Made In America

Joe Smith started the day early

having set his alarm clock
(MADE IN JAPAN )

for 6 a.m.

While his coffeepot
(MADE IN CHINA )
was perking, he shaved with his
electric razor
(MADE IN HONG KONG ).

He put on a
dress shirt
(MADE IN SRI LANKA ),
designer jeans
(MADE IN SINGAPORE )
and
tennis shoes
(MADE IN KOREA )
After cooking his breakfast in his new
electric skillet
(MADE IN INDIA )

he sat down with his
calculator
(MADE IN MEXICO )
to see how much he could spend today.

After setting his
watch
(MADE IN TAIWAN )
to the radio
(MADE IN INDIA )
he got in his car
(MADE IN GERMANY )
filled it with GAS
(from Saudi Arabia )
and continued his search
for a good paying

AMERICAN JOB.
At the end
of yet another discouraging
and fruitless day
checking his
Computer
(Made In Malaysia ),
Joe decided to relax for a while.
He put on his sandals
(MADE IN BRAZIL )
poured himself a glass of
wine
(MADE IN FRANCE )
and turned on his
TV
(MADE IN INDONESIA ),
and then wondered
why he can't find
a good paying job
in AMERICA!!

Erin's New Blog!

Erin has a new blog called, "Jr. Deer Camp Blog." She was talking to her Dad, Rex at Deer Camp Blog, about how cool it would be to have a blog like his. On Monday, March 10, 2008, her blog was born. Go over and wish Erin good luck in blogging! My congrats to you Erin on your new blog in our great outdoors!

This is a sweetthing!

Yikes!

Would you drive or wait?

A Deer Demise

Rex's 50th Birthday Bash!

Rex getting ready to open all his Birthday gifts!

Rex's Birthday presents!

Camo looking at his master opening his gifts!

Denise, the lady of the house, preparing food as two guests look on.

Bob and I were invited to Rex's "50" Birthday Party in Water Valley, MS, Saturday evening. We really had a wonderful time and everyone that came made his "50" Birthday a very memorable event. We wish him many more Happy Birthdays! Congratulations Rex!

Happy "50" Birthday Rex!

Best Wishes to my good friend/mentor, Rex Howell, over at Deer Camp Blog!

Feather Art!

Beautiful works of art. The person who painted these must have a steady hand and a lot of patience. This truly is a gift from God. Enjoy!

Dirty Car Art!

Now here is a really talented guy who also must have an awful lot of free time on his hands.

What do you do when you find a dirty car?
a. Write WASH ME?'
b. Do a pretty drawing?

THIS is SCOTT WADE.
Check out what he does with the dirty cars by carefully and artfully removing portions of the dirt. According to his website, he lives real close to a dirt road in San Marcos, Texas. Charming, Just Charming!

Soil, Seeds Makes Super Bucks!

Joel LaPierre of New York with his deer in a tester field of Imperial Whitetail Clover.

An E-newsletter from the Whitetail Institute recently featured an article by Brad Herndon on the importance of soil, seeds and Super Bucks. He related a story of a man back in 1996 in his mid-20s in Wisconsin who had amassed an incredible record of 27 fish and wildlife convictions. His hunting privileges were revoked in Wisconsin, but even this didn’t cure him of his dastardly ways.

Driving around with a friend in Wisconsin one night, he spotted a trophy buck, which he instantly shot. Concealing it in his vehicle, he and his buddy drove to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that night and placed an unused deer tag the man had from Michigan on the deer. To prove he had taken the deer in Michigan, the man had his buddy video tape him tracking and recovering the trophy whitetail in a wooded area.

Knowing no one could prove he didn’t legally tag the buck in Michigan, the man confidently returned to Wisconsin with the deer tied to his vehicle, making sure the trophy was in plain sight for all interested spectators to see and admire. And this included conservation officers.

Knowing he had most certainly taken the buck illegally, conservation warden John Welke worked on the case for two years. Finally the man who had video taped the recovery confessed to Welke what had happened. Welke then turned the case over to Ed Spoon, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Spoon knew he still didn’t have enough information to convict the man, but he knew Brian Beard of the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Geology and Geophysics might have the knowledge to put the final nail in this poacher’s coffin.

