Georgia Wildlife Resources Division centennial, 1911-2011 [2012]

Centennial Committee: Director Dan Forster, Assistant Director Terry West, Col. Homer Bryson, Lt. Col. Jeff Weaver, Lt. Judd Smith, Chief John Biagi, Chief Mike Harris, Brandon Anderson, Melissa Cummings, Lauren Curry, Sarah Dearman, Robin Hill, Rick Lavender, Paula Marcinek, and Eric Wood.

Nathan Deal, Governor Mark Williams, Commissioner Department of Natural Resources
Dan Forster, Director Wildlife Resources Division

BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Nancy A. Addison William A. Bagwell, Jr. J. Dennis Billew Dwight J. Davis Walter A. Hudson Duncan N. Johnson, Jr. Phyllis T. Johnson Alfred W. "Bill" Jones, III Ray P. Lambert, Jr. Robert D. Leebern, Jr.

Aaron McWhorter J. Mark Mobley, Jr. Thomas M. "Mike" Phelps, Jr. Paul Shailendra Jeff "Bodine" Sinyard Mark V. Smith Phillip C. Watt Phillip A. Wilheit, Jr. Delos H. Yancy, III

Georgia Wildlife Resources Division
Centennial
1911-2011
Compiled and Written by Eric Wood, Dan Forster and Mark Whitney
Edited by Denise Sargent

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Commissioner Mark Williams, Director Dan Forster, Assistant Director Todd Holbrook, Game Management Chief Mark Whitney and staff, and Region II Supervisor Ken Riddleberger and staff for allowing me the me and resources to see this labor of love come to frui on. Addi onally, I could not have accomplished this task without the help and assistance of countless other DNR friends and associates who shared their photos, stories, and informa on.
I would also like to recognize the following individuals for their invaluable contribtution: Carroll Allen, Bob Baker, David Carlock, Harry Carter, Ty Cobb, Bill Collins, Al Crews, Tim Cruce, Tony Cruce, Henry Daniel, Hugh Elrod, Bill Fletcher, Danny Garland, Dick Godfrey, Linda Guy, Anona Hemming, Sheldon Henderson, Kent Kammermeyer, Carol Kurz, Becky Marshall, Charlie Marshall, Jean McNey, Larry McSwain, Sid Panter, David Piemme, Gary Smeltzer, Johnny Speed, Calvin Stewart, Buddy Sullivan, Bill Sutton, C. V. Waters, Sara Wilburn, Don Wofford, and Cindy Wood.
Finally, thank you to Denise Sargent, Captain Johnny Johnson, Lt. Judd Smith, Brandon Walls and Olivia McClure, without whom this book would never have become a reality.
Eric Wood
September 2012
NOTE: Every effort has been made to verify facts and informa on; however, we apologize for any mistakes or omissions beyond our knowledge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction Early Days Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Restoration Reorganization Growth and Change
Mark Whitney A Look Ahead
Dan Forster Appendices Works Cited

i 1911 1929 1 1930 1949 9 1950 1969 21 1970 1989 31 1990 2010 45
2011 Future 60
61 71

INTRODUCTION
For one hundred years, the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) of the
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been the steward of Georgia's 4,000 plant and vertebrate animal species. As a state wildlife agency, it is vital that we examine and learn from both our mistakes and our accomplishments. It should then be our goal and mandate to improve in those areas where we have fallen short so that future generations can continue to experience the beauty and diversity of wildlife that we now enjoy.
Many of the wildlife species that flourish today were actually on the brink of extinction by the turn of the 20thCentury. Poor farming practices and the rapid depletion of timber led to the exploitation of the state's wildlife populations. Combine this with unregulated hunting, and it is easy to understand why wildlife numbers began to decline. In fact, the passenger pigeon was already extinct, and the black bear was restricted to small and remote populations scattered throughout the state. White-tailed deer were largely extirpated from the Georgia mountains and Piedmont by 1900. Ranger Arthur Woody of the United States Forest Service (USFS) claimed that his father killed the last deer in the mountains about 1895. Additionally, the turkey population in Georgia was considered to be at its lowest in the early 1900's. As recently as 1973, Georgia's turkey numbers were estimated to be only 17,000 birds.
Fortunately, due in large part to the efforts of Georgia DNR's wildlife professionals and the implementation of sound wildlife management principles, wildlife numbers have dramatically improved. Today, WRD is charged with conserving, enhancing, and promoting Georgia's wildlife resources, including game and nongame wildlife, fish, and protected plants. One of five divisions within DNR, WRD is comprised of Game Management, Fisheries Management,
i

Law Enforcement, and Nongame Conservation. These sections regulate hunting, fishing, and boating operations, protect nongame and endangered wildlife, provide conservation education and enforce laws for the protection and use of Georgia's natural resources.
Join us as we take a look back.
This illustration accompanied an editorial written by WSB Television on November 7, 1967.
ii

Early Days 1911-1929
Prior to the 20th century, there were
farsighted visionaries who saw the need for protec ng the wildlife of our state. As early as 1740, any fur trader opera ng in Georgia had to register in Savannah. In 1773, if you were caught "Fire Ligh ng" deer in Georgia, you could receive a fine up to 5 pounds (approximately $450.00 today), 20 days in jail, or 39 lashes.1
By the late 1800's, game and fish laws became more specific and protec e. For example, deer hun ng was illegal between January 1 and October 1, while dove hun ng was prohibited from April 1 to July 15. A r 1862, it was also illegal to dynamite or poison fish in any lake, river, stream, or pond.2

Albany Editorial
(Circa 1925)
"There is s a good deal of game in Georgia, but nothing like as much as there would be if there had been no viola on of the game and fish laws in the past. Game laws are not simply for the protec on of game, they are also for the protec on of field sport, of which future genera ons should not be deprived. This genera on of hunters has no right to exterminate game, and that is why we have game laws. The game warden who vigorously enforces them renders a dis nct public service."

However, it would be 1911 before Georgia developed an agency that would ensure that wildlife popula ons would survive for future genera ons.

Early Bird Hunters, ca. 1910 2

Early Days 1911-1929

1929 Hun ng Accident

In that year, a law was enacted establishing the Department of

"Hoke Wilking of Carroll County shot his arm almost off while hun ng. When he stopped to pat his dog on the head, the gun discharged, the load
entering his shoulder. It's thought his arm will have to be amputated."
1930 Game and Fish Bulle n

Game and Fish. The new department would be directed by the State's Game and Fish Commissioner, who would be appointed by the governor and whose "term shall be for a

period of two years beginning September 1, 1911, or un his succession is appointed and qualified".3 The game protec on fund was to be completely self-

sustaining, financed by license and other fees; all salaries and other expenses

were not payable out of any other state funds. In 1911, hun ng fees were $1.00

for a county license, $3.00 for a statewide license, and $15.00 for a non-resident

license. No fishing license was required. Enforcement of the few game and fish

laws in existence were given to county wardens and deputy wardens who were

appointed by the commissioner.

Georgia's new county game wardens

received $3.00 per day and one-quarter

of all fines collected in the county. Jesse

Mercer, Georgia's first Game and Fish

Commissioner, had this to say about his

new appointment, "I undertook the

du es of organizing the department

without a dollar of funds or a form blank,

In Memoriam
Georgia Deputy Game Warden James H.

a book, or a sugges on except as contrived by law."4
1925 BAG LIMITS

Waller of Chatham County was ambushed and killed while patrolling the Ogeechee River on August 20, 1927. Waller, who was 38, died from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was the first Georgia wildlife officer killed in the line of duty.

Quail 20 in one day Doves 25 in one day Migratory Duck 50 in one day Cat Squirrels 15 in one day Wild Turkey 2 in one season Deer 2 in one season

3

Early Days 1911-1929

Deputy Game Warden W. A. Rehberg, ca. 1911

Stool Pigeon
In 1700, America's passenger pigeon popula on was es mated to be three to five billion birds. By 1914, the last known passenger pigeon was dead.
The term stool pigeon originated when professional hunters would shoot or net large numbers of the birds over live decoys that were perched on stools.
Today, we call a live decoy a blind pig.

President Calvin Coolidge (le ) hun ng on Sapelo Island in 1927
By 1913, Georgia had 148 wardens and over 2,000 deputy wardens. In 1915, a new saltwater law was passed proclaiming the state's ownership of all the beds of salt waters, bays, rivers, estuaries, and shores of the sea. This law established a commercial license and a season for fishermen and authorized the
4

Early Days 1911-1929
Duck hunter George Yates on Lake Seminole, 1925.
commissioner to appoint three inspectors to enforce saltwater laws. The next year, Georgia gained ownership of Blackbeard Island with the intent of using it as a sanctuary for restocking deer throughout the state. During these early years, several legislative acts were created that continue to benefit wildlife today. The Lacey Act, ratified in 1900, was the first federal wildlife law that made it a violation to transport illegally taken wildlife across state lines. The Weeks-McLean Law prohibited the spring hunting and marketing of migratory birds and the importation of wild bird feathers. It gave the Secretary of Agriculture the power to set hunting seasons nationwide, making it the first United States law ever passed to regulate the shooting of migratory birds. Due to constitutional weakness, this act was later replaced by the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918. It was during this period that the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) was established, "to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forest and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations."5 As early as 1912, the USFS began purchasing lands in North Georgia under the auspices of the Weeks Act.6 Sponsored by John Weeks in 1911, the Weeks Act bought deforested lands in the eastern United States for inclusion within the
5

Early Days 1911-1929

na onal forest system. Today, the Chattahoochee-Oconee Na onal Forest encompasses over 865,000 acres across the Piedmont and mountains of North Georgia. Located within its boundaries are twelve Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) coopera vely managed by both the USFS and the WRD of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

One of Georgia's first boa ng laws went into effect in 1919. This law read, "A license fee of $5.00 shall be levied on all bateau; on all boats of less than five tons propelled by sail or power, a license fee of $10.00 shall be paid; and on all boats of over five tons, a license fee of $2.00 ..."7 Addi onally, non-resident commercial fishermen were now required to purchase a $5.25 license.

Georgia's second Commissioner, Peter S. Twi y, was appointed by Governor

Clifford Walker in 1924. Twi y quickly called for a reorganiza on of the

1914-1915 During this period, 125 people were charged with

department. He created a game and fish board made up of three members appointed by the governor. The board then elected a commissioner

various game and fish crimes, such as killing fox squirrels, shoo ng a hen turkey, selling a wild turkey, and using dri nets illegally. The most common viola ons
were hun ng without

who appointed fish wardens in each county and a Tidewater Commissioner who would serve if Twi y was not present. Although the Game and Fish Board and Tidewater Commissioner posi ons would be abolished in 1931, Twi y's ac ons were indica e of a commissioner who was proac e,

permission, hun ng doves accomplishing much during his tenure. As part of

over bait, and fishing illegally.
Fines typically ranged from $5 - $25.

this reorganiza on, he appointed a Director of Educa on and Conserva on

who established the Loyal Legion of Nature

In I923, Commissioner Peter S. Twi y recommended in his annual report to the
governor, that the "reprehensible and

Guardians, a program for children and youth; its unpardonable" viola on of

purpose was to ins ll into young people a love for dynami ng fish be made a

birds, flowers, forests, streams, and other works of

felony.

nature, and to encourage the protec on of wildlife in Georgia.8

6

Early Days 1911-1929

In his first year as commissioner, Twitty

recognized the indifference of many of the

state's judges toward game and fish violations.

He identified problems within the current

warden system, such as compensating game

wardens with fine monies. He also initiated a

campaign to reduce stream pollution

throughout the state.

During his

administration, Twitty conducted a statewide

game survey. The unscientific survey

indicated that dove, quail, and squirrel

populations had increased, but turkey

populations were extremely low.

In Memoriam
Georgia Deputy Game Warden Robert Sizemore of
Climax (Decatur County) was killed in the line of duty on November 9, 1928. The
Certificate of Death indicates the cause of death as "gunshot wounds of the
arms and chest received while attempting to make
an arrest of a violator."

Perhaps one of Twitty's greatest accomplishments was the restocking of deer in the North Georgia mountains. In 1928, USFS Ranger Arthur Woody traveled to the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina and purchased six deer for release on Georgia's first wildlife management area, Blue Ridge.

Photo on left: USFS Ranger Arthur Woody, ca. 1940.

Photo on right:

The enforcement

of Georgia's game

and fish laws were

initially given to

county wardens

and

deputy

wardens,

ca.

1911- 1934.

7

Early Days 1911-1929

Established in 1928, Blue Ridge WMA, originally called Cherokee Refuge #2, became home to the nucleus of Georgia's mountain deer herd. This same year, Georgia's first fish hatchery opened. Located near Rome, the Summerville Hatchery produced 250,000 rainbow trout in its first year of operation.
In the early days, game management was a new science. However, in 1925, Aldo Leopold, considered by many to be the "Father of Modern Wildlife Management," published his first article on the Theories of Game Management. Unsatisfied with the current methods that many wildlife agencies used to

"We will never achieve harmony with land, any more than
we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people.
In these higher aspirations the important thing is not to achieve, but to
strive."

establish hunting regulations, Leopold sought a more rational means to regulate the harvest of game

Aldo Leopold

animals. In fact, his ideas and methods

continue to be a model for wildlife professionals today.9

Aldo Leopold studying a bobwhite quail specimen in the late 1930's. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
8

Game and Fish Commission 1930-1949
Ranger on patrol, ca. 1940 9

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949
In 1931, Governor Richard B. Russell
focused his energies on eliminating waste and reorganizing each state agency. In that same year, the old functions of the Board of Game and Fish and the Tidewater Commissioner were abolished and the office of Game and Fish Commissioner was brought under the authority of the governor. County game wardens were also eliminated, and state game wardens and deputy game wardens were authorized. One-half of fines collected went to the Game and Fish Commission, and the other half went to the county where the summons or citation was issued. In speaking about this The game protector badge reorganization Senator Russell later had this to replaced the county warden say, "I believe it is fair to say that the major badge in 1934. contribution on my administration to the state Game and Fish Commission came about through the organization of the state government in an effort ...to bring about more efficient and economical administration of the government".1 Governor Eugene Talmadge replaced Governor Russell two years later and
-
Senator Richard Russell in Camden County, ca. 1935
10

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949

appointed Zack D. Cravey as Commissioner of Game and Fish. Despite the Great Depression, over 5 million fish were stocked in Georgia's lakes and rivers in 1936. The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and the Work Project Administration (WPA), made possible by President Roosevelt's New Deal, helped modernize the Summerville Hatchery and construct new hatcheries at Bowen's Mill, King's Ferry, Magnolia Springs, and Ways Station. It was during this same period that Chattahoochee, Chestatee, and Lake Burton Wildlife Management Areas were established.
Ranger Jesse Smith with two unidentified boys, ca. 1930's

More changes came to state government in 1937. The office of the Game and

Fish Commission was abolished, and the Division of Wildlife was established. The

Division of Wildlife, as well as Forestry, Geology, and Parks were now a part of the

recently created Department of Natural Resources. For the first time, resident

fishermen were required to purchase a

fishing license; the cost was $1.25.

