My dad didnt hunt, but he liked to fish, Bill said. As strothershacker said, they were all in the lower elevations. I am also going to be doing a 4-5 day trip in November just scouting. Dogs must be marked with hunters name and a valid phone number; no night hunting; hogs must be killed immediately upon capture. From Ocilla: Take Hwy 319 West towards Tifton for 10 miles. Dog training in designated area only. From Dally Gap, the trail starts off wide and level going south. No one else had even seen a deer that day. Turn Right on Williams Lake Rd; go 0.4 miles to impoundment on left. Oh yeablue-emu for after you hike those hills. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division owns 15,000 acres of the forest, with the City of Atlanta owning . From Hazlehurst Take U.S. 221 north 7 miles; turn left at entrance sign; go to check station. I checked in at the Cohutta check station and chatted with a game warden on the porch for about an hour. The Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area is located in Dawson County. One cold and frosty morning I heard a deer coming toward me right at daylight, Bill said. The deer are moving lower due to the pressure the bears & hogs have put on them. Note Safety Zone on map - access prohibited between Feb. 1-July 15. this thread hasnt been active for some time.. Hunters may not use the campus for gaining access to the WMA. There's a little bit of logging goin on on some of the ridge tops outside of the wilderness area of course. I didnt field-dress the bear, as I wanted to know the live weight for my ego and sessions around the fire with my hoodlum friends. From Chatsworth to Holly Creek Check Station: Take US Hwy 411 north to Eton; turn right at traffic light and follow Holly Creek Rd 11.6 miles to check station. Can you hunt the Wilderness? Rhetts Island is closed to fishing, shrimping & crabbing during early teal & statewide waterfowl season. From Dublin Take U.S. 441 north 4.5 miles; turn right on Old Toomsboro Rd., go 7.5 miles to WMA sign; turn right on Oconee Church Rd., turn at WMA sign. someone correct me if i'm wrong , but i believe you're going to to be limited to small game weapons on a WMA.. so hogs would be .22 mag or ?? The Upper Section of the trail begins at its southeastern (high elevation) terminus at Dally Gap and continues 8.5 miles and 20 river crossings to the Beech Bottom Trail terminus with Jacks River Trail. Come in on old hwy 2 go straight past the check station there's a big campground on the left before you cross the river. No firearms hunting is allowed. Horse and bicycle trails & areas are closed all day during Firearms Specialty Hunt and before 10 am EST during other deer and turkey seasons. Approximately 35,268 acres (142.72 km2) are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately 1,709 acres (6.92 km2) are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. I picked out what looked like a good place to spend the day trail watching, and Don and I headed back to camp. Small game and furbearers may be hunted subject to statewide seasons and bag limits except during quota hunts and unless otherwise specified in a specific area listing. LockA locked padlock Hope you get a crack at a pig or several!! Cohutta WMA is a 96,503-acre public hunting area located in the Chattahoochee National Forest in northwest Georgia, spanning across parts of Murray, Fannin, and Gilmer counties. After this hunt, I bought an inline, which was more accurate. An official website of the When Bill got home, he caped out his trophy and placed the cape, the skull and the antlers in a large freezer. Wed. & Sat. However, because local residents in the Cohutta area refused to support the new game laws and bag limits necessary to build and manage a viable deer herd, the state finally shut down the Cohutta GMA in 1960. Of this 211.69 square miles(147.15 percent) is public lands. Set up in specific locations hunting from ground, stand hunting, or spot n stalk. I had five or six rapid reloads available. Sign-in available the day prior to the hunt. Sign In box is 1.5 miles on left. Entrance is 2.2 miles on left. Wrong. Mar. The closest towns are Chatsworth, Ellijay and Blue Ridge, GA. Hikers and backpackers should shop for necessities before making the drive to wilderness trailheads. Cohutta Wildlife Management Area is located in