Outdoors in Georgia [Mar. 1973]

Outdoors
\t) geor&ia
March, 1973

jimmy Carter
Governor
Joe D. Tanner
Commissioner Department of Natural Resources
George T. Bagby
Deputy Commissioner
for Public Affairs
STATE GAME AND FISH
COMMISSION
James Darby Chairman
Vidalia-lst District
William Z. Camp, Sec.
Newnan-- 6th District
Leo T. Barber, Jr.
Moultrie-- 2nd District
Dr. Robert A. Collins, Jr.
Americus-- 3rd District
George P. Dillard Decatur-- 4th District
Rankin M. Smith Atlanta-5th District
Leonard E. Foote Marietta-- 7th District
Wade H. Coleman
Valdosta-8th District
Clyde Dixon Cleveland-9th District
Leonard Bassford Augusta-IOth District
Jimmie Williamson Darien-- Coastal District

EARTH AND WATER DIVISION Sam M. Pickering, Jr., Director

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION
R. S. Howard, Jr., Director

GAME AND FISH DIVISION
Jack Crockford, Director

PAi

D RECREATION DIVISION

D Struble, Director

OFFICE PLANNING AND RESEARCH
Ch'-rk Parrish, Director

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES James H. Pittman, Director

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION SECTION
H. E. (Bud) Van Orden, Chief

1

FEATURES

Tents and Bags

T. Craig Martin 2

Ty Cobb Memorial

Allen D. Coggins Donald C. Pendergrast 7

Terrariums

T. Craig Martin 1

Wildlife Profiles: Crappie

Aaron Pass 14

Georgia's Geologic Showplaces . . . Dick Davis 16

Turkey Forecast

Aaron Pass 20

DEPARTMENTS

Book Review

23

Outdoor World

24

Sportsman's Calendar

25

Front Cover: by Jim Couch Back Cover: by T. Craig Martin

Outdoors
ii? georgia

March, 1973

Volume 2

Number 3

Outdoors in Georgia is the official monthly magazine of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, published at the Department's offices, Trinity-Washington Building, 270 Washington St., Atlanta, Georgia 30334. No advertising accepted. Subscriptions are $3 for one year or $6 for three years. Printed by Williams Printing Company, Atlanta, Ga. Notification of address change must include old address label from a recent magazine, new address and ZIP code, with 30 days notice. No subscription requests will be accepted without ZIP code. Articles and photographs may be reprinted when proper credit given. Contributions are welcome, but the editors assume no responsibility or liability for loss or damage of articles, photographs, or illustrations, Second-class postage paid at Atlanta, Ga.

Staff Writers Dick Davis
Aaron Pass T. Craig Martin

MAGAZINE STAFF
Phone 656-3530

H. E. (Bud) Van Orden
Editor-in-Chief

Bob Wilson
Editor

Art Director Liz Carmichael Jones

Staff Photographers Jim Couch Bob Busby

Linda Wayne Circulation Manager

EDITORIAL

Silhouettes at Eventide

Softly rippling waves gently rocked the little fishing boat where for the best part of the day I had shared the space with what
appeared in the water now as the silhouettes of
two small boys, peering eagerly into
the water. My own shadow on the water
looked restful and peaceful as I sat with feet
propped up on the seat in front of me and my cap pulled down in the front over my eyes shading me from the remnants of the
last rays of the sun before it disappeared behind
the horizon.
The two small silhouettes never stayed long enough in one spot to reminisce upon because they belonged to two boys on a fishing trip with their dad. They moved about on the water as fast as the little rascals did in the boat. They moved excitedly when we
landed a big one and questioned me
relentlessly when we threw back some small
ones, and I explained why.
I baited hooks, cast lines, reeled in,
baited hooks, added sinkers, put on lures, baited hooks, and unbaited one small finger off a number six sproat and I loved every minute of it. For 1 was sharing some unforgettable
moments with my sons while at the same
time teaching them about how to enjoy and
get the most out of fishing while practicing a little conservation and good
sportsmanship. And so we learned a little
more ubout each other this day. Expressing respect for our natural resources helped us gain more respect for each other.
This little trip with my two favorite fishing buddies reminds me of some favorite
thoughts of another great fishing partner, not only of mine, but of fishermen throughout the

state, George T. Bagby. When I told him about my weekend trip with my boys, he reached
into his hip pocket and pulled a slip of paper from his wallet and read these words
of an unknown author:
My son when you have older grown
I'll take you to a lake I've known At midnite, noontime, dusk or dawn.
-- I want to show you where I've gone
To find my freedom and want to be
In the boat with you and have you see
And learn from me, oh! son of mine, How to cast a fishing line.
-- For I've been young too well I know
The rocky road your feet must go. But I know, too, a path that clings To a wooded hill where the PeeWee sings. Where dogwood grows, and oak and pine,
A nd all I ask, oh! son of mine, is to row The boat for you some day A long that shore where the willows sway To be with you when first you feel A leaping fish unwind your reel.
My son will sleep as I have slept
Beneath the heavens reach, star swept. I want the dawn's first gleaming dim
To waken something deep in him.
I want my boy to learn to take
His troubles to that shining lake
-- And lose them there. And so I wish,
Oh! son of mine, that you may fish For my boy's sake, I ask it God,
Teach him to love a casting rod.
i^^6^Ut/