Georgia's first deer and bear population

survey was completed this year. The

deer survey revealed that Georgia had an

estimated population of 12,452 animals,

with the majority of deer located in the

coastal counties. The state's 200 bears were found mostly south of Atlanta either on the coast or in the Okefenokee

Game Warden Bill Elrod's game protector commission card, signed by Commissioner Zack Cravey in 1942

Swamp.

11

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949

In 1940, Governor Eurith Rivers moved Joe Mitchell, who was Director of Wildlife,

to supervisor of Coastal Fisheries and appointed Charles Elliott to both Director of

the Wildlife Division and the Commissioner of the Department of Natural

Resources. Elliott was a professionally trained

conservationist with a degree in Forestry, as well as a talented and capable writer.2 His first
task was to strengthen public perception and

Wildlife

public relations, by hiring individuals who were

Division

experienced and qualified. He assembled a team of instructors who conducted thirty days

Directors

of training in game management, law enforcement, and, according to Elliott, other

Joe Mitchell

1937-1940

subjects the "enforcement staff needed to know".3 Sixty-six wildlife rangers completed the

Charles Elliott

1940-1941

training at a cost of $2,457.43. Elliott required Zack Cravey

1941-1943

all enforcement personnel to wear a uniform,

and he changed the title of Game Warden to

Wildlife Ranger to shift the emphasis from police action to service, management and development.4 To improve efficiency,

the state was divided into districts with each

district chief being responsible to the

Assistant Director of Wildlife. Elliott also

began publishing Outdoor Georgia, a

monthly magazine dedicated to the

conservation of Georgia's natural resources.

Wildlife Ranger Ed Friend was an amateur boxer and pilot. Here, Friend is wearing the new uniform authorized by Director Charlie Elliott in 1940.

12

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949
The publication featured popular how-to articles on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities. Elliott created and developed a junior wildlife ranger program that young people continue to enjoy even today.
Governor Talmadge was re -elected in 1940. As before, he chose Zack Cravey as Director of Wildlife and as the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources to replace Charles Elliott. Persons who knew Cravey knew that he was a strong advocate of wildlife propagation, education, and law enforcement.5 For example, in order to see bobwhite quail numbers increase, Cravey built quail hatcheries and had chicks
placed in locations with suitable habitat by junior wildlife rangers, farmers, and wildlife groups. Although unsuccessful, this effort revealed the determination of Commissioner Cravey to protect and enhance Georgia's resources. Additionally, he required public schools to teach conservation on a weekly basis, and it became his desire to rewrite Georgia's Game Code. He understood that if game laws were to ever be successful in protecting the state's wildlife, they must be embraced and accepted by the sportsmen of Georgia.
Junior Ranger Badge, ca. 1940
13

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949
Lake Burton Fish Hatchery began operation in 1934; it was funded by both Rabun County and the State of Georgia. The facility received additional monies in 1941 and expanded its production of rainbow and brown trout. Today, the Burton Hatchery plays a key role in Georgia's trout management program.
A 1941 report indicated that over one million fish were stocked from state hatcheries into private ponds as well as public lakes and rivers. The fish included bass, bream, catfish, and brook and rainbow trout.6 Two new hatcheries, one at Social Circle and one at Minoa Springs near Oglethorpe, were built. Plans were also being developed for building trout rearing pools on Moccasin Creek in Rabun County.7
Roscoe Palmer and Haynes Sims participate in the first Chattahoochee WMA deer hunt, 1945. 14

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949

The final name change of this period came in 1943 with the election of Governor Ellis Arnall. The Division of Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources was dismantled, and a new eleven member state Game and Fish Commission was created. Its members were to be appointed by the governor and the director would be appointed by the commission. Under this reorganization, the constitutional amendment also gave the commission the ability to make specific

regulations that were consistent with sound wildlife

"There are heartbeats in the wilderness. They share our moments in the mountains, in the swamps, and in and on the waters of our land, wherever we might be.

management practices. The Georgia Wildlife Federation boldly supported Arnall's campaign because they, too, had wished for a wildlife agency that was not politically corrupt.8 The commissioners were to represent each congressional district, plus the counties bordering the coast. "They would serve seven year staggered terms with no remuneration other than travel expenses".9 Governor Arnall appointed

They are the large part Guy Rutland as chairman; Charles Skinner, Hugh

of the reason we are there, whether with a camera, gun, fishing rod, or pack sack on."

Hill, Phil Stone, Wallace Gray, C. L. McCarthy, John B. Kennedy, A. R. Hood, Rosser Malone, Dr. Clabus Lloyd, and Vernon Phillips as commissioners. These men chose Charles Elliott as the new Director of the Game and Fish Commission. Elliott had served

Charlie Elliott

earlier as the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources and the Director of the Wildlife

Division.

In the September 1940 issue of Outdoor Georgia, Elliott voiced the need for a new game code, a wildlife ranger in each county, anti-pollution legislation, and the expansion of seafood production and saltwater fishing. As the new director, Elliott once again renewed his efforts to see that these projects came to fruition. Funding would be needed for these programs, so Elliott began taking the steps needed to acquire federal funds through the Pittman-Robertson Act. The

Pittman-Robertson (P-R) Act of 1937, also called the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Act, placed a tax on ammunition and firearms used for sport hunting.

15

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949 The money was then matched on a three to one basis, and the proceeds were distributed to each state for wildlife restoration. Of the P-R funds available each year at the national level, more than 62 percent are used to buy, develop, maintain, and operate wildlife management areas. Some 4 million acres have been purchased outright since the program began, and nearly 40 million acres are currently managed for wildlife under agreements with other landowners.10 The Hunter Education Program is also funded by P-R monies. In addition to hunters, other outdoor enthusiasts such as birdwatchers, hikers, and photographers benefit from areas where P-R funds are used to manage wildlife.
This logo, or a variation there of, was used from 1943-1972.
The Game and Fish Commission hired its first biologists in the mid 1940's. Many of the early biologists were paid with P-R money for specific projects. In May 1943, Outdoor Georgia reported that the state legislature had passed a bill that
16

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949
would allow Georgia to qualify for funds under the P-R Act. The five projects approved for that year were a statewide game survey, trapping and restocking programs, a seed program that would distribute bicolor lespedeza to farms, and two game development experiments on two tracts of land owned by the federal government and leased to the state for 99 years. The two areas were Piedmont, which is located in Jasper, Jones, and Putnam Counties, and the Coastal Flatwoods Area, which is located in Ware County.11 The Commission published a report in 1943 that outlined the various wildlife and fisheries programs and projects of this period. To see an excerpt of this publication, refer to Appendix 1. An additional publication of the Game and Fish Commission in the late 1940's, Wildlife: A Valuable Resource, revealed the following statistics: in 1943, rangers checked 11,653 licenses and made 427 cases against violators. By 1947, rangers checked 103,780 licenses, which resulted in 2,607 violations. Fines rose from $1,137 to $37,211 during that same period. By war's end, the Game and Fish Commission's revenue was $294,230.46. Georgia's hunting and fishing industry was worth $52 million and the state received $200,000 annually for wildlife restoration.12
17

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Education Center
Charlie Ellio Wildlife Center is centrally located in the state near Mansfield, about
an hour east of downtown Atlanta. Managed by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, this 6400-acre area consists of fields, forests, and lakes, and it comprises Marben Public Fishing Area and Clybel Wildlife Management Area. Educa onal opportuni es include single day and overnight field trips, outreach
programs, teacher workshops, conferences, summer camps, and family
events.
When Charles Ellio le the Game and Fish Commission in 1949, he le a legacy that will be hard, if not impossible to replicate. The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame had this to say about Ellio before his death, "Charlie Ellio is probably the best known Georgian on the na onal outdoor scene... He has achieved na onal recogni on and an enviable list of accomplishments." Ellio published his first magazine ar cle in 1926 and served as the Southeastern Field Editor for Outdoor Life magazine from 1950 un his passing.

Wildlife Ranger Badge ca. 1937-1943

During the early years of our history, rangers would o en u ze their own horses for patrol work, ca. 1940.
18

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949

In addi on to being a driving force behind the restora on of wildlife in Georgia, Ellio authored several books including his biography, An Outdoor Life. As Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter commissioned Ellio through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to write the Prince of Game Birds: The Bobwhite Quail.

In Memoriam
Game Warden Lonnie Boggus, 37, of Covington, was shot and killed while checking fishing licenses near Almon on August 22, 1930. Brothers Charlie and Emory Hya were charged with the murder.

Pursuing the "Prince of Game Birds" , le -right: Luke Carter, Bill Su on of Cat Creek Ou ers, and Jared Wood.

Game and Fish

Commission

Directors

John Mar

1943-1943

W. H. McLaughton 1943-1943

Charles Ellio

1943-1949

J.C. Calhoun

1949-1950

Hamilton Rawls 1950-1951

Fulton Lovell

1951-1963

Rosser Malone 1963-1967

George Bagby 1967-1971

Charlie Ellio , as well as Warner Hall and Eddie Stone, chose the route and ini ated the work on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.
19

Game and Fish Comm ion 1930-1949
Wildlife rangers pose for pictures, ca. 1930 - 1950 20

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969
Wildlife Ranger Henry "Smitty" Smith and Ferman Walls on the Tallulah River, 1954
21

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

Fulton Lovell became Georgia's new

Game and Fish Director in 1951. He had previously served as the District Chief of Law Enforcement in Gainesville. During Director Lovell's tenure, the restocking of deer became a high priority. Jack Crockford, who had been hired by Charles Ellio in 1947, would play a major role in Georgia's deer restora on program. He began his career with the Game and Fish Commission as project leader for the first statewide game survey.1 (See Appendix 1) While conduc ng the survey, Crockford soon
Jack Crockford with tranquilized deer,
discovered a considerable discrepancy in deer ca. 1957 numbers across the state. It was Crockford's goal to balance Georgia's deer popula on by reloca ng deer from areas with a high deer density to loca ons that had lower deer numbers. However, for this project to be successful, a more efficient means for capturing deer would have to be devised. Box traps and nets were the more common methods of capture, but the results were labor intensive and usually not
worth the effort.2 Crockford began working at home on a gun that would deliver a drug-filled dart. In 1954, Crockford and Biologist Jim Jenkins teamed up with University of Georgia (UGA) Veterinarian Dr. Frank Hayes, and UGA Pharmacist Dr. Sheldon Feurt, to develop a dart that would immobilize deer. The first drugs used were curare and strychnine. The use of curare soon

Director George Bagby with son Tommy in 1968

proved imprac cal since a deer required oxygen as soon as the animal was darted. While using strychnine, the

22

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

group's first deer was captured on Ossabaw Island, Georgia on August 1, 1955. However, strychnine had its limita ons. If an an dote was not given immediately to a drugged deer, the animal would die.3

Nico ne soon became the drug of choice. It would quickly immobilize the animal, but unlike the other drugs, it did not require oxygen or an an dote.4 Two return trips to Ossabaw Island resulted in the capture of fi n deer.5 The team con nued to refine both the dart and the dart gun, which resulted in the successful reloca on of deer from areas where deer numbers were excessively high. Between the years of 1959-1961, Georgia also received 1,000 deer from Texas and Wisconsin for release. To view an abbreviated report of Georgia's deer restora on project, see Appendix 2.6

In 1950, the United States Congress passed the Dingell-Johnson Bill (D-J), which was designed to mirror the Pi man-Robertson Act (P-R). This new bill levied a ten percent tax on all fishing equipment and provided for research, land acquisi on, and maintenance of acquired lands. Much like the P-R Act, D-J monies were specifically allocated for fisheries use only.

Alcovy River Channeliza on Project
The Alcovy Rivershed Project of 1969 called for the channelization of more than 80 miles of the Alcovy River. The Alcovy River is located east of Atlanta and known for its abundant fish and wildlife as well as its beautiful hardwood bottomlands. Channelization programs, designed for flood control and land reclamation, fell under the federal Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act.

Prompted by a surge in the state's economy and an increased interest in fishing, Fisheries Management produced over 10 million fish in its five hatcheries from 1950-1959. Fisheries staff, along with their new Chief, Fred Dickson, produced their first publica on, Georgia Fish Pond Management, in 1954. During this

Opponents of channeliza on claimed that game fish would suffer due to the "slumping" of stream banks, which, in turn, would lead to serious erosion and land loss. Drainage was also a concern, since swamps act as water filters and natural oxida on basins.
The Alcovy Project was later cancelled due to public opposi on.

23

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

decade, Georgia boasted over 27,000 farm ponds, and for the first me, pond owners were able to receive fish from hatcheries located at Lake Burton, Summerville, Walton, Bowens Mill, and Richmond Hill. Fish available for stocking included largemouth bass, bluegill, red-ear sunfish, and trout.7
Governor Eugene Talmadge's administra on brought both benefits and altera ons to the Game and Fish Commission. Wildlife rangers enjoyed a salary increase, and the number of officers jumped from 66 to 107. A low band radio system made communica on possible between district offices, base sta ons, and patrol units.8

Exo Birds
In an effort to alleviate the decline of the bobwhite quail, the Game and Fish
Commission introduced pheasant, namou, and jungle fowl during the 1960's. The project was
abandoned in the 1970's due in large part to poaching and the lack of natural reproduc on.

Marvin Griffin replaced Talmadge as Governor in 1955. Several statutory changes occurred during the Griffin administra on, including a bill that would "completely and exhaus ely revise, supersede, and consolidate laws rela ng to the state Game and Fish Commission, to game and fish, and to wildlife." Terms such as wildlife, hun ng, fishing, and private ponds were redefined.

In Memoriam
Wildlife Ranger Asa Thornton was killed in a vehicle accident while on duty in Bibb County. Ranger Thornton died on May 19, 1962.

The director and commissioners were given specific du es, including the ability to appoint law enforcement officers. In fact, Game and Fish Commission officers for the first me came under the authority of the state merit system. Under merit system rules, all new

24

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

Deer distribution by county in 1951 (left) and 17 years later in 1968 (right)
hires had to meet similar requirements, which in theory, would prevent political appointments.9
The commissioners and director were also given the right to set bag and creel limits and other regulations that afforded the protection of Georgia's wildlife and natural resources. License fees were increased to $2.25 for a hunting license, $1.25 for a fishing license, and $3.25 for a combination hunting and fishing license. Both the hunting of doves over bait and hunting from a public road became prohibited acts.10

Additional D-J funds in the late 1950's, allowed for several projects that extended into the 1960's. Trout policies and procedures were scrutinized, and subsequently, Georgia's trout stocking program developed into one of the best in the nation. Exhaustive research was

In Memoriam
Ranger William Hobbs was assisting Early County Sheriff's Office with a family disturbance call when he was shot. Ranger Hobbs died 10 days later on July 21, 1967.

