell, Montgom e ry, Muscogee, Pulas ki, Quitman. Randolph. Screven. SPminole. Ste wart, Sumter. Tattnall. Telfair, Terrell. Thomas, Tift. Toombs . Treutle n. Twiggs. Ware, Washington, Wayne, Webster. Wheeler. Wilcox. Wilkinson.
B ag limit is t wo bucks ]H'l' sea sf>n.
) JOU RN IXG DOVES
Seaso n s on Mo urning DO\ es will he split. Fiis t half open s Sept. I 6. 1!1.1!1. and closes Oct. 5. 1!15!1. S <>rond half comm e ncps Dt' C. 2 . 1!159. and t>nd s Jan. 15 . I%0. Ha v limit is 10 hi1d s. Shooting is p e rmitt ed fl'Om l :l n oo n until s un s et.
WILD TU RK EYS
Sea so n o n \Vild Turke y s will h e N <w. I. 19 59 . through Jan. 5 . 191>0. i n the following c o unties: Appling, Bacon. B1antley. Bryan. Bulloch . C'a md Pn, Candle r, Charlton , Chatham, Clinch. Co tT<'e. Echol s , Eflin!l"ham. Eva n s. Glynn, J eff Davis . Laniel', Lihe rty , L o ng. L0wndes . Mcintosh. :Vl o nt go m e r y , Sci'e v e n . T a ttn a ll. T e lfai1. Toombs. Ware. Wayne and Wheeler. Bag limit is two p e r sea son.
Seaso n o n Wild Turk e ys will lw N o\. 2 0. 1!15!1. through Feb. 2 5. 1%0. in t he following counties: Baker . Be n Hill. Be nien, Broo ks, Calhoun. !'hat t a h ooche<". Clay, Co l(]uitt , C";oo k . ll e catur , Doughert y , Early , Grady , !I-win . L E'e, :\laco n . Ma rion. Miii Pr, Mitchell. Mnscogl'<', Quitmnn. Randolph. Schley, S emin ole. Stewart . Sumte r , TPrrell. Th om as . W ebst e r . \Vil cox and W o rth. Bag limit is tw o per perso11 .
Th e r e maind er o f th e State is c los<'rl e ntire ly.

26

By BOB SHOHT
Edito1, Grorgia Game and Fish
First Half Dove Violations "Disgusting"

St ate and federal officials have announced they are "disgusted" over the large number of violations of hunting regulations during the first half of Georgia's split dove season.
Prominent among the laws broken were those involving shooting over baited field, both a state and federal violation.
Over 250 cases were made by state and federal agents during the first part of the season. Many of these were against hunters who shot, either unknowi ngly or purposely, over baited fields.
The State Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and \Vildlife Service have made all-out efforts to inform the public of what constitutes a baited fie ld and what doesn't.
In the last hunting issue of GEORGIA GAME AN D F IS H, a story defining "baiting" and "baited areas," was written as a guide to hunters who want to shoot doves legally.
The story defined a "baited area" as one where shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, salt or any other feed whatsoever capable of attracting birds is directly , or inclirectly, placed, exposed, deposited, di stributed or scattered.
In other words, any field wh er e grain on top of the ground was put there by any means other than normal agricultural harvest.
It is perfectl y legal to shoot over a fi eld whi ch has been harvested normally and on which grain is left s olel y a s a r esult of normal a g ri cultural harvesting.
Planted fi eld s with grain still on th e s urface is considered baited, as are areas wher e ca ttle or hogs have sca tter ed grain.
Game laws are unp opular with many but if we a r e to conser ve this importa nt natural r esource, th ey mu st be enfo r ced.
OUTDOOH SHOTS-Trout fi s hermen wi ll not

want to miss Jerry \Vood's new book, \VORMING AND SPINNING FOR TROUT. \Vood digs deep into both methods and proves there is more than one way to catch a trout .. . Mallory Hatchett, affable chief of Enforcement in the Waycross area, has been named "Ranger of the Year" by the Game and Fish Department ... The death of Ranger Lurn Young, Dublin, removed one of the most energetic and devoted men from the role of Georgia Conservationists . . . Cleland C. .Ja mes, former hatchery superintendent for th e Department, was recently awarded hi s 25-year service pin. James is now retired . .. with only a fraction of the usual number of duck s expec t ed in Georgia this fall, Georgia hunters will probably realize early the importance of th e Gam e and Fish Department's Altamaha \Vater fo wl a r ea.
IT'S THE LA\V DEPT.-Wildlife may be taken from the State of Georgia only under th e following conditions:
1. Providing a proper li ce nse or permi t h a s been issued by t he Ga me and F is h Commi ssion;
. 2. Providing possessor does not hme more than th e limit of game set by t he Commission ;
3. Prov iding t he possessor has mad e a sworn st atement that he has t a ken such wildl ife and t hat it is not fo r sale;
4. Providing the possessor has ma de a swor n statement s howing th e num be r of wildl ife being shi pped or transported. a nd ;
fi. Providing th e possessor sha ll subm it hi s license and swo r n statement to any sheri ff . deputy sheriff or wildlife ranger for inspection.
If ~ ou, by cha nce, have ov erlook ed Parker Smith 's s t or y on waterfowl devt>lopnwnt (page 10) plea se turn bac k an d read it. Smith, co nsid erPd by ma ny a s the top waterfowl expert in the South , has pa in sta ki ngly prepand a story sho wing how you can .hel p the watPrfowl situat ion.

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