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PAGE 2B PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. MARCH 5. 2015
Smith to race at Dillon Motor Speedway
Chandler Smith will be
racing in the Pro Late
Model race at Dillon Motor
Speedway on March 7 in
Dillon, S.C. Go to Chandler-
SmithRacing.com for a full
2015 Schedule. Also check
MCS Motorsports on Face
Book.
Just a mouse
click away
www.pickensprogress.com
Tracking Appalachain ‘ghost’
High-tech research project looking for Golden Eagles
A Golden Eagle with its tracking device attached.
A high-tech research project
helped along by a middle Geor
gia hunt club recently began
tracking one of the state’s most
rare raptors - a golden eagle.
Project partners including
West Virginia University, the
Georgia Department of Natural
Resources, Cellular Tracking
Technologies and Devil’s Back
bone Hunting Club teamed to
catch the young eagle at a “bait”
pile Feb. 15 and attach a tracking
device. The club’s 4,700-acre
lease borders Sprewell Bluff
Wildlife Management Area near
Thomaston.
The 5-year-old eagle, which
was still in the area as of Mon
day, is the first caught in Georgia
for the effort that has docu
mented eastern North America’s
golden eagles and their migra
tion routes since 2006. Initially
aimed at exploring the threats
wind turbine sites pose to the
continent’s largest bird of prey,
the work has expanded from
Pennsylvania and West Virginia
to as far south as Alabama as sci
entists learned that the eagles
don’t always migrate to and from
Canada along Appalachian
Mountain ridges. Some fly
through the Midwest, according
to project leader Dr. Tricia Miller
of West Virginia University.
To fill in details about those
routes and the population’s dis
tribution, 270 camera stations
were used to look for golden ea
gles last year. Researchers also
tracked about 30 birds bearing
the phone-sized transmitters that
weigh less than three postal let
ters and post almost real-time
updates to cell towers.
The results at Devil’s Back
bone, where at least two golden
eagles have been photographed
since January, is eye-opening for
a state where only a handful of
sightings are reported each year,
suggested Program Manager Jim
Ozier of the DNR Wildlife Re
sources Division’s Nongame
Conservation Section.
The findings, Ozier said,
“will help us figure out what
habitats they’re using and what
migratory paths.”
Hunt club President Jodi
Killen said members didn’t
know there were golden eagles at
Devil’s Backbone. Yet within
two days of setting out fresh
road-killed deer as bait, one
showed up. Since then, “We
know for sure we’ve had two,
and possibly three, if not four,”
Killen said.
Unlike bald eagles, which ori
ent to open water and feed more
on fish, golden eagles favor
high-elevation forests and a ter
restrial diet that includes ground
hogs, rabbits, even turkeys and
carrion, such as deer. The se
cluded habitats result in fewer
sightings, even for a top predator
with a wing span up to 7 feet.
“We tend to think of them as
the ghosts of the eastern forests,”
Miller said.
Golden eagles are more com
mon west of the Mississippi
River, but they’re also found in
Mexico, where they’re the na
tional bird, as well as Asia, Eu
rope and northern Africa.
Though similar in size to bald
eagles, golden eagles have legs
covered in feathers and the
adults are almost entirely choco
late-colored. Both species are
protected by state law and by the
federal Bald and Golden Eagle
Protection Act.
Ozier contacted Miller about
trying to catch a golden eagle for
the project after hearing about
one feeding on wild hog car
casses in Upson County last year.
A U.S. Forest Service camera
“trap” had also photographed
possibly another in northwest
Georgia. The Environmental
Resources Network, or TERN,
friends group of the Nongame
Conservation Section, provided
a grant to buy two transmitters.
Killen was contacted by
nongame senior wildlife biolo
gist Nathan Klaus, who had
worked with the club and knows
how unique the Sprewell Bluff
area is. Klaus says some habitats
there are globally endangered.
Others, many on private land,
also rate high in conservation
value. “The rugged mountains
around Sprewell Bluff are full of
grassy woodlands, great hunting
habitats for golden eagles,”
Klaus said.
When asked if the club would
provide a site, build a blind and
keep the bait pile stocked, Killen
passed along the request to mem
bers. “Next thing I knew, I got,
like, 10 volunteers,” he said.
For fresh bait, the club net
worked with Klaus and local law
enforcement, including the Geor
gia State Patrol post in Manches
ter, which alerted them to new
road kills. Members picked up
about 30 deer.
