An Awesome Buck!

How would you like to have this guy in your sites?

Dave's Trail Cam Video for Contest

Dave Quick, my Facebook friend, posted this really nice cam video of a doe and her fawn while eating.  This video was taken from last July 2012 and will be about 3 or 4 clips.  It will be entered into a trail cam video contest soon, Dave said.  It is so nice to be able to see what goes on in our great wild outdoors though the eyes of a trail cam.  Many thanks Dave for sharing and I hope you win!

Bear Screen?

 

Bear broke into a cabin in Canada and took the screen door with him! 

Gator Season Opens Friday

Mississippi's alligator season opens this Friday, and the state's alligator program coordinator says he expects a good one.

Low water in the Mississippi River limited access to prime hunting areas in its oxbows and tributaries last year, but most areas are at normal water levels or higher this year, Ricky Flynt of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks' said.

"Last year we were experiencing well below normal water levels, particularly in the northern parts of the state," he said.  "A lot of those oxbow lakes that are allowed for hunting were extremely low, historically low."

With the water back up, hunters can get into more areas and spread out more, he said.

This will be Mississippi's first statewide hunting season for alligators.  Flynt said 110 more people got permits this year than did last year.

Tal's Plains Game/Bird Mounts - Part 3

 Beautiful Zebra rug from Africa!

This is not a mount but a favorite piece of mine, said Tal.  It's an exact bronze replica of a light deadgrass Chesapeake - the only breed of retriever I have ever owned done by Burl Jones.  He did a limited number of these coffee tables with black labs and this was the only chessie he had done.  I sent him pictures and he mastered him down to the brown stripe on his nose.

I want to personally thank Tal Goldsby, my Facebook friend, for letting me show off his plains game/bird mounts, zebra rug and his beautiful sculptured coffee table above.  He must be very proud of his accomplishments and knowing that he can enjoy them and the good memories of being in our great wild outdoors! 

Tal's Plains Game/Bird Mounts - Part 2

Tree Duck and Yellow Bill Duck

African Black Duck

African Plains Game and more...

African Plains Game and more...

African Plains Game

Argentina Tree Duck White Face

Rosy Billed Poach adds Hen and Drake

A buck killed by my grandfather in 1909 in Arkansas.  He lived in Lucy, Tennessee which is just north of Memphis and was 18 when he and three men took a team of mules with a wagon to Memphis.  They stopped in at York Arms, a sporting goods store, bought their shells and crossed the Mississippi on a ferry to a spot unknown in Arkansas.  He was shooting a Winchester Model 97 pump shotgun which holds 6-2.75 inch shells.  These were loaded with 00 buckshot with nine pellets per shell.  He emptied the gun meaning 54 pellets because the deer did not fall over instantly.  Upon cleaning the deer they found three holes (exactly how the shot is stacked in the shell) through the heart.  Notice the broken end of the left antler which was hit by a pellet.  He vividly remembered the trip especially all the game and hearing panthers scream at night.

Tal's Plains Game/Bird Mounts - Part 1

Silver and Speckled Teal

Cinnamon Teal

White Cheek Pintail and European Widgeon

Mixture from South Africa

American Pintail

Green Wing Teal

Coscorba Swan

Spur Wing Goose

Egyptian Goose

Tal Goldsby is my Facebook friend and I wanted to share with you some of his plains game mounts and birds from different places.  He told me that he prefers wing shooting but also loves to deer hunt.  I recently posted some very nice deer mounts of his at - A Wall of Deer Mounts.  I will be posting more of his mounts during the week and I know you will enjoy all of them!  

Tal, also has a website called, Hughes Christian Outreach Ministry, which is a Christian non-profit organization whose mission is to glorify Christ through ministry to the community.  It is a food bank/pantry that provides food to families in need around Hughes, AR. What a way to spread blessings to those in need. Thanks to Tal and to the many volunteers who make it all possible.

Deer Cuddles

This is good and bad!  WOW!!!

Can You Smell Deer Season?

Deer Chaser

Barely Bear

This bear barely made it in this trail cam.  How much do you think he could actually weigh?  

65 Lucky Bow Hunters!

In yesterday's paper there was an article about land that has not been hunted in 50 years opening up to a lucky few hunters.  It is located at the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Hardwood bottom land that hasn't been hunted for half a century will open this year to about 65 lucky bow hunters.

