Hey everybody,
It's not only that time of year again, it's that place again - Steve Shaw's spread in Hartwell. 70+ acres planted in sunflowers this time, expected harvest date is late august. They're ripening nicely, and if all goes well, conditions will be good for another dove shoot benefiting the Outdoor Dream Foundation on Sat. Sep 13. Whether through luck or timing, this has been a great shoot for three years in a row.
Attendees can expect the same excellent menu as last year, with the four-meat barbecue, outstanding cole slaw, and blue - ribbon desserts to be provided by Mike and Jennifer Obarr from Athens, being served up at noon Saturday. There's folks that shot last year that will probably be be coming back for the chow itself. Yep. It was that good.
Here's some details. There's about 40 slots remaining on 70 huntable acres. Attendees can show up Friday night, register, and camp near the fields. Camping is also available at the Corps of Engineers campground on nearby Lake Hartwell, so you can bring your boat and get some fishing in too. Cost: Donate whatever you want, with the knowledge that 90+% of what you contribute will go towards taking seriously - ill children on once - in - a - lifetime hunting or fishing trip. At the hunt, Steve will give us an update on recent adventures that kids have been on, including a turkey hunt this spring.
There will be a shotgun raffle. Steve is anticipating that attendees will receive raffle tickets based on the amount of their donation at registration. Ten bucks may get you two tickets, twenty may get you five, etc. Steve will firm those details up as the date gets closer.
Hartwell is in NE GA. Here's how to get to Steve's land from the south: I-85 N to Lavonia Exit (#173. GA Route 17). Go South on 17 maybe 6 miles to Bowersville, then turn left (east) onto GA 51. Go east maybe 11 miles into Hartwell. You will then be looking for South Webb Street close to the square in Hartwell. As you drive east on 51 into Hartwell, look for the red brick Methodist church on near right corner (SW quadrant of intersection with S Webb). Turn R here onto South Webb St. This becomes bowman highway (GA 172), go 2 miles south to field. Mapquest address of host is 2102 Bowman Highway. Harvested sunflower field will be on right behind 3 houses and a small weathered wood barn with a breezeway thru middle of it. Park in pasture on east side of paved road. 1 other field nearby.
following is a snip from a Georgia Outdoor Network post last year by Daryl Kirby:
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The Outdoor Dream Foundation is a nationwide program, started in Anderson, S.C., that is taking kids that are terminally or seriously ill on hunting trips. This is basically a result of Make A Wish deciding to not honor hunting requests from sick children.
The Georgia board member is Stan Elrod, who is also a Sgt. with the DNR Law Enforcement section. They have already had several trips for kids from Georgia. They are having banquets and passing the hat around. For information, see the web site at www.outdoordreamfoundation.com or call Stan at (706) 795-9808.
"We're not like SEEDS, we're not touching a lot of people. But the ones that we have, we're not holding anything back," is what Stan just told me on the phone.
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Sponsors include: Upstate Forklift and Truck Services, and Booth Enterprises.
Steve wants to cap attendance at 70 guns in order to not overload the fields, so please respond via an email to Dave Horton ( dhorton61@gmail.com) or to Steve Shaw at 706-436-6609 if you think chances are good that you'll be there. No commitment needed now, just trying to get a ballpark figure. This will help with meal planning also - we ended up with too much leftover food last year.
This probably goes without saying, but any type of volunteer help that attendees can provide will be appreciated. If you spot a need during the day (parkers, cooking, giving a kid some shooting pointers, cleanup, whatever), please step in and help out.
There will not be a drawing for stand locations, or minimum distances between hunters, or formal rotations around the field. Nobody will have claimed spots prior to showing up Saturday morning, it will be first come first served. Probably ain't gonna be anybody on a 4-wheeler running drinks to hunters. Participants are asked to use good judgement, shift around informally as needed if some parts of the fields are getting no action, and remember that this shoot is more for the kids, less for a chance for adults to get a limit of birds... Steve is proud of how conflict-free this shoot has been, and wants that trend to continue.
Also, if anybody has extra clay pigeons (or wants to donate a box) and a slinger, please bring them. That was a big lunchtime hit with the kids last year!
Give Steve a call if you have any questions.
Hunt safe and hope to see you there!
