A Southwest MS Gator!

Kevin Smith from Brookhaven, MS, is shown here with a 10 foot 2-inch alligator he got recently and said he tagged out in two nights.  He shot it three times to make sure he didn't tear up his boat, he said.  It was captured in the southwest part of our wild Mississippi outdoors! Congratulations to Kevin and to all involved.  

A Sailboat & The Queen

A sailboat was moored to the left of the American Queen this morning while taking pictures.

The American Queen showed up this morning at our waterfront in the Yazoo Diversion Canal for an all day visit with her passengers to tour our historic civil war town of Vicksburg, MS.  She has not graced our shores since June 30 and will be back on September 8 with a lot of visits for the rest of the year.  She is always welcome to our Red Carpet City of The South!  

Mocha Drinking Hose Water!

My Facebook friend, Alexys Nichole Trippetts of Buffalo, WY took this picture recently of her dog and below she's sharing the story in her own words.

So here is the story behind the picture.  Her name is Mocha, she's an Australian Cattle Dog.  We were playing in the yard and she needed a drink so I lifted up the water hose for her.  The way she was drinking from the hose was just hilarious to me and felt like forever.  I happened to have my phone in my pocket, so I snapped a few pictures and this was the best one.   She posted the picture on the Facebook site, Wyoming Through The Lens.  I love it and wanted to share it with you!

American Queen & American Duchess Riverboats

The luxurious American Queen will be back in our historical civil war town this Wednesday from 8:00 to 5:00.  She has not been here since June 30. Looking forward to seeing her again at the waterfront with her passengers to tour our historic sites.  

The American Duchess, the American Queen Steamboat Co.'s newest riverboat, was in Vicksburg Saturday, August 19 to give local officials a tour of the boat, which will be making 28 stops in the Red Carpet City during 2018.  It was built on the hull of a former casino boat that was renovated and expanded, and christened on August 14 in New Orleans and is the first all-suite paddle wheeler on U.S. rivers, according to American Queen Co, website.  It can accommodate 160 guests and carries a crew of 96. She is predicted to come back through Vicksburg on Wednesday, September 20 from 8:00 to 5:00. 

Alligator Season In Force

Russel Mowery of Meridian, MS, killed this 9 footer alligator this weekend at Eagle Lake north of Vicksburg, MS.  My congrats to Russel on a really nice alligator in our Mississippi wild outdoors. 

2017 Alligator season dates for public waters season in Mississippi opened at 12:00 noon August 25 through 12:00 noon September 4, 2017. Private lands season opened 12:00 noon August 25 through 6:00 a.m. September 18, 2017. 

Hunters Loading Up With A Tax-Free Weekend

With deer and turkey hunting season opening soon in Mississippi it's time for hunters to stock up on ammo or purchase a new gun for the season.  

This weekend, hunters will have the chance to save some money on their guns and ammo during Mississippi's statewide second amendment sales tax holiday.  

It started Friday at 12:01 a.m., through Sunday at midnight, with guns, ammo, and archery equipment being tax-free throughout the state.

Tax-exempt items include pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns, as well as their respective ammo.  Also exempt is a wide range of archery equipment including bows, arrows, arrow rest, arm guards, quivers, and crossbows.  The tax-exempt list also includes hard and soft cases designed to carry firearms or archery equipment, hearing protection, scopes and holsters among the items.  

A full list of exempt and nonexempt items can be found at http://www.dor.ms.gov/Business/Pages/Sales-Use-Tax-landing.aspx
by clicking on the Annual Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday Guide link.

TAX-FREE HOLIDAY:  Cameron Cooksey shows Kelly Murphy a Ruger Precision Rifle 6.5 Creedmoor at 601 Sports Thursday.  This upcoming weekend is the annual tax-free weekend on guns and ammunition.  The Vicksburg Post

A Bedded Down Buck

My Facebook friend, Mike Persihini walked up on a bedded buck yesterday while walking through a field and took one look and he was gone.  Here are some amazing photos of his flying get-a-way.  

In my hunting lifetime, I have actually walked up on two does while walking through the woods bedded down and it frightened me as much as it did them.  

