Georgia outdoors [June 1965]

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Published by the GEORGIA GAME & FISH COMMISSION

June, 1965

Spring Gobbler Season Ends

With Clark Hill Best Area

The spring gobbler hunting season came to a close May 2 with Clark Hill

listed as the number one hunting area.

According to Hubert Handy of the Game and Fish Commission, the North

Georgia management areas of Blue Ridge, Chattahoochee, John's Mountain,

and Lake Russell produced a total of seven turkey gobblers, while Clark
Hill produced 10 big birds inside the management area and 40 outside.
April may seem like an unusual time to hunt, but Handy says from the bi-
ologist's standpoint, there are several
A major reasons for the spring season.
well-balanced turkey population re-
quires more hens than gobblers, and
spring is the only time the gobblers
will come to the hunter's call. In the fall, the hen and her family or flock
A feed together. hunter may shoot one
bird, then call the young birds back re peatedly until all are killed, but by spring, the year-old brood has broken up and the single birds are more wary. In addition to managing the turkey
population, the warm weather season

gives sportsmen a chance to hunt and
bag an elusive trophy when other sea-
sons are closed.
Wisest Season
In areas where turkey populations are marginal or on the decline, the
spring season is the wisest type of tur-
key season, especially when overshooting in the fall may destroy what prog-
ress has been made. For this reason, game biologists of the Commission are studying the need for a closed fall season in Southeast Georgia, where tur-
key populations apparently are much
lower than in previous years, apparently because of over-hunting.

James Lackey, left, and his brother Danny show that the fisherman's size makes no difference. Fishing at a small pond in Talbotton, James caught the 10% pound largemouth and Danny brought in the IOV2 pounder.

Game and Fish records on water fatalities
show that the main cause of death is lack of proper safety equipment.

'64 Water Deaths

At All Time High

The State Game and Fish Commis-

sion reports that in 1964 approximately

60,000 pleasure boaters compiled a to-

tal record of 79 boating accidents

which resulted in the deaths of 56 per-

sons.

Figures show that this total included

31 injuries and an estimated property

damage of between $30,000 and $50,000.

In addition to this, the Commission re-,

ports that a total of 90 father persons

lost their lives during 19*64 as a result

of drowning where no boat was in-

volved.

J

In the boat accident department, cap-

sizing was the most frequent accident

with 24 reported; running a close sec-

ond in accidents was a report of 19 per-

sons falling overboard; and the third

most frequent accident was boats

striking underwater objects with a to-
tal of 17 accidents. Among the boat accidents reported to the Game and Fish

Commission during 1964 was a report

of a boat towing a surfboard rider over
the dam of Jackson Lake. Miraculously,

neither the boat operator nor the surf-

er was seriously injured.
Among the non-boating water deaths

in Georgia during 1964, 37 occurred in

the streams of Georgia with 32 report-

ed from farm ponds and 21 reported

from the several major impoundments

of Georgia. 31 of these people who

drowned were swimming at the time

of drowning, while 19 drowned as a re-

sult of falling into the water. 18 were

wading and stepped over their head, 3

committed suicide by drowning them-

selves, while the cause of 8 of the

drownings was unknown.

Fighting White Bass Now
Stocked At Lake Jackson

Efforts to establish fighting white bass in Lake Jackson are in full swing

this spring.
Fishery biologists of the State Game and Fish Commission say they have
stocked some 300 bass in Jackson to supplement last year's stocking of

500 fish.
Most of the white bass were captured by the Commission in Lake Lanier and Sinclair with the aid of an electric shocking machine which temporarily stuns the fish, but does not harm them or their eggs. The dazed fish are then scooped up with dip nets and placed in holding tanks and live baskets before being transported from the lake in a
specially-equipped stocking truck. Population studies on Jackson in re-
cent years have shown a need for a carnivorous species to supplement declining largemouth bass fishing in
Jackson, as well as establishment of f
more abundant food supply both for largemouth bass and for the lake's large number of emaciated crappie. Commission biologists say white bass will fill some of the void in largemouth bass fishing without competing with
the existing bass population or further
affecting crappie.
The Jackson stocking effort will be multiplied many times by natural reproduction from the roe-laden female white bass, most of which were ready to spawn when they were placed in Jackson. The female white bass usually deposits more than 500,000 eggs during spawning. Some of last year's stock fish have been caught by anglers, ap-
parently on their own spawning run
this year in Jackson. However, complete success of the Jackson stocking