Tents & Bags
By T. Craig Martin
Photos by the Author

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Many an amorous fling with back-
packing has suffered its demise in the grasp of a chilly night. Others of these ephemeral affairs have died in the
clammy cold of a rainy 3 a.m. But
rain and cold and dark of night should not be allowed to interfere with out-
doors pleasures, particularly when sleeping bags and snug tents are readi-
ly available.
Modern equipment to keep warm
in and rain out is available in profusion, but only a small portion of this gear will serve backpackers, and an
A even smaller portion serve well.
good sleeping bag or tent is a major investment; together their cost can test the commitment of all but the rich.
But to buy a cheap bag or tent is to
invite trouble, while a fine version of either one will provide comfort and
pleasure for many years. And, of
course, the cost is relative: a backpacker can superbly equip himself and his family for a great deal less than the cost of the motor on an average base boat . . .
A tent's duties seem fairly simple:
provide a barrier against rain, cold,
wind, and unwanted critters. To pro-
vide this protection against the out-
side and furnish a livable space on the inside in a portable package, however,
-- requires ingenious and usually ex-- pensive design and materials.
The requirement that it be portable
eliminates almost all tents not specifically designed for backpacking,
and a few that are. Most good tents for two weigh less than seven pounds, including poles and pegs. They need not weigh even that much: Stephenson's astonishing "Warmlite" tent weighs 3 pounds in its two-man version! The requirement that it exclude wind and inquisitive creatures eliminates most tarps and tube-tents, although either will dampen the wind's

howl if properly rigged. And the re-
quirement that it protect against rain (not showers, but a heavy and pro-
longed rain, which is, after all, when you want a tent) eliminates most of the canvas and other "water repellent"
models.
Once this process of elimination has been carried out, some refinements should be checked: a good tent
should have a sewn-in waterproof floor, preferably of a heavy material that continues 8-10 inches up the side wall; it should have good ventilation,
even when closed against a storm; there should be some means of keeping out bugs while letting air in, and it
should be easy to pitch under the worst possible conditions.
These standards are met by all the major outdoors manufacturers, in-
cluding, among others, Gerry, Camp
Trails, Ski Hut, Sierra Designs, Holubar, Recreational Equipment, Alp Sport, and North Face. Choosing
among their products is difficult, and
usually depends on personal taste rather than differences in overall quality. Prices in this group run about
$50 to $70 or more for two man
tents.
Stiff? Yes, but beware of cheaper tents or "special buys." Always keep the weight in mind, for an extra pound or two will mean a lot during the hot
trek over a mountain. And that tent
that is "guaranteed waterproof" because of its rubber-coated nylon body
may well rain on you due to interior
condensation: the tent must "breathe" out accumulated moisture or it will condense on the sides and top, then rain back on you in the cool morning. Most good tents utilize a more or less porous body with a separate waterproof fly to stop the rain; the tent body then passes interior moisture out
of the tent.

The tent should be large enough to allow comfortable movement inside, and, preferably, room to store gear
out or the rain. Different designs accomplish this in different days, but
the old "A"-line pup tent style remains popular.
The poles should be sturdy and easy to assemble and disassemble. If not, you may be in for a wet night. The best tents now include poles connected by elastic shock cord: the sections can't be lost, and about all you have to do to assemble them is toss one end in the air.
Make sure there's good ventilation.
A well-ventilated tent is less subject
to condensation problems, and certainly is more comfortable to live in.
There are horror tales of men suffocating in tents during snow storms: if
you plan to be out in such weather,
make doubly sure the tent has good
air vents.
Before buying any kind of tent, it probably is best to rent one and use
it a few times. You may decide to buy that style, or you may not; but at least you'll have some ideas of features
you like or dislike. The same goes for sleeping bags,
although the choice seems simpler. All top rate bags are made of ripstop nylon, all are filled with high grade goose down, all incorporate "differen-
tial cut" and down baffles; the only
problem in choosing one is to find a
shape that suits you. Or is it? Good bags are filled with down be-
cause it is the most efficient insulator yet discovered for this use. It expands to trap air in tiny dead spaces, thereby
separating the warm air near your
body from the cold outside. It also compresses to an easily portable size, which is important to backpackers.
The "differential cut" design allows
the down to reach its maximum ex-

rth Face tent provided by American Adventurers, 370 Northside Parkway, Atlanta.

Water vapor
escapes as
air circulates

Waterproof
rainfly
Breathable tentwall

The tent must breathe so that water vapor does not condense inside to rain back on occupants. The waterproof fly protects against rain.

pansion or "loft" by combining two

entirely separate bags, an outer shell

and a smaller inner shell next to your
body, with the down trapped between

the shells. The inner shell constricts

your movements enough to prevent

your accidently compressing the down

against the outer wall, which would

ruin the down's effectiveness.

The system of internal baffles keeps

the down in place and assures even

loft throughout the bag. Various de-

signs are used, but all baffles are sewn

to the outer and inner shells (never

buy a bag with sewn-through seams

if you have any intention of using it to

stay warm). Whatever the design, the

intention is the prevent the cold spots

that develop when down drifts' away

from one portion of the bag.

Ripstop nylon is the universal

choice because it is "down-proof" (down can't escape through the

e), quite strong, and very light.

But

bit chilly next to the skin,

so thi

a continuing search for a

more co

able inner bag material.

Good t: igs also use nylon zippers,

mainly because they seem to be less

troublesome (particularly in extreme

cold) than the old metal style. The

zipper always is backed by a down

flap that cuts off any cold air that

leaks through the zipper or its stitch-

ing.
All these common features, however, don't help very much in selecting

the right bag for your $80-$ 120 investment. The most important ques-
-- tions remain: what style mummy,
modified mummy, barrel-cut, or square-cut; and what weight of down
-- Wi fill the range varies between

and 5 pounds.

