Outdoors in Georgia [May 1973]

Outdoors
it? georgia
May, 1973

Jimmy Carter
Governor
Joe D. Tanner
Commissioner Department of Natural Resources
George T. Bagby
Deputy Commissioner
for Public Affairs
BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES
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
Henry S. Bishop
Alma-- 8th District
Clyde Dixon Cleveland-- 9th District
Leonard Bassford Augusta-- 10th District
Jimmie Williamson Darien-- Coastal District
Wade H. Coleman
Valdosta--State at Large
--
EARTH AND WATER DIVISION
Sam M. Pickering Jr., Director
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION
R. S. Howard, Jr., Director
GAME AND FISH DIVISION
Jack Crockford, Director
PARKS AND RECREATION DIVISION
Henry D. Struble, Director
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH
Chuck Parrish, Director
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES James H. Plttman, Director
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND
INFORMATION SECTION H. E. (Bod) Van Orden, Chief

1

FEATURES

Big Fish Contest

Bob Wilson 2

Lake Sinclair

Dick Davis 7

Backpacking Foods & Stoves . . T. Craig Martin 1

Wildlife Profiles: Bream

Aaron Pass 15

Springtime Flowers . . . Donald C. Pendergrast 18

OcmulgeeWMA

Dick Davis 20

Georgia Wildlife Federation Awards .Aaron Pass 25

DEPARTMENTS

Sportsman's Calendar

27

ON THE COVER: Frog, by Bob Busby
ON THE BACK COVER: A Barn Owl, one of four species of owl native to Georgia,
from the studio of Atlanta artist Mark Hopkins. Hopkins plans to produce a series of Georgia hawks and owls, all scientifically and anatomically correct. Numbered and signed silk screen prints, 16x20 inches in size, from a limited edition of 1000, are available directly from the artist at 45 Druid Hills Court, Decatur, Georgia 30033 . . . (404) 373-5412, at a cost of $18 each.

Outdoors
ii) georgia

May, 1973

Volume II

Number 5

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 Managing Editor

Art Director Liz Carmichael Jones

Staff Photographers Jim Couch Bob Busby

Linda Wayne Circulation Manager

EDITORIAL

Green Is Beautiful

And why shouldn't it be. For the beauty of the green that I am referring to goes much
deeper and beyond the aesthetic appreciation
that we as lovers of nature have for the outward
beauty of the green that covers the outdoor world with a multitude of radiant hues all different from each other.
We owe a debt of gratitude to this apparent
unending, inexhaustible green that can remain constant or disappear in the fall only to return
again in early spring. Its purpose is many fold. To the majority, the breathtaking beauty and
aura of a green forest spreading beyond the scope of vision and which stirs the imagination to wonder what mysteries it beholds is what
one sees at first glance. But there is much more
to behold than the appreciation of mere beauty as we look upon such a scene.
The fun and enjoyment to be found in all
forms of outdoor recreation are held within this
green cover. Camping beneath the giant trees, hiking on trails our ancestors made, swimming,
boating and picnicking are a result of the serenity or back to nature awareness that is ours because of this green.
Because of the natural growth cycles within a forest, wildlife are provided a habitat that
insures their survival in nature's orderly process.
Man has learned much about the importance
of the forest floor and how this cover changes as
the trees grow, feeding the deer, quail, turkey
and other wildlife as the cycle changes. The sportsman knows far too well that the quality of the forest habitat has a direct result on the quality and abundance of game in the forest
preserves.
No greater contributor to conservation and
the preservation of our natural resources can

be found than our forests green, for they control with great dignity the erosion of soil through their protective floor covering and root system. Nutrients from this emerald umbrella are washed into the streams and ponds and form part of another ecosystem providing habitat for fish while at the same time providing for our complex watershed system.
Now we come to perhaps the most
astonishing factor in this world of green, a factor that involves you and me. While reading about the green that surrounds us, involuntarily, without conscious knowledge, you have breathed life-sustaining oxygen and released
carbon dioxide with each breath. Each acre
of forest annually converts six tons of carbon dioxide into four tons of oxygen providing 1 8 people their yearly supply.
What do you see when you look at the shimmering green of a forest? What will you see
the next time you look? Will it be the breathtaking beauty, wild game at play, a recreation
paradise of untold potential, or a life sustaining
freshness in the air? Is what you see smaller or bigger than it was the last time you looked?
That matters to us now in this process of diminishing returns as we see our forests dwindle
in size.
One thing is certain, however, when I look at
the colors that nature has painted on our outdoor world, to me, green is beautiful no matter
how I look at it.
%t<L ~U^s (A/i^y

Georgia
Big Fish
Contest 1972
By Bob Wilson
Photos by Bob Busby
What's happened to the fishermen? Where are all those bass masters and casters going wrong? What about those famous big lakes in the south of the state where all those big bass
are supposed to be? Well, it's like this--the fisherwomen are
spending more time fishing, they don't pass
up the small lakes and ponds near home in an-
ticipation of the next tournament, they are famous for their patience-- and they are catching the fish.
You can't buy that you say? Perhaps you are thinking of the advantage fishermen have with years of experience gathered since boyhood. The men have all the latest equipment too: good rods and reels, the hottest lures, and super bass boats with all kinds of gear like depth finders and electric motors. The men have their clubs and fishing cronies permitting a rapid exchange of information (and lies) on technique, lures, and hot spots.
Meanwhile, the fisherwomen are content to
fish at home and land fish big enough to win the Georgia Big Fish Contest. Loyal readers may
recall that the 1971 contest black bass category
was won by Mrs. Annie Malcolm of Hampton,
with a 16-pound, 4-ounce largemouth caught from her bock yard on Lake Talmadge. The winner of the 1972 contest in the black bass

division is Mrs. Bobby Goswick of Mableton,
who wins with a 1 4-pound, 2-ounce largemouth
pulled from a nearby private lake.
Mrs. Goswick will have her name engraved
on the Black Bass Trophy provided by the
Garcia Corporation and will receive an Ambassadeur 5000 reel and a matching Garcia rod
as her prize. She says that she hopes to have a larger fish to enter in the 1973 contest.
On the White Bass Trophy, provided by the
Pflueger Corporation, will be engraved the

name of a repeat winner. Michael Gozdick is happy to win again, but is somewhat embar-
rassed at winning with such small fish. This year's winning white bass went an even
3-pounds, and came from Lake Lanier, as is
usual with contest winners in this category.
Gozdick's 1970 winner was a hefty 3-pounds,
8-ounces. Size aside, winning the contest in the white bass division will net Gozdick a Pflueger Supreme rod and reel outfit.
The Altamaha River is well on the way to
Mrs. Bobby Goswick is the second fisherwoman in as many years to win the black bass category of the Georgia Big Fish Contest. The winning fish went 16 pounds, 4-Ounces.

Georgia's new state record white crappie swept the crappie division of the contest for Lewis Little of Macon. The monster "speckled perch" weighed
4-pounds, 1 1 -ounces.

Another new state record, this one a

Gumm bluegill, is shown by P. F.

of

Atlanta. Gumm's 3-pound, 5-ounce fish

beat out a redear entered in the contest

by E. M. Guy of Macon by one ounce.
Gumm is shown at right being

interviewed by Ben Gunn.

becoming one of the state's hot spots for big catfish. The 1972 winner in the catfish category is a 44-pound, 12-ounce channel cat boated by Bobby Smithwick of Vidalia. This fish also sets
a new state record for the species, and wins an Ambassadeur 5000 reel and Garcia rod for Smithwick. An Ambassadeur 5000 reel was
used to land this monster fish, so Smithwick
ought to be twice as successful this season. A worm on a trebel hook, meant for a largemouth bass, proved irresistible to the monster cat who
was apparently foraging in a small creek. Georgia's new state record white crappie is a
healthy 4-pounds, 11 -ounces, and was a cinch
to win the crappie division of the 1972 contest.
Lewis Little of Macon pulled this monster
"speckled perch" from a lake created by the removal of clay for commercial production of
bricks. Little caught his prize-winner in late May
using a cricket set only 12-inches deep. He reports that there were a large number of locusts emerging in the area at that time, and those that were unfortunate enough to fall upon the water were snapped up by hungry fish lurking
close to the surface. Little's fish will be listed as
the current state record and wins a Pflueger Supreme rod and reel outfit for him.
The struggle for the prize in the bream cate-

.

