Posts by Chad Cain
11 Foot Alligator Killed On Oconee River
After five years of patient and anxious waiting, Brian Walton, of Hillsboro, finally got drawn for a Georgia gator hunting tag. The wait was certainly worth it when Brian was able to harvest a 600-lb., 11-foot, 3-inch alligator the night of Aug. 20 while hunting in the Oconee River near Toomsboro in Wilkinson County. Brian…
Read MoreThe Georgia Outdoor Prodigy
When Eli Wiggins was 7 years old, nearly the same size as the gun he held in his hand, he downed his first 8-point buck. A few months later, he caught a 4-lb. largemouth bass. His dad, James Wiggins, says what his son has is not natural. “He’s got a gift like none I’ve ever…
Read MoreSavannah River Smallmouth Record
The Savannah River likely isn’t the first thought for anglers who want to tangle with a smallmouth bass in Georgia, but there are bronzebacks in the river. Smallmouths are not uncommon now below the Clarks Hill dam, through the Augusta shoals area, and apparently quite a distance downstream. The new river record for smallmouth on…
Read MoreLake Burton Record Rainbow Trout Caught Trolling
Darryl Stephens was fishing at Lake Burton with his wife on July 12 when he reeled in a 5-lb., 8-oz. rainbow trout, which creates a first-place tie for biggest rainbow ever recorded from this north Georgia reservoir. The other record trout from Burton was caught on July 24, 2016. The husband-and-wife fishing duo got on…
Read MoreRare Wild Jaguar Likely Poached
There are several known and documented wild jaguars that roam the wilderness of the southwestern United States, but one of those rare jaguars is believed to have been recently poached. The Tucson-based Northern Jaguar Project released a picture to the Arizona Daily Star of a jaguar skin with markings that look to match that of Yo’oko,…
Read MoreHog Charges Officer
Working in law enforcement can result in some interesting calls, but some calls go beyond what even an officer of the law can imagine. Rock Podeszwa, a deputy sheriff in Walton County, recently received a call around five o’clock in the afternoon regarding a vicious and angry wild hog. “At first I thought for sure…
Read MoreHuge Deer Skull Found In Woods
Isaac Weeks was going behind his Jackson County house on July 1 to put out a trail cam over some corn when he stumbled upon a surprise. “I hadn’t made it far down in the woods at all, and I saw the skull sitting there,” said Isaac. “I know that wasn’t where the deer died…
Read MoreGON 2018 Hunting Land Special
Each summer, hunters begin to daydream about where they’ll be hunting in the fall. At the same time, clubs and landowners are busy making sure their lands will be hunted in the fall. For several decades, GON has distributed its annual Hunting Land Special in the July issue, hoping hunters, hunting clubs and landowners can…
Read More2018-2019 Guide To GA Hunting Season Dates
Once again, many Georgia counties will experience at least a few days of deer season when only bucks are legal to shoot during firearms season. This move several years ago was stemmed from unhappy hunters who said that deer populations had dropped. This year’s deer season will close statewide on Jan. 13. The only exception…
Read MoreClarks Hill Giant Flathead Catfish
Kelly Chavous, of Columbia County, finally got to hold a once-in-a-lifetime flathead catfish out at Clarks Hill Lake in Lincoln County on May 25. Kelly, his nephew Tyler and Kelly’s buddy Mike “The Catfish King” Arrington dropped the boat in the lake around 7 p.m. and set out a few jugs with live bluegill in…
Read More