wouldn't be apparent in the fisherman's creel in a large measure for several more years.
Threadfin Shad
As a companion measure, the Com-
mission last year stocked threadfin shad along with the white bass to provide Jackson with a good forage species. These shad have spawned successfully, and appear well established in Jackson this year. Since threadfins never get larger than six inches in length, averaging three to four inches,
they make an excellent year-round
food supply for largemouth bass, crappie, and white bass. Because threadfins die off with cold winter temperatures, the survivors spawn heavily in the spring, providing a large crop of edible minnow-size tidbits for carnivorous
fish.
Leon Kirkland, fisheries coordinator
of the Game and Fish Commission,
emphasizes that fishing for white bass on Lanier and Sinclair won't be impaired by the removal of only 300 fish. "As a matter of fact, one good white bass fisherman can sometimes take out
this many fish in one year by himself,"
Kirkland said.
He pointed out that normally less
than three per cent of the fish actually present in the shocking area at the time are captured, leaving 97 per cent
or more of the fish for fishermen and for spawning stock. Any rough fish or
carp captured during the operation are removed from the lake. Fish which are stunned by the current but not cap-
tured recover and swim away unharmed within two to five minutes or
less.

Commission personnel load the white bass on a hatchery truck before taking them to Lake Jackson for stocking.

Illegal Netting
Kirkland says that illegal nettiny is
threatening the new white bass population in Lake Jackson.
Since April 1 wildlife rangers have removed 19 illegal gill nets from the Jackson Lake area. According to reports these nets had been used in tak-
ing several species of game fish includ-
ing white bass.
Kirkland said that rangers Sam Letson, R. L. Tillman, H. H. Rape, W. B. Johnson and others have been moved
into the area and that the Commission hopes that residents will report any nets with a mesh under the legal three-
inch size.

Game and Fish Biologist Mike Bowling scoops
up a large white bass. The bass is temporarily stunned by an electric shocking machine.
Wildlife In Georgia
(THIRD IN A SERIES)
LARGEMOUTH BASS
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is found in lakes, rivers and farm ponds throughout Georgia. It is one of the state's most important game fish. Like the smallmouth, largemouth bass belong to the Centrarchid, or sun-
fish family.
The largemouth and smallmouth
basses are frequently confused, but
there are several good ways to tell them apart. The largemouth's upper jaw reaches beyond its eye, while in the smallmouth it comes only to the
front of the eye.
The color pattern of the largemouth bass differs from that of the smallmouth. Largemouths are greenish in
color with a lengthwise strip in the middle of the sides of its body.
The largemouth is probably the most prized of all Georgia game fish. The world's record largemouth bass, a 22 pound, four ounce lunker. was caught in Lake Montgomery in Georgia.
Life Cycle Largemouth bass build circular nests on the bottom of a lake or stream. The male builds the nest in water from three to four feet deep. The spawning season is in the spring, the exact time depending on the temperature of the water.
Continued on Page 3

'" -'.

Biological aides George Walker, Marvin Shell and Charles Bryan block off a two acre cove during a population study. The net will prevent fish from escaping into the lake.

During the second step of a ifudy, a fish toxicant is spread in the water. The chemical prevents the gills from functioning properly so that all fish within the enclosed area are
killed.

After the toxicant takes effect many fish within the area swim to the surface and can be netted. Most however, sink to the bottom and
can only be collected the second day.

