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County approves lake authority recommendation to permit duck hunting on Tired Creek Lake

After rejecting an earlier recommendation, the Grady County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night approved the recommendation of the Grady County Lake Authority to permit duck hunting at Tired Creek Lake for the upcoming season.
The board amended the county’s Tired Creek Lake regulations to allow for duck hunting.
Duck hunters may begin to register now for a lottery for a total of 216 permits to be issued. Hunters must register in person at the Grady County Commission office at the courthouse between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays through Friday, Oct. 19. A valid Georgia driver’s license must be presented and hunters must register in person.
At the time of registration, the hunter must pay a $25 fee if they are a resident of Grady County or $50 for non-residents.
On Monday, Oct. 22, a drawing for 216 permits will be held and those whose numbers are drawn will be notified. Those 216 permit holders will then have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31 to pay for up two additional hunters to join them on a one-day hunt. The same fee of $25 for local residents and $50 for out-of-county residents will apply. Hunters will be assigned their predetermined hunting zone and the date of the hunt. The permits are nontransferable.
Duck hunting at Tired Creek Lake will only be permitted on certain Wednesdays and Saturdays during the federal duck hunting season from the legal shooting hour until noon. The same times will be observed on the Nov. 10 Youth Day. The dates hunting will be permitted at Tired Creek Lake will be Nov. 17, 21, 24; Dec. 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29; Jan. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, and 26.
Parents and guardians, 18 years of age or older, are encouraged to register Grady County youth duck hunters in the lottery for Youth Day to be held on Saturday, Nov. 10. Youth, 15 years of age or younger, who are residents of Grady County can be registered by an adult at no charge. Permits for Youth Day will also be drawn on Oct. 22.
Based on the recommendation of the authority approved by the county commission this week, only 12 boats at a time will be allowed on the lake for duck hunting during the regular season as well as on Youth Day. There is a limit of three hunters per boat and on Youth Day a maximum of two youth accompanied by an adult. Only youth hunters will be allowed to shoot on Youth Day.
“We have recommended limiting hunting to two days a week and limiting the number of boats permitted on the lake each day as well as the number of hunters in order to preserve a quality hunting experience,” Lake Authority Chairman LaDon Toole said.
Toole warned that putting too much “pressure” on the ducks could lead to the ducks leaving the lake and poor hunting opportunities.
Toole said it costs money to manage and operate the lake and charging hunters for the opportunity to hunt on the lake is a way to generate some revenue for the county.
Grady County administrator J.C. (Buddy) Johnson III, thanked authority chairman Toole for an “excellent presentation” and he said it was a “fair” setup.
Commissioner June Knight asked how it would be policed that only those who were supposed to be allowed to hunt were the ones that went hunting.
Authority member Steven Childs said the authority had discussed that all boats would launch from the Cedar Springs East boat ramp and would be monitored by Lake Authority executive director Mike Binion and Georgia Department of Natural Resources game wardens.
Commission Chairman Ray Prince, who also is a member of the lake authority, said he liked the idea of drawing all of the names at one time rather than the previous recommendation of a drawing being held twice a week.
“I’m quite sure we have forgotten something. I don’t know what it is, but as we go along the process will change and we will get better,” chairman Toole said.
In voting to approve the authority’s recommendation, Commissioner June Knight said the motion should be amended to include that the requirement could be adjusted if issues arise.
In other business Tuesday night, the board:
Ratified verbal approval to replace six light fixtures in the courthouse parking light with new LED lights at a cost of $3,240.
Adopted an ordinance at the recommendation of environmental health specialist Clay Poole that incorporates environmental health regulations in the county code. According to Poole, in the event of an issue that cannot be resolved, a citation could be issued and the matter would go straight to Grady County Magistrate Court. Poole said without the local ordinance, citations must go into a State Court and it can delay action from 18-24 months.
Heard a report from county clerk Carrie Croy that she would be attending a Community Development Block Grant workshop for the CDBG received by the county for the Johnson Road project. The workshop will be held in LaGrange and Croy will be out Oct. 10-12 to attend.
Heard an update from Croy that Commissioner June Knight will attend the legislative conference on Jekyll Island on Oct. 10-12.

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