Georgia game and fish [Vol. 5, no. 11 (Nov. 1970)]

GEORGIA

NOVEMBER, 1970

$ fiiiie nfish

November 1970

Volume V

Numbe r 10

CONTENTS Don 't Bet You r Life Now What? A Qual ity of Wild ness Bucks For Th e Book Outdoor World Sportsmen Spea k Sportsm an's Calen dar

.. Aa ron Pass 1
Bob Wil son 5 John Culler 8
. Marvi n Tye 11
14 15 16

Lester G. Mad dox Governor

George T. Bagby Director . Sta te Ga me & F1sh CommiSSIOn

COMMISSIONERS

Clyde Dixon Chairman
Cleveland- 9t h District William Z. Camp, Sec .
Newnan- 6th Distr ict James Darby
Vida Iia- lst Dist ri ct
Dr. Robert A. Col lins, Jr. Americ us-3rd Dist ric t Charles L. Davidson, J r. Avo nda le Esta tes- 4th District

Richard Tift Vice Chai rman
Alba ny-2nd District Ranki n M. Smith
At lanta-5th Distric t J. B. La ngford
Ca lhoun-7th District Judge Ha rley Langda le Valdosta-8th Distric t
Leona rd Bassford Augusta-lOth District

J imm ie Williamson Dar ien- Coastal Dist rict

TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVIS I ON
Jack A. Crockford , Assistant Di rector l eon Ki rk land, Fisheries Cl:lief
Hubert Handy, Game Ma nagement Chief

LAW ENFORCEMEN T DIVISI ON
B i l l Cli ne, Major Deputy State Chief , Atlanta
J. D. Atchison , Major Deputy Sta t e Ch ief, Metter
Dav id Gou ld , Major Superv isor of Coa sta l Fish eries
Br u nswick

GEORGIA GAME & FI SH STAFF
Dean Wohlgemuth Ed itor

Staff Wri t ers

Ma rv in Tye

John Culler

Bob Wilson

Aaron Pass

Ted Borg, Photo Editor

A TURNING POINT
A yea r or so ago, after a notabl y successful quail hun t. I had some pictures made of m yself, my companion , and the birds . When asked why, I cynically replied , " to better explain what quail hunting was like to my grandson."
At the time I was 22, and I figured by the time I had a grandson th at most types of hunting a nd fishi ng as I know them would be a thing of the past. Of late , however, my view has been altered somewh at.
Recentl y I have seen not only the begi nning of a new decade, but a large scale awakening of national concern on matters of conservat ion. Phrases like "ecological crisis" and "environmental pollution" are now competing with "missile systems" and " Vietnamization" over the breakfast tabl e. What is even more important is that this concern is comi ng from people who can barely di stingui sh between a dry fly and a duck blind, not just the hardcore conservationists. At long last the efforts of those vitally interested in our natural heritage a re paying off, and people are starting to listen .
They are li stening because the problems of a m angled ecology are being brough t home to everyone. The city dweller who neve r ventures beyond the suburbs is face d with the sobering prospect of suffocating due to air pollution , if water pollution doesn't poison him first. The outdoorsman, formerl y lulled into apathy by the idea that there would always be woods and streams, is re alizing th at these resources are not nece sarily limitless after all.
Whether one is motivated by the basic needs of air to breathe and water to drink, or the more aesthetic need of a place to enjoy the grandeur of nature, it is a help to the cause of conse rvation . In a democracy such as ours, a large number of people voicing interest on a single iss ue tends to generate action. The relatively small number long concerned with the use and misuse of our environment has already effected noteworth y advances.
T he federal government and many state governments are now taking steps to regulate air and water quality more close ly. M a ny industrial practices which former ly dama ged or wasted natural resources are under close scrutiny, with legislation pending. Areas of primitive wilderness are being set aside and protected from development which would destroy their natural beauty.
All this is just a start of course, toward protecting us from ourselves, but at least the probl em has been recognized. There rem ai ns much more work to be done, but recent developments favoring conserva tion , a nd a growin g public awareness of the problems are step in the righ t direction. We seem to be at a turning point in man's rel ationship with nature, by acting now we have an opportun ity to save some of our natura l resources, not only for ou rselves but for future generations. By all mea ns let us take it.
-Aaron Pass

Geo rg ia Ga me and Fish is the officio/ monthly magaz ine of the Georg ia
Ga me a n d Fish Commiu ion, published ot the Comm iss io n ' s oHices, Tr in ityWas h in g to n Build ing, 270 Washingt o n St ., A t/onto , Georgia 30334. No adver t is in g a cc ep ted . Sub s cript ions ore $ 1 for one year or $2 .50 for th ree years . Print ed by Ste in Pr intin g Co mpa n y , A t/onto , Go . Not i ficat ion of address chan g e must include both old and new address and ZIP code , w ith 30 days no tic e . No su bs crip t ion re q ues ts w ill b e accepted w it hout ZIP code. Art icles and p ho tog rap hs m a y be re p rinte d . Proper credit should be g iven . Contr ibu #i ons o re w e lcome , b ut the editor s assume no respons ib ili ty or liability lor lou or damage ol a rticles , photo gr a p hs , o r illustratio ns. Second -cl o u postage po id o f ..t. tl onfo , Go .

ON THE COVER : When the brow n leaves are falling in Novem ber, thousands of Georgia outdoorsmen can think only of deer hunting. In fact, some 150,000 thousand persons hunted deer in Georgia la st year. This iss ue is in its entirety, we think , of interest to the deer hunter. Some of the articles, howeve r, apply no matter what you like to hunt. Photo By Ted Borg. ON THE BACK CO VER : Hunting is a lot of fun, if you come hom e safe and sound. These fellows aren't likely to. If you want a safe, enjoyable trip , you'll get some insight on how to do it by read ing Aaron Pass ' story, Don 't Bet Your Life , Page 1. Photo By Ted Borg.

Basic Gun Safety

I. Learn about your firearm, particularly how to load and unload safely. Make checking the chamber an automatic first step each time you pick up the gun.

2. When carrying a firearm, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

3~ Keep the safety on and your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Always identify the target before you fire .

4. Keep the maximum range in mind when shooting . Rem ember, that in the event of a miss, the bullet or shot charge keeps on traveling.

5. When you clean and store your firearms , put them away unloaded and store the anununition in a separate place.

Essentially hunting is a safe sport with an accide nt ratio which is comparable with most other forms of participant recreation . For example, of an estimated 600,000 hunters in the state last season there were only 6 fatalities, which breaks down to 1 per 100,000, not bad compared to highway deaths. ln the light of these figures it is safe to say that one is in less danger while hunting than while traveling to the hunting area on the highway. But even so, these statistics are distressing because all 6 fata lities and the 22 total injuries could have been easily avoided by observance of simple safety precautions.
Unfortunately there seems to be a widespread belief that accidents only happen to other people, and for this reason it is difficult to get a message dealing with safe hunting across. Cloaked in the false security of personal invulnerability, many hunters pay only scant attention to the basic principles of firearm safety. Every year, however, gun related accidents do occur, both in the home, and in the field , and usually they happen to tho e who were in effect betting that they would happen to someone el e. Most often they are caused by equal parts of ignorance and carelessness, the ignorance of a safe practice or the careles ne not to use it.
Guns and hunting are a part of the traditional American way of life, and each of us tends to feel that thi cultural heritage somehow makes us naturally k now ledgeable about the outdoors. This too is false securit y, for we sons of the pioneers are born no more adept at
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Watch that muzzle! If this view looks familiar to you, perhaps you should look for a new hunting partner. If you don't, he will probably have to later.