Scientific Count

Spring Fish Population Studies
Underway by G & F Commission

The State Game and Fish Commission reports that the annual fish popu-

lation studies on the major lakes are underway and running full speed. Leon Kirkland, Coordinator of Fish Management for the Commission,

explains that the surveys, conducted in the spring and fall, are designed to

determine the composition of the fish

taken down and later compiled for fu-

population in the lakes; types of fish present and information on their ages, length, and weight.

ture use. Primarily, the population study is
designed to provide accurate informa-

Fisheries biologists choose a cove in
the lake, approximately two acres in
size, to carry out their investigations.
The cove is blocked off across its mouth by a huge net which prevents any fish inside the area from escaping. Then a fish toxicant is applied to the water which destroys the ability of the

tion and records on the fish population of the lakes to guide Commission biologists in future management steps
such as stocking of new species of fish.
Using the data, the biologists can rec-
ommend action to improve fishing.
Water Temperature

fish to take oxygen into their gills, causing immediate suffocation. This treatment does not harm the water for drinking or other use. The toxicant wears off after 24 hours allowing other fish to return to the cove. The fish population sample is restricted to the two-acre cove by the amount of material used and by the application of a controlling chemical used outside the
net in case the toxicant threatens to spread into the rest of the lake. This prevents any injury to fish outside the sample cove.

The spring studies are conducted when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees and the large fish come to the shallow coves to spawn. In the fall, biologists carry on the studies to determine the reproduction of all species for that year. During the program, one lake is studied every two years. This year the studies are being conducted on lakes Seminole, Blackshear, Jackson, Lanier, and Allatoona.
Wildlife in Georgia

Fish Come to Surface
Following the application of the toxicant, the fish begin coming to the surface in a groggy condition, and are quickly netted up by Commission personnel, taken ashore, weighed, measured, and counted. The information is

Continued from Page 2
Food Largemouth bass are carnivorous. They feed upon small fish, such as bream, threadfin shad and other species, insects, frogs, crawfish and other
fish life.

Each fish is measured and weighed. From data collected in this manner, biologists can delermine the overall condition of the lake and can plan future management and stocking programs.
Fisheries biologist Phil Pierce inspects threadfin shad taken during a survey. The department predicts that this species, stocked re-
cently in Lakes Jackson and High Falls will be an abundant food supply for game fish.

Wildlife Management Experts

Spring wildlife management practices include
placing mineral licks or salt blocks near deer
trails.
Ranger A. C. Abernathy counts deer tracks in the Chattahoochee management area near Helen, Georgia.

Active During Spring Months

Spring may be a lazy season for many, but not for wildlife management

technicians of the State Game and Fish Commission.

Early this spring on the managed areas, game biologists carried out con-

trolled woodland burning. The burning opens dense areas and encourages

low-growing plants which are good
wildlife feed.

rangers and refuge managers.

On another closely related project,
cleared sections called food plots on 4 public hunting areas and 15 game management areas are being planted and fertilized. These patches of grass, clover and lespedeza, in addition to the burned areas, will increase the food supply for large and small game and this in turn will improve the hunting
this fall. By the same token, in areas
populated by deer, salt blocks are

Rangers are especially vigilant to
halt dogs chasing deer in the spring
and summer, when pregnant does or their young fawns are easily run down and killed by common domestic dogs running loose. For this reason, game
technicians ask dog owners and sports-
men to pen their dogs while the fawn-
ing season is still in effect through
July.

placed near trails.

Some rangers and biologists are con-
ducting dove surveys in which all the

doves cooing in several standard call-
count routes are counted. When com-

pared with previous years, this infor-

mation is used as a basis for federal dove regulations. Similar activities are deer track counts and brouse studies which give the Commission biologists

an idea of the increase or decrease of the deer population, especially in counties under consideration for a change

in their deer season or regulations.

Counting studies enable the Commission to manage wildlife so that good hunting may be provided not only this fall but in future years. Other equally important tasks on management areas include control of poachers and dogs, who constitute the greatest year-round
threat to Georgia's deer herd. Nighthunter patrols are carried out on an unscheduled basis at any minute by

Game Biologist Scott Fussell starts a controlled
burn which will increase quail feed and deer brouse in the Allatoona public hunting area.

STATE GAME & FISH COMMISSION
Public Information Office 401 State Capitol
Atlanta, Ga. 30334
3 ElDfl DMSSM 0171

GEORGIA OUTDOORS
Jim Morrison, Editor Ronnie Abney, Managing Editor
Walt Stevens, Staff Writer
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Spring Gobbler Results; Boating Safety