# Silver Lake anyone?



## Lane Morrell (Feb 11, 2010)

When:  Feb. 13, 2010.
When:  at the gate by 9:00 a.m.

Why: Cause the season is running out, and I would like the priviledge of hunting with some of the best guys in this part of the country.

Who:  who ever has a dog that likes to hunt.  

I will be there.  Maker4life will be there.  How about you?

It's last minute I know, but the weather is not going to be the greatest, and I don't want to sit at home.


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## KULL NUTHIN' (Feb 11, 2010)

wish i was closer i would be in


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## Jim P (Feb 11, 2010)

I would be there, but my best friend (my Britt) died this morning at 4:10.


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## KULL NUTHIN' (Feb 11, 2010)

Sorry to hear that, it always hurts when you lose the best


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## maker4life (Feb 11, 2010)

Dang Jim . Really hate to hear that , I know how it hurts .


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## Coach K (Feb 11, 2010)

Jim,  sorry about your buddy.  I lost mine from lung cancer last year.  (my avatar)  I thought that dog was so strong, he would never die.  That cancer was tough.  He was also from my first ever breeding.  It helps me to get over my dog's passings (3rd one now) by digging them a nice deep grave.  It just gives me lots of time to think about all the good times we had & to give 'em a final goodbye.   I don't think there's any easy way to get over the loss of a favorite hunting partner, though!   I hope you get to feelin' better.  Take care.


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## Nimrod71 (Feb 11, 2010)

I wish I could make it, but I have a hunt planned this weekend.


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 12, 2010)

...


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## Lane Morrell (Feb 12, 2010)

Mr. Jim, sorry to hear about your loss.  I know you will his him, but the memories will last for ever.  That's part of the fun in having a good dog.  You get to experience all the hunting they do.  But then, when they leave us, we get to tell some amazing stories to who ever will listen.


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## maker4life (Feb 12, 2010)

ALAQUAIL said:


> Ok i found the map for Silver Lake WMA... but where is the "Gate" you are referring to (which interest). If the weather (code word for wife) permits, i will be there unless something else comes up (Manly way of saying my honey do list may be too long).
> 
> Any way i hope to be able to come, me and "Duke" would sure enjoy it.
> 
> ...




Check in station . The main entrance is down the dirt road off of Yates Spings Rd.


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## southGAlefty (Feb 12, 2010)

Good luck fellas I wish I could make it


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## bobman (Feb 12, 2010)

Is it snowing down there right now?


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## maker4life (Feb 12, 2010)

Not yet and I don't know if we'll get it but they keep calling for it to move in after 3:00PM . Just been a cold wet rain heavy rain all morning .


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## Parts Man (Feb 12, 2010)

Wish I could make it Lane but I have got to work.Maybe I can make it next time.


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## maker4life (Feb 12, 2010)

Parts Man said:


> Wish I could make it Lane but I have got to work.Maybe I can make it next time.



I heard you were going to be headlining Gilliard Day tomorrow .


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## Parts Man (Feb 12, 2010)

No.Just watching all that Hester talent on stage.


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 12, 2010)

I worked my pup at chickasawhatchee today, just so I could hunt in the snow, needless to say, neither of us can pattern in this weather. Depends on the temperature at sunrise, if it aint to low I will try to be there, if it is too low, it will be a good bit later...


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 14, 2010)

...


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## Lane Morrell (Feb 15, 2010)

Adam, it has been a pleasure to hunt with you these last couple of weekends.  Next year is going to be fun.  Hopefully, we can get a few more of the members together and make a couple of weekends of fun and memories.  By the way, I can't get those beautiful pines out of my mind.  I know everyone I've talked to in the last 2 days are probably tired of hearing about them!


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## Luke0927 (Feb 15, 2010)

Next year shouldn't be so hectic for me I hope....I plan on joining along a good bit....wish we had some better WMA back up toward the middle of the state...It is a ride for me.  anyone think they may turn it into quota down there since it seems to bet getting pretty popular?


