Brunswick, GA.

  Loggerhead sea turtles have crawled their way to a conservation milestone in Georgia.

  As of July 19, the hard-shell giants with log-sized heads had laid more than 2,810 nests on the state’s barrier island beaches this nesting season, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. A key recovery goal for loggerheads, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, is 2,800 nests annually in Georgia.

  And while sea turtle nesting winds down in mid-July, it’s far from over.

  DNR Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd expects 3,000-plus nests, about a third more than last year’s 2,335 nests, the previous high since comprehensive surveys began on Georgia beaches in 1989.

  “When you think about the fact that for many years we averaged about 1,000 nests and this year we may be beyond 3,000 … it suggests an exponential increase,” said Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section.

  Loggerheads are Georgia’s main nesting sea turtle. Weighing as much as 400 pounds, females crawl onto beaches from late spring into August to lay eggs in nests dug on the dry-sand beach. Hatchlings begin emerging in July, scrambling for the surf to begin their lives at sea.

  Sea turtles face threats varying from habitat loss to nest predation, boat strikes and incidental catch in commercial fishing. All have reduced loggerhead numbers, leading to legal protections and large-scale conservation efforts – protections and efforts that apparently are paying off.

  While loggerhead nesting can vary widely year to year, statistical analysis shows an annual increase of about 3 percent in Georgia, not counting 2016. Nesting in Florida and the Carolinas is also trending upward. One of the recovery goals set in a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries plan for the unit including Georgia and the Carolinas is a 2 percent annual nesting increase for 50 years.

  That equates to 2,800 nests a year in Georgia, a mark the state had been on track to hit in about 2020.

  Dodd cautioned, however, that the recovery of loggerheads “still has a long way to go.” He stressed the need for continued conservation, and emphasized the partnerships – from grassroots groups to government agencies – forged to monitor nesting, restore habitats and protect sea turtles.

  He also said the health of these iconic turtles effects coastal environments and economies. That impact is heightened in a state where more than 2 million residents take part in wildlife-watching activities.

  “Our goal is to recover loggerheads in the state and make sure the population is stable,” Dodd said. At 2,800 nests and counting, “we’re reaching one of the milestones set to achieve that.”

  DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section works to conserve sea turtles and other rare wildlife not legally fished for or hunted, as well as rare plants and natural habitats. The agency does this largely through public support from fundraisers, grants and contributions.

  A key fundraiser is the sale and renewals of eagle and hummingbird license plates. DNR wildlife plates cost only $25 more than a standard plate to buy or renew, and up to $20 of that fee goes to help restore species such as loggerhead sea turtles. Details at www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/support .

  The rituals of hunting and fishing have endured long past their necessity as a means of survival. And, even more enduring are the stories, exaggerations and outright lies about hunting and fishing episodes.

  These stories, these experiences, usually retold in the dead of winter around the friendly warmth of a fireplace or in the neon light at the bar are the source of timeless and lasting camaraderie. Some stories are so blatantly phony that they are told only because those listening know them to be phony and therefore can appreciate their cleverness or as an excuse to spring for another round.

  Like basic outdoors techniques, these stories haven’t changed much over the years. The hunters’ stories usually center on that one incredible super accurate shot. Shots like the one where a quail hunter shot at a group of a dozen quail sitting on a limb of a tree. At least 200 yards away, with his last bullet. The shot traveled down the length of the limb, splitting it open just long enough for the birds’ feet to get caught when the limb snapped back closed. The lucky fellow then simply sawed the limb off and trudged back home with his trophy catch slung over the shoulder.

  The one thing most hunting yarns have in common is they emphasis the number of game taken. One or two rabbits, grouse or squirrels become four or five during the retelling of the retelling.

  Fishermen on the other hand always tell of the one that got away. It is always something like the trout the size of a shark! Or the bass that, "Leaped out of the water ten feet and musta weighed more than that huge four foot carp that got away last week!"

  Sometimes the lake fishermen will get into the numbers game also. Like, "Back when I was a boy, we’d bring home three washtubs full of yellow perch. Or the boat was so full of those white bass we were taking on water!"

  Why would the fisherman be okay with telling tales of loss, even bragging about the scope of that loss, while a hunter must exaggerate tales of success?

  Maybe it's because a fisherman cannot be blamed for hooking into a monster fish that was simply too much for the line he had strung. Or that the rod or net was inadequate for the task at hand.

  On the other hand, the hunter has no such out. If there is a missed shot, it's not the gun; it's the shooter's ability. Or lack thereof. So the hunting tales then must support the hunter's assertion that no body, not Davy Crockett, not Buffalo Bill, nobody but himself coulda made that shot!

  Thank goodness for this.

   Nature offers serenity. In my eyes, it is the only thing that really does. What you see is what you get! No options.

We, as humans have so many options. Does the car need air conditioning, navigation, speed control? Does the house need hardwood floors, carpeting, shudders, or brick? Do we need make-up, a hair transplant, short skirt, long skirt, suit, tie, or a turtleneck?

Which computer? What cell phone?

Think about it: nature does offer serenity. Be smart: take time to look, learn, appreciate and feel serene with nature. Our lives would be simpler, I believe, if we took time to simplify our lives and don’t spend so much time on options. Spend some time with nature and feel at peace with yourself.

You will like it! I know!