Georgia game and fish [Vol. 3, no. 11 (Nov. 1968)]

r,~ORGIA

VOL. 3, NO. 11 I NOVEMBER, 1968

~GEORGIA
~ GAME&FISH
November 1968 Volume Ill Number 11

The Mountain Lion Trophy Conservation Communications Award - 1967 The Georgia Sportsmen's Federation.

Contents

Where To, Bobwhite?

.. Dean Wohlgemuth 1

Hunter's Haven

. Marvin Tye 4

Zero In

.. Dean Wohlgemuth 6

Something To Celebrate

... Jim Morrison 8

Skin Him With A Golf Ball? .Charles Marshall 13

Outdoor World

15

Sportsmen Speak . . ... .

16

Sportsmen's Ca lendar

17

Tide Table ....... .

17

Lester G. Maddox Governor

George T. Bagby Director , State Game & Fish Commission

COMMISSIONERS

Rankin M. Smith .

James Darby

Cha irman

Vice Chairman

Atlanta - 5th District

Vidalia -1st District

William Z. Camp , Sec.

J . B. Langford

Newnan-6th District

Calhoun-7th District

Richard Tift

Judge Harley Langdale.

Albany-2nd District

Valdosta - 8th District

William E. Smith

Clyde Dixon

Americus- 3rd District

Cleve land - 9th District

Charles L. Dav idson, Jr.

Leonard Bassford

Avondale Estates-4th District Augusta-lOth District

Jimm1e Williamson

Darien-Coastal District

TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION Jack A. Crockford . Assistant Director
Leon Kirkland . Fisheries Chief Hubert Handy, Game Management Chief Charles M . Fn sbe. Superv sor. Marine Fisheries Robert S. Baker . Spec al Services Coord inator
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION Bill Cline
Deputy State Ch1ef. Atlanta David Gould
Deputy State Ch ief. Brunsw ick

GEORGIA GAME & FISH STAFF

J1 m M orn son . Ed1t o r

Dean Woh lgem uth .

J. Hall. Staff W n ter

Staff Wnter

Ted Bor g Photographer

Marv.n T ye . Staff Writer

Georg1a Game and F1sh is theo ffc al m onthly magaz~n eofthe Georg1a Game an d F1sh Comm1ssion . publis hed at t he Commiss ion 's o ff1ces. 40 1 State Capitol. Atlanta. Georg1a 30334 . N o adve r tiS ing accepted . Subscr iptions are SJ for one year or S2 .SO for th ree years Pn nted by Ste1n Printing
Company,Atlanta. Ga. N o t if1cat1on ofaddress c hange must incl ude bo th old and ne w address and ZIP cod e. w1th 30 days no tce. No subscnp t10n re ques ts will be accepted wi thout ZIP cod e. Articles and pho tog raphs may be r epnnted . Proper credi t s hould be g1ven. Contnbut1ons are welcome, but
the edi tor s assume no resp ons b1l1 tyor ! ability for loss or damag e of art1cles. photographs. or illustrations. Second-class p os tage pa1d at Atlanta. Ga.

PHOSPHATES $100 MILLION
GIVEAWAY
Director Bagby
(Statement by George T. Bagby, Director of the State Game and Fish Commission, to the public hearing of the State Mineral Leasing Commission held September 16, 1968 concerning proposed leasing of offshore state lands in Chatham County to the Kerr-McGee Corporation of Oklahoma):
I have come here today to express my complete opposition and the opposition of the entire State Game and Fish Commission to granting this proposed lease to the KerrMcGee Corporation.
Our opposition is based on the fact that the proposed dredging and filling involved in this operation will destroy an extensive portion of the Georgia Coast for seafood production and sport fishing, if there is no water pollution that spreads to other areas of the coast.
At present, we are compiling figures to show the astronomical economic loss to the State of Georgia that will result from this certain destruction.
In the meantime, I wish to raise several serious questions about this proposal which greatly disturb me. I believe that members of this Commission, the news media, the General Assembly, and the general public wou ld do well to look further into the question of what this outside private company proposes to get from the State of Georgi a under the terms of their bid.
There is only one bidder. That is not competitive bidding to protect the interest of the people of Georgia.
Who owns Cabbage Island? Who owns Little Tybee Island? Who has an option to purchase much of Wilmington Island? Kerr-McGee owns them, and they are the only company that can bid on this lease.
Why Chatham County? Why not Echols County, where phosphates are lying on top of the ground, with no ocean over them? It's because this company owns these islands next to these marginal phosphate deposits, and they need the hundreds of feet of dirt, sand, and rock lying over them to create valuable real estate on their property.
Based on an analysis of the cost of fill material for creating valuable waterfront real estate that will be created by
(Continue to back page)
ON THE COVER: Good companionship, a good fire, and sizzling T-Bone steaks .. . the perfect end of a deer bunter's day, even if he didn't score. Two of the hunters who spent their fall vacation last year on the Game and Fish Commission's Piedmont Experiment Station Game Management Area hunt included Buford Hudson, left, and Buddy Johnson, who both work for Stein Printing Company in Atlanta, printers of Game and Fish M agazine. Photo by Ted Borg.
ON THE BACK COVER: A lonely squirrel hunter, high on a ridge in the Cohutta Game Management Area in North Georgia, where squirrels are hard to find this year. For the story of the squirrel "migration " see the Outdoor World on page 15. Photo by Ted Borg.
PHOTO CREDITS: Ted Borg 1, 2, 3, 13 , 14, 15 ; Jim Morrison 8, 10, 11 , 12; Marvin Tye 16; Dean Wohlgemuth 6, 7.

,.
-o
Q)
t,-
.0
.s
..0c 0...

A dog on point, a bird on the rise, and up comes the gun. Ron ald Simpson, Game and Fish Commission biologist, is like many other sportsmen in his oft-duty hours- he rates quail hunting one of the finest sports going.

The dog wasn't the prettiest pointer you ever saw. Nor was he particularly stylish. But bird savvy he had. He wasn 't registered , but somewhere in his background there mu t have been good tock. The dog's owner was ju t an average American hunter, and he loved quail shooting.
ln another fi eld perhaps 10 miles away, was a brace of dogs, beautiful , styli h. well tra ined regi stered bird dogs, one a pointer, the other a setter. Their own er was proba bly a yo ung executive. Like Mr. Average, he loved quail shootin g.
either of these two men loved the sport more, however, than did the young-

ster who was hunting on a neighbor's land , toting an old singleshot 12 gauge, like you used to get from the mail order houses . The boy, in his teens, usuall y hunted alone but occasionally the neighbor's ya rd dog came aJong. This dog was not trai ned at all, and had no hunting stock in him. Yet sometimes he could help by finding a covey, and by flu shing them for the you thful hunter.
Rounding out the contrast of types was the aristocratic quail hunt, still farther on down the road at a huge plantation , where a whole bevy of very styli sh, highl y disciplined champion line dogs answered the beck and call of the handler, while the well-heeled hunters

rode on a rubber-tired muledrawn wagon. This, then is quai l hunting in Geor-
gia. lt matters not so much into which group you fit. When the covey comes a-bounding out of heavy cover, if you' re a dyed-in-the-wool quail hu nter that covey rise-especially the first of the season-will probably make your heart feel like it wa nts to find a new home in your mouth. You tingle all over like you did when , as a very young schoolbo y, that cute blue-eyed blonde across the room smiled back at you in such a way th at you were sure it meant she rea ll y liked you.
Much as the quail is loved in Georgia , the bird was pretty well taken for

Above: The end of a good hunt. Who can blame Sim pson for the broad grin he wears with the nice bag of birds he's collected. During his working hours, Ron is in charge of the Game and Fish Commission's quail study project.
Left: Neatly cracked egg shells tell a happy story of a clutch of quail successfully hatched. There won't be another brood for this pair of quail should anything happen to these youngsters. If a nest is destroyed before eggs are hatched, however, the bobwhite pair will continue to re nest until success is attained.
Below: Here's one of the reasons why renesting is necessary sometimes three to tour times for some quail. This slithery critter will make a meal of quail eggs if he finds a nest. So will raccoons, skunks, houseca ts, dogs, and many other animals.

