# Lake Russell WMA report



## Wes (Nov 30, 2009)

Just a thought on the recent LRWMA hunt...17,000 acres, 700 hunters, and only about 60 deer taken. That number just doesn't seem right. Now I know the DNR guy that works the WMA and he is doing everything he can. From what I hear the FS is standing in the way because they don't cut timber to create more habitat and food. (not to mention the necks that released hogs into the WMA and now the deer and turkey have to compete with them for food - and don't forget the coyotes). So...to all you NE GA hunters...how do we solve this problem? 

You might see this similar posts a couple times because I would like to find a way to put the "management" back into WMA.


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## cliffdweller (Dec 1, 2009)

That number/percentage is actually very normal for the area.  Expect a 7-8 percent success rate in the mountain counties. Didn't used to be that poor but it has gotten hard to find the deer in the mountains.


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## tree cutter 08 (Dec 1, 2009)

shot a small 8pt on that hunt. they aged the deer at 2 1/2 and only weighed 80 pounds. something is wrong! hog sign everywhere i hunted. they will never get the hogs out of their.


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## bowbuck (Dec 1, 2009)

Start with sending all sierra club, forest watch and peta members (just for good measure) to Somalia or some other country all ready over run with crazy people.  Then get the USFS to grow enough nads to tell them to kiss it and actually manage the forest like they originally were founded to do. In my opinion with chainsaws cutting trees as a renewable resource on a nice rotating small (100 ac or less) patch work type select cut plan.  Hogs are here to stay and if you kill them out some other "necks" will bring more from south GA.  So your pretty much fighting a losing battle there.

On the other hand, Russell use to have tons of deer and they were midgets for the most part.  So they worked on that and now there is less deer but they are bigger for the most part.  You can't have it both ways.  It is Habersham and Banks county too, we ain't growing booners here.  One final note is the weather has been funky for a couple of weeks here, and that hasn't helped my hunting any and I doubt it helped the hunting there on that hunt.  Just a couple of my thoughts and ideas.  Forest Watch and Sierra Club are the devil to deer, grouse, woodcock, and songbird lovers.   The bears like em though.


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## Retired Army Guy (Dec 2, 2009)

I can remember a few short years ago the GON rated L.R. the number one WMA to get you some venison! Ha!

Hogs they need to allow "extermination" teams in.  My buddy says they have it at FT Benning.  You take some class & get a special permit that allows you to go full blown war on em.  Night hunting, trapping, poisoning you name it!  The tree huggers should even get in on the hog wars as they are destroying to the point of extinction hundreds of acres of native habitat every day they're alive!


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## GAcarver (Dec 2, 2009)

Saw some nice buck brought in Thanksgiving morn.  I saw a nice wide spread chasing does but could not get a shot off. Ended up taking a three point, field dressed 95 pounds, 1 1/2 years old.  Saw about 20 deer that morn. Hunted it three different times and saw no less than 8 each time, aslo found some bear sign.


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