Spring might still be a snow-covered dream up north, but down in Georgia the dogwoods are thinking about blooming – and that means the turkeys are waking up. This week, Georgia Game Warden Patrick Gibbs and Ben Martin of HuntRegs join Wayne for a closer look into the southern turkey season, the surprising quirks of Georgia’s big‑game rules, and why the HuntRegs app is becoming one of the most powerful tools in the field. From license mistakes to a Thanksgiving turkey story involving a dog with questionable morals, this one’s packed with practical advice and classic game warden comedy.
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Here’s what we discuss:
· Spring turkey talk and the north–south difference in season timing
· Patrick’s 13 years as a Georgia game warden
· Working the Georgia coast: shrimping, crabbing, oysters, and commercial fisheries
· Moving inland and “traditional” game‑warden work
· HuntRegs’ goal of improving public understanding of what wardens actually do
· “There’s not enough game wardens” – why follow‑up matters
· What wardens look for on a turkey hunter check
· Licensing requirements for turkey
· Bag limit changes: two per season, one per day
· “Leave one to keep the population going”
· Printed harvest records vs app check‑ins
· You can game‑check without service and upload later
· Requirements: record before moving the bird, game‑check within 24 hours
· Turkeys as the most‑poached species and why tagging matters
· Patrick’s approach with inexperienced hunters and juveniles
· Why turkey hunters tend to be more seasoned
· Public‑land turkeys: “No inexperienced hunter is killing a Georgia public bird”
· Florida, early spring weather, and turkey chatter starting up
· “When the dogwoods bloom, the turkeys gobble”
· Common mistakes: assuming WMAs follow statewide turkey dates
· Miss the quota? “You’re definitely getting a ticket.”
· HuntRegs app: geolocation, pin drops, license requirements, special rules
· Archery‑only zones, no‑camping rules, and property‑specific notes
· Game wardens using the app themselves before checks
· Printed regs and rules: “They call it the digest… not very digestible!”
· Growth of HuntRegs and its state‑by‑state customization
· A turkey tossed out a car window, then snatched and hidden by a dog
· “Did you charge the dog – aiding and assisting?”
· No fall turkey season in Georgia; hens always protected
· HuntRegs‑generated cases: night hunting, baited duck ponds, hunting without permission
· Duck pond baited with molasses and corn, caught on Thanksgiving morning
· Why community tips matter
· Focus on catching blatant violations: night hunting, baiting, hunting under the influence
· Anonymous reporting, optional follow‑ups, and confidentiality
· Georgia’s monetary rewards for tips leading to convictions
· Improving the system based on warden feedback
· “Already a good day when you learn something new.”
Credits
Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores
Producer: Jay Ammann
Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett
Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches
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