Great Days Outdoors - September 2019 by TrendSouth Media

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6940A HIGHWAY 59 | GULF SHORES, AL 36542 HWY 59 @ COUNTY RD. 8 Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 07/01/19 and 09/30/19 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 07/01/19 and 09/30/19. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Instant Savings must be applied against the agreed-upon selling price of the outboard motor and reflected in the bill of sale. (Suzuki will, in turn, credit Dealer’s parts account.) There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 07/01/19 and 09/30/19. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2019 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 3

HUNTING & FISHING IN ALABAMA & THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE

FEATURES 8

SELECTING THE BEST DEER FEEDER FOR YOUR HUNTING AREA By Charles Johnson

12 16

FLATHEADS IN RIVERS By Greg McCain

DOVE HUNTING TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST STAND SITES By Mike Thompson

SIX REASONS FALL DEER FOOD PLOTS FAIL By Charles Johnson

28 32 54

KNOW THE REGULATIONS WHEN DEER HUNTING IN A CWD-POSITIVE AREA By Tony Young

HUNTING LAND INSURANCE ARE YOU COVERED? By Great Days Outdoors Staff WHITETAIL HUNTING VS. MULE DEER HUNTING By John E. Phillips

IN EVERY ISSUE Bets 6 Best by William Kendy

A SLICK APPROACH TO LUNKER TROUT FISHING By Frank Sargeant

42 50

New Gear for Outdoorsmen by Great Days Outdoors Staff From the Commissioner Forever Wild Land Provides Abundant Recreational Opportunities

Hunting Heritage Preserving Our Way of Life as Hunters

From the Director Special Opportunity Areas (SOA), Good or Bad…. The Survey Says?

The Gun Rack Youth Hunting Is On The Downswing!

Camphouse Kitchen by Hank Shaw

Fishing 58 Paddle Kayak Fishing Gear by Ed Mashburn

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FISHING OUTLOOKS 60

Pier and Shore by David Thornton

Gulf Coast by Mike Thompson

Regional Freshwater by Alex Granpere

Prime Feeding Times, Moon, Sun, and Tide Charts

Pensacola Motorsports Trophy Room

74 76 77

Great Days Kids Corner

Custer’s Last Deer Stand by Jim Mize

Classifieds & Fishin' Guides Fishing Tips by Captain Mathew Isbell

PROPERTY PHOTO HERE

The Boligee Tombigbee River Timber & Hunting Investment

Alabama River Waterfront Hunting Tract

This income producing timber, hunting, & recreational investment w/frontage on the Tombigbee River is a rare find. Located near Boligee, minutes from the interstate, w/ easy access from its county road frontage & utilitiesHERE are available nearby. Multiple PROPERTY TEXT scenic camp & lg potential fishing lake sites available throughout the property & the deer, turkey, duck, & dove hunting is outstanding, aided by numerous strategically placed food plots, extremely well improved road system, majestic stands of 70+ year old hardwood, & the Bar & Cook Branch bottoms that traverse the center of the tract. Enjoy long term cash flows provided by the well managed timber that includes 36+ year old pine & mature hardwood. Diverse tract has also been inspected for use inside a Conservation Easement, & results indicated that the value of the easement could potentially pay for the property or at least a large portion of it. Results are available for review upon request and all related inspections results may transfer to Purchaser. Don’t miss your chance to own this riverfront tract that could quickly pay for itself.

This diverse waterfront hunting and timber investment with 3,067 feet of frontage on the Alabama River and Bailey’s Creek is a rare find. Located off CR 1 between Chrysler and TEXT HERE Perdue Hill, an area PROPERTY well known for quality deer, turkey, dove, and duck hunting, just over an hour from both Mobile and Spanish Fort. Enjoy easy access off Bailey’s Creek Road and an intricate internal road and trail system to access the multiple food plots, two duck ponds, and equipment shed on the property. Timber types include mature, unthinned hardwood, pine plantations that are almost ready for their first thinning, and recently converted pine plantation. Utilities are available at the offset camp site and there are multiple potential fishing lake sites and camp sites with hilltop views. Land of this quality is rarely available in this area, much less on the river.

Greene County, Alabama, 2291+/-Acres

Alabama Listings COUNTY Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Barbour Barbour Barbour Bibb Bibb Bibb Bibb Blount Blount Blount Blount Blount Bullock Bullock Butler Butler

ACRES 317.65 240 116 110 40 3636 1995 710 492 425 346 200 179 123 98.6 30 24 87 80 66 60 50 80 48.6 395 85.16

Butler Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Chilton Chilton Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clay Clay Clay Clay Clay Cleburne Cleburne Cleburne

10 147.3 102 100 26.91 25 221 65.4 216 107 38 25 20 526 520 234 220 26 116 80 42 40 38 377 80 57

COUNTY Cleburne Coffee Colbert Colbert Colbert Colbert Colbert Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Coosa Coosa Coosa Covington Covington Covington Covington Covington Crenshaw Cullman Cullman Cullman Cullman Dallas Dallas Dallas

ACRES 56.48 254 40 36 36 25 2 40 10 5 151 62 45 331 129 43 3 3 134 876.25 232 100 59 463.54 140 82.73

Dallas Dallas Elmore Elmore Elmore Elmore Elmore Escambia Escambia Escambia Etowah Etowah Etowah Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Greene Greene Greene

64 27 2000 342 264 213 149 671.6 68 27 275 167.3 57 260 232 155 133 112 608 563 552 165 118 2291 30 1

COUNTY Greene Hale Hale Hale Hale Hale Henry Henry Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lauderdale Lawrence Limestone Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes

Monroe County, Alabama, 305+/-Acres

ACRES 0.72 186 96 92 88 53.2 200 104.5 400 330 245 125 120 192 160 136 104 103 60 80 1.36 1181 1013 790 783 656

Macon Macon Madison Marengo Marengo Marion Marion Marion Marion Marion Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Monroe Monroe Monroe Monroe Monroe Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Morgan

930 60 100 772 264 387 325 250 215 120 1800 260 192 173 160 790 378.49 305 268.11 133.16 858 697 623 500 469 150

COUNTY Perry Perry Perry Perry Perry Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pike Pike Pike Randolph Randolph Randolph Randolph Randolph Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Shelby Shelby Shelby Shelby

ACRES 604.33 386 240.75 200 189 837 761.64 450 430 217 352.8 160 80 407 329 78 60 52.4 100 41.95 29 14.28 458 253 93 80

Shelby Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Talladega Talladega Talladega Talladega Talladega Tallapoosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa

43.56 740 350 240 213 188 1314 1015 882 723.5 537 20.917 153 117

COUNTY ACRES Tuscaloosa 115 Tuscaloosa 71 Tuscaloosa 70 233 Walker 65 Walker Washington 1261 Washington 480 Washington 313 Washington 240 Washington 160 2365 Wilcox 31 Wilcox 2.5 Wilcox 84 Winston

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BEST BETS

BEST BETS FOR SEPTEMBER These are our top targets for hunters and fishermen this month! BY WILLIAM KENDY

DATES WITH DOVES September brings some cooler weather and that long awaited “nip’ in the air. It also brings the opening days of Alabama’s dove hunting season. I’ve only been dove hunting once and that was pass shooting. While I consider myself a decent wing-shot, I pretty much failed. I had no significant effect on the fast missile like flying dove population but I did contribute to Remington’s ammo profits. But it was fun. In dove hunting, stand location is key and you have to hunt where the birds are or going to. For expert advice on choosing stand sites read Mike Thompson’s “Dove Hunting Tips” article in this issue.

VOLUME 23, ISSUE 9 September 2019

PUBLISHED BY: Great Days Outdoors Media, L.L.C. PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Joe Baya ASSISTANT EDITOR: Bill Kendy CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Wendy Johannesmann ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Samatha Hester

CONTRIBUTING FREELANCE WRITERS:

INSHORE GRAB BAG OF ACTION September offers a wide range of finny targets for pier and surf anglers. Warm shore water makes for plentiful baitfish which draws in jacks, mackerels, bluefish, redfish, speckled trout, whiting and maybe even a pompano. Pier fisherman can cash in on the September Spanish mackerel “fall run” using small scaled sardines or “finger mullet” fished live on a seven foot rod and a 3000 series spinning reel with 8-12 pound mono. On the surf side using the same baits can account for reds, bluefish and speckled trout. Roving beach anglers can cover more water using similar looking artificials like MirroLures.

PLANNING FOR PROTECTION AND SAFETY Deer season is just around the corner. If you own, lease or a or are a member of a hunting club, now is the time to make sure that you are legally covered for liability from mishaps. While you may be covered on all of the major “risks” such as fire, equipment scenarios, trespassers, tree stands, ATVs or, heaven forbid, shooting accidents you need to consider “exclusions”, the things that you aren’t covered on. Ed Wilson, vice president of Outdoor Underwriters offers some important advice on how you can be adequately covered for land and lease liability in the “Hunting Land Insurance” article in this issue.

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Chris Blankenship Daryl Bell Alex Granpere Craig Haney Charles Johnson Ed Mashburn Doug Max Greg McCain

John E. Phillips Corky Pugh Chuck Sykes Mike Thompson David Thornton Jim Barta Jim Mize Deneshia Larson

Patrick Garmeson Hank Shaw Joe Baya Don Green Babe Winkelman Bobby Abruscato J. Wayne Fears Nick Williams

Great Days Outdoors (USPS 17228; ISSN 1556-0147) is published monthly at P.O. Box 1253 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 Subscription rate is $24 for one-year, $40 for two-years, and $55 for three-years. Periodicals Postage Paid at Stapleton, Ala. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC PO Box 460248 Escondido, CA 92046 SUBSCRIBERS: All subscriptions begin the first issue for the month following receipt of payment, if payment is received by the 15th. Great Days Outdoors assumes no responsibility for delivery after magazines are mailed. All delivery complaints should be addressed to your local postmaster. CONTACT US: EDITORIAL | JoeBaya@greatdaysoutdoors.com ADVERTISING | SamHester@greatdaysoutdoors.com SUBSCRIPTIONS | greatdaysoutdoors@pcspublink.com Great Days Outdoors Media LLC PO Box 460248 Escondido, CA 92046 877. 314. 1237 info@greatdaysoutdoors.com www.greatdaysoutdoors.com All rights reserved. Reproduction of contents is strictly prohibited without permission from Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC.

