Brock's First Deer Hunt

Brock is 14 years old and just finished his Hunter's Education Course on Friday, day before opening day.  His Great Uncle Gerald invited him down from Walnut, MS, for his first hunt.  Sunday he did not see anything off of his stand and on Monday morning saw a squirrel taking a gallon milk jug up a tree...he could see the milk jug moving but finally the squirrel came around the tree so he could get a better view.  He said it also had a sponge in the jug.  All of a sudden, the milk jug fell with the squirrel at about 14 ft. up.  Somehow the squirrel survived.  If only he had had a camera!  Even the animals can act like little clowns.  Monday afternoon Bob and I hunted together in the ground box stand and Brock hunted not far from us in another ground box stand.  He said he saw a doe crossing the road but was waiting for a buck to follow in behind her.  I took a few pictures of Brock with his Great Uncle Gerald.  He will be coming back in a couple of weeks and hopefully he will get his first deer in our great wild outdoors! 

Bob and I hunting together out of the ground box stand.

Brock hunting here when he saw a doe crossing the road in front of a long draw.

Brock with his Great Uncle Gerald after his first hunt.

Walking out together...note deer stand in far distance...stand Bob and I hunted out of.

A ground scrap that we passed by each day walking into the woods!

Rounding up the Dogs

When we came out from hunting opening day a couple of men were trying to round up their hunting dogs using a radio antenna.  They were missing two of their dogs and Gerald walked back to the edge of the field and the dogs came running out.  Near one of the road entrances, Gerald has two horses, Duke and Prince, that were looking on as the men captured their dogs.  The 300 acres we hunted on is right up against the Natchez Trace.

Prince and Duke

Opening Day In NE MS

First off, we got into the woods at daybreak...not a good thing!  After Gerald and I dropped off Bob at a ground wooden stand, we walked down to where he was going to set me up along the edge of a road where the deer crossed and soon remembered we forgot the ground blind.  Then all of a sudden we heard dogs running a deer and we quickly loaded our guns and waited near a tree.  We saw two dogs but no deer.  I got set up (without my ground blind) and waited.  There was a stand down from me but unfortunately could not get into it.  About 9:30 I heard two shots near me and knew it was Gerald.  About 30 minutes later I saw him come to the road and waited for me and then pointed to a 7 pt. buck that he drugged out laying at about 50 yards in front of us but a dog was hanging out with the deer.  While he walked back to get his Kuboda tractor I stayed behind and took pictures of the deer and dog.  He tied the 7 pt. to the tractor and told me to hop on.  He said his tractor was a $20,000 redneck 4-wheeler and it was actually my first time to be on one.  What an experience!  (We left our 4-wheeler at home and his 3-wheeler needed a new tire)  I helped him load the deer into his truck and we all headed back to the house.  On the afternoon hunt, we left Bob at the ground stand and we walked back to where I was on the morning hunt and helped me set up my ground blind.  He used a bush to cut out a rest for me to put my gun in.  He then got into a stand 85 yards down from me and watched the road to the right while I watched to the left but saw no deer.  At least one of us was lucky enough to get a deer on opening day in our great wild outdoors! 

What I saw to the left of where I was sitting...

...and to the right.

What a beautiful morning to deer hunt!

Gerald's 7 pt. buck.

Junior, name of the dog hanging out with the deer.  He also had the No. 11 painted/burned on his coat.

Gerald going back to pick up his hunting gear.

Bob took our picture on the Kubota tractor.  Note Bob's walking stick in front of tractor.

 My ground blind set up for an afternoon hunt.



Vicksburg On The Hunt

Jordan Headley, 10, bagged this 115-pound doe during youth season in northern Warren County.  She was hunting with her grandfather, Robert Peters.  Jordan is the daughter of Blake and Kelly Headley of Jackson.

Dalton May, 9, killed his first buck on November 5 while hunting with his father, Todd, on private land in Vicksburg.  He used an AR .223 rifle, and got two deer - a 4-pointer and a 6-pointer.  Dalton is the son of Tadd and Emily May.

Kade Lott, 6, took down this 85-pound spike deer as his first kill on November 7.  He used a .223 rifle and was hunting near Valley Park with his father, Brian Lott.  Kade's mother is Brooke Lott.

Nikolas Koon, 7, bagged this 10-point buck on November 7.  He was hunting at Ashland Hunting Club in Port Gibson and used a .243 Winchester.

Vicksburg resident Eric Douglas bagged this 185-pound, 10-point buck on the opening weekend of archery season at Ridgeway Hunting Club.  It was Douglas' first bow kill.

Congratulations to all our hunters above in the great wild outdoors! 

Moving Up North

Mari Lampton towbow heading north on the Mississippi River just before sunset.

An ominous sky with the sunsetting on Monday, November 15, 2010 at the overlook.

I moved to another overlook by the bridges and took this picture with the sun ablazed as it sets.  A huge transformer tower can be seen holding the wires that crosses the mighty Mississippi River!

******

I will be taking a break from my computer for a week to enjoy gun season, which starts tomorrow and to wish all hunters out there GOODHUNTING and a safe and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Parting Camp Photos

Daughter, Erin, and Rex my blogging mentor and friend.

Erin, Rex, Bob and I getting ready to leave the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club till next time!  Bob and I are so thankful for our rewarding hunt and most importantly our special and dear friends in the MS Delta.

Sunday Morning Hunt

Bob and I hunted together Sunday morning at the Game Warden's Stand.  It was a beautiful cold and crisp morning and we watched the sun come up from this side-view window.  We had 3 does to come out at the far end of the field about 200 yards and we watched them feed.  This is a beautiful stand with a great view overlooking a wildlife refuge in front of the field with a road dividing the two.  Also, where sunflowers were planted on the refuge for this past dove season.  It was indeed a beautiful site to behold! 

