Outdoors in Georgia [Oct. 1972]

Jimmy Carter
Governor
Joe D. Tanner
Commissioner Department of Natural Resources
George T. Bagby
Depu ty Commiss ioner for Pub lic Affairs
STATE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
James Darby Cha ir man
Vidalia-1st District
Will iam 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
I
Leonard E. Foote Marietta-7th District
Clyde Dixon Cleveland-9th District
leonard Bassford Augusta-1Oth District
Jimmie Williamson Darien- Coastal District
EARTH AND W ATER DIVISION Sam M. Pickering, J r., Director
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION R. S. Howard, J r., Director
GAME AND FISH DIV ISION Jack Crockford, Director
PARKS AND RECREATION DIVIS ION Henry D. Struble, Director
O FFICE OF PLANN ING AND RESEARCH Chuck Parrish, Director
OFFIC E OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Ja mes H, Pitt man, Director
PUBliC RELATIO NS AND INFORMATION SECTIO N H. E. (Bud) Van O rde n, Chief

FEATURES

Backwater Dyna mi te

Joh n Weiss 2

Topographically Speaking

Dick Dav is 7

Field Dress and Cook You r Game

Ed Pearce 10

Georgiology

Allen R. Cogg ins 12

Sapelo Island

Mary L. Waters 14

Georg ia - White Tailed Deer

Aaron Pass 19

DEPARTMENTS

The Outdoor World

25

Outd()()rs
it? ge()rgia

October 1972

Volume 1

Number 4

Outdoors in Georg ia is the offi cia l mo nth ly magazi ne of the Georgia Depa rtment of Na tu ral Resources, publis hed a t the De partment's offices, Trini ty-Washi ng ton Bu ilding , 270 was hington St., Atlanta, G eorg ia 30334. No advertising accepted . Subscriptions are $3 for one year or $6 for three years. Printed by Williams Printing Compa ny, At lanta , Ga . Notificatio n of address cha nge must inc lude old address label from a recent magazi ne, new address and ZI P code, with 30 days notice . No subscription req uests wi ll be acce pted w ithout ZIP code. Arti cles and photograph s may be rep rinted when proper credit given. Contribution s are welcome, but th e editors ass ume no respo nsibili ty or liabili ty for loss o r damage of articles, photographs, or illu stra tions, Second-c lass postage paid a t Atlanta, Ga .

Staff Writers
Dick Davis Aaron Pass

MAGAZINE STAFF Pho ne 656-3530
H. E. (Bu d ) Van O rden Ed itor-i n-Chief
Bo b W ilson Ed itor
Art Director Liz Carm ichael Jones

Staff Photographers Jim Couch Bob Busby

Linda Wayne Circulation Manager

EDITORIAL

What's In A Name?

Conducting the affairs of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources requires a coordination of effort coupled with a meaningful purpose.
This new Department has blended together a group of agencies with related interests and similar services, all directed toward providing the state's outdoorsmen with the greatest outdoor activities and services available anywhere.
Currently governing this Department's operation is the State Game and Fish Commission, which was the supervising body of the Game and Fish Department prior to its inclusion within the new Department of Natural Resources.
To ~roaden the scope and responsibility of this constitutional commission and to better serve the needs of the Department of Natural Resources, it is felt that this board should be expanded to more equitably serve the needs of all the Divisions now operating within the Department and should be called the "Board of Natural Resources."
However, no matter how great the need or justification of such a proposal, the citizens of this State must express their approval of this recommendation through the passage of Constitutional Amendment No. 2, which will appear on the November General Election ballot.

The amendment would allow the addition of four new members to the present 11-man Commission, thereby guaranteeing that all Departments, Commissions, and Boards transferred into the Department of Natural Resources would have proper representation on the Board. This would mean that the State Parks Department, Georgia Recreation Commission, Ty Cobb Memorial, Game and Fish Commission, Water Quality Control Board, Mines, Mining and Geology, Land and Water Conservation Fund Office, and Forestry (should Forestry become a part of Natural Resources) would be adequately represented on the new Board.
Briefly, passing Constitutional Amendment No. 2 on the November General Election ballot would simply change the name of the governing board from the State Game and Fish Commission to the "Board of Natural Resources" and would expand and broaden its scope and responsibility to better serve the needs of the total Department. What's really in a name is services; and services is the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Seve al southern states very likely harbor a new worldrecord chain pickerel. Here's what you need to know to boost YO\lr chances of bringing home a trophy!
Photo by Ted Borg

By John Weiss

When Dixie midday temperatures begin to dip into the fifties and sixties in late September, chain pickerel provide tackle-bustin' sport for late-seasonson anglers who have not yet stowed away their fishin g gear and broken out their hunting equipment. During this period, and until late December, Esox niger obligingly gorges himself on minnows and other aquatic creatures, and sometimes even ducklings, snakes and mice that perchance fall into the water And he won't retreat to his deeper-water, winter sanctuaries as long as the sun continues to warm the shallows and supply him with an ample supply of groceries.
Sometimes confused with the musky or pike, the chain pickerel is a member of the same family, but much smaller in size, and unlike his cousins he favors the shallow, warmer waters of the south. Resembling a pike without the cream-colored spots, the chain pickerel derives its name from the mesh or chain-like markings that run laterally from its tail to partiallyscaled gill covers.
Many southern states very likely harbor a new world record pickerel, and it's surprising that the record hasn't been broken recently The current record, running a shade over nine pounds was taken from Homerville, Georgia, and fish nudging the eight and nine-pound mark have been taken with astonishing regularity from

that state as well as from Arkansas and North and South Carolina. Latch onto a four or five-pounder, though, and you can consider it an admirable trophy
His preferred habitat consists of marshes , bogs, large lake flowages, cranberry bogs and shallow tributaries that are infested with weeds, brush, felled trees, roots and amber or brackish water So the field is wide open, and most southern states that have numerous backwater areas are almost sure to contain pickerel. Though pickerel are indeed found in lakes and reservoirs and around the same cover and food supply favored by muskies , pike and walleyes, he seems to have a natural affinity for the warmer, southern waters. You can give Gaston Reservoir in North Carolina your best shot if lake fishing is your thing. Or you can try Lake Marion in South Carolina. But you can better your

chances of connecting with near-record fish if you concentrate your efforts on the White River in Arkansas, or the overflow areas in the surrounding low country or bayou areas m Florida and Georgia.
The chain pickerel likes to lie in the thickest cover in about four feet of water from which he darts out at hi s prey Because of his shallow water, heavy cover preference, I've found that wet wading is the best bet, though canoes and small carto ppers are ideal when searchi ng the backwater!> of the larger impoundments.
Because the chain pickerel doesn't reach phenomenal size, I use almost exclusively a limber baitcasting rod. But due to the heavy cover I slip on my normal bass reel loaded with 14 pound monofilament. The light-action rod enables the pickerel to give his best showing, yet the heavy reel and line enable me to convince him who's
Photo by Ted Borg