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It’s easy to love the rain when you’re prepared for the storm. In Alabama, we love the rain. It gives us beautiful forests, a thriving agriculture and even helps power our hydro plants. But a thunderstorm is a different story, especially if the power goes out. Good thing Alabama Power is engineering and incorporating the latest technology to prevent outages and restore power faster than ever. As soon as it’s safe, our whole team works around the clock to get your lights back on. And we keep you informed about our progress. If you’ve got an outage, we’ve got you covered. Report online at AlabamaPower.com/reliable. Or call our 24/7 outage support line at 1-800-888-APCO (2726).

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 7

Selecting the Best Deer Feeder for Your Hunting Area BY CHARLES JOHNSON

Year-round feeding for deer can help their overall health and improve antler growth.

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HUNTING

There are many different styles of deer feeder available and certain models can save hunters time and money. Back in April the Alabama Legislature passed a law allowing hunters to take whitetail deer and wild pigs over bait. In years past the similar baiting bills have come up for a vote but failed to pass. The new law only allows baiting on private and leased lands. Chris Blankenship, Commissioner for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said this is not a requirement that people have to hunt over bait. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tool that people can use if that is what they prefer. Somebody who is totally opposed to that type of hunting can hunt the way they always have. This is just an option. For hunters who prefer not to hunt over bait the Area Definition Regulation remains in effect. The Area Definition Regulation allows for supplemental feeding if the feed/bait is more than 100 yards away and out of the line of sight of the hunter because of natural vegetation or naturally occurring terrain features.

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UNDERSTANDING THE NEW BAITING LAW Under the new baiting law only whitetail deer and feral hogs can be taken by the aid of bait. No other game animal can be taken with the aid of bait. While wild hogs can be taken year-round during daylight hours only, deer can only be taken during the deer hunting season. Hunters that do hunt deer or wild hog over bait will be required to purchase a Bait Privileged License. The license costs $15 for Alabama residents and $51 for non-residents. Also, there are no exemptions under the new baiting law. Everyone that is hunting with the aid of bait is required to have a baiting license. That means hunters 65 years old and older and hunters under 16 years old must have a valid bait license when hunting with the aid of bait. That also includes people hunting on their own property and lifetime license holders. Hunters and landowners have provided supplemental feeding for deer and other wildlife. However, no hunting was legally allowed over or in sight of any feed or bait. This season will be a little different for hunters choosing to purchase the baiting privilege license to hunt deer and/or feral hogs over and around bait. SELECTING A FEEDER While the baiting law does allow feed or grain to be poured out on the ground, this is not a good practice. Corn and soybeans are the predominant choice for bait for many hunters. The problem with this practice is that within a few days the bait begins to mold and sour. ALS toxins, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, can develop and can cause sickness or death in some animals like wild turkeys.

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There are feeder models that are covered and protects the 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 9

Selecting the Best Deer Feeder for Your Hunting Area

During levels of high stress on wildlife during the summer and winter months energy is vital to the animal’s health.

HOG RUSH “THERE WILL BE BLOOD”

feed/bait from the elements. This helps keep the feed fresher and more palatable to deer. Many feeders use a timer programmed to dispense feed and a certain time of day. Usually this is early morning or late afternoon. The premise is that the deer and hogs will be conditioned to approach the feeder at these times. However, this is not always the case. “Our feeders can use any type of feed,” said Samuel Knight of Wilderness Calls, makers of covered feeders for deer. “There is no wasted feed and it stays dry. There are no timers and the deer can feed anytime day or night.” Knight also mentions his feeders have a life span of about 30 years and are made in the U.S.A. Certain models can hold between 150 to 450 pounds of feed and have critter guards to prevent hogs, raccoons and other animals from accessing the feed. These feeders can use any type of feed. The broadcast feeder is probably the most common style feeder used by hunters and land managers for deer and wildlife. Some models have covered containers that can hold 35 to 100 gallons of feed. The battery-operated drive can dispense or broadcast feed 15 to 20 feet. “The One and Done feeder has an angled dispenser that can shoot the feed out over 40- feet and around 50- feet wide,” advises One and Done representative Jeff Christie. “Batteries can last from nine to twelve months.” Christie also explains that his feeder can be mounted on a tripod or fastened to a tree. The feeders are made from heavy gage metal and securely welded. They are bear, hog and critter poof. Any type or size of feed can be used in the One and Done feeders.

THERMAL NIGHT

HUNTS

IN ALABAMA

Another type of feeder hunters may consider is the gravity feeder. Special cones or restrictors allow the feed flow evenly to the different ports. The feeder can be adjusted to increase or decrease the amount of feed distributed. NOT JUST CORN By far corn is the most popular feed or bait used by deer and hog hunters across the Cotton State. Corn is inexpensive but has little nutritional value. It is mostly carbohydrates. Soybeans, wheat, milo and other grains can be an alternative to corn. “We offer a roasted corn/soybean mixture for wildlife feed,” mentions Payton Casey with Trophy Brand. “Whole corn is a “filler” feed with little to no nutritional value for wildlife. Yes, they love it but much like candy bars, it is not the forwildlife nutrition.” 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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Selecting the Best Deer Feeder for Your Hunting Area

Casey explained that the roasting process increases the value of corn significantly by breaking all the indigestible by-products down into useable energy. Roasted soybeans contain around 17% fat. That is roughly three times more than corn alone. The fat equates to nearly 10% more energy. During levels of high stress on wildlife during the summer and winter months energy is vital to the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health. Roasting grains like corn and soybeans helps to increase the by-pass proteins. These by-pass proteins can be used more efficiently in the digestive tract. Also, the heat from the roasting kills any toxins in the feed that could be harmful to wildlife. Hunters and land managers can decide which type of feeder fits their needs. Larger capacity models donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be refilled as often and they can be placed in a more secluded area. Certain feeders allow feed to be available anytime and is not wasted. Broadcast feeders can dispense feed over a wider area, providing more food for wildlife. Also, these feeders help prevent deer and other animals from concentrating in a small spot. Baiting for deer is not a magic potion. Research has shown that even with the availability and easy access, bucks will feed during the nighttime hours. Although, year-round supplemental feeding can help improve the overall health of your deer herd.

Gravity style feeders allows the fed to dispense to different ports for access by deer.

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Flatheads in Rivers BY GREG MCCAIN

Columbus, Miss., angler Joey Pounders catches flatheads in tournaments around the Southeast but particularly likes the Alabama and Coosa rivers in Alabama. 12 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

Flathead catfish are one of the overlooked gems of Alabama’s rivers and streams. Lost among the myriad of game fish and even among the various species of catfish, flatheads grow big, taste great, and provide around-the-clock action for Alabama anglers. Distinctive in their appearance, flatheads are often the bycatch of anglers fishing for other species. Because of their taste for live bait, flatheads often hit artificial lures ranging from tiny crappie jigs to the bigger presentations of bass fishermen. In most Alabama waters, flatheads are outnumbered by blue and channel catfish but can be caught with some of the same rigging and some of the same baits employed for the other species. Even then, flatheads can be difficult to pinpoint and to catch. They hunker down around structure during the daylight hours and usually only roam during low-light periods and at night. Those characteristics require anglers who specifically target flatheads to focus on the areas in which they normally live and also to feed them baits that they can’t resist. “I tell my clients that they better be patient and also be prepared to spend some time on the water at night,” said north Alabama catfish guru Mike Mitchell (http://www. tnriveroutfitters.net/), who catches most of his flatheads below Guntersville Dam on the upper reaches of Wheeler Lake. Alabama flatheads, a mottled mix of brown, black, and gold with a distinctive flat head that gives them their name, usually grow up to about 60 pounds although anything over 40 is considered a rare trophy. Smaller fish are better for a fish fry, their white meat a delicacy regardless of how they are prepared. The challenge is first finding flatheads and then presenting baits in such a way that appeals to their finicky nature. FISH WHERE THEY LIVE One flathead fisherman states the obvious, “You have to fish where they live.” Flatheads are not found in catchable numbers in all Alabama streams and rivers. However, choosing likely destinations improves the odds greatly. “There are streams that we fish in Mississippi that hold mostly flatheads,” said Rodney Crimm, a B’n’M-sponsored tournament angler from Ecru, Miss, who competitively fishes with his brother, Michael Haney, around the Southeast. “That’s not always going to be the case in Alabama.” The likely destinations for Bama fishermen are the Alabama, Coosa, Black Warrior, and Tombigbee rivers and their tributaries. The Tennessee River also holds big flatheads, but a fisherman is more likely to catch a blue or channel cat there. Even the Alabama River, which produced the 80-lb. Alabama state record and remains one of the top flathead destinations

in the state, yields about a 50-50 mix of flatheads and blues. “It’s still a great place to fish for flatheads,” said Columbus, Miss., angler Joey Pounders, another B’n’M pro. “The more I learn about the Alabama River, the more I understand the potential for catching flatheads there.” Pounders has also experienced good success on the Coosa River, especially on Lay Lake. Both the Coosa and the Alabama feature heavy current at times, a scenario that flatheads like. Moving water helps bunch fish in locations that can be easily identified. That’s not to say that all flatheads come from bigger river systems in Alabama. Flatheads have become abundant in the small rivers of southeast Alabama and in the Florida Panhandle, locations that traditionally have held no native fish. Flatheads, probably illegally introduced some 20 years ago, have become the “apex predator” in certain streams in the region, and fisheries personnel have not been able to slow their expansion. Fisheries biologist Ken Weathers said flatheads can now be found in the Perdido, Conecuh, Blackwater, Yellow, Chipola, Choctawhatchee and Pea rivers in southeast Alabama. “They’re here to stay,” Weathers said. “Pretty much, their numbers continue to increase. They have a high reproductive rate and seem to do well in the small rivers down here.”

What we’ve learned is that fresh cut bait, skipjack, shad, and mooneys will also catch flatheads also.

