Fun Wild Time

Yesterday, Bob and I attended the very first Warren County Wildlife Extravaganza hosted by the Warren County Baptist Association at the Vicksburg Convention Center.  It was a great success!

It brought back memories for me to enter the convention center again because I was one of the first employees to moved into the building after it was constructed approximately 12 years ago.  It was a great part-time job after retiring from the Corps of Engineers after 25 years service.

I was very pleased to see such a great turnout for this wildlife event.  My husband and I usually have to go out-of-town to attend an event like this and was refreshing to have it here in our hometown which was free to the public.  Seminars were also held on Wildlife Habitat Management, Area Lake Fishing Strategies, Snake Species of MS and Feral Hog Management, throughout the day.  Bluegrass and Church music also entertained.

The Bowfishing Association of Mississippi let children to try their hand at bowfishing to promote the 2012 Youth Tournament that will be at Eagle Lake Public Boat Landing on June 16.

A guest speaker put the finishing touches on the event and after his presentation a Mathew's Z7 and Mathew's Genesis Bows were given away and you had to be present to win.  I was really lucky to win a free oil change up to $35.00 from George Carr dealership from where we had purchased our GMC Sierra truck.  Below are some pictures I took while walking around the wildlife show.

Vicksburg Convention Center

Bob checking out Delta Outfitters display booth which is located Hwy 61North bypass.

One of many deer mounts.

All kinds of farm and hunting vehicles.

Bob talking to a knife maker, Bill Mangum of Handmade Custom Knives.

mangum.bill@yahoo.com

Bobcat

Never seen a giraffe mount before.

This lion was taken here in Mississippi in a sanctuary that is now closed.

Red Fox

A nice zebra mount.

Superior Outdoor Supply LLC of Bay Springs, MS

S.O.S.

"Hi-Rise Hunter"

Troy Davis

601.214.9880

www.superioroutdoorsupply.com

(Be sure and check out their video)

Ducks flying in the convention center.

Bob with Smokey the Bear!  

Little Charlie, with a painted deer on his face, will soon be a member of the Love Family.  His mom, Cassie Jo, will marry my nephew, Marion "Bubba" Love, III, next month. at the Old Court House Museum.

In Memory of My Mother

February 11, 1921 ~ March 17, 1979

A Very First Time Event

My husband and I are looking forward to going to the "very first time" event in Vicksburg of the Warren County Wildlife Extravaganza.  It will be held at the Vicksburg Convention Center from 10:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., tomorrow and hosted by the Warren County Baptist Association.  We have been to many shows in Jackson and Natchez areas and looking forward to going to this one right here at home.   Featured speaker will be Doug Payne of Buck Creek Outfitters.  Two bows, a Mathews and a Genesis, will be given away after his presentation but you will have to be present to win.  Admission will be free!

Note:  Randy McPherson, was scheduled to be the speaker but will not be able to attend the event due to an automobile wreck that occurred this week In Montana.  His wife sustained severe injuries in that wreck and there he must stay at home to attend to her medical needs.  Doug Payne of Buck Creek Outfitters was on stand by for Randy.

In 1962, there were only a couple of deer camps in Mississippi. The Sam Newman Camp, just north of Vicksburg, is where Doug’s dad introduced his 5 yr old boy to hunting.  This was the beginning of a life spent hunting and guiding in God’s great outdoors.

As a career, Doug, and his wife Sandy, took over the family crop dusting business where Doug flew for many years. In recent years, Doug used his flying and hunting skills as a bush pilot and hunting guide in Alaska, where Doug and Sandy are Registered Assistant Guides. Also the Paynes, along with their good friends the McKays, own and operate Buck Creek Farms in Illinois, where they provide a Christian bow hunting experience for hunters every fall.

Doug’s walk with Christ can truly be called a relationship. God speaks clearly to him through experiences in life. As a result, he has many stories where God has directed his steps and produced fruit for the Kingdom of God. Doug does a fantastic job of sharing these stories in a conversational manner. You’ll feel as if you’re on the front porch of the lodge, coffee in hand, as he weaves a hunter’s tail. Whether he’s giving an account of a big bear hunt in Alaska, an elk hunt in Colorado, or a whitetail hunt in Illinois, you’ll be inspired by what God says, and how He says it!

