Georgia outdoors [Apr. 1962]

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Monthly PuUkatlon of the GEORGIA STATE GAME & FISH COMMISSION

April IQ02

Vol. I No. 1

FULTON
LOVELL
If Congress outlaws dove hunting, Georgia sportsmen are in for a double shock.
In years to come, the dove will
become a very important game bird, even more sought-after than the be-
loved quail. The reason for this is becoming
apparent throughout Georgia. Land use is returning this "quail capital of the world" into forests . . . forests that will support deer and turkeys but few quail.
Quail are definitely farm birds. They must have food and cover pro-
vided by agricultural crops. When this
is not available in sufficient quantities, quail populations decrease.
If the current trend toward less farming, more tree planting continues, quail are bound to suffer while deer and turkeys will prosper.
Thus the dove, which may be outlawed as a game bird, looms as an
important part of the Georgia hunter's
future.
Georgia's mid-section, which is acclaimed as the best deer country in the state, is a good example of what reforestation can do to quail and deer. ^"^Gnce prime quail country, this area became a haven for deer when reforestation programs replaced farmlands. And, as the deer populations increased, quail slowly decreased.
The results of this transition has
made it evident to game managers that the entire state may undergo a change in its wildlife population pat-
terns.
There will always be quail in Georgia. But the great abundance of bobwhites that once inhabited Georgia's agriculture belt can never be replaced unless land use practices return strictly to farming.
Quail require intense management. Doves, on the other hand, need little encouragement. They seem to fend for themselves on seedy grain and grass crops, whether natural or planted.
To prohibit Georgia sportsmen from
-- their annual shots at doves whether -- they hit or miss would be a great
injustice. Especially since the mourning dove is destined to become such an important part of the state's hunting future.

DEER FIND NEW HOMES

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COMMISSION STOCKS 800 DEER

IN FIFTY GEORGIA COUNTIES

The State Game and Fish Com-
mission has announced the completion of the most ambitious deer stocking program in history.
Commission Director Fulton Lovell said his agency released 800 Virginia Whitetails in 50 Georgia counties and four state management areas.
The deer were purchased by the state from Wisconsin and Texas and
transported here by Game and Fish DeDO"ment personnel.
' We chose iot to make a public
announcement of the program until its
completion," Lovell said, "to offset
public pressure demanding that we
stock the deer in unsuitable areas."
"We feel that this stocking program is one of the most important
undertakings of the Commission in many years," Lovell commented.
"Within the next 10 years, we ex-
pect to find deer in every Georgia county capable of providing them with adequate food and other requirements."
The stockings resulted from a wide examination of suitable deer habitat in the state and animals were released only in areas where biologists felt they would survive and repro-
duce. All of the counties included in the
program will be closed for deer hunt-
ing for at least "five years. This, Lovell pointed out, is a requirement of the federal government, which financially assisted with the program.

Georgia's best hunting areas will remain open, the Commission said, and will not be affected by regulations passed to protect the newly released deer.
Lovell pledged strict enforcement to prevent poachers and night hunters from shooting the deer before they become acclimated to Georgia.
Wildlife rangers will constantly patrol the release areas, Lovell said, to insure the deer of an opportunity to populate the chosen areas.
The Director requested citizens to report to the Commission any of the deer found dead, crippled or struck by autos.
..IN GEORGIA

U. S. MAY HALT
DOVE HUNTING
If. Rep. Joseph E. Kaeth ID. -Minn.) has his way, the grand old sport of dove shooting will be a thing of the
past.
Kaeth's resolution, HR 9882, if passed, would provide that "the Secretary of the Interior shall not allow
the hunting, taking, capturing, killing, possession, sale, purchase, shipment, transportation, carriage on export at any time of the mourning dove."
In brief, that means you can't hunt em and that there'll be a heap of doves in Georgia going to waste.
State Games and Fish Director Fultcn Lovell has announced his opposi-
tion to the bill by requesting Georgia's against it. congressional delegation to vote
Doves are considered one of the
better game birds of the South," Lovell said. "It would be a great
miustice to Georgia sportsmen to prohibit them from shooting doves."
Lovell said that many states, particularly those in the north and west, do not consider the dove a game bird and are, therefore, opposed to
hunting them."
Dove hunting is now legal in 30
states. If the current measure is passed, it would be illegal in all
states.
The International Association of
Game and Fish Commissioners, of which Lovell and the Georgia Game
and Fish Commission are members, has also taken an interest in the
matter. The Association has informed the
Georgia Commission and other such state conservation departments to suggest necessary action in opposition
to this legislation." It is likely that the Georgia Sports-
men's Federation will also v.oice on opinion in opposition to the measure.
FLATLANDS