FIND THE STRUCTURE, FIND THE FISH A common denominator for finding flatheads is structure. Whether the venue is a massive reservoir or a stream that can be cast across, flatheads like structure. Wood is probably the preferred habitat, but flatheads also use boulders, rock piles and indentations in mud. Still, the classic home to a flathead is some type of wood. “That’s what we are usually looking for, regardless of where we are fishing,” said Haney, of Perkinston, Miss. “They live around wood. We rarely fish for flatheads other than around some type of wood structure.” For smaller streams, the wood is often visible at the surface and extends into the water. “We look for laydowns, stumps, logs that have caught up 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 13

Flatheads in Rivers

fish. “I’ve found on the Alabama River that the fish definitely prefer wood structure. If you can isolate wood structure, as opposed to a lot of woods or stumps, then you are more likely to find flatheads that you can catch. It’s also much easier to get a bigger flathead out of a few trees as opposed to a whole forest of them.” FLATHEAD FEAST For years, bream have been the bait of choice for flatheads. Bluegills are the most obvious species that fall under the bream umbrella, but flatheads appear to love the redbreast sunfish frequently found in the southeast Alabama rivers. All bream used as bait must be legally caught on hook-and-line and must meet normal limit regulations. In recent years, alternatives to bream have proved just as productive for flatheads. Live shad, usually abundant on most Alabama streams, are one such option. Skipjack chunks also account for flatheads as well. Pounders finds that fresh, live shad are just as good or even better than bream for fooling flatheads. He catches shad in a throw net, places them in his livewell so they can void waste, and then transfers them to his X-treme Bait Systems tank, where they stay lively through a day of fishing or even overnight. In recent years, fishermen have begun to tweak their shad presentations. A filet from a skipjack or bigger shad, a slender three to five inch slice, provides an enticing look that flutters in current, mimicking live shad. Rodney Crimm, along with his brother and tournament partner, Michael Haney, originally caught all of his flatheads from Mississippi waters but has recently begun to test the flathead potential in Alabama.

and wedged into the bank or the bottom,” Haney said. “The flatheads use those types of places to ambush baitfish. A good laydown extending off the bank is hard to beat.” Haney also noted that the laydown doesn’t have to be that deep. “People generally think of catching catfish deep, but in some of the smaller streams that we fish in Mississippi, they might be as little as four foot deep,” Haney said. “They always find their comfort zone in the stream they live in.”

Pounders, who once held the Mississippi state record with a 77-lb flathead caught from the Tombigbee, also notes that he has enjoyed recent success by “using a lot of shad with the tail shaved off.” “I’m trying to make sure I don’t cut it back so much that it bleeds out, but enough that it is disorienting to the shad and makes them shake more,” he said. “I do this in hopes that I can get a quick bite from the catfish.” Haney said the bait does not always have to be alive. He and Crimm use cut bait frequently and suggest their success rate is just about as good as when using live bait. “We used to be straight live bait,” Haney said. “What we’ve learned is that fresh cut bait, skipjack, shad, and mooneys will also catch flatheads also.”

Pounders fishes wood as well but also notes a flathead’s proclivity toward staging around mud and clay, especially along his home waters on the Tombigbee River near Columbus, Miss. Most catfish experts, including Pounders, use various features of their electronics to pinpoint likely holding areas. Electronics that provide a side-imaging view allow fishermen to see holes in mud banks or ledges that provide good resting and feeding areas for flatheads.

RIGGING FOR SUCCESS Most fishermen use either a Carolina rig or a three-way setup.

“Through experience, I have come to understand where they live and feed on the Tombigbee,” Pounders said. “While I don’t always find the same structural features on Alabama waters, most of my knowledge translates to new places that I

He uses circles hooks by Team Catfish or by Daiichi up to 10/0. Even small flatheads, with their huge mouths, can be caught with hooks of that size.

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Pounders uses a three-way rig, attaching a heavy swivel to the main line. To the swivel, he ties a leader up to five feet long for his weight and an 18-inch hook leader, which is normally 50-lb. Berkley Big Game mono.

Flatheads in Rivers

Pounders’ go-to rods are 10’ B’n’M (www.bnmpoles. com) Silver Cat Magnum 10S models, spinning rods with a sensitive tip. Flatheads are light biters at times and the tips on the long spinnings rods help catch more fish. The length – most anglers use seven- or eight-foot rods – also provides more power than an average length rod. “It’s a good set-up,” Pounders said. “The rods are powerful enough to land the biggest fish but sensitive enough to catch those light bites.” Haney and Crimm use Silver Cat Magnum rods paired with AbuGarcia 6500 reels. To the main line, they add a sinker slide, which holds the weight, and a barrel swivel. To the swivel, they attach a 12- to 18-inch leader with a snelled 8/0 to 12/0 circle hook. All terminal tackle is by Flathead Fever (www.flatheadfevertackle.com). They also slide a cork or float, in this case, a Chub model, up the leader to keep the bait off the bottom. Haney said he likes the rattle associated with the Chub model, which he said makes a more vivid sound than other types of catfish floats available. Another rattle is often used just above the hook. “This set-up will catch flatheads of just about any size,” Haney said. “It doesn’t really matter if we are tournament fishing or just looking for fish to eat, we usually rig the same way.” ALTERNATIVE METHODS Other presentations also account for flatheads. If the water allows, jugs are another effective means of targeting flatheads.

Small flatheads are delicacies whether fried, blackened, or grilled.

Jug fishing is a bit of a misnomer these days. Most fishermen use “pool noodles” cut to about 12 to 18 inches with a line of four to 20 foot attached. The same baits used for rod-and-reel fishing will fool flatheads on the end of a jug line although bream are much more conducive for this type of fishing because of their hardy nature. Another time-honored option is catching flatheads on limb lines. Fishermen tied a length of line, usually trotline chord, to a tree and then bait with fresh, lively bait. A stout but limber limb that overhangs the water provides the best setup. Make sure it is strong enough to hold a fish but limber enough to withstand the lunges of a powerful flathead. Flatheads fall under the normal catfish regulations around most of Alabama. One specific regulation involves trophy fish: only one flathead over 34 inches may be kept per angler per day. That limit does not apply in southeast Alabama because the fish are not native to the region and are considered intrusive. Otherwise, anglers may keep as many smaller flatheads as they wish. For anglers seeking a new challenge, flatheads may be a viable option. Their many positive attributes, plus the difficulty of hooking and landing them, make them one of the great fishing possibilities in Alabama. Whether from one of the major river systems or from a smaller stream, flatheads are one of the unique fishes of the state, a worthy adversary that demands more attention from Alabama anglers. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 15

KNOW THE REGULATIONS WHEN DEER HUNTING IN A CWD-POSITIVE AREA

BY TONY YOUNG

Media Relations Coordinator Division of Hunting and Game Management Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Jeff Schumacher has lived in Florida for nearly 10 years, but prior to that he grew up shoveling snow and deer hunting during Wisconsin’s cold winters. He has since taken up hunting in the Sunshine State, but about everyother year, he and his friends head north for Thanksgiving to spend time with family and deer hunt southwest Wisconsin’s Grant and Sauk counties. Wisconsin, a popular destination for thousands of deer hunters across the country, is one of 26 states and 3 Canadian provinces where chronic wasting disease has been detected. CWD, which has not been detected in Florida, is a 16 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

contagious disease that is fatal for deer, elk, moose, caribou and other members of the deer family. Since CWD was first discovered in Wisconsin in 2002, it has increased in prevalence and geographic extent. The highest prevalence rate for CWD in Wisconsin occurs in the southwest counties of Dane, Iowa, Richland and Sauk, where the percentage of adult bucks that test positive for CWD ranges from 15% to 51%. Because Schumacher and his friends don’t want to see this happen in Florida, they take extra precautions when handling their harvested deer. “When we go up and hunt Wisconsin, we make sure to check the regulations on transporting harvested deer for every state we will be driving back through,” Schumacher

HUNTING said. “I research everything and do what is needed to comply with every state’s regulations, including Florida’s, to ensure we’re not spreading the disease.”

• •

“My buddies and I have taken more precautions since CWD has become more prevalent, including allowing Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources to test our harvested deer,” Schumacher said. “The tests are free, only take a couple weeks to come back, and there are numerous collection sites where we drop off the needed samples.”

•

Currently, there is no scientific evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans or livestock under natural conditions. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend consuming meat from animals that test positive for CWD or from any sick animal.

•

Schumacher said care should also be taken when field dressing and processing deer harvested from a state or province where CWD has been detected. “We always debone our meat and freeze it and if we harvest a deer at the beginning of the trip, we even have time to process it,” Schumacher said. “We then transport the frozen meat with dry ice in a sealed cooler all the way back to Florida.” The FWC offers the following safety tips for field dressing and processing harvested deer:

• •

•

Wear latex or rubber gloves. Bone out the meat. Don’t saw through bone and avoid cutting through the brain or spinal cord (backbone). Minimize the handling of brain, tonsils and spinal tissues. Wash hands and instruments thoroughly afterward. Avoid consuming brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes of harvested animals. Normal field dressing coupled with boning out a carcass will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will remove remaining lymph nodes. Properly dispose of carcass.

