Georgia game and fish [Vol. 4, no. 1 (Jan. 1969)]

- - ., ... _.. t """""'"'""" ' ~u~
r~~----~-------. 1/ERSITY OF GEORGIA
JAN 81969
UBRAR'(S

BJJt GEORGIA
~ GAME&FISH
January 1969 Volume IV Number 1

CONTENTS

Why I Hunt and Fish

.. Charles Elliott 1

Duck Hunting, Georgia Style .. Oscar Dewberry 4

Flowing Death Costs You! .. Dean Wohlgemuth 7

January Jackpot .... .... Dean Wohlgemuth 10

Tan Your Hide Carefully!

... Marvin Tye 13

Outdoor World

. . . . . . . . .

15

Sportsmen Speak

16

Sportsman's Calendar

17

Tide Table

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Lester G. Maddox
Governor
George T. Bagby
Director. State Game & Fish Commission

COMMISSIONERS

Rank1n M . Smith .

James Darby

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Atlanta- 5th District

Vidal ia -1st D istrict

Wi lliam 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 Di xon

Am ericus - 3rd District

Cleveland- 9th District

Charles L. Davidson , Jr.

Leona rd Bassford

Avo nda le Estates-4th Distr ict Au g usta - l Oth D istrict

Jimm1e Williamson

Darien -Coastal District

TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION Jack A. Crockford , Assistant D1rector
Leon K1rkland. F1shenes Ch1ef Hubert Handy, Game Management Chief Charles M . Fnsbe. SuperviSOr. Marine F1shenes Robert S. Baker. Spec1al Serv1ces Coord1nator
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION Bill Cl1ne
Deputy State Ch1ef. Atlanta David Gould
Deputy State Ch1ef. Brunsw1ck

GEORGIA GAME & FISH STAFF

Jtm Mornson Edttor

Dean Woh lgemuth.

J Ha ll. Staff Wnter

Staff Wnter

Ted Borg Photographer

Marvm Tye. Staff Wnter

Georg1a Game and F1s h IS the o ff1C1a l monthly magaZine of the Georg1a Game and F1sh CommiSS IOn. publ1shed at the CommiSSion 's off1ces. 401 State Capitol. Atlanta . Georg1a 30334 N o advert1smg accepted Subscnpt1ons are Sl for one year or S2 50 for three years Pnnted by Stem Pnntmg
Company.Atlanta. Ga N otd1cat1on ofaddress change must mclude both old and new address and ZIP code. w1th 30 days no t1ce No subscnpt1on re quests will be accepted Without ZIP code. Articles and photographs may be repnnted Proper cred1t should be g1ven Contnbut1ons are welcome. but
, the editors assume no respons 1b 111 ty or l1ab111 ty for loss or dama[!e ofarticles .
photograp.hs. or 11/usJratlons. Second-class postage pa1d at Atlan ta . Ga

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONSERVES WILDLIFE

In a democratic society, action by the governing legisla-

tive body is usuall y necessary before significant steps can be taken by any governmental agency.

Georgia is no exception to this rule. That is the reason

that each year, Georgians look to their General Assembly

to provide the leadership to conserve and develop Georgia's

wildlife resources for future generations, as well as today's hunters, fishermen , and boaters.

There are five major areas which require close attention

from the General Assembl y this month when it reconvenes

in Atlanta if Georgi a's wildlife conservation program is to

progress and keep pace with changing times: 1. Preservation of Marshes.

A bill setting up a Coastal Wetlands Control Board to

preserve Georgia's marshes has been drawn up by Representative Reid Harris, a Brunswick attorney who is chair-

man of the House Estuarine Study Committee. The pro-

posed board would control any filling and dredging proj-

ects proposed in the invaluable Georgia marshes, such as

the outrageous proposal of the Kerr-McGee Corporation

of Oklahoma to destroy one-twelfth of Georgia's coastal

marine resources. Companion bills to be sponsored by

Representative Harris will require General Assembly approval of any mineral leases of state land made by the

Mineral Leasing Commission . A budget appropriation wou ld be authorized for the State Game and Fish Com-

mission to have a legal stud y made to determine who owns

most Georgia marshes, followed by a program of volun-

tary purchase of any privatel y owned marshlands for sale. 2. Control of Wild and Free-Running Dogs.

The House Wild Dog Study Committee chaired by Rep-

sentative Howard Rainey of Cordele has prepared legisla-

tion for dealing with the serious wildlife, agricultural, and

health problems caused by uncontrolled dogs. Their bill

provides for financing a system of dog wardens and pounds

for each Georgia county through a dog license fee. Dog

owners would be made liable for the actions of their ani-

mals, and would be subject to misdemeanor charges for

violation of the provisions of the Jaw. Such a law has long

been needed in Georgia.

3. Damage Collection A gainst Water Polluters.

L ast year's General Assembl y passed a law allowing the

State G ame and Fish Commission to collect damages in court for fish killed by polluters. However, the bill was

effectively gutted by adding on a provision that it would

apply only to waters flowing into fi sh hatcheries or public

fi shing lakes owned by the State Game and Fish Commis-

sion. Thi s restrictive provision of the law should be re-

moved. In add ition, the Georgia Water Quality Control

Board should be given the power to fine polluters who "ac-

cidentally" pollute streams through carelessness or negli-

gence.

(Continued on Page 16)

ON THE COVER: A mallard drake and a ben, favorites of duck hunters in Georgia and most of the North American continent. Color painting by Duane Raver.

ON THE BACK COVER: "To err is human .. ." and we really erred! The editor planned to use this picture of a Georgia cottontail last month. Somehow, it was swapped for a picture that was to have appeared this month of author Oscar Dewberry and some Butler Island ducks. Since Game and Fish photographer Ted Borg made both pictures, and both ducks and rabbits are still in season, maybe it's not too bad a goof!

PHOTO CREDITS: Ted Borg t. & c. 6, 13 , 14; Charles Elliott 3; Jim Morrison4, b.6, b.7, 9, 11, 12; Water Quality Control Board 8.

rc'r
By Charles Elliott
Somewhere ahead we heard the thunder of a waterfaLl. It filled the canyon with overtones that was background music to the symphony of the riffles under our feet. We passed up a likely pool and splashed ahead to a sweeping bend of the river and stood in awe at the spectacle before us.
The river left its canyon bed on the mountainside and leapt into space, its solid volume of water disintegrating as it fell , into distorted columns of spray. The slanting sun made it look like a shower of silver, set in the emerald of laurel banks and hemlock trees, with its base a turquoise pool carved in massive boulders.

~nly the beauty of a mountain stream
can be more rewarding than catching a trout

"This is yours," my stream partner announced cheerfully. "I fished the last one."
"You go ahead," I murmured. "I'll sit this one out."
He slid into the water and became a part of the tableau , the end of his nylon line flicking at the hidden corners of the pool. Suddenly the rod leapt in his hands and seemed to become a living part of him. The largest rainbow we had seen that day erupted from the depths of a rocky cavern , throwing its body through such a n aerial performance that I thought of poetry in slow motion.
My partner played his catch skillfully through three more jumps, held a taut line ')Vhilc his rainbow bored for safe ty in the depth, and finally brought his fish on its side and within reach of his net. He splashed back to where I sat, his face lit up like a neon bass bug, and held up the 20-in chcr for me to sec.
'T hat is a beauty, " I ag reed. H e lowe red th e fish and regarded me sm pi ciously. 'That was really your pool. Why didn 't you want to fish it?'' " I wouldn't have had it any ot her way," I assu red h im. '"What I' ll remember here is nwrc e ndu rin g th an a ny trout." '"Why do you fi..,h at all?" he demanded.
I shrugged and re lit my pi pe. If he di d not understand by then , he ne\'c r wou ld.
"'Let's detour around that hunk of
2

