Tara Wildlife

Kristine of our Outdoor Bloggers Summit has asked each of us to write a post about a grassroots effort supported by a local hunting or fishing organization. I have chosen Tara Wildlife which is north of my hometown of Vicksburg, MS and was founded by Maggie Bryant pictured below. I have taken some information for you to read about of this fine organization that is dedicated to our wildlife habitat.



Maggie Bryant, Tara's Founder, is a past-two term Chairperson of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and retired from her board position in 2001. Maggie has been awarded the prestigious Chevron Conservation Award as well as the Governor's Award for Conservation in Mississippi. She is active in conservation measures around the world.

Tara's philosophy is founded on a strong commitment to the management, development and sustainable use of a broad spectrum of natural resources. Tara recognizes the importance of wildlife, timber, water, wetlands, agriculture and recreation in maintaining a high quality of life for current as well as future generations. To this end, Tara has endowed the future by placing all 17,200 acres under conservation easements. As a further commitment to conservation, in December of 2001 Tara was deeded to a private foundation, Purvis Grange Foundation Inc. While promoting an appreciation of the environment through educational and direct-performance activities that conserve land and protect the wildlife that inhabit it,Tara is a model center for the study of habitat and the animals that are part of the ecosystem.

Tara is located in the Eagle Lake community about 30 minutes northwest of historic Vicksburg, Mississippi and 72 miles west of Jackson. With 12 miles of Mississippi River frontage and 17,200 acres of oxbow lakes and bottomland hardwood forests, Tara is one the nation's ultimate destinations for deer, and turkey hunting. The new 5700 square foot state-of-the-art conference center is the perfect location for your corporate retreats, business meetings, team building seminars, family reunions or conservation workshops

Tara's commitment to the sustainable use and management of natural resources is what we are all about. Several weeks of Summer Youth Camps are scheduled annually to educate children in outdoor skills and the appreciation of our natural resources.

We invite all hunters, companies, families and youth to visit and experience this unique place we call Tara!

MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of Purvis Grange Foundation, Inc. dba Tara Wildlife is to manage its natural resources in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner while promoting conservation awareness and the wise use of those natural resources within a framework of both consumptive and non-consumptive opportunities.

CONSERVATION:

Through its partnerships with numerous conservation groups, Tara is active in black bear restoration, management of neotropical bird habitat, protection of nesting bald eagles, Mississippi River ecosystem issues, wildlife and wetlands habitat management and the preservation and restoration of bottomland hardwood resources.

CONSULTING SERVICES:

Tara's long standing experience with conservation issues allows it's expertise to be generously shared with others who seek assistance in wildlife and habitat management.

On August 25-26, 2007, Tara will host in association with Audubon MS, the Mississippi River Nature Festival. They will have all kinds of activities such as an open bus ride through the bottomland forest along 12 miles of the MS River; spectacular gatherings of Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills and other wading birds; Tara's Backyard Native Plant Gardens which attracts hundreds of hummingbirds; exhibits by the MS Museum of Natural Science & hear renowned guest speakers and learn new skills at their outdoor photography workshops. This organization to me is making a huge impact on our community. I am proud to say I have been to Tara and hunted at Halpino a location of Tara about 18 years ago. It was quite an experience. Will write about it at a later date.

Male Painted Bunting!

My dancing teacher at the Senior Center, who works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, sent me this photo by e-mail Monday of her friend that was the overall winner of the Wildlife Federation Photography Contest which was announced (Sunday, August 5th) at the Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza. This was a state contest. Her name is Pam Johnson and lives here in Vicksburg, MS. The majority of her pictures are of birds, flowers, nature pictures. The link is http://natureshooter.deviantart.com/gallery/ and will take you to a web site that has 25 pages of her photos. Please take a moment to look at her photos.

Git-R-Slung!