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 15, 2010)

...


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## maker4life (Feb 16, 2010)

That last tract of pines was as beautiful a piece of public land as Georgia has to offer . Heck there aren't many private plantations that can compare to what we  found back there . Had a blast and look forward to some more .


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## Canebrake (Feb 17, 2010)

Thinking about going down the last weekend of the season..maybe even staying over a night and hunting 1.5 days.  Anyone interested....

Nitram...that girlfriend of yours going to let you slip off for that long???


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## maker4life (Feb 17, 2010)

I'm game for the last weekend .


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## Nitram4891 (Feb 17, 2010)

Canebrake said:


> Thinking about going down the last weekend of the season..maybe even staying over a night and hunting 1.5 days.  Anyone interested....
> 
> Nitram...that girlfriend of yours going to let you slip off for that long???



Hold on let me ask...

Yeah I can go.  Hunt Sat afternoon and Sunday morning?  Any places to camp close by since only goat hunters get to camp out there..


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## Jim P (Feb 17, 2010)

I don't have a dog, but I might come on over just to hear all the stories.lol


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## Canebrake (Feb 17, 2010)

Nitram4891 said:


> Hold on let me ask...
> 
> Yeah I can go.  Hunt Sat afternoon and Sunday morning?  Any places to camp close by since only goat hunters get to camp out there..



When'd she start coming to work with you???


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## Canebrake (Feb 17, 2010)

Jim P said:


> I don't have a dog, but I might come on over just to hear all the stories.lol



If we get too many folks then we won't be able to lie about how many coveys we pointed and how many doubles we shot!


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## Jim P (Feb 17, 2010)

Canebrake if you pay me enough, I'll even put in some lies.


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## maker4life (Feb 17, 2010)

Jim P said:


> Canebrake if you pay me enough, I'll even put in some lies.


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## Derek Edge (Feb 17, 2010)

I may show up also with my new pup, would be nice to get away for the weekend.  That is, if the invite is still open.


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## rapid fire (Feb 17, 2010)

Too far from home with the twins due any day.


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## Canebrake (Feb 17, 2010)

Jim P said:


> Canebrake if you pay me enough, I'll even put in some lies.



HA...depending on how they look i might send you home with a new pointer or two!


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 17, 2010)

Unfortunately I'll be out of the town the last weekend of the Georgia and Alabama season. Wish I could make it. Florida's season extends into March so I'll be somedown there for the last wild bird hunt of my season.

Adam


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## Lane Morrell (Feb 18, 2010)

I'll be there.


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## Nitram4891 (Feb 18, 2010)

Does anybody know where to camp other than a local hotel??


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## Nitram4891 (Feb 18, 2010)

Canebrake said:


> HA...depending on how they look i might send you home with a new pointer or two!



Jim wouldnt settle for a pointer...he's a brittany man.


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## maker4life (Feb 18, 2010)

Nitram4891 said:


> Does anybody know where to camp other than a local hotel??



http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/op/rec/seminole/Seminole_New/camping.htm

The Hales Landing campground is right at Silver Lake .  Or Lake Seminole State Park is just down the road .


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## Jim P (Feb 18, 2010)

Nitram, maybe if we get the tail docked and a little bit of orange paint.


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## Nitram4891 (Feb 18, 2010)

Hales Landing looks like a winner.  Just looked at it on google maps and it looks nice down there.  Who else is in?


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## Nitram4891 (Feb 18, 2010)

Jim P said:


> Nitram, maybe if we get the tail docked and a little bit of orange paint.



Haha, what are you gona do about the retrieving though??