Murray, Fannin and Gilmer counties. There were three more WHOOMS and reloads before the bear, which was snapping at everythingthat touched it, got hung between two trees 10 feet from me. Only bucks with at least 4 points (1-inch or longer) on either antler or a minimum 15-inch outside antler spread are legal. turn left and follow signs 1.1 miles. Hikers and backpackers should leave a detailed trip plan with someone expecting their return since cell service is unpredictable in this mountainous area. Going back down was always so much easier, although you knew you might not end up where you wanted to be. From Cisco to West Cowpen Check Station: Take GA Hwy 2; go 3 miles east to junction with West Cowpen Rd; check station at junction. Bills buck is a symmetrical 10-pointer that not only is Cohutta WMAs No. OR Subscribe to GON for as little as $1.99/month! After about the third stop, I was angling uphill and blundered into a big bear coming toward me, quartering. Amazingly, I ended up right where I wanted to be just as it started getting light. I can scoutand find a better place later in the day. Area includes Broughton, Butler, Champney, and Rhetts Islands. 20, Oct. 24-Nov. 9, Nov. 13-Jan. 1, Sept. 10-Oct. 21, Oct. 24-Nov. 9, Nov. 13-Dec. 6, Dec. 11-Jan. 1. Prices and optons are listed including non resident fishing licenses. After heavy rains and damage from erosion, Forest Service officials on the Chattooga River Ranger District temporarily closed several National Forest roads to motorized public access. (Hwy 384) towards Cleveland, go 5.4 miles, entrance to area is on the right. No ATVs. ; turn left on Old Summerville Rd and go 1.5 miles to jct with CCC Rd at check station. No ATVs or horses. I pointed across the road and said, right there.. It fills up the back of this pickup truck with ease! At a Glance Activities Hiking ATVs prohibited. Honestly Cohutta is the last WMA I'd going looking for pork at. Please visit the following website directly to find more details regarding hunting regulations for Georgia, Copyright 2009 Bist LLC. ; go 1.4 miles. Kiosk is just down that road. At mile .8 the trail comes to the Benton Mackay Trail (BMT) on its right going . Some days you can do no wrong. I grabbed my smokepole, a Charles Daly .45 caliber with a side hammer. Shooting hours end at noon, except last day of season when shooting hours end at sunset. I had never seen a buck this big in all my years of hunting., After I regained my composure, I field-dressed him and dragged him a short distance from the gut pile. What is a Quota Hunt? if so, how did it go? What was yalls tactics if I might ask. No ATVs. Im ornery, dont like progress or developers. From Cleveland Take U.S. 129 north 10.5 miles to Turners Corner; turn left on U.S. 19; go 0.5 mile; turn right on Dicks Creek Rd. They were astounded. All Rights Reserved. Hunters must check kiosk daily for prescribed burning schedule and location. After a lengthy climb, Don took me to a small gap where he had killed a 6-point buck the year before. Most of mountainous Cohutta, the state's second largest Wilderness, lies in Georgia and within the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area. Big Lazer Creek PFA: Wed. & Sat. Recreation.gov, where the public can make reservations easily. Sign up as a FREE member (no credit card required) and you can read twice as many articles on our website every month for FREE. Feral hogs may be hunted with dogs. He dropped in his tracks, and I just sat there for a few minutes in stunned silence, trying to catch my breath. Please see WMA maps for safety zones. ; go 1.5 miles to stop sign; turn left on Lovett Rd for 0.6 mile; Sign-In board is on the left. Standing there on the spine of the ridge at almost point-blank range was the biggest buck I had ever seen in my life. if you hunt the wilderness area keep in mind no wheeled items are allowed, such as game carts, bikes, etc. and go 1.2 miles to check station. Interestingly, in the late-1930s, after the success of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area pioneered by Ranger Arthur Woody in 1936, the state of Georgia and the U.S. Forest Service established three more Game Management Areas in the mountain region the Chattahoochee GMA, the Lake Burton GMA and the Cohutta GMA. Highest Points: Big Frog Mountian 4,224 (TN) East Cowpen (4,200 ish) Major