Doug and Sandy live on the family farm in Brandon, MS along with their children and grandchildren. (Warren County Wildlife Expo)

Blooming Flowers

A dogwood tree that lends over in our front yard from next door.

Azalea bush that is getting ready to burst out with more blooms. 

Pretty as a picture!

Pesky Animals

For the last two weeks I have had to call our City of Vicksburg's Animal Control Unit, to bring a cage to capture some pesky animals that want to live under our house that sits over a small hill.  I don't know how in the world they can get in but they do.  When we first moved here 20 years ago we did not have this problem and then all of a sudden here comes all the cats, opossums and raccoons to live rent free. They have gotten up in the insulation and have made a big mess. Our heating system went on the blink a couple of weeks ago and its a fairly new unit and went downstairs to check and saw part of the side panel off and on the ground and a pipe was unhooked from the unit.  I called Animal Control and asked them to bring a cage to catch whatever is under the house again.  It has been about 5 years since we had to call the city to pick up 6 raccoons and 6 opossums and a number of cats that were staying here...but now they are baaaaack!  Two weeks ago we captured two cats and over the weekend an opossum and just this morning a bigger older opossum.  I've got to find out where they are coming in and get that fixed before they tear down our cypress home.  

Creation Calls...

Flooding Takes a Toll on Black Bear Cubs

I read in Sunday's paper about last year's Mississippi River floods might have killed a number of black bear cubs in Mississippi the state's black bear program leader said.

Three radio-collared females known to have had cubs this year had also given birth a year ago, said Brad Young of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

"Cubs stay with their mothers for 16 months," he said."  What we're taking away from this is that the litters of all three of those females were killed by high water.  That's why they had litters this year."

Young said about 120 black bears live in the state - at least 80 percent of them are Louisiana black bears and the rest American black bears.  With number of both subspecies so low, Mississippi has listed all back bears as endangered.

"While the flood didn't have much effect on adult bears, obviously it had a big effect on our cub survival from last year," Young said.

To document and track cubs, a wildlife agent tranquilizes the mother with a dart while she's in the den. Those might be on the ground or high in a hollow tree, but the agents can get up trees so quietly that the bear doesn't know they're coming, Young said.

Then the agent takes the cubs out of the den.  They get weighed, measured and implanted with a microchip between their shoulders just like the microchips used to identify cats and dogs.  After that, the mother's radio collar is replaced so it will last until the next spring.

"We put the whole family group back together and leave them in the den," he said

Record flooding was reported all along the Mississippi River in April, May and June 2011.
(The Vicksburg Post)

Sites @ Navy Circle Yesterday

We went by Navy Circle next to the Mississippi Welcome Center at Vicksburg yesterday and while there a train came by to cross the river.  There was no river traffic at the time but enjoyed the view of river from the circle.   

A pulled back view of the train crossing the bridge.

Twin boys playing on a cannon on a hill at the circle.  

A picture of Ameristar Casino and parking garage.  Looks that they are building some kind of retaining wall near the MS River.  

An up close shot.

5:00 O'Clock Traffic Jam On The River

We had gabbed an ice cream and shake at McDonald's yesterday and headed to the overlook to see if there was any river traffic going by.  As I turned into the Louisiana Circle, I immediately saw the towboat, Hortense B. Ingram, of Ingram Barge Company, passing by.  Was able to zoom in and get a picture from our truck.  

As the M/V Hortense B. Ingram passes by I saw another towboat that had already rounded the bend in the MS River at Vicksburg going north. 

I did not noticed the other towboat in front of the M/V Hortense B. Ingram when I took the picture above.

I looked back towards the bridges and another towboat was making it way under the bridges.

Almost through...

It was M/V Bill Elmer passing through Vicksburg with its barge containers.

We hit it just right for the 5:00 O'Clock traffic jam!  

This little sparrow was sitting on a wooden barrier at the overlook taking it all in and not worried about anything!

Blogger Friend's Birthday

Today marks the 54th Birthday of my friend/mentor, Rex Howell, who is the author/editor of, Deer Camp Blog.  He has been friends with my husband, Bob and I since 2007 and we have had some great memories of hunting together at his famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club on the edge of the MS Delta. Today, Rex is taking a much needed break for his birthday and living it up on the MS coast with his fiancee, Denise. While there they will also visit with family and friends. Go over and wish him a very Happy Birthday on his special day!

