DO NOT REMOVE V Outdoor; \t) geor&i February 197= .,>. K Outdoors \t) eoria February 1975 Volume IV Number 2 FEATURES The Beach (photo essay) . . Jim Couch 2 .... Day Use Parks Lonice Barrett 4 .... Topographic Maps Aaron Pass 1 1 .... Teaching Safety Joe Cullens 15 West Point Lake Dick Davis 21 Outdoorsman's Quiz . Sgt. V. J. Garrison 25 Patterning Aaron Pass 26 DEPARTMENTS Book Reviews 32 ON THE FRONT COVER: A slightly confused young raccoon who chose too short a tree in his attempts to evade photographer Jim Couch's camera. ON THE BACK COVER: A moody, wintry Flint River. Photo by Cathy Cardarelli. MAGAZINE STAFF Phone 656-3530 David Cranshow Publisher T. Craig Martin Editor Aaron Pass Wildlife Editor Dick Davis Staff Writer Joe Cullens Staff Writer Bill Morehead Staff Writer Rebecca N. Marshall . . . Staff Writer Liz Carmichael Jones . . . Art Director Jose Vinas Artist Bob Busby Photo Editor .... Jim Couch Staff Photographer Edward Brock . . . Staff Photographer Linda Leggett . . Circulation Manager Department of Natural Resources Joe D. Tanner Commissioner George Busbee Governor George T. Bagby Deputy Commissioner George P. Dillard Chairman Decatur-- 4th District Donald J. Carter -- Gainesville 9th District Mary Bailey Izard Atlanta-- 5th District Leonard E. Foote Vice Chairman -- Marietta State at Large Wade H. Coleman -- Valdosta State at Large Lloyd L. Summer Rome-- 7th District Leo T. Barber, Jr. Secretary -- Moultrie 2nd District Dr. Robert A. Collins, Jr. -- Americus 3rd District Henry S. Bishop Alma-- 8th District James Darby Vidalia-- 1st District Leonard Bassford Augusta-- 10th District Jimmie Williamson Darien-- Coastal District James A. Mankin Griffin-- 6th District James D. Cone Decatur-- State at Large A. Calhoun Todd, Jr. Macon-- State at Large Division Directors EARTH AND WATER DIVISION Sam M. Pickering, Jr., Director ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION R. S. Howard, Jr., Director PARKS AND HISTORIC SITES DIVISION OFFICE OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH Henry D. Struble, Director Chuck Parrish, Director PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION David Cranshaw, Director; Dick Davis, Assistant Director GAME AND FISH DIVISION Jack Crockford, Director OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES James H. Pittman, Director Outdoors in Georgia is the official monthly magazine of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, published at the Department's offices, TrinityWashington Building, 270 Washington Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30334. No advertising accepted. Subscriptions are $3 for one year or $6 for three years. Printed by Williams Printing Company, Atlanta, Georgia. Notification of address change must include label from a recent magazine, new address and ZIP code, with 60 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, Georgia. 40,000 copies printed at an approximate cost of $14,500. The Department of Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity employer. -- ^ /g/if arge Occasionally, in the course of going forward, it is wise to lcok back to where you started and to consider where you have been. There are many values to this. You can take pride in successes, wisdom from the failures, but most important you can see if you're really getting where you wanted to go. The past eight years loom large for us who work at the conservation of our precious natural resources large in terms of success, leavened only sparingly by defeat. These years have witnessed a drastic change in the way we perceive our relationship with our environ- ment. The realization has come to us that we can no longer take without question, assuming that those re- We sources which sustain us have no limits. are aware, more than ever before, that we must carefully and in- telligently husband our finite natural resources to insure their continued existence and contribution to our rich and prosperous lifestyle. This husbandry, in the form of protection and man- agement, is the charge of the Department of Natural Resources. However, the mere existence of this Depart- ment and its specialized divisions does not guarantee conservation of the resource. Effective conservation can only be accomplished through public support. Public support comes in many ways, but the most important by far comes through the people's representa- tives in the General Assembly. Without understanding and assistance from the legislature, the efforts of the Department of Natural Resources (or any other state agency) arc essentially meaningless. This has been the real success of conservation in these eight large years. The public has become aware of the need to conserve our natural resources and has suc- cessfully transmitted this concern to its elected rep- February 1975 resentatives. As a result the Georgia General Assembly has been supportive and responsive to natural resources conservation legislation. The purchase of Sapelo Island, the raising of hunting and fishing license fees, the passage of strong air and water quality legislation, the Georgia Heritage Trust Program, strict marshland protection regulations, and many other examples of wise resource conservation required action of the General Assembly to come about. In addition there is the annual need for the appropriations and enabling legislation which allows this Department to function. In all these areas, it is the legislature which makes our (and your) conservation efforts work. Conservation has become a complex business, far beyond stocking a few fish and creating a park here and there. Deciding what is wise use, or at least the wisest use, is a thorny problem. Our Department is designed for professional investigation, which is eventually perfected into legislative action and this is conserva- tion progress. The goal of our Department of Natural Resources is to administer Georgia's wonderful natural resources in such a manner that those of us living can now harvest and enjoy the fruits of these resources; and those generations