Category Archives: Wildlife

Ockolocoochee, Little River 1889-01-29

Who knows the Ockolocoochee River? No, not the Ochlockonee River; that’s a bit to the west.

[Withlacoochee River labeled Suwanee R. in 1823 Irwin and 1834 Lowndes County maps; current WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail map]
Withlacoochee River labeled Suwanee R. in 1823 Irwin and 1834 Lowndes County maps; current WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail map

You do know the Ockolocoochee River as the Little River, of the Withlacoochee, of the Suwannee.

Here is news from 1889 that also includes the boat that didn’t survive from Troupville to Ellaville, which was apparently not a paddlewheel steamer. Continue reading

Pictures: turtle rescue 2023-04-24

While taking pictures of Valdosta’s trash traps, I found a turtle in distress in the Lee Street detention pond trash trap above One Mile Branch.

[Turtle upside down in trash trap, rightside, culverts, Lee Street detention pond 2023-04-24]
Turtle upside down in trash trap, rightside, culverts, Lee Street detention pond 2023-04-24

That turtle did not look right. Continue reading

Ockolocoochee, Little River 1889-01-29

Update 2023-12-28: Revised version..

Who knows the Ockolocoochee River? No, not the Ochlockonee River; that’s a bit to the west. You do know the Ockolocoochee River as the Little River, of the Withlacoochee, of the Suwannee. Here is news from 1889 that also includes the boat that didn’t survive from Troupville to Ellaville, which was apparently not a paddlewheel steamer.


Irwin County, 1885a, GeorgiaInfo, Rand McNally Map of Georgia, 1885

Atlanta Constitution, January 29, 1889, Pg 12., quoted in Ray City History Blog, 18 October 2010, More About Troupville, GA and the Withlacoochee River,

THE WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER.

VALDOSTA, Ga., January 19. -[Special.]- Away up near the northern limit of the great wiregrass section there is a big cypress swamp. They call them bays there. From this bay emerges Continue reading

Lola Tract: WMA in Lanier and Lowndes Counties

Update 2019-05-09: fixed URLs and added map.

It has a name and it is listed: Lola Tract; WMA Stockton:

Offus84
Google Streetview, Lanier County CR 123 off of US 84 aka GA 38.

Lola Tract WMA is a 391 acre property near Stockton. Hunting opportunities include deer, bear, turkey and small game.

This property is only open during hunt dates.

Directions:

From Stockton Take Hwy. 84 west for 1.4 miles. WMA kiosk is on the right. WMA is on both sides of the river.

Voluntary Public Access Area

Continue reading

WMA in Lanier and Lowndes Counties

Yes, it’s a WMA on both sides of the Alapaha River, and it will open for hunting this year. It’s also one of seven or eight, all also Dr. Acree’s land. They will each have names, which are currently unknown, but will pop up in the next few days on the DNR website.

Floating downstream
Photo: John S. Quarterman, 2 April 2017, in Alapaha River, Hotchkiss Road to US 84 2017-04-02

This WMA information is from someone who’s been on site and knows the details, Continue reading

Naylor Boat Ramp and Sheboggy Landing, Alapaha River

The Lowndes County parcel in the new Wildlife Management Area off of US 84 does not go as far north as the Lanier County one, and does not go all the way to the Alapaha River at US 84:

Lowndes County between US 84 almost to Old State Road
Lowndes County parcel 0259 030A from US 84 almost to Old State Road

This is because some years ago Continue reading

WMA signs in Lanier County, Alapaha River

Christopher Graham reports: “These signs are everywhere on Hotchkiss Road on the Lanier side of the Alapaha River.”

Boundary Wildlife Management Area
Boundary Wildlife Management Area; Photo: Christopher Graham, 29 July 2017

Please note this is not the Alapaha River Wildlife Management Area off of US 319 between Tifton and Ocilla. That Alapaha River WMA is way upstream of the top of the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT), although it is on the ARWT map.

These new WMA signs are in the middle of the ARWT on this 266 acres in Lanier County parcel Continue reading

Deserter Lake in Alapaha Wildlife Management Area

Update 2016-10-20: WMA check-in hunt does not count towards Georgia bag limit.

WWALS member Patrick Kunes took this video of Deserter Lake in Irwin County on the Alapaha River in the new Alapaha River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on the Alapaha River betweeen Tifton and Ocilla. You can hear him talking about turkeys he saw, and you can see the lake on the river. He mentions deadfalls, which are a common feature on the upper Alapaha River. The river itself is not really boatable up that far much of the year, but lakes like this one often still have water. Many such lakes do not have public access, but Deserter Lake does now. This lake is upstream from the formal start of the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT), but we’ve included it in the online material about the ARWT because Deserter Lake is in the new Alapaha WMA.

Patrick wrote about this video: Continue reading