granite and find another hole," I suggested. "You've done right well by this one."
As we climbed our mountain stream that day, I continued to ponder my partner's question. Wh y, indeed, did I fish-or hunt ? Why does anyone? Obviously, that question could get a hundred different answers. Maybe more. And each would be in keeping with the character of the individual giving the answer.
No one knows for sure, but reducing animals, birds. fi sh and other creatures to the substance meals are made of. must have originated out of hunger. Man is, and has always been, a predator ; that is, he preyed on the creatures around him-and no doubt some of them preyed on him - to get hi s dail y vittles.
Over the mill enniums we have constan tl y improved our techniques for taking game and fish-from club to spear and arrow and gorge, to the modern high-powered rifle and artfully designed fishing gear. In the lifetime span of m an on this ear th, the two-legged species has also arranged hi s affairs in such a way that instead of havi ng to go out a nd find meat and other sustenance for his family, he has it brought to him from all over the world.
In spite of these changes. there remai ns in most of us the urge and instinct to singlc-handedly ve nture forth and bri ng home the mak ings of a fam il y meal. To know that we ca n accomplish th is gives us a feeling of securitya nd its actual accomplishm en t gives us

a se nse of sati sfaction and importance. Basically-under the veneer of civili-
zation we have acquired over a few million years-that is probably the reason man finds so much satisfaction m the arts of hunting and fi shing.
But there are other reasons which, in the complexities of modern existence, are every bit as important as the satisfaction of those instincts brought down from the cave da ys. Most of us do lead a highly complicated existence, revolving around profit and loss, taxes. wars, elections. mechanical gadgets and any number of other modern frustrations which constantly tear at our emotions. To help combat ph ys ical, mental and moral fatigue caused by the daily grind, business wisel y provides a certain amount of time each year for relaxation. We call it a vacation, and thi s change of activity-even for a short period-is ne cessary to keep most of us from ending up in the bughouse.
In a se nse every hunting trip, every fishing trip- no matter what the duration - is an escape from those complexities whi ch surround us. Our motivating infl uence may be to satisfy th at age-old urge to put meat on the tablebut the other rewards are much more last ing th a n a mouthful o f meat.
Like my fishing partner and me at the waterfall- to save my soul I could never tell you what became of that trout ; the memor y of the beaut y a nd the music of the moment is one of the bright spots of m y outdoor year.
In spite of the fact that man is pre-

dacious by nature, I am sure that killing for the pleasure of seeing creatures die has very few di sc iples among hun ters and fi shermen. Most of those I know feel the way I do- that pulling a trigger is the poorest part of any hunt, and that putting a fi sh in th e creel or on a stringer the least memorabl e moment of any fishing trip.
What are those things you are most likely to recall when you sit down and think of the last time you were in the woods, or on a lake or stream?
I remember a campfire in the cold, black heart of the night. Its flame s threw ragged shadows behind the trees. its shower of sparks died on the wings of the darkn ess. We broiled a steak over it on a two-pronged hickory spi t cut out of the woods-the aroma of coffee came from an old pot set on coals raked out of the golden heart of the fire. The fire crackled a nd spat a nd whispered and sang to keep up a cheerful conversation whil e it drove hack the barriers of the ni ght and embraced us in the aura of its warmth . You can get more warmth out of a stove or furnace, but not the friendship you feel with your campfire on an autumn night.
I remember the corner of a lake at sundown. The wind had died, the surface was mirror-still. At the end of the cove a wood thrush played its sole mn flut e and a squirrel barked from the
hilbidc. The sun had gone, hut it left
vermil ion clouds spla yed across the sky

and as these began to fade, a bass splas hed against th e shoreline. We laid a frog popper in the middle of the wake left by the largemouth, let the ripples die, and worked it out with a gurgling sound that added to the so ft music of the night. A real frog grunted from the bank behind us, and peepers scattered along the shoreline took up the choru s. The bass we tried to entice ignored our offerings, but that was all right. The dying day was sufficient unto itself.
I remember perching in a m esq uite tree on the Texas-Mexican border. A m esqu ite has thorn s in the most unexpected places. Its limbs are brittle and you don't dare qui te trust one to support yo ur weig ht. So I di stributed m y carcass as best I could on several of the branches. held o n to my rifle and kept an eye peeled on a well-used deer trail that ra n under the tree. A huge hawk lit in th e topmost branches and peered down at me. A group of javeli nas came by, grunting at one another and probing in the soft dirt for what kind of food I had no idea. A dog coyote trotted by, came to my trail, sniffed at it and pawh d to study the terrain ahead before moving on . I did not sec the buck I was after, and did not care especiall y
for sitting long hours in a mesquite tree,
but would not have missed that after-
noon for any price.
I remember an arctic afternoon , when the red mark on the thermometer ~tood
at 45 degrees below zero. Now and

then a tree limb popped and I knew that its juices had fro ze n under the intense cold. The snow was half way to m y knees and made a muffied tinkle when I moved. Moose tra ils showed in the snow and the trail of a snowshoe rabbit- the hare that turns from brown to whit e when the snow flie s-crossed the moose tracks. The air was so cold it felt hot to my lun gs and in spite of heavy clothes and wool and horsehide mittens, I had to keep moving to save m yself from congealing completely. Who can forget such an afternoon in a barren, white wasteland of mid-winter?
I've taken game and fish-sure- but the kills and catches arc not what I remember most about the outdoors. As important as the memories I bring home, arc the thin gs I leave in the woods and field.;; and on the waters. They arc the dumping ground for my tension and worry and nerves worn thin by the friction of what we call civilization. I breathe the polluted air out of m y lungs and wash m y face and hands clean of the grime. I get the jangle of the telephone, radio, televi sion, juke hox, the blare of horns and scream of motors out of mv cars.
I find peacefulness. and s~litudc. and music not of the trumpet or the drum. I am refreshed and invigorated and I remember to look up into the hil)<.; and give th anks that there arc ~till a few !->pots \\here one may go and ge t away from it all.
Th o!o,e, old partner, arc a few of the reasons why I hunt, and \\ hy I fish.

3

Less than 20 years ago , duck hunting in Georgia was confined mostly to the coastal sections and southern parts. or along major rivers and waterways.
With the advent of large bodies of water created by dams in recent years, waterfowl hunting has become popular in other sections of the state. Another asset to this hunting has been the creation of ponds by beavers in many areas of Georgia. These ponds afford excellent nesting habitat for the wood duck, and usually produce a food crop that is used extensively by wintering flocks of migratory birds.
Since all Georgia ducks are migratory except the wood duck, they arc here only during the period following the southern migration in the fall and before the northern migration in late winter or early spring. Birds migrating into Georgia usually follow the Atlantic Flyway, which generally extends from the Atlantic Coast west to the All eghen y Mountains, curving north ward across West Virginia to the end of Lake Erie. This explains the predominance of wa terfowl along the Georgia coast.
Ducks al so tend to mi grate in relation to weather co nditi o ns. If there is a n ea rl y fall with severe cold weath er along the Atlantic Coast and in the northern prairie state s, an earl y influ x of ducks may be ex pected. If the weather is balm y a nd mild, the du ck populati o n reaches its peak during Decem ber, and somet imes, as late as J a nuary.