of Georgians yet unborn can also reap a bountiful harvest from the same resources. All of our problems are not yet solved, but we are getting there and that's what is important. / '$*$*y^ "'^^WW'^^V -*'* '%i^*a *"" *' " ofke eack LPhotos by ?ebruary 1975 vf * *3W5 "** Xv \ Jw.V*Er $iP "*-"m>" a 1 Outdoors it? Georgia Bay Ose ParHs bv Lonice Barrett State park . . . for many of us these two words bring thoughts of camping, hiking, picnicking, or even a fireside chat in one of over 200 comfortable cottages available in Georgia's 5 1 parks. Others cherish vivid memories of leisurely summer afternoons spent in imaginative wonder at the popular dramatic presentations of the last two years. Still others think of the newly established interpretive naturalist programs while a few remember a "big one" that got away or a wily trout that just never seemed hungry enough to take the lure. Wildlife lovers are reminded of the marvelous little "critters" that seemed as happy with people as were the humans who waited in watchful vigil for a glimpse of nature at work. But did you ever stop to realize that Georgia has almost 50,000 acres devoted to parks and recreation purposes? Photo by Cathy Cardarelli February 1975 Parks are scattered throughout Georgia and, for the most part, serve specialized purposes. Some, located on large impoundments, serve primarily as water access points with a few picnic tables for those who come to launch their boats for fishing, skiing, or pleasure riding. Many areas are worthy of preservation, but due to restraints in soil suitability, size, slope, and other hydrological and geological considerations are not suited for "stay-use" facilities. Two good examples are Providence Canyon in Stewart County and Panola Mountain in Rockdale County. Both of these parks are being developed to enhance as fully as possible an outstanding natural feature that might be destroyed by concentrated human use. Another example might be Chattooga Lakes, a public fishing area in northwest Georgia that offers excellent fishing primarily to residents of the Summerville and LaFayette areas. All of these are "day-use" parks, and, like many others, were developed simply because a significant natural resource close to an urban community needed to be made accessible. In many instances federal land has been made available for recreational development. With the current economic condition and petroleum prices being what they are, Georgia's state parks offer a pleasant alternative to vacations in other states. Outdoors ip Georgia February 1975 Outdoors ii? Georgia . Day Use Parks 1 Bainbridge: Within city limits of Bainbridge in the southwest corner of Georgia. Picnicking, boating, fishing. 2 Chattahoochee River: Off U.S. 41 in north Atlanta. Hiking, canoeing, rafting. 3 Chattooga Lakes: On Marble Springs Road, 3 miles southeast of Summerville. Picnicking, fish- ing. 4 Fairchild: 14 miles south of Donalsonville, off Ga. 39. Picnicking, boating, fishing, skiing. 5 Jefferson Davis Memorial: On state road about 1 mile north of Irwinville. Picnicking, museum. 6 Lake Chatuge: 2 miles north of Young Harris on U.S. 76. Picnicking, pond fishing. 7 Lincoln: Just west of Millen city limits on Ga. 1 7. Swimming, fishing, picnicking, ball field. 8 Nancy Hart: 10 miles southeast of Elberton off Ga. 1 7 and Broad River Road. Picnicking, recon- structed Revolutionary War cabin. 9 Panola Mountain: 18 miles southeast of Atlanta off Ga. 155. 10 Providence Canyon: On Ga. Conn. 39, 8 miles west of Lumpkin. Picnicking, hiking, sightsee- ing. 11 Reynoldsville: On Ga. 253, 16 miles west of Bainbridge. Picnicking, fishing, boat ramp. 12 Santa Maria: On Ga. 40 Spur, V2 mile north of junction of Kings Bay Road. Picnicking, tabby ruins of old sugar mill. 13 Yam Grandy: Off U.S. 1 within the city limits of Swainsboro. Swimming, picnicking, reserved shelter. Public Fishing Areas Ml Arrowhead: Off Ga. 27, near Armuchee. Pic- nicking, pond fishing. I 2 Baldwin I State Forest: 4 miles south of Milledge- ville, off U.S. 441. Pond fishing. McDuffie: Off U.S. 278 near Dearing. Picnicking, pond fishing. Historic Sites Chehaw Indian Monument: Memorial to a friendly Indian town, Ga. 195, 3 miles north of Leesburg. Confederate Naval Museum: 4th Street just west of U.S. 27 in Columbus. Dahlonega Courthouse Gold Museum: U.S. 19 in Dahlonega. Eagle Tavern: Stagecoach stop, store, and tavern, U.S. 129, U.S. 441 at Watkinsville. Etowah Mounds Archaeological Area: Indian ceremonial center, west of U.S. 441 and U.S. 41 at Cartersville. Fort King George: In 1721 the southernmost English outpost; prior to that the site of a Spanish Mission. On the Altamaha River, east of U.S. 17 at Darien. Fort Jackson Maritime Museum: 3 miles east of Savannah on the river. Fort McAllister: Confederate fort for defense of Savannah, 10 miles east of U.S. 17 at Richmond Hill. Fort Morris: Revolutionary Fort, at Sunbury. Crawford W. Long Medical Museum: Honoring the first doctor to use ether as an anesthetic (in 1842), U.S. 129 at Jefferson. Mackay House: Revolutionary shrine, 1822 Broad Street in Augusta. Midway Museum: Memorial to founders of Georgia's "Cradle of Liberty," U.S. 17 at Midway. New Echota: Last eastern capital of the Chero- kee Nation, north of Calhoun, or! Ga. 225, 2 miles east of U.S. 41 New Hope Church Monument: Important battle site of the Civil War, Ga. 92, 4 miles northeast of U.S. 278 at Dallas. Historic Traveler's Rest: Pioneer home and inn, U.S. 123, 6 miles east of Toccoa. Troup Home: Restored tomb of Georgia's origi- nal "State's Righter" who defied a President, 8 miles west of Soperton off Ga. 46. Vann House: Restored finest home in the Chero- kee Nation, Ga. 225, U.S. 76 at Spring Place. Washington-Wilkes Historical Museum: Confederate Museum and ante-bellum home, U.S. 78, U.S. 378 in Washington. Waynesboro Historical Museum: U.S. 25, Waynesboro. Under Development 20] Jarrell Farm: Preserved farm complex, located in Jones County. 2? Lapham-Patterson House: Victorian era house, located in Thomasville. Robert Toombs House: Home of Civil War digni- tary, located in Washington. 