Four-Year-Old's First Deer

Walker Bockman, 4, killed his first deer, a spike, while hunting with his father, Ryan Bockman, on December 5 in Warren County, Vicksubrg, MS.  

My goodness, kids are getting younger and younger, becoming hunters.  My congratulations to Walker on a very nice spike for his first deer in our great Mississippi outdoors!  So proud of you!

Merry Christmas on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas

 Wishing all my Blogger friends a very Merry Christmas!

On The Twelfth Day of Salvage

 

On the twelfth day of salvage,

The USS Cairo gave me

Twelve artillery shells were discovered,

Eleven mustard bottles,

Ten rounds of bullets,

Nine cups for drinking,

Eight leather shoes,

Seven nails abandoned,

Six mess plates for meals,

Five picture frames,

Four uniform buttons,

Three sailors’ combs,

Two service muskets,

and a recovered canister shot.

Day 12: Twelve artillery shells discovered

These heavy artillery shells highlight the USS Cairo’s combat role during the Civil War. Recovered from the wreck, they serve as powerful reminders of the ironclad’s mission, the dangers faced by her crew, and the moment the ship was lost beneath the Yazoo River during the Vicksburg Campaign.

NPS Photo: VICKC 3465, 3470, 3480, 3490, 3500, 3505, 3515, 3535, 3540, 3570, 3580, 3590 — Twelve artillery shells.

Jamie's Biggest Buck Ever

My Granddaughter, Victoria sent me this picture yesterday of Jamie (her husband) bagging a really nice buck.  She said he's super excited about it and that's the biggest one he has ever gotten.  I'm so happy for Jamie.  He has already harvested a doe.  My granddaughter said it was going to be mounted in their new home.

 

Next year he will be taking me hunting at or near the same place called Campbell Swamp.  I can just step into a hunting house and hopefully get a deer.  I haven't been in two years because of health issues but so far so good and making plans to go. 

 

My congratulations to Jamie in our great Mississippi outdoors!

First Deer @ 6 Years Old

Halston Hudson, 6, killed his first deer, an 8-pointer, on November 30 in Pattison, Mississippi.  He is the son of Ross and Harley Hudson and the grandson of Bob and Cyndi Hudson.  

My congratulations to this very young deer hunter in our great Mississippi outdoors.  Way to go, Halston!  So proud of you!

Initiated - First Deer

So proud of our youth. Noland's first deer! One of the kids who was with me was asking questions a couple of weeks ago. Great job!!

My congratulations! You will never forget this day! Proud of you!

NoVar Outdoors

Overkill Outdoors

Overkill Outdoors by Kymber Erskine, Fayette County, WV. 11.26.2024

                       Congratulations, little one! Nice buck!

Published by NoVar Outdoors

Happy 83rd Birthday Laura

Laura Love Ables

Wishing my only sister, Laura (Boo Boo), a very Happy 83rd Birthday today. This is a recent picture I took of her with her spider earrings, Mama spider, and baby spider, showing them off on Halloween. I hope her special day is a blessing. Love and Hugs from your big sister, Missy.

Fought Cancer & Buck

SHE’S FOUGHT CANCER FOR YEARS — AND TONIGHT SHE FOUGHT FOR THIS BUCK.

On December 7th, 2025, this brave grandmother battling chemotherapy stepped outside under the cold night sky and claimed a trophy that proves strength isn’t measured in muscle — but in willpower.

My Congratulations!

~Alabama Empire Buck Outdoors

First Buck Ever @ Five

 FIRST BUCK EVER — AND HE’S ONLY FIVE.

On December 3rd, 2025, this young hunter made memories that will outlast a lifetime, dropping his very first buck with a smile big enough to light up the whole forest.

#FirstBuckEver #YouthHunter #FutureOutdoorsman

Congratulations, little guy!!! So proud of you!

Kaleb Got a Nice Buck Sitting with His Grandpa

My Godchild, John Kirk Ring's son, spent the weekend at the Ring Deer Camp south of Vicksburg, MS, last weekend, and his son, Kaleb, got a nice buck.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend at the Ring Camp in Vicksburg. Charles Ring Sr. was sitting with Kaleb when this buck came in to see what some of the does were up to. He made a perfect shot. I’m incredibly thankful for the quality time this property has given our family for many generations.

Nice buck, Kaleb!  

Congratulations!

Kaleb, with his Grandpa Charlie Ring.

