GIA 
 
VUL .:5, NU. l. I tt.tst<UAKY, l~bH 
 
 ~GEORGIA 
wGAME&FISH 
February 1968 Volume Ill Number 2 
 
The Mountain Lion Trophy Conservation Communications Award - 1967 The Georgia Sportsmen's Federation . 
Contents 
Viewpoint. . .. . ........ . ......... WSB Television 1 Blue Velvet Qua il Hunt. ... .. .. . .. . . .... Jim Tyler 2 Wired for Sound ......... . ..... Dean Wohlgemuth 5 The Making of a Man...... ... . ........... J. Hall 7 The Big Meetin '. .. .... . .. .. .. ..... . ..... . J. Hall 10 The Boat Show's Back.. . . ........ . .. Dan Keever 14 The Outdoor World .. .... . . ..... .... . .... .. Staff 16 Sportsmen Speak....... ..... ......... . Readers 15 Sportsmen 's Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 
 
Lester G. Maddox 
Governor 
George T. Bagby 
Director, State Game & Fish Commission 
 
COMMISSIONERS 
 
Judge Harley Langdale, 
 
Rankin M. Sm ith, 
 
Chairman 
 
Vice Chairman 
 
Valdosta-8th District 
 
Atlanta-5th District 
 
William Z. Camp, Sec. 
 
Charles L. Davidson , Jr. 
 
Newnan-6th District 
 
Avondale Estates-4th District 
 
James Darby 
 
J. B. Langford 
 
Vidalia-1st District 
 
Calhoun-7th District 
 
Richard Tift 
 
Clyde Dixon 
 
Albany-2nd District 
 
Cleveland-9th District 
 
William E. Sm ith 
 
Leonard Bassford 
 
Americus-3rd District 
 
Augusta-lOth District 
 
Jimmie Williamson 
 
Darien-Coastal District 
 
TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION Jack A. Crockford, Assistant Director 
Leon Kirkland, Fisheries Chief Hubert Handy, Game Management Chief Charles M. Frisbe, Supervisor, Marine Fisheries Robert S. Baker, Special Services Coordinator 
 
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION Bill Cline 
Deputy State Chief, Atlanta David Gould 
Deputy State Chief, Brunswick 
 
GEORGIA GAME & FISH STAFF 
 
Jim Morrison. Editor 
 
Dean Wohlgemuth , 
 
J. Hall, Staff Writer 
 
Staff Writer 
 
Ted Borg, Photographer 
 
Georgia Game and Fish is the official monthly mal{azine ofthe Georgia Game and Fish Commission, published at the Commission 's offices, 401. State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334. No advert1smg a~cepted. Suqscnpt10_ns are $1 for one year or $2.50 for three years. Pnnted by Stem Prmtmg Company,Atlanta, Ga. NotiTication gfaddresschange must include b()th old and new address and ZIP code, w1th 30 days not1ce. No subscnpt1on requests will be accepted without ZIP cgde. Article$ and photographs may be reprinted. Proper credit should be g1ven. C!(mtnbut10ns are welcome, but the editors assume no respons1b1iltyor11ablf1ty for loss ordamage ofarticles, photographs, or illustrations . Second-class postage pa1d at Atlanta, Ga. 
 
Open Squirrel-Deer Seasons Together? 
One of the more discouraging things about wildlife conservation is watching the well-intentioned but misguided efforts of some sportsmen to change hunting regulations and seasons to fit their own ideas of game management, without looking at the entire picture. 
An example of this is the reoccurring argument that the squirrel 
season in Geo rgia should be opened only at the same time that the deer season opens, primarily to prevent game law violators from shooting deer with a .22 rifle or number four shot, or tempting an otherwise honest citizen into breaking the law. 
Such arguments sound good on the surface, but with closer examination they fail to stand up as well. 
For instance, this year's state-wide squirrel season for Georgia's number one hunting species opened on October IS, while the deer season in most sections for the fourth most popular species did not open until October 30. Only in southeast Georgia did the o pening of the two seasons coincide. 
Under the most often mentioned proposal to stop illegal deer killing, the squirrel season in 1967 would have not been opened until October 30, when the deer season opened. The only other alternative to leaving the dates as they are would have been to move up the dates of the deer season in north , middle and southwest Georgia to October IS to match the squirrel season dates. Both proposals leave much to be desired . 
Georgia's chief of game management, Hubert Handy, feels that such proposals are similar to ill-advised proposals to restrict the purchase and ownership of firearms. As Hubert puts it, "A man who's going to shoot a deer will get him one anyway when he wants it. Opening the seasons at the same time won't prevent him from killing a deer out of season." 
"It's equally ineffective to pass a law making it illegal to buy a gun to commit a crime or to kill someone. If a criminal wants a gun, he goes out and gets himself one, whether he buys it or steals it. A man A who'll violate the game laws is the same thing-a criminal, and he must be treated like one, after he commits the crime. It can't be done before." 
"I found out from my years of law enforcement experience that out of more than 130,000 deer hunters, only a handful of them give us enough trouble that a wildlife ranger wou ld remember them for doing something," Handy says. "It's the same way with any given number of members of society-some of them will violate the game laws, boating safety laws, traffic laws, or any other law. It's the same small group of people that you deal with in every phase of life that cause the trouble." 
"We've talked about this problem long and hard many times. Why penalize the 14S,OOO squirrel hunters in Georgia because of a handful of criminals who will shoot deer out of season with an illegal weapon any time they feel like it anyway; especially when opening the seasons on the same date won 't stop them from violating the law when they please?" 
Squirrels, Handy points o ut, will sustain a heavy harvest because they reproduce in litters of four to six young, often bearing two litters o r more a year when mast food conditions are good. The grey squirrel is migratory, and moves into areas with a good food supply. For these reasons , squirrels are plentiful. Although I ,620,000 squirrels are killed by hunters each year, many more could easily be taken without harm ing the tremendo us number of brood animals left each year to reproduce. ln fact, many squirrels will perish anyway before the end of the hunting season if food conditions are poor , o r from simple old age. 
The early squirrel season gives deer hunters a good excuse to go to the woods looking for deer signs to locate a good stand for the deer season, whi le sharpening up their patience and marksmanship on the elusive bushy-tails. Few law-abiding sportsmen would shoot a deer at such a time. 
It's interesting to no te that in Pennsylvania , one of the leading deer bunting states, almost all bunting seasons, including deer and squirrel, o pen on different dates. The squirrel season opened there this season o n October 14, followed o n November 27 by the gun deer season. 
And even if the squirrel season did open with the deer season, it 
Continued on page 16 
ON THE COVER: Lake Seminole, the site of Roy Scott's fabulou s Lake Seminole Lunker Bass Tournament this month , Feb. 22-24, is still justifiably famous for its big bass, like these three to six pounders landed by Rock Stone and Charlie Lee of East Point, using purple fliptail lures. February is always a good month for big bass at Seminole while the rest of Geo rgia's big lakes are still locked in the grip o f winter's icy winds. For mo re details on the tournament, turn to page IS. 
ON THE BACK COVER: February marks the end of the hunting season for most of the popular small game animals, including quail , rabbits, and squirrels. Many Geo rgians don 't realize it, but mo re Georgi a hunters go after bushytails than any other big or small game species. 
Cover photos by Jim Mo rrison. 
PHOTO CREDiTS: Ted Borg 2,3,4,6 b., 9, 10,11 ,12,13; J. Hall 7 t., 9; Dan Keever 14; Jim Morrison 16. 
 
 WSB TELEVISION 
 
WHITE COLUMNS ON PEACHTREE 
 
CHANNEL 2, ATLANTA, GA. 30309 
 
AN EDITORIAL OPINION         
 
November 7, 1967 
 
VIEWPOINT -an official expression of opinion by the manageme nt of WSB Television 
Did you ever stop to think what an ideal job Georgia 's men in green have? They are outdoors men and get pa id 
for it. In the summer game and fish rangers can be on the wa- 
ter in powerful boats. But there is no water skiing, little time for fishing and no opportunity to take their families on the lakes. But they are on the water even though it's often from sun up till after sun down. 
Then in deer season they can be in the woods . Again , it's from dawn to dusk but the days are not as long. And they have transportation-often it's a four-wheel drive vehicle in order that they can get through the snow, over rugged trails to bring out an injured hunter or a lost hiker. 
There are laws to be enforced , arrests to be made, safety rules to be observed , aid to be given , fish and wildlife to be preserved. 
 