A mummy pure

style is the lightest

and warmest bag available. But for

most people, it also is the most un-

comfortable because it provides the
least room for movement. Unless you

plan to be out under arctic conditions,

or are comfortable sleeping like King

Tut, you probably should avoid a
pure mummy bag. It will almost cer-

tainly be too hot for all but the coldest

winter months in Georgia's moun-

tains, or too cold if you get a very light fill for summer use.
The modified mummy, on the other

hand, probably is a good all-round

choice for Georgians. This style pro-
vides a moderate amount of room, but still is light enough to carry comfortably. It can be drawn tight for

winter use, or opened up (generally,

the zipper runs from the shoulder to

the foot of the bag, and can be opened

from either end) in the spring and summer. It will be slightly heavier
than a mummy bag, and will sleep
slightly cooler for the same amount of down fill. But it is more versatile.
The barrel-cut and square-cut bags weigh more than is ideal for backpackers, and they cannot be closed tight enough to be suitable for cold weather camping. They are more comfortable in warm weather, since they can be completely opened and used like blankets, and they provide more sleeping room than the other styles. These summer advantages, however, are definite drawbacks in cold weather: that extra room must be warmed, which drains badly needed heat from your body; and the wide cut leaves more room at the shoulders for cold air to leak in. These are fine for summer and fall work, and great for use in tents or camper trailers. Backpackers may want to avoid them.
Within any given style of bag, the general rule is "more down, more
warmth." Thus a mummy bag with
2 Vi -pounds of goose down will be warmer than the same bag with 2pounds of fill. But this rule does not
hold true between styles: a barrel-cut
bag will need much more fill to be as
warm as a mummy or modified mum-

-- -- In mild weather where there are few or no critters to contend with a tarp provides
ideal protection against sun, light showers, and unwanted breezes.
Tarps can be rigged in almost infinitely varying forms, depending on weather and the
rigger's creativity.

my bag. Loft generally is taken to be
the key indicator of the bag's temper-
ature range (more down can expand
-- int omore area) since most tests
suggest that it is the thickness not
-- the amount or material of insulation
that counts. Tests with "average" people indi-
cate that a 5-inch loft will be sufficient
down to about 0 F, with each additional inch extending the range down 20 F and each inch less reducing the range by the same amount. But some people "sleep hot" and some "sleep cold," so these guidelines may not fit
your individual case. The range of any bag (except the
pure mummy) can be extended up-
ward by unzipping it a little at a time until it becomes comfortable. Extending the range downward is a bit more
complicated, but several techniques
may help: 1 Wear more clothes (but only dry
clothes, not those you wore on the
trail);
2) make sure your head and shoulders stay covered (a tremendous amount radiant heat pours out
through your head, so snuggle

down into the bag or wear a knit cap of some kind); 3) Don't exhaust yourself on the trail (the bag does not provide
warmth; it only preserves the heat your body generates, so if you are exhausted and cannot produce body heat, you'll stay cold); 4) Eat something sweet just before
you go to bed (the sugar will move
into your bloodstream and pro-
vide extra calories of heat).
All down bags must be insulated from the ground, for your body compresses the down beneath you, and
A you lose that insulation. foam pad is
best for backpackers, since it is light and compact; even better, although less comfortable, is the compressed
foam known as Ensolite: %-inch of it yill leave you comfortable even on ice.
An air mattress provides almost sy-
baritic luxury, but they're heavy to carry. If you do use one, don't fill it too full, add just enough air to keep your body off the ground. Air mattresses should be avoided in cold
weather because they leave too much
circulation space for cold air.
Your down bag shouldn't be al-
lowed to get wet, or it won't insulate. But a good tent will keep you dry, and a good bag will keep you warm, so there is no reason to be afraid of discomfort in the outdoors, even in
midwinter.

Free loft in a sleeping bag: shake the bag out, then lay it on the ground. Measure from the ground to the top of the bag, somewhere near the middle.
Various types of sleeping bag construction. Sewn-through is terrible, the others are all fine for backpackers, although the laminated style probably is too heavy for most Georgia uses.

Slant Tube

Box

Overlapping Tube

Laminated

Sewn Through

% ffinbb Hkmonal
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By Allen D. Coggins and Donald C. Pendergrast

Many Georgians will undoubtedly remember the famed Georgia-born Ty Cobb, a colossal
figure in baseball. A memorial and museum to
Cobb is now being developed by the Parks and
Recreation Division at Royston, Georgia. This

museum will be operated as part of Victoria
Bryant State Park.
There are many baseball enthusiasts in this
country and this facility, strategically located near 1-85 will be a great asset to the state as well

TYR.US RAYMOND COBB
xn?n?orr-pHTLA,OTLPHiAi mst , -toos - i&m LED AMERICAN LEAGUE IN BATTIN6 TWELVE TIMES AND CREATED OR
EQUALLED MORE MAJOR LEAGUE RECORDS THAW AWT OTHER RLATER,
RETfREB WTTH 4fftl MAJOR LEAtfUE HTTS,

as a valuable addition to the State Park system.

The first phase of development should be com-

pleted by the Spring of 1973.

In 1962, the Georgia General Assembly

passed a bill which provided for an appropria-

tion of $200,000 to establish this shrine. The

building, located across the street from Roys-
ton's Cobb Memorial Hospital, was completed

late last year. Exhibits are now being established

which will depict both Cobb's life and the evolu-
tion of the game of baseball.

Tyrus Raymond Cobb, the famed "Georgia

Peach," was born on December 18, 1886, at

Narrows, Georgia. Soon afterward his family moved to Royston, Georgia, where Ty grew to maturity. Young Cobb had medical school as-

itions, although his father wanted him to go

school. Both were forsaken for the young

man";

: burning desire, baseball.

TV went to Augusta, at his own ex-

pense, t

ay in the Sally League. He lasted

only a week. Undaunted, he moved to Anniston, Alabama, v here he gained further experience in

the then rouj i and sometimes downright dirty
game of baseball. He later returned to Augusta,