Carl Patton, a thirteen year old fisherman from Mableton,
pulled a 7-pound, 6-ounce rainbow from Lake Lanier to
win the trout division of the contest.

gory was a close one. The Ambassadeur 5000

Gumm and Garcia rod prize goes to P. F.

of

Atlanta whose 3-pound, 5-ounce bluegill was a

winner by one ounce. Close behind was E. M.

Guy of Macon with a 3-pound, 4-ounce redear

sunfish pulled from Rivoli Lake.

Gumm's winning bluegill, a new state record,

was hooked in Shamrock Lake where he reports

there are a lot more of the same size. Like sev-

eral previous winners in this category, he ad-

vises fishing deep, as much as 30 or 40 feet
down, with a large pink worm for the really

big bream.

The winner in the trout category, Carl Patton,

is also from Mableton, and journeyed to the

lower end of Lake Lanier to catch his prize-

winning fish. Patton may be only 13 but he is

definitely an upcoming fisherman. His 7-pound,
6-ounce rainbow may be an indication of better

things to come. He will be well equipped to take

on bigger fish with his prize of a Pflueger Su-

preme rod and reel outfit.

Georgia records have also been updated on

two species for which .prizes were not awarded,

warmouth and carp. There was a whole horde

of entries of warmouth following last year's

publication of world records. At least three of

the entries were larger than the old world

record, but unfortunately, an even larger

warmouth was caught in another state.
The newly established official state record for warmouth is held by Bruce Soles of Scott, with a 1 -pound, 11 -ounce specimen from a
farm pond in Johnson County. A Mepps Comet
looked enough like a meal to convince this hungry warmouth.
Reverend Donald Clark of Locust Grove set a
new state record for carp while he was out fish-
ing for crappie. Reverend Clark set out from Kersey's Landing on Lake Jackson with a bunch of crappie jigs as lures looking forward to an enjoyable day's fishing and a delicious meal.
When he was ready to reel in and head home,
he found himself hung on what he imagined was a log. But this "log" moved, and it took nearly an hour to land the 35-pound, 12-ounce carp using 12-pound test line.
It turns out that the fishermen didn't do too
badly last year--they did set five new state
records. But, it's that big Black Bass Trophy with
the names of fisherwomen engraved on the last
two lines that needs more attention. OK men, here's the plan we need to follow for some
fisherman to win the major category in this
year's Big Fish Contest:
1 Fish more often 2. Fish anywhere and everywhere 3. Have more patience

Minimum Weight for
Certificate

State Records

World's Record

5 lbs.

BASS, FLINT RIVER SMALLMOUTH

6 lbs., T5 ozs.-- James Lewis,

Cordele, Flint River, Feb. 20, 1967

No Record

10 lbs.

BASS, LARGEMOUTH 22 lbs., 4 ozs. -- George Perry, Brunswick, Montgomery Lake,
June 2, 1932 Second-17 lbs., 14 oi.-Nickie
Marietta, Chastain's Lake,
April 27, 1965

Rich,

5 lbs.

BASS, SMALLMOUTH

6 lbs., 5 ozs-- Jackie R. Suits,

Fry, Lake Blue Ridge,

December 11, 1969

11

lbs., 15 ozs.

5 lbs.

BASS, SPOTTED

7 lbs., 8 ozs.-- Donald Palmer,

Cleveland, Little Tesnatee R.,

May 20, 1969

8 lbs, lOVs ozs.

20 lbs.

BASS, STRIPED 63 lbs., ozs.-Kelley A. Ward, Dublin, Oconee River,
May 30, 1967

72 lbs.

2 lbs.

BASS, REDEYE (COOSA)

2 lbs., 10 ozs-- John R. Cockburn, Jr.,

Dalton, Jacks River,

July 4, 1967

6 lbs., V2 ox.

3 lbs.

BASS, WHITE
5 lbs., 1 oz.-J. M. Hobbins, Atlanta, Lake Lanier, June 16, 1971

5 lbs., 5 ozs.

l'/2 lbs.

BLUEGILL
3 lbs., 5 ozs.-- P. F. Gumm,
Atlanta, Shamrock Lake,
July 19, 1972

4 lbs., 12 ozs.

8 lbs.

BOWFIN

15 lbs., 12 ozs -John F. Maddox

Phenix City, Ala., W. F. George

June 4, 1971

19 lbs., 12 ozs.

20 lbs.

CARP

35 lbs., 12 ozs. -Rev. Donald Clark,

Locust Grove, Lake Jackson,

1972

55 lbs., 5 ozs.

15 lbs.

CATFISH, CHANNEL

44 lbs., 12 ozs.-- Bobby M. Smithwick,

Vidalia, Altamaha River,

May 18, 1972

58 lbs.

15 lbs.

CATFISH, FLATHEAD 51 lbs., 15 ozs.-Hoyt
Suches, Lake Nottely, June 2, 1969

McDaniel,

76 lbs.

3 lbs.

CRAPPIE, BLACK
4 lbs., 4 ozs.-- Shirley Athens, Acree's Lake, June 1, 1971

Lavender,

5 lbs.

3 lbs.

CRAPPIE, WHITE

4 lbs., 11 ozs.-- Lewis I. Little,

Macon, Brickyard Lake,
May 31, 1972

5 lbs., 3 ozs.

15 lbs. GAR, LONG NOSE No Official Record

50 lbs., 5 ozs.

Any Weight

MUSKELLUNGE

38 lbs. -Rube Golden, Atlanta,

Blue Ridae Lake,

June, 1957

69 lbs., 15 ozs.

5 Ibs.-PICKEREl, CHAIN (JACKFISH)

9 lbs., 6 ozs-- Baxley McQuaig, Jr.,

Homerville,

February, 1961

Same

IV2 lbs. SUNFISH, REDBREAST No Official State Record

No Record

2 lbs.

SUNFISH, REDEAR (SHELLCRACKER)

3 lbs., 1 oz.-John S. Reid,

Montezuma, McKenzie's Lake,

August 8, 1971

4 lbs., 8 ozs.

15" or 2 lbs.
18" or 5 lbs.

TROUT, BROOK

3 lbs., 12 ozs-- Barry Lowe,

Lithnnia, Moccasin Creek,

April 12, 1969

14 lbs., 8 ozs.

TROUT, BROWN
18 lbs., 3 ozs.-- William
Marietta, Rock Creek,
May 6, 1967

M. Lowery, 39 lbs., 8

ozs.

24" or
6 lbs.

TROUT, RAINBOW

12 lbs., 4 ozs. -John Whitaker,

Ellijay, Coosawattee Rover,

May 31, 1966

42 lbs., 2 ozs.

2 lbs. 5 lbs.
1 lb.

PERCH, YELLOW No Official State Record

4 lbs., 3 Vi ozs.

WALLEYE
11 lbs., oz.-- Steven Kenny, Atlanta, Lake Burton, April 13, 1963

25 lbs.

V.ARMOUTH
1 lb., 11 ozs.-- Bruce Soles Scott, Private Pond, 1972

1 lb., 13 ozs.

