Hound doggers this weekend!

[Raylander]

That’d be one way to get numbers down! They have no interest in that though.

Pretty soon it’ll all just be frisbee golf courses and mtn biking trails.

 

[brownitisdown]

Everybody that use the wma should have to buy a wma stamp like the Hunter and fisherman were you are camping hiking biking or even parking lol

 

[strothershwacker]

This is a test run. It's "success" will determine what they do from here. I'll go ahead and speak on behalf of a blue billion bowhunters in region 1 - We ain't gonna have it! If you think so, you better come ready fight.

 

[greg_n_clayton]

If it was about reducing or even stabilizing numbers then they’d go about it in an entirely different manner. They would set a number of sows to be killed in the spring. Then when that sow quota is reached, the hunt is over. Fall continues as is, with or without hounds. That is the best way to reduce or stabilize numbers. Until then, we are just swapping methods. I’d love to have some hounds and start up. But the state would sell my tags to the highest bidder.

SC is this way. Once X number of bear are killed....season over. But their season includes all public lands. All public lands over there are considered game mgt.

 

[strothershwacker]

 

[tree cutter 08]

Y'all have to remember, the state's bear biologist was wanting to "maintain" the population to its current state. Allot of others, myself included want to see it cut and maybe even cut in half. I don't think this hunt is to reduce numbers according to what I read earlier in the year in the bear report. If they kill 50 on this hunt that's only 10 percent of last year's total harvest. Not much of a dent if ya ask me.

 

[goshenmountainman]

On Sunday evening there were 13 tagged out total between both WMA’s. I’d say 28-29 is all over the number at the end of today but I havnt checked again. That’s pretty good for only 4 days into it. They making it rain bears. I’m really aggravated that residents got shafted in the draw but it makes sense overall. The state would gain nothing from me being drawn other than potential harvest numbers. They gained a potential 10 out of state license fees from a non-resident so I see the reasoning. Also was a good way to weed out people applying without dogs and taking up chances like they did in the previous quota hog hunts we had. They’ve already killed more in 4 days than those WMA’s will give up in 2 years on average. Best thing that could have ever happened for the deer, the state, hunters, and the bear as well in the long run.

29 bears, just on Chattahoochee, dad just told me. He has been there every day since it opened, they have killed four in his group and two more that went on Dukes Creek and they couldn't shoot them.

 

[goshenmountainman]

This is a test run. It's "success" will determine what they do from here. I'll go ahead and speak on behalf of a blue billion bowhunters in region 1 - We ain't gonna have it! If you think so, you better come ready fight.

Hasn't bothered my bowhunting one bit, still seeing them, just not the one I want to shoot. They gonna do what they want where you like it or not. They could take 20 out of nearly every major drainage in Northeast Georgia and still not make much of a dent in the population.

 

[strothershwacker]

Hasn't bothered my bowhunting one bit, still seeing them, just not the one I want to shoot. They gonna do what they want where you like it or not. They could take 20 out of nearly every major drainage in Northeast Georgia and still not make much of a dent in the population.

Yup. There gonna do what they want wether I like it or not. Been doing that since 1861.?

 

[strothershwacker]

And em Tennessee boy gonna get their backside handed to em on the football field this weekend, so they might as well have fun this week!?????

 

[GAbullHunter]

I pay to hunt. I have a say in management.
They pay to visit, they might gain a say in management. I do not want this.
I want to be the only one paying.
Again, the govt has enough of my money, they just spend it inefficiently.

Only license holders should have a say in management.

 

[Heath]

29 bears, just on Chattahoochee, dad just told me. He has been there every day since it opened, they have killed four in his group and two more that went on Dukes Creek and they couldn't shoot them.

That’s good to hear. I’m glad it’s been a good hunt. The few residents that did get to hunt were long overdue a chance. We’ve had to pay non-resident license fees forever in order to get kill tags. Some of us are just grateful to at least finally have a chance. I’ve got 33 years of out of state license money that I would have gladly spent here if given the opportunity. I’m happy to see the state finally sharing some more of our natural resources with more than just a few that want it all for themselves.

