Georgia Department of Natural Resources

ATLANTA, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- It is going to get a little wild at the Georgia Capitol this Wednesday as sportsmen’s groups and coastal conservation groups from the around the state gather to meet with state leaders for “Sportsmen’s and Coastal Day at the Capitol.”

“This is our 11th annual sportsmen’s event at the Capitol and we are excited to have this opportunity to talk about the impact that our sportsmen and women have on our state including directly supporting more than 31,000 jobs and generating more than $3 billion annually,” said Scott Tanner, the event organizer.

“We also are pleased to add the recognition of ‘Coastal Day’ to this event to highlight the more than $2 billion annually that this area generates in tourism dollars as well as the state’s saltwater fishing industry.”

A broad spectrum of sportsmen’s and conservation groups will participate with displays, educational materials, interactive activities and live animals. Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources and Coastal Resources Divisions will participate in the event.

2012 Sportsmen’s Day Participants

• Trout Unlimited
• Georgia Canine Coalition
• Georgia Hunting and Fishing Federation
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• Georgia Wildlife Federation
• Camo Coalition
• Quality Deer Mgt Association
• Heritage and Wildlife Conservation Council
• National Rifle Association
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Georgia Trappers Association
• Coastal Conservation Association
• Izaak Walton League
• GeorgiaCarry.Org
• National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucus’s
• Let’s Get Wild, Inc
• Georgia Outdoor News
• DNR Wildlife Resources Division
• DNR Coastal Resources Division

Governor Nathan Deal, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston are scheduled to speak at the event at 9:00 a.m.

“This event is an opportunity for the sportsmen of Georgia to say thank you to the legislators for their leadership and support in defending and advancing hunting, fishing, and conservation issues,” said Jennifer Lundy, State Caucus Manager for the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses. “Because of our legislative leadership, Georgia has abundant animal populations that provide our citizens with unrivaled opportunities for recreation and commerce.”

“I’m proud to participate in Sportsmen’s and Coastal Day at the Capitol,” said Mark Williams, Georgia DNR Commissioner. “Hunting, fishing and our coast are not only economic engines in our state, but they also improve our quality of life. I want to thank all of our sportsmen and partners on the coast for all they do for conservation in Georgia.”

For more information about hunting and fishing opportunities in Georgia, visit www.georgiawildlife.com . For more information about coastal fishing and recreational opportunities, visit www.coastalgadnr.org .

Schools Take Aim On NASP - Georgia Regional Archery Tournaments

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Over the next month, more than 50 archery teams and close to 1,000 students in grades 4-12 will compete at one of five 2012 National Archery in the Schools Program-GA Regional Tournaments.

The regional sites and tournament dates are:

• Jan. 28 – Regional 1, Loganville High School, Loganville, GA
• Jan. 30 – Regional 2, Peach County High School, Fort Valley, GA
• Feb. 4 – Regional 3, Lee County Elementary School, Leesburg, GA
• Feb. 11 – Regional 4, Woodlawn Elementary School, Chatsworth, GA
• Feb. 25 – Regional 5, Johnson County High School, Wrightsville, GA

The highest scoring archery teams in each division (elementary, middle and high school) will qualify for the 6th annual NASP-Georgia State Tournament, scheduled for March 21 in Perry at the Georgia Fairgrounds. An additional 11 wildcard teams also will receive an invitation to the state tournament.

At the regional tournaments, archers shoot three rounds of five arrows each from 10 and 15 meters. Teams of 16-24 students from each school compete in three separate divisions: elementary (4th-6th grade), middle (7th-8th grade) and high (9th-12th grade).

Regional and state tournaments for NASP are sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division and the Georgia Wildlife Federation.

For more information on NASP and tournaments in Georgia, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/NASP .

More on NASP
NASP is an in-school archery curriculum that meets all education department standards. Only schools that are certified in NASP through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are qualified to compete in the State Tournament. Schools in nearly 70 counties in Georgia are NASP certified.

The program promotes instruction in international-style target archery to improve educational performance and participation in shooting sports. Research has shown that the program, administered through a minimum two-week course during the school year, improves class attendance and behavior. NASP universal fit bows make it possible for students of all sizes and genders to succeed in archery while raising self-esteem levels and improving hand-eye coordination during physical activity.

NASP is taught in 47 states and six other countries. To date, more than nine million students have participated in the program.

For more information on NASP in Georgia, call Jennifer Pittman at (770) 918-6416 or e-mail jennifer.pittman@dnr.state.ga.us .

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Catching poachers and other wildlife violators often involved lengthy criminal investigations and require diligence and dedication on behalf of conservation rangers. Cpl. Michael Crawley, representing Washington and Johnson counties, was named Investigative Ranger of the Year for demonstrating tenacity and excellence in his work, which included a complex case with more than 18 violations in 2011.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division names an Investigative Range of the Year annually.

“I commend Cpl. Crawley for his drive and continued efforts to apprehend violators who damaged our natural resources,” says Col.

Eddie Henderson, chief of law enforcement for Wildlife Resources Division. “His commitment to the investigative work required for this case, as well as continuing to do all other required tasks, shows great multi-tasking skills and dedication.”

Cpl. Crawley’s investigation involved a poaching case in Washington County. The case began with a complaint about trespassing on private property. Assisting Cpl. Crawley was Storm, a canine who helped in the detection of evidence, including an injured deer and tire tracks. Over the next few weeks, Crawley gathered information on the suspected violator, and in January 2011, served the suspect with an arrest warrant.

The poacher was charged with 18 total violations including:

• possession of illegally taken wildlife
• taking game above the bag limit
• violation of a crop damage permit
• additional charges from other agencies.

He was fined $2,500 and loss of hunting privileges for two years.

Other WRD conservation rangers nominated for the award for their outstanding investigative work: Sgt. John VanLandingham, RFC Josh Chambers, Cpl. Lynn Stanford, RFC Tim Hutto and Cpl. Phillip Scott.

The Georgia Chapter of the Safari Club International sponsors this award. For more information about that organization, visit www.gasci.org . For more information about Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement, visit http://georgiawildlife.com/enforcement/law-enforcement-section .

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- When Richard Crossley spoke at this year’s Georgia Ornithological Society meeting, the acclaimed birder and photographer noticed the number of youth in attendance.

Crossley also noticed that each one he asked said their interest in birding began with Georgia’s Youth Birding Competition, said Tim Keyes, who coordinates the annual birdathon.

Now on a nationwide book tour, Crossley is mentioning the Youth Birding Competition as a way to get youth interested in birds. All of which certainly fits the event’s intent, according to Keyes, a wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.

“I think it’s giving kids an opportunity to get outside and learn about the natural world in an exciting way that catches their attention,” he said.

It also points participants toward the long-term goal: an interest in conservation, Keyes said.

The 24-hour competition sponsored by DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division, The Environmental Resources Network Inc. (TERN) and other partners returns for its seventh year on April 27-28, 2012. A banquet and awards ceremony will be held April 28 at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield.

Teams register in age divisions varying from kindergarten to high school (participants compete against other teams their age, in four age divisions). Teams can also volunteer to raise money for conservation organizations on a per-bird or lump sum basis.

Some 25 teams from preschool ages to teens and ranging from first-timer birders to veterans saw or heard scores of bird species and raised nearly $1,500 during the 2011 competition.

The deadline to register for the 2012 event is March 31. The competition starts at 5 p.m. Friday, April 27, and ends at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 28. Groups may use as much or as little of that time to count as many birds as possible throughout Georgia.

Although teams may start birding anywhere in the state, they must turn in their checklists at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center by 5 p.m. Saturday. While judges examine and score checklists, participants will be treated to a live animal show followed by an awards banquet packed with prizes.

The Youth Birding Competition also includes a T-shirt Art Contest – enter by March 5 – and nature journal category. Participation in the birding competition is encouraged but not required to submit artwork for the T-shirt Art Contest. Taking part in both is free, aside from the optional cost of overnight lodging.

Competition sponsors include Atlanta Audubon Society and the Georgia Ornithological Society. For more information about registering for the Youth Birding Competition, visit www.georgiawildlife.org/getinvolved or contact Lacy Mitchell at Charlie Elliott Conference Center, (770) 784-3152 or lacy.mitchell@dnr.state.ga.us. Tim Keyes, at (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.state.ga.us, can answer questions about the competition.

For more information on the T-shirt Art Contest, visit www.georgiawildlife.org/YBCTshirtArtContest or contact art contest coordinator Linda May at (706) 557-3226 or linda.may@dnr.state.ga.us.

NRA News

Fairfax, VA --(Ammoland.com)- NRA-News is a valued partner that continues to cover breaking gun rights news with a new and improved short video format in the “NRA News Minute” videos.

To view the current firearms or gun rights news video, please click above:

Cam Edwards talks to State Representative Sean Jerguson (R-GA) on his initiative to allow concealed carry of guns on campus.

Read More on these topics:

• Guns on Campuses in Georgia
• Campus Carry Debated in Arizona Senate
• Campus Concealed Carry Bill No Laughing Matter

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Georgia DNR Names Tim Butler Ranger Of The Year

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division selected RFC Tim Butler, a conservation ranger for Pulaski/Bleckley counties, as the 2011 State Ranger of the Year.

Runner-up to the Ranger of the Year award, RFC Tim Hutto of the Southeast Georgia Region, received the 2011 James R. Darnell Award. This award is titled “The Fawn” and is a James R. Darnell sculpture.

“The State of Georgia is fortunate to have people such as RFC Tim Butler and RFC Tim Hutto who dedicate their lives to protecting our natural resources,” says Col. Eddie Henderson, Wildlife Resources Division’s Chief of Law Enforcement. “I commend both honorees for their dedication and contributions toward Georgia’s conservation enforcement efforts.”

RFC Tim Butler has been a conservation ranger for only six years, but his reputation for accomplishing hard work and his dedication to a job well done have earned him the respect of his peers and the public. His accomplishments this year include conducting 16 special details to detect resource violations such as illegal duck shoots, fish shocking and night deer hunting.

Butler is best known for his night foot patrols and scouting for illegal baiting and night hunting offenders. He also employs online satellite imagery and tax records to gather intelligence, study topography and formulate tactics to address unlawful activity before it occurs.

Butler easily transitions from working with fellow conservation rangers to assisting and cooperating with other agencies, whether they are local, state and federal levels in investigative work. His public outreach includes conducting information and education programs, participating in local cleanup efforts, promoting Wildlife Resources Division at various venues, and being an after-school mentor and instructor for the local CHAMPS (Choosing Healthy Activities & Methods Promoting Safety) program.

Earlier this year, Butler also was recognized as the 2011 Waterfowl Officer of the Year honor and twice previously has been nominated for Ranger of the Year by his work section.

In the process of determining the Ranger of the Year, WRD selected one nominee from each of the seven DNR Law Enforcement regions.

They were:

• Region 1, Calhoun – Cpl. Shawn Elmore
• Region 2, Gainesville – Cpl. Adam Loudermilk
• Region 3, Thomson – Cpl. Derrell Worth
• Region 4, Macon – RFC Tim Butler
• Region 5, Albany -RFC Bob Holley
• Region 6, Metter – RFC Tim Hutto
• Region 7, Brunswick – Cpl. Chris Ridley

For more information on becoming a WRD conservation ranger, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/enforcement/law-enforcement-section

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

FORSYTH, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Grampus. Lasagna lizard. Mud devil. Snot otter.