GEORGIA BIG FISH CONTEST

The Georgia Wildlife Federation and Outdoors in Georgia magazine sponsor a big fish contest for the State of Georgia during each calendar
year.
Shortly after the first of each year, rod and reel sets will be given to the angler catching the largest fish in any one of six categories: black bass, white bass, crappie, bream, mountain trout, and catfish. In addition, the angler catching the largest black bass each year will have his name engraved on the Garcia Black Bass Trophy, and the winner in the white bass category will have his name engraved on the Pflueger White Bass Trophy.
Entries made on fish caught after December
31 will be entered in next year's contest. Entries
should be made as soon as possible after the
fish is caught. The deadline for entries in the contest is January 15.
How To Enter
1. Have fish weighed, measured, and entered at any official Georgia Wildlife Federation Weigh-
ing Station or any office of the Game and Fish
Division. If no such station is available, have the fish weighed and measured in the presence of
two witnesses, who sign the official entry blank
or a facsimile. 2. Before the affidavit can be accepted, the truth of the statements must be attested before a qualified officer such as as a notary public, justice of the peace, sheriff, municipal clerk, post-
master, member of state or local law enforcement agency, wildlife ranger, etc.
3. There is no entry fee for the contest. 4. Any Georgia licensed angler, resident or non-
resident, may enter the contest by completing
the official affidavit.

5. Fish must be caught on sporting tackle and be hooked and landed by the entrant. 6. Fish must be caught in the State of Georgia during the legal angling season for the species
taken.
7. Angler can submit as many entries as he wishes. Certificates will be awarded for all fish surpassing the minimum standards in the chart
regardless of the year caught, but contest prizes
will be awarded only in the general black bass, white bass, crappie, bream, mountain trout, and catfish categories for fish caught this year. Awards will not be given for specific species
within these categories such as the largest white crappie, black crappie, etc. due to the difficulty of exact identification of the species in these categories. In the event of a tie, duplicate awards will be given. 8. Clear sideview, black and white or color photographs of the fish, preferably with the angler, must be submitted with each entry which becomes the property of Outdoors in Georgia. 9. Affidavits should be mailed to Big Fish Contest, Outdoors in Georgia, Trinity-Washington Street Building, 270 Washington Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
HOW TO MEASURE A FISH: Girth
should be measured around the largest part of the body as shown in diagram. Length: Measure along a flat surface from the extremity of the mouth to the extremity of
the tail.

PRINT OR TYPE ALL INFORMATION

Kind of Fish

Weight

lbs

ozs. Length

ins.

Girth

ins. Bait used-

--Type Tackle

Rod Brand

Reel Brand_

Line Brand-

Test-

Where caught (Name of Lake or Stream).

Location of Lake or Stream (County or Nearest Town)_

Date Caught

.

Angler

Home Address_

City and State.

Telephone Numbers: Business:.

Home:.

Fishing License Number:
"I hereby swear that the above statements are true; that in taking this fish I complied with the contest rules, fishing regulations, and that the witnesses hereto sow this fish weighed and measured.
I consent to the use of my name in connection with the Georgia State Fishing Contest."

(Signature of person who caught fish)
We, the undersigned, witnessed the weighing and measuring of the fish described above and verified the weight and measurements given.

1. Signature

Address

__

.

2. Signature-

Address

Sworn to and ascribed before me this.

_day of_

19_

-Title:-
(Signature of a qualified officer-- See Rule 2)
Send all entries to: Outdoors in Georgia, Trinity-Washington Street Building, 270 Washington Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.

--
J> -,

Sinclair

By Dick Davis
Photos by the Author
Excellent areas for picnicking, camping and bank fishing are available at various locations on Lake Sinclair.

A magnificent morning began as we
headed out from the dock for a try at the renowned bass, crappie and bream of Lake Sinclair in middle Georgia. The early March wind was brisk and somewhat cutting as Bill
Kennedy of Crooked Creek Camp
revved up the motor on his bass boat, but the chill was subdued by our expectations for the day. Bill pointed
out several favorite fishing spots as
he showed us around the lake and then brought the boat to a slow glide
in Sandy Run Creek. B,y then the
sun was well up and as the remaining fog burned off the day warmed
quickly.
As the boat came into position off the bank of the cove, Ben Gunn low-
ered the forward anchor and Bill
made his first cast of the day, just as
a trophy bass broke clear of the water
in a flashing jump that tantalized us all. Ben and I followed with our

casts and a memorable day began a day like those enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Georgians and visitors from other states who savor the pleasures of Lake Sinclair.
Sinclair's bass, crappie and stripers attract anglers from throughout the state, though most come from the tencounty area surrounding the lake and its tributaries. Thousands journey
from metropolitan Atlanta and Macon and a surprising number travel from
south and west Georgia for the chance to fill their freezers with bass and crappie. Sinclair is "big bass country" and abounds in largemouth black bass, crappie that reportedly grow bigger and faster than in any
other lake in the state, trophy-size
white bass, striped bass, bream and channel catfish.
Sinclair is famed as "a fishermen's hike," although power boating, water skiing, sailing and houseboating are

big activities in the area.
Lake Sinclair, a 15,330-acre reservoir, was created in the heartland of Georgia when Georgia Power
Company built the towering dam at Furman Shoals on the Oconee River.
Sinclair has a 420-mile shoreline with
depths reaching 90 feet. The waters feed two 22,550 kilowatt generators.
In the two decades since Sinclair's waters were impounded, Georgia Power has directed the development of the lake and surrounding lands into a recreational mecca. The company has worked closely with public and private organizations in continually expanding the recreational facilities of the area. The Oconee Planning and Development Commission, U.S.
Forest Service, the Georgia Game and
Fish Division, the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation and other agencies have participated in this cooperative development.

Lake Sinclair
Launching Ramps A - Bass
B - Yacht Club C " Haslam's D - Sandy's
Green Little River Park Crooked Creek Camp U.S. Forest Service Recreational Area Putnam County Park Rocky Creek Causby Landing, Island Creek - Game and Fish Ramp Hwy. 16 - Game and Fish Ramp Hwy. 129

Fishermen and boaters now ply their sport where more than two centuries ago American Indians camped,
where in antebellum days the stage coach ferry on the Eatonton-Milledgeville run crossed the Oconee River, and where in the 1860's a General named William Sherman burned and pillaged on his March to the Sea.
Oconee Springs, now the site of a
recreational park on the lake, was a famous mineral waters health spa of the later 1800's. In nearby Milledgeville, Georgia's secession assembly convened in the state's first capitol. Eatonton, on the northern approaches to the lake, is the home of Joel Chandler Harris of "Uncle Remus" fame.
There are many who consider Lake
Sinclair the premier fishing area of the South for largemouth bass. Leading personalities from all walks of life have fished her productive waters.
The late Bobby Jones, Georgia's own all-time kingpin of golf and the only amateur to win golfdom's grand slam, took strings of largemouth from Sinclair. After one great day on the
lake, Jones is quoted as saying, "This
day has meant every bit as much to me as the day I won the grand slam."
Beckoning the fisherman at Sin-
clair are many picturesquely named branches and tributaries. The veteran

angler returns time and again and the new arrival discovers the piscatorial

wealth of such areas as Shoulder

Bone Creek, Potato Creek, Crooked

Creek, Nancy Branch, The Cowpas-

ture, Rocky Creek, Island Creek,

Beaverdam Creek, Murder Creek,

Cedar Creek, Sandy Run Creek, Buck

Creek, Fort Creek and Log Dam

Creek. The tailrace below massive

Dam Sinclair

is also a favorite fish-

ing spot.
Our Sinclair visit followed an un-

precedented weather spell: the recordbreaking 17-inch snowfall which

blanketed the lake area about two weeks earlier. This heavy snowfall had upset the levels of oxygen distribution in the water, and the fish had
moved into many levels seeking the water most suitable to them. The re-

sult was a lack of any pattern to the depths at which the fish were moving

and feeding. Even this did not seem to bother
some of Sinclair's veteran anglers. One came in with a fine trio of large-

mouth, each topping eight pounds. Others showed some excellent strings

of two- and three-pound crappie with

a few white bass and an occasional

striper.

Later in the day Bill rigged the
trolling motor to the bow, and as we moved slowly along we tried both

We minnows and artificials.

mixed the

trolling with still fishing and on this
particular day we got more action when the anchor was down.

Around Lake Sinclair's beautiful and comparatively clean shoreline are

excellent facilities for camping, picnicking and bank fishing. There are

five established camping sites and an equal number of large picnic areas

providing tables, parking spaces and recreation areas. The lake has five established swimming areas.
To maintain the cleanliness and

quality of recreation on the shore

areas, Georgia Power conducts a con-

tinuous clean-up and maintenance

program at a monthly cost of about $2,500. Empty oil drums for the

disposition of fitter are strategically

placed around the lake at sites fre-

quented by fisherman, hikers and

campers.