The first poll of the Baseball Writers' Association of America in January, 1936 elected five players to the Hall of Fame. These were Ty Cobb, who was named on 222 of the 222 ballots cast; Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner received 215 votes; Christy Mathewson, 205 votes; and Walter Johnson, 189. This plaque, commemorating his election, hangs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame
and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. A replica was presented to Cobb by Mr. Earl Mann and fellow Georgians on Ty Cobb Day during ceremonies at the Ponce de
Leon Ball Park. The plaque was displayed there until it was given to the Ty Cobb Memorial Shrine in Royston,
Georgia.
and after a successful season was bought by the
Detroit Tigers for $750.
During his first season in Detroit (1905)
Cobb played only 41 games and batted .240. That was his first and last mediocre year. From then on he never batted below .300, and he won
his first of twelve American League batting championships in 1907. In eight seasons he collected more than 200 hits, and in 1911 he
batted .420.
Driven by his passion to excel, Cobb prac-
ticed endlessly and developed his potential until
he became one of the finest and probably the
most competitive player baseball has ever
known. To him a ball game was a relentless fight. He went into every game full of fury, filled with a deep and burning desire to win. And win
he did.
Cobb became the dominant character in baseball during his stay with Detroit. He played 16 years and managed and played another six before a conflict between Cobb and the owner of the club forced him to leave. Every team in baseball offered Cobb phenomenal contracts, but he held out. By this time he was already

wealthy due to his private holdings. Finally Connie Mack, president of the Philadelphia Ath-
letics, persuaded Cobb to play for him. After two seasons with the Athletics, Ty Cobb retired,
having spent 24 years in the majors. The "Genius in Spikes" left behind a record
of 3,033 games played, 4,191 hits, 892 stolen bases, and a lifetime batting average of .367.
Little wonder Ty Cobb was the first player voted
into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and little wonder that his home state should wish to memorial-
ize him.
Initial development of the Cobb Memorial Museum will involve construction of a carpeted scale-model baseball diamond within a thirty-
five by thirty-two foot exhibit hall. Large threesided display boards will be placed on the field at the various positions, and life-size action pho-
tographs of Cobb will cover one side of each dis-
A play. second side of each board will exhibit
records, score cards, and historic sketches, while the third side will display a large collage of news clippings and small photographs.
Display cases will be placed along the walls within what would be foul territory on a real field. These will contain uniform parts and some of Cobb's personal articles.
The history of baseball during its "golden age" will also be depicted. The overall plan includes exhibits showing the evolution of baseballs, bats and other equipment from their con-
ception to the present.

An authentic film of a Detroit Tiger game,
showing Cobb in action, will be shown by the museum curator several times daily. This film will be shown at no charge to visitors in a projection room adjacent to the exhibit hall.
The museum will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Special group tours may be
arranged by writing: Superintendent, Victoria Bryant State Park, Royston, Georgia 30662, or
by calling (404) 245-6270. No admission will
be charged.
The Parks and Recreation Division has been working with the Baseball Hall of Fame, the
Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Public Library to obtain information, news articles, records and photographs concerning Cobb's life and career. These agencies have been of great assistance in the search for artifacts and additional informa-
tion. Ken Smith, Director of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc., has taken
a personal interest in this memorial to his late
friend, Ty Cobb. Unfortunately Cobb artifacts, which include
personal items, equipment, clothing, family pictures and such are rare and the Parks and Recreation Division has had little luck obtaining au-
thentic materials. The funds actually allocated for physical development of the museum and purchase of display items were small and are practically exhausted. The success of the project will therefore depend upon the willingness of the people of Georgia to donate, not money, but
Photo by Don C. Pendergrost

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artifacts. Naturally, Ty Cobb memorabilia is
needed. This would include photographs of his early life, his career, and his outside interests. There is also a need for old baseball equipment ( gloves, bats, shoes, uniforms and so forth) , and news clippings or photographs concerning important local and world events during Cobb's career. Donations of any items will be greatly appreciated and credit will be given to donors directly on items chosen for exhibition. If you would like to donate, please contact Allen Coggins or Donald Pendergrast, Parks and Recreation Division, 270 Washington Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
Ty Cobb is an inspiration for all who aspire to greatness in athletics. He was born in a small
Georgia town and struggled along a hard road to world fame. Disliked by many, loved and truly understood by few, but respected by all as one of the greatest and most competitive base-
ball players that ever lived, Cobb's memory will
endure in this memorial.
10

Terrariums

By T. Craig Martin
Photos by the Author

A simple terrarium can help you enjoy the
outdoors in the year-round comfort of your
home. The container may be as elaborate as a
30-inch plexiglass oval, or as simple as a mason jar, while the plants and mosses can include exotic varieties from greenhouses, or mundane

All the materials for a fine terrarium.
Kathy Henderson suggests that you gather everything before beginning work so that it all will be handy when you need it. Materials here were supplied by the Fernbank Science Center.

domestic plants collected during any trip to the

outdoors.
Horticulturist Kathleen Henderson of the DeKalb County School System's Fernbank Science

Center suggests several steps that will help
make your terrarium a success:

1) If you collect wild plants, be sure to collect

as much of the root system as you can. Dig up

plenty of soil around the roots; it won't hurt,

and can be removed after you make sure the

roots are safe. Never take all the members of

any

.pedes.

2) r

? plants, dirt and all, in a box for

the tri| >me. Try to transplant them within a

day or so, but in any case water them and

store them in a cool place until you're ready to

transplant.

12

3) Fill the terrarium in the following order:
a) Put about 1/2 inch of large pebbles in the bottom.
b) Add an inch or two of soil (a mixture of 1/2 Michigan peat and 1/2 sand with a small amount of commercial grade
charcoal mixed in). c) Place individual plants, beginning with
the smaller ones, covering the roots of
each. d) Put the mosses in last.
e) Add water until you see it draining into
the bottom. f) Leave the cover off for about three
days, then put it on. Condensation should occur about twice each day. If water condenses all the time, leave the top off for a while so that the excess can evaporate. g) If a plant begins to mold, or dies, re-
move it immediately.

Native plants should last about three or four months or slightly longer, Mrs. Henderson says, but domestic plants from greenhouses will last until they outgrow the terrarium.
She suggests the following plants for home
terrariums:
Group I (may be used in open or closed
terrariums) Dwarf Wandering Jew Species Dwarf Climbing Fig Small Leaf Peperomias Piggy Back Plant Baby's Tears Small Ferns (Maidenhair) Podocarpus Prayer Plant Grape Ivy
Fittonia
Venus Fly Trap
Selaginella Airplane Plant Strawberry Begonias (Saxifraga)
Aluminum Plant Neanthe Bella Palm
Chinese Evergreen Dracaena Species
Group II (require careful watering)
African Violet Sinningia Kohleria Episcia Begonias
Group III (prefer an open top terrarium)
Aloe All Cactus Air Plant Succulents (Sedums, Haworthias, Crassula, etc.) Euphorbias Cryptanthus Cyperus (sedges)
Group IV (Native plants which thrive in
a terrarium) Venus Fly Trap
All kinds of mosses Pipsisewa (Striped Wintergreen) Rattlesnake Plantain Hepatica Partridge Berry Selaginella (Club Moss) Ebony Spleenwart Ferns (and other small ferns) Wild Ginger

Start with the pebbles, then add a bit of dirt.
It's best to start with small plants first, unless you have one you especially want to emphasize. Terrariums come in all shapes and sizes, filled with a bewildering variety of plants. They need not be expensive.

