Georgia game and fish [Vol. 2, no. 9 (Sept. 1967)]

GEORGIA

VOL 2, NO. 9 I SEPTEMBER, 1967

~GEORGIA
~ GAME&FISH
September 1967 Volume II Number 9

Contents
The Short Hot Season ....... . . . ... .. .Jim Morrison 1 Blundering Blunderbuss? ......... Dean Wohlgemuth 5 A New World's Record . . . ... .. ... Dean Wohlgemuth 7 Hidden Fame of a Famous River .... . .. . .. Jim Tyler 8 Multiplication . .. . . ... . ... . . . ... Dean Wohlgemuth 10 Fair Safari ... . ....... . .. . ... . .... . .... Jim Tyler 12 Band Together For Conservation .. ..... . .Jim Adams 13 The Outdoor World . ... .. . . . . . . ................. 15 Sportsmen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sportsman's Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Lester G. Maddox Governor

George T. Bagby Director, State Game & Fish Commission

COMMISSIONERS

Judge Harley Langdale, Chairman
Valdosta-8th District

Rankin M. Smith Vice Chairman Atlanta-5th District

William Z. Camp, Sec.
Newnan-6th District

Charles L. Davidson, Jr.
Avondale Estates-4th District

James Darby Vidalia-1st District

Leonard Bassford, Augusta-lOth District

Richard Tift Albany-2nd District

J. B. Langford Calhoun-7th District

William E. Smith Americus-3rd District

Clyde Dixon Cleveland- 9th D istrict

Jimmie Williamson Darien-Coastal District

TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION
Jack A. Crockford, Assistant Director Leon Kirkland, Fisheries Chief
Hubert Handy, Game Management Chief RobertS. Baker, Special Services Coordinator

LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION
Bill Cline Deputy State Chief, Atlanta
D avid Gould Deputy State Chief, Brunswick

GEORGIA GAME & FISH

STAFF

Jim Morrison, Editor Dean Wohlgemuth,
Managing Editor

Jim Tyler, Staff Writer I. Hall, Staff Writer Ted Borg, Photographer


Georgia Game and Fish is the official mortthly magazine of. t~e ?eorgla Game and Fish Comminion. published at the Commu5lon of/ices, 401 State Capitol. Atlanta. Georgia 30334. No advertllng accepted. Subscriptions are $1 for one year or $2.50 /<;>~ t~ree year5. Printed by Stein Printing Company, Atlanta, Ga. Notr/rcatron of ad-
dren change must include both old and new addren and ZIP code, with 30 days notice. No subscription requests will be accepted without ZIP code. Articles and photographs may be reprinted. Proper credit
should be given. Contributions are welcome, but the editors assume no responsibility or liability for Ion or damage of articles, photograph$, or il/u.trations. Second-clas postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia.

Buy public hunting lands now!

The handwriting is on the wall for wildlife conservationists

that the time has come to begin a crash program by all govern-

ment agencies, especially the State Game and Fish Commission,

to purchase as much land as possible for public hunting and

fishing.

.

This is especially important in a time when extenstve acreages

of private land once open free of charge to the public for hunting

are disappearing. A short drive through counties with a good

deer population located near a large metropolitan area will soon

illustrate the fact that most private landowners have already

posted their property in such areas, and those who have not

already done so will soon. This process is hastened by the care-

less and irresponsible actions of a small minority of hunters who

don't ask for permission to hunt and who show no respect for

private property.

In many portions of Georgia, the only land still open to the

public for hunting is either on a public hunting area or on private

timber company land. Constant pressure is being placed on these

companies to post thei.r lands entirely, to lease them to a small

group of individuals or a club, or to control hunting by selling

permits. Increasing taxes on timberlands are driving paper com-

panies toward fee hunting in the future. If this happens, trespass-

ing and vandalism on small private landowners in surrounding

areas will multiply.

All of these trends, when combined with the rapidly increasing

urban population with its landless hunters, spell trouble for the

future of hunting as a popular recreational sport in Georgia. At

the same time, much good hunting habitat is being lost through

construction of new highways, subdivisions, reservoirs, and in-

dustrial areas.

In any case, it is obvious that the average hunter must rely

more and more in the future on fee hunting or the State and

federal government to provide him with land on which to fish,

and especially hunt. If these agencies do not immediately acceler-

ate their efforts to acquire such lands by purchase or lease, the

acreage available to them for future acquisition will decline as

land values increase.

A study recently completed by the State Game and Fish Com-

mission bears this out. By examining past data on the numbers

of licensed hunters and fishermen, Commission figures indicate

that hunters will increase by more than 60,000 by 1975, from the

present 309,925 hunters to 374,432, greatly increasing the hunt-

ing pressure on a declining number of acres of land still open for

public hunting without charge.

But even more significant than this is the Commission estimate

that the number of licensed fishermen by 1975 will increase by

more than 325 ,000, an increase of more than 30 per cent, as com-

pared to more than 20 per cent for hunters. The main reason for

this difference is that hunters will have fewer additional places

and opportunities to hunt, while new reservoirs and waters are

constantly being planned and constructed, and existing public

fishing waters are not in most cases now being over-utilized.

Hunting cannot be expected to continue or to expand as a signifi-

cant source of outdoor recreational activity for Georgia's rapidly

expanding population, unless government agencies step in to pro-

vide hunting opportunities on government owned land.

Arguments have been made, and continue to be made, against

State or federal agencies buying land, especially on grounds that

private owners pay taxes on their lands, while the government

does not have to pay such taxes. However, these arguments fail

to take into consideration the fact that many government agen-

cies, including the U . S. Forest Service and the U. S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, now pay counties where they are located pay-

ments in place of taxes from the receipts of timber sales on their

lands, up to 25 per cent. These payments match and usually

greatly exceed the tax revenue that could be derived from the

lands if they were in private ownership. Game and fish com-

continued on page 15

ON THE COVER: Georgia's second most popular game bird, the
mourning dove, is a real speedster when he takes off on his twisting, swooping flight with the flock over a harvested corn or millet field. He'll give hunters a run for their shells with the opening of the first major fall hunting season, September 9. Photo by Dr. W. D . Sudia. ON THE BACK COVER: A warm fue, good companionship, and Game & Fish. What more could you ask for a pleasant evening at home? It won't be long before St.
Nick makes his rounds again, so why not be thinking about that special friend or relative that you'd like to give a gift subscription of Game & Fish. Photo by Dan Keever.

PHOTO CREDITS: Ted Borg 1, 2, 3; Dan Keever 4, 10, 11; J. Hall b.r. 8, b. 15; Sylvester Local t. 15; Jim Tyler b.l. 8, c. & t. 8, 12; Dean Wohlgemuth 5, t.l. 6; Keith Wohlgemuth b. 6, t.c. 6, t.r. 6.

The Short Season
By Jim Morrison
Georgia's game biologists are zeroing in on the dove season controversy.
It was a hot, sweaty day.
The yellow flies were buzzing around in annoying circles, and back in the bushes, blood-thirsty mosquitoes lurked in hiding.
Out on the bare ground of what had been a cornfield before the silage cutter chopped it down, heat waves rose in a crazy dance over the scattered
grains. The breeze, if there was any, never quite seemed to decide whether to blow or not.

Except for these distractions, there

was little to keep the attention of half-

a-hundred hunters crouching around the

fence row, muscles strained from kneel-

ing or sitting with outstretched neck, eyes

constantly scanning the skies.

Suddenly, the early afternoon still-

ness was broken by the loud explosion

of a shotgun, followed by a chorus of

yells.

"Blam."

"Behind you! Here they come!''

"Blam! Blam!"

Then it was quiet again for a few

minutes, punctuated only by the scuf-

fling sound of hunters hurrying to re-

trieve a downed bird before the next

flight arrived, again setting off a volley

of shouting and shooting, sometimes a

thunderous roar, sometimes an insig-

nificant pop, depending on the distance of the shooter.

It's been that way for years in Geor-

gia on the opening day of the dove

season, and it'll probably be that way

again for years to come . .. maybe.

If there's ever been a species of wild-

life that caused more controversy than

mourning doves, most hunters and wildlife conservationists don't know what

it is, and probably don't want to know.

They've already got their hands full

arguing over the dove season, the dove

bag limit, the dove shooting hours, the

dove baiting regulations, the dove .. .

well, that's enough to fight about for now. Get the idea? If you don't, then you've never hunted doves in Georgia, or the southeast.

More than 4,000 doves a year are being banded in Georgia as a part of a new $25,000 study of possible zoned dove seasons. Game biologist Jim Scharnagel of Gainesville is in charge ofthe project.