granted until recent yea rs. ow there's genuine concern about the quail , because hi numbers seem to be rapidl y declinin g. The opportunity to hunt him , for the a t majo rity of us at least, is dwindling at an alar ming rate.
The greatest problem for most hunter is findi ng land on which they ca n hunt . When hunt in g land is found , it is norma ll y public la nds or forest la nds, with tim ber so thick that even though o me quail are th ere, hunting is at least very difficult, if not impossible.
More and more timberland, a nd less and less grai n crop are to be fo und in recent yea r , and a ll this has taken a drastic cut into the amount of good quai l cou ntry. The quail himself is ada pting more and more to a wooded type habitat.
For ma ny a hunter, a qua il i strictly a member of a covey of perh a ps a nywhere from eight to 20 birds, which rise wit h a hea rt-stoppin g whirr from the very feet of the hunter. providing sporty ta rget and delicious eating.
Beyond this. little thought i given to the valiant little bird, except perhap whe n he i seen along a road ide. R arely doe he come to mind except in a utumn through the winter mon th . which arc open to hunting.
Yet on a spring day a fisherman ma y hear. fro m a nearb y shoreline. th at c lear c lean whistle, " bob, bob white!" Even suburba n d wellers may hear th at call in the distance fro m a not-too-fa r-away patch of wood . grass or small field . alon g about eveni ng in April.
At that time of yea r, the quail is no longer a member of a covey. He parts company with his wi nter compa nio n . a nd strikes out to find a ma te. Paired ofT. the cock and hen stay together through the summer months while attempting to raise a family.
Usually, nestin g begins in May and continues through Augu t, but on occasio n some quail ma y nest as late as OctDber in this far-south location . Th e birds are monogamou s, keeping just one mate during the sea on . o rm a ll y. there are 15 per cent more cocks th an hen . and these "bachelors" continue their ''bob white" whi stles throu gh the sum mer. searchin g for a mate of their own .
The cock i the hom ebui lder , usua ll y dependin g o n grasses and pine needle for building materi a ls. The hen will requ ire o me 20 clays to lay the cl utch of eggs. which wi ll average a bout 14 in number. Both male and fe male share

incubation duties, and in 23 to 24 days, they'll bring off the hatch.
Should the nest be destroyed before the eggs are hatched, or should the eggs be molested, the quail will begin anew to Jay another clutch of eggs. However, once even a single tiny bird is hatched, the nesting is over for the year for the parents. It may take many tries before the effort is successful.
When weather is rainy early in the yea r, many eggs may be lost, and the crop of young birds will be delayed until later in the summer when the weather is more ideal. Birds born earlier, along with those born later, account for the varying sizes of young birds found in the fall by the hunter.
trays from other coveys, and those left orphaned will join another family, so that by hunting season coveys may have severa l different sizes and ages of birds in them .
eeds of crops and weeds provide the bulk of the quail's diet, but he also eats a ariety of wild fruits and quite a lot of insects. Various lespedezas, beggarweeds, corn, partridge peas and similar eeds, comprise some 65 per cent of the food for quail. Blackberries, wild plums, black cherries, mulberries and blueberries account for perhaps 20 per cent of the diet, while insects take care of the remaining I 5 per cent.
Hunting pressure rarely has an effect on quail popul atio ns. Some 50 or 60 per cent of the quail will survive the winter whether or not quail are hunted.
Controlling of predators by man in good quail country really does not produce the desired results. Few quail fall to predation unless there is an overpopulation problem, and those who do are the weaklings, the sick and the stupid. Predators aren't able to capture the strong and healthy, thus leaving the best birds for breeding stock.
Actually, predators have an opposite effect on quail. Hawks, owls, foxes and such that do take an occasional weakened quail, depend primarily on such things as rats and mice for their livelihood and are therefore much more friend than foe of the quail. Rats and mice eat the grains and seeds that the quail must have to live on, and an overab undance of rodents means there is less food for the quail.
If predation is a problem , it is probable that the greatest reason is a lack of good habitat for the birds in the first place. Modern farming practices of utilizing every possible square foo t of

Watching a good dog work is a huge part of the enjoyment of quail hunting. This pointer knows what to do with a bird after it's downed.
land and cleaning out fencerows are the chief reasons for the Jack of quail production on most farms. The quail must have thick cover in which to hide, nest, find food, and to protect him in bad weather. He likes "edge habitat," that is the edges of woods near grain fields or weed patches. Multiflora roses and other such thick brush provide him with excellent cover.
Where the quail must move into woodlands to find a place to live, he can still be helped tremendously by a controlled burning program. Woodlands should be burned in sort of a small checkerboard pattern. Such burning is kept under control by firelanes which keep the fire small enough to prevent damage to trees. The squares of the "checkerboard" should be burned on alternate years. Burning should be done in February, when the quail population is at a low ebb, and the hardiest of birds remain . By burning only small patches, the quail can escape to nearby cover.
The burning will rid the woodlands of undergrowth that is too thick, thus smothering out new growth. The burning opens up the forest floor to the air, and stimulates the germination of legume eeds.

Burning is especially effective in pine

forests. Where burning cannot be done,

particularly in hardwoods, wise thinning

and harvesting of trees can help to open

the forest floor to sunlight, and stimu-

late new growth of small plants and

bushes, providing food and shelter for

quail.

The Game and Fish Commission is

currently engaged in a two-year study

of quail populations in southwest Geor-

gia, in the heart of the state's finest

quail country.

Ronald Simpson, game biologist for

the Commission, is conducting the study

in various phases, including nesting suc-

cess, hatching dates, annual reproduc-

tion, mortality rate, effects of weather,

sex and age ratios and population den-

sity. The thorough study will not turn

up definite results until it is complete.

Simpson expressed hope that the study

could be extended a year in order to

produce more accurate information.

Nesting studies showed that only

about 16 \h per cent of the nests in the

study area in 1967 were successfully

hatched off. More nests were successful

in July than in any other month, but

this may vary somewhat, depending on

weather and other factors. Of course,

the unsuccessful nests in most cases

probably were rebuilt until a succeed-

ing nest was successful, which would

balloon the total number of nests in-

volved in the study.

Normally, in a healthy population of

quail the hunter's bag will contain 70

to 80 per cent young birds, that is birds

that were born that year.

In the area being studied by the Com-

mission, wings of quail were collected

from hunters, to determine the ratio of

juvenile to adult birds. These figures

showed that in 1967, 63.5 per cent of

the birds taken were young of the year,

while in 1968 the percentage rose to

69.2, or about normal.

The studies also seem to indicate that

few quail journey more than a mile from

their home base, and apparently, most

movement is restricted to within a half

mile radius.

Of course, just what will be learned

from the study cannot be determined

until all figures are in and analyzed.

At any rate, Simpson ventured to

estimate from his observations in the

field , that there should be somewhat

better hunting this year for quail than

in the past few years.

And this is what the sportsman wants

most to know.

~

Georgia's Managed Hunts Good Hunting
for Everyone
By Marvin Tye

In this period of overcrowded Cities with food plants designed to attract In addition to state managed areas,

and rapidly expanding population, many quail and rabbits. Landowners on some all of the approximately 800,000 acres

hunters are hard pressed to find a pl ace areas allow the Commission to improve of National Forest land outside the

to pursue their favorite game animals. the habitat for quail and rabbits by con- management areas are open for hunting

For the man who does not have access trolled burning of the woodlands.

any species of wildlife in season in the

to privately-owned land, Georgia's 25

Georgia's game management areas county in which the land is located .

game management areas which contain serve as seed areas for restoration of Three national wildlife refuges and one

more than 750,000 acres of good hunt- wildlife such as deer, turkey, and bear military reservation , Fort Stewart, are

ing land could be the answer to his into surrounding areas. These game also open to public hunting under spe-

problem.

management areas are operated under cial regulations and permit ys tems.

Wildlife is managed scientifically to produce the finest possible hunting consistent with the primary land use of each area. Since many areas are leased to the state free of charge for hunting purposes by private timberland owner , forest game species like deer, sq ui rrel, grouse, and turkeys are the most abundant. Because there is little open land or farm game habitat on most of the areas, game management efforts of necessity are directed primarily to for-

a state-federal matching fund program financed primarily by the federal excise taxes on the sale of rifles, shotguns. and ammunition for these weapons. The federal government collects the 11 % tax and apportions it to the states for wildlife restoration purposes under the Pittro an-Robertson Act, based. on the number of hunting license sold in each state and its geographical area . The Georgi a Game and Fish Commission provides one dollar for each three dollars pro-

A list of seasons for small-game and deer hunting areas accompanies this article. To apply for a quota hunt, send a written application with $5 in check or money order to the Game and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta , Ga. 30334. Participants will be drawn from applications bearing post marks from ovember 6 through November 11. The $5 fee wi!J be refunded to those whose names are not drawn.

est game. Exceptions to this rule are vided by the federal government. This For further information on Fort

the Altamaha and Seminole waterfowl money is used to purchase or lease land , Stewart, contact Provost Marshall, Fort

areas. Because of poor natural habitat, hire game biologists and area managers , Stewart, Ga. 31314. Write the Refuge

hunting for foxes and raccoons on most pay operating expenses, and fin ance Manager, Blackbeard ational Refuge,

of the areas is poor.

many diverse wildlife research and game Rt. 1 Hardeeville, S. C. 29927 for more

Some good quail and rabbit hunting management projects.

information on that area. For more de- .

is available on pulpwood company land

In 1968, Georgia received approxi- tailed information on Piedmont Refuge,

"' l

that ha been cleared for tree plantings. matel y $600,000 from the federal excise write the Refuge Manager, Round Oak, Hunting is good in these areas until the tax on sporting arms and am munition , Ga. 31080. Contact Refuge Manager,

trees begin to shade the forest floor. On and matched that with approxim ately Savannah National Refuge, Rt. 1, Har-

man y areas, clearings such as old roads, $200.000 in State Game and Fish Com- deeville, S. C. for inform ation on the

powerlines, and fields , have been eeded mission Funds.

Savannah National Refuge.

~

GAME MANAGEMENT AREAS

."'.\ _ .