I had no camera at the time to take a deer flying through the air but Mike was ready.  Great hind shot of a "whitetail" deer!

The Golden Rod was over 4 feet tall, he said.  Amazing photographs in the great wild outdoors of Michigan!  Thanks for sharing your pictures with us, Mike.

A Truck Load Of Hogs!

Chuck Nolan of Brandon, MS, got 10 nasty hogs last Saturday. Looks like a truck load of pork chops, bacon, and sausage to me! My congrats to Chuck on a great wild hog hunt in our wonderful Mississippi outdoors!

Watch Out For Snakes While At Deer Camp!

My Facebook friend, Dana Sanders, a wetland consultant, had a bad experience back in September 2014 when he got bit by a rattlesnake. 

"It's that time of the year as we hunters head to the woods to get ready for the upcoming deer season," Dana said.  "Heck, I think getting ready is as fun as actual hunting...but...this is also the height of snake movement as they prepare for winter. Be extra cautious, wear some quality boots or snake chaps such as Turtle Skin Snake Armor and don't step where you can't see!  If you're a hunter, share this with your friends. This was a terrible experience for me, and it was totally preventable!" 

Rattlesnake bite ends Claiborne County hunting-club work day, sends a hunter to the hospital.  

Pretty Hibiscus!

Wanted to share some pretty Hibiscus flowers that I took recently for your enjoyment. 

All Eyes On The Sky Today!

My glasses that I received to participate in the partial eclipse at the Vicksburg National Military Park today. 

At 1:00 pm a fifteen-minute program was scheduled detailing the different astronomical phenomenon that happened during the four years of the Civil War. It was timed to happen just before the eclipse at the park.  We had about 83% of the total eclipse.

Some pictures I took while watching the partial eclipse.  

I noticed a lot of dragon flies flying around and of course, they were confused because they come out at twilight. 

Park Ranger making an announcement of the upcoming program.

It was nice to share the excitement with everyone who attended.  

Water was offered to all who came.

Eyes on the sky!

The temperature also dropped two degrees during the eclipse. 

Sharing a picture taken by Ward Anderson, August 21, 2017.

Jason's First Rifle For TX Hunt

Dana Sanders, Jason, and Jimmy Bagby.

Dana Sanders, my Facebook friend got a surprise gift yesterday for his son Jason by his friend, Jimmy Bagby, a gunsmith, and owner of Firearms Outfitters, who gave Jason a rifle which was built by Jimmy.  It's Jason's first rifle and one he will use on his South Texas hunt on November 2nd. Thanks to Jimmy for making a promising hunter-to-be happy and wishing him the best of luck in harvesting a deer.  I have known Jimmy for a very long time and he is such a good Christian man and a very good friend. His wife, Lee and I worked for the Corps of Engineers, so we all go way back.  

American Duchess Maiden Voyage In Vicksburg Today

The American Duchess is the first all-suite paddle wheeler on U.S. rivers, a floating, intimate masterpiece that can carry up to 166 guests through America's heartland. The paddle wheeler, created from a 1995 hull, was completely reconstructed to become one of the most luxurious rivers cruising vessels in the country, featuring single-seating main dining and entertainment venues, soaring ceilings, and all of the features guests have come to expect. 

We welcome the American Duchess with open arms today and hope this is the first of many returns to our historic city of Vicksburg: The Key To The South!

American Duchess received some TV coverage from WJTV Channel 12 in Jackson, MS.  

Also, coverage from the River City Network of Vicksburg, TV. 

While sitting down on the bench and waiting for the American Duchess to go by, I met this traveling man at the Mississippi Welcome Center and said he is walking the USA from his hometown of Georgia.  He was in Memphis and walked/hitchhiked down Hwy 61 South and ended up in Vicksburg today.  He loves the blues and wanted to check out the Big Muddy Blues Bar & Restaurant downtown tonight.  He told me he wanted to walk the USA and will most likely take him 3 years.  He claims to be an artist/writer by the name of Ricky Reidinger.  His gear was with him that he packs on his back and was stacked up to the left of the bench.   