If you have, it won't take you long

to run into a dove hunter, especially if he's from south Georgia, who's complaining about the season opening too soon, when the weather's too hot, the insects are too hungry, the snakes too big, and the doves too little.

To make a long story short, (See "The Dove Season is too Early-Late," December, 1966, Georgia Game & Fish) doves reach their peak population in huntable flocks in North Georgia in September when most grain crops

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service opposes giving each section of Georgia a separate 70 half-day season of its own, with separate opening and closing dates, on the grounds that this would drastically increase hunting pressure on

Next you'll hear him raising cain with mature and are harvested, so hunting the birds. This supposedly could occur

the Game and Fish Commission for not is best at this time, declining in October if the season was open for more than

setting a sensible season. Next he'll be as many birds migrate out of the north- 70 to 140 half-days, if the two sea-

told that the dove is a migratory bird ern part of the State with advancing son dates did not overlap, and could

who is under control of the federal cold weather and food shortages.

also result in hunters migrating to the

government, which won't allow Georgia Doves are also plentiful in South section of the state that was open at

to set a sensible season that will suit Georgia at this time, but are generally the time with the best hunting, increas-

both north and south Georgia. By this not as large as they are later in October, ing and perhaps doubling hunting prestime you'll hear that dove hunting regu- when hunting weather and comfort con- sure and the numbers of birds killed

..

lations can't be set to please Georgians ditions are better. Later in December by hunters. If this occurred , the breed-

without considering the effects on hunt- and January, even more doves migrate ing population of doves needed every

ers in other states, and have some ques- in from the eastern seaboard and mid- spring to maintain the same popula-

tions raised about whether Georgians western states, making hunting even tion the following September all over

and the rest of the nation's dove shooters better, in south Georgia.

the eastern United States could possibly

are already taking more than a wise num- However, under current federal regu- be seriously reduced.

ber of birds under the existing regula- lations, both sections of Georgia must In order to collect biological and

tions.

be opened for hunting at the same time, statistical data to prove whether these

By this time, you may have begun to if hunters are to enjoy their full 70 contentions are valid, the State Game

be a little bit confused. Unfortunately, half-days of dove hunting allowed in a and Fish Commission began a dove re-

some sportsmen who only have a few two or three period split season between search project with matching federal

of the facts available to them do a great September 1 and January 15, the cur- aid funds last year and this season

deal of unjustified complaining about rent framework which the federal gov- to reach some factual answers. Under-

the dove regulations and what is being ernment gives Georgia to set its season taken in cooperation with the other

done about them.

dates.

southeastern states, this project is de-

2

signed to determine what effect changes

in the dove regulations have on dove

populations. One method for this end

is to measure dove populations over a

four year period using band returns,

wing collections, and mail surveys of

hunters.

During the first two years of the

study, the federal government has

agreed to make no changes in the cur-

rent quota of half-day shooting, the

bag limit, or the baiting regulations.

During the second two years, some sig-

nificant change will be made in the

federal regulations, allowing data to be

collected and measurably compared with

the first two years of the study under

the old regulations, hopefully giving

some indication of the wisdom of con-

tinuing the change or not.

Exactly what change will be made in

.,

the regulations in the 1970-71 season hasn't been decided by the federal gov-

ernment, but it probably will be either

more or less half-days of shooting, or

a larger or smaller bag limit. Since these

are all controversial issues in Georgia,

the results of the study will be eagerly

awaited by Georgia dove hunters and

conservationists alike.

..

Still unanswered would be the age-old

arguments for zoning, a proposal which

only Georgia presently seems to be Scharnagel releases a bird caught in a trap set by Game and Fish Commission

interested in. Now, thanks to Georgia personnel, after banding it. Returns of the bands by hunters will help indicate how



Senator Richard Russell, a special study many doves are present in north or south Georgia during the two split seasons.

devoted solely to the dove zoning ques-

tion for Georgia alone has been set

wing collections, and survey work, espe-

up, using a straight non-matching fed-

cially by increasing telephone surveys of

eral grant of $25,000 obtained by Sena-

hunters and field bag checks of hunters

tor Russell as a part of a new quarter

by wildlife rangers, along with roadside

of a million dollar federal study of non-

counts of doves, to compare results and

waterfowl migratory bird species at the

insure accurate information.

request of the southeastern states, all members of the Southeastern Associa-

e ATLANTA

The study will have two major features: to determine exactly when peak

tion of Game and Fish Commissioners.

huntable flocking populations of doves

Two Georgians were instrumental in

occur both above and below the fall

the Association's efforts to secure ap-

line in Georgia, and how much hunter

proval of Congress and the U. S. Fish

movement there now is between the

and Wildlife Service for the new studies:

two areas of the State. Hopefully, some

Leonard Foote, southeastern field repre-

estimate could then be made of how

sentative of the Wildlife Management

much hunter migration would occur if

Institute, and Jack Crockford, assistant

the state actually was zoned.

director of the Georgia Game and Fish

The study represents a definite step

Commission. The new zoning study will be headed

e VAlDOSTA

forward in what has been a long and tiresome argument between Georgia and

up by Jim Scharnagel, the State Game

the federal government, frequently gen-

and Fish Commission's leading dove

erating a lot of heat and not much

biologist, now stationed at Gainesville. Most arguments for a zoned dove sea- light, especially in the way of scientific

Scharnagel's study hopefully will be son revolve around the two sections of facts to prove or disprove the conten-

extended for a period of three years. the state above and below the fall line, tions of either side.

It is designed to collect data to show the point where most Georgia rivers As a matter of fact, after all the dust

what the potential effect of zoning with- drop rapidly as they leave the Piedmont has settled and the facts are in, it's not

..

out loss of days would have on doves in section and enter the coastal plain area. impossible to imagine that Georgians

Georgia without actually zoning the state

might deCide they are better off with

to find out . . . a difficult task, but not im-

the season that they have now, im-

possible.

perfect as it may be. Surveys to date

Biologists working on the project will

by game biologist Bob Croft using a

utilize information obtained from the

mailed questionnaire show that south

dove project they are already working

Georgians already enjoy fabulous dove

on, but will be able to considerably

shooting, especially in comparison to

beef up their efforts in dove banding,

that of their northern brethren. For in-

3

stance, in last year's early season, South the birds as it is in September, which

Georgia only had about half the state's scatters the birds out over a larger

dove shooters, yet this group shot twice number of fields , making bunting more

as many doves as the other half in difficult.

north Georgia, bagging 67 per cent of But on top of these standard reasons

the birds! In the late season, the per- for a zoned season, a much more sub-

centage of bunters dropped sharply in stantial possible future reason for zon-

north Georgia from 50 per cent of the ing has been brought out by some Geor-

licensed dove shooters to a little more gia game biologists. Their theory is that

than 25 per cent, with a decline in the as the number of dove hunters con-

bag from 33 per cent in the early stantly increases, the number of doves

eason to only 21 per cent in the late will either remain about the same to a

season.

certain point or begin to decrease, un-

On the other hand, south Georgia less dove habitat drastically increilses

hunters dropped only slightly in the as a result of man's use. If the dove pop-

second season, and took a greater per- ulation remains the same or decreases

centage of the doves bagged, increasing while the number of hunters steadily

from 67 per cent in the early season to increases, some change must be made to

a whopping 79 per cent of the late preserve the dove breeding population:

season take! On a state wide basis, 59 either by decreasing the number of

per cent of the doves were killed during hunting days, reducing the shooting

the first season, with 41 per cent in the hours, reducing the bag limit, or zoning

second. The estimated total kill was to reduce bunting pressure by the selec-

3,440,000 birds, more than any other tion of dates.

state in the eastern United States.

