Letters To The Editor – June 2019

Duncan Does It Again   

Dear GON,

Hats off to Duncan Dobie for his story “The Shotgun” that you published in your magazine. Duncan is a master story teller and a wonderful person that everyone should meet. Keep ’em coming, Duncan! We love ’em!

Hoyt Brown, Murphy, N.C.

West Point’s Up and Down Lake Level Not Good For People, Fish   

Dear GON,

We camped at Whitetail Ridge Campground on West Point Lake April 22-29 this year. We have camped at West Point for many years, and this was the most unpleasant trip of a lifetime, but it wasn’t because of the camping. The people at Whitetail are always pleasant and helpful. 

The problem was with control of the lake level. The lake was 2 feet low when we arrived. This level makes it very difficult to access a boat beached at the campsites, and several sites have no water at all. Worse yet the lake level was run up and down 2 feet or more some days, leaving boats high and dry. With heavy rain one day, the lake rose above the full level. Not only did they generate 24 hours, the flood gates were opened to drain the lake back down 2 feet below full in one day. 

The standard excuse is that is necessary for flood control. Lake Lanier has been over full all spring with the excessive rainfall. These lakes are on the same drainage system, the Chattahoochee River. Why must West Point be the whipping boy, while Lanier remains several feet above full? Is it the continued preference given to the north side instead of people on the south side? Why not be unbiased and let Lanier share some of the responsibility of holding excessive flood waters. 

As published in GON last month, several thousand largemouth bass have been stocked in West Point to try and restore the population. This is spawning time for largemouth bass, which spawn mostly in about 2 feet of water. If so, the spawn most likely was a complete failure. We are told that these reservoirs are for power generation and recreation. Does the recreation part apply only to Lake Lanier and residents of the north side? 

James Edwards, Hampton

GON Twitter
Tim J Butler @timjbutlercom tweeted “Planting a dove field. Non cash crop. 2.5 in of rain turns that soil just right. #prattsburg #talbotcounty @GONMagazine  #expensivehobby.”

GON Instagram
Shane Turpen, of Bowdon, killed this black coyote while turkey hunting in Haralson County on April 24.

GON Facebook
Greg Bennett sent us this unique picture of a fawn on the banks of the Alabaha River in Pierce County.

GON Facebook
Corbitt Cimadevilla took a really cool picture of a gobbler he killed in Whitesburg.