Am I confused? WMA Access Rant

[twincedargap]

So new to bear hunting, never have hunted CNF or WMA lands previously except for a dove hunt at Berry College >30 yrs ago. Now as I explore bear hunting opportunities in N GA, it soon becomes apparent one needs to avail himself of NF land. One soon then moves on to the next conclusion, wow much of the CNF land I want to hunt is within WMA boundaries. OK, no problem, I buy a WMA stamp or GORP and I'm good. One then realizes that wow, I can only hunt a few days on a WMA, and often its not even weekends.

So instead of hunting "free" CNF land during most of the normal open hunting season, one is supposed to pay for the privilege of hunting only a few limited days on a WMA w/ch is again CNF leased by the state (taxpayer dollar?) for the whole year, and as a hunter I pay an additional fee to use?!?! Why does the state lease the CNF land only to ration it back to me on a select few days w/limited harvest or weapon choices? What am I missing?

 

[livinoutdoors]

Normally i am with ya on government fees and taxes, but for as little as the wma stamp costs and the amount of managed land it opens up it seems like a great deal to me. Also if you cant find n.f. land outside a wma to hunt you aint lookin hard enough! Not tryin to be a jerk but there is almost too many places to pick from!

 

[twincedargap]

Normally i am with ya on government fees and taxes, but for as little as the wma stamp costs and the amount of managed land it opens up it seems like a great deal to me. Also if you cant find n.f. land outside a wma to hunt you aint lookin hard enough! Not tryin to be a jerk but there is almost too many places to pick from!

Maybe I should clarify that I mean NF that the state leases from the fed govt. No offense taken. I'm just saying if the state didn't lease it and keep us off it, we could hunt it as NF land for no fee and normal state seasons & limits. Yes, there's plenty of NF around, but where my place is if you want true forest, half around me is Chestatee and Chattahoochee WMA's.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I agree on the limited access to WMA being such a pain for those of us that pay extra for the privilege.

Are you hunting in Union county? There's only 1 WMA in the county, but tons more NF that you can hunt every day all season long.

 

[twincedargap]

I agree on the limited access to WMA being such a pain for those of us that pay extra for the privilege.

Are you hunting in Union county? There's only 1 WMA in the county, but tons more NF that you can hunt every day all season long.

Yes, I'm hunting out of Choestoe, so would love to hunt Chestateee & Chattahoochee, even Cooper's Creek WMA's routinely, not just the few day seasons they offer. I've found CNF area close by that I continue to hunt w/out extra conditions.

 

[Possum]

I've found that huntin NF land outside WMAs is just as good or better than in the Wms. There is no shortage of places to hunt on the NF. But I agree that all WMAs on NF should be open all season. Quality of hunting would be the same.

 

[Hammer Spank]

I really really wish the mountain wmas would stay open to bowhunters outside of the managed gun hunts.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I really really wish the mountain wmas would stay open to bowhunters outside of the managed gun hunts.

This. And I also really really wish the Wildlife MANAGEMENT Areas were actually managed. I think the Coopers Creek initiative (selective timber harvest and controlled burning) last year was a good start, but only a start.

 

[twincedargap]

I really really wish the mountain wmas would stay open to bowhunters outside of the managed gun hunts.

Major ditto's!

 

[j_seph]

I've found that huntin NF land outside WMAs is just as good or better than in the Wms. There is no shortage of places to hunt on the NF. But I agree that all WMAs on NF should be open all season. Quality of hunting would be the same.

I have found much much CNF land that is not in nor near WMA's

 

[ddd-shooter]

Yes, I'm hunting out of Choestoe, so would love to hunt Chestateee & Chattahoochee, even Cooper's Creek WMA's routinely, not just the few day seasons they offer. I've found CNF area close by that I continue to hunt w/out extra conditions.

These are open the entire bow season, which is the best time for bears anyway.

I agree, why call them management areas if nothing is managed? Excited to see how the coopers plan moves forward.

Which brings me to my next question, what exactly do the state employees who manage these areas do all year? There's only so many overgrown grass patches to mow.

 

[Killer Kyle]

These are open the entire bow season, which is the best time for bears anyway.

I agree, why call them management areas if nothing is managed? Excited to see how the coopers plan moves forward.

Which brings me to my next question, what exactly do the state employees who manage these areas do all year? There's only so many overgrown grass patches to mow.