Pickerel will sometimes wait until almost in the boat before
exploding in a shower of spray-exciting fishing at its best!
3

Chain pickerel fight all th e way into the boat. The cautious angler watches out for the sharp teeth that th ese fish are armed with. The sharp teeth also take their toll on light mono lin es.
~ Iii!~ . ~M-l-!-~
-;..,- -
-
--- ---;:-:-s ------

boss if and when he gets tangled in the thick stuff. A six-i nch wire leader is a must becau se of hi s needle-sharp teeth .
Like other members of the pike family, the chain pickerel likes to attack his food from the rear In this manner he first tries to kill or disable his prey, after which he'll circle around and come back to swallow his prey headfirst. During the course of ten years of pickerel fishin g I've found that if you ever get a strike, and seemingly miss , a prud ~ nt ta "ti c is to allow the lure to settle to the bottom with slight jerk s and quivers
then hang on for an instantaneous second strike!
Because of the pickerel's tendency to strike his prey from the rear, and because of the heavy cover one must ftsh to connect with the larger ones, it's best to stick with single-hook spoons and spinners, preferably of the weedless variety Garnished with a strip of pork rind, these lures are the most lethal of any that have come down the pike.
During November of last year I spent an entire week in pursuit of pickerel in a Georgia stretch of backwater, the exact location of which I vowed to my host to remain undisclosed. At the outset I had met with complete failure . I knew the fish were there because they were striking, but I couldn't hook one to save my life . I'd been using one of the best pickerel-musky-pike lures ever devi sed , a Johnson's Silver Minnow with a pork rind strip taggling along on the single, weedless hook . After several hours of nea r total frustration, I finally discovered the problem-they were striking short, just nipping at the pork rind , tugging a few times and then

4

letting go- almost as if they purposely intended to torment me with their antics. T he solution? Naturally, tri m the rind to a smaller size, only about half the length of the normal strip and hook those crafty devils. No go. They still managed to strike short and nip at the half-sized rind. R emove the rind altogeth er and they refu sed to strike at all. There was something about that fluttering, white shimmying thing that turned them on.
Many times I'm not too quick whoo it comes to outwitting fish , and this

time proved to be no exception . Only by accid ent did I sometime later come upon the solution, a really simple idea that I should have thought of long before. Back on the lure went the full size pork rind strip again. Onl y this time I took a small size eight hook and rigged it as a trailerhook right at the tip end of the rind with a short length of stout monofilament. You can bet that for the remainder of my fishing trip I fooled the bejabbers out of those rascals and failed to hook only a few of the many that continued to strike short.

Larger chain pickerel seldom jump as much as those in the one or twopound category They seem to like to bore down into the th ickest cover, hoping to foul the line and break off. If one does jump, it will usually be a last ditch effort right next to the boat when you least expect it-h ave it happen only once and if your hair doesn 't turn gray , you'll at least agree that " backwater dyn amite" is a fitting moniker for this noble gamefi sh.
Curiously enough, pickerel will also trail a lure right to the boat and strike during the last couple feet of
Pho to by Art Rauschenberg

5

retrieve. This is when most tackle is siveness the pickerel is known for , I best now, especially if you concen-

broken. When I get one near the boat like to keep my hands as far away trate your efl'orts along an "edge," that

I release my star drag completely from those glistening teeth as possible. is, borders of weed beds adjacent to

and hold the rod tip high . Then if And since I release a good majority deep water, tree-lines , dropoffs and .. he should decide at the last minute of the fish I catch, regardless of such. And as pickerel tend to stay

to make off for parts unknown I'm species, I feel that the eye-socket in the coffee-colored water where visi-

prepared to hold on until he's through hold is poor angling practice as it bility is reduced , two-toned lures

running. Such procedure has resulted often seriously injures those fish that added to your arsenal of flashy ones

in many a scorched thumb, but the are to be retu rned to the water

are wise bets. I suggest red and white,

end result, a trophy on your stringer, I find that a firm hold behind the yellow and white and yellow a nd

seems to make it all worthwhile.

head , in the neck region, with the black.

But I learned this lesson the hard fingers under the gill flaps provides Chain pickerel are loaded with the

way Several years ago I had a four- more security and greater ease of same Y-shaped bones that make

pounder strike my lure just as I was handling.

musky and pike anglers curse. Never-

lifting it from the water to make During the fall months the prime theless, fiiiets fro m larger pickerel

another cast. He struck the Heddon feeding time for chain pickerel in can provide even the most discrimi-

injured-minnow lure with such sav- both the northern and southern states nating tastebuds with delicious fare.

agery that the hackles stuck up on seems to be during mid-afternoon A good way to prepa re is to bake

the back of my neck as I was taken when the shallows are at their warm- and ~cason with melted butter and

by surprise. Unconsciously I rared est. White , yellow, silver and chrome lemon juice and serve with side dishes

back and derricked the green Junker lures that flash a lot seem to provide that are not too ri ch or spicy.

right into my lap. One of the lure's the most consistent action.

Before you stow away your fishing

treble hooks caught in my shirt while As the water temperature dips into gear and break out hunting equip-

the thrashing fish remained hooked the fifties, pickerel will head for their ment thi s fall, give the chain oi ckerel

on the plug's other hooks . I was able deep-water winter seclusions and a chunk of yo ur outdoor time. I

to subdue the fish without danger their feeding is considerably reduced . guarantee you 'll become addicted to

from the slashing ivories, but un- Deep diving plugs, spoons and jigs backwater dynamite and end of the

fortunately only after I whacked my nudged slowly along the bottom are season a ngling!

,_

knee a couple of times with the iron

priest. Since that incident nobody has

had to remind me to keep my drag

on the light side when fishing for

pickerel.

When wet-wading the brush-filled

tributaries, I've found that a landing

net is a real hindrance. Seems the

darn thing keeps snagging in the

brush and then releasing and snap-

ping me with kidney chops and neck

whacks, so I've given up using one

almost entirely M any anglers con-

tinue to land pickerel (and also pike

and muskies) by grasping the fi sh in

the eye sockets with thumb and fore-

finger But with the last ditch explo-

Success is not too diffiwlt in pickere l- fi lled waters such
as th e Okefe nokee! Often caught while fishin g fo r oth er
species, th ese explosive fighters readily strike a
variety of lures and baits.

