GAINESVILLE - The public will now have more places to hunt on the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area thanks to efforts by governmental agencies, sportsmen's organizations and a private landowner.
A previously closed road that limited access recently re-opened just in time for the openign of turkey season in Georgia.
A partnership of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife
Resources Division (WRD), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)
(National, State and local Amicalola Longbeard Chapters), a local land
owner and Dawson County has resulted in establishing access to a portion
of the WMA that had been blocked since 2004. Under the NWTF "More
Places To Hunt" Program, a small piece of property was purchased that
would restore access to the WMA.
"Thanks to our valued conservation partners and interested private
landowners this project enhances access to 4,700 acres of the Dawson
Forest Management Area," said Ken Riddleberger, Region 2 Game
Management Supervisor for WRD. "Access to hunting lands has been
identified as a barrier to hunting and this project is one effort to
address that need."
The new access point originates off of Stone Place Court (off Steele
Bridge Road) and travels to a large portion of the WMA. Previous
permission to access the WMA at this point was lost when the adjacent
property changed ownership. Following the sale of the neighboring
property in 2009 the new owner, Randy Grant, indicated that he would be
agreeable to opening the access point to the public. The NWTF provided
funding for the the state to acquire the property. Also, Dawson County
agreed to take control of the private road that connected to the newly
acquired access point.
Monday
October 14th, 2024
8:24AM
