Briefly: Outdoor News September 2021

Deer Hunting Options On Corps Property Around Lakes

When considering where you’ll go to complete the ever-more important task of filling the freezer this fall, don’t overlook the opportunities around Georgia reservoirs operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

There’s some good hunting on lands that surround these lakes, but permits are often required, and requirements regarding access and special regulations vary at the different corps lakes.

On Lake Allatoona, there are 10 corps tracts around the lake where deer hunting is allowed. For the second season in a row, the Special Activity Hunting Permits and Fees normally required to hunt Allatoona corps land have been canceled for the 2021-22 season. For details and maps of the hunting tracts, contact the office at 678.721.6700 or visit the Allatoona corps website and click Hunting under the Menu tab.

At West Point Lake, the corps manages about 10,000 acres around the lake. That land in Georgia is open to deer hunting during the Georgia seasons. This does not include corp land operated as three WMAs by Georgia WRD, which have specific hunt dates and special regulations.

To hunt on West Point corps property, hunters must have a valid state hunting license, as well as a West Point corps hunting permit. Hunters can pick up a permit at the West Point Project Management Office for $25, or request by phone or mail. Hunters must provide their name, mailing address and telephone number and use a credit or debit card when calling 706.645.2937.

Brandon Bennett got this 8-pointer with his muzzleloader during the 2016 season on West Point corps land.

At Lake Lanier, there are limited quota deer hunting opportunities, but for area bowhunters it’s worth a look. The Islands Deer Hunt is an archery-only hunt held on 18 specified islands and three peninsulas on Lake Lanier. This year’s Island hunts are Nov. 12-15, Nov. 26-29, and Dec. 10-13. A total of 57 bowhunters will be selected, and each may bring one guest. Selected hunters must by a $20 fee for a permit. The success rate on the Lanier Islands hunts during the 2019 season was 29%, and it’s been as high as 43% in 2013 and 2014.

There’s also a Lanier corps hunt on 611 acres at Buford Dam. This year’s hunt Buford Dam hunt is Nov. 17-19. It is also archery-only, and 14 hunters are selected, who can bring one guest. This hunt also requires a $20 permit. Each hunter is assigned to a particular area.

Applications must be sent by mail. For instructions, go to the Lanier corps website, click Hunting under the Menu, and look for the How To Apply section.

Hunting opportunities also exist on Savannah River corps projects. Details for the 2021-2022 seasons should be set in the next several weeks.

At J. Strom Thurmond (Clarks Hill), more than 50,000 acres of corps land is considered suitable for hunting, including 28,000 acres leased to Georgia DNR and South Carolina DNR. For details on many other corps areas available to hunt, visit the J. Storm Thurmond Dam and Lake website.

At Lake Russell, a 300-foot collar of land around the lake is open to hunting. And at Hartwell, four recreation areas are typically open to archery deer hunting. These are Hartwell Dam Quarry, Paynes Creek Park, New Prospect Access Area and Jenkins Ferry Access Area. A corps permit is required to hunt the Dam Quarry area. Visit the Hartwell corps website, or call 888.893.0678 for info.

At Lake Eufaula (Walter F. George), hunting is allowed during designated state seasons on specific corps-managed areas, provided the hunter has a valid state hunting license and a corps hunting permit for the lake. For info on how to obtain a corps hunting permit for Eufaula, call 229.768.2516.

At Lake Seminole, hunting is allowed on any corps land not expressly closed or managed by a state as a WMA. For more information contact the Lake Seminole Project Management Office at 229.662.2001 or visit the Seminole corps website.

Oyster Reef Restoration

Georgia DNR is continuing to enhance and restore oyster reefs on the coast, most recently in a public shellfish harvest area in Glynn County. Approximately 140 tons of loose oyster shell was placed in Jointer Creek, west of Jekyll Island. This brings the total oyster shell put back into Georgia’s estuaries in the last 14 months to 213 tons.

Over the past several months, CRD has focused on three specific projects in Glynn County: a new artificial reef on the Back River near the Torras Causeway containing 68 tons of oyster shell in 7,200 bags; 140 tons of loose shell on the Glynn County public shellfish harvest area on Jointer Creek; and five tons of loose shell in the South Brunswick River near Blythe Island Regional Park.

“The goal of this year’s projects was not only to create new reefs, but also to test new deployment methods,” said CRD marine biologist Cameron Brinton. “In the Back River, we’ve been using bagged oyster shell, and at Jointer Creek and Blythe Island, we used loose shell, which requires less manpower and has been very successfully used in other states.”

Where’s GON

Tom Watkins and his dog Chevy are at the top of Mount Baker in Washington state. “Love my GON!” said Tom. When you see the GON logo in an interesting location, please email a photo and the details to [email protected].