25

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

conducted on Georgia's major reservoirs, which led to the eventual stocking of shad, white bass, striped bass, and trout. Another long term initiative proposed the construction of 223 boat ramps throughout the state. A report released in June 1968 revealed that 28 had been completed, 15 more were planned for construction, and 25 other sites were being negotiated.11

The decade closed with license sales totaling more than $700,000 and with Georgians spending in excess of $100 million on hunting, fishing, and boating. In 1959, the Game and Fish Commission received almost $500,000 from P-R and D-J funds.12

In 1960, the legislature placed boat

registration and boating safety

responsibilities under the Game and

Fish Commission. The "Georgia

Motorboat Act" required all boats

powered by mechanical means

greater than ten horsepower to be

registered. In its first year, the Game

and Fish Commission registered over

65,000 boats. Registration fees
Biologist Dan Holder, Representative Janet Merritt

ranged from $5.25 to $15.25.

and Bio. Aide Paul Loska on Lake Blackshear, 1968

Four years later, the Game and Fish Commission purchased the Cordele Hatchery

for $40,000, and the McGahee Fish Hatchery near Thomson became Georgia's

first Public Fishing Area (PFA), McDuffie PFA.

In 1967, the starting Currently, the Wildlife Resources Division operates

salary for a wildlife ten PFA's located around the state.

ranger was $395 per month or $4,208 per year, while troopers made $452 per month or $5,424 per year.

Carl Sanders became governor in 1963 and Rosser Malone replaced Fulton Lovell as Game and Fish Commission Director. Governor Sanders initiated a Commission on Efficiency and Improvement in Government, and it was this commission's

26

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

recommenda on that professionally trained conserva onists should have more influence on management decisions within the Game and Fish Commission. Simply stated, the Governor's Commission believed that well thought out ideas and management objec es would provide more benefit to both, the public and the resource, rather than individual opinions and biases.13

Georgia's First Primi ve Weapons Hunt

The first primi ve weapons hunt in

Georgia was held on the 17,000 acre

Warwoman Game Management Area

during October 18-23, 1965. Legal

weapons included muzzleloading rifles and

shotguns using a single ball, long bows,

and crossbows. Hunters were allowed to

harvest either-sex deer, feral hogs, or

small game. Although the sixty - one

hunters only harvested three deer, they

Wildlife Ranger Ellis Gregory at his Winding Stair Gap residence, 1959

reported seeing forty-six deer, five turkeys, fi y-one grouse, and two hogs.

At Governor Sander's request, the general assembly increased the Game and Fish

Commission budget from $2 million to $3 million. Sanders increased revenue by

raising hun ng and fishing license fees. According to a December 1966 report,

"Georgia could now afford to staff and manage every acre of public hun ng land

that it can lease or purchase." In 1966, Georgia had 23

public hun ng lands and game management areas that

totaled 500,000 acres. That same year, the Georgia

Game and Fish magazine replaced Outdoor Georgia and

became the official publica on of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission.14

White-tailed deer would not be Georgia's only success story of the period. In 1966, the Georgia Game and Fish Commission began its striped bass program when 20,000 fingerling stripers from South Carolina were released in Lake Seminole. This was followed that same year with over 13,000 four-inch fish, which had been
27

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969

raised from fry at Lake Burton Hatchery in North Georgia. The following year, Lake Blackshear was stocked with 151 adult fish. By the late 1960's, Richmond Hill Hatchery near Savannah became one of four locations in the world to successfully hatch striped bass fry from eggs taken from a captured adult female. The interest in stripers began when biologists started searching for pelagic (open waters as opposed to near the shore) predators to enhance reservoir fisheries. Additionally, large carnivorous game fish such as stripers, could help fisheries personnel better control populations of shad and rough fish because stripers eat more and eat larger fish than do bass and other game fish.15

What Makes a Good Game Warden
A Game Warden must be neat and diplomatic and must be able to settle differences between boaters and fisherman to each person's satisfaction. If he is neat, he's conceited. If he is careless, he is a bum. If he's pleasant, he's a flirt. If he's brief, he's a grouch. He must be able to make instant decisions that an attorney will take weeks or even months to defend. If he hurries, he overlooks things. If he takes his time, he's lazy. If you get caught, he's had it in for you. If he's energetic, he's trying to impress somebody. If he's deliberate, he's too slow to catch a cold. He must be an expert in first aid, arrive first at the scene of an accident, make a diagnosis of the victim's condition; start breathing, stop bleeding, apply splints to broken bones, and send the injured home with scarcely a limp. He must be an athlete and be able to subdue men twice his size and half his age, without damage to himself or his uniform and without using undue force. If you strike him, he's a coward. If he strikes you back, he's a bully. If you see him first, he's a bonehead. If he makes a good catch, he's lucky. If he's promoted, he's got pull. If he doesn't, Aw, what's the use? He must be a minister, a social worker, etc. Last but not least, he must be economical. He must be able to live on what a game warden makes.
Author Unknown

Wildlife Rangers Bill Taylor and Herb Cruce investigate an illegal deer kill on Blue Ridge WMA in 1968.
In Memoriam
Charles Mercer, 33, of Macon, wildlife ranger for Bibb County, died November 28, 1969, in a vehicle accident while on duty.

28

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969 The striped bass is native to Georgia's coastal rivers, such as the Savannah, Altamaha, Ogeechee, Satilla, and Flint. At least 50 miles of free-flowing river are necessary for striped bass eggs to hatch successfully in the wild. Because reservoirs lack sufficient current to keep eggs afloat after spawning, fertilized eggs will settle to the bottom of the lake and die. Therefore, reservoir striped bass depend on stocking to maintain manageable populations.16
Biologists Larry Smith and Jim Nix with striped bass, 1971 29

Wildlife Restoration 1950-1969
with the Game and Fish Commission divided into two divisions, Law Enforcement and Technical Services.
ed of the Commission's Wildlife Rangers, while the Technical Services Unit included Game Management, Fisheries, Marine Fisheries, and Special Services.
Le ight: Wildlife Ranger Frank Godfrey, Coit Hollifield, and Wildlife Ranger Bob Singleton, ca. 1959
Wildlife Rangers "Jeep" Stephens, Arthur Abernathy, and Dan Garland manage the wildlife booth at the 13th Annual Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee, 1963.
30

More Ph o's
1 2

More Ph o's

3

4

5

6

7

More Ph o's
8 9 10

More Ph o's
12 11
13 14

15

16

More Ph o's

17

18

19

20

21

More Ph o's

22

23

1 Excerpt From Game and Fish Commission Radio Call List, 1958 2 Gainesville Game and Fish Commission Personnel, ca. 1950's 3 1935-1936 Lumpkin County Hunting License 4 Wildlife Ranger Mickey Bone, 1965 5 1960 Class of Wildlife Rangers 6 Game Management Wildlife Technician Jack Scott, 1973 7 Wildlife Ranger Leroy Hackley at Ludowici FFA Field Day, 1972 8 Boating Safety Patrol on Lake Allatoona, 1974 9 Wildlife Rangers, ca. 1970's 10 Sgt. Jimmy Smith (left) and Technician Mark Turner (second from right), 1979 11 Region VI Game Management, 1992 12 Region II Fisheries Management, 1998 13 "Headquarters' Gang", 2003 14 Game Management Region Supervisor Mark Whitney and Chief Bill Fletcher, 2004 15 Cpl. Jesse Cook with Loggerhead Sea Turtle, 2006 16 Wildlife Resources Division Director Dan Forster, 2005 17 Fisheries Technician Chris Looney and Cpl. Adam Loudermilk, 2006 18 Game Management Wildlife Technician David Brady and AOC Kim Piemme, 2007 19 Assistant Chief of Game Management Carroll Allen, 2006 20 Nongame Conservation Naturalist Pete Griffith, 2010 21 Region VII "Shop With A Cop", 2007 22 Fisheries Secretary Olivia McClure and Atheena Embry, 2010 23 Nongame Conservation Biologists Trina Morris and Lisa Kruse, 2012

Reorganization 1970 1989
Governor Jimmy Carter congratulates the new director of the State Game and Fish Commission, Joe Tanner, while Tanner's wife Sandra looks on. Just over a year later in July 1972, Tanner would become the commissioner of the newly organized Georgia Department of Natural Resources, March 1971
31

Reorganization 1970-1989

Additional changes came to the Game

and Fish Commission in 1972 with the creation

of a well-coordinated, balanced, and effective

operating unit called the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR).1 The new

department was conceived by Governor Jimmy

Carter with Joe Tanner serving as its

commissioner. Tanner said that DNR's purpose

is twofold, "To provide the ultimate in outdoor

activities for all Georgians while at the same Wildlife Technician Coley Cooper and

time ensuring the proper use and control of Biologist Terry Johnson band a goose

the

environment

efficiently

and prior to release, ca. 1980.

economically".2 The four major divisions in the department were the Parks and

Recreation Division, the Earth and Water Resources Division, the Environmental

Protection Division, and the predecessor of WRD, the Game and Fish Division.

The Administrative Services Division, Public Relations and Information Division,

and the Office of Planning and Research Division provided additional support to the four primary divisions.3 By the end of that decade, the Earth and Water

Division would be replaced by the Coastal Resources Division. The Georgia Game

and Fish Magazine, which had been primarily a Game and Fish Commission

publication, became Outdoors in Georgia. The new format would represent not

only the Game and Fish Division, but the other divisions of the Department of

Natural Resources as well.

Lysie Greenlee, one of Georgia's first female rangers, is pictured with Sgt. Steve Black and Maj. Bill Cline, ca. 1980's.

Beverly Clement was the first female fisheries biologist hired by the commission, 1969.
32

Reorganization 1970-1989

Ed Friend (1965-1995), 1970 Conservation Ranger of the Year

With Jack Crockford as its new director, the Game and Fish Division had the responsibilities once delegated to the former Game and Fish Commission.4 Law Enforcement and Technical Services continued to be the major units within game and fish. The Technical Services Section consisted of Game Management, Fisheries Management, and Marine Fisheries.

The next year, the Georgia legislature transferred all functions of the former state Game and Fish Commission to the new Board of Natural Resources. That same legislature also re-designated wildlife rangers as conservation rangers.5

Training and professionalism characterized the law enforcement section of the 1970's and 1980's. Considered by some to be the most prestigious law arm in the state, Commissioner Tanner continually reminded this section and others that they were a service agency.6 Tanner saw to it that only personnel of the highest caliber were promoted to supervisors and that each conservation ranger would be given the individual skills and confidence needed to have sufficient ability and initiative to function as a law enforcement officer.7 To maintain that integrity, one outstanding ranger is selected each year as the statewide ranger of the year. Refer to Appendix 3 for the Conservation Ranger of the Year recipients since 1980.

During this period, each conservation ranger below the rank of sergeant was assigned a four wheel drive vehicle. Larger and more efficient patrol boats were made available to boating safety officers. Salt water rangers benefitted by receiving patrol boats that

In Memoriam
Ranger William Bryant, 28, was killed in an accident while on duty December 23, 1970. Bryant was assigned to Chattooga
and Floyd Counties.

33

Reorganization 1970-1989

were equipped with radar and high-band radios. These patrol boats were more than capable of handling rough seas and inclement weather. Rangers working on the coast also were given a ten percent pay incentive to help compensate for the harsh conditions in which they were often exposed.

Although hunter education got its start in 1964, the

program was not mandatory in Georgia until 1975. The

Georgia Hunter Education Association (GHEA), which

began in 1986, was created so that hunter education

students could apply in a practical way the knowledge

that they had learned in the classroom. GHEA continues

to teach young men and women the basic principles

behind firearm safety, hunting ethics, tree stand safety,

Hunter Education Manual, 1970

marksmanship, and other important criteria pertaining to safety in the field.8 Currently, hunter education students have the flexibility of taking a ten hour class or

completing an on-line course followed by a review and

the final test with a hunter education instructor.

The popularity of trout fishing dictated that trout management would continue to

be a priority. In fact, 178,000 trout were

stocked in 17 North Georgia reservoirs in

1970. The following year, a $2.25 trout

stamp as well as a state fishing license was

required to fish for mountain trout. Money

generated from the trout stamp funded the

construction of the new Buford Hatchery,

which was projected to produce over

500,000 trout each year. Funds were also allocated to restore native brook trout fishery to streams that had been abused by improper land use practices.9 Additionally, trout waters that were home to wild brown

Electrofishing (shocking) allows fisheries personnel to conduct standardized sampling on Georgia's trout streams. Pictured are Wildlife Technicians Roy Garrett and Ralph Ruddell.

34

Reorganization 1970-1989
and wild rainbow trout would receive renovation during this project. By 1975, over 75,000 anglers were buying a trout stamp, and these same fishermen were fishing Georgia's 882 miles of trout streams. Although the terms refuge, public hunting areas, and game management areas had served their original purposes, it was time for these areas to receive a new identity as well. The new name, Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), would reflect the comprehensive management of all wildlife species, game and nongame, as well as other resources such as invertebrates and rare and endangered plants. WMAs in the future would serve not only hunters but other constituents as well, such as campers, fishermen, hikers, and photographers.
On the left, Erv Dystra of the Georgia Chapter of the Safari Club International receives a Project WILD award from State Coordinator Ken Riddleberger. On the right, Rusty Garrison is recognized as the first Georgia Project WILD Facilitator of the Year. Director Leon Kirkland stands in the center, ca. 1980's.
35

Reorganization 1970-1989

Sportsmen of the 1970's were overwhelmingly suppor e of Wild Turkey Inves ga ons, a project that reviewed the status of the turkey in Georgia. Unfortunately, research revealed low bird numbers and many of the popula ons that were found were restricted to very inaccessible areas.10 In fact, the turkey popula on was thought to be much higher in colonial America than in the early 1970's.