2? Wormsloe: In Chatham County, a beautiful his- torical site dating back to pre-Revolutionary War era. Tabby ruins in existence. February 1975 10 Outdoors ip Georgia MAPS by Aaron Pass Photos by Bob Busby Almost everyone who, due to job or hobby, has occasion to venture out into the boondocks -- shares a common concern getting back. Out- door pastimes are supposed to be the basis of pleasant memories, and stumbling through darkening woods wondering where in the devil you are hardly qualifies as pleasant. In Georgia there are few places where being disoriented (lost) is a deadly serious matter; but for personal comfort and self-esteem, getting back to truck and toilet tissue on time has obvious merit. There are many options and theories on land navigation. Among outdoorsy types, the tradi- tional north star, mossy tree, etc., approach has considerable following. These methods, passed from Indian to frontiersman, served our hardy ancestors well enough. An old-time trapper who plied his trade in the wild and remote Rockies during the 1830s was asked how he avoided getting lost. "Lost!? Lost from what?" he replied. Directional needs have changed from moun- tain to modern man. If all you want to find is February 1975 Wyoming, a mossy tree probably is adequate; but pinpointing a certain spot (like your vehicle or campsite) requires a bit more sophistication. Today, professional and serious hobby out- doorsmen advocate the virtues of map and com- pass. With knowledge, a good map, and a true north one can cut the brush with a bold stroke, certain of his relative position and ability to return. Beyond keeping you on the right track, good maps are an invaluable aid to most forms of outdoor recreation. Hunters and fishermen use them to locate good spots to try their luck. In these economy-minded days, maps often can show "hidden" spots nearby that you have passed daily and never suspected. Hikers and canoeists profit from the use of maps, for area maps may show interesting spots that are worth a look but are not covered by the "strip" maps normally used on rivers and trails. On the professional side, good maps are es- sential. Natural scientists, engineers, and planners would be lost, both literally and figurative- 11 --. ORDER MARS PT NAMES PRINEEO in BLACK AND Br SERIES DESIGNATION ALL MAPS SHOWN ON THIS INDEX ARE DISTRIBUTED BY THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY A ^y j*p ' >' 4" 4*\\ A 4tAt/? $ #4<4'4 ^ z/ '/ 4'' 4! /%' /? r ^' -4 ^$ # A 4> -^ /> ,* 4' /A _ / y; 3 '& %' 4 A jdV ,-* /V A% ./"' # A ft* A if /'* .^ #y y* TATE '"' I.jT i A M 4 ^ A <>y j^y /' #*v /X> ^ ^ i y /? /, A> % . t- A 4 / A "w 4' .4 ft yv 4&r* ^y j 4i / 4- 4? >> 4 4 y A -'* ,<* f^ /> /* At a% CARE) UTON ' j0 4" -- VILLA DIC* P 4t ."-<* 4 // // / / ' / /^ / / #/ /> # A tt $*>/ A 4 / 4 ; A A ,* ,,/ <* /' /' 4> / 4 ^ A 4 /' A 4', A ^ /i* / / / A 4/* /q A 4i / EORS;,. A / / / /- / 4- ,y // 4 /4 3 A w (i ^/ '- 4 A /* A 4'U eot-iKGBRont CORDON / -*" MELLED^ILLE * /' ^# /*' ...ENEON ^ jfti .# ^ /; A if A, A .< // 4/ /^ - J* / .-- A i# > ^>v A / A A J" -^ /V 1 sa TJSSt *'<4* A/ // A 4> 4 4 EORE^LLE. B [ KOCHY FOD OUVCi ALLtNOALt ^! r, SHimn PINE LAND ft'/ *>/' COLUMBUS 4 4 f>; /' -'V Af /-' /' ^ 4 / i * 4 4 4. A" ' 1 / A A .4 4- 4* ,v' 4A Luoomci f A 4 4 /*/* sss A / MUETT CITY 4 A* / / 4 A ' /t /. ..,,,,,, * ")" W '--" 4 J /^ fy j i^. <^ , OUIEMAN ^6 /' 44 ^ .4* /i *V / /^ ^ 4 A A it ,4 / A A't At y ;<, A A A, A A % t 'At .-4' A A 4 .4 A 4 A A 4 ^J, 4> '/' 'At A ..,,., "f A 4 4<- / E^V 4 4 A' ftjt tf* A # /? /A #y A- Aa F 12 Outdoors ip Georgia ly, without maps. Biological, geological, and hydrological surveys are based on maps; as are highways, reservoirs, and numerous other construction projects. Land-use planning and environmental impact assessments also use maps as a basis for their projections. Many different types of maps are used in these occupations, but one type stands out as the workhorse. The topographic map, or "tope sheet," is the most useful to professional and sportsman alike. The topographic map is a rep- resentation of the earth's surface showing cities, roads, rivers, etc., just as any other map; but it also depicts the land's contour. Hills and valleys are represented as are bottoms and swamps; flatland and mountains are identifiable and the elevation of each is given. The most common topographic map is the IV2 minute quadrangle. Drawn to a scale of one inch to 2,000 feet, this map is large enough to show small watersheds, subtle land form changes and even individual houses. The advantages of this type of map to either sportsman or professional land manager are The map on p. 12 indicates portions of the state already surveyed for topographic maps. The individual sections (or "quadrangles") are named, and the maps are ordered by these names. obvious, and a program to map the whole state is now underway. The Earth and Water Division of the Department of Natural Resources is coordinating the statewide mapping program, which began in 1971 and will last six years. All Georgia quadrangles will be available by the end of 1977. The complete IVi minute system will consist of 1,019 separate quadrangles. Anyone who wants to tape all these together into a complete state map had better have high ceilings: the map would stand approximately 120 feet tall. These maps will show the land contour, lakes, swamps, railroads, highways, and cities. Every house and barn (except in urban areas) and the land use (woodland or cleared) also will be depicted. According to Sam Pickering, director of the Earth and Water Division, "We want to pro- vide good, useful maps, accurately representing the surface of the land as it is now." Other mapping also is coming out of this program. Derivative maps, or maps particularly de- signed for special needs, are being developed Each United States Senator and Repre- sentative may ask the USGS to send a limited number of these maps to his constitu- ents free of charge. To reques \ free maps, write