# Public Land Quail Hunting - Released Birds



## kirt (Nov 2, 2009)

I have talked to one game warden and he did not know if it was legal or not but here goes.  I was wondering if it would be legal to take birds to a place like Chickasawhatchee and release them to shoot.  I have not read anything that prohibits it.  I know that some WMA's have training areas but what about the other areas.  It would seem like it would be legal as long as you used wild bird seasons and limits.  Any thoughts on this???


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## Murphy (Nov 2, 2009)

Just go to Albany Nursery and do it legally


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## Murphy (Nov 2, 2009)

Of course as long as your training dogs I know it has the habitat and atleast 5 wild coveys


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## kirt (Nov 2, 2009)

How many birds could you take?  I would probably have 3 people including myself and would probably want to take 60 or so birds.  Would they have anything to say about that?  On another note, can you "train"  your dogs out of wild bird season and still shoot the birds there?


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## Murphy (Nov 2, 2009)

You can train outta season and as long as you have a reciept for the birds your legal Although you will have a hard time telling a GW that you need 60 birds for training unless you had a couple of dogs and maybe made a training day outta it The regs say you must be TRAINING the dogs 

Id call the Albany Office and get their blessing first if I were you they always answered my ?s or called me back

It is around 300 acres managed for Quail habitat they use things that work there across the state 

I have flushed the wild coveys there but would never shoot any that I didn't plant its one of the last places you can go and train your dog on truly wild birds

Its a great place to run the dogs


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## preston (Nov 2, 2009)

*albany nursery*

is it open all season or special days?


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## Murphy (Nov 2, 2009)

All year long on Albany nursery except during Wheelchair hunts and Quota hunts The regs say only in Designated areas but Albany Nursery has no area signs The training rules are on a sign as you enter the WMA Ive trained on the whole 300 acres but there is a house and a state owned house on or next to the property so Id walk it a lil so you can see the houses and you will walk   the gate has never been open as many times as Ive been there 
im sure its for the wheelchair hunters 



Persons training dogs must have a valid Hunting and WMA License.


Designated Dog Training Areas on WMAs

In designated areas, dog training is allowed year round only during daylight hours or as otherwise specified. Only pen-raised quail and pigeons may be released and harvested using shotguns with number six or smaller shot while training pointing, flushing, and retrieving dogs provided that the dog trainer maintains proof of purchase of pen-raised quail.

The following WMAs provide designated bird dog training areas:

    * Albany Nursery WMA (Dougherty County; Region 5)
    * Alexander WMA (Burke County; Region 3)
    * Allatoona WMA (Bartow County, Region 1)
    * Beaverdam WMA (Laurens County; Region 6)
    * Berry College WMA (Floyd County, Region 1)
    * Coosawattee WMA (Gordon County, Region 1)
    * Crockford-Pigeon Mtn WMA (Walker County, Region 1)
    * Grand Bay WMA (Lowdnes County; Region 6)
    * Hart County WMA (Hart County; Region 2)
    * Horse Creek WMA (Telfair County; Region 6)
    * J. L. Lester WMA (Polk County; Region 1)
    * Mead Farm WMA (Burke County, Region 3)
    * Ocmulgee WMA - Gum Swamp Creek Tract (Bleckley County, Region 4)
    * Paulding Forest WMA (Paulding County, Region 1)
    * Penholoway Swamp WMA (Wayne County, Region 7) 
    * Richmond Hill WMA (Bryna County; Region 7)
    * Walton Public Dove Field (Wlaton County; Region 3)


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## coveyrise90 (Nov 2, 2009)

I have released birds on National Forest Land here in South AL. I have been told that its allowed by a pretty knowledgeable fella. He also told me that it was not allowed on WMAs. But, again, this is AL. It maybe different in Ga. Call the office and let us know what they say.

Adam


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## kirt (Nov 2, 2009)

Yeh, I will give them a shout tomorrow.  Thanks


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## xKevinx (Nov 22, 2009)

I was told if it was tame birds or wild birds you still have a bag limit, the game warden asked us what was the difference , we told him $3.50 per bird.He did not laugh.


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## redneck_billcollector (Nov 22, 2009)

Elmodel has a sign up that allows planting birds for dog training.  I think it now has a designated dog training area too.  I saw the signs today when I was out there, the local biologist in the Albany office told me last year that they were going to allow it there in the future, apparently the future is here now.  Albany Nursery is good too for that, I take my dog out there a good bit, you have to becareful and have a receipt for every bird you have though, you can only hunt the wild birds via a quota hunt, at least that is how I understand it.


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## goose buster (Nov 30, 2009)

What if you raise your own birds and have no paper work?


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## Eroc33 (Nov 30, 2009)

then sell them to yourself and have a reciept


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