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June 2025 Issue
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Hunting
My dad introduced me to hunting as a young kid in the 1980s. Back then, those early hunts were grueling. We’d sit for hours, hoping for a deer, but more often than not, we’d see nothing. It wasn’t about the kills—it was about time spent with my dad. I learned so much about the outdoors…
In 2003, Georgia introduced the first-ever alligator hunting season in the state. Public interest was high, and sportsmen readily applied to get one of the few coveted permits. That first season, 2,560 people applied for one of 184 permits that were available, and 64 gators were harvested. The numbers of applicants and permits have grown…
It was cold. I mean really cold. Cold and dead calm that morning as I slipped through the pines. Every step on the soft needles slowly and carefully thought out to avoid the snap of a twig or the crunch of a dry leaf. My destination, a stand I had hung weeks prior in anticipation…
Starting June 1, 2025, hunters can apply electronically for most Georgia WMA quota hunts including certain youth, deer, waterfowl, dove and other WMA hunts, plus coveted Georgia alligator permits. “If you want to apply for a quota hunt, be sure to check those deadline dates and don’t wait until the last minute,” says Tina Johannsen,…
Even if there was such a thing as a cookie-cutter whitetail hunt, it likely wouldn’t be a whole lot of fun. But they’re nearly always different, each its own. And sometimes, you just gotta take a break to make things work out. Ask John Kilpatrick, of Thomaston. Setbacks seem to crouch in the shadows for…
Fishing
Lake Chatuge locals will have to wait at least 18 months for the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) decision on how it will handle potential spillway repairs and how long any drawdown will last. The TVA tells GON that it will be 2027 before it makes the final call. “The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating…
Lake Chatuge’s future and those of the small-town economies that depend on it are currently under heavy discussion. The talks involve the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the lake’s 82-year-old spillway, and how making the area as safe as possible could cause serious issues for local businesses and homeowners, ones that will impact the area long…
One of Georgia’s top young guns on the pro bass fishing circuit, Tanner Hadden, of Appling, boated a final-day limit of five bass that weighed 20-lbs., 3-ozs.—the best catch of the three-day tournament by any angler—to vault up the standings for a second-place finish in the BLF All-American at Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs, Ark….
A regular fishing day on the Satilla River became extraordinary for Waylon Smith, a 17-year-old from Waycross. He has been fishing for most of his life, and he will certainly never forget reeling in a shellcracker that nearly broke his rod. Just down from the Jamestown Bridge, Waylon and his friend had been fishing all…
The month of June is upon us, and that means something pretty awesome is happening right now at Lake Hartwell. GON just spoke to guide and tournament angler Cole Wilson, who is on the water this morning (Tuesday, June 3), and he said the Hartwell topwater bite is on. Main-lake points, humps and brushpiles…
News
Authorities have found and recovered 17-year-old Jackson Croft, of Woodstock, from 22 feet of water after a search that lasted about 24 hours. According to the DNR’s Public Affairs Officer Mark McKinnon, they located his body on sonar around 3:38 p.m. and sent a remotely operated vessel to confirm their discovery. Jackson was recovered just…
This spring, something special is taking root at J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff and volunteers are planting shoreline grass that will help control erosion, and it should also improve the fishing by providing cover for young fish and insects, providing a boost to the food chain. Forest,…
The 2025 Georgia commercial and recreational food shrimp season will open in state waters at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. The opening date was announced today by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Coastal Resources Division (CRD). This opening applies to Georgia’s territorial waters extending from the shoreline to three nautical miles…
Videos
The vegetation in northwest Georgia is now fully matured. Native grasses, trees and flowering plants are in full bloom. This is a major time of year for the wildlife that we all love to hunt the most. With turkeys poults being hatched, as well as fawns dropping daily, this time of year is crucial to…
The excitement of killing your first deer is something a hunter never forgets. However, sitting beside your child when they take their first deer is a memory carved even deeper. It’s not just about the shot or the animal. It’s about the moment, the connection, and the tradition being passed on right before your eyes….
The St. Marys River has long stood as the blackwater boundary line that separates southeast Georgia from northeast Florida. Flowing from its headwaters in the Okefenokee Swamp, it twists and turns as it makes its way toward the ocean, separating north and south, and keeping the Bulldogs and Gators on their respective sides of the…
Issue
Latest Issue
June 2025 Issue of GON Magazine
In this issue:
Guide To Alligator Hunting
Early Summer Blackshear Bass
New Lake & River Records
Case For Kayak Fishing
Youth Big-Big Winner's Hunt
St. Marys River Float & Camp
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