# WMA Dove Fields, North Georgia



## cutigr85 (Aug 19, 2009)

Seeking a "public" field for opening day.  North of Atlanta area.  Have no idea on the process to identify options.  Can anyone help out?

Thanx


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## mriver72 (Aug 19, 2009)

I think theres 1 in Walton County


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## ChristopherA.King (Aug 19, 2009)

pine log wma


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## joes37 (Aug 19, 2009)

*Dove Hunt*

Berry College,  Rome Ga.


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## trkyhntr70 (Aug 19, 2009)

Dawson Forest, Its one of the best public shoots Ive ever been too,
If it wasnt so far away I go again.


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## camodano (Aug 20, 2009)

j.l. lester i think it is in cartersville


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## Danny Leigh (Aug 20, 2009)

Pigeon Mtn, Berry, Pine Log, and Dawson Forest are pretty much your options north of Atlanta for public dove hunts. Not sure if there are any NE of Atlanta. Berry is usually VERY crowded, but they do have some good hunts. Can't say much about the others except that I have not been on them in years.

JL Lester is an adult/child hunt.


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## Ole Fuzzy (Aug 20, 2009)

JL Lester is in Polk County near Rockmart.

The reports I am getting from friends in NW GA is that the bird nos. are not good this year.  Two years ago there was an unexpectedly good season.  It was off last year.  Agriculture is not what it was in N. GA even 25 years ago, and the birds are just not there like they were.  If one wants to consistently see large numbers of birds, he has to go where the agriculture is.

I have a planted field in the Etowah Valley, it got a little dry on it but it still produced fairly well, but the birds are not there this year.  I've ridden around looking at others' fields, I have observed the same thing, and the reports from locals farmers is that they have not seen many birds.  I am going with Plan B on opening weekend and going to the club/lease in middle GA, which has had a lot of birds lately.  I just hope that they stay around.    

If one is going to bother with spending the time and money on going after doves, he should find a place that has birds, and pay to hunt, if necessary.  He also needs a few options in case the birds are not at the first destination.


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## irishleprechaun (Aug 20, 2009)

there is a wma, mcgraw-ford, in ball ground on 372.  It is bow only for deer but they have a dove shoot on opening weekend.  they bushhog and burn a planted field.  It's about 40 acres and there was about 10 hunters on it last year


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## Luke0927 (Aug 20, 2009)

live 20 minutes from the Dawson forest shoot and have never went never wanted to deal with the people....I've heard its OK for a public shoot


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## poolecw (Aug 20, 2009)

Ole Fuzzy said:


> JL Lester is in Polk County near Rockmart.
> 
> The reports I am getting from friends in NW GA is that the bird nos. are not good this year.  Two years ago there was an unexpectedly good season.  It was off last year.  Agriculture is not what it was in N. GA even 25 years ago, and the birds are just not there like they were.  If one wants to consistently see large numbers of birds, he has to go where the agriculture is.
> 
> ...





I haven't scouted any of the WMA fields in NW Ga, but I have been noticing LARGE quantities of dove in the general area.  they are all up and down the power lines when I'm out riding.  I could have limited out yesterday while mowing my front yard.


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## cutigr85 (Aug 20, 2009)

Dawson Forest seems to have some interest.  What are the general directions from Cobb County?


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## Danny Leigh (Aug 20, 2009)

Several ways to go... I think I used to go up 575 to GA 20 then cut over toward Dawsonville. Take Yellow Creek road to Hwy 53 and then the check station and dove fields are on the east side of the Amicalola River (You don't have to check in to dove hunt). Get a map off the DNR website.

http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/Assets...egion2/Dawson Forest/Amicalola Tract Line.pdf

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...04991&sspn=0.011063,0.024633&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=15


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## 308-MIKE (Aug 22, 2009)

kind of a funny story. a couple years ago, i went to pine log the monday after opening weekend. as i parked my truck, i saw 2 dove on the power lines. i thought to myself, this will be good. those were the only dove i saw over the next 2.5 hours.


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## Souhternhunter17 (Aug 22, 2009)

cutigr85 said:


> Seeking a "public" field for opening day.  North of Atlanta area.  Have no idea on the process to identify options.  Can anyone help out?
> 
> Thanx



most wma feilds are quota only for the first weekend.im going to  a field thats a wma field but its quota only for the first weekend. we've slaughtered the birds there the past 2 years


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## Winchester101 (Aug 23, 2009)

McGraw Ford did not have birds on it last year. I went about 5 times in hopes of finding birds. My conclusion - Small field + small budget = small numbers. Maybe this year will be better.


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## JonathonJEB (Aug 25, 2009)

I went to Pine Log's Dove Fields today, and I didnt see any doves and only a few birds total. It wasnt looking good for the 5th.


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## ABAC33 (Aug 26, 2009)

heard that there was a huge sunflower field on private property somewhere near the Pine log fields, so i'm guessing that's where all those birds are and will be if that field does not get shot.


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## Incawoodsman (Aug 26, 2009)

JonathonJEB said:


> I went to Pine Log's Dove Fields today, and I didnt see any doves and only a few birds total. It wasnt looking good for the 5th.



  Your just saying that to have the field all to yourself


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## Incawoodsman (Aug 26, 2009)

308-MIKE said:


> kind of a funny story. a couple years ago, i went to pine log the monday after opening weekend. as i parked my truck, i saw 2 dove on the power lines. i thought to myself, this will be good. those were the only dove i saw over the next 2.5 hours.



 I thought that you can only hunt on certain days in the WMA, like only the weekends and no weekdays around opening day.


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## JonathonJEB (Aug 26, 2009)

Incawoodsman said:


> Your just saying that to have the field all to yourself



Ill see ya there


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## Danny Leigh (Aug 26, 2009)

Incawoodsman said:


> I thought that you can only hunt on certain days in the WMA, like only the weekends and no weekdays around opening day.



MOST WMA's are only open on Saturday during the first dove season, but Pine Log is open every day during the season. Which means you won't find any birds after opening day.


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