Hellbenders may have more unflattering nicknames than a cross-county football rival, but these big salamanders with the jelly-slick skin are attracting some positive, and needed, conservation attention.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources began a long-term monitoring and survey effort focused on eastern hellbenders this year. Goals include learning more about hellbender population trends, finding new sites, and monitoring hellbenders to evaluate abundance and track changes in Georgia, according to project leader Thomas Floyd.

“One of the healthiest populations in North America is in the North Georgia mountains,” said Floyd, a wildlife biologist with the DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. “… It’s really important for us to get baseline data so we know in the future how this salamander is doing.”

Hellbenders are North America’s largest salamander. They can grow longer than 2 feet. They live in cool, clear streams - the same habitat trout need - from New York to North Georgia and as far west as Missouri. Their dependence on pristine streams makes hellbenders, which breathe entirely through their skin, harbingers of poor water quality.

Yet, both hellbender subspecies - the eastern and the Ozark, found in the White River system in Missouri and Arkansas - have experienced widespread declines, largely because of declines in habitat suitability. The primary threat is the influx of sand and other sediments, most of which are washed into streams from farmland and roads. The sediment embeds large rocks, clogging the open spaces hellbenders use for shelter, nesting and ambush sites when hunting prey such as crayfish.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated Ozark hellbenders as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. The agency also finalized its decision to add Ozark and eastern hellbenders to the list of rare wildlife regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The hope is to curb unauthorized international trade.

Eastern hellbenders are a candidate for federal listing. In Georgia, they are already state-listed as threatened and no longer found in at least eight streams they once inhabited. Eastern hellbenders also are a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, the comprehensive strategy that guides DNR efforts to conserve biological diversity.

During this year’s sampling season, Thomas and others surveyed stream stretches in the Toccoa, Nottely, Cartecay and Upper Little Tennessee River drainages, catching 36 hellbenders. They documented hellbenders in part of the Nottely that had not been sampled. But none were found in the Cartecay and Upper Little Tennessee reaches, where the large salamanders had been recorded before.

Surveys will begin again in the spring. The information will build on a 2005 Georgia survey and research in other states.

It will also help ensure the future of a seldom-seen salamander with a list of hard-to-forget nicknames.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Anglers and others who see a hellbender are encouraged to report the occurrence and location to Thomas Floyd, at thomas.floyd@dnr.state.ga.us or (478) 994-1438.
• Help conserve rare, endangered and other nongame wildlife in Georgia. Buy or renew a bald eagle or hummingbird license plate, contribute to the Wildlife Conservation Fund state income tax checkoff or donate directly to the fund. All support the DNR Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as Georgia’s rare plants and natural habitats in the state. Details: www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation.

SURVEY SNAPSHOT

• In late August, Floyd led a small crew on the last survey of the monitoring season, which ends when hellbenders begin nesting. (Project video at www.youtube.com/GeorgiaWildlife, under “Conservation” tab.)
• Searchers ran their hands into gaps under large rocks in a Chattahoochee National Forest stream. They lifted some rocks and worked the suddenly turbid water underneath with nets. Floyd snorkeled deeper runs, trying to spot the almost-formless amphibians whose mottled brown and gray coloration blends with the streambed.
• On this trip, the group caught three hellbenders. Each was weighed, measured, swabbed to check for amphibian diseases, sampled for DNA and tagged with a Passive Integrated Transponder, or PIT, for future identification.
• During the entire 2011 monitoring season, 36 hellbenders were caught.

HELLBENDERS ARE …

• Fully aquatic salamanders, spending their entire lives in streams and rivers.
• Found in at least 20 Georgia trout streams. (Georgia is a top state in amphibian diversity.)
• Kin to Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders, which can top 100 pounds and 6 feet in length.
• Equipped with internal gills, yet they breathe almost exclusively through their skin.
• Usually docile when handled. But they can bite. Skin secretions make them difficult to handle.
• Death on crayfish, which make up most of their diet. They also eat small fish, snails, frogs, snakes, small mammals, and hellbender eggs and larvae.
• Long-lived. One reached 29 years in captivity.
• Threatened also by stream impoundment and pollution from agricultural and industrial runoff.

LEARN MORE

• Hellbender monitoring project video above or www.youtube.com/GeorgiaWildlife (under “Conservation” tab).
• Georgia DNR’s rare species profiles, www.georgiawildlife.com/rare_species_profiles.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

MACON, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division recently selected Sgt. Tim Kendrick of the Macon Law Enforcement office as the 2011 Supervisor of the Year.

Kendrick currently serves as a Sergeant Supervisor for the DNR Law Enforcement office located in Macon, Georgia. This office oversees operations in 28 middle Georgia counties. Sgt. Kendrick supervises rangers in Monroe, Butts, Jasper and Lamar counties. He is a 24-year veteran of the department, serving nine of those years in his current supervisory position.

“Sgt. Tim Kendrick shows exceptional leadership skills and is a true asset to the Law Enforcement Section and to the Department,” says Col. Eddie Henderson, Chief of the Law Enforcement Section of Wildlife Resources Division. “He is a respected leader and trusted supervisor that fosters an atmosphere of teamwork within his work section and often inspires others through his actions.”

Sgt. Kendrick is a supervisor that leads by example. As a supervisor, one of his most important responsibilities is training and enhancing the capabilities and skills of other Rangers in his work section and Region. Kendrick often uses his experience, both successes and failures, to help grow and mentor those that work for him. He maintains a positive work ethic, professional presence, compassionate demeanor and a spirit of public service that is contagious to those around him.

Sgt. Kendrick has previously received the James R. Darnell Award and also was awarded an Award of Valor by the Peace Officer Association of Georgia. Fellow law enforcement officers nominated for this award this year include Sgt. Stan Elrod, Sgt. Lee Brown and Sgt. Keith Byers.

For more information on the 2011 Supervisor of the Year Award, call the Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Headquarters office at (706) 557-3311.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

EATONTON, GA --(Ammoland.com)- A new shooting range at Cedar Creek Wildlife Management Area will be available beginning Friday, October 14, 2011 for those interested in perfecting their target skills.

While this is the first shooting range located at the Cedar Creek WMA, which is located in the Georgia Piedmont near Eatonton, it is one of 17 shooting ranges currently available on public land in Georgia.

The Cedar Creek Shooting Range consists of a 10-position, 100-yard rifle/pistol range.

The Cedar Creek Shooting Range was first proposed in November 1998 by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.

Since that time, the U.S. Forest Service and Georgia DNR have worked together to plan for its construction. Support also was provided by the National Rifle Association, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Quail Unlimited and Putnam County.

The Cedar Creek Shooting Range is located near the intersection of Hwy 212 and Bradley Road and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday year-round (except for Christmas and Thanksgiving Day). The range also will close if the range attendant is not currently on site.

To learn more about the range, visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/conf/cedar-creek-shooting-range . For more information on archery ranges available in Georgia, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/node/922?cat=1 .

National Hunting and Fishing Day

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- In celebration of the passion for the outdoors that you share with 64 million other Americans, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division encourages you to get out and participate in one of the many FREE celebrations that will be held in honor of the 2011 National Hunting and Fishing day.

Governor Nathan Deal recently signed a proclamation in honor of the conservation efforts led by America’s hunters and anglers, recognizing Saturday, Sept. 24 as NHF Day in Georgia, noting the plans underway for a statewide celebration.

Events that will be offered in Georgia include seven kids’ fishing events and five Outdoor Adventure Days (activities will differ at each event – but some highlights include archery and air rifle shooting, trout fishing, hunting dog demonstrations, wildlife programs, exhibits and more). These events are spread out across the whole state – meaning that one is probably near you!

In addition to these events, a FREE fishing day is offered to all Georgia residents on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011. On this day, residents do NOT need a fishing license or a trout license to fish on any public waters in the state including lakes, streams, ponds and public fishing areas. In addition, residents do not need to obtain a wildlife management area license to fish on a PFA, WMA or on Waters Creek on this day.

CHANCE TO WIN! As part of their partnership with National Hunting and Fishing Day, Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. has donated a 2011 Grizzly 450 that one lucky outdoorsman will win. Enter to win at www.nhfday.org .

The U.S. Congress and President Richard Nixon established National Hunting and Fishing Day in 1973 to recognize generations of hunters and anglers for the time and money they donate to wildlife conservation programs. According to the proclamation signed by Governor Deal, conserving the state’s natural and wildlife resources is one of the most important responsibilities for this and future generations, and the conservation programs supported and financed by Georgia hunters and anglers have benefited hundreds of wildlife species, including deer, wild turkeys, bald eagles and songbirds for all Georgians to enjoy.

For more information on NHF Day in Georgia – including a complete listing of all events in the state visit www.georgiawildlife.com/get-involved/nhfday . For more on NHF Day across the nation, visit www.nhfday.org .

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The largest, most successful wildlife conservation program in the world, the Federal Wildlife Restoration Program, is fueled by hunters.

Over the past 70 years, hunters nationwide have contributed more than $6.8 billion dollars to wildlife conservation efforts. In Georgia alone, since 1939, hunters have contributed more than $145 million for wildlife conservation in Georgia.

“The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program is the most successful wildlife conservation program in the world and serves as a financial cornerstone to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. It benefits all wildlife species, conserves and restores habitat and helps enhance wildlife conservation through research,” said Alex Coley, Wildlife Resources Division Game Management assistant chief and Federal Aid Coordinator.

“Through this program, America’s hunters continue to provide the most substantial source of funding for wildlife conservation and management in the United States.”

The program was established through the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937. Through lobbying efforts in Congress, America’s hunters created this act as a way to fund conservation and management of the nation’s wildlife. Wildlife Restoration funds are accumulated from excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. This excise tax is levied at the manufacturer’s level, collected by the Federal government, and distributed to state wildlife agencies to fund wildlife conservation and management programs. The amount of money each state agency annually receives is determined by the number of paid hunting licenses and the land area of the state.

The Wildlife Resources Division uses Wildlife Restoration funds for various types of programs, including restoring habitat and improving wildlife populations, conducting research, monitoring wildlife populations, operating more than one million acres of wildlife management areas that benefit a diversity of wildlife species and provide wildlife-related recreational opportunities, providing information to landowners on how to manage their property for various species, conducting hunter education classes and building and maintaining public shooting ranges.

For more information on the Federal Wildlife Restoration Program, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/federalaid/ . For more information on wildlife management practices in Georgia, visit the Wildlife Resources Division website at www.georgiawildlife.com , contact a local Game Management office or call (770) 918-6416.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Since 1993, hunters have been bringing meat to the tables of those in need through the Georgia Hunters for the Hungry program.

Through this successful program, hunters have donated enough venison to serve more than 1.5 million meals. This year, hunters are asked to give a portion of their processed deer through the “Drop-Back-a-Pack” campaign at one of 12 participating processors through Jan. 15, 2012.

“The Georgia Hunters for the Hungry program is one opportunity for hunters to demonstrate their generosity by sharing their harvest with those in need,” said John W. Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division assistant chief of Game Management.

“The Division is proud to be a cooperator in this public-private partnership and to work with the many partners who make it possible each year.”