Sounds like an ideal job for a pe rson who likes the outdoors and he gets paid for it too. Of course , it's not as much as a State Patrolman , and Atlanta policeman or fireman ; who are certainly not overpaid. For that matter , it's almost a hundred dolla rs a month under these other uniformed civil servants. In fact, our State Game and Fish Rangers are paid less than those in North Carolina , Alabama , Florida and Tennessee . We're $64 a month under the national average. And out there in the woods there is no such thing as a 40 hour week. Time and a half is an unknown phrase to the Game and Fish Ranger. 
It's hardly a job to be envied but rather one to be thoughtfully considered by the Georgia General Assembly. Any legislator who has a constituency with an interest in the outdoors should be concerned about the men who are protecting it. 
 
COX IROADCASTING CORPORATION stations: WSII AMfMTV, Atlanta e WHIO AM-fM-TV, Dayton e WSOC AM-FM-TV, Charlotte WIOD AM fM, Miami e KTVU, San francisco-Oakland e WIIC-TV, Pittsburgh 
 
 By Jim Tyler 
 
 Just south of Albany, Ga., the Nilo Plantation can be found. Today it sprawls beneath a warm December sun. There is to be a quail hunt o n the pl antation and the pre parati on is under way. Fro m the big ho use we stand and can see an elaborate mule drawn wagon loaded with caged dogs , traveling smoothly down a dirt road toward a small stone building where the bunt will start. No sooner does the dust fro m the wago n settle, and we see two horses with mounted men trot on down the same road. The men are the dog handlers. And there goes-two more men o n horses, each leading a riderless horse. 
The white color of the house throws off brill iantly the sun rays , making it appea r even more stately, if such a thing is possible. For the big house is, in a word , elegant. It floats in a green sea of manicured grass. Scattered around the house grounds smaller ho uses, buildings, and sheds sit under the qu iet shade of towering oaks. A tractor chugs alo ng a road by the horse pasture in the distance. In fro nt of the big ho use the re is an oval lake. Ducks and geese can 
2 
 
be heard . The whole setup is like a small community. An extremely peaceful , postcard-perfect setting .... 
T he dog wagon , horses, horse and dog handlers have gathered at the starting point. The hunters arri ve in an auto. 
John Olin, Nilo's owner, and his neighbor pl antation owner, and Game and Fish Commissioner, Richard Tift, arrive and decide to start the bunt fro m horses. They mo u nt. 
In the wagon there are four braces of pointers in duo cages and up front with the wagon driver two quality lab rador retrievers sit. Two pointers are taken o ut, unleashed . Away they go. And the quail hunt , plantation style , is under way. 
The dogs ra nge out front of the mo un ted trainers. Then come Mr. Olin and Mr. Tift. The dog wagon brings up the rear. 
Soon , one of the dogs is on point. A beautiful poi nt. The bunte rs dismo unt, get shotgu ns fro m the sadd le holsters, and decide how to approach the birds, for the point is aimed toward a small thicket. They spread out. The handlers come in now, 
 
swatting the brush with dog leashes . Brown missiles erupt. Three shots echo around the countryside. Two brief flurries of quail feathers settle to earth. And then the retrievers are called from the wagon. Their .. golden-hued bodies flash thro ugh the grass. It doesn't ta ke them lo ng. They return to the wagon gently mouthing retrieved quail. Showing their extreme trai ning, they jump onto the wagon beside th e driver and deliver the quail to him . 
The procession moves on. The other dog goes on point. The dogs are marvelous even though the weather has been very dry and hot for more than a month. The dogs have difficulty smelling the birds. Mr. Olin and Mr. Tift dismount, move in. Another covey booms up .... 
Another covey. And another. And another. 
Ever so often fresh braces of dogs are taken from the wagon . Without a doubt this is surely the dog wagon of all dog 
wagons. The front of the wagon has a space for the driver and retrievers. Behind the driver is a comfy auto type seat where the 
 
 A plantation quail hunt is surely the Miss America winner of quail hunts. It has the perfect proportions: beauty, confidence, perfection, and a smashing success story. 
Out for a day's quail shooting, plantation style, are John Olin, left, and Game and Fish Commissioner Richard Tift of Albany. John Olin points his double barrel at a quail. The hunt was on Nita Plantation near Albany, owned by Olin Industries, makers of Winchester firearms. 
 
two hunters can ride. Further back are the four dog cages. The wagon is hand made of mahogany, trimmed in polished brass. It travels over corn fields, grass fields , and between pine trees jostling 
gently on automobile tires and spring cushioning. Two fine , husky mules supply the horsepower. 
Coveys later, Mr. Olin and Mr. Tift decide to ride the wagon. Their horses are taken by the men who handle the horses when the hunters dismount to shoot. Seated in the wagon and following behind the procession of horses and ranging dogs, the two gentlemen appear as they are, country estate gentlemen . 
Seen from a front view, with the whole procession coming toward you, it seems like a scene from a movie . The mules loom out and look like the two lead horses of the ~amous team of Anheuser-Busch horses bearing down on you. The beauty, the color, the visual impact-all together this plantation hunt has the dimensions of a cinemascope production. 
There have been many birds in each 
 
covey this afternoon. And with the dogs having trouble with dryness of earth, plants, and quail odor, the quail frequently run ahead. But even at this, very few minutes pass before a dog freezes and shotguns roar. The action is fast and continuous. 
When the shooting stops a pleasant garble of noise fills your ears. "Hey Dugal. Come here Bill. Hey-hey-hey-hey. Here Bill , here Bill. Dugal! Whoa Bill. Hey, hey, hey, come on in here! " The scene: finding a downed quail. 
Admirably,and showing extreme sportsmanship, every quail shot down, with one or two exceptions, is retrieved . The retrievers were kept looking for a downed bird until it was obvious the bird was not to be found. 
lt seemed odd that each time the wagon driver signaled the mules to get going again , why, there was no chattering starting noise, no sputtering of exhaust, no revving engine noises - just a smooth start, the wagon creaking mildly. While the wagon follows the dog handlers and moving dogs, the hunters talk as all hunters 
 
talk. They talk about and point out likely spots where a covey would probably be found , discuss the dogs' performances, compare the sizes of coveys. 
The hunt lasts just shy of three hours. Nineteen coveys were flushed. Figure it out arid that means a covey just about every ten minutes. There is a tremendous story of management behind land that will produce quail hunting of this high quality. Only a few individuals or large corporations can afford to operate a plantation like Nilo to produce the world's finest quail hunting. Fortunate indeed are the few guest hunters who are invited to sample the best quail shooting that they will ever see in their lifetime. 
It seems a shame that something so good has to end. But it does. And when day is done and the hunt over, you almost expect the dog wagon to turn into a pumpkin and the mules and dogs to scurry away as field mice. But the magic wand is nowhere present. There will be many more such plantation quail hunts styled with elegance and perfection. 
 
3 
 
  yo u've heard the old child's story about the mice who wanted to put a bell ~n the cat so they'd always know when It ap- 
p roac hed? Well , there's a new slant on the old 
pitch now . Georg~a's Game and Fi~h Commission isn 't bellmg the cat, but It has a project underway now, of putting radio 
 
pointed directly at the source of the signal (the deer, in other words) to produce the loudest sound on the receiver. 
"That way," Dan explained , "we know exactly which direction from us the deer is located. Of course, that alone won't tell us just where the deer is or how much it has moved. So we have a protractor on 
 
transmitters on deer. 
 
the antenna so we can measure the de- 
 
Of course, the deer isn 't being belled to grees of direction. Soundings are taken 
 
protect us from it. On the other hand , the . from pre-arranged points of the area . 
 
. transmitter isn't being used to help locate Then on a map of the area, we draw a line 
 
' 
 
the deer for hunting purposes, either. 
 
from the point where the sounding was 
 
But in a way, the information gathered made in the direction from which the 
 
from the study will most likely benefit deer's signal came. 
 
hunters in several ways. 
 
