Other Sports

The Bethlehem Shooting Stars archery team competed for the third year on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Loganville High School in the NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) Regional Tournament.

The Shooting Stars had their best tournament finishing in second place with 2,991 points. That makes three straight years of improvement for the shooting stars, coaches said.

The team is comprised of fourth and fifth graders from Bethlehem Elementary School. The team was lead by Sam Owens, who received the award for the best overall shooter in the elementary division with 278 points, breaking his personal best record from last year where he shot a 273 in the national tournament held in Louisville, Ky.

Other shooters also scored their personal best to help lead the team to their second place finish, including Conyer Smith, Colby Eck, Case Wages, Emma Stratton, Markese White, Haley Russell, Kohl Cato, Jordan Wilson, Colby Sikes, Braydon Butler, Kade Greeson and Collin Lancaster. Special thanks to the parents and administrators for allowing the archery team the opportunity to compete in the tournament and to Coaches Ronney Miller and Brandi Duke.

Hunters and other interested citizens are invited to attend any of eight upcoming public meetings regarding the development of hunting regulations for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 hunting seasons.

These meetings, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, are specifically designed to give the public a chance to provide input in the development process.

“Public input is important and valuable,” said John Bowers, chief of the Game Management Section. “While we currently have no proposed regulation changes, we are considering establishing a single statewide deer season and adjusting the timing of buck-only days. As always, we want to maintain simple, easy-to-follow hunting regulations that encourage hunting participation, maximize opportunity, and are biologically appropriate.” [Full Story »] 

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling will present a professional wrestling card at Jackson County Comprehensive High School in Jefferson, Saturday, Dec. 13. Doors open at 7 p.m. with belltime at 8 p.m.

Scheduled to appear are long-time pro wrestling stars Nikita Koloff, The Midnight Express and Scott Steiner, all of whom gained fame in the 1980s. Buff Bagwell, who was part of World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s, is also set to appear on the card.

Tickets are available at Beef O’ Brady’s in Jefferson and at the Jackson County High School front office. Tickets will also be sold at the door on Dec. 13.

Other wrestlers will also appear on the card.

On July 27, Chad Doughty, 27, of Winder, hooked and “battled” the new state record brown trout for about 45 minutes while kayak fishing on the Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. Doughty, using a rooster tail with spinning tackle on 6 lb. line, even had to abandon his kayak to “run down” the fish as his spinning reel almost ran out of line.

This 20 lb, 14 oz, 31 ½” catch beat the existing state record, established in 2001 by 2 lb, 8 oz. A new state record has to be at least one ounce greater.

Being that it was his first fish of the day, Doughty wanted to keep fishing. His co-anglers convinced him that he might have a new state record, so off they went to seek certified scales (scales certified by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, often found in marinas, grocery stores and at Georgia DNR Fisheries Offices).

“Congratulations to Mr. Doughty! What a tremendous catch and it just goes to show you never know what a day of fishing will get you until you get out on the water,” says John Biagi, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Resources Division. ”That is two new state records and one record tied this summer — what are you waiting for folks, get outdoors and go fish Georgia!” [Full Story »]