Wildlife Technician Al Crews releasing one of the Early efforts to restore turkeys

first turkeys stocked on Berry College, 1977.

were by ar ficial propaga on of

pen-raised birds. Records indicate

the Game and Fish Commission and private individuals released over 10,000 birds

with li le or no success. Wildlife biologists soon learned that releasing pen-raised

birds increased the possibility of introducing poultry
disease and fowl related parasites to which the wild birds had no immunity.11 It also became apparent

Boa ng Act of 1973
This act required all boats

that pen-raised birds had a shorter life span in the wild; therefore, the capture and release of wild birds into areas with lower bird numbers and suitable habitat would be the only viable way to increase turkey numbers. Although immobilizing drugs were some mes used, cannon or rocket nets were the

mechanically propelled and sailboats twelve feet or longer to be registered. Prior to this law change, only boats in excess of ten horsepower had to be registered. Registra on

preferred methods of capture. In order for turkeys to be relocated, three criteria

now expires three years from the last day of the month the operator was

had to be considered. First, only wild birds could be born.

released. Second, birds were only released into areas with suitable habitat.

Finally, any released birds would have to be protected and closely monitored.

36

Reorganization 1970-1989

When the project began, turkeys were found in 121 out of 159 coun es, and Georgia had an es mated popula on of 15,000-18,000 birds. Today, turkeys are found in all 159 coun es, and the popula on is estimated to be over 300,000 birds.

By the mid 1970's, DNR's avia on unit

began using aerial surveillance in the

apprehension of people involved in illegal night hun ng. Prior to this, aircra had been used almost exclusively for coastal

Captain Barry Vaughn performs a preflight check on an aircra , 1971.

patrol during shrimping and fishing

seasons. Departmental aircra included a Cessna 205, a Dart Commander 100, a

Bell T-H 13 helicopter, and a Cessna 337 Skymaster. To fly the three airplanes and

one helicopter, the Game and Fish Division employed three pilots.

As early as the 1930's, the Game and Fish

Commission recognized the need to

protect the state's dwindling bear

popula on by making it illegal to kill bears

in Georgia. When the bear popula on

began to rebound in the 1970's, the

Biologist Ken Grahl with tranquilized bear during the Central Georgia Bear Project, ca. 1985.

Department of

Natural Resources

recommended

and implemented

the first official

bear

hun ng

Acres for Wildlife
This program was sponsored by the Game and Fish Division in hopes of reducing natural habitat loss by encouraging landowners

season in 1979. South Georgia had its ini al bear season in 1981 with central Georgia having its first in 1984. The 1981 harvest was 12 bears, while the harvest for 2011-

to set aside a por on of their property for wildlife management.

37

Reorganization 1970-1989

2012 was a record 690. According to DNR bear biologists, Georgia's bear popula on con nues to expand with the statewide popula on es mated to be 5,100 animals.

As did bears, the american alligator responded well to management decisions and objec es. Director Leon Kirkland stated in a 1979 interview, "They (alligators) have increased to a point that we think in the very near future, there's going to be enough to allow people to take some."12 Kirkland went on to say that Georgia had an es mated popula on of 100,000 alligators.13 Con nued protec on allowed Georgia hunters to have their first alligator hunt in 2004.

The popularity of bass fishing in Georgia is second to none. In fact, the

largemouth is recognized as our official state fish. The world record (22 lbs. and 4

oz.) was caught near Lumber City, Georgia, in 1932 by George Perry. Of the one million anglers in Georgia, one-third fish for bass.

Fisheries Gains Na onal Recogni on
The Game and Fish Division was honored with the Outstanding Wallop-

However, fishermen could not enjoy the excitement of catching freshwater game fish

Breaux Project Award in recogni on of the Big Lazer Creek Public Fishing Area. Located in Talbot County, construc on

such as largemouth bass, striped bass, began in 1986, and the dam was closed

walleye, and many others had it not been for the standardized sampling program which

in 1987. The lake was stocked with redear sunfish, bluegill, channel ca sh, and largemouth bass. Construc on of

began in the mid 1980's. Standardized the 195-acre lake and public fishing

sampling allows fisheries personnel to determine the health and status of fish popula ons, address any problems that may

facility was funded through the WallopBreaux amendment to the DingellJohnson Sport Fish Restora on Act.

occur, and recommend changes that would improve angler success.14 A member

of the perch family, the walleye is a cool water fish, which likes to make its way

from lakes into rivers in the early spring to spawn. Na e walleye popula ons

38

Reorganization 1970-1989

declined a number of years ago for a variety of reasons including a loss of spawning habitat and overfishing.15 To rebuild walleye populations, a stocking

program began in the 1960's. However, the project did not prove successful, so walleye

M.A.R.S.H. Projects

stocking was discontinued in 1968.
A second opportunity to establish walleye populations in Georgia came in the 1990's when Georgia DNR biologists discovered blueback herring in several north Georgia reservoirs. Because of negative impacts associated with blueback herring in mountain reservoirs, fishery managers decided to stock walleye. Today, nine lakes receive annual stockings of walleye. These include Lakes Burton, Seed, Rabun, Tugalo, and Yonah in the Savannah River drainage and Lake Lanier, Carters Lake, and two lakes

In Georgia, the Ducks Unlimited M.A.R.S.H. Program (Matching Aid to Restore States Habitats) has been a great success. The M.A.R.S.H. Program is a conservation program that creates, restores, or enhances wetland habitats. Under this program, Ducks Unlimited and the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division split the costs associated with development of wetland projects. Between 1985 and 1999, Georgia completed 25 M.A.R.S.H. Projects, which encompassed 15,102 acres of wetland wildlife habitat. These areas provide habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl, as well as aquatic invertebrates, numerous amphibians and reptiles, wading birds, shorebirds, certain species of neo-tropical migratory birds, and mammals.

in the Rocky Mountain Public Fishing Area.

Turn In Poachers, Inc. (TIP) was initiated in Georgia in 1983. TIP is a non-profit Georgia conservation organization whose mission is to protect wildlife by increasing public support for wildlife law enforcement. Persons who provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals involved in certain wildlife violations may receive a TIP reward. TIP's all-volunteer board consists of members that represent leading conservation organizations and interested individuals who have considerable experience in preserving Georgia wildlife.

The fourth and final WRD section, originally called the Nongame Wildlife and Natural Heritage Section, was added in 1998. The Nongame Conservation Section (NCS), as it is known today, manages the native diversity of nongame animals, rare plants and natural habitats through education, research, and management. This section also strives to increase public understanding and enjoyment of these resources. Jesse Mercer, Georgia's first Game and Fish Commissioner had this to

39

Reorganization 1970-1989
say about the importance of nongame back in 1912, "...but for the birds, vegetation would be destroyed by insects, but for the insects, the birds would perish, but for vegetation, insects and all life would disappear off the face of the earth."

Wildlife Ranger Badge, ca. 1943-1972
The NCS is funded entirely through grants and donations with no general state funds being provided for the conservation of nongame wildlife or the protection of threatened and endangered plants and animals. As a result, fund raising is a priority for this section. The Weekend for Wildlife, the State Income Tax Check off, and special vehicle license plates are the primary ways that monies are generated. The Nongame Section's fund raising theme since the 1980's has been, "Give Wildlife a Chance."

Conservation Ranger Badge, ca. 1972-2010
Georgia's Biodiversity
Georgia is one of the most biologically diverse states in the nation, ranking second in the number of amphibians, third in the number of freshwater fishes, third in the number of crayfishes, seventh in the number of reptiles, and seventh in the number of vascular plants. The largest state east of the Mississippi River, Georgia contains portions of five physiographic provinces and a wide range of natural habitats.

The Wildflower Act of 1973 and the Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973 provided mandates for state involvement in the identification and protection of rare plants and animals. Rare plant inventories are important in locating new plant

40

Reorganization 1970-1989

populations, so their habitats can be protected. Surveys help insure that proposed public-land developments such as roads, trails, and buildings do not inadvertently harm rare species such as the Chapman's orange-fringed orchid or the smooth-lipped Eulophia. The Nongame Section also administers and manages the export, harvest, and sale of ginseng in Georgia.

NCS has been monitoring loggerhead turtle nest sites on Georgia's coast since 1989. DNR Striper eggs removed from egg sac at
Richmond Hill Hatchery, 1970
focuses on surveying and protecting loggerhead nests and managing nesting beach habitat. Our agency also coordinates the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative, which is made up of volunteers, researchers, and DNR associates who help manage and monitor nests. Strategies
include relocating nests, installing protective screens, and removing predators.

Beginning in 1979 and continuing

through 1995, a total of 89 young bald

eagles were released in Georgia. The

eaglets, which originated from captive

Nongame Wildlife Program Coordinator Terry Johnson and Wildlife Technician Ted Touchstone discuss the eagle restoration project with Governor Zell Miller, 1992.

breeding programs or wild nests where the population was greater, were released at Sapelo Island, Butler Island, and Lake Allatoona. All known nests

continue to be monitored each year to determine occupancy, productivity, and

management needs.

NCS also helps improve wildlife habitat on state owned lands through timber management and the planting of longleaf pine and native groundcover. The

41

Reorganization 1970-1989
interagency burn team conducts controlled burns on public and private lands to enhance both plant and animal ecosystems. In 2005, WRD completed a State Wildlife Ac on Plan that would ensure further protec on of nongame wildlife. Refer to Appendix 4 for a detailed descrip on of that plan.

Marine Turtle Recovery in Georgia

Bargain Deer for Jenkins County

Three poachers were charged with hun ng deer at

night in Jenkins County and bound over for trial in

State Court. Judge Thomas Odum presided in the

case and the three violators were found guilty. Judge

Odum made a s pula on that a por on of their fines

would be used as res tu on for a doe deer found in

their possession. A check for $200 was sent to the

Game and Fish Commission to defray the capture and

release of another deer to replace the one illegally

killed. Biologist Bill Collins, Elonzo King, and Frank

Early darted a replacement doe in May 1971. Collins

crated the deer and no fied Ranger Milton Baab that

he was on the way to Jenkins County with the

captured deer. The doe, which happened to be

pregnant, literally gave Jenkins County two deer for

the price of one.

Game and Fish July 1971

Georgia's Golden Isles remain one of

our state's most treasured resources.

Due to a fascina ng history of land

ownership

and

farsighted

conserva on laws, such as The Marsh

Protec on Act, Georgia has the least

disturbed coast on the eastern

seaboard. Georgia has eight barrier

islands, four of which are accessible

only by boat or aircra . In addi on,

Georgia contains one-third of the salt

marshes along the en e Atlan c Coast.16

Located about sixty miles south of Savannah, Sapelo Island is the fourth largest barrier island along Georgia's coast. In 1969, the R. J. Reynolds Wildlife Refuge was created a r DNR purchased the northern half of Sapelo Island. In 1975,

42

Reorganization 1970-1989

Georgia nominated the Duplin River Estuary as a national estuarine sanctuary. A year later, matched by funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the state purchased the south end of Sapelo Island and
Regional Education Centers
WRD currently operates six regional education centers to provide wildlife education opportunities for students of local school systems: Charlie Elliott, Smithgall Woods, McDuffie, Arrowhead, Grand Bay and Sapelo Island. Approximately 50,000 Georgia students visit these educational centers each year, acquiring valuable knowledge about the state's natural resources through hands-on learning experiences.

established the Sapelo Island
National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR).17 Sapelo Island

Above photo, Left-Right: Wildlife Technician Eugene Burnette, State Representative Carlton Colwell, DNR Board Member Leonard Foote, USFS District Ranger Jack McCormick, and Region Supervisor Hubert Handy on Gumlog WMA, 1973

NERR research and monitoring

programs aim to promote and provide support for the coastal community,

specifically estuarine. Other SINERR projects include habitat restoration, oyster

reef ecological studies, and invasive species monitoring.18

Originally the winter retreat of Dr. H.N. Torrey, Ossabaw Island became the first acquisition authorized under the Heritage Trust Act of 1975. This legislation seeks to preserve certain properties in Georgia with unique natural characteristics, or areas that possess a particularly high historical or recreational value. Many of the goals of the Heritage Trust Act were

43

Reorganization 1970-1989
later incorporated into the Preservation 2000 and River Care 2000 land acquisition programs authorized during Governor Zell Miller's terms of office. The Ossabaw Foundation has been granted a Use Agreement for non-exclusive use of certain areas of the island, which will allow the foundation to continue its scientific and educational program as well as research.
The 24,000 acre Ossabaw Island WMA continues to be one of the more popular destinations for hunters. Although conditions are primitive and hunters must provide their own boat transportation to and from the island, the hunter success rate consistently exceeds 90 percent on both deer and hogs.

South Beach on Ossabaw Island

Conservation Ranger Ronnie Thomaston and Cpl. Cary Deal, 1983

Flint River Float Trip, 1981 Pictured (left right) Director Jack Crockford, retired; Region Supervisor Dick Whittington; Ranger Gary Fuller; President Jimmy Carter; Cpl. Henry Daniel; Ranger Tony Wynne
44

Growth and Change 1990-2010
For more than 30 years, Becky Marshall and Jim Couch wrote, photographed, and edited dozens of highly acclaimed documentaries, television programs and educational productions for DNR. Many of these were created for WRD and dealt with topics including hunting, fishing, archery, nongame/endangered wildlife, bobwhite quail, longleaf pine, robust redhorse, bear, turkey, and more. In addition to an Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy award, WRD productions were honored with more than 80 national and international awards and received top recognition from organizations including the World Wildlife Museum, International Wildlife Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Association for Conservation Information, Outdoor Writers Association of America and CINE Golden Eagle.
45

Growth and Change 1990-2010
This period of the division's history may
best be characterized as one of change and growth. The most notable and noticeable change was perhaps in the division's name. In 1993, the Game & Fish Division became officially recognized as the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). The name change resulted from a desire of the division's leadership to acknowledge a broader wildlife management role that includes fish, game, nongame, and plant communities. This change in identity is also reflected in later changes affecting the names of all state lands being managed by the division from Game Management Area or Natural Area to the more holistic moniker of Wildlife Management Area (WMA). As the names changed, so did the WRD logo. First, the design stayed the same with changes to the wording only. Eventually, through a branding effort enacted by Commissioner Chris Clark, WRD's logo changed in style, wording and color, to the logo that we wear today on our uniform shirts and hats.
Also in 1993, the WRD administrative offices were moved from downtown Atlanta to Social Circle, Georgia. As part of looming budget redirection, Director David Waller demonstrated significant fiscal savings by eliminating the rents being paid by WRD for office space in the Twin Towers and building a new office on lands owned by the department and being managed as the Walton Fish Hatchery. Governor Zell Miller approved the idea and WRD immediately began identifying funds to construct the new facility. The new office,
46

Growth and Change 1990-2010

at 10,000 sq. ft., still serves as the WRD headquarters and was built without using state funds to finance construction of the building. In addition, the move to a more rural setting made advancement into administration from regional and other field-level positions more attractive and affordable for staff, facilitating the recruitment of interested associates.

