Georgia Goose Season Comes With Poaching Drama

Georgia’s first goose season since 1968 is now in the books. From the 1,150 permits that were awarded hunters, they killed 263 geese for a hunter-success rate of 22.9%.

The best success was found in the Monroe County hunt unit, with 45% of hunters killing a goose. The poorest hunting took place in Hall County where only 11% of hunters were successful. However, there were seven illegal geese collected in Hall County.

Four Hall County goose poachers face penalties that may range as high as $4,000 apiece for hunting illegally during Georgia’s first goose season since 1968.

The four men, Albert G. Daniel, of Decatur, Phil T. Porter, of Norcross, “Miller” Garrett Jr., of Atlanta, and Elwyn C. Tomlinson Jr., of Atlanta, have been charged with taking waterfowl over bait; the possession of over the limit of geese; the use and possession of lead shot in a restricted area; and leaving untagged geese in the possession of another person.

Additionally, Tomlinson was charged with hunting without a permit. The other three men had state permits for the special 10-day goose hunt.

Each man could receive a $1,000 fine and/or six months imprisonment on each count. Further, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials are “vigorously pursuing” the revocation of the four men’s hunting privileges.

A fifth unidentified person, who was reportedly hunting with the others, is still being sought.

On Jan. 13, the opening day of Georgia’s special Canada goose season, a Game and Fish Law Enforcement officer and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent discovered a baited pond 1 1/2 miles behind a locked gate on the Green Acres Hunt Club in north Hall County.

The officers, who walked in on foot, confiscated seven geese and three shotguns that had been left in a pit blind. According to a spokesman for the USFWS, there was shelled corn in the pond and evidence that the pond had been baited for some time.