In a change from the past, rather than bringing in a whole field-dressed deer to donate, hunters are asked to donate a portion (“a pack”) of their processed deer. Hunters are welcome to give as many processed “packs” as they can provide. For those that can’t donate a pack, the program welcomes dollar donations to help support the efforts (donate at www.gwf.org). All hunters who donate a “pack” during this collection period will be entered into a drawing for a deer rifle, sponsored by the Georgia Wildlife Federation.

The following 12 processor locations are accepting deer now through Jan. 15, 2012 during business hours:

• Lee’s Meat Processing (461 Dove Ln Axson) 912.422.3079
• JJs Deer Processing (974 Ga Hwy 105 Baldwin) 706.776.2819
• Daffin Meat Processing (4100 River Rd Columbus) 706.322.8848
• Mossy Creek Outdoors (2788 Americus Hwy Dawson) 229.995.4109
• Barlow’s Meat Processing (1692 Milan-Eastman Rd Eastman) 478.374.5614
• Starley’s Deer Processing (190 George Hatcher Rd Irwinton) 478.946.8976
• Sealey’s Deer Cooler (5675 South Apple Valley Rd Jefferson) 706.335.9304
• Lee Processing (105 Hwy 377 Leesburg) 229.759.2869
• Wright’s Processing (126 Wright Dr NE Milledgville) 478.452.4228
• K&K Processing (6749 Good Hope Rd Naylor) 229.269.5557
• Garner’s Grinder (18630 Hwy 16 Sparta) 706.444.9228
• Stewart’s Quality Meats, Inc. (204 Washington St Vidalia) 912.537.9888

Wildlife Resources, along with the Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Wildlife Federation and the Georgia State Association of Food Banks sponsor the program.

For more information on donating food to those in need during other times of the year, call the Atlanta Community Food Bank at (404) 892-FEED. For more information on the GHFTH program, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com , www.gwf.org , contact a WRD Game Management office or call (770) 761-3045.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Hunters statewide can celebrate the beginning of dove season at noon Saturday, Sept. 3.

Long-awaited opening day is traditionally considered the beginning of the fall hunting season, and with the numerous wildlife management area hunts scheduled, it is the perfect opportunity to introduce children and grandchildren to the sport.

“Georgia has some fantastic public areas for dove hunters. In fact, many WMAs provide fields managed specifically for dove hunting opportunities,” says John W. Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division’s assistant chief of Game Management. “In addition to being the ‘kick-off’ to the fall hunting season, dove hunting is a prime time to introduce family and friends to hunting, as it typically is a fun-filled day.”

Most WMA public dove fields are quota only on opening day. As such, hunters are encouraged to review dove hunting rules and regulations to ensure the availability of the field they plan to visit.

The official 2011-2012 dove seasons are Sept. 3-18, Oct. 8-16 and Nov. 24 – Jan. 7. Shooting hours are noon until sunset on opening day (Sept. 3) of the first season and one-half hour before sunrise to sunset for the remaining two seasons. Sunrise and sunset times for each day are found in the 2011-2012 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide or online at www.georgiawildlife.com .

The daily bag limit is 15 doves per hunter. Additionally, there have been some reports of white-winged doves in Georgia. White-winged doves may be harvested, but count toward the daily bag limit of 15.

Any autoloading or other repeating shotgun must be plugged to hold no more than three shotshells while hunting doves. As always, hunters must obtain permission from landowners before hunting on private property and please respect the land by cleaning up spent shells, leaving gates the way they were found and removing all trash.

Dove hunters 16 years of age and older must possess a Georgia hunting license and a free Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program Permit (HIP Permit). Those hunting WMAs also must possess a WMA license. Hunters may purchase licenses online at www.georgiawildlife.com , by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at more than 800 license agent locations (list of agents available online).

For more information on dove hunting rules and regulations, public dove fields and conditions, or adult/child dove hunts, hunters should review the 2011-2012 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide, available at www.gohuntgeorgia.com or at any Wildlife Resources Division Game Management office.

Updated and accurate harvest rate estimates facilitate the successful management of doves. As such, the U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with several states, including Georgia, initiated a dove trapping and banding project in 2003. Hunters can participate in this conservation effort by examining harvested doves for bands and reporting band numbers to the USFWS by calling 1-800-327-BAND.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- State wildlife biologist Trina Morris and interns Julia Nawrocki and Craig Bland found a bat honey hole on Cumberland Island last month.

The trio, with help from interns at the National Seashore, set up 20-foot-tall mist-nets over a small water hole on the island and caught and released more than 100 bats in one night.

“It was like Bat Central,” Morris said recently with a grin.

The processing of bat species, weights and other details that kept the researchers busy deep into the hot, buggy night is central to a State Wildlife Grants project focused on Georgia’s bats. For more than a decade, the federal grants program has been the main funding source to help states keep common species common and protect others before they become critically imperiled and more costly to recover.

Morris, of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section, and the interns visited seven islands, netting bats and setting up routes for the Anabat, technology that identifies bats by their echolocation calls. Netting helps confirm what the Anabat records.

“It’s the beginning of a long-term project to look at yellow bats specifically and Coastal Plain bats in general,” Morris said.

The No. 1 question for yellow bats is whether low catch rates mean they are elusive or simply “there aren’t many in the landscape,” Morris explained. Researchers caught one in the seven-island trip.

Ga. DNR intern Julia Nawrocki and a yellow bat netted on Cumberland. Credit: Katrina Morris/Ga. DNR

Northern yellow bats are a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, the strategy guiding DNR efforts to conserve biological diversity. Scientists are working to learn more about this coastal bat in Georgia, including how rare it is. More information is also needed on the state’s other 15 bat species. Bats help control insects and fill other vital roles in healthy ecosystems. Yet these flying mammals face significant threats, from habitat loss to white-nose syndrome. White-nose has killed more than 1 million cave-dwelling bats and been documented in 17 states from Maine to North Carolina, but not Georgia.

The State Wildlife Grants project Morris is leading will build on previous surveys, plus the work of former DNR interns who examined yellow bat roosting habitats on Sapelo Island and the habitat associations of foraging bats on barrier islands.

Morris said the Anabat project also feeds into a national effort that could result in a citizen scientist monitoring network, much like the successful public-powered surveys for amphibians and birds.

STATE WILDLIFE GRANTS
Since 2000, the State Wildlife Grants program has been the main funding source to help keep common species common and protect others before they become critically imperiled and more costly to recover from the brink of extinction. Administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these grants enable DNR and its conservation partners to protect wildlife and wild places to maintain the state’s natural heritage.

GIVING WILDLIFE A CHANCE
The sandhills project is another example of how buying a nongame license plate or donating to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund through the state income tax checkoff and other ways supports wildlife conservation. Contributions benefit DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats in the state.

For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218). For details on The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, a nonprofit advocacy group for Nongame Conservation, call the Forsyth office or go to http://tern.homestead.com.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Tom Patrick is walking across a chalk prairie on Oaky Woods Wildlife Management Area, pointing out plants that should or shouldn’t be there and occasionally wiping at sweat raised by the sweltering summer morning.

Drought has shriveled the summer rush of wildflower blooms that can blanket these areas yellow and purple. Even recent rains can’t erase the cracks fracturing the clay surface into jigsaw puzzle shapes.

Patrick, a botanist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, scoops some of the gray-white soil. When wet, it can bog a four-wheel-drive pickup, one reason locals call these prairies “gumbo flats.” Yet when dry, the clay turns powdery. “It’s like talc,” Patrick says, his fingers dusted white.

This limestone-rich clay is the calling card of Atlantic Coastal Plain chalk prairies. According to Patrick, the high pH, shrink-and-swell soil left over from ancient seas and seashells favors a unique suite of plants, from yellow prairie coneflower and Dakota vervain in the openings to Durand and chinquapin oaks, Biltmore ash, redbud, Carolina buckthorn and other trees along the edges.

Like other so-called Blackland prairies, chalk prairies are a globally rare habitat. Found only along a shoreline that once curved from middle Georgia through north Alabama, the grasslands have been decimated by agriculture, as well as fire suppression that encourages less fire-tolerant plants. Oaky Woods features some of the Atlantic slopes’ best remaining chalk prairies.

Plans for the 13,000-acre WMA near Warner Robins include restoring and expanding the openings to 400 or more acres, said Bobby Bond, a wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division’s Game Management Section.

“The biggest step right now is to introduce fire back into all the prairies … and hopefully get everything on a two-year (burn) rotation,” Bond said, adding that low-impact tree removal is also a possibility.

Biologist Nathan Klaus, who, like Patrick, works with the Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section, sees rich opportunities for restoration. That effort may involve mowing prairie edges where planted pines or a crush of shrubs and native trees have closed in. “We’re just trying to push that stuff back and jumpstart the fire ecology,” Klaus said.

Chalk prairies and black bears were two conservation targets when the state bought 10,000 acres of the four-decades-old WMA, long a mid-state haven for black bears. The December acquisition led to the discovery of other prairie restoration sites at Oaky Woods, thanks to insights from area manager Raye Jones and analysis of aerial imagery.

The Wildlife Resources Division also quickly made plans to burn more of Grand Prairie, the WMA’s largest chalk prairie. What had been a 25-acre prescribed fire – the usual for Grand Prairie – grew to about 100 acres in February.

The flames killed or singed plants like persimmon, red cedar and loblolly pine that are not normally abundant on chalk prairies, making room for the grasses, sedges and herbs that are more natural fits. The vegetation attracts a buzz of pollinators such as butterflies and native bumblebees, as well as wildlife like deer and quail. The prairies provide valuable brood and nesting habitat for turkeys.

Recently at Grand Prairie, Patrick pointed out Boykin’s milkwort, a rare plant with whorled leaves and white blooms, and the only known Coastal Plain occurrence of Georgia aster, a candidate for federal listing.

“We pretty much know what’s there,” he said. “We’re moving into a phase where we’re trying to determine how to manage these areas.”

OAKY WOODS WONDERS
The coastal past of chalk prairies includes oyster shells, fossil fragments and even sharks teeth in the white clay. ** These “droughty” soils combine with droughts to help exclude trees, preserving the prairies. ** Oaky Woods features other examples of unique habitats, from old-growth hardwood bottomlands to limestone bluff forests. Befitting its name, the WMA also has many different oak species, such as huge Shumard, Durand, swamp chestnut and cherry bark oaks. ** A 50-year WMA management plan is scheduled for completion next year. ** Wildlife conservation is the focus of the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources Division and DNR efforts to conserve Georgia’s biological diversity. Learn more at www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/wildlife-action-plan .

GIVING WILDLIFE A CHANCE
The Oaky Woods chalk prairies work is another example of how buying a nongame license plate or donating to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund through the state income tax checkoff and other ways supports wildlife conservation. Contributions benefit DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats in the state.

For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218). For details on The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, a nonprofit advocacy group for Nongame Conservation, call the Forsyth office or go to http://tern.homestead.com.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The beginning of squirrel season is just around the corner, are you ready? Often revered as a celebrated American fall tradition, squirrel hunting provides the perfect opportunity to introduce youth or a novice to the sport of hunting.

Unlike some big game hunts, the pursuit of bushytails often involves more action for energetic youth, providing a greater level of interaction with the outdoors.

Georgia Squirrel Hunting Season Opens August 15Th

Beginning August 15, 2011 and lasting through February 28, 2012, hunters can pursue both gray and fox squirrels. The maximum daily bag limit is 12 per hunter.