The hard work paid off Feb.
15. Just after sunrise. Miller and
Cellular Tracking Technologies’
Michael Lanzone, Miller’s hus
band and developer of the trans
mitters, used a net propelled by
.22-rifle blanks to capture the
eagle. Blood samples revealed
the lowest lead levels Miller has
seen in a golden eagle. Raptors
can suffer lead poisoning from
eating carrion killed by lead shot,
and lead poisoning is another
focus of the Appalachian eagles
project.
The Georgia eagle was one of
eight caught and fitted with
transmitters in the South this
year.
With golden eagles migrating
north soon, Miller doesn’t plan
to return until next winter. Ozier
will keep the second transmitter
for use then. The club will check
the cameras for now. And Miller
and project partners will con
tinue monitoring the Devil’s
Backbone bird, watching for
new insights into golden eagles
in Georgia and across the eastern
U.S.
More on the Net
Appalachian Eagles, www.ap-
palachianeagles.org
Help Conserve Georgia
Wildlife
The Nongame Conservation
Section works to conserve Geor
gia’s rare and endangered
wildlife, as well as other animals
not legally hunted or fished for,
plus native plants and natural
habitats. The agency receives no
state appropriations. Instead, it
depends on grants, direct contri
butions and fundraisers such as
sales and renewals of the bald
eagle and hummingbird license
plates.
Visit
www.georgiawildlife.com/con-
servation for more information,
or call Nongame Conservation
offices in Social Circle (770-
761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-
1438) or Brunswick
(912-264-7218).
Small ads in the Progress produce big
results
Place a classified ad with up to 15 words for $5
(You may add as many words as you want for 200 ea.)
Call our office at 706-253-2457
or place it any time from our website at
www.pickensprogress.com
Racing Views
Jimmie Johnson Enjoys Rainy Night In Georgia
Racing Views
by Jumper Cable Man
When NASCAR moved the
Sprint Cup Series race in Atlanta
from Labor Day weekend to the
last weekend in February every
one knew that the chances of the
race being held on a weekend
with an average temperature of
over 40 degrees was almost im
possible. Is NASCAR's plan to
shutter the Hampton, Georgia
track? It sure looks like they are
trying to do so.
Jimmie Johnson won the
event and punched his ticket to
“the Chase” for 2015. He now
joins Joey Logano on the card
for the end of the year shoot-out.
The race was delayed by rain
and fog and even though the jet-
driers did the joy they were in
tended to do, the rain continued
fall but not enough to slow the
race.
The weather forecast was for
a high temperature of 51 degrees
but I never saw anything over
42. The rain continued for the
entire race although it was very
lite and could hardly be felt. It
appeared the weather did a lot to
keep a large number of the fans
at home. It was much easier to
watch the race on television.
The name of the race was the
“Folds of Honor, QuickTrip
500” and reflected the fact that
the race was sponsored by
QuickTrip to honor the children
and spouses of military service
men and women killed or dis
abled while serving our great na
tion. The Folds of Honor
Foimdation provides educational
scholarships to those children
and spouses. The sponsorship
was to joined forces with the
NASCAR nation to fund these
scholarships.
The fan count was not what
QuickTrip counted on I'm sure
but the impression this sponsor
left on the media that covered the
race was second to none. From
the time we arrived at the trace
on Friday morning until we left
the track on Sunday night the
folks from QuickTrip kept the
moral of the media at a high
point by providing food and
drink that all media folks can ap
preciate. Some of the best coffee
we have ever tasted started each
day and the donuts and pastries
were worthy of the best of chains
in the country.
The word was that this agree
ment with QuickTrip was a
three-year agreement. If that is
in fact the case, we in the media
need to start a diet right now and
follow it for the next 11 months
just so that we can take part in
the event next year.
The racing was a full plate of
action packed excitement. Joey
Logano won both the new Xfin-
ity Series pole position and the
Sprint Cup Series pole position.
Kevin Harvick beat Logano to
the checkered flag in the Xfinity
race and Jimmie Johnson won
the Sprint Cup race over Har
vick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and then
Logano. Matt Crafton won the
Camping World Truck Series
race. Ben Kennedy took the pole
position for the Camping World
Truck Series race.