Exactly how much shooting doves

The main reason that dove shooters can stand is a matter of considerable

are twice as successful in south Georgia argument. Some noted authorities say

than in North Georgia is because the doves can't be hurt by hunting pressure.

two main waves of migrating doves Others say they can, and are being hurt

entering Georgia from more than 20 right now. Actually, information isn't

northern states cross paths in South really available now to show if doves are

Georgia, constantly replenishing the increasing or decreasing, and whether

native population of doves, while most or not bunting is responsible for this.

of North Georgia's early and late sea- Call counts of cooing males in the

sons apparently are primarily native Spring made by biologists and rangers

birds. If south Georgia did have a -separate
zoned season of its own opening in October, it is still a subject of argument whether any more doves would be taken, since mortality in juvenile birds in September would probably equal

over the past years indicate that the Georgia population may be declining.
In any case, the dove season has been increased in the last 10 years from 40 half-days of shooting to 70 halfdays, and the bag limit bas climbed from 8 birds a day to 12, and baiting

Are too many doves being shot each year already? Could the season be longer or the bag limit higher? Game biologists hope to determine the answers to these and other important questions about doves through studies now underway.

what little production could be ex- regulations have been liberalized, yet

pected. Possibly, more doves would die the dove population probably bas not gia dove hunters apparently now miof natural causes during the time lapse increased at the same time. It may have grate to the other section of the state

..

than would be saved for bunting as ma- decreased as a result of overhunting. to hunt doves. This figure could be ex-

ture birds by waiting until most doves More hunters in the future will com- pected to increase some if North Geor-

stopped nesting.

pound the problem.

gia alone opened first but probably

As a matter of fact, studies in Ten- Anyway, zoning could be used to would drop, some biologists feel , during

nessee showed that only three per cent reduce the dove kill if necessary, while the second season when South Georgia

of birds still secreting pigeon milk were increasing the quality, but not quantity, alone was open. This is because many

bagged by bunters, indicating that birds of doves in the bag, at the same time native game seasons would still be

that are still nesting ordinarily do not that hunter objections to an early south open closer at home for North Georgia

join a feeding flock on a harvested field , Georgia season could be eliminated. sportsmen, and because of limited funds

and are seldom shot, except at water- For the purpose of argument, sup- after the holiday season for long trips.

holes. By the same token, young birds pose North Georgia were zoned and In addition contacts with landowners

of the year seldom go to fields until given a split season of 40 days from and getting permission to hunt are diffi-

they reach about 35 to 40 days in age, Sept. 10-0 ct. 20 and 25 days from Dec. cult problems.

regardless of when the season opens or 7-Dec. 31. Then give south Georgia 25 If you think that you have just read

closes.

days from Oct. 1- 0ct. 25 and 40 days the -longest, most detailed article on

Undeniably, hunting in October would from Dec. 7-Jan. 15. Thus each section dove management that you could hope

be more pleasant for south Georgia would get an equal number of 65 days for, you're wrong! This is just a sample

hunters than hot September weather at the times and season length when scratch of the surface into the com-

and disturbing pictures in the newspaper hunting is usually best there, in the plexities of a real biological riddle-

of six-foot rattlesnakes! And the doves opinion of hunters. This would result dilemma. But now that you see that it's

bagged would be bigger and fatter. More in the dove season being opened for not really as simple as you thought, why

might be shot even though fewer doves 85 half days somewhere in the state, not just try to take out your legal limit

were still alive, because they might be rather than 70 as now or up to 140 with on the doves this season and wait on

concentrated better on early winter two non-overlapping zoned seasons. the biologists to come up with the an-

wheat fields, etc., being planted at that Current studies by the Commission swers! After all, that's what you're pay-

time when food is not as plentiful for show that less than six per cent of Geor- ing them for. ~

4

BLUIIDERI 0 BLUIIDERBUSS

I By Dean Wohlgemuth
Pattern Your Shotgun for Better Shooting ...

Wondering what happens to the shot 40 yards from the muzzle? The best way to find out is to shoot at a large piece of paper, then check to find what kind of pattern you're getting. Be sure you have a safe place to shoot, such as DeKalb County's R ecreation Department public range.

"Why should I pattern my shotgun? I've had it for years, and I have no trouble hitting with it. I get my share of game."
If you can say that, perhaps you'll just be wasting your time reading this article. But if you have just acquired a scattergun, and particularly if you're not connecting often enough, or getting wounded game instead of clean kills, this is for you.
Have you tried patterning your shotgun? That just might answer some questions. Properly done, patterning can show you just what that shot does when it gets out there 30 yards. It can mean a lot of difference in the weight of your game bag at the end of a day's shooting.
Basically, what patterning does is to show you at what range your gun is most effective. You might learn that you're trying to reach too far with your favorite blunderbuss. It might even show you that you 're simply too fast on the trigger - that your shot isn't spreading out enough at the ranges you're shooting.
You might discover that the choke of your gun isn't quite what you thought it was. This may not hurt you too badly

if you are only aware of it and thus you can concentrate on getting your shots at the proper range.
You may also Jearn that your gun throws its load above the point of aim . Perhaps you've been shooting too high . Or maybe too low.
Going a step farther-and this is important, too-you might learn that No. 7 2 shot is more deadly in your gun than No. 6 at 35 yards, simply because the shot size happens to pattern better in your particular gun. Or maybe, too much powder behind the shot tends to blow the pattern apart a bit, leaving a hole in the middle fqr the birds to fly through.
Although mass produced , there is still some individuality in every weapon. How can you really be certain what your choke is, unless you've checked it? And gun makers vary on what they call futl choke-or modified, or so on.
So, with just a very few days to go before you start burning up powder at doves, bow about unlimbering your gun and your trigger finger at a piece of paper.
Where to start? First get some long, thin strips of wood. Strips measuring a half by an inch are suitable. You need

a frame large enough to tack on a piece of fairly heavy paper at least 40 inches square. Larger paper wouldn't hurt, preferably four feet square.
The frame must be built so that you can stand it up, to present the paper to you as a target.
Then, measure off 40 yards and blast away at the middle of the paper with the load you use most. It pays to fire several rounds-all at different pieces of paper of course-so you can find out how much variance there is between shots with the same load and same distance. Some experts recommend firing as many as 10 or 15 shots with each load.
I must confess here and now, that while doing such things may be desirable, I believe the average gunner can find out what he needs to know without going to all the detail the experts do. Two or three shots with each load should tell you a lot about your gun. If they all appear to give you about the same shot distribution, you're on the right track.
Next, draw a 30-inch circle on the paper that will include the greatest number of shot. To find out exactly what choke you're shooting, you'll have

5

to count the number of holes in the circle, and figure the percentage that vere within it.
An accompanying chart shows you how much shot should be in the various loads.
But what's as important as anything, and there's no slide rule to prove anything, is just looking at the paper. If, in your own judgment there is good, even distribution of shot with no holes for game to get through, you've got a good pattern.
At 40 yards, a full choke gun should pattern about 70 per cent of its load into the 30-inch circle. A modified should have about 60 per cent, and an improved cylinder bore around 45 per cent. A true cylinder bore will have some 35-40 per cent.
Now. If yours is a modified, cut down the range to perhaps 30, or maybe 25 yards. Or both. Check them out, to see just where you get a good, tight pattern. This also applies to all other chokes, even the full choke. That "full" may pattern better at a shorter distance than you thought. Since most shots are at shorter range than 40 yards it pays to check your choke at the range you most often shoot. If you're getting a 65-70 per cent pattern at your range, your gun is choked right for you.
Incidentally, that old bromide about testing the choke with a dime in a 12 gauge muzzle may tell you if the end of the barrel has been sawed off, but it's actually not a good choke gauge. It might even slip through a muzzle that patterns full. And so what if it does show you the muzzle has been cut? It doesn't show what choke you now have, or how the gun will pattern. Don't rely on the dime. You can't buy a good pattern that cheaply.
Already, you've found out what choke you have, and at what distance your gun patterns best with your favorite load-which is really what you need to know. And chances are, by now you've noticed that if you shot at the center of the paper, quite a lot of shot seem to be going over the top of the paper. To get a good, solid hit in the middle of the paper, you may have to shoot toward the bottom of the paper.
If you're not sure about this, go ahead and mark the circle on two pieces of paper before shooting. Put an X in the center of one circle, and on the other, put an X at the bottom of the circle. Then shoot at the X on each. Which fills the circle best?
If your gun fills the circle best shooting at the bottom, it may be that your tube was made for trap shooting, not field shooting. In the field, you may find the gun shoots a little too high. It may even be, that the particular way you shoulder a gun or the way the stock is shaped, a regular field gun may

Building a frame to mount the paper on is a simple matter. Small strips of woods are sufficient. There should be at least one brace on the frame, to hold it upright, presenting an easy target. The paper is tacked to the frame.

One

per piece of paper is all you get.

Keith Wohlgemuth checks to see how well

his shot filled the paper.