6

Laser geodimeter is used in measuring precise lineal distances for topographic mapping. Laser beam bounces back from reflector at points as distant as 30 miles.
natural resource conservation, in highway construction and in industrial development- has begun in Georgia.
Public officials and business leaders say this is an investment that will more than pay for itself in a few years and we can find ourselves topographically Sportsmen and conservationists and ecologists heartily agree! Topographic maps are highly useful in outdoor sports and recreation. Topographic maps can be used as a substitute for pre-season scouting for a white-tailed deer hunt. The maps show the strategic spots to be -funnels, saddles, knobs, gullies and steps where the big bucks will be moving. Topographic maps are also a big assist to anglers in locating productive streams and lakes and the best access to good fishing waters.
A topographic map graphicaily represents the surface of the earth and the man-made features on that surface. Current topographic maps show the exact location, altitude, and configuration of mountains, valleys, stream and river drainages, Jakes , towns , cities, roads, major buildings, railroads, airports and other features .
The topographic mapping begins with aerial photography and continues through horizontal and vertical surveys, field surveys and stadia traverses, supplemental control work and stereoplotting to finished maps. More than 1000 control points with monuments are: being established in the statewide topographic mapping and

Photo by Dick Davi
preparation of the maps which is being done by federal personnel.
The $9 million six-year program will provide topographic maps of ail areas of the state on a matching fund basis with the federal government. The cost to the State will be $4.5 million. The maps will be in 7V3 minute quadrangles with a scale of one inch equals 2000 feet.
The Earth and Water Division supervises activities of the Departmen t of Natural Resources in carrying forward .the topographic mapping program . Approximately 40 percent of Georgia is now covered by up-todate topographic maps in 7 V3 -minute quadrangles.
The state will be covered by approximately 1000 topographic maps. Field work for the mapping began in southeast Georgia and is now being directed from field offices in Cartersville and Fitzgerald. The aerial photography for the entire state wiil be completed by March, 1974, ail field work is to be completed by June , 1975 , advance topographic prints wiil be available by the middle of 1976, and ail color topographic maps in the state will be printed and ready for distribution by the end of Fiscal Year 1977
When completed, the topographic mapping wiil place Georgia on a par with neighboring southeastern states in this important economic aspect. Before the start of the

8

current statewide program, only 30 percent of the area of Georgia was coveted by up-to-date topographic maps of the useful scale of one inch equals 2000 feet. This has severely penalized Georgia in industrial development, in severly penalized Georgia in industrial development, in highway construction, in many phases of recreational and land use planning, in geologic and mineral exploration, and in developing flood and navigational control fac ilities.
In planning many highways in the state in past years, it has been necessary to prepare narrow strip topographic maps before actual layout of the highways, because area topographic maps were not available. Such substantial costs will be avoided when the statewide topographic mapping is completed.
A companion program being conducted by the Georgia Department of Transportation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is establishing geodetic monuments throughout the state. The monuments are being spaced three to eight miles apart showing horizontal coordinates similar to latitude and longitude and vertical controls based on an extremely accurate system of triangulation. This triangulation is of such accuracy that errors would be less than one foot in approximately 19 miles. The Department of Transportation is now placing additional markers at points alongside or near roadways. This program of establishing vertical and horizontal controls prior to topographic mapping facilitates the work of mapping field crews.
The monuments will provide a basic framework for much more accurate mapping of the state than has heretofore been possible, and this is a major boon in natural resource planning. The monuments can be used eventually to tie every piece of property in the state to the same reference system.
The Earth and Water Division of the Department of Natural Resources, 19 Hunter Street, S.W., Atlanta 30334, is the major state outlet for the purchase of topographic maps. The maps can be purchased over-thecounter or by mail order from this Division or from the Distribution Section, U.S. Geological Survey, 1200 South Eads Street, Arlington, Virginia 22202. -.

Plane table smveys, above, provide supplemental elevations for plotting contours on the topographic maps.

A benchmark, at left, placed by U.S. G eologica l Survey is one of many permanent monuments erected as the topographic mapping progresses.
9

Field Dress
and Cook YOur
Game
By Ed Pearce
Proper field care and final preparation at home are important milestones on the road from preparation for the hunt through days afield and successful bag to final enjoyment of the hunt's rewards.
10

Too many hunters fail to extract maximum satisfaction and enjoyment from their sport because they don't know how to either field-dress a deer or cook the meat.
I can't forget the expression on the face of a young hunter I encountered on a deer hunt in north Georgia. While his eyes sparkled with triumph at having downed a beautiful 6-poirit white-tail, his face mirrored puzzlement at what to do (lext. A glance showed me he had no hunting knife or anything else needed to field-dress a deer. A few questions and I also knew that he had not the slightest idea of how to get the deer to his car.
Because I couldn't see that good meat wasted, I field-dressed his deer. As I finished, my hunting partner came up. We cut an 8-foot branch from a nearby tree, swung the deer from it by rope and he and my partner had it to his car before nightfall. Today he's a respected member of our hunting club and can dress his own deer.
Among the minimum accessory requirements of the hunter are throwaway plastic gloves, a 20-foot nylon rope, a polyethylene bag and a sharp hunting knife. That's all you need to field-dress your game. You should also obtain a compact, step-by-step, well-illustrated guide showing how to dress a deer and always carry it in the pocket of your hunting coat. You can find this type of guide at any store selling guns and ammunition, also the popular outdoor magazines feature them at periodic intervals.
Venison is a delicacy. Rarely do you have access to it except as a result of your own efforts. The first step to a delicious venison dinner is the proper field-dressing of the deer. Most of the "gamy" flavor so disliked is caused by improper care of the animal. If you dress it out immediately, if you do it correctly, if you let it cool and, within a short time (depending on the weather), get it into the hands of a competent butcher, you'll not only avoid much wastage but also have good, tasty venison.
Unless you've had experience in butchering, I don't advise your trying it on a deer. Take it to a licensed butcher and instruct him to cut off all fat, save all trimmings, cube the

meat from the neck and shoulders, size the roasts to 3-4 pounds, cut the
steaks about % of an inch thick and
mark and package each item for your freezer. Roasts should be packaged individually, steaks according to the number in your family.
By all means, learn to cook your game. Sure, it's nice to pass the buck to your wife, but how about while you're in camp?
Venison is a very dry meat because of the lack of fat, so you must add bacon, bacon drippings, lard or butter. The cooking is remarkably similar to that of beef, except that it's very easy to overcook venison. Even if you don't like rare beef, always cook your venison rare. It remains tender, tasty and juicy that way. Be cautious in marinating venison with wines; it's easily overdone and too much wine masks the distinctive and much-to-be-desired venison flavor.
Here are some recipes we use at our house: Liver and Heart
I don't know of any cuts of venison that make a more satisfying meal than the liver and heart. If we're camped out, we eat them there; if not, we have a celebration dinner on arriving at home.
You can easily prepare them in camp the day following the kill. Soak them overnight in salt water, remove the membrane, slice them thin, dip them in a mixture of salt and pepper and either fry them with onions or grill them over charcoal. Steaks
When you examine the steaks, you'll notice they're not marbled. Unless the deer was very young, chances are that they'll be on the tough side. They should be about % of an inch thick, and the necessary tenderizing can be accomplished in a few minutes with a meat mallet. Dip them in a mixture of salt, pepper and flour and braise them in butter in a frying p.an until browned. Place them in a pan and add a pat of butter to each. Cover them with finely chopped onions, carrots and green peppers. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over all, cover with foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees for about two hours. At the end of an hour, !ift the aluminum slightly and add half a cup of water.
If you've ever eaten a more tender and savory meat than these steaks,

you're lucky indeed.