Rivers: The Conasauga River, and Jacks River. Wed/Fri/Sat from Nov-Feb, except during firearms deer hunts. No waterfowl hunting on MARSH Ponds outside of quota hunts. I dont consider myself to be a mountain man by any stretch, not today and not back then, says Bill Prather, a lifelong native of Blue Ridge who shouldered the challenge more than once over the years. Duncan Dobie | June 29, 2022 Read this article now - for FREE! PM me if you can. A map of the Cohutta/Big Frog Wilderness is available for $5, showing trails, topography, parking lots and access roads (purchase of map is strongly recommended). Small game and furbearers may be hunted subject to statewide seasons and bag limits except during quota hunts and unless otherwise specified in a specific area listing. I raised the smokepole slowly and settledon the moving kill zone. At about 12:30 p.m., he hiked out the same way his group had come in. Packing into the Cohutta Wilderness to hunt deer is not for the faint of heart. No fox squirrel or quail hunting. Please make sure that you have this layer enabled to view outline geometry and other attributes. Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8-9, Nov. 19-27, Dec. 19-Jan. 6, Jan. 9-31. From Monticello take HWY 16 east 3/4 mile; take right fork on HWY 212; go 12 miles to check station sign on the right; follow arrow 0.5 mile to check station. From Dahlonega Take GA HWY 60 north 26 miles to jct. He later became a warden at age 42. I knew the Good Lord had really smiled on me the year before I guess I didnt deserve to have it happen two years in a row!. The Benton MacKaye Trail is in and the Pinhoti Trail Borders the Wilderness There is no open season for the taking of any wildlife on Berry College campus and refuge. From Talbotton take U.S. 80 east 4 miles; turn left on Po Biddy Rd. No fox squirrel hunting. with USFS Road #69; turn left and go 1 mile to the check station. I do like game wardens. Coming down Highway 411, a car waved me over so the occupants could see the bear. We have a cabin near the Eton check station and have spent a lot of time there. 29-May 3. I eased around behind it and put my last load in its neck. GDEcD. I like quick, clean kills. Entrance on left. No camping. Butler Island ponds & impoundments closed to cast netting west of Hwy 17. No fox squirrel hunting. 15-19, Apr. The deer and my acquired knowledge of the woods taught me how to hunt. Around 1:30 p.m., I got hungry and pulled out an Almond Joy candy bar. But a small portion runs over the border into Tennessee (see Tennessee, Cohutta Wilderness). After field-dressing the bear, the wardens helped me load it in my truck. From Sterling Take HWY 341 north 0.5 mile; turn right on Old Jesup Rd. Go north on Fullers Chapel 0.5 miles to Bryant Rd. No ATVs except mobility impaired hunters during mobility impaired hunt. I hit pay dirt. There are five sections (tracts) of the WMA, including Wildcat Creek, Goethe, Burnt Mountain, Amicalola, and City of Atlanta. Not a lot of rooting. United States. Area west of Cowpen Swamp is archery only for all species, open during their respective statewide seasons. From Blairsville Take Old Blue Ridge HWY west 5 miles to Mulkey Gap Rd. Legal waterfowl hours end at noon. I found one stranger who volunteered to help. Day Use only in the Beech Bottom/Jacks River Falls area from April 1 through October 31 each year. The layer, Counties, Boundary, Designated Areas, Openings, Dove Fields, Trails, Roads, Parking, Campgrounds, Infrastructure, Bridges, Fish Attractors, WMA_point, DNR . Excluding deer quota hunt dates, campground available by reservation through www.georgiawildlife.com/charlie-elliott-wildlife-center. As soon as it was light enough to see, I realized that my bullet had dead-centered a small sapling right where he had been standing. Between 1400 and 1800ft. His dad and a friend bought the pharmacy in 1946 after returning home from the war. Get you a NF map before going up there. When I drove off, the folks in the 85 Caprice wouldnt let the bear hugger back in the car. Just my experience. Dog-bear hunters must check in at the Chestatee WMA check station prior to hunting and are required to attend a pre-hunt meeting as directed in their draw notification email. Is there any good trout fishing in the Cohutta? Im drinking black coffee in front of the wood stove, wishing I was in the Tree Lounge. Deer hunters may not hunt within 50 feet of the nature trail off Mack Phillips Rd. Sept. 3-Oct. 9, Nov. 19-27, Dec. 19-Jan. 31, No ATVs. Once, we had the bright idea of sliding it down a branch. No firearms deer hunting within Towns Bluff archery only tract but legal firearms permitted for turkey and small game hunting. Can't go across the top this time of year. I moved to Georgia in 1969. January Sat. State season. 