14

Wildlife
Profiles:
Crappie

by Aaron Pass

Crappie fishing in Georgia is really pretty good. Each spring hundreds of fishermen gather to fish for this popular panfish during the spring
spawning run. The action gets fast and furious when a school moves in and the result is usually
a stringer of one of the finest tasting fish in fresh
water.
There are two species of crappie native to Georgia, the white (Pomoxis annularis) and the black (Pomoxis nigromaciilatus). The black is
the most common, and the only sure way to dif-
ferentiate is to count the spines in the dorsal fin. White crappie have six or less, black crappie have seven or more. These two species collec-
tively share a whole host of local names such as
calico bass, speckled perch, specs, bachelor
perch, paper mouth. Whatever they are called
they are certainly a favorite species in the early spring.
Crappie. both black and white, spawn in the early spring in water three to eight feet deep at water temperatures between 58 and 68. The male fish guards the nest (hence the name "bachelor perch"). The eggs hatch in seven to 15 days, depending on water temperature.
Crappie are carnivorous fish, feeding on smaller bait fish, crustaceans, and insects. Their

preferred habitat is the larger reservoirs and rivers. Crappie are often found near debris, such as tree tops, in the water and other obstructions such as pilings and rocky ledges.
Crappie are one of the larger panfishes, averaging up to 2-3 pounds. Sought as both a food and a sport fish, they can put up a respectable
struggle when caught on light equipment. Light spinning tackle is made to order for crappie fishing. Minnows are preferred as bait, but artificial
lures often produce just as well. Yellow and white doll flies, spoons and spinners are the
usual choices.
One of the best tasting of all fresh water fish,
crappie are great eating. Roll the fish in flour or cornmeal, fry in cooking oil to a golden brown,
and the sweet white meat will make a feast fit
for a king.
Since there is no shortage of suitable habitat
(large reservoirs) in this state, the best conser-
vation practice is fishing. Crappie are prolific breeders and can quickly overpopulate, result-
ing in stunted fish. To attract crappie an old treetop or bale of hay may be sunk in an appro-
priate place. Check local regulations, as on some public waters this might be construed as
littering.

Georgia's
Geologic Showplaces

In an idyllic setting of striking beauty, Coheelee Creek in southwest Georgia flows over a series of deeply notched falls composed of impure limestone.
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By Dick Davis
Photos by the Author

They say history is written in the stars. Perhaps so, but much of Geor-
gia's history is written in the earth
in the rocks and minerals and strata that make the state a 37-million-acre classroom and laboratory for study-
ing geologic history.
Highways and byways and foot trails from the north Georgia peaks to the Tybee sands, from the Carolina to the Florida borders, from east to west, bring the traveler or the educator or the student to numerous sites which dramatically portray the story of our state from the time of creation.
Amid the classical beauty of Bear
Creek Falls in Cloudland State Park, one can look back millions of years in geologic time to the Pennsylvanian
period. As Bear Creek tumbles down the western slope of storied Lookout Mountain impressive falls cascade
over exposed strata of shale underlying sandstone. The soft shale has been worn away under the sandstone along the rim of the canyon.
At towering, magnificent, thundering Amicalola Falls in the Georgia State Park near Juno in Dawson County is the dramatic, abrupt transition from the Georgia Blue Ridge to the Piedmont Plateau. Here as the Amicalola River tumbles over the sheer edge of the Blue Ridge Front, the flashing white water cascades off the Blue Ridge escarpment. The flow and drop are over granite rocks which are highly resistant to erosion and the water has not cut back very far.
Deep in the heart of Southwest
Georgia the story of the geologic ages is told in such inviting, but off-
the -beaten-path, heavy-boot and
snake-bite-kit places as Froggybottom Creek, Towns Creek, Kolomoki Creek and Coheelee Creek, in the limerock

quarries of Perry and Clinchfield, and in the colorful and towering "cathedral spires" of Providence Canyons.
And along Georgia's picturesque
75-mile coastline, from the Savannah River in the north to the St. Mary's River in the South and embracing Georgia's matchless chain of coastal islands and the state's offshore areas, geologic study areas abound.
Within sight of the skyscrapers of metropolitan Atlanta are such geologic storybooks as Stone Mountain and Soapstone Ridge and Panola Mountain which is being developed as a Georgia State Park.
World-famous Stone Mountain in the DeKalb County suburbs of At-
lanta is the largest single piece of ex-
posed granite and is in itself a vast arena for exploring the geologic past and present.
Soapstone Ridge just south of the city in DeKalb and Clayton Counties
provides an "outdoor museum" look
at a three-mile wide by seven-mile long ridge of serpentine-like rock which is not true soapstone. The rocks of Soapstone Ridge are generally dark green and weather to brown. The rocks are resistant to erosion and weather unevenly.
The ridge, a prime area for preser-
vation by the Georgia Heritage Trust and for the development of a park near the metropolitan Atlanta area, has not been overspread by homes or industrial buildings because of
the many boulders and the steepness of the grade. The sprawling city has grown around the Ridge and has encompassed it.
Travel a few miles north of Lumpkin in Stewart County in Georgia's iron ore mining area. On the north
side of Froggybottom Creek the Prov-