Roasts

In preparing roasts, don't fall into

the trap that many housewives do-

that of using too many spices. Seems

that because it's wild meat or is said

to have a "gamy" flavor, she thinks

she must doctor it with spices to

make it palatable. Or perhaps she

got hold of some European cookbook.

Keep it simple and the real taste of

the vension-there's nothing else like

it-comes through. Avoid the use of

thyme, marjoram, mint, currant jelly,

rosemary leaves, etc. If you must

marinate, use 1 cup of olive oil, 1
crushed clove garlic and V2 tsp. of

Worcestershire sauce and limit the

time to one hour (I don't feel it

necessary).

Cover a 3-4 pound roast with sev-

eral bacon slices and cook it first for

15 minutes at 425 degrees until the

bacon is browned; then remove the

bacon. Combine % cup of red wine

(no more) with 1 cup of beef broth

and pour it into the pan. Salt and

pepper the roast sparingly. Cover

with foil and roast about two hours

at 325 degrees, basting every 15

minutes.

Stew

Venison stew is really a treat. It

is both savory and filling, and my

most cherished meal.

Dip the trimmings your butcher

saved for you and the cubed meat

from the neck and shoulders in a

mixture of salt, pepper and flour.

Braise them in a skillet for 10 to 15

minutes with hot fat, then drop them

in two quarts of boiling water. Sim-

mer, covered, over low heat for about

two hours until the venison is tender.

Add chopped onions, celery and car-

rots, one bay leaf, and cubed po-

tatoes and mushrooms. Cook about

30 more minutes until all is tender.

Blend flour with cold water and stir

into stew. Cook until 'thickened.

Three pounds of trimmings makes

enough stew for six.

Such a stew has made for me many

friends; even non-hunters and my

wife love it.

By personally field-dressing your

deer and cooking the meat you have

completed the hunter's cycle from

the initial preparations for the hunt

through the actual hunt to the final

enjoyment of the results of the hunt.

That makes the whole thing worth-

while!

-

11

Sapelo Island
By Mary L. Waters

Sapelo Island is one of the barrier islands off the Georgia Coast and , unlike St. Simons and Jekyll Islands , is access ible only by boat . Sapelo is approx im ately eleven mil es long and two and one-half miles wide. It lies about sixteen miles east of Darien in McIntosh County, and is reached after a fort y-minute boat ride from Darien.
The island consists of approxim ately 16,000 acres of marsh and high ground . Approx im ately 4 ,000 acres remain under the possession of the Sapelo Island Research Foundation

established by the late R ichard J Reynolds, the most recent owner of the Island . Approxim ately 12,000 acres on the north end were purchased by the State of Georgia from the Reynolds Foundation in 1969 . Still another small portion of the island is owned by members of the Hog H~m mock Negro Settlement.
The topography of Sapelo Island is typical of the area with high ground approximately six to ten fee t above sea level. Water areas co nsist of tidal creeks and marsh with around 250

Pho to by Ted Bo rg
ar,eas of fresh water ponds. Vege t ation con sist s of mo ss-
shroud ed live oaks, some cypress, pin e-h ard wood and a ground cover of palmetto, marsh grass (Spartin a alterniftora) and saltm arsh ru sh (Juncu s roe meri anu s).
Wildl ife is in abundance here and includes th e deer, grey squirrel, raccoon, and va riou s species of birds and reptii P ~ . Also, there rema in s on the remote north end a herd of AngusBrahma cattle, left-overs of a da iry operation carried on by one of the

former owners of the island . Mosquitos, chiggers, ticks and other insects typical of the coastal region are in abundance here.
The backside, or mainland side of Sapelo Island is bounded by Doboy Sound , Barn Creek, and Postoffice Creek; the north end by Mud River and Sapelo So und ; the sound end by Doboy Sound ; and the eastern side by the Atlantic Ocean. There are two be aches along the Atlantic: Nanny Goat Beach and Cabretta Beach . It has been noted that Cabretta Beach in particular is undergoing radical change, influenced by the winds and the tides. A sandbar, located several yards out from the beach, appears to be much wider now th an it was only one year ago. This bar forms a sort of inlet or bay between the ocean and the beach, but if these changes continue, it is believed th at the bar will soon completely fill in across the inlet and become a part of the beach.
The south end of Sapelo, owned by the Foundation, is mostly cleared and is sparsely populated with families of the staff of the University of Georgia Marine Institute located here. This institute is endowed by the Sapelo Island Research Foundation.
The northern po rtion of the island belongs to the State of Georgia and remains in its natural state, wild and remote, and retaining its historic and natural beauty The game management supervisor for the Game and Fish Division of the Department of Natural R esources, along with his fa mily, one wildlife biologist and one biological aide, are the onl y residents of this portion of th e island.
The stately moss-draped live oaks stand in their serenity on Sapelo as they have done for years; the marsh grasses blow with the breezes from the Atlantic, and the deer and other wildlife flourish in native h abitat. The birds migrate to and from this place and their song can be heard among the breezes in the virtually unpolluated air over Sapelo . The deer graze in the old plantation fields and all forms of life are very peaceful and content.
Long before the white man appeared on the scene, Sapelo Island was inhabited by coastal Indian tribes (mostly Creek), whose most ample sustenance came from hunting the forests and fishing in the creeks and the sea. The only reminders visible today of this inhabitation is a burial

mound and a mysterious "shell" ring. The significance of this circular shape is unknown to modern man but perhaps possessed some sort of ceremonial meaning to the Indian. Archeologists have estimated the age of
this immense ring, measuring approximately 300 feet in diameter with a 12-foot wall. to be somewhat around 3500 to 4000 years old. Legend has it the aging chi ef considered oysters to be such a delicacy that he sent runners to bring them in while he sat and ate them. tossing the shells over his shoulder to land where they may, thus resulti ng in this immense ring! The remains of this shell ring are visible today on a bluff on the north end of the island, and when standing inside the ring, among the ocean breezes and the serenity of the site. one is almost certain that this place was in some way sacred to the Indian and can visualize him perhaps worshipping his gods . rhe feeling you have here is that the Indian reali zed there had to be a Being greater than he , for who or what else could provide such a beautiful place and such abundant hunting grounds!
Sapelo Island was discovered by the white man in 1520 when Portu-

Photo by Bud Van Orden
guese sailors landed on its shores. The Spaniards appeared on the scene around the middle 1500's and estab1ished missions which flourished in this area some 200 years before the first mission was known to have been in existence on the west coast of America. Tabby ruins visible on Sapelo today are bel ieved by some to be that of one of these Soanish missions. later used by the Franciscans. and many vears later as a school and church by the slaves.
Among the first settlers of Saoelo Island was Pedro Menendez, a scholarl y Jesuit, who christened the island "Gu 81e" in the year 1606. Menendez was the author of th e fir st book ever written in America. This was a "grammar" written in the Yamassee ton.gue for use by the Indi an children of th e island.
The pirate Blackbeard. who frequented the Geor,gia coast in the ea rl y 1700's. supposedly made the aba ndoned mission on Sapelo his lair, and buried his treasure on Blackbeard Island , whiC'h lies iust across Cabretta Creek off the north end of Sapelo.
At the time land was ceded by treaty to the King of England for th e settlement of the Colony of Georgia,