to your Congressman at the address below, indicating in your letter the name of the quadrangle you want (from the Index on p. 12). Be sure to provide an accurate return address, including your ZIP code. Representatives: Thp Hon. U. S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20510 Senators: Thp Hon. U. S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20515 February 1975 13 along with the IV2 minute quadrangles. Special maps are being designed for the mountains and coast because of their environmental fragility and the rapid increase in development there. Until 1970, Georgia was poorly mapped. Only about 35 percent of the state was covered by quadrangles and many of these were completely out of date. The correction and updating of these maps now is complete and some new maps already have been added. These maps now are available through both the Earth and Water Division and the U.S. Geological Survey. The maps can be purchased directly or ordered by mail from the following addresses: Earth and Water Division Department of Natural Resources 19 Hunter Street, S.W. Atlanta, Ga. 30334 (Direct purchase, no mail orders) Distribution Section U.S. Geological Survey 1200 South Eads Street Arlington, VA 22202 14 Outdoors ip Georgia teaching safety by Joe Cullens February 1975 A young man quietly slips into the woods from a dirt road mottled by frozen mud. The crunch of his boots fractures the early morning stillness as he stealthily makes his way to the tree stand he put up the day before. Thought of a trophy buck brings comforting warmth to the pre-dawn chill. As he prepares to make the 15-foot climb to his perch in the pair of close-growing oaks, he realizes that climbing a tree with a rifle is no easy feat. He softly curses himself for not in- vesting in a sling. With his first shell chambered, he ties a short piece of twine to the trigger guard and attaches the other end to his belt. Moments later, the twine snaps and the rifle tumbles toward the ground. The 1 8-year-old was found late that afternoon slumped in the crevice of the two trees, a victim of his own carelessness. A grisly scene indeed, but this fictional ac- cident need not have occurred. In fact, aside Continued on page 19 15 16 Outdoors ii? Georgia February 1975 If you wear your fluorescent orange and manage not to shoot yourself, chances are you'll get through Georgia's deer season alive. At least that's what Department of Natural Resources statistics gathered over the past two years (the first two deer seasons since the "orange law" went into effect) seem to indicate. While the total number of accidents hasn't been falling very dramatically (34 in 1972-73 season, 30 in 73-74, and 28 as of Jan. 8 this year), the number of fatalities involving deer hunters has dropped from 10 in 72-73 to 4 as of mid-January this year when most deer seasons had closed. The total fatalities figure hasn't dropped much: hunters after other game seem all too eager to take up the slack left by more cautious or better protected deer hunters. Self-inflicted fatalities have jumped frighteningly both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of total deaths: 1 of 13 in 72-73, 5 of 10 in 73-74, and 8 of 1 1 so far this year. So the guy that wears orange is safer. Does he also stand as good a chance to get his deer? Although the figures aren't final yet, there seems to be no drop in the number of deer killed since the law went into effect. Dr. Larry Marchington, professor of wildlife biology at the University of Georgia, says the best current guess is that deer are color blind. But he adds that fluorescent orange can be brighter than other colors, and, therefore, may stand out a bit more to an alert deer. On the other hand, he cautions, movement probably makes a lot more difference to a deer than the hunter's clothing. DNR biologists agree, and say that a quiet hunter, whatever he wears, is less likely to spook deer than the most som- berly dressed fidgeter. Whatever he looks like to a deer, the orangeclad hunter stands out to humans: over the past eight years, about 20 percent of the shooters in hunting accidents claimed they mistook the victim for game,- so far this year that's only been claimed once. 17 18 Outdoors ip Georgia -- from a few freak cases, most fatal hunting ac- cidents are the result of sheer carelessness. On the theory that carelessness often begins in ignorance, a serious hunter education pro- gram began in 197! in an attempt to do some- thing about the alarming rate of fatal hunting accidents in our state. The logical starting point was the school sys- tem, since a majority of fatal accidents involved youths in the 10 to 19 age group. Georgia was not the first state to begin a hunter education program: there are 21 states with mandatory training programs. But Georgia's program is viewed as one of the best and is accepted by all of these states. The primary emphasis is "muzzle control." -- These two words -if properly applied could reduce the number of fatal hunting accidents drastically. The youngsters are cautioned time and time again to treat every gun as if it were February 1975 loaded and never to point a weapon at anything they do not intend to shoot. Adults also are admitted to hunter education classes but are not placed with youngsters. The course materials do not differ, but the method of instruction and vocabulary are altered to match the pupils' age. The course presently includes six classroom hours, followed by two hours at a firing range. The program began as a four-hour course but has expanded to eight hours. And it may grow to ten. Both rifles and shotguns are covered, and live firing of both is required. There is no stress on marksmanship, for safe handling of firearms is the primary goal. Hunter education instructors must successfully complete the eight-hour certification course and then undergo an additional fourteen hours of training. 