Generally, duck hunting is best from sunrise until about midmorning and from mid-afternoon until sunset. This is especially true if fair weather prevails, because ducks have a tendency to move in relation to weather conditions. Diving ducks such as scaup, redhead, canvasback, and ringneck will stay offshore during fair weather when the water is calm. Bad weather conditions are the best times for duck hunting because birds are constantly moving and feeding throughout the day.
The best gauge shotgun to use is purely a matter of indi vidual choice. Since long shots are not uncommon in waterfowl hunting, a long barrel with full or modified choke is recommended. High velocit y shells with shot sizes between No. 4 and 8 arc usu all y used. Fours are considered less likely to cause lead poi soning of ducks eating them otT pond bottom s, since they are heavier and sink into the mud quicker than eights.
Nc ar the coast, d uc k hunt ing is dive rsified . Hunters may shoot from a blind, jump shoot from shallow water or marshes, and fl oat rivers or creeks by :-. mall boat. In the marsh section . shooti ng fro m a bli nd is common, but a boat is usuall y necessary for transpo rtation to the blind. Blind cons tructi o ns arc man y and varied, de pend ing upon the ca pita l ou tla y of the builde r and the usc planned . Some arc elaborate wooden structLres with tloors, sca ts. and other conveniences. Othe rs ar:: simple lean-to structures of woven wire

thatched with grass. In any event, the blind should be constru c ted well before the hunting seaso n a nd m ade to blend with the surroundin gs as nearl y as possible. In addition , the duck hunter should never wear bright colored clothin g. Ducks h ave sharp eyesight.
In hunt ing from a blind, a spread of decoys are helpful. alo ng wit h a duck call , and possibl y a retriever. T he num ber of decoys depe nd u pon the indiv idual. altho ugh about 25 arc usuall y set by the experienced hunter (if available). Most d ucks passin g decoys can be turn ed by a good call er, although care should be exercised that shots are not fi red unt il the bird is well within ra nge, th us redu ci ng cripple losses. A simple rule to fo llow is to shoot all cripples immediately after they hit the water. A trained retriever is a pleasure to watch. and he reduces c ri pples lost to a minimum.
Large sections of the coastal river ma rshes were once plan ted to rice, and were diked for water controls by a se ries of dikes, canals and dit ches. \l ost of these dit ches, where hunting is allowed, can be hu nted by two men in a small boat. Some of the field s can still be waded for jump shooting.
The tidal creek<> usually abound with ducks, c~pecially dur ing the year'> o f a heavy acorn crop. During this time, floa t shooti ng from a small boat is more successful, but it shou ld be remembered th at the U'>C o f a motor i-; prohi bited, except to retrieve a dead bird.
\\'hen hunting ducks from an out-

5

Top left: Jump shoo ting from a small boat can produce results, like this brace of ducks bagged by author Oscar Dewberry on the Commission's
Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area near Darien
Top right: Gangway! Hitting a fa st flyin g ringneck about to escape through the trees isn't easy.
Above: These mallards may look peaceful, but don't be deceived. The
sligh test warning is all they need. Drakes have the green head, while
hens have mottled brown bodies.
Right: Something to grin about! Guide Archie Davis of Darien (left) can't help being pleased over a fat black
duck, one of the m os t popular large ducks, along with the sligh tly less
elusive hen mallard held by Bill Baab, outdoor editor of the Augusta Chronicle.
6

board motor boat, federal law no longer requires that the motor be taken off the transom and placed in the bottom of the boat. The motor may remain on the transom in the water without being tilted up, but it must be completely shut off and the forward progres<: of the boat due to the motor must have ceased before hunters can begin shooting. With the motor shut off, the boat can be drifting, beached, moored, anchored, or paddled, oared, or poled.

Jump shooting is popular in all sections, but probably more so in the Piedmont or Middle Georgia counties, where beaver ponds are more numererous. Due to the inaccessible sections where beaver ponds are usually located, a boat is hard to use. For this type shooting, a pair of rubber boots or chest waders are necessary. One of the more recent pieces of equipment for this type hunting endorsed by this writer is the tube float. With a tube float and chest waders, all sections and water depths are accessible. Decoys may also be used in this type hunting, if the individual has the fortitude to carry them in. Beaver pond shooting is more successful in early morning or late afternoon, because wood ducks and mallards, which comprise about 90 per cent of these ponds' duck population, are more active at these hours.

The farm ponds of middle Georgia also provide some waterfowl hunting, due to their construction, location and habitat. Most of these ponds have a potential for roosting woodies. They afford shooting in the morning only, due to the late time that woodies usually go in to roost in the afternoon, often after sundown.

Most of the major middle Georgia rivers, especially the Oconee, Ocmulgee, Ogeechee, Ohoopee, and Altamaha have a variety of waterfowl during the winter months. They can be hunted with relative ease from a small boat, but float hunting them should be reserved for an all day trip. Unless the hunters plan to return upstream. a predetermined site and time must be selected for ending the hunt.

While the future of migratory duck hunting in Georgia is dim because of th e destruction of nesting areas in Canada and the northern United States, that time is still a few years away. Perhaps the expanded habitat for wood ducks can fill the void, or some exotic species of ducks can be found that won't rely on northern nesting grounds. Efforts to preserve \Vctlands may succeed to some extent, before it is too late.

But right now, it's not too late to be

a duck hunter.

).Q

A truck lumbered down a city street, carrying a barrel of stron g, po isonous insecticide. The barrel fell off the tru ck. The insecticide came flowin g out.
Washed into the street's gutter, the deadly poison found its way to the storm sewer and eventually out into a stream. Soon fish were dying all over the little stream. As the material flowed downstream, it left a wake of death and destruction behind it.
When the insecticide reached a Game and Fish Commission public fishing area downstream, the damage multiplied rapidly, soon leaving more than $10,000 worth of dead sport fish.
Noting this and acting quickly, a Game and Fish Commission hatchery employee promptly went into action to prevent the polluted water from the stream from entering the hatchery's water system. Thus, he saved many thousands of dollars worth of tiny channel catfish earmarked for Georgia fishing waters.
But there was nothing he could do about the public fishing lake on the hatchery property at Cordele. It was too late now.
A little boy, perhaps seven or eight years old, wore a big smile. Over one shoulder he carried a willow pole he'd cut himself, and outfitted with a fishing line. In his hand was a can of worms he had dug. He was happy. He was going fishing. His spirits soared.
Then he came to the shore ot the
Sportsmen Foot the Bill for "Accidental" Pollution!
By Dean Wohlgemuth
1. A storm drain frequently carrys off "accidental" spills of poisons from industries. Th e drain carries the deadly mess to a creek, then to a river. Result: another pollution problem, more dead fish.
2. These catfish, bass and bream were just a few of the game fish that died in a middle Georgia creek when a textile mill dumped dyes into the water. License-buying fishermen get shortchanged in the deal, while the polluter gets away scot-free, without having to pay a cent for the damage he did.
7

public fishing lake. His heart sank, th e smile faded to a frown. Other eyes, those of an adult angler, turned to a look of di sgust. Floating dead fish Jotted th e entire surface of th e la ke.
No use goi ng fi shing now. There weren' t a ny fish left.
This true story occurred in Georgia a little over a yea r ago. Similar sto ri es happen frequently. usuall y somewhere around two to six times each year. Few involve a public fishin g lake ma na ged by th e Game and Fish Co mmission, but almost all in vo lve waters in which the public fishes. In m any cases there is a da ngerous health haza rd for public water supplies or for livestock.
In every case, it means extra expe nse for the Game and Fish Commiss ion , ultimat ely resulting in cost to all th e sport smen in Georgia.
Such "accidental" pollution dips directly into the billfold of all Peach State anglers, even though th e fault is not theirs that someone was careless wi th their God-given resources. This is so because the Game and Fish Commission derives almost a ll its income for fish ma nage ment from th e buyers of hunting a nd fishing licenses.
If it were not for repairing th e thousands of dollars worth of damage that occurs each year from such mi shaps. the Commisison could devot e more time, atten ti on a nd money to improving o th er areas.
As it is, Co mmission perso nnel mu st retrace their steps. The y had to take time a nd mon ey to go back to a n a lready fine fi shing spot, such as th e o ne at Co rd ele. Considerable mone y had already been invested in making this a good place for people to fi sh , in a convenient location for man y anglers.
In addition to the money ami effort wasted , th e fi shermen lost at least two yea rs o f good fi shing.
Once the wa ter was again fit to support fi sh life, it was restockctd . But such restocking must be done wi th tin y fish . It will be two years until the fi sh are big enough to catch. Even th en , the fish wil l not be of the size of a great many of the fi sh that were killed. It wi ll take several more years to return the lake to the good fishing qua lit y th at it had befo re th e "accide nt," or more accurat ely, the negligence.
If the sportsman feels cheated in a n instance like this, who can blame him ? H e has a right to feel that way. He h ad to pa y for someo ne else's mistake , through no fault of his own.
There is a definite need. th e Co mmi ss ion feels, for legi\lation th at will take thi s burden from the angler. G ame a mi Fish Directo r G eorge T . Ragby will aga in as k th e G eo rgia Genera l A ssemb ly for a new law, one th at w ill place the burden of liabi lit y on the pollute r. ' We need a bill th at will
make any o ne who is responsib le for

