SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — Georgia’s white-tailed deer population is a great natural resource that provides aesthetic, consumptive, and economic value. Each year, approximately 300,000 deer hunters harvest nearly 400,000 deer over the course of the deer season. The annual economic impact of deer hunting in Georgia exceeds $890 million and supports more than 11,000 jobs. In addition to hunting, a number of key issues and opportunities are linked directly to this resource. These include, among others, wildlife viewing, ecological functions, agricultural damage, and deer-car collisions. Properly managing this resource is vitally important and can be a challenging and, at times, controversial topic.
WRD’s successful management efforts are informed through biological data, public input and management objectives identified in the agency’s statewide deer management plan, developed through an intensive public participation process. WRD is seeking to continue integrating public involvement by asking for your comments on the Draft of Georgia’s 10-year Deer Management Plan (DMP).
Toward that goal, WRD is requesting your participation in 8 statewide public meetings, scheduled in mid-August. These meetings are the final opportunity to allow members of the public to provide input regarding the Draft DMP. “We value the public’s awareness of and participation in this important process,” says John W. Bowers, Chief of Game Management. “We are looking forward to great participation at all of the meetings and encourage those interested to attend.”
During these meetings, citizens will be given an overview of stakeholder recommendations and WRD proposed actions on key deer management issues followed by a public comment period. Some of these issues include: deer population densities; seasons and bag limits; hunting methods; hunter access; urban deer management; and education and outreach.
Monday, August 18
City of Monroe Community Center,
602 East Church Street,
Monroe, GA 30655
Monday, August 18
Town’s Bluff Heritage Center
54 Riverwood Trail,
Hazlehurst, Georgia, 31539
Tuesday, August 19
Fire Station Community Center,
1190 Evenflo Drive,
Canton, GA 30114
Tuesday, August 19
Leesburg Library,
245 Walnut Avenue,
Leesburg, GA 31763
Wednesday, August 20
Monroe County Library,
62 West Main Street,
Forsyth, GA 31029
Wednesday, August 20
Greystone Power Auditorium,
4040 Bankhead Highway,
Douglasville, GA 30134
Thursday, August 21
Loudsville Methodist Church,
1493 Highway 75 Alternate,
Cleveland, GA 30528
Thursday, August 21
Susan Shipman Building,
One Conservation Way,
Brunswick, GA 31520
For those unable to attend the public meetings, comments will be accepted until September 5th, 2014.
The complete draft plan will be available August 1st, 2014 and comments may be submitted electronically at http://www.gohuntgeorgia.com/Hunting/Meetings. Written comments may be sent to: WRD Game Management, Attn: Charlie Killmaster, 2065 U.S. Hwy. 278 SE, Social Circle, GA 30025.
For more information on the Georgia Deer Management Plan or to view the key issues, visit http://www.gohuntgeorgia.com/Hunting/Meetings or call 706-557-3260.
Citizen Sportsman 