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SPORTSMAN’S NEWSVolume 4, No. 9 P.O. Box 154 Hoboken, Georgia 31542 April 2013
Serving Members of the Georgia Hunting & Fishing Federation
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SPORTSMAN’S NEWS
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga.(3/28/2013)
Hunters and other interested citizensare encouraged to review proposedchanges to hunting regulations for the2013-2014 and 2014-2015 huntingseasons. The public notice and synopsis ofproposed rule changes are available on theGeorgia Department of Natural Resources’Wildlife Resources Division webpage atwww.gohuntgeorgia.com/Hunting/ProposedRegulations [1] .
“The purpose of hunting regulations isto manage renewable wildlife resourcesconsistent with the scientific principles ofwildlife management while meeting publicobjectives for wise use of these resources,”said John Bowers, assistant chief of theGame Management Section. “At this pointin the process, we are interested in publiccomments specific to the proposedchanges under consideration.”
Interested persons have several ways tocomment on the proposed changes. TheWildlife Resources Division has scheduledthree public hearings to provide the publican opportunity to share comments on theproposed hunting regulation changes.
All meetings will begin at 7 p.m.
April 23, 2013
· Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College,Health Sciences Building, 2802 MooreHighway, Tifton, GA
April 24, 2013
· The Roberts Chapel Auditorium, StateOffices South at Tift College, 300 PatrolRoad, Forsyth, GA
April 25, 2013
· Amicalola Electric, 544 Highway 15South, Jasper, GA
Any participant at a meeting may presentdata, make a statement or comment, oroffer a viewpoint or argument, either orallyor in writing. Statements should be conciseto permit everyone an opportunity tospeak. Participants must register uponarrival and notify the registering official oftheir intent to give a statement. Thoseunable to attend a meeting may submitinput either electronically or in writtenstatement form. Input must be received by4:30 p.m. on April 30, 2013.
· Written statements should be mailed to:GA DNR/Wildlife Resources
Public Hearings Scheduled
Proposed Hunting Regulations Changes Available for Review
GHFFLegislative Report
The legislative session closed March28 at midnight with a good year for theSportsman. legislation was passed to setup a child and disabled early turkeyseason, caliber restrictions on fox andbobcat hunting was changed to centerfire.17 caliber and above during furbearer season, live coon in cage, andprohibiting mandatory spay and neuter onprivately owned animals is alive for nextyear, SB101 (the most proactive secondamendment bill in the US) was delayedby senate leadership until it was too lateto pass it in the house. It will be back nextyear.
Division/Game Management Section;Attn: John W. Bowers; 2070 U.S. Highway278, S.E.; Social Circle, Georgia 30025
· Statements may be electronicallysubmitted at: www.georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/SubmitComments [2]
These meeting sites are accessible topeople with physical disabilities. Torequest sign language interpretation or
other auxiliary aids, contact John Bowersat (770) 918-6404 no later than 4:30 p.m.on April 12, 2013.
For more information or to view theproposed regulation changes, visitwww.georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/regulations [3] or contact Hunter Services at (770)761-3045.
