# Dawson forest !!!!!!!!!



## chadf (Oct 5, 2012)

Can someone answer me this ? .............

I wanted to check out Dawson forest and see what type pressure the deer slayers there put on, sorta compare to turkey season etc. I've never deer hunted there or any wma that much, turkey/duck is a different, cause I don't wanna be around yahoos with rifles. Period, enough of a hazard bird hunting them with shotguns and being shot at. Plans idiots, but that's another thread or waste of breath.

Anyways, since I'm fairly familiar with DF, I was gonna take my daughter on a mid day hunt there if too many fools weren't inthe woods and it being bow season. Already had a game plan and area I was gonna slip into, until much to my surprise, the dang gates are open and people driving through as if it giving away free beer at the end.......

Now why is it, I've hiked and burnt boots and sweated my tail off hiking and learning those cliffs, ridges, creek bottoms just to have to pull myself up the next ridge to finally come out at the end of a road that was gated. Why couldn't I drive down there ? What makes it so deer hunters can drive in there ? 

Now before, I hear this or that, I don't mind some roads/gates being closed during turkey season, keeps the yahoos out. But I know gates are closed for other seasons also(coon etc) why is that? What makes the deer hunter able to have majority of all gates open ? All the horror storys about that place I can see now, why ! I'd be surprised if I step foot on DF during deer season again......

Now, can someone put reason or light behind this for me? They won't even allow a disabled person to go through hardly any/if any gates during turkey season, but deer season everyone with a ride can drive all over the forest.


Maybe coastie can chime in and explain a little?
If one group is allowed or isn't allowed, what makes it different for the other hunters ? Don't they pay the same fee? 
Don't get me started on the bird watchers ! 

Btw, quit counting vehicles at about 15, couldn't find 53 to get outta there quick enough.


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## Coastie (Oct 5, 2012)

The gates that are open, are open every year during archery season. Been that way at least for the past 8 years. Yes there was a lot of traffic today, there will be more tomorrow due to the NGCSU/ROTC having 180 kids working on land navigation excercizes and a group called Charleys Little Angels having a fund raising event in the evening. Now this is on the City of Atlanta Tract, you know, the one owned by the CITY OF ATLANTA and managed by the GFC and DNR as a commercial forrest and WMA, the one that doesn't cost the hunters of the state of Georgia anything in lease money but allows them the same hunting priveleges as the other WMAs in the state. Hunters, here on the GON website and in other places have been screaming for years to make other users pay the same as they do for the use of various properties and now that the state is, in fact, charging fees you still complain even though those other users are in many instances paying more than the hunters do for that usage. Get used to it, you ask for it and now it is a reality.


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## Duff (Oct 5, 2012)

Closed gates are a good thing


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## PappyHoel (Oct 5, 2012)

Coastie said:


> The gates that are open, are open every year during archery season. Been that way at least for the past 8 years. Yes there was a lot of traffic today, there will be more tomorrow due to the NGCSU/ROTC having 180 kids working on land navigation excercizes and a group called Charleys Little Angels having a fund raising event in the evening. Now this is on the City of Atlanta Tract, you know, the one owned by the CITY OF ATLANTA and managed by the GFC and DNR as a commercial forrest and WMA, the one that doesn't cost the hunters of the state of Georgia anything in lease money but allows them the same hunting priveleges as the other WMAs in the state. Hunters, here on the GON website and in other places have been screaming for years to make other users pay the same as they do for the use of various properties and now that the state is, in fact, charging fees you still complain even though those other users are in many instances paying more than the hunters do for that usage. Get used to it, you ask for it and now it is a reality.



I guess that rules out bow hunting in the morning!


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## GA DAWG (Oct 5, 2012)

I never wanted others to pay. You can search the fact on here if you want. I was always totally against it. As for the gates and I don't care what tract it is. They should be open or closed to all groups of hunters equally!


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## Coastie (Oct 6, 2012)

The City of Atlanta Tract represents less than half of the total acerage of Dawson Forest. That remaining 15,000 acres is State Owned and does not get horse or bicycle riders on it except for the occaisional outlaw that goes through. There are hikers, fishermen, bird watchers etc. that do take advantage of it at vatious times but nothing like the C.O.A.T. so if you don't like the competition go there. There is some mighty fine hunting on that part of the area and it can hardly be called covered up with hunters. We currently have close to 600 hunters signed in for the archery season and on any given day I doubt you can find 50 hunters from one end of the area to the other. That's a very few hunters to share 25,000 acres of huntable land.