NIGHT HUNTING TOP PROBLEM, LOVELL TELLS BULLOCH SPORTSMEN

AIDMORE HOSPITAL GETS ILLEGALLY TAKEN DEER FROM RANGERS ROBINSON, SOLOMON, PALMER, HAWKINS

Illegal night hunting has become the number one law enforcement problem for Georgia's wildlife rang-
ers, according to Game and Fish
Director Fulton Lovell. Night hunting committed through-
out the state is one factor accounting
for the lack of deer in many areas,''
Lovell said.
He commented that without the night hunting problem larger herds of deer would populate the state, and that eventually the number might increase enough to warrant an open season on doe deer.
Lovell told the Bulloch County Sportsmen s League recently that he favored an open season on does but,
not until the various areas are ready for it."
However, he pointed out that no immediate plans were being made to change the present "bucks only'' season in the near future.
While addressing the group of sportsmen in Statesboro, Lovell mentioned Georgia's dove season and said the Commission has its hands

"LOOSE DOGS PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1,

STATES DEER MANAGERS SAY

More deer are killed in Georgia by fiee-running dogs than are killeo by hunters.
The State Game and Fish Commis-
sion says the problem of dogs is the biggest faced by its deer herd managers.
"We are constantly faced with the
problem of dealing with loose dogs," said Commission director Fulton Lovell. "In some areas of the state,
packs of wild dogs seriously damage
deer populations.
FIDO WAS HERE

"It appears that these loose dogs multiply as fast as deer, even though our management program includes protection of deer both in and out of the season," Lovell said.
The director said February, March and April are especially dangerous months for deer, since does are carrying fawns that will be born in May.
Georqia has no law requiring dogs to be penned or leashed.
The Game and Fish Commission
feels that this contributes to the number of dogs roaming free in the
forests.
Since it lacks authority except on
its game management areas, the Commission is powerless to combat
roaming dogs.

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ALLATOONA FISHING CONTEST UNDERWAY
-- CANTON The Cherokee County Sportsmen's Club
has announced plans for a summer fishing rodeo on Lake
Allatoona.
Club spokesman Harvey Mulkey said prizes totaling more than $2,500 will be awarded during the contest, which officially opened March 1
Closing date is December 1. Included in the assortment of prizes is a grand prize
of $500 for the angler who catches the fish bearing the lucky tag. A special weekly award of $10 will be presented to the fisherman who catches the fish bearing the
highest tag- number. Mulkey, chairman of the club's rodeo committee, said
his organization is sponsoring the contest to assist the
State Game and Fish Commission with its fishery research
program on Allatoona.
-- Commission biologists have tagged over 2,000 fish
all bass to uncover information about the lake's fish population. These fish, Mulkey said, will be used in the cntest. Only tagged bass are eligible for prizes.

tied against making any changes in
the regulations.
"The Federal Government makes the regulations. They won't allow us to zone the state, nor will they allow us any morning hunting," Lov-
ell said.
He spoke in favor of legalizing bating of fields, but added that he will enforce the present laws until they are changed. The law now reads that shooting doves on a baited field is illegal if the hunter is closer than one-half mile to the field. This is considered shooting dove in the line of travel to and from bait and is pro-
hibited. Lovell said he felt the present reg-
ulations do not allow sportsmen to have the best dove shooting.
"We now favor the large land owner who can afford to plant and
prepare for doves. This takes the
concentrations of birds away from
the average hunter," the director said. Lovell told the sportsmen's group
they should concentrate their efforts on providing better habitat for quail and discourage the idea of releasing
the native game bird to increase the
population.
"In areas where quail have become scarce, much of the blame can be placed on the lack of proper habitat,"
Lovell said.
He added that pen-raised birds which are released in such areas will not survive because the problem of suitable habitat still exists. He encouraged the group to conserve wildlife habitat, and to start a fast moving program to restore that which had been lost.
COMING NEXT MONTH!
"GA. GETS 10,000,000
WALLEYES"