Grandpa Charlie Ring is married to my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Jeanette.  We have known each other for over 50 years.  I'm truly blessed to be friends with "The Ring" Family.

If You See A Bear In Mississippi

Numerous hunters are seeing bears while hunting in Mississippi.  The picture above of a video was taken by Anthony Ballard, Jr., in Issaquena County, which is north of us in Warren County, Vicksburg, MS, on the Mississippi River.  

Hunting in bear country? The thick of deer season in MS. There are lots of hunters seeing bears while hunting. Bears do not seek out conflict with humans, but there are some things you can do to minimize interactions with bears:

1. If you see a bear, stay calm and watch from a distance. If you have one approach, too close, loud noises, and significant movements will encourage it to leave.

2. If you shoot a deer with bears nearby, try to dispatch and recover your deer in as short a time and distance as possible. (Bears can sometimes learn to associate gunshots with free meals.)

3. If you think a bear has found your deer, recover your deer with a partner and/or vehicle.

4. Carry bear spray. It is legal to use lethal force to defend yourself against a bear (although it’s scarce), but bear spray is more effective. It’s harder to miss with bear spray and can be used more safely.

5. Taking your food, drinks, and scents out of your stand or blind after each hunt can help keep a curious bear from investigating and possibly causing damage.

6. Remove foam-padded seats when possible. The foam used in many seat cushions smells like the scent given off by insect larvae. Bears will target foam seats for this reason.

7. If possible, bury your deer carcasses instead of leaving them for scavengers. The smell can draw bears for an easy meal.

Good luck and goodhunting this season!

Happy Thanksgiving Day Bloggers

Every Hunter Should.....

John Edward Nicholas Obit

John Edward "Johnny" Nicholas passed away on Sunday, November 16, 2025, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He was 86 years old. John was born in Winnsboro, Louisiana on January 18, 1939. He was the only child of James Otis and Mary Viola Nicholas of Crowville, Louisiana.

John is survived and will be greatly missed by his son Dennis Nicholas and wife Suzi of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and his two wonderful grandchildren, Emma and Katherine.

Affectionately known as Daddy, Pa Paw, Uncle Johnny, and Mr. Johnny, he was a devoted member of Crossway Church. John retired in 2015 from his career as a maintenance supervisor at Complex Chemical Company of Tallulah, Louisiana.

John had a lifelong passion for all things mechanical. His mother told a story about how he repaired his father's malfunctioning carburetor at age eight. Despite losing his right hand in a workplace accident at age 21, John worked for 55 years as a mechanic, never considering giving up on the career he loved. He spent many enjoyable weekends repairing and rebuilding small engines and his neighbors' cars and trucks. One of John's greatest joys was his grandchildren, and he doted over them like only a grandparent can.

Visitation will be held at Glenwood Funeral Home in Vicksburg, Mississippi at 10:30 AM Saturday, November 22, 2025. Funeral services will immediately follow at 11:30 AM with Reverend TJ Tennison officiating. Burial will follow at Crowville Masonic Cemetery in Crowville, Louisiana.

Happy 62nd Birthday Teri

My firstborn daughter, Theresa Marie "Teri," is 62 years old today. This is her Senior Class picture, taken in 1981, when she graduated from St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg, MS. She has one daughter, Sonya Michelle, who is 40 years old and has served in the United States Navy. My daughter lives in Magee, MS, having retired as a nurse. I wish her a very Happy 62nd Birthday, and may she have many more returns of her "special" day! I love you so much! MOM

Theresa Marie "Teri"

Happy 19th Blogiversary to Me

On Tuesday, November 7, 2007, I wrote my first entry on my new blog, Marian's Hunting Stories, etc., etc., etc., and this is what I said.

This is my first time to do this and just feeling my way through it all....my neighbor next door has a blog here and I enjoy reading her stuff....so....I thought I would start me one. I like to deer hunt, so I thought I would blog my hunting adventures.

Correction - This is my first time doing this, and I'm just feeling my way through it all. My neighbor next door has a blog here, and I enjoy reading her posts. I thought I would start myself one. I enjoy deer hunting, so I am blogging about my hunting adventures.

I'm three days late, but I wish myself a very happy blogiversary, marking 19 years of blogging. I have 11 blogs and here they are - 

Dog Tails Of Deer Camp

Rex & Howell Family Photos

Bella (Isabella) Rayne

Marian's Hunting Stories, etc., etc., etc...