pollution whi ch results in a fish kill liable for the damage," Bagby said.
H e said such a bill wi ll be introduced thi s yea r at th e legislature's nex t session. It would require that the polluter reimburse the Co mmi ssion for the actual market va lue of the game fish killed.
Even thi s is below th e ac tu a l cost of such a kill. No provision will be asked for the time a nd mon ey spe nt in restocking. There won't be any provision for reclaiming losses to small plants and aquatic life killed in stream, which provide food for larger fis h , a nd eve ntu all y bring a loss of game fish.
Such a bill was introduced last year, but was sadl y weake ned , so that on ly damage to waters o n Game and Fish Co mmiss ion property were affected. This bill still left the sportsman with an empty stri nger and a big hole in his bi llfold. H e's sti ll paying for the mi sta kes of ot hers. For ex ampl e. 15 mil es of hi gh qualit y st rea m in South G eo rgia, were killed o ut when Muck alee Creek was the victim of "accident al" pollution , not long after the Co rc'e le inc ident.
When an A meri cus fertilizer p la nt washed out seve ral tanks that had contained hydroflu oric acid , the wash water was drained into l\ l uc kalec C reek, ove r a period o f th ree or fou r J ays. Some 15 mil es of strea m was affe cted. killing ga me fis h o f a ll kinds. Later. 15,000 la rge mo uth bass fin ger lings had to be stocked in the creek by the Game a nd Fish Co mm ission. The bass alone cos t th e Co mm is~io n so me $3,000 to put in.
Severa l other states have ~ u ch laws . incl udin g A labama, Florida and Cali-

fornia. Not long ago, Florida recei ved
th e largest settlement in the hi story of conservatio n for a spectacular fi sh kill o n th e Peace Ri ver, caused by phosphate minin g. now proposed for G eorgia.
H ow wi ll such a bill help ? There a re two wa ys. First , it is fe lt that thi s would create a detriment to such pollution by making potential polluters more careful, realizing it wou ld cost them to pay for th e damage. Secondl y. when the po llutio n does occur, th e person or persons responsib le for the da mage wo uld pay for what the y th emselves did ... instead of the sportsman hav ing to pay for so mething he doesn't get.
At present , when acci dental pollu tion occurs, the person respo nsible is required to immedia tely cont ac t the State W ate r Qualit y Control Board . Yet th ere is no way of penalizi ng an offender for ei the r repo rting too la te to prevent damage o r for failing to repo rt a t all. There is a need for a met hod to enforce th is req ui re ment , suc h as a stiff fine.
The Cordele incide nt poi nt s up the need for prompt reporting of such pollution. H ad th e Wa ter O twlity Con t rol Board or th e Ga me a nd Fi-, h Commission hce n notified imm ediately, the insecticide cou ld ha\'e been preven ted from leaving the ci ty's sc\\'er system and enteri ng a pub li c stream un til it had been trea ted and neutralized.
E\e n if th is cou ld not have been done in time. a temporary dam could have been placed in the stream aho\'c the fis hing lake. preven tin g the big kill there. But no one cared enough to make a prompt report. The re was no way to require anyone to report prompt ly. Thus. negligen ce \\as heaped upon ne g ligence.
And the spoilsman \\a~ the loser~ -..:....

9

"Now, I'm going to eateh the first bass of the day," I said determinedly, as Jack Wingate moved the boat some 30 feet into better posi tion. I meant it al l right- at least hopefully. Steauy boy, I tolJ myself, that old confiuencc is fine but don't go overboard on it.
My second cast sailed out, and I whecleJ it in just a few feet when wham! "See, I told you!" I shouted, and hung on as the bass burrowed down into the waterweeds on the bottom of one of Lake Seminole's shallow "flats." But my moment of glory was destined to be short.
We were fishing in water about five feet Jeep. That is. if you incluued the last foot or two of water which was mostly taken up wi th weeds.
My roLl arched sharply until I had to aim the roLl butt more towarJ the fish as it began a run away from the boat. The run diun't last ~ong, but the fish still wasn't coming my way. He did some figure-eights in the water, then turned to aerial acrobatics to prove me right in my diagnosis of his species.
Then he heaJeJ around the stern of the small fishing boat and I had to lift my rod over Jack's head, since I was sitting amidships anu Jack was taking care of the motor.
The bass decided he likeJ the side of the boat from whence he came and reversed hi s field again. This time he was coming in too close to the boat though , and worn down enough that J aek could slip a thumb over his ope n jaw and hoist him aboard.
I snatched up the wet bass and had to admire him a bit before putting him on the stringer. My pocket scale showed him to be just a shade unuer four pounds.
My reverie didn't last but seconds. I was sti ll trying to get my fumb ling, icy fingers to open the clasp on the chain stringer when Jack broke into my moment of glory with "Now, I'm going to show you a REAL bass. This one's a big boy," he yelled.
I couldn't Joubt hi s word as watched the line slice its way through the water. The bass boiled several tim es before Jaek was able to tame him enough to bring him alongsiue.
His thumb flawl ess ly clasped into the fish's mouth anJ Wi nga te hoi steu a six anu a half pounder into th e boat. " I never use a net ," he explained .
"Now it's your turn to aud some weight to the stringer, Jim," I need led as Jack ~JiLl the stringer back into the ice eoiJ wa ter.
'" Yeah." Jack joineu in. '"When arc you going to start Joing your share'?"
lim Morri ~ on, sitting up in the bow of the boat all alone, just gruntcJ. So far , we had two jackfish (chain pickerel) in addition to the bass apiece we'Ll just taken. But Jim haun 't Jonc any of the damage.

Jim and I, who both arc with the Georgia Game and Fish Commission's information office, had been in the Seminole area for a meeting. Needing to talk to Jack on a business matter we droppeJ in to see the proprietor of Wingate's Fishing Lodge.
We ended up staying overnight, and instead of heading straight home for the the weekenJ the next day, we accepted Jack's invitation to try the bass fishing.
Secretly, we had both had that idea in mind when we went to Wingate's Lodge in the first place, because we usually finJ him too busy to wet a line ... and we'd been wanting to get a chance to see him do his stuff.
This time we were in luck , because it was the middle of January, last year, as slack as Wingate's season ever gets. Not only that, there had been iee all over trees, houses, streets, and highways when we'd left Atlanta the day before. It wasn't the kinJ of weather and the time of year that you get run over by a wilu herd of fishermen on your way to the water. Nor were we in any great hurry to get back to that kind of weather. At least it was above freezing here-just barely.
I had made four previous trips to Lake Seminole, in the very southwest corner of Georgia, all to practically no success.
Bad weather and bad luck always seemed to follow me there. On one previous trip it had been more than 80 Jcgrees the day I drove down, in February. That night the temperature Jroppcd to 20, freezing water pipes. That kind of a temperature change had been too much for the bass.
This was typical of the kinJ of luck I'Ll haLl here. Not once had I ventured onto Seminole's vast watery plain without wearing at least two pair of pants, a sweater and a coat, and I still nearly froze. In all those trips I haLl taken only one small bass.
Once again I was dresscu against the weather, as a colu north wind swept across the llats, under solid cloud cover. Occasional drizzle JiLl not make it see m a ny warmer.
We pulleJ out of Jack's landing about 8 a.m., and he headeJ the boat across the Flint River arm of Seminole, pointing for Spring 2 reek.
A n expert angler, Jack wasted little time in ge tting the first jackfish. He was usi ng a new plug just out called 'The Hot Spot," that is shaped anu eoloreu similar to a thrcaufin shad (a forage fish prominent in Georgia). The plug travels some three or four feet Jeep a nd gives otT vibrations in the water when rctricvcu at fast speed. which fish arc suppo~cd to feel and thus arc triggcrcu into striking.
Morrison had one of the new plugs too, but I stuck to an olu favorite of