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## shakey gizzard (Oct 6, 2012)

Coastie said:


> The gates that are open, are open every year during archery season. Been that way at least for the past 8 years. Yes there was a lot of traffic today, *there will be more tomorrow due to the NGCSU/ROTC having 180 kids working on land *navigation excercizes and a group called Charleys Little Angels having a fund raising event in the evening. Now this is on the City of Atlanta Tract, you know, the one owned by the CITY OF ATLANTA and managed by the GFC and DNR as a commercial forrest and WMA, the one that doesn't cost the hunters of the state of Georgia anything in lease money but allows them the same hunting priveleges as the other WMAs in the state. Hunters, here on the GON website and in other places have been screaming for years to make other users pay the same as they do for the use of various properties and now that the state is, in fact, charging fees you still complain even though those other users are in many instances paying more than the hunters do for that usage. Get used to it, you ask for it and now it is a reality.



Sounds like the making's of one heck of a deer drive!


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## PappyHoel (Oct 6, 2012)

shakey gizzard said:


> Sounds like the making's of one heck of a deer drive!



I'm in the middle waiting and banking on that right now!!!! Common deer


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## PappyHoel (Oct 6, 2012)

Coastie said:


> The City of Atlanta Tract represents less than half of the total acerage of Dawson Forest. That remaining 15,000 acres is State Owned and does not get horse or bicycle riders on it except for the occaisional outlaw that goes through. There are hikers, fishermen, bird watchers etc. that do take advantage of it at vatious times but nothing like the C.O.A.T. so if you don't like the competition go there. There is some mighty fine hunting on that part of the area and it can hardly be called covered up with hunters. We currently have close to 600 hunters signed in for the archery season and on any given day I doubt you can find 50 hunters from one end of the area to the other. That's a very few hunters to share 25,000 acres of huntable land.



I only ever see maybe 5 trucks max.  Plenty of land for 5 people


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## woodsmaster (Oct 6, 2012)

If you don't like go somewhere else!


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## chadf (Oct 6, 2012)

woodsmaster said:


> If you don't like go somewhere else!



Not hard to comprehend my ?................ I ask why deer hunters are allowed open gates, but not other groups. Simple. 
But thanks for your observation and advise, there buddy.


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## OrlandoBrent (Oct 6, 2012)

I'm curious about the gate question too, but I'm not really seeing that question answered. Just a few holier than thou responses. My curiosity is from a management perspective. I've never been to DF, but seen this issue in a number of states. I'm just assuming that the managers feel that it's no problem to carry a turkey or small game out on foot, but don't want to burden deer hunters with a very long drag. Is it as simple as this, or are there real management issues at play?


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## chadf (Oct 6, 2012)

Coastie said:


> The gates that are open, are open every year during archery season. Been that way at least for the past 8 years. Yes there was a lot of traffic today, there will be more tomorrow due to the NGCSU/ROTC having 180 kids working on land navigation excercizes and a group called Charleys Little Angels having a fund raising event in the evening. Now this is on the City of Atlanta Tract, you know, the one owned by the CITY OF ATLANTA and managed by the GFC and DNR as a commercial forrest and WMA, the one that doesn't cost the hunters of the state of Georgia anything in lease money but allows them the same hunting priveleges as the other WMAs in the state. Hunters, here on the GON website and in other places have been screaming for years to make other users pay the same as they do for the use of various properties and now that the state is, in fact, charging fees you still complain even though those other users are in many instances paying more than the hunters do for that usage. Get used to it, you ask for it and now it is a reality.



I haven't deer hunted or even road through there during deer season, hence the reason for asking now. In the last 7 years I've hike over Alot of land and every different tract that DF offer during turkey season, never has the gates been open. But they are open for deer hunters ?
That's what I don't understand. Wondering why?


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## chadf (Oct 6, 2012)

OrlandoBrent said:


> I'm curious about the gate question too, but I'm not really seeing that question answered. Just a few holier than thou responses. My curiosity is from a management perspective. I've never been to DF, but seen this issue in a number of states. I'm just assuming that the managers feel that it's no problem to carry a turkey or small game out on foot, but don't want to burden deer hunters with a very long drag. Is it as simple as this, or are there real management issues at play?


 
This ! doesn't make sense to me either.

There's always more traffic during deer season also, idiots tearing up the roads etc....


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## chadf (Oct 6, 2012)

PappyHoel said:


> I'm in the middle waiting and banking on that right now!!!! Common deer



Lol !