“If you’re not going to process the deer yourself, have a processor already lined up. And make sure you request your animal be processed individually, with no meat from other animals added to yours. Wisconsin processors are well versed about CWD and can do it safely,” Schumacher said. “And if you harvest a nice buck that you would like mounted, I suggest using a taxidermist up there and they can do the mount accordingly and ship it to you when it’s finished.” PREVENTING CWD FROM ENTERING FLORIDA To keep Florida free from CWD, hunters are prohibited from bringing into Florida whole carcasses of any cervid (deer, elk, moose, caribou and other members of the deer family) from the following states where CWD

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 17

Know The Regulations When Deer Hunting In A Cwd-Positive Area

has been detected: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the CWD-affected Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec. Deer harvested from these locations may only be brought into Florida as boned-out meat or processed meat cuts, a hide with no head attached, antlers with a clean skull plate, finished taxidermy products, and upper canines (teeth) – as long as all soft tissue has been removed. “We’re fortunate that CWD has not been detected in Florida or our immediate neighboring states. But it’s going to take the help of hunters to keep it that way,” said Cory Morea, the FWC’s Deer Management Program coordinator. “Anyone planning to hunt deer, moose or elk out of state needs to be aware of certain laws and regulations aimed at preventing CWD from being brought into our state.” MONITORING DEER IN FLORIDA FOR CWD The FWC is educating hunters, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts about CWD and asks that anyone who sees a sick, abnormally thin deer or finds a deer dead from unknown causes to call the toll-free CWD hotline, 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282). In addition to extreme weight loss, deer with CWD exhibit odd behaviors such as loss of fear of humans, lowering of the head, blank staring, walking in circles, staggering, standing with a wide stance

and being lethargic. If you harvest a sick or extremely skinny deer in Florida, avoid handling it and call the CWD hotline. An FWC biologist can then collect the deer and take it to a lab for testing. The FWC has an ongoing CWD monitoring program because continued surveillance is necessary to help Florida remain free of CWD. Since 2002, the FWC has tested nearly 13,000 deer that were hunter-harvested, road-killed or reported as exhibiting abnormal behavior. Hunters can support the FWC’s surveillance efforts by voluntarily submitting their deer heads for testing (skull cap and antlers can be removed and kept by the hunter). Learn more by visiting MyFWC.com/CWD. The FWC and its agency partners – Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – have a comprehensive response plan in place should CWD be detected in Florida. Controlling the spread of this disease is extremely difficult once it becomes established in a deer population. Multiple management strategies would be used to prevent more deer from developing CWD. To learn more about CWD and how to prevent it, visit MyFWC.com/CWD.

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18 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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A diverse blend of annual clovers that have been selected for maximum tonnage and attraction. This blend will produce forage early in the fall, creating a hunting hot spot throughout deer season. These varieties have been selected according to their deer preference, aggressive growth, and ability to handle dry or water-logged soils. WMS Clover Feast is not only a great hunting plot, but is outstanding for spring and early summer forage plots.

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WMS Deer Magnet Our #1 seller! Consisting of forage triticale, black oats, winter peas, annual clovers, biennial clovers, radishes, and chicory. This blend provides a superior high quality forage that will persist through the following summer. Unrivaled fall attraction and spring nutrition combine to create a true deer magnet! WMS triticOat A blend of Forage Triticale and Black Oats.Perfect for small plots and areas with high deer densities! Plant WMS TriticOat alone, or with companion crops like clovers, brassicas, and winter peas. Best of all, these varieties will not freeze out or become unproductive late in the deer season, like other cereal grain varieties. WMS TriticOat plots provide earlier grazing and rapid re-growth, coupled with excellent nutrition and high sucrose content, to make the perfect hunting spot. WMS nO-till is a carefully selected blend of cool season grains, clovers, and brassicas that emerge quickly and grow fast even on less than fertile shady sites. The perfect minimal-till choice for logging roads, shady food plots, and wooded openings. WMS Winter Pea Patch is a blend of forage variety winter peas that grow fast and establish early. White flowering varieties are noted for their winter hardiness and palatable forage. This combination makes WMS Winter Pea Patch an attractive winter hardy plot that will keep the deer coming through the end of deer season. Plant with companion crops like clovers, brassicas and cereal grains, for best results. WMS BraSSica BlenD Consists of selected forage rape, diakon radish, turnips, and kale. Unlike other brassica type mixes, WMS Brassica Blend is formulated to provide early forage as well as late season cold weather forage. This blend will keep your deer coming from early bow season through the last day of deer season.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 Page195

Dove Hunting Tips for Choosing the Best Stand Sites. BY MIKE THOMPSON

Sometimes setting up next to a power line will payoff handsomely

20 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING

Getting an invite to shoot doves used to be very common place. Not anymore! Hunting land is hard to come by. Unless you are relatives with, or a close friend of a farmer, getting a dove hunt invitation is becoming very rare. Most times you’ll have to pay to get on a good shoot. Either way, it pays to know how to pick a good shooting stand. Let’s hear from some seasoned dove hunter’s as to what they look for. THE LONE TREE Over 30 years ago I got involved with a large group of dove hunters who would meet each Saturday morning during dove season to make a road trip to Uriah, Alabama. The caravan would follow our “fearless leader”, Robert Freeman to the area where he was raised. During the week Freeman would make a road trip up to Uriah to scout farmer’s fields to see where the doves were. His scouting included scoping out the doves flight patterns and habits.

leg and I’m 73 years old, so don’t anyone try to beat me there! As the doves started to trickle in the field, it was obvious as to why Freeman chose the spot. Doves prefer to scope out a feeding field before charging in. As doves would leisurely float up amongst the branches of the tree and settle in for a look, you could see Freeman aim skyward with his Browning and another dove fell out of the tree. Now before you go passing judgment on this dove hunting legend, please refer back to: “I’ve got this bum leg and I’m 73 years old!”

Once we would arrive at the chosen field, Freeman would gather up the hunters for a safety meeting. The safety meeting discouraged any low shooting and any shooting near livestock that would sometimes be feeding on the crops.

FRESH TURNED DIRT Doves and other animals are uniquely aware when dirt is turned over in a field. They come towards it like a magnet, looking for food in the form of seeds or insects suddenly exposed. One of the legal accepted ways of attracting doves is by “top sewing” wheat. This is best done by breaking up the dirt, forming a relatively level bed for the seeds. The fresh turned dirt will attract birds, especially if you enhance the situation.

“Now fellas, y’all see that lone tree over on the fence row? That’s where I’m going to be. Y’all know I’ve got this bum

Placing dove decoys in tight clusters on this dirt will give doves assurance that food is there. Incorporate a Mojo Dove,

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 21

Dove Hunting Tips for Choosing the Best Stand Sites

Picking the right spot can yield great shooting action

spinning wing decoy and you will be amazed at how close they will come! “We prepared a field in south Mobile County for years on my grandfather’s property in Mobile County,” explained longtime dove hunter John D. Burke III. “It was a family affair and my grandfather asked us to drag the dirt so that it was loose in consistency. Doves seem to like the loose dirt when searching for food and will avoid hard, compacted areas.” SHADOWS ARE YOUR FRIEND Picking a spot with overhanging branches will help you two ways. First, the shade will allow more comfort from the grueling rays of a September sun. Second, shadows and shade will allow you more cover from the wary doves. Hunting in the shadows allows you the chance to make those last second adjustments on an oncoming bird. The shadows offer concealment, disguising your movement. GAP IN THE TREE LINE If you haven’t had a chance to peek at the dove field prior to the hunt, you can count on the fact that doves will funnel through any gaps in the surrounding tree lines. This is particularly true concerning pine forests. Picking the right gap can lead to a memorable hunt. 22 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Lee Minto is another veteran hunter who has the ability to select a productive spot in a dove field. Over the years his hunches on where to set up have paid off nicely. “It’s always good to look for doves entering a field through a gap in the trees. I think the doves use the gaps as ‘highways’ into a field, allowing them more visibility. Be sure to set your stand away from the tree line at least 50 yards. This allows you more of a clear background to pick up incoming doves,” Minto explained. “Doves will also follow the contour of a field on the way to food. If you find a low spot or gulley running through a field it could be worth checking out.” ROTTEN CROPS With farmers using every inch of land to produce crops, it’s not unusual to see different crops closely together. Finding a crop that has failed next to a dove field may yield the ultimate jackpot. On two occasions over the years I have seen this. Once we were hunting a peanut field in south Mobile County. Right next to the peanuts was a failed crop of cantaloupes. The cantaloupes were laying rotten in the field. Many had busted open, revealing the seeds within. The crafty doves had found this food and came in like a horde of locusts.

Dove Hunting Tips for Choosing the Best Stand Sites

Doves will also follow the contour of a field on the way to food. If you find a low spot or gulley running through a field it could be worth checking out. In another scenario there was an abandoned okra patch. The pods had gone un-picked and popped open, revealing the seeds inside and on the ground. Although the smell of the okra was bad, the shooting was great! WATER HOLES Water holes can sometimes be good places to hunt doves, especially while it is hot in early season. Doves tend to fly by and inspect water holes before they commit to come in. A few decoys placed on the water’s edge will give the doves a target zone to land near. If you have a retriever, your doves will float until picked up should you splash any in the water. If you don’t have a retriever, you can bring along a bass type fishing rig, complete with a large topwater plug. Make a cast just past the downed doves and attempt to snag them with one of treble hooks attached to the lure. SIMPLE COURTESY AND HUNTER’S ETHICS As mentioned at the top of this story, landing a hunting invite

on a hot dove shoot is very valuable. Should you be so fortunate, leave the land as you found it. No trash, cans, bottles or shotgun shells left behind. If a fellow hunter is having difficulty locating a downed bird, help them find it, if you noticed the area the dove went down in. Help anyone who is having difficulty in getting out of the field after the hunt. People remember actions like these. Tasty Dove Dish Ingredients • 1 can condensed mushroom soup • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup • Eight ounces of Half and Half cream • 1 medium Vidalia onion • 8 strips of thick bacon • 12-15 dove breasts Preparation Chop up onion and bacon pieces. Place bacon in hot skillet. Once fat is rendered from bacon, remove bacon to drain on paper towels. Add dove breasts and sear in hot drippings. Remove dove breasts and set aside. Sweat onions in bacon fat till clear. Add both cans of soup and heat till steaming. Add Half and Half while stirring .Allow to bubble on stove top for 15 minutes. This can be served over grits or white rice. Be sure to crumble up the crispy bacon to sprinkle on the gravy. Bake up one can of Hungry Jack biscuits to soak up the heavenly flavors. Enjoy!

GEAR UP FOR FALL WITH A JOHN DEERE GATOR. Whether you’re prepping for hunting season or setting up a fire pit for autumn gatherings, there’s a John Deere Gator equipped to make your fall prep a breeze. The Gator is the only utility vehicle that can keep up with all the tasks on your to-do list and all the items on your adventure checklist. No matter the model, we have a good feeling you won’t regret it. See your local Beard Equipment Company for all your John Deere equipment, parts and service needs. BEARDEQUIPMENT.COM

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 23

SIX REASONS FALL DEER FOOD PLOTS FAIL BY CHARLES JOHNSON

Food plots should be large enough to provide plenty of forage for the specific area to prevent overgrazing.