Then , we move to the next pre-set lo- 
 
Dick Whittington, Game Management cation , and pick up another signal and 
 
Chief fo r the Middle Georgia Region, out draw another line ," Dan said. "After two 
 
.. of the Fort Valley office, headed up the program and got it started the first of July. The field work is now in the hands of Dan Marshall , game biologist, and Joe Smallwood, area manager of the Clark Hill Game Management Area. 
 
or three, maybe four such soundings, we can look at the map and see where the lines cross. That's where our pet deer is," he grinned. 
And the deer do get to be almost like pets to Dan. To him , they have numbers 
 
1111111: II 
 
That's where the study is going on , at rather than names, but he keeps in close 
 
Clark Hill. "This is the first time such a contact with each deer for a month or so, 
 
study has been conducted in Georgia," until the batteries grow too weak to send 
 
Dan said. "Other states have done similar a signal, or until the radio quits function- 
 
work. much of it on small game and some ing for some other reason. 
 
on deer. And of course, there will be par- On several occasions, he's been able to 
 
allels in what we learn and what has trap the same deer three or four times. 
 
 already been learned in other states. In one instance, a deer wearing a radio Yet, deer will act differently here from that quit signaling was re-trapped , the 
 
what they do in other states. They may radio repaired and within a few weeks the 
 
even act quite differently from one part of Georgia to another. So we may begin similar studies on other areas. " 
To begin with, huge deer traps that look like overgrown rabbit boxes are baited and set. When a deer is captured , it 
 
same deer was again captured and the radio returned to his neck. 
A few of the radios were returned to Dan after they quit working, when the deer were killed during a managed hunt. 
All right, so Game and Fish can keep 
 
511111~111 
 
is given a tranquilizer if necessary, so that track of a deer. So what? What does that 
 
a tiny transmitter, about two inches mean to the sportsman? HE can't use that 
 
square and an inch thick , can be attached method to locate a deer to shoot. 
 
to its neck. It is attached by means of a The main purpose of the whole study 
 
cloth band around the neck . The trans- is to find out how much a deer-will move By Dean Wohlgemuth 
 
mitter is complete with an antenna of around , how far he travels. "His range 
 
about 14 inches, and of course its own varies considerably according to the 
 
source of power, small mercury batteries. time of year," Dan pointed out. 
 
After the deer is released , its movements For example, a doe with a yo ung fawn Television? Black and white or color? No, 
 
can be fo llowed through the signal emitted covered an area of more than about 40 this is a directional antenna mounted on ~. fro m the transmitter. The signal can be acres during the whole time the radio a Game and Fish truck, for use in track- 
 
heard only through a radio receiver set to transmitter was working. This was in the ing signals transmitted from tiny radios the correct frequency. When several deer spring. However, the same doe was re- installed on deer. 
 
are radio-active," each transmitter is set captured that fall and with the fawn older 
 
to a different frequency , so deer can be and more able to move about, the doe 
 
disti nguished from each other. 
 
ranged over some 130 to 140 acres. The 
 
Marshall's "tracking truck" will raise fawn was also "belled;' and was always 
 
your eyebrows when you first see it. It found to be very near its mother. 
 
looks like the small pickup is equipped A buck , on the other hand , will likely 
 
with television , because of the large many- range over twice as much area as will a 
 
armed antenna projecting through the roof doe, Dan pointed out. "We had one buck 
 
of the cab. "Yes, we get a few wise cracks radioed for a month, during the rut. He 
 
from people when they see us with o ur an- ranged over 340 acres or more." 
 
tenna, on the few occasions when we've Marshall has had three deer signaling 
 
had to take the truck off the area to town at a time, and has enough channels on his 
 
for repairs or something," said Smallwood. receiver to handle up to six deer if he 
 
"I just tell them, when they ask if we have could have that many deer signaling. 
 
television, 'yes, we've gone to color now! '" A buck was caught twice, a doe three 
 
laughed Joe. 
 
times, and one deer was caught six or 
 
Actu ally,theantenna is connected to the seven times. Why would the same deer 
 
radio receiver in the truck. The antenna is allow itself to be caught so many times? 
 
highly directional . .. that is, it has to be Is it just ignorant? "No ," grinned Dan , 
 
5 
 
 ! 
 
"they just like the corn we bait the trap 
 
with. And they learn after the first time 
 
that they won't be harmed." 
 
By finding which direction the signal comes from, Game and Fish biologist Dan Marshall can pin point the deer's location. Using the protractor scale on the  roof of the truck, he can mark on a map which direction the deer is from him. By moving to other pre-determined points, intersecting lines on the map show the 
animal's location . 
 
Trying to find the deer in the woods would be worse than looking for a needle in a haystack without the transmitter andreceiver. It is still hard enough to find him using this portable receiver. Marshall sometimes can get close enough to get a look at a deer by followmg it through its domain toward the strongest signal. Antennas on the receivers are highly directional . .. that is, the signal is strongest when the antenna is pointed directly at the deer wearing the transmitter. 
 
One of the more important th in gs learned by the radio tracking method is that the more they are bunted, the less deer move , Dan pointed o ut. "One doe didn 't move 200 feet ali day during one hunt," he said. 
"Movement decreases every day during the hunt. That is, deer will move more the first day than they wi ll the second day of the hunt. Then the third day, they'll move even less, and so on." 
This probably accounts for, more than 
 
This tiny unit doesn 't put out much noise -just enough that it can be picked up and the deer's movements recorded. Note the heavy cloth band around the deer's neck to hold the transmitter,and the short antenna projecting from the unit. The little radio doesn 't seem to bother deer in the least when they're released. Nor does it prevent other deer from fraternizing with them. 
 
any other factor , why more deer are harvested during the opening day of any hunt. 
But will it help the hunter to give up his tree stand late in the season, in hopes of getting a shot by stalking? "No , he'd have to depend on a lot of luck ," Dan said. "We have a small receiver wh ich we can carry with us through the woods, with a small antenna we can carry by band. With it, we can aim it toward the deer, and try to sneak up o n it. It's rare that we can get close enough to see it, even tho ugh we know 
 
pretty well where the dee r is:' 
 
Studies will continue thro ugh next June. After that, Dan doesn't know whether the 
 
Free at last! The few moments it takes to attach the radio may seem long to a deer, but it 's soon over and he 's off to the woods. It's painless, and deer don 't seem to mind enough to stay out of the traps. Some deer are captured several times. 
 
commission ' will continue the project. If it is continued , he speculated it could possibly be moved to another area. 
Dan 's work with radio tracking goes back to his school days. While working on his master's degree at Uni ve rsity of Georgia, he did research in the field on 
 
two bobcats. 
 
His work with wildlife goes back a little 
 
farther. He was a wildlife ranger for Game 
 
and Fish for one and a half years before 
 
going to Piedmont College to receive his BS in wild life biology. Then he worked for a year and a half with the Southeastern 
 
Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Cen- 
 
ter at University of Georgia. A native of 
 
Columbi a Cou nty, Ga. , he now makes his 
 
home in the same county, on the shores of Clark Hill Reservoir. 
 
In addition to just finding o ut bow far deer roam , the study will give the Com- 
 
mission insight o n how much stress is put 
 
on deer during a hunt. It can be learned just how many hunters sho uld be allowed 
 
to hunt in an area. 
 
This way, the hunter gets the benefit. 
 
Deer hunting can be improved and better managed , so that the hunter's chances of 
 
putting venison in his freezer are better. 
~ 
 
6 
 
 In the car as we drove home, the two of 
 
us sat, saying nothing, enmeshed in our 
 
own misery, and occasionally punctuating 
 
the silence with an explosive sneeze o r 
 
woebegone sniffle. The heater roared full 
 
blast, and as we listened to the swishing 
 
windshield wipers and the steady plot.'plot.' 
 
of water dripping from our sodden clothes 
 
onto the floorboard , I wondered what I 
 
was going to do for a story, how we were 
 
going to find time to go again, how in the 
 
world I could manage to salvage something 
 
from the day. You know, the real down- 
 
I  
 
hearted bit. 
 
Then I glanced over at Johnny and 
 
caught him looking at me. I managed a 
 
feeble grin. The corners of his mouth 
 
quivered , and then he was grinning too. 
 
Suddenly, the whole absurdity of the 
 
thing struck us, and it was hilarious. 
 
Finally, I had to pull off the side of the 
 
road while we poked fun at each other's 
 
reddening nose, plastered down hair, 
 
waterlogged appearance, and practically 
 
suffocated with laughter. And then I re- 
 
alized I had a story about squirrel hunt- 
 
ing. Heck , I had a whale of a story! But 
 
I'm getting ahead of myself. Suppose I go 
 
back and start at the beginning. 
 
It seemed to me that no story about 
 
squirrel hunting could be complete with- 
 
out a small boy in it. Traditionally, 
 
squirrel hunting is associated with sharp- 
 
eyed , tousel headed boys with .22's, and 
 
if this one was to be authentic, it could be 
 
no different. As luck would have it, 
 
I just happened to have in stock one 
 
small, sharp-eyed, tousel headed boy with 
 
a .22 he was about to hemorrhage to get 
 
to use. 
 
We had just survived his ninth birthday, 
 
and daddy's present was a .22 rifle. You 
 
know the kind ,bolt action ,single shot, man- 
 
themakingofaman 
 
ual cocking Winchester that used to sell for 510.00 when we were kids. This one wasn't even new, but it looked like a dream come true to Johnny. And so far, he hadn 'teven had a chance to fire it. 
 
. By J. Ha ll \  "You know , we haven't done anything 
 
We made our preparations grandly ... this squirrel hunting trip might have been My son and I embarked on the big day. a big game safari to Africa, but after all , 
 
lately on squirrel hunting." 
 