 

[strothershwacker]

A man run a dog with a bear probably carries a purse.

 

[GAbullHunter]

Hasn't bothered my bowhunting one bit, still seeing them, just not the one I want to shoot. They gonna do what they want where you like it or not. They could take 20 out of nearly every major drainage in Northeast Georgia and still not make much of a dent in the population.

Let me have couple those bears you dont want. Between my house we can take a total of 8 of them to order?

 

[CornStalker]

After reading 7 pages of this thread, I'm going to offer a few quick thoughts.

1. Let's ease up on the trash talking regarding the "government". These state wildlife agencies are full of a lot of hard working men and women (and of course some slackers) that have limited budgets and resources. Many of them have dedicated their entire careers to wildlife research and trying serve the public. Last time I checked---it's pretty freaking hard to please the "public". If you doubt that, just go read all the squabbles on the GON forum. ****, we've got hunters fighting other hunters! Let's not pretend that any of us could go run the DNR better than they can...I know I sure couldn't.

I have always been a big fan of limited government, but I will ALWAYS pay more money for conservation, and that's where my hunting license fees go. I know everyone complains about that extra $10 here and $5 there, but those are the same guys that go spend $250 at Bass Pro on China-made hunting crap that doesn't make them a better hunter. Priorities.

2. I know many of you disagree, but killing bears isn't going to drastically change the deer population. There is a research project underway in North Georgia that is looking at the mortality rates of fawns. I look forward to seeing what they discover. We all know that bears kill fawns. And so do coyotes. But the number one limiting factor is habitat---it's almost always habitat. It's pretty dang hard for a fawn to hide in mature forest where there is little cover and little browse. Look in any mature forest accross the US, and you will see similar results--bears or no bears. And for arguments sake, let's say that hunters kill enough bears to really reduce the population. What's there to be done about the coyotes? You aren't going to make a dent in their population, even with hunting and trapping.

National Forest land is managed by the US Forest Service, and they have to manage for more than just whitetail deer population to keep hunters happy. There's a lot of user groups, and a lot of players at that table--national and regional. So when our DNR officers talk about not having the ability to enact changes, they aren't just making excuses. There's a lot of red tape in making habitat manage decisions like cutting forest and prescribed burns. When the wildlife biologist are saying that the most limiting factor is habitat structure and diversity, I have to think they aren't just part of some vast conspiracy.

3. I think those are my only two thoughts--y'all don't give me too much grief for this post... Hope everyone gets a bear!!

 

[strothershwacker]

After reading 7 pages of this thread, I'm going to offer a few quick thoughts.

1. Let's ease up on the trash talking regarding the "government". These state wildlife agencies are full of a lot of hard working men and women (and of course some slackers) that have limited budgets and resources. Many of them have dedicated their entire careers to wildlife research and trying serve the public. Last time I checked---it's pretty freaking hard to please the "public". If you doubt that, just go read all the squabbles on the GON forum. ****, we've got hunters fighting other hunters! Let's not pretend that any of us could go run the DNR better than they can...I know I sure couldn't.

I have always been a big fan of limited government, but I will ALWAYS pay more money for conservation, and that's where my hunting license fees go. I know everyone complains about that extra $10 here and $5 there, but those are the same guys that go spend $250 at Bass Pro on China-made hunting crap that doesn't make them a better hunter. Priorities.

2. I know many of you disagree, but killing bears isn't going to drastically change the deer population. There is a research project underway in North Georgia that is looking at the mortality rates of fawns. I look forward to seeing what they discover. We all know that bears kill fawns. And so do coyotes. But the number one limiting factor is habitat---it's almost always habitat. It's pretty dang hard for a fawn to hide in mature forest where there is little cover and little browse. Look in any mature forest accross the US, and you will see similar results--bears or no bears. And for arguments sake, let's say that hunters kill enough bears to really reduce the population. What's there to be done about the coyotes? You aren't going to make a dent in their population, even with hunting and trapping.