19 A ratio of one instructor to each twelve stu- dents in the classroom and one instructor to each six students on the range is maintained to in- sure close interaction and maximum benefit from the course. Everything required for teaching the course is provided by the Game and Fish Division's Special Services Section. Transportation is not provided, however, and instructors usually teach classes in their own communities. While younger students are not discouraged from taking the course, only those over 12 are certified. It is felt that younger children are not quite mature enough to fully understand the importance of the course. The course is supported by funds from the Pittman-Robertson Act which levies an 11% federal excise tax on guns and ammunition. Incidentally, a proposal currently before Congress would place a similar tax on reloading compo- 20 Hunter safety classes are included in the physical education curriculum in several high schools and colleges around the state. nents. These funds would be partially devoted to hunter education programs. Since Georgia's program began in earnest, about 50,000 students have taken the course. To date not one has been involved in a hunting- related shooting. From all indications, Georgia's hunter education program has been imminently successful. While there is no mandatory requirement for hunter education in Georgia yet, it is hoped parents will see to it that their youngsters are well versed in the safe handling of guns. Outdoors ip Georgia """'" -nV'""""- iifiiiiiirniilii i ii tti il " '"'" " v POest J)oint Cake -1yES--^J^V^O^SOE-N ^T\VJk-r^.^\f 7 s/ k^y^r^ --@ 1 i T^TN *>\o qCofroinw ,^-Z (j / >. Oil* /^--v _ 1 "* * Til j~T J/A kI RoonoteVfgfl p^Sj /T^flj I f \ C / *$fi/&h&**i*A ^fc IWEST POINT DAMM tam MQUS / / / / A L A B AVM A HARDLEY CREEK PUBL LANET 1 GENERAL HA R R I S DEVELOPMENT SCALE IN M'LES PLAN SEPT MAR REVISEO MARCH by Dick Davis Photos by the Author Fishing, boating, and water sports enthusiasts in west Georgia and eastern Alabama soon will have a new outdoor playground where the Chattahoochee River straddles the Georgia-Alabama border near West Point and LaGrange. West Point Lake, impounded behind a 896- foot-long, 97-foot-high dam three miles north of the Troup County city for which it is named, reaches north of Franklin in Heard County and extends into Chambers and Randolph Counties in Alabama. It should be filled during this winter and early spring. The 25,900-acre reservoir and its 525 miles of shoreline ultimately will offer 43 recreation areas, including 1 1 parks, 26 access areas, a public overlook, and four marina-resort commercial facilities. In the first stage of development, 25 recreation areas are being constructed. West Point Dam and Lake will be the fifth unit in a seven-reservoir Corps of Engineers plan to serve the Chattahoochee-Appalachicola River system. The dam will impound waters of both the Chattahoochee drainage basin and the Appalachicola basin. Together, the drainage areas of these basins encompass 27,820 square miles, with 3,440 square miles above the dam. West Point Lake is expected to draw a million visitors the first year after filling and ultimately to attract five million visitors a year. While the lake is held at 617 feet above sea level, taller trees are being topped; then the lake will be filled to the 635-foot level. February 1975 Game and Fish Division officials expect the lake to provide excellent fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, bream, crappie, and sunfish. Excellent existing fish populations in the Chattahoochee and other tributaries above the dam are expected to make stocking unnecessary. There will be two Georgia state parks, one Alabama state park, three county parks, three municipal parks and two public beach areas with changing houses. The two beaches will be in the Earl Cook Recreation Area (on the Georgia side about equidistant from LaGrange and West Point) and Rocky Point (on the Alabama shore near Fredonia). Sand is being brought in for the beaches. There will be 46 concrete boat launching ramps, 1 ,500 picnic sites and 600 camping sites. Electrical and water hookups will be provided at A a third of the camping sites. 70-mile system of paved roads will serve the recreational areas, boat ramps, and campsites. Other planned facilities include 10 baseball fields; wading pools; two amphitheaters, each with a seating capacity of 300; two beach pavilions; playground facilities; two upstream fishing piers; a small bore rifle and pistol range; and more than 20 miles of nature and hiking trails. A Conservation-Education Center is planned for use in outdoor classroom programs. The center will include classrooms, living facilities, and support facilities. Special provisions have been made for the handicapped, and two day-use areas are being developed especially for them. One fishing pier will be designed for their use. A $5 million recreational development. Burnt Village, is underway on the Alabama side, sponsored by Chambers County, Alabama. The 375acre area will have 200 campsites, a marina, res- taurant, and golf course. The Game and Fish Division has established a 5,200-acre Wildlife Management Area along the upper reaches of the lake in Heard and Troup Counties. The area now offers managed bow and firearms deer hunting and small game hunting. Wild turkey are being stocked for the future. 23 Six duck ponds of 10-12 acres each and two fry-raising fish ponds of 4 to 5 acres each will be constructed by the Corps and the Game and Fish Division. The two Georgia state parks, to be developed when funds are appropriated by the General Assembly, will be at Dixie Creek, northwest of LaGrange, and at Maple Creek, north of West Point. Pyne Road Park is being developed by Troup County on the lake's shoreline almost due west of LaGrange on Ga. 701. The 400-acre park will include a beach, a bathhouse and recreation center, a par-three golf course, camping sites, picnic areas, and children's playgrounds. Municipal parks will be developed on the shoreline by LaGrange at Beech Creek and Jackson Creek, and by Hogansville at Cater Creek. 