Now a nautical term might seem the wrong nothing is quite so important as a little 
 
Jim Morrison, editor of Game and Fish word to describe setting out on a squirrel boy's first hunting trip. First came the 
 
looked at me pointedly. What else could I hunting expedition, but in this case, it question of the weapon . The rifle stock 
 
do. I agreed. 
 
isn't. The only thing we lacked was the was too long for him and had to be cut 
 
"You ever do much squirrel hunting?" boat, and that seemed to be the main down. We measured it by laying it on his 
 
"Well,' I considered, "when I was a thing we needed. I've never seen such a forearm , first finger crooked in a com- 
 
youngster, I used to think it was the greatest thing since peanut butter." 
"What do you think now?" "I don't eat as much peanut butter as I used to. Gets stuck in my teeth ." 
 
frog-st rangling rain! Even the ducks looked miserable. But the mails are delivered, magazines go to press, and deadlines must be met. Today was the day, so off we went. 
 
fortable trigger position , and then I sawed off a couple of inches from the butt. I curved the heel a little more than it was originally, in order to help him learn the correct positioning on his shoulder. 
 
'Develop a taste for it. " 
 
After a full , thoroughly miserable day, We had bullets to buy, and this was the 
 
After I had graciously volunteered to all we managed to bag were a couple of opportunity not only to teach him about 
 
produce a story about squirrel hunting, large , economy , 105 millimeter-sized different cartridges for various purposes, 
 
I pondered how I was going to go about it. colds; the car broke down ; the rifles but also to impress upon him the signifi- 
 
Considering size, weight and general in- rusted; the thermos of coffee broke; and cance and potential danger of a bullet ... telligence, I figured I should be at least an one small boy and his papa sloshed home- even as small a bullet as a .22. We se- 
 
even match for a squirrel, provided he ward discouraged , very discomforted and lected hollow point long rifle cartridges, 
 
wasn't enjoying the best of health. So it glum, leaving untold thousands of m- and together we read the warning printed 
 
didn't sound like such a large order. visible squirrels snickering quietly to on every box. "Range one mile. Be 
 
It was. 
 
themselves in their warm , safe nests. 
 
carefu l:' 
 
7 
 
 We looked forward to our target shooting day with great anticipation. He, because he was going to get to shoot his gun for the first time, and I, because I wanted to start my boy off right with his first weapon. Finally the big day came, and with it came the rain. We both sat disconsolate, staring out at the streaming downpour. He tried very hard not to be impatient, but it is hard for a small boy not to fidget. He cradled his rifle across his knees and once in a while, aimed it at an imaginary squirrel peeping around a tree limb that apparently grew from the ceiling. 
Finally, the rain slowed to a drizzle, and we decided to give it a try. I drove several miles out of town to a high clay bank that's locally used for target practice. The first thing I did was to show him the power of the little rifle he was about to use. He had a scratch on his arm. 
"Johnny, how'd you get the scratch?" 
"I ran into a briar." "Skin is pretty tender then, isn't it? It doesn't take too much to scratch through skin and make us bleed , does it?" "No, I guess not." "Skin isn't really as hard as a piece of 
wood , is it?" Well, that was fairly elementary, and 
with something of a pitying look at his senile old father, he condescendingly agreed. Maybe he'd heard somewhere it was better to humor people in that condition. But I was feeling pretty smug. First the long, slow curve, then the fast break. In front of us was a 2" x 4" plank , planted upright in the ground. I snapped a shot at it. 
"Now go take a look at the plank." He immediately saw that the bullet had gone all the way through , tearing away a good sized splinter where it came out. Then his expression grew thoughtful, and I knew that the point had gone home. "Daddy, if that had been a person standing there, the bullet would probably have gone all the way through him, wouldn't 
it?" "Yes, son, it probably would have." So we learned that even a .22isa weapon 
and not a toy. Next came instruction on how to hold and carry the rifle , to control the direction of the muzzle, and finally , the big moment, how to aim and fire . We had done some preliminary aiming and "dry firing ," so we moved fairly rapidly along. I impressed on him the importance of anticipating where his bullet might strike, since the one-mile range could conceivably carry the projectile much further than he intended, especially in the case of a miss. We burned up several boxes of shells, much to his delight, and he began to show real promise of marksmanship. 
I had brought along my deer rifle, a 7mm Mauser, and fired a few rounds. He indicated an uncertain interest, and I encouraged him to fire it, if only for comparison. He consented, with some trepidation, and afterward, ruefully rubbing his shoulder, he consigned that rifle to me, and I believe, 
 
under his breath at least, me to a warmer climate. 
That night we turned in early, praying for a clear tomorrow, and set the alarm for 3:30. The first thing I did on awakening was to cast a worried eye at the weather. Glory be! The rain had stopped! I got dressed, then rolled Johnny out and shoveled him into his clothes. He sat like a moulting pigeon, his hands dangling between his knees, as I put on water for coffee. A few sips was all he could manage, and then we started out. 
Before we had driven a mile the rain began, and we proceeded in a downpour. He promptly curled up and went to sleep, leaving me to wonder if we shouldn't abandon the whole thing. But it was too early to be discouraged. In fact, it was too darned early even to think straight, so hopefully, I kept going. Then a sudden clattering under the hood and the discharging ampmeter tqld me we had thrown a fan belt. This was no time or weather to be stranded, so alternating between muttering evilly to myself and dispatching prayerful appeals to Allah, I nursed the car along as the lights grew dimmer and dimmer. Finally l came to the shelter of an unopened service station, lashed up a jury rig fan belt, and at last we set out again, later and more discouraged, but still undaunted. The rain had slacked up! 
By the time we reached the farm of our friend, Elbert Jackson, near Juliette, the rain had almost stopped. We checked in to let him know we were there and where we would be hunting, then headed for the woods. Later,as we walked slowly through the wet grass, I pointed out to Johnny the abundant signs of deer all about us. The field was criss-crossed with trails. There was a flattened spot that looked as if several deer had bedded, and here was "hooking," a sizeable sapling bruised where a buck had scraped his antlers. The several scars, some _brown, others green and raw, showed that the buck had visited this tree several times, and very recently too, possibly just minutes ahead of us. The size of the tree indicated that he was a fair sized deer, for many hunters believe that the bigger the buck, the larger the tree he will choose for hooking. Johnny was very interested in all of this, and stored it away to be used against me at some future date. 
Finally, we came to a likely stand of hardwoods. I pointed out to Johnny the numerous squirrel nests that could be seen among the bare branches of the trees, and was looking around for a couple of good stands where we could wait for the varmints to begin stirring, when somebody turned on the faucet. 
Before we could get back to the car, we were both soaking wet. I started the engine and turned on the heater. We wiped off our rifles and sat there , steaming. Before long, the windows were all fogged up and the car slowly filled with the odor of soggy boots and old , wet dogs. In unison, Johnny 
 
and I opened our windows a couple of 
 
inches and sat back to plan the strategy of 
 
our next attack. 
 
When the rain slackened again , we were 
 
both gasping for air and practically bolt- 
 
ed from the car. We made our way slowly 
 
through the dense grass and tall wet weeds. 
 
Before we had gone fifty feet, I was again 
 
soaked clear up to my chin, and Johnny is 
 
about a foot and a half shorter that I am. 
 
He plodded gamely on, though. I could 
 
hear the water squishing in his shoes, and 
 
soon we were both breathing hard from the 
 
exertion of pushing through the dense 
 
wet growth, our breath steaming gustily 
 
in the cold air. Although he was so busy 
 
he never noticed , I kept glancing back to 
 
see how he was making out. I was doing 
 
the best I could at breaking trail for him 
 
and picking the easiest route I could find, 
 
but his going was still mighty rough. Yet 
 
he never complained, never asked me to 
 
slow up or stop for a rest. 
 
 
 
Finally we were into the woods again. 
 
I decided that since the ground was so 
 
wet, we might be a little more comfortable 
 
sitting up in a tree. With a little quiet 
 
scrambling, I hoisted Johnny up into the 
 
fork of a large oak and got him settled as 
 
comfortably as possible, his back resting 
 
against a branch as big around as I am. I 
 
turned and started away, then a thought 
 
occurred to me and I came back to look 
 
up at him . 
 
"Johnny," I whispered, "don't shoot at 
 
anything except a squirrel. If a deer comes 
 
through , don 't shoot at him!' 
 
He hesitated a moment, apparently con- 
 
sidering the image of a nine ton buck with 
 
antlers like the prop on a B-17, and finally 
 
asked in a.slightly trembling voice. "Daddy, 
 
what if he butts the tree'!' 
 