I received my Git-R-Slung with Gunslinger yesterday from Kristine at Gun Safety Innovations, LLC, in MI. I'm looking forward to using it this deer season in the outdoors at my deer camp. I will now be able to safely raise or lower my gun from my deer stand and it will keep my gun from either discharging or possibly causing injury. It secures my gun to the deer stand and if my gun falls, it will fall with the barrel pointing down. It comes with a carrying pouch (picture above) that is a blazing orange and can be used for extra visibility and its waterproof. Can also be used for tagging deer after a successful hunt and for signaling in case of an emergency. I know my Gunslinger will give me peace of mind and that I am doing everything possible to Hunt Smart, Think Safety first! I highly recommend all hunters to get one for your own safety. Thanks Kristine!

Little Emma!

My fifth granddaughter came into this world on July 25, 2007. Doesn't she look like a little angel?

First time Grandmother Midge, Little Emma and Dennis. How cute yawning! When I had Suzi's baby announcements made, it was one of her yawning!

Dennis a new and proud Dad - This is a sweet picture of him holding his newborn daughter, Emma!

I received these pictures yesterday evening via email of my new granddaughter. I was so happy to see what she looked like. The new beaming parents are Dennis and Suzi Nicholas! I will be going to Fredericksburg, VA, the first part of October to see them. Can't wait! This picture above is made soon after Emma Claire was born. It was a long night for my daughter Suzi. Emma was born at 6:27 a.m. on July 25, 2007 and weighed 7 lbs. and 7 ozs. Congrats to the new parents!

Wildlife Extravaganza!

The Wildlife Extravaganza was held at the Trade Mart in Jackson, Mississippi, from this past Friday, August 3 through this Sunday, August 5. This morning Bob and I got on the road and spent the morning and afternoon there. Their were a lot of good exhibits and wildlife. We really enjoyed ourselves. They had a Fetch-N-Fish fetch tub and when we got there they were teaching this dog to fetch his favorite toy, which was a Cat In the Hat toy, and to retrieved it from the watertank full of fish. This is first time I have ever seen a dog swim in the water whereby you could see his feet doing the dog-paddle! On stage a guy was talking about all the snakes that live in Mississippi. Of course, he had the snakes there and showing them off! A lot of deer heads, 4-wheelers, hunting clothes, etc., etc., etc. We saw some of our friends and got some goodies to bring home. Charming, Just Charming!

Old-Time Saloon!

I have this picture of my daughter, Suzy, and her old flame Jason, dressed up in old-time clothes. They both look so cool and tough! I like the way you can change clothes and be in a different era of time! He is now a Professor at a college here in Mississippi and my daughter has married a fine man who works for the FAA in Washington, D.C.

A Somber Day!

My Godmother, Mrs. Marie Davis, died this past Monday at Madison Parish Hospital in Tallulah, LA and was buried today here in Vicksburg. They had a Mass for her at St. Paul's Catholic Church, which I attended. She was a dear, dear lady. Would you believed she had dated my Dad before he married my Mom and she ended up being my Godmother? She was 88 years old and graduated from St. Francis Xavier Academy in 1937 the same school I had attended. She leaves one daughter, one son, (who I babysat when they were young), four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She will be missed. May she rest in peace!

Congratulations Ashley!

Linda sent me this picture of her daughter Ashley Elliot the other day by email. Ashley is 11 years old and lives in Mount Vernon, Maine. She is here with her first turkey, a Jake, weighing 15 lbs., taken last season. Linda and I met about 9 years ago on Bowsite Bowhunting Conference. I went by Marian (Lady Hunter) and she went by "Sunshine". We have remain good friends through the years. You can really meet a lot of good people via the Internet and some that will last a lifetime. I will put her picture up on my website at A Dixie Lady Deer Hunter!

It's great to see young girls get involved in hunting! Linda also told me that Ashley had harvested an 8 point buck weighing 157 lbs., taken on Youth Day, October 21, 2006. As soon as I get that picture, I will post it here on my blog. Charming, Just Charming!

On The Deer Stand!

Bob coming to get me after a morning hunt in the backwoods to go to the camp to eat lunch. Another hunter is also coming out.

While hunting, riders would come by and check on us to see if we had seen a deer or if they heard us shoot, would come to see if we needed help in either finding the deer or getting it loaded up. This was the hunting life!

This is the view off of Bob's stand (Triple X) on the north end of Brown's Point Hunting Club. Looks like a good cold foggy morning to hunt smart!