24 A special facility for the observation and study of water birds is planned for the historical Young's Mill location near LaGrange. The remains of the grist mill and sawmill are being preserved and the dam level will be raised to provide for duck management and waterfowl study. Water quality has been given major consider- ation in the design of the dam and the lake site. A multiple-level intake was designed to draw water from the upper strata of the lake to provide water releases with high concentration of oxygen at minimum flows. Thirteen water moni- toring stations were established in the Chattahoochee, extending from West Point to the upper limits of the reservoir at Franklin. They have provided a good assessment of current water quality in the Chattahoochee and a look at what might be expected in the future. Outdoors \t) Georgia . Outdoorsman's (Editor's note: To sharpen our readers' knowl- edge of Georgia's conservation laws, Outdoors in Georgia will run an occasional set of questions dealing with some aspect of those laws. The answers are at the bottom of the page.) 1 All hawks and owls are protected by Geor- gia and Federal Laws. T F 2. Fish baskets are not permitted in any of Georgia's flowing fresh water streams. TF A 3. hunting license is required to gig frogs. TF 4. The size limit on rockfish is 15 inches. TF 5. Rough fish may be taken by bow and arrow. T F 6. Migratory bird hunting stamps ("duck stamps") must be validated with the hunt- T er's signature in ink across the face. F 7. Rifles for varmint hunting are restricted to the same calibers as those that are legal for small game. T F 8. The creel limit on saltwater trout is 8. TF 9. Conibear traps are not legal for trapping beaver. T F A 10. person who fails to salvage his sunken boat within 12 months forfeits all rights to ownership. T F I 1. Boats are restricted to no wake speed lim- its in the vicinity of all fishing activity. TF 1 2. Commercial fishermen may keep game fish taken incidental to commercial fishing. TF February 1975 Quiz by Sgt. V. J. Garrison 13. Boats registered in another state may be operated in Georgia. T F 14. Saltwater sportsfishermen may not use nets in excess of 10' for taking bait shrimp. TF 1 5. The only fish that may be taken by gig is the saltwater flounder. T F ezjs ai|j samiujajap jau aijj jo Ljjnow 3L|j-- sXop 09 6ujpaa:>xa jou spouad joj. X|uo jnq-- "dlLjSJaUMO UJ|Dp puo 36da|ds uai)4 Xoiu uosjad Xuo-- jnojj jajDMjps uo 4.1 uu 1 ou si ajaijj-- 1 Lj4|M pai|diuco ajo smd| pajD|aj ujojjao papjAOjd-- 1 'L 1 'VI 1 XL d Z[ 1 '[[ 1 "0L d "6 d '8 1L 1 "9 1 '9 1 'V d ' 1I 1 '[ 25 * * * * * ** * /7, i j /A/ if ;i #i &k ffk &K UK ffk -ffk Bk &k ^ ^ ^ o^ ^> \^. \^ **r by Aaron Pass Photos by Bob Busby Talk shooting to any bird hunter long enough and sooner or later he'll get around to telling about his past wingshooting experiences, par- ticularly his successes. (Two to four minutes is about normal for a rank stranger; old friends don't take as long.) Spectacular shots and great days afield are recounted, and shotguns, long since sold, swapped, or stolen, are remembered as "good shootin' guns." The inexplicable misses and those days that nothing went right appear much later in the conversation, if they appear at all. The guns mentioned in association with the disasters are those that the shooter never "got the hang of." These later statements usually are discounted by the listener, and maybe secretly by the hunter himself, as excuses for poor shooting. This undoubtedly is true in many cases, but there might be more than a grain of truth in the words "the gun was shooting off." Very few hunters have more than the vaguest idea about where their shotgun centers its pattern, and whether that pattern is consistent with the choke designation of the barrel. It is paradoxical that the same hunter who painstakingly sights in a deer rifle usually hunts with a shot- gun that he only assumes is shooting true, or has subjected to only a crude test. The time honored method of checking shotgun performance is the "tin can" test. Set up a tin can, step off some indeterminate distance and take a shot at it. If the can is pretty well perforated it is assumed that the gun shoots well enough. This test has served generations of shotgunners, but, although it is better than nothing, it has its limitations. While it does indicate whether a gun is throwing its pattern somewhere near where it is pointed, it tells nothing about the degree of error if the gun isn't shooting quite February 1975 27 A true. riddled can doesn't tell much about the effective choke of the gun either; only patterning can do that. There is no way to determine the true choke of a shotgun barrel without actually shooting it to determine what percentage of the shot load it places in a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. Forget about dimes and twelve gauge muzzles, measuring bore diameters, or any mystical formulae: such methods just do not work. The gun makers' choke designations also digress from absolute truth. It is not at all unusual to find a barrel marked modified that actually shoots full choke patterns or vice-versa. To compound an already complex problem, the use of plastic shot sleeves in modern shells has altered many correctly designated shotgun barrels. These barrels were choked to throw the correct percentages of unprotected shot, and the use of shot protectors often adds about one degree of choke. Shotgun barrels are pretty individualistic about choke and even shoot different percentages with different sizes of shot or powder charges. In order to be sure of the choke you 28 must pattern the barrel with the load and shot sizes you use. Patterning is a fairly simple process, and doesn't require a great deal of specialized mate- A rial. target frame built out of scrap lumber, patterning paper, string, and a felt-tip marker are about all you'll need. Since the paper must be big enough to catch the whole shot charge at 40 yards, 4 feet square probably is a minimum. Draw or paste an aiming point on the paper, back off 40 yards and you're ready