Georgia’s Public Dove Fields

If rainfall totals are any indication, dove fields across the state should be stellar. “Based on what I’ve heard from the field staff, our dove fields are looking really good. Everything was planted on time, and we’ve had a good bit of rain. I’m hoping for good seed production on all our fields,” said Greg…

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Tactics For Taking Coyotes In May And June

When it’s cold, coyotes get hungry. Long about January, blow on a squealing rabbit call, and a coyote won’t waste much time checking out the scene before another predator slides in for the free meal. Or, put a leg-hold trap in the ground and make a dirt-hole set above it. Drop a spoonful of smelly…

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2017 Georgia WMA Turkey Hunting Special

On paper, WMA turkey harvest numbers took a nosedive during the 2016 spring gobbler season. However, in reality, news of the lowest-recorded WMA hunter-success rate (5.3 percent) in the last 12 years may not be so bleak. “We expect WMA hunter success to go down some because of the overall declining trends we’ve seen in…

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WRD Hunt Meetings Discuss Either-Sex Deer Days, Bears, Doves & WMAs

WRD hosted eight hunt-regulations meetings last month to discuss the 2017-2019 hunting regulations. Attendance ranged from 18 to 68 at these meetings. Hunters were able to make comments after a WRD Powerpoint presentation. WRD’s presentation included four main topics. They are as follows but can be viewed at www.georgiawildlife.com. Scroll to the bottom to see…

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Hunting, Fishing, Praying For A Cure

I met a young man by the name of Chip Madren on a Franklin County dove field in September 2015. Even though Chip, of Sandy Springs, was confined to a wheelchair during that afternoon of wing-shooting, his attitude didn’t match his physical limitation. Chip was talkative, passionate about hunting and had a very humble and…

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Tournament Reports January 2017

The team of Brian Jamison, of Greensboro, and Charlie Kemp, of Jefferson, won the Dec. 10, 2016 Berry’s tournament on Lake Oconee with an impressive limit of five bass that pulled the scales to 22.96 pounds. Their catch was anchored by Big Fish of the tourney, a 6.47-lb. largemouth that earned them an addition $1,020…

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Griffin Gravitt Wins GON’s Youth Shoot-Out

Griffin Gravitt, 15, of Ashburn, wasted little time going to Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna with $3,000 in his pocket. Griffin was enjoying his big shopping spree less than 24 hours after winning GON’s Youth Big-Buck Contest Shoot-Out on July 29 at GON’s Outdoor Blast. “I got a new Browning A5 12-gauge shotgun, a Yeti Roadie…

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Chickasawhatchee WMA 12-Pointer After Overcoming Roadblocks

I really like happy endings. Such was the case for Jonathan Newsome, of Brunswick, during the Dec. 3-5 quota deer hunt at Chickasawhatchee WMA. “We had been planing this trip for months, but when it got down to leaving, it seemed as if we could not catch a break,” said Jonathan. “First, I took off…

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GWT Foundation Launches With A Red-Hot Dove Shoot

As I walked off a Franklin County dove field late on opening-day afternoon, I had a passage from 2 Corinthians on my mind. When I heard a father holler in the distance, “What a day! What a day!” my thoughts had come full circle. What a privilege it was for me to receive an invitation…

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Some Georgia Lakes Headed For Drawdown

Ten Georgia Power Company lakes will experience drawdowns this fall or winter. “Get out your Rat-L-Traps,” Aaron Batson said when asked about the lake drawdowns. Aaron is a tournament angler, a contributor to GON‘s fishing reports and a two-time GON Eliminator Series bass tournament champion. “Fall fishing already bunches up schools of bass that follow…

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