A Father & Daughter Turkey Hunt!

Today is my Facebook friend, Wade Pickel's birthday and he is shown here taking his daughter, Ella, turkey hunting this morning.  Wishing Wade a very Happy and Special Birthday and both GOODHUNTING!

Ella calling a gobbler!

A good Father taking his daughter hunting in our great outdoors near Burnt Cabins, PA.

Good Luck Ella!

Caught!

Flowers @ Louisiana Circle

I drove by the Louisiana Circle at Vicksburg yesterday to see if some towboats were passing by on the Mississippi River but no river traffic was in site.  On the side of the hill I did see some pretty Pink Evening Primrose flowers and took these pictures. When I was younger and outside playing, my sister, brother and I used to picked these and took turns getting our noses all yellowed.   We called them buttercups! Very fond memories whenever I see them.

 Pink Evening Primrose

Turkey Down For Jimmy of Darkwoods Blind

My good Facebook friend, Jimmy, of Darkwoods Blind sent me a picture of his turkey today that he harvested out of his very own blind a little less than 5 yards. It had a 9.5-inch beard with 1.25 spurs.  My congrats to Jimmy in our great wild outdoors! You go Jimmy!

Pictured above is Jimmy with his 11 pt. buck with a 19-inch spread that he harvested only 40 yards from his Darkwoods Blind.  Check out Jimmy's site because you may want to purchase one of his blinds for your deer camp or family owned land. GOODHUNTING!  

Law Adds Wild Hogs to Population Program

In last night's paper was an article that the law will add wild hogs to the population program.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a bill officials hope will help control wild hogs throughout the state.

Beginning July 1, a Beaver and Wild Hog Control Advisory Board will come up with a program to control or eradicate beavers and wild hogs.  The program will be administered by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.

Ed Penney, director of the Wildlife Bureau for the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said the most recent evaluations indicate that 38 percent of the state is occupied by wild hogs.  That's about 11.7 million acres of affected habitat.

In 2012, officials at the Vicksburg National Military Park reported wild hogs destroying park landscapes.

"While wild hogs have existed in many areas of the country and Mississippi for decades, the greatest factor influencing their rapid expansion across the country has come from transportation and release into the wild by wild hog sport hunting enthusiasts," he said.

A Bounty on Boars?

Kids Talking Turkey!

Ethan's big turkey!  Love the stand!

Above is a 10 year old who got her very nice gobbler in York, SC.  It weighed 19 lbs., 1-1/4 spurs with 10.5 inch beard.  Proud Dad and sibling looking on.

A sweet little girl getting her a very nice turkey!  Way to go!

My congrats to all three young hunters in passin thru outdoors!

Big Buck In Snow

I saw this picture on Facebook and had to share it with you.  I can almost feel the blowing cold in the air and love the hunter up in the tree/deer stand.  Imagine having deer watching you and you look down and see an awesome buck like that! I have been there at one time when I had about five does starring me down while a big buck was in the area at Brown's Point on Kings Point Island.  At the time I did not know that I could aim for the neck and that was the only shot I had.  It may have been a 15 pointer.  It was huge.  Never will I forget that day as long as I live and what if I had made that one shot!  Since then I have put several deer down with one shot to the neck and dropped them in their tracks!

Two Proud Boys With Their Turkeys!

A father and my Facebook friend, John L. Colegrove, took this picture of his proud sons this morning saying - don't know who's bigger the turkeys or the boys! Taken near Westwood, Kentucky.  My congrats to his sons in making treasured memories in our great wild outdoors!  

A Vicksburg Native Following His Dreams

I have been a fan of William Michael Morgan for a long time and we are also friends on MySpace.  He hails from Vicksburg and I know his Grandmother very well and her Mother who has since passed on.  His Grandmother and I used to play together when we were little.  In fact, when he became my friend on my MySpace he said that his Grandmother had a picture in her home that was given to her by my Mother.  I can't remember now what it was of...but was happy that he shared that with me.

He has moved to Nashville to chase his country music dreams with two contracts in his pocket.  He has signed on with Warner Brothers Records Nashville and Warner Chappell Publishing Nashville.  

He is the 19 years old son of Mike and Pam Morgan of Vicksburg and said he's been going through a bit of culture shock following his move.

"It's a change of atmosphere not having Mom and Dad around," Morgan said.  "But you have to grow up sometime."