Always check the chamber and magazine immediately when you pick up a gun. Th is simple step will prevent the accidental discharge of an "unloaded" weapon, which is a major cause of gun accidents in the home.
Photo by Ted Borg

Photo by Aaron Pass

Photo by Aaron Pass

Using modern smokeless powder shells in obsolete guns built for black powder is a risky proposition. The twist steel and damascus barrels of these old guns are not strong enough to stand up to pressures developed by modern shells.

Photo by Aaron Pa ss

Perhaps the worst way to begin any hunting trip is by bagging yourself. Yet it seems that this hunter is trying to do just that. Picking up a gun by the muzzle is an unsafe practice that led to one fatality in 1969.

woodscraft than the offspring of a pilot is a born flyer. Safe hunting practices and good gun sense are also the results of experience and common sense rather than any inborn qualities.
That experience is an important safety factor was demonstrated in the 1967 hunting season when 20 of the 31 people involved in hunting accidents were under 21. This might cau e some to conclude that youngsters should be banned from hunting, but things have changed. What the young hunters lack in experience they seem to make up for by having open minds and a willingness to learn . There has been an increased emphasis on hunting safety by outdoor publications, state conservation agencies, and interested private groups in the light of recent trends toward anti-gun legislation , and the kids seem to have profited from it. In the 1969 hunting season 42 Georgia hunters were involved in hunting accidents, but only 14 were under 2 1.
Experience which leads to overconfidence is possibly more dangerous than raw inexperi ence. The standard response of the overconfident to simple gun safety precautions generally sounds something like, "Those rules are good ideas for th e beginner, but I'd never do something stupid like that." And each year several hunters do something stupid , precise ly like th at , a nd it results in another accident which could have been prevented. Overconfidence prompts us to take those sma ll chances which hold potentia l accidents just waiting for an opportun ity to hap pen.

3

Brush shooting is the leading cause of hunting accidents in Georgia. An excited, over-anxious hunter hears movement in the brush and fires at the sound. His failure to positively identify his target before shooting can result in death to another hunter, and did three times in 1969 alone. Eight other hunters were luckier that season, they were wounded in this manner but survived. Brush shooting is perhaps the most inexcusable type of hunting accident since it represents gross carelessness in its worst form. It violates a ba ic tenet of hunting safety-be sure of your target before you fire.
A stumble or a fall can be bad enough in its own right but add a loaded gun being carelessly carried with the safety off and you have the makings for a first class disaster. The wound sustained from this type of accident are often severe because of the extremely close ranges involved.
Even without a fall the crossing of obstacles with firearms is a touchy proposition. Four casualties and one death occurred this way during the 1969 season. For maximum safety when crossing any considerable obstacle, such as a ditch or a fence, unload the gun , and if possible lay it down and retrieve it after cro sing. In any case keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at ALL times since most of our hunting

One of the easier methods of carrying a gun is called the trail carry. Grasping the gun at its balance point it hangs naturally at your side, ready for quick action. If someone is f'!!!H~I!.l walking along the ;1"t~~'~ trail in front of you, it is also a reliable way to commit --..--,.,.., manslaughter.
Photo by Aaron Pass
occurs in terrain where falls are frequent if not common.
A very basic point of firearms and hunting safety is being familiar with your gun. It is both surprising and tragic how many accidents stem from neglecting this obvious point. Each year guns go off while being loaded, unloaded, cleaned, and simply inspected, and in 1967 two people were killed as a result. A knowledgeable gunner can be spotted the moment he picks up a gun . His first move will be to open the action to see if it is loaded, and even if it is unloaded he will keep the muzzle pointing in a safe direction out of habit. If you don't know how to open the action by all means don't experiment, ask to be shown. Never, repeat never, take someone's word that a gun is unloaded, no intelligent shooter will be offended when you check the action yourself, but instead will be favorably impressed.
Whether to keep a loaded gun in the home is a loaded question in itself. Those who advocate this policy are quick to point out that the knowledge that a gun is unquestionably loaded makes them automatically more careful with it. On the other hand a loaded firearm in the home is an invitation to disaster when children and non-shooters are present. The best idea by far is to leave the gun unloaded, but to treat it as if it were.

Mechanical failure accounts for a small percentage of the total number of gun accidents, and is often used as an excuse for irresponsible actions on the part of the shooter. Modern firearms are soundly engineered and well built, and with a reasonable amount of care they can be expected to deliver years of trouble-free shooting. Nevertheless guns fire unexpectedly each year because of safeties that aren't safe, sears which slip and stuck or broken firing pins. Admittedly, mechanical failure which cau es a gun to fire is unavoidable, but any resulting accident definitely is. By keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction a shooter and his companions will escape such a mishap with no worse consequences than a case of frayed nerves. It is, of course, much better to prevent an accidental discharge than to experience it. Good maintenance procedures are a large step in this prevention, and a couple of preaseason shooting sessions will bring out any malfunctions which are determined to crop up.
Another type of mechanical failure which is not so easy to correct is that which belongs to the shooter. You do not have to be a firearms expert to enjoy safe sport, but a good working knowledge of your gun is highly recommended. Some of the common mistakes like using modern smokeless ammo in obsolete guns with dama cus barrels, and firing a gun with an accumulation of grease or crud in the barrel , can be avoided with such knowledge.
A thorough listing of gun and hunting safety rules would run on for pages, depending on how minutely accurate the rules were to be. The characteristics of a safe hunter, however, can be summed up in one word-RESPECT. He respects himself, others, and he respect his weapon. He realizes that the gun he carries ha no conscience and no judgement, only he can supply those qualities. He also realizes that his gun , depending on how he uses it, can bring both great pleasure or great tragedy. His respect for himself and others is important in that it will not permit him to endanger either his life or the lives of others with careless or irresponsible action . This quality makes him a coveted and safe companion whether in a duckblind or on a deer trail.
Hunting accidents are individual, some are tragic, some are merely painful , and some are even grimly humorous, but all are avoidable. This eason too will have its share of deaths and injuries in the field , caused principally by hunters who figure that accidents only happen to the other guy. But are we, us, you and me, the other guys taking those small chance and using questionable judgement unknowingly waiting for that day when the odds catch up? ~

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So you bagged your buck.
NOW WHAT?

By Bob Wilson

You've got him. Darn right you're proud-just look at that rack! Now what are you going to do? There's a lot of good meat there, which you will be able to enjoy if you properly field dress that deer NOW!

At last! After seemingly endless struggles to get a permit, spending a day scouting a week before the hunt, and many hours of preparation and travel, you are set up overlooking a well-used game run as the sun just begins to come up. Perhaps half an hour later, as you are beginning to notice the chill and getting ready to shift around a little to ease your muscles, you look up and there he is! A nice small buck; four, maybe six points. It wouldn't really matter to you if he had only spikes. He stops about thirty yards away, turns his head, and points his ears right at you. You wish your heart would quit beating so loud , he's going to hear it any minute.
It seems like hours have passed when, moments later, he looks forward again and starts to move down the trail. A few more yards and he will be in a clear spot. You feel like giving a sigh of relief but you know it's still too soon. Despite the chill a few minutes ago, you are sweating now. Just a few more steps! You draw a bead as he moves from behind the large oak tree directly in front of you. Now! A quick jerk of the trigger instead of the slow squeeze that you know is correct, the loud crack and the sharp shove of the gun that you hardly notice, the smell of gunpowder, oil , and dry leaves, but you hit him!
He's down ; and you can breathe again! You walk over to him and find that, despite your excitement, your aim was true and the deer was killed almost instantly. You note with pride that your first deer is indeed a six-point buck,

5

This hunter is correct in field dressing his
deer as soon as possible, even though darkness
is falling. After carefully making a small starting incision, he has placed
the middle and index fingers of his free hand
on either side of the blade to prevent the point from piercing
the organs.