HUNTING AREAS
OF GEORGIA j ;

MANAGED DEER HUNTS SCHEDULE

PRIMITIVE WEAPO S (EITHER SEX)

Dat es
Oct. 14-19 ov. 22-23
Dec. 16-21

A reas
Warwoman Chi ckasawhatchee Piedmont Exp. Station

Dates
Oct. 1-14 Oct. 14-19 Oct. 21-26 Nov. 7-9

ARCHERY (EITHER SEX}
A reas
Brunswick Pulp & Paper Co. Clark Hill, Blue Ridge John's Mt., Lake Russell Suwanoochee

Dat es In Season Nov. 4-Jan . 2
ov. 18-23 ov. 25-27 Nov. 25-30
Nov. 25-29 Dec . 2-7 Dec. 6-7, 13- 14 Dec . 16-21

BUCK 0 LY
Areas
Altamaha a nd La ke Seminole Brunswick Pulp and P aper Company (S pecial regulat ions apply to each tract of
this area. See Managed Hunts brochure for details.) Arabia Bay Allatoona (Q H 400) Blue Ridge, Bull a rd Creek Chau ahoochee, Chestatee, Coleman River , John's Mt. , Lake Bu rton, Lake Russell , Oaky W oods, Swallow Creek, W arwoman Cedar Creek, Clark Hill, Pi ed mo nt Exp. Station Wa ycross State Forest
Chickasawhatchee (QH 300 each 2 days) Suwanoochee (permit required, no fee)

Dates Dec. 2

A TLERLESS ONLY
Areas
Blue Ridge, (QH 500) Chestatee (QH 300) . Lake Burton (QH 300), Coleman River, ( QH 300)

SMALL GAME MANAGED HUNTS SCHEDULE (For detailed informat ion o n each individual area, write the State Game and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga. 30334.) No permits required, except Buller Island ducks and raccoons.

DATES Reg . season

AREAS
Lake Seminole, Whitesburg, Allatoona, Altamaha (except Butler Island), Cohutta,
~;'!.n~a~.:e~:.ick

SPECIES All (excepl raccoons)

(except dunng dog deer hunts )

Dec. 7-Jan . 15 Tues. & Sat.

Altamaha (Butler Island )

Ocl. 18- 19, Nov. 1-2 Lake Russell

Ocl. 18- 19. 2526 Dec. 6-Jan. 25 Fri . & Sat.

Swallow Creek, Coleman River

Ocl. 11 -12 , 2526 Chestatee

Ocl. 11 -12, 2526 Chestatee

Ocl. 1819. 25-26 Dec. 6-7, 13-14
Dec. 4-14 Dec. 28J an. 31 Wed. & Sal.
Ocl. 16, 19, 23. 26 Dec. 4. 7. II . 14.
18, 21 J an . 4, 8, II , 15, 18 Wed. & Sal.
Oct. 18 19, 2526 Dec. 6-7, 13-14 Dec. 5. 12, 19, 26 Jan. 2, 4, 9, tl , 16,
18, 23, 25, 30

