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Hunting
Ten-year-old Payton McCullough, of Franklin, had no idea that her first deer harvest would be so special. Aside from sporting a beautiful 9-point rack, her buck also had abnormally long hooves that curved upward like elf shoes. In fact, her dad Chad had many trail camera videos and pictures of the unique buck that he…
Chase Hemphill has a love-hate relationship with Chestatee Wildlife Management Area and deer hunting the mountains of Lumpkin County. The 39-year-old public-land hunter from Blairsville has had remarkable success with two special bucks… but they are bucks killed five years apart that bookend countless unsuccessful hunts. “I love it when it’s right, hate it when…
“A buck of this caliber isn’t a secret. If you have one like him on your camera, you can be sure that someone else has pictures of him, as well. He was a true legend in this area,” Cole Cleiman, host of the “Mountain Morning Show” and co-owner of 94.3 WCHM radio station in Clarkesville,…
Brandon McKune caught a lucky break on Sept. 15, 2024 when his wife said she’d watch their newborn so he could slip off and hunt on opening morning of bow season. “I decided to walk in to my stand on the back of our property,” he said. “It was hot. Really hot. I started sweating…
When some people harvest their first wild animal, it awakens an appreciation of the great outdoors and nature. For others, it is much more emotional and prompts memories of family or loved ones. For Sadie Pettus, the latter is true. On a recent hunting trip to Barbour Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Pettus was able to…
The FDA has approved the use of an anthelmintic drug for parasite control in wild quail populations. The FDA concluded that the drug integrated into a medicated feed is both safe and effective in controlling parasites in wild quail in their natural habitat. Research in Texas has shown that parasites are affecting quail populations. For…
When Colby Brown arrowed a 135-inch buck in Jasper County on Oct. 18, he thought his season was made. However, he was only warming up to what would be his best season ever. On Nov. 26, Colby once again had his bow in the stand. This time he was in Newton County and ended up…
It was opening-day afternoon of blackpowder, and I was in venison collection mode. I had four packs of frozen ground left, and it was time to replenish the Gill home. About 45 minutes before dark, a doe high-stepped out of some pines and into a strip of natural grass and broomsedge. At first appearing, she…
It was 2011 and it had just become legal to hunt over corn in Georgia. Thomas Vann took advantage and killed a huge buck with his bow. It is a Wheeler County record that still stands today. Fast forward to the presidential election on Nov. 8, 2016. Before the night was over, Donald Trump would…
FAQ: what does it take to harvest a whitetail big enough to qualify for GON’s Youth Big-Buck Shoot-Out? Well, you can always get lucky. But Cody Gay, the 2023 Youth Shoot-Out winner, has provided a better answer: 300 hours on the trail of one—and only one—shooter. His dad, Ronnie, has seen this happen before on…
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