Page 2 • SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013
USPS # 108P.O. Box 154 Hoboken, GA 31542
912-458-2028 • email: [email protected] by Georgia Hunting & Fishing Federation
Publisher encourages GHFF members to become a part of future newslettersby submitting chapter news, upcoming events, and photos. You may alsosupport this publication by recruiting advertisers from your area.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman: Ronnie Gaskins, Berrien CountyAddress: 12575 SR 125 N, Tifton, GA 31794Phone: 229-686-7506 Cell: 229-445-0804Email: [email protected]
James Gore, Atkinson CountyPhone: 912-422-7202Email: [email protected]
Jimmy Henderson, Bryan CountyPhone: 912-756-3223Email: [email protected]
Mike Vickers, Camden CountyPhone: 912-576-3484Email: [email protected]
Moose Jowers, Pierce CountyHonorary DirectorPhone: 912-449-6344
Mac Thompson, Pierce CountyHonorary DirectorPhone: 912-449-6190
Stan Weaver, Screven CountyPhone: 912-829-4582Email: [email protected]
Harrison Brown, Tift CountyPhone: 229-382-4904Email: [email protected]
Lowell Shuman, Ware CountyPhone: 912-283-2253Email: [email protected]
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THE GEORGIAHUNTING AND FISHING FEDERATION (GHFF)
President: Reggie Dickey, Effingham CountyAddress: 1169 Old Dixie Hwy, S., Springfield, GA 31329Phone: 912-754-4065 Cell: 912-658-1402Email: [email protected]
Vice President: Jimmy Henderson, Bryan CountyPhone: 912-655-8610Email: [email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer: Linda Herrin, Brantley CountyAddress: P.O. Box 154, Hoboken, GA 31542Phone: 912-458-2028Email: [email protected]
Visit:www.gh-ff.org
Wyatt Hutcheson, Brantley CountyPhone: 912-269-8965Email: [email protected]
Rusty Johnson,GA Trappers RepresentativePhone: 229-445-1388Email: [email protected]
Andy Bedgood, Effingham CountyGA Coon Hunters RepresentativePhone: 912-667-3732Email: coonhounds2002@
windstream.net
Chad Dale, Hall CountyNortheast, GAPhone: 770-654-9068Email: [email protected]
Bill Evitt, Walker CountyNortheast GA DirectorPhone: 423-504-6012Email: [email protected]
John KilgoreFlorida RepresentativePhone: 904-879-6462Email: [email protected]
Newt FiveashGeorgia State Fox HuntersRepresentativePhone: 229-425-1486
Bob Addison, Abbeville, GAGeorgia State Hog HuntersRepresentativePhone: 229-425-3728
SPORTSMAN’S NEWSSPORTSMAN’S NEWS
By Richard “Rickey” [email protected]
The story of Skeeter begins with a lotof hope. Hope that one day this newpuppy will become a decent hunting dog.Hope that the free room and board andhealthcare will at least be partiallyearned. As a young pup Skeeter came tolive with us in Southeast Georgia.Skeeter has a registration with theContinental Kennel Club. The papersconfirmed my suspicion that his mother,his father, and all of his ancestors aredogs. Skeeter is a good looking fifteeninch beagle that is as hard headed as abrick. Knot head might have been a bettername for him. He should do well with theother beagles running rabbits. Histraining starts early by learning his nameand to come when called. He seems to becatching on fast with this elementarytraining, thanks to a shock collar. Just sohe can come in the house occasionally, heis taught what is expected of him while inthe house. He learns this very fast also.He is beginning to look like a crackerjack of a knot head. Things are reallylooking up (hope is still there) and at sixmonths it’s time to get him started onrabbits.
A close friend, Bill that lives in Jesup,Georgia has a rabbit pen. Bill agreed tokeep Skeeter for a month and introducehim to rabbits. Hopefully, this would gethim started. Skeeter went to live with Billone Saturday morning for his month ofrabbit school. After just two weeks Billcalled and said that Skeeter was runningrabbits, but he just doesn’t have the drivethat he likes to see in a rabbit dog. Billsaid that he would keep him the fullmonth but he didn’t expect him to do anybetter. Skeeter flunked rabbit school. Likea candle in a hurricane, hope is reduced tonothing more than an ember. Bill said thathe didn’t think that Skeeter had thebreeding to make a good rabbit dog. Hecame home with instructions to feed himlots of rabbit tracks and maybe he wouldmake a fair hunting dog.
Every time that the rabbit dogs wenthunting Skeeter went with them. Theother dogs would jump a rabbit, andSkeeter would join in with the race. Hewould run rabbits, but it was very obviousthat he didn’t have his heart in it. Anentire season passed with Skeeter goingalong with the rabbit dogs hunting.Rabbits were killed and used to teaseSkeeter with. He did get excited over thedead rabbits and tried to eat them. Eventhough he is a beagle, rabbits are not hisfortè. Skeeter was not going to make evena fair rabbit dog. Now, even the ember isfading.