Choking, I managed to reassure him that 
 
it would only result in a headache for the 
 
deer, and then it was time for me to Indian 
 
over and get up in my own stand. In a few 
 
moments, I was standing on a good sized 
 
limb ; we had made very little noise; the 
 
rain had slowed to only a slightly annoy- 
 
ing drizzle, and it looked as if we were go- 
 
ing to get in some squirrel hunting after 
 
all. Things were finally looking up! And 
 
then I fell out of the tree. 
 
I had chosen my stand in a leaning oak 
 
tree that had a likely looking crotch about 
 
twelve feet from the ground. There was a 
 
heavy growth of moss on the trunk (don't 
 
ask me if it was on the north side), but I 
 
managed to shinny up to the first big limb. 
 
After I got settled, I began to realize how 
 
cold my feet were, and the more I thought 
 
about them , the colder they got. Finally, I 
 
decided it might help if I wriggled my toes 
 
inside my boot. Very gingerly I experi- 
 
mented. I shouldn't have. When I shifted 
 
my weight, my boot slipped on the sodden 
 
moss, and I lost my balance. I flailed 
 
wildly with my arms,looking for a soft spot 
 
on the bark to sink my teeth in, when the 
 
rifle squirted out of my hand like an oiled 
 
banana. I made a grab for it. I sJ'louldn 't 
 
8 
 
 have done that ei~her. I came crashing 
 
UO\\ n the tree, leavmg claw marks the en- 
 
. length of the trunk, and landed flat 
 
0u~~nregemshtyerlepbnlagecstkhslytboeanmseotahvtehe, 
 
1 t. I just rifle 
 
d1'dn t even have lay there watch hung perilously 
 
for a moment on a small branch, then came 
 
thudding down on top of me. 
 
Well so much for that stand. If the clat- 
tering ~ nd crashing hadn't done it, then 
my groans must surel~ have alarmed every 
 
squirrel for three mtles around . . . the 
 
ones who weren't out applauding the show. 
 
I slowly picked myself up off the ground, 
 
feeling as if I were hinged in a dozen new 
 
places, and slowly limped over to Johnny's 
 
tree. He was looking at me curiously. 
 
"Daddy, you know you could have hurt 
 
yourself. jum ping out of that tree." 
 
"Well, I'm pretty tough , son. Let's go 
 
find some breakfast. I don't believe there 
 
are any squirrels here anyway." 
 
So, making a long story shorter, that's 
 
about the way it went for the rest of the 
 
day. We tried it a couple more times, in 
 
between intermittent cloudbursts, and 
 
never quite managed to make the grade. I 
 
did see one squirrel that I had a clear shot 
 
at, but by then my hands were so cold and 
 
shaking so hard that I doubt if I came with- 
 
in three yards of him , and at last, it was I 
 
that suggested we call it a day. Johnny 
 
asked if he could fire his rifle to empty the 
 
chamber. He blasted away at the trunk of 
 
a big oak tree; the only time that day he'd 
 
had a chance to shoot on his first hunt. 
 
On the way back to the car that last 
 
time, he was so tired he was staggering. 
 
He'd been up since 3:30 that morning. He'd 
 
followed me around all over the woods, 
 
beating his way through brush that would 
 
have foundered a steer. He'd been soaking 
 
wet all day, and was so cold his lips were 
 
blue. And he'd neve r complained. 
 
All the way home, I wondered if I'd ever 
 
get him to try again. A day such as this 
 
would have revolted even the most dedi- 
 
cated bunter, and this was his first experi- 
 
ence. Even after we'd bad our good laugh 
 
over the whole thing, my thoughts kept 
 
returning to that question. Now and then , 
 
I glanced at Johnny out of the corner of 
 
my eye, trying to read his expression and 
 
wondering what he was thinking as we rode 
 
along in silence. 
 
I guess he must have been doing some 
 
wondering himself, for suddenly, be ap 
 
peared to have made up his mind. His head 
 
came up, and that little chin jutted out the 
 
way I bad seen it do so many times that 
 
day, and be asked , 
 
"Daddy, do you think we could go again 
 
tomorrow?" 
 
Once again I had to pull the car off the 
 
side of the road. But this time it was be- 
 
cause I needed both hands to hug him to 
 
me fiercely , my heart so filled with pride 
 
that it ached inside my chest. My throat 
 
was so tight that it hurt to whisper. 
 
"Not tomorrow. John, but soon, soon. Real soon. ' ><;;. 
 
A boy 's first gun is a wonderful, prideful thing, and to John, it was a dream come true. But over the years , that first flush of possession w111 change to a qwet p nde m ab1l1ty and accomplishment as he learns to respect his weapon, to use it safely and accurately, and comes to understand the deeper meanings of true sportsmanship. I'll always try to remember my obligation to set him a good example. 
The elusive prey This sassy varmint and his bushy tailed relatives are probably still laughing so hard they fall out of their nests, every time they recall our futile efforts to pounce on them. 
 
 THE BIG MEETIN' 
Annual Convention Georgia Sportsmen 's Federation 
By Clyde Bryson as described to J. Hall 
 
 Yessir, they was good fellership an tall tales a'plenty at the big meetin' ... in fact, I reckon it was jest about everythin ya' might expect from an outdoorsmen's gettogether. Course, I know you were there, but the folks that didn't go sure did miss somethin'. 
Course it weren't all fun an' games, though, 'cause them fe llers got down to some serious business, not only durin' them sessions when the Directors met, butdurin' a whole Saturday of some of the most interestin ' programs I ever heard, least in quite a spell. An' ya' know, in spite of the fact that we heard from some old experienced speakers that've had a lot of practice at gettin' up in front of audiences, I 'spect jest about ever'body"ll agree thar some of the finest talks we heard were made by those young 4-H fellers that were on the program .. . youngsters like Lindy Copelan , of Greensboro, who was picked to be Youth Conservationist of the year 
for his work in protectin' Georgia's whitetail deer. An ' Iemme tell ya', that boy is nobody's foo l when it comes to deer. I mean he knows 'em inside an' out! Why, he had them old time deer hunters settin' back an' takin' notice, with the things he was tellin' 'em. 
Then they had that Howard Zeller feller , tellin' us about water pollutio n, an' what a big problem it's becomin'. An' he's right. too , ya' got to hand 'im that. That very day, when we was goin ' down to Macon, I crossed a bridge that had big signs on it, "NO SWIMMIN'. POLLUTED WATER .'' Things like that really get ya' to thinkin'. 
Then they had a panel discussion by a whole bunch 'a experts an' high mucketymucks, talkin' 'bout how we're gettin' so many people, an ' the cities'er gettin' so big that it's crowdin' the animals right off the map! Course they used a bunch 'a big words an ' jaw breakin' terms, but I reckon it all boiled down to the fact that if we don't start usin ' some common sense, which a heap 'a folks don t, I reckon , one 'a these days we ain't gonna have no wildlife ... or any other kinda life, for that matter. 
Course it were n't all serio us. I got a kick out'a that Dan Quillian feller tryin to show you how to shoot a bow an' arrer. Humph! If the Indians couldn't shoot no better than me, we wouldn't never had to fight 'em. Heck, they'd 'a starved to death long before that! 
 
Registration day. We all lined up to sign in and shell out. Around 300 sportsmen and outdoorsmen from all over Georgia checked in to attend the convention. There were plenty of Wildlife Rangers on hand to see that none of 'em got more than their share of anything. 
These are the tellers that run the show . . . an ' seem to do a pretty good job of it. On the left, gettin ' his hand shook, is Billy Lane, Secretary-Treasurer of the Georgia Sportsmen 's Federation. The feller in the middle that's gettin ' on the good side of him is Jim Adams, President. Clyde Greenway, Executive Vice President, looks like heapproves of the whole thing. 
 
10 
 
 Just to look at him, you wouldn 't think that little feller down on the ground is such a bad egg. But he shore has got that other'n treed! Now it looks like he 's tryin ' to shake him down! Actually, that's Jim Baker an Fred Walters, of Valdosta, demonstratin ' their "Profane Tree Stand." 
This is George T. Bagby, the Director of the Game an ' Fish Commission, speakin ' to the group after lunch. He was a right welcome change after the food, an ' had some real interestin ' things to say. He told about the job the men of the commission are doin . an ' how the state needed to give 'em more money for the job. Ever'body agreed too, an ' the Federation voted to give their support in gettin ' funds for payin ' the Rangers a livtn ' wage. 
 