idence Sand overlies the Ripley Formation. Both were deposited in the Cretaceous era and in the Ripley gray silty clay can be found four different species of oysters and other shells 75 million years old.
Nearby, also in the Stewart iron ore district, Providence Canyons State Park offers an unequalled study in strata of Clayton red clay overlying the white, coarse Providence Sand with a lignitic clay at its base. Plant fossil fragments can be found in the lignite, which is one step in the formation of coal. Providence Canyons
are there to awe the visitor because the Clayton Formation (nearly pure limestone) which forms a high plateau is highly resistant to erosion. The Canyon's growth rate is dramatized by the fact that the nearby historic church has been moved several times to escape the reach of the abysses, and by a tree which can be seen growing suspended by its roots as much as 10
feet over the canyon's edge.
Towns Creek, and its high-rising
side walls, is a garden spot in Early County and is one area selected for preservation by the Georgia Heritage
Trust Commission. The Creek runs in chasms left by the collapse of a large cave system. The caverns were in Paleocene limestone, formed some 60 to 70 million years ago, of the Clayton Formation, and the limestone is exposed in the sheer walls of the creek. The upper reaches of the creek's walls and the approaches to the area are a botanical showplace also. The limestone walls are exposed by erosion and there are intriguing sinkholes filled with fossil trees, lignite and
A sand. picturesque eight-foot water-
fall adds even further to the attractions of the beauty spot. Overlying

On the western slope of Lookout Mountain in Cloudland State Park in
northwest Georgia, Bear Creek tumbles over picturesque falls of exposed strata of shale underlying sandstone.

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the limestone is grey marl Wilcox Formation of Lower Eocene, formed about 60 million years ago, time with abundant fossil shells, corals and
fish teeth.
Kolomoki Creek in Clay County flows over Wilcox Formation (dark grey, silty clay) with many white water rapids. Unusual, round calcite nodules as large as automobile tires abound along the creek and there are numerous leaf and twig plant fossils.
Coheelee Creek, two miles north of Hilton in Early County, is inviting
enough to make you want to pitch camp and stay a week. The pictu-
rescue creek flows over a series of deeply notched waterfalls of impure limestone. This Middle Eocene Lis-
bon Formation, imp are limestone formed about 50 million years ago, abounds with small fossil oysters in
solid rock. This outstanding area is also tabbed by the Georgia Heritage
Trust Commission for preservation and recreation development.
Like to make a geologic journey through parts of the state? Here are some suggested routes and points to view, starting from various cities across Georgia. For information as
to exact locales of geologic interest
on each trip contact the Earth and

Water Division, Department of Natural Resources, 19 Hunter St., Atlanta, Ga. 30334, Tel. (404) 6563214.
From Atlanta to Stone Mountain
to Tate to Amicalola Falls State Park to Dahlonega.
From Atlanta to Dalton and Rocky Face Mountain to Ringgold
to Cloudland State Park.
From Atlanta to Stone Mountain
to Dahlonega to the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway to Tallulah Gorge.
From Macon to Clinchfield to
Huber.
From Augusta to Dan River
Quarry to Dixie Mountain and to Graves Mountain at Lincoln.
From Augusta to Shell Bluff to
Griffins Landing to Blue Springs.
From Albany to below Mucka-
foonee Creek Dam to East Albany
and to -Radium Springs.
From Columbus to Cusseta to
Lumpkin.
From Valdosta to Twin Lakes to Lake Park. See limesinks at Twin
Lakes.
From Brunswick to Jekyll Island to Folkston to Trail Ridge to Camp
Cornelia.

'

Stewart

Near Froggybotton Creek in County's iron ore mining area, many fossils are found in Ripley
Formation on roadside bank.

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Turkey Forecast

By Aaron Pass

Each year, as the dogwoods bloom, a very special group of Georgia hunters takes to the
field. Spring turkey hunters after a gobbler are facing one of the most challenging adversaries an eastern hunter can face. Using special equipment, special knowledge, and a large share of
woodscraft, they hunt a very special game bird. "Spring gobbler hunting is where you sep-
arate the real turkey hunters from all the rest,"
says Hubert Handy, Chief of Game Management for the Game and Fish Division, Georgia
Department of Natural Resources. "The birds are no longer in flocks, and only the gobblers will be legal game. Anyone who calls and kills a mature turkey gobbler can figure that he earned his trophy," Handy added.
Spring turkey hunting is usually done by using a call to imitate the turkey hen and entice the gobblers to the hunter. This makes the sport very difficult, as the hunter is dealing with the wise mature males.
The spring hunts are scheduled to coincide
with the latter part of the breeding season. This accomplishes two important things for the tur-
key hunter. By this time most of the hens have
already taken to the nest, and the gobblers will come more readily to the call. It also insures that the hens are incubating fertile eggs, and are out of the hunter's way. At this time some older gobblers can be harvested without impairing
the total population.
Photo by Jim Couch

This season should be good for turkeys, and for turkey hunters, according to Handy. "We've had good reports on the population over the state, but a sudden cold snap or rainy weather during the gobbling season could make the hunting difficult," he said. The best area this year will probably be in the central portion of the state around Clark Hill Management Area, and the northern mountain areas will also offer good hunting. "The state's turkey population is improving slowly, and we hope to give it a boost with a large scale turkey stocking program," Handy said.
Sapelo Island is used as a wild turkey rearing area, where the surplus birds can be trapped and
stocked in other portions of the state. The island habitat has been improved for the turkeys, and wild birds have been trapped and stocked there.
Since only the male birds are legal on the
spring hunts, hunters should take care to identify their target as a gobbler before pulling the trig-
ger. The gobbler has a whisker-like growth, called a beard, which dangles from the center of his chest and he is larger than the hen. The
male's feathers have a metallic green-black sheen, and he appears almost black beside the dull brown colored hen. It is very important that the hens are safeguarded during the spring hunts because they represent a potential of 10 to 14 young birds at this time of year.
Turkey hunting is tough, there's no doubt about it. It presents quite a challenge to one's ability and woodscraft. The wild turkey has been

called the wildest form of wildlife, and any turkey hunter will tell you that there are few animals smarter or more wary than a long-bearded
old torn. This fine game animal is considered
trophy game, and a successful turkey hunter can be proud of his accomplishment.
This year's outlook is pretty good over the state and the turkey hunters have a pick of several good bets. Keep in mind that turkey
A populations are isolated and widely scattered.
"good" rating would not apply to a region as a whole but only to those areas which favor tur-
keys. Increasing urbanization, excessive timber-
ing, and various forms of outdoor recreation can quickly push turkeys on to more favorable
habitat.