The weekend had it's share of
drama as the Sprint Cup Series
qualifying saw several drivers
unable to get their cars to pass
inspection in order to be allowed
to qualify. This hit some of the
large teams and not just the
lower ranked teams. Names
such as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie
Johnson, Tony Stewart and Matt
Kenseth were among those that
did not pass inspection in time to
qualify.
Some of the problem could be
traced to the fact that this is the
first race of the season where the
new rules and race package are
in effect. This may have been
part of the problem of not clear
ing inspection as the teams did
not know exactly what the in
spection would allow and what it
would not. This should be elim
inated now and should not be a
problem at the tracks from this
point on.
Other drama included the fact
that Travis Kvapil's race car,
trailer and tow truck were stolen
on Friday morning in Hampton,
GA as they prepared to go to the
race track. The car was later
found in Gwinnett County and
the tow track was located in
Riverdale, GA. The trailer is
still missing as we write this col
umn.
More drama occurred when
an unattended vehicle rolled
Denny Hamlin's motor coach
while he was sleeping. He was
not injured and the motor coach
was not seriously damaged. The
final event was that Jennifer Jo
Cobb had two Motorcross dirt
bikes stolen from her truck
hauler there for the Camping
World Truck feature.
Topping everything else at
Atlanta Motor Speedway this
weekend was the fact that it will
be Jeff Gordon's last race at the
track where he started his
NASCAR Sprint Cup career
back in 1992. He ended his ca
reer at AMS just as he started it
back in 1992, with a wrecked
race car.
Thursday night March 5 will
find Oglethorpe Speedway Park
in Pooler (Savannah), GA offer
ing a practice session. Then on
Friday and Saturday they will be
racing motorcycles in feature
races. Friday night will have Al
bany Motor Speedway in Al
bany, GA and Golden Isles
Speedway in Brunswick, GA
hosting practice sessions.
Golden Isles Speedway will then
follow this practice with a full
racing program of their local
stock car classes on Saturday
night. North Georgia Speedway
in Chatsworth, GA will supply
us with a practice for the stock
cars on Friday night and then fol
low that on Saturday night with
the Ultimate Super Late Models
racing for $4,000 to win and a
full racing program. Senoia
Raceway in Senoia, GA will
open their season on Saturday
night with a full racing program
including Super Late Models,
Limited Late Models, Crate Late
Models, B Cadet, Hobby, Mini,
Bomber and Legends classes.
Dress warm and go out and
support your local short track.
They offer all the excitement
your heart can stand.
Send us your comments,
questions, answers, or correc
tions to P.O. Box 1522, Wood-
stock, GA 30188-1522 or to our
email at Jcableman@aol.com.
Benefit for
Coach Roger McDaniel
Please join us on March 7
from 2-6 p.m. at Rocco’s Pub
in Jasper for a benefit for
Coach Roger McDaniel. Mc
Daniel has been the longtime
coach for the North Ga. home-
school team that has included
players from Pickens County.
Roger has been diagnosed
with Inoperable Stage 3 Lung
Cancer. Roger is unable to
work at full capacity and dur
ing the treatment span his
strength will diminish substan
tially, rendering him unable to
run his business. Time lost
from work and the expenses
that go along with treating can
cer, put a tremendous financial
burden on the family. Please
donate generously at this event
to help ease that burden for
Roger and his family.
Roger McDaniel has been a
mentor, coach and friend to so
many youth in preparing them
for adulthood. His impact on
lives is immeasurable. As he
prepares to battle this illness,
let’s let him and his family
know that we are there for sup
port him the way he has been
for our children.
Roger hopes to be at the
event. Please come and share
your appreciation for him.
Entertainment has been do
nated by Bobby Mountain and
Friends; raffle and silent auc
tion items donated by friends
and businesses in support of
Coach McDaniel; and location
donated by Rocco’s Pub in
Jasper.
Coach Roger McDaniel
Legal ads
from across Georgia can be found on our website
pickensprogress.com
or at
www.georgia
publicnotice.com
Lot for sale
(7.75 acres)
Off of Grandview Road, across the road from lake, near dam (close
to back gate of Bent Tree). Easy access. Very secluded, surrounded by
conservation land. Nice ridge running center of property, mostly hard
woods, down sloping. REDUCED AGAIN! from $$7,500 per acre,
NOW $5,000. A share of Class A stock in Grandview Lake Corp. also
available to give full use of Grandview Lake only 2 minutes away.
770-893-7230
GREAT VIEW OF
SHARPTOP MOUNTAIN