Georgia Hunting experience

[bigblocktransam]

What would you change?
Do you believe the state of Georgia is at its full potential?
Tells me what type of land do you hunt, and the quality of your seasons?
I hunt a mix of clubs and public. I find I see a lot more deer in the club, a decently managed club with average trophy rules and stricter doe rules. Hunts can yield 1 to 10 deer sightings.
My public land, usually 0-2 deer sighted and minimal sign that I find exciting. The quality and quantity is low. Do you believe public land could tighten up doe harvest and buck age class and improve quality?
Take cedar creek for example, minimal hunts that yield a good number of good bucks.
Could we utilize the WMA throughout the season length, spread out hunting pressure but also keep the bucks size restricted and minimal doe days?

These are just my experiences and opinions, I am not here to start arguments, just want to see where everyone stands. This is stemming from a conversation I had with C. Killmaster, he said he appreciates the private conversation but does not have time to address a single hunters concerns or expiriences.

 

[James12]

I’d change my pockets to have more money so I could afford private land ?. Lots of great places to hunt in GA (public and private). Having your own place though sure takes out a lot of the other mess.

 

[BASS175]

Well he basically told me the numbers and quality of deer are the best they have been based off of data collected from deer processor. We run a processor for 24 years and I don’t remember them coming to research data from ours and we processed 800-1000 deer a year.

 

[bigblocktransam]

I’d change my pockets to have more money so I could afford private land ?. Lots of great places to hunt in GA (public and private). Having your own place though sure takes out a lot of the other mess.

the purpose of this questionnaire, public land in your words are “other mess” I’m hoping we hunters can take out the mess part.

 

[Railroader]

Plenty of deer, plenty of land in the state of Georgia...

All folks have got to do is re-learn to enjoy the hunt, eat a doe or two, and be HAPPY and PROUD of a garden variety WMA 8 point.

I'm old enough to remember when SEEING a deer was a big deal, much less actually killing one.

And I am talking about during a SEASON, not your vacation week.

We have a long season, a big limit, and hundreds of thousands of acres to use and explore.

Not a thing to complain about, in my opinion.

 

[James12]

the purpose of this questionnaire, public land in your words are “other mess” I’m hoping we hunters can take out the mess part.

Well that was my answer as the hassle and mess that unfortunately comes with how some folks conduct themselves on WMAs and Public land is just that, unfortunate. The DNR needs help as they’re undermanned and acting civil amongst other hunters would be a free and good start.

 

[bigblocktransam]

Well that was my answer as the hassle and mess that unfortunately comes with how some folks conduct themselves on WMAs and Public land is just that, unfortunate. The DNR needs help as they’re undermanned and acting civil amongst other hunters would be a free and good start.

trust me I get it. I had to leave an area last week just because of the hassle, I did have all kinds of thoughts on revenge but instead just put my truck in reverse and let him have it. It was a single pull off to a single hardwood bottom, I’m parked 45 minutes before first light, just relaxed not hurrying when a guy turns in pulls up in the bushes to fit his car, jumps out grabs his stuff and sprints past my truck to get in first, I’m just sitting back watching is flashlight swaying left and right like a strobe light headed down the road because he was determined was getting in there first. This is a no ** true story.

 

[Spotlite]

We also have a thread concerning all of the processors in Georgia being full………

Public is public………..can’t regulate courtesy / common sense.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Not to mention the “hassle” of lots of private land in the guise of hunt clubs and leases.

The civility thing applies there too.

 

[livinoutdoors]

trust me I get it. I had to leave an area last week just because of the hassle, I did have all kinds of thoughts on revenge but instead just put my truck in reverse and let him have it. It was a single pull off to a single hardwood bottom, I’m parked 45 minutes before first light, just relaxed not hurrying when a guy turns in pulls up in the bushes to fit his car, jumps out grabs his stuff and sprints past my truck to get in first, I’m just sitting back watching is flashlight swaying left and right like a strobe light headed down the road because he was determined was getting in there first. This is a no ** true story.

Some folks just dont have good manners i guess. I know it probably made you mad at the time but i kinda gotta laugh at the image of this dude runnin past your truck?????