An invitation to join College Creek
Skeeter’s Story ....hunting club came by phone from afriend, Terry. College Creek hunt club isa deer hunting club that runs deer withdogs. Dog hunting for deer is a socialevent that is a lot of fun. It can besummed up as long hours of boredominterrupted by brief moments ofexcitement. Only two members had dogsand they both had beagles. College Creekcast their dogs which is very much likerabbit hunting. Someone walks the dogsinto the woods tripping over briers andtrying not to step on a rattlesnake, oryellow jacket nest while being eaten aliveby mosquitoes. Some clubs cast andothers track hunt, meaning that someonewould drag the roads the night before thehunt and the dogs are released on a freshtrack. This is a much easier way to get thedogs on a deer, and some clubs go so faras to plow up the roadsides to avoidcasting. The roads at College Creek arecovered with grass so track hunting is outof the question and no one wants to takethe time plow. If the roads were plowedno one would take the time to drag them.It’s hard enough to get everybody therebefore 8:00 am on the day of the hunt.Then, someone shows up with a sack fullof sausage biscuits and thirty moreminutes are wasted eating and shootingthe breeze. Nobody, I repeat, nobody getsin a hurry.
My wife suggested that Skeeter mightdo better running deer than he doesrabbits. She said “You might as well tryhim on deer. You have nothing to lose.”Truer words were never spoken. Skeeterjoined in on the first race with the otherdogs. The deer got past everyone and thedogs were caught. The next race resultedin a deer being shot. Skeeter ran up to thedeer with the other dogs and got a nosefull of the deer. This ignited a spark inhim. There was no turning back, Skeeterhad found his calling. Dim as it may be,the ember was beginning to glow again.There were more than 30 deer killed atCollege Creek hunt club that year andSkeeter was in on most of the races.Skeeter has become quite anaccomplished deer dog. He has been usedmany times to find deer that had beenshot by still hunters. The saying, “Whenin doubt, back out” doesn’t work here inthe Deep South. The high temperaturescause any game to spoil quickly. Coyoteswill also get shot deer if left in the woodsovernight. Skeeter went from a completefailure on rabbits to a success on deer.The candle was burning brighter thanever now.
A deer being pursued by a pack ofhounds will cross the road like a top fueldragster heading for the finish line, just ablur. Hunters that are lucky enough to
Continued on page 6
SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013 • Page 3
Hi folks, we are a little late with ourSportsman’s News this time. What is theold saying, better late than never?
I hope you all had a good huntingseason. I personally had a bad one as faras killing deer goes. I hunted more daysthis year than I ever have before. Luck justwasn’t with me. I spent most of my doghunting at Camp Four. I’d say over all, theclub had a good year. Paul Taylor was ableto take a very nice buck that any hunterwould be proud of. I hope next year Imight be so lucky.
I just left Camp Four where we had topay part or all our dues for the comingyear. Seems to me we just got throughpaying last year’s dues. Oh, well, whenyou get older, time flies. We were able tofill our membership again and had a fewspare hunters wanting to join if we neededthem, thank the good Lord. Ronnie had agood Brunswick stew and barbecue, whichwas mighty good and seemed to beenjoyed by everyone.
Well, James Gore did it again; he puttogether another fine supper with his crewfor the GHFF state meeting in Pearson.James and Danny had a building full ofadults and kids at the meeting. There wasnot a chair that didn’t have a person sittingin it. Sandra and her help did a good jobwith serving and looking after everybody’s
SOUTH GEORGIA SWAMP TALKBy Lowell Shuman, Sr. needs. They raffled off a pistol to help
their chapter out. I’d like to thank DannySmith for taking their chapter president’sjob again for the new year. We all needchapters with members like theirs.
After the mighty fine supper, Reggiespoke to us about how each one of usneeds to know what is in the constitutionand what our rights are. He reminded usabout how our kids are not being taught inschool like we were when all of us old folkwere kids. Reggie’s main theme was toread and learn what our constitutionalrights are and how it relates to governmentand people if we are to have a free nation.
I would like to remind everybodyabout our Expo April 19th and 20th. Thecommittee is hard at work putting ittogether. We should have another greatshow this year. The hog bay, air dog show,kids pig chase, and all the vendors shouldmake for another good expo. I hope youcan help us with our work schedule thisyear. Remember, this is your expo, also.We need your help, so please let Wyattknow if you can help during the show.