By analyzing the antlers for their strontium isotope, which is a trace element in bone-like structures, Beard can tell exactly what part of a geographic region a deer grew up in. It works because rock deteriorates and turns into soil, soil then produces plants, the deer eat the plants, and then these trace elements become part of the antlers. It’s like the DNA of the soil in a region.
Sampling the strontium isotope of six bucks near Portage, Wisconsin, where the man lived, Beard was able to ascertain the man’s poached buck did indeed come from this same area. The strontium isotope taken from antlers of six bucks in the region of Michigan where he was supposed to have killed the deer were considerably different. This occurred because the geologic formations from the Michigan area are among the nation’s oldest, while those from the Portage, Wisconsin region are among the nation’s youngest. Beard was now able to obtain a conviction.

It's also important to know exactly what type of soil you have in order to plant the most productive food plot product for that soil. It’s also critical to plant these seeds properly and to build your soil up to its maximum potential by applying the proper amount of lime and fertilizer products. You’ll be astonished to see how much better your plants will grow in the area that was fertilized and limed. It confirmed once more the old saying, “You are what you eat.”

Famous Mississippians

I am so proud of my home state and wanted to share with you our famous Mississippians. I'm sure you will know a few.....

Red Barber sportscaster, Columbus
Lance Bass singer, Laurel
Theodore Bilbo public official, Poplarville
Jimmy Buffett singer, songwriter, Pascagoula
Craig Claiborne columnist, restaurant critic, Sunflower
Bo Diddley guitarist, McCombs
Charles Evers civil rights leader, Decatur
Medgar Evers civil rights leader, Decatur
Brett Farve football, Kiln
William Cuthbert Faulkner author, New Albany
Shelby Foote historian, Greenville
Richard Ford author, Jackson
Barry Hannah author, Clinton
Elizabeth Lee Hazen inventor,
Beth Henley playwright, actress, Jackson
Jim Henson puppeteer, Greenville
Faith Hill singer, Jackson
James Earl Jones entertainer, Arkabutla
Simbi Khali actress, Jackson
B. B. King guitarist, Itta Bena
Willie Morris writer, Jackson
Brandy Norwood singer,actress, McComb
Walter Payton football player, Columbia
Elvis Presley singer, actor, Tupelo
Charley Pride country singer, Sledge
Leontyne Price soprano, Laurel
William Raspberry columnist, Oklaona
Jerry Rice football player, Starkville
LeAnn Rimes country music, Jackson
William Grant Still composer, Woodville
Conway Twitty country music, Friars Point
Sela Ward actress, Meridian
Muddy Waters singer, guitarist, Rolling Fork
Eudora Welty author, Jackson
Tennessee Williams playwright, Columbus
Oprah Winfrey talk-show host, Kosciusko
Richard Wright author, Natchez
Tammy Wynette country music star, Tupelo

Proud Mississippian

1. You can properly pronounce Kosciusko, Ackerman, Gautier and Belzoni.

2. You think people who complain about the heat in their states are sissies.

3. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel.

4. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.

5. Stores don't have bags or shopping carts, they have sacks and buggies.

6. You've seen people wear overalls at funerals.

7. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.

8. You measure distance in minutes. (It's about 5 minutes down the road)

9. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.

10. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.

11. You know cowpies are not made of beef.

12. Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding date.

13. You have known someone who has a belt buckle bigger than your fist.

14. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, beer, and bait all in the same store.

15. A Mercedes Benz isn't a status symbol. A Chevy Silverado Extended Bed Crew Cab is.

16. You know everything goes better with Ranch Dressing.

17. You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.

18. You actually get these jokes and are 'fixin' ' to send them to your friends.

19. You have used your heater and air-conditioner in the same day!

Finally: You are 100% Mississippian if you have ever had this conversation:

20. 'You wanna coke?' 'Yeah.' 'What kind?' 'Dr Pepper.'

21. Repost this if you are a proud Mississippian :)

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, `I used everything you gave me.'"

~ Erma Bombeck

The Cactus Cuties sing The National Anthem

This is awesome!

Get-Well Flowers

My daughter Suzy, Dennis and Emma, who lives in Fredericksburg, VA, sent me a beautiful arrangement of flowers Saturday. I have really enjoyed them. Wanted to share it with you.