24 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING

To help prevent food plot failure, seeds should be planted uniformly across the plot.

There are some factors hunters and landowners can’t control, but certain aspects can be avoided to prevent food plots from failing. Each fall prior to hunting season, hunters and landowners set out to plant food plots. In recent years the practice has become popular. More and more of these greenfields are dotting the landscape across hunting lands. Deer hunters have realized the importance of providing quality food for deer and other wildlife. Seed and equipment manufacturers have tailored their products to assist deer managers in creating successful food plots. Certain seed blends and specialized fertilizers are part of the recipe to ensure top-notch food plots. However, certain items on the recipe are neglected or overlooked.

Follow the suggested seeding rate for the variety of the seed you are planting.

Despite the best efforts of deer hunters and landowners, food plots fail. Certain factors, like the weather or rainfall, can’t be controlled. But there are some steps deer managers can take to avoid food plot failures and get the deer season started in the right direction. CHOOSING THE WRONG LOCATION Just as it is critical in real estate, it is also important for food plots and location can be everything. Deer food plot planters should consider the location and size of the plot. If the selected location does not receive enough sunlight the plants won’t grow. Tall trees or brush near the edges of the plot will result in diminished or null plant growth. The soil type may not be conducive for a food plot. Hunters should try to choose an area where there is good soil. Granted, on some land leases, plots may not be allowed just anywhere on the property.

One of the main reasons food plots fail is the lack of a proper soil test.

The size of the plot is another factor to consider helping prevent a failure. If a plot is too small, even with a good plant growth, the deer can overgraze the plot and kill it. Even before it has a chance to get started. NOT PERFORMING A SOIL TEST A soil test is probably the single most important factor in preventing food plot failure. The results of a soil test can save deer managers money and heartache in the long run. The test will indicate the amount of fertilizer and lime needed for optimum plant growth. “The best seed planted will not produce healthy plants without the proper nutrients,” advises Daniel Bumgarner of Wildlife Management Solutions (WMS). “Seed need balanced soil conditions to be able to use the available nutrients and a soil test will tell you exactly what your soil needs.” Soil test results will indicate the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium required. These are the three critical elements of healthy soil and are available in fertilizers. The 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 25

Six Reasons Fall Deer Food Plots Fail

Liquid fertilizer is easy to apply, and it begins to work in the plants quicker granular.

test results will indicate the amount of each element is needed. Too much is wasted money and can harm the plants. Too little will result in stunted plant growth. PLANTING INFERIOR SEED Another reason food plots fail is planting inferior seed. Not all seeds are created equal. Poor quality seeds will result in reduced germination and thereby less forage available in the food plot. “Quality seeds and seed blends will ensure good germination,” Bumgarner said. “With good seed germination the plants have the best chance for healthy growth.”

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RESULTS

Also, proper seed varieties for your area is important. Specific plant types will grow better in certain locales and soil types. The folks at WMS can help deer hunters and land managers select the best seed and blends for their area of the state. Many food plot managers will opt for the least expensive seed they can find. After planting, they soon realize their plots are not looking well. OVERSEEDING OR UNDERSEEDING PLOTS In some cases, hunters and land managers will try to compensate for poor quality seed by overseeding their food plots. Or they could over seed with quality seed thinking more is better. In either case they are setting up their plots for failure. “We can provide the optimum seeding rate for each type of seed or blend we sell,” Bumgarner said. “A proper seeding rate will result in the best plant growth for the variety of seed planted.” 26 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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Six Reasons Fall Deer Food Plots Fail

Bumgarner points out that too much seed in a plot will have the plants consuming all the nutrients in the soil. The plants will suffer and not reach their full potential. Planting below the recommended seeding rate, will leave thin or bare patches in the plot. There will be fewer plants available and the deer can easily overgraze the plot. PLANTING THE WRONG TYPE OF SEED The wrong type of seed or forage in a plot with good soil can fail. Certain varieties of forage may not grow well in all locations across the state. Certain varieties of wheat and oats are not cold tolerant. An early cold snap in some locations can have the plot turning yellow and not be attractive to deer. On the other hand, brassicas, like turnips and radishes, need cold weather to reach their optimum attraction. A frosty morning on the leaves of brassicas help increase the sugar content. Kale and rape can last well into the winter months even under below freezing temperatures. Some plant varieties may not do as well in soils that remain wet through the hunting season. Other seed varieties can excel in wet or drier than normal conditions. The folks at WMS can land manager and hunters select the proper seed for specific locale. IMPROPER FERTILIZER APPLICATIONS If a single factor that causes food plot failure is the improper use or lack of fertilizer. (see soil test above). While some land managers will conduct a soil test, they may neglect in applying the proper amount to their plots. Some folks may apply a few bags of 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 fertilizer and think everything is fine in their plots. The seed will germinate, and plants will begin to grow. The plot may appear to look lush and green on top, But, in the long run the plants and the plot can be suffering. Too much fertilizer is a waste and certain plants like clover do not need nitrogen. However, cereal grains and brassicas are hungry for nitrogen. An option for hunters and food plot managers is the use of liquid fertilizer. The liquid fertilizer is easy to apply, and the application is more uniform than granular. “Liquid fertilizer is applied as a foliar,” advises Chris Grantham of Alabama Liquid Fertilizer. “That is directly to the leaves of the plant. The plant can immediately begin absorbing and using the nutrients of the fertilizer.” Grantham mentions that liquid fertilizer like, Clark’s Plot Nutrients, is more efficient. There is no waiting on soil moisture or rain to activate the fertilizer. Creating successful food plots requires some planning and a little work. Hunters should not waste their money on cheap seed or skimp on fertilizer. There are always some risks involved when planting food plots. There are some reasons for food plot failure you can’t prevent like weather and rainfall. However, try to avoid these factors that cause food plots to fail and push the odds for successful plots in your favor.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 27

Hunting Land Insurance Are You Covered? BY GREAT DAYS OUTDOORS STAFF

28 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING

It’s safe to say that just about every true hunter wants to have his own hunting and recreational chunk of property. It is a retreat, a haven that he can escape to, manage for whatever he enjoys hunting for, play with his ATV, camp, cut some trees, plant some food plots, set up blinds and enjoy friends, family and hunting buddies. Of course, not all hunting land parcels are equal in size or intended use. It may be vacant land. The property may house a camp or a hunting club. It may be a dedicated hunting lease parcel. It may be managed for lumber production or other commercial interests. Or, depending on the size and geography, it may encompass a number of the above. While the size and end uses may vary, the common denominator that landowners and land users need to keep in the forefront of their minds is land liability and the need for a general liability insurance policy to make sure that they are not at risk if they are sued. Ed Wilson is vice president of Outdoor Underwriters with offices in Columbia SC, Birmingham, AL and Knoxville, TN. With a BS and an MS in forestry from West Virginia University, a PhD. from Virginia Tech and 30 years of forestry experience Wilson is an administrator who knows his way around the woods and the thicket of liability insurance. Over 30 years ago, Wilson started building relationships and placing business in the Lloyd’s insurance market with a focus on creating a sustainable hunt-lease liability program that would serve the needs of large hunting clubs and mega-acre corporate landowners. Then his direction took a turn. “I originally wasn’t involved in individual hunting clubs,” Wilson said. “I was working with multi-million acre landowners providing liability coverage on their hunting club properties.” “Hunting clubs started asking me to provide liability coverage on adjacent property. When I went out in the marketplace to see what was available I found that some companies wanted $1,000 to insure 50 acres. The clubs were paying $150 through the paper company to insure 1,000 acres,” Wilson said. Obviously there was a need in the middle and smaller hunting land ownerships and leasing market for affordable quality liability insurance. Wilson took the initiate and started forging partnerships between Outdoor Underwriters and associations, such as the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) to develop land and lease liability insurance that offered the same kind of coverage and cost efficiency that large landowners enjoyed yet available to smaller concerns. The rest is history and today, under Wilson’s direction, Outdoor Underwriters insures over 50,000 hunting clubs spread across 50 million acres. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HUNTING LAND LIABILITY INSURANCE. Wilson points out that when land and lease liability insurance is compared to other insurance instruments, it is the “same thing, only different”.

While it is important to know what “is” covered in lease liability insurance, it is critical to know what “isn’t” covered. In other words, what is “excluded” in the policy. “What people have to remember is that liability insurance policies are shaped by their exclusions,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t tell you what’s covered. It tells you what’s not covered. When you look at a general liability policy, look for the exclusions that are going to be excluding something you want covered, whether it be tree stands, ATVs, chainsaw usage, fire coverage and ‘Member-to-Member” coverage. Be sure that certain things incidental to the hunting club don’t have additional exclusions applied,” Wilson cautioned. Wilson advises landowners and hunting clubs that four elements that should be included in their liability coverage include: Member-to-member liability coverage for cross-member liability claims. Guest liability coverage to provide coverage to the club for acts of their guests. Landowners should be listed as additional insured so they have coverage for the actions of the hunting clubs. No exclusionary endorsements should be present for activities specific to timberland or hunting operations such as tree stands, ATVs, firearms, logging and lumbering, and/or fire. TREE STAND MISHAPS Tree stand accidents are the most common for land owners, lessees and hunting clubs and have a number of different wrinkles. For example, if a property owner, lessee or hunting club owns tree stands that aren’t responsibly and properly maintained for as structurally risk free use as possible and something happens to a hunter using one of them, it opens the door for what could be a very costly liability claim. “It is the same legal situation and scenario as if you invited a person to your house and as they were walking up the stairs, the stairs collapsed because you didn’t fix them,” Wilson noted. “We had a claim where a hunting club guest was walking up the steps of the blind, the steps gave out, he fell and was injured. That responsibility may fall back on the club,” Wilson said. “An argument could be made that they should have made the steps and blind safe, and basically do everything that you would expect a reasonable person to do. The club may or may not be responsible for the injury, but it is easy to make that allegation.” “And the distance of the fall doesn’t have to be big,” Wilson noted. “People fall off step ladders at home and it all depends on how they fall.” There are other considerations when it comes to tree stands. Falling out of your tree stand is different than falling out of a tree stand that belongs to someone else. “Stand ownership and liability gets confused sometimes. If you fall out of your own stand, you can’t sue yourself. A liability policy isn’t going to respond to something that you are responsible for,” Wilson said. “Now if I was hunting with you and you put 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 29