“Prior to the successful restoration of white-tailed deer, pursuing squirrels in the fall became a significant cultural hunting tradition in Georgia,” says John Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division’s Game Management assistant chief. “Squirrel hunting provides one of our best opportunities to introduce youth to hunting, instill in them our responsibilities to wildlife conservation and provide exposure to the outdoors. Additionally, it’s fun, inexpensive and provides constant action.”

Squirrel hunting, especially with squirrel dogs such as feists, terriers and curs, is a great way to introduce youth to hunting and the outdoors. In terms of number of hunters and harvest, squirrels are the second most pursued small game species in Georgia, behind doves.

Georgia’s wildlife management areas offer access to nearly one million acres of hunting opportunity for only $19 a year, and squirrel hunting is allowed on WMAs at specified times during the statewide squirrel season. Hunters are advised to check the hunting regulations for specific WMAs and dates.

The two species
Both the gray and fox squirrels can be found throughout Georgia. The gray squirrel, abundant in both rural and urban areas is the most common species. Though mostly associated with hardwood forests, grays also can be found in mixed pine/hardwood forests. Predominantly gray, with white under parts, gray squirrels appear more slender-bodied than fox squirrels, weighing anywhere from 12 ounces to one-and-a-half pounds.

Fox squirrels have several color phases, varying from silver-gray with a predominantly black head, to solid black, to a light buff or brown color tinged with reddish-yellow. Generally larger than grays, fox squirrels range in weight from one pound to nearly three, and are more closely associated with mature pine and mixed pine/hardwood habitats and especially in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.

For more information on the 2011-2012 squirrel hunting season or other small game hunting seasons, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com . To renew or purchase a hunting license, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/recreational-licenses .

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The 2011-2012 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations Guide is available online and in print announces the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.

This guide provides information on season dates, bag limits, hunting licenses, wildlife management areas and much more and is available to view, download and print at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/regulations .

Printed copies are available at Wildlife Resources Game Management and Law Enforcement offices and license vendors throughout Georgia.

“The Hunting Seasons and Regulations publication is designed to better inform hunters on the laws and regulations for hunting in Georgia,” says John Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division Assistant Chief of Game Management. “We encourage all hunters to review the publication each year for any changes to their favorite hunting areas, seasons or activities.”

Members of the Board of Natural Resources enact hunting regulations by acting on recommendations made by the division’s professional wildlife biologists and field personnel. Georgia’s game and fish laws are enacted by the elected members of the General Assembly.

Regarding hunting regulations, some of the major changes for 2011-2012 include:

• Baiting of Deer & Feral Hogs: The Georgia General Assembly passed a legislation change to Georgia law relating to hunting deer and feral hog over bait. For complete information, review p. 24 in current regulations.
• Bear Season for Bibb, Houston and Twiggs Counties: In response to public desires and consistent with biological data, the Wildlife Resources Division is providing the opportunity to hunt bear on private land in Bibb, Houston, and Twiggs Counties.
• Bear Bag Limit (Northern Zone): In response to public desires and to facilitate stabilization of the mountain bear population, the bear bag limit in the Northern Zone has been increased from one (1) to two (2).
• Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass (GORP): In response to public input and to increase the self-sufficiency of providing certain recreational opportunities on WMAs and PFAs, a GORP may be required to utilize designated fee areas on state-owned WMAs and PFAs. Additional requirements exist for certain organized events involving more than eight individuals. Individuals that hold a valid lifetime, sportsman, honorary or WMA license are exempt from this requirement.
• Raccoon Zone Lines: In response to public input, the raccoon trapping and hunting zone lines have been eliminated.
• Special Coyote Hunts on WMAs: In response to public input, several WMAs will provide special opportunities to hunt coyotes. These WMAs are Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA, J.L. Lester WMA, Paulding Forest WMA and Pine Log WMA.
• Feral Hog Hunts on WMAs: In response to public input, opportunities to hunt feral hogs have been added or expanded on several WMAs.
• Woodcock: In response to changes in the Federal framework for this migratory bird and in response to public desires, hunting opportunity for woodcock has been increased by 15 days.

For more information on Georgia hunting seasons and regulations, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/regulations contact a local Wildlife Resources Division,

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- July 11 marks 100 years of conservation in Georgia, where outdoor recreation packs a $3 billion-plus economic punch each year and biological diversity ranks among the richest in the U.S.

A century ago, concerns about declining wildlife populations fueled a national conservation movement. Georgia lawmakers responded by approving legislation on July 11, 1911, to create the state’s first wildlife agency.

What was then the Department of Game and Fish was envisioned as a network of county game wardens and regulations aimed at protecting and restoring populations of “game, fish and birds … for the enjoyment of all the people.”

What is now the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is fulfilling that vision, and more.

“As one of the fastest-growing states in the country, Georgia faces the enormous task of balancing increasing demands on our land and water with the conservation and management of important wildlife habitats and species,” DNR Commissioner Mark Williams said. “For 100 years, DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division has done an outstanding job of protecting our natural resources while also providing abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation.”

The Wildlife Resources Division regulates hunting, fishing and boating, protects nongame and endangered wildlife, provides conservation education, manages habitat, and enforces laws for the protection and use of Georgia’s natural resources.

Division Director Dan Forster said that with “roots firmly embedded in law enforcement,” the agency has “effectively evolved over time to meet the new and varying challenges of the day.”

The evidence is easy to find. Georgia’s deer herd has boomed from about 12,500 animals in 1937 to nearly 1 million. Sport fisheries are thriving in lakes, trout streams, rivers and public fishing areas. Some 200 conservation rangers patrol woods and waters, safeguarding wildlife and the public. Wildlife management areas provide almost 1 million acres of public hunting opportunity. A State Wildlife Action Plan guides conservation of nongame wildlife, helping preserve Georgia as a top-six state in biological diversity while also grappling with significant challenges such as habitat loss.

The division’s work helps fuel an annual economic impact estimated at $3.3 billion alone from hunting, fishing and wildlife watching, according to the most recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey.

Yet, suggested Forster, the impact reaches even further, to clean air, clean water and the conservation of wildlife and wild places that enrich all Georgians’ everyday quality of life.

Now and for the next 100 years.

JOIN THE 100 DAYS OF CONSERVATION

The public is invited to join the celebration with the 100 Days of Conservation at http://gawrdcentennial.com , and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/WildlifeResourcesDivisionGADNR , and Flickr, www.flickr.com/wildliferesourcesdivision .

Check out the:

• Daily walk through wild history, from the first state hunting license to the first turkey stocking.
• 100-year timeline of highlights, including deer re-stockings and the original black bear season.
• Photographs to remember, such as a 1940 shot of ranger Dan Royal checking quail bagged by Spurgeon “Spud” Chandler, a Georgia native and New York Yankees star pitcher.

HOW TO HELP

Georgians can also help support the next 100 years of conservation through:

• Hunting and fishing. License sales and equipment taxes contribute to wildlife management
• Buying or renewing a bald eagle, hummingbird, Bobwhite Quail Initiative or Trout Unlimited license plate. A share of the fees for these plates goes to DNR conservation efforts.
• Details: www.georgiawildlife.com

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) recently promoted Eddie Henderson to the position of Colonel, Chief of Law Enforcement for the Division. Henderson fills the vacancy after Col. Homer Bryson was promoted to become Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources.

“Col. Henderson brings a wealth of experience to this position and I look forward to seeing this Section under his leadership,” says Dan Forster, Director of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division.

“He understands and exemplifies the necessary level of teamwork and cooperation needed to meet departmental goals and will be an instrumental player for the development of the Division’s future.”

The WRD Chief of Law Enforcement must provide leadership and supervision for the statewide law enforcement section. The Chief must identify and establish goals and objectives that are consistent with DNR’s mission and goals statement. Some of the duties include supervising, both directly and indirectly, all WRD Conservation Rangers and other section personnel, overseeing the enforcement of all game, fish and boating safety laws, overseeing the training of law enforcement personnel and maintaining a consistent, high quality, customer-focused orientation to clients, the general public and other external customers.

Col. Henderson has served the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Section since 1982 and most recently was in charge of state special operations. He graduated from the FBI National Academy, 211th session, in 2003. In 2006, he was elected to the Georgia Chapter Executive Board and then served as President of the Executive Board in 2010-2011.

For more information, contact the WRD Law Enforcement office at 770.918.6408.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

EATONTON, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- A new archery range at Rock Hawk in Putnam County is now available for archers, bow hunters, youth groups and others interested in perfecting their target skills.

The archery range was constructed through a partnership between Georgia Department of Natural Resources/Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), Georgia Power, Putnam County, University of Georgia, and Historic Piedmont Scenic By-way Corporation.

Using Pittman-Robertson federal grant money, WRD supplied materials needed for construction while Georgia Power will manage, administer and maintain it.

The range consists of a static range with lanes starting at 10 yards in length. Here, archers shoot into large “bow butt” targets secured inside freestanding sheds. The second range is a 3-D trail with realistic animal targets on 17 lanes. The targets include a mix of Georgia’s game animals.

The range will serve as a resource for area archers, archery youth groups and bow hunters, as well as for Rock Hawk programming activities, and for school groups participating in the National Archery in Schools Program. Users should bring their own equipment. To reduce impact to targets, broadheads are not allowed. The range is open during daylight hours.

Rock Hawk is an outdoor classroom with hundreds of educational displays along 15 miles of trails that surround and lead to the Rock Hawk effigy. It is located near the Historical Piedmont Scenic Byway (Ga. 16).

To learn more about archery opportunities in Georgia, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting/archery-shooting-ranges ; for more information on National Archery in the Schools Program, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/nasp; for more about Rock Hawk, visit www.rockhawk.org .

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

BRUNSWICK, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Some brown pelicans rescued from the Gulf oil spill last summer and released in Georgia not only returned to the state this spring, they are nesting and raising young here.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist Tim Keyes recently spotted eight of the pelicans nesting in a large pelican colony on Little Egg Island Bar, a state-managed natural area in Glynn County. The birds originally from Louisiana are marked by colored leg bands.

At least seven of the nests have chicks. “So far, they look great,” said Keyes, who works with DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section.

A brown pelican rehabilitated from last year’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico watches over chicks on Georgia’s coast. A Georgia DNR biologist is monitoring eight nests involving rescued pelicans released last summer in the state. The birds originally from Louisiana are marked by colored leg bands. Photo credit: Tim Keyes/Georgia DNR

Efforts to clean and relocate the pelicans once soaked with oil from the BP spill raised questions about whether the large waterbirds would survive and whether they would fly back to contaminated areas in the Gulf of Mexico. Oiling can also affect reproduction.

While the pelican sightings are a hopeful sign for those particular birds, Chuck Hunter with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said there are still many unanswered questions about the impacts of the oil on the pelican population in general, as well as specific questions about the pelicans spotted in Georgia.

“These birds, no matter how clean, likely still have some oil in their internal systems and females especially may pass this contaminant on to the chicks,” said Hunter, chief of the Service’s Division of Planning and Resource Management for the National Wildlife Refuge System in the Southeast. “But this does tell me that it’s possible for some oiled birds to reproduce. Whether or not these chicks will fledge and survive to reproduce successfully themselves is also unknown and would take many years to determine.”

More than 1,200 birds were rehabilitated and released in Georgia, Florida, Texas and upstate Louisiana. Of those, 699 were brown pelicans, 140 of which were released in Georgia last June and July.

