Black Bear Hit & Killed On Hwy 80

Monday, around 9:00 p.m., a vehicle traveling east on U.S Hwy. 80 between Newton and Hickory in Newton County, hit and killed a black bear.  

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Conservation Officer Sgt. Tyler Norman responded to the scene of the accident and found the 168 pound male bear dead on the shoulder of the highway.  

The driver of the vehicle, who was uninjured, reported that the bear ran out of the woods and into the highway just after the vehicle had crossed Turkey Creek.

Local residents are advised that while black bears are not common in east central Mississippi, there are a few bears in this area of the state. 

In the lower two-thirds of Mississippi the black bear is listed as a Federally Threatened Species and it is classified as Endangered throughout the state under Mississippi statute. 

As such, it is illegal to intentionally kill or harass a black bear. 

Motorists driving at night or early morning in areas inhabited by bears should exercise caution. 

The bear killed Monday night was taken to MDWFP's Museum of Natural Science to be used for research and education.

Here Comes Kansas City Southern #4771

After leaving my best friend, her husband and family for a Memorial Day cookout at their home, I headed towards the MS River to see if I could take a picture of a barge going up or down the river. The lookout circles were closed so I went over to the Mississippi Welcome Center instead.  I took a few pictures of the bridges and no barges were in site.  As I was leaving, I thought I saw a flicker of light from the Louisiana side and knew it was a train coming. I made my way back to the parking lot and positioned myself at the fence and waited for the train to come across the bridge.  I got several shots and as it got closer to me I waved and the engineer blew the train whistle.  It brought back fond memories of having grown up with family members working for the railroad.

When I was little we would get passes to ride the trains because my Grandfather was a telegraph operator for many years with the Illinois Central.  When he died we even rode the train to New Orleans for his burial. My Uncle Clyde was an engineer for the Frisco lines making the Memphis to St. Louis run and my sister also worked for the Illinois Central until she married.

What really makes this blog post special is that I put the picture of the train on my Facebook page and on the Kansas City Southern Railway Facebook page and Richard Gee Cook said it was HIM driving the train. He even made the picture his Facebook cover page. He said when he gets home he was going to print it out. I'm so happy that I took the picture for Richard and also to find out that I already know his sister-in-law/brother who lives here in Vicksburg. It's a small world after all!

I could see a flicker of light coming from Louisiana side on the bridge to the right.

The sun making the rails shine! 

Here comes KCS #4771. 

Getting closer!

Made this picture my Facebook cover page today.

Blowing the whistle!

Going under the Washington Street tunnel.  

My Photo Published

I submitted the picture above to our paper, The Vicksburg Post, recently and it was published yesterday in Sunday's paper.  The caption read ~ A butterfly and a bumble bee happened to be dining together when Marian Love Phillips took this photo.  

Once again I'm humbled by you choosing my photographs to be worthy enough for publication in our hometown paper. Thank you Vicksburg Post!

Photos are published each Sunday in the Classifieds and it's called, GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT! The Vicksburg Post will accept for publication photo submitted by readers.  The photo should be current and of interest to the public, either because of their subject matter or their oddity, or the photograph skill shown. Submitted photos should be accompanied by complete caption information and include a phone number for the photographer.  Photos may be submitted electronically at photo@vicksburgpost.com, in person at Post Plaza or by mail to The Vicksburg Post, News Photos, PO Box 821668, Vicksburg, MS  39182

Granddaughter - A Navy Veteran

My oldest Granddaughter, Sonya Michelle Gordy, also served in the U. S. Navy and went to boot camp at Great Lakes, IL.  From there she was stationed at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey,CA, where she became ill and was honorably discharged.  She had signed up for 6 years and had planned to be a linguist.  Since then she has attended MS State University at Starkville and the University of Southern MS at Hattiesburg.  She plans  to return to Southern MS to continue her studies to be a linguist. She is fluent in French, German, Spanish and Chinese Mandarin.  While living in her hometown of Vicksburg she performed on stage at the Vicksburg Little Theater.  She also took the Hunters Education Course and had planned to hunt with me until she moved away to Magee, MS.  I would take her to the deer camp to practice shooting my .22 rifle and she was hitting the bulls eye!  Of course, when she was in the Navy that paid off knowing she could already shoot well.  I'm so proud of her as well as my Grandson, A1C Michael "Ethan" Ransom Kelly, who has been serving in the Air Force since 2012 and will be deployed to Kandahar Afghanistan in September.  I'm so proud of both for serving our country and to all the brave men and women who are serving in uniform today and our heroes, we thank you!  May God Bless America!

A1C Michael "Ethan" Ransom Kelly

Double Main Beams & Friends Of Mike

My Facebook friend, Mike Persichini, headed out at 5:15 this morning and by 6:00 he said he had 7 different bucks around him.  He announced The Velvet Garden is growing! Mike takes pictures of deer at the Troy Nature Center in Troy, Michigan, where he lives.  He has been doing this for several years now and has produced some spectacular pictures of deer in their habitat and has affectionately been called The Deer Whisperer! He does not expect someone to try this because it could be very dangerous, he said.  Whatever happens to me happens...I just love doing this.  