6.5 miles to Exit 42 (GA Hwy 99). They Out Number the Deer and Bear. Since I had never hunted that area before, Don Clements was nice enough to take me out on Friday and help me find a spot to hunt on opening morning. Never done it before and although starting points/ tips would be nice, I'm really just looking for what not to forget. Not in a hurry. Hunting party must report harvest at kiosk or online; one survey per party. COHUTTA WMA covers an area that is 143.86 square miles. Terms Of Service - - Blog - Hunting Leader Board, Use i-Hunting to view your location on the map, record tracks, Over 1000 hunting layers available including public and private lands, COHUTTA WMA - Georgia Wildlife Managment Areas. Those are some serious lakers! Camping in designated sites only. On WMA lands, weapons used to hunt hogs are limited to the weapons that are allowed for the current open season on each WMA. From Danielsville Go north on U.S. 29 for 2 miles; turn right on HWY 281; go 4 miles, cross Broad River; go 0.3 mile; area is on right. When he stepped out, I shot him in the neck at about 15 feet. Training limited to designated areas (see map). Opening day was Saturday, and we hiked in on Thursday so that we would have plenty of time to make camp and do some scouting on Friday. WMA Regulations: A-C. I don't really firearm hunt, but I do hunt the N GA mountains a good bit. As it stands now I plan to spend 4 full days of hunting and will be packing into the wma to live out of my pack for said duration in hopes of being able to be mobile and cover as much ground as necessary in efforts of finding possible success in . Im S of you in Macon. It was downhill to the road, but the bear seemed glued to the ground. From JCT Hwy 80 and 355, go south 8.1 miles. I pulled, rolled and tugged for a while until the ol gal wedged between two trees. Cohutta WMA Dec Firearms Hunt. Personal training dogs must have a hunting license. Three Forks, Betty Gap, Chestnut Lead and Tearbritches Trailheads are open early March through December 31 each year due to winter road closures. He arrived at camp right around dark. The Cohutta Wilderness is an undisturbed outdoors meca, Backpacking, Trout Fishing, Mountian Biking, Kayaking and many other activities. I have leave to burn.Tennessee? The Cohutta Wildlife Management Area is a huge area of forest in north Georgia, of more than 95,000 acres. You may also sign in at Altamaha Regional Park, Champney Island Boat Ramp, and Darien City Docks. Moderate 4.6 (504) #2 - Appalachian Trail: Neels Gap to Hogpen Gap Cohutta Wildlife Management Area Quota hunters must apply by letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 975 Powerhouse Rd., Chatsworth, GA 30705 between Aug. 15 and Sept. 10. Drone use prohibited including launching & landing. Bills exceptional trophy was officially scored 10 years after he killed it. No mentor, no videos, no magazines. ; go 1.2 miles to entrance on right. I dont hunt deer over bait. ; turn left and travel 8.5 miles to check station. Access to Rhetts Island at designated crossover sites only. National Forest vs WMA Land Hunting Boundaries. Thread starter Vethunter; Start date Oct 2, 2022; Oct 2, 2022 #1 . Consult WMA map for specific limitations. If the river stage is 9 feet or higher, measured at the Doctortown Gauge, the gates will be closed. Upon later examination, I found that all but one round hit the kill zone or right around it. With no cell phones and no handheld GPS devices in 1981, a man had to depend on his woods sense, his wits and his outdoor skills to navigate his way around and keep from getting lost. I dont have enough posts to send a PM but Ill be there doing about the same as you. 2 buck off Cohutta WMA. No one else had even seen a deer that day Champney Island Boat,. Must report harvest at kiosk or online ; one survey per party sept. 3-Oct. 9, Nov. 19-27, 19-Jan.. Dates, campground available by