In the months during and after the BP oil spill that began April 2010, more than 7,000 other birds were collected dead, or died soon after. Hunter said an unknown number of additional birds were most likely exposed to oil and never recovered, either because they died at sea or in remote locations on the coast.

Keyes said the Georgia nests have two to three chicks each – normal for brown pelicans – and at least one parent sporting a leg band. The chicks have been given a health checkup and biologists are awaiting results of blood work. Keyes also banded some of the chicks so they can be tracked after leaving the nest.

“We’ll be visiting each of the eight nests weekly and monitoring the chicks, hopefully to the point we can say if they successfully fledged,” he said.

The young birds will start flying in about five weeks.

Of the pelicans released in Georgia, Keyes documented about 25 in the state this year. None were seen in December or January. It’s likely the pelicans migrated out of the area and returned to Georgia by mid-March.

Georgia DNR’s mission is to sustain, enhance and protect Georgia’s natural, historic and cultural resources. The Nongame Conservation Section, part of the DNR Wildlife Resources Division, is charged with conserving the native diversity of nongame animals, rare plants and natural habitats, including endangered and threatened species. The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state appropriations, depending instead on fundraisers such as the bald eagle and hummingbird license plates, as well as grants and direct contributions. Learn more at www.georgiawildlife.com . The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service is both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for its scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on the Fish and Wildlife Service’s work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

LOUISVILLE, Ky. --(Ammoland.com)- Georgia is home to the first place elementary school archery team in the country after this month’s National Archery in the Schools Program National Tournament.

Woodlawn Elementary’s finish is the highest ever by a Georgia school competing at NASP Nationals, which saw more than 7,000 student archers from nearly 300 schools and 34 states compete in the elementary, middle and high school divisions.

The tournament is the largest archery competition in the world. In addition to Woodlawn Elementary, ten additional Georgia schools had students competing at this event.

“I am so proud of all of these students for their efforts,” says Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division Shooting Sports Coordinator Jennifer Pittman.

“They have put in a lot of hours, work, sweat and tears to participate all year and then place well enough at the State competition which allowed them to go to Nationals. I commend their coaches and parents for allowing them to participate and look forward to where we go from here!”

Georgia School rankings:

• Woodlawn Elementary School in Chatsworth finished first in the country in the elementary division with a team score of 3,244. Woodlawn won the NASP World Championship in November 2010, and have won two consecutive state championships.
• Bay Creek Elementary School in Loganville placed eleventh in the division (4th-6th grade) with its score of 3,122, while Youth Elementary School finished 52nd nationally with a score of 2,973. There were 78 elementary school teams, made up of 16-24 student archers, competing from around the United States.
• Bagley County Middle School placed 28th in the middle school division (7th- 8th grade) with a score of 3,211. Morgan County Middle School in Madison placed 60th with a 3,079. Dodge County Middle in Eastman fired a 2,968 to finish 83rd. There were 104 middle schools teams competing.
• Miller County High School placed 88th in the high school division (9th – 12th grade) with a score of 3,068. Peach County High School placed 97th with a 3,036. Dodge County High School shot a score of 2,918 for 110th place. There were 111 teams competing in this Division.

Additional schools that sent competitors included Lee County Elementary and Lake Park Elementary.

MORE ABOUT NASP
NASP is an in-school archery curriculum that meets all education department standards. Only schools that are certified in NASP through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are qualified to compete. Schools in nearly 80 counties in Georgia are NASP certified.

The program promotes instruction in international-style target archery to improve educational performance and participation in shooting sports. Research has shown that the program, administered through a minimum two-week course during the school year, improves class attendance and behavior. NASP universal fit bows make it possible for students of all sizes and genders to succeed in archery while raising self-esteem levels and improving hand-eye coordination during physical activity.

NASP is taught in 46 states as well as Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. To date, more than 6 million students have gone through the program.

For more information on NASP in Georgia, recreational shooting sports opportunities or to find a range near you, visit www.georgiawildlife.com, or call (770) 918-6416.

AmmoLand Gun News

Georgia --(Ammoland.com)- Listen to this heart wrenching 911 call of a woman who was attacked in her home while in the shower.

After an extend fight she managed to shoot her victim nine times but he still manages to run away.

911 Call

The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting:

The man who police say was killed by a homeowner during an attempted sexual assault was identified Thursday as Israel Perez Puentes, 34, of Alpharetta.

Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Dept.Gwinnett authorities say Israel Perez Puentes, 34, was killed when he entered a Duluth home and tried to sexually assault a woman.

A Gwinnett County woman shot and killed Puentes Wednesday morning after the knife-wielding man attacked her in the shower, police said.

The incident happened about 6:30 a.m. at a home in the 2800 block of East Mount Tabor Circle.

Gwinnett police Cpl. Edwin Ritter told the AJC that the woman, who is in her early 50s, was getting out of the shower when the intruder, who she did not know, turned out the lights and attacked her.

She fell back into the shower, injuring her back, and attempted to fight Puentes off with the shower rod, Ritter said.

“She was telling him that she has money and please don’t hurt her,” Ritter said.

“He forced her into her bedroom,” Ritter said. “Once inside the bedroom, she retrieved a .22-caliber pistol and shot him several times.” Ritter characterized the attack as an attempted sexual assault.

The suspect ran outside the house and collapsed. He was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he died.

This is a great example of why there should be no limit on gun magazine size. Guns are the great equalizer and this women just needed more ammunition to be sure her attacker was stopped.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division recently honored RFC Tim Butler with the Rocky Wainwright Waterfowl Officer of the Year Award for his outstanding efforts regarding waterfowl conservation over the past year.

Butler is a Conservation Ranger assigned to Bleckley and Pulaski counties. The award is named in memory of Conservation Ranger Cpl. Rocky Wainwright, who was dedicated to the conservation of waterfowl.

“RFC Tim Butler takes pride in both his enforcement of waterfowl laws and regulations as well as his ability to educate the public on the same,” says Division Chief of Law Enforcement Col. Homer Bryson. “He is an asset to the Department and the hunting public and has contributed immensely to the success of Georgia’s waterfowl management program.”

RFC Tim Butler has been with the Division since 2005. Here are some of his accomplishments this past year:

• Conducted an impressive 34 waterfowl-related information/education presentations, making contact with more than 1,100 elementary, middle and high school students. During his presentations, Butler introduces students to waterfowl biology, food habits, migration patterns, species identification and hunting laws.
• Exhibited ability to be a team player in organizing the observation of hunting areas, including bringing in conservation rangers from many other counties and agents of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Conducted multiple morning/evening operations to detect and address illegal hunting activity in Bleckley, Houston, Pulaski and Twiggs counties.

Other conservation rangers nominated for this award include RFC Jeff Phillips of the Southwest Georgia Region, RFC Tim Hutto of the Southeast Georgia Region and RFC Chris Moore of the Coastal Region.

For more information on the Rocky Wainwright Waterfowl Award, call the WRD Law Enforcement Office at (770) 918-6408.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

ATLANTA, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Four new falcons will soon be eligible for drafting, riding the air currents that swirl around their high-rise home in downtown Atlanta.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials recently examined and banded the four young peregrine falcons in a nest outside the offices of McKenna, Long & Aldridge, 51 floors up in the SunTrust Plaza building.

Law firm chairman Jeff Haidet said the same two falcons have been nesting on the balcony for five years. The number of young this spring only increased his excitement and pride.

“This is the first year that the pair has produced four babies … and it’s always a special treat to observe their transition from hatching to flying,” Haidet said.

Two or three falcons hatched each of the previous years. Before this pair of parents, peregrines fledged foursomes outside the firm in 1999, 2000 and 2005. The 2011 nestlings will be flying within two weeks.

Peregrines are possibly the world’s fastest animal, diving at more than 200 mph to nab pigeons, ducks and other birds in mid-air. The nest at SunTrust Plaza is one of only two confirmed in Georgia. The other is in midtown Atlanta.

Jim Ozier, a program manager with DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, occasionally hears reports that suggest there are other peregrine nests in metro Atlanta. He encouraged residents who see the falcons in pairs or possibly tending a nest in the spring to notify his office, (478) 994-1438 in Forsyth.

Peregrines were removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species because of a successful population recovery effort, but Georgia still lists the birds as rare. Historically, the only known nest in the state was at Cloudland Canyon in the early 1940s. Peregrines were apparently absent for several years during and after the DDT era.

DNR normally offers a web camera view of the nest at McKenna, Long & Aldridge, thanks to the law firm and a grant from The Garden Club of Georgia. The equipment needs upgrading, and the hope is to re-establish the behind-the-scenes look at Georgia’s highest-flying falcons in 2012.

This year’s clutch hatched in mid-April. The nestlings leave the nest at about 5 weeks old. Life can be hard for them in metro Atlanta. Hazards vary from traffic to large windows. A peregrine hatched at the firm last year was found days later suffering from trichomoniasis, a parasitic disease of young birds. The falcon was rehabilitated by Kathryn Dudeck of the Chattahoochee Nature Center and released.

Georgians can conserve endangered and other nongame wildlife such as peregrines through buying a bald eagle or ruby-throated hummingbird license plate, or donating directly to the Georgia Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund. Wildlife plate sales and direct contributions provide vital support for the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).

Georgia’s Rare Species Profiled On Online

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Quick: Name the turtle found in Georgia that lures prey using part of its tongue.

Not sure?

How about the Georgia mussel that grows inch-long spines, a blue crayfish known mostly from the Chatsworth area, the shorebird that sports a long orange bill, an endangered plant beleaguered by butterflies or the minnow best identified by its lips?

Answers to these and other questions about Georgia’s rare wildlife are found in a new lineup of species profiles at www.georgiawildlife.com. The 403 updated and expanded online accounts detail the identification, habitat use, distribution, ecology and conservation of Georgia’s protected species, plus selected rare species considered at risk but not officially protected.

Brett Albanese, a project leader, said the goal is providing a reliable and current source on rare animals and plants that can used by all, from university scientists to middle school students and from biological consultants to landowners and managers. The profiles also feature information from important references such as the Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia by Linda Chafin of the State Botanical Garden.

“We tried to use the best experts to author the profiles,” said Albanese, a senior aquatic zoologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.

The hope is that the accounts spur feedback that adds to the body of information about each species. Profiles list when they were written or last updated. Readers can report omissions and errors by email.

The profiles stem from the State Wildlife Action Plan, a strategy guiding the DNR and its partners in conserving Georgia’s biological diversity. Accounts cover basics such as descriptions and life history, as well as threats, management recommendations and conservation status of the species in Georgia. Photographs and some range maps are included. Guides and glossaries explain structures used in species identification and other technical terms.

Years in the making, the profiles reflect “a vision of protecting the natural environment in Georgia,” said Greg Krakow, a project leader and natural resources biologist involved in the effort since its start.

Nongame Conservation Section Assistant Chief Jon Ambrose noted that conservation of many of the species depends on voluntary efforts by private landowners. Ambrose said the accounts offer a new information tool that will hopefully lead to “more occurrences of the species and habitats in better condition because of better management.”

Oh, and about that nimble-tongued turtle, it’s the alligator snapping turtle. The other answers: Altamaha spinymussel, Conasauga blue burrower, American oystercatcher, Canby’s dropwort and fatlips minnow.

The profiles are found at www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation (click “Rare Species Profiles”). For more on the Wildlife Action Plan, see www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/wildlife-action-plan.