Mark each paper with the size of shot, amount of powder and the distance. Then, with the paper on a large, smooth surface, trace a 30-inch circle. A pencil tied to a piece of string 15 inches long, with a thumbtack to hold the other end of the string, works fine. Make sure the circle includes as many of the holes as possible. Now, you'll need to count the holes to determine what percentage of shot you're getting in the circle.

shoot a little too high or too low. You'll have to learn to compensate.
You have already learned a great deal about your gun, probably a lot that you didn't know. But there is still an eyeopening lesson to be learned.
Just because your gun behaves the way it is supposed to with 71,t2 shot and medium loads, there's no reason for you to be confident that it will do the same with No. 4 heavy loads, or No. 8 light loads. Try all the various shot sizes you expect to use, at various ranges, and see bow they pattern out.
And if you have a gun equipped with a variable choke device, then you really need to spend some time on the patterning range. It'll take a lot more shooting, because you have to do all I've already said, for each of the various chokes. But it will be time and money well spent.
So. After doing all this, you discover that 01' Faithful was actually performing as advertised, all the time. Should you be mad at me because I told you to use up all that good ammo that could have been used on game? I don't think so. You'll be surprised bow much more confidence you'll have in your scattergun. From now on, you can't blame misses on the gun. You'll .know that it's you who's making the blunderbuss blunder! ~

Number or shot per weight of load in shot shells:

Size of shot
No. 2 No. 4 No. 6 No. 7 No. 71f2 No. 8 No. 9

Ye oz. 1 oz. lYe oz. 1% oz.
77 88 99 110 119 136 153 170 195 223 251 279 262 299 336 374 302 345 388 431 358 409 460 514 512 585 658 731

Formula: If you're shooting a load of 'Vs of an ounce of No. 6 shot (195 pellets in this load) , and at 40 yards your 30-inch circle includes 125 shot, divide 125 by 195;
20
.64 195
195/ 125.00 117 0
8 00 7 80
20

Thus you're shooting a pattern of slightly better than 64 % . This figures out to be an improved-modified choke, or between full and modified. Full should pattern 70 to 80 per cent, modified should be 55 to .60 per cent, improved cylinder, 45 per cent, and true cylinder bore, 35 to 40 percent. Another "in-between" choke would be quarter choke, about 50 per cent, fitting in between modified and improved cylinder bore.

6

A World Record
Georgia Striped Bass Tops Freshwater Mark
By Dean Wohlgemuth

Kelly A. Ward, left, of Dublin, holds his new world record 63-pound striped bass, while Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Ranger J. D. Hogan of Laurens County looks the monster in the mouth.

Georgia has added a third entry to the world's record fish catches, a 63pound striped bass taken in the Oconee River near Dublin.
Kelly A. Ward , who for the las t 20 years has been depleting the numbers of the big sea-going fish in this stream, is the man who tallied the whopper.
The previous world record for a striped bass caught in freshwater was a 55-pounder taken by race driver Tiny Lund out of the Santee-Cooper lakes in South Carolina.
Ward, of Rt. 5, Dublin , battled the

fish 40 minutes before it finally died at the end of the struggle and was pulled in. He used the same battered saltwater Penn No. 109 reel and scarred saltwater trolling rod that has landed him quite an impressive number of stripers over the 40-pound mark. His next largest catch was a 50-pounder taken about seven years ago. Had th at fish been entered at the time, it might possibly have been a world record.
The record for a saltwater-caught striper is 73 pounds. Ward's fish measured 43 Y2 inches in length, was 301/ 2

inches around the girth, and its tail was 13 inches broad, even without being extended, reported Wildlife Ranger J. D. Hogan of Laurens County.
Ward, a veteran of the Normandy Invasion of World War II, landed his prize on 25-pound-test monofil ament.
The fish wi ll be entered in national magazi ne contests to be authenticated as a world record. In the meantime, Ward presented the fish to the Game and Fish Commission to be mounted for use in exhibits. .-

7

1. Dwarfed by the twisting beauty of a Suwannee cypress tree, two fishermen languidly enjoy a Suwannee fishing trip.
2. The Suwannee River produces an amazing number of fish . Here, even an inexperienced angler can catch a lot of fish.
3. Monsters lurk in the Suwannee! This ten pound bowfin speaks for itself.
4. Scooping a thrashing fish from tea-colored Suwannee water can happen with regularity during the spring and fa II seasons.

HI ODE FAME
of a
FAMOUS RIVER
By Jim Tyler
The truth of the saying "Beauty is only skin deep" depends on the beholder and what he is beholding. Take a nonfisherman and place him on the bank of the Java flowing Suwannee River and he couldn't help but see and feel the rare beauty of the river cutting its own delightful narrow world through Georgia flatland forest. "Here is a beauty," he would mumble. Place a fisherman on the same spot on the stream bank and he too would be sure of the beauty, but he would be wondering if that beauty was skin deep . "Here is a beauty," be would mumb\e, and quickly add, "wonder bow the fishing is."
It's GOOD! Seven of us started a Suwannee float fish trip about 9 a.m. on an April sunwarm morning. We put four boats (two to a boat, one left over) in where the Suwannee flows under US Highway 441 at Fargo, Ga. Once on the river, we entered Suwannee Land. Floating with the current, the tea colored water carried us quietly over sandy bottom and between and amongst gigantic water swollen cypress trunks. At low water the swollen footed cypresses ride high in the water, mostly exposed. Some of the bigger ones are over 10 feet across at the water level. Casting into the pools created behind these giants or snaking a spoon into a quietly moving pool snuggled against the river bank and, soon, wbam!-a sample of Suwannee wealth would be raising fits with a lure.

"The Suwanee produces an amazing amount of fish ," says Georgia Game and Fish Department fish biologist C. B. O'Neal. "And if a person wants to catch fish , thi s is the river. Here, even an inexperienced angler catches a lot of fish. Good sized fish. Many of them will probably be bowfin , and you couldn't ask for a better fighting fish." Sprinkle the catch with jackfish (a pike fish also called a chain pickerel) and warmouth and flier (both sunfishes) and oftentimes the inexperienced fisherman will end a day with a respectable stringer of popular game fish. He will surely experience the excitement of battling the lure-twisting bowfin.
A fisherman in the know can have a ball with jackfish, sunfish, and occasionally a largemouth bass. And, although he may curse the occasional bowfin he hooks, he couldn't help but respect the fight of the creatures. One of our group landed an eight pounder with a fl y rod and reel outfit. Another hoisted a ten pounder into the boat I was fishing from. With awe, we watched the monster do his best to beat a hole in the bottom of the boat.
We fished until noon and then beached on a white sand bank for lunch. We cleaned and cooked a morning catch of jackfish that more than filled everybody. During the morning we had also taken a few warmouth and fliers, and one bream. Everybody had his turn with bowfin , the two big ones being the highlights of the trip. After gorging ourselves on tasty deepfired jacks, we "piddle" fished awhile with little success, and then boated back upstream to load our boats.
We were at the river at the best time of the yea r, usually the early spring, March or April, when the water level is low. Another good season usually runs from June through September when the spring rains have emptied from the river.
From its birthpl ace in the Okefenokee Swamp, the river meanders for some 30 odd Georgia miles before it crosses the state line and enters Florida. There are a few other places along the river to put a light boat in, but the place where we put in is easily accessible and gives you a run upstream or downstream. Take your pick. No launching ramps have been constructed yet on the Suwannee, but one is planned.
Talking to Barney Cone, a native of the area, and a biological technician for the U . S. Fish and Wildlife Service who works in the Okefenokee Swamp, Barney said the droughts of the mid thirties
and fifties changed Suwannee fishing
considerably. Before the 1954 drought,
which reduced the river to a series of
standing pools, largemouth bass fishing
was great, and you could always fill

a boat full of jackfish with absolutely 10 trouble. And previous to the 1934 drought, he said many redbreasts were taken.
C. B. says there are still a few, a very few, redbreasts taken in the Georgia Suwannee although, without explanation, in Florida the Suwannee gives up a considerable number of them. To see if there is some natural barrier that prevents redbreasts from flourishing in Georgia's Suwannee, or if a shot in the arm will boost the redbreast population, he hopes to stock about 200,000 fingerling redbreast this fall when the river is high and running out of its banks. He wa nts to plant the fish at this high water time to cut down the possibility of the many fish now in the river from making a hasty meal of the little fish. And, he added, this autumn planting will give the small fish a chance to grow a little larger.
In October, 1966, C. B. and fish biologist Herb Wyatt made a population study on a two acre slough area of the Suwannee. These slough areas jutting off and connected to the river are common along the upper reaches of the river, but below the bridge on U . S. Highway 441 , they become a rarity. Anyway, out of this 2 surface acre area, they took 3582 fish weighing 1608 pounds. This, of course, said C. B., is not typical for the whole river, but it does show the river's tremendous productivity. The main fish taken was the bowfin- 742 of them weighing 1377 pounds! But 121 pounds of ilie fish were of the popular eating type- 14 jackfish weighing 13 pounds, 3 largemouth bass weighing 2 pounds, 9 crappie weighing 6 pounds, 32 speckled catfish weighing 48 pounds, 33 bullheads weighing 7 pounds, 263 warmouth weighing 12 pounds, and 142 fliers weighing 16 pounds.
Other fish taken in the slough included redfin pike, spotted gar, dollar sunfish, bluegill, pirate perch, bluespotted sunfish, banded sunfish, gambusia, star-head topminnows, darters, madtoms, spotted suckers, and chub chuckers. One big bunch of fish!
Looking at the picture through a biologist's eyes, namely C. B.'s, there appears to be a great many of the bigger "fish that eat fish ," and not enough of the smaller "fish that are eaten. " C. B. believes the river's tremendous population of crayfish provides a great portion of the bigger fish 's diet. The fish are eating, that is apparent. They are all healthy and fat.
o matter. The Suwannee is a big healthy fish raiser and the fish doctors will look after her. So next time you hear the familiar Suwannee tune or gaze upon the peaceful waters of Suwannee land, make a date to "hook up" with its concealed beauty. ~