Since the relocation of the headquarters

office to Walton Fish Hatchery, an

additional 180 acres were added to the

hatchery property in 1997, which allowed

development of a dove field, small game

habitat management demonstration area,

a static archery range, and space for the

construction of a second office building,

the Wildlife Resources Conservation

Center (WRCC). The WRCC was completed in 2006 to house staff that was occupying various structures around the hatchery

Wildlife Resources Conserva on Center (WRCC), 2006

property and the License and Boat Registration Unit that was moved from rented

office space in Tucker. The WRCC, a LEED-certified building, was also constructed

without using state funds. Funding was provided by donations and federal and

nongame wildlife funds.

WRD's land management responsibilities increased significantly from 1990-2010. Fee simple acquisition accelerated due to two resident license fee increases targeted at paying off bonds used by the department to acquire properties. The programs were called River Care and Preservation 2000. Through these programs, WRD acquired significant properties such as Little Tybee Island, Clybel, Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog, Flint River, Griffin Ridge, Joe Kurz, River Bend, Wilson Shoals, Ocmulgee, Penholloway, Clayhole Swamp, Ohoopee Dunes, Paradise,
47

Growth and Change 1990-2010

Walton and portions of Altamaha, Dawson Forest, and Crockford-Pigeon Mountain. In addition, other bond initiatives, donations, grants, license revenues, and Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration funds made it possible to purchase Chickasawhatchee, Grand Bay, Bullard Creek, Silver Lake, and Hannahatchee. All told, state-owned WMAs increased by more than 140,000 acres.

WRD's POST-certified staff, represented by Law Enforcement, Fisheries, and Game Management Sections, was called upon to provide valuable expertise and enforcement services on several special occasions. In 1994, Albany, Georgia, experienced its worst flood in recorded history. The Flint River crested at 42.7 feet and flooded much of the city. It left more than 7,000 people homeless and five dead. This catastrophic event required security and search and rescue response from multiple law enforcement agencies, including Wildlife Resources. Hundreds of staff were dispatched to southwest Georgia to aid in search and rescue efforts, property recovery, and security. The experience and equipment possessed by WRD associates, especially related to boat operation and enforcement upon the water and in the woods, was invaluable to local and state law enforcement agencies whose operations usually occur in towns, cities, or upon the highway. WRD conservation and deputy conservation rangers maintained a presence for more than two weeks after the flood.

In 2005, POST-certified staff was called once

again to respond when disaster struck. Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29 resulting in one of the country's most devastating natural disasters. WRD

L -right: Haley Granitz, Hannah Granitz (kneeling), Laura Thackston, Tara Thackston, and "Buddy" on Rum Creek WMA, 1997

responded by sending 62 officers to Louisiana and Alabama from Fisheries

Management, Game Management, and Law Enforcement, including the

Department's Mass Fatality Team. Teams worked diligently to clear damaged

structures, conduct search and rescue, provide security, and perform body

recovery of storm victims.

48

Growth and Change 1990-2010

WRD Conser

and Deputy C

on Rangers engaged in many special

ac

during these decades. Georgia was the center of the world's athle c

stage in 1996 when Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, and Wildlife Resources

shared that stage. Four WRD associates, two Game Management and two Law

Enforcement, jogged alongside the torch bearers in shi s for much of the 15,000+

mile, 84 day, 42 state journey, which culminated in Atlanta. In 2004, President

George W. Bush chose Sea Island, Georgia, as the site of that year's G8 Summit

and once again, WRD's exper se in security and enforcement of the beaches,

woods, and waters of our state were in high demand. When representa of

the world's eight largest industrial n ns met to discuss economic and pol cal

issues, WRD deployed 218 POST-c d staff,

represen ng Fisheries, Game, and Law

Enforcement. Assignments included securing

Sea Island beaches, waterways, and forests.

Add

one associate contributed

significantly by u ing in-depth knowledge of

wildlife nuisance abatement to restore order

to the mee ng when a bird disrupted events

by a acking its image in a window's reflec

The Law Enforcement Sec used lessons

learned from these events and experiences to

In Memoriam

advance training techniques and topics in order to be be er prepared for diverse

Rocky Daren Wainwright was killed in an ATV accident
on August 19, 1999, while
missing child in Bibb County.

enforcement assignments. WRD became

involved in statewide drug enforcement by

p cipa ng in the Governor's Drug Task

Force, a task

undertaken by the Law

Enforcement Sec

Involvement in

Homeland Security a the September 11, 2001 terrorist a cks also became

more prevalent and remains so today with periodic updates and training in

conjunc with Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

49

Growth and Change 1990-2010

Many other changes

occurred throughout

WRD. In 1998, the Non-

game and Natural Heritage

Programs combined as the

Nongame Wildlife and

Natural Heritage Section,

later to be called the Non-

game Conservation Sec-

Manchester Law Enforcement District, 1996

tion (NCS). Charged with managing the state's non-

game wildlife, natural heritage, and rare plant communities, the new section was

placed on equal footing with the other three sections. NCS named a chief that year

and moved their administrative staff to the headquarters office in Social Circle. Since

that time, the section has continued to grow in capacity for nongame research, man-

agement, restoration, and pro-

tection. Biologists, botanists,

and technical staff have been

added providing much needed

expertise in rare, threatened,

and endangered aquatic wildlife,

conservation ecology, exotic

invasive species, and the use of

fire in managing natural

systems. Biologists specializing

in migratory birds, bats, reptiles,

and amphibians also have joined

the staff.

Capt. Bobby Howard, Melba Hamrick, and Sgt. Paul Johnson, ca. 1970's

50

Growth and Change 1990-2010

In the late 1990s, the state's first Habitat

Conservation Plan was accepted by the

United States Fish & Wildlife Service Game and Fish Division

(USFWS). The plan is designed to protect landowners statewide with small isolated

Directors

populations of the endangered red-

cockaded woodpeckers (RCW). Qualifying landowners can have woodpecker management responsibilities removed

Joe Tanner Jack Crockford

1971-1972 1972-1978

from their property once replacement groups of RCWs have been created or

Leon Kirkland

1978-1993

equivalent additional habitat has been

committed to permanent management at another location where the birds can

contribute to a recovery or support population.

Much of NCS's work is accomplished through the State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program which was launched in 2001. These funds are made available to states having an approved State Wildlife Action Plan. Georgia was the first state to complete and have a plan approved by USFWS. NCS's planning efforts won them national recognition and served as a model for other states to follow in completing their own successful plans.

In memory of Joseph C. Kurz, former Chief of the
Game Management Section, whose work ethic, dedication to the natural resources and faith in the Lord
inspired all those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
September 6, 1996

SWG grants have been responsible for implementing, completing, or perpetuating valuable work. NCS undertook a coastal habitat GIS mapping project covering all coastal counties in Georgia and the barrier islands along Georgia's coast. This project categorized all habitat types and has been

51

Growth and Change 1990-2010

instrumental in identifying areas of high priority concern. It has aided in biological surveys for high priority species and is being utilized by local governments in zoning and development planning. In addition, ongoing grants are focused on high priority inland birds, coastal birds, reptiles, amphibians, aquatic species, and mammals. These species include important native animals such as gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, bog turtles, hellbenders, green salamanders, Etowah darters, shortnose sturgeons, golden-winged warblers, wood storks, redcockaded woodpeckers, loggerhead sea turtles, gray myotis, manatee, northern Atlantic wright whales, and a host of others. Other grants include habitat restoration, management, and technical assistance on state-owned and private lands. These grants address priority habitats such as pitcher plant bogs, longleaf pine, wiregrass, and chalk prairies.

Recent changes to the NCS include addition of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center

(CEWC) and the Real Estate Unit.

The CEWC, completed in 1996 on

Clybel Wildlife Management Area,

was named after Charles Newton

Elliott, first Director of Georgia Game

& Fish Division, and is the Division's

premiere conservation education

facility. In 2006, a conference and

banquet facility was added to

expand CEWC's appeal and to

provide services for conservation groups interested in hosting meetings, workshops, and seminars

Commissioner Mark Williams (former state representative), 2007

52

Growth and Change 1990-2010

on site. Annually, CEWC reaches more than 30,000 children through outreach and on site educational programs, camps, field day events, and hunt-andlearns.

The Fisheries Management (FM) Sec-

tion experienced significant growth during these decades. Public Fishing

Areas (PFA) expanded in number and

began providing quality fishing experi-

ences to anglers statewide. Beginning

in 1990 and ending in 2009, newly con-

structed PFAs included Dodge County,

Chuck Coomer and Ward Crosby, 2003

Marben, Hugh Gillis, Ocmulgee, and Flat Creek. These areas are character-

ized by intensive fish management by WRD fisheries staff aimed at providing high

quality fishing experiences ranging from high yields to trophy fish. Anglers are

treated to well-managed stocks of bass, catfish, and pan fish in healthy functioning

lakes and ponds.

Another initiative aimed at providing expanded cold water fishing was the introduction of delayed harvest stream management and fishing in 1998. Beginning with Smith Creek on Unicoi State Park, the delayed harvest program grew to comprise five streams across north Georgia; Smith Creek, Amicalola Creek, Chattahoochee River, Chattooga River, and finally, Toccoa River in 2006. These streams,
Various WRD publications
chosen because they represent marginal trout waters due to high summer temperatures, provide a high quality catch-andrelease trout fishery from fall through spring, after which the stream is opened for harvest under general regulations.

53

Growth and Change 1990-2010

In 1997, the Stream Team was added within FM. Thanks to a cooperative effort with the Environmental Protection Division (EPD), five positions were created to survey streams statewide and assess the biological integrity of the streams by analyzing the fish communities being supported in any given stretch of water. This partnership was put in place to assist EPD in meeting certain requirements under the Clean Water Act Brentz McGhin and Ward Crosby on the and persists to this day. The Stream Team Sa a River, 2004 can survey up to 100 streams, or parts of streams, annually. Their work helps identify streams with water quality issues and helps to sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems statewide.

In 2008, FM launched the Go Fish Georgia Initiative with $19 million appropriated

by the General Assembly with the full support of Governor Sonny Perdue. Go Fish

envisioned Georgia as a national fishing destination by improving the quality of

fishing, improving access to waters across the state, and increasing participation

in angling. To accomplish these goals, WRD

enacted a two-prong approach: to build

Wildlife Resources Division Directors

the Go Fish Education Center and Hatchery in Perry, Georgia, and to work with local communities willing to match funds or

services for boat ramp construction on

David Waller 1993-2003

rivers and reservoirs to improve access and

Noel Holcomb 2003-2004

participation in fishing and to spur economic development. To date, 13 of 17

Dan Forster 2004-Present

ramps have been completed statewide. Ramps have been built along the

Chattahoochee River drainage from Lake

Lanier to Lake Seminole and along the

Savannah River from Lake Hartwell to the Houlihan Bridge, and many places in

54

Growth and Change 1990-2010

between. Since completion of the mega-ramp at Laurel Park on Lake Lanier, the Forrest L Wood Cup, one of the largest bass tournaments in the country, has been hosted twice; each tournament brought more than $20 million in economic
impact to the local community.

The Go Fish Education Center and Hatchery

opened its doors in 2010. The hatchery is

working to produce trophy bass for stocking

PFAs statewide and also is engaged in

producing sturgeon to help grow this once

important fishery in many parts of Georgia.

The sturgeon reintroduction in Georgia thus far

has been a huge success. For more

information, see Appendix 5. The education

center greets thousands of visitors each year

Donny Ray Speed Donny Ray worked as a Wildlife Technician on Coleman River and

and hosts school groups from around the state who come to learn about fishing and the aquatic environments represented across all

Warwoman WMAs from August 1, 1994 through February 27,
2001. Although his life was cut short by cancer, Donny Ray is fondly remembered as loving God, loving life, and loving people.

physiographic regions of Georgia. The center has natural environment aquaria representing everything from cold water fisheries suitable for sustaining native brook trout to black water rivers and swamps that serve as habitat for native redbreast and flyers. Visitors also may

be treated to a movie in the theater, fighting a tarpon on the fishing simulator,

learning about major river watersheds through the rain simulator, or learning to

shoot ducks in the shooting sports room.

Many things changed for the Game Management (GM) Section as well. Deer management became a focal point and began to incorporate socially-driven management to a higher degree. Deer populations grew to their highest level in 1994 when the population was estimated to be 1.4 million animals. At the same time, interest began to grow in quality deer management (QDM). The GM Section initiated a research project in Dooly County that defined county-wide
55

Growth and Change 1990-2010

antler restrictions on buck harvest in an effort to produce more mature animals with larger antlers. At the same time, doe harvest was expanded and encouraged
to decrease the sex ratio and the overall population, to improve habitat conditions, and insure that animals remained on a high plane of nutrition while compressing the breeding season and intensifying rutting behavior.

The Dooly County concept generated excitement nationally and resulted locally in a process developed by GM that any county in Georgia could undertake to implement county-wide antler restrictions. To date, nine counties have completed the process and implemented county-wide antler restrictions that dictate the minimum size buck that can be harvested based upon outside antler spread or number of points on one side of the antlers. Eventually, the QDM movement resulted in Georgia adopting a regulation stating that at least one of the two antlered deer a hunter is allowed to harvest each year must have at least four points on one side.

State-owned WMA forest management changed

dramatically in 2005. The Forest Management Unit

undertook an inventory project designed to provide

accurate inventory of all upland pine and mixed

pine-hardwood stands on state-owned properties,

to determine appropriate harvest schedules to

meet WMA 50-year plans describing desired future

forest conditions, and to intensify harvest efforts to

meet these habitat-driven goals. Through this

Centennial Badge, 2011-2012

effort, biologists, technicians, and foresters

developed southern yellow pine management guidelines and a timber

management proposal development process that requires input from all

appropriate department staff and is focused on habitat, rather than fiscal goals.

This new approach has resulted in stand mapping, scheduling of harvest, and

native forest restoration projects across state ownership.

56

Growth and Change 1990-2010
In 1995, the GM Section created its Private Lands Program (PLP), to focus on technical assistance to private landowners interested in managing wildlife on their lands and to engage in private lands management through conservation programs of the Farm Bill. In 1998, the Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) was conceived by PLP biologists at the urging of members of the Georgia Generally Assembly and the DNR Board. The BQI was funded by the legislature in 1999 at $1 million and was implemented in a 15+ county area to pay private landowners to develop early succession habitat on agricultural field borders and within adjacent thinned and burned pine stands.
Today, the PLP still works with private landowners through technical assistance with Farm Bill and the Forest Stewardship Programs. The BQI concept has evolved into a technical assistance program meeting goals defined in Georgia's National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative Step-Down Plan. The funding model for BQI and PLP has changed, and all funding is generated through the sale of quail-themed vehicle license tags, cooperative agreements with federal agencies, and grant agreements.
Like all modern state fish and wildlife agencies, WRD is focused on the problem of decreasing recreational license sales and percent participation in hunting and fishing by the statewide population. Hunter and angler recruitment and retention
have become important components of our business model through youth hunts, Kids' Fishing Events, huntand-learns, and various other activities. In 2004, with a focus on involving more youth in hunting and shooting, the GM Section hired a shooting sports coordinator whose primary responsibility was to launch Georgia's Archery in the Schools Program (GASP). Since 2004, GASP has involved more than 200 schools and 2,000
57

Growth and Change 1990-2010

c ed GASP instructors statewide and has produced a world champion elementary school, Woodlawn Elementary, in Chatsworth, Georgia.

