# Small game near Athens



## erhunter (Feb 8, 2017)

Hey all,
I am going to be in Athens area tomorrow.  I'd like to chase some squirrel.  Any public areas people recommend in this area?  I saw Redlands WMA is in this area along with ONF.  Anyone with experience in this area can offer me any advice? Any help is appreciated


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## AnAvidArcher (Feb 8, 2017)

Redlands is about 30-40 minutes away from Athens, depending on which spot you go to. At 37k acres, there's plenty of spots to go to. I would look on google maps for stands of hardwoods and start there. Alternatively you can try Broad River WMA in Danielsville, about 35-40 minutes North of Athens. It is very small, only 440 acres, but has quite a bit of squirrels as well as many fox squirrels and melanistic squirrels.


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## Permitchaser (Feb 8, 2017)

Never heard of a melanistic squirrels


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## Permitchaser (Feb 8, 2017)

Never mind it's black


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## wareagl487 (Feb 9, 2017)

AnAvidArcher said:


> Redlands is about 30-40 minutes away from Athens, depending on which spot you go to. At 37k acres, there's plenty of spots to go to. I would look on google maps for stands of hardwoods and start there. Alternatively you can try Broad River WMA in Danielsville, about 35-40 minutes North of Athens. It is very small, only 440 acres, but has quite a bit of squirrels as well as many fox squirrels and melanistic squirrels.



I don't believe Broad River is open for fur bearer (squirrel) hunting according to the reg's.


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## AnAvidArcher (Feb 10, 2017)

It is my understanding that squirrels are small game, not fur bearers, because they are not harvested specifically for fur. Broad River is open til the end of Feb for small game.


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## 35 Whelen (Feb 10, 2017)

These are Furbearers:

Mink, Otter, Fox,
Raccoon, Opossum,
Muskrat, Skunk,
Bobcat, Weasel


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## wareagl487 (Feb 10, 2017)

AnAvidArcher said:


> It is my understanding that squirrels are small game, not fur bearers, because they are not harvested specifically for fur. Broad River is open til the end of Feb for small game.



I stand corrected.  THANKS for the information!!


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## Muddy Water (Feb 13, 2017)

erhunter said:


> Hey all,
> I am going to be in Athens area tomorrow.  I'd like to chase some squirrel.  Any public areas people recommend in this area?  I saw Redlands WMA is in this area along with ONF.  Anyone with experience in this area can offer me any advice? Any help is appreciated



hit up redlands. Go to the southernmost access to the macedonia church tract (off macedonia church road, not the boat ramp right off 15) and do some stalk n' sits around the ridgelines. there's also a good patch of hardwoods between the bottom dove field and the swamps that holds squirrels most of the year.


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