The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District plans a series of 13 special-permit hunts in two areas around Ross Barnett Reservoir. They'll include about 500 acres near Pelahatchie Bay and the first legal hunting on about 400 acres below the dam since its construction five decades ago

Draw hunt guidelines will be published by September 1 on its website, www.therez.ms, according to a notice on the website

Applications will be taken from September 10-24.  They're free.  The permits cost $300 below the dam and $200 near Pelahatchie Bay.

Hunters must be 21 and over, posses a valid Mississippi hunting license for deer or be exempt.  Each permit holder may bring a guest who is at least 12 years old, but only one at a time may carry a bow.

The 400 acres below the dam will be split into two sections, with the Pearl River as the dividing line, giving each hunter about 200 acres.  The area near Pelahatchie bay, that also hasn't been available for hunting, will be divided into three sections for the special-permit hunts.

Each hunt will run from Thursday at noon until Sunday at noon from October 31 through January 26, with one permit per section each weekend.

Each permit will allow legal buck to be harvested, along with one antler-less deer.  Legal bucks for the permit hunts must have either a 15-inch inside antler spread or an 18-inch main beam.

Another 10,400 acres of Pearl River Valley Water Supply District land around the reservoir already is open for hunting without charge.  Most of that land is upriver and accessible only by boat, said Bobby Cleveland, a consultant for the district.  Because of that, hunters must retrieve deer without an ATV and get the carcasses to their vehicle by boat.

"This is not hunting for the faint of heart," Cleveland said.  "This is hunting for the true hunter."

Land not hunted for 50 years opening for lucky few | Jackson News - WAPT Home

MS Rules & Regs/Season 2013-2014

Delta Zone:

Private and open public lands west of I-55 and north of I-20 plus areas south of I-20 and west of U.S. Highway 61.

A legal buck is defined as having EITHER a minimum inside spread of 12 inches OR a minimum main beam length of 15 inches.

Archery Oct. 1 – Nov. 22 Either-Sex on private land and open public land.
Youth Gun Nov. 9 – Jan. 31 Either-Sex on private land and authorized state and federal land. Youth 15 and under.
Early Primitive Weapon Nov. 11 – 22 Antlerless Deer Only on private land and open public land.
Gun (With Dogs) Nov. 23 – Dec. 1 Either-Sex on private land; Legal bucks only on open public land.
Primitive Weapon Dec. 2 – 15 Either-Sex on private land and open public land.
Gun (Without Dogs) Dec. 16 – 23 Either-Sex on private land and open public land.
Gun (With Dogs) Dec. 24 – Jan. 22 Either-Sex on private land; Legal bucks only on open public land.
Archery/Primitive Weapon Jan. 23 – 31 Either-Sex on private land and open public land.

Bag Limits

Antlered Buck Deer: The bag limit on antlered buck deer is one (1) buck per day, not to exceed three (3) per license year. Legal bucks must meet the antler criteria within the appropriate deer management zone. For youth hunters fifteen (15) years of age and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all of the three (3) buck bag limit may be any antlered deer.  Antlerless Deer: The bag limit on antlerless deer is one (1) per day, not to exceed five (5) per license year. Antlerless deer are defined as any female deer and any male deer without hardened antler above the hairline.

Legal Weapons

Youth Gun: 

Youth may carry and use any firearm with which they can safely hunt, and in compliance with other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
                                                                Archery: 
Longbows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows. There is no minimum or maximum draw weight. There is no minimum arrow length. Fixed or mechanical broadheads may be used.

Primitive Weapons: 

For the purpose of hunting deer, “Primitive Firearms” are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; OR single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reintroductions of those type rifles with an exposed hammer; OR single or double-barreled muzzle-loading shotguns, with single ball or slug. All muzzleloading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition. “Blackpowder substitute” is defined as a substance designed, manufactured and specifically intended to be used as a propellant in muzzleloading or other black powder firearms, excluding modern smokeless powder. Metallic cartridges may be loaded with either black powder or modern smokeless powder (cartridges purchased at sporting goods stores). Handguns or sidearms are not allowed for hunting deer
during Primitive Weapons seasons. Telescopic sights are allowed while hunting with any primitive firearm during the primitive weapon seasons. A “telescopic sight” is defined as an optical sighting device with any magnification. Gun: There are no caliber or magazine capacity restrictions on firearms. Primitive weapons (as defined above) and archery equipment may be used during gun seasons.

Hunter Orange

When hunting deer during any primitive weapon or gun season on deer, all deer hunters (INCLUDING BOW HUNTERS) must wear in full view at least five hundred (500) square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange. NOTE: Mesh-style or orange-camouflage is not considered unbroken and does not count toward the 500 square inch minimum. This requirement shall not apply to a hunter while the hunter is in a fully enclosed deer stand.