even if two of the points are barely more than nubs.
As you stand looking at this deer you have bagged, your breath begins to come regularly again, you notice the chill is still in the air and wonder why you were sweating a few moments ago . A few minutes more of gazing in partial awe at the rewards of the hunt, and the reality begins to sink in. What are you going to do with a dead deer?
There it lies at your feet, over a hundred pounds of game, perhaps twothirds of it usable venison, and onethird waste, and all still hot and wrapped up in skin, somewhat like a steer that has never seen the inside of a butcher shop. What you do in the next few hours will mean the difference between many meals of excellent venison and a full garbage can of inedible meat, or even a deer wasted and left in the field.
The first thing to do is to make absolutely certain that the deer is indeed dead. A buck's antlers are obviously dangerous, but no more so than the sharp hooves of any deer, buck or doe. It is best to approach no closer than three feet and watch for any sign of life for several minutes. If the deer is still breathing, dispatch it quickly by shooting it again. It is never advisable to attempt to
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dispatch a wounded animal with a knife.
Okay, now what? You take it home and look for a friendly neighborhood butcher to take care of it for you, right? Wrong! Unless you want to gamble on the chance of getting tainted meat, or at best, winding up with meat with a strong "gamy" taste. What do you do then, and why? Well, read on, that's what we're here to tell you.
The first thing you must do won't affect the flavor of the meat at all, but it may affect the flavor of your hunting trip if you forget to do it. Georgia law requires that a deer tag be attached to an animal immediately after it has been killed. These deer tags are affixed to the hunting license, and bear the number of the license. The tag must be attached to the deer by string or wire. Further, each deer kill must be reported in writing to the State Game and Fish Commission within five days.
Right, now we have a deer with a tag attached to its ear with a piece of wire or string, and we are still remarkably close to where we . were when we started. Next, we begin to field-dress a deer; and at this point is where the "authorities" begin to disagree on just what is correct.
Some authorities, including the

HUNTER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA, maintain that the first cutting to be done is to remove the so-called "musk glands" or metatarsal glands from the hind legs of the deer. These are surrounded by tufts of upraised hair. These authorities correctly point out that fluid from these glands will contaminate meat with which it may come into contact. The glands may be removed relatively easily with a sharp knife by cutting down to the bone at least three-fourths of an inch away from the gland and slicing along the bone.
Other "authorities" claim that it is best to not remove these glands as you are likely to contaminate your hands or knife in the process. Vigorous washing with strong soap and water is necessary to remove the musk from a hunter's hands or knife. Since these will likely be unavailable in the immediate area in which the field dressing will be carried
out, we recommend that hunters not at-
tempt to remove the glands.
Three major <;:auses of venison con-
tamination are: Fluid from the musk
glands coming into contact with the
meat; intestinal fluids or matter coming
into contact with the meat; and decom-
position of blood that has been permit-
ted to collect between layers of muscle.

We have already covered the first. Careful and thorough field dressing
will prevent the other two major causes of venison contamination. Before beginning the actual process of field dressing, the deer should be placed on sloping ground with the head uphill or draped over a rock or bush, or even better, hung up by the bead or antlers. Some hunters make a practice cutting the jugular vein to bleed the de.er before starting the field dressing process. This may make it difficult or even impossible for a taxidermist to mount the bead in the best position. Even if the head will not be mounted, cutting the jugular vein usually results in draining off only a small amount of blood. A normal killing wound will permit enough bleeding into the body cavity to drain the bulk of the body, and this blood will be removed when the chest and body organs are removed.
To hold the deer's hind legs apart to facilitate field dressing, it may be helpful to use nearby saplings or bushes and some rope to secure the legs in a spread position. A sharp strong knife is essential if you are going to field dress a deer quickly, cleanly, and without a great deal of wasted effort. A knife with a fairly short, thick blade is preferred by many bunters for this purpose.
Now, you are finally ready to make the first cut. Two main cuts of the skin are involved, and it really doesn't matter which one is made first. One cut is made from the breastbone or brisket down to the pelvis, forking the incision on both sides of the genitals if the deer is buck. In order to prevent cutting too

deep and possibly puncturing the intestines, stomach or bladder, the knife should be held with the cutting edge up. The other hand is placed under the back of the knife to prevent the knife from digging in and piercing the abdominal wall.
Once this first incision has been made, it is important to insure that the meat is not touched by the liquid from the musk glands or the hair on the bide, as this will give the venison an unpleasant "gamy" flavor. If the meat is inadvertently contaminated in this manner, prompt washing may minimize the damage.
After the hide has been cut, the stomach muscles must be cut to expose the internal organs. The same method of cutting should be used to prevent accidental contamination of the meat caused by piercing the intestines, stomach, or bladder. Again, if accidental contamination should occur, prompt and thorough washing of the area affected is necessary.
The second major cut that must be made is around the anus. From the base of the first cut, a circle is cut around the anus to the tail. It is necessary to cut the anus free and tie it off with a cord. It is also a good practice to tie off the bladder to prevent contamination from this source. The alimentary tube can then be pulled into the body cavity through the pelvis or the pelvis can be carefully chopped through, so that the tube can be removed.
The next step is to cut the internal organs free from the body cavity so that they can be removed. The chest dia-

Field dressing a deer is really just about as simple as cutting along the dotted lines. Of course, there are more steps, but there is nothing difficult or mysterious about 1t, and proper field dressing is important in preventing meat wastage through spoilage.

phram is cut next to the ribs. Reaching up into the chest cavity, the windpipe is cut. Grasping the windpipe and pulling down and out, the internal organs are rolled out of the body cavity onto the ground. Be sure to bury them.
Fine, so now you can drag it back to camp, tie it on your car, get a good nights sleep and a late start in the morning, and cart your deer home to your local butcher-with maybe just a short stop over at the brother-in-law's house to gloat a little-right? Wrong again! That is unless you want to take a chance on all that venison going bad.
Obviously, you do have to drag the deer back to camp or to a road , and its only common sense to try to keep it clean and protected from dirt and debris. A thick plastic sheet about four by six feet is excellent for wrapping the deer to protect it from dirt and debris, and it also makes it much easier to drag. If the deer must be moved a great distance it is carried more easily slung under a small sapling and carried by two men.
Once the deer has been transported back to camp, it must be hung up by the head, antlers, or front legs to cool. Short sticks should be inserted into the body cavity to hold it open and permit more rapid cooling. With the deer hung up for cooling, damaged portions of the meat may be trimmed away more easily. The body cavity should be wiped with clean rags. Some hunters try to leave a thin film of blood which dries to form a glaze which they feel protects the meat from flies and other insects and possibly even bacterial action. Some hunters give the body cavity a liberal rubbing with black pepper as a further protection. Others press a layer or two of cheesecloth on the meat while the surface is still wet.
The final step usually carried out by the hunter is to transport his deer to the cold locker. This should be done as quickly as possible. Meat spoilage frequently occurs while the game travels from the hunting area to the cold storage locker. Placing a carcass over the hood of a car should be done only as a last resort; the trunk is much better, especially if it can be left partially open to provide ventilation.
The skin should be left on the carcass to prevent excessive drying of the meat. A deer should be allowed to age approximately eight to ten days. Skinning and cutting up the carcass are rather involved processes that we will cover in later articles.
As important as getting that deer may be to you, if you are any kind of sportsman, you haven't finished when he stops breathing. A proper job of field dressing, done quickly and correctly will insure you of some of the best game meat anyone could ever have. ~

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Numerous creeks and streams in which native wild trout can still be found add to the beauty of Pigeon Mountain. This is rugged beauty at its scenic best.
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A QUALITY OFWILDNES

Up in the northwest part of our state,

where the earth reaches up to the sky, lives a mountain. Most mountains are

By John Culler

inanimate things, fulfilling their role as

Photos by the Author

lookouts for the surrounding country-

side or perhaps merely holding the earth

together; but this mountain is different.