Help conserve endangered and other nongame wildlife through buying a bald eagle or ruby-throated hummingbird license plate, or donating directly to the Georgia Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund. Wildlife plate sales and direct contributions provide vital support for the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).

Easily accessible garbage is irresistible to a hungry black bear and unfortunately, a major threat to its survival.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Add bear-proof the garbage to your spring cleaning list and feel good about taking the first step in resolving human-bear conflicts.

Easily accessible garbage is irresistible to a hungry black bear and unfortunately, a major threat to its survival.

By bear-proofing your garbage, you’ll not only keep your yard tidy, but more importantly, you’ll add years to the lives of some of Georgia’s magnificent wild black bears.

“Bears become habituated when people feed them – whether intentional or not. When a bear learns that it can get a ‘free meal’ from garbage, it’s going to return again and again until eventually it loses its natural fear of humans. This is how many human-bear conflicts begin and the bear becomes labeled a nuisance,” explains Adam Hammond, wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.

Homeowners and business owners in known bear areas can be proactive in lessening human-bear conflicts by taking the following important steps to secure their garbage.

• Convert to bear-proof garbage containers, or secure garbage inside a garage or other enclosed area.
• Place garbage cans at the curb on the day of pick-up rather than the night before. If there is no curbside pick-up in the area, take garbage to the nearest disposal site as soon as possible.
• In some cases, the installation of electric fences around garbage storage areas may be useful to prevent bears from accessing household garbage.
• Remove food scraps from grills and fire pits daily.
• Rinse food cans and wrappers before disposal. Keep garbage cans clean and deodorize them periodically.
• Concerning dumpsters: Install bear-proof dumpsters, attach reinforcing lids or install latch mechanisms.

Garbage is just one of the many non-natural food items that attract bears. Birdseed and pet food round out the top three most common types of attractants. Homeowners in known bear areas are advised to bring pet food indoors and remove birdfeeders during the spring and late summer.

In Georgia, there are three population centers for black bears. These include the North Georgia mountains, the Ocmuglee River drainage system in Central Georgia and the Okefenokee Swamp in the southeastern part of the State. However, black bears can and do range over larger areas, especially in early spring and late summer when natural food sources are scarce. Young male bears also are known to roam larger areas in an effort to establish their own territory.

“The best and most effective way to resolve human-bear conflicts is to remove the attractant,” says Hammond. “In most cases, that simply means making trash, birdseed, pet food and other non-natural food items inaccessible.”

Though the American black bear (Ursus americanus) is now considered the most common bear in North America and the only bear found in Georgia, at one point the species was nearly eradicated from the state due to poaching and habitat loss. Yet because of sound wildlife management practices, Georgia’s current black bear population is healthy and thriving and is estimated at approximately 5,100 bears statewide.

For more information regarding black bears, visit www.georgiawildlife.com, contact a Wildlife Resources Division Game Management office or call (770) 918-6416. The public also can visit their local library to check out a copy of an informational DVD entitled, “Where Bears Belong: Black Bears in Georgia.”

Coyote Sightings Increase

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The distinctive call of the coyote or “song dog” echoes across our state, from the more welcoming rural areas of wooded forests and open fields, to the less inviting environments of major cities and neighborhoods.

Rapid human population growth across the state coupled with the coyote’s unique ability to adapt and thrive, contributes to today’s increased observation of coyotes in urban settings.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division encourages residents to educate themselves and take the proper precautions essential to co-existing with coyotes.

“Historically, coyotes were most commonly found on the Great Plains of North America. However, their range has expanded greatly. They are one of the most adaptable species on the planet. In fact, coyotes have adapted quite well to living in suburbs and cities like Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta,” says John W. Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division assistant chief of Game Management. “Preventive actions are the best solutions for residents to reduce the potential for human-coyote conflicts.”

Though the coyote’s principal diet typically consists of small rodents and fruit, they are characterized as opportunistic and will prey on small, domestic animals if given the opportunity. Because of this, small house pets (such as cats and small dogs), young or small livestock and poultry are vulnerable and susceptible prey. The Division advises landowners and homeowners to heed the following precautions to ensure the safety of their animals:

• Take pets indoors during the night, as this is the coyote’s primary hunting time. (In addition to coyotes, small pets may fall prey to free-roaming dogs and great horned owls.)
• If the pet must be kept outside, install fencing and motion-activated flood lights to discourage predators.
• Small livestock or poultry should be kept in an enclosed or sheltered area. Coyotes rarely bother larger livestock although they are often blamed for such nuisance instances. (It should be noted that free-roaming dogs, rather than coyotes, are notorious for harassing, injuring or killing livestock.)

The Division encourages residents to also heed the additional following tips in an effort to minimize coyote habituation to humans and ensure public health and safety:

• NEVER, under any circumstances, feed a coyote.
• Keep items, such as grills, pet food or bird feeders off-limits. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors or feed pets indoors and refill bird feeders infrequently and in small amounts.
• Make trash cans inaccessible. Keep lids securely fastened or store trash cans in a secured location until trash pick-up.

Additional solutions for managing coyotes and the problems they may cause include trapping and/or hunting. Coyotes are not native to Georgia and may be hunted/trapped year-round. The Division does NOT provide trapping services, but maintains a list of licensed trappers permitted to provide this service across the state. To access this listing, visit www.georgiawildlife.com (Select “Permits and Other Services” and then select “Nuisance Wildlife Trapper List”).

“The Division receives numerous calls each year. Most callers report the sighting of a coyote or request coyote relocation,” says Bowers. “Relocation is not a solution. Relocating coyotes only moves the problem into someone else’s backyard. It also may result in a slower death from the stress of being released into unfamiliar territory. Trapping and killing habituated or problem coyotes is the only reasonable way to keep them out of backyards.”

While coyotes closely resemble a small dog in appearance, the distinctive characteristics that set the species apart are upright, pointed ears, a pointed snout, low forehead, a mottled color fur pattern ranging from black to reddish-blonde and a bushy tail that is generally carried straight out below the level of the back.

For more information regarding coyotes, visit www.georgiawildlife.com , contact a Wildlife Resources Division Game Management office or call (770) 918-6416.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Mansfield, Ga., -(Ammoland.com)- Looking for a way for the whole family to enjoy the outdoors this spring?

Come to Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center’s JAKES Day Saturday, May 14! This fun-filled event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center’s (CEWC) Discovery Area in Mansfield.

Sponsors for the JAKES Day include the Georgia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

Admission is free and includes an array of activities that focus on wildlife, conservation efforts and outdoor recreational opportunities in Georgia. Children can try their hands at archery, fishing, shooting sports, and can go on a mini-boat ride with a WRD Conservation Ranger. Show your spirit for the outdoors by getting your face decorated with wildlife art! Presentations scheduled for this event include retriever demonstrations, and live snake and bird of prey programs. Several exhibitors from wildlife-related organizations also will be on hand to give out information and goodies to those interested in expanding their outdoor horizons.

The first 500 kids will receive a free t-shirt and a free hot dog lunch from the Georgia Chapter of NWTF (adults can eat for a nominal fee). For kids under 17 years old, memberships in the NWTF’s JAKES club (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics, & Sportsmanship) will be available for a small membership fee. Door prizes will be given away at the close of the event too! Be sure to stop by the Visitors’ Center to view an indoor planetarium set up by the Atlanta Chapter of the National Astronomy Club, tour the museum, and visit the gift shop. Discounts will be available for several gift gallery items (excludes hunting & fishing licenses and Charlie Elliott books).

For further information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com and choose the “Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center” quick link, or call CEWC at (770) 784-3059. To get to CEWC, take I-20 to Exit 98. Travel south on Highway 11, go through Mansfield and continue three miles south to the entrance at Marben Farms Road on the left. Then follow the JAKES Day signs to the Discovery Area. Hope to see you there!

2011 poster contest: Div. 1 (1st place)

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

ATHENS, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Twelve elementary school children have been selected as statewide winners in the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest.

More than 4,400 kindergarten through 5th-grade students from 43 public schools, private schools and home-school groups participated in the 21st annual conservation art competition, according to the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division and The State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

Statewide winners in the four grade divisions included:

• Kindergarten 1st place: Cianna Wang, SKA Academy of Art and Design, Duluth, Ga. 2nd place: Keijuan Liverpool, West Clayton Elementary, College Park, Ga. 3rd place: Marycate Cochran, New Georgia Elementary, Villa Rica, Ga.
• 1st-2nd grade 1st place: Nadia Beavers, C.L. Gideons Elementary, Atlanta, Ga. 2nd place: Melanie Moore, South Effingham Elementary, Guyton, Ga. 3rd place: Erin Li, SKA Academy of Art and Design, Duluth, Ga.
• 3rd-4th grade 1st place: Natalie Raines, Raines Academy, Conyers, Ga. 2nd place: Vivia Lung, SKA Academy of Art and Design, Duluth, Ga. 3rd place: Keelan Collins, Pate’s Creek Elementary, Stockbridge, Ga.
• 5th grade 1st place: Dienabou Diallo, West Clayton Elementary, College Park, Ga. 2nd place: Denisse Olivares, Shallowford Falls Elementary, Marietta, Ga. 3rd place: Katie Barton, St. Joseph Catholic School, Athens, Ga.

Participants entered at the local school-level with drawings depicting their observations of Georgia’s native plants and animals. The 2011 contest theme was “Celebrating Georgia’s Wildlife from the Mountains to the Sea.” Drawings were judged based on aspects such as theme, originality and the quality and impact of the artwork. Top school-level entries proceeded to the state contest at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens.

The 12 winners’ artwork will be featured in the 2011-2012 Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest school-year calendar and posted on the Wildlife Resources Division’s Flickr site, www.flickr.com/photos/wildliferesourcesdivision.

Winning entries will also be displayed on weekends April 8-24 at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Go Fish Education Center in Perry. The Go Fish Education Center is designed to help visitors take an educational journey through Georgia’s watersheds to learn about our diverse aquatic wildlife, their natural habitats and the impacts of water pollution. Visitors will see live fish exhibits, explore underwater habitats from mountain streams to black water swamps, test their fishing skills with interactive fishing and boating simulators, and view aquatic wildlife, including live alligators! Visit www.gofisheducationcenter.com for directions, fees and operating hours.

The poster contest is sponsored by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network Inc., or TERN, friends group of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com or www.uga.edu/botgarden, or contact the Nongame Conservation Section office in Forsyth, (478) 994-1438.

Georgians can support important conservation, recreation and education efforts like the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest as well as other conservation programs for Georgia’s nongame wildlife by purchasing a nongame wildlife license plate and donating to the Give Wildlife Chance state income tax checkoff. The checkoff – line 26 on Form 500 and line 10 on Form 500EZ – and the eagle and hummingbird license plates are primary sources of funding for the Nongame Conservation Section.

The agency receives no state appropriations for its mission to conserve nongame wildlife, native plants and natural habitats. Details at www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Does your child’s school have programs that add both diversity and interest to the classroom and “engage the unengaged” student?

The National Archery in the Schools Program is a program that can help accomplish this objective.

The National Archery in the Schools Program is an approved physical education program that has been in Georgia schools since 2003. The program originated in Kentucky in 2002 and now has 47 states, with more than 7,000 certified schools and two million students that participate each year.

“Archery is a sport that anyone – male or female, small or large – can find success as long as they practice and dedicate time to achieve their goals,” says State Shooting Sports Director Jennifer Pittman. “It is a program that teaches concentration, hand-eye coordination, patience and determination – all of which mesh perfectly with school goals.”