Nine marinas offer boat launching

ramps, docking, fuel, fishing and

boating supplies and some also pro-

vide boat and motor repairs, and

areas for swimming, tent and trailer

camping and picnicking, and cabins.

Sailing is another big water sport

at Sinclair. Oconee Sailing and Yacht

Club members unfurl the canvas on

more than 50 sailing boats, ranging

from small Sprites to Snipes and Y-

Flyers.

Lake Sinclair's productive waters yielded this good string of largemouth
bass. Rewarding fishing awaits the angler year-round at this middle Georgia fishing mecca.

10

Backpacking
& Foods Stoves

By T. Craig Martin
Photos by the Author

The backpacker too must mind his belly. This does not mean that a round of beef with Yorkshire pudding or fillet of sole with new potatoes and

tiny peas must accompany his every

venture into the woods; it does sug-

gest that his meals must be carefully

planned and executed if he expects a

pleasant trip. For although wilderness

travellers have a great reputation for

accepting the most abysmal food as

an inevitable accompaniment, their

suffering is both unnecesary and fool-

ish these days.
Why live on the proverbial bacon

and beans (both are heavy, subject

to spoilage, and inefficient sources of

nutrition) when a dinner for four including beef soup, ham a la king,

biscuits, a gelatin dessert, and hot

cocoa weighs 28 ounces and costs
$3.60? No reason, really, except a

perverse affection for outmoded tra-

dition and, perhaps, a certain wari-

ness in the face of a vast assortment

of conflicting brands and claims.

While we can't (and in many cases

wouldn't) break the ties of tradition,

Outdoors in Georgia can help you

sort through the various lightweight

foods and "backpacker" stoves. We've

recently tried several of the more

prominent brands of each, and here

is what we found . . . About Stoves:
We tried four single-burner stoves:
three of the increasingly popular bu-

tane models, one of the traditional

white gas types. The cost ranged

from about $10 for the least expen-

sive butane to about $12 for the

A white gas stove.

good extra fuel

Some people have a foolish way of
not minding, or pretending not to mind, what
they eat. For my part, I mind my belly
very studiously and very
carefully, for I look upon it that he who does not mind his belly will hardly mind
anything else.
Boswell's Life of Johnson

11

container for white gas stoves runs about $3, while extra butane cartridges are $.95 each.
Our testing procedures will hardly put Consumer's Union out of business, but their results may help you
decide which type of stove is best for you.
We made the tests outdoors, on a
day in which the temperature was
about 55 F with a slight breeze. The
test site was near Gainesville, at
about 1,100 feet elevation. To
achieve some uniformity of results, we decided to see how fast the units would boil a quart of water, and how many quarts each could boil over the useful life of one container of fuel. Although our pots varied in size and material, we rotated them from stove
to stove.
The white gas stove outperformed the rest. One of our butane models did fairly well; but the other two needed an extra aluminum foil windscreen to be at all effective, an addition that should not have been necessary on this balmy day.
Gas and kerosene have, of course, been the traditional fuels for back-
packers: they're efficient, readily available, and can be carried in almost unlimited quantities for expedi-
tion use. The stoves developed to use them (almost all originate in

Although most stoves can use some help in the way of a windscreen during rough weather, some of the more popular butane models require them in the slightest
breeze. A piece of aluminum foil serves
quite well.
Hardly a rigorous testing situation, but one that we hope will provide a few suggestions for prospective single-burner stove buyers. The box-like contraption in the center contains a white gas stove; the other three burn butane.

Europe) are compact, lightweight, and relatively foolproof.
But they do require slightly more fussing to start. The fuel must reach the burner as a vapor, having been transformed from its liquid state by a "generator" located between the gas tank and the burner. This generator must be preheated before the stove is lit, generally by burning a little fuel in the "spirit cup", a small bowl just under the generator. Then the stove is turned on, and the heat from
the generator vaporizes the fuel. This
same heat expands the fuel in the tank and forces it toward the burner.
There's a great deal of folklore
-- about starting these stoves you're
warned to fill it at sea level, or to
warm it in your hands for a while to
-- develop pressure, or to bring it into
the sleeping bag to heat up just to create enough pressure in the gas
tank to force a bit of fuel out into
the spirit cup. Humbug! The best
technique is the simplest: spill a little fuel from the spare supply, or extract
some from the stove's tank with an eyedropper. Then the whole process takes about 45 seconds.
Once started, these stoves produce a very hot flame. Ours boiled seven quarts of water in about an hour on one tank of gas, about Vi pint. This

12

These were the victims of our vigorous testing. They represent
a fair cross-section of the available stoves and foods
for backpackers.

averaged out to about eight minutes a quart, more than two minutes faster per quart than the fastest butane.
The best of the butane stoves
boiled seven quarts of water in about 80 minutes, or about one quart each eleven minutes. This average, however, is misleading, for it began at a rate of about one quart every nine minutes, then the rate fell off as the fuel cartridge emptied.
This problem of declining efficiency is one of the major drawbacks of stoves that rely on pressurized fuel.
-- The fuel usually butane, occasion-- ally propane comes in throwaway
cartridges of about 6Vi ounces each, but only a portion of that fuel can be effectively utilized. For as the stove is burned, the presure falls off and the flame becomes less and less pow-
erful. The best one tested remained effective until just before the fuel was
exhausted, other stoves are less than ideal in this respect.
Some butane stoves use replaceable
fuel cells: the cartridge can be re-

moved for packing or replacement
even if all its fuel hasn't been burned. This is a distinct advantage over the other type in which the fuel from each cartridge must be fully expended before removal, an arrangement that can lead to an hour of pallid and unuseable flame.
High altitude and extreme cold are said to weaken these stoves by reducing pressure in the cartridges, but I've used them in the snow at 8,500 feet with no particular difficulty. Georgia conditions are unlikely to
have much effect on them. About Food:
We tried a variety of foods from
six of the major lightweight food suppliers. All of it was palatable, convenient, nourishing, and relatively in-
expensive; we wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them.
For a backpacker to mind his belly "very studiously and very carefully," however, more is involved than counting his days on the trail, multiplying by three, then rushing off to the

neighborhood supplier for the prepackaged meals. The backpacker has fairly specific nutritional needs, needs he must consider if he expects to have a pleasant trip.
He needs, for example, more cal-
ories in the field than he does at home,
perhaps as many as 5,000 a day on rough cross-country treks. And he
needs these calories spread out over the whole working day, not just in
the usual three-meal-a-day bursts. To remain active, he'll need to eat more
carbohydrates, although he could get the same number of calories from fats and protein.
The carbohydrates release their caloric energy quickly and easily, while fats and protein are hard to digest and release their calories much more slowly. So he'll try to snack all day on high-carbohydrate food, a practice that would quickly and radi-
cally alter his trim physique if he
tried it in the city.
He'll probably need more water during a day in the field than he

13

would during a day in the office, so
many backpackers plan menus that

involve a lot of liquid: soup as an

encore, lemonade or other fruit drink

with the meal, hot chocolate and/or

tea after dinner and before bed. The

water loss he experiences also in-
volves loss of body salt, so he may

plan meals that are heavily salted,
or may supplement his diet with salt

tablets during the day.

With these general considerations

in mind, your main concern in choosing items for your trail menu will be

convenient preparation and light
weight. You won't want to carry

anything you don't have to, and you

won't want complicated meals after a long day on the trail.

Although the creative chef can

fashion tasty and nourishing meals

out of light-weight conventional

foods, the easiest solution to the back-

packer's dual problem is freeze-dried food, at least for major meals. They
-- are very light most of the weight in

food is water and all of the water has

-- been extracted and they are quite

-- simple to prepare

you need only

add water and simmer a while.