15

Sapelo, Ossabaw and St. Catherine's Islands were the three islands retained by the coastal Indians as their hunting and fishing lands. In 1757, however, the Lower Creek Nation gave these three islands to George II, King of England at that time.
In 1760 Sapelo was placed on sale and was purchased by Grey Elliott, a land speculator and also member of the King's Council in the Colony of Georgia. In 1762 the island was sold to Patrick McKay, a Scotsman and Indian trader McKay was the first large planter on Sapelo. Certain spots on the island retain the "McKay" name, such as the old fields at High Point on the north end of the island, called "McKay's fields," and McKay's Creek.
In 1784, John McQueen, a South Carolinian, purchased the island from McKay's estate at a "sheriff's sale" and lived here in great splendor It seems that he became the owner of four of the golden islands and, because of his high-living, became heavily indebted and was finally forced to flee to Florida where he became a Spanish citizen.
During the period of 1789 up to the early years of the 19th century,
Photo by Bud Van Orden

Sapelo was inhabited by a small group of Frenchmen who had fled the Revolution in France to seek a haven in America. One of these Frenchmen, DuBignon, was full owner of Jekyll Island at one time.
These Frenchmen of Sapelo proved to be a very high-spirited and quicktempered lot who left to Sapelo's history a display of intrigue, hatred and jealousy There was evidence of great distrust among the group and this resulted in a duel between two of their number Finally, in 1801 this French population on Sapelo had dwindled until only Marquis de Montalet, a Santo Domingo planter and descendant of one of the first Frenchmen to settle here, was left to carry on the French tradition on the island. Mantalet built his plantation home on a bluff on the north end of the island. This is believed to be the site now called "Chocolate" where old tabby ruins still stand. "Chocolate" is a corruption by the Negro slaves of the plantation name, "Le Chatelet."
Montalet was a gourmet and devoted much time to training his Negro chef in the art of cooking. He searched the island relentlessly for truffles, leading a pig around on a leash in the

hopes he would uncover this delicacy, but was most sadly disappointed that none were ever found.
As a reminder of this French "civilization" there remaim on the island headstsones marking their graves, almost invisible now, as over the many years the palmettos and many feet of marsh mud and silt have covered them.
In 1800, the Scotsman. Thomas Soaulding, the heir to the Barony of Ashantilly became owner of Saoelo. The island flourished during the plantation era under the Spaulding domain. There were parties galore, and a host of visitors. for he entertained most sumptuously It was Thomas Spaulding who introduced sea island cotton to this area, and he also operated a sugar mill and raised a herd of blooded Aberdeen Angus bulls on the island.
Spaulding's foreman was a scrupulous slave called Bu Allah, believed to be of French Sudanese origin, and a devout Moslem who paused three times a day to kneel on his sheepskin prayer rug while bowing to the east. Bu Allah is the ancestor of some of the slave descendants still living on Sapelo today, who are very proud of their ancestry, and refer to Bu Allah as "the old man ." It seems that Thomas Spaulding treated. his slaves very well, gave them a shorter work week, and armed them with muskets during the War of 1812.
Spaulding built the big tabby house on the south end of the island which is called "South End Place." He lived on Sapelo in "plantation era splendor" amid his cotton fields, cattle, and slaves. In addition to the operation of his plantation, he found time to serve one term as a U.S. Congressman and was one of those responsible for forging the Georgia Constitution.
Spaulding's domain on Sapelo was virtually destroyed by the Civil War, however, as were most of the others in the area, but fortunately he did not live to witness this distaster. The Spaulding sons returned from battle to find South End Place in ruins, the

16

slaves scattered and the fields wasted. Confederate soldiers had occupied the Island at one time during the war, setting up their tents in the grove ne ar the ruins of the once stunning ~md beautiful home of Thomas Spau:ding. After the Confederates evacuated the island, federal blockades were established for the purpose of strangling Georgia's commerce, and the soldiers on shore-leave from the blockades hunted, fished and bathed on Sapelo as did the Indians hundreds of years before.
Sapelo Island did not recover from the war until the 1920's when it was purchased by the Detroit auto magnet, Howard Coffin. On the ruins of South End Place he built a beautiful stucco mansion containing ballrooms, pools, Italian marble nymphs and a muraled indoor swimming pool. Coffin acted as his own architect and used his own employees as builders. (At one time he was known to have 200 employees.) He developed an oyster plant here that provided employment for many of the Negro families who had remained after the war. Shrimp packing was added to seafood canning enterprise which was later enlarged to include a similar business in Darien.
During Coffin's ownership, some of the old plantation fields were cleared and replanted to sea island cotton and food crops. Miles of shell roads were built, riding trails opened, creeks bridged, artesian wells dug. and an electric power plant built. Extensive tracts of grassland were planted as range for Aberdeen-Angus beef cattle and a dairy herd of Guernseys some 2.000 head in all. A machine shop was set up to service the farm equipment and a marine railway built to accommodate the boats that were the island's only contact with the mainland. There were speed boats. a mail boat. and Coffin's beautiful 124foot yacht, the "Zapala."
Coffin brought to Sapelo, principally from Guatemala, specimens of three birds which seemed to offer the best prospects of survival on the Geor-

gia coast- the ocellated turkey, the curassow and the chachalaca. The turkey and the curassow were not able to adapt to the coastal climate but the chachalaca did well and can still be found on Sapelo today Once Coffin carried out an experiment to determine how many different kinds of meat could be prepared for the table without leaving the island. Counting seafood (including various species of fish as one meat), a different islandproduced entree was served every day for five weeks! Coffin had many sportsman friends , and to insure against the depletion of the obviously abundant wildlife. a sort of game management program was established under the direction of a gamekeeper from England. Ponds fed by artesian wells were dug to attract wild ducks; pheasant and quail were raised and released in the forests which already abounded in deer, wild turkey and small game. This was the first game management program initiated on the island.
Coffin entertained a great host of visitors during his possession of Sapelo. thus carrying on the tradition of the island's past gracious hospitality Among these many visitors was