mine which works on the same principal, the Heddon Sonic. You could scarcely tell mueh difference in the two lures, actually.
But Jaek was convinced the new version was the deadliest thing around. " You'll have to give up on yours and give my plug a try before long," he remarked.
Just to show him what my plug eouiJ do, I hauled in a jaekfish of my own. Then we moveJ on to the spot where we caught the first two bass of the day.
Drifting the boat over the flats, we fireJ casts out in every direction. Although surroundeJ on all sides by standing dead timber that was flooded when the lake was formed , we fisheJ out in the "open." But there was no worry about there being enough cover for the bass where we were fishing. The bottom of Seminole is pavcJ with stumps, wccus anJ snags the like of which you'll not soon find anywhere else.
One look at this lake will put the average bass fisherman in a strait jacket- especially if he fishes it for a short while. A died-in-the-wool bassman getting his first crack at Seminole is like a pickpocket finding himself in a pants factory ... he just doesn't know where to start. There are so man y good looking places to try. But like the pickpocket, he'll find all the pockets don't have what he came for. You have to know a little about Seminole to catch the big ones consistently.
Seminole was formeJ when the Corps of Engineers put a dam across the Chattahoochee River right smack on the Georgia-Fioriua line. One end of the Jam is in Georgia, the other in Florida. But actually, Florida has very little of the lake. Florida boruers a large section of one si ue of the Chattahoochee River arm of the backwaters. Forming a huge V, the Flint River arm angles up towarJ the center of the Peach State. Branchin g off Flin t River is Spring Creek, the hottest fishing section of the lake.
Spring Creek almost alwa ys ha s clear water in it, even when the rest of the lake is murky. Springs, along with the heavy vegetation around the shoreli ne, keep the water clean. You can usually sec six to eight feet Jeep quite easily.
Seminole has another unique characteristic for Georgia lakes. More than half of the lake is less than seven feet Jeep . This ma kes it tri cky for a boat operator. Unless he knows his way around, he Jares not Jrive his boat very fast over most of the lake ... he might hit a stu mp just under the sur-
face . And it's no small pudulc- it covers
37,500 acres.
The Corps Jidn't clear anywhere
ncar all the lanJ when they flooded
Seminole, so acres of trees were left

JANUARY JACKPOT
Don't Give Up On Winter Fishing!
By Dean Wohlgemuth

t stringer?" asks author Wohlgemuth, with a co ld January day's first Seminole bass-a fish just under tour pounds.
Jack Wingate beams as he hoists his six and a halt pounder over th e gunwa le. Though he's caught plen ty of bigger bass here, this unexpected January bass was worth the smile.
12

standing above the surface of the water. Jim broke the silence. "Got one," he
shouted, as the boat drifted off a weed bed where there was only about a foot of water between the boat and the weeds. He had just cast beyond the shallow spot into deeper water. He pulled in a jackfish about a foot long, and pointed, grinning, to the new plug.
Between both of them , I wa<> getting behind and I knew it, but I kept on flipping my plug out. We had tackle heavy enough to handle those big rascals among the weeds and stumps. Jim was using a regular size open face freshwater spinning reel, the Mitchell 300, with 15 pound test monofilament. I was using the same test line on a slightly larger Mitchell used for heavy freshwater or light saltwater fishing, while Jack stuck by his trusty Seminole favorite, a free spooling Mitchell 5000 casting reel with 25 pound test line.
Time began to pass more slowly. We got colder and colder, as we went fishless for a little more than an hour. Jack moved the boat three or four times, hoping to strike up some more action.
Finally, Jim's rod dipped sharply again, and he found himself tied to the other end of another good Seminole bass. This one tipped the scales to four and a half pounds. Jack picked up a couple more bass in the next spot or two, then we found a cove out of the wind a little, just before noon. Both Jim and I took jackfish in this spot, before Jack reluctantly suggested it was lunch time.
It was a long, cold ride back home, but we didn't notice the cold quite so bad now. That string of 10 fish, including six good bass and four jackfi<>h. warmed us up a little. On the scales, the string weighed 27 1/2 pounds. The six bass accounted for around 24 of those pounds-onl y one was less than three pounds, and it went about two. The three biggest bass together weighed 14 pounds. Jim and I had three a piece , and Jack led us with four-and the biggest, too. And we had fished only 31;2 hours!
January may seem like an odd time of year to go after the bigmouth, but Seminole is a year-round lake. Not only that . it's a lake that may produce good fishin g fo r bass with shallow runni ng plugs every month in the year.
But probabl y the strangest characteristic fo r Seminole is that sometimes. Feb ruary is the best month of all though mo:--t of the bass lakes in the country-even most others in Georgia, arc jmt too cold to produce fishing.
Bu t the re is a reason. Herb \Vyatt. fi-;he rics biologist for Georgia Game and Fish Commis<> ion in that section of the state. and a good friend of mine, explains the February phenomenon of Seminole this way. He says that even though it gets cold there in winter, cold

snaps usually last only a few days. In

between are nice, balmy springlike days,

particularly in February. Temperatures

in the high 70's or low 80's that time

of year are not too rare.

Now, with Seminole being as shallow

as it is. the water warms rather quickly.

And in that clear water with the sun

shining in, Mr. Bass warms up even

more quickly than the water. It's sort

of like sitting in a car in the sun in

cold weather. The sun warms you, even

though it's cold outside.

Now, all this warmth puts the big-

mouth in the mood for Jove. He thinks

about spawning and in preparation for

this, he eats food like it will be a long

time till his next meal ... which it will.

But alas, before spawning actually be-

bins, a cold spell steps in and puts him

off the bed and off his appetite. A few

days later the whole process is repeated,

until finally, usually in early March,

spawning efforts are successful.

Then the angler must wait till the

bass are back off the bed and making

up for lost time. Of course, not all bass

bed at the same time so March, too,

can be a good month. By April, nearly

all the bass are back on their normal

feed. Since the lake is so shallow, it never

stratifies. For this reason the fish may

not be particularly deep even in the

heat of summer. Of course there are

deep holes, particularly those with

springs in them. that are a cool haven

in hot weather for bass.

Seminole has been listed among the

top 100 bass Jakes in the nation. It still

ranks high in popularity and in num-

bers of bass produced. One of the rca-

sons, no doubt, is because tho<>e Semi-

nole bass are extra big.

Another reason is the challenge of the

lake. It takes quite awhile to learn your

way around it, and find the bass on your

own. If you're a first-timer there, you'd

he well advised to hire the services of a

good local guide.

And Jim and I couldn't have had a

better one than we had in Jack Win-

gate.

As we pulled up to his lodge for

dinner, we noted another boat not far

behind. Herb W yatt, who had suffered

cold spells with me on previous trips,

tr ying to show me what Seminole could

do, saw me on the dock and shouted.

''I might have known you were here,

cold as it is!" he said. We didn't wait

long to :-how him our stringer.

I sat inside the lodge moments later,

thawing out. I felt pretty smug. Only

a few days ago I looked out at the

freezing rain and ice. bemoaning the

long time until it was wa rm enough to

go bass fishing.

Now, with this bass Jackpot in Jan-

uary, I had renewed patience to w:1it a

little longer for spring. I felt I could

f:1ce :1 little more winter now.

...:-

../.

.,.... .>- ,.,.
~

'

...