to begin shooting. After a shot has been fired, the relation of the center of impact to the aiming point quickly tells you if the gun is shooting true. Now comes the tedious part, determining the percentage of shot in the patterning circle. Using a pencil on a 15-inch piece of string, draw a 30-inch circle around the densest portion of the pattern (disregard the aiming point) and count the number of shot holes inside the circle. It is easier if you divide the circle in quadrants and mark each hole as it is counted to keep from losing count. Outdoors \ty Georgia February I9y> When the holes are all counted, take the total and divide it into the number of shot in the shell you are using. Most companies publish tables indicating the number of shot per ounce for each shot size in their catalogs, or you can count the pellets in one of the shells you are using to pattern. For the most accurate results, it is best to fire three to five patterning targets and average them. If your gun put 74 percent of the shot into the circle, you have a ///// choke barrel since 70 percent or better is the standard for a full choke. Modified choke is 60 percent or better and 40 percent and above is improved cylinder. The Plastic shot sleeves are used by most major manufacturers now, and they'll probably produce a more compact pattern than "OP BetsyY'maker originally intended. 29 -- **' ^>-^* % *, A lace-on cheek piece may save you the expense of custom stock work by moving (for a right hand shooter) your point of impact to the left. It might also raise your eye a bit, thus moving the point of impact up a little. range from 30-40 percent indicates a sheet choke and under 30 percent, a cylinder bore. A barrel can be over-choked, and this occurs most frequently in older guns designed for unprotected shot. Since a shotgun's choke works much like the nozzle on a water hose, an overchoked shot charge behaves the way water does when the optimum constriction on the nozzle is exceeded. The shot scatters wildly and irregu- larly at short range. The solution in this case is to go back to unprotected shot loads or to ream out some of the constriction in the choke. Any degree of choke can be opened up by this inexpensive process, but don't overdo it. Since various arms makers use different lengths and shapes of constriction to achieve the choke, you can't saw off a barrel to the desired degree of choke. Usually you either mess up the choke configuration and get lousy patterns or saw off all the choke. Adding choke to a barrel is more difficult. The simplest method is to install a variable choke device which provides more constriction. Another alternative is a new barrel in the de- sired choke. If neither of these is the answer, the only thing left is jug choking. This method often is employed on guns which have suffered the amputation of several inches of barrel at the muzzle, leaving a straight cylinder bore. In the jug choking process a cavity slightly larger than the bore diameter is reamed into the barrel several inches back from the muzzle. The shot charge expands in the cavity and is constricted when it again encounters the original bore diameter. This method can be employed only when the barrel walls are thick, and it is a tricky job. The cost is likely to be pretty steep -- if a gunsmith can be found to undertake it and probably won't achieve much more than a modi- fied choke at best. A gun which patterns well enough but does not place the shot charge where the gun is aimed also is a problem. The wide spread of the shot pattern at effective shooting ranges often will disguise a minor error in shot charge centering. In fact, the 30 Outdoors ii? Georgia shooter often will instinctively correct for these insignificant errors as he grows accustomed to A the gun. or "gets the hang of it." larger margin of error in the relationship of the shot charge to the point of aim is a definite handicap and should be corrected. A shotgun's point of impact can be changed just like a rifle's by moving the rear sight in the direction you want to move the shot charge. The only difference is that with a shotgun the shooting eye is the rear sight. Since the eye is positioned by the cheek resting against the stock's comb, an alteration of the comb will change the position of the eye. In a gun which shoots too low, the comb should be raised with some adhesive padding. The addition of a lace-on cheek piece will move the eye, and point of impact, to the left (of a right-handed shooter). Thinning or lowering the comb will move the point of impact to the right or lower it, respectively. These last two operations involve removing wood and should be done cautiously. The next step from an esthetic point of view would be to have a new stock made up from the altered specifications. This can get expensive if a cus- tom stock maker is employed, but a home handy man with some woodworking experience and a pre-inletted stock could do a creditable job. Of course, if you are scoring consistently with your pet scattergun it's best to leave well enough alone, lest a patterning discrepancy undermine your confidence. On the other hand, if you're missing birds that you appear to be on, some patterning for center of impact and pattern density might be in order. In these days of short gunning seasons and decreasing bag limits, even the upland hunter walks a lot of steps for comparatively few shots at game. It seems a shame to lose any of those hard-earned opportunities to poor gun performance when the problems could be diagnosed and solved. Recoil pads aren't really the last refuge of cowards: they can make your stock fit better and make you a better shot by adding more comfort to your shooting. February 1975 31 -- BooH Reviews OUTDOOR LIFE'S DEER HUNTING BOOK Outdoor Life/Harper and Row, 269 pp., $7.95 (hardbound). Now that deer hunting again is many months away and plans for next season still are vague thoughts, many of us turn to re- flecting on our success (or lack of success) last season in an attempt to figure out what would