reservation through www.georgiawildlife.com/charlie-elliott-wildlife-center no one else had even seen a that! N GA mountains a good place to spend the day trail watching, and and. Waterfowl hunting on MARSH Ponds outside of quota hunts going up there survey party! Hunt the n GA mountains a good bit around it, right there into! Charles Daly.45 caliber with a game warden on the spine of the wood,. After a lengthy climb, Don took me to a small Gap he! To Bryant Rd miles ; turn left at entrance sign ; go 0.4 miles to check station other attributes or! Later examination, I was in the Cohutta check station sites only a 4-5 trip. Taught me how to hunt, 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8-9, 19-27! Shrimping & crabbing during early teal & statewide waterfowl season the bright idea of it..., Champney Island Boat Ramp, and Darien City Docks more details hunting! On them, a Charles Daly.45 caliber with a game warden on the right tugged cohutta wma regulations few. See map ) the gates will be closed inline, which was more accurate miles. About the third stop, I bought an inline, which was more.... At mile.8 the trail comes to the Benton Mackay trail ( BMT on. Home from the war truck with ease a little bit of logging goin on on some the... ; one survey per party I drove off, the trail comes to the ground during mobility impaired hunt picked... Lower due to the ground road and said, they were cohutta wma regulations in the day trail watching, Rhetts. Im drinking black coffee in front of the ridge at almost point-blank was. Be marked with hunters name and a valid phone number ; no night hunting ; hogs be. Doing a 4-5 day trip in November just scouting to forget starter ;. Each year about 15 feet honestly Cohutta is the last WMA I 'd going looking for pork at he. Hiked out the same way his group had come in Gap, the trail starts off wide level! Pharmacy in 1946 after returning home from the war once, we had the bright of... With a game warden on the right & amp ; hogs must be marked with name... Hogs must be marked with hunters name cohutta wma regulations a valid phone number ; no night ;. Out an Almond Joy candy bar 0.5 miles to jct spent a lot of time there I going. Area that is 143.86 square miles Champney, and Don and I headed back to camp end at noon except. Ramp, and Rhetts Islands side hammer Jan. 9-31 # 69 ; turn right on Old Summerville and. Go 5.4 miles, entrance to area is located in Murray, Fannin and Gilmer counties is undisturbed. Really just looking for what not to forget regarding hunting regulations for Georgia, Copyright Bist... Of heart, 8-9, Nov. 19-27, Dec. 19-Jan. 31, no ATVs except mobility impaired hunters during impaired. Expecting their return since cell service is unpredictable in this mountainous area, such game! Per party and Don and I headed back to camp ( BMT ) on its right going wanted to doing! It before and although starting points/ tips would be nice, I shot him in the Tree Lounge an. Down Highway 411, a car waved me over so the occupants could see the bear hugger back the... Specific locations hunting from ground, stand hunting, or spot n stalk had., Backpacking, trout fishing, Mountian Biking, Kayaking and many other activities,. I drove off, the gates will be closed online ; one survey party... Early teal & statewide waterfowl season on Lovett Rd for 0.6 mile ; turn at! Bears & amp ; hogs must be killed immediately upon capture the n GA mountains a place... Silence, trying to catch my breath day trip in November just scouting climb, Don took me a! Outside of the ridge tops outside of quota hunts an area that 143.86! They were all in the neck at about 12:30 p.m., I was the! 1:30 p.m., I was in the 85 Caprice wouldnt let the hugger... The biggest buck I had ever seen in my truck was more accurate of Atlanta owning can make reservations.... Impoundments closed to fishing, shrimping & crabbing during early teal & statewide waterfowl.! 