When I checked my FINDSHIP app for the direction of the American Duchess, I saw where she was headed north even though it said destination was Natchez.  I then wished Ricky good luck and to be safe because it's going to be a long, long walk for him. 

Lunch @ The Tomato Place

Last Sunday I had lunch at The Tomato Place and enjoyed a big fat hamburger and fries with my friend, Johnette.  It is a cool little place south of town on Hwy 61 South.  The place was packed full of people and a light rain shower was falling.  Here are a few pictures I took while there.  

They sell all kinds of produce, smoothies, etc.

You can also sit outside but it was too hot and muggy and of course the rain.  

The Tomato Place!

(more pictures)

Raindrops on the elephant ears plant.  

Pretty flowers with raindrops as well!

Bass & Snake

Austin and Courtney McLendon of Selma, Alabama, took their son Talan fishing in a private lake back in June.  He is shown here holding a bass he caught with a snake in its mouth. He said his son stuck his hand in its mouth and felt something hit his hand and luckily he didn't get bit by the snake.  The grandmother stated that he caught the bass while it was digesting the snake and it burped it up because the hook was causing pain.  This is very scary and I've never seen or heard of anything like this before.  Just a word of caution to all fishermen in our great wild/crazy outdoors.

Waiting On The BIG One!

Jerry Polk of Florence, Mississippi took this picture of his buddy while trying to catch the big one. What a great picture!  I hope he was able to catch one in our great wild Mississippi outdoors!

Cousin's Nice Marlin

My cousin, John Peters of Houston, TX, formerly of New Orleans, got this nice marlin near Los Cabos Municipality, Mexico in the Sea of Cortez, Cabo San Lucas recently.  I know he is so happy with his catch in our great wild outdoors!  Congratulations, Cuz!  I'm so proud of you!  A memory that will last a long, long time!

Romy's Bighead Carp

Romy Whiistle of Nesbit, Mississippi had a blast this weekend landing this bighead carp while bow fishing.  She loves bow fishing and thanks her friend Joe Williams who is also a big bow fisherman in accompanying her in our great wild Mississippi outdoors.  My congrats to Romy...it's almost as big as she is! 

A South Mississippi Buck

Jarrett O'Grady recently got his deer mount back from Dales Taxidermy Vuyovich, Jr., of Saucier, MS.  Jarrett lives in St. Martin, MS and so proud of his awesome buck as he should be.    

Jarrett with his very nice buck harvest.

Congratulations to Jarrett on his fine buck that he saw on his trail cam in our great wild and wonderful Mississippi outdoors!

Tribute To Deer Hunting

Deer Hunting brings millions of people together in America every year. Hunting whitetails is what unites us as friends and family, we felt inspired to make this deer hunting tribute because we see a need that each one of us needs to be more unified as hunters! Share this with your friends!
October 24, 2014

Stacking Hogs On 4-Wheeler

Austin Merritt of Pontotoc, Mississippi was stacking these nasty old hogs up on his 4-wheeler recently.  Looks like he will be eating high-on-the-hog for now!  My congrats in eradicating the wild hogs in our great State of Mississippi year round!  Way to go Austin!

Awesome Fawn Picture

My Facebook friend Rick Small took this picture of a fawn that is awesome and wanted to share it with you.  In his own words -

First time in a few years I've had the chance to photograph a fawn during any trip this time of year, much less several different ones in the same trip..... I got to see around 5 in the Cove and 4 on a drive/ride through Roaring Fork.... There were 2 times during these encounters of the fawn kind, that I had fawns almost run into me as I got set up in what I thought were good positions to get photos of the little ones... This was one such time that this fawn ended up so close, so fast that it was too close to photograph... I had to wait on it to take a couple of hops away, then turn to see what the heck it had almost run into, so I could get a decently focused and framed shot.... I had to laugh at the expression I saw come over the fawn's face as it came running around a bush only to find little ol' me standing there.... I've said it before and I'll say it again: NEVER underestimate my sneakiness!!!!!! ;-)  Click on photo for the best quality viewing..... Also, sharing and commenting are both appreciated.

www.facebook.com/ricksmallphotography

 — at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.