If you know someone who would liketo have a booth, please call Wyatt orRonnie.
People, this is another one of manythings the GHFF puts on that nobody getspaid for, so help us out if you can and let’skeep the GHFF strong so we can protectour rights. Again, what’s the saying, “Join
the fight or lose your right.” Hope to seeyou this year on April 19th and 20th.
Have you gotten to go turkey huntingyet? Did you get that wise old tom, or didhe outsmart you? I went first day withDavid Dickson. We had him gobbling buthe never showed up. Saw some trying tocross the highway until a truck scared themback in the woods. Early that morning wesaw three deer, two does, and two geese.After seeing all this, we came homewithout a turkey. Oh, well, that’s turkeyhunting.
Our sportsman’s food pantry had agood year. The hunters donated severaldeer to help feed the hungry all over thestate. Several thousand pounds were givento the needy. I hope next year it will beeven better and more hunters will help usfeed the needy. My thanks to those whodonated meat this year.
It won’t be long before GON will needour help with their show, so let’s don’tforget, and be thinking about how you can
go and help with this show. If you’venever been, you’ve missed a good one, soplan to go if you can. We will need severalworkers.
The Ware County chapter has elected anew set of officers. Thanks to ChrisTatum, who is the new president, AndyTennison vice-president, Lisa Raysecretary, and Lindsey Hendrix treasurer. Iwish them the best as they take on this newendeavor. Carl Carter and I would like totake our hats off to them. I truly would liketo challenge them to make the WareCounty chapter the biggest and bestchapter in the GHFF, and knowing them, Iam confident this is their goal.
Until next time, sign someone up as amember of the GHFF and don’t forget tobuy a 31-day raffle ticket to help us out.
I’m through babbling, so here’s hopingto see you in Waycross the 19th and 20th atthe Expo, and may God bless you as wetravel life’s highway.
Page 4 • SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013
We have your financial future in our sights.
4 North Carter StreetLakeland, Georgia 31635(229) 482-3585
978 Valdosta HighwayHomerville, Georgia 31634(912) 487-1200
202 W. Washington Ave.Nashville, Georgia 31639(229) 686-9451
1201 S. Patterson StreetValdosta, Georgia 31603(229) 247-3585
3303 Inner Perimeter RoadValdosta, GA 31605(229) 244-3585
www.fmb.net
SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013 • Page 5
Kenny Morey, member of Camp FourHunting Club, got this 10 point almost in hisbackyard in Hahira. Kenny knew thatfeeding time peaked at 1:00 p.m., so he gotin his stand. It took only 10 minutes for himand his 30.06 to get the job done.
Above:Huntington Smith, age 11,killed this big gobbler openingday 2012. Zeke’s big gobbler.
Branden Smith with his big Buck!!!
Branden Smith scores again!!!
At Left:DanielHodgesshot this8 pt buck
Brianna Guessgot her firstdeer.
Jay Graham with hisbig buck. Jay was acontest winner.
At Right:Dylan
Brownwith his
firstturkey.
Hugh Barker’s first kill at Camp Four with no help. Jared Beasley
Morgan Hodges, 7, killed herfirst deer.
At Left:Bryce Corbit withthis double beardedgobbler.
At Right:Bryce Corbit o
the first dayof dog season.
Logan Gaskins hada good opening day.
Cody Beasley
Tim Martino, 12, hoghunting with LesShuman.
Wesley Danielswith his deer.
Laura Griffis with herfirst buck.
Kids that Hunt and Fish ... Don’t Deal and Steal!
Congratulations to all the Hunterson their Kills in the 2012 Hunting Season.
Page 6 • SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013
Georgia Hunting & Fishing FederationNeeds Your Support
The Georgia Hunting & Fishing Federation is a grassrootsorganization founded in September 2003 with a commitment toprotect age old hunting traditions and implement some changes toimprove hunting and to encourage kids to get involved in outdoorsports.