There's an astonishing variety of

freeze dried food on the market now,

and almost everyone should find

something to his taste, even if it's

only freeze dried ice cream. Prices
range from $.95 for a two man entre
to about $3.50 for a multi-course meal for four.
I personally prefer to avoid elaborate breakfasts and lunches, which
usually means that I don't want to
cook. I take along a hearty cereal and raisins; a little non-fat dry milk (mixed the night before, perhaps with a little vanilla added) completes a nourishing breakfast or mid-morning snack. Freeze dried fruit (either hot or cold) is great with breakfast, and I try to save a little from dinner for
this use.
For lunch I usually have peanut butter and jelly or honey on crackers or pilot biscuits, a candy bar, and a fruit drink. It's usually a light meal, since I've -been snacking on "gorp" (sometimes called "lurp") all morning and will continue to do so all afternoon.
Gorp takes as many forms as there are backpackers, but I prefer M&M's, raisins, and raw almonds. M&M's with peanuts and fruit also is a good combination. The idea is to find something both tasty and nourishing
that is high in carbohydrates. Mint candies are refreshing, as is freeze dried fruit in its dry, hard state.
Jerky makes a good lunch or snack,

While freeze-dried foods certainly help backpackers, they don't eliminate the need for careful planning. Individual bags help organize meals so they can be conveniently found.

as does hard cheese, although I've

had trouble keeping cheese in a

palatable state during hot weather.
Although you may like elaborate

meals at home, simplicity is a definite virtue when you're backpacking.

Your one-burner stove will help limit

your whims, and you should try to

A follow its dictates.

perfectly ade-

quate dinner can be fashioned in one

pot: soup, followed by a casserole or stew cooked in the same pot, washed

down with a fruit drink or spring

water. Later you can clean that pot

or use a teapot to boil water for tea

or hot chocolate.
A nice after dinner drink can be

made from a mixture of instant fruit

drinks and instant tea, spiced with a

little clove or cinnamon. Find a

pleasing proportion at home, then

package it in plastic bags for trips.

The manufacturers of freeze dried

foods provide explicit instructions for

preparing their foods, and you should

begin by following them carefully.

After you've tried them by the book,
however, you may find that extra

simmering will help a lot with the

stews and casseroles, as will the ad-

dition of some margarine, a judicious

dollop of sherry (I carry a small

plastic bottle for just this purpose),

a large pinch of parmesan cheese, or

a bit of your favorite spice.
-- But experiment at home errors

there can be rectified (or ignored)
more easily than those made in the

woods. It also is a good practice to try out any new foods on short trips

before venturing off into the woods

for more than a week. Three days

from civilization is no place to decide

you can't stand some portion of your

food supply.

Modern stoves and lightweight freeze-dried foods make the trail

-- -- chef's job a lot easier. But they will

not

and cannot

replace careful

planning as the major ingredient in

pleasant outdoor meals. The accom-

plished backpacker minds his belly

before setting forth on the trail, and

by doing so he avoids having to
A worry about it during his journey.

belly that's too empty, too full, or

upset creates an unnecessary distrac-

tion at the very least, a distraction

that can spoil the most beautiful trip.

These discomforts are easily avoided

with a little forethought: take ad-

vantage of all the modern conven-

iences, but rely on yourself.

14

Wildlife Profiles:
Bream
By Aaron Pass
Art by Liz Carmrchael Jones

{Bluegill

The bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) is the most widely distributed and
best known of the breams. Known
by such local names as sun perch, blue sunfish, and copperbelly, the
bluegill may have more color variation than any other sunfish. The body
is basically yellow to dark blue with 6-8 vertical irregular bars. Adults have a wide black gill flap and a dark blotch at the rear of the dorsal

fin. The pectoral fin is long and pointed but the mouth is small, not extending backward beyond the eye.
The bluegill's preferred habitat is
quiet waters with scattered beds of vegetation and a bottom of sand,
gravel or muck. They are considered excellent fish for farm ponds when stocked with largemouth bass. The
bluegill begins spawning in May or
when the water temperature ap-

proaches 78 degrees and the spawning season extends into early fall. The best fishing is during the spawning periods as the bluegill concentrate in large numbers at this time. This fish feeds primarily on zooplankton and
crustaceans. The bluegill may reach 15 inches in length and may weigh
up to 4'/2 pounds. This popular panfish is easily caught with natural and
artificial bait.

15

--

(kediear

The redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) is a Georgia favorite. Locally known as the shellcracker and
yellow bream, this large sunfish is eagerly sought on its spawning beds from April to June. Basic body color is olive green with darker olive spots
and 5-10 dusky vertical bars down the sides. The gill flap is tipped with bright red on males and orange on females. The pectoral fins are long

and pointed but the mouth is small, not extending backward beyond the
eye.
The preferred habitat of the redear
is large, quiet waters with an abundance of stumps or logs for cover. It is primarily a bottom feeder and depends heavily on mollusks and crustaceans, crushing their shells with highly developed grinding teeth hence the nickname "Shellcracker."

The redear begins to spawn at water temperatures around 75 degrees. Spawning is primarily in spring
but also occurs in the fall.
This species has a decided preference for natural baits over artificials, and anglers use catalpa worms, garden worms, and grubs with good success. Weights in excess of 3 pounds have been recorded.

16

[Redbreast

The redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) is one of the brightest colored members of the sunfish family. Normal coloration is yellow sides with a red belly and these colors are par-
ticularly bright during spawning. Distinguishing characteristics of this species is a long, narrow black gill flap, a small mouth, and short rounded pectoral fins. Spawning begins normally in late spring at water temperatures of 70-75 degrees.
The redbreast is known by a host of local names such as: the yellow
belly sunfish, longear sunfish. sun perch, and redbreast bream. Sometimes found in lakes and ponds, the redbreast is primarily a stream fish of the rivers of the Atlantic drainage.
It is a very sporty game fish which will take a variety of artificial and natural baits. Normal maximum size is about 11-12 inches and 1 pound.
Two small species of bream are found in the swamp country of south
Georgia. The warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), and the spotted sunfish (Lepomis punctatus), also called
stumpknocker, are small but impor-
tant fish in their locality. Found in freshwater swamps and slow black-
water streams, these species are a sig-
nificant fishery.
The spotted sunfish is liberally dotted with black or brown and attains a maximum size of about 6 inches. The warmouth is more colorful and is larger than the spotted.
Basically olive or gray with mottled
sides, the warmouth may reach 11 inches. The mouth is large on this member of the bream species extend-
ing back beyond the eye.
17

Springtime Flowers
By Donald C. Pendergrast

Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) is a relative of the familiar
Yellow Jessamine, both being in
the Logania family. A showy
plant 1 to 2 feet tall, Indian Pink grows in rich woodlands
throughout the state. The corolla
is scarlet outside, but yellow inside.

Photos by Don Pendergrast

Beardtongue (Penstemon sp.) is
a member of the Snapdragon
family, in which the flowers are 5 lobed, 2 above, 3 below, forming a lipped tube. At least five species of beardtongue can be found in Georgia; some inhabit rocky soils in the
mountains and hills, others may
be found in the sandy soils of the coastal plain. The name beardtongue is derived from the tuft of hairs on one of the stamens.

18

The generic name for wild azaleas is Rhododendron. Hence they are
very close relatives of the
Rhododendrons and Laurels found in the Georgia mountains.
These shrubs have flowers that occur in showy clusters and have
five petals. Depending upon the conditions in which they are
growing, wild azaleas may vary
frow white to pink or lavender. The Flame Azalea is the exception
being a much more vivid orange,
yellow or red. There are at least
eight species of wild azaleas
found across Georgia in habitats varying from forests and bogs in
the mountains to swamp forests
of the coastal plain. They are always found in wooded areas, usually in moist deciduous woods,
although the Dwarf Azalea may
be found on dry sandhills. Different azaleas bloom at various
times, but most often may be found in bloom from late March through May.