You would not believe the amount of work our techs do year round on the WMA's. The vast majority of work they do goes unseen. All we do is walk in and see a nice pea field and clover plot and seldom do we stop to thank them. I spoke to one tech that I know personally, and who I will soon intern with. His first year on Lake Russell, he logged over 400 hours on the tractor mowing, plowing and planting, cutting road edges. Maintaining structures, trapping hogs, conducting mast surveys, bear population surveys, monitoring trail cams, cutting down or hazard trees, assisting in controlled burns, digging fire breaks, working the managed hunts. He works three WMA's as a tech, not just on one really. Lake Russell is his primary, Wilson Shoals is his secondary, and Hart Co WMA is his tertiary. They establish and fix signs, maintain tractor and implement equipment, chainsaws and cutting equipment. They also assist in local wildlife issues. He was on the team that went and got the gator in commerce and relocated it to south GA. He is also on a storm damage team, and was sent down to Cumberland Island with a crew of Sawyer's for about a week to do nothing but cut downed trees. There's a lot more management that goes on than people realize. They make a hard earned 32k per year. I met a tech on Chattahoochee during the Oct rifle hunt at the check station, and I made sure to introduce myself, shake his hand, and thank him for the good work they do. Without them, the wma's would be a dismal place to spend our loafing time. Would I like to see more management? Absolutely! Would I like to see more open hunt days, especially during deer hunts? Without question!!! But I am also thankful for what work they can do with what little budget they have. In my opinion, they are unsung heroes. Seldom does their name come up in praise, but more often in scorn. We have a lot more to be thankful that we realize.

 

[T-N-T]

These are open the entire bow season, which is the best time for bears anyway.

I agree, why call them management areas if nothing is managed? Excited to see how the coopers plan moves forward.

Which brings me to my next question, what exactly do the state employees who manage these areas do all year? There's only so many overgrown grass patches to mow.

You would not believe the amount of work our techs do year round on the WMA's. The vast majority of work they do goes unseen. All we do is walk in and see a nice pea field and clover plot and seldom do we stop to thank them. I spoke to one tech that I know personally, and who I will soon intern with. His first year on Lake Russell, he logged over 400 hours on the tractor mowing, plowing and planting, cutting road edges. Maintaining structures, trapping hogs, conducting mast surveys, bear population surveys, monitoring trail cams, cutting down or hazard trees, assisting in controlled burns, digging fire breaks, working the managed hunts. He works three WMA's as a tech, not just on one really. Lake Russell is his primary, Wilson Shoals is his secondary, and Hart Co WMA is his tertiary. They establish and fix signs, maintain tractor and implement equipment, chainsaws and cutting equipment. They also assist in local wildlife issues. He was on the team that went and got the gator in commerce and relocated it to south GA. He is also on a storm damage team, and was sent down to Cumberland Island with a crew of Sawyer's for about a week to do nothing but cut downed trees. There's a lot more management that goes on than people realize. They make a hard earned 32k per year. I met a tech on Chattahoochee during the Oct rifle hunt at the check station, and I made sure to introduce myself, shake his hand, and thank him for the good work they do. Without them, the wma's would be a dismal place to spend our loafing time. Would I like to see more management? Absolutely! Would I like to see more open hunt days, especially during deer hunts? Without question!!! But I am also thankful for what work they can do with what little budget they have. In my opinion, they are unsung heroes. Seldom does their name come up in praise, but more often in scorn. We have a lot more to be thankful that we realize.

 

[ripplerider]

I feel somewhat like you. If foodplots go unplanted year after year and theres not much of a gamewarden presence then perhaps it would be better for these wmas to go back to being straight forest service. It's aggravating to get on a good buck then have the weather, work obligations, running out of time etc. prevent you from hunting there again till the next time its open, which may be the next year or at least after the ruts over. Something kinda magical about that first day of a wma hunt though, kinda like having opening day again and again. Youre living close to some of the best straight forest service service land there is if youre in Choestoe. You could hunt the Bald Mtn. area all year and just be beginning to know a little bit about it. That is some very serious terrain around there.

 

[brandonsc]

This. And I also really really wish the Wildlife MANAGEMENT Areas were actually managed. I think the Coopers Creek initiative (selective timber harvest and controlled burning) last year was a good start, but only a start.

