Page 2B
iRL porter
September 4, 2019
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
or the past few
weeks, I have
been writing a
series of columns
dealing with
hunting. This may seem
strange, however, the truth
of the matter is late Augus
and the first couple of
weeks in September, are
awash with hunting-related
matters. A num-
ber of quota hunt
deadlines occur
in late August and
four different hunt-
ing seasons open
during the first two
weeks in Septem-
ber.
Last week I
reported on the
opening of the TERRY
Dove Hunting
Season on Sept. 7. It just so
happens the first segment
of the 2019-20 Canada
Goose Hunting season
also commences on the
seventh. This portion of
the season runs from Sept.
7-29. Three additional divi-
sions will follow it. These
installments are Oct.
12-27, Nov. 23-Dec. 1 and
Dec. 12-Jan. 31.
During the 2019-20
Canada Goose Hunting
Season hunters will be able
to legally bag up to five
Canada geese per da)n The
possession limit is 15.
If you are scratching your
head trying to figure out
the reason why a Canada
goose season opens so
early, it is because the birds
that we see flying about
Georgia at that time of
the year are residents. In
other words, they do not
migrate. They are hatched
and raised in the Peach
State. Consequently, the
geese harvested in Septem-
ber will not affect the con-
tinent's migratory Canada
goose population. Mean-
while it offers additional
hunting opportunities for
Georgia hunters.
On Sept. 14 the Early
Teal Hunting Season begin
and runs through Sept.
29. During this special sea-
son hunters will be allowed
to harvest six
teal per day.
The posses-
sion limit on
these tiny
ducks is 18.
Legal shoot-
ing hours for
Canada geese
and teal are a
half hour be-
W. JOHNSON fore sunrise to
sunset. Blue-
winged teal migrate from
their breeding grounds in
the northern prairies and
parklands as far south as
the Dakotas. The bluew-
ing's principal wintering
grounds stretch across
Central and South Amer-
ica. Some birds, however,
winter in Florida.
The blue-winged teal
migrates farther south than
any other duck that breeds
in North America. One
banded bird was recovered
in Peru.
The green-winged teal
nests from the Aleutian
Islands across Canada and
the northern United States
as far south as central Kan-
sas and Minnesota. The
birds that wing their way
down the Atlantic Flyway
winter from along the
South Carolina and Geor-
gia coasts into Florida.
The rationale behind the
early teal season is slightly
different from that behind
the Canada goose season.
~,~i~ ~
The blue-winged teal migrates farther south than any other
Since blue-winged teal
migrate very early and
most winter well south of
the United States, south-
ern duck hunters would
have practically no chance
of e(,er bagging a blue-
winged without an early
teal season.
In the case of the green-
winged teal, most green-
wings are normally well
north of Georgia in mid
September, although a few
do reach Georgia during
the month. Consequently,
a few will be bagged during
an early season. How-
ever, since many winter in
Georgia, hunters will have
a better chance to bag one
later in the year.
If you plan on hunting
teal and/or Canada geese
ii~.~,~
duck that breeds in North America, (Photo/Terry Johnson)
on the Rum Creek Wildlife on the Rum Creek-BerryA complete listing of
Management Area dur- Creek Area throughout the all state and federal lands
ing these early seasons, entire archery season,open to archers this season
keep in mind you can do The archery deer hunting and regulations relating to
so Wednesday through dates for the Rum Creek archery deer hunting can
Sunday only from one- WMA are Sept. 14-Oct. 6 be found in the 2019-20
half hour before sunrise and Nov. 23-29. Deer of edition of the Georgia
to noon during the state either sex can be harvested Hunting and Regulations
seasons for these species, during both segments. Guide. The guide is avail-
Archery Deer Season Hunters will be able to able at all hunting license
also begins Sept. 14. This hunt deer with archerydealers and online at www.
season is open through equipment on the Pied-GoHuntGeorgia.com.
Jan. 14. mont National Wildlife
The season bag limit for Refuge Sept. 14-Oct. 6. Terry Johnson is retired
white-tailed deer is 12. No Contact the refuge office at Program Manager of the
more than 10 may be ant- 478-986-5441 for details. Georgia Nongame-Endan-
ledess and no more than This season the Oconeegered Wildlife Program. He
two may be antlered. One National Forest has set has written the informative
of the antlered deer must aside Sept. 14 throughcolumn "Monroe Outdoors"
have at least four points, Oct. 11 for archery only for the Reporter for many
one inch or longer, on one deer hunting. Call theyears. His book, "A Journey
side of the antlers. U.S. Forest Service office to Discovery," is available at
Either sex archery deer at 706-485-1776 for more The Reporter. Email him at
hunting will be permitted information, tjwoodduck@bellsouth.net.
Mary Persons freshman Anna Woodgeard roped this two-run double during the MP JV
squad's 17-5 home loss to Crawford County on Wednesday. (Photo/Richard Dumas)
By Richard Dumas MP will then face Rutland
forsyth@mymcr.net in a non-region home
contest at 5:55 p.m. on
The Mary Persons soft- Wednesday before heading
ball team got offto a poor back on the road to face
start in region play with a region foe Spalding at 5:55
pair of road losses, p.m. on Thursday. MP will
The Lady Dogs were then take on Pike County
pounded 12-4 at Upson- in a non-region road game
Lee on Thursday just two at 5:55 p.m. on Monday
days after being shut out before hosting Perry in a
7-0 at West Laurens on region contest at 6 p.m. on
Tuesday, Aug. 27. Tuesday, Sept. 10.
The Lady Dogs, 6-7 Meanwhile, the MP IV
overall (0-2 in Region Lady Dogs were ham-
2-AAAA), were next mered 17-5 at home by
scheduled to host Howard Crawford County on
in their region home open- Wednesday. MP's Anna
er at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Woodgeard had three
RBIs, including a two-run
Meeting All Your Insurance Needs
Auto Home. Life. Business
Personal Umbrella Policies
Let us show you how much we
can save you on your insurance.
57 S.
Jane Pennington
Yoff~ In 8oot'~ hands
Lee St. Forsyth, GA 478-994-0850
JanePennington@allstate.com
double to left-center in the
bottom of the first. Also,
MP's Lily Martin blasted
a towering solo homer to
left-center on the first pitch
of the bottom of the sixth
inning.
The IV Lady Dogs will
next host Rutland at 4:30
p.m. on Wednesday before
going on the road to take
on Spalding at 4:30 p.m.
on Thursda)n The MP IV
will then head back on the
road to face Pike County
at 4:30 p.m. on Monday
before returning home to
host Perry at 4:30 p.m. on
Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Also, the Monroe County
Middle School Lady Dogs
were scheduled to play
their first road contest of
the season at Clifton Ridge
at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The
C-Team Lady Dogs will
then return home to face
Gray Station at 5 p m. on
Thursday before heading
back on the road to take
on Henderson Middle at 5
p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