North Georgia reports an "improved" turkey situation. Established flocks evidenced good reproduction and there is reason to hope that the
stocking program is working out on some new
areas. All in all, the turkey hunter should have a fair chance over most of the northern section
of the state. Blue Ridge, Chattahoochee, Cohut-
ta, and John's Mountain Wildlife Management
Areas will all hold spring turkey hunts. For specific seasons, in both county and
WMA please see Sportsman's Calendar in this
issue. Hunters should remember that turkey hunting requires a big game license in addition to a regular hunting license. All 1972-73 licenses will expire on 31 March 1973 and the hunter will need a 1973-74 license on 1 April.

22

Review

THE COMPLETE WALKER
By Colin Fletcher, Alfred A. Knopf, 350 pages.

THE HIKERS AND

BACKPACKERS HANDBOOK

ARCO By Bill Merrill,

Publishing Co.,

305 pages, $2.95 (paperbound).

PLEASURE PACKING
By Robert S. Wood, Candor Books, 215 pages, $3.95 (paperbound).

As backpacking grows more popular, books to help, guide, counsel, en-
courage, or protect the novice hiker
spew forth in mind-boggling profu-
sion. Anyone, it seems, who has set foot on more than one trail, or on the same trail more than once, is quali-
fied to belabor the rest of us with his "thoughts" on the subject.
Now some thoughts are more
thoughtful than others, and some among this gaggle of books are more useful than the others. These three should help anyone interested in hiking and backpacking, although they
certainly will appeal to different tastes.
The subtitles reveal their differences: Fletcher's book is about "The joys and techniques of hiking and
backpacking;" Merrill's claims to include "Practical advice for every kind
-- and length of trip planning, com-
plete equipment, major trail maps,

menus, safety, and first aid;" while
Wood's explains "How to backpack
in comfort." Merrill's effort can be discussed
quickly: he tries to do too much too
quickly, and succeeds only in compiling a set of useful lists. Although he probably would be a great friend and fine teacher on the trail, Merrill's long years as a federal Park Ranger have
dulled his style and made him more
aware of the tribulations that face novice backpackers than of the joys that beckon them into the woods.
Like the parent that tries too hard to protect his child from learning through error, Merrill tends to warn rather than encourage, belabor rather than suggest, compile rather than evoke. But compilations occasionally have their uses, and his brief discussions of trails, wilderness areas, suppliers, and his set of checklists could be very useful in planning a trip.
His desire to be encyclopedic, however, hinders him from providing enough information on any single
subject.
Wood admirably fills these gaps in his PLEASURE PACKING. Care-
fully detailed chapters explain the intricacies of pack, boot, tent and sleep-
ing bag from the perspective of a skilled and interested observer/par-
ticipant.
The first paragraph sets his tone:
I see backpackers staggering toward the wilderness loaded
down with suitcases, duffel bags, gunny sacks, satchels, baskets,
boxes, laundry bags, ice chests and hampers. I have seen Boy Scouts carrying stretchers heaped
with gear, families pushing wheelbarrows, even ladies dragging shopping carts.
No man who starts his book that
way can fall into the grim recitations

that burden Merrill's effort. Wood's translation of backpacking esoterica is straightforward and easily understood;
he never lapses into the jargon that seems to clutter any endeavor these
days.
He lucidly explains why fats and carbohydrates may be more important to the hiker than protein, why an im-
poverished walker will want to invest in a good frame before worrying about
a top rate pack bag, how to distin-
guish quality products from their in-
feriors, and how to do a little prior
conditioning to ease the agony of the
first few days of any trail. And much
more . . .
While Wood suggests hiking tech-
niques and provides tips on setting up and living in camp, I found his earlier chapters on gear more interesting. Buying equipment is a major chore
-- and investment for both new and
old backpackers because the state of the art is in tcrrifix flux; but Wood's ideas promise to be good for at least
a few years. And these ideas make the
book a necessity for serious back-
packers.
My odds on favorite among these
-- books and among all walking books
--is Colin Fletcher's THE COMPLETE WALKER. It was the first
book I ever read on the subject, and it is the one I always return to for
refreshment.
I followed Fletcher's footsteps to his hillside over San Francisco and traced a tiny portion of his path in the Sierra Nevadas, always finding that, as he promised, walking "is an alto-
gether delectable addiction." And, although I've disagreed with him, I've never yet proven any statement of his flatly wrong.
Although crammed with information on "what to" and "how to" and "where to," this book is, indeed, about the joys of hiking and backpacking,
for Fletcher always fights the tyranny of equipment that faces us all:
The important thing, then, about running your tight little
door economy is that it must run you. You must learn to
i the practical details so
effk itly that they become second nature. Then, after the unavoidable shakedown period, you leave yourself free to get on with the important thingswatching cloud shadows race
across a mountainside or passing

the time of day with a humming-
bird or discovering that a grasshopper eats grass like spaghetti or sitting on a peak and thinking of nothing at all except perhaps that it is a wonderful thing to sit on a peak and think of nothing
at all.
He understands, then, (as does Wood, in a less explicit way) that
equipment and technique are only means to an end, not an end in them-
selves. And he realizes his own eccen-

tricities:

Naturally, your opinions on

equipment and technique must

fossilize into dogma

But I am

not altogether convinced that...

when you have at last succeeded

in mastering most of the busi-

ness and people have begun to

call you an expert and someone may even ask you to write a

book on the subject-- I am not at

all sure that it is then possible to

avoid the sobering discovery that

you have become, ex officio, a

very tolerably accomplished

fuddy-duddy.