Look at cohutta wma they haven't done any control burning up there that I'm aware of in last 10 years and now there's about 20,000 acres that have burned next year or the following 2 years that area will be some of the best hunting ever on the wma. Controlled burning also prevents these kinda fires

 

[tree cutter 08]

You can thank congress for protecting all the wilderness area. Nothing can he done on it as far as I know. I really look toward to the management hunts. I use to hunt Burton WMA every year but since they took it off the list I seldom go. Don't remember how many acres it was but in the 20k range and loaded with bear. Use to see 6 to 8 bears a trip time and time again.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

You would not believe the amount of work our techs do year round on the WMA's. The vast majority of work they do goes unseen. All we do is walk in and see a nice pea field and clover plot and seldom do we stop to thank them. I spoke to one tech that I know personally, and who I will soon intern with. His first year on Lake Russell, he logged over 400 hours on the tractor mowing, plowing and planting, cutting road edges. Maintaining structures, trapping hogs, conducting mast surveys, bear population surveys, monitoring trail cams, cutting down or hazard trees, assisting in controlled burns, digging fire breaks, working the managed hunts. He works three WMA's as a tech, not just on one really. Lake Russell is his primary, Wilson Shoals is his secondary, and Hart Co WMA is his tertiary. They establish and fix signs, maintain tractor and implement equipment, chainsaws and cutting equipment. They also assist in local wildlife issues. He was on the team that went and got the gator in commerce and relocated it to south GA. He is also on a storm damage team, and was sent down to Cumberland Island with a crew of Sawyer's for about a week to do nothing but cut downed trees. There's a lot more management that goes on than people realize. They make a hard earned 32k per year. I met a tech on Chattahoochee during the Oct rifle hunt at the check station, and I made sure to introduce myself, shake his hand, and thank him for the good work they do. Without them, the wma's would be a dismal place to spend our loafing time. Would I like to see more management? Absolutely! Would I like to see more open hunt days, especially during deer hunts? Without question!!! But I am also thankful for what work they can do with what little budget they have. In my opinion, they are unsung heroes. Seldom does their name come up in praise, but more often in scorn. We have a lot more to be thankful that we realize.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the guys that do the work. But all that effort mowing roads, plowing and planting food plots really only affects a tiny fraction of the entire WMA. Coopers is the WMA I'm most familiar with, and if you added up all the wildlife plantings/plots, it's probably less than 1% of the total WMA. Whereas, some controlled burns and timber harvests could potentially "manage" much more of the total acreage, therefore benefiting more of us hunters.

When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, the game checkout list at the checking station was often several pages long. These days, I seriously doubt it goes more than a page if even that.

 

[35 Whelen]

This. And I also really really wish the Wildlife MANAGEMENT Areas were actually managed. I think the Coopers Creek initiative (selective timber harvest and controlled burning) last year was a good start, but only a start.

Here is one of the biggest hurdles to management of the National Forest in the South:

https://www.southernenvironment.org...ing-our-southern-appalachian-national-forests

 

[Killer Kyle]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the guys that do the work. But all that effort mowing roads, plowing and planting food plots really only affects a tiny fraction of the entire WMA. Coopers is the WMA I'm most familiar with, and if you added up all the wildlife plantings/plots, it's probably less than 1% of the total WMA. Whereas, some controlled burns and timber harvests could potentially "manage" much more of the total acreage, therefore benefiting more of us hunters.

When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, the game checkout list at the checking station was often several pages long. These days, I seriously doubt it goes more than a page if even that.

You are correct, and also correct is 35 When above. Planting food plots equates little in the overall scheme of management. Timber Management is often the best place to start. Want more grouse? Open it up, burn it. Want more deer? Open it up, burn it. Want more turkey? Open it up, burn it. Unfortunately, the NF belongs to the Federal Government which makes opening uo the forest and burning a fickle matter. I wish our WMA managers had more of a say in what management practices could be implemented. Lobbying from special interest groups like 35 Weekend often stifles good plans. If you click on the link he provided to that particular group, read their mission statement, and notice that hunters are never mentioned. They want to protect our "visual treasures" for hikers, campers, anglers........but never once do they mention hunters. They know hunters WANT more timber management, and they don't want that because it disrupts their ideal scenery.
With a new Forest management plan in the works, and scheduled to be produced next year, I urge everyone to contact the USFS and leave your opinions anf insights, and make your voices heard. One if us might not be able to too the scales on timber management here locally, but maybe our opinions will weigh more heavily in unison.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I know one thing, Cohutta is receiving nature's management right now! To the tune of nearly 30,000 acres.