Lake Varner Summer Bassing

Two things struck me as strange as we cast to the rip-rap along the bridge that crosses Lake Varner. First, there were only three other boats on the 800-acre lake, and all were fishing for crappie. Second was the size of the fish that had just swirled and missed my Bang-O-Lure. A few casts later…

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Springtime Crappie On Lake Oconee

You don’t second-guess the word. We had launched the boats at the Sugar Creek ramp, and although my fishing partner knew there were some crappie back in Sugar, the word was there was a good bite up the Apalachee. Apparently, when it comes to crappie fishing, the word carries some weight. And apparently, the word…

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Need A Place To Hunt? Buy It!

What does your hunting future hold? For those who love the outdoors, it’s an important question. The future of hunting in general is cloudy because of a variety of issues. But specifically, the future of your hunting may be cloudy for one primary reason — not having land to hunt. If a lease is where…

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Threat Of Sudden Oak Death A Worry For Forests And Wildlife

A disease that is killing oak trees in California has been shipped to Georgia through infected nursery plants, and officials are fearful that if the fungus escapes into the Georgia woodlands it could be devastating to oak forests here. Monrovia, a major nursery supplier in California, shipped about 28,000 plants to Georgia from January of…

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Eye on the Antis – January 2003

As we mark the passing of another year, we’re happy to report that hunting is still allowed, fishing hasn’t been banned, and ground beef and milk are still for sale at the local grocery store. We can also report that HSUS and PETA and other animal-rights groups are not happy about these things, and they…

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Eye on the Antis – August 2004

If a GON subscriber doesn’t know that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is our No. 1 anti-hunting enemy, then they’re getting the magazine just for the pictures. They sure aren’t reading the thing. The “Eye on the Antis” column has been a part of GON since 1991. That’s 13 years of trying…

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Eye on the Antis – October 2004

Folks, there is outrage, shock — and a desperate plea for money — coming from the PETA headquarters. Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is in utter disbelief at a sudden turn of events. It seems that groups are buying advertisements, even billboards, that depict PETA and animal…

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Slab Happy Crappie On Oconee

Cold wind, low clouds blocking any hint of a warming sun, and water temperatures holding at 48 degrees… Doug Nelms put the trolling motor down and eased into a lane through the timber up the Apalachee River, a spot known as the Powerline, and he began setting out his minnow-tipped jigs. I glanced at the…

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Georgia: A Wonderland For Wood Ducks

It would be impossible to guess how many Georgia duck hunts have been salvaged by the high-pitched, unmistakable squeal of approaching wood ducks. A duck hunt in Georgia is often a wood-duck-only affair. Countless are the times — crazy as it seems — that I’ve gotten up at a ridiculous hour, driven too many miles,…

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HSUS Is Anti-Hunting, And Not Your Local Animal Shelter

Back in the 1950s, the American Humane Society was responsible for setting up animal shelters across the country, a needed and valuable venture that dealt with stray dogs and cats. Apparently some folks wanted the organization to get more involved in animal-rights’ issues. A split occurred, and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)…

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