Georgia is blessed with a diversity of habitats.
The southern portion of the state is the low and warm Coastal Plain. North of the "fall line" which runs through Columbus, Macon, and Augusta, is the Piedmont Plateau, a higher and more hilly terrain. The Georgia mountains, in
the extreme northern portion of the state are over 300 miles from the southern border and
reach altitudes in excess of 4000 feet. Because

of differences in latitude and altitude, you can follow the spring from south Georgia's swamps, where plants are in full bloom in late March, upward into the mountains, where winter lingers
until May on the peaks. So if you're ready for
an early spring some year, visit south Georgia, and if summer overtakes you too soon for your liking, you can visit the Georgia mountains and
witness spring's freshness all over again.

Photo by T. Craig Martin

!

Photo by Dick Davis
Ocmulgee

An example of the rolling
terrain of Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area can be seen
in this view. In the distance are
wildlife feeding plots established
along the opening on power
line right-of-way.

Wildlife Management

Area

By Dick Davis

20

Jack Scott, Refuge Manager of Ocmulgee WMA,

shows lush growth of chufas on food plot near

Shellstone Creek. There are more than 100 acres of

WMA permanent food plots on the

, with turkey,

deer and other game using the plots regularly.

Encompassing 36,000 picturesque

acres in Twiggs, Bleckley and Pulaski

Counties in middle Georgia, Ocmul-

gee Wildlife Management Area offers

not only excellent hunting at present

but has a vast potential and promise

for the future as the game population

builds rapidly, more prize game spe-

cies are stocked and the number of

-- hunters attracted to the area increases.
Whatever one's desire in game up-

land or lowland, trophy or small
-- game much of it is found on the

wide-ranging areas of Ocmulgee man-

agement area.

WMA The Ocmulgee

embraces

-- many kinds of terrain rolling, flat,

lowland, swamp and river bottoms,

and some relatively high areas with

steep grades and abrupt rises in ele-

vation. There is dense timber as well

as open, cut-over areas.

This Wildlife Management Area is

a prime example of highly successful

multiple-use of forest lands, both
company-owned and individually

held. The area is composed of 19,000

acres of land owned by Continental

Can Co., 14,000 acres owned by

Georgia Kraft Company, both pulp

and paper industries, and 3,000 acres

owned by individuals.

Photo by Derry Stockbridge

Photo by Dick Davis

Trophy deer are bagged on the Ocmulgee which is in

middle Georgia's famed deer country. The deer

WMA population on the

is growing and it is hoped

a doe hunt can be begun on the area in the near future.

21

h-

I

<*'

sW fcf *I; f ? V .fit !/#&/

9 If i

*t^P~ ^m.

IV*

r#
Wd

.
-1

,

Photo by Ted Borg

This is also an outstanding example

of state government, industry and

private landowners working in con-

cert for the public benefit. The de-

velopment and extensive use of the

companies' timberlands and those of

individual owners for public hunting

is proceeding at the same time that

the companies are logging portions
of the WMA, harvesting pulpwood

and sawtimber.

Varied forest types grace the land-
scape on the Ocmulgee WMA. Pine

forests, pine-hardwood, and pure

hardwood stands dominate the up-

lands, with bottomland hardwoods,

cypress, Live Oaks, and Water Oaks

in the lowlands, swamps and river

bottoms. Beautiful Spanish Moss

adorns the Cypress, bays and gums

of the swamps and river bottoms.

A tabulation of game on the Oc-

WMA mulgee

reads like a "Who's

Who?" of the Georgia game world.

Though not all are of huntable popu-

lation, the list includes: deer, bear,

turkey, quail, dove, rabbit, beaver,

bobcat, grey squirrel and fox squir-

rel, wood duck, mallard, scaup, black

duck and hooded merganser.

WMA The Ocmulgee

is ideally

situated near the center of the state

and draws hunters from throughout

Georgia and from some surrounding

states such as Florida and Alabama.

The majority of nimrods at present,

however, are from the middle Georgia

counties. Good cooperation by the

public is a big factor in,,the excellent
progress being made in developing the Ocmulgee Wildlife Management

Area toward its full potential.

-- Area Manager Jack Scott praises

the public

"hunters, adjoining

landowners, and those living in the

-- counties and towns near the manage-
ment area" for their excellent co-

operation in supporting development

of the area, in abiding by laws and

regulations, and in furnishing as-

sistance to him and his staff whenever help is neede. "On any wildlife man-

agement area good public support is

essential," says Jack, "and this is

even more important on a widely dis-

persed management area such as the

We Ocmulgee.

are getting overall fine

cooperation and we appreciate this."

Wild turkeys which have been trapped previously on another area are released on the Ocmulgee
WMA , where stocking of the big
game birds began in 1971 . The turkey population on the
Ocmulgee is increasing and is expected to reach huntable
proportions within a few years.
Game and Fish Division Regional
Supervisor Dick Whittington joins Jack in this expression of appreciation and in paying special tribute to
Continental Can Co., Georgia Kraft Co. and the private landowners who
are permitting use of their lands for
the management area.
Jack Scott is a veteran wildlife and refuge director. Prior to joining the
Game and Fish Division he was for
more than 10 years Wildlife Manager
of the noted Millhaven Plantation in Screven and Burke Counties.
Now in only its second full year
of operation as a public hunting area
under the direction of the Game and
Fish Division of the Department of Natural Resources, the Ocmulgee
WMA is fast growing in popularity
and in hunter acceptance. Opened in

22

OCMULGEE
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
GAME AND FISH DIVISION

Jj/^ , f

TO DANVILLt

CHECK STATION CAMPING AREA HARD SURFACE ROAD IMPROVED DIRT ROAD
-- UNIMPROVED ROAD
- STREAM PRIVATE PROPERTY
23

September, 1970, the area drew 500 deer hunters during that year. For this year's season, 779 hunters bought deer permits and there were 73 bucks killed as contrasted to only 39 during
the first year of operation.
Opening day of the deer season was a big one on the Ocmulgee this year. Twenty bucks were taken on that one day. The high quality of the hunting is evidenced by the trophy game bagged. This year's prizes included a 13-point buck that field dressed at 171 pounds and a 10pointer that dressed out at 182 pounds.
Deer population is growing on the Ocmulgee and Jack Scott looks forward to the area's first doe hunt, possibly next year. Natural forage is good and improving throughout much of the Ocmulgee. In addition, special delicacies available to deer are honeysuckle and crabapples.
The mast crop for grey and fox
squirrels is generally excellent in the
hardwood forests and mixed-pine hardwood. Bears feast on numerous species of berries and on the acorns and crabapples. Turkeys consume parts of many small plants and also find an excellent supply of insects in the humus and matted litter of the
forest floor.
Excellent water supplies for game are found throughout the management area. The Ocmulgee River snakes its way along the western boundary of the management area

and other creeks and streams flowing through the refuge are Shellstone Creek, Savage Creek, South Shellstone Creek, Evergreen Creek and Richland Creek. In addition, beaver ponds are widely dispersed on the
area.
Big plans and action are in the making to assure that this outstanding hunting area reaches its full potential within the next few years.
The original wild turkey stocking of the woodlands took place in 1971 and it is hoped that the turkey popu-
lation can be increased to huntable proportions in the near future. Four hens and three gobblers were released that first year and in 1972 an additional eight gobblers and 1 1 hens
were moved to the area. There are permanent food plots
spotted in all parts of the wildlife
management area. Altogether, there are more than 1 00 acres of food plots
on the WMA. For deer there are corn
and peas in the summer, rye and crimson clover in the winter. The turkeys
are well supplied with chufas, the plant with the root nodules the hens and gobblers find continuously to their liking and scratch up in the food
plots. Brown-top millet is planted for dove and quail, and in the open, cutover areas Lespedeza bicolor has been planted in strops 15-20 feet wide. Sunflower seed patches also provide forage for the game birds. Ducks in the river bottoms are attracted by Japanese millet.

Many river bottoms and beaver pond areas provide
extensive good habitat for waterfowl and small game.

Photo by Dick Davis

Another project by Jack Scott and his group to increase the game population on the area will be erecting 300
Wood Duck boxes in the next five
years, 75 of them to be placed next year. The boxes will be made of

Cypress.