 

[livinoutdoors]

I guess ive been lucky. I feel like you could have a problem if you meet the wrong person on a wma but i have not. I try to share with folks if they ask if they can park next to me to go to whatever spot. Usually it ends up like yeah im gonna hunt the ridge so you can hunt low or whatever. Plenty to share if everyone is cool. Most times i dont see anybody, but i hunt "unusual spots" a bunch.

 

[bigblocktransam]

Some folks just dont have good manners i guess. I know it probably made you mad at the time but i kinda gotta laugh at the image of this dude runnin past your truck?????

Yes I was mad, but it was comical really. If I didn’t know any better, you’d think there was a 150” buck in there working it hard.

 

[bigblocktransam]

We also have a thread concerning all of the processors in Georgia being full………

Public is public………..can’t regulate courtesy / common sense.

That always happened in the first 2 weeks of November. Generally always coincides with rut and doe days, the harvest rates go up.

 

[livinoutdoors]

I know it aint gonna happen but i wish they would let you shoot two any size bucks and just limit doe days where they need to. That way you could have meat without population harm in the places where shooting a doe would hurt it.

 

[Spotlite]

That always happened in the first 2 weeks of November. Generally always coincides with rut and doe days, the harvest rates go up.

True. It’s just hard to characterize GA based on your hunting experience. Last year my lease and my buddies across the road was smoking. This year is different. It’s different due to a lot of reasons but lack of deer isn’t one. We’re getting tons of trail cam pics just like before. We just haven’t crossed paths with the deer as many times as we did last year

Remember, the deer live there 24/7, we’re only in there a few hours per week

Hope your season picks up

 

[dang]

I hunt public land (WMA’s). I’ll say overall I like that we have a mix of properties throughout the state with and without antler restrictions. I also like that some areas are open all year and some have shorter more restrictive opportunities. I’m bucked out right now for the third year in a row and I enjoy running through check in hunts later in the year and seeing new places. With that said, when the season gets compressed on a property the pressure can get a little crazy, especially when the property has too much gated access. I tend to enjoy properties with less road/trail systems for this reason. This year I’ve taken 4 deer so far. I don’t have an issue finding or seeing deer on public. I had a very low pressure lease in 2019 and Id say in general I saw about the same number of deer there as public. My biggest complaint would be the amount of trash and beer cans I find in some areas. I think a general presence of leo may help curb some of this but I understand how thin the DNR is spread. We have some beautiful and diverse property scattered across our state and I hate to see it junked up. If there were certain properties with potential to grow big bucks, I wouldn’t have a problem with regulations that pushed towards that, but imagine if that’s your local property it would suck to lose opportunity, especially considering everyone’s goal isn’t to shoot a big buck. I should mention I don’t hunt anywhere besides one property that is less than an hour drive. I think overall we’re blessed to have the opportunity we have. I grew up in a state with a 2 week rifle season…so maybe that tints my view of things

 

[nix03]

I don’t have a club but have been looking for one for several years. I have few small parcels that I can hunt and then public land. Public land you just have to put footwork in and You can find deer!
I personally think gun season is to long but I’m going to hunt every day I can and take advantage of it.

 

[Nicodemus]

I know it aint gonna happen but i wish they would let you shoot two any size bucks and just limit doe days where they need to. That way you could have meat without population harm in the places where shooting a doe would hurt it.

That`s exactly the way it was here in Georgia 40-45 years ago. Worked good too.

 

[dang]

I don’t have a club but have been looking for one for several years. I have few small parcels that I can hunt and then public land. Public land you just have to put footwork in and You can find deer!
I personally think gun season is to long but I’m going to hunt every day I can and take advantage of it.

I think even if they backed the rifle season down significantly or lengthened it, the average guy wouldn’t hunt much more or less than they already do and they’d probably kill about the same number of deer. (In my opinion) most guys aren’t out every weekend especially early and late. There are certainly exceptions…probably you and I…but the fact that it’s long means to a degree the pressure can be spread out. Yeah, there may be more man days. But if you’ve ever been to a state with a super short rifle season where everyone’s in the woods on the same week…it’s like a pumpkin patch out there and no one likes that.

 

[Nicodemus]

You folks should have experienced what it was like when we didn`t even have a deer season here.

Be thankful for what you have.