Lake Burton Piedmont Exp. Sta . Cedar Creek
Chattahoochee Bullard Creek

Dec. 30-Jan. 4

Suwanoochee

Ocl. 11-12. 25-26 Dec. 6-7, 1314 Jan. 20-25

Blue Ridge Arabia Bay

Ocl. 16-26 Dec. 4-2 1 Jan . 1-Feb. I Wed. & Sal.
Dec. 4, 7 Jan . 4, 8. II

Oaky Woods Clark Hill

Waterfowl
Raccoons Grouse, Squirrel, Rabbi!
Ra c c o o n Squirrel, Grouse Squirrel, Grouse
~~bgit~b~~:~:
(In season) Quail, Squirre~ Rabbit, Doves. (ln season)
Grouse, Squirrel, Rabbi!
~~~it~~~~~l,
& Snipe (In season) Squirrel, Quail, Rabbi! Grouse, Squirrel
Quail. Squirrel, Rabbi! Quail, Squirrel , Rabbi!
Qllail, Squirrel, Rabbit, Doves, Ducks (In season)

Oct. 11-12. 25-2& Dec. 6-7. 13-14
ov. 28 , 29, 30 Dec. 12, 13 , 14

Warwoman

Grouse, Squ irrel

Waycross State Forest Quail

Here's WhereYou c .an
ero

Looking tor a place to shoot in metropolitan Atlanta? The DeKalb County Recreation Department's firing range has pistol, rifle, and shotgun fa cilities.

By Dean Wohlgemuth

Opening day is rolling around fo r the various hunting seasons, firing enthusia m in hunters. However, in man y cases, especially for the city dweller, it raises some perplexing problems. One of the largest problems now has been solved for the largest metropolitan area of the state.
Hunters want and need to get in a little pre-season practice with their shotguns and rifles. They need to sight in their rifles to be certain the missile they fire is going where it is intended to go. Yet, for most of them, particularly the city sportsman , there just isn't anywhere to get in any shooting practice.
Such practice is highly important, not only for the hunter but from the

standpoint of the State Game and Fish Commission. The hunter who has a chance to get in some good practice beforehand has become more famili ar with hi s weapon . He is less likel y to be included in statistics involving hunting accidents. He is less likely to get trigger happ y on da ys when game is scarce, and wind up breaking bottles, shooting tin cans, chickens, and what-have-you .
AI o important from a conservation standpoint, he is less likely to wound game and leave it to die in agonv. He'll kiJI more game cleanly and quickly and add it to his bag for the day, rather than waste it afield.
ow it is possible for hunters, particularly in the metro Atlanta area, to

get in that much needed pre-season warmup . At last, there is a place he can go.
DeKalb County's Parks and Recreation Department is now operating, on a full -time ba is, a public shooting range open to anyone. The range is open seven days a week, all year around , according to John Carson, Recreation Adm inistrator for the DeKalb Parks and Recreation Department. Hours a re from I 0 a. m. to 6 p.m. on week days and Saturday, and from I to 6 p.m. Sundays . To reach the range, take 1-20 Ea t from Atlanta to the Evans Mill exit, turn right and fo llow signs to the range.

Tommy Thompson, range officer, said

that the range, open on a full-time

basis by the county since last May, now

can offer skeet, trap, crazy quail , 100-

ya rd highpowered rifle range (ideal for

deer hunters) , ranges for .22 rifles and

muzzle loaders and pistol ranges of 25

yards and 1,000 inch . Skeet, trap and

crazy qu ail shooting is $1.50 per 25-

shot round . Use of the other ra nges are

$1 per hour per person.

Thompson said he hopes in the future

to add some new features to the range,

including moving deer target . a nd an

archery course.

Actually, the range itself is not new,

but has undergone quite a face-lifting

since the Parks and Recreation Depa rt-

ment took it over about a year ago.

Formerl y, the ra nge was operated by

the County Police Department. While

filling a void , the Police Department

was unable to operate it on such an

elaborate scale as is the P a rks a nd Rec-

ration Department.

For instance, the trap, skeet and crazy

quail are all new additions. Trap is of

primary benefit to the quail hunter, and

the skeet to dove hunters, Thompson

pointed out. The "crazy quail " ra nge is

of even more benefit to the quail hunter.

Crazy quail is only somewhat similar

to conventional trap shooting. A si mil ar

trap is used , but it is mounted on a

swivel which permits the machine to

throw birds anywhere within the full

360-degree circle of the trap. ormall y.

however, for reasons of shootin g safet y

it is limited to approximatel y a !SO-

degree semicircle.

Rather than being mounted in a par-

tially underground trap hou e, the crazy

quail trap is completel y below the

ground level, in a round pit about eight

feet across and about eight feet deep.

The shooter, rather than calling for

each individual clay bird as in skeet or

trap , si mpl y notifies the trap operator

that he is ready to shoot. The operator

may then send out a clay target at any

time, up to about one minute. After

each shot is fired, the shooter must re-

load his gun with a si ngle shell. and be

ready for the next surpri se shot . .. that

is. he knows only that the target ma y

come anytime after a reasonable delay

to provide time to reload. And the tar-

get may go in any direction. The tar-

gets continue to fly , without hi s calling

for them, until a complete round of 25

shots has been made.

Getting in that pre-season practice

could go a long way toward filling the

game bag a little fuller this fall a nd

increase enjoyment afield. And you

might discover that yo u really don't

need to replace your favorite deer rifle

after all-a little sighting in and prac-

tice might just be all you needed to get

your shooting .on the beam!

,.._

Above: Deer season is here, and it's time to get that rifle sighted in before hunting. Good bench rests and 100 and 200 yard ranges are perfect for getting the sights set, along with som e valuable pra ctice .
Right: In the " Crazy Quail" pit is Tommy Thompson, range officer for DeKalb County. Shooters don't know which direction the target will go, or when. Th ompson lets fly when he gets ready. Shooters get the best snap shooting possible outside of an actual quail hunt.
Below: There she goes! The clay bird flie s out of the corrugated metal pit in front of the shooter. Th e DeKalb range also has conventional trap and skeet shooting ranges.

Left: A nine-point, 200 pound Jasper County buck is plenty of cause for celebration by Hoyt Hobgood of Forest Park, who bagged the monster moments before Monticello's first annual "Deer Festival" began .
Something to Celebrate
Jasper County$ Deer Festival sv Jim Morrison

I

I

I

I

....

I

'

I

_____ I

I I

, , / _,.

\
I
Eatonton /,/
I
_- I I
.... /
I I
I I I
/

whisper the magic words "Jasoer County" into the ear of any deer hunter from Marietta to Monticello to Macon, and just watch his eyes light up with anticipation.
The reason for his enthusiasm is the focal point of one of the most unusual community celebrations in the United States.
Jasper County is deer country. Located betwen Atlanta and Macon, it is a mecca for thousands of deer hunters each season. Exactly how many deer they take is a subject of speculation, as is the total number of hunters, but both figures are impressive for a Georgia deer hunting county.

"Other towns have festivals for their leading local products like peanuts, cotton, or apples," says Mack Tillman, last year's president of the Monticello-Jasper County Junior Chamber of Commerce, "so we decided to celebrate one of our leading products-deer hunting!"
So the Jaycee's got busy. Joining forces with the Kiwanis Club, they quickly made plans for what is believed to be the first and only "Deer Festival" in Georgia, the Southeast, and perhaps the United States or the world!
After the initial plans were made, the group got some assistance in making their final plans from David Almand , the wildlife speciali st of the Cooperative

Extension Service at the Univer ity of Georgia, and began promoting their festival , and Jasper County's deer.
Several hundred hunters and local residents attended the first Festival held on the high school football field in Monticello. Red-coated or red-hatted deer hunters by the dozens from surrounding areas lined up to get a modestly priced hot barbecue plate for their supper. Then they sat in the bleachers to hear some of the most unusual oratory ever heard in praise of a Georgia county's most well-known commodity.
Heading up the list of notables was the Director of the State Game and Fish Commission, George T. Bagby,

both extend into Jasper. In fact, aU of

the deer in the county today spread

into it from the two wildlife refuges.

1

"I'd hate to guess how man y deer

we have killed every yea r," speculates

Ranger Tillman. "I bad about 700 re-

ported last year, but the real total must

have been somewhere between 800 to a thousand or more. I don't know bow ~

many hunters we had . It looked like a

Fourth of July pa rade here the first

week last year. I guess it might be more

than 10,000 hunters alL during the sea-

son."

Tillman's estimate is backed up by

Whittington and Handy. All three agree

that the Piedmont section surrounding

Monticello is indeed the be t deer hunt-

ing area in Georgia, especially in the

matter of deer numbers. While the aver-

age size of the deer and their antlers

may be declining somewhat, orne whop-

pers are taken there each year. The average size still excels that of the

,.

mountains or of South Georgia, pri-

"Nice Kitty?" The youngsters are fas cinated by the wildcat in the wildlife exhibit. maril y because of better habitat. Wh y?

Wildcats (or bobcats) kill a few young or sick deer, but are not nearly the threat to Handy exp la ins it this way:

wildlife that ordinary dogs are. Deer, dogs and bobca ts aren't rare in Jasper County.

"The county is abou t all woods, ex-

cept for dairy farms , and it's been

the Director of the Georgi a Fore try given away, including two deer bunt- stocked a long time. We first put out

Commission, Ray Shirley, and Jim ing rifles. A band will play continuously J40 deer in the Cedar Creek Area in

Adams, president of the Georgia Sports- from 9:30 a.m.

1946 and 1948 , and they've spread out

men's Federation. David Almand served

"We think that the Festival is a good over the entire area. It has one of the

a master of ceremonies, joke-teller, and way of attracting attention to Monti- be t deer habitats of any section of the

ec onomi st.

cello and Jasper County," says Billy state, food-wise. It's covered up in Jap-

As cou ld be expected , the real high- Connelly, chairman of this year's Festi- anese honeysuckle, so deer don't have

light of the ceremonies was the presen- val. "We're calling Monticello and Jas- to depend on an unpredictable mast

tation of the fir t Deer Festival Queen, per County the "Deer Capitol of the crop in the winter, like in the moun-

