Gun Season Opens This Saturday

All hunters, old and young, can take to the woods this weekend with firearms in anticipation of killing that big buck they have always dreamed of or maybe take a doe to put some meat in the freezer.

However, these young ladies have already had success.

Lacy Wood (above) killed this buck with a bow last month, while 11-year-old Taylor Wages hunted primitive weapons season with a firearm, which is allowed for children, and took this big 20-point buck last Sunday. Miss Wages was hunting on family land in Jasper County.

Miss Wood is the granddaughter of John and Janice Dumas of Hillsboro. It was her first bow kill. Miss Wages is the daughter of Maylon and Magen Wages of Monticello.

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The Monticello News will publish a special Deer Festival section on Thursday, Nov. 3, in anticipation of the Deer Festival on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Monticello News welcomes submissions from all successful hunters, and we need them as soon as possible, hopefully no later than Monday, Oct. 31.

Jasper Countians can expect a large influx of hunters this weekend, as opening weekend of firearm season always brings lots of hunters to the county.

The Deer Capital group is trying to keep a record of all deer harvested here as part of a study of the local deer herd. Forms are available at various places around the county, including all Deer Capital sponsors. Call 706-468-6511 for more information.

“Regulated hunting is the most cost effective and efficient means of managing the deer herd,” says John W. Bowers, assistant chief of Game Management for the Wildlife Resources Division.

More than one million acres of public hunting land is available to hunters in Georgia, including more than 100 state-operated wildlife management areas. In addition to traditional hunters, many special hunts are offered, including ladies-only and adult/child hunts.

Dates and locations for these hunts, as well as WMA maps, are available in the 2011-2012 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/regulations.

During the 2010-2011 firearms deer season, 299,894 licensed hunters harvested more than 386,050 deer in Georgia.