LOCAL COMPANY DOING BIG THINGS WITH BIG DEER

LOCAL BUSINESS MAN, BRUCE SWEARINGER, IS ATTRACTING IN BIG DEER WITH HIS DEER FEED PRODUCTS, 4S ADVANCED WILDLIFE SOLUTIONS. CHECK OUT THE SITE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.

https://4swildlife.com/

186" BUCK TAKEN OVER 4S DRAW

LEGAL PLANTING DATES

Hunting doves over fields planted in late summer or fall is legal provided that the field has been planted as part of a normal agricultural operation. Normal agricultural operation implies a planting that is conducted in accordance with the official recommendations of the university of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Aerial or top sowing of small grains without covering the seed is not a recommended practice by the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. Dove hunting over a field planted by top sowing is illegal. Normal plantings do not involve placement of grains in piles or other concentrations. The application rate guideline recommended for all small grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats) planted for crop or forage production is 1.5 to 2.5 bushels per acre.

Small grains and canola planted within the range of dates listed below are official recommended pratcices of the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. Hunters may not hunt doves over or around late summer/fall planted fields if the plantings are outside of the following dates: 

Taylor County is in Piedmont zone. 

Region	Small Grains*	Canola**
Mountains	9/1 - 11/15	N/A
Piedmont	9/15 - 12/1	9/15 - 12/1
Coastal	10/1 - 12/15	10/1 - 12/15

*   Small grains include wheat, rye, oats, and barley.
** Planting canola in the mountain region of Georgia is not considered a practical agricultural pratice.

LANDOWNER LIABILITY & HUNTING

Legal liability has been identified as a major concern among landowners when considering whether or not to grant access to hunters to hunt their property. Legal liability has also been offered as a reason some landowners have stopped allowing hunter access to their property. This is an important issue of concern with the increasing need of sound deer management and hunting access.
To encourage landowners to make their lands available to the public for recreational purposes, including hunting and fishing, Georgia law (OCGA 51-3-20 through 51-3-26) explicitly shields landowners from civil liability for injuries to persons who use their land for recreational purposes without charge unless the landowner willfully or maliciously fails to guard against or warn of a dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity. Landowners will not be liable unless they violate this standard of care.  Georgia Courts have interpreted this standard of care as the duty of slight care, which is lower than that of ordinary care.
Georgia law (OCGA 27-3-1) further extends this same protection to landowners, lessees of land, or lessees of hunting or fishing rights who give permission to another to hunt or fish on their property with or without charge.

HUNTERS HELPING FARMERS

Hunters Helping Farmers is a new private lands initiative opportunity that seeks to match up hog hunters in the same county with farmers that need assistance with hog removal. This initiative is a partnership effort between the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in order to help landowners manage the damaging impact of feral hogs. - Georgia Hunter Registration

 

ARCHERY DEER SEASON

Archers will get the first opportunity at bringing home a deer beginning Saturday, Sept. 12, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.
Last year, 128,545 archery hunters harvested more than 64,695 deer. Statewide archery season runs through Oct. 9, although hunters may hunt deer with archery equipment through the entire 2015-2016 deer season. 
“Early archery season is an excellent time to pattern deer before home ranges shift towards fall food sources,” said Charlie Killmaster, Georgia’s state deer biologist.  “Mature bucks often haven’t adjusted to hunting pressure yet and may be more active during daylight.”
Many public lands offer specialty hunts, including primitive weapons hunts, adult/child hunts and ladies-only hunts. Dates and locations for these hunts are listed in the 2015-2016 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide. Georgia offers 111 state-operated wildlife management areas (WMAs) for the public’s use.
State-managed public hunting lands are funded through a combination of state license fees and matching federal funds from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration Program. Hunters account for $977 million in retail sales in Georgia each year with a $1.6 billion ripple effect and almost 24,000 jobs.
Hunters are allowed a season bag limit of 10 antlerless deer and two antlered deer (one of the two antlered deer must have a minimum of four points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers). Special regulations apply to archery-only counties and extended archery season areas. Counties in the Metro Atlanta area (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Rockdale counties) offer either-sex archery deer hunting Jan. 2-31. Additionally, deer of either sex may be taken with archery equipment at any time during the deer season on private land.
To pursue deer in Georgia, hunters must have a valid hunting license, big game license and a current deer harvest record (which is free). If hunting on a WMA, a WMA license is required. Licenses can be purchased online at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/licenses-permits-passes , by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at a license agent (list of agents available online).
For more information on deer hunting seasons, regulations, licenses and WMA maps, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting . 

Flint River Gator

This gator was caught by Josh Pfeiffer on the Flint River near Lake Blackshear.   10'8" Long