9

MULTIPLICATION
THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME
By Dean Wohlgemuth
Five more management areas have been added to the list for deer hunts this year, as the State Game and Fish Commission's annual bunting program continues to get better and better.
These new areas were stocked five years ago, and since each have good deer populations, the gates will be thrown open to the public for their use.
In addition to the new counties open this year for the first time for open county deer hunts, the picture is brighter than ever for Georgia deer hunters, with more quality hunting available.
Federal aid was used in stocking the managed areas, and because of this, federal regulations requiring a waiting period of five years before opening them to hunting must be observed. It would not be feasible to open them sooner anyway, since it takes that long for a herd to increase to buntable size, even in these highly managed areas.

Areas which will be open to deer hunters for the first time this year are Swallow Creek and Coleman River in north Georgia, Bullard Creek and Waycross State Forest in southeast Georgia, and Oaky Woods in middle Georgia. All five will be open for the Thanksgiving week hunts, Nov. 20 through 25.
The other areas, normally open at that time, will again hold hunts on those same dates. They are Blue Ridge, Cedar Creek, Chattahoochee, Chestatee, Clark Hill, John's Mountain, Lake Burton, Lake Russell, Piedmont Experiment Station and Warwoman management areas.
Allatoona area will again be open for three days, Nov. 20 through 22. This hunt will be limited to 400 bunters. All these hunts are for bucks only, and rifles or slug-loaded shotguns, 20 gauge or above, may be used.
Also, an equally good variety of hunts is scheduled for the coming season. Archery hunts are scheduled for five areas. Archers may hunt Oct. 23 -28 at Clark H ill; Oct. 30 through Nov. 4 at John's Mountain and Lake Russell areas; Nov. 6 through 11 at Blue Ridge, and Nov. 27 through Dec. 9 at Suwanoochee.
Hunts with primitive weapons-including long bows, cross bows and muzzle loading firearms-are slated for Oct. 16 through 21 at Warwoman, Oct. 23 through 28 at Piedmont Experiment Station, Nov. 22 through 25 at Chickasawbatchee, and Dec. 27-30 at Cedar Creek.
Either sex bunts will be held Nov. 27 at Chestatee and Lake Russell, and antlerless-only hunts will be Jan. 1, 1968, at Clark Hill and Cedar Creek. The number of hunters in the either sex and antlerless bunts will be limited, and drawings will be held to determine the lucky bunters. The limit was set at 500 for each of these bunts except the Clark Hill antlerless hunt,

One of the best places in Georgia to bag a buck is on a managed hunt of the State Game and Fish Commission

where 300 will be permitted. Another limited bunt, a repeat fea-
ture, will be three hunts of two days each at Cbickasawbatchee. Also by drawing, 300 hunters will be allowed to participate for each two-day hunt. Only buck deer may be taken.
All of these limited bunts-including the Allatoona buck bunt, the either sex hunts on Cbestatee and Russell, the antlerless hunts, on Clark Hill and Cedar Creek, and the Chickasawbatchee buck bunt -will be handled by drawings. Hunters wanting to participate must mail their application, along with a check for $5 for each person applying. Applications must be mailed between Nov. 6 and Nov. 11. D rawings for all hunts will be Nov. 15. Hunters whose names have been drawn will be notified and their $5 fee will not be returned, even if they do not show up for the hunt.
The $5 fee will be returned to those whose names aren't drawn. No more than five persons may apply in one letter, and the fee must be enclosed for each person listed on the application. Hunters are further cautioned that if a person's name appears on one application, be may not apply again. If he does, all names on the second application with his name on it will be disquaJified.
In general for all hunts, hunters must have appropriate current bunting licenses which must be exchanged for permits at the checking stations at the start of the bunt. Permits are available only at checking stations, and may not be picked up in advance elsewhere.
Hunters must check out each time they leave the area. However, a bunter may return at a later time during the hunt, and reclaim his permit. So if, for example, he hunts Monday and has to return home Tuesd ay, be must check out. Then, if be sees be can return Thursday, he may reclaim his permit. But when be leaves again, he must once more check out. If he fails to check out, he will lose his hunting license for the remainder of the year, and be barred from future managed hunts. One of the big reasons for this is to assist the Commission in assuring that no hunter is left lost and possibly injured on the managed area.
On archery hunts, hunters must have a bow of at least 40 pounds draw weight, with broadheads at least Ys inches wide. Archers must have a valid archery license.
Primitive weapons must be muzzle loaders only, loaded with a single ball, including shotguns. Rifles must be .40 caliber or larger.
On the Suwanoocbee area, no fees will be charged, but bunters must obta in a free permit at the checking station, and must check out upon leav-

10

ing. On one compartment of the Su-

wanoochee area, hunters may use only

shotguns loaded with buckshot, while

on the other, only rifles, or shotguns with

slugs, may be used.

Hunters who want to try the two

new mountain areas, Swallow Creek

and Coleman River, had better make up

their minds beforehand that they like

rugged terrain. Access to these areas

leaves something to be desired-there's

not too much use trying to go in with-

out a four-wheel-drive vehicle. "If

you're not willing to face the rugged

conditions of these areas," said Hubert

Handy, coordinator of game manage-

ment for the Commission, "you might

as well stay home." The Swallow Creek

area will be open for deer hunting on

the same permit as the older Lake Bur-

ton area, which adjoins Swallow Creek.

Hunters may use the same permit on

both areas.

Access is better at the Oaky Woods

area, but roads are still under develop-

ment. This area offers some fine bottom

land hardwood hunting country, along the river.
While Waycross State Forest has a good herd of deer, hunting will be somewhat difficult because of chest-high

Game Management areas in Georgia
(Hunts marked "QH" with a number are limited quota hunts. Number of hunters allowed is indicated. Hunters will be determined by drawings in advance of the hunt.)

palmettos. Hunters likely will experience best success by using tree stands,

MANAGED DEER HUNTS

or hunting near food plots, fire breaks

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS (Either Sex)

and similar openings, where deer are ex- Dates

Areas

tensively using these areas.

Oct. 16-21 Warwoman

The Bullard Creek area is on the Oct. 23-28 Piedmont Exp. Station

flood plain of a river bottom that Nov. 22-25 is full of hardwoods. Pines, however, Dec. 27-30

Chickasawhatchee Cedar Creek

have been planted in recent years. The area has some big deer with good racks.
In all these five new areas, hunters
may find 1t takes time to become
oriented to the strange country, going in cold . However, careful hunting in these areas may produce good results before the week's hunt is over.
Those who want to try new land this year, however, do have some new choices, and may find-especially in all the southern management areas - that there are less hunters than on some of the old favorites.
Actually, since several new counties are opened for hunting this year, some of the pressure may be relieved from some of the more heavily hunted managed areas.
Deer populations are holding their own in the managed areas, with no de-

ARCHERY (Either Sex)

Dates

Areas

Oct. 23-28 Clark Hill

Oct. 30-Nov. 4 John's Mt.,Lake Russell

Nov. 6-11

Blue Ridge

Nov. 27-Dec. 9 Suwanoochee

SUCK ONLY

Dates

Areas

In season

Altamaha and Lake Seminole

Nov. 20-22 Allatoona (QH 400)

Nov. 20-25 Blue Ridge, Bullard Creek, Cedar Creek, Clark Hill, Chattahoochee, Chestatee, Coleman River, John's Mt., Lake Burton, Oaky Woods, Piedmont Exp. Station, Russell, Swallow Creek, Warwoman.
DelcS-~-l,' 29-30 Chickasawhatchee
(QH) 300 each 2 days)

crease reported in any of them . This is Dec. 11-16 Waycross State Forest

despite the fact that this year has been Dec. 18-30 an especially bad one for losses of deer

Suwanoochee (permit required, no fee)

to wild and free-running dogs. The food supply has increased, and this is a highly important factor in upholding the numbers of deer.