Hunting Lease Insurance - Are You Covered?

me up in your stand, and I didn’t have a safety harness and you told me to just go ahead because it’s a pretty safe stand and I climb in a branch breaks or the stand wobbles and throws me off then there is going to be recourse to be able to go back against you,” Tree stand accidents coupled with shooting occurrences emphasizes the need for hunting clubs to have “member-to-member” and “guest-liability” coverage. “When it comes to hunting club policies, be sure you get member-to-member coverage and guest-liability coverage,” Wilson said. “Member-to-member coverage is an endorsement that’s written to provide coverage between cross-member claims.” “For example, if I put you in my tree stand and you get hurt, that’s a member-to-member claim, not necessarily a hunting club claim. In a shooting situation, everyone gets pulled in, but liability really rests with the shooter. If for some reason, there’s not member-to-member coverage on the policy, the policy will defend the hunting club and members, but not the individual that did the shooting. There’s likely to be no settlement because the club didn’t do anything to cause the shooting,” Wilson said. According to Wilson, a homeowner’s policy is the best and most cost efficient personal umbrella coverage a person can have and even if it doesn’t cover everything, it adds a layer of protection. In addition, a personal umbrella is going to extend to a hunting club member for his personal liability if he shoots someone and there is a good chance your homeowners policy is going to become involved in that claim. For the smaller hunting club looking for liability insurance cover-

age, Wilson suggests that they consider the liability policy offered the Quality Deer Management Association (www.qdma.com/huntingliabilityinsurance). “For individual clubs I generally refer them to the Quality Deer Management Association and there is an app on there that has prices and they base it on a per-acre and start at about $200 for some pretty good coverage and that includes membership into the association which is a $35.00 benefit,” Wilson said. “You get economy of scale and a policy that has been reviewed by risk managers for multi-billion dollar companies. They don’t take this stuff very lightly and are very serious people when you look at policy worries”. Wilson believes that when it comes to liability insurance it is important to work with companies and people that are well grounded in the specific industry with the appropriate credentials. “Having somebody defending you that has strong resources behind him, having claims adjusters that know how to go out in the woods and see what went down for the landowner, whose responsibility it is, and have attorneys that are familiar with the landowner and other laws all come into play on specific claims,” Wilson said. “You are better off with someone that has knowledge of the outdoors, not adjusters that spend half the day working on claims from shopping malls and then get a hunting club claim and they just don’t have the resources or knowledge to adequately adjust it,” Wilson added. “It’s all about protecting your assets, future and that results in peace of mind,” Wilson concluded.

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30 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 31

HUNTING

Whitetail Hunting Vs. Mule Deer Hunting BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS

32 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Often mule deer are easy to spot, standing out in open country, however, they may be tough to reach without their seeing or smelling the hunter.

Whitetail Hunting Vs. Mule Deer Hunting

Many Southerners consider hunting big mule deer in the Rocky Mountains as the hunts of their lifetimes. When you decide to go hunting for high-mountain mule deer, you know you’re in for a physical challenge. Therefore, regardless of how in-shape you get before the hunt, like me, you’ll soon learn that the Good Lord has given highmountain mule-deer hunters beautiful scenery but shorted them on the amount of air they get to breathe while looking at the scenery. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU HUNT MULE DEER • The West has more and higher mountains than the south does, so you must be in top physical shape to hunt mule deer as compared to hunting whitetails. • People who live, work and hunt at high altitudes are more accustomed to hunting at altitudes than those of us who live in lower-lying areas. • You can’t think you can hunt as hard, climb as high or as quickly or get to a mule deer as fast as someone who lives and works in high-mountain terrain daily.

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My friend, Chad Schearer of Belt, Montana, TV host (https:// www.shootstraighttv.com/), former owner of Central Montana Outfitters and PR Manager for BPI Outdoors (https://www. bpioutdoors.com/) put everything in perspective. “When I’m guiding, my hunter is my weapon. If I get to the place to take a shot without my weapon (my hunter), then we won’t take the deer. Once I know what condition my hunter is in, then it’s my job to find the mule-deer buck I know I can guide him to where he can get the shot and feel comfortable and enjoy the experience,” Schearer said.

CONCRETE REPAIR

On my first mule-deer hunt with Schearer, he assured me that I would get my mule-deer buck of a lifetime. But the first day we hunted, I wasn’t confident at all. When we were making a long climb up a steep hill, I had to stop several times just to catch my breath. I’m not a marathon runner, I don’t belong to a gym, and although I try to stay in shape, climbing steep mountains and hills isn’t part of my every day routine. But Schearer was patient and waited for and encouraged me to keep coming up the hill. “The first day of the hunt, after the hunter sights-in his rifle, and I see how well he can shoot and at what ranges he’s confident, I then need to evaluate his physical condition. How fast can he get to a deer? How high a slope can he climb? What will his ability be to get to a big buck once we’ve located him? When I’ve made those evaluations, then we go looking for mule deer,” Schearer explained.

ENCAPSULATION

As we rode in Schearer’s truck and used a spotting scope and binoculars to search for mule deer, we spotted several really nice bucks. I always would question Schearer, “Are we going to go after that one?” and Schearer would answer, “No, we can’t get to that buck. Let’s go look at another one.” Now, Schearer could have gotten to those bucks, but he knew I couldn’t without spooking the deer.

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Whitetail Hunting Vs. Mule Deer Hunting

Mule deer hunters generally rely far more on their optics (binoculars, spotting scope and range finders) than white-tailed hunters do.

WHY GREG VEIRE CONSIDERS HUNTING WHITETAILS AND MULE DEER AS DIFFERENT AS NIGHT AND DAY Greg Veire originally lived and hunted in Minnesota, but today he lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. In Minnesota, he hunted whitetails, but when he moved to Las Vegas, he entered a new world of mule-deer hunting and says, “When I lived in Minnesota, I hunted with a shotgun and had taken between 15 and 20 bucks. Most of the time I was using the “spot-andstalk” method of deer hunting, but I also took seven bucks hunting from a tree stand. My best buck in Minnesota scored 156 inches. I moved to Las Vegas for work, but I didn’t want to give up deer hunting. I quickly learned that hunting whitetail deer and hunting mule deer was as different as night and day.” In Minnesota, Veire hunted flat, agricultural fields like soybeans and corn. He was from the southwestern corner of Minnesota, which was almost all farm country. Since there weren’t very many trees, he hunted sloughs and swamp bottoms. When he moved to Las Vegas, he found he could use the spot-and-stalk technique for mule deer he’d used for whitetails, but instead of easy walking, he was climbing mountains. Veire also learned that you couldn’t pattern mule deer in the West like hunters did whitetails. Hunting mule deer was much more physically draining than hunting whitetails too. In Minnesota, Veire easily could stroll to a place where he planned to hunt, without having to get in shape for deer season. In order to hunt mule deer, he had to get in the best physical shape possible to go back into the mountains and 34 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

hunt where most people wouldn’t hunt. “My first lesson was on how to glass using binoculars and a spotting scope. I didn’t really use binoculars very much in Minnesota, and I quickly learned that mule-deer hunting was much more technical than the whitetail hunting I was doing in Minnesota,” Veire said. HOW’S THE EQUIPMENT FOR HUNTING MULE DEER DIFFERENT FROM THAT USED TO HUNT WHITETAILS? One of the first things Veire learned was how much more technical hunting mule deer was. Optics - “When I first started hunting for mule deer, the first lesson I learned was that you had to spend a lot of time behind the glass,” Veire reported. “My friends and I would climb to a vantage point, sit down and study every branch, twig, treep and patch of grass or any type of cover that possibly could be holding a mule deer with binoculars, something I seldom used when hunting whitetails. We were searching for ear tips, antlers sticking up, a swish of a tail, a white rump or anything that looked out of place from the vegetation.” “Next I learned to use a spotting scope, to see exactly what that odd something was. When hunting whitetails, I could drive by an agricultural field and say, ‘Oh, there’s a deer out in that field. I’ll get out of sight and slip in close enough to take him.’ But when hunting mule deer, your eyes have got to do the looking, and you don’t have places where you can drive a truck until you find a mule deer. I’ve learned that when you’re hunting in the mountains, you have to drive as

Whitetail Hunting Vs. Mule Deer Hunting

hunting gear but also enable him to pack meat out. He learned that western mule-deer hunting success was more about the gear you had to have to be able to hunt effectively, than it was about the skills you needed to find and take mule deer.

When I’m guiding, my hunter is my weapon. If I get to the place to take a shot without my weapon (my hunter), then we won’t take the deer.

close as you can to a mountain, then climb the mountain, look for a vantage point where you can see the other side of the mountain and start glassing,” Veire said. To hunt mule deer, Veire had to upgrade his optics to Leupold (www.leupold.com) binoculars and a spotting scope, the Leupold Kenai. Another piece of equipment he had to buy that he never used when hunting whitetails was a tripod on which to rest his binoculars and/or spotting scope. Boots and Pack - Veire said that when hunting whitetails he wasn’t too concerned about his boots or his daypack. However, he realized once he started hunting mule deer he needed boots that could withstand the rigors of mountain climbing and bought Kenetrek boots (http://kenetrek.com). He also purchased a frame pack that not only would carry his

LONE

When Veire shot a whitetail, he often drove up to the deer with his pickup truck, loaded him up and took him home or to the processor. Today Veire uses an Eberlestock pack (www. eberlestock.com) to hunt muleys. He can load that pack up with one or two quarters of a mule deer and carry the meat out comfortably. Knife - “I use a Havalon knife (www.havalon.com) to cape, skin and debone my mule deer,” Veire said. “I have a friend who owns a taxidermy shop out here, and that’s the only knife he uses. When I started using it, I understood why. That knife has a surgical blade, and you can change the blades out when one gets dull.” Bladder-Type Water System - While hunting whitetails, Veire generally took a plastic bottle of water with him. However, to hunt mule deer, he carries a bladder-type water system. Walking Stick - “I haven’t used a walking stick yet, but I’m seriously considering getting one this year,” Veire mentioned. “I’ve talked to a lot of veteran mule-deer hunters here, and they say that with a walking stick, they’re not putting as much pressure on their knees climbing up and down mountains.”

