By Curtis Parrott

Hunting season is in full swing now and the weather is starting to get cooler. The State of Georgia has some of the besting hunting in the southeast. Gun season is in for deer, which the state has a lot of. For hunters that don’t have the use of private land, Georgia has a multitude of WMA’s to choose from all over the state for public hunting opportunities. Interactive maps for all WMA’s are available at www.georgiawildlife.com/AllWMAs.com.

If you have private property you can hunt on, there has been one big change this year in the hunting regulations. Deer may be hunted over or near any bait on private lands in all counties, provided the hunter has written permission from the land owner. It is still unlawful to hunt deer over bait or place bait on any state or federally managed lands. Wild feral hogs are a big problem in Georgia. Feral hogs may be hunted over or near bait on private lands year-round in every county provided that the bait is not placed within 50 yards of any property ownership boundary.

One of the problems we have at the Red Oak Ranch, like many others in the state, is coyotes running loose and causing havoc. Recently two of the little thief’s showed up at 2:30 in the morning to steal one of our chickens. Well, Doc our rooster went out to fight them but was overwhelmed by superior numbers. May he rest in peace.

If your gun gets dropped it’s a good idea to check those sights or your scope before going back out and possibly missing a good shot. Most people aren’t lucky enough to have their own private shooting range. The DNR provides many archery and target firearms shooting ranges around the state for your convenience.

Hunting is a great way to get out into nature. It’s also a wonderful way to introduce your kids and grandkids to this excellent sport. It teaches them respect for the land, gun safety and how they can help wildlife management in the future. It’s always a good idea to get the family out for a great hunt and camping trip.

Please send me your hunting and trophy pictures, cdp6400@gmail.com, and I’ll post them in the next edition of the Georgia HVAC Insider.

Georgia has many hunting opportunities throughout the year, you can check out all the latest information at www.gohuntgeorgia.com. Get that license and go hunting!

Keep the Faith!