Morgan said he has been busy writing songs in preparation for what he hopes is a long and fruitful career in Nashville.

"We've got a long, hard road ahead of us," he said.  "It's a long process but we're going to have some fun with it."

He performed last Friday in Las Vegas in an event leading up the the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which was broadcast on CBS last Sunday.

He performed with country music singers Easton Corbin and Charlie Worshan at the Orleans Hotel and Casino as part of The ACE Experience.

Singing since he we 11, Morgan has done everything locally from RiverFest on down, even opening for country music singer Gilbert Brantely in 2011 at the annual downtown festival his father said.

Morgan is a proud Vicksburg native and said he carries his love for the River City with him everywhere.

"People ask me where I am from and I tell them Vicksburg, Mississippi," Morgan said.  "I'm honored to be from Vicksburg.  You guys did a lot for me, supporting me and playing my songs on the radio."

Wishing my friend, William Michael Morgan, the BEST of LUCK in Nashville and hope he has a great career in the country music industry!

(Some info taken from The Vicksburg Posts)

Towboat On A Cloudy Day!

I did not get the name of a towboat pushing a working barge last Sunday under the bridges at Vicksburg, MS.  It had already passed the Louisiana Circle but got this close-up as I was leaving.  Love the black and white of picture with a tinge of green from the trees and a part of the red flag atop the old Hwy 80 bridge.  

Loaded Down With Blooms!

My azalea bushes are loaded down with pretty pink blooms.  Thought I would take a picture of it for you because tonight we are expecting some strong storms.  We are also under a tornado watch now.  

Avery's Big Turkey!

This my friends is, Avery, and a gobbler that could not resist her sweet smile and sweet talking!  My congrats to Avery in our great wild outdoors!  :)

What Is That Coming Around The Bend?

Last Saturday, on my way back home, I decided to run by the Louisiana Circle where I love to take pictures of the towboats coming around the bend and saw a lot of people looking out over the river.  When I looked back I could see what they were trying to figure out that was coming around the bend.  I thought at first it was the American Queen but on closer look, it was some type of building being pulled, pushed and escorting by 3 tugboats.  It was an amazing site to see!  

Passing by Diamond Jacks Casino and the Vicksburg Riverfront Park.

Here comes a house?  What is it?

It was the Bayou Caddy's Jubilee Casino being transported downstream to an unknown destination.

In front pulling of this enormous three story building was tugboat, Judy Ann. Along side escorting was tugboat, Helen.  Sidney V. was pushing from behind.  As they passed by they blew their horns as if to wave at us.

Getting ready to head up under the two bridges at Vicksburg, MS.

Closer view as they make their way under the bridges. 

I did find out that this particular casino had filed bankruptcy and was from Greenville, MS, which is a town on the MS River about 85 miles due north on HWY 61 from Vicksburg.  Not sure what her fate will be now but maybe it will be a "new" home on the Mississippi River.

There she goes while a little supply boat is trying to catch up to deliver supplies.

Wildflowers Here & There

Proud Little Turkey Hunters

Bailee with her very first turkey!

A proud little hunter!  Clever display of bird on the fence.

First Turkey - First Hunt

Proud Grandfather of, Macy, who is 10 years old.

Proud Father of his son, Ethan's, first turkey.

Mason's turkey on opening day of Kentucky Youth Season.

Palmer, 6-years-old, shoots his first tom turkey.  It weighted 23 lbs. with a 10-inch beard and 1 inch spurs!

I'm very proud of all the Little Turkey Hunters in our great wild outdoors!

Maggie's Big Bird!

My congrats to Maggie's big Kansas turkey!  You rock!  

M/V Pat Voss Passing Through Vicksburg

Three men are waiting on deck of the M/V Pat Voss for the supply boat making it's way to deliver their supplies as the towboat slows down for the drop off.   

A pulled-back picture as the small boat pulls next to the M/V Pat Voss.

A cloudy and dreary day for the M/V Pat Voss near the bend of the Mississippi River at Vicksburg.

Took a picture of the cannon, Widow Blakely, at the Louisiana Circle as I drove by to leave.

A sparrow flew atop of one of several monuments at the Louisiana Circle.  Above is a monument dedicated to Louisiana ~ Captain Toby Hart, Company 8th Heavy Artillery Battalion.