WMA Beaver ponds on the

add to

the excellent duck habitat provided

by the Ocmulgee River bottomlands.

-- -- In fact, so extensive have the ponds
become some are 50 acres that

timber damage has resulted and trap-

ping of beaver is now underway on

Continental Can Co. lands.

Controlled burning has been done on about 800 acres of timberlands on the Ocmulgee management area. This serves both to provide improved habitat for game, particularly turkey and deer, and to reduce the likelihood of forest fires and the severity of damage in event of wildfire.
In past years the Ocmulgee Management Area has offered buck hunting only for deer plus a bowhunt for
either sex. There has been a split season for small game hunting. The

first season has been essentially the month of September, with the second season beginning about the second week in December and continuing through January. Small game hunting is permitted on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the open season.
WMA To reach the Ocmulgee
from Macon, hunters take U.S. 129 south. Continue across the intersec-
tion with Ga. 96 and about 3A mile

south of the intersection turn right

at sign indicating the direction to the checking station.

Special hunting regulations on the

WMA Ocmulgee

include: no buck-

shot and no dogs allowed except

pointers and retrievers used in quail and duck hunting. It is required that
for their own safety all deer hunters
wear orange, red or yellow caps or coats during the gun hunts. Fortunately, thus far there have not been any hunting accidents on the Ocmul-
gee WMA, and Jack Scott and his
assistants would like very much to
prevent accidents from taking place.

Permanent stands for deer are discouraged, especially when erected in

trees, because nails in the trees result

in damage to mill saws when the

timber is cut for lumber or to chip-
pers when the wood is chipped for

pulp.

24

Georgia Wildlife
Federation Awards

By Aaron Pass
Photo by Bud Van Orden

The Georgia Wildlife Federation is both a new and an old organization. The name is new but the organization, formerly known as the Georgia Sportsman's Federation, is old. At
least relatively old, since the Federation held its 17th annual meeting last March.
During the meeting held in Atlanta, the Federation was addressed by sev-
eral well known speakers in the conservation field. The Honorable Ben
Blackburn's luncheon speech centered around national water resources
legislation.
Bass Angler's Sportsmen's Society was represented on the afternoon pro-
gram by Bill Stembridge, and Dan Denton spoke for Ducks Unlimited. Jack Crockford, Director of the Game
and Fish Division of the Department of Natural Resources, explained the 1973 fishing regulations and answered
questions.
Each year the Federation, in cooperation with the Sears Roebuck Company in Georgia, presents awards to those individuals who, in the past year, have made significant contribu-
tions to natural resources conserva-
tion.

The top award, The Conservationist of the Year, was presented to Joe D. Tanner, Commissioner, Department of Natural Resources, for his genuine concern and outstanding con-
tributions in the conservation of the state's natural resources.
A special award, the President's
Award, was presented by Federation
President Charles Ingram to a man
Ingram called the "unsung hero of conservation in Georgia." Dr. Charles Wharton, Professor of Biology at Georgia State College, received this award for his publication, "The

Commissioner Joe D. Tanner receives the Georgia Wildlife
Federation's Conservationist of
the Year A ward. Commissioner
Tanner (left) is shown receiving congratulations and the award
from Charles Ingram, President of the Georgia Wildlife
Federation.
Southern River Swamp," and for his
efforts in the. conservation field. Other conservation awards were
presented in eight resource categories.
The Wildlife Conservationist of the Year Award went to wildlife biologist
Robert Ernst of the Game and Fish
Division of the Department of Natural Resources for his research work with black bear. Sanford Darby of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources received the Soil Conser-
vationist of the Year Award for his influence on the reclamation of strip

25

mines in the state. The Water Conservationist Award went to Dr. Claude Terry for his notable contributions on the Chattahoochee River and other water resource related efforts. Verlon Carter of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife won the Forest Conservationist of the Year Award due to his successful demonstration that efficient wildlife and timber management can coexist.
The Conservation Education Award went to Mrs. Jennie Tate Anderson who was instrumental in in-
troducing a curriculum guide for conservation education into the Georgia
school system. The Honorable George K. Larsen of the 27th Congressional District was awarded the Conservation Legislator of the Year Award for his efforts in conservation
legislation, including the Georgia Scenic Trails Act, the Georgia Scenic Rivers Bill, and the Chattahoochee
River Protection Act. The Conservation Communicator of the Year Award went to John Pennington of
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Magazine for his many resource ori-
ented articles.
Trout Unlimited, Chattahoochee Chapter, was honored as the Conservation Organization of the Year for its efforts in protecting the Chattahoochee and Little Tennessee Rivers and for assisting in the development of the Waters Creek Trophy Trout Stream.
The Federation also presented Youth Conservationist Awards to deserving young people who have
contributed to the conservation effort.
Richard Rudman of Briarcliff High
School was honored as Youth Conservationist of the Year. Other winners were: John Allen Bailey, 1st District; Bill Mills, 2nd District; Wal-
ter Evans, 3rd District; Benedict Tai, 4th District; Sarah Patterson, 5th
District; Cheryl Lynn Smith, 6th District; Jeanie Summerford, 7th District; Grace Griffis, 8th District; Burton McDaniel, 9th District; and Alton
Johnson, 10th District.
Special awards were presented to three deer hunters for their notable success. Mr. H. D. Cannon of Comer,
and Mr. J. W. Plemmons of Griffin won the 1972 Georgia Big Deer Contests. Mr. Boyd L. Jones of Tallahassee Florida was also recognized for having taken a new record weight
deer in Georgia.

Wildlife Biologist Robert Ernst
(left), of the Game and Fish
Division, was selected as the
Wildlife Conservationist of the Year for his research on black bear in north Georgia.

26

Sandford Darby of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources received the Soil Conservationist of the Year
A ward for his influence on the
reclamation of strip mines in
the state.

Two lucky Georgia deer hunters who won the 1971 Big
Deer Contest flank Commissioner Tan-
ner with their prizes.
J. W. Plemmons (left) won the weight division with a whopping 304 lb., 7 oz. buck. H. D. Cannon, on the right, racked up in
the antler division
with a trophy scor-
ing 172-2/8 Boone &
Crockett points.

Sportsman's
Calendar

FISHING REGULATIONS

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

All fishermen 16 years of age or older in the State of

Georgia are required to have a valid current State fishing

license in their possession while fishing in fresh water, with

the exception of landowners and members of their immedi-

ate family who may fish without a license on their own

No property.

license is required for fishing in saltwater.

Residents 65 years of age, or over, blind persons, and
totally disabled veterans may obtain a permanent honorary
fishing license free of charge by personal or mail application
to the Game and Fish Division's office in Atlanta.

TROUT STAMP
All non-resident fishermen and all resident fishermen between the ages of 16 and 65 must have a trout stamp to catch and keep trout. Resident anglers holding honorary licenses and resident anglers under 16 years of age are not
A required to have a trout stamp. season trout stamp costs
$2.25 for residents and $10.25 for non-residents, a nonresident 5 day stamp is $3.25.

LICENSE FEES

Resident Fishing License

$3.25

Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing . . 7.25

Non-Resident Fishing (5 day trip)

3.25

.... Non-Resident Season Fishing License

10.25

SEASONS
All streams, lakes, and ponds of Georgia are open to fishing through the entire year with the exception of the mountain trout waters of North Georgia. See trout regulations for details. Sunday fishing is allowed.

DAILY CREEL LIMITS

Bream (Bluegill, Red Breast,

and other species of Bream)

50

Crappie

50

White Bass

30

Largemouth Black Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Red-

eye Bass, and Spotted Bass or Kentucky Bass

15

Striped Bass or Rock Fish

5

White-striped Bass Hybrid

10

Chain Pickerel or Jack

15

Brook or Speckled Trout, Rainbow Trout

and Brown Trout

8

White Shad, Hickory Shad

8

Sauger, Walleye

8

Muskelunge Channel Catfish Flathead Catfish

2
No Limit No Limit

POSSESSION LIMITS

It is unlawful for any person to possess at any one time

more than 50 fish in the aggregate (total) of all species
named, except channel and flathead catfish. No more than

a total of 15 largemouth, smallmouth, redeye or spotted

No bass can be possessed.

more than 8 trout of any or all

species can be possessed at any time.