Thanks Mike for sharing all your great photos with us. Your camera shots are truly amazing!

Going For An Evening Walk

Man Delivers Fawn

Man delivers fawn after car hits mother - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Ghostly Paintings

This was painted by Tim Bruce (1956 - 2009) of King, North Carolina of his "ghostly" images. He was a shy and humble man who really did not want his face out in the public but would rather have his work seen. How many people do you see in his painting above?  Do you see a dog?  This is a very unusual style of painting and very different and if you want to see more go to his website.

Ella's 3rd Turkey

My Facebook friend, Wade Pickel, is a proud Dad showing off his daughter, Ella's turkey near Hustons Mill, PA!  She is so lucky to have parents that take the time to teach their daughters about the great outdoors. My congrats to you Ella!  Way to go!

Can you believe Ella at 4 years old with a turkey!

...and Ella with her turkey at 5 years old!

Her recent turkey...I'm so proud of Ella in our great wild outdoors!  

Ella sharing her harvest with her Dad, Wade and younger sister, Tanya!

Abe's Grill

A Corinth, MS, tradition, Abe's Grill is the oldest diner on Hwy 72 operated by the original owners. Unfortunately it's not open on weekends but you have to try some of their homemade biscuits if you are ever in the area.  I just love old stores like these...a lot of character!

Landon's Iowa Turkey

Landon Hocking is shown here with his very nice turkey he shot yesterday in southern Iowa with an 11-inch beard.  My sincere congrats to Landon on his very fine turkey in our great wild outdoors!  Way to go Landon!

Great Grandson's Visit

The other day my daughter, Kathy and great grandson, Ina, came by to see me.  Ian is growing up so fast and has lost two of his upper and lower teeth.  I really enjoyed seeing both of them and had a real nice visit. I hope this hunting season Kathy and I can take Ian hunting with us.  Ian's dad is a hunter also and sat with his Dad this past season.   I'm sure Ian will grow up to be an excellent hunter one day.  I'm looking forward to seeing his very first deer.  

My great grandson, Ian and I.  I have another great grandson, Tidus, in Montana, but unfortunately do not get to see him much anymore since he lives so far away.  They are both close to the same age.  

Riding The Rails of The Lone Ranger

This is a little over 10 minutes long but well worth watching.  It was published on October 13, 2013.

For the production of the movie, director Gore Verbinski had a five mile oval track built along with multiple engines and cars. See the incredible effort that went into crafting such a detailed and important part of The Lone Ranger.

Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary) plays Tonto to Armie Hammer's (J. Edgar) legendary law man in the 2013 movie The Lone Ranger.

The action adventure film brings Depp back together with the team behind at least three of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies: director Gore Verbinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and writers Terry Elliott and Ted Rossio. New to the party is co-writer Justin Haythe (Snitch).

In The Lone Ranger, Depp's Tonto recounts the tales that transformed Hammer's John Reid from law man to masked vigilante, seeking vengeance after justice failed them.

Also starring are Tom Wilkinson (The Conspirator), Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech) and Barry Pepper (True Grit).

Hogs and Hogzilla

It looks like the small pigs are about 25-30 lbs., the medium sized ones about 60-80 lbs. and the big one maybe 225 to 300 lbs.  I'm looking forward to returning to the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club in the MS Delta to get me a wild hog one day.  The hogs are tearing up the camp and the hunters need to get rid of these nasty, filthy and disgusting hogs in our great and crazy wild outdoors!  

Doe Watching Over Her Fawn

Ducklings vs. Stairs

We all have obstacles in life - even the ducks....will they make it? Watch and find out for yourself!

Feeding The Deer

My Facebook friend, Mike Persichini, has been feeding the deer at a nature preserve in Troy, Michigan, for a awhile now and also in his own backyard!  He loves to feed the birds, ducks, squirrels, deer and whatever else shows up!  He takes great photos of them in action! Mike is a "Deer Whisperer" for sure in our great wild outdoors!  

Tchaikovsky Flashwaltz

M/V Thomas K Headed North

While I was out this afternoon around 3:00, I drove by the Louisiana Circle to see if a barge was coming.  I was in luck when I saw one coming under the bridges headed north.  I took a picture of the front end of the huge empty containers.

It was the M/V Thomas K pushing his big load.

A pulled-back picture as M/V Thomas K head for the bend in the MS River at Vicksburg, MS.   

It was a sunny afternoon and had to brighten up some of my pictures after I downloaded them.  They seem to turn out really dark when I take them at this time of day.  I much rather take pictures on a very cloudy day anytime.  

Guest Post - Redneck Blinds

I consider this site to be a great resource for my readers who love to hunt in our great wild outdoors.  