It breathes, it cries, and it has the envi-

able ability to bring an emotional re-

sponse from those who visit, sending

them away with a new appreciation of

the natural, wild and free.

rocks are left that qualify as small

Her majesty the mountain-named Pigeon Mountain sometime back before man's greed and his lust for killing eliminated the passenger pigeon-resides in southwest Walker County, about 30 miles above Rome, and only 3 miles from LaFayette. The name came from the thousands of passenger pigeons which roosted on the mountain back in the good-old days. Some say the wide variety of wild flowers found on the mountain are there because of the pigeons, which gathered the seeds from all over, and in turn, deposited them on the fertile soil of Pigeon.
It seems almost as if God had great
things in store .for the mountain when
He was building it, but. He was called
away before He was through and never
got around to. finishing the job. He
didn't get a chance to round off a side
or two, and left some magnificently rug-

mountains in their own right. But the best giveaway of all is the top. It's not pointed or round like mountains are supposed to be, but flat. In fact, in the 1920's and 30's there was quite a thriving little settlement on the top of the mountain whose inhabitants made their living farming in the clouds. If Her Majes'ty were out West, she would be known as a "mesa" because of her flat top, but in Georgia she's simply known as "a mountain with a flat top."
It has been guessed that at one time there was a few gallons of moonshine run off up on Pigeon; but when this is mentioned to the mountaineers in the region they immediately take on a puzzled look, "Why woud anyone want to s"ay anything like that?"
Pigeon Mountain is actually a ninemile arm of Lookout Mountain , which is so big it counts residence in three states. Because of its flat top, it's not as

ged cliffs. Nor did He break all the high as Lookout and only five states can

rocks up into small pieces, and some be seen from her summit; but like the

ugly girl who knows she must offer more to qualify, Pigeon rises to the occasion. She is covered with hardwoods, magnificent red , white and scarlet oaks, hickory and sweetgum. There is Virginia and shortleaf pine, huckleberries, wild strawberries and fragrant honeysuckle. In autumn the mountain roars with the flame of the coming conmct between the cold hand of frost and life; and is matched each spring by the quiet blooming of her thousands of wildflowers.
She also offers caves, small rivers and waterfalls; each flavored by the mountain, giving all of them a little extra. An explorer feels an air of suspense, because no matter how many times one is the guest of the mountain, she always manages to give just a little more of herself. Some of the caves have been mapped by area spelunkers, one for more than eight miles. In another a 500-foot drop was found , not surprising since the mountain rises abruptly almost I ,000 feet at one point.
Allen Creek, perhaps the largest creek on the mountain, roars along mightily for miles only to disappear into the ground rather suddenly leaving onlookers standing in a waterless riverbed wondering where all the water went. As far as anyone knows, it never resurfaces. There is a rumor that the mountain heard the cries for water from somewhere far below and responded, but the rumor hasn't been verified. For

9

One river roars along for miles, then suddenly disappears into the mountain. Standing in the dry river bed, observers are dwarfed by the huge rocks. Note the former water line.

the discerning there is no end to the delights of the mountain or in the manner which they are presented.
The mountain is owned by several private individuals plus some large company holdings, with approximately onethird of the area under some type of timber management. The owners all realized the mountain had a certain quality of wildness and was unique; so in order to protect the natural resources of the mountain while at the same time sharing its gifts with others, early in 1970 the owners turned the area over to
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the Georgia Game and Fish Commission for management. Thus was born the 22,000 acre Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, the state's most unusual management area.
The deer and wild turkeys on Pigeon Mountain were all killed out many years ago, but deer were restocked on the area in the late 1940's; and there were approximately 100 deer killed there last year. Walker County has had a deer season only for the past three seasons; but Commission biologists say the area is potentially one of the best

deer producing areas in Georgia. Also, because of Pigeon Mountain's remote and isolated condition, plus a fine mast crop produced by some of the taller residents of the mountain, the area is excellent turkey habitat. Turkeys will be introduced on the area as soon as possible.
Although the deer herd on the mountain now is moderate, there are several trophy bucks tipping about, and biologists say with proper management the area should produce an annual kill between 150-250 deer per year. There is a very serious wild dog problem on the area, as it is in most of north Georgia. Efforts to control the dogs have already been started, and plantings of grain, hicolor lespedeza, winter rye, oats and fescue have been made. Controlled burning will be done on some of the area to encourage new growth for deer, quail and other small game. Plans are to have a deer hunt every November, plus small game bunting during the season, possibly three days per week.
Although the area will be managed toward maximum production of game species, Game and Fish personnel there know they are the guardians of the mountain's beauty as well as its wildlife; and it will be kept as close as possible to a pure wilderness state. The attraction of the area will not be the quick kill, so the hunter looking for the easy buck will be disappointed. But for the sportsman who can appreciate the natural aesthetics and inner peace the mountain provides, while at the same time have a chance to get a nice buck, this would have to be the place. This will be real wilderness bunting, and some of the best deer hunting will be on the top of the mountain, which will only be avail- . able to those who care enough to walk up there. In fact, if a hunter is willing to walk there are certain areas he would have all to himself. A long walk always thins out the crowd.
Camping will be permitted during the hunts, and a hunter could walk in, set up camp, get his buck and pack him out the next day.
The area is open most of the year to hikers, photographers and sightseers, but unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle or don't mind walking much of the area will be inaccessible to you.
In keeping with the mountain's philosophy of constant amazement, there is a herd of wild goats that call Pigeon home. Several years ago a herd of 60odd domestic goats were set free on the mountain, and they must have adapted quite well. A local fellow said he saw one a few months ago whose horns had grown into a full cur!.'
If you get a chance to visit Pigeon Mountain to hunt or just to look and spend a few quiet moments, jump at the chance. It's a good place to find your soul.,._

A nine-point buck with a whopping 26-inch spread typical rack and a 210pound (field dressed) buck grabbed the honors in last year's Big Deer Contest sponsored by Georgia Game and Fish Magazine and the Georgia Sportsman's Federation.
J. P. Flournoy of Albany nailed the biggest rack prize with a deer that made 173 Vs points on the Boone and Crockett scoring system, qualifying the head for listing in that organization's record book. The deer was taken on the Tallassee Plantation near Albany, where Flournoy is plantation manager.
Richard Emmett of Flowery Branch got his heaviest buck of the year in the Oconee National Forest near Greensboro, when he got down from his stand to take a lunch break and , while walking back to his car, spotted the deer with its head down feeding.
This marked the first time in the three years of the contest that veteran hunters were able to take top honors in both categories. All previous winners were hunters, who had entered the first deer they had ever killed.

Sort of a "brides-maid" in this year's contest was R. H. Bumbalough of Stone Mountain, whose deer with a non-typical nine-point rack that scored 197s Boone and Crockett points, and was a new Georgi a record for non-typical racks. Unfortunately, for Bumbalough, the rules of the Big Deer Contest state that a non-typical rack must score at least 25 points more than the best typical rack entered in the contest . . . and his deer fell short by 1M of a point. Nonetheless, it goes into the books as the record in that category.
Flournoy made an extremely difficult 200-yard shot, made even more unlikel y ince he was shooting a .30-30 . . . but he hit his prize winner in the heart. His trophy ran 100 yards before falling . The 58-year-old hunter had bagged a number of deer in previous hunting seasons, and added a smaller one during the 1969 season.
Hunting on Raymond Evans' Tallassee Plantation, Flournoy knew that he had an exceptionally large deer, but didn 't think of entering it in the contest until he was urged to do so by Game