Looks like Wooly Bear an ' Limptn ' Rab.bit. The feller on the left with the flashy shirt is Dan Quillian, archery expert, tryin  to show J. Hall how to shoot a bow. J. was about as surprised as the rest of us when he shot a bulls eye. 
An ' of course there was good times too, like the big dance after the banquet. That's Tommy Holloman there on the left. Tommy 's still right starry eyed from his club winnin ' that fine trophy an ' ever'thing comin ' off so good an ' all. 
Conger 'sman Jack Flynt give a right good speech at the banquet, an ' even after all that good food, you could tell the folks was real in 'erested in what he was sayin ' by the way they craned their heads around an ' watched him real close. He sa1d he reckoned he was almighty opposed to all this gun legislation business. an ' you c 'n bet all us sportsmen are too. 
 
An' that was right in 'erestin', them fellers with their fancy tree stand , that self-climbin ' thing they showed us. Called it a "Profane Tree Stand," or some such fanci ed-up name , but it was just about the cussedest thing I ever saw. 
Late r on , we had chicken or biddy or omethin', an' a handful 'a chick peas for lunch. It was mighty scrawny vittles, anyhow.Buttogoalongwith it we had a speech from George Bagby , head of the Game an' Fish Commission, tellin' us about all the things they'd been doin' an' all the things they could be doin' if they just had eno ugh 
 
money to get along on. It was a pretty fair speech. At least it was easier to get down than them peas was. 
That night, though, they made up for the slim feed they had fer lunch . Called it a "Smaggisbread 'er sumpthin', but it was a shore 'n uff pot scrapin ' supper. You shou ld a seen them hungry folks rootin' down that table! But it was worth havin to listen to all them speeches jest ta' get a feed like that! Then ole Pete Farrar got up there an' did his stuff, makin' turkey calls. Ya' know, that feller's good! Them squawks an' clucks 'a his'n sound so real 
 
he was beginnin' to look like a turkey to me. Fer a minute there , I jest got to itchin ' to dust his tail feathers! 
An ' then they give out them fancy trophys an' awards. Some feller named Mark Trail , who made up a character called Ed Dodd , got the top award for Georgia's Conservationist of the Year. He's done a good job an ' I was glad to see him get it. But I've seen that column in the funny papers an' this Mark Trail didn't look a thing like his picture in the funnies, except maybe for the pipe. ~ 
 
11 
 
 Georgia Sportsmen's Federation Conservation Awards Program 
Ed Dodd , right, accepts the Eagle statuette as the State Conservationist of the year from Congressman Jack 
Mark Trail Flynt, left, and awards committee chairman Tilmon Wilbanks. 
The Bald Eagle Trophy STATE CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR 
Ed Dodd Creator of "Mark Trail " As the creator of the well known comic strip " Mark Trail ", native Georgian Ed Dodd has been a powerful force for conservation of America 's natural resources for 21 years . Through Mark Trail , he has staunchly supported preservation of endangered wildlife species and natural scenic areas. He has fought forest fires, water pollution, and soil erosion by his easily understood stories and drawings which are seen and read by more than 50 million persons of all ages every day. Mark Trail and Ed Dodd have been , and continue to be, a quietly powerful influence on public awareness of conservation. 
12 
 
 The Conservation Awards Program The Georgia Sportsman 's Federation Conservation Awards P~ogram . was est abl ished in cooperatton wtth the Sears-Roe buck Foundation to recognize and encourage outstanding achievements in the conservation of soil, water, forest, mineral , wildlife, and air resources, and the preservation of natu ral beauty. Its purpose is to recog- 
 
nize and encourage dedicated work by private citizens, government officials , civic and fraternal organizations, industrialfirms,and communications media. Through a broad public information program , it is designed to stimulate increased efforts in the wise management of natural resources. 
The highest honor, the Governor's 
 
Award , is presented to the State "Conservationist of the Year." All state winners receive the award statuettes pictured here and become eligible for the national awards program of the National Wildlife Federation . All nominat ions for awards are made by affiliate clubs of the Georgia Sportsman 's Federation . 
 
Former State Federation president Tommie Holliman of Thomaston accepted the trophy awarded the Upson County Sportsman 's Club as the "Outstanding Sportsman 's Club of the Year." 
 
The Buffalo Trophy WILD LIFE CONSERVATIONI ST OF THE YEAR (Co-Wi nners) 
J. David Almand Wildlife Spec. Coop. Ext. Serv . 
Leonard E. Foote S.E. Fld. Rep . Wil dlife Mgmt. lnst. 
 
The Prairie Chicken Trophy 
SOIL CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR Cecil W. Chapman State Conservationist Soil Conservation 
Service 
 
The Black Bass Trophy WATER CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR R. S. " Rock" Howard Executive Secretary State Water Quality 
Control Board 
 
The Elk Trophy FOREST CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR C. Dorsey Dyer Head of Extension 
Forestry Department Cooperative Extension 
Serv ice 
 
The White-tailed Deer Trophy 
CONS ERVATION EDU CATOR OF THE YEAR Dr. Ernest E. Provost Associate Professor of 
Wi ldlife and Zoology University of Georgia 
 
The Beaver Trophy YOUTH CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR State Winner- 
Lindy Copelan 
 
The Mountain Lion Trophy 
CONSERVATION COM MUNICATIONS AWARD OF THE YEAR Georgia Game and Fi sh 
Magazine Jim Morrison, Editor 
 
The Mountain Goat Trophy 
CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR Georgia Natural Re- 
source Education Council 
13 
 
 he boat shows back 
With pretty girls and bigger and better boats 
Ed Conrad, who heads up the Southern 8 t, Travel& VacationShowinAtlanta, Feb. 9-17, seems to be feeding a line to the pretty miss. What: ."~ I has is a ribbon for her to wear, reading "Miss Southern Boat and Sportsman Show, 1967." T-'le young lady with the angling instincts is Miss Dianna Youngblood. This year's show will be in t he new Atlanta Civic Center Exhibition Hall. 
Your Game and Fish Commission was at the btJa t show last year. And it will be there aga in this year with a booth to supply you information and r e;-ulations pertaining to the state. And we 'll be able to fix you up with a magazine subscription too~ 1 you like. 
Indoor trout fishing, always present at the boat show, might make a few men envy the fish 14 
 
 Sportsmenl \ Speak... ~ 
 
TIDE TABLES 1 am a subscriber to Game and Fish magazine and I appreciate such a magazine betng published . 1wa s thinking of suggesting a tide table being published in the magazine someplace on a monthly basis. This would help the coastal fisherman greatly. If you decide one way or another, please let me know. 
Lynwood Horton Brunswick, Ga. 
As a result of Mr. Horton's excellent suggestion, Game and Fish began publishing the coastal tide tables with the last issue, and plans to continue publishing them for each month and the following month ahead. 
Rea ders who have suggestions for improving Game and Fish's coverage of the outdoors, are urged to send them to the editor for consideration. 
DOG CONTROL The city council of Elberton has been tryi ng for several months to put into effect a county wide dog control law. This plan calls for a dog catcher, vehicle and estab lishing of q dog pound. It would be man datory for all dogs to be innoculated yearl y against rabies and would be under the supervision of the health department . The city would pay half the cost and the county the other half. City officials and interested parties have appeared before the county commissioners twice in the last several mont hs, but so far the commissioners have not acted on the matter. Ci ty council is now gathering up information on damage done by dogs to assist t hei r cause . Any information you can send us will be appreciated and will be turned over to the city council. 
Elbert County Wildlife Ass'n, Inc. Ronald C. Ouzts, President Lawrence Cecchini, Secy & Treas. Elberton , Georgia 
Copies of the January '68 Game & Fish article "Dogged to Death" have been sent to Mr. Ouzts and Mr. Cecchini. 
 
LOST DOGS? 
We have checked with the Waycross Office and they referred us to you. 
We have lost five deer dogs. We have looked and checked everywhere, but have found no trace of them . 
We would like to know if you would run an ad in your magazine for us. 
The name of our hunting club is " Satilla Hunting Club" located between Atkinson and Woodbine, Georgia . Here is a description of the dogs: 
One red dog - tattoo in right ear "Bob Gray"; 
Three blase faced dogs, two ear tattooed " Bob Gray" ; one pided dog with a split in the left ear. 
All the dogs had collars on , bearing the name of " Bob Gray, Nicholls, Ga . Phone 3 4 5 - 2 9 7 6 ." 
If you will do this for us, we will be glad to take care of the charges. 
Bob Gray Nicholls, Ga. 
Game and Fish does not accept advertisements, and it is unable to effectively use missing dog or stolen boat notices, etc., both because of limited space and because all materials for publication must be received 60 days ahead of publication. Because of the time involved, most such notices would be too old to be effective. 
Advertising in your local newspaper is usually the best avenue of recovery of such items. Dog owners should follow Mr. Gray's example of keeping identification collars on their dogs, along with ear marking or tattooing. 
 
