Georgia game and fish [Vol. 7, no. 3 (Mar. 1972)]

GEORGIA

MARCH.1972

Jimmy Carter Governor
Joe D. Tanner Director
State Game & Fish Department
COMMISSIONERS
James Darby Chairman
Vidalia-1st District
William Z. Camp, Sec. Newnan-6th District
Leo T. Barber, Jr. Moultrie-2nd District
Dr. Robert A. Collins, Jr. Americus-3rd District
George P. Dillard Decatur-4th District
Rankin M. Smith Atlanta-5th District
Leonard E. Foote Marietta-7th District
Judge Harley Langdale Valdosta-8th District
Clyde Dixon Clevelanc;l-9th District
Leonard Bassford Augusta-1Oth District
Jimmie Williamson Darien-Coastal District
TECHNICAL SERVICE DIVISION Jack A. Crockford, Assistant Director
Leon Kirkland, Fisheries Chief Hubert Handy, Game Management Chief
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION R. K. Fansler, Colonel
Chief of Law Enforcement
Bill Cline, MaJor Deputy Chief, Northern Region
Calhoun (404) 629-B675
J. D. Atchison, Major Deputy Chief, Southern Region
Metter (912) 615-21-45
David Gould, Major Supervisor of Coastal Fisheries
Brunswick (912) 265-1552

FEATURES

Want A World Record? Turkey Trot . Meet Your Commissioner-
Leonard E. Foote Shad Splash Tackle Care Pays Off

Dean Wohlgemuth 2 . Aaron Pass 6
Marvin Tye 11 Marvin Tye 14 Bob Wilson 17

DEPARTMENTS

Sportsmen Speak

19

Outdoor World .

20

ON THE COVERS
ON THE COVER: Benjamin Franklin suggested the adoption of the wild turkey as the national emblem of the United States. This magnificent game bird has lo ~g held the respect of those who would hunt him . Wary and keen of eyesight, the wild turkey is a worthy adversary of even the most experienced hunter. See " Turkey Trot" by Aaron Pass on page 6 for more details on what Georgia os doing to restore this woodland bird to the state. Photo bt Duff Holbrook.
ON THE BACK: Record or not, a mess of white bass makes for some fine eating . During spawning runs in early spring it is sometimes easy to load up a stringer with these fine, spirited game fish, in many of Georgia's rivers and lakes. See " Hunting a World Record-Give White Bass a Try" by Dean Wohlgemuth on page 2 for information on where the big ones are.

~ fiiiiB Bfish

March 1972

Volume VII

Number 3

Georg ia Game and Fish is the official monthly magazine of the Georgia Ga me and Fish Department, published at the Department' s offices, Trinity-Washington Building, 270 Washington St., Atlanta, Georgia 30334. No advertising accepted. Subscriptions are $1 for one year or $2.50 for three years. Printed by Willia ms Printing Company, Atlanta, Ga . Notification of address change must include old address label from a recent magazine, new address and ZIP code, with 30 days notice. No subscription requests will be accepted without ZIP code. Articles a nd photographs may be reprinted when proper credit given. Contributions are welcome, but the editors assume no responsibility or liability for loss or damage of articles, photographs, or illustrations. Second -class postage paid at Atlanta, Ga.

PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF Phone 656-3530

Dean Wohlgemuth, Chief Editor

Bob Wilson Managing Editor

Jim Couch Photographer

Marvin Tye Press Services

Ben Gunn Audio-Visuals

Aaron Pass Special Publications

Circulation Margaret Howard

EDITORIAL

Real Menaces To Wildlife

The recent ecology craze has brought a number of new individuals into the conservation scene. At first this expansion of interest was welcomed by the sportsman. Individuals who had not been aware of the dangers of pollution and loss of habitat were about to learn of the things that hunters and fishermen had tried to warn others about for years.
Then the outdoorsmen themselves, who had payed and worked for conservation since before the turn of the century, were made the targets of some of the socalled ecologists who said that if all hunting were stopped there would be more wildlife.
The outdoorsman knows that this is not true. If there were no legal hunting, there would be no Game and Fish Departments, financed in most states primarily by license sales. Without the Game and Fish Departments there would be no wildlife rangers or game wardens to enforce the hunting and fishing regulations. Illegal hunting and fishing operations would flourish and deer herds and some species of fish might be completely eliminated.
There would be no fisheries bioligists or wildlife biologists to study and develop the best wildlife and fisheries management techniques. Wildlife restoration projects would be completely abandoned or severely curtailed. If wildlife management and protection programs were to be continued, direct tax monies would have to be used.
The primary reasons for loss of wildlife are loss of habitat, pollution and illegal hunting. Even the prolific rabbit has decreased in some sections because of changing land practices. Cleared fence rows, cleared power line rights of way and extensive pine plantations have destroyed much of the cover and food needed by rabbits. Quail populations have been reduced by the same practices.
Destruction of large areas of hardwood trees has

either eliminated or drastically reduced populations of squirrel, deer and turkey.
Roads through wilderness areas do their share of damage. In addition to the obvious destruction of trees and other plant life, there is a more subtle destruction that may not be apparent to the casual., observer. Siltation and the muddy runoff from such construction can eliminate trout in mountain streams.
Draining of swamps can reduce the habitat of alligators and other creatures. Building large impoundments on similar areas can also destroy swamp life. It is interesting to note that the alligator has been primarily menaced by illegal hunting and destruction of habitat. No species of game has been eliminated through controlled hunting. In fact, the Georgia Game and Fish Department passed a regulation several years ago to prohibit hunting of alligators in the state. Many other species that have no value for sports hunting are also protected.
What can you do to stop destruction of habitat? Progress cannot come to a halt, but judgment can be used in selecting sites for expansion. For example, wildlife-rich areas such as the coastal marshlands and hardwood river bottoms should be protected.
Contributions to organizations such as Ducks Unlimited can insure that vital wetlands will be purchased for breeding areas for waterfowl. Hunting can prevent overbrowsed deer habitat and insure that existing deer herds will be healthy. In addition the funds from license sales and taxes on arms and ammunition will help to purchase wildlife management areas that will provide protection for game and non-game animals alike.