In 2009, the Shoo ng Sports Program and the Hunter Safety Program were

combined to form the Hunter Development Program (HDP). HDP is charged with

increasing p cip in hun ng and shoo ng through educ ng more hunter

safety students and developing pathways to engage and retain future shooters

and hunters in these rec

al pursuits. The HDP has sponsored research

projects seeking to understand what

makes a hunter and how to help

interested individuals successfully enter

and stay within the ranks of hunters.

HDP has successfully incorporated or

facilitated programs such as, Schol c

Clay Target Program, Youth Hunter

Educ

Challenge, 4-H and Georgia

Independent Schools Associa on

shotgunning compe , and hunt-

and-learn programs for deer, turkey,

feral hog, and small game.

Nongame Biologist Tim Keyes on Sapelo Island. Photo courtesy of Diane Kirkland

WRD, under the leadership of current Director Dan Forster, has embraced the power of electronic media and communic . In an effort to communicate more effec with our customers and facilitate the transfer of informa on and provide services, many changes have been undertaken. In 2005, quota hunt applica ons and the priority point system associated with it were made electronic. Since that me, the number of applica ons and p cipa n

58

Growth and Change 1990-2010 in various types of hunts has increased. The license and boat registr system was out-sourced to a vendor that could provide web-based licensing and a toll free call center. WRD now boasts an e-mail database with about 500,000 e-mail addresses to communicate directly with our c uents about topics on which they select to stay informed. WRD also remains current by providing inform electronically through social media such as Facebook, Tw er, Flickr, and YouTube.
License and Boat Registra on Unit
59

Growth and Change 1990-2010

As we look to the future and strive to recruit, retain, and remain relevant within

society, it is impera ve that WRD keep pace with the accelerated rate of change

taking place in our culture. Engaging current gen

on their terms and

through the media they embrace will become more important.

Nongame Biologist Thomas Floyd on a prescribed burn at Tallulah Gorge State Park.
60

A Look Ahead 2011 - Future
Trey McFalls on the Cha ooga River, 2012 6 1

A Look Ahead 2011 - Future
Like most sporting conservationists, memories of my childhood are rich
with hunting, fishing, trapping and other wildlife-centric stories. It was in these early years that I began to develop what Leopold and other conservation forefathers have so passionately described as a conservation ethic. Too, was my ethic derived from biblical teachings including man's first written account of conservation law as scribed in Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy 22:6-7. Here, Moses encourages upon finding a bird on a nest that "...you may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go..." and is more modernly known as the conservation law of sustained yield. It is from these teachings most, even above my formal education, that my personal and professional character, as well as conservation's relevance in my life, was formed.
While the Wildlife Resources Division has proudly professed and reflected on our rich professional heritage and milestone achievements during the course of our 2011 Centennial Celebration, it has been the thought of our future that most grabs my attention and intrigue. While reflections on our past serve as a healthy reminder of great accomplishments in Georgia's wildlife conservation history and meters how much we have accomplished as a conservation agency, it is not an adequate predictor of our future. Thus, we and other conservation cohorts cannot rest on past valor.
It is chiefly the collective impacts of our societal uncertainty, the scarcity of resources, the polarization and fracturing of our constituencies, urbanism, global energy impacts, political underpinnings and an overwhelming complexity of today's conservation challenges that give me cause for concern of our future. How we discipline our trajectory and design future pathways, collectively and in the face of these new and difficult challenges, ultimately will define our qualifying place in Georgia's conservation history. Like my WRD colleagues, I desire excellence.
There is no doubt that our management and scientific understanding of wildlife and fisheries resources, as well as our delivery of conservation law enforcement, is better today than ever before and has progressed exponentially since our days of origin. Throughout this astonishing metamorphosis of our professional
6 2

A Look Ahead 2011 - Future
wisdom, there has remained steadfast one fundamental tenet of our successful past that will sustain equal importance in determining our future. This foundational manifest is the North American Model of Wildlife Management (Model). For our generation to fulfill a desirable conservation destiny, we must, above all else, ensure that our citizenry comprehend value and defend this continental philosophy.
The heart of this conservation Model is comprised of seven important focal points as paraphrased here:
Wildlife as Public Trust Resources Elimination of Markets for Game Allocation of Wildlife by Law Wildlife Should Only be Killed for a Legitimate Purpose Wildlife Are Considered an International Resource Science is the Proper Tool for Discharge of Wildlife Policy Democracy of Hunting
Throughout our conservation history, we can point to periodic deviations in these tenets that account for the vast majority of conservation failures. And, as our constituency continues in its radical departure from a rural and environmentally connected upbringing, further erosion of these tenets is progressing. As societal and political decisions manifest themselves serving to privatize wildlife resources, establish markets for wildlife and facilitate frivolous killing of animals for economic gains, our conservation future becomes less predictable. If we are to gain ultimate conservation success, and "save all the pieces" as Aldo Leopold warns as his "first rule of intelligent tinkering", we must hold strong our belief, support and earnest defense of these critical tenets.
While our professionals are better trained and equipped than ever before, the complexity of the unique and growing challenges of our current day outpace even the brightest of our conservation fellows. The only conservation certainty we face, is that with each generation of wildlife, fisheries and law enforcement
63

A Look Ahead 2011 - Future
professionals, the rate of societal change and the magnitude of challenges to the Model will be more frequent, unpredictable and fervent.
Fundamentally, our agency's ul mate goals of sustainability and wise use have changed li le over the past 100 years and will surely persist into the next 100 years. The rela e success of a aining this goal for such a wide diversity and richness of species and habitats is unknown. However boun ful our conserva on toolbox and bank of scien fic knowledge is, our conserva on success hinges on two external outcomes: first, in making our passion relevant to our ci zens; and, secondly in building within them a conserva on ethic.
A great philosopher once said that "The greatest love, comes from a great knowledge of that which is loved". Restated, if we and future genera ons are to be successful and build a sustainable society of conserva on supporters armed to defend our cherished Model, we must never yield on our responsibility to educate.
When we no longer can draw a bow;
When the sinew has shrunk and our bones become bri le, we will hunt in our dreams, because hun ng is a
part of our souls.
Author Unknown
Abby Evans (daughter of RFC John Evans) a er a successful archery hunt on Altamaha WMA, 2008.
6 4

Appendix 1
Wildlife and Fisheries Projects - 1949
The following are excerpts from the 1949 publication detailing the state's various wildlife and fisheries programs, projects, and regulations. J.R. Holland was Commission chairperson, J.C. Calhoun was the director, and Hamilton Ralls was the assistant director. Key information within the 1949 publication included:
Project 1R - Statewide Wildlife Survey: G. Allen, J. Crockford, Donald Charbonneau, and John Connell were project personnel. One-third of the state was surveyed by 1949 at a cost of .03 cents per acre.
Project 9R - Clapper Rail or Marsh Hen Study: John Oney and Lou North were project personnel. To better understand their food habits, John Oney spent time at the Patuxent Laboratory in Maryland analyzing marsh hen gizzards.
Project 15R - Migratory Waterfowl Survey: Project Leader Marvin Johnson's responsibility was to create a developmental model for migratory waterfowl.
Project 4D - Farm Game Habitat Restoration: A. Mack Smith was assistant project leader and the only person listed on this committee. His goal was to restore suitable habitat for the bobwhite quail and other upland game. He was to also work cooperatively with the Soil Conservation Service in distributing bicolor lespedeza and tree seedlings to landowners.
Project 14D - Refuge Operations: Anderson M. Gray was the project leader. Assistant leaders were S.L. Jones, A.B. Briscoe, and A.C. Sanders. Six refuges were listed: Reynolds Brother's Refuge in Dougherty County, 30,000 acres; Sconti Refuge in Pickens County, 20,000 acres; Piedmont Refuge in Putnam County, 45,000 acres; Berry School Refuge in Floyd County, 23,000 acres; Candler County Refuge, 23,000 acres; and Lookout Mountain Refuge in Dade and Walker Counties, 38,000 acres.
65

Appendix 1
In addition to the areas listed above, 150,000 acres of the Chattahoochee National Forest were set aside as Game Management Areas.
Project 8D Trapping and Restoration: D.H. Shaver was the project leader, with Jesse Smith listed as a trapper. Project notes indicated the purchase and release of 125 deer from Texas. One hundred deer for statewide release were also trapped on Blackbeard Island. Additionally, 50 turkeys, 60 raccoons, and 50 nuisance bears were relocated. Bobwhite Quail Hatchery: This operation was under the supervision of C.C. James, Chief of the Hatcheries Division. One of the hatcheries located near Chamblee was expected to produce 6,000 eggs per year. Eggs were to be distributed to 4H clubs and junior rangers for hatching and release. Enforcement Officers listed in the report included: W.H. Hodges, State Chief; F.V. Lovell, Chief of the Mountain District in Gainesville; J.H. Harrell, Chief of the Flint River District in Albany; J.W. Thomasson, Chief of the Piedmont District in Macon; C.B. Ellington, Chief of the Plains District in Thomson; J.J. Brown, Chief of the Coastal District in Jesup; and H.H. Seabolt, Chief of the Management Area office in Dahlonega.
66

Appendix 2
GEORGIA WHITE-TAILED DEER RESTOCKING RECORDS

Restocking Period: 1928-1992

Restocking Sources: Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, unknown

Possible Subspecies Involved:

O.v. borealis, O.v. nigribarbis, O.v. texanus, O.v. virginianus

Total Number Restocked: Within State 2204 Out of State and unknown 1863

According to Blackard (1971), early settlers in north and central Georgia initiated the species extirpation from this part of the state prior to the completion of the railroads. Year round hunting with dogs and night hunting by torchlight decimated deer populations before 1900 (Blackard 1971). Early reports indicate that Georgia received deer from Montana, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Michigan and even Europe (Jefferies 1975). However, no records exist to verify these reports. The first significant restocking efforts began with the establishment of several wildlife management areas in northern Georgia. Early restocking of these areas utilized deer obtained from the Pisgah Game Preserve in North Carolina. These deer may contain some genetic characteristics of O.v. virginianus, O.v. borealis, and O.v. seminolus and/or O.v. Osceola (see North Carolina stocking records). However during the major restocking period of 1944 through 1963, most deer were obtained from Texas (likely O.v. texanus), Wisconsin (O.v. borealis), and barrier islands along the Georgia coast. These included at least 115 deer from Blackbeard Island (O.v. nigribarbis). Additional deer were obtained from Kentucky (35) and Maryland (9). Recent population estimates indicate a current population of 1,200,000 animals. For a more detailed record of release sites within Georgia prior to 1974, see Jefferies (1975).

1992

67

Appendix 2 : White-tailed Deer Restocking in Georgia from 1928 to 1959

GEORGIA

YEAR

SOURCE

NUMBER

COUNTIES STOCKED

1928 1929 1936 1938
1944 1945 1947 1948 1950
1951
1952
1953 1955 1956
1957
1958

N. Carolina (Pisgah Game Preserve) N. Carolina (Pisgah Game Preserve) N. Carolina (Pisgah Game Preserve) N. Carolina (Pisgah Game Preserve)
Georgia (Blackbeard Is.), Kentucky, Wisconsin Wisconsin Kentucky Texas Georgia (Blackbeard Is.), Texas
Georgia (Blue Ridge Management Area), Texas
Georgia (Blackbeard Is. And Blue Ridge Management Area) Georgia (Blackbeard Is.)
Georgia (Ossabaw Is.) Georgia (Ossabaw Is. And Piedmont NWR)
Georgia (Blackbeard Is., Ossabaw Is.), Texas, unknown
Georgia (Ossabaw Is., St. Catherine's Is.)

Bucks
9 12 48 98

Does
3 14 11 63 118

Unknown

4

Fannin-Lumpkin-Union

24 est. 30
11

Fannin-Lumpkin-Union
Habersham-Rabun, Lumpkin, White
Gilmer-Murray

est. 173 Jasper-Jones-Putnam, Ware

est. 25
134 85

Bartow Jasper-Jones Dade, Paulding, Pickens
Chandler, Jasper-Jones-Putnam

189

Banks-Habersham-Stephens, Chattahoochee, McDuffie-Wilkes

McDuffie-Wilkes

7

McDuffie-Wilkes

55 Rabun

5

Rabun

51 est. 50

Cherokee, Gordon, Greene, McIntosh, Putnam
Cherokee, Clinch, Clinch-EcholsLanier, Echols, Floyd-GordonWalker-Whitfield, Gordon, Talbot

1959

Georgia (Ossabaw Is., St. Catherine's Is.)

15

18

est. 67

Cherokee, Clinch-Echols-Lanier, Harris-Talbot

68

Appendix 2: Continued

YEAR 1960 1960-1961 1961 1962
1963
1963-1964 1964
1965
1968
1969 1970 1971 1972

SOURCE

NUMBER

COUNTIES STOCKED

Bucks Does Unknown

Georgia (Ossabaw Is.,

1

Piedmont NWR)

Georgia (Piedmont NWR), Texas

Georgia (Blackbeard Is.), 9 Texas

Georgia (Piedmont

15

NWR), Texas,

Wisconsin

Georgia (Piedmont NWR), Texas

Georgia (captive deer)

2

Georgia (Jekyll Is.,

65

Piedmont NWR), N.

Carolina

Georgia (Jekyll Is.,

32

Okefenokee Swamp

NWR, Ossabaw Is.),

Texas, Virginia

Georgia (Berry College, 12 Clark Hill, Gumlog, Lookout Mt. and New Brunswick)

Georgia (Berry College

17

and Clark Hill)

Georgia (Berry College,

7

Clark Hill and Polk Co.)

10 Georgia (Berry College)

Georgia (Berry College,

Sapelo Is., and Gordon

19

Co.)