11

and Fish Commission Ranger Herbert Adams and Biologist Ron Simpson.
Emmett was hunting the Oconee National Forest with his brother-in-law Francis Collins when they sighted the deer eating a lunch that proved to be fatal to the big buck. The deer saw the hunters at the same time and began to run, but Emmett reacted quickly enough to score with 00 buckshot at a range of about 45 yards.
Emmett's deer had 23 points, but the non-typical rack was not in the running in antler category. It was so heavy, however, that the two gave up trying to drag

the deer to the road, and finally had to enlist the aid of three other men. They dragged the buck to the edge of Appalachee River then waded the stream to get it to the other side. Another hunter commented that anyone who would wade a river on that cold November day for a deer deserved to win a prize. Emmett will . . . a new rifle. Ironically, he had just purchased a new rifle when notified that he had won the contest.
Bumbalough's state record head that didn't win him a prize was shot with a .30/ 06 automatic rifle, that be had bought Tuesday night before the season

opened, complete with a four-power scope. Thursday night, he fired the gun several times, wisely being certain that it was properly sighted in, and that he was familiar w1th the rifle.
Two days later, Saturday, found him hunting on privately owned land in Newton County. At 6:30a.m., he spotted a large buck some 200 yards away from his stand. He took careful aim and fired , but when the buck ran away he assumed he had missed.
Just to be sure, he walked over to the spot where the buck was standing when he shot, and followed the direction the

Richard Emmett's big buck field dressed 210 lbs. and took top honors in the weight division . The Oconee National Forest near Greensboro produced this fine trophy.

This buck taken by R. H. Bumbalough set a new state record tor a non-typical rack at 197% points. A non-typical head must score at least 25 points higher than the nearest typical head to win the big deer contest. Unfortunately this was not a prize winner, but it is a trophy to be proud of.

deer had taken . Just as he was about to decide that his shot had indeed missed , he spotted the fallen buck. The bullet had struck the heart and lungs at a measured distance of 203 yards. The new rifle had opened the new season with a deer that put Bumbalough's name in the record books. A week later, he returned to the same scene and killed a 10-point deer whose typical rack was not enough to be a strong contest contender.
Bumbalough had both deer mounted by James Greer of Stone Mountain , who said the record rack was the largest he'd ever mounted. He .agreed to do a rush job of mounting so that the head would be available for official measuring, after one of Bumbalough's employees urged him to enter it in the contest.
This year 11 hunters entered deer in the annual contest. Unfortunately some

of them did not know how to weigh their deer. One youngster killed a monsterous buck and had it weighed before it was field dressed . For this reason, his entry was disqualified. The rules state that field dressed weight only may be entered.
A number of deer which were entered in the antler classification might have been prize winners if entered in the weight division. Any hunter who bags a deer that scores more than 150 typical or 175 non-typical points on the Boone and Crockett scoring system or weighs more than 200 lbs. field dressed is eligible for a Master Hunter's Certificate from GAME & FISH Magazine and the Georgia Sportsmens' Federation .' The largest deer entered in the weight classification and largest entered in the antler classification bring the successful

hunter a new rifle. Awards are presented each year at the Georgia Sportsmen's Federation meeting in Macon.
If you bag an exceptionally large buck that you think might score highly in the contest, bring the mounted head or the rack by the Atlanta office .of the State Game and Fish Commission so that Jack Crockford can measure it for entry into the contest as well as for consideration for Boone and Crockett recognition. The deadline for entries in the 1970-71 contest is May 10, 1971. A 90 day drying period is required before a rack may be officially measured for Boone and Crockett scoring.
Be on the lookout for that big buck this season. Who knows . . . you might kill a record breaker or the best deer of the year. Follow directions for entering the contest and you won't be sorry. ~

12

H-4 --1~~""'<
H-3-++'~

DETAIL OF POINT MEASUREMENT

Supplementary Data

Column 1

A. Number of Points on Each Antler

I R.

L.

B. Tip to Tip Spread

C. Greatest Spread

D. Inside Spread

Spread credit may equal but not

of MAIN BEAMS

exceed length of longer antler

-

If Inside Spread of Main Beams exceeds longer

antler length, enter difference - E. Total of Lengths of all Abnormal Points

F. Length of Main Beam

G-1. Length of First Point, if present

G-2. Length of Second Point

G-3. Length of Third Point

G-4. Length of Fourth Point, if present

G-5. Length of Fifth Point, if present

G-6. Length of Sixth Point, if present

G-7. Length of Seventh Point, if present

Circumference at Smallest Place H-1. Between Burr and First Point

Circumference at Smallest Place H-2. Between First and Second Points

Circumference at Smallest Place H-3. Between Scond and Third Points

Circumference at Smallest Place between Third and Fourth Points or half way between Third Point and H-4. Beam Tip if Fourth Point is missing

TOTALS

Spread Credit

Column 1

ADD

Column 2

Column 3

Total

SUBTRACT Column 4

Remarks: (Mention any abnormalities)

Column 2
Right Antler

Column 3
Left Antler

Column 4 Difference

FINAL SCORE

PRINT OR TYPE ALL INFORMATION
Please enter my deer in the (Check one or both) 0 Weight Division D Antler Division

When Killed

What County in Ga.

Month Day Year

If killed on a public hunting area, give name_ _ _ _ _ __

Number of Points over one inch long Total number of points if measured under Boone and Crockett instructions above_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Field Dressed Wt. (See rules)_ _~Live Wt., if known_ __ If not weighted, give estimated field dressed weight (Antler Division Only)______
Type of Scales,________ Loc&tion_ _ _ _ __

Rifle or Shotgun Used (Make)_ __ Caliber or Gauge_ _ Number of Shots_ _ _ _ _ _ _ Range_ _ _ _ _ __

Make, wt., and type of bulle.__ _ _ _Sights_ _ _ __ Reaction of animal_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Home Address---:-::---:----Home Tel. No~-- (Street)

Town

State

Zip

Off. Tel. No. ______Hunting License No_ _ _ _ __

We, the undersigned, witnessed the weighing and/ or measuring of the deer described above and verified the weight and/ or measurements given. 1. Signature --------------~----
Address
2. Signature - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Address - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sworn to and ascribed before me this_ _day of--~-. 19_,
...,....-:-------,--------c-----,-'(Titlel_-,------, (Signature of a qualified officer--See Rule 5, Notaries please Seal)

Bullet performance________________ Mail all entries and photographs to Big Deer Contest, 401 State
Hunter's Name_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ Capitol, Atlanta, Ga. 30334.

13

the
outdoor world
Peace Officer Award Given Ranger Ramsey
His part in a tragic drama has earned a high honor for a State Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Ranger. Sergeant Sam Ramsey, who is in charge of Public Information and Education for the Macon District, has been named Peace Officer for the Year 1970 by the Petroleum Council of Georgia.
He was selected from the 10,000 membership of Georgia Peace Officers Association for his efforts to save the life of a fellow ranger. Along with two other men, he applied mouth to mouth resuscitation and chest pressure actions for more than 40 minutes until an ambulance could arrive.
Ramsey received a plaque from U.S. Representative William S. Stuckey, Jr. , (eighth district), and his name was inscribed on a plaque which is placed in the Georgia Police Academy in Atlanta. In addition he will receive a week's allexpense vacation plus car expenses.
The 13-year veteran of the State Game and Fish Commission answered a radio distress call to assist Ranger A. B. Briscoe, who had suffered a heart attack. "I had seen him pass in his truck shortly before, and spoken to him on the air," Ramsey said. "He was on his last work day before retiring from the
14

