# Duck hunting on Rivers in Metro Atl.



## JACKED UP (Dec 21, 2006)

Is it legal to duck hunt on the Chattahooche?  Between Medlock to Settles Bridge.  There are some pristine areas where no one is around that I trout fish with my boat and see ducks galore.   Same thing with the Yellow river in Covington or Conyers (not trout fish but bream and bass).  I have heard through the grape vine of people shooting these places, but the legality of it is what concerns me?  South River in Henry County is another one.  I donot see it being illegal, as long as you accessed the river at a legal place or had permission to access the rivers from a landowner whose property borders the river.  What do you guys think or does anyone know?


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## Bell_Man (Dec 21, 2006)

Hunting in the river is legal. As long as you stay in the river and are not too close to roads,house,boat dock etc...do not get on the shore. Some parts of the Hooce are private property dont get caught past the posted signs. Below buford dam to the 20 bridge is public land and there are alot of mallards that use this water.


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## Bell_Man (Dec 21, 2006)

Yellow river is awesome for ducks but same rules apply you cannot hunt from the bank. You must also be above the Hwy 36 bridge @ Lake Jackson. PM me if you want to try the yellow river I live 10 mins away.


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## Bell_Man (Dec 21, 2006)

I hunted the South River last Sunday and it was good. The water was real low and we had to pull the boat through. I know excatly where to put your boat in PM me and we will discuss it. You have to be above the old iron brige @ lake Jackson to hunt the south river.


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## Bell_Man (Dec 21, 2006)

If you hunt the South or Yellow river be prepaired to be checked by DNR.


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## Nate23 (Dec 21, 2006)

Something tells me you can't hunt the Hooch south of the dam until a ways below Atlanta.  Just a hunch.  I've fished it a good bit and never seen a hunter or heard any blasts.  Too many folks around.


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## Bell_Man (Dec 22, 2006)

I asked a ranger once when I was fishing he said It was legal as long as you were in the river. But he may be wrong. I will try to find out for sure.


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## Mark Brooks (Dec 22, 2006)

I would not think the hooche is legal from dam to south of ATL.  Access issues would be very tricky.

Man, I wish it was.  Maybe I will put my boat in at Abbotts bridge and head north a 5:00 am and find a place and shoot at sunrise.  How many 911 calls do you think that would cause along the river?

I bet there would be a welcoming party back at Abbotts when I got there!!

MB


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## Bell_Man (Dec 22, 2006)

I said below buford dam to 20 bridge was public land.  What I didnt say was it was ok to hunt. I have never hunted it but I did ask a ranger,did I mention he may be wrong. I will call mt DNR buddy and confirm yes or no.


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## JACKED UP (Dec 22, 2006)

THANKS.  I AM GOING TO CHECK AS WELL.  I FISH THE HOOCH AS WELL AND THINK IT WOULD BE A PRIME PLACE TO SHOOT, BUT THE FUNNY THING IS I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE OR HEARD ANYONE SHOOT IT.  THAT IS WHY I WAS ASKING YOU GUYS.  

BELL MAN I AM GOING TO SHOOT YOU A PM OVER THE HOLIDAYS.  I HAVE A GOOD RIVER/DUCK BOAT AND MOTOR ON A TRAILER.  I WOULD LOVE TO GO.  

I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO BE LEGAL TO HUNT THE HOOCH.  JUST AS LONG AS YOU WERE 300 YDS OR WHATEVER THE RULE IS FROM ANY HOUSE, BRIDGE, OR MANMADE STRUCTURE.  JUST LIKE ON LANIER.

Sorry about all caps.  Bad habits are hard to break.


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## rapid fire (Dec 22, 2006)

*QUESTION ANSWERED!*

Coming from Cpt. Godfrey with DNR.  "The corp. of engineers owns some property just below bufford dam.  They do not allow hunting.  The landowners along the Chattahoochee own to the center of the river.  If you have permission from a landowner, you are legal to hunt the river.  Do not hunt an area just because it is not posted."  Good luck finding someone in Roswell that knows they own part of the Chattahoochee and then good luck in talking them into letting you hunt.  Hope this answers some of y'alls questions.


