State Spends $16 Million For Hunting Land

You are going to have more places to go hunting this fall, and it’s land you helped buy.

To date, state hunting-land purchases with money put up by hunters and fishermen total approximately 33,000 acres. The land, comprised of 11 different tracts, is all located in middle and south Georgia. Most of the new state-owned property will be open to hunters this fall.

In 1987, hunting and fishing license fees were increased to provide funding for the land acquisition. The increase in fees has allowed the Department of Natural Resources to issue bonds worth $30 million and go land shopping. So far about $16 million has been spent.

Land purchases that have closed include:

Dodge County will soon open a new PFA.

• 441 acres in Dodge County to be used as a Public Fishing Area.

• 845.5 acres that becomes part of Horse Creek WMA.

• 7,360 acres in Burke County that becomes the new Yuchi WMA

• 4,689.7 acres and 258.2 acres in Stewart County that has been named Hannahatchee WMA.

• 8,442.5 acres in Appling and Jeff Davis County for Bullard Creek WMA.

• 1,600.4 and 633 acres in Talbot County to enlarge Big Lazer Creek WMA.

The state is also nearing closing on:

• 1,060 acres in Berrien County (Patrick’s Fishing Paradise) to be operated  as a PFA.

• 1,896 acres in Lowndes County for waterfowl management.

• 5,608 acres in Pulaski County for Ocmulgee WMA.

The totals above do not include a 4,635-acre tract in Miller County in southwest Georgia that DNR has just taken an option to purchase.