Posts by Daryl Kirby
Georgia Counties Ranked For Big Bucks 2010
When it comes to producing big bucks, the agricultural fields and the Flint River bottomlands of Macon and Lee counties are still king, and Worth remains third-best for the 19th year in a row, but the gap is narrowing between the south Georgia stalwarts and some counties to the north. Morgan County is poised just…
Read MoreAre WMAs About To Be Changed To Recreation Areas?
If your favorite wildlife management area (WMA) was changed to a “recreation area,” would that make the property more marketable to other users like bikers, hikers and horseback riders? And would that be a good thing for hunters? DNR is seeking public comment at four public meetings next week — and through mailed and emailed…
Read MoreBuck Attacks Teen And Mom In Woods Behind Madison County Home
A 13-year-old Colbert teen and his mom were fortunate to escape serious injury after both were attacked by a 9-point buck on Feb. 11. Kyle Watkins, his twin brother Tyler, and two friends were playing with airsoft guns (used similarly to paint-ball guns) in the woods behind the Watkins’ Madison County home when the buck…
Read MoreWMA Land Totaling About 51,000 Acres To Be Cut
It may not be as bad as originally expected, but the WMA cuts settled on by the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) are significant — approximately 51,000 acres on three and a half areas, said Mark Whitney, WRD’s Chief of Game Management. Sportsmen should be upset by any cuts to services provided by WRD to hunters…
Read MoreNo Word Yet On Which WMAs Will Face The Budget Axe
While the budget news for sportsmen could have been worse, the reality of losing up to a half-dozen Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) is starting to sink in, and rumors of which WMAs will close are spreading through local communities. Dan Forster, director of the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), said he could not yet identify which…
Read MoreHunters Rally Against Park At Rich Mtn. WMA Archery Tract
About 200 hunters packed a recent Gilmer County meeting, upset over what they heard were the county commission’s intentions for the Cartecay Tract, a state-owned property east of Ellijay managed by WRD as a WMA. While some may have had hopes to develop the Cartecay Tract with more park-like features, hunters had other ideas, and…
Read MoreLegislative Update: Some WMAs Likely Spared The 2009 Budget Knife
The key issue for sportsmen during the current Georgia legislative session is the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) budget. The overall budget for WRD has been cut year after year along with other state agencies, despite sportsmen paying for about 80 percent of their own way through license fees and taxes on sporting equipment. This year,…
Read MoreSadness, Fond Reflections Around Woody’s Campfire As Woody Coffee Mourned
Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Coffee Jr., 66, of Alto, died of a heart attack in his home Saturday, Jan. 24. Woody was born Aug. 22, 1942 in Habersham County. He founded the Chattahoochee Bass Club and was a member of the Walkinshaw Hunting Club in Richmond. Woody was known to thousands of sportsmen through his business,…
Read MoreSpecial Legislative Meeting On Northern Zone Deer Season Proposal
There will be a special subcommittee meeting on HB 402 on Wednesday, March 4, at 3:00 p.m. in Room 216 of the Capitol. HB 402, introduced by Rep. Martin Scott (R – Rossville), calls for a statewide ending date for deer season. Since no one expects a shorter season for Southern Zone deer hunters, the…
Read MoreGeorgia Legislature Debates Proposals That Would Impact Sportsmen
While the key issue for sportsmen during the current Georgia legislative session at the state capitol continues to be the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) budget, several bills have been introduced that could affect hunting and fishing. The overall budget for WRD has been cut year after year along with other state agencies, despite sportsmen paying…
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