The industrious trapper can obtain a good mixed bag of beavers and muskrats from many areas in Georgia.

of flesh attached to the pelt, and then cleaning the flesh away afterwards.
Steel traps will readily take beavers. if the traps are properly managed. Trapping is a demanding art, and care should be taken to place traps where the beavers will be quickly drowned. Complete details on several methods of trapping can be obtained by requesting the book "Beaver and Muskrat Control" from the State Game and Fish Commission. 401 State Capitol, Atlanta,
Georgia 30334. Fur buyers offering the best prices
for beaver pelts are: Consolidated Raw Fur & Ginseng Co. I55-I57 W. 29th Street New York I , N. Y. Gerald Castner Raw Fur Dealer Box I3 Stillwater, N.J. 07875

George I. Fox Corporation Fur Merchants 115 West 30th Street New York, N. Y. 1000I
Apap Fur House R. D. I , Box IOl Rhinebeck, N. Y. I2572 Saretsky & Co.
Raw Fur Merchants 206-208 West 29th St. New York, N. Y. I OOOI
Benson 1\Iorton Fur Co. 206-208 West 29th Street New York, N. Y. 1000I
A complete list of fur buyers in a state can sometimes be obtained by writing to that state's game and fish commission.

Game and Fish Commission Ranger George Jones demonstrates the first steps in proper preparation of a beaver pelt for marketing-removing the teet and tail. He uses an ax to remove the feet at the ankle or wrist joints and a sharp knife to remove the tail at the point where it touches the hairline.

George removes the hide by cut ting the underside up to the m outh, then rem oves the skin by peeling it back away from ! 'lis incision. George prefers a "rough" skinning
method which leaves a generous amc lt of flesh on the pelt at this stage.
14

The next step is to nail the pelt to a large board and remove the remaining flesh. Great care must be taken at this point to prevent cutting through the hide. Any holes in the hide would greatly reduce its value. The final step is shown on page 13.

the outdoor world
Phosphate Mining Bid Rejected by Board
The State Mineral Leasing Board has rejected a controversial mining lease proposal for offshore state-owned l a n d s.
Meeting in Atlanta, the board voted not to consider any further bids for "state leasing of nearshore phosphate deposits at thi s time." A deposit check was returned to the Kerr-McGee Corporation of Atlanta, the only bidders .
The proposed lease stirred up a whirlwind of opposition from coastal residents, commercial and sport fi shermen, hunters, boaters, conservationists, and governmental agencies.
The motion to reject the Kerr-McGee Corporation bid was made by Attorney General Arthur Bolton, vice-chairman of the Board, and seconded by Secretary of State Ben Fortson, secretary of the Board. Governor Lester Maddox presided at the meeting.
When the mining proposal was first presented to the Mineral Leasing Board in mid-summer of 1968, it was vigorously opposed by Game and Fish Commission Director George T. Bagby. In two appearances before public hearings on the issue, Bagby said that the proposed mining would result in an economic loss to Georgia of more than 15 million dollars a year, and would cause the permanent destruction of more than one-twelfth of the Georgia coast for seafood production and sport fishing.
As a result of the mining proposal, State Representative Reid Harris of Brunswick has announced plans to introdu ce legislation into the General Assembl y during the current session designed to preserve Georgia's marshlands.-Jim Morrison
Survey Proves Dog
Losses Run High
At least 15 per cent as m any deer were killed by wild dogs las t year as were killed legall y by hunters. Probabl y man y more deer th an that actually were vic tims of wi ld a nd vicious canines.
In an effo rt to obtain more concre te information relating to the problem of dogs killing deer, th e State Game and Fish Commission is conduct ing a survey of all wi ldlife rangers in th e state. Rangers were asked to report their estimate of cases where a deer was killed hy dogs.

Of 150 rangers reporting so far , 131 of Georgia's counties were reported to have a problem with deer being killed with dogs. Rangers sa id they believed that the problem is increasing in 117 of these I 31 counties.
The survey showed that 3,029 deer were estimated by county wildlife rangers to have been killed in the state during the past year by dogs. This represents I 5 per cent, or about one dee r for every seven killed legally by hunters. The legal kill by hunters last year approached 20,000, said Charles M. Marshall, Commission game biologist who is in charge of collecting survey data and processing it for the Commission.
The Georgia House of Representatives Wild Dog Study Committee has released information regarding legislation which will be submitted to the upcoming session of the General Assembly to help curb the vast wild dog problem.
Bills to be proposed by this committee, chaired by Representative Howard Rainey of Cordele, would provide for prohibiting abandoning of live dogs, would require the state's rabies control law to operate statewide with a 50-cent fee for inoculations, set up a program of dog wardens a nd dog pounds in each count y, and would require dogs to wear a collar or harness with a rabies tag attached, or be tattooed in the ear with the owner's name and address.
Protection for pets and hunting dogs will be provided for in the legislatio n by making it a misdemeanor to harm a dog unl ess necessary in the protection of life and property.
Also lives tock owners will have a civil rem edy agai nst owners or custodians of dogs for dam ages incurred by dogs.
Members of the committee, in additi on to Rain ey. include Rep resentatives Kent Dickinson , Douglasville; Richard Scarlett , Brunswick; Henry Reaves, Quitman: Jack Shuman , Pembroke; Burt on \Vamblc. Cairo ; an d Dewey Rush. G lennville.
Copies of th e committee's re port may be obtained from ;>aul S. Li sto n. Office of Legislative Counsel, 1 I 6 State Ca pi tol , Atlanta ,-Dean Wohlgem uth

Legislative Committee Studies Gun Laws
A Georg ia Legislative committee has begun hea rings on possible new gun laws for Geo rgia.
The chairman of the House Firearms Co ntrol Safety Comm ittee, State Represe ntative Billy Lee of Alban y, says that his committee is considering several proposals in the field.
"We arc thinking about a firearms stand a rd s type of law des igned to insure the public that any firearms they buy arc safe firea rm s th at meet recogn ized safet y stand a rd s," Lee said.
At a recent meeting of the committee in Atlanta (Wednesday, November 20), several witnesses testified th at such a law could be used to stop legal sales of cheap .22 caliber foreign-m ade pi stol s used in a number of Atlanta murders among low income groups.
"Of those who appeared, everyo ne has opposed a firearm s registration law," Lee said. Several committee m embers present also expressed doubts that a registration law for guns would be effective in halting crime, while citing the high costs of administering such a program.
"A proposal was made for an owners registration law or firearms owners identification system , ..ts compared to a firearms registration law," Lee added. He said that the committee had not made any decision on sponsoring th at or any other legislati on.
Among those testifyi ng at the hearing was Atlanta lawye r James L. Adams, who is president of the Georgia Sportsmen's Federation. Adams said that his group was opposed to an y type of firearms registration system.
" I don't sec any way in the world that registerin g firearms will stop professional criminals from acquiring guns," Adams said. "And I don't believe that the time has come in Georgia for a firea rms owner identification system. My group is opposed to an y type of legislation that will undul y burden sportsmen whil e not stopping crime."
C hairman J.cc said that the group planned to have another meeting before the General Assembl y convenes in January. but that a date had not bee n set. He in vited a nyone intcrc~tccl in expressing th eir views on possible gun laws to contact him or any of the committee members.
In additio n to Lee, other members of the committee includ e rcp rc,cntativcs Tom Di ll on, Atl a nt a; Thom as A. Roac h, Ball Ground; Mobley Hmvcll , Blakely ; and D r. J . H . Henderson, 1\lariett a.
- Jim Morrison

15

Letters to Sportsmen Speak
Game & Fish welcomes expressions of opinion from its readers. Letters should be as short and concise as possible. Due to limited space, not all letters can be used.

POLITICS

Why must every publication and event

in Georgia be tainted with political tomf oo lery and crony-ism? Your magazine is no exception to the rule. Please, no more gun control articles or letters. The logic

of both sides does not warrant the space in your magazine. Print articles of outdoor interest-not political interest. Georgians have already proved their great

love for guns. The wild dog controversy falls into the same category.