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## GA DAWG (Oct 6, 2012)

Coastie must be reading a different thread. Then answering it here. I tell ya what. Leave the city track out of it. We want mention it again. Now why are gates open for one group of hunters like DEER hunters and not open for turkey hunters??


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## GA DAWG (Oct 6, 2012)

Hey Pappy,Wait till the first gun. You'll see more than 5 people


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## chadf (Oct 6, 2012)

If he's only seeing 5 people his private land access must but up to the forest.........
Lol


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## Coastie (Oct 6, 2012)

I have been told by more Turkey hunters than any other hunter, that the closed gates during Turkey season is preferred to open gates. It prevents somebody driving up to/past a hot setup and ruining a hunt. Closed gates provide an opportunity to hunt from a road ar as close to it as you choose to hunt, no vehicle access = hunt more property. 

As for the coon hunters, some gates are open for you during the coon hunting season, some are closed. Those that are open may be closed at any time due to road damage or weather, the GFC tries to maintain those roads open as long as possible but will close them in a heartbeat when they get abused. This year many gates will remain open until January 18th which is longer than usual but if they start getting abused they will be closed earlier. 
There is a new box at both the horse camp bulletin board and at the bulletin board at the check station on hwy. 53 for use by small game hunters, fill one out every time you hunt small game                 ( Coons ) and let the biologists know just how many folks are actually out there hunting those varmints, maybe it could help get more attention paid to the small game hunters and get them more access. 
I don't know how roads are handled on most other management areas across the state, but I do know that the state owned portion of Dawson Forest has even less road access than does the City of Atlanta Tract and rarely do I hear a complaint about that or those areas on Federal property that have even less access than Dawson Forest. Remember ( Again ) that the city owned property is a bonus 10,000 acres for Georgia hunters, it doesn't cost you a dime in lease fees or money paid to own it, only the cost of seed and fertilizer for the food plots. The city can remove the entire property from hunter access with a simple letter ending the Memorandum of Understanding under which it is managed today and then all of the gates would be closed all of the time.


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## GA DAWG (Oct 6, 2012)

Just lock em all and give me a key


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## shakey gizzard (Oct 6, 2012)

Keep'em all locked! I prefer they not be there!


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## chadf (Oct 7, 2012)

So basically it's based apon the amount of hunters ?
So, if more small game hunters filled out the info, they'd open more gates ?


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## Coastie (Oct 7, 2012)

They could, but it is not necesarily the final outcome. From what I have seen over the past several years there are getting to be more small game hunters using the area and just perhaps, with better data, they can get more of the attention they deserve.


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## GA DAWG (Oct 7, 2012)

I need turkey cards to fill out to. You'd think they'd know it's the hardest hunted wma in the state from looking at the sign in boards. I would like to see a couple gates open for turkey to. Azalea ridge,that one that's not open on burnt mt and the loop at goshen.. That's not to much to ask is it


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## chadf (Oct 7, 2012)

^^Lol, though u were gonna get keys......


So, I should just keep my eye out for a form ?


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## Pineyrooter (Oct 9, 2012)

There is no way to please everyone because folks will continue to change what they want based on the actual results of what they wanted the first time. If the gates were opened the same number of days for every group (similair to last year) folks will still complain. If you give them 3 weeks they'll want 4 and so on and so on.


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## chadf (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm suggesting a voting system, each year so we can vote on 5-10(or even 20<)different ?'s, that the public is discussing.

Ex. The state already has a Online system set up for our license etc. If you hunt public land, which people do as like me....... Why don't when we sign in each year to buy/reprint new deer tags(lol), have the option to answer ?'s for the wma's you would like to contribute info/concerns/?'s etc .


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## GA DAWG (Oct 13, 2012)

Pineyrooter said:


> There is no way to please everyone because folks will continue to change what they want based on the actual results of what they wanted the first time. If the gates were opened the same number of days for every group (similair to last year) folks will still complain. If you give them 3 weeks they'll want 4 and so on and so on.


The gates have never been open even close to the same for all groups. That's real funny. LOL!!!
 Now I am back talking about atlanta track.


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## GA DAWG (Oct 13, 2012)

chadf said:


> I'm suggesting a voting system, each year so we can vote on 5-10(or even 20<)different ?'s, that the public is discussing.
> 
> Ex. The state already has a Online system set up for our license etc. If you hunt public land, which people do as like me....... Why don't when we sign in each year to buy/reprint new deer tags(lol), have the option to answer ?'s for the wma's you would like to contribute info/concerns/?'s etc .