WOLF

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 35

Whitetail Hunting Vs. Mule Deer Hunting

Rifle, Rifle Scope and Range Finder - “In Minnesota, I hunted with a Remington 870 shotgun (www. remington.com) for whitetails, shooting 2-3/4 inch sabot slugs,” Veire reported. “I never owned a rifle, until I moved to Las Vegas and hunted mule deer. So, I not only had to learn a different way of hunting in Nevada, I also had to learn a different way of shooting.” “I have a Vortex (www.vortexoptics. com) scope on my rifle to hunt muleys, and I now can shoot accurately out to 900-1,000 yards. I never owned a range finder, until I started hunting mule deer,” pointed out Veire. “With my range finder, I now range the deer I’m planning to shoot, and my range finder will give me an accurate range out to 1,000 yards.” Bow Set-Up - Veire prefers to hunt mule deer with a bow and arrow. Most of the white-tailed deer he took with a bow were at 20 yards or less out of a tree stand. Today Veire often shoots a mule deer at 45 yards, but explained, “Back home, I’d never think about taking a shot that far.

This mule deer buck was taken late in the afternoon, and the guide carried him out in two pieces – the front and the back halves.

HUNTING LAND LIABILITY INSURANCE 2019-2020

Protect yourself and your family today! The Quality Deer Management Association offers the most comprehensive and affordable liability insurance coverage available.

Don’t risk your personal assets or your family’s financial security. For as little as a few cents per acre, landowners or hunters can receive: • $1 million per occurrence general liability coverage • $100,000 fire legal liability coverage • Member-to-member coverage • Guest liability coverage

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Download Full Brochure and Application at QDMA.com or call 800.209.DEER or Complete the Online Application and pay by credit card at qdma.outdoorund.com

36 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Whitetail Hunting Vs. Mule Deer Hunting

Although I’m shooting the same Mathews bow (www. mathewsinc.com) I’ve hunted whitetails with, for muleys, I’ve added a Spot Hogg sight (www.spot-hogg. com) called the Seven Deadly Pins that adjusts for the angle of shooting up or down, and it tells me which pin to shoot.. Now I can shoot my bow out to 100 yards, but I’m not necessarily accurate out to 100 yards. I’ve increased my range now, so I feel comfortable shooting out to 70 yards. I had to learn how to shoot long range with a bow as well as with a rifle for mule deer.”

Most whitetails either can be drug out of the woods to the hunter’s vehicle or loaded on a four wheeler and carried out.

“I also changed my release, because it was causing the bow to fire before I wanted it to fire. I switched to a Tru-Fire release (https://www.feradyne.com/trufire/). My broadheads also evolved. I now shoot Black Eagle Carnivore shafts (www.blackeaglearrows.com) and a Swhacker broadhead (www.swhacker.com),” Veire added. I’ve heard hunters from the West say they were bored to tears hunting whitetails in the East. They said, “Sitting and waiting in tree stands is no fun.” I’ve also heard Eastern hunters complain about having to make long shots after walking all day to take mule deer. However, I’ve hunted both kinds of deer all across the U.S. and Canada, and I’ve enjoyed it all. I’ve learned new tactics and met new people. To learn more about hunting mule deer, check out John E. Phillip’s book, “Mule Deer Hunter’s Bible,” available in Kindle, print and Audible versions at https://amzn. to/2Kg62w5.

CCA AL Fall Event

OCTOBER 3RD Eastern Shore Chapter Fall Out American Legion Fairhope, Alabama

Show Your Support for Alabama’s Coastal Fishing & Marine Resources. All proceeds from your TAX DEDUCTIBLE purchase are used for marine conservation in Coastal Alabama.

For more info on the events or CCA Alabama www.ccaalabama.org 251-478-3474 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 37

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38 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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MID STATE STOCKYARD 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 39

NEW GEAR BY WILLIAM KENDY

Garmin Freshwater Force Trolling Motor

The Garmin Force trolling motor sports a powerful efficient brushless motor, which allows anglers to quickly move from drop off to structure in record time with the flexibility that allows anglers to “throttle back” when they need to fish slower and easily stands up to substantial currents. The award winning unit features built in Garmin CHIRP traditional and Ultra High-Definition ClearU scanning sonar and integrates with other technologies. Suggested Retail Price: From $3,099 www.garmin.com/force

Proven Repellent Offers New Safe & Long-Lasting Protection from Insects

Proven Repellent introduces a line of new sprays and lotions that provides 12 and 14 hours of protection against mosquitos, ticks, black flies and eliminates worries about insect transmitted illnesses and diseases. These DEET free, people and planet friendly, long-lasting repellents are non-toxic, gentle on child and adult skin, are “gear-safe” and effective against a broad spectrum of biting insects. Suggested Retail Prices: From $7.95 www.provenrepellent.com

Gator Waders Announces New Shield Series Waterfowl Waders in Mossy Oak Patterns

Gator Waders new Shield line of insulated waders offers a four-layer abrasion resistant breathable exterior shell, quilted thermal polyester insulated liner, heavy duty neoprene padded reinforced elastic shoulder strips, reinforced leg, rear and high wear areas and 1600 Thinsulate boots, These new waders are available in both insulated and uninsulated models in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades and Bottomland patterns. Suggested Retail Price: From $299.99 www.gatorwaders.com

40 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

NEW GEAR FOR OUTDOORSMEN

Rocky Mountain Releases the First Cut-X Broadhead

Rocky Mountain’s new First Cut-X crossbow broadhead is 100% spin tested for enhanced precision and unbeatable field-point accuracy. Designed for highenergy, ultra-efficient crossbows the tough 100 grain 4-blade fixed broadhead features an impressive 1 1/8 inch by ¾ inch cutting diameter and its precision engineered fixed-blade aerodynamic design allows it to fly true at speeds in excess of 420 feet per second. Suggested Retail Price: $19.99 per 3-pack www.feradyne.com

White River Knife Company Introduces New Stylish Filet Knife

This hand finished filet knife from White River Knife and Tool is made from heat treated and precision ground CPM25VN steel and the 8 ½ inch blade is honed to a razor sharp edge to make easy work out of the toughest filet task. The Mahi Mahi green G10 ergonomically designed handle provides a no slip hold in wet and even slimy conditions. Suggested Retail Price: $150.00 www.whiteriverknives.com

Meopta Optika HD Binoculars

These lightweight magnesium-alloy binoculars are encased in a newly designed shock-proof, rubber-armored exterior and deliver incredible brightness, superior color fidelity, edge-to-edge sharpness and increased contrast allowing hunters a better view in low light. Available in 8x42 and 10x42 the Optika HD series is nitrogen purged and sealed for fogproof and waterperproof performance. A $50 purchase rebate for either model is available through December 31, 2019 Suggested Retail Price: Starting at $289.95 (after rebate) www.meoptasportsoptics.com

Vibe Outdoors to Offer Shearwater™ 125 Kayak

Designed as an angling kayak, the Vibe Shearwater™ 125 is constructed of rotomolded single piece polyethylene and is available in either a pedal, power or paddle model. It weighs in at 72 pounds and is 12’6”long. It features a four position high-low Vibe Summit® Seat with standing perch, eight flush and horizontal rods holders, a removable sealer fish-finder pod with built in transducer and more. Available in early 2020. Suggested Base Retail Price: $1,299 www.vibekayaks.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 41

Forever Wild Land Provides Abundant Recreational Opportunities From Alabamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northern border to the Gulf beaches

Hopefully, everyone who reads this column appreciates the important role the Forever Wild Land Trust plays in the conservation of important ecologically significant tracts of land that stretch from the northern tip of Alabama to the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico. Since its inception by constitutional amendment in 1992, Forever Wild has secured almost 270,000 acres of land in the state for public use, including more than 380 miles of recreational trails within 23 recreation areas and nature preserves as well as additions to 10 state parks and 20 Wildlife Management Areas/Community Hunting Areas/Special Opportunity Areas. Those Forever Wild tracts provide recreational opportunities that include hiking, biking, wildlife watching, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, horseback riding and hunting.

BY CHRIS BLANKENSHIP Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

One of the most picturesque Forever Wild tracts is in Jackson County at the headwaters of the Paint Rock River. The Walls of Jericho offers mountains, riparian forests, caves, rocky bluffs and freeflowing streams. The 25,376 acres in the Walls of Jericho tract are an addition to the James D. Martin - Skyline Wildlife Management Area. Via Coon Creek, the Walls of Jericho links Skyline and Crow Creek Wildlife Management Areas. Readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digest named the trails at the Walls of Jericho as one of the top 20 hikes in the nation in 2017.

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In 2003, The Nature Conservancy purchased 12,500 acres in Alabama that included the Walls of Jericho. The land was later acquired by Forever Wild. The Walls of Jericho tract plays an important role in protecting the headwaters of the sensitive areas of the Paint Rock River, one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Southeast. The Paint Rock River is home to 100 species of fish and about 45 mussel species. Two of the mussel species, the pale lilliput and Alabama lampshell, are found nowhere else in the world. The sawfin shiner, blotchside logperch and snail darter, three imperiled fish species, occur in the Paint Rock River. One fish species, the palezone shiner, is found only in the Paint Rock River and one stream in Kentucky. To really appreciate the Walls of Jericho, a hike down the main trail into the canyon is a must. The main-trail hike is 6-plus miles. The Bear Den Loop adds an additional 4.7 miles of trails. Eleven miles of riding trails are available for those who prefer to go by horseback. The highlight of the trek is descending into the heavily eroded limestone canyon at the Walls of Jericho. Turkey Creek went underground and carved the limestone rock into interesting formations that include sheer rock walls and several caves. A natural amphitheater was also carved into the limestone bluffs. Most visitors to the Walls of Jericho are astonished Alabama has such a scenic hike that is more reminiscent of treks in the Smokies or the western U.S.