Commission, and was on his way to Atlanta to turn in his equipment."
Ramsey said Briscoe apparently had a heart attack near Gray, en route to Atlanta, and two Georgia Power Company employees who were behind him, came to his aid. The Georgia Power men used the radio in Briscoe's vehicle to call for help. Ramsey was soon on the scene.
The three of them exerted every effort to keep Briscoe alive until an ambulance arrived, some 40 minutes later. Tragically, Briscoe was pronounced dead on arrival at an Eatonton hospital.
J. W. Bruce, chairman of the Petroleum Council's Executive Committee praised Ramsey for his quick thinking and courage.
The native of Chattanooga, Tenn., finished his schooling in Hammond, Indiana, then came to Georgia in 1941. He joined the State Game and Fish Commission in 1957, and was nominated for the Commission's Ranger of the Year Award in 1966. He and his wife Agnes have a daughter Donna, 12. They live in Milledgeville.
-Dean Wohlgemuth
Cold Storage Deer
This issue of GEORGIA GAME & FISH contains a very informative article, So You've Got Your Buck-NOW WHAT, which outlines the proper field care of a freshly kiiied deer. This field care is the most immediate need, and must be done immediately if good venison is to result. The job is not over after the deer is out of the woods, however, as the carcass must still be aged and butchered.
The recommended aging process consists of hanging the deer with hide on in cold storage at a temperature of 32-35 for one or two weeks depending on the size and age of the animal. For best results seek expert advice from a cold storage facility which deals in meat aging. The next step is skinning, butchering, and freezing. When using commercial cold storage facilities the deer carcass must meet certain reasonable requirements set up by the Food and Drug Administration. According to the Meat Inspection Section of the State Department of Agriculture the carcass may be stored with the skin on, but must be cleaned of all dirt, dried blood, and leaves and it may not be hung in contact with any other carcass in storage. There are no other restrictions as long as no nuisance is involved, such as

parasites and spoilage. The butchering process is best left to
a professional, and most freezer plants wiii take care of the butchering for a nominal fee. If you wish to do your own butchering it is strongly advised that you contact someone with experience in meat cutting to prevent excessive waste.
After butchering the meat can be frozen until needed. The next logical step is eating, and no one should require advice on that.
-Aaron Pass
Game & Fish Hunter Safety Course
To promote safe hunting and good sportsmanship, the GEORGIA GAME & FISH Magazine sponsored a Hunter Safety Course at the Triple H Gun Club in Locust Grove last month. This course was endorsed by the State Game &
Fish Commission and presented in co-
operation with Winchester and the Triple H Gun Club.
The Program consisted of films, talks, and practical demonstrations illustrating the basic principles of safe gun handling in the field. This course gives the new or young hunter an excellent opportunity to get started on the right foot without resorting to the somewhat more chancy trial-and-error method.
The staff of Georgia GAME & FISH attended this course and recommends it highly to all hunters regardless of experience. It is informative, and makes a significant contribution to safer hunting. The cost was $2 per person to cover the ammunition and targets used, or only $1 for those shooters using their own ammunition.
Another program held at the club was the Winchester Learn To Shoot Course. This is a basic course designed to help the beginning shooter get a good start in claybird shooting. The course includes basic shotgun shooting technique as used in skeet and trap. The instruction consists of films , lectures, and personal shooting instruction by qualified Winchester shooters, which help the novice break birds from the first class meeting.
The range itself is well designed . There is a clubhouse, complete. with lounge and a pro shop where guns, shells, and other shooti ng accessories are available. There are six regulation trap and skeet fields, four of which are lighted for night shooting. Ample parking and a playground for children are added conveniences.
Both the Hunter Safety and the Learn To Shoot courses were very successful last fall and more are planned. For further details contact the Triple H Gun Club, Locust Grove, Georgia. Phone: 957-5098.
-Aaron Pass

When Mirex was put in ponds at the recom-

Sportsme

mended rate, in soil, water,

the and

concentration of vegetation. were

rr~elsatidivueelsy

constant for over 300 days, 1llustratmg that

speak

the chemical is highly resistant to degrada-

~1', o{..'."-'~ 11.J1T1. . ~

tion or removal. (Van Valin, et. al. ibid).
The Plant Pest Control Division of the Agricultural Research Service (USDA) and state



agencies in nine southeastern states have

proposed a $200,000,000 12-year campaign to

AND MORE MIREX

"eradicate" the imported fire ant. The plan calls for three aerial treatments of about

Have just read the August issue of Georgia Game and Fish and cannot resist a comment on the letter from Mr. J. E. Collier in "Sportsmen Speak!'
I have not read the article by Margaret Tucker in your April issue, but would like to throw out a little substantiated data regarding Mirex as outlined in the Sport Fisheries Institute Bulletin.
Relatively little research has been done on Mirex, which is cause enough to encourage caution. D. D. T., probably the most studied pesticide, was used 25 years before a 5 ppm tolerance was placed on residues in commercial fish for human consumption.
First, a few findings on the effects of Mirex. A report on pesticides made to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare by a special scientific commission lists Mirex as a carcinogen, a cancer causing agent, that induces tumors in mice. (Report of the Secretary's Commission on pesticides and their relationship to environmental health. 1969. U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C.)
Ten parts per million (ppm) of Mirex in the diet of mice caused 100 percent mortality in 60 days. (Ware, G. W. and E. E. Good. 1967. Effects of insecticides on reproduction in the laboratory mouse. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 10:54-61).
Gills and kidneys of Mirex exposed goldfish developed lesions beginning 56 days after

120,000,000 acres with 1.25 pounds of Mirex bait per acre per treatment, totaling 3.75 pounds per acre. The bait is applied by airplanes to the land surface-including streams, rivers, ponds, woodlands, cultivated fields, cities.
In view of the foregoing, I would like to pose a few questions to Mr. Collier to be answered by substantiated research: 1. How long will Mirex persist in a toxic
form within the biosphere?
2. What is its long range effect on all animals?
3. Will it get into the estuaries which are the breeding grounds for shrimp, oysters, crabs and most salt water fish? What will be the result?
4. What will be the tolerance level for Mirex in foods for human consumption? How will this effect the commercial catfish farmers and people with farm fish ponds? People who eat the fish they catch in rivers and reservoirs?
5. How much Mirex will be in the milk of cows whose pastures have been treated?
6. Why can't interested people apply Mirex to fire ant mounds on an individual basis? The "eradication" program in the late 1950s in which deldrin and heptachlor was applied from airplanes did not succeed.
7. How long were mercury compounds dumped into the Savannah River before it was found to be harmful? How much

treatment and the numbers of those fish

lead are we consuming each day?

surviving were inversely related to treatment level. In these investigations, experimental fish quickly accumulated high levels of Mirex residues, which showed little decline up to 300 days after treatment. (Van Valin, C. C., A. K. Andrews and L L Eller. 1968. Some Effects of Mirex on Two Warm Water Fishes. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 97:185-186).

This is not to imply that I am opposed to all insecticides. On the contrary, they are useful and necessary. But it is imperative that we know what we are doing before dumping 450,000,000 pounds of it on ourselves and our land and water. To act and then wait for the results would be like looking down the muzzle of a shotgun and pulling the trigger

A single granule of Mirex bait when con- to see if it is loaded.

sumed by shrimp caused 50 percent mor-

There are better ways.

tality. During a three week test, one-tenth part per 1,000,000,000 (billion) Mirex in sea

Sincerely,

water killed 11 percent of the shrimp tested and an additional 25 percent died after being transferred to clean sea water and observed

Joe Kight Wildlife Biologist

for two weeks. Livers of treated shrimp ac-

cumulated 24,000 times as much Mirex as was present in sea water in which the shrimp were kept. (Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Quarterly reports for the Biological Field Station at Gulf Breeze, Florida. April 1-June 30, 1969; October !-December 31, 1969).
Secondly, how long does Mirex persist?
In Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, 1.25 pounds Mirex bait per acre was applied in October, 1968, and again in April, 1969. In the spring of 1970, about a year after the second treatment, the amount of Mirex in the fat and an additional 25 percent died after being

TIDE CHART
The main reason I liked your magazine was the tide chart you published each time. I really miss it and wish you would please continue to have it.
Also, I might say I do like the front and especially the back covers of your magazine. You have some beautiful scenes.
I fish a lot and would like to have the benefit of your tide chart again.
Carl Lewis Waycross, Georgia

of various animals was measured by gas-

We received four or five letters and a few

liquid chromatography and, in several in- phone calls from readers who missed the Tide

stances, confirmed by infra-red spectrophotometry. Robins tested has between 35.14 to 56.54 ppm Mirex. Blue Jays, 5.10 to 104.39 ppm. Catfish, 5.98 to 11.25 ppm. (Agricultural Research Service, USDA. 1969. Quarterly report of research and methods improvement for the imported fire ant. Report No. 69 (3).