Redneck Blinds Guest Blog Post - 

Hunting Tree Stand Location Advice:

Whether you are hunting turkey, duck, goose, rabbit or deer, there are a few pieces of equipment that every huntsman needs in their inventory. One of the most essential no-brainer products is camouflage. Camo comes in many forms, like the archetypal jacket and pants. But other than wearable camo, the traditional camouflage design can also be put to more intricate uses, such as tree stands and hunting blinds, which can effortlessly increase your chances of bagging your intended prey.

Tree stands help to provide vital camouflage while on a hunt, and their popularity in the hunting world has increased exponentially over recent years. Here is some basic advice if you are interested in incorporating a tree stand into your deer hunting routine.

Without question, tree stands give you an improved view of the immediate area, as well as helping to remove you from the normal line of sight of your prey. They also assist in decreasing the chances of a nearby deer from smelling your scent when it lingers at ground-level. The key thing to remember is that your position can be a deal breaker; as the old adage goes, it's all about location, location, location. Where your stand is located can make the difference between bagging a trophy and simply wasting valuable time.

Therefore, use your initial scouting time to establish the movements of deer in your area, and bear in mind that the direction of the wind will more than likely decide where you should place your tree stand. You must pick a spot that is downwind from where the deer will be. A quick tip: fashion your own homemade wind-checker gadget by adding some unscented talcum powder to a spray bottle filled with plain tap water, and squirt in small bursts when you want to test wind strength and/or wind direction.

Another thing to consider is the shooting range of your weapon. Regardless of whether you are using a shotgun, rifle or crossbow, you want to set up your tree stand so that it is just inside of your weapon's shooting range. Unintentionally straying too close to high-traffic areas runs the risk of your prey picking up your scent and bolting, which is obviously not ideal. Instead, set up your tree stand in a location that's roughly 100 yards away. You want to be far enough away to move quickly and quietly when a deer comes into view without fear of detection.

A commonly forgotten factor when choosing an effective location is to remember that you will need multiple routes to get to your tree stand, and they need to be as straightforward as possible to reach. Limit how much noise you make when arriving at your tree stand and try not to remove too much foliage and vegetation from the surrounding areas, since this may alert nearby deer to your presence.

When it comes to the height of your tree stand, a location somewhere between 10 to 20 feet high will prove the most effective. Anywhere higher than this will decrease your shooting range and overall visibility and, as a result, will make it more difficult for you in the long run. Always use a full-body climbing harness while getting up and down from your tree stand, and stay attached until you have both feet firmly planted on the ground. Pick a stand that is comfy since you will be spending a lot of time sitting or standing, which could mean a lot of fidgeting! Finally, before you set up your stand, scrutinize the tree itself for signs of rot, or whether the branches have cracks and/or splits to avoid severe injuries.

By following the above advice, you will be able to enjoy the many benefits that deer hunting will bring for decades to come.

If you are looking for hunting stands or hunting blinds, RedneckBlinds.com can help! We provide deer blinds, camouflage gear, and other products that are designed for both sturdiness and practicality. For more information, please visit our website at Redneck Blinds or call 877-523-9986 today.

Without Hunting....

First Hog With A Bow

This young 12-year old is the daughter of Carey Cutting on Facebook.  Her name is Liberti and according to her mother, she and her dad butchered the hog themselves and provided the family with sugar cured smoked homemade bacon, a close family recipe of hot Hungarian sausage, butter-fried pork loin chops, ground pork, huge pork roasts, and on and on.  This animal was harvested quickly and humanely by a perfectly place shot of her arrow.  The family is so proud of her and so am I.  Her mother said that she practiced and practiced with her bow until she could confidently hit her targets.  She's worked with a bow since she was about 6 years of age.  She was never allowed to hunt until she could pull enough poundage to humanely harvest an animal.  This day was a long time coming for her and she's the youngest of three daughters, all of whom enjoy hunting, fishing and the outdoors.  

Liberti commented that she uses a Mathews Jewel and got pink vibration dampeners because she won it in an archery league.  She said this was an awesome hunt and they are still eating bacon from it.  She also wants to be on the cover of Field & Stream someday like Eva Shockey and one day go hunting with her. What a treat that would be!  My congrats to Liberti in our great wild outdoors!  Way to go girl!

3 States, 3 Turkeys, One Day!

My Facebook friend, Wade Pickel, really outdid himself today.  What a great day to get three turkeys in three different states and end up in his hometown of Pennsylvania with his two lovely daughters to share in the excitement.  My congrats to Wade on an awesome feat in one day!  Wade made a comment - There are 24 hours in a day...use them all.  They could be your last.  -  feeling alive!

Wildflowers

As you grow older you tend to pay more attention and see the beauty in everything...even the wildflowers!  

Hospital Visit

Last Sunday I was admitted to the hospital by way of ER for double pneumonia but thankfully out now and on my way to getting stronger. I received a lot of prayers and support from family/friends and now I'm looking forward to picking my blogging back up.  :)