A Dixie Lady Deer Hunter

TWO DOGS TALL

Art~C~Lady

PAK Omega Chapter Snapshots

Dog Tails of Millie Jane

Missy's Snapshots

Class of 1959

I give a lot of credit for my blogging to my hunting friend, Rex Dean Howell (March 9, 1958- January 31, 2021) of Deer Camp Blog.  He told me back in 2007 to keep blogging because I had mentioned I was losing interest, and he advised me to continue blogging, as there were not many lady deer hunters at the time.  I'm glad I listened to him and miss him so much.

Rex Dean Howell and I are showing off his impressive deer mount.

Airboat Fun While Killing Pigs

This has to be a new way of killing pigs.  Last month, Joseph Tatum and a friend went pig hunting in an airboat in the Pearl River.  In three hours, they had killed 18 pigs.  Five over 250 lbs and two nice boars.  My congratulations on a job well done!

I never thought of using an airboat.  I killed two pigs up in the Delta near Eden, MS, while deer hunting, when about 12 pigs walked out and were feeding.  Three big ones, and I put it between a big sow's eyes and dropped her, and then shot another one running.  

The sow weighed 180 pounds.  I was the talk of the camp.  So many memories hunting at the famous Christmas Place Plantation Hunting Club.  I miss it so much, especially after my hunting buddy, Rex Howell, passed away at the age of 62 on the last day of hunting season, January 31, 2021.  He is sadly missed by his family and all his hunting friends.

Happy 18th Birthday, Ian

I'm wishing my great-grandson, Ian, who is one of five greats, a very Happy 18th Birthday today.  I hope he has a blessed and memorable birthday.  I love you so much, Great Gran Gran.

10 years old

Happy 18th Birthday, Ian!

Happy 37th Birthday, Victoria!

Today, my Granddaughter, Victoria Leigh, is celebrating her 37th Birthday. Born on Halloween, her Dad called her “Spook,” which fits her perfectly. She gave me my great-grandson Ian, who will be 18 in a few days. Victoria is a very caring and sweet granddaughter. I wish her a very happy birthday, filled with happiness and joy. I love you so very much, Victoria! Gran Gran xoxo

Happy 37th Birthday, Victoria!

Roots

Interesting picture of a tree that I'm calling "Roots" at the Rocky Spring Campground off the Natchez Trace Parkway, MS. I took this picture at my daughter's 50th birthday celebration 6 years ago.

Happy 56th Birthday Debra Ann

Wishing my 3rd daughter, Debra Ann "Debi", a very Happy 56th Birthday today.  Debi works as a Nanny for two doctors' little girl.  She is also a mother to two sons, Stephen and Michael (Ethan), and a daughter, Lucy.  She is blessed with three grandsons, William, Noah, and Asher.  I'm wishing her many more incredible years to come.  I love you, MOM.

Heavenly Birthday, William David

Today, I'm wishing my only son, William David Boyd, a Happy "Heavenly" 61st Birthday. I love and miss him every day of my life and will see him again in heaven one day. 10-25-64 ~ 10-26~64

Rest In Peace

Pictures Taken Building A Road Near MS River

My granddaughter and grandson-in-law own a business and took these pictures while building a road near the MS River recently. The last photo was taken by my granddaughter of the bridges. You can see the sandbar is way out on the Louisiana side of the river. The river stage yesterday was approximately 7.1 feet. Flood stage is 43 feet.

 

Ameristar Casino is on the far right in Vicksburg, MS.

Nana, Getting It Done!

She still loving it

       Congratulations!

Vicksburg, MS, In Warren County

Part of Jefferson County will be added to the chronic wasting disease area in Mississippi. Hunters are asked to harvest more deer this year, up to the bag limit, due to the abundance of deer.

CWD. It is expected to move slowly to the south. 128 deer tested positive for CWD in the past year in this state.

Black Bear Migration on the Rise in MS

MDWFP 

Magnificent Buck

Another great picture taken by my Facebook friend, Mike Persichini of Michigan.  A magnificent buck in velvet.  What a rack and heavy body.

Buck - 8 Yards Away

My Facebook friend, Mike Persichini, took this awesome picture of a buck recently in Michigan.  He said, "He is so used to me, I am almost lying on the ground to get this picture, 8 yards away!"

Buck Moon

God Bless America!