Table. We had felt that interest in the tide table was limited to a very small percentage of the readers, thus not warranting so much space in the magazine. If enough readers use it, we'll certainly consider re-instating it. In the meantime, we'll try to keep a few tide tables on hand in the Atlanta and Brunswick offices of the State Game and Fish Commis-

September 30, 1969).

sion to send out on request.

GRAVE DIGGERS
I have read the article in Outdoor Life Magazine, entitled The Grave Diggers. Also the one in the Atlanta Journal paper in which Phil Landrum states that the proposed Alcovy project should not be of any interest to people living outside the area in which the "grave digging" is to be done. He also states that the land is useless as it now stands.
For my part, I think this proposed ditch digging is of interest to many people in this State, and mostly those living on, or that have lots and cabins, and fine homes on Lake Jackson.
This proposed dredging of the Alcovy River, resulting in a muddy ditch, 80 miles long, will completely destroy the fishing in this lake. Not to mention the wildlife. I'm sure that a lot of sportsmen could not agree with Mr. Landrum that the land is of no use as it stands.
There is lots of talk about polluted rivers and lakes, but mostly it's all talk and no action.
This proposed 80 mile ditch will not help end pollution, it will only create more by killing most of the fish in the Alcovy and destroying a lot of hardwood trees which produce food for our wildlife.
If this proposed dredging of the Alcovy goes through as planned, it will take 20 years or more for fishing to improve in Lake Jackson.
People living down here on the lake will have to move out and some will become sick after smelling the dead fish that will be washed down the 80 mile mud ditch.
Property on the lake will become useless and values will drop so low that people will be unable to sell their lots and cabins.
Why do the farmers need more land? They don't use what they have now. Most of it is put in a land bank and they are paid not to plant it.
L. Winburn Monticello, Ga.
SQUIRREL HUNTER
I have enjoyed the superior and well written articles over the last several years. Hope you will find space and time for additional articles on squirrel hunting. I would appreciate any statistics you have on the male-female ratio among squirrels as my game bag has held only 3 male squirrels-all the rest female .. in several years of squirrel hunting. Also, what is the reason for the change in the early squirrel season?
Best wishes for your continued success.
R. G. Caswell Atlanta
Your experience of bagging so many more female than male squirrels is unique the male-female ratio in squirrels is just about an even 50-50 proposition. Maybe other hunters are getting a lot more males, to balance things out.
We've had an early squirrel season in the mountains for the past few years, largely because people in that area like to follow the tradition of hunting them during the hickory nut season. Later on, when food is scarce, they don't care to hunt them. This fits in fine with the ecology of the situation, since if there is plenty of food, there'll be plenty of squirrels. If there isn't much food to begin with, it's wiser to harvest the squirrels than to let them starve to death when times get hard later in the year. In south Georgia, the situation is different, so there is no reason for an early season.
Keep reading we're planning a squirrel story within the next few months.
15

Sportsman's Calendar

MANAGED DEER HUNTS SCHEDULE

(Hunts marked "QH" with a number are limited quota hunts. Number of hunters allowed is indicated. Drawings have already been held, but the dates of quota hunts are included for the information of those whose names were
drawn.

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS

Dates

Areas

Nov. 2-6 Nov. 16-21 Nov. 13-14

Piedmont Exp. Station (Buck only) Suwanoochee (Either Sex) Chlckasawhatchee

ARCHERY (EITHER SEX)

Dates

Areas

Nov. 2-6 Nov. 2-6
Nov. 9-14

Lake Russell
Bullard Creek Blude Ridge

BUCK ONLY
Dates Nov. 23-28 In Season
Dec. 14-19 Nov. 23, 24, 25

A reas
Pigeon Mt. Altamaha, Lake Seminole, Grand Bay,
and Whitesburg Arabia Bay Allatoona (QH 500)

Date Nov. 23-28
Nov. 23-28
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Dec. 4-5 Dec. 4-5, 18-19 Dec. 7-11 Nov. 30-Dec. 5

Areas Cedar Creek Piedmont Exp. Station Blue Ridge, Chattahoochee, Chestatee,
Clark Hill, Coleman River, John's Mt., Lake Burton, Lake Russell, Oaky Woods, Swallow Creek, Warwoman Waycross State Forest
Chickasawhatchee (QH 300 each 2 days) Suwanoochee Bullard Creek

ANTLERLESS ONLY

Dates

Areas

Nov. 28

Allatoona (QH 200)

Dec. 28

Cedar Creek (QH 1,000)

Dec. 28-29

Piedmont Experiment Station (QH 500)

Dec. 28

Clark Hill (QH 300)

Dec. 7

John's Mt. (QH 200)

EITHER SEX
Dates Dec. 7
Dec. 19 Dec. 12 Jan. 2

Areas
Blue Ridge (QH 400), Chattahoochee (QH 300) , Chestatee (QH 300)
Lake Russell (QH 500) Suwannoochee Lake Burton (Qh 400)

HUNnNG SEASONS
DOVES Season-October 21, 1970 through November 7, 1970 and December 17, 1970 through January 15, 1971. Bag Limit-18 daily, possession limit 36. Shooting hours : 12 noon until sunset, prevailing time.
MARSH HEN (RAIL) Season-September 12, 1970 through November 20, 1970. Bag Limit-15 daily possession limit 30. Shooting hours from 'h hour before sunrise to sunset.
BRANT Season-November 16, 1970 through January 24, 1971. Bag Limit-6 daily, possession limit 6.
DUCKS, MERGANSERS AND COOTS Season-December 2, 1970 through January 20, 1971. Bag Limit-Ducks: 4 daily, including no more than 2 black ducks, 2 wood ducks, 1 canvasback or 1 redhead. Possession limit 8, including not more than 4 wood ducks, 1 canvasback or 1 redhead or 4 black ducks. Mergansers: 5 daily including no more than 1 hooded merganser; possession limit 10 including no more than 2 hooded mergansers. Coots: 15 daily, possession limit 30. An additional 2 scaup daily and 4 in possession may be taken during the regular duck season in those portions of Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, Mcintosh, Glynn and Camden counties lying on the Intracoastal Waterway only.
GALLINULE Season-November 7, 1970 through January 15, 1971. Bag Limit-15 daily, possession limit 30.
WOODCOCK Season-November 20, 1970 through January 23 , 1971. Bag Limit-5 daily, possession limit 10.
TURKEY Season-November 20, 1970 through February 27, 1971 in Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, and Thomas counties only. Bag Limit-2 per season.
BEAR Season-November 7, 1970 through January 2, 1971 in Brantly, Clinch, Charlton, Echols and Ware counties only. Bag Limit-1 per season.
16