Couch Diving

A Stalking Godzilla?

I read in the paper last night about a woman being stalked by one tough turkey!

For over a month now, Edna Geisler, 69, has been stalked and harassed by a 25-pound turkey. She has named the foul bird, "Godzilla."  Edna lives on her property in Oakland County, Commerce Township, MI, and each day from nearby woods the turkey comes in to attack.  She recently couldn't get to her front door after a trip to the grocery store.

"I have to go to the post office at 6:00 in the morning to avoid him," said Geisler, who has been bumped and clawed.

Below is a video taken by a friend, Rick Reid and said the turkey went after him, too, when he opened the door of his minivan.

State wildlife expert Tim Payne said adult turkeys are known to aggressively defend their territory, although most fear people.

Bear Cub In MS Delta

Brad Young, a Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) bear biologist, is holding a bear cub in the MS Delta while on a field study yesterday.  The mother was at a safe distance so the staff could perform tests and take measurements.  The cub was then returned quickly and safely to its mother.  The bears were located in Bolivar County near the Mississippi River.   Check out those baby bear claws and the video of the bear by clicking on their website above.

Some Sunday River Traffic

M/V Harold B. Dodd

After church we drove by the lookout circle to see if we could catch some river traffic going by.  As we approach the circle about five cars were there and we had to park almost at the exit.  I was able to zoomed in from our truck and get the M/V Harold B. Dodd as it went under the bridges with a huge load of about 40 barge containers.  As I looked back towards the bend in the river, I saw another barge coming.  Decided to go down to the Vicksburg Riverfront Park below and take some pictures of it passing by.  It was a beautiful day yesterday and was so enjoyable just sitting on the benches with the sun shinning down and a cool breeze blowing.  A very nice day to be out and about.  Below are some pictures I took of the M/V Joshua David Esper of Marquette Transportation passing by my home town of Vicksburg going south.

M/V Joshua David Esper

Are Pigs Smart?

Last Sunday, I wrote a post on a Wild Boar's Boiler Room and just recently came across an article about how smart pigs are.

Its seems like the pig advocates the world over won a victory for the pig by establishing this past March 1 as Pig Day.  This was a day to reflect on the vast intelligence of this often underestimated animal.

Just how smart are pigs?  Scientists have proven that they are smarter than chimpanzees.  In one experiment, pigs were taught simple words and phrases, and three year later, they still remembered the words and could follow commands!

Other evidence that pigs are intelligent animals?  Mother pigs sing to their babies while nursing. Pigs lead complex social lives similar to primates.  They often try to outsmart each other.  While all Pig Day advocates agree that pigs are smart animals, their only remaining debates is how to celebrate.  Should we enjoy a feast of bacon, ham, and pork chops - or not?  You be the judge!  (SPS Newsletter)

The Woodman

Can you believe what this man has done with wood?  With a block of wood and a knife most people couldn't even carve their initials.  Have never seen anything like these carvings before in my life!

A Run Thru History

Tomorrow is the 33rd annual race through the Vicksburg National Military Park, a 10-K run, 5K walk and 1-mile fun run, beginning at 8:30 a.m.  It should be a perfect day for the race.  I have walked the 5K several times and it's so much fun.  The park is such a beautiful and perfect place for the event.  The cost is $30.00 for the 10K run or 5K race walk, $12.00 for the 1-mile fun run. Runners and walkers will pick up there race packets or can register Friday from 5 to 8 pm at the Battlefield Inn.  Race day registration is available from 7 to 8 a.m. Saturday at Battlefield Inn.  If you are interested in the race you can visit runthruhistory.org, or call 601.638.1071, or e-mail race director Casey Custer at caseycuster@vicksburgymca.com  Come on out and enjoy the fun!

A Wedding In The Family

This is the neatest wedding invitation that I have ever gotten ~ an old vintage look!  My nephew, Marion "Bubba," will be getting married in April to a very sweet lady, Cassie Jo, and I'm so very happy for both. 

This is a big year for our family with three weddings to take place.  My nephew, Joseph, "Joey," will be getting married on September 29, 2012, to Candice and I have a granddaughter, Candace, engaged and getting married to Will.  They have not set a date for this year yet.  Also, two great grandchildren being born soon in New Mexico.  

Wishing all my relatives a very happy wedding day and happiness for the newborn parents-to-be!