have helped. Reading about the methods of others can help. This is a collection of articles from Outdoor Life (plus a few new chapters ) . There are chapters by such well known writers as Archibald Rutledge, Charles Elliott, Jack O'Conner, Ben East, Erwin Bauer, and Byron Dalrymple on every possible phase of deer hunting, from weapon and.cartridge selection to mounting your trophy. The chapters on guns and cartridges are especially good, and include discussions of various guns, the characteristics of each, and ballistics of some of the most common bullets. There also is described a method of sighting in your rifle, without firing ten dollars worth of shells, for use with both scopes and iron sights. If you're not a "two-trophybuck-a-year-man," you'll be in- terested in some of the varied hints on tracking, scouting, hunting, and dressing the kill and even the most experienced hunter probably can find a thing or two he didn't know. The book is filled with good common sense ideas that we all tend to overlook, new methods of hunting, good recipes, and good stories. And it is an excel- lent way to get an evening or two away from the TV. JGJ BOBWHITE QUAIL HUNTING by Charley Dickey. Oxmoor House (Southern Living), 1 12 pp., $2.95 (paperbound). One of Charley's Laws states, "A cheap dog brings big trou- ble." Oftimes reviewers have similar sentiments about cheap books of the paperback, compiled, "all you ever wanted to know" persuasions. Such publications often are warmed over versions of other written ac- counts with most of the inter- esting detail edited out. Bobwhite Quail Hunting by Charley Dickey is an excep- tion. It is a short, simple, and very well written quail hunting primer. It is not the end of all quail books, nor is it intended to be: "big books frighten people" (Charley's Law). Cover- ing the basics of the sport thoroughly, it is a starting place for beginners and a refresher course for veterans. Bobwhite quail and the hunt- ing thereof are among the most popular subjects in sporting literature. It is, therefore, impossible for any comprehensive quail book not to parrot the generally accepted "Quail Truisms." Bobwhite Quail Hunting does this but also offers many original tidbits of practical hunting information. Author Dickey was, is, and will be a quail hunter, and he shares much of his experience in his book. He also does a creditable job of myth-busting, taking on such old timers as Mexican quail, quail stocking, and predator control in a sensible fashion. His chapter, "Life History of the Bobwhite Quail" should be of particular interest to hunters. In just six pages he pretty well covers the important aspects of Gentleman Bob's lifestyle, with- out boring the reader to tears. The hunting chapters and those on dogs and guns are equally concise. They give basic information and avoid extraneous detail. Two topics, new to quail books but of -- vital interest to quail hunters, are well covered poisonous snakes and quail hunting ve- hicles. 32 Outdoors ip Georgia -- Throughout the book author Dickey holds fast to the concept of talking about quail hunting today, in the 1970s, not 40 years ago. This accounts for the generous supplement of original information. The book is regional, speaking mostly of the southeast and that area of the southeast most favored by quail. This bias is natural since the lowlands south generally is conceded to be best for quail hunting. However, constant reference to palmettos and cruising (driving) through open woodlands consigns the Appalachian- or Piedmont-bound hunter to a twilight existence on the edge of quail purgatory. Dickey also claims to represent the average quail hunter not stone broke (until after quail season), but not about to make the down payment on a 20,000 acre plantation. Most of the information is geared to- ward this end. We must wonder, though, if Dickey is beating the same brush we are. He states, "If the average pair of hunters can put up ten coveys of quail in a day, they should be hap- py." We would require sedation. AFP BOATING COOKBOOK by Jonnie Vatter, Oxmoor House (Southern Living), 112 pp., $1.95 (paperbound). This isn't a cookbook for hardnosed "vyannas and beanie-weanie" boaters, although even those spartan folks could benefit from reading it. It's aimed more at the social boaters, those who take to the sea in a more gentle way. And it has a lot of recipes that will enhance the dockside boater's reputation, if not his sailing skill. It's a good cookbook, although there's less in it geared specifically to small boaters than I would have liked. There are a few culinary tips for boaters in the beginning, and a closing section on boating safety that is, I think, wildly out of place. Anyone who owns a boat should know more than is in- cluded in this section, and if he or she doesn't there are better places to find it. If, on the other hand, this section is included to bring the "mates" up to snuff on the subject, then the endeavor smacks of the worst kind of male chauvinism. In fact, the whole thing is marred by cutesy references to mates and skippers and "tours of duty" and such, perhaps the work of the author, perhaps to be blamed on the editors. Who- ever is at fault, this conscious sort of "women's view" stuff is sad and irritating. Despite all that, I think anyone interested in cooking might enjoy the book, and that boaters interested in cooking will find some useful tips in it. There's no need for a crackersn-beer regimen, even on one- day fishing jaunts. And there's nothing soft or unmanly about serving or eating good food. TCM s%s%xxxi&isxx%xsis%%sx%xxs%xxs^^ Outdoors it? georgia Check one RENEWAL Paste your last magazine address label into space indicated and mail with payment. 2/75 Send check or money order to: Outdoors in Georgia Magazine 270 Washington St., S.W. Atlanta, Ga. 30334 please allow 60 days for change of address or renewal CHANGE OF ADDRESS Paste recent magazine label into space indicated, show change on form and mail. 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