27

SPECIAL POSSESSION LIMITS There will be a special creel limit of 25 warmouth, bream
or sunfish taken from the Suwannee River and the Oke-
fenokee Swamp. On Lake Blue Ridge there will be a creel
limit of 15 walleye.
SIZE LIMITS
There is a minimum size limit of twelve (12) inches for
largemouth bass on all public waters in this State. It is a violation of this regulation to take or have in possession largemouth bass less than 12" in length, taken from public
waters.
There is a minimum size limit of 12 inches on all redeye
bass taken from the Flint River.
There is a minimum size limit of fifteen (15) inches for
striped bass (rock fish) in all waters (fresh and salt) of this State. It shall be a violation of this regulation to possess striped bass less than 15" in length, taken from these waters.
REGULAR TROUT SEASON
The Georgia trout season runs from March 31, 1973,
through October 6, 1973, inclusive. This season shall apply to all streams in the eleven north Georgia counties of Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Habersham, north of Ga. #115,
Lumpkin, north of Ga. #52 east of Dahlonega and north and west of U.S. #19 west of Dahlonega, Murray, Pickens,
Rabun, Towns, Union, White, north of Ga. #115. It shall also apply to the Chattahoochee River and its tributaries upstream to the backwater level due to power generation
from Buford Dam to the Roswell Bridge on U.S. High-
way 19.
Streams designated as trout water in the counties of Walker, Chattooga, Bartow, Floyd, Paulding, Gordon, Haralson, Cherokee, Polk, and Catoosa open and close with the regular state trout season (March 31 -October 6). These
streams are designated by signs erected by the Game and
Fish Division.
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA TROUT SEASON The Wildlife Management Area trout season shall run from April 28, 1973, through Labor Day, inclusive. This season shall apply to those streams, and their tributaries, listed in the Managed Stream Schedule elsewhere in this brochure. All other streams on Wildlife Management areas will be open during the regular trout season (March 31October 6).
LAKES AND RESERVOIRS The regular state trout season shall not apply to any lake or reservoir, except Dockery Lake where the season shall be March 31 -October 6, and Rock Creek Lake and Ed-
--mundson Pond which are. open as tributaries to Rock Creek See Managed Stream Schedule. All tributary streams to Lake Lanier, except the Chattahoochee and Chestatee, to Hartwell except the Tugaloo, and to Clark Hill, except the Savannah, Broad and Little Rivers
are closed to fishing for a distance of three (3) miles up-
stream from backwaters from December 1 to April 1 of
each year.
GENERAL TROUT REGULATIONS
CREEL LIMITS
Eight (8) trout per day (regardless of species) except as otherwise provided in Special Regulations. Possession limit eight (8) trout (regardless of species).
FISHING HOURS
Fishing on trout streams open during the regular state trout season (March 31 -October 6) will be permitted from
30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. No
night fishing on these streams is permitted. Trout fishing at night is permitted on all impoundments except Dockery Lake, Rock Creek Lake, and Edniundson Pond, where fishing is permitted from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Night fishing is permitted on "yearround" trout streams.

FISHING METHODS
1. Fishermen may take trout only with rod and line.

Trout fishermen are restricted to the use of one rod and line

and it must be held in hand.

ANY 2. Live bait-fish May Not be used in

trout stream

in the state. Seining of bait fish is not allowed in any trout

stream.

3. Trotlines, set hooks, jugs, nets, and bows and arrows

are prohibited for fishing in all trout streams.
4. On those streams designated for "artificials only," only artificial lures may be used. It is illegal for anyone

fishing an "artificial only" stream to have any bait other

than artificial bait in his possession.
Artificial bait as used in these regulations shall mean

any bait which is man-made, in imitation of or as a

substitute for natural bait, and shall include artificial

NOT flies.

included and expressly prohibited are fish

eggs, corn, or chemically treated or processed foods.

5. While fishing specially regulated waters with a mini-
mum size limit, it will constitute a violation to possess trout
of less than the specified minimum size.

RESERVOIRS AND LAKES There is no seasonal restriction on trout fishing in reservoirs and lakes, except Dockery Lake where the season runs from March 31 -October 6, and Rock Creek Lake and Ed-
--mundson Pond which are open as tributaries of Rock Creek See Managed Stream Schedule.

NIGHT FISHING Night fishing for trout is permitted on reservoirs and
lakes, except Dockery Lake, Rock Creek Lake, and Edmundson Pond where fishing is permitted from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.

CREEL LIMIT Eight (8) trout (regardless of species). Possession limit eight (8) trout (regardless of species).

TRIBUTARIES CLOSED
AH tributary streams to Lake Lanier, except the Chatta-
hoochee and Chestatee Rivers, to Lake Hartwell, except the Tugaloo River, and to Lake Clark Hill, except the Savannah, Broad, and Little Rivers, are closed to fishing for a distance of three (3) miles upstream from backwater from December 1 to April 1 of each year.

MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT Lakes Lanier, Hartwell, Clark Hill, Burton, Rabun, Seed,
Tallulah Falls, and Blue Ridge shall have a minimum size limit of 14 inches on all species of trout from December 1
to April 1 of each year.

TROUT STAMP
A current state trout stamp affixed to the back of a valid

-- state fishing license is required to catch and possess trout.
(See License Requirements elsewhere in this brochure.)

The trout stamp is required to fish in those lakes where

trout are the only or the predominant species. These lakes

are Dockery Lake, Amicalola Lake, Lake Trahlyta, Unicoi

Lake, Rock Creek Lake, and Edmundson Pond.

On all other lakes or reservoirs where trout are present,

the trout stamp is required only if trout are in possession

of the fisherman.

CLOSED STREAMS

The following streams will be closed for renovation and

restocking during the 1973 trout season:

Chattahoochee River

WMA (Upstream from Henson Creek) . Chattahoochee

Dick's Creek

WMA Lake Burton

Tuckaluge Creek

Warwoman WMA

Coleman River

(Upstream from USFS

bridge #54)

WMA Coleman River

Mill Creek

WMA Coleman River

Tate Branch

WMA Coleman River

WMA Mill Creek on Blue Ridge

is permanently closed to

fishing (water supply for Chattahoochee Forest National

Fish Hatchery).

28

Management Area
BLUE RIDGE

Stream Jones Creek

Montgomery

Nimblewill

Noontootley

Rock Creek
CHATTAHOOCHEE Chattahoochee

Dukes

CHESTATEE

Boggs

Dicks

LAKE BURTON

Waters Moccasin

Wildcat

LAKE RUSSELL
WARWOMAN

Middle Broad Finney

Sarahs

Walnut Fork Hoods Creek

April Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29
Sat. 28 Sun. 29 Sat. 28 Sun. 29

May
Sat., Sun.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
J^onL 28
Sat., Sun.
Mon. 28
Every Day

June Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Every Day

July Sat., Sun.
Wed. 4th
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Sat., Sun.
Wed. 4th
Every Day

August
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Every Day

Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sur,.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Mon. 28 Sat., Sun Wed., Thu. Mon. 28
Sat., Sun.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sun.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sun.
Mon. 28
Sat., Sun.
Wed. Mon. 28 Wed., Thu. Mon. 28
Wed., Thu. Mon. 28
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.

Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun. Sat., Sun. Wed. Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Sat., Sun. Sat., Sun.
Wed.
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.
Wed., Thu. Wed., Thu.

Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Wed. 4th
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.
Wed. 4th
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu.
Sat., Sun.
Wed. 4th
Sat., Sun.
Wed.
Wed., Thu.
Wed., Thu.
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.

Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun. Wed., Thu. Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.
Wed.
Sat., Sun.
Sat., Sun.
Wed., Thu. Wed., Thu.

September
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon.. Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3
Sat., Sept. 1 Sun., Sept. 2 Mon., Sept. 3

Outdoors
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(PjMork Hopkins 1973