Dave Horton
It's not only that time of year again, it's that place again - Steve Shaw's spread in Hartwell. 70+ acres planted in sunflowers this time, expected harvest date is late august. They're ripening nicely, and if all goes well, conditions will be good for another dove shoot benefiting the Outdoor Dream Foundation on Sat. Sep 13. Whether through luck or timing, this has been a great shoot for three years in a row.
Attendees can expect the same excellent menu as last year, with the four-meat barbecue, outstanding cole slaw, and blue - ribbon desserts to be provided by Mike and Jennifer Obarr from Athens, being served up at noon Saturday. There's folks that shot last year that will probably be be coming back for the chow itself. Yep. It was that good.
Here's some details. There's about 40 slots remaining on 70 huntable acres. Attendees can show up Friday night, register, and camp near the fields. Camping is also available at the Corps of Engineers campground on nearby Lake Hartwell, so you can bring your boat and get some fishing in too. Cost: Donate whatever you want, with the knowledge that 90+% of what you contribute will go towards taking seriously - ill children on once - in - a - lifetime hunting or fishing trip. At the hunt, Steve will give us an update on recent adventures that kids have been on, including a turkey hunt this spring.
There will be a shotgun raffle. Steve is anticipating that attendees will receive raffle tickets based on the amount of their donation at registration. Ten bucks may get you two tickets, twenty may get you five, etc. Steve will firm those details up as the date gets closer.
Hartwell is in NE GA. Here's how to get to Steve's land from the south: I-85 N to Lavonia Exit (#173. GA Route 17). Go South on 17 maybe 6 miles to Bowersville, then turn left (east) onto GA 51. Go east maybe 11 miles into Hartwell. You will then be looking for South Webb Street close to the square in Hartwell. As you drive east on 51 into Hartwell, look for the red brick Methodist church on near right corner (SW quadrant of intersection with S Webb). Turn R here onto South Webb St. This becomes bowman highway (GA 172), go 2 miles south to field. Mapquest address of host is 2102 Bowman Highway. Harvested sunflower field will be on right behind 3 houses and a small weathered wood barn with a breezeway thru middle of it. Park in pasture on east side of paved road. 1 other field nearby.
following is a snip from a Georgia Outdoor Network post last year by Daryl Kirby:
--------------------------------------------------
The Outdoor Dream Foundation is a nationwide program, started in Anderson, S.C., that is taking kids that are terminally or seriously ill on hunting trips. This is basically a result of Make A Wish deciding to not honor hunting requests from sick children.
The Georgia board member is Stan Elrod, who is also a Sgt. with the DNR Law Enforcement section. They have already had several trips for kids from Georgia. They are having banquets and passing the hat around. For information, see the web site at www.outdoordreamfoundation.com or call Stan at (706) 795-9808.
"We're not like SEEDS, we're not touching a lot of people. But the ones that we have, we're not holding anything back," is what Stan just told me on the phone.
---------------------------------------------------
Sponsors include: Upstate Forklift and Truck Services, and Booth Enterprises.
Steve wants to cap attendance at 70 guns in order to not overload the fields, so please respond via an email to Dave Horton ( dhorton61@gmail.com) or to Steve Shaw at 706-436-6609 if you think chances are good that you'll be there. No commitment needed now, just trying to get a ballpark figure. This will help with meal planning also - we ended up with too much leftover food last year.
This probably goes without saying, but any type of volunteer help that attendees can provide will be appreciated. If you spot a need during the day (parkers, cooking, giving a kid some shooting pointers, cleanup, whatever), please step in and help out.
There will not be a drawing for stand locations, or minimum distances between hunters, or formal rotations around the field. Nobody will have claimed spots prior to showing up Saturday morning, it will be first come first served. Probably ain't gonna be anybody on a 4-wheeler running drinks to hunters. Participants are asked to use good judgement, shift around informally as needed if some parts of the fields are getting no action, and remember that this shoot is more for the kids, less for a chance for adults to get a limit of birds... Steve is proud of how conflict-free this shoot has been, and wants that trend to continue.
Also, if anybody has extra clay pigeons (or wants to donate a box) and a slinger, please bring them. That was a big lunchtime hit with the kids last year!
Give Steve a call if you have any questions.
Hunt safe and hope to see you there!
Dave Horton