1

Want AWorld Record?
Give White Bass A Try
By Dean Wohlgemuth

What are the odds against catching a world record fish? It would be extremely difficult to say, but with close to a million anglers fishing in Georgia alone, out fishing some 30 or 40 days a year apiece, figure how maQy records Georgia holds. That should give you some idea.
Georgia has held the world record for largemouth bass, 22 pounds, 4 ounces, for about 40 years. It also holds the world record for southern chain pickerel at at 9 pounds, 6 ounces. This record came in 1961. Then, in 1967, a 63 pound striped bass was taken from the Oconee River. As far as this magazine's research could determine, that was the largest striped bass ever taken from fresh water, however, it was not a landlocked fish and was 10 pounds below the saltwater record. It did exceed the 55 pound landlocked striped bass record.
So how much chance does Georgia have of adding another world record to its laurels? There are quite a few people in the Game and Fish Department, and most probably quite a lot of anglers, who feel the chances are still pretty good for setting a new world standard for white bass.
The state white bass mark has been broken or tied about five times in the last four years, and now stands only three ounces below the world record. A new state record was set during 1971, which pushed Georgia over the five pound mark ... sort of an equivalent of what

the four-minute mile run was almost a decade ago, when few indeed had reached that peak.
Perhaps 20 times in the past five years, Game and Fish Department personnel have checked out records and rumors of new world record white bass but none of these proved out. In most cases, the anglers claimed to have dressed out the fish before contest officials could check the catch. This leads to the assumption that they were not, after all, world records in most, perhaps in all, cases.
Yet, there persists a strong feeling of the Department experts that surely, somewhere in Georgia, there swims a world record that will soon fall for an angler's lure.
Where would be the best bet to go? Most of the recent state record shatterers came from Lake Lanier. Several white bass of more than 4 pounds, 8 ounces, have been entered into the GAME & FISH Magazine's Big Fish Contest, which was begun only five years ago, and three or four were more than 4 pounds, 12 ounces. At one time, the record was tied with two fish at 4-14. That mark was bettered by an ounce, then along came the current record, up another two ounces.
Another lake appears to be a solid threat as a potential record producer. Though opened to fishing only three years ago, little Lake Tobesofkee, near Macon. has produced some real trophy fish, not far from the five pound barrier.
Big white bass have come from several other waters.

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and it isn't beyond the realm of all possibility that some of these have the world's largest white bass swimming around in them. Included in this category would be Lakes Walter F . George, Worth, Blackshear, Seminole, Sinclair, Hartwell, Clark Hill, and the Etowah R iver below the old Rome lock and dam, upstream from Lake Weiss.
The best time to get a record? It could come any time of the year, but the spring months would be the most likely, ranging from early March into June. The earlier seasons would be most likely, just before or during the spawning season.
White bass normally begin their spawn in early or mid-March, depending on temperature and water conditions. They'll leave their homes in the lakes and move upstream into the rivers feeding the reservoirs, to the first major shoal or other obstruction. Prevented from moving farther upriver, they'll use the shoals for spawning grounds.
However, those upriver spawners are not at all likely to produce record size fish, even though they produce fish of excellent size and certainly, an abundance of wh ite bass. The liberal limit of 30 white bass per day is frequently achieved by hundreds of anglers.
If it's the record you want, however, you'd do better to stay in the reservoir and leave the running water to those fishermen satisfied with numbers of smaller fish . By smaller, yte refer to white bass of up to three pounds or perhaps even better, which you still must consider excellent fish .
The really big ones, however, in the four-pound-andup class, rarely continue to make their upstream pilgrimage. They spawn, yes, but they do so in the safer, deeper standing waters of the lakes.
Normally, they gather not far down from the running water, before the major spawning run begins. The big-
One of the hottest and most popular spots in the state for white bass fishermen is the Chattahoochee River above Lake Lanier. Many whites, ranging up to bragging size, have come from this stretch of water.

Photo by Deon Wohlgemuth
Once a kin g, always a king, they say . . .but record {ish ? Well, that's a different story. Ed Cox of Gainesville Marin a shows this four pound, 14 ounce fish that becam e th e state record in 1968. This Lake Lanier fish was replaced as th e Georgia standard last year by a fi ve pound, one ounce white bass from the same lake.
gest ones often seem to spawn a bit earlier than those who make the runs.
You may find them in water which is 30 or more feet deep, though the fish themselves may be around
15 feet deep. A fish locator is a highly valuable instrument in locating these fish .
Some anglers troll to locate fish . Once fish are found , they can be enticed to lures and baits from an anchored boat.
Though trimmed down to a lower weight after the spawning period, the big white bass can still be caught all through the late spring and summer by anglers willing to drop a line into deeper water, perhaps as much. as 30 or more feet from the surface. In most cases, by far the best results are to be had at night. White bass prefer water just off sandy or rocky points.
After finding the fish , or after locating a likely spot
Photo by Marvin lye

3

which has provided previous success, night-time white bass fishermen hang a light over the water, then drop live mi nnows, usually threadfin shad, into the depths.
If you do get an unusually large white bass, weigh it as soon as possible, making certain you have witnesses, both to the catching and to the weighing. If it's over five pounds you may have a world record or at least a state record . Get signatures of witnesses on an official entry form. Make certain you have pictures of the fi sh, then call the Game and Fish Information Office as soo n as you can. Whatever you do , don't put a knife on that fi h until Game and Fish officials have seen the fi sh, ch ecked the weight, and taken pictures of their own. This a sures that the record can be proven.
Even after the record is verified you'd be well advised to spend the mon ey to mount the fish, rather than eat it.
If necessa ry to keep th e fi sh for awhile before showing it to Game and Fish officials, it can be safely frozen. It's be t to wrap the fish in a damp cloth or in newspaper or other paper. It it's frozen to a board , checking the weight will require more thorough thawing. Wrap a piece of plastic around the cloth-wrapped fish , then put it in your freezer.
If you're not particula rly interested in seeking to break the world record , but want to get in on the fun

of white bass fi hing, you'll find ample opportunity in Georgia. All the waters listed earlier for Junker size fish are excellent for white bass of all sizes. You can add to th at list more of the other lakes in the state and their feeder rivers. This list would include Bartletts F erry, Allatoona, and quite a few of the State Park lakes.
Spawning runs are still the best time for white bass. Anglers use boats in bigger water, anchoring in midstream as far into shoals as possible. If the water is not too deep and swift, some fishermen use waders or perhaps tube floats. Quite a lot of bass are taken from the shoreline, but while in most small rivers more fish are caught along the edges, the shoreline fisherman is somewhat at a disadvantage since he can't cover the area as thoroughly.
Lead-headed jigs are the favorite of white bass anglers. White, yellow and red are the favorite colors, and many jigs combine these colors. The best method of fi shing them is to cast downstream and across current, letting the current pull the jig up close to the shoreline where the whites seem to be trying to get away from the strongest flow of the current. Pull the jig back upstream slowly, occasionally giving it little jerk. When the fish hits, you'll know it, and there'll be little need to set the hook when white bass are really in the mood to strike.

Although spinning tackle is most widely used for white bass, th e fl y rod enthusiast will get himself into a struggle he'll ne ver fo rget with this tough fighter. A canvas inn er-tub e float is the best m eans of conveyan ce on streams for white bass anglers.

Photo by Aaron Pa ss

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The deepwater night fishing technique, described for tak ing Junker , also is a non-selective method ... you'll get fish of various sizes, tho~gh f~equently if ~ou're picking up small ones, you get mto bigger fish by simply fi hing a bit deeper.
By August you can get some frantic action by fishing the schools . When you see the shad su rfacing, cast a wh ite topwater plug into the middle of the school. The plug will likely be smashed by a white bass ... or perhaps a largemouth. Schooling fish rarely run very large, but are big enough to provide excellent sport. White bass fig ht hard enough in lakes, but where they really make their presence known , is on the spawning run .

With the velocity of the current pulling against the line

too , even a one pounder or less can feel like a mighty

big fish.

