For the last 100 years the practice of Wildlife Management and Natural Resources has made many changes. Early management plans, when the human population was relatively small and the natural resources seemed to be unlimited, were mostly centered on reducing or eliminating populations of certain species. Large predators were considered undesirable because they competed for game and were considered dangerous to people and livestock. Management plans of today work toward conserving populations of plants and animal species that have declined or have very restricted geographical ranges such that the species is in danger of becoming extinct. Although extinction is a natural process and has been occurring since before man came on the scene, but due to human influences on wildlife populations, habitats and natural process the worldwide rate of endangerment and extinction has increased tremendously.

When Sportsman and Conservationist realized that various species of plants and animals had been rendered extinct or were endanger of becoming extinct by human actions they began to make changes. In 1973 the U.S. Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, which was to provide a means for the conservation of the ecosystems upon threatened and endangered species depend and to provide a program for the conservation of those species. Today Georgia has five such acts as well as many Game and Fish Codes to protect and conserve our wildlife and natural resources. The Endangered Wildlife Act is a state law regulating the capturing, killing, or selling listed species of animals and protects their habitat on certain state lands. The Wildflower Preservation Act is a state law that regulates the selling and transporting listed plants from private land, as well as cutting, digging, or otherwise removing them from certain state lands. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is a federal law that prohibits the taking and possession of migratory birds or parts thereof, including all native raptors, shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl, doves and songbirds; except migratory game birds can be taken as per hunting regulations. The Bald Eagle Protection Act is a federal law that prohibits the taking and possession of bald and golden eagles and parts thereof, as well as their nests. The Marine Mammal Protection Act is a federal law that protects seals, sea lions, manatees and whales. The Georgia Game and Fish Code are state laws that prohibit hunting, fishing, taking, possessing, or transporting any species of wildlife; except those designated as game or furbearer species in accordance with regulations or other species that are excluded as pests, fish bait or otherwise.

Georgia currently has ten mammals, 16 birds, 14 reptiles, 7 amphibians, 55 fish, 10 invertebrates, and 104 plant species listed on the Endangered or Threatened Species list.

Native wild animals are considered to be the property of the state where they occur and the taking, killing, and possession is regulated by a series of state and federal laws; almost all species are protected or regulated in some form or another. Before you attempt to take, kill or possess any type of wildlife you need to check the state regulation booklet and if it has no listing it may be protected and therefore illegal to take, kill or possess. Plants however are considered to be the property of the landowner and are less subject to legal protection.

If you would like to ask me some questions you can e-mail me at dnr414@aol.com or write to me at 2024 Newton Road, Albany,Ga 31701. I will either send you a personal response or if it is something I get asked often by other people I will answer it in the newspaper. Until next time be safe, have fun and take a child hunting or fishing.