Charles Lindbergh, who visited for a few days on the island in 1927, just a few month s after his historic flight across the Atlantic. There was no landing field on the island at that time and Lindbergh, arriving alone in a single-engine plane, made a landing in one of th e pastures from which cattle had been cl eared . Another visitor was President and Mrs . Calvin Coolidge. who visited in 1928 near the end of their last year in the White House. An English portrait painter was included in the invitation and while here painted the portraits of the Coolidges in Mr Coffin's study with its overhead skylight. Other distinguished visitors of the Coffins were the Herbert Hoovers who vacationed here with the Coffins shortly after the end of Mr Hoover's Presidential term.
During the last few vears of his residence on Sapelo, Coffin's interests turned to the development of the Sea Island resort and in 1936 he sold Sapelo to Richard J Reynolds, tobacco heir from North Carolina.
Richard Reynolds followed the tradition of Sapelo's extravagant hospitality also. and hosted numerous visitors. He improved South End Place during his domain, and created

l7

the Sapelo Island Research Foundation designed to preserve the Island for resea rch. This lead to the foundin g of the University of Georgia's Marine Institute in 1954 which is still in operatio n today The laboratories used by the institute are housed in buildings once used by Reynolds as a dairy complex. The marsh and the sea serve as natural laboratories for studying marine life and in preserving the marshes .
The northern portion of the island, now owned by the State of Georgia , is called the Richard J Reynolds Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is dedicated to the preserva tion of the island's wildlife, and a wildlife management plan is underway by the Department of Natural Resources' Game and Fish Divi sion.
At one time Mr Reynolds operated a Camp for Underprivileged Boys here and the cabins are still standing as reminders. Another reminder of R. J Reynolds' days on Sapelo is a strong, healthy white horse called "Pete," who was left by Reynolds to roam the island to his heart's content as long as he lives!
Some 300 or more Negroes, direct descendants of the Spaulding slaves, still live on Sapelo today in the Hog Hammock section. They live a quiet, peaceful and content life, most of them never having lived anywhere else. They have their little garden plots and depend upon the sea for part of their sustenance as did the very first inhabitants of Sapelo many years ago. These people are a very unique and proud group. Like their ancestors, they are very superstitious, still very much believe in ghosts, and have even been known to practice voodoo at times ! These Negroes are sometimes called "Gullah'' which some historians believe may have derived from "Golla," the name of a Liberian tribe of people. Their dialect is sometimes incomprehensible to whites as they seem to combine English, African and the most elemental and lyrical "onomatopoeia."
Prayer meeting is held in Hog Hammock almost every other night either at their First African Baptist Church or St. Luke's Baptist. It is the custom for the men to sit on one side of the church and the women on the other. Their church services are car-

ried out much in the same way as during slavery days. The amen corner is a highlight and contributes much to the service. It is not unusual on special occasions, or even at any regular service in Hog Hammock, to see a white face or two in the congregation, as th ere are not separate churches on the island for the white people. The whites are made welcome and presented with a fan to use during the service on very hot and humid days.
This year, 1972, the First African Baptist Church of Sapelo Island celebrated its 106th anniversary Prior to the construction of the present church buildilng these people attended services at the Raccoon Bluff Church which still stands on the north end of the island near the bluff. This church was built from the remains of the old yellow fever quarantine station used during the fever empidemic, on Blackbeard Island. The bigger portion of the building was washed from Blackbeard to Sapelo in a hurricane in 1898. The original congregation, however, was founded in 1866 at Hanging

Pho to by Ted Borg

Bull , and the tabby remains of this

structure are still visible today

On Sapelo Island today, after cen-

turies of colorful and historic events,

the days of former inhabitants, the

Indians, Portuguese, Spanish, French

and all the other suptuous-living,

party-giving people, have given way

to other interests. You might say the

Sapelo of today is an eleven-mile by

two and one-half-mile scientific labo-

ratory One o n the so uth end, the

Marine Institute, with the sea and

marshes as laboratories, studies and

attempts to preserve marine life and

Georgia's all-important marshlands.

On the north end, with the forests , old

fields , creeks and fresh-water ponds

as laboratories the State of Georgia,

through its Game and Fish Division ,

is in the midst of a wildlife manage-

ment program designed to preserve for

posterity Sapelo's wildlife and forests.

All life in this place, both marine life

and wild life, is studied in its natural,

virtually unpolluted habitat This

"island laboratory" is indeed a very ,

very unique place!

,_

18

Georgia's
White-Tailed Deer
1972 Edition
By Aaron Pass

The forecast for Georgia deer hunters seems particularly bright this fall. From all current field reports, the 1972 deer season should be at least as good as 1971 and in a couple of areas it is being predicted as "the best ever."
Statewide, the reports tend to support the fact that Georgia's deer population is continuing to grow and expand. In all but two instances, these regional reports have noted an increasing population and the two exceptions report stable populations, holding their own. Overall, the mast and forage crops that deer depend on have produced well and there should be no widespread food shortage this season.
The following reports were made in late September and reflect the conditions as they were then. It should be noted that conditions may have changed before hunting season and that they might not be wholly accurate in isolated, individual localities.
In northwest Georgia, the outlook is for very good deer hunting this season. The acorn crop and other mast production has been good and the summer has produced ample forage. Picking the best Wildlife Management Areas in this section, the honors go to Allatoona and Berry College. Allatoona in particular has improved greatly over the past few years. On the outside, Floyd, Haralson, Paulding and Polk counties look good.
Northeast Georgia reports "average" deer hunting prospects. The acorn crop, judging from early reports, is off this year, but hickory and other mast looks good. Lake Russell is picked as the most productive Wildlife

Management Area, followed by Lake Burton and Chattahoochee. White, Union and Lumpkin counties usually produce the most deer on the outside hunts.
Middle Georgia is the real gem of the state's deer hunting and, the "best hunting ever" is predicted. Acorn and other mast production is good and the deer should be in fine shape. It's hard to single out any one Wildlife Management Area as the best, and B. F. Grant (formerly Piedmont Experiment), Cedar Creek and Ocmulgee all look good. Jones, Monroe and Jasper should be the top deer-producing counties.
In the southwest section of the state, the forecast is "good" for deer hunters. Mast production is good this year but the dry weather in this section could cause some difficulties. Chickasawhatchee is this section's only Wildlife Management Area and should be productive this year. The top counties appear to be Calhoun, Baker, Thomas and Grady.
The south-central part of the state should enjoy good hunting and reports indicate that the deer population is increasing. Mast production is good and the best hunting will be found in and around the remaining hardwood stands. Bullard Creek and Alapaha are two promising Wildlife Management Areas and a whole host of counties look good. Pulaski, Bleckley, Wilcox and Telfair look good, but all the counties have good deer hunting near hardwoods.
The coastal area predicts an "average" season. The mast looks good from preliminary reports and the whole coastal belt should enjoy "fair to good" hunting.

19

Going on past years' results, middle Georgia should

be the most productive region in the state. In the season

of 1969-70, middle Georgia contributed 56% of the

total state deer harvest. North Georgia accounted for

12 % , southwest and south central racked up 15% and

the southeast (including the coastal area) contributed

17 % This season's statewide harvest is expected to

break down about the same way Wildlife managers

expect a total harvest slightly higher than last season's

33,348 legal deer, all other factors being equal.

Georgia's white-tailed deer is one of the brightest

success stories in modern, scientific game management.