pretty Jud y Cannon, a Monticello High Southeast." Deer hunting has an im- tains. They have honeysuckle there to

senior. Then, prizes were given away portant effect on our economy, and our eat winter or summer, regardless of

in a drawing, including a prize for the Festival emphasizes that to the local whether or not there are any acorns .

hunter who came the farthest to deer landowners and merchants, and helps You might call it manna from heaven ,"

hunt in Jasper County, which went to to draw in more hunters. At the same H and y explains.

Mack Pitts of Ringgold, just below the time. we want to promote good sports-

"During the hunting season, deer are

Tennessee border. Then hunters, wives , manship and firearms safety."

eating primarily nuts, fruits, and hon-

and children took one more look at the How good is the deer hunting in Jas- eysuckle, mostly acorns, mushrooms,

Game and Fish Commission's wi ldlife per County? To answer that question, hawthorne fruits , etc. They always eat

exhibit.

we'll call in three expert witnesses: some honeysuckle before bedding down.

"Last yea r's Festival was so success- "Gus" TilLman, the wildlife ranger as- You can find it in them year a round.

ful , con idering the short amount of signed to Jasper County, Dick Whitting- T his time of year it's about the only

time we bad to organize it, that we de- ton, the Commission's Middle Georgia tender green thing left, and by Decem-

cided to make it an annual event," says game supervisor, and Hubert Handy, ber, they're living almost exclusively

this year's Jaycee president, Eddie T y- the Commission's chief of game mange- off it.

ler.

ment.

"Then, too, there is a good bit of

"We're going to hold it during the "I'd say that Jasper and Jones are the escape cover from dogs around the Oc-

middle of the day on November 9, this two best counties anywhere in the State mulgee Ri ver on the west side of the

year," Tyler says. "We'll have barbecued for deer hunting," says Whittington , county, along with Jackson Lake at the

chicken beginning at 11 a.m. until 3 who has bagged over a dozen deer him- north west corner. Of course, deer are

p.m. on the courthouse square in Mon- self, including several in Jasper County. protected from both poachers and dogs

ticello, where all the activities will take "There may be more deer killed in on Piedmont National and Cedar Creek,

place. Governor Maddox is scheduled Jones County, but there are probably but Jasper County has a lot of dogs.

to speak at 1 :30 p.m. , and will crown more deer and better hunting in Jasper. These two areas provide a seed area

this year's Festival Queen at 2 p.m. "

I'd rather hunt there. We had a deer which insure that the surrounding areas

T his year, in addit ion to the Game kill reported for Jones County one year don't get overhunted. Then there is a

and Fish Commission exhibit, the Jay- of about 2,200 deer, but that included lot of forest land, including National

cees have rounded up a number of other about 700 deer from Piedmont Nation- Forest land and timber company land

exhibits, including major outdoor prod- al Wildlife Refuge and about 375 at that is open to the public for bunting."

ucts like camping trailers and jeeps, all the State's Cedar Creek Game Manage- What about the economic impact of

of which will be parked arou nd the ment Area."

deer hunting on Ja.sper County?

square.

While most of Cedar Creek and Pied- "Well , we don't know exactly, but it's

And of course, there will be prizes mont National lie in Jones County, they tremendous," Handy says. "We know

that the average big game hunter in the nation spent $64 each in 1965, or about $9.55 a day. Our Georgia survey taken by the U. S. Census Bureau in 1961 showed that the average Georgian spends $85 a year for all types of hunting, including $32.40 for big game alone. Since the average Georgia big game hunter hunts an average of 3.4 days each, his average daily expenditure is about the same as the national ave rage."
How much of that money goes to Jasper County?
"We know that some of it is spent outside the county buying equipment and supplies, and some of it on the road getting there, but a good bit is pent in the county itself. I'd say maybe $5 of that $9 a day. Hunter buy lots of food there at grocery stores and restaurants, along with ga oline for their cars and trucks. Some of them stay in the motel there, and a lot more would , if the re were motels enough for them. Of course, they buy some supplies and equipment the re as well, including ammunition, bunting licenses, etc. In addition, local hunters probably buy all their equipment there, including guns, tree stands, etc."
Based on some very quick figuring, if an estimated 10,000 hunters spent an average of $5 a day in Jasper County during three days of hunting, they would spend $150,000 there alone! By the time this money is exchanged in local commerce, economists say its effect would be 12 to 13 times the original figure, meaning that deer hunting might have an effect of up to $1 ,800,000 on Jasper County alone!
Admittedly, these figures are based on several estimates, but they are a general indication. Work will be done in the near future to refine them, and to determine how economically valuable hunting is to Georgia. One survey indicated that the average deer in the bag is worth about $400 each. Using this figure on an estimated 1,000 deer. Jasper county deer bagged would have generated $400,000 for Georgia's economy!
Another aspect of the economic impact of deer hunting is illustrated in Jasper County by the advent of pay hunting. True, there is plenty of free National Forest Service and timber company land to hunt on in Jasper. Hunting pressure is probably about equally heavy on Oconee National Forest lands and Georgia Kraft Company timberlands.
But already, some of the other timber companies in Jasper have begun leasi ng hunting rights on their lands, including Continental Can, Owens-Illinois, and Georgia Timberland, according to Tillman. Others may eventually go to a daily or season permit system, Handy feels.
Private land in Jasper, like many popular deer counties, is mostly posted .

Georgia's Number One deer protector, Game and Fish Commission Director George T. Bagby, was the principal speaker at last year's Festival, where pretty 17-year-old Monticello High senior Judy Cannon was named Queen.
As a ru le, landowners don 't allow hunting except for a few friends and neighbors or relatives, except through leasing.
"I can't say that I'm opposed to leasing," Whittington replies. "You and I and the general public couldn't hunt on that land anyway, so leasing makes it available to the public, on a group basis. It's not uncommon for a hunting club or a group of hunters to get together and lease a tract of hunting land. I don't mind, as long as they hunt it. I don't like to see land leased up and not hunted much."
Handy agrees to Whittington's points, but is cautious of landowners who might tend to try to exploit their game too heavily for profit by leasing it to too many hunters, causing over hunting to occur.
"Most of these tracts are small," Handy points out, "Maybe from 300 to 500 acres or so. On 300 acres, you might have, say, 10 deer, out of which you could harvest about three deer a year. If you take more, you're probably harvesting game that was raised on somebody else's adjacent land that moved into the void left from overharvest. Is that fair?"
Handy does feel that landowners leasing their lands should be and may well already be more wildlife conscious, perhaps more wi lling to support wildlife conservation measures, including control of dogs and night hunter .
Regardless of the pros and con , land lea ing for deer hunting is in full steam in Jasper and surrounding counties. The average price ranges from 75 cents to $1.50 an acre, perhaps less on a larger tract or more on a choice one. Usually, a group does the leasing, agreeing to help the landowner control trespassing

and poaching on the land during the hunting season. Landowners also like the arrangement, which pays for their taxes on timberlands that don't produce an annual income.
While many landowners deal directly with sportsmen , Jasper County has produced an interesting phenomenon in the form of a realtor who has begun specializi ng in leasing deer bunting lands for the owners on a commission basis.
Now in his fourth season of leasing deer hunting land, Monticello realtor and insurance man J. S. "Chick" Wilson seems to be making a go of it.
"I've got about 20,000 acres signed up with me available fo r lease this fall ," Wilson reveal . "It leases for $1.25 an acre. The landowner gets 80 cents of that. Many of them are absentee owners or have large tracts that they don't have the time to handle them elves. They have found that letting me handle publicizing it, showing the land , and handling the details of the lea e is an adva ntage to them ."
'"Under the terms of my standard lease, the land is available to the hunter from September 1 to March 31 for hunting any game in season recognized by the State Game and Fish Commission, but mostl y it's for deer hunting. Hunters scout it in September, bow hunt in October, and gun hunt in November. Then they might do some squirrel hunting or rabbit hunting in December, January, or February."
"Hunters like to lea e through me because I have maps of all the land in my office, and I carry them out to look the areas over. Once they sign up with me, they're guaranteed rights to renew the contract on the same property the next year, provided the landowner agrees. Usually, hunters want to stay in the same area if the hunting is good, because they know the land, have their camping area cleared off, and their tree stands are good for two or three years."
One disadvantage of his system, Wilson admits, is that landowners can lease directly with groups he has found for the landowner the following year. "Most of them don't back out on me after I make the first year's lease," Wilson says," but there's nothing to stop them, if they want to go to the trouble of handling it themselves. In order to make any money, I need to handle it after the first year. After the initial leasi ng, my expenses aren't nearly as great."
In addition to his leasing activity, Wilson keeps a register of all of the individuals in groups that lease land through him. "Then if there's some emergency at horne, hunters can be reached through me. I know where their tract is, and I go out and bring them in."

D ykes fam ily owns 2,5 00 acres of good to hunt, and practice hunting safety.

deer hunting land where a Baptist "We get a $100 bond for bunting on

church camp was once located on a 10 Sunday and for trespassing," Tillm an

acre lake. D ykes has improved the notes. "That's slowed up the problem 1