Not flashy fighters , white bass aren't jumpers. They

won't twist the line out by wrapping around a stump.

They simply use bull strength to charge upsrteam.

They'll pull your line so taut it will actually sing as it

slices its way up river.

Whether you're after a record or not, you'll find

plenty of action in white bass fishing . Even of you're

not looking for that big record , you never know . . . the

next one you catch may make you a holder of a coveted

world mark!

-.

While th e weighted jigs are by far the most popular lure used to catch white bass, spinn ers and shallow running plugs can also

pro ve effective.

Photo by Ted Borg

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5

TURKEY TROT

By Aaron Pass

Photo by Aaron Pass
A wide choice of calls is available to th e m odern turkey hunter. A II of th e types pictured will do th eir job if th e caller does his. S om ething to call is a/5o a vital part of th e story, a11d a successful wild turkey restoration program will take care of that end.

The wild turkey has not fared well in his struggle for survival against the process man calls progress. He hasn't done too badly when compared to the red wolf, the ivory-billed woodpecker and a few other species which have become extinct or very nearly so since European man began civilizing the North American continent. Turkeys are still present in many areas, and even numerous in a few, but at best the bird's adaptation to the civilized world has been marginal. When the present range of this magnificent gamebird is compared to the range it covered in colonial days, it becomes apparent that the wild turkey has lost considerable ground.
The continued encroachment of man into the wilderness home of this bird coupled with man's unique ability to drastically alter the habitat are the major reasons for the elimination of the wild turkey from most of his original range. Early travelers in colonial America often commented on the plentitude of game, including turkeys. One such traveler recorded, ". . . the vast number of turkies, partridges and quail we saw upon the shore (Ohio River) . . . afforded us constant amusement. " It was the rich resources of these river valleys that were first used to fuel the fires of progress. As the trees were cut for logs and the land turned to agriculture, the wilderness receded and with it went the turkeys. Trapping and market hunting also played their part in the disappearance of the turkeys.
Some species adapted to the changed conditions and did well , but the wild turkey could not cope and was forced to retreat before advancing civilization. This was noticed by concerned sportsmen and action in the form of game laws and regulations was begun around the turn of the present century. "The wild turkey has now

6

--
been almost conqu ered and has withdrawn to the most inaccessible part of our mountains," wrote E. A. Brooks of the turkey's status in West Virginia in 1909.
The strict game laws and better law enforcement had a beneficial effect on those areas where turkeys were still present, but ways were sought to bring them back to the areas from which they had disappeared. It was decided that the best way was to breed and restock the birds to those areas. Thus a system of game farms for the propagation of wild turkeys was set up to provide this serv1ce. This system was to meet with varying degrees of failure over the next thirty years or so, and accomplished little in the way of restoring the wild turkey to his native range. These pen-raised birds consistently failed to establish themselves because they became domesticated while they were being reared in the game farms , losing the skills and the caution necessary for life in the wilds. Also, since little was known about the turkey's habitat requirements, many birds were undoubtedly stocked in areas which had become unsuitable due to habitat alteration.
The Pittman-Robertson Act of 1938 provided financial aid to state wildlife agencies for wildlife restoration programs and research . These funds allowed studies of turkey habits to determine exactly what did constitute adequate turkey habitat and range. This knowledge and the use of the cannon-net trap to capture and transplant wild stock are the basis for modem turkey management practices.
Georgia's turkey restoration program is now in full wing in an effort to restock areas of suitable habitat all over the state with this trophy gamebird. The program is based on the highly successful whitetail deer restoration program of the 1950's and 60's and hopefull y will be equally successful.
A site of suitable turkey habitat will be selected and stocked with wild-trapped birds. The site will be closed to turkey hunting and rigorously protected to give the birds a chance to establish a reproducing population and spread into adjacent areas. Utilizing the increased funds provided by the sale of the big game license, Game and Fish Department biologists stocked several sites during the past summer and early fall. Studies are also under way to pinpoint all locations containjng adequate turkey habitat throughout the state for future pl antings.
At the present time, the birds for transplanting are being trapped in areas of the state where they are nu merous. The program is expected receive a big boost when turkeys trapped on Sapelo Island are ready for tocking. The state, with the assistance of PittmanRobertson funds , purchased a portion of this island and established the R. J. Reynolds Wildlife Refuge as a breeding area for wild turkeys. The island has been tocked with wild brood stock, which, it is hoped , will become established and provide a continuing supply of ~ild-trapped birds for the restocking program. The t land refuge will provide a high degree of protection and control, but is still large enough to allow the turkeys to develop naturally the skills and caution necessary to survive.
A change in land use practices in the state is another

Photo by Ted Borg
The use of wild-trapped birds is necessary for a successful restockin g program , since pen-raised turkeys lose th e skills needed for surviva l in th e wild. H ere wildlife biologist Dick Whittington prepares a cannon-net for a wild turkey trapping operation .

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The use of th e cannon-net trap has been called th e greatest single advance in th e restoration of wild turkey populations. Th e sequence at left shows th e cann on-net in operation capturing three gobblers. Th e birds are lured into a baited area within range of the con cealed net; cannons are th en fir ed, throwing th e net over the turkeys. This technique is currently being used to secure wild birds for stockin g o ver th e
state.

Immediately after trapping, ihe turkeys are banded for research purposes and are shipped to th e release site. Any hunter killing a banded turkey is requested to return the band to the Gam e and Fish D epartment.
factor which holds promise for the success of the turkey restoration program. Originally it was the clearing and settling of the land which decreased the turkey's habitat and drove him to the inaccessible parts of the mountains and the river swamps. Today the population shift to the urban centers has lowered the population densities of the rural areas, and a shift from croplands to timber has increased the acreage in the state in forest. Timber management can be a mixed blessing to turkeys depending on the management techniques used and the degree of protection given to wildlife values on the lands. The return of the forests has been beneficial to turkeys but some management practices have all but cancelled these benefits. The practice of erad icating hardwoods in favor of the faster growing pines is very detrimental to the turkey habitat in that area. The short rotation periods on which pines are ~ut also prevents any surviving hardwoods from reachmg mast-producing age.
Ideal turkey habitat consists of extensive tracts of forest land in mature hardwoods or a hardwood/ pine

Photo by Ted Borg
mixture. There should be little understory or brush growing under the trees and the tract should have scattered clearings and an ample water supply. The area should be as far removed from human disturbance as possible since human contact has an adverse effect on the turkey population. Turkeys are "omniverous opportunists" when it comes to feeding habits, which means that they eat just about everything. Mast from hardwoods is a very important part of their diet, particularly during the fall and winter months. For this reason there should be a variety of mast producing trees in thi " ideal" turkey area so that a mast failure of one species would be made up for by others.
Turkeys are wide ranging birds, here today-there tomorrow over their entire range. E stimates vary with some authorities feeling 15,000 acres is minimum range in good habitat, but the fact remains that turkey range is large. Research in Pennsylvania indicates that turkeys can adapt to areas smaller than was originally thought providing other factors , particularly human contacts, are controlled. The study is still incomplete but the
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,_, . _,...... At the release site, the turkeys are set free .._..,,.,..,..,..,,.,... in their new area. Th e area will be closed
to hunting and th e birds stringently protected from illegal hunting and harassm ent until they establish a huntable population.