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## coveyrise (Feb 18, 2010)

Your hunting probably got a little easier on Silver Lake. I was over there checking on a piece of property I do work on and saw the state had a lot of the place lit up. Ran into some of the state workers on the road and they said they would be in there burning the next few days. Amazing the state has only one man to take care of Silver Lake and River Creek. Almost 11,000 acres for one man to manage. He does a heck of a job with the tiny budget they give him.
     I did covey call counts back in Oct. and early Nov. on Silver Lake and have done them lately and can tell you the birds have really taken a wacking this year.


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## preston (Feb 21, 2010)

*silver lake burn*

how much good huntable habitat is open now after the burn? it sure needed it. thanks


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## Coach K (Feb 21, 2010)

I will be there, as well.  (bringing my 3 dogs) Two good friends that have pups out of my dogs are going to come hunt (one on Sat, the other Sun.)   Nitram, I am going to check about camping at Silver Lake right there at the check in.  Just allowing deer hunters to camp sounds discriminatory to me & I might have to take a page out of Thoreau's civil disobedience chapter.  Last weekend I ended up sleeping in my car & did not get as good a nights sleep as if I had been able to stretch out in my tent.  It was good camping weather, too.

Sat, I am going to plan on breaking at about 1pm at the check station if anyone wants to swap stories.   I have clearance to hunt through Sun, as well.  Hopefully, the weather stays cool.  Looking forward to meeting a few new friends.

Best regards,


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## Nitram4891 (Feb 22, 2010)

Coach K said:


> I will be there, as well.  (bringing my 3 dogs) Two good friends that have pups out of my dogs are going to come hunt (one on Sat, the other Sun.)   Nitram, I am going to check about camping at Silver Lake right there at the check in.  Just allowing deer hunters to camp sounds discriminatory to me & I might have to take a page out of Thoreau's civil disobedience chapter.  Last weekend I ended up sleeping in my car & did not get as good a nights sleep as if I had been able to stretch out in my tent.  It was good camping weather, too.
> 
> Sat, I am going to plan on breaking at about 1pm at the check station if anyone wants to swap stories.   I have clearance to hunt through Sun, as well.  Hopefully, the weather stays cool.  Looking forward to meeting a few new friends.
> 
> Best regards,




I think thats probably around the time we will be getting there on Saturday also.  Let me know what you find out about the camping and if that doesnt work we will need to reserve some spots at the previous campground I mentioned.


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## Coach K (Feb 22, 2010)

I am going to try & call Tues.


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## coveyrise (Feb 23, 2010)

Preston,
   They did'nt burn anything you would have wanted to hunt anyway. Plenty of cover left. The birds sure are getting jumpy everywhere now. They want to run more than fly.


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## maker4life (Feb 23, 2010)

coveyrise said:


> Preston,
> They did'nt burn anything you would have wanted to hunt anyway. Plenty of cover left. The birds sure are getting jumpy everywhere now. They want to run more than fly.



We had a covey the other week that I bet ran 50 yds. before they got up .


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## preston (Feb 23, 2010)

*silver lake*

thanks for the info... may try it sat.


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## Coach K (Feb 23, 2010)

I called the office for region 5 regarding camping out at Silver Lake.  I talked to a very friendly young lady who checked it out w/ Brandon & he said that it was no problem for us to camp their for the weekend.  I mentioned how we were the GON forum group & they almost changed their mind, though!  So, if anyone wants to rough it with me, I'd be glad for the company.  If we're really lucky maybe Nicodemus(sp?) will show & give us his hatchet throwing exhibition.
I currently am planning on starting down Friday night, but won't get there until 10-ish probably.

Take care all & drive careful


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## over&under (Feb 26, 2010)

coveyrise90 said:


> I doubt there will be quota anytime soon. Its not getting hunted that hard. I have been to Silver Lake 6 or 7 times and I have only seen 2 other quail hunters. I saw one the first time and I went I saw one the last time I went.
> 
> Adam



 I bet it will be sooner than you think. Being that it is all over the internet and all


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## Lane Morrell (Feb 26, 2010)

over&under said:


> I bet it will be sooner than you think. Being that it is all over the internet and all



Yeah, we should do like the duck hunting forum, and discourage people from hunting or learning about hunting.


