wildlife

Young hunter Tate McDonald with his new shotgun and some of the doves he shot on Saturday at the Nation Family Farm. McDonald had a banner day in the field this year. Courtesy photo by Johnny Ralston (Submitted Photo/The Oglethorpe Echo).

Dove season off and running across the state

Alex Perri

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Saturday marked the opening day of dove season in Georgia, and hunters across the state took aim at the migratory bird, hoping to meet their limit (15 per day).

A black bear in a pecan tree off Crawford Smithonia Road caused a stir on Friday morning. The bear was later named Elvis. (Dink NeSmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Bear sighted in Crawford, named Elvis

Leighton Dancy

Thursday, May 1, 2025

When Tony Resop let out his dogs at 7:30 a.m. Friday, the last thing he expected to see was a black bear in his neighbor’s pecan tree. “My first instinct was, ‘Oh my god, there’s a cow in the tree,’” Resop said. “My jaw just dropped. I said, ‘There is a bear in the tree.’ I just couldn’t believe it.

Douglas Graham, an Oglethorpe County resident and hunter, harvests a turkey in the county during the 2024 season. Graham said he has hunted turkeys on private land in the county for more than 20 years. (Submitted photo)

Efforts offer hope for bigger future turkey hunting seasons

Anna Izquierdo

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Turkey hunting is a “way of life” for Oglethorpe County resident and hunter Douglas Graham, despite the recent steady decline in turkey populations. For more than 20 years, Graham has hunted turkeys in the county.

Nikki Hughes, the owner of Camp Critter Wildlife Rescue, pets two recently orphaned piglets. The baby pigs are believed to be the offspring of a domesticated pig and a wild boar. (Photo/Sara Micale)

Camp Critter welcomes baby wild pigs into fold

Sara Micale

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Camp Critter Wildlife Rescue, the only licensed wildlife rehabilitation center in Oglethorpe County, recently took in two baby wild pigs. The piglets were found next to their deceased mother by a couple in Waynesboro, Georgia.

Pigmy rattlesnake (J.D. Willson, SREL/Submitted Photo)

Summer means snakes

Lilly Kersh

Thursday, July 7, 2022

As people spend more time outdoors, encounters with snakes are much more likely than in other times of the year. There are many misconceptions about the reptiles, as well as many safety tips to keep in mind in case you encounter a snake this summer.

Ben Hill, a falconer who lives in Arnoldsville, poses with his red-tailed hawk, Belle. Hill, who has been falconing for about seven years, hunts with Belle as a sport and an art. (Photo/Julia Walkup)

Hawk-eyed hunter

Julia Walkup

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Belle, a red-tailed hawk, calmly watched while tethered to her perch as Ben Hill, a falconer from Arnoldsville, told his story. Though Belle seemed docile, Hill made sure to emphasize that the hawk is not a pet, and falconry is an art.

Phil Wilson, owner of Drop Tine Game Processing, said that he's been running two crews around the clock to keep up with a busy hunting season this year. (Photo/Sarah White)

Deer season booms across county

Thomas Ehlers

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Phil Wilson had perfect timing. He took over Hick’s Processing on Nov. 4, reopening as Drop Tine Game Processing, and immediately began reaping the benefits of a largely successful deer season in Oglethorpe County and across the state.