ONE MOVE AND

'J

SPRING TURKEY SEASON OPENS-
HUNTERS GET SECOND CHANCE

Turkey hunters who failed to con-
nect during the regular season get a second chance this spring.
-- Thirty-eight Georgia counties -- many for the first time will have
an open season this year.
BLACKBEARD
ISLAND FISHING
Fishing on the Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge, about 35 miles north of Brunswick, will be open in designated areas this year from April 1 until October 15 during daylight hours only.
These open areas comprise some 400 acres or seven per cent of the entire wildlife refuge, and are marked
on a map available at the refuge
headquarters and from the office of the regional director, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Peachtree Seventh Building, Atlanta 23, Georgia.
Species of fish permitted to be taken and the creel limit on each include largemouth black bass, 15; bream, 70; crappie, 50; and other minor species as permitted by state regula-
tions.
Total aggregate of all species is not to exceed 75 fish in one day with no limit on weight or size.
Fishing equipment permitted includes rod and reel, pole and line, artificial and live baits with the exception of live minnows.
Rowboats, canoes and other floating devices are permitted on the refuge, but boats with motors are not allowed.
The provisions of this special regulation supplement those which normally govern fishing on wildlife refuge areas set forth in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 33.
A Federal permit is not required to
enter the public fishing area.

New counties added to the list in-
clude Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon, Walker, and Whitfield, whose spring season runs from April 9 through
April 14.
Screven, Effingham, Chatham, Bullock, Bryan, Liberty, Evans, Candler, Mcintosh, Long, Tattnall, Wayne, Glynn, Camden, Brantley, Ware, Charlton, Stewart, Marion, Chattahoochee and Muscogee Counties have an open season running from March 26 through April 14.
Hunting will be open from March 26 through April 14 outside of the Wildlife Management Areas in Gilmer, Murray, Fannin, Dawson, Union, Lumpkin, Towns, White, Rabun, Habersham and Stephens Counties. Also, the part of Banks County lying north of Georgia Highway #51 will be opened.
The Johns Mountain Game Area,
Blue Ridge and Lake Burton Wildlife Management Areas, and Clark Hill
Game Management Area will be
opened from April 9 through April 14. Hunting on these areas is by
special permit which can be secured at the checking stations. Campi/ig will not be allowed in these areas.
Several states including Alabama and Florida have held spring turkey hunts for many years.
Gobbler hunts which have been held in north Georgia counties for several years are quite popular with
hunters. However, this is the first time a
spring season has been opened in south Georgia counties.
Clinch and Echols Counties, erroneously reported open for spring turkey hunting, will not open, the
State Game and Fish Commission said.
Bag limit far hunting is one turkey gobbler, and firearms permitted for use in the hunt are limited to shotguns with No. 2 shot or smaller,
and bow and arrow.
Each successful hunter must report
his kill in writing to the State Game
and Fish Commission, 401 State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga.

NORTH GEORGIA
FOREST SERVICE
A. U.S. Forest Service wildlife biologist says north Georgia's deer herd
needs a good trimming down because
it exceeds the carrying capacity of the area.
Malcolm Edwards, wildlife specialist for the Service, told a large gathering of Rabun Countians in Clayton that overpopulation is a problem of great concern to his agency and to the
State Game and Fish Commission. "We are making every effort to
help feed deer by slashing trees and bending them over so that the animals can get to the buds and browse," Edwards told the gathering.
State Game and Fish Commission Director Fulton Lovell said the Game
and Fish Department is also striving to help deer in overpopulated areas bv planting food patches for qrazing.
I? I

"
MUST TRIM DEE
BIOLOGIST SAYS
^Tn the late 1 890s almost every deer was killed in north Georgia,"' Lovell said. "But a restocking pro-
gram by the Game and Fish Depart-
ment in the 1930s brought them back and now there are plenty of deer throughout the mountain area."
Edwards said more deer should be harvested in the mountains, "not only bucks . . . not only does . . . but bucks and does."
It is illegal to shoot doe deer in Georgia.
The Game and Fish Commission, however, has recommended doe hunts to help reduce the number of deer in
overpopulated areas.
Lovell, a native of ftabun County, told the large gathering that President Kennedy will advocate a national conservation program in a special message to Congress.
"Included in his plans are provisions for more recreation on federal-
owned lands like the Chattahoochee and Oconee national forests in Geor-
gia, he said. Lovell praised the state's manage-
ment area program as ways of establishing good game populations and
as attractions for tourists. "Rabun county's three state areas
mean a great deal to visitors as well as local hunters and fishermen," he
said.
Judge Lamar Smith of Toccoa also appeared on the program. Judge Smith praised the state's wildlife rangers and the Commission for its role in protecting and preserving wildlife and fish for future genera-
tions.