Deer were virtually extinct in the state around the turn

of the century They were brought to this low ebb by

illegal and excessive hunting and loss of forest habitat

to agriculture. Initially, deer were restocked in the

mountains in the late 20's and, under close protection,

these slowly increased. In the late 40's a rural-to-urban

shift allowed much of the state's farmland to return to

forest and with federal aid, Georgia's white-tailed deer

restoration began in earnest. Today the state's deer pop-

ulation has grown to 200,000, with deer present in every

county and in huntable numbers in 144 counties. Thanks

to the license dollars paid by the state's sportsmen and

to the federal funds provided under the Pittman-Robert-

son Act taxing sporting arms and ammunition, Georgia

probably has more white-tailed deer in 1972 than were

present when Columbus arrived in the new world in

1492.

Due to this increasing deer population, deer hunting

has steadily grown more popular and successful for the

state's sportsmen. Last season saw deer as the most

popular game in the state in terms of hunter/ days in

the field.

Last season's harvest amounted to 33,348 deer taken

by 155,275 hunters, or 1 deer bagged for every 4.7

hunters. This shows a considerable increase in both

deer and hunters since 1962-63 when 13,000 deer were

bagged by 86,000 hunters.

By survey it has been deduced that approximately

52 % of the state's licensed hunters go after deer The

survey shows that "Sam Deerstalker," the average Geor-

gia hunter, spends about 7V2 days hunting each season

and collects a deer for every 35 days he hunts, about

one deer every 5 seasons. For this, Sam and his fellow

deer hunters spent $9 ,371,000 in 1971-72. This was an

average expenditure of $56.12 per season, per man.

Sam pays about $286.49 for every deer he bags. That's

pretty expensive venison. At these prices, it's easy to

see how the poacher and the game-hog cost average

law-abiding sportsmen lots of money as well as sport.

The game law violator really is a thief.

Such distasteful subjects aside, 1972 looks like a

very good year for "Sam Deerstalker" with plentiful

deer, increased hunting opportunity (see Deer Seasons

-Bonus Hunts, this issue) and plenty of public land

to hunt on. Georgia's number one game animal should

hold its position with no trouble.

,_

Photo by leonard lee Rue, Ill
Georgia's white tail crop for 1972 is an excellent one! A mild winter saw a good increase in the deer herd.

Photo by Ted Borg

A large part of the credit for a good deer herd must go to the efforts of th e m en in th e
Gam e Managem ent Section of the Game & Fish Division.

20

Tennessee

North Carolina

HUNTING AREAS
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IE DRill

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AREAS OPEN TO PUBLIC

MANAGED LAND

Florida
21

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1972
DEER SEASON

DEER Archery The open season for hunting deer with bow and arrow in Game Zones I, IT, III, IV and V, shall be from September 30 through October 28, 1972 in any county, or part thereof, having a legal firearms deer season. Bag limit is two (2) bucks or one (1) buck and one (I) doe. Hunting with dogs prohibited except in such areas and during such times as dogs are legal under firearms hunting regulations.
Exception. The open season for hunting deer with bow and arrow in Game Zone VI shall be from September 30 through October 13, 1972, in any county, or part thereof having a legal firearms deer season. Bag limit is two (2) bucks or one (1) buck and one (I) doe. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
Notice: Archery equipment may be used during firearms hunts, howeve r, all hunters must abide by firearms regulations as to bag limits. (260-2-.33 Amended)
DEER Firearms GAME ZONE L (see map): Open season November 4 through November 25, 1972. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited. The followin g counties in Game Zone I arc closed to the taking of deer except as otherwise provided: that portion of Bartow and Cherokee Counties between Knox Bridge and Stamp Creek lying south of Ga. Hi ghway #20 to Lake Allatoona, C2toosa. Cobb. DcKalb. Fulton, Hart. Murray. Pickens and Whitfie ld . (260-2-.34 Amended)
GAME ZONE ll (see map) : Open season November 4 through December 2. 1972 in all counties in Game Zone II. except Bibb and Clayton Counties. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
GAME ZONE II (see map): Bon us Hunt. The follo"Y-

Photo by Leonard Lee Rue, Ill
ing counties in Game Zone II will be open for a bonus hunt December 25, 1972 through January 1, 1973 Baldwin , Bleckley, Butts, Clarke, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dool y, Elbert, Fayette, Greene , Hancock, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, Macon, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, McDuffie, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Peach , Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Richmond , Rockd ale, Schley, Spalding, Talbot, Tali afe rro , Taylor, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walton, Warren , Wilkes and Wilkinson. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
GAME ZONE II (see map) : Either Sex Hunt. The following counties in Game Zone II will be open for the taking of deer of either sex on December 2, 1972 and January 1, 1973 Baldwin, Butts, Columbia, Crawford, Greene. Hancock, Henry, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, M acon, Monroe, Morgan , McDuffie, Newton, Putnam, Spalding, Talbot, Taylor, Upson and Wilkes. Bag limit two (2) bucks or one (1) buck and one (1) doe. Hunting with dogs prohibited. (260-2-.35 Amended)
GAME ZONE III (see map): November 4, 1972 through January 1, 1973. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed in Calhoun, Dougherty, Baker, that portion of Lee lying west of U S. Highway 19, Mitchell, Seminole, Early, Grady, Thomas and Decatur Counties.
GAME ZONE III (see map): Either Sex Hunt. The foll?wing counties in Game Zone III will be open for the takmg of deer of either sex for two days, December 30, 1972 and January 1, 1973 Chattahoochee and Muscogee. Bag limit two (2) bucks or one (1) buck and one (1) doe. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
Hunting with dogs prohibited in Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Randolph, Clay, Quitman and Miller Counties.
23

Hunting with dogs allowed from December 18, 1972 through January 1, 1973 in Marion Stewart, Terrell and Webster Counties. (260-2-.36 Amended)
GAME ZONE IV (see map): November 4, 1972 through November 25, 1972 in the following counties except as otherwise provided: Ben Hill, Coffee, Colquitt, that portion of Dodge County lying west of Ga. Highway 230 and north of U.S. Highway 280. Irwin, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, that portion of Lee lying east of U.S. Highway 19, Montgomery, Sumter, Telfair, Tift, Wheeler, Wilcox and Worth. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
Hunting with dogs allowed in Colquitt County on November 17-18 and December 15-16, 1972. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed.
Hunting with dogs allowed in that portion of Johnson County lying east of the Ohoopee River on November 13 through 25, 1972. Bag limit two (2) bucks.
Hunting with dogs allowed in that portion of Wilcox Countv lying east of U.S. Highway 129 and north of U.S. Highway 280on November 23, 24 and 25, 1972.
Hunting with dogs allowed in that portion of Toombs County lying south of Ga. Highway 107 and 56 from November 4 through November 25, 1972. Bag limit two (2) bucks.
That portion of Dodge County which is open as shown above shall be open for the taking of deer with dogs on November 23, 24 and 25, 1972.
GAME ZONE V (see map): November 4, 1972 through November 18, 1972 in the following counties except as otherwise provided: Brooks, that portion of Echols County lying west of the Alapaha River. Lanier, except that portion lying north of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and east of the Alapaha River and southeast of U. S. #221, and Lowndes. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
October 14, 1972 through January 1, 1973 in the following counties except as otherwise provided: Clinch County, except that portion lying in the southwest corner of the county, bordered on the north by the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and on the east by Suwannoochee Creek, and that portion lying north of Arabia Bay Wildlife Management Area and between U. S. Highway 221 and U. S. Highway 441, and that portion of Clinch County lying northwest of U.S. Highway #221, all of which is closed; that portion of Echols County lying east of U. S. Highway 129 and south of Ga. Highway # 187; Charlton except that portion lying. northwest of the Okefenokee Swamp, which is closed; that portion of Lanier County lying north of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and east of the Alapaha River and southeast of U. S. Highway #221; that portion of Pierce County lying south of U.S. Highway #82, east of Ga. Highway ~ 121, ?nd west of Ga. Highway #32, and also that portion lymg north of Pleasant Hill Church Road and bounded on the east by U. S. Highway 82. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed.
November 20 through 25, 1972 in the following counties: that portion of Atkinson County lying south of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and east of U. S. Highway #221; that portion of Berrien County lying east of U.S. Highway #129, south of the Alapaha River, north