FROM THE COMMISSIONER However, the hike into the canyon is not for everybody. The hike descends 1,000 feet to the canyon floor and is rated moderate to strenuous into and out of the gorge. The round trip is almost 7 miles. Those who enjoy the hike the most are the ones who take their time, especially coming out of the canyon. Prepare accordingly and use the signage along the route. A less strenuous alternative to the Walls of Jericho main trail is the 4.7-mile Bear Den Loop, which provides similar scenic diversity. Heading south, Forever Wild teamed with Shelby County to create the Cahaba River-Shelby County Park. This scenic park of 1,527 acres is located at the confluence of the Cahaba River, home of the rare Cahaba lilies, and Shades Creek. The North Sector comprises 1,339 acres (1,212 acres Forever Wild Property and 127 acres of Shelby County) on River Road west of Helena. The North Sector features 17 miles of professionally designed and constructed trails for hiking, mountain biking and trailrunning enthusiasts. The South Sector is 188 acres at the end of County Road 251 off County Road 10, west of Montevallo. This property has approximately one mile of frontage on the Cahaba River, where the Cahaba shiner lives. Several miles of the river can be enjoyed by canoeists and kayakers as well as swimmers and anglers. Near the Alabama Gulf Coast, the Mobile-Tensaw Delta is one of our nation’s natural wonders and also the second-largest river delta in the U.S. The region encompasses 250,000 acres, of which 100,000 acres are publicly owned and managed.

A Must Read for Turkey Hunters. “Any information that came from outside was highly suspect. Anything that came from inside, even from members of your own family was, in many cases, tarred with the same brush. Nobody and by that I mean nobody, gave away a thing. The “boy” in this story is blessed with an honest and benevolent grandfather who learned the hard way. Alan covers very well what has come to be called “The bad old days” when you mostly made it on your own or you didn’t make it at all.” TOM KELLY

In 2003, the Upper Bartram Canoe Trail system was opened to provide opportunities for canoeists and kayakers to get up close and personal with this natural treasure. Those who paddle can enjoy the rivers, streams, lakes, sloughs and bayous of the Delta and its incredible natural diversity. Currently, six day-use trails and six overnight trails are available. Two land-based campsites and four floating platform campsites are available for the overnight routes. The land-based camping areas are open to anyone on a first-come, first-served basis. The floating platform campsites are limited to groups no larger than eight and are available by reservation only at www. alabamacanoetrails.com. Reservations are limited to canoeists and kayakers. Just last year, the Lower Bartram Canoe Trail system opened with four elevated camping shelters on the east side of the lower Delta that are available for overnight use. Several local landings, including Historic Blakeley State Park and 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, make these campsites easily accessible to paddlers. Groups no larger than eight can reserve a campsite at www.alabamacanoetrails.com. Again, reservations are limited to canoeists and kayakers. Whatever your favorite outdoor endeavors encompass, the Forever Wild Land Trust offers a variety of recreational opportunities available from one end of the state to the other. Visit www.alabamaforeverwild.com/ and plan an adventure for you, your friends or entire family today.

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Preserving Our Way of Life as Hunters DECLINING HUNTER NUMBERS The decades-long decline in hunting participation is negatively impacting the economy, hunter-funded conservation efforts, and our very way of life as hunters.

BY CORKY PUGH Executive Director, Hunting Heritage Foundation

In 2016, there were 11.5 million hunters in the country, compared to 13.7 million in 2011, according to the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, conducted every five years by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of the Census. In Alabama, the numbers are also falling. The 2018 license year saw 175,531 total hunting licenses sold in the state. That compares to 181,581 licenses in 2017 and 186,581 in 2016. The all-time high of hunting licenses sold in the state was in the late 1970s, with 336,991 licenses sold in 1977 compared to 342,831 in 1978 and 344,777 in 1979.

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WHO ARE WE LOSING? The hunters we are losing are not the avid, committed, advantaged hunters. Common sense would tell us that the first to go are the least committed and those who face the most obstacles in terms of access or financial ability to participate. Extensive demographic research exists about Alabama hunters, and the vast majority are hard-working, middle-class people. Most are not advantaged economically, educationally, or otherwise. License sales figures and survey statistics reveal that only around eight percent of Alabama hunters come from out of state. The overwhelming majority are residents of Alabama, and because of time constraints and financial limitations, will not travel more than one county away from where they live for the purpose of hunting. As the baby-boomer generation of hunters matures out, youth recruitment is not

HUNTING HERITAGE keeping up. Because every hunter counts the same—we all buy one license and get counted once for the three to one Pittman-Robertson match—it is critical to keep the base of hunters strong and broad. WHO ARE THE NEW HUNTERS? Female participants in hunting are on the increase nationally. And a growing number of young-adult millennials are entering the ranks of hunters as a part of the “locavore” movement, with a focus on locally acquiring their own food free of preservatives and other additives. While focusing on these participants is good, the reality is that most people are introduced to hunting by a family member or friend. And for it to stick, hunting must become part of the family culture, or at least a group of close friends. Youth recruitment efforts depend on parents or friends of parents to transport the youth to and from hunting, and ideally, to participate along with the youth. RECRUITING NEW HUNTERS Tom Kelly’s incisive, first-hand observations about the difficulty of recruiting new hunters into our ranks, given the realities of city life and young people’s busy schedules, are spot-on. He writes of his own personal difficulty in passing the hunting heritage along to twin eight year-old grandchildren who reside in Washington, D. C. As he puts it, “You can’t make kids like something by edict, but we have got to figure out a way to bring new players into the league.”

Pay attention to the creep factor in laws and regulations that dictate what you can and cannot do while hunting. Sometimes incremental, sometimes shockingly abrupt, these shifts in public policy are driven by a range of factors, some product-based, some by over-zealous bureaucrats, and some by well-meaning folks who think that more rules and regulations are “good conservation”. Anything that reduces hunter opportunity or imposes unnecessary requirements bears watching, especially in this era of relative abundance. In like fashion, anything that throws caution to the wind, especially in terms of public support for hunting, or worse yet, ignores the standing body of science, should be suspect. Practice and preach tolerance and respect for fellow hunters. As Tom Kelly says, “All hunters are in this together no matter what we hunt, and we have no room to fight among ourselves.”

The Hunting Heritage Foundation is an Alabama non-profit organization established in 2011. To see what HHF stands for go to the website at www.huntingheritagefoundation.com. You can write to us at: P. O. Box 242064, Montgomery, AL 36124, or corkypugh@mindspring.com. * The opinions expressed in this column are solely that of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff and management of Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC.

But there are many factors at play, not the least of which are unnecessary regulations and divisiveness within the community of hunters. As Tom puts it, “What bothers me in our society is we seem to be willing to wear leather shoes and eat steak in perfect contentment, so long as somebody else butchers the steer. We are also a society that constantly comes up with more and more ground rules designed to harass hunters and hunting. Hunting seems to be a sport dying of neglect, while at the same time the game that is being hunted continues to increase in a manner that would have seemed impossibly optimistic 50 years ago.” SO, WHAT CAN YOU AND I DO ABOUT ALL OF THIS? First of all, make a commitment to take a younger person hunting this season. And commit to do this in a way that recognizes the realities of today. An extended trip into the wild may not be what today’s nine-year-old is particularly interested in. But a couple of hours at a youth dove hunt or chasing squirrels together may be something you both remember fondly forever and that sparks a life-long interest in hunting. Pause for a moment and think about how you got started? Who was the special person who first taught you to hunt? Do your part and pass our hunting heritage along to a younger person. While you’re spending time together, explain the history of wildlife restoration to the kid. The story is simple—hunters pay for wildlife. And it’s a good bet they’re not learning it in school.

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Special Opportunity Areas (SOA), Good or Bad…. The Survey Says? If you haven’t hunted public land in Alabama in a while, this survey may change your mind.

Unfortunately, I’m guessing many of you have no clue what an SOA is. So, first things first. An SOA is a piece of public land that is typically smaller than a WMA and, therefore, managed much differently. An average WMA may be 30,000 acres in size compared to the average SOA, which is approximately 3,000 acres. Each SOA is then broken down into hunting units that range from 300-500 acres.

BY CHARLES “CHUCK” SYKES Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF)

To hunt on an SOA, a hunter must go online to www.outdooralabama.com, choose hunting dates and locations, register for a hunt, and then be selected through a random, limited-quota drawing. If selected, the lucky hunter and guests will be designated a specific unit for the duration of the hunt, and they will be the only hunters allowed on that unit. This program is unlike any other public land hunting opportunity in Alabama. The limited-opportunity format reduces pressure on the SOA, creating a hunting experience that exceeds that of many private hunting clubs. Currently, our program has six SOAs, which offer deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove, small

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game, and youth-only hunts. I know this is going to be hard to believe, but not everyone was supportive of our new SOA idea, and the naysayers came out of the woodwork when we announced the SOA hunt format. Change comes hard to most people, so we were expecting a little backlash to the new hunting opportunity we were providing. We were very confident that we were going to be providing a great opportunity for hunters to enjoy some of the best public hunting available with the SOA structure. But, to be sure we hadn’t missed the mark, we decided to survey hunters who hunted an SOA last season. On June 18, we sent an email survey to 380 hunters who were drawn to participate in an SOA hunt. The first day 160 people opened that email, which is a 42% open rate. Considering the typical open rate on any DCNR email is approximately 21%, that was a staggering number. In addition, 109 people (28%) took the survey the first day! Within one week, more than 170 people (45%)

FROM THE DIRECTOR had taken the survey. Those participation numbers indicated one important thing to us: People were passionate about the SOA program and wanted to voice their opinions. Not only did they take the time to answer the survey questions, they even added additional comments. We received 10 pages of comments! Typically, if anyone takes time to send comments to us, they aren’t complimentary