Photo by Ted Borg

results might eventually provide for further expansion of turkey range.
At present the bulk of the state's wild turkey population remain s in the same areas to which it originally retreated to avoid the encroachments of man, the forests of the mountains and the large river swamps in the middle and southern parts of the state. These areas are the last stronghold of the wild turkey and they are now being threatened by development by a growing human population. The lure of the recreation dollar threatens to con ume the mountains in a maze of scenic highways, tourist cabins and associated developments which will rob the area of its wildness and its attraction for the turkey. Farther south, channelization projects and hydroelectric impoundments are succeeding in respectively draining and inundating the river-bottom swa mp where the wild turkey has been able to hold hi s own . This continued expansion of human occupation and environmental alteration is the single greatest threat to a successful wild turkey restoration program in Georgia.
Human contact is one of the major limiting factors on turkey populations wherever they occur, and as a rule, the areas of lowest human poulation and use are the areas of highest turkey populations. The best turkey habitat was origin all y usurped by man, and his presence contributes directly to the decline of the bird.

Domestic fowl introduce disease and parasites to which the wild stock is not resistant, and free-running dogs and illegal hunting harass the surviv0rs until they are driven away. It takes very little human activity in an area to have significant negative impact on wild turkeys . In a test situation wild birds were stocked in a confined area of considerable human use, and were found to use inferior habitat in order to avoid human contact on the better areas. Thus large groups of bikers and other recreationists in off-road vehicles may be more of a controlling factor on a turkey population than hunters who must be quiet and unobtrusive for success.
If it is possible to control the destructive habitat changes in those areas where turkeys are now fo und and the new areas of expanding timber land are managed with some regard to the needs of this bird, there is some hope for the restoration of the wild turkey to Georgia. Its chances are even better if the problems of illegal hunting and free-running dogs can be controlled. If every hunter would realize that when he has the opportunity to illegally kill a wild turkey he holds the key to its successful restoration in the state, real progress would be made. If all these "if's" are successfully met and overcome the forests of Georgia will support a healthy population of the largest and most magnificent non-migratory gamebird of North America. -

10

MEET YOUR COMMISSIONER-
Leonard E. Foote

By Marvin Tye
Photo by Bob Wilson

Photo by Jim Couch
On January 27, 1972, Leonard E. (Len) Foote of Marietta was sworn in by Governor Jimmy Carter as Game and Fish Commissioner for the Seventh District. Len Foote brings a distinguished record as a professional conservationist to this position.
He has been employed since 1947 as Southeastern Field Representative of the Wildlife Management Institute, a 60-year-old private organization dedicated to wildlife restoration. The Institute works closely with federal, state and private agencies and indi-

11

victuals; sponsors the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conferences; contributes funds for research and graduate training in wildlife management at 20 land grant colleges; publishes a bi-monthly Outdoor News Bulletin and a series of professional books on wildlife and its management.
Len Foote is a founder of the professional Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society and was its president during 1949 and 1950. He initiated the first of the annual Southeastern Wildlife Conferences in 1947 and has been an active promoter of cooperative southeastern wildlife resea rch projects, such as the Cooperative Dove Study, the Cooperative Statistics Project at North Carolina State University, and the Cooperative Wildlife Disease Project headquartered at the University of Georgia. The Wildlife Disease Project is financed by 14 southeastern state game and fish agencies and a $200,000 annual federal appropriation. Foote was active in assisting Senator Richard B. Russell in obtaining federal participation in this program.
The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Project has an international reputation in the study of wildlife diseases and their relationship to domestic stock and humans. This program was recently duplicated by the northeastern states. Foote received an American Motors Professional Award in 1962 for his promotion of these cooperative research programs. Since the program was initiated in 1955, he has served on its steering committee along with University of Georgia President Fred Davison and representatives of fed~ eral and state wildlife agencies.
Since 1947, the Wildlife Management Institute has examined the basic laws, organization and programs of 37 state and prov!ncial game and fish and natural resources agencies at the request of the governors, ministers or legislatures. Foote has assisted Dr. Ira N. Gabrielson, past president of
the Wildlife Management Institute, in these investigations in Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Dakota, and South Carolina. He served as consultant to Gov. Strom Thurmond and the newly formed South Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission during Thurmond's first year in office.

Foote recently completed a fouryear term as a member of the U.S. Forest Service's Southeastern Forest Experiment Station Advisory Committee. He initiated and serves on the National Shore and Upland Migratory Bird Committee and was instrumental in securing federal funds for accelerated research on lesser migratory game birds. This is a federalstate partnership program, with most of the funds being applied through the state game and fish agencies. Foote received the Georgia Sportsmen's Federation award and was selected Wildlife Conservationist of the Year in 1967 by tfue National Wildlife Federation for his contributions to this program. Foote developed the
L en Foote relaxes at home with his dog Skeenah. The name is the Ch erokee Indian word for dog and also th e name of the location , Skeenah Gap, where Foote found the dog apparently abandon ed when it was a small puppy. Th e walls of rh e den a.re decorated with photos of the Foote family and of nature scenes that th e new commissioner made. His photographs ha ve appeared on a rrumber of magazine covers and have served to illustrate many of his popular articles.

national mourning dove censusing system now employed annually on the 800 routes, by state, federal and privately employed individuals, to appraise the status of this important game bird. Results from this inventory are used annually as a basis for setting hunting regulations.
Len Foote is currently a member of the Fontana Conservation RoundUp Advisory Committee and serves on many committees of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners. At the request of Florida.Congressman Robert Sikes, Foote is chairman of a multidisciplinary team now reviewing the natural resources program of 486,000acre Eglin Air Force Base.

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The new commissioner is an out-
doorsman who likes to hunt and fish and observe wildlife. He particularly enjoys hunting for woodcock, and hunting deer and other game with a muzzle-loading rifle. Foote is best known fo r his excellent outdoor photography. His photographs of native wild birds and wild flowers have appeared in numerous publications. More than 50 of his articles have appeared in the ATLANTA JOURNAL SUNDAY MAGAZINE, FLORIDA WILDLIFE, NATIONAL WI LDLIFE, OUTDOOR WOR L D , PENNSYLVANIA GAME NEWS and other publications. Several hundred of his photographs have been used in these and

other publications, including the Bronx Botanical Garden's WILD FLOWERS OF AMERICA series. Foote is also the author of scientific papers on doves, forest wildlife and fish. With Dr. Wilbur Duncan, University of Georgia Botany professor, Foote is preparing a field manual of southeastern wildflowers.
He and his wife, Grace, are the parents of three children. His oldest son, Eric or Rick, majored in math and biology at West Georgia College and is now working toward his master's degree at Georgia State University. Rick and his wife, Penny, are the parents of a five-month-old daughter, Sandy, Len's only grandchild at the moment.
Photo by Jim Couch