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## over&under (Feb 26, 2010)

It was simply a statement. No need to get all upset and start attacking any group of people who hunt any specific game. I know of between 7 and 10 hunters that are now hunting this place because of these posts. I would imagine they will at some point bring their friends and so on. You guys obviously do not mind company and that is great. But at some point it will be a quota hunt as a result. I am not saying that is a good or a bad thing, it just is what it is.


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## Lane Morrell (Feb 26, 2010)

It wasn't an attack on any one group.  Just merely an observation.  We don't mind company at all.  I have been wild bird hunting for all of this month.  I have only killed two birds.  That was on my land also.  If more people would get back into quail hunting, maybe it would be good for the sport.  Maybe it would help people realize just where our tax money goes if they would just get out more.  There are people on this forum who are looking into the possiblity of donating time, effort, and money to some of the state lands projects.  The more people who see this, the better.  

Also, if it turns into a quota hunt, so be it.  There is close to 10,000 acres on that place that needs hunting.  If its quota, well that's life.

Also, if you ever get down this way, we would love to have you come hunt with us.  Just PM one of the many of us here.  I'm sure we can find room for you.


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## over&under (Feb 26, 2010)

Sounds good. So we both agree that no one is upset and we were simply making observations. I am from the area and I am down that way all the time. Pretty good possibility we will run into each other at some point. Good luck in the morning


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## Lane Morrell (Feb 26, 2010)

over&under said:


> Sounds good. So we both agree that no one is upset and we were simply making observations. I am from the area and I am down that way all the time. Pretty good possibility we will run into each other at some point. Good luck in the morning



Thanks.  Like I said, PM us next year.  I have met some great folks on this forum now over the last 2 years.  Meeting one more dang sure can't hurt!


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## maker4life (Feb 26, 2010)

I've met some good hunting partners off of this place and had the pleasure of hunting with one of thm this afternoon .


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## maker4life (Feb 26, 2010)

They were burning again today and have gotten a lot of the good land but there is still plenty of huntable woods . It's just going to take a lot of leg work .


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 26, 2010)

...


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 26, 2010)

By the way, take photos for me. I am stuck in Miami all weekend!!!!!

Adam


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## maker4life (Feb 26, 2010)

Folks can't see the forest through there own greed . If a man is willing to put in the time and money to train a dog , put the leg work in to find birds and respect the game then more power to him . A lot of the internet scouters are only going to hunt the easy roads anyway and on most of these tracts that leaves a whole lot of land !

Good to hear from you Adam . I hunted with Jerry this afternoon 
, not real productive but we didn't hit many spots . Did have a group shoot a covey close to us .


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## coveyrise (Feb 27, 2010)

The state needs to give the quail on Silver Lake a little resting time. I don't think anyplace should be open for hunting 7 days a week. Maybe just on the weekends. I still believe the birds have taken a real pounding on this place. With the huge burns they are doing it makes it tougher . Silver Lake has so much potential. I hope it does'nt turn into another abandoned Elmodel. By the way they arrested some guys for gassing gopher holes for rattlesnakes on Silver Lake the other day. It made the headline of the newspaper. People are just doing what they please with some of our public land.
  I will tell you there are some lazy hunters that are reading what you put on this forum. They don't want to spend the time beating the ground and investing the time to find birds. Would rather someone tell them where to go. I am all for others hunting on public land but am always in the birds corner. Nine times out of ten I hunt alone and with a camcorder. Can go back and enjoy the day again and again. Quail probably like it better also.                    
       Just remember the late season birds are the smartest. Maybe the best to leave for breeding stock.