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## Bell_Man (Dec 22, 2006)

Thanks I hear the same from my DNR buddy.  If anybody finds a spot on the hooche in ATL you will have a honey hole.  There are a ton of ducks that use the river below Bufod dam.  See link below.




http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=97&txtPage=16


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## Mark Brooks (Dec 22, 2006)

Thanks Rapid - Fire!

Good Information.  I guess the Riverhawk stays in the garage tomorrow.   

That explains why I never have seen any duck hunters in the last 20 years on the hooche.

MB


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## Nate23 (Dec 22, 2006)

Something is weird here.  I fish the hooch a good bit and want to get to the bottom of this.

So I am assuming that the Hooch below Buford Dam is considered a "non navigable" body of water since the land owners own the property to the middle of the river according to the Capt. Godfrey.

But then how come when an angler is wade fishing in the Hooch, they are not trespassing by standing on the bottom of the river?  

Furthermore, is it the whole property issue/trespassing issue? or is it the firearms may not be discharged in the county/city issue?


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## Nitro (Dec 22, 2006)

IMHO,  if you have to stoop to these levels to kill a duck you are spinning your wheels.

Why risk a charge, fine or other Law Enforcement issue. 

Save your money and travel to a state with good Duck hunting. It's a flyway issue and the loss of huntable habitat in Georgia. 

For many years, I had good success hunting all over Georgia for Waterfowl , sadly, those days are gone forever.


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## rapid fire (Dec 22, 2006)

Well, I think it could be a good hunting area if permission was granted.  I don't understand the whole ownership thing either.  I don't know that the habitat is completely gone.  I have only been on the Hooch a few times, but I know of several places where you would pose no harm to anyone unless a fisherman worked his way through your spread.  That being said though, even if we get permission to hunt it, skybusters will ruin it just like the other areas that are open to public.  Not to be a downer, but I know that Arkansas has gotten to be the same way.  I guess I will be heading to South Dakota next year.  Good Luck guys.


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## Nitro (Dec 22, 2006)

Now you are talking. It is a fact that development for Humans has taken precedent over protecting the habitat for wildlife. 

May I submit this, go to NoDak and hunt the prairies there before the situation changes. Now NoDak is my #1 choice for Waterfowling. 

If you are a serious, hardcore Duck hunter, you owe it to yourself to hunt some truly free, open undeveloped ground before it is gone.

20 years ago, Shakerag was a great place to hunt. I killed plenty of Doves, Deer and Ducks in the area in question. Now it's somebody's backyard or about to be.........

2 more years and I hope to leave Georgia forever.


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## SGaither (Dec 22, 2006)

I think the issue is with the discharge of a firearm within particular cities or counties.  Many places with dense populations have ordinances (civil) as well as laws (criminal) against the discharge of a firearm and even an air rifle for that matter.  Basically any projectile which could cause harm to property or persons. 

As AGARR stated the loss of habitat to wildlife really puts a damper on things but more so the fact that we do not live within a major flyway.  The birds that we see quite often are usually those that stay here year round (dock ducks) and have learned to eat what they can find to stay alive (bread crumbs).


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## Bell_Man (Dec 22, 2006)

I just want to shoot some ducks.


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## Nitro (Dec 22, 2006)

Bell_Man said:


> I just want to shoot some ducks.



Then go where you have the highest likelyhood for success!


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## tcoker (Dec 22, 2006)

my question lies on the public land issue.  The resvoir system in georgia is run by the Army Corp of Engineers. Knowing this, as long as you adhere to state regulations for distances, you can't hunt resevoirs.  So if the Corp runs the River/Dam system, then as long as the state regulations for "safe distances" are met then what is the difference?


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## JACKED UP (Dec 26, 2006)

My question exactly tcoker.


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## Bell_Man (Dec 26, 2006)

I like hunting in GA it is a challenge to be a successful waterfowl hunter here.  Not that it is not a challenge to hunt waterfowl out of state but the reward is some what sweeter when you are successful in GA a state that is not know for a waterfowl hunting. It is not stooping any level by trying to find a good waterfowl spot in GA. It is called a being a hunter that works hard for his success.  As so long as where you are hunting is legal.


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