They need to stop catering to the auto insurance industry and knock off the 4 1/2 month long deer season.
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- Thread starter Mark R
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They need to stop catering to the auto insurance industry and knock off the 4 1/2 month long deer season.
I'm confused. Can you educate me?
Probably the opposite of what they are doing now, which is nothing. North Georgia is the buthole of the state when it comes to hunting and not all because of habitat and predators. It says in the DNR deer management plan that state law charges the DNR with management and conservation of Georgia’s wildlife resources for present and future generations. I don’t have any expectations that they will do anything different than they are doing now. Don’t want countless opportunities just opportunities, which is few and far between here, and gets worse every year. But maybe I have unrealistic expectations of seeing game after buying a license and wasting my time going hunting and not seeing anything. Guess I remember how it was when it was called the Game and Fish Department and we had game. You remember them don’t you,they were the ones that stocked deer in Georgia for 50 years. Wonder what they would think of our hunting regulations that we have now.
I lived in states that had Game and Fish Commissions not directed or funded by the legislature. Commissioners isolated from lobbyist, dedicated tax revenue streams to facilitate real management. WMAs were accessible year round to train dogs of all types when there wasn’t conflicting seasons. Gates weren’t slammed in your face closing day of deer season. Most WMAs were staffed with an on-site manager or nearby that was intiment with the grounds. The G & F developed habit that was targeted to small game. The cooperative efforts allowed dog clubs and small game hunters to assist with habitat development, matching funds project.
I’ve walked beagle packs for miles on some WMAs here without a hint of a rabbit trail. Predator control plus habitat just wouldn’t support them.
When you’ve see what could done its pretty discouraging
I’ve walked beagle packs for miles on some WMAs here without a hint of a rabbit trail. Predator control plus habitat just wouldn’t support them.
When you’ve see what could done its pretty discouraging
across the river
Senior Member
Of course it is supply and demand, and I said that in post you quoted. There are far fewer people who give a rip about small game hunting than there are deer, waterfowl, or alligator. However, that has nothing to do with the DNR. There are fewer quota opportunities for alligator and waterfowl than quail, but there are ten times or more people appling for alligator and ducks than quail or rabbit. If demand was controlled by the opportunities provide by the DNR, then alligator would have the lowest number of quota applicants What is it that you expect them to do that they aren't doing?
Why would people get dogs for rabbit, coon, quail, or anything else if they have no where to hunt them, and then fuss and moan because the government didn't provide top notch hunting opportunities for them. If you want a place to rabbit hunt, get a group of guys together and lease you own land to hunt. Quit worrying about deer hunters. That is what most deer hunters in the state do, so get a group of guys together and lease or buy land just for small game hunting. Then the deer season is irrelevant. There are plenty of small game opportunities in Georgia on public land for people who are willing to travel and put in the work. Then there are people who just want to fuss and complain.
Not sure how the Game and Fish was funded years ago but at one time WMA’s had managers on site and took care of them and surrounding areas, planted food plots, and took care of the roads. I knew or was kin to some of them and trust me they weren’t exactly fireballs, but food plots were planted,roads were good and there was game. Remember back in the late 70s we were standing around in a store and someone asked the Game Warden if they thought there would ever be doe days on Warwoman and he said that there would never be doe days on Warwoman. I was told that only the name changed when it went from the Game and Fish to the DNR but more than that changed as then they started closing WMAs, adding doe tags and days,intensional herd reduction,opened season through December and now to January 15th,baiting, and you kill deer with everything but rocks. Discouraging doesn’t quite say it for me.
The state I moved from has 1/8 of 1% of the sales tax directed by law to the G&F. Inside the G&F The funds are divided, 45% wildlife, 45% parks, the remainder for historic sites and cleanup funding.
Barebowyer
Senior Member
Interesting thread. I have seen a ton more rabbits this year than last and quite a few more wild quail. I can tell you I have seen quite a bit of small game on my limited experiences on the WMAS in Georgia. Most of it I was walking with bow in hand hog hunting or waterfowl hunting late season. I know I see quite many rabbits in the headlights going in on my morning duck hunts on public land, quite many squirrels, and on one particular WMA, lots of woodcock. I guess it depends where you go. I am originally from VA and it does seem there is way more small game there. The game here just seems way more cautious to me probably due to way higher predator numbers than I have ever seen in my lifetime. I'm 45 years old and have hunted about 9 different states.
lots of interesting comments . but I aint talking about in the back yard or the neighborhood or parks or roadside or private land that only gets deer huntin . public land . it aint from hunting pressure because aint many folks small game huntin anymore so I think they justed moved to town .
Triple C
Senior Member
I'm covered up in rabbits. Never seen more than this year.
Danuwoa
Redneck Emperor
Scads of them down here. Lots of squirrels. The rabbit population on our place has exploded. I see a lot of them. Chipmunks too. And I’m hearing more quail this past year than I’ve heard since I was a kid.
mguthrie
**# 1 Fan**OHIO STATE**
I had a nest in my garden this year. Looks like 4 little ones made it. We’ve got a good number of them around the house but they’ve been sparse on my lease the last few years. At least when we are running beagles
Georgia Terrapin
Member
If you want deer, go rabbit or squirrel hunting. If you want rabbit or squirrel, go deer hunting. From my limited experience, they seem to know. 