SECTION 22
DEER: Buck Only: November 7 through November
21, 1970, in the following counties except as otherwise provided in Section 23: Atkinson, Banks, Barrow, Ber-
rien, Bartow and Cherokee counties except that portion between Knox Bridge and Stamp Creek, south of Ga. Highway #20 to AUatoona Reservoir, which portion will be open during the managed hunt schedule, also that portion of Ben Hill county lying northeast of Ga. Highway
# 182 and U.S. Highway #319 and between these two highways and the Ocmulgee River, that portion of Coffee County lying north of Ga. Highway # 206 and Ga. High-
way #268, Brooks, Carroll, Chattooga, Clay, Colquitt, Coweta, Dade, Dawson, Dooly, Douglas, Fannin and Gilmer except that portion of these counties containing the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area as follows: beginning at the Murray-Fannin County line and the Georgia-Tennessee State line; thence running easterly along said line to Tumbling Creek Road (FSR-22); thence southerly down Tumbling Creek Road to Watson's Gap, thence continuing in a southerly direction down Three Forks Road (FSR-64) to Dyer Gap; thence down Flat Top Mountain Road (FSR-64A) to the Flat Top Mountain; thence in a southerly direction down the ridge of Flat Top Mountain to Fowler Gap to Wolfpen Gap to Wolfpen Gap Road; thence in a southwesterly direction down Wolfpen Gap Road to East Mountaintown Creek Road; thence southwesterly along East Mountaintown Creek Road to Mountaintown Creek Road; thence westerly along Mountaintown Creek Road to Holly Creek
Gap Road (FSR-90); thence northwesterly along Holly Creek Gap Road to Potato Patch Road (FSR-68); thence westerly along Potato Patch Road to Murray-Gilmer County line; thence northwesterly to the Fannin-Gilmer County line; thence westerly along said line to the Murray-Fannin County line; thence along said line to the point of beginning; Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, that portion of Gordon west of Highway 1-75, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Irwin, Jackson, Lanier except that portion lying north of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and east of the Alapaha River and southeast of U.S. Highway #221; Lowndes, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Stephens, Sumter, Tift, Towns, Troup,
Union, Walker, White, Wilcox, and Worth. Bag limit two
(2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.20 Amended)

SECTION 23
DEER; Either Sex: November 21, 1970, only, in the counties of Floyd, Haralson, Paulding, and Polk. Bag limit two {2) bucks or one (1) buck and one (1) doe. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.67)
SECTION 24
DEER: Buck Only: November 7 through November 28, 1970, in the following counties: that portion of Dodge County west of Ga. Highway #230 and south of U.S. Highway #280; Jeff Davis, Johnson; that portion of Laurens north of U.S. Highway #80; that portion of Montgomery north of U.S. Highway #280 and north of
Ga. Highway # 107, Pike, Telfair, and Wheeler. Bag limit
two {2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.68)
SECTION 25
DEER: Bock Only: November 7 through November 28, 1970, in the following counties: Appling; that portion of Montgomery south of U.S. Highway #280 and south of Ga. Highway # 107; and that portion of Toombs south of Ga. Highway # 107 and Ga. Highway #56. Bag Limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.15 Amended)
SECTION 26
DEER: Buck Only: November 7 through December 5, 1970, in the following counties except as otherwise provided in Section 27 and Section 28: Badwin, Bleckley, Butts, Clarke, Columbia, Crawford, Elbert, Greene, Hancock, Harris, Henry, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, Macon, McDuffie, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale, Schley, Spaulding, Talbot, Taylor, Taliferro, Twiggs, Upson, Walton, Warren, Wilkinson, and Wilkes. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.14 Amended)
SECTION 27
DEER: Either Sex: December 4 and 5, 1970, only, in the counties of Baldwin, Columbia, Greene, Hancock, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, McDuffie, Monroe, Putnam, Talbot, and Wilkes. Bag limit one (l) buck and one (1) doe or two {2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2.22 Amended)
SECTION 28
DEER: Either Sex: December 5, 1970, only, in the counties of Butts, Crawford north of U.S. Highway #80, Henry, Jasper, Morgan, and Newton. Bag limit one (1) buck and one (1) doe or two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.69)
SECTION 29
DEER: Either Sex: January 1 and 2, 1971, only, in the counties of Chattahoochee and Muscogee. Bag limit one (1) buck and one (1) doe or two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.70)
SECTION 30
DEER: Buck Only: October 15, 1970, through January 2, 1971, in the following counties except as otherwise provided in Section 31: Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Jefferson, Jenkins, Liberty, Long, Mcintosh, Screven, Tattnall, Ware, Washington, Wayne, and all of Clinch County EXCEPT that portion lying in the southwest corner of the county, bordered on the north by the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and on the east by Suwannoochee Creek which is closed and EXCEPT that portion of Clinch County lying north of the Arabia Bay Wildlife Management Area and between U.S. Highway #221 and U.S. Highway #441 which is closed. Also open is that portion of Echols County lying east of U.S. Highway # 129 and south of Ga. Highway # 187; also open is that portion of Lanier County lying north of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and east of the Alapaha River and southeast of U.S. Highway #221; and also open is that portion of Pierce County lying south of U.S. Highway #82, east of Ga. Highway # 121, and west of Ga. Highway #32. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.13 Amended)

SECTION 31
DEER: Either Sex: October 15, 1970 through January 2, 1971, the islands, except Sapelo and Blackbeard, and marshes lying east of the Intracoastal Waterway in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty, and Mcintosh counties will be open for the taking of deer of either sex. Bag limit two (2) bucks or one (I) buck and one (I) doe. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.37 Amended)
SECnON 32
DEER: Buck Only: November 19, 20, and 21, 1970, only, in that portion of Atkinson County lying south of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and east of U.S. Highway #221; that portion of Berrien County lying east of U.S. Highway # 129, south of the Alapaha River, north of Ga. Highway #76 ana west of Ga. Highway # 135; and Wilcox County. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.23 Amended)
SECnON 33
DEER: Buck Only: November 13, 14 and November 20, 21, 1970, only, in Colquitt County. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.43 Amended)
SECnON 3C
DEER: Buck Only: November 7, 1970, through January 2, 1971, in the following counties: Decatur, Early, Grady, Marion, Mitchell, Seminole, Stewart, Terrell, Thomas, Webster, and that portion of Lee County lying
west of U.S. Highway # 19. Bag limit two {2) bucks.
Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.17 Amended)
SECTION 3S
DEER: Either Sex: November 7, 1970, through January 2, 1971, in the following counties: Baker, Calhoun, and Dougherty. Bag limit one (1) buck and one (1) doe or two {2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.39 Amended)
SECnON 36
DEER: Buck Only: November 7, 1970, through December 31, 1970, in the counties of Chattahoochee and Muscogee. Hunting with dogs prohibited. Bag limit two (2) bucks. (260-2-.19 Amended)
SECTION 37
GROUSE: January 16 through February 27, 1971. Bag limit three (3) daily; possession limit six (6). (260 2-.30 Amended)
SECnON 38
OPOSSUM: October 17, 1970, through February 27, 1971. Statewide season. Exception: Coweta County will be open September 26, 1970, through January 23, 1971. No bag limit. (260-2-.31 Amended)
sEcnoN 39
QUAIL: November 20, 1970, through February 27, 1971. Statewide season. Bag limit twelve (12) daily; possession limit thirty-six (36). (260-2-.32 Amended)
SECnON 40
RABBIT: (1) November 20, 1970, through January 30, 1971. The counties of Carroll, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Barrow, Jackson, Madison, Elbert, and all counties north of those listed will be open for rabbit bunting. Bag limit five (5) daily.
(2) November 20, 1970, through February 27, 1971, in all counties south of the above listed counties. Bag limit ten (10) daily. (260-2-.33 Amended)
SECTION 41
RACCOON: (1) October 17, 1970, through February 27, 1971, in Carroll, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Barrow, Jackson, Madison, Elbert, and all counties north of those listed. Bag limit one (1) per night per person.
(2) All counties south of the above named counties are open year round for the taking of raccoons. No bag limit. (260-2-.34 Amended)
SECTION 42
SQUIRREL: October 15, 1970, through February 27, 1971. Bag limit ten (10) daily. (260-2-.35 Amended)