3 est. 21 Clarke, Talbot

est. 30 Clarke, Jackson

5

52 Union, Ware

33

591 Appling, Brooks, Cherokee,

Clarke, Crawford, Dodge,

Dooly, Douglas, Elbert,

Forsyth, Gordon, Gwinnett,

Hall, Harris, Heard, Houston,

Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens,

Lowndes, Macon, Oglethorpe,

Rabun, Sumter, Taylor, Telfair,

Towns, Troup, Upson, Ware,

Wheeler, Wilcox

est. 283 Banks, Carroll, Douglas,

Elbert, Floyd-Polk, Gilmer,

Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Jeff

Davis, Oglethorpe, Pickens,

Wilkes

4

Clarke

113

11 Dooly, Dougherty, Houston,

Laurens, Laurens-Tift-Wilcox,

Lowndes, Pierce, Stephens,

Tift, Wilcox

29

85 Bartow, Carroll, Chattooga,

Coffee, Dooly, Dougherty,

Emmanuel, Jenkins, Laurens,

Pike, Twiggs, Walker,

Wheeler, Whitfield

18

Fannin, Fannin-Gilmer,

Gilmer-Murray, Murray

22

17

Fannin, Gilmer-Murray, Treutlen

37

Murray, Murray-Fannin, Treutlen

16

19

Appling, Catoosa, Dodge, Gilmer, Jenkins, Murray

Appling, Bulloch, Catoosa,

59

1

Coffee, Coweta, Gilmer,

Gilmer-Murray, Murray, Union

69

Appendix 2: Continued

YEAR

SOURCE

NUMBER

COUNTIES STOCKED

Bucks Does Unknown

1973

Georgia (Berry College and Sapelo Is.)

31

45

Gordon-Pickens-Gilmer, Union-Fannin, Wayne-Pierce

1974

Georgia (Berry College and Sapelo Is., and Paradise Park)

47

91

Cherokee, Dodge, GordonPickens-Gilmer, Walker, Wayne-Pierce, Whitfield

1975

Georgia (Berry College and Palmer Village

32

72

Catoosa, Dade, Pickens, Walker

1976 Georgia (Berry College)

34 62

1977 Georgia (Berry College)

16 58

1978 Georgia (Berry College)

1979

Georgia (Allatoona, Berry College and Thomas Bluff)

28 62 30 47

1980 Georgia (Berry College)

27 63

1981 Georgia (Berry College)

1982 Georgia (Berry College)

1983 Georgia (Berry College)

1984

Georgia (Berry College and Chickamauga)

1985 Georgia (Berry College)

24 20 26 28 12 26

19 27

3

6

Dade, Dodge, Floyd, Gordon, Pickens, Ware, Wilcox
Bartow, Catoosa, Chatham, Coffee, Dawson, Rabun, Turner, Whitfield Bartow, Catoosa, Dodge, Floyd, Gilmer, Pickens, Walker, Ware, Whitfield

Catoosa, Coffee, Gilmer, Floyd, Pickens

Bartow, Ben Hill, Coffee, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Habersham, Peach, Telfair, Union
Bartow, Ben Hill, Dade, Pickens

Bartow, Floyd, Gilmer, Habersham, Murray

Coffee, Dade-Walker, Fannin, Gilmer

Catoosa, Charlton, Coffee,

4

Coffee-Irwin, Cook, DadeWalker, Fannin, Glynn,

Walker

Gordon, Murray

1986 1987

Georgia (Berry College and Chickamauga)
Georgia (Berry College and Chickamauga)

9

29

12 34

Cook, Fannin, Wilkes, Whitfield
Catoosa, Charlton, Cook, Coffee, Murray, Whitfield, Union

1988 Georgia (Berry College)

8

18

Gordon, Murray, Whitfield

70

Appendix 2: Continued

YEAR

SOURCE

1989 1990 1991 1992

Georgia (Bartow Co. and Berry College)
Georgia (Berry College and Paulding Co.)
Georgia (Floyd, Gilmer and Murray Counties)
Georgia (Fannin Co.)

NUMBER

COUNTIES STOCKED

Bucks Does Unknown

8

21

Murray, Pickens, Wayne

8

13

Catoosa, Pickens

6

3

1

Murray Murray

71

Appendix 3

Ranger of the Year Recipients

William Powell W.D. Hill, Jr. Michael Bone William Vickers Dan Parrish Ronald Bailey Ralph Sheppard Roger D. Garrison James McDaniel Doug Lewis Terry West W. Howard Hensley, Jr. Dennis Aderholt Bill Bunch Arvid Edwards Mitchell H. Yeargin

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Jeff Weaver Mike Commander Phillip Scott Stanley Elrod Rick Sellars David Ruddell Derek Dillard Mike Barr Harry E. Akins Eric Brown John Murphy Shane Sartor Mike Binion Brian Hobbins Cindy Miller Timothy Butler

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

72

Appendix 4

Georgia's Wildlife Action Plan

In December 2002, WRD began developing the Georgia Wildlife Action Plan, also known as the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. This planning effort coordinated by the Nongame Conservation Section involved partnerships with private and public conservation organizations and landowners throughout Georgia. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the plan in October 2005. The goal of the Wildlife Action Plan is to conserve Georgia's animals, plants and natural habitats through proactive measures emphasizing voluntary and incentive-based programs on private lands; habitat restoration and management by public agencies and private conservation organizations; rare species survey and recovery efforts; and environmental education and public outreach activities. This plan will guide conservation efforts within WRD for the next decade.
An advisory committee composed of representatives of conservation organizations and land-managing entities was formed in 2005 to help implement the plan. High-priority action items include: expanding technical and financial assistance programs to improve wildlife habitat management on private lands; implementing prescribed fire programs to restore and maintain fire-adapted communities; developing a statewide strategy for assessment and control of invasive exotic species; establishing partnerships to conserve high-priority aquatic and wetland habitats; and implementing statewide programs for permanent land protection.
State Protected Species List Revision
One of the highest priority conservation actions identified in the State Wildlife Action Plan was a review and update of the state's protected species list. In 2006, Nongame staff developed an updated list for presentation to the DNR Board. The board approved the new list in October 2006. Much of the information used to support the revision was derived from species assessments conducted by Nongame biologists and others during the development of the Wildlife Action Plan. The updated state-protected species list includes 163 animals and 155 plants.

73

Appendix 5

LAKE STURGEON STOCKING

Although lake sturgeon once ranged from the great lakes down into Missouri, Tennessee, and Northwest Georgia, they have disappeared from much of their original range and are listed as threatened throughout much of the United States. In 2002, Georgia DNR, in cooperation with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Georgia (UGA), began stocking the lake sturgeon in Georgia waters. This endeavor met two important objectives, first, it reintroduced a native sport fish that had all but disappeared, and secondly, it contributed to the conservation of one of Georgia's rare species.
Each year, sturgeon eggs which are received from the Wisconsin DNR, are hatched and raised at the WRD Summerville Hatchery. Once the fish reach four inches, they are released into the Coosa River System. Research indicates 20 or more years of annual stockings are needed before the species can become selfreproducing and it will take an estimated 25-30 years before the fish are large and mature enough to support a controlled harvest.
Students at the UGA, Warnell School of Forest Resources began monitoring the lake surgeon in 2004. Federal Sportfish Restoration Funds (D-J) paid for radio transmitters to be surgically implanted in twelve fish in March 2004. Since each transmitter gives off a unique signal, individual fish movement and behavior can be monitored. The sturgeon move seasonally and are found throughout the lake and river in the winter while moving upstream in the mid to late summer.
Different types of sampling gear are being used to determine the survival, size, distribution, and growth of the lake sturgeon. Survival has been higher than expected with fish from 11-30 inches long being caught and released, indicating that lake sturgeon appear to be on the way to a successful comeback in Georgia.

74

Works Cited
Early Days
1-4 Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 6-19. Print.
5"US Forest Service - Caring for the Land and Serving People." US Forest Service - Caring for the Land and Serving People. United States Forest Service, 15 June 2012. Web. 17 June 2012. <http://www.fs.fed.us/>.
6"Passing the Weeks Act." - USFS History. N.p., 4 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 June 2012. <http://www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Policy/WeeksAct/PassingAct.aspx>.
7-8 Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 24-25. Print.
9Leopold, Aldo, David E. Brown, and Neil B. Carmony. Aldo Leopold's Wilderness: Selected Early Writings by the Author of A Sand County Almanac. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole, 1990. 132-134. Print.
Game and Fish Commission
1-2Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 30-35. Print.
3-4Elliott, Charlie. An Outdoor Life the Autobiography of Charlie Elliott. Atlanta: Flat Rock, 1994. 79-80. Print.
5 Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 36. Print.
6-7McSwain, Lawrence E. History of Wildlife Conservation in Georgia (2007): 42. Print.
8-9 Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 38. Print.
11McSwain, Lawrence E. History of Wildlife Conservation in Georgia (2007): 48. Print.
10Fws.gov. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 21 Jan. 2010. Web. 17 June 2012. <www.fws.gov/southeast/federalaid/pittmanrobertson.html>.
75

12 Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 41. Print.
Wildlife Restoration 1McSwain, Lawrence E. History of Wildlife Conservation in Georgia (2007): 50-51. Print.
2-5Doster, Gary L. "SCWDS History Continued: The CapChur Gun." SCWDS Briefs Quarterly Newsletter 23.2 (2007): 1-2. Print.
6McDonald, J. Scott, and Karl V. Miller. "A History of White-Tailed Deer Restocking in the United States 1878 to 1992." (1993). Print.
7McSwain, Lawrence E. History of Wildlife Conservation in Georgia (2007): 50-51. Print.
8-10Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 44-49. Print.
11Tye, Marvin. "Launching Ramps . . . Better Boating." Game and Fish Magazine 3.6 (1968): n. 1. Print.
12-14Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 48-54. Print.
15Wohlgemuth, Dean. "Break-Through for Stripers." Game and Fish Magazine 3.6 (1968): n. 2-5. Print.
Reorganization 1-2 Tanner, Joe D. "Editorial." Outdoors in Georgia 1.1 (1972): 1. Print.
3-4Crockford, Jack. "Game and Fish Division." Outdoors In Georgia 1.1 (1972): 3. Print.
5 Sorrell, Gwendolyn. "An Organizational History of The Georgia State Game and Fish Commission." The History of the Georgia State Game and Fish Commission (1966): 38. Print.
6-7Hammack, Bill. "R.K. Fansler . . . A Service Professional." Outdoors In Georgia 5.11 (1976): 2630. Print.
8Georgia Hunter Education Association. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, n.d. Web. 17 June 2012. <http://ghea.net/>.
9Pass, Aaron. "Wild Trout for Wild Streams." Georgia Game & Fish 7.4 (1972): 14-16. Print.
76

10-11Pass, Aaron. "Wild Turkey Restoration." Outdoors in Georgia 6.4 (1977): 10-15. Print. 12-13Justice, Lucy. "OIG Interview: Leon Kirkland." Outdoors in Georgia 9.1 (1979): 8-9. Print. 14" Largemouth Bass in South Carolina." South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. N.p., 2007. Web. 17 June 2012. <http://www.dnr.sc.gov/>. 15Rabern, Anthony. Angler's Guide to Walleye Fishing in Georgia. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Feb. 2011. Web. 17 June 2012. <http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/>. 16-18Sullivan, Buddy. Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Sapelo Island, Georgia. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, n.d. Web. 17 June 2012. <http://www.sapelonerr.org/>.
77

Director's Office Personnel

Front: Dan Forster, Wildlife Resources Division Director; (Back Row L-R) Carol Stowe, Confidential Secretary; Mark Whitney, Wildlife Resources Division Assistant Director; Lajuana Smith, AOM

Terry West, Wildlife Resources Division Assistant Director until June 2013

Leigh Cureton, Confidential Secretary until May 2013

License and Boat Registr

Le -right: David Neyhart, Database Administrator; Charles Purvis, Customer Services Specialist; Michael Spencer, Unit Supervisor; Johnny Ray, Assistant Unit Supervisor; Lacee Smith, Customer Services Specialist; Lisa Germany, Customer Services Specialist; Avery Wimbush, Customer Services Specialist; Janice Everson, Lead Customer Services Specialist; Terry Bishop, Recep onist

Media Rela and Public Affairs

Personnel

Left-right: Melissa Cummings, Communications and Outreach Specialist; Jenifer Hancock, Manager; Ryan Holt, Communications and Outreach Specialist; David Allen, Marketing Specialist; Robin Hill, Communications and Outreach Specialist; Rick Lavender, Communications and Outreach Specialist

Vallie Ramey, Personnel Manager

Fisheries Personnel
Headquarters
Left-right: Matt Thomas, Assistant Chief; John Biagi, Chief; Angie Ogletree, AOC; Ted Will, Assistant Chief
WRCC
Left-right: Paula Marcinek, Biologist; Matt Hill, Technician; Katie Might, Business Operations Generalist; Melanie Riley, GIS Specialist; Dennis Schmitt, Natural Resources Program Worker Not Pictured: Patti Lanford, Program Manager; Thom Litts, GIS Specialist

Region 1 - Gainesville
Left-right: (front row) Rick Wagner, Hatchery Manager; Mark Bowen, Technician; Olivia McClure, Secretary; Shari Franklin, AOC; Patrick O'Rouke, Biologist; (middle row) Danny Johnson, Technician; Anthony Rabern, Biologist; Jim Hakala, Biologist; Tracy Feltman, Technician; John Darner, Biologist; Patrick Markey, Buford Hatchery Manager; (back row) Jeff Durniak, Region Supervisor; Christopher Looney, Technician; Andy Wentworth, Technician; Travis Taylor, Technician; Chris Peck, Technician; John Lee Thomson, Burton Manager and Trout Coordinator; Tony Anderson, Technician
Region 2 Fort Valley
Left-right: Jimmy Evans; Denise Wiatrek; Josh Tannehill; Faye Bartlett; Jay Payne; Steve Schleiger; Maxie Gray

Walton

McDuffie Education Center

Left-right: Tony Beck, Hatchery Manager; Christ Nelson, Biologist; Keith Weaver, Biologist; Mark Rigglesford, Technician

Dot Kay and Steve Kay

Marben Farms

Left-right: Robby Aiken; Jamie Dowd; Jessie Burnette; Wes Beard
GO FISH
Left-right: Ronnie Padgett; Tim Blue; Michael Gramley; Tamatha Beckham; Clint Peacock; Michael Fulgham; Steve Gay; Winn Schanbrough; Jeremy Wixson; Clare Thorn

McDuffie Hatchery

Thomson

Left-right: Grey Abercrombie; George Atnip; Mike Carnell

Ed Bettross and Barbara Christner

West Point/Big Lazer

Left-right: Paul Jones; Brent Hess; David Cravin

Region 3 Albany

Left-right: Josh Tannehill; Sandra Jones; John Kilpatrick; Craig Robbins; Travis Ingram; Marilyn Pope; Rob Weller
Cordele Hatchery