Like all of Len Foote's children, Rick enjoys hunting and fishing. He also enjoys cave exploring. He and his wife have been through a cave in Pigeon Mountain which literally lets you enter one side of the mountain and come out through the other.
Len's daughter, Rebecca, is a senior at West Georgia College. She is majoring in social studies and recreation.
His youngest son, Russell or Rusty, has just completed a four-year tour of duty with the U. S. Navy. Much of this active duty time was spent on the carrier "Midway." He plans to return to school and will probably go into the field of electronics. Rusty's wife is a junior at West Georgia.
Leonard Foote was born November 2, 1918, at Pittsfield, Mass. He received his B. S. degree in forestry and wildlife management with highest distinction from the University of Connecticut in 1940. He received his M.S. in ecology from the University of New Hampshire in 1942. In addition, he has done post graduate study in oceanography at Yale University.
During summers while in school, he worked for the East Haddam Rod and Gun Club in Connecticut and in the summer of 1939 worked on a lake survey for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. He was employed as a project leader and chief biologist with the Vermont Fish and Game Service from 1940 to 1946. He worked as a research leader with the illinois Natural History Survey in Urbana during the following year. He moved to Georgia in 1947 and has been here ever sincee.
The Foote's own a cabin near Blairsville where Len can enjoy the solitude of the mountains, fish, bunt, photograph wildlife and explore a budding interest in geology. In addition, Len and his son Rick own 30 acres of land near Canton on which they hope to build in the future.
A man who loves the outdoors as well as a professional conservationist, Leonard Foote hopes to make a positive contribution through his service on the Game and Fish Commission. In his own words, "We have to bridge the gap ,between the resource managers and the severe environmentalists who don't want anyone to cut a tree or don't want anything done to the watershed. There has to be a meeting of the minds."

13

By Marvin Tye

One of the most interesting and generally overlooked fish to be found in Georgia waters is the white or American shad. This fish lives most of its life in the ocean and ascends freshwater rivers along the coast to spawn.
At this time it will strike small artificial lures with gusto even though it is said not to eat while on spawning runs. Biologists theorize that the shad believes these lures are smaller fish that will in some way interfere with its spawning.
When a shad hits the lure, the fisherman is in for a fight. This fish resembles a miniature version of the tarpon. It is relatively lean and silver colored and jumps almost as violently as the tarpon when hooked. In addition, it makes a number of long runs

and does not seem to know when to give up. There is one more major difference between the shad and the tarpon other than its size. The tarpon has a bone-hard mouth that gives the angler considerable difficulty in setting the hook. The shad has a tender mouth and hooks itself when striking a lure. The angler must be careful not to tear the hook out when playing a shad. For this reason most anglers use a long whippy spinning rod and a reel with a lightly-set drag for shad fishing. The rod takes up most of the shock of the shad's runs and the light drag permits the angler to apply just enough pressure to wear the fish out without losing it.
Most inland anglers know little about shad fishing. In fact, many of them confuse this fine game fish with

the fresh-water threadfin shad or gizzard shad which are forage fish for larger species and are of no value at all as a sport or food fish. The saltwater shad looks somewhat like his inland cousins, but that's where the resmblance ends. The American shad is found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America and is relished by millions of citizens as a fine food fish. The roe from the female is especially prized. Commercial fishermen take large numbers of shad in our coastal rivers each year.
Many streams, especially in the northern states, have been severely damaged by pollution or dams and other structures which harm the shad runs. A number of streams which have produced excellent shad fishing in the past are now almost barren of

14

1/ you want to land th e shad you hook , a landing net will be necessary. Th e sh ad's tender mouth m akes a light drag and a whippy rod th e best combination to prevent tearing a hook out of the fish's mouth.
Photo by Marvi n Tye

fish . One of the finest and least polluted rivers on the East Coast is the Ogeechee which empties into the Atlantic just south of Savannah. Ogeechee River shad are known across the country for their quality and flavor.
For the past two years, the State Game and Fish Department and the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce have worked together to sponsor the Atlantic Championship Shad Fishing Derby on the Ogeechee with prizes given to the anglers catching the largest fish. Last year the winner was Mrs. Sylvia Driggers of Savannah who landed a 6 lb. 3 oz. roe shad. She took home a new boat, motor and trailer as first prize. The rig was furnished by the Savannah Marine Dealers Asscciation. Almost 300 anglers participated in the 1971 contest. Fifteen prizes were awarded to those catching the 15 largest fish. The 1Oth place winner was Howard Hall of Savannah, who caught a fivepound shad . It weighed only 1 lb. 3 oz. less than the first prize fish. Competition for the top prizes was close with only ounces separating the winners. The smallest fish to win a prize was a 2 lb. M-4 oz. shad entered by Richard D. Harrison of Savannah. He was awarded 15th place.
Although the spawning run was in progress during the 1971 contest, there were not as many shad caught as there should have been. This was due to muddy water caused by heavy rains upstream. The contest has been lengthened to four days this year so that the anglers will have a better chance to find at least one day of fine fishing during the contest. When good weather conditions and the spring spawning runs coincide, the fishing can be extremely productive. This year the contest will be held on March 23 , 24, 25 and 26.
Fishing for contest purposes will be limited to that portion of the Ogeechee River from Dasher's Landing to the Seaboard Coastline Railroad . Official weighing stations will be at Morgan's Bridge on Highway 204, Dasher's Fish Camp on Highway 80 and King's Ferry Bridge on Highway 17.
Specific information on entry fees , prizes and other aspects of the Shad Derby can be obtained by contacting the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, P. 0. Box 530, Savannah, Ga. 31402.

15

A similar contest called a Shad Drag has been scheduled for several coastal counties. In this contest, a trophy wiJI be awarded to the person who catches the largest shad. Shad must be weighed at official weighing stations of the Coastal Area Sport Fishing Federation. Dates of this contest and other details may be obtained by contacting Coastal Area Planning and Development Commission, Brunswick, Ga., phone 912-2643121.
The most popular method of fishing for shad is trolling. Successful fishermen use small Barracuda spoons or jigs. Preferred size of the spoons is either No. 0, No. 1 or No. 2. A 1I 16 ounce or smaller jig is most popular. Many fishermen use a threeway swivel and attach the spoon to the end of a four-foot leader. The jig is usually attached to another leader about two feet long. Favorite colors for jigs are red, white and yellow.
A two-lure rig sometimes enables the angler to hook two fish at one time. Hooking them is much easier than landing both fish, especially if they try to run in opposite directions. To be successful in boating any shad you'll need to use a landing net. You can't lift them in the boat with the line because of those tender mouths.
Trolling speed should be as slow as possible. Some anglers have been known to drag a bucket behind the boat to make it go even slower. You will have to experiment to find the proper depth at which to take shad. It is best to place a small amount of lead shot above the leader to take the lures down to the desired depth. If this is not deep enough to attract action, more weight can be added.