of Georgia Highway #76 and west of Georgia Highway
# 135. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed.
November 4 through November 25, 1972 in Atkinson and Berrien Counties. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited.
November 4 through November 25. 1972 in that portion of Ware County lying south of U. S. Highway 82 and west of a road known locally as Swamp Road or Hopkins Road (S. 1914) to a point just north of Gum Swamp Creek known as the Bee Yard Road and continuing along Bee Yard Road to the Blitch Road, along Blitch Road to the Clinch County line. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs allowed. (260-2-.38 Amended)
GAME ZONE VI (see map): Open season October 14, 1972 through January 1, 1973. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs permitted, except as otherwise provided. Treutlen County is closed to the taking of deer at any time.
Glascock County shall be open for the taking of deer November 4, 1972 through January 1, 1973. Bag limit two (2) bucks. Hunting with dogs prohibited, provided however, that hunting with dogs will be allowed in Glascock County from December 18, 1972 through January 1, 1973.
The marshes and islands lying east of the Intercoastal Waterway in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and Mcintosh Counties will be open for the taking of deer of either sex on October 14, 1972 through January 1, 1973. Bag limit two (2) bucks or one (1) buck and one (1) doe. Hunting with dogs allowed; provided however, that Sapelo and Blackbeard Islands are closed to all hunting except as otherwise specifically provided. (260-2-.39 Amended)
THE VIOLATOR IS A TIDEF

Because Georgia's wildlife belongs to everyone, the game law violator is a thief. You can help preserve Georgia's wildlife by reporting violations, along with the car tag number on the violator's car, a brief description, the location, time, and other helpful information. Rangers may be reached by calling collect the nearest district office of the Division, your local sheriff or police department, or the ranger's home.
Game and Fish Division offices and their telephone numbers are:

Atlanta . Brunswick Calhoun . Dawson . Fitzgerald Ft. Valley Gainesville Macon Manchester Metter Richmond Hill Thomson Walton . Waycross

. 404-656-3510 . 912-265-1552 . 404-629-8674 . 912-995-5614 . 912-423-2988 . 912-825-8248 . 404-536-6062 . 912-742-1335 . 404-846-2541 . 912-685-2145 . 912-756-3679 . 404-595-4211 . 404-557-2227 . 912-283-6639

the
OUTDOOR
AMENDMENT NO. 20
The General Assembly, at th e regular 1972 session, passed a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution which would authorize the General Assembly to provide increased benefits for peace officers who have retired under th e Peace Officers Annuity and Benefit Fund Act. There are 24 proposed general a m endm e nt s to the Constitution which will be submitted to the people ~ t the general election on November 7, 1972. This particular amendment will be No. 20 on the ballot. In addition to covering the Peace Officers Annuity and Benefit Fund, this same ame ndme~t will also cover th e Ordinaries Retirement Fund, the Superior Court Clerks Retirement Fund and the Sheriffs Retirement Fund.
At the regular 1971 session , the General Assembly passed an Act increasing the benefits for peace officers who had retired . That Act was attacked in a court suit and the Supreme Court of Georgia, in Dece mber of 1971 , ruled that benefits could not be increased for retired officers without a constitutional amendment. Th at is the reason for this proposed amendment being offered. If it is not ratified, it will not be legally possible to increase benefits for retired peace officers , the vast majority of whom are receiving not more than $ 100.00 per month . R atification of thi s amendment by the people will be the next step in doing what the General Assembl y attempted to accomplish in 1971
In I 970 a constitutional amendment was ratified by the people a uthorizing the General Assembly to increase benefi ts for school teachers and State employees who had retired. The .General Assembly then passed an Act and appropriated money to carry out the provisions of that constituti onal amendment. The situation with peace officers is identical with that of school teachers and State employees, with one very important ex-

WORLD
ception and that is-there are no tax funds involved in the Peace Officers Annuity and Benefit Fund nor in any of the other three retirem ent funds which are covered under the provisions of proposed amendment No. 20. All four of those system s are funded entirely from dues paid by the members of each system , plus a certain amount from fines and fo rfeitures in criminal cases. It should be repeated that no tax funds whatsoever are involved in amendment No. 20. If this amendment is ratified by the people , the General Assembly will still have absolute control over the amounts involved, because it will be necessary for the General Assembly to pass legislation pursuant to the amendment before any benefits are increa~e d .
It should be emphasized th at this amendment will affect not only those peace officers who are presently retired but those who will retire in the future . For example, let us assume th at a peace officer retires six years from now If the General Assembly

eight years from now provides increased benefits for retired peace officers , he will be entitl ed to receive those increased benefits.
If school teachers and State employees who have retired may have their benefits increased from tax funds , it is certainly not asking too much for peace officers who have retired to be given the privilege of having their benefit s increased if the General Assembly sees fit to do so, particularly in view of the fact th at no tax funds are involved.
GEORGE BAGBY
LEGISLATIVE CHAIRMAN
George T Bagby, Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs, Department of Natural Resources , has been appointed State Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Peace Offi cers Association of G eorgia. The appointment of Mr B agby to this key Association position was made and announced by Capt. A. L. Phillips, who was elected president of the Association at the 72nd Annual Convention.
In announcing the appointrrent , Floyd Hartsfield , secretary-treasurer of th e Association, said " This is a very important appointment as all bills concerning peace officers and other legislation th at would aid police and their work will depend on Mr. Bagby's skills in getting them passed."

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My Two Favorites
Jt is no surprise that Edgewood Hab erdasher, left, and Tyson 's Air Sam are the two favorites of Wayne Elsberry, who owns Edgewood Kennels in Calhoun. Robert Christie of Atlanta who painted this cover spent many hours with Elsberry watching this beautiful pair of pointers work. Christie, known for his sporting portraits, maintains his studio in Atlanta and travels throughout the southeast doing commissioned works and attending shows.