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## Jim P (Feb 27, 2010)

I agree with Adam, and I also agree with some of the things coveyrise has said. And like maker said some so called bird hunters are only going to hunt the easy spots, all the different game are hunted that way, but if you want some good old bird hunting you have to bust the bushes, some hunters need to try this way they would appreciate the find more. I don't see nothing wrong with released birds for training and a little fun, but if you want to hunt wild birds you have to get into the briers and the thick stuff, get some scratches and you'l see what we mean. As far as getting hunters involved with helping improve habitat, you can have 100 people say they will help, but when it's time to do some thing only a hand full show up these are the true hunters.


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## coveyrise (Feb 27, 2010)

Jim,
  It's amazing what a handful of people can do. 100 people would just sit and argue about who was in charge. The state is BROKE the only way things are going to get better on public land will be through a grassroots effort of birdhunters. I have already talked to the state about volunteering on the public lands. They said it might be possible. Just have to sign liability waivers and jump thru all the hurdles that the lawyers have created. 
    Just a thought, How much would it be cost to be in a club that allowed quail hunting on land similar to the wmas in ga?


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## Jim P (Feb 27, 2010)

coveyrise, about the club thing, I found some nice land to lease down here in se ga., I wanted something like a bunch on here have in middle ga., I posted and talked to local bird hunters, nobody had the time to work on the place, even had a guy that raises quail right down the road from the property, was going to sell us the birds for $3.00 apiecewe could of had a good thing, but I could not afford it by myself.


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## coveyrise (Feb 27, 2010)

Jim,
  Good quail land is leasing for 10-20 dollars an acre around Thomasville. If you can find it. I had a lease for years that started out at 5 an acre 15 years ago then slowly eased up to 18 an acre.With 1800 acres I had to let it go. I worked hard to make the property what is was, then got priced out. I think more people will have to turn to public land hunting as time goes by.


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## coveyrise90 (Feb 28, 2010)

I wish we could work with the state to do some volunteer work. Although I am limited to what I can do (money and equipment I mean), I'd love to lend a helping on a few Saturdays. Manpower and a little money is all I have to offer. Wish I had a tractor!


A club like some of that land would be awesome! In fact, that is what Silver Lake was before the state bought it. If it was up to me, though, it would have been managed for wild birds and not put and take, like it was. 


Adam


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## coveyrise (Mar 1, 2010)

Adam,
  Tractor work is the biggest thing that the place needs. A gps overlay and establishment of new fire breaks and smaller burning areas would probably help double the popualtion of birds on most public lands. They pretty much cooked the whole lakeside area[seminole]  when  they burned this year. Displaced a few birds I am sure. The state hopes to get some funding from BQI to help do a better job burning. I see the same kind of burning being done in the national forest. Birds never seem to be able to recover from it.


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## coveyrise90 (Mar 6, 2010)

I have have always felt the same way. When I would hunt on Conecuh National Forest I would see the huge burn areas.... sometimes several thousand acres of land burned in one continuous fire. Like you say, that surely displaces some birds. Plus, the predation is going to be higher with less cover. When I asked their biologist about it, he said that I doesn't hurt the quail. Quail are OBVIOUSLY not his specialty. 

The states and feds could do a few simple things that, I think, would greatly increase the quail numbers.

One is obviously the fire. Break them up in smaller fires and burn more often. 

Two... change their timber management practices. Stop clear cutting and stop planting dense plantations. Thin out the timber that needs thinning. In some areas, the groundcover is suppressed because of the dense woods. And to make matters worse, the trees drop so much pine straw, it further depresses the groundcover. 

Three... When cutting timber, they need to cut more openings in the woods. These can then be managed for brood cover by planting ragweed. This is where a group of hunters or groups like QU or QF can step in. The only thing that has to done to these plots is fall disking. Every now and again, they may need replanting. 

This is what they did at the Geneva State Forest. They were cutting a bunch of longleaf pine woods. After the thinning, the biologist can in with a bulldozer and cleared out the stumps is areas to be used for brood plots. Then, the Conecuh Chapter of Quail Forever came in and planted ragweed. And they also maintain them.