A new video, available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/GeorgiaWildlife , illustrates what a difference the program can make within a school. The video features students from the 2010 NASP World Champion Woodlawn Elementary School of Chatsworth, GA.

MORE ABOUT NASP
NASP is an in-school archery curriculum that meets all education department standards. The program promotes instruction in international-style target archery to improve educational performance and participation in shooting sports.

Research has shown that the program, administered through a minimum two-week course during the school year, improves class attendance and behavior. NASP universal fit bows make it possible for students of all sizes and genders to succeed in archery while raising self-esteem levels and improving hand-eye coordination during physical activity.

NASP is taught in 47 states as well as Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. To date, more than 7 million students have gone through the program.

HOW CAN YOU GET NASP IN YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL?
Interested in NASP? Be sure to share this information and video with other parents, teachers, and school administrators to build support. Then, to find out more about implementing the program in your school, please contact Shooting Sports Director Jennifer Pittman at 770.388.0045 or Jennifer.Pittman@dnr.state.ga.us .

Bad Boy Buggies Production Moves to Augusta Georgia

Bad Boy Buggies

AUGUSTA, GA --(Ammoland.com)- Production of Bad Boy Buggies has now moved to Augusta, Ga. All Bad Boy Buggies vehicles are now built at E-Z-GO’s world headquarters, a facility recognized repeatedly for its world-class operations and the high quality of the vehicles it produces. The former facility in Natchez, Miss. that produced Bad Boy Buggies has now closed.

The 650,000-square-foot Augusta plant houses four major manufacturing lines, as well as warehouses and shipping facilities for parts and accessories. An on-site logistics facility ships products across the United States and beyond, with easy access to major domestic rail hubs and international ports in Charleston, S.C., Savannah, Ga. and Jacksonville, Fla.

In addition to building Bad Boy Buggies vehicles, the Augusta facility also produces Cushman utility vehicles for the industrial and commercial markets, and E-Z-GO golf cars, utility vehicles and street-legal “low-speed vehicles” for consumers and golf facilities worldwide.

The plant was named one of Industry Week magazine’s top 10 plants in North America in 2009, and also received the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, often called “the Nobel Prize of manufacturing,” that same year. The facility is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, meaning that it has world-class procedures for manufacturing and environmental protection.

“We are excited to begin producing Bad Boy Buggies in our facility,” said Ron Draper, Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain for E-Z-GO. “By combining the industry-leading Bad Boy Buggies product line with the manufacturing capabilities and quality controls of our plant, we will build vehicles that offer consumers the highest quality, most features, and best performance available anywhere.”

For more information about Bad Boy Buggies, visit www.badboybuggies.com or join Bad Boy Buggies’ Facebook community at www.facebook.com/badboybuggies.

About Bad Boy Buggies
Bad Boy Buggies is a leader in utility vehicles for hunting and outdoor lifestyles. Bad Boy Buggies pioneered the category of electrically powered 4×4 vehicles, ideal for hunting and outdoor recreation due to their silent, odorless operation and environmentally friendly, emissions-free drivetrains. Today, the Bad Boy Buggies product line ranges from four-wheel-drive electric hunting machines such as the XTO, a fully electric, 4WD vehicle with seating for four, to the Work Series of diesel, gas- and electric-powered utility vehicles, including the Bad Boy Buggies XD, a versatile 4WD, diesel-powered utility vehicle with a total capacity of 1,600 pounds.

BB Buggies Inc. is an operating unit of the E-Z-GO division of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT).

GA State Senators Pass Constitutional Carry - For Themselves

Georgia Gun Owners

Kennesaw, Georgia --(Ammoland.com)- As many of you know, a number of pieces of firearms legislation were hurried through the Georgia State Senate over the last few days.

A last-second gun related amendment was added to a Senate bill yesterday that would grant “all persons holding elected state or local offices” the ability to carry a firearm WITHOUT a Georgia Weapons License.

The equivalent of Constitutional Carry.

Elected Republicans passed Constitutional Carry for themselves! Apparently it’s politics as usual down at the State Capitol in Atlanta.

What makes an elected official more deserving of a Constitutional right than you and I?

Contact your State Senators today – especially the Republicans – tell them that you don’t appreciate being considered a “second-class gun owner”:

State Senate contact info — Click HERE.

The good news is that there is still time to fix the problem.

Call and email your elected Representative today.

Demand that if they are going to pass Constitutional Carry for themselves that all Georgians should be included, not just elected officials.

State House contact info — Click HERE.

Make your voice heard.

For liberty,

About:
Georgia Gun Owners in a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots firearm advocacy organization dedicated to countering the gun control lobby through an aggressive program designed to mobilize gun owners and liberty activists across the State of Georgia, while seeking to enlist public support for legislation that would remove compulsory government requirements for gun owners throughout the state. Georgia Gun Owners’ mailing address is 1635 Old 41 Hwy., Ste. 112-202, Kennesaw, Georgia 30152. Georgia Gun Owners can be contacted at 678-719-2348. Georgia Gun Owners’ web address is www.georgiagunowners.org.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Georgia’s rare animals and plants need your help.

Conservation of this state’s nongame wildlife – from sea turtles to southeastern American kestrels – as well as native plants and natural habitats is supported largely by the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund. In turn, the fund depends on public contributions.

One main source of contributions is the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Yet giving through the checkoff has declined sharply since 2005.

The $205,000 donated in fiscal year 2010 marked the least amount since the 1990s.

What’s at stake? The checkoff and the Wildlife Conservation Fund have played a role in Georgia’s wildest success stories, such as the rebound of bald eagles and the acquisition of thousands of acres of prime habitat along the Altamaha River. This past year, fund-supported projects included the first coast-wide census of American oystercatchers and Wilson’s plovers in 10 years, surveys that discovered rare amber and freckled darters in the Coosawattee River, and hands-on conservation that reached nearly 50,000 students at six regional education centers.

By using the Wildlife Conservation Fund to attract and match federal and private grants, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section also gains about $1 for every 25 cents spent from the fund.

Nongame Conservation Assistant Chief Jon Ambrose has called the state income tax checkoff critical in “providing the match we need to get additional funding from other sources.”

More than 1,000 Georgia plant and animal species are species of conservation concern. This spring, make your mark to help them: Fill in any amount more than $1 on line 26 of the state’s long tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ).

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com/node/338 for more information, or call Nongame Conservation Section offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218). State income tax forms are available online at https://etax.dor.ga.gov/.

The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state appropriations for its mission to conserve nongame wildlife – native animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped – and native plants and habitats. The sales of bald eagle and hummingbird license plates also benefit the agency and the Wildlife Conservation Fund. Details at www.georgiawildlife.com.

Georgia Gun Owners

Kennesaw, Georgia --(Ammoland.com)- A number of states now allow law-abiding individuals to carry firearms for individual protection on college and university campuses.

Texas is soon to follow suit. About ten folks emailed me the following article yesterday. I thought I’d share it with you:

Why are firearms still prohibited on college and university campuses here in the State of Georgia?

Republicans have held enormous majorities in both houses of the legislature, and have had a Republican Governor, for many years now.

Here’s the bad news: last year, Republicans in Georgia supported a bill that codified into law the prohibition of firearms on college and university campuses.

And, so far in this session, Republican leadership has held up every piece of firearms legislation.

The good news is that there is a bill to do away with this prohibition — HB 55:

You and I need to continue to build pressure on our Republican legislators. Urge them to stop holding up the restoration of our liberties.

I have included two links below that will provide you with contact information for your State Representative and Senator.

Please give each of them a call today.

Remind them that when they tell you that they are “pro-gun” during election season, that you expect to hear from them publicly during legislative season.

• Contact your State Representative
• Contact your State Senator

For liberty,

About:
Georgia Gun Owners in a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots firearm advocacy organization dedicated to countering the gun control lobby through an aggressive program designed to mobilize gun owners and liberty activists across the State of Georgia, while seeking to enlist public support for legislation that would remove compulsory government requirements for gun owners throughout the state. Georgia Gun Owners’ mailing address is 1635 Old 41 Hwy., Ste. 112-202, Kennesaw, Georgia 30152. Georgia Gun Owners can be contacted at 678-719-2348. Georgia Gun Owners’ web address is www.georgiagunowners.org.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

ATLANTA , Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Gov. Nathan Deal recently recognized two corporate forest landowners in Georgia for their stewardship in land management and practices benefiting the state’s wildlife.

Georgia Power and Plum Creek were honored Wednesday, Feb. 9, for participating in the 2010 Forestry for Wildlife Partnership, a program administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

The Forestry for Wildlife Partnership is a voluntary annual program that promotes blending wildlife conservation into corporate forestry practices and offers choices through which landowners can build a program compatible with their forest management objectives.

“I applaud both Georgia Power and Plum Creek for their dedicated service to the Forestry for Wildlife Partnership and the state of Georgia,” Gov. Deal said Wednesday. “Their longtime commitment to Georgia’s forestlands is a vital component to the private sector and the state as a whole.”

The companies have helped improve more than 835,000 acres for wildlife. The Wildlife Resources Division recognized the two as Forestry for Wildlife Partners for integrating wildlife conservation practices into their forest management programs. Some of the practices included:

• Preparing wildlife conservation plans that detail natural resources inventories and outline management strategies that combine forest and wildlife aspects.
• Providing internal training opportunities for employees on how to blend forestland management with wildlife-friendly practices for multiple natural resource benefits.
• Incorporating wildlife management techniques into land-use planning and timber management practices.
• Providing valuable data for Wildlife Resources Division research projects.
• Providing public recreational opportunities on corporate forestlands.
• Participating in partnerships with conservation organizations through programs such as Partners in Flight, the Longleaf
• Alliance and the state Breeding Bird Atlas.
• Managing riparian forests for wildlife use and water quality protection.

Habitat is the key to wildlife abundance. Georgia has more than 24 million acres of forestland. Of that land base, 93 percent is privately owned. Corporate forest landowners manage about 12 percent.

Georgia Power helped develop the Forestry for Wildlife Partnership in the 1990s and Plum Creek joined in 2004. Pointing to that record, Wildlife Resources Division Director Dan Forster said the greatest measure of success in a conservation program is “sustained effort that produces repeatable results.”

“Long-term success means long-term commitment,” Forster said. “And that’s what we have with these partners.”

Conservation efforts benefiting from Forestry for Wildlife include management of endangered red-cockaded woodpecker habitats, bald eagle and swallow-tailed kite nesting, isolated wetlands critical to protected reptiles and amphibians, and rare remnant Coosa Valley prairie and Black Belt prairie habitats containing endangered plants. The partnerships also provide numerous public hunting opportunities.

2010 reviews of Plum Creek’s involvement in the program noted the company’s work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect wading bird rookeries and the use of less-intensive site preparations aimed at retaining native groundcover. Among other measures, Georgia Power has expanded its use of prescribed fire and developed conservation partnerships with many groups.

All of the conservation enhancement components and reporting procedures are compatible with the American Forest and Paper Association’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a voluntary approach in the forest industry to maintain high environmental standards on lands managed by corporate landowners.

Call (770) 761-1697 or go to www.georgiawildlife.com for more information about Forestry for Wildlife or other private lands initiatives.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Hey kids, do you like birds and love to draw or paint?