LOCKED ANTLERS 
I know you are interested in " bucks" and what happens to them . So, I am passing this observation on to you . 
On Saturday, November 4 , 1967, while fishing on Chickasawhatchee Creek, we came upon two drowned bucks. Upon investigation, we discovered they had locked horns, and in turn got mixed up with some cypress knees and roots and had their heads entangled under water. We dislodged them and cut off their heads. The antlers were so thoroughly entwined that the heads had to be cut down considerably to get them untangled . The deer were so large that I could not pull them all the way out of the wa ter. Estimated weight - 200 lbs. or better, each . One set of antlers has 10 points ; the other, 13 beautiful points and two more almost developed. 
Thou ght you might be interested in this discovery. The deer were discovered about 4 miles up Chickasawhatchee Creek from the bridge at Elmodel. We had no camera with us, so no pictures are available. 
We are enjoying your Department's publication , " Game and Fish ". 
Louis 0 . Kidd Thomasville, Ga. 
Expired Subscription? 
If you were one of the 15,000 subscribers to Georgia Game and Fish who subscribed last year by February 1, 1967, your subscription may be about to expire. Check the date on your mailing label to see what month you will receive your last issue if you do not renew in time. To make sure that you don't miss a single issue of Game and Fish, send in your renewal subscription now in the postage-paid envelope attached to a recent issue. A minimum of 30 days notice is required to renew you r subscription. Beat th e rush! And this time, why not subscribe for three years and save half a dollar! Three years - $2.50; One year $1.00. 
Send your name, address, and zip code with your check made payable to the State Game and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol , Atlanta, Ga. 30334. 
DO IT NOW! 
 
15 
 
 the 
 
outdoor 
 
world 
Seminole Bass Tourn ament It's nothi ng new for a widely renowned bass lake like Seminole to have to put its reputation on the line. But come February, not only the lake but some 150 top drawer bass fishermen will pit their reputations against each other. A bass fishing extravaganza, the Seminole Lunker Bass Tournament, has been set for Feb. 22, 23 and 24 , which is bound to prove just how good Seminole is as a bass lake. Not only that, but each of the fishermen will have to prove their skill. Certainly,each angler must have a great deal of confidence in his own ability. This is assured by the $125 entry fee. Ray Scott of Montgomery, Ala., who has staged similar tournaments at Beaver Lake, Ark ., last June, and at Smith Lake, Ala., in October, is spearheading the fishing spree. Scott says he expects to have anglers from 25 states participating, and he won't be surprised if he has 150 entries. While the entry fee is high enough to keep away the amateurs, there is plenty to offer the 
 
winners. More than 6,000 in cash, plus trophies and other awards will be distributed to the top anglers of the affair. 
Winners will be determined by a point system. One point per ounce of fish caught will be awarded, but anglers may not catch over the limit of 15 bass per day. The champion angler will take home 2,000 as his prize. Prizes will be given in 14 other awards. 
And these accomplished bass fishermen will also, have another goal to shoot for. Known for its exceptionally big bass, Seminole produced a new lake record a year ago, when a 16 Yz pounder was caught. A new record would provide many a point for its captor. 
Anyone wishing to enter should contact Scott at National Tournament Headquarters, 317 Holly Ridge Rd. , Montgomery, Ala. 36109. 
In explaining how the tourney operates, Scott said two competing fishermen will be in a boat together, with partners changing each day. All fishermen leave the dock at the same time, 7 a.m., and must return by a time set that afternoon. Each man will be allowed to operate the boat for an equal amount of time. While he is operating the boat, the contestant may choose the spot where he and his partner will fish. 
By putting two competitors together in the same boat, Scott said, each entry keeps an eye on the other to make sure he obeys the rules of the contest. Rules are quite rigid , he pointed out. 
Entrants may furnish their own boats and motors, and may use electronic depth finders. They may use only artificial lures, and must use only one rod at a time, although another may be rigged and ready for use. Spinning, casting or spincasting tackle only , may be used. Troll ing is not allowed. 
 
While Seminole has proven time and again that it has the bass, anglers who have been there know that it is no pushover. It will take expert fishermen to produce well enough to be in the competitio n. 
By Dean Wohlgemuth 
Fish Camps Offered Opportunity to Host Outdoor Writers 
Fishingcam ps,lodges,motels, bai tshops, landings and ot her firms who solicit the trade of fishermen or other o utdoor sportsmen , are invited to participate in the Outdoor Writers Association of America conventio n next Fall. 
Most such facilities in the state have already been contacted by letter, but Dean Wohlgemuth of the Game and Fish Commission, national chairma n of the convention , said that probably some camps were overlooked . 
In addition ,the Commission is compiling information about all such facilities in the state , in hopes of publishing a directory contai ning complete information about each such location. These firms are asked to contact Wohlgemuth in order that information can be obtained. 
In regard to the OWAA convention , Wohlgemuth said ,camps, lodges, landings, etc., will be offered the opportunity to provide story-gathering trips for a few writers either before or after the June 2229 convention. Trips should last two to four days . Facilities should provide, as necessary , lodging, meals, boats, motors, guides and other such needs for writers. In some cases, writers will be accompanied by their families . 
For further information, contact Dean Wohlgemuth, Convention Chairman, at the Information Office, State Game and Fish Commission , 401 State Capitol, Atlanta , Ga. 30334. 
 
Open Squirrel-Deer Season Together 
Continued from inside front co ver 
must run longer to allow for any harvest of squirrels at all , ending this year on the last day of February, theoretically the time up to which poachers may still kill deer with impunity. Unless other sportsmen are willing to turn them in, they can probably poach deer twelve months of the year , even using spotlights from automobiles if they choose. 
At their recent annu al convention i n Macon, the members of the Georgia Sportsmens Federation defeated a proposed re olution asking for joint o pening of the squirrel and deer seasons. 
Moving the dates of the deer season up 10 October 15 isn't a good idea, Handy no tes , especially if the seaso n isn't to be too long for the number of hunters expected that season 
16 
 
and the number o f deer available. A seaso n o~ more than a month lasting until Thanksgiving would be too long for present conditions. Opening the season during the entire month of November has several advantages. This is the time that bucks are usually rutting, moving more freely and less cautiously , offering better hunting for them. In addition, the leaves are falling rapidly from the trees, making for better visibility. 
As far as the October 15 deer season in Southeast Georgia goes, most game biologists feel that it is too long, especially in an area where dog hunting is allowed, but their objections were overrul ed by les well-informed opinions o f hunter in the area many yea rs ago. 
Earlier in the season, many squirrels are discarded by hunters because of running so res caused by "wolves" or warvles , the larval form of a parasitic fl y. The warvles don't hurt the 
 
squirrel , because they li ve off lymph tissue in the membrane between the skin and muscle of the squirrel , dropping off by late October or early ovember, after which the sores heal up. But if the squirrels with sores are cooked , they offer no danger to the hunter eating them. 
What is the answer to the early season deer poacher? "It's a law enforcement job,'" Handy says. " I f you catch a man with the evidence and let him know through stringent court action th at he has been caught and heavily fined, he'll remember it. A 10 fines nothjng-that's just a wrap on the knuckles. H e should be treated like the crimina l that he is." 
Perhaps H andy describes it best when he poi nts out that " deer poaching is the same as going out on a state-owned forest, cutting down some trees, and hauling them off, just stealing them. The on ly difference is that the poacher doesn't leave a stump that yo u can look at." 
JM. 
 
 Sportsman's Calendar 
 
S. Ga. Bag Limit-!0 Daily. 
North Georgia includes the counties of Harris, Talbot, Upson, Monroe, Jones, Baldwin , Hancock, Warren, McDuffie, Columbia, and all counties north of those listed. All counties south of those listed above on the fall line are considered part of South Georgia. 
 
WILD TURKEY-Fall Season 
Southwest Ga. Season-Nov. 20, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968, in the counties of Baker, Calhoun, Decat ur, Dougherty, Early, Grad y, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, and Thomas. Bag Limit-Two (2) per season. 
 
' 
 
RACCOON 
 
STATE MANAGEMENT HUNTS 
 
SEASONS NOW OPEN 
GROUSE, RUFFED 
 
N. Ga. Season-Oct. 14, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968, in Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Banks, Franklin, and Hart counties and all counties north of these counties. 
N. Ga. Bag Limit-One (I) per night per person. 
 
NOW OPEN 
All small gam e in season-Altama ha, Lake Seminole, Whitesburg, Allatoona, Brunswick Pulp and Paper Area . No permits required for small game hun ting. 
 
Season-Oct. 14, !967, through Feb. 29, S. Ga. Season-No closed season. 
 