The shad is a strong fish that fights hard and jumps often . The Ogeechee River where this fish was hooked is an excellent spot for shad fishing. Shad from a relatively unpolluted stream such as this are considered a delicacy.
Trolling either upstream, downstream or across the current usually pays off, but shad sometimes prefer one direction to the other. It is best to experiment until you bit just the right combination of factors.
One of the hottest spots for shad fishing in Georgia is the Savannah River just below the Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam. The dam halts the spawning run and congregates the fish in one spot. It is not uncommon for an angler to take his limit of eight fish in just a few minutes when the action is really hot.

This abbreviated version of the popular shad rig used by many trollers shows th e com-

ponent parts. A slidi~zg sinker is placed on the line above a three-way swivel. Tir e Bara-

cuda spoon is placed four fe et below th e swivel and the jig is attac!zed two feet below th e

swivel. Often this rig hooks two shad at one time.

Photo by Jim Couch

/_
No other river in Georgia has been hit so hard by pollution as the Savannah. Fishermen must release all fish caught there except shad. This is due to high levels of mercury found in fish in this stream. Because the shad is an anadromous species that lives most of its life in salt water and does not eat while on spawning runs, it is considered by biologists to be safe to eat.
Shad average from two to six pounds with a top weight of about 12 pounds. Males are usually much smaller than the females in a school. Usually most of the female fish in a school will be about the same size. If you catch one shad that weighs four pounds for example, you are likely to catch many more fourpounders from the same school. While it may be unusual for the average angler to catch fish of four pounds or larger on most rivers and streams in Georgia, catches of this size are not uncommon when shad fishing.
Georgia's shad fishing is a sport that can be exciting and demands skilled handling of light tackle. The fish is a hard fighter that is abundant, strikes readily and is good to eat. What more could any angler want?,_

16

TACKLE CARE

PAYS OFF!

By Bob Wilson

Pity the poor fisherman about to land a trophy catch, which he is likely to lose if a jew more teeth in this gear give way. R eplacement gears are not expensive, and it only takes a minute to inspect your reel.
After a dunking in water, reefs should be disassembled, dried, and lubricated. If the fisherman fails to do this, he will be rewarded with dry caked lubricant, rust, and deterioration of some metals.

Pity the poor bass fisherman attempting in vain to set his dulled hook in the armor-plated mouth of that once-in-a-lifetime largemouth that will go over fifteen pounds. Pity the trout fisherman playing a fourteen-inch brookie on a #24 fly with a rusty hook. Pity the angler who discards his favorite rod, perhaps a veteran of many memorable catches, after smashing it in his car door. Pity them all, because it doesn't have to happen!
A real sportsman, be he fisherman or hunter, continually checks his equipment. A few moments spent on equipment before, during, and after using it may well mean the difference between a successful and pleasant outing, and a dismal experience. A fisherman who happens to miss a good fish because he cannot set a hook that has been dulled by use or even from rattling around in the tackle box may deserve some sympathy, but he also deserves to lose his fish.
A matter of seconds is all it takes to visually check hooks for rust and sharpness. A dull hook takes a few more seconds to sharpen to a needle point. Carrying a small whetstone, designed specifically for sharpening hooks and small knives in the tackle box is obviously a good idea. Surprisingly enough, few people do so.
Rust is another major enemy of the effective fish hook. A small amount of rust in the eye of the hook can nick fine monofilament and cause it to break under stress. Any rust on the point of the hook dulls it, and may cause the tip of the point to break off. Rust on the bend of a hook may cause it to break when the angler attempts to set it, or even at that last moment before landing the fish. If a hook is rusty, attempt to clean and sharpen it. If all traces of rust cannot be removed, throw it away and use another one.

17

On larger lures, hooks, eyes, spinners, and other gear can be easily replaced. Shiny spinners and propellor blades will
be less successful in attracting fish if they have a dull surface caused by caked-art grim e. Rusty hook sockets may give way in
th e worse possible moment.

eyes can all be replaced, and lures can even be given a new coat of paint.
The lure will retain its original or refurbished condition much longer if it has its own cork-lined compartment in the tackle box. Keeping lures dry during storage, and cleaning off scum and grime will preserve their fish-attracting power and help them continue to pay dividends.
Fishing lines deserve a break too, so they won't. Popular monofiament used by most fishermen today will become brittle with time and exposure to sunlight. This applies to mono leaders on flylines too. The safest thing to do is to replace mono on a yearly basis, and even more frequently if your gear lays in sunlight much of the time. If you decide that your slightly used monofilament has

Hooks deserve attention at the end of a trip and at the end of the season. Trout flies are especially susceptible to rust, as they are tied on pretty small hooks and the dressing tends to retain moisture. Place flies and books in a dry, warm place until all moisture has been removed. Plain books tumbled loosely in a soft cloth dampened with machine oil will be in good condition next season. Cork-bottomed trays in the tackle box or small containers for hooks of different sizes will help keep them in good condition too.
Lures can often give good service for another season or two, if the fisherman is willing to give them a few minutes attention after use and at the end of the season. Everything about hooks that we have just gone over applies to lures, but that is not enough. Periodic rinsing in warm soapy water will do much to prolong the life of lures. Reflective surfaces can be returned to glistening splendor with a little metal polish, a soft cloth and some elbow grease. Flies and feathered jigs can be rejuvenated by brief steaming over a kettle. (Needlenosed pliers or even tweezers used to hold the lure will help keep fingers and tempers cool.)
Sometimes a lure will just not respond to a superficial cleaning job. Rubber skirts are easy to replace, and tying new feathers on a jig is not difficult at all. Hooks, lips, swivels and

The importance of a sharp hook cannot be over-emphasized. Whetstones are readily available that fit in any tackle box, and have a special groove for sharpening hooks. A whetstone in th e tackle box is handy for sharpening knives also, and every fisherman needs a good sharp knife.
When lubricating reel gears, it is best to use the lubricant manufactured or recommended by the reel manufacturer. A light coating on all bearing parts is all that is necessary.
There is no need to consign this rod to the garbage can. Simply cut off the tip an inch or two behind the damaged area, and put on a new tip. The action will be a little stiffer, but the rod will still be usable.

18

not been yellowecl and weakened, at least check over the last fifty feet for nicks that could part with the smallest strain. If there is enough line on the spool, it is a good practice to periodically strip off and discard twenty feet or so.
Many a day's fishing has been ruined because an angler was too busy to take a few minutes one evening and clean and lubricate his reel. Now this doesn't mean getting down to the last screw and bearing and soaking the pieces in carbon tet. Cleaning the exposed metal parts with a soft cloth dampened with whatever solvent you use to clean your guns with. followed by a light coat of gun or machine oil, will keep accumulated gunk and grime from keeping the reel working as it was designed to work. Taking off easily-removed access plates, cleaning gears and other contact points, and lightly coating with the type of grease supplied or recommended by the reel manufacturer will double the life of a good rrcl if done on a regular basis.
What about rods? Either they're broken or they work, you say? Not so. Rods in hard usc will show wear and will require maintenance if they :1re to continue to perform year after year. A good rod can even be salvaged after a disaster like a broken tip.
That frequent checking of equipment that we have talked about should certainly include the rod too. Check for things like frayed or lose windings, crushed or rusted guides, tips worn by monofilament, and cork handles beginning to deteriorate. All of these things can be replaced with a minimum of effort and few tools. It will take some time, but the fisherman has lots of "lost" time in the winter, and a rod that you arc used to and can put a lure right where you want it is well worth saving.
A broken tip or a ferrule that comes loose is often no reason to discard a rod of high quality. With the addition of ferrules, a broken onepiece rod can often be made into a two-piece outfit that is perfectly adequate as a second rod or emergency spare. A broken two-piece rod might become a pack or travel rod.
Should you ever find your rod almost entirely on one side of a closed car door or trunk, it's permissible to feel discouraged, but chances