Instead, why not offer camping tips, safety ideas, etc. I call for the separation of politics and nature. Overlooking this infamous fault found with most of my fellow Georgians, your magazine is quite

good.

William R. Edmiston Tucker, Georgia

We have not always agreed with Governor Maddox on all of his viewpoints.

However, when he speaks so sensibly on the issue of gun control, we are in complete agreement with him, and with any of our readers who write in expressing their views against stupid gun law proposals. This is a case where politics cannot be separated from conservation if we are to retain the legal right to hunt
in the future.

The wild dog situation is another very good example. If we are afraid to speak out on the subject that is doing the most damage to Georgia's wildlife resources, all of the camping tips and safety ideas in the world will not prevent us from losing the deer hunting that makes these items necessary and possible for thou-

sands of our citizens.

If we do not speak out through the magazine and through the forms of communication available to the Commission about these urgent conservation issues, we cannot expect anyone else to do it
for us.

DOGS

To see that the dog problem is not new, see Nat ional Geographic Magazine,
Pg. 275, 1919. R. J. Weaver Athens, Georgia

CAPTIVITY CRUEL?

It has come to my attent ion through the November, 1968 issue of Georgia Game & Fish that the Commission provided a wildlife exhibit at Jasper County's Deer Festival. It was appalling to see the cramped cages in which the bobcat and deer were confined. I think you wi II agree, the Game Commission should be setting the standard f or the entire state. The commissions of many states have adopted laws governing minimum standards for wildlife held in cap-

tivity. Having establ ished these laws, the respective commissions can not expect the citizens of the state to abide by the laws when they do not meet the requirements themselves.
The bobcat in the photograph was typical of an animal that was disturbed and frightened. It is no wonder though, as the animal was confined to a small cage in which there was apparently no retreat from its most dreaded enemy-man. I also fail to see how the exhibit can be justified as being educational when the subject is surrounded by wire mesh. Anyone leaving the exhibit would have no idea what the bobcat's or deer's niche is. In an undersized cage they become no more than living specimens. If that is to be the case, why not use mounted specimens? It would be less inhumane, and they would last for many years. In addition they would be much less trouble to keep and at a fraction of the present expense.
The deer was no better off than the bobcat. The low overhead wire prevents the animal from indulging in any kind of activity. We all know deer are characteristically timid and skittish, and there are many documented cases where a barking dog or exc ited children have driven an animal to its own demise. I would hope that the animals are kept in more spacious cages when they are
General Assembly continued
4. Increased Budget.
In order to meet expanding demands
on the State Game and Fish Commis-
sion, the Commission's annual budget
should be increased by approximately
one and one-h alf million dollars. These
additional fu nds are needed to hire and
equip 56 new employees, including 14 new rangers, 5 biologists, biological
aides, clerks, equipment operators, radio
operators, and several other positions
demanded by modern conservation pro-
grams. These new personnel will require 48 new vehicles, plus boats, uniforms,
etc . Replacements for existing equip-
ment must be acquired at inflated
prices. Two public fishing areas costing
$175 ,000 each should be built, along
w ith renovation and modernization of
the rest of the Commission's nine fish
hatcheries. A minimum of three new
game management areas should be
established in the next year. A new
district office is badly needed at Gaines-
ville. These are but a few of the urgent
need of the Department.

not on exhibit. I feel sure that we both are interested in what is best for our wi ldlife. It is good to know that what is best for our wild Iife is aIso best for the viewing public.
Jeffrey P. Smith Field Representative Defenders of Wildlife Washington, D. C.
BACK COPIES
Thank you very much for the copies of the September issue of Georgia Game and Fish, which your secretary was so gracious and prompt in sending me. My husband and I had just returned from a marvelous week-end with Edith and Rick Ferguson, and we enjoyed your description and history of this beautiful, unspoiled island, which we'd read in our son's copy of the magazine. We've shared your article with out-of-state friends and relatives, and I'm sure they envy you and us!
Thanks again, for your generous gift of the copies.
Frances Symmers Atlanta, Georgia
While they last, back issues of Game and Fish are available. Articles in out of print issues can be copied or reprinted on request.
5. Defeat of Unwise Gun Control Bills.
Well documented statistical studies
of areas with harsh gun laws have clearly shown no effect on crime rates.
Law enforcement officers freely admit that gun registration does not prevent crime, and that it has l ittle value in solving crimes, since the few weapons
left at the scene of a crime can already be traced through dealer records already required by federal l aw. Less ob-
jectionable gun owner identification systems (as opposed to registration of individual guns) are ineffective as well in preventing undesirable persons from
obtaining firearms because of a lack of central record keeping on criminals, mental patients, dope addicts, alcohol-
ics, etc. It is doubtful if proposed laws to ban the sale of cheap imported .22 pistols will be effective either, due to the widespread blackmarket in these
guns already in operation. Since gun laws have been proven to be ineffective in reducing crime, placing restrictions
on Georgia's law abiding sportsmen is
foolish.-J.M.

16

Sportsman's
Calendar
SEAS ONS NOW OPE N
DOVES Season-Dec. 6, 1968 through Jan. 15, 1969. Bag Limit- 12 Daily, possession limit 24.
DUCKS, 1\IERGANSERS AND COOTS Season-Dec. 7, 1968 through Jan. 15, 1969. Bag Limit-Ducks; 4 Daily, including no more than 2 wood ducks, 1 canvasback, or 1 redhead, 2 black ducks, and 2 mal lards. Possession limit 8 including no more than 4 wood ducks, 1 canvasback or 1 redhe ad, four black ducks, and 4 mallards. Mergansers: 5 Daily, including no more than 1 hooded merganser; possession limit 10, including no more than 2 hooded mergansers. Coots: 10 Daily, possession limit 20.
GEESE AND BRANT Season-Dec. 7, 1968 through Jan. 25, 1969. Bag Limit-Gee se; 1 Daily, possession limit 2. Brant: 6 D aily , possession limit 6.
GROUSE, RUFFED Season-Oct. 14, 1968 through J an. 31, 1969. Bag Limit-3 Daily, possession limit 6.
OPOSSUM Season-Oct. 14, 1968 through Feb. 28, 1969. Bag Limit None.

QUAIL S eason- November 18 , 19 68 throu gh March I, 1969. Bag Limit- 12 daily, pos~e ss ion limit, 36.
RABBITS N. Ga. Season- November 18, 1968 through January 31, 1969. N. Ga. Bag Limit- S daily. S. Ga. Season - November 18, 1968 through February 28, 1969. S. Ga. Bag Lindt- 10 daily.
RACCOON N. Ga. Season-Oct. 14, 1968 through Feb. 28, 1969. Bag Limit-One (I) per person per ni ght.
SQUIRREL Seaso n-Oct. 14, 1968 through Feb. 28, 1969. Bag Limit-10 Daily.
TURKEY S. IV. Ga. Season-November 18. 1968 throu gh March 1, 1969 in Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, G rady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, and Thomas co unties. S. IV. Ga. Bag Limit-Two (2) per seaso n.
ALTAMAHA WATERFOWL AREA (DARIEN)
Butler Island M anaged Blind Duck Hunts: Tuesdays and Saturdays only, Dec. 7, 1968 through Jan. 15, 1969 . Hunting hours 30 minutes before sunrise to 12 noon, E.S.T. After Nov. 1, appli cation s to hunts not filled in the October drawing will be accepted on a first come , first se rved basis. For information on which hunts are filled , call the State Game and Fish Commission

at Brunswick, area code 912, 265-1552.
All letters of application must specify the date requested with a second choice if desired in the event the first date is filled. All applicants must enclose a fee of $5 per day per person in check or mon ey order payable to the Georgia Game and Fish Commiss ion. Applications should be addressed to P. 0. Box 1097, Brunswick, Ga.