1968. Bag Limit-3 Daily, possession limit 6. 
OPOSSUM Season-Oct. 14, !967 through Feb. 29, 1968 . No Bag Limit. 
 
S . Ga.-No Bag Limit. 
SQUIRREL Season-Oct. 14, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968. Bag Limit-10 Daily. 
TRAPPING SEASON 
 
Holding a Meeting? 
If your club or organization is holding a meeting, convention, field trial, etc. that the public is invited to, send Game and Fish the dates, location, and other pertinent information for use on 
 
QUAIL, BOBWffiTE 
Season-Nov. 18, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968. Bag Limit-12 Daily, possession limit 36. 
 
Season-Nov. 18, 1967 through Feb. 29, 1968. 
Mink, Muskrat, Opossum, Otter, and Skunk . Raccoon-dosed in Floyd, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Banks Franklin, H art and all counties noth of these counties. No closed season south of the listed counties. 
 
the Sportsmen's Calendar page. All notices must be received at least two months prior to the date of publication from the first of the month to be used in the magazine. The editor reserves the right to determine if a notice 
 
,.. 
 
RABBITS 
 
No closed season on beaver, bobcat, and fox. 
 
Season-Nov. 18, 1967 through Feb. 29, 
 
No bag limit in any section of the state. 
 
1968. N. Ga. Bag Limit-5 Daily.< 
 
No ot,her wi ldlife except those specified may be ~ ra pped at any time. 
 
is used, depending on space requirements and the subject matter. 
 
FEBRUARY, 1968 
 
MARCH, 1968 
 
T I D E T A B L E HIGH WATER LOW WATER 
 
HIGH WATER 
 
LOW WATER 
 
Oay 
 
A.M . HT. P.M . HT. A.M . P.M. 
 
FEB.-MAR. 1968 
 
Day 
 
A.M. Hl. P.M . HT. A.M. P.M. 
 
I. Thurs. 10:06 7.0 10:18 6.5 3:54 4:18 
 
GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS 
 
I. Fri . 
 
9:30 6.8 9:42 6.9 3:24 3:48 
 
2. Fri. 10:42 6.6 11:00 6.4 4:36 5:00 3. Sat. 11:24 6.2 11 :42 6.2 5:18 5:42 
4. Sun: . . .. . . 12:00 5.9 6:00 6:18 
 
HOW TO USE THESE TABLES The calculations are for the 01:1ter bar. 
 
2. Sat. 10:06 6.5 10:18 6.6 4:06 4:24 3. Sun . 10:42 6.2 10:54 6.6 4:42 5:00 4. Mon . 11:12 5.8 11 :36 6.4 5:18 5:36 
 
5. Mon. 12:24 6.1 12:42 5.6 6:48 7:06 
 
Find the reading for the desin:i'd tide. In 
 
5. Tues. 11:54 5.5 . . . . . . 6:00 6:18 
 
6. Tues. 1:12 6.0 1:24 5.3 7:36 8:00 
 
the table below find the number of min- 
 
6. Wed. 12:18 6.3 12:36 5.3 6:54 7:06 
 
7. Wed. 2:00 6.0 2:18 5.1 8:36 8:54 
 
utes to add to correct for the place you 
 
7. Thurs . 1: 12 6.1 1:30 5.1 7:48 8:06 
 
8. Thurs. 2:54 6.0 3:12 5.0 9:36 9:48 
 
are going to fish or swim. The outer bar 
 
8. Fri. 
 
2:06 6.1 2:30 5.0 8:54 9:06 
 
9. Fri . 
 
3:54 6.1 4:18 5.0 10:30 10:36 
 
calculation, plus this correction, gives 
 
9. Sat. 3:06 6.1 3:36 5.1 9:54 10:06 
 
10. Sat. 4:54 6.3 5:18 5.2 11:24 11:30 
 
the correct reading for the point desired . 10. Sun. 4:12 6.3 4:42 5.5 10:48 11 :00 
 
11. Sun . 5:48 6.7 6:06 5.6 . . . 12:12 
 
12. Mon. 6:36 7.0 6:54 6.0 12:18 12:54 
 
13. Tues. 7:18 7.3 7:36 6.4 1:06 1:42 
 
14. Wed . 8:00 7.4 8:18 6.7 1:54 2:24 
 
15. "Fhurs . 8:36 7.5 9:00 7.0 2:36 3:06 
 
16. Fri . 
 
9:18 7.4 9:42 7.1 3:2'4 3:42 
 
17. Sat. 10:06 7.2 10:30 7.2 4:12 4:42 
 
18. Sun. 10:48 6.9 11 :24 7.1 5:00 5:12 
 
19. Mon. 11 :42 6.5 . ... . . 5:48 6:00 
 
20 . Tues. 12:18 7.0 12:36 6.1 6:48 7:00 
 
21. Wed . 1:24 6.8 1:42 5.7 8:00 8:06 
 
22. Thurs. 2:36 6.6 2:48 5.5 9:12 9:18 
 
23 . Fri. 
 
3:54 6.6 4:06 5.6 10:18 10:24 
 
24 . Sat. 
 
5:06 6.8 5:18 5.8 11:18 11:30 
 
25 . Sun. 6:06 7.1 6:18 6.2 .. 12:12 
 
26. Mon. 7:00 7.3 7:12 6.6 12:24 1:06 
 
27 . Tues. 7:42 7.4 7:54 6.9 1:18 1:48 28. Wed . 8:24 7.3 8:30 7.0 2:06 2:30 29 . Thurs. 9:00 7.1 9:06 7.0 2:48 3:12 
 
Adjust For Daylight Sa ving Time By Adding One Hour 
 
CORRECTION TABLE The times given are for Savannah River entrance (Tybee) . 
 
Hrs. Min. 
 
Savannah (High).. . . . . . . . . 0 44 
 
Savannah (Low). . .. .. .. . . .  57 
 
Hilton Head , S. C... .. .. . . . . 0 10 
 
Thunderbolt. . . . . .. . . . . 
 
0 20 
 
Isle of Hope. . : ... .. .. .. .. . 0 40 
 
Warsaw Sound... . ..  ..... . 0 00 
 
Ossabaw Sound...... .. . .. . 0 05 
 
Vernon View. . . .......... . . 0 35 
 
Coffee BIuff. . . . . . . . . . .... . 0 55 
 
Ogeechee River Bridge.... . 3 50 
 
St. Catherine Sound. . . .... . 0 25 
 
Sapelo Sound.. . . . . 
 
0 00 
 
Brunswick Bar. . . .. . 
 
0 00 
 
First 
 
Full 
 
Last 
 
New 
 
11 . Mon. 5:12 6.7 5:42 6.0 11:36 11 :54 
 
12. Tues . 6:00 7.0 6:30 6.6 
 
12 :24 
 
13. Wed. 6:48 7.4 7:12 7.2 12:42 1:06 
 
14. Thurs . 7:30 7.6 7:54 7.6 1:30 1:54 
 
15. Fri. 
 
8:18 7.7 8:36 7.9 2:18 2:36 
 
16. Sat. 9:00 7.6 9:24 8.0 3:06 3:18 
 
17. Sun . 9:42 7.3 10:12 7.9 3:54 4:00 
 
18. Mon. 10:30 6.9 11:06 7.6 4:42 4:48 
 
19. Tues. 11 :24 6.5 
 
5:36 5:42 
 
20 . Wed . 12:06 7.2 12:24 6.0 6:36 6:42 
 
21. Thurs . 1:12 6.9 1:30 5.7 7:42 7:54 
 
22. Fri. 
 
2:24 6.6 2:48 5.6 8:54 9:12 
 
23 . Sat. 3:42 6.6 4:06 5.8 10:00 10:18 
 
24. Sun . 4:54 6.7 5:12 6.1 11:00 11 :18 
 
25 . Mon. 5:54 6.9 6:06 6.6 11:54 
 
26 . Tues. 6:36 7.1 6:54 7.0 12:12 12:36 
 
27 . Wed . 7:18 7.1 7:30 7.2 1:00 1:1 8 28 . Thurs. 7:54 7.1 6:06 7.4 1:42 2:00 
 
29 . Fri. 
 
8:24 6.9 8:36 7.4 2:24 2:36 
 
Quarter Moon Quarter Moon 
 
30. Sat. 
 
8:54 6.7 9:06 7.3 3:00 3:12 
 
SAN. 
 
7 
 
15 
 
22 
 
29 
 
31. Sun . 9:30 6.4 9:42 7.2 3:36 3:42 
 
FEB. 
 
6 
 
14 
 
21 
 
28 
 
0 8 ~o report violations or if you need assistance in the Coastal Area-Call-State Game & Fish Commission , Brunswick, Georgia 
 
  ox 1097, Phone 265-1552 , Savannah 233-2383 , Richmond Hill 756-3679. 
 
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