29th Run Thru History!

Runners begin the 29th Annual Run Thru History 10-kilometer run Saturday!

A total of 947 people registered for the RTH's 10K run, 5K walk and 1-mile fun run, an 771 actually finished the three races. That was 76 more than last year, and 82 more than in 2006. It was also the highest number of actual race participants since 2004, when 805 people finished. A great race for one and all in the Red Carpet City of the South, Vicksburg, Mississippi!

Run Thru History

This morning at 8:30 we had our 29th Run Thru History through our Vicksburg National Military Park. The weather was perfect with partly cloudy skies and cool temps to greet the 850 runners and walkers for the 10 kilometer run and 5K walk. There was also a Blue/Gray 1-miler walk. I have walked the 5K several times and have really enjoyed the event. The end of the line is in the parking lot at the Battlefield Inn where they hand out fruit, hot dogs and drinks free (and beer). There is also a post race entertainment by our local band The Chill as well as an awards ceremony. Signature trophies featuring a mini cannon are given out to the winners. It's so much fun to see the community come together for such an enjoyable event. Of course, recovering from knee surgery, I could not participate this year. Hopefully, next year!

Reprising His Last Lecture

This is a video you need to watch by Randy Pausch!

Guerrettaz 11 pt. Buck!

My 11-point I shot on the last day of the first firearm season.

Zac Guerrettaz, 21, is a friend on mine on my MySpace. He loves to hunt and fish 24/7 365. He lives in Farina, Illinois where the big whitetails hide. He also enjoys hanging out with friends and family. He is a Firefighter and loves the thrill of knowing that he is helping people. Below is his story of a memorable day of deer hunting with his cousin in our great outdoors!

The buck I am kneeling down by is my eleven pointer that I shot during the First Shotgun Season. Here is how it all went down - My cousin Miles and I had been switching off days of filming each other and he was up to bat. We went to a piece of property that hadn’t been pressured for a few days and not pressured at all on the north end, so we sat up in a little ground blind right before daylight. Just as soon as you could see, we had a little 6 point 80 yards in front of us. I wanted to get some footage of him so I turned the camera on and proceeded. Then the buck started acting funny so my cousin made a couple grunts at him and after a couple minutes he ventured off. This is when it all went crazy! We hear some crunching coming through the woods and its a shooter buck headed right down our throat, but when I turned to get him on film he caught me moving and spooked off. So we changed to plan B. I rattled for about a minute and up in front of us here came another little buck from the same spot as the other one previously. When he got to 60 yards he turned and started posturing and angling away from us. I said there has got to be something big in the field that we can't see. We crawled to the edge to see that there were 7 bucks, two that were shooters all fighting and running around at the end of the field. So we came up with a plan that I would try and stalk them while he sat in his deer stand that was in a funnel. That way if they spooked they would run right to him. I started stalking and eventually got to where they was but they had moved on. I peaked around the corner and there stood a doe feeding in the cut bean field. I had a doe tag so I fired a shot at her connecting hitting her good. As I reloaded, I caught movement to my left running right into the field. Out steps a shooter broad side 45 yards. At this time I had only one shell left because while stalking I lost all of my shells. I took steady aim because I knew I had to make this one shot count. I connected hitting him through the front shoulders. Then he comes running right at me and veers off in the woods headed straight for my cousin. I get on the phone and tell him I hit him he is headed your way and hang up. I then start looking for blood so I can mark where I shot, when I hear my cousin shoot. By that time I could see my buck expired laying in the creek. I call him and he says he is down, I said I know I found him. He says no he is laying out in the field. I dropped him in his tracks. Well what ended up being the best day in the woods for action and it paid off for both of us, because the deer that he thought was mine ended up being a different buck and we were both awarded with two very nice bucks. It will definitely be a memory that I will never forget. My congratulations to both Guerrettaz and Miles!

Miles and I with our bucks we shot two minutes apart and 100 yards apart.