SMALL GAME MANAGED HUNTS SCHEDULE

(For detailed info rm a ti o n o n each individual a rea. write the St a te Game and Fish Com mi ssion, 401 State Cap it o l, Atlanta, Ga. 30334 . ) No permits requ ired, except Butler Island ducks and ra ccoons.

DATES

A R EAS

S PEC IES

Reg. seaso n

Lake Seminole, All (except

Whit esburg ,

raccoons)

Allatoona,

Alt a maha (except

Butler Island),

Cohutta, Grand

Bay, Brunswick

Pulp and Paper Co.

D ec. 7-J a n . 15 A lt ama ha

W aterfowl

Tues. & Sat. ( Butler Island )

Dec. 6-J a n . 25 Swallow C r eek ,

Fri. & Sat.

Coleman Riv er

Dec. 28-Jan. 3 1 Pi edmo nt Wed . & Sat. Exp. Sta.

J a n . 4, 8, 11 , Ceda r Creek 15, 18
W ed. & Sat.

Grouse, Squirrel, Rabbit
Quail, Squirrel. Rabbit, Doves ( In season)
Quail, Squirrel, Rabbit , Doves ( In season)

J an. 2, 4 , 9, 11 , Bullard Creek 16, 18, 23, 25, 30

Quail , Squ irrel, Rabbit , Dove, & Snipe (In season )

J a n . 20-25

Ara bi a Bay

Jan . !-Feb . I Wed. & Sat.
J an . 4 , 8, II

Oaky W oods Clark Hill

Quail, Squirrel, Rabbit
Q uai l, Squirrel , Ra bbit
Quail, Squirrel, Rabbit, Doves, Ducks (In season)

JANUARY, 1969

HIGH WATER LOW WATER

Day

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

1. Wed. 6:18 6.9 6:36 5.6 !2:00 12:36 (Midnight)

2. Thurs. 7:00 7.0 7:1 8 5.6 12.42 !:24

3. Fri. 7:36 7.1 7:54 5.6 1:24 2:06

4. Sat. 8:12 7.1 8.30 5.7 2:06 2:42

5. sun. 8:48 7.0 9:06 5.7 2.48 3.24

6. Mon. 9:24 6.9 9:42 5.8 3.24 4.00

7. Tues. 10:00 6.8 10:24 5.9 4:06 4:36

8. Wed . 10:42 6.6 11:06 6.0 4:48 5 :12

9. Thurs. 11:30 6.4

5:30 5:54

10. Fri. 12:00 6.2 12:18 6.3 6:24 6:42 (M idnight)

11. Sat. 12:48 6.4 ! :06 6.1 7:24 7 :36

12 . Sun. 1:48 6.5 2:06 6.0 8 :30 8:42

13 . Mon. 2:54 6.7 3:12 5.9 9:36 9:42

14. Tues. 4:06 7.0 4 :18 5.9 10:36 10:42

15 . Wed. 5:12 7.4 5:30 6.2 11 :42 11:42

16. Thur s. 6:1 8 7.7 6:30 6.5

12:36

17. Fri. 7:12 8.0 7:30 6.8 12:42 1:36

18. Sat. 8:06 8.1 8 :24 7.0 1:42 2:30

19. Sun. 9:00 8.0 9:12 7.1 2:36 3:18

20. Mon. 9:48 7.8 10:06 7.0 3:30 4:06

21. Tues . 10: 36 7.4 10 :54 6.9 4:18 4:48

22. Wed. 11 :24 6.9 11 :42 6.7 5:06 6:36

23. Thurs.

12:12 6.5 6:00 6:24

24. Fr i. 12:36 6.5 12 :54 6.0 6:48 7:12

25. Sa t. 1:24 6.3 1:42 5.6 7:42 8 :06

26. Sun. 2:12 6.2 2:36 5.3 8 :42 8 :54

27. Mo n. 3:06 6.1 3:30 5.1 9:36 9:48

28. Tu es. 4:06 6.1 4:30 5.0 10:30 10:36

29. Wed. 5:00 6.2 5:24 5.1 11 :24 11 :30

30. Thurs. 5:54 6. 5 6:12 5.3

12 :12

31. Fri. 6:36 6.7 6:54 5.5 12 :12 12 :54

TIDE TABLE

JAN.-FEB. 1969
GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS
HOW TO USE THESE TABLES
The ca lculations are for the outer bar. Find the reading for the desired t1de . In the table below find the number of minutes to add to correct for the place you are goi ng to f1sh o r sw1m. Th e ou t er bar calculation. plus this correctio n , g 1ves the co rrect readin g for th e point desired.

A dju s t For Oayl1g ht Sa vmg T1m e By A ddmg One Hour

CORRECTION TABLE

The t1mes given a r e for Savannah R1ver

en trance .<Tybee) .

S avanna h ( Hi g h)
Savanna h (l ow) H1lto n Hea d . S C Thunder bo lt Is le of Hope
Wa rsa w Sound
Ossaba w Sound . Vernon V1ew Co ff ee Bluf f .. Ogeechee R1ver Bndge St. Cat henne Sound
Sapelo Sound Bruns w 1ck Bar

Hrs Mm 0 44
57 0 10 0 20 0 40
0 OCl
0 05 0 35
0 55 3 50 0 25 0 00 0 00

Firs t Quarte r
JANUARY 18 FEBRUARY 16

Fu ll Moon
3 2

Las t Qua rter
11 10

New Moon
25 24

FEBRUARY, 1969

Oay

fi.M.

I. Sat. 7:12

2. Sun . 7:48

3. Mon . 8:24

4. Tue s. 9:00

5. Wed. 9:36

6. Thu rs . 10:18

7. Fri . 11:00

8. sat. 11 :48

9. Sun. 12:42

10. Mon . 1: 24

11. Tues. 2: 36

12 . Wed. 3:48

13. Th urs. 5:06

14 . Fr i. 6:12

! 5. Sa t. 7:06

16. Sun . 7:54

17. Mo n. 8:42

18. Tu es. 9:24

19. Wed. 10: 06

20. Th urs. 10:48

21. Fri . 11 :30

22. Sa t.

23. Sun. 12:36

24. Mon. I 24

25. Tues. 2:18

26 . Wed. 3:18

27. Thurs. 418

28. Fr i. 5 18

HIGH WATER HT. P.M. HT. 6.8 7:36 5.7 6.9 8:06 5.9 7.0 8:42 6.1 6.9 9:18 6.3 6.8 9:54 6.5 6.6 10 :42 6.6 6.4 11:30 6.6 6. 2 6.6 12 :42 5.9 6.6 1:42 5.7 6.6 2 :54 5.6 6. 7 4:06 5.7 7.0 5:24 6.1 7.4 6:2 4 6.5 7.7 7: 18 7.0 7.9 8:06 7.3 7. 8 8 :54 7.4 7.6 9:3 6 7.4 7.2 10:24 7.2 6.7 11 :06 7.0 6.2 11. 48 6.7
12:12 5.8 6.4 12:54 5.4 6. 1 1:42 5.1 6.0 2:42 4.9 5.9 3:48 4.9 6.0 4:54 5.1 6.3 5:48 5.5

LOW WATER A.M. P.M . 1:00 1: 36 1: 42 2:18 2:24 2:54 3:06 3:30 3:48 4 :06 4: 24 4:42 5:12 5:24 6:00 6:06 7:00 7:06 8:06 8:12 9:18 9:24
10:24 10:36 11 :24 11 :36
12:24 1236 1:18
1:30 2:06 2:24 2:54 3:12 3:36 3:54 4:18 4:42 5:00 5:24 5:42 6:12 6:24 7:00 7 18 8:00 8:12 9:00 912 9:54 10 06 10:54 11:00 11:36 1148

To report VIOlations or 1f you need aSSIStan ce m th e Coas t al Ar ea-Call - St ate Game & F1sh CommiSSIOn. Brunsw1ck.Georr .J P. 0. Box 1097 . Phon e 265-1552 . Savannah 233- 2383, R1chmond H dl 7563679

... .. ...