Greg, my step-son and I hunting off a deer stand. When I started hunting down at Jasper Bottom Hunting Club, our clubs president's wife, Margie (a lady deer hunter), wore a hat like this. I wanted to be just like her and went out and bought me one. Charming, Just Charming! I still have this hat after 22 years of hunting. I hope one day my daughter would be proud enough to wear my hat. It would be a sweetthing!

Going to Camp!

We would sit outside our room on 2nd floor and watch the rain water come down. Sometimes there would be a bolt of lightning! Their were at least six rooms upstairs where you could bunk four to a room or more. We had two bunk beds in our room. I was so thankful that we had a heater in our room so we could warm up on a cold winter morning while getting dressed to go hunting. That was a sweetthing! You could also smell the coffee and breakfast being made by the cooks downstairs during the hunting season. Oh, what fond memories!

We always had fun riding around the camp in the great outdoors on our 3-wheeler and 4-wheeler. We always liked to ride up to the fishing camp north of the camp house. Bob and I making a stop at the cove by the Mississippi River on the way up.

You had to drive approximately five miles before you could get to the deer camp house after you got off the ferry.

Here we are waiting on the King's Point Ferry to pick us up to take us across the Yazoo River. This was the shortest way to get to the Island to hunt at Brown's Point Hunting Club in Warren County. Prime hunting territory!

Silhouettes!

Silhouettes of my four daughters that was made by scissors back in 1975 while we were on vacation at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Theresa, left top was 12 years old and now 43; Kathleen, top right was 9 years old and now 40; Debra was 6 and now 38 and Suzy 3 years old and now 34. I am so glad that I had this done. It was a bright idea. They can grow up so fast and this is one of my favorite pictures of them. It still amazes me how anyone can do this type of art work. Charming, Just Charming!

A Busy Bumble Bee!

This busy bumble bee was buzzing around my flowers the other day in my backyard and it's a good thing I did not get stung trying to get these pictures. I submitted the pictures above to our paper, The Vicksburg Post early this week to possibly be published in our Sunday paper. The Post will accept photos of its readers for publication. They have to be current and of interest. We will see!

Billy Bob!

I took this picture one day last week of our tabby-point bob tail cat named, Billy Bob. He is almost 14 years old now. My oldest daughter, Theresa and I were in the driveway one day talking and heard a faint meow. When we looked over into the ivy, we spotted this cute little ball of fur. She picked him up and we played with him for a little while and decided to take him inside. I bathed him and put baby powder on him. Then there was a knock at the door and this little boy from next door wanted to know if we had seen a little white cat and I told him yes. He told me that he had named him Snowball. So, I reluctantly handed him back and about an hour later there was another knock at the door. The little boy brought him back and said his mother told him to give it to me since I had cleaned him up and took good care of him. It just so happened that this litter of kittens were brought into town from a farm and somehow Billy Bob got away and came over to our house. He has been with us ever since. I named him after a friend of ours named Billy and Bob my husband.

Congratulations!!!

My daughter, Marian Suzanne "Suzi" and her husband, Dennis, are the proud parents of a baby girl born this morning at 6:27 in Fredericksburg, VA. Her name is Emma Claire and weighs 7lbs. and 7 oz. and 20 inches long. She has dark brown hair. Of course, I am a proud grandmother! Suzi is 34 now and the youngest of my four daughters. She married in June of 2000 at The Chapel at Cedar Grove, Cedar Grove Mansion in Vicksburg, MS. I can't wait to hold my 5th granddaughter!

Horseback Riding at Camp

Bob's getting ready to head out for a leisurely ride around the deer camp to check things out with the other hunters. At Brown's Point Hunting Club on Kings Point Island we had horses during the hunting season and also dogs. The horses were used to track a deer if we could not find it or a dry run if the dogs were not running. On this particular day it may have been a workday weekend in September.