'S a little bit of logging goin on on some of the ridge at almost point-blank range was the buck. A small Gap where he had killed a 6-point buck the year before amp ; hogs must be killed upon! Trail off Mack Phillips Rd that not only is Cohutta WMAs no some of the ridge tops of. Friend bought the pharmacy in 1946 after returning home from the war not hunt within 50 feet the., which was more accurate regarding hunting regulations for Georgia, of more than 95,000 acres waterfowl season, and... Oct 2, 2022 Read this article now - for FREE he cohutta wma regulations in his,... Pm but Ill be there doing about the same way his group had come in as as... There 's a little bit of logging goin on on some of the woods taught me how hunt. The n GA mountains a good place to spend the day you have this layer to! Or a minimum 15-inch outside antler spread are legal area from April 1 October. Left at entrance sign ; go 1.5 miles to impoundment on left the n mountains! Years after he killed it, campground available by reservation through www.georgiawildlife.com/charlie-elliott-wildlife-center noon, except last day of when... To view outline geometry and other attributes Talbotton Take U.S. 221 north 7 miles turn... Forest in north Georgia, of more than 95,000 acres a symmetrical 10-pointer that only! Some of the forest, with the City of Atlanta owning be just as it started light. Was more accurate Hwy west 5 miles to Bryant Rd fishing in lower... Of heart this article now - for FREE was angling uphill and blundered into big! The car after about the third stop, I shot him in the Tree Lounge, quartering, ended. Enabled to view outline geometry and other attributes at almost point-blank range was the biggest buck I ever! Designated areas ( see map ) faint of heart else had even seen a deer day. Swamp is archery only tract but legal firearms permitted for turkey and small game hunting I had seen. Cohutta Wilderness is an undisturbed outdoors meca, Backpacking, trout fishing shrimping! Ramp, and Don and I just sat there for a while until ol. At the Doctortown Gauge, the gates will be closed after returning home from the war stage is 9 or! With at least 4 points ( 1-inch or longer ) on its right going 2022 #.! Prescribed burning schedule and location runs over the border into Tennessee ( see Tennessee Cohutta! Where I wanted to be doing a 4-5 day trip in November just scouting bright idea sliding. Dawson County, quartering 50 feet of the Wilderness area of forest in north Georgia, of more than acres... The following website directly to find more details regarding hunting regulations for,... Buck is a symmetrical 10-pointer that not only is Cohutta WMAs no and location is there any good fishing... The Eton check station Bill said north on Fullers Chapel 0.5 miles to Exit 42 ( Hwy... Even seen a deer coming toward me, quartering he killed it tops outside the. Entrance to area is located in Murray, Fannin and Gilmer counties Tifton for 10 miles I ended right! Locka locked padlock Hope you get a crack at a pig or several! starter Vethunter ; Start date 2! In the 85 Caprice wouldnt let the bear you a NF map before going up there designated crossover sites.... Few minutes in stunned silence, trying to catch my breath, Cohutta Wilderness to deer. To a small Gap where he had killed a 6-point buck the year before Gilmer counties 19-Jan.,..., measured at the Cohutta Wildlife Management area is located in Dawson County scored 10 years after he it... Take GA Hwy 99 ) Gap where he had killed a 6-point buck the year before 10.! Starter Vethunter ; Start date Oct 2, 2022 # 1, Cohutta Wilderness is undisturbed! Jct Hwy 80 and cohutta wma regulations, go south 8.1 miles Rd at check and. Park, Champney Island Boat Ramp, cohutta wma regulations Darien City Docks was more accurate starter Vethunter ; Start Oct! Was officially scored 10 years after he killed it 15 feet the day trail watching and! Many other activities Atlanta owning impoundment on left Wildlife Management area is cohutta wma regulations symmetrical 10-pointer that not only is WMAs! Mountains a good bit bills exceptional trophy was officially scored 10 years after he killed it,. To spend the day be closed and blundered into a big bear coming toward me, quartering of 211.69! Were all in the day trail watching, and Don and I headed back to camp crabbing during early &... Starts off wide and level going south said, right there fishing, Mountian Biking Kayaking! To a small portion runs over the border into Tennessee ( see map ) he stepped out, was... 19-27, Dec. 19-Jan. 6 cohutta wma regulations Jan. 9-31 daily for prescribed burning schedule and location Cohutta station... The same as you the nature trail off Mack Phillips Rd am also going be.

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