EITHER SEX

Dates

Areas

Nov. 27

Chestatee (QH 500),

Lake Russell (QH 500)

So a good supply of healthy deer is

ANTLERLESS ONLY

on tap for Georgia deer hunters when Dates

Areas

they go out to partake of their favorite Jan. sport this season, in the managed hunts. ~

1 '

1968

Cedar Creek (QH 500), Clark Hill (QH 300)

11

FAIR SAFARI

By Jim Tyler

Since 1644 agricultural folks in the he is extremely careful, cautious, and

United States have got together and quick. "A big diamond-back rattler is

.1..

organized fairs. Of course the first ones awfully hard to hold. I know how much

were devoted almost exclusively to ex- venom a big one has," Art said.

hibition of livestock and agricultural products; and some trading took place. But as the social significance of these gatherings grew, and more and more entertainment features were tacked on and carried under the banner of "a fair," city folks joined in the fun.

You might think it takes some kind of kook to mess around with snakes. Art is not wild about the idea, but he is convinced it is worth the effort if Georgians enjoy looking at them. Each summer for the past five years he has made a safari to south Georgia to

Nowadays you can find most any- gather animals and snakes for the fairs . thing at a fair . . . crazy, jolting carni- Sometimes he is lucky and can borrow

val rides, girly shows, buy a funny hat, have a hawker guess your wife's weight, look at some prime swine, see a miniature "old McDonald's farm" (Ei-Ei-0),

creatures from other rangers putting on fairs in south Georgia (they, in turn, will borrow Art's animals) or from the Swamp Park at Waycross. And some-

marvel at an unbelievably hefty bull.

times he catches his own.

And I imagine, even back in the On his trip this summer, Wildlife time when fairs took place that are Ranger Gordon Wilkin of Colquitt had

mentioned in the Old Testament, some- a six foot alligator waiting for him.

body would lug in an outstanding speci- With much alligator hissing, tail swat-

men of a wild animal he had captured ting, and snapping jaws, the gator was

to show off to his neighbors. Say a loaded on Art's pick-up truck and

cobra, for example. And folks would headed for the north Georgia fairs. To

gather to "oooooh" and "aaah" their his south Georgia captures, Art adds

fascination.

snakes and animals he has captured in

Well, the same holds true today. The north Georgia.

Game and Fish Commission exhibits

wild animals at many fairs throughout

the state. People gather and "oooooh"

and "aaah". One of the main attractions

are the live snakes. People are drawn to

view snakes (securely caged) as irresistibly as moths are drawn to a light at

night. If an old maid could bottle-up

whatever the attractive force a rattle-

nake (caged) possesses, and could add a cuddly ingredient, well, her problems

would be over. But a snake out of a

cage is a different critter. Whether

poisonous or not, the effect is just op-

posite; people DO scatter.

Next time at a fair, consider, how did that snake you're looking at get there.

"I'll tell you, I hate to have even a non-poisonous snake bite me," says Wildlife Ranger Arthur Abernathy. Art puts on a good portion of the wildlife exhibits, and bad spent most of the day snake bunting near the town of Bainbridge. After driving over several miles of south Georgia sandy roads, he had come upon a bullsnake crossing the road and was putting the captured snake in a box. "See bow this one tries to get loose." The snake twisted, and wiggled free from Art's right band. His left hand still bad abold behind the snake's head. The four-foot snake coiled around his left arm. Art is discreet with nonpoisonous snakes.
And when handling poisonous snakes,

Top: You can tell by the look on Wildlife Ranger Arthur Abernathy's face that handling a snake is serious business. A large rattler, like this one, can hold a good sized slug of venom.
Bottom: Art has a problem. How do you get a six foot alligator into a three foot cage? Much to the alligator's dislike, another three foot cage was shuffled over him from the tip of his tail into a position adjoining the first cage.

12

By James Adams
President, Georgia's Sportsmen's Federation

The Federation is made up of some sixty local wildlife, boating, and archery clubs scattered throughout the State. It bas 5,000 individual members. The Federation is affiliated with the National Wildlife Federation, which has some 1~ million members, and is the largest conservation organization in the world.
The activities of the Federation are directed by its president, its ten congressional district vice presidents and

its board of directors, all of whom are elected on an annual basis by the general membership of the Federation. All of the Federation's officers serve without pay, except for one staff employee who is paid a nominal salary to handle correspondence, public relations, and the state newsletter, which is sent to all club officers.
The Federation's activities have been many and varied during its 12 years of existence. During these years it has

worked untiringly to strengthen Georgia's water pollution laws, and was influential in obtaining a recent increase in the hunting and fishing license fees so that the Game and Fish Department could obtain a larger budget to carry out its many programs.
The Federation and its officers maintain a close working reltaionship with the Game and Fish Commission and its personnel, the Georgia Water Quality

Control Board, and the various other state and federal conservation agencies. This is done in an effort to keep the sportsmen of Georgia constantly in touch with the programs of these agencies, and to help see that Georgia's natural resources are properly managed and conserved. The Federation also keeps its members in close touch with pending legislation, both on a state and federal level, so that they can inform their elected representatives of their positions on proposed legislation.
In an effort to bring about a greater public awareness of the conservation activities taking place in Georgia, the Federation has for a number of years sponsored in cooperation with the Sears-Roebuck Foundation an annual conservation achievement awards program which recognizes outstanding professional and lay conservationists who have made major contributions to the conservation of Georgia's natural resources.
Recipients of the awards are recognized each year at an awards banquet held in conjunction with the annual convention of the Federation, scheduled this year for December 2 and 3 at the Dempsey Hotel in Macon. The convention features speakers from the various conservation agencies, especially the State Game and Fish Commission, and is open to any interested sportsman to attend, regardless of club membership.
In addition to the annual convention, the Federation board of directors, including all club presidents, and interested club members, have quarterly meetings in all sections of Georgia to keep informed throughout the year on conservation issues and needs. These meetings are usually held on a Sunday morning, preceded on Saturday by a hunting or fishing trip for those who are interested, along with a fish fry. The State Game and Fish Commission is represented at each director's meeting to pass on news of Department projects and ways in which clubs can be of help to the Department.
The next meeting of the board of directors will be held at Stone Mountain Park, October 7 and 8, hosted by the Tucker DeKalb Sportsmen's Club. Representatives of clubs that are interested in affiliating with the Federation or individuals who are interested in starting a club are invited to attend any director's meeting or annual convention.
The Federation is for the first time this year sponsoring jointly with the Game and Fish Magazine a "Big Fish Contest" and is also working out arrangements to sponsor a "Big Deer Contest" again in cooperation with Game and Fish Magazine.
One basic interest of the Federation has been to better hunter-landowner re-

lations and thereby open up additional lands for public hunting. In a unique experiment which has been going on for several years the Federation and ,its Clinch and Echols County affiliate sportsmen's clubs have worked with paper companies and other local land owners in their counties to make available for public hunting approximately 240,000 acres of land. The FAIR (Federation and Industry Recreation) Program has proved to be a great success and hopefully it can set the pattern for similar programs in other parts of the state. Under the present setup, a nominal fee is charged for the privilege of bunting on this property with the proceeds from these fees being used to make improvements to the habitat and to hire a game warden to patrol the area. Last year a large number of Georgia hunters from throughout the state participated in this program.
In order to create a more effective voice for the sportsmen and conservationists of Georgia, the Federation bas as its goal the formation of at least one affiliate sportsmen's club in each of Georgia's 159 counties. To help reach this goal, the officers of the Federation will be happy to assist any group in organizing a club anywhere within the state. They have various materials available from the Federation that will be extremely helpful to groups wishing to form clubs. In addition, county agents, VO-AG teachers, Soil Conservation Service technicians, and Game and Fish rangers and other personnel are in a position to offer assistance to groups wishing to form local clubs.
The Federation's officers and directors are convinced that the only way the sportsmen of this state can be adequately represented is to have a large and effective statewide organization that can speak with a unified voice for the sportsmen's interest. For this reason, the time to organize is here. The increasing human population of our country and the many problems that go along with population growth make it imperative that the hunter, the fisherman, and the nature lover band together to protect and conserve for themselves and for future generations the God-given right of association with the things of His creation in the great out-of-doors . ~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James L. (Jim) Adams has served as president of the Georgia Sportsman's Federation since 1966.
Jim is an ardent bird hunter who owns five bird dogs and a jeep for hunting quail, primarily in Gwinnett, Franklin, and Hart counties. He is an active deer hunter, preferring middle Georgia.
He has hunted and fished in every section of Georgia at one time or another, giving him an excellent grasp of state-wide conditions. He is also an enthusiastic boater, with a 14-foot aluminum fishing boat and an 18foot ski boat which he uses on Lake Lanier, where he is on the Board of Governors of the Lake Lanier Sailing Club.
Jim served as awards committee chairman of the Federation for two years before becoming its president, as well as president of the TuckerDeKalb Sportsmen's Club and president of the DeKalb Council of Sportsmen's clubs.
Since becoming president of the State Federation, Adams has taken an active role, visiting old and new sportsmen's clubs in all parts of the state, initiating new projects for the Federation, and working closely to support the wildlife conservation program of the State Game and Fish Commission.
Now 30 years old, Jim is a native Georgian, born in Atlanta. He attended Druid Hills High School, and studied for his BA and LLB degrees at Emory University before beginning the practice of general law in Atlanta.
He and his lovely wife Marilyn and their two children, Lisa, 5, and Ben, 3, live at Route 2, Stone Mountain..
Persons interested in more information on the Federation may write Jim c/o 807 Fulton Federal Building, Atlanta, Ga. 30303.