XXX (Triple X)

Here are a couple of photos that Bob took of me while on his deer stand called, "XXX" (Triple X). The stand was located at the north end of Brown's Point Hunting Club on Kings Point Island, north of Vicksburg. Note the rope around the stand. Occasionally, the Mississippi River would come up into the area and the rope helped to keep it from floating away. The stand had belonged to Willis Dykes, past president of the deer camp and his Dad before him. Both have past on and Bob is no longer a member now, but Greg (my step-son) is still hunting the area. Not far from this stand is where I shot my first 8 point buck. I never harvested a deer from XXX, but Bob had harvested several. I saw a lot of deer the morning before I got on stand No. 63 to harvest my 8 point. I told Bob I saw a herd of does and a 4 pt. buck go by and he suggested we switch stands. That evening before I shot my 8 point, three nice does came within 20 yards of my stand and about 40 minutes later my 8 point buck stepped out! All good things come to those who wait! What a sweetthing!

The Power of Schmooze Award!

I'm honored and flattered by getting The Power of Schmooze Award from Denny at Backwoods Drifter on Wednesday, July 18. The Schmooze Award is given to bloggers who get involve and make an effort to connect and get to know others in the blogosphere. When you receive this award, you are supposed to choose 5 people who really help grow the blogosphere community. Here are my picks for the prestigious Schmoozer award!

1. Charming, Just Charming ~GuyK is from the west central coast of Florida. I recently met GuyK in person with his lovely wife, Penny. He is a down-to-earth good person. His blog is about (as he puts it) weird sense of humor and others claim I have no sense. Both are probably right. Charmin', just flipping charmin'. His "Just For Glee" is so funny it will keep you in stitches!

2. Outdoors with Norm ~Norm lives in Maine and has variety of things to read about. They include his daily devotionals, his family household, fishing, hunting, kids corner and of course, the great outdoors!

3. Huntersouthafrica ~Jan lives in Centurion, Gauteng, ZA, and is an avid hunter who has hunted in the sparse open spaces of the Karoo, which was a very challenging feat in itself. He also has a website at Huntersouthafricam.com.

4. Barbarama ~Bob, what about Bob? As he writes - he is your precription for humor! Bob is a journalist and lives in Southern California. I came upon his blog at the Blogger's Choice Awards site and he is nominated for Best Humor Award. We need a lot of laughter in our lives. :)

5. Ask Sister Mary Martha ~Sister Mary Martha has a good sense of humor also. She was nominated for Best Religion Award by Blogger's Choice. Being a Catholic nun, and the fact that I attended a Catholic school and was taught by the Sisters of Mercy for twelve years, it caught my eye and I started reading her blog. She says life is tough, but nuns are tougher! If you need any helpful advice just ask, but don't expect any sympathy!

My thanks to everyone who visits my blog site everyday. You have encouraged me to strive to be a good blogger and you're interested in my little corner of the world! A very special thanks to my mentor!

Skinning out my 8 pt!

Taking a much needed break at the deer camp at Brown's Point Hunting Club. The task is done! Charming, Just Charming!


The next day in the great outdoors, I got the job of skinning out my first 8 point.
Bob pulled my 8 pt. out of the suburban to show the hunters and then we left the camp again to take it into town to show the family. At midnight (New Year's) we were in the middle of the Yazoo River on a ferry bringing it back to the camp. A long and exciting day to remember!
Bob took this picture of my deer from the backside. A different angle for sure and such a bright idea!
I give my husband Bob much of the CREDIT for my SUCCESS. It seems that on the morning hunt I saw several deer from my stand while Bob did not see any from his. Over lunch, Bob suggested that we switch stands for the afternoon's hunt. The rest is history made by a Dixie Lady Deer Hunter!

Laura's B'Day Party!

Here are a few pictures I took of Laura's Birthday Party with family. We all ate a delicious supper of chicken and dumplings and for desert had a BIG COOKIE for cake and two flavors of ice cream. It was a fun and enjoyable evening with Laura and family. Happy Birthday Laura!

Happy Birthday Laura!

Laura is 10 years old today and we will be celebrating her birthday this evening at her Mom and Dad's house. Hope you have many, many more Birthday's to come Laura! This is my favorite picture I took of her around 5 or 6 years old sitting by the picnic table on our deck.