property by hauli ng in sand for a beach , considerabl y, but it still goes on. These

and refurbishing a barracks capable of farmers with cows and horses get pretty

sleeping 100 hunters, complete with upset whe n somebody they don't know

restroom and kitchen facilities. He has trespasses on their property. If they

made plants to furnish a cook to groups lose one of their Angus or a whiteface,

usi ng the barracks, and may lease an they've really lost something. I know

additional 5,000 or more acres for deer how th ey feel , and I agree with them.

hunting, if the deman d ari ses . A t the I own some property myself, and I'd

time this article was wri tten, D ykes' sure hate to find one of them stretched

plans had not been completed , but they out with a bullet hole in them."

centered around the possibilities of cre- "I investigated about five or six cow

ating a private club with individu al killings last year myself," Tillman said ,

membership to use the fac ility. H e is "and I heard of fi ve or six more. Most

also considering renting for short hunt of them we re killed by night hunters

periods to groups.

who just saw a pai r of eyes, or by

Other lan downers have expressed "sound" or " brush" sh ots . Hunters

sim il ar ideas, including expanding into hould be e pecially careful to identify

dove, quai l, and duck huntin g, along their target before they shoot it. " L ast

wi th fishing lakes. The potential is pres- year, Tillm an ar rested four hu nters who

ent for such rec reation al ente rprises in had killed a $600 Angus bull. The sen-

the futu re in Jasper County.

tence of four years was probated in

What are the prospects for deer hunt- addition to a $4,000.00 fine.

ing this year?

"We were pretty lucky on accidents

"We've got one of the biggest deer las t year. As far as I can remember

Which "deer" is the prettiest? Deer crops we ever had," says Tillman . now, we didn't have a single person

Festival Queen Judy Cannon exchanges "We've got good hunting down here. lf shot, although some fell out of trees

glances with a young deer in the Game and Fish Commission's exhibit. This year's Festival with feature even more exhibits around the Monticello courthouse square.

a ma n'll get ou t and hun t, he'll get one eve ntuall y. They don't always come to you, but if you 'll stick to it, you'll succeed."
"We've got pretty good squirrel hunt-

and got hurt. P eople should be cautious, especi ally about shooting across a public road-it's ill ega l and dangerous."
"Another thing- people should remember to tag their deer. If they don't,

"We used to fi ght deer hun ters down here, " Wilson says. "Now we welcome them. Everybody's happy, the deer hunters, and the landowners . Now they both come to me. Landow ners are n't as bothered with trespassi ng or poach ing. T he lease reli eves them of liab il ity. Hunters are sure of not bei ng overcrowded or having somebody get thei r sta nd first, and they can camp there. which some of the paper compani es don't let them do. T hey feel safer knowing who they're hunting with. "
Li ke most real estate people, Wilson ha ndles purchases of la nd , and has sold some trac ts to deer hunters, but the average hunter doesn't ha ve the money. Land prices in Jasper County are increas ing steadil y. Timberl and sells for $ 133 to $150 an .acre, with cleared agricul tural land much hi gher.
Wilson is also embarking on a project this year to run a hunting lodge for deer hu nte rs, complete with guides, transportatio n, and meals, fo r $50 per person per day, in groups of 10 to 20 hunters. "If I take less than 10, I have to wait until another small group signs up to make it wort hwhile," Wilson says . T wo day is his mini mum stay. The lodge is located on Lake Jackson, but hunters hu nt on 1,200 acres of land a mile away leased to Wil on.

ing, but not too much rabbit hunting. T he doves we ren't much this year. We've onl y got two fox hunters left in the count y. We used to have about 25. They just got tired of their dogs ch asing deer. They can't hunt here. We've only got about 10 or 12 coon hunters left. They've got deer problems, too. "
One of the reasons that the Jasper deer population is so high is undou btedly the quality of the Jaw enforcement pro tection that wil dli fe enjoys there. "Tillm an gets good cooperation there," says Whittington . "And he gets out and does a good job. They back him up , and make people put up stiff bonds."
"I can 't complain about our sheriff, o r the new one coming in ," Tillman says proudl y. "They help me an yway I ask them too. During the hunting season, they even put on six special deputy sheriffs to help me and the two regular deputies patrol."
"We've got a lot of poaching here, because we have a lot of deer. There's more of it this year th an ever, mostl y night hunting. We confiscated three ca rs in the las t three weeks, one a week, made 25 cases, and got two deer. Some of th e viol ators are local , some are f rom Eatonton , Buford, Sparta, Conyers, all mi xed up, from ever ywhere."
Like a growing num ber of Jaspe r counti ans, T illm an th inks the infl ux of

we'll have to confiscate it. Hun ters should get a copy of the game laws. and follo w them . If they do, we're glad fo r them to hun t in Jasper County."
What's ahead in the f uture for Jas per County deer hunting? Mo re of the same, onl y better, hopes H and y, Whi ttington, and Tillm an. All of them think that more doe hunting will be necessary and possibl e in the future, as poachers and dogs come under better control. 'We want the hunters to harvest th e deer," says H and y. At the same time, complaints of crop damage by deer from landowners have become more vocal.
"It's nearl y impossibl e to raise peas or potatoes here." Tillm an compl ains. "N ow, th ey're even working on the corn ." Vegetable crops in ga rdens and orch ards are the hard est hit. While deer eat field crops like corn , wheat, and oats, the effect isn't usuall y noticed as much by fa rmers.
"In pl aces, the habitat is gettin g thinned down," Whittington notes, "But deer are still bigger here th an in most of the state, especi all y the Cla rk Hill area. Recentl y, two fello ws I know from Greene County scouted an area in Jasper, and said they saw tracks bigger th an any they ever sa w in G reene County! And I thou ght there we re some pretty good deer in G reene County!"

A sim ilar project is bein g initi ated hunters in to the coun ty is good for the There's no doubt about it. The people

th is yea r by Sam D ykes, owner of the econom y, but be is concerned that they of Jasper County have something to

Blackwell Merca ntil e Co. at F arra r. The obey the game laws, have perm ission celebrate about.

..-

Skinning a deer like this is an easy trick- if you know the secret. Game biologist Charlie Marshall will show you how to do this in just a few simple steps.
Begin by cutting off the legs at the joints, then slitting the skin on the inside of each leg. Now cut the hide from the brisket to the lower jaw, and remove about
eight inches of hide from the upper neck by ordinary skinning methods . After hanging the deer, place the golf ball between th e skin and flesh of the neck. Tie your rope around the skin covered ball, and attach it to your vehicle.

to follow. I stood up not believing what I had seen. But there was a clean carcass swinging to and fro from the limb, and a complete hide was still tied to the stout rope on the pickup. I examined the hide and found very little meat left on it. The carcass didn't have one hair on it since no dirty hands had touched it.
The truck was backed under the carcass, where the man wrapped a clean, but patched bed sheet around his meat. He loo ened the rope holding the deer and lowered it into his truck . With a couple of well pl aced cuts, the head was removed and the carcass carefully prepared to be aged at the locker.
He grinned again . The old man had skinned , wrapped , and loaded the carcass with no assistance from me. After we finished the last of the coffee, he bid me good-bye and wished me luck . He left with hi s prime veni on and 1 left with a de ire to skin a deer. Mo t of the time when you chance upon omething like this you don't have a camera to record the occa ion. This was no exception, therefore, it was necessa ry to wait several years before I could get all element together and tr y this unique method for myself. I was amazed at how easy the hide was removed . All of you deer hunters who find it difficult to skin a deer or anyone who want to complete the job in a hurry should consider the procedure. Thinking that some of you may want to try this unique method , I prepared the fo llowing short description entitled:
How to Ski n a Deer With a Golf Ball
This title reminds me of a story written by George L. Herter entitled "How to Kill a Wild Boar with a Shirt." For those of you who haven't heard this story, Mr. Herter stated that you approach the hog until it notices you, then remove your shirt and make the hog charge by waving the shirt before him. As he makes his fin al lunge, calml y step to one side and hit him on the neck with a very sharp axe. That's how to kill a hog with a shirt, now let's consider the golf ball deer skinning procedure.
First, kill your deer and remove the entrai l by conventional methods. Remove the front legs by cutting through the ' knee" joint. The rear legs are cut at the hock. Spl it the skin on the in ide of each leg. If you are not going to mount the head , split the hide from the rib cage to the lower jaw. Cut the skin around the upper neck joint behind the

ears. Carefu lly remove the hide from

approximately eight inches of the neck.

Tie a rope or chain around the deer's

neck and attach to a stout limb or if

you prefer not to lift the carcass th i

high. tie it to a nearby tree (See photo ) .

Now for the golf ball. Insert the golf

ball , (a smooth rock will do) about 4

inches beneath the skin on the back of

the neck. Tie one end of a stout rope

around the skin-covered ball and the

other end to an automobile or truck.

Drive the vehicle away and the skin will

rapidly eparate from the carcass.

All hide and hair should be removed

before taking the carcass to a com-

merci al meat plant to be aged. Your

las t tep, therefore, is to remove the

tail and head. A clean cloth wrapped

around the meat will help keep insects

and dirt off the carcass during trans-

portation to the locker.

With this description and the accom-

pan ing photographs, anyone can do a

good , fa t job of skinning a deer. If you

tr y it o nce. you'll be compelled to show

it to another deer-hunter.

lt should be pointed out that if you

are going to mount your troph y, don 't

split the hide up the neck. Jn tead ,

make your cut just forward of the