Locked Antlers of Two Bull Elk

T. J. Robertson describing his day at the office on November 29, 2007. He said he got a call that two bull elk were locked up and one was dead the other still alive. The bulls were in a field about 15 miles Northeast of Monticello. When he got there he actually found two bulls locked antlers. He thought this only happened in other areas. T.J. and another staff member decided they were going to tranquilize the bull and saw apart the antlers...one problem...they did not have enough of the drugs to do a good job. So they walked out and sawed the one point off of the dead bull's right antler. Then had to saw the main beam of the left antler to get the other bull free. The whale tail was over the bulls eyes, lodged between the eye guards. When they cut it free the bull stood there for awhile catching its breath with the piece of the antler still in it's antlers. When it took off the piece of antler came out.....WOW! He said, this for sure was one of his most memorable days! Enjoy the pictures in our great outdoors! Charming, Just Charming!

T.J. Robertson

Conservation Officer

Moab District

State of Utah, Division of Wildlife Resources

Jenny's Buck

Jenny came to my MySpace this week and asked me to be her friend. On her MySpace I noticed that she had harvested a real nice 8 point buck back in November 2007. I asked her if she would tell me the story of her harvest. Here in her own words is the story behind her successful hunt.

I was in a stand I had been in before in a palmetto bottom off a creek. The wind was light and swirling and it was trying to rain. My husband was about 300 yards away, and my son was in a tower stand we built overlooking a huge field. Well I kept hearing, what I thought were hickory nuts falling from the trees behind me and realized that the sound was in the same spot each time. I eased around to look and it was my buck at the edge of the creek getting ready to cross. I guess he had smelled me, but considering he was only 12 yards from me, I wasn't surprised he smelled me. I think he was bedded there and I walked right by him coming in to my stand. Anyway, I let him cross the creek and when he got settled on the other side, I took my shot. He ran only 15 yards and crashed. Oh yes, my son killed a deer that morning also with his new Ruger .308 compact that was an early Christmas present from us.

My congratulations to you Jenny!

Jenny, 36, was born in Florida, and now lives in Mill Spring, North Carolina. She has been married to her husband Bryan for seventeen years and they have two boys, Bryan, 16 and Boone, 13. She said she loves to hunt and that's what she looks forward too in our great outdoors! This is a sweetthing!

They Are Just Beautiful

Recently, Jane Hartwell, right, from Portland, Maine, and Marjorie Barry of Hingham, Mass., looked at the Vicksburg Waterfront Murals on Levee Street. "They are just beautiful," the women said of the works by Louisiana artist Robert Dafford. Twenty-two murals have been completed along the flood wall at Vicksburg's City Front.

Brett Chigoy, a staff member of artist Robert Dafford, puts the final touches on the latest mural that was unveiled last Saturday. It's called, "The Founding of Vicksburg and Methodism." It depicts Newit Vick greeting a Methodist circuit rider. The ceremony was held inside the Methodist Church which sits on the land that was given to the Methodist Church by Newit Vick's family.

Back in 1877, a Methodist circuit rider, the Rev. Tobias Gibson, established the Hopewell congregation in Warren County. He was the first to bring Methodism to Mississippi, traveling by boat down the Mississippi River and landing in Natchez. Newit Vick, a Virginia native, moved to Mississippi from North Carolina in 1804, and established a ministry in Jefferson County. His home near Spring Hill was the site of the first meeting of the Mississippi Methodist Conference. When Vick moved west and established a plantation on the Mississippi, naming it Open Woods, he and Foster Cook erected a log cabin nearby for worship. It is depicted in the "The Founding of Vicksburg and Methodism."

After Vick's death in 1819, his son-in-law, John Lane, incorporated the settlement then known as Walnut Hills in 1825 and named the town Vicksburg after the Methodist preacher. The town's name was originally "Vicksburgh," and reasons for the dropping of the last letter is unknown. Vick's son, John Wesley Vick, deeded the lot at Crawford and Cherry streets, which became the site of the first Crawford Street church. Vick gave to slaves the building on Cherry Street that was renamed Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal. That church was rebuilt on First East Street and continues today as Wesley United Methodist Church.

Next on the mural project will be one commemorating the Vicksburg Theatre Guild's record-setting production of "Gold In the Hills," and one depicting the Miss Mississippi Pageant.

Five other murals are partially funded, but are in need of more sponsors to finish raising the $16,500 it takes to get reviewed and approved. They are representations of the 1927 flood, Planter's Hall, Rosa A. Temple School, Koestler's Bakery and The Governor Kirk Fordice.