Jody Swearingen, Hatchery Manager

Joe Keltner, Hatchery Assistant Manager

Region 4 Waycross
row): Ed Zmarzly; Don Harrison; Jim Hargrove; James Woolsey; L -right: Jimmy Miller; Steve Mincy; Bryant Bowen; Carletha Bryant; Jason Mitchell; Elaine Hinson; Neal Nib ; Dana Dixon; Dean Barber; Sco Hamlin; Chad Sexton; Rhonda Swinea; Brentz McGhin; Travis Hudson; Tim Banvechio; Bert Deener; Noel Jackson

Region 5 Richmond Hill/Demeries Creek

Tim Barrett, Region V Supervisor

Donna Wilson, AOC

Joel Fleming, Biologist

Roger Harrell, Fisheries Technician

Demeries Creek

Evans County PFA

Ben Ballard, Fisheries Technician III

Steve Mincey, Fisheries Technician III

Richmond Hill Hatchery

Left-right: Jackson Sibley, Technician; Frank Buchanan, Assistant Hatchery Manager; Jason Howard, Hatchery Manager; Chris Harper, Hatchery Biologist

Game Management Personnel
Headquarters
Left-right: Alex Coley, Assistant Chief; John Bowers, Assistant Chief; Greg Balkcom, State Waterfowl Biologist; Denise Sargent, Secretary; Sonja Daniels, AOM; Mark Whitney, Chief
Forest Management Unit
Left-right: Matt Payne, Forest Management Program Manager; Michael Staton, Biologist; Beth Bell, AOM; Geoffrey Kudela, Technician; Forrest Buckner, Biologist; Jeremy Whigham, Biologist; Mitch Buchner, Biologist; Ashley Colson, Technician; Chris Roberts, Biologist; Dan Minnick, Forester

Hunter Development and Shooting Sports

Left-right: Matt Stewart, Hunter Development Coordinator (South); Michael Sellers, Volunteer Coordinator; Jennifer Pittman, Education/Information Coordinator; John Mitchell, Hunter Development Coordinator (North); Walter Lane, Hunter Development Program Manager; Lisa DeLong, Secretary

Hunter Services

Private Lands

Brandon Anderson, Biologist

Left-right: Drew Larson, Biologist; Eric Darracq, Biologist; Brent Howze, Biologist; Dallas Ingram, Biologist; James Tomberlin, Biologist; Buck Marchinton, Biologist; Reggie Thackston, Private Lands Program Manager; Tracey Purser, AOC; Jason Lupardus, Biologist; Drew Zellner, Biologist

Region I
Le -right (front row): Billy Allen, Technician; Larry Etheridge, Technician; Cortney Peace, Secretary; Lisa Bohannon, AOC; (second row) Chuck Waters, Region Supervisor; Steve Mitchell, Technician; Mike Cline, Technician; Brent Womack, Biologist; Tim Gilbreath, Technician (back row) Ronny Holcomb, Technician; Josh Aldridge, Technician; David Gregory, Biologist; Mitch Yeargin, Technician; Jus n Smith, Technician; Adam Hammond, Biologist. Not Pictured: Daniel Booke, Technician; Daniel Gray, Technician
Region II
Le -right (front row): Don Wofford, Technician; Ken Riddleberger, Region Supervisor; Shelia Humphrey, Interpre ve Specialist; (second row) Kim Piemme, AOC; Jo Ann Forrester, Secretary; David Sha uck, Technician; Joel Payne, Technician; (third row) Brandon Walls, Technician; Frank Manning, Technician; Dale Clayton, Technician; Sco Bardenwerper, Technician; (fourth row) Kevin Lowery, Biologist; Sco Frazier, Biologist; Eric Wood, Technician; Jim Johnson, Technician

Region III
Le -right (front row): I.B. Parnell, Biologist; Stephen Kyles, Technician; Bobby Lord, Technician; Don McGowan, Biologist; (second row) Seth Thompson, Technician; Lee Taylor, Region Supervisor; Howard Pope, Technician; Annie Engle , AOC; Kevin Von Seggern, Technician; Nick Holbrooks, Technician
Region IV
Le -right (front row): Charlie Killmaster, Biologist; Raye Jones, Technician; Stephanie S nson, Secretary; Lee Rearden-Zi le, AOC; Randy Wood, Technician; (second row) Coley Paschal, Technician; Kevin Kramer, Region Supervisor; Theron Menken, Biologist; Brian Grossman, Technician; Mike Crumbley, Technician; Stanley Kirby, Technician. Not pictured: Andy Mays, Technician

Region V
Left-right: (front row) Chuck Crews, Technician; Brian Vickery, Technician; (second row) Greg Flood, Technician; Scott Johnson, Technician; John Adams, Technician
Region VI
Left-right: (front row) Greg Nelms, Biologist; Kim Richardson, AOC; Scott Duggan, Technician; (second row) Caleb Eubanks, Technician; Greg Waters, Biologist; Chris Baumann, Region Supervisor; David Cartwright, Technician. Not pictured: Jim Gillis, Technician; Ken Martin, Technician; Greg Varnadoe, Technician; Bobby Sanders, Technician

Region VII
Left-right (front row) Hal Wiggins, Technician; Kara Nitschke, Biologist; Joani Williford, AOC; Rickey Lockhart, Equipment Operator; Patrick Gibbs, Technician; John Bronson, Utility Worker; Richard Hawkins, Parks-Craftsman; Nancy Alford, AOC; (second row) David Mixon, Region Supervisor; Robert Horan, Technician; Patrick Hagan, Marine Technician; Ed Van Otteren, Technician; Fred Hay, Sapelo Island Manager; Will Ricks Biologist; (third row) Mark Day, Technician; Bill Merriman, Historic Site Manager; Tony Smith, Equipment Operator; Mark Thompson, Ferry Vessel Captain; Cody Elrod, Technician; Eric Esser, Technician; Dorset Hurley, Biologist

LAW ENFORCEMENT
Headquarters

Colonel Eddie Henderson

Lt. Colonel Jeff Weaver

L-R, Lt. Judd Smith, Major Stephen Adams Major Walter Rabon, Cpt. Mike England

L-R Tammy Peters SPU Sec., Jen Hammonds AOC II, Sharon Whitaker AOM
Linda Mayo HQ Sec., Shannon Witcher AOC, Jamie Hawkins SPU Tech

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
Front Row L-R: Capt. Johnny Johnson, Sgt. Brian Keener, RFC Zack Hardy, RFC Joe Hill, Cpl. Tommy Gentry, RFC Brooks Varnell w/ K-9 "Rock", RFC Bart Hendrix, RFC Chad Cox, Ranger Mark Puig, Cpl. James Keener, Cpl. Shawn Elmore Second Row L-R: BOG Joyce Holland, Secretary Rachel Cox, Cpl. Casey Jones, Cpl. Lee Burns, Sgt. Mike Barr, RFC Ben Cunningham, Cpl. Byron Young, Sgt. Jeff Galloway, Sgt. Ricky Dempsey, Cpl. Eric Brown, RFC Roger McConkey, Cpl. Wil Smith, RFC Cody Jones, RFC Daniel Gray Not Shown: Sgt. John Vanlandingham
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
Front L-R: Brenda Tanner, Cpt. Thomas Barnard, Sgt. Lee Brown, RFC David Webb, RFC Chad Chambers, Taylor Dorsey 2nd Row L-R: RFC Mitchell Crump, Cpl. Craig Fulghum, Cpl. Bill Bunch, Sgt. Stan Elrod 3rd Row L-R: RFC Tim Vickery, Cpl. Adam Loudermilk, Ranger Kevin Goss, Sgt. Greg Colson 4th Row L-R: RFC Kevin Dyer, RFC Eric Isom, Cpl. Jason Roberson, Sgt. Steve Seitz 5th Row L-R: Ranger Shane Brown, RFC Barry Britt, RFC Anne Alexander, Cpl. Derek Dillard, RFC Brandon Pierce, Sgt. Mike Burgamy Not Pictured: RFC Mark Stephens, Cpl. Jesse Cook, Cpl. Eric Sanders, Cpl. Eddie Tompkins, RFC Shane Sartor, Julia Braswell

Region III- Thomson (East Central)
1st Row L-R: Secretary Katelyn Greene, Sgt. Doyte Chaffin, RFC Leroy Ficklin, RFC Niki Spencer, Sgt. Max Boswell, RFC Grant Matherly, Sgt. Brain Carter, AOC Elizabeth Bentley and RFC Phillip Nelson. 2nd Row L-R: Cpl. Brian Hobbins, Cpl. David Allen, Sgt. Matt Garthright, Capt. Mark Padgett, Cpl. Ryan Swain, Sgt. John Harwell, and RFC Ricky Boles. 3rd Row L-R: Cpl. Derrell, RFC Jeff Billips, Cpl. Ben Payne, RFC Bobby Timmerman, Cpl. Mark Patterson, RFC Tim Butler, Cpl. Julian Wilkins, and RFC Richard Tanner. Not pictured are RFC Brian Adams, Cpl. Micheal Crawley and K-9 Storm
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
Front Row: Sgt. Brent Railey, Sgt. Tim Kendrick, Cpl. John Harkins, Captain Bob Lynn, AOC Audrey Taylor, RFC Keith Page, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen, K-9 Ruger Middle Row: Cpl. Josh Copelan, Chaplain Joe Buford, Cpl. Keith Waddell, Ranger Russell Epps, Cpl. Roberts Stillwell, Cpl. Tony Wynne, Ranger David Fisher, Cpl. Wanda Roberts, Sgt. Tony Fox, Chaplain Rick Lanford Back Row: RFC Kevin Godbee, Cpl. Mitch Oliver, Ranger Jeremy Reese, RFC Travis Sweat, Cpl. Susan Morris, Cpl. Lynn Stanford, Sgt. Bo Kelly, RFC Ronnie Beard Not Pictured: Sgt. Jim Bradfield, RFC Josh Swain, K-9 Drake, Chaplain Marc Crandlemire, Deputy Ranger Joe Sebo

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
Front Row L-R: Cpl. Steve Robinson, Sgt. David Ruddell, Sgt. Al Greer, Cpl. Mike Binion, Cpl. Scott Carroll, Cpl. Bob Holley and K-9 Creek, Sgt. Butch Potter and RFC Jim Atchley 2nd Row L-R: Sgt. Ellis Wynn, Secretary Shannon Boyd, Cpl. Greg Wade, Ranger Chad Hulsey, RFC Randy James, Ranger Chris Carlisle, RFC Tony Cox, Cpl. Robbie Griner, Captain Jeff Swift, RFC Jon Penuel, RFC Clint Martin, Ranger Jace Heard, Ranger Jesse Harrison, Cpl. Randy Davis, Sgt. Rick Sellars and BOG Cindy Hynote Not shown: Ranger Steve Thomas, Ranger Quinn Fogle and Ranger Eric White
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
Front L-R: Cpl. Chase Altman, Sgt. Jon Barnard, RFC Jamey O'Brien, Cpl. Josh Chambers, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey, RFC Joe Hilton 2nd Row L-R: Ranger Patrick Gibbs, Sgt. Damon Winters, RFC Debbie Brannen, RFC Keith McDonald, RFC Mark Pool, Sgt. David Reckley, Sgt. Patrick Dupree 3rd Row L-R: Cpl. Morty Wood, Cpl. Jason Shipes, Ranger Sam Williams, Cpl. Shaymus McNeely, Sgt. James McLaughlin, Sgt. Don Dasher, Cpl. John Stokes, Cpl. Dan Stiles 4th Row L-R: Capt. Scott Klingel, Ranger Daniel North, Cpl. Eddie Akins, Cpl. Kevin Joyce, RFC Clint Jarriel, RFC Allen Mills, RFC Tim Hutto Inset: BOG Sharon Sims, Secretary I Melinda Monroe Not Shown: Cpl. Mike Wilcox, RFC Rodney Horne

Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
Front Row L-R: Sergeant Mark Carson, Janette Senior, Captain Doug Lewis, Kay Readdick. 2nd Row L-R: Ranger Kate Hargrove, Sergeant Wayne Hubbard, RFC David Brady, Corporal Chris Ridley, Sergeant Chris Hodge, Corporal Bobby White, Sergeant Cindy Miller 3rd Row L-R: Marine Tech Gary Denis, Corporal Chris Moore, Corporal Phillip Scott, Corporal Craig Smith, Corporal Bill Bryson, RNG Kiel Toney Back Row: RFC Jack Thain, RNG Jay Bright, RNG Jason Miller, RNG Jordan Crawford, RFC Randy Aspinwall, RFC John Evans, RNG Colt Shaske. Not Pictured: Corporal Jay Morgan and RFC Buster Cooper
Training Unit
L-R Nancy Patten Sec., Capt. Wade Law, Mandy James AOC I

Aviation Unit
L-R, Cpt. Steven Turner, Cpt. Ed Watkins, Major Doc Watson, Mechanics Larry Rogers and John Peberdy

Nongame Personnel

: Jon Ambrose, Program Manager; Bre Albanese, Biologist; Chris Canalos, Cartography Specialist; Shan Cammack, Biologist; Julie Duncan, Naturalist; Ma Elliott, Program Manager; Thomas Floyd, Biologist; Pete Griffin, Training and Development Specialist; Mike Harris, Chief; Melissa Hayes, Secretary; John Jensen, Biologist, Alan Isler, Biologist; Nathan Klaus, Biologist; Lisa Kruse, Biologist; Greg Krakow, Biologist; Rick Lavender, Communica ons and Outreach Specialist; Regina Malcom, Business Opera ons Generalist; Linda May, Communica ons and Outreach Specialist; Michelle McLaurin, Business Opera ons Generalist; Lacy Mitchell, Communica ons and Outreach Specialist; Mincy Moff Biologist; Trina Morris, Biologist; Joe a Northcu , Business Opera ons Generalist; Jim Ozier, Program Manager; Thomas Patrick, Biologist; Susan Pursell, Secretary; Steve Raper, Business Opera ons Generalist; Jody Rice, Naturalist/Curator; Todd Schneider, Biologist; Julie Watson Snowden, Naturalist; Deb Weiler, Technician; Jason Wisniewski, Biologist

David Allen, Marke ng Specialist

Lisa Boone, Business Opera ons Specialist

Jonathan Burnam, Biologist

Nikki Castleberry, Biologist
NG Photo 8

Mark Dodd, Biologist

Debbie Dupree, Banquet Specialist

Rusty Garrison, Program Manager

Clay George, Biologist

Shirley Hall, Business Operations Specialist

Dale Henslee, Facilities Operation Specialist

Timothy Keyes, Biologist

Eamonn Leonard, Biologist

Katie McCoy, Secretary

Jason Lee, Program Manager
Photo Not Available
Alesia Rast, Clerk

Russ Singletary, Technician

Danny Smith, Biologist

Jacob Thompson,
Biologist

Robin Thompson, Secretary

Ken VanHoy, Maintenance Worker

Anna Yellin, Technician