INTO FRYING PAN

WATER FOWL SINK LOWER THAN EVER, LATEST OFFICIAL COUNT REVEALS

Cooperative winter waterfoul counts,
made by state and federal wildlife
agencies in the four continental fly-
ways, show that populations are down this year as compared with 1961.
Total ducks in the Atlantic Flyway were down seven per cent and geese were off 23 to 50 per cent, depending
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on the species. Mississippi Flyway counts indicated a 1 5 per cent decline in ducks and 19 per cent fewer geese. The Central Flyway figures show an overall decline of 20 per cent drop in the duck population and a slight reduction in geese. The Pacific
(continued on page 4)

HARD LABOR RENOVATED
-- ATLANTA Visitors to Hard Labor
Creek State Park near Rutledge can expect better fishing in the future.
That's the promise from the State
Game and Fish Commission, whose

fishery biologists recently completed a renovation program on the park's Lake Rutledge.
Included in the program was a
complete stocking of the lake with
several species of fish, including bass,
(continued on page 4)

J. A. JONES (ARROW) GEORGIA'S RANGER OF YEAR

RECEIVES AWARD FROM S.E. ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

WATER
FOWL
DECREASE
Flyway. which has been the strongest area in the country, suffered a sever per cent drop in overall waterfowl
numbers with ducks down five per
cent. Reversing the trend, geese in the Pacific Flyway were up 1 1 per cent over last year.
Of greatest impact is the drop in numbers of mallard ducks throughout the country. Counts indicate that mallards are down 25 per cent in the Atlantic Flyway, 38 per cent below the 1961 figures in the Mississippi Flyway, and 50 per cent fewer in the Central Flyway. One of the most popular ducks in the three flyways, the mallard may be sub|ect to tighter
limits next fall if there is not a drastic reversal of present trends.
Canvasbacks, which have been completely protected for the past two

years because of their low numbers, took a 13 per cent drop in the Atlan-
tic Flyway and made a slight, but
insignificant gain in the Mississippi Flyway. Redheads, also fully protected along with the canvasback, showed a slight gain in the Atlantic Flyway.
Geese in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways were reduced in numbers due to disasterous nesting conditions last summr along with arctic nesters. Only the Pacific Flyway shows an increase in geese.
Excellent food conditions in southwestern Louisiana is attracting and holding a large number of ducks which normally winter south of the United States. As a result of Hurricane Audrey in 1958, coastal marshes of Louisiana have vegetation which is ideal for ducks.
Snow conditions on the droughtstricken prairies, where many of the
wintering ducks normally breed, are somewhat better than those of a year ago, according to recent reports from Canada and the Dakotas. However, exceptionally heavy late winter snows and spring rains will be needed if the birds are to find water in the
potholes when they return in May.

RUTLEDGE
GETS
BASS,
BREAM
bream, channel catfish and a new
fish, threadfin shad. Fishery biologist Leon Kirkland of
Madison explained that shad, a forage fish, were added to the lake's fish population to provide additional food for hungry bass.
White bass, a relatively new fish
for Georgia, has also been planted in the lake. These finny fighters are known throughout the state for their annual spring spawning runs, during which anglers have little trouble in catching daily limits of 30 fish.
Trotlines, set hooks and basket fishing have been outlawed in all State Department of Parks lakes, Director Charles Collier said.

COAST MAY GET
FEDERAL AID
Georgia's commercial fishing industry is eligible for over $94,000 in federal aid under provisions of pending legislation in the U.S. Senate.
State Game and Fish Director Fulton Lovell said Senate Bill #1230, commonly known as the Guerning Bill,
provides federal aid funds for research and development of the state's commercial fishing areas.
Lovell said he has asked Georgia's Congressional Delegation to support the legislation.
"I have been informed by the Atlantic States Marine Fish Commission that this bill has a good chance of becoming law. We, of course, are greatly in favor of its passage since it would provide funds for research and development of Georgia's coastal
fishing," Lovell said.
The State Game and Fish Department recently undertook a new federal
nid pro|ect aimed at improving sport fshing along the coast.
Included in the project ore plans to construct several fish drops in stra-
tegic areas between Savannah and Camden County.
One of the drops reportedly will be located in the Savannah area, one near Brunswick and one at a mid-
coast site will be selected.
BIOLOGIST KIRKLAND ....
.AT LAKE RUTLEDGE

State Game & Fish
Commission
4Q1 STATE CAPITDL ATLANTA, GEORGIA

SFC. 34.66. P. L. ft R.
U S. POSTAGE
PAID
ATLANTA. GA. PERMIT NO. 155

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