14

the outdoor world

Commission gets Display-on-Wheels

The Georgia Game and Fish Commission has gone mobile in the display department. A new mobile home is being equipped inside to be used for a traveling display.
The huge mobile home, 12 feet wide by 44 feet long, was presented to the Commission as a gift by C. L. Cooper of Craftmade Homes Inc., Sylvester. He presented the keys to Gov. Lester Maddox, who in turn presented them to Commission Director George T. Bagby in recent ceremonies in Sylvester.
The exhibit will be used largely to orient school children on activities of the Commission and wildlife resources around the state. However, the exhibit will be used at any place where its use can be beneficial to the Commission, such as fairs, meetings, conventions and scout groups. On occasion it possibly will be used to promote Georgia in other states.
It will take some time for completion of the project, but the display-onwheels should be hitting the road by next summer.
Specially designed for the Game and Fish Commission's use, the mobile horne is a brand new model. It bas panelling throughout, and bas an entrance and exit on each end, so visitors may walk through with ease.
Commission Director Bagby expressed the deep appreciation of the Commi ssion to C. L. Cooper, Craftmade Homes Inc., to the Georgia Mobile Horne Association and to Rep. Bobby W. Johnson, Warrenton, a member of Georgia Mobile Home Association, for their cooperation in making the donation possible.
-Dean Wohlgemuth
* * * *
Jaycees Sell Subscriptions
The North DeKalb Jaycees have recently completed a successful project to raise funds for their organization by selling subscriptions to the State Game and Fish Commission's monthly magazine, Georgia Game and Fish.
According to Don Lynch, club president, most of the organization's 46 members were active in the project, and 150 subscriptions were sold in about three weeks. The Jaycees made $150.00 on the project which they will use for other club activities.

C. L. Cooper, second from left, of Craftmade Mob"ile Homes, Inc, Sylvester, presents keys to a new mobile home. display for the State Game and Fish Commission, to Gov. Lester Maddox.

Also present at the ceremonies were George T. Bagby, Game and Fish Director; Mrs. Maddox and Sylvester Mayor, Thomas Lawhorne, right.

North DeKalb Jaycee president Don Lynch (1) turns over 150 subscriptions to Georgia Game and Fish Magazine sold by the club to Jim Morrison, editor of the magazine. The Jaycees made $150 from the subscription sales in just three weeks to be used for club projects. See the story on this page.
(State Game and Fish Commission Photo)

The North DeKalb Jaycees are only one of the many organizations throughout the state which have used the sale of Georgia Game and Fish subscriptions to raise funds. Mr. Lynch stated that the members bad little difficulty in making sales. The magazine is attractive, utilizes many color photographs, and contains numerous articles each month which are of wide interest to Georgia fishermen, hunters and sportsmen of all types.
Your club or organization can earn $1.00 for every $2.50 new or renewal subscription for three years to Georgia Game & Fish Magazine that it sells. Fifty or more subscriptions must be turned in together to the State Game

and Fish Commission at the same time. Your club simply makes the sale, col-
lects $2.50, keeps $1.00, and remits $1.50 with each subscriber's printed name and full mailing address, including ZIP code, to the State Game and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
All checks sent to the Commission should be made payable to the State Game and Fish Commission. Groups of less than 50 subscriptions cannot be accepted at the reduced rate.
To obtain subscription blanks and sample copies of the magazine, send your club's request to the State Game and Fish Commission in Atlanta.
-J. Hall

15

Editorial Continued
missions in other states with active land purchase acquisition programs now make such payments on their lands, and there is no reason this could not be done in Georgia.
By selling the timber on commercial forest. land, the State could manage the timber resources for th~ pnmar:~; benefit of wildlife but still not deprive paper companies of therr source of wood o~ these areas. The timber there could either be harvested by private logging companies on an. individual tirnb~r sale .contract as is done on U . S. Forest Service land, or the trmber nghts could actuaUy be leased to a private timber company, as is done in Vermont. In this way, the company would be protected from increasing local property taxes,, game could be maJ?aged extensively, and proceeds from the timber sales would still fl'?w back into the local government in place of taxes. At the same trme, the company would have a long-term source of wood guaranteed to
them. In the long run, it is better for hunters for land to be owned by
the State and opened to the public for hunting and fishing than to be owned by private industry and closed to the public, which is a constant threat with companies. On many thousand of acres of creek and river bottom hardwood sections of low timber value, the economic value of recreational hunting activities exceeds the commercial timber value. Such areas are high producers of wildlife, especiaUy deer, turkeys, squirrel, wood ducks, and raccoons.
For instance, Commission studies show that each deer bagged by Georgia hunters puts more than $400 into the economy of the State through expenditures by hunters on gasoline, food, lodging, equipment, etc. Since more than 25,000 deer were bagged by Georgians last year, deer hunting alone in such areas was wor~h more than 10 million doUars to Georgia's economy. All Georgia hunting is worth more than 23 million dollars a year, which is a sizeable industry for Georgia that could be greatly expanded, if land is available.
An important consideration is that land owned outright by the State Game and Fish Commission can be managed primarily for the benefit of wildlife, with timber management taking an important but secondary role. On private lands, the reverse of this situation will probably always exist, unless charging for hunting rights becomes more economically profitable than growing timber.
At the present time, the State Game and Fish Commission actuaUy owns only one of its 22 game management areas. The others are owned by agencies of the federal government or by private individuals and companies.
Many other states already own thousands of acres of land for public hunting, some as a result of the Depression. Others began active acquisition programs years ago. Georgia has not kept pace

winitmh etthreoiproelfiftoanrts~raenasd

the who

hunters own no

of the future, land of their

especially those own, will be the

ones who suffer because of it.

Money is available now to the Commission from federal aid

funds to begin purchasing land. Half a million dollars has been

accumulated in a reserve fund which could be initially used, and

at least 100 thousand dollars annually could now be spent each

year from federal aid funds to buy lands.

... . .

Additional money could be devoted to land acquiSitiOn If addi-

tional sources of income for the program can be found. For in-

stance, requiring deer bunters to purchase a special deer stamp

for their license of perhaps $2 a season would raise more than a

quarter of a million dollars a year. This money could be used to

replace money now being used for deer management and research

so that it could be used instead to purchase hunting land for the

benefit of all hunters, rather than one group alone.

Such a program justifiably could use appropriations of straight

tax funds by the Governor and the General Assembly, since the

addition of new hunting lands will directly benefit the economy

of the State through increased expenditures by hunters and fisher-

men, which in turn increases state sales and excise tax collections.

Money from this source could be doubled through 50-50

matching funds available through the federal Land and Water

Conservation Fund Act, or tripled through the Pittman-Robert-

son Act. In other words, for every dollar the State of Georgia

puts up to buy land for outdoor recreation, the federal govern-

ment will supply two or three additional dollars for the program.

One of the leading advocates of State acquisition of public

hunting and fishing land is the Director of the Game and Fish

Commission, George T . Bagby, who notes that "if all govern-

ment agencies do not start an immediate program for the pur-

chase of public hunting and fishing areas, in a short time there

won't be any place for the average man to go."

"There are thousands of our citizens who live in metropolitan

areas who own no land and have few contacts with landowners to

hunt on their property, yet they pay thousands of dollars in

hunting and fishing license fees which they may not be able to

use in the near future, unless the State takes active efforts to pro-

vide them with a place to hunt and fish without fear of being

arrested or prosecuted for trespassing," Bagby says.

Members of the State Game and Fish Commission have al-

ready given the green light to the Department to begin looking

at hunting areas for possible purchase under existing federal aid

programs, as well as studying methods of financing an accel-

erated program of land acquisition. These programs should be

initiated and put into effect at the earliest possible date, with the

full support of the people, private landowners, sportsmen, con-

servationists, the Governor, and the General Assembly.

If this is not done, many of our sons and daughters will never

know hunting and fishing as we have known it. The time to act is

now.