And its a different thread but also in those questions. It should ask how many deer you killed last yr. To me that'd be a much better way to get estimated kill. Better than them calling 10 or 12 people lol. You can't tell em nothing though chad. They know everything


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## bfriendly (Oct 31, 2012)

To answer the original question, I think it is because "Deer Hunting" is more Mainstream, so to speak...........maybe its ezer for a suit to defend Deer Hunting as THE Recreational Sport.

No matter what the season is, I am HOG Hunting

I just carry the appropriate firearm to allow me to hunt the WMA I am on.............it is a Pain/frustrating that during Smal Game Season, which is My fave, the Gates are Closed until maybe a week before DEER HUNTING season

I feel it brother! BUT, if they kept the gates open ALL THE TIME, there would be Trash everywhere for sure, IMHO.

I just take it as it is.......I am glad to have a place to go

BTW-I AM FOR and ASKED for Other Users to PAY, at the Meeting in Smyrna a few years ago

 I am glad they are paying and I have seen NO CHANGES in users........in fact, if anything, there seem to be a few LESS horseback riders this year than last


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## NEGA Hog Hunter (Nov 4, 2012)

This gate stuff is a joke . I have asked everyone i run into with no strait ans. yet.  They say we can hog hunt at desi. times with dogs on natl. forest lands but every gate will be locked before daylight on jan. 1. After you walk a mile thru the mnts. to your dogs a time or two thats enough for me. I hope they enjoy the hogs once they get populated enough that they start moving out next to the main roads i will catch a few .  Until then i will continue to drive south and hunt some private prop.  I dont understand it cause i pay the same price for my lisc. as the deer hunters but i dont get the same benefits.    And plz  dont use that old excuse bout keeping the roads up, i can show you some roads that have been in foul shape for the last 4 years but i promise you they will  open every year for deer season.


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## Coastie (Nov 5, 2012)

NEGA Hog Hunter said:


> This gate stuff is a joke . I have asked everyone i run into with no strait ans. yet.  They say we can hog hunt at desi. times with dogs on natl. forest lands but every gate will be locked before daylight on jan. 1. After you walk a mile thru the mnts. to your dogs a time or two thats enough for me. I hope they enjoy the hogs once they get populated enough that they start moving out next to the main roads i will catch a few .  Until then i will continue to drive south and hunt some private prop.  I dont understand it cause i pay the same price for my lisc. as the deer hunters but i dont get the same benefits.    And plz  dont use that old excuse bout keeping the roads up, i can show you some roads that have been in foul shape for the last 4 years but i promise you they will  open every year for deer season.



This thread is about State Owned WMAs, not National Forest. I'm afraid you are going to find fewer NF roads available for anybody in the future let alone hog doggers. Many roads will be abandoned, permanently blocked and allowed to return to their natural state over the next several years and those that are not abandoned will be locked more often and maintained less. 
As for hog doggers in general, rightly or wrongly, they are the prime suspects in introducing hogs into areas where there have not been any over the years. If this is true, why reward a group that caused the problem in the first place?


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## NEGA Hog Hunter (Nov 11, 2012)

Coastie said:


> This thread is about State Owned WMAs, not National Forest. I'm afraid you are going to find fewer NF roads available for anybody in the future let alone hog doggers. Many roads will be abandoned, permanently blocked and allowed to return to their natural state over the next several years and those that are not abandoned will be locked more often and maintained less.
> As for hog doggers in general, rightly or wrongly, they are the prime suspects in introducing hogs into areas where there have not been any over the years. If this is true, why reward a group that caused the problem in the first place?


     LOL.  typical  response, the ppl who hunt hogs will be rewarded more by keeping the gates locked .  those areas will become protected breeding grounds , once there are more hogs than the area can support they will begin to migrate to other areas that are more accessable . which is most likely the method most hogs have expanded thier home ranges. Some of the older folks that hunt in the mnts. tell stories of hogs from 20 years ago, so they have been up here with plenty of time to multiply.


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## GA DAWG (Nov 11, 2012)

Want be nobody around. Just pull the gate open an go. On national forest anyhow


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## NEGA Hog Hunter (Nov 11, 2012)

GA DAWG said:


> Want be nobody around. Just pull the gate open an go. On national forest anyhow



LOL . So far this year your right . havent seen anyone yet. The gates are all open right now , but they will work over time to get them locked jan.1 . its funny how that woks.


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