Mission StatementTo preserve the heritage and tradition of hunting and fishing in Georgia through
community involvement and public awareness.
To work with Legislators and DNR to ensure laws and regulations protect theinterest of all sportsmen.
To hold all sportsmen to the highest moral and ethical standards possible.
JOIN THE FIGHT OR LOSE YOUR RIGHT
For information on corporate sponsorship call229-445-0804 or email: [email protected]
Circle one:1 year – $25 5 years – $1003 years – $70 Lifetime – $250
Make checks Payable to GHFF
Georgia Hunting & Fishing FederationP.O. Box 154Hoboken, GA 31542
Name ___________________________________________
Address _________________________________________
City, State, Zip ___________________________________
County ____________________ Ph __________________
Email ______________________________________
To join the GHFF, fill out the form below and mail to / or join onlineat www.ghff.us
Help feed the hungry in Georgia by donating to the Sportsman Pantryusing the programs link at www.ghff.us
connect with a load of blue whistlers (buckshot) don’t always get an instant kill. Oftentimes a deer will run for quite a distance before falling in an overgrown clear cut, or apalmetto thicket that will make a Vietnamese jungle look like a city park. Dogs that willbay a downed deer help speed up the recovery. Skeeter not only bays a downed deer, hethinks that it is his and his alone. He must be leashed and led away or whoever gets thepleasure ( draws the short straw) of dragging the deer back also gives Skeeter a freeride back, riding the deer.
It’s been five years since Skeeter was introduced to the mostly boring, sometimesexciting, but always fun sport of running deer with dogs. Over time, he has gained areputation as a first rate little deer dog. He has sired one litter of puppies and it is nosurprise that being hard headed is hereditary. Skeeter didn’t make it as a rabbit dog, buthe made as good a deer dog as anyone could hope for. Oh yea, the basic obedience haslong since been forgotten.
Skeeter’s Story –– Continued from page 2
From Left to Right: Doug Heardmon, Tom Harp, Bobby Browning, RichardDomanic, George Cochran, and Roger Pollick are a few of many small game rabbithunters who look forward to turning out their hounds each year during rabbitseason. This group had great success for three weekends in a row.
April 19 & 20 Okefenokee Outdoors ExpoMay 4 Kids Fishing Day in Brantley County
May 11 Abbeville Hog BagMay 18 Dogwood Classic Fishing Rodeo in
Nashville, GeorgiaMay 18 Family Fun in Sweetwater State Park
August 2-4 Outdoor BlastAugust 10 GHFF Fox Hunt United Fox Pen in
Swainsboro, GAAugust 23 & 24 South Georgia Outdoor Expo
Upcoming Events that GHFFWill Be Involved With:
SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013 • Page 7
By Kenneth Cook [email protected]
By Kenneth Cook [email protected]
The sounds of heavy wing beatsgaining altitude and the staccato cluck-cluck-cluck of male pheasants (roosters)broke the Saturday morning stillness onthe Owen Farm near Alapaha, Georgia.The scene was the Georgia Hunting andFishing Federation’s (GHFF) first of threecontinental pheasant shoots to raiseoperating funds for the Federation thatserves Georgia sportsman.
Ring-necked pheasants are not nativeto South Georgia. In fact, these beautifullycolored game birds are not native to theUnited States. Pheasants originated in Asiaand were introduced in North Americaabout 1881. Pheasants breed well incaptivity and have become the world’smost hunted game bird. In South Dakota,pheasants are the state bird.
If you haven’t hunted pheasants in theirnatural setting or participated in organizedshoots, these birds are a wing shooter’sdream. The GHFF shoot was loads of fun,challenging shooting and highlysuccessful.
The usual configuration for acontinental pheasant shoot consists of 10shooting stations arranged in a circle, 70-yards apart, and each positioned 110 yardsfrom the bird release station in the center.In our case, round hay bales served asshooting stations and the release stationwas a peanut wagon containing the birdsand throwers.
Continental shoots are usually open to20 hunters, two to a hay bale, and a total of200 pheasants are released—20 at eachshooting station. After 20 birds arereleased, each pair of hunters rotatesclockwise to the next shooting station(round bale). So, over the course of a 200-bird shoot, all participants get to shootfrom each station.