But this is becoming increasingly difficult. They won't be able to do this at Silver Lake. Well, not in the longleaf woods at least. Only in the pine plantations. They are trying to protect the native ground cover so new food/brood plots are not allowed. I don't how they got away with it at Geneva State Forest.



Adam


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## preston (Mar 7, 2010)

*burning*

maybe Jay can ask his contact why they are burning such large areas at one time. i am sure it is cheaper to burn a large area rather than patch work it.  looks like that perhaps tall timbers could offer some help in managment of silver lake and maybe QF or Qu could help fund some of that cost.


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## coveyrise90 (Mar 7, 2010)

Preston,

I would think mostly because of expense. But even if they could afford to do smaller fires, they could have the same mentality about fires as that guy from Conecuh.... "big fires don't hurt quail". 

I know Tall Timbers is doing something with some public land in North Florida.... Apalachicola NF I think. I don't know what they're doing though. Maybe someone here does. I don't know how much Tall Timbers would do on public ground. I would guess that most of their funding is private, mostly from the plantation community. So therefore they are going to concentrate the efforts on private ground. But they could certainly be BIG help. Those folks are some of the most knowledgeable out there when it comes to Southern quail management.



If some QU or QF group would do some work, I'd donate some money to them.

Adam


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## coveyrise (Mar 8, 2010)

Adam,

   Tall Timbers is doing work on most National forest in Fla. They have a great guy Greg Hagans that runs the projects. He has techs that help him. They are getting a lot done with what little money they have to work with.
  The funding that Tall Timbers works their game bird program on is less than Rocky Evans got for 1 year of salary. Those guys really work.
  Tall Timbers has already been on Silver Lake and could give some good advice only that the state has NO money to help any  kind of quail managment. They are just trying to keep the ship from sinking. Until some money is raised somehow, we will have to take the crumbs.

          David


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## coveyrise90 (Mar 9, 2010)

coveyrise said:


> Adam,
> 
> Tall Timbers is doing work on most National forest in Fla. They have a great guy Greg Hagans that runs the projects. He has techs that help him. They are getting a lot done with what little money they have to work with.
> The funding that Tall Timbers works their game bird program on is less than Rocky Evans got for 1 year of salary. Those guys really work.
> ...



I am a big fan of Tall Timbers and the work they do. Glad to hear they are working on public ground, too! 

Are you familiar with the timber practices on state owned lands? If/when they cut timber at Silver Lake, do they keep the funds earned? Or at least a portion? They've got a lot of timber that could use some thinning. If put back into the property, that's a lot of potential. It wouldn't hurt to wait for the timber market pick up, though.

But you're right. The guy who works River Creek and Silver Lake is doing alot for what little they give him to work with.

Adam


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## coveyrise (Mar 10, 2010)

Adam,

   Most of the money will be used for the property. They are going to cut the area behind the old camp. Remember there were a lot of groups involved in the purchase of that property. Probably a lot of rules and guidelines for doing anything on that property.
  I think I will do wistling counts in the spring to see the effects of the large scale burn they did. Read the new newsletter by T.T. on burning practices and results that just came out. Interesting facts.

        David


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## coveyrise90 (Mar 11, 2010)

coveyrise said:


> Adam,
> 
> Most of the money will be used for the property. They are going to cut the area behind the old camp. Remember there were a lot of groups involved in the purchase of that property. Probably a lot of rules and guidelines for doing anything on that property.
> I think I will do wistling counts in the spring to see the effects of the large scale burn they did. Read the new newsletter by T.T. on burning practices and results that just came out. Interesting facts.
> ...


Hey David

Glad to hear that they'll be able to keep the money. One my last hunt there, I saw quite a bit of marked timber in preparation for the thinning. 

I just wish I could do more to help them out.


Thanks for tip about Tall Timbers. I normally check their website regularly for updates. I'll be sure to read it.

Adam


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