Please review all other regulations at: www.mdwfp.com

Guilty?

I have been guilty of sleeping in the woods...when you snooze you loose!

A Playful Morning In The Woods!

Meeker, Colorado

A Flower Box Butterfly

This past Wednesday morning while walking our dog, Millie Jane, I noticed a yellow/black butterfly in our next door neighbors flower box on their white picket fence.  I went inside to get my camera and was hoping it would still be there when I got back outside.  I ended up taking a few photos and thought you might enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoyed taking them.  

Easy Deer

A Furry Dish Washer

A wild story of a black bear breaking into an Idaho kitchen...

Ketchum, Idaho (AP) - A black bear in search of a late-night snack broke into an Idaho house and licked leftover Chinese food from a cast iron pan on the stove.

David Edwards of Ketchum said that his dog's barking awakened him.

When he went to investigate, he saw the bear on its hind legs, paws on the stove, licking a pan.

Edwards' wife had fallen asleep on the couch and he woke her up and led her into the bedroom without telling her about the furry dish washer.

Edwards went back into the kitchen to find the bear was gone and the pan was clean. Edwards credits his dog, Stanley, for waking him up before the bear got father into the house.

A Wall of Deer Mounts

Above are three very nice deer wall mounts of my Facebook friend, Tal Goldsby. Two of his three were harvested on the last day of the season.  One was in the corn when he got there and the other one came out within 15 minutes left to hunt.  He said it has been a few years since he has hunted deer because he really prefers wing shooting instead.   Tal will also be sharing his plains game mounts and birds from different places coming up soon.  My congrats to Tal, his daughter-in-law and son on their harvest in our great wild outdoors!  

Daughter-in-law's two and oldest son's mount on end.

Rolling On The Mighty Mississippi

At first, I thought this was a painting when I saw it in our paper, The Vicksburg Post, last Saturday. The picture was taken by photographer, Eli Baylis, while Madelyn Hille, left, and Adam Hoffmeister, both of Indianapolis, paddle towards the Mississippi River on the Yazoo Diversion Canal last Friday.  On a journey to New Orleans that started at the headwaters of the Mississippi River the couple has camped, paddled and baked in the sun for the last 60 days, the article said.  "The scariest part of the trip has been the barges," said Hille, speaking of the wake that tow boats and their barges create.  They plan to travel back through the Mississippi Delta by vehicle on their way home, Hille said, "Because we have met so many nice people,"  

Jacob's Big Fish

In The Vicksburg Post Friday was a picture of Jacob Storey with this big bull redfish that he caught last weekend while fishing with his father, John, off the Louisiana coast.  They released the fish back into the waters south of Venice, Louisiana near Pass A Loutre. Congratulations to Jacob for catching and releasing this very nice fish in our great wild outdoors!

Buck Went Shopping!

Baker City, Oregon - This buck recently decided to go shopping!  First he went to Safeway and could not find what he was looking for and headed on over to Rite Aid.  As you can see an employee looks surprised and knows this is not your regular everyday customer. Leave a comment if you have any idea what he was shopping for.

Some Ideas!

1. Needed some magnums and they 

    were out at Safeway.

2. Looking for some does

3. Maybe tick repellent

4. Oregon canned hunt, Isle 6

Sadie's First Hog

Pictured above is Sadie Kammlah who is 10 years old and lives near Fredericksburg, TX. She killed her very first boar with a bow yesterday weighing in at 190 lbs.  Sadie's dream when she grows up is to have her very own hunting show and call herself, "PIG THUG".  I also heard that she has hunting on the brain 24/7!  She will become our future professional huntress that's for sure.  

I'm so proud of you Sadie in our great wild outdoors and wishing you a bright future in hunting and of course, GOODHUNTING  to ya!  

A Hot Tuesday Tow

On our way after my husband's Doctors appointment we stopped by and got some ice cream at McDonald's and headed to the Louisiana Circle at the MS River.  As I pulled in I almost missed this towboat getting ready to make the turn in the bend.  I had an ice cone in one hand and a camera in the other!  Got some halfway decent pictures of the M/V Alix Anne Eckstein of Marquette Transportation with her empty tow in 100 degree temps.  It was a hot, steamy and humid day in Vicksburg, MS.   

Barely missed getting a picture of the M/V Alix Anne Eckstein of Marquette Transportation.

As you can see, NO ONE, was at the Vicksburg Riverfront Park.  It was just too hot to play.

M/V Alix Anne Eckstein of Marquette Transportation making her way around the bend and heading north up the Mighty Mississippi River.