shoulder around the neck. Then pro-

ceed with the golf ball pl aced on top

of the shoulder instead of the neck.

If you till think th at both the old

man and I a re crazy, slip off by you r-

self and try it without an audience .

ext time you'll want someone to

roundup a crowd to see you perform

the feat.

~

Upper Right: Drive away and the hide will peel quickly from the carcass.
Lower Righ t: It's off! With no strain, no pain!

14

the outdoor world
Squirrels Move To Find Food
T he sq uirrels are on the move in Georgia 's mountains. By the thousands. the sq uirrels are aba ndoning th e hi gh ridges. movin g do wn into the vall eys in search of food.
ature's timing appeared to be a little off thi s yea r fo r sq uir re ls. Bill Co llins, game biologist fo r the Game and Fi sh Comm ission 's Ca lho un District. sa id a bu mper crop of sq ui rre ls were produced thi s yea r, but a late frost coupled wit h a summer drought has left littl e if a ny food for sq ui rre ls in the high coun try.
Conseq uentl y, the squi rre ls are in sea rch of food a nd are mov in g into the valleys of the mounta in count ry , a ttac king corn fi elds a nd a ny other food source they can find .
Collins sa id a ppa re ntly th e squirrels are tay ing in the mounta in reg io ns. however. There has been no effect on sq ui rre ls in a ny other section of the state.
H unti ng sho uld be excell ent for sq ui rre ls thi s year. because they'll be o ut in the open more tha n usual. a nd a t lower a lti tudes. Squirrels not ha rvested this yea r, are more likely th an
Continued from Inside Front Cover
thi cheme, it is m y opinion th at Georgia would be e llin g its birthri ght for a bowl of ou p, just as Esau d id in the Bible. Thi s company masq ue rades in sheep's clothing, but they are the wolf in disgui e, read y to fe as t at o ur ex pense.
Unde r the terms of this proposed lease, K err-McGee would be authori zed to remove more than I00 million dollars of fill dirt fro m sta te property, in return for a minimum payment to the sta te of on ly two million doll a rs over the entire 20-yea r period of the lease. Thi s mate ri a l wo uld be obtained at thi s fa ntas ti ca ll y low cost, regardless of wheth er or not the compa ny ever mined a ny phosphates at a ll.
Exactl y how valu able the real estate th at wou ld thus be created wo ul d be difficult to determine. It is certain th at th e c lots wo uld be far beyond the ab ility of the average Georgia n to bu y. even tho ugh he would be paying the bill!
A Ke rr- Me ee spokesma n. eni or Vice President Tom Seale. at Brunswick, Georg ia. J uly 24, 1968 , stated a t a meeti ng tha t la nd development is the

usua l to be v1ct1 m of starvation. because of the food shortage.
Sq ui rrels, Collins poi nted o ut, feed pri maril y o n nu ts, aco rn a nd s imil ar tree products ca lled mast. M ast crops were badly damaged this year. An excell ent mast crop a year ago res ulted in a high ca rry over through the wi nter of squirrels fro m las t yea r, resulting in a ve ry high popul ation of squirrels this yea r.
Ho wever, because of the c riti ca l food shortage this year, the sq uir rel population is very probably headed for a sharp decline fo r the next two or th ree years. Collins sa id.
This natural ph enomena is not uniqu e. Collins poi nted out. "This same thin g hap pens just abo ut every five or I 0 yea r ," he said . " It occurred las t in 1964."
He pointed out th a t efforts of the public to feed squirrels during the wi nte r wo uld be e nti re ly wasted. 'There are just too man y of them . There'd be so littl e food o ut tha t it reall y wo uld n' t help at a ll. Squirrels must find their own food in a natural way . When food isn' t ava ilable, th ere comes about a decline in popul a tion . T hi s may sound a littl e cruel. but thi s is simpl y nature's own way of ba lanc ing it se lf out. "
Great num bers of squirrels have been seen o n the move in mounta in areas. he sa id , es pecia ll y in the area a round Ell ijay. Blu e Rid ge a nd Bl a irsville. "The ot her day I we nt from Ell ijay to Bl airsvi ll e, a nd on the way I cou nt ed three squirrels running ac ross the road in front of me, and saw I0 o thers th a t had been killed by ca rs, in a distance of perhaps 40 or 50 miles . It is ve ry un -
seco nd phase of this proposed opera ti on. In view of add iti o nal statements by th at compa ny that the phosph ate de posit is marg inal, a nd in Fortun e Maga zin e that the phosph ate market is glutted, we wonder if the primary objecti ve is la nd specul atio n a nd development, at th e expen e of the Georgia tax payer.
I ask you to determine for yourself the true magnitude of th e giveaway program proposed by Ker r-McGee, using th eir own figures. They have proposed to fill a l 6.000 acre a rea with stateow ned fill from 22,300 acres of state ow ned unde rwate r la nds. Acco rding to the compa ny itself, they propose removing 80 to 120 feet of overburden or fill materi a l lyin g above the phosphates . T here a re 1.660 c ubic yards of fill conta ined in a n acre foo t. At a n ave rage depth of l 00 feet of overburden . 166,000 cubic yards of fill material per acre would be ava il able to the compan y. Using the minimum price of three cents per cubic yard pa id by the. State Hi ghway D epartment on State projects, th is tota l of over four billion cubic ya rds of fill materi al avail able to

comm on to see so many m that space of time."

q uirrel seaso n opens in Georgia

October 14 th is yea r, a nd remai ns open

through February 28, 1969. T he bag

limi t is I 0 sq uirrels dail y.

-.....

Dean Wohlgcmut.h

Sportsmen Urge Defeat Of Constitutional Amendment
The president of Georgia's larges t co nserva tion gro up ha urged defeat of a co nstitution al amendmen t givi ng se nators a nd re presentati ves a tronger ro le in namin g members of th e State Game and Fish Commission .
James L. Adams of Stone Mount a in , president of the Georgia Sportsmen's Federati o n. ca ll ed Ame ndme nt 14 on the ge nera l election ballot a n effort to inject more politics into the opera tio ns of the Game a nd Fish Commi ss ion .
'This is a backward step," Ad a ms sai d. "We need to give the sportsmen of our state more representation , not less. Jf members of the Commi ssion must be appointed by the Governor fro m a list of three submitted by senators a nd represent atives in each dist rict. more po litics a nd not less will
Continued on Page 16

the compa ny would be wo rth a t least $ 124.000 ,000! This mea ns K er r-McGee wo uld pay the state of Georgia les th a n two per ce nt of what thi s materia l is actually worth .
If we compute this figure based on the top price pa id by the State Hi ghway D epar tme nt of 15 cents per cubic yard instead of three cents, fill materi a l ava il able for the taking by Kerr-M cGee wo uld be worth a staggering $622 ,000,000! All this at a cost to the compan y of onl y a tota l of $2,070,000 in 20 years, wi thout mining an ounce of phosphates! By ta king the Georgia tax payer's property at a pittance, Kerr-McGee ca n rea p a fabu lous profit , a t our expense.
After mak ing a careful stud y of th e terms of this lease, our Department concludes th at Ke rr-McGee proposes the grea test giveaway program of Georgia's state-owned la nds that has been proposed since the infamous Yazoo Fraud. This boondoggle is an outrage to the peopl e of Georgia, and I urge you to reject this 100 million dollar giveaway without qualification.

continued from page 15
be added to the Commission ," Ad ams sa id.
" rt is a well known fact th at in states w ith political domination of their wildlife con servation programs, poor game and fi sh departments are usuall y the result. We don 't wa nt th at to happen in Georgi a. If it does, the recomm endations of our profess ional game and fi sh biologi sts w ill take a backseat to politi cs," Ad ams ch arged.
''Expanding the number of the members of the Co mmission as called f or in Am endm ent 14 from 11 to 13 o r 15 mem bers is not a progressive step," Ad ams sa id. ''A larger commi ssion w ith more members would be more cumbersome and less able to reach effecti ve deci sions th an a sm aller one like we now have. Thi s amendment would also shorten th e commi ssioners' terms from seven years to four."
Himsel f a l awyer, Adams also attacked th e proposed amendment on the grounds that its wording is contrad ictory on the number of commissioners th at could be appointed to the propo ed new G ame and Fish Comrnission .
" In the title of the amendment, it call s for a 15 member commission. However, the provisions of the bill onl y provide for methods of selecting 13 commi ssioners, not 15 ," Adam s pointed out. ''Thus the amendment in its present form might well be subject to m isinterpretation. It should be thro w n out by the voters on thi s basis alone," Adams said.
The amendment in question appears on the November 5 state- w ide general election ballot among the general am endments to the Georgia Constitution. numbered 14. Voters are asked to vote either " YES" or " NO" to the question. " Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide for the creation of a new G ame and Fish Commissi o n ?"
Vot ers were urged to vote " NO" on the amendment by both Adam s and th e Board of Directors of the 6,500 m ember Georgi a Sportsmen's Federati on, a co alition of more th an 66 Georgia hunting fi shing, boating, and conserva tion clubs.
At present , m embers of the State G ame and Fi sh Commission are selected by the Governor for seven year term s and confirm ed by the State Senate. One commi ssion er is nam ed f rom each of the 10 con gressional di stri cts, plus one member from the Georgia coas t. The proposed amendment would increase the membership of the commiss ion to either 13 or 15 members, depending on the interpretation of th e bill , with the Governor naming th e extra members. The m ain effect of

th e bill is to provide th at the governor could onl y name commi ssioners f rom each con gressional district from a list of three nominees provided him by the State senators and representatives in each di strict, and that such commissioners could be removed from office by the Governor onl y at the will of the legi sl ative delegation in their district.
~
Booby Trap?
Enclosed you will find a picture of a deer recently found in a wooded area about five miles south of Sylvester, Worth County. There had been a clearing of some timber area in this section and evidently some of the machinery used
some %" cable and a short piece, about