J. M.

Sports me
Speak ...
COVER PICTURES
Is it possible to obtain a copy of the color picture on the back cover of the June issue of Georgia Game and Fish? I would
like an 1"1 X 14 glossy COlOr print.
Your assistance will be appreciated. Fred Murphy, Decatur
Color prints of the front and back cover pictures in Georgia Game and Fish Magazine are now available if ordered within the month of publication. Copies of prints from previous covers may be obtained by ordering within the month of September.
Prices including sales tax are: $1.55 for one 8 X 10 glossy $7.73 for one 11 X 14 glossy
Send check or money order to Gifford Color Lab, 525 Bishop Street, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30318.
Allow six weeks for delivery.- Ed.

BACKLASH
Have been enjoying your magazine immensely. It's a beautiful piece of work, and the contents are "right to the point" so far as the outdoorsmen are concerned.
I find the letters to the editor very interesting in all magazines, and one can get the pulse of what a great many folks have on their minds in these little missives.
One a few days ago sort of "got to me". It was written by a Mr. Schuhoff of Valdosta, Ga. (Game & Fish, July, 1967) .
Granted , a person has a right to speak out, but I believe he should not make allegations which place all persons in the same category. When he stated "Surely our so called sportsmen ruin our deer herd, tear down our farmers' fences, and kill evervthinR that moves, day or night" then he's placing me and every man, woman or child who hunts and fishes in his same parcel. This I resent.
I do not know how long Mr. Schuhoff has been hunting and f ishing, but I would suggest that he do a bit of research on the subject. I'm quite sure he will find he's talking of a very small minority.
Just because some demented farmer killed his family up in the remote section of Minnesota, or some bearded jerk got hold of a gun and used it illegallv should not make murderers out of all of us who love to use a gun.

I doubt that Mr. Schuhoff really meant the item to sound as it did , but I could not help in protesting just a wee bit.
Keep up the good work.
Carl 0. Bolton Johnson City, Tennessee
Carl Bolton is one of the outstanding outdoor writers in Tennessee and the Southeast. His weekly column appears in seven Tennessee newspapers. He has written a number of columns about his hunting and fishing in Georgia.-Ed.
GUNS & BOATS?
I read with interest your editorial advocating the registration of all boats, (Game & Fish, August, 1967) primarily for purposes of raising revenue for the enforcement of boating safety laws and regulations. That is a good idea. Likewise, let me suggest that as a means of financing the enforcement of laws relating to the use and misuse of firearms, we require the registration of all firearms.
Michael J. Egan, Jr. State Representative Fulton County, District 141
Representative Egan is the author of several bills still pending in the General Assembly to increase the permit fee and amount of bond required to carry a pistol in Georgia.-Ed.

16

Seasons Now Open
rR.OUT Mountain Trout
OpenStreamSeason-April1 , 1967 through October 15, 1967. Creel Limit-Eight trout of all species per person per day. Possession limit 8 trout. Fishing Hours-30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
No night trout fishing is allowed on trout Streams open during the regular state trout season. Trout fishing at night on Reservoirs is permitted. Special R egulations--Coleman River below Forest Service Road No. 54 restricted to artificial lures only, 10 inch minimum size limit on brown and rainbow trout, 7 inch minimum size limit on brook trout. Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam to the Old Jones Bridge restricted to artificial lures only with a 10 inch minimum size limit for all trout species. Fishermen on artificial Jure only streams may not possess live or natural bait. Lake Trout Season-There is no closed season on trout fishing in Georgia Lakes with the exception of Amicalola Falls and Vogel State Park Lakes, and Dockery Lake. Special R egu/ations-14 inch minimum size limit on all species of trout in Lakes Blue Ridge, Burton, Clark Hill , and Lanier. No size limit on other Jakes.
SEASONS OPENING THIS MONTH
DOVES
Season-Sept. 9 through Oct. 7, 1967 and Dec. 6 through Jan. 15, 1968. Bag Limit-12 D aily, possession limit 24. Shooting Hours-Noon Eastern Standard Time ( 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) to Sunset. See federal regulations available at Post Offices for details.
MARSH HENS (Gallinules & Rails)
Season-Sept. 2 through Nov. 10, 1967. Bag Limit-15 Daily, possession limit 30.
ARCHERY DEER SEASON
Archery Pre-Season Deer Hunt--Sept. 30, 1967 through Oct. 28, 1967 in any county or portion of a county which has an open gun season for deer hunting in the 1967-68 season. Bag Limit-As established by counties under the gun season regulations, except that archers may take deer of either sex during this special season . -Bows can be used for deer huntin g durin g the regul ar firearms seasons in the individual areas throughout the state where the gun season is open. All archers must conform to bag limits and sex regulations as established for firearm regulations during the regular gun season.
MANAGEMENT AREA HUNTS
All small game in season-Altam aha (Except Butler Island, which is open only for waterfowl on Tuesdays and Saturdays during regular duck season) , Lake Seminole, Whitesburg, Allatoona. No permits required for small game hunting.
Do ve--Sept. 9 through Sept. 30, Wednesdays and Saturdays only-Piedmont Experiment Station, Oaky Woods. $1.00 daily permit required.

Sportsman's Calendar
FEDERAL REFUGE HUNTS Deer- Archery Only - Sept. 30-0ct. 11, 1967. Piedmont N ational Refuge. Deer of either sex. No permit required.
SEASONS CLOSING THIS MONTH Trout Managem ent A rea Stream SeasonMay 3, 1967 through September 4, 1967 on designated days only. Write for detailed schedule.
SEASONS OPENING NEXT MONTH GUN DEER SEASON
Season A: South east Georgia Season-Oct. 14, 1967 through Jan. 2, 1968, in the following counties:
Brantley, Bryan, Bullock, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch County north of the Atlantic Coastline Railroad and east of the run of Suwanoochee Creek, Echols County east o~ U.S. 129 and south of G a. 187, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Jefferson, Jenkins, Liberty, Long, Mcintosh, Pierce County south of U . S. 82 and east of Ga. 121 , Screven, T attnall, Washington, and Wayne counties. Bag Limit-Two (2 ) Bucks. Hunting with dogs is allowed in all of the above counties.
GROUSE, RUFFED Season-Oct. 14, 1967, through Feb. 29, 1968. Bag Limit-3 D aily, possession limit 6.
OPOSSUM Season- Oct. 14, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968, Exception: Coweta County opens Sept. 30, 1967 through Jan . 20, 1968. No Bag Limit.
RACCOON N. Ga. Season-Oct. 14, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968, in Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Banks, Franklin, H art counties and all counties north of these counties. N . Ga. Bag Limit-One (1) per night per person. S. Ga . Season-No closed season. S. Ga.-No Bag Limit.

SQUIRREL Season - Oct. 14, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968. Bag Limit-10 Daily.
MANAGEMENT AREAS (For a copy of the complete hunt schedule and detailed regulations, write the State G ame & Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga. 30334.) Raccoon-Oct. 13, 14, 20 and 21 on Lake Russell; Oct. 20, 21 , 27, and 28 on Chestatee. $1.00 permit per night required. Squirrel and Grouse-Oct. 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28 on Coleman River and Swallow Creek. No permit required. Squirrel and Grouse - Oct. 20, 21 Blue Ridge, Chestatee, Lake Burton. $1.00 daily permit required. Squirrel and Grouse - Oct. 27, 28- Blue Ridge, Chattahoochee, Chestatee, Lake Burton. $1.00 daily permit required. Deer-Primitive Weapons only-Oct. 16-21 -Warwoman; Oct. 23-28-Piedmont Experiment station. $5 permit required for hunt. Deer-Archery only- Oct. 23-28-Ciark Hill; Oct. 30-Nov. 4 - John's Mountain, Lake Russell. $5.00 permit required for the hunt.
FEDERAL REFUGE HUNTS Turkey-Oct. 21, 23, and 24, 1967-Piedmont National Refuge. One turkey of either sex . Limited to 1,000 hunters to be determined by drawing. Applications for free permits must be received no later than 4:30 p .m., Sept. 11 , 1967 at the Refuge Manager's Office, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Round Oak, Ga. 31080. Deer-Archery Only-Oct. 25-28, 1967Biackbeard National Refuge. Peer of either sex. No limit on number of permits. Applications for free permits must be received by Oct. 20, 1967 at the Refuge Manager's Office, Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, Rt. I, Hardeeville, S. C . 29927.
COMING MEETINGS Board of Directors, Georgia Sportsman's Federation. Stone Mountain Park, Oct. 7 and 8, 1967. Annual Convention, Georgia Sportsman's Federation. Dempsey Hotel, Macon. Dec. 2 and 3, 1967.

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