Safety is of prime importance at theseshoots because of the proximity of 20shotguns and the unpredictably of
My Oh My How the Pheasants Did Fly
pheasant flight paths when they arereleased. Ronnie Gaskins of the GHFFheld a safety meeting prior to the start ofthe shoot and he also distributed printedrules of the shoot to each participant.Hunter Orange is required and eachparticipant also signs a release form at thetime of check-in.
Retrieving dogs and volunteer birdpick-up boys are important on these shootsbecause, as you can imagine, not all 200birds are downed. Some hearty flyersescape the shooters and land in theadjacent timber. Our pheasant retrievalpercentage on this shoot was 86%. Not badfor a group that included women, men andsome youngsters.
GHFF runs a safe, fun and successfulpheasant shoot. Not only did we havegrilled, smoked sausage sandwiches beforethe hunt, but a full hot meal after the hunt.Bird cleaners were also on hand to breast-out the birds for take-home.
If you enjoy wing shooting, I challengeyou to find a more enjoyable outing on aSaturday morning in South Georgia. You’llmeet new friends, take home cleaned birds,and take pride in helping GHFF protect therights and traditions of Georgia sportsmen.
Note: Special thanks to AprilWestbrook of Shady Dale, Georgia forproviding photos. Two more pheasantshoots are planned by GHFF—February9th and 23. Contact Ronnie Gaskins at229-445-0804 if you want to participate.
In a span of six short years,Johnny Durrance of Pearson,Georgia has become aremarkable turkey hunter.Remarkable in the sense thathe killed a rare “black turkey”(melanistic) last spring andremarkable in his approach tohunting these Kings of theForest.
Kevin Lowery, a GeorgiaDNR turkey biologist,examined photos of themounted black turkey andagreed, with somequalifications, that it was amelanistic color phase of theEastern species. According toNWTF, black is the rarest ofthe four color mutations andonly one is usually found in50,000 turkeys.
On a rainy afternoon in latespring, when turkey hunting is at its mostdifficult, Johnny decided to go hunting.Before leaving Pearson, “I stopped by theCarquest store and told Neal I was goinghunting and would be back in 30 minutes,”Johnny recalled.
Light rain was still falling when heparked his truck on a Rayonier hunt leasein Clinch County and immediately spottedsix turkeys in the back corner of a clearcut. A random clap of thunder verified thata gobbler was in the group.
Knowing he could not call them in therain, Johnny chose a gutsy strategy….he
A Wild Turkey for the Record Book
would mount a frontal assault on the birdsby flanking them and charge the flock headon.
Johnny closed the distance at a deadrun and the startled turkeys flushed…fivegoing in one direction and a single going inanother. He downed the single, runninggobbler with one shot from his BenelliVinci 12-gauge. “When I looked down atthe fallen bird, it was black in color and Ihad never seen anything like it,” Johnnyexclaimed.
True to his word, Johnny was back inPearson 30 minutes later.
Although Johnny was a deer huntergrowing up, he switched over to turkeyhunting six years ago, primarily at theurging of his friend Mark Joyce. Johnnyholds two Atkinson County records—agobbler with the longest spur length (13/8”) and another for longest beard (13”).Both were taken in 2008.
Johnny’s approach to turkey hunting isanalogous to a QDMA (Quality DeerManagement Association) mentality. Inother words, he concentrates only onmature gobblers. “It ain’t about killing abird; I want to grow and hunt trophy,dominant, strutters,” Johnny explained.
He lets Jakes and young birds walk; heuses trail cameras; he scouts year-roundand he roosts gobblers before eachmorning hunt. Johnny Durrance is a“thinking man’s” turkey hunter and mandoes it work. Just look at the results.
Note: The Durrance Black Turkey wasexpertly mounted by Matt Pittman ofHomerville. His web site iswww.pittmanstaxidermystudio.com
Alexis Courson2012 Atkinson CountyGHFF Scholarship Recipient
Page 8 • SPORTSMAN’S NEWS • April 2013