Fletcher is a very tolerably accomplished hiker: he's walked the length
of California (THE THOUSANDMILE SUMMER) and through the
Grand Canyon of the Colorado River
(THE MAN WHO WALKED THROUGH TIME). But fuddy-
duddy he isn't: a wry and ironic sense of humor flashes at every turn.
Much of his experience finds its way into this book. There are points
to quibble, arguments that can be
made against a few of his choices. Few of the rest of us, for example, will want to move in solitary splendor
through the wilderness. I personally
find that I enjoy a trip much more when my wife is along, for we can talk about the things we see, and she fre-
quently notices things that completely
escape me. But this still is the book to
turn to.
These three books, then, all can be useful to backpackers, and the rea-
sonably dedicated hiker probably
should own all three. Merrill's HANDBOOK is a good source for addresses
and concise "how to" information;
Wood's PLEASURE PACKING is
important for his chapters on equip-
ment; and Fletcher's COMPLETE WALKER explains why one might
want to hike in the first place.

the outdoor
world
Wildlife Federation to Meet
The Georgia Wildlife Federation
(formerly Georgia Sportsmen's Federation) has announced that its 1973
Annual Convention Awards Dinner will be held March 24 and 25 and will
for the first time be located in Atlanta, at the Executive Park Motor Hotel on 1-85 and North Druid Hills Road.
The announcement was made by
Charles Ingram, president. According to Ingram, plans call for
registration to begin at 8:30 a.m. Sat-
urday, March 24, with a luncheon and
informational meetings during the day. Speaker for the luncheon will be
4th District Congressman Ben Black-
burn.
Each year the Federation, under the sponsorship of Sears Roebuck Co., conducts a program to recognize Georgians who have been particularly
active or influential in the effort to
conserve and protect the State's natural resources. This year the Government's Conservation Awards winners will be named at a 7:00 p.m. din-
ner with Governor Jimmy Carter on hand to present awards to the recipients. The annual meeting for con-
duct of business and election of officers will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, March 25.
The theme of the convention will be "Georgia's Wildlife and The Modern

24

Sportsman" with emphasis on the
sportsman's active role in preservation
-- of Georgia's natural resources. Earl Martin

National Wildlife Week

The week of March 18-24 has been
set for the 36th annual observance of National Wildlife Week, sponsored
each year by the 3'/2 million member
National Wildlife Federation and its affiliates, including the Georgia Wildlife Federation (formerly Georgia Sportsmen's Federation).

The theme of the 1973 Wildlife
--Week is "DISCOVER WILDLIFE
IT'S TOO GOOD TO MISS."
Focus of week will be on the simple, yet exciting joys that can be found by Americans of all ages in the outdoor,
natural world.

The poster symbol for wildlife is a young wood duck shown poised on the edge of its nest. According to Thomas L. Kimball, executive vice-
president of the NWF, "all that newly-
hatched duck has to do to break out into the natural world is take the first step out of the nest; and it's nearly as easy for people to take that same step to break out into nature and see what beauty it has to offer."

Georgia Wildlife Week Chairman
Earl Martin of Tucker said that plans call for the emphasis in Georgia to be on information and education, urging that families "not only experience wildlife and the rest of the natural world through attractive magazine pictures but also get outside and really enjoy our wild resources."

According to Martin, each school system superintendent in Georgia will
be sent Wildlife Week materials and
asked to involve one elementary class in wildlife projects during National Wildlife Week. Each of the Georgia Wildlife Federation's affiliate clubs will also be sent posters, news releases and other materials for use during Wildlife Week.

Anyone wanting Wildlife Week

teacher's materials for elementary school classes should contact Earl
Martin, 2766 Goodfellows Rd.,
Tucker, Ga. 30084. He will send them

without charge as long as the supply

lasts.

--Aaron Pass

Sportsman's Calendar
SPRING TURKEY SEASON

Oglethorpe, Taliaferro, Warren,
Wilkes, and Wilkinson. Management Areas: Clark Hill
WMA--April 9-14, 1973--one (1)
turkey gobbler. Piedmont Natural
-- Wildlife Refuge (Federal) April 16-
21, 1973 one (1) turkey gobbler. (Permit required, application must be
made in writing to Refuge Manager, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Round Oak, Georgia 31080. Deadline, March 28, 1973.

NORTH GEORGIA: March 24-

April 28, 1973 /bag limit one (1) turkey gobbler. In the following Counties: Banks, Chattooga, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Habersham, Lumpkin, Murray, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker (east of U.S. Hwy. 27), White and

Whitfield.

Management Areas: Blue Bidge

WMA--April 23-28, 1973--one (1)

WMA-- turkey gobbler. Cohutta

April

23-28, 1973--one (1) turkey gobbler

(no permit required). John's Mountain
WMA--March 24-April 27, 1973

one (1) turkey gobbler (no permit re-

quired no check-in).

EAST -CENTRAL GEORGIA:
March 24-April 28, 1973/bag limit two (2) turkey gobblers. In the following counties: Columbia, Greene, Han-
cock, Houston, Lincoln, McDuffie,

WEST-CENTRAL GEORGIA:
March 24-April 28, 1973/bag limit
one (1) turkey gobbler. In the following counties: Chattahoochee, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Stewart.
SOUTH GEORGIA: March 17-
April 14, 1973/bag limit one (1) turkey gobbler. In the following counties: Ben Hill, Brantley, Camden, Coffee, Charlton, Dodge, Pierce, Telfair, Wilcox and that portion of Clinch and Echols Counties east of U.S. Highway 441 and south of Ga. Highway 94.
Management Areas: Bullard Creek
WMA--March 28-31, 1973 and
April 4-7, 1973, (separate hunts),
hunters may take one ( 1 ) turkey gobbler on each hunt. Hunting from 30
minutes before sunrise until 12 noon.
No check in or out, but all turkeys
killed must be reported at check sta-
tion. No pre-hunt scouting allowed.

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