My husband, Bob.



Bob posing in front of the Game Warden's Stand.

Looking down towards the end of the field where the 3 does came out.

Bob took a picture of me while waiting for Rex to come and pick us up.

Deer tracks vs. our truck tracks!

Christmas Camp Shots!

Day breaking on the Arrowhead Stand...the mid-right is where my deer came out Saturday afternoon and dropped her at 85 yards.

Yearlings and does came out on the morning and evening hunts from the left to feed in the field.

Behind me where two does came out from the right and tried to shoot when it misfired.

First of four does were taken on the morning hunt by Paul, Burney, Stewart and Jack!  Congrats Guys!

Jeffrey Hollis, Burney Howell and Rex relaxing and talking about their morning deer hunts.  (Story about deer hunt posted Monday, November 15, 2010)

Got Meat!!!

My husband Bob and I were invited by Rex of Deer Camp Blog and family to the MS Delta to hunt for a doe/hog at their famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club.  We really had a great weekend and were able to get three hunts in with rain predicted for Saturday and Sunday.  The rain set-in before our Saturday afternoon hunt but was not a downpour and deer were moving like crazy.  On my first hunt, I wanted to go to my favorite spot, the Arrowhead (tripod) Stand.  After being on the stand for about an hour, I had a button buck to come out first and then a nice size doe.  I was able to take a picture of them, grab my binoculars and decided I would go for the big doe.  This was about 6:50 am.  I had a tree in front of me and was waiting for her to come to the other side and be ready.  Well, the young button buck blew at me and turned and took off back into the woods.  The doe just stood for a few seconds and did the same.  I don't think I spooked her because she new something was up and followed suit.  

About 20 minutes later two more does came out behind me.  I was able to take their picture, scoped and get ready to shoot.  While the doe on the right was standing broadside, I put the crossed hairs on her shoulder and fired my husband's .50 cal. in line muzzle loader and POOF...nothing!  The cap went off but no bullet discharged and later found out that it was not properly loaded and the bullet was not seated by the ramrod.  Just had to watch them walk off.  So that was that!   

After we got my husband's muzzle loader problem solved at the camp, he wanted to take it and Rex offered me his 45.70 to use.  I wanted to go back to the Arrowhead Stand and hopefully try again to get a doe.  Shots were going off everywhere - finally two small yearlings and a doe appeared and I got in position to shoot and in a split second before I shot another hunter shot near me and of course the doe was startled and then I shot and missed as she ran over to the edge of the field and just stood there.  While I reloaded and was watching her, she walked off into the woods.  About 15 minutes later to my right another yearling appeared and here comes four or more does.  I could not get a clear shot because they were all standing too close together and then finally another doe walked out and took her at 85 yards and she dropped in her tracks.  This was about 4:45 pm.  Waited and got down to check her, took a picture and made my way back to the 4-wheeler and waited until dark for the others to come by to helped me load my deer.  Got back to the camp and found out that my husband had shot a 120 lb. doe also at the North Cornfield Stand at 150 yards.  Both of our deer were the same weight.  Everyone was so happy for both of us!  Sunday morning we hunted together at the Game Warden's Stand and saw three does to the right far end, which looked like a football field, and decided not to shoot, but just watched them.  It was a fantastic and fun weekend hunt with 12 does and a hog being harvested in our great wild outdoors!

Standing proud - Myself, Terry, Rex and Bob
(I will be posting more pictures of our hunt throughout the week)

Another Photo Published!

I'm so proud to say, that once again, another picture of mine was published in our hometown paper today, The Vicksburg Post.  This picture was taken on September 25th while my husband and I were invited to our old hunting camp north of Vicksburg for a visit.  While there we enjoyed riding along this familiar river road.  This is a very special spot for us and below is the caption they used with my picture...

Marian Love Phillips of Vicksburg was at Brown's Point Hunting Club on Kings Point Island when she spotted an inviting chair situated on the bank of the Mississippi River.

Vicksburg Youth On The Hunt

Taylor Harrigill, 7, took his first deer on November 6.  He used a 20-gauge shotgun to take the 6-pointer while hunting with his father, John, in south Vicksburg.  Taylor is the son of John and Marsha Harrigill.

Reece Shumake, 8, bagged his first buck November 6 while hunting in northern Warren County.  The inside spread measured 13 inches.  Reese is the son of Roy and Lara Cook, and the grandson of Jerry and Wanda Cook.

Nine-year-old Sean Simpson bagged this deer, his first, while hunting with his grandfather John Simpson.

Gone Hunting!

Bob and I are headed to the MS Delta to hunt at the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club for the weekend.  We hope to harvest a pig or a doe or maybe both!  We are looking forward to seeing and visiting with the Howell Family of Deer Camp Blog with their friends.  The weather is not looking very good with a prediction of 40% rain for Saturday and more for Sunday.  We may get a morning hunt in and not sure about an evening hunt but should have plenty of time to visit.  :) 

******

While on the subject of hunting, I came across this article on the Internet the other day.  I have not seen it in the paper yet but when hunting starts we unfortunately have accidents.  Please be careful and make sure you know what you are aiming at!

From HEIDELBERG, MS — Officials are investigating a deadly hunting incident in Jasper County.

WDAM-TV reports that the incident involved a husband and wife who were hunting Saturday and became separated near Heidelberg. The husband reportedly shot his wife after mistaking her for a deer.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is investigating the incident, along with the Jasper County Sheriff's Department.
Sheriff's investigator Thad Windham confirmed a fatal shooting had occurred, but referred questions to the wildlife agency. An agency spokesman James Walker couldn't be reached immediately for comment Monday.