Georgia’s sixth annual Youth Birding Competition is offering a T-shirt Art Contest for resident children and teens. Many famous ornithologists were bird artists when they were young, so perhaps you could be the next John James Audubon, Roger Tory Peterson or David Allen Sibley!

A winner will be picked from each of the following age categories: primary (pre-K-second grade), elementary (third-fifth), middle school (sixth-eighth) and high school. One winner will be awarded the grand prize – their artwork will appear on the 2011 YBC T-shirt and they’ll receive a $100 gift card to Michaels. The three other winners will each receive a $50 Michaels gift card, redeemable for art supplies.

Entering is easy. Participants must draw or paint their favorite Georgia bird on paper or sheet canvas (at least 8-by-10 inches but no larger than 11-by-17 inches). Mail it in a large envelope – flat, not folded – in time to be received by 4 p.m. March 1 to: GA DNR-WRD, YBC T-shirt Art Contest (Attn: Linda May), 2065 US Hwy. 278 SE, Social Circle, GA 30025.

On a separate piece of paper, gently attached to the back of the artwork, include the participant’s name, school, age, grade level, mailing address, phone number, parent or teacher’s e-mail address and the species name of the bird depicted. The illustrated bird must be a wild species and native to Georgia. Please make sure the bird is the main focus of the artwork, and draw or paint its features as accurately as possible. Also keep in mind that rich colors will show up better on a T-shirt than faint pencil drawings.

Only one entry per person is allowed, and it must be the child’s artwork. Participation in the Youth Birding Competition is encouraged but not required to submit artwork for the T-shirt Art Contest.

Competitors in the birding event can pick up their submissions at the April 17 banquet at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, where select artwork will be displayed and winners announced.

Artwork from children and teens who do not take part in the Youth Birding Competition can either be picked up at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield during normal business hours or returned by mail – but only if a large, self-addressed envelope with four first-class stamps is included with the submission.

The 2011 Youth Birding Competition starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 16, and ends at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17. Groups may use as much or as little of that time to count as many birds as possible throughout Georgia. Although teams may start birding anywhere in the state, they must turn in their checklists at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center by 5 p.m. Sunday. While judges examine and score checklists, participants will enjoy a live animal show followed by an awards banquet packed with prizes.

For more information on the T-shirt Art Contest, visit www.georgiawildlife.com, click on the “Get Involved” tab and then the “YBC T-shirt Art Contest” link (www.georgiawildlife.com/node/950). You can also contact art contest coordinator Linda May at (770) 918-6792 or linda.may@dnr.state.ga.us.

The same web site includes Youth Birding Competition details, including how to register a team for this exciting event. You can also contact the competition coordinator Tim Keyes at (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.state.ga.us.

BRIEFLY: WILD FACTS: BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

Even if you’re not a biologist, you can help monitor bird population health. How? By participating in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count! Sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, this citizen science event is set for Feb. 18-21. Just count birds from a favorite place (perhaps your yard or a nature center) for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the days. Record the highest number of each species you see together at any one time. Then enter your checklist at www.birdsource.org/gbbc. By combining your count information with other nationwide data, the Great Backyard Bird Count provides an early warning system for birds in need of conservation help.

WILD Facts is a regular feature written by Linda May, environmental outreach coordinator with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Tim Keyes hope for the 2011 Youth Birding Competition is more birds and more birders.

“We always like to see the (bird) numbers increase, but hopefully participants will continue to increase,” as well, said Keyes, a Georgia Wildlife Resources Division biologist who coordinates the competition.

Bird and youth totals have been on the rise since the Wildlife Resources Division joined with The Environmental Resources Network Inc. and other partners to begin the 24-hour birdathon about six years ago. Greater participation fits the event’s long-term focus of cultivating a deep interest in wildlife and conservation.

Teams totaling more than 130 birders ages 6-18 and ranging from first-timers to veterans reported an amazing 184 bird species last year. There are about 200 bird species in Georgia during mid-spring.

The 2011 competition is April 16-17, with a Sunday evening banquet and awards ceremony at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield. Teams can register in age divisions varying from kindergarten to high school (participants compete against other teams their age, in four age divisions).

Fundraising is a voluntary component. Teams can raise money to support their chosen organization on a per-bird or lump sum basis.

The deadline to register is March 31.

The sixth annual competition includes a T-shirt Art Contest – enter by March 1 – and nature journal category, two areas in which Keyes and T-shirt Art Contest coordinator Linda May also welcome more entries. “There are so many different ways to appreciate birds other than just counting them,” Keyes said.

Participation in the birding competition is encouraged but not required to submit artwork for the T-shirt Art Contest.

All of the events are free.
The Youth Birding Competition is based on the World Series of Birding event in Cape May, N.J., and sponsored by the Wildlife Resources Division and T.E.R.N., the friends group of the division’s Nongame Conservation Section.

The competition starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 16, and ends at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17. Groups can use as much or as little of that time to count as many birds as possible throughout Georgia. Although teams may start birding anywhere in the state, they must arrive at the “finish line” at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center by 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Youth Birding Competition T-shirt Art Contest was started in 2008. It is open to Georgia residents in pre-K through high school. The grand-prize winner will receive a $100 Michaels gift card and their artwork will be featured on the 2011 Youth Birding Competition T-shirt. Other participants may win $50 Michaels gift cards.

For details on the T-shirt Art Contest, go to www.georgiawildlife.com/node/950 or contact Linda May at (770) 918- 6792 or linda.may@dnr.state.ga.us.

For more information about registering for the Youth Birding Competition, go to www.georgiawildlife.com/node/951, or contact Lacy Mitchell at Charlie Elliott Conference Center, (770) 784-3152 or lacy.mitchell@dnr.state.ga.us.

Tim Keyes, at (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.state.ga.us, can answer questions about the competition.

2011 Youth Birding Competition

** What: Free bird-a-thon and fundraiser for youth from kindergarten through high school. ** When: April 16-17. Registration is open. Deadline to enter: March 31. ** Where: Teams can bird anywhere in the state, but must arrive at the finish line at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield by 5 p.m. April 17. ** T-shirt Art Contest: Deadline to enter is March 1. Details at www.georgiawildlife.com/node/950 or contact Linda May at (770) 918- 6792 or linda.may@dnr.state.ga.us. ** Registration: Lacy Mitchell, Charlie Elliott Conference Center, (770) 784-3152 or lacy.mitchell@dnr.state.ga.us ** Competition contact: Tim Keyes, (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.state.ga.us ** Online: www.georgiawildlife.com/node/951

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Teachers and students across Georgia are invited to celebrate Georgia’s wildlife diversity from the mountains to the sea by participating in the annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest.

Whether walking through a cove forest in the mountains, canoeing down the Altamaha River or wandering Spanish-moss draped hammock forests on Sapelo Island, students can explore all the wildlife diversity Georgia’s natural habitats have to offer and illustrate their discoveries in the 21st annual conservation art contest.

This year’s competition theme, “Celebrating Georgia’s Wildlife from the Mountains to the Sea,” showcases the state’s native plant and animal diversity inhabiting each physiographic region, from the Appalachian Mountains in the Blue Ridge ecoregion to the sandy beaches of the barrier islands ecoregion. March 21 is the postmark deadline for entries in the state-level contest, which is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network, or T.E.R.N., friends group of the Nongame Conservation Section.

The poster contest is open to all kindergarten through 5th-grade students in public schools, private schools and home-school groups. Participants enter at the local school-level with drawings that depict their observations of Georgia’s native plants and animals. Top school-level entries proceed to the state contest at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens. First-, second- and third-place winners are chosen there for four divisions: kindergarten; first and second grade; third and fourth grade; and fifth grade.

The top 12 winners will be featured in the 2011-2012 Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest school-year calendar. All state-level contest winners also will be on display during weekends April 8-23 at Georgia DNR’s Go Fish Education Center in Perry.

The Go Fish Education Center offers an educational journey through Georgia’s watersheds to learn about our diverse aquatic wildlife, their natural habitats and the impacts of water pollution. Visitors can see live fish exhibits, explore Georgia’s underwater habitats from mountain streams to black water swamps, test their fishing skills with interactive fishing and boating simulators, and view aquatic wildlife, including alligators! Visit www.gofisheducationcenter.com for directions, fees and operating hours.

The goal of this year’s Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest theme is to generate a greater knowledge and appreciation of the state’s diverse and increasingly threatened wildlife and their habitats. It is only a deep concern and commitment to these wild places that will ensure their existence for future generations to enjoy.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com (click “Get Involved” and the poster contest link) or www.uga.edu/botgarden for contest rules, entry forms and further information about the 21st annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest. DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and T.E.R.N. have sponsored more than two decades of nongame wildlife exploration, education and art with the annual contest.

The Nongame Conservation Section, part of Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division, is charged with conserving nongame wildlife, including animals that are not hunted, fished for or trapped, plus native plants and natural habitats. The section receives no state general funds, depending instead on fundraisers such as the sale of the eagle and hummingbird license plates and the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation Section offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).

POSTER CONTEST at a glance ** 21st annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest ** Theme: “Celebrating Georgia’s Wildlife from the Mountains to the Sea” ** Emphasis: Generate a greater knowledge and appreciation of Georgia’s diverse and increasingly threatened nongame wildlife and their habitats. ** Postmark deadline for state-level contest entries: March 21. ** Top 12 winners showcased in 2011-2010 school-year calendar. ** State-level entries displayed at the Go Fish Georgia Education Center in Perry during weekends of April 8-23. ** Details: www.georgiawildlife.com/node/1110 or www.uga.edu/botgarden.

Patrick Parsons Meets with Representative Franklin to talk about the bill.

Georgia Gun Owners

Kennesaw, Georgia --(Ammoland.com)- I received some good news last night. A bill, H.B. 54, was introduced in the legislature to repeal the ban on carrying in places of worship.

Representative Bobby Franklin of Woodstock introduced the bill.

If you do one thing for liberty and gun rights today, please get on the phone and call your elected officials. Demand that they call for a public, up or down vote on H.B. 54 — AT ONCE! Once you call, please email me back and let me know what your legislators say.

Here is the number to call: 404-656-5020

Here is an excerpt from H.B. 54: www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/108249.pdf

H.B. 54 does not add one new word to current state law. It simply repeals the state’s ban on carrying in places of worship.

Recently, Representative Franklin invited me down to talk about the bill. He reiterated to me why it was so important for individuals to be able to protect themselves and their families in their places of worship.

There is no excuse for a Republican-dominated government here in Georgia to delay any longer.

Individuals in Georgia need to know that when they go to church or to their place of worship, they aren’t being left exposed to a rampaging thug who may one day walk in and shoot the place up.

You and I have an historic opportunity to change this gun law for the better here in Georgia.

Church Carry Bill Introduced in Georgia

Please forward this article to your fellow activists.

Your action is needed today!

About:
Georgia Gun Owners in a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots firearm advocacy organization dedicated to countering the gun control lobby through an aggressive program designed to mobilize gun owners and liberty activists across the State of Georgia, while seeking to enlist public support for legislation that would remove compulsory government requirements for gun owners throughout the state. Georgia Gun Owners’ mailing address is 1635 Old 41 Hwy., Ste. 112-202, Kennesaw, Georgia 30152. Georgia Gun Owners can be contacted at 678-719-2348. Georgia Gun Owners’ web address is www.georgiagunowners.org.