GROUSE TOO PRETIY TO KILL
Please explain to me how anyone can kill anything as beautiful as the ruffed grouse pictured on your January 1972 GAME & FISH cover.
Please do not try to make me believe the old worn-out tale, "if the hunters don't kill them, they will over-populate."
Rot! Man has destroyed, and continues to destroy, enough of our wildlife through the use of insecticides without the so-called "necessity11 of turning gunmen loose among them.
You probably haven't nerve enough to print this letter but at least I feel better! P.S. I understand the world has a people-overpopulation problem too ... if your gunmen are so concerned over the population of animals maybe they will also be concerned about pea-

are good that something can be sal-

vaged. Most of these accidents seem

to damage the rod close to the tip.

Simply cutting the rod behind the

damaged area and moving the tip

back or replacing it with a new one

should produce a usable rod. Now we

don't claim that the rod will be as

good as new. Most of the action in

a rod is in the last third out toward

the tip. A shortened rod will be stiff;

but it will work, and that's better

than no rod at all.

A broken one-piece rod, such as

a heavy worm rod. can sometimes be

repaired and kept as a single unit.

This is done by cutting off the broken

areas to match as evenly as possible,

and joining the two pieces with a

dowel in the hollow center of the rod.

The ideal dowel for such a repair is

another piece of rod material the

same size as the hollow center of the

broken rod and about three inches

long. Using modern epoxy and cover-

ing the repair joint with about three

layers of windings to match that used

on the guides, the repair will not be

unsightly, and will retain some flex-

ibility.

The best approach, of course, is to

be careful with your equipment, and

take care of your tackle so that re-

pairs are infrequent. Tackle care can

mean the difference between a trophy

on the wall with a success story twice

as long and a dejected, disgusted

fisherman who let a little overlooked

detail ruin a trip.

-

pie-overpopulation and shoot themselves to help de-populate the earth.
Marie Carson Commerce Yes, we DO have enough nerve to print this, and lots of other letters, no matter what the point of view, so long as the subject matter is of general interest ta our readers. Yours qualifies. And no, I will NOT try to convince you that if hunters don't kill grouse, they will overpopulate. Deer, yes. Grouse, no. Grouse populations go in cycles, and what the hunter does has very, very little, if any, bearing on his populations. What man does to the environment has a very great deal to do with ruffed grouse populations. This includes you, me and virtually everyone else. We buy products which require use of re. sources which change land use. We drive cars which pollute air, and use sewers which pollute rivers. All af us are guilty, and these are the things that have the most drastic effects on wildlife, because of the drastic effect on the environment. Shoot such a beautiful bird? How long has it been since you've eaten any form of meat? Or worn a leather belt? Or shoes? Or a fur coat? Don't you think some form of animal had to give up his life for these? I firmly believe God in His wisdom gave us all these things for our use. I choose to use some of them for sport and for meat. You choose to use some of these for looking at. (By the way, how many wild grouse have you ever seen?) I'm glad not everyone chooses to hunt. Yet, I feel that I have the right to do so, to make use of God's gifts. You like some things I don't ... but I don't tell you what to enjoy and what not to. I care nothing for growing flowers, or for ladies' bridge parties. Perhaps you do. Many readers love to fish but look at hunting as you do, never realizing fish, too, lose their lives and usually in a slower, more painful manner than do hunted animals. As for your P.S., I tend to agree somewhat, at least ta the point 'that the world is overpopulated. Man thinks he is so much more intelligent and sophisticated than animals. Nature usually controls overpopulation of most species, ta some degree, though in a not-so-pleasant manner such as starvation, disease and predation. Man also tends to control his population, without realizing it, when he fights wars, and creates wanton slaughter on the highways (1788 persons were killed last year on Georgia highways). Insecticides? Yes, they are responsible many times for destruction of wildlife. Wildlife lost this way is wasted. When we harvest game and use it for food we are using it in the way God intended us to do. We're not wasting it, we're using it wisely. That's what conservation is all about.
-D.H.W.
WATER LORDS
One of the few bright spots to be found in the book THE WATER LORDS, an account by James M. Fallows of industry's usurpation of Georgia's vital natural resources; especially the Savannah River and coastal estuaries; is the same industry featured in the January, 1972 issue of Georgia GAME & FISH. It is encouraging to know that industry does not have to be synonymous with environmental disaster.
The paper mill at Riceboro is only a small step in the right direction. The main objection raised by other industries to meeting anti-pollution standards seems to be that it would cost too much to install the necessary systems to treat their wastes, and they speak threateningly of economic disaster to the local communities if they are forced to close their operations in lieu of meeting the cost that might be incurred in

19

the installation of these systems. It would seem that Interstate Paper Corporation in Riceboro has quelled that "excuse" for all time, since the treatment of its waste has nat meant the financial collapse of the company, nor has it kept it from remaining competitive with the other larger paper mills and industries in the slate which continue to make swills of our estuarine waters and destroy for all time the once abundant supply of shrimp, oysters, and other marine life.
Maybe what our state needs is more authority and support for the Georgia Water Quality Control Board. If the stringent standards applied to a new industry like the one at Riceboro did not deter it from choosing Georgia as its site for a regional plant, why then cannot the same standards be applied to existing and established industries with no fear of their leaving due to economic hardships such standards are claimed to impose?
Dr. J. l. McClung Augusta

MORE ON BUFFALO SWAMP

have received and read completely the Georgia GAME & FISH Magazine since the first issue was published over four years ago and I have enjoyed the pictures and articles very much. I think GAME & FISH has been one of the missing links of communication between the stale and the tax-paying public regarding the educational efforts toward conservation of our wildlife and natural resources.
I would like to comment on the December article by the supporter of channelization since I am not in favor of channelizationl I was reared in Carroll County near Buffalo Creek but later moved to an adjoining county. This supporter who says there is no game to be had from the Buffalo Swamp area might like to meet some of the true sportsmen I know personally who have rarely come home without fish or game after a match of wits with the

residents of the swamp. Others besides myself can vouch for the fact
that there are practically no fish to be caught at all in the "channelized" Little Tallapoosa River near Carrollton. There may be a few eight inch catfish caught in the spring (spillover from adjacent lakes, no doubt). Before channelization of this river, one could quite often fill his creel with bass, cats, bream and other species that were quite abundant at that time.
From the ecology and pollution standpoint, a drained swamp can no longer purify water as one industry I know of had for years dumped wastes into a swamp and twenty miles below it was pure enough to drink as a city's water supply.
There is no way a ,dollar value can be bestowed upon the valu~ of a swamp in regard to the preservation of game and game habitat since once it is destroyed it will take over a hundred years to replenish as Mother Nature had originally intended it to be. The economics of needing more land f0 r farm use, when 25 percent of Georgia ' s farm land is in the soil bank in an effort to curtail production that we do not need, just does not seem logical.
I have heard of cases where taxpayers funds have been used by pivate concerns to drain swamplands in order to further their financial status . I think the idea behind it all is just human greed for the dollar now and let a future

generation worry about tomorrow. I have always been a supporter of most of
the efforts of the Soil Conservation Service, but the logistics of channelization as it is being done today is just something which I cannot

understand.