National Forest land is managed by the US Forest Service, and they have to manage for more than just whitetail deer population to keep hunters happy. There's a lot of user groups, and a lot of players at that table--national and regional. So when our DNR officers talk about not having the ability to enact changes, they aren't just making excuses. There's a lot of red tape in making habitat manage decisions like cutting forest and prescribed burns. When the wildlife biologist are saying that the most limiting factor is habitat structure and diversity, I have to think they aren't just part of some vast conspiracy.

3. I think those are my only two thoughts--y'all don't give me too much grief for this post... Hope everyone gets a bear!!

I didn't know Birmingham had commies! Hehehehe. We get a lil' rednecked bout things on here but most of its just goodhearted ribbing. We've all got our opinions but most of us have a common bond(our love for the woods) that holds us together. I'm thankful for our democracy, our public lands, this forum and even em stinkin' out of state doggers that are gummin up the hills. All opinions welcomed here I rekon. Theres only 2 things I hate.... people who are intolerant of other cultures & Yankees.

 

[Christian hughey]

After reading 7 pages of this thread, I'm going to offer a few quick thoughts.

1. Let's ease up on the trash talking regarding the "government". These state wildlife agencies are full of a lot of hard working men and women (and of course some slackers) that have limited budgets and resources. Many of them have dedicated their entire careers to wildlife research and trying serve the public. Last time I checked---it's pretty freaking hard to please the "public". If you doubt that, just go read all the squabbles on the GON forum. ****, we've got hunters fighting other hunters! Let's not pretend that any of us could go run the DNR better than they can...I know I sure couldn't.

I have always been a big fan of limited government, but I will ALWAYS pay more money for conservation, and that's where my hunting license fees go. I know everyone complains about that extra $10 here and $5 there, but those are the same guys that go spend $250 at Bass Pro on China-made hunting crap that doesn't make them a better hunter. Priorities.

2. I know many of you disagree, but killing bears isn't going to drastically change the deer population. There is a research project underway in North Georgia that is looking at the mortality rates of fawns. I look forward to seeing what they discover. We all know that bears kill fawns. And so do coyotes. But the number one limiting factor is habitat---it's almost always habitat. It's pretty dang hard for a fawn to hide in mature forest where there is little cover and little browse. Look in any mature forest accross the US, and you will see similar results--bears or no bears. And for arguments sake, let's say that hunters kill enough bears to really reduce the population. What's there to be done about the coyotes? You aren't going to make a dent in their population, even with hunting and trapping.

National Forest land is managed by the US Forest Service, and they have to manage for more than just whitetail deer population to keep hunters happy. There's a lot of user groups, and a lot of players at that table--national and regional. So when our DNR officers talk about not having the ability to enact changes, they aren't just making excuses. There's a lot of red tape in making habitat manage decisions like cutting forest and prescribed burns. When the wildlife biologist are saying that the most limiting factor is habitat structure and diversity, I have to think they aren't just part of some vast conspiracy.

3. I think those are my only two thoughts--y'all don't give me too much grief for this post... Hope everyone gets a bear!!

Not saying anything about the hard working men and women that do the best they can with what they got. They are told what to do by someone in office that probably has never hunted and doesn't have a clue. If there only motivation is money then they have things seriously twisted. I pay mine and you pay yours no need for a bunch of out of state money when it comes down to it the residents of this state got screwed for a dollar and yes if the right people were in office alot probably could change. Public opinion is heard but not acknowledged.

 

[Gator89]

I didn't know Birmingham Theres only 2 things I hate.... people who are intolerant of other cultures & Yankees.

Theres only 2 things I hate.... people who are intolerant of other cultures & Yankees.

Wait, isn't that redundant?

 

[strothershwacker]

Wait, isn't that redundant?

?

 

[goshenmountainman]

Let me have couple those bears you dont want. Between my house we can take a total of 8 of them to order?

All you have to do is pick a piece of National Forest and go hunt deer! The bears usually find me pretty quick that way.