thirty feet, was discarded. This deer got the piece of cable tangled in his antlers and was running through the woods when the cable caught on a tree. In his efforts to free himself, he went around the tree several times and finally got two of his legs tangled in the cable. When I found the deer, it probably had been dead for about a month, and as you can see from the picture, he was in a sitting position. I thought you might like to have this picture. Maybe you can use it in your magazine. The picture was made by Mike Deriso, Sylvester, Georgia.
Ranger James Sherling Sylvester, Georgia
Phosphates, Wetlands
I have just finished reading, with much interest, your news release of September 16, "Bagby Says Phosphates' $100 MiII ion Giveaway." As you are probably aware, we have the same problems, or similar ones, here in North Carolina . I thought I would send you a couple of recent articles ... there's some consolation in company, maybe.
I would also like to tell you about a new organization here in the state: Wetlands and Estuaries for Tomorrow. This is a private, non-profit conservation organization devoted specifically to the problems of marshes and swamps (although, naturally, they get caught up in water pollution, pesticides, and all the other dominos that fall when one begins to totter.)
This group was formed in April of this year by 12 duck hunters. Since then it

has grown to a membership of over 100,

affiliated with the state Wildlife Federa-

tion, and is beginning to make its voice

heard throughout the state. Most of th e 1 founders (I was one) are younger guys,

but we now have lawyers, a former guber-

natorial candidate, retired military per-

sonnel, doctors: in short, all ages and all

economic levels ... even a few women

have joined. I mention this group to you

because sometimes an "aroused" citi-

zens' group can apply more political

pressure for a conservation cause than

the combined state conservation agen-

cies can. We hope to get some sensible

estuarine laws passed here during the

next legislature ... but it's going to be

quite a fray. Anyway, maybe you could

encourage some of your friends to join us.

Anyway, I guess the main reason I'm "'

writing is that marshland is one of my

favorite hobby horses and it bothers me

to see good marsh endangered, in North

Carolina or Georgia. Let me know how

the battle goes.

Sincerely,

.-

Tom Jackson

Wildlife Education Representative

North Carolina Wildlife Resources

Commission, Raleigh, N.C.

Mad Hunter!
I see that you people have managed to stack the opening of deer season against the working man and in favor of the politicians, executives, poachers, and those thousands covered by Civil Service who
can always take a few days of annual or sick leave to go hunting.
The condition of the national, and state Democratic party is a good example of what happens when you start sta cki ng the deck against the majority in favor of the minority.
I have always been a supporter of the Game and Fish Department and am in sympathy with your programs. However, this is one time I can't go along with you. Our hunting club, all working men, planned our usual hunt for the first weekend in November as usual, and we " still plan to carry on. We did not lease 800 acres for the benefit of the few who _. can hunt during the work week.
Yours for better planning next year. R. L. Rothell, Jr. Atlanta, Ga.
P. S. Rankin Smith seems to be making the same type decisions as a member of ~ the Commission as he is as owner of the Falcons football team.
What can we say after that! The opening date of deer season has been changed in favor of the working
,. man. It now opens Nov. 2 in all counties
originally set to open Nov. 4. (And the Falcons have a new coach!)

Sportsman's

RABBITS N . Ga. S easo n-November 18 , 1968 through January 31 , 1969.

more than 2 wood ducks, 1 canvasback, or 1 redhead, 2 black ducks, and 2 mallards. Possession limit 2 including no more

N . Ga. Bag Limit-5 dail y.

th an 4 wood ducks, 1 canvasback or 1 red-

Calendar

S . Ga. S eason - No ve mber 18 , 1968 head, four bl ack ducks, and 4 mallards.

through February 28, 1969.

Mergansers: 5 Daily, includ ing no more

S. Ga . Bag Limit- 10 dail y.

than 1 hooded merga nser; possession limit

TURKEY

10, including no more than 2 hooded

SEASONS NOW OPEN
RUFFED GROUSE Season-Oct. 14, 1968 throu gh Jan. 31 ,
1969. Bag Limit-3 D aily, possession limit 6.

S. W. Ga . Season-November 18, 1968 through March I, 1969 in Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Earl y, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, and Thomas counties. S. W. Ga. Bag Limit-Two (2 ) per seaso n.

mergansers. Coots: 10 D ail y, possession limit 20.
GEESE AND BRANT Season-Dec. 7, 1968 through Jan. 25 , 1969. Bag Limit-Geese; 1 D ail y, possession

OPOSSUM Season-Oct. 14, 1968 through Feb. 28,
1969. Bag Limit-None.

S. E. Ga . Season-November 2J, 1968 throu gh December 7, 1968, in C amden C o u n t y. S. E. Bag Limit-One ( l ) turkey gobbler.

limit 2. Brant : 6 D ail y, possession limi t 6.
COMING EVENTS Annu al Convention of the Georgia Sportsmen's Federation, D ec. 7, 8. Dempsey H o-

RACCOON N . Ga. Season-Oct. 14, 1968 through Feb. 28, 1969. Bag Limit-One ( 1) per person per night.
SQUIRREL Season-Oct. 14, 1968 throu gh Feb. 28 , 1969. Bag Limit-10 Daily.
SEASONS OPENING THIS MONTH
BEAR Season-November 4, 1968 through January 2, 1969 in Brantley, Charlton, Clinch, Echols, and Ware counties.
DEER Season-November 2 through November 12, 16, 23, 30, 1968 or January 2, 1969, depending on area regul ations.

BLACKBEARD NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE
Archery hunt for deer ; either sex ; bag limit-2 deer : Nov. 27-30, 1968 ; Dec. 30, 1968-Janu ary 2, 1969. Archery hunt for turkey gobblers; bag limit-two per season : Same dates as deer hunt. Raccoons may also be taken on the above hunt periods. Applications for the Nov. hunt must be made by Nov. 20, and for the Dec. hunt by Dec. 23. Write t o the Refu ge Manager, Savann ah National Wildlife Refu ge, Rt. 1, Hardeeville, S. C.
SEASONS OPENING NEXT MONTH
DOVES Season-Dec. 6, 1968 through Jan. 15, 1969. Bag Limit- 12 D ail y, possession lim it 24.

tel , Macon, G a. Non-members in vited at re gul ar registration fee .
STATE MANAGED AREA HUNTS
(See page 4)
ALTAMAHA WATERFOWL AREA (DARIEN)
Butler Island Managed Blind Duck Hunts: Tuesdays and Saturd ays onl y, Dec. 7, 1968 through Jan. 15, 1969. Hunting hours 30 minutes before sunrise to 12 noon, E.S.T. After Nov. I , applications to hunts not filled in the October drawin g will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. For information on which hunts are fill ed, call the State G ame and F ish Commission at Brunswick, area code 9 12, 265- 1552.
All letters of application must specify th e date requested with a second choice if desired in the event the first date is filled . All applica nts must enclose a fee of $5 per

QUAIL

DUCKS, MERGANSERS AND COOTS day per person in check or money order

S easo n-November 18, 196 8 throu gh Season-Dec. 7, 1968 through Jan. 15, paya ble to the Georgia G ame and Fish

March 1, 1969.

1969.

Commission. Applications should be ad-

Bag Limit-1 2 dail y, possession limit, 36. Bag Limit-Ducks; 4 D ail y, includ ing no dressed to P. 0 . Box 1097, Brunswick, G a.
\

NOVEMBER 1968
T I D E T A B L E HIGH WATER LOW WATER

DECEMBER 1968
HIGH WATER LOW WATER

Oay

A.M. HT. P.M. HT. A.M. P.M.

Nov.-Dec. 1968

Day

A.M. HT. P.M. HT. A.M. P.M.

;

1. Fri.

5:1B 7.2 5:4B 7.3 11 :24 11 :42

2. Sat. 6:06 7.6 6:30 7.3

12 : 12

GEORGIA COASTA L WATE RS

1. Su n. 5:30 7.2 5:54 6.4 11 :42 11 :4B

2. Mon. 6:1B 7.4 6:36 6.3

12:30

3. Sun. 6:42 7.9 7:06 7.2 12:24 12:54

HOW TO USE THESE TABLES

3. Tues. 6:54 7.5 7:12 6.3 12:30 1:12

4. Mon . 7:1B B.O 7:42 7.1 1:06 1:36

5. Tues. 7:54 B.O B:12 6.9 1:42 2:1B

6. Wed . B:30 7.9 B:42 6.6 2:24 2:54

7. Thurs . 9:00 7.B 9:12 6.3 3:00 3:30

B. Fri.

9:36 7.6 9:4B 6.1 3:36 4:12

9. Sat . 10:12 7.3 10:30 5.9 4:12 4:4B

10. Sun. 10:54 7.1 11 :1B 5.7 4:54 5:30

11. Mon. 11 :42 6.9

5:36 6:24

The ca lculations are for the outer bar. Find the read ing for the desired tide . In the table below find the numbe r of m inutes to add to correct for the place you
are go ing to fish or swim . The outer bar calculation , plus th is correction , gi ves
the correct read ing for the point desire d

4. Wed . 7:30 7.5 7:42 6.2 1:12 1:54

5. Thurs. B:OO 7.5 B: 1B 6.0 1:54 2:30

6. Fri .

B:36 7.4 B:54 5.9 2:30 3:12

7. Sat. 9:12 7.3 9:30 5.B 3:12 3:4B

B. Sun. 9:4B 7.1 10:06 5.7 3:48 4:24

9. Mon . 10:30 6.9 10:4B 5.7 4:30 5:06

10. Tues. 11 :18 6.8 11 :42 5.B 5:12 5:48

11. Wed .

12:00 6.6 6:00 6:36

12. Tues. 12:06 5.7 12:36 6.B 6:30 7:12 13. Wed . 1:06 5.B 1:30 6.7 7:36 B:12

Adjust For Daylight Saving Time By Adding One Hour

12. Thurs. 12:30 6.0 12:54 6.6 7:00 7:30

13. Fri.

1:30 6.2 1:48 6.5 B:OO 8:24

14. Thurs . 15. Fri. 16. Sat.

2:06 6.1 3:06 6.5 4:06 7.0

2:30 6.B B:36 9:06 3:24 6.9 9:36 10:00 4:24 7.1 10 :30 10:4B

I CORRECTION TABLE
The times gi ven are for Savannah Rive r e ntran ce (Tybee).

14. Sat. 15 . Sun. 16 . Mon.

2:24 6.6 3:30 7.0 4:30 7.4

2:42 6.5 9:00 9:18 3:42 6.5 10:00 10:12 4:4B 6.7 11 :00 11 :06

17 . Sun. 5:00 7.6 5:1B 7.3 11 :24 11:36

Hrs. M in.

17. Tues . 5:30 7.9 5:42 6.B 11 :54

1B. Mon. 5:54 B.2 6:12 7.5 . . . 12:1B

i1

19. Tues. 6:42 B.7 7:00 7.6 12:24 1:12

20 . Wed . 7:36 B.9 7:4B 7.6 1:12 2:00

Savannah (High) ..

0 44

Savannah (l ow)..

* 57

Hilton Head . S. C......... . . 0 10

Thunder bolt. .

0 20

18. Wed . 19. Thurs. 20 . Fri.

6:24 8.3 7:1B B.5 8:12 B.5

6:42 7.0 12:00 12 :4B 7:36 7.0 12:54 1:4B B:30 7.0 1:48 2:42

21. Thurs. B:24 B.9 B:36 7.4 2:06 2:54

22. Fri.

9:1B B.7 9:30 7.1 3:00 3:4B

23 . Sat. 10:12 B.3 10:30 6.B 3:54 4:42

24. Sun . 11 :12 7.9 11 :30 6.6 4:4B 5:30

25 . Mon.

12:12 7.5 5:4B 6:36

26. Tues. 12:36 6.4 1:1B 7.1 6:.4B 7:42

27. Wed . 1:42 6.4 2:1B 6.B B:OO B:42

Isle of Hope. . . . . ...... . . . 0 40

Warsaw Sound. . .

0 00

Ossa baw Sound.. .

0 05

Vernon View...

0 35

Coffee Bl uff... . ......... . 0 55

Ogeechee River Bridge..

3 50

St. Catherine Sou nd ....

0 25

Sapelo Sou nd ..

0 00

Brunswick Bar..

0 00

21. Sat. 9:06 8.3 9:24 6.9 2:48 3:36

22 . Sun. 10:00 B.O 10:18 6.7 3:42 4:24

23 . Mon. 11 :00 7.6 11 :1B 6.6 4:36 5:1B

24 . Tues. 11 :54 7.2

5:30 6:12

25. Wed . 12:18 6.5 12:48 6.7 6:30 7:06

26 . Thurs . 1:18 6.4 1:42 6.3 7:30 8:00

27 . Fri.

2:12 6.4 2:36 6.0 B:30 B:54

2B. Thurs. 29. Fri. 30. Sat.

2:4B 6.5 3:1B 6.6 9:06 9:36 3:4B 6.7 4:1B 6.5 10:06 10:24 4:42 6.9 5:12 6.4 10:54 11 :12

New Moon
NOVEMBER 5

Fu ll Moon
13

Last First Quarter Quarter
20 26

28 . Sat. 29. Sun. 30 . Mon . 31. Tues .

3:06 6.4 4:00 6.4 4:54 6.6 5:42 6.7

3:36 5.7 9:30 9:42

4:24 5.6 10:24 10 :30

5:1B 5.6 11 :12 11 :18

6:06 5.6

12:00

DECEMBER 4 13 19 26

To report violatio ns or if you need assistance in th e Coastal Area - Call - State Gam e & Fish Comm issio n , Brunswick, Geo rgia ,

P. 0 . Box 1097, P ho ne 265-1552, Savannah 233-2383 , Rich mond Hill 756-3679.