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GON Subscriber Exclusives
Clinch County: On Nov. 22, 2016, DNR Cpl. Jason Shipes responded to a complaint about possible night hunting activity and met with a person who had found a dead deer in a field. “Earlier this date, the complainant found a freshly killed doe yearling left to rot in the field. The deer seemed to be…
The buck bolted toward the safety of the marsh as blood gushed from his wound. Another bullet whizzed by his head as a second shot rang out. His body burned with pain as he ran deeper into the marsh and finally made it to a small creek. Leaping into the water, the buck felt instant…
Mike slowly looked down. There lying in a bush next to a weathered cypress tree was the largest shed he had ever seen. As Keith picked it up, four perfectly symmetrical points glowed in the afternoon sun. Though slightly weathered, the shed was in remarkably good shape. “Look, I think I see the other side…
If it weren’t for bowhunters killing some amazing bucks, last deer season in Georgia would have gone down as the worst season for big bucks since GON began compiling scores and data three decades ago. Eleven archery bucks made the prestigious Fab 40, which is GON’s annual presentation of our state’s best bucks from last…
My lifelong friend, Ducky Jones, and I were lamenting the state of today’s kids recently. On beautiful warm weekends, they are actually indoors, by choice, hunched over a computer screen, killing robots in some silly fantasy game. How sad. I asked Ducky if he remembered one particular weekend when we were kids and got involved…
Dodge County: On Nov. 18, 2016, DNR Law Enforcement Sgt. James McLaughlin and Ranger Allen Mills met with a landowner in reference to someone hunting without permission. The following account of the case are from the official Department of Public Safety Incident Report, as written by Ranger Mills. “He showed us a stand near the…
Dodge County: On Nov. 18, Sgt. James McLaughlin and Ranger Allen Mills met with a landowner in reference to someone hunting without permission on property in Dodge County. The complaintant found clear evidence that someone was hunting the property, and he knew for sure the person didn’t have permission. “He showed us a stand near…
By John Seginak and Brandon Adams Billy Haddock’s eyes strained to cut through the early morning fog, to see into the thick privet and cane of the Washington County river bottom. “That was a deer, I know it was,” Billy told himself. He never used his rifle scope to get a better view of…
By John Seginak and Brandon Adams The cool nights of spring seemed like a distant memory. The summer of 2013 was typical for Oglethorpe County—hot and humid days and little relief as the sun began to set. The soybeans were now 6 inches tall and growing daily. At least those that were not being eaten…
By John Seginak and Brandon Adams The trio of coyotes sensed the opportunity. The young buck had lost its front leg below the joint when the deflected bullet had hit him two months earlier. Their movements were instinctual, honed from centuries of a daily need to hunt and eat. One moved slowly and quietly around…