Donald Reeves Bremen

the
outdoor world
RECYCLING FILM AVAILABLE
The Glass Container Manufacturers Institute has produced a new color film depicting the recycling technology used to help solve the nation's garbage disposal problems. The film takes the audience on a tour of the recycling programs now in effect in many cities, demonstrating glass reclamation programs and waste recovery facilities. One segment of the film shows how glass containers are reclaimed and recycled into new bottles and jars, and other consumer products such as road paving material, floor tiles, and building blocks. It also takes a future view of the process in which all solid waste can be recovered and used as a resource.
The concept of recycling will not only aid in the problems of waste disposal but will conserve our natural resources of air, land, and water which are being grossly contaminated by our present means of waste disposal. The film likens the natural cycles controlling the continuance of plant and animal life to the waste recycling concept. This production is a reflection of today's ecological awareness and a tribute to America's resourcefulness in turning garbage into an asset.
This 13-minute sound film , called "CYCLES," was produced by GCMI for schools, television and theaters, and community and civic groups. The film can be obtained on a free loan basis and the user would pay only the return postage. For information on the availability of 16mm prints of "CYCLES" for public showings, contact Association-Sterling Films, 5797 New Peachtree Road , Atlanta, Georgia, 30340.
-Margaret Howard

SOUTHERN BEAGLE FIELD TRIALS
The Southern Federation of Beagle Clubs, Inc., will hold its annual Championship Stake Field Trials at the Lookout Beagle Club's grounds near Rock Springs on March 13-19.
The Federation is made up of 110 clubs from 20 states. Each club will have a qualifying trial before the Championship Stake. The winners of these trials will compete in the event.
Game and Fish Department Director Joe D. Tanner will be a guest speaker at the organization's banquet March 17 in Chattanooga. Beverly Langford of Calhoun, former Game and Fish Commissioner for the Seventh District, will be master of ceremonies.
-Marvin Tye
UNITY NEEDED AMONG CONSERVATIONISTS
While pro-hunting and anti-pollution conservation groups argue about the best way to protect our nation's wildlife, the real enemies of wildlife are escaping unnoticed, warns Dan Saults, chief of information and education for the U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
"The danger today is that these two groups will get so emotional arguing for or against hunting that they'll not unite against the real threats to wildlife-pollution and habitat destruction," Saults said.
Whether a person chooses to hunt wild animals or not is a matter of personal choice," he continued. "But this difference should not keep the two groups from working together for conservation."
In addition, Saults pointed out that much of the sentiment against hunting is based on misinformation. "Legal hunting is not a threat to any species in this country," he said. "Indeed, the hunters and fishermen of the U.S. , through money from license sales, special taxes on sporting goods and individual contributions pay lJlOSt

20

of the funds spent on wildlife and its habitat."
While hunting endangers no species, pollution is threatening scores. Over 40 species of birds are threatened by shell thinning caused by DDE, a DDT metabolite. Pelicans, the bald eagle, 13 species of hawks and even the mallard duck are seriously affected.
Twenty states have closed rivers and lakes to fishing because of mercury levels in fish.
Estuaries, the cradles of the sea, each day give ground to the onslaught of the dredge and the bulldozer. Chemical wastes , detergents, oil, sewage and exhausts pour into our air and waters daily. Each year brings the discovery of new pollutants and new facts concerning old ones. It wiii require the cooperative efforts of all those interested in conservation to stem the flow of this poison.
"This is not the time for conservationists to attack each other but to join together in bold new programs to defeat the real enemies of wildlife," Mr. Saults said. "Lest we forget , if wildlife is in trouble, so are people."
Hunters who are tired of being unduly accused of endangering wildlife will be interested in a 24-page booklet on alJ that hunters have done for conservation. The booklet, "The Hunter and Conservation," is available for 25 from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, 1075 Post Road, Riverside, Connecticut 06878.
-National Shooting Sports Foundation
OUTBOARD MOTORS STUDIED FOR POLLUTION
Speaking at the national conference of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, Matt J. Kaufman, executive director of the Boating Industry Associations, said the industry has begun a twoyear project of testing outboard motors operating in real-life conditions. Until the results of that study are in, he said, any statements regarding outboard pollution must be based on "questionable motives and unsubstantiated estimates."
The Marine Exhaust Research Council, set up to spearhead the project, consists of the Outboard Marine Corporation (Johnson and Evinrude Motors), Kiekhaefer Mercury

and the Marine Division of Chrysler Corporation.
BIA was selected to serve as administrative headquarters for the study which is being financed in part by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"In simple layman's terms, the MERC study is designed to:
1. Determine what elements are contained in outboard exhausts and in what quantities;
2. What happens to these elements when they get into natural waterways;
3. What short and long term effects these elements have on water quality and the organisms which live in these waters," Kaufman explained.
The tests are simultaneously being conducted in cold as well as warm waters. "The research in Michigan is operated by the state's Department of Natural Resources and the lakes there are proving to be ideal for our purposes," he continued. "The other testing site is in Florida."
The five lakes selected have never been exposed to marine engi.ne exhausts , are well protected from pollutants such as grazing livestock and sewage runoff, and are stocked with fish.
In Michigan, the lakes are being run with drainless engines but one pond will be exposed to leaded fuels, the other to nonleaded. Of the Florida lakes, two are used for testing and one for control.
-Sports Merchandiser

Book Review
CAMPING IN COMFORT By Norman and Sil Strung J. B. Lippincott Company, New York, New York, 262 pages.
How many hunters and fishermen, eagerly looking forward to a relaxed weekend, have pitched their tents in a picturesque spot only to find themselves in the middle of a raging stream after a slight drizzle, or spent the night fighting smoke and insects? How many have forgotten to take matches, a flashlight or even the sleeping bags?
CAMPING IN CoMFORT by Norman and Sil Strung, two experienced campers, is the answer for every camper, be he inexperienced novice or veteran. This book tells the best ways to cook, travel, sleep, build fires, pitch tents, locate campsites and even dig a latrine. The Strungs give tips on how to buy equipment, handle a trailer and pack gear.
Since comfort is the main theme of the book, the Strungs introduce all the latest innovations which make life easier on an outdoor excursion. Here are the most up-to-date tent designs, lighting and cooking appliances, inflatable plastic furniture and disposable sleeping bags.
This book is a must for every hunter or fisherman who pitches his tent and wants his only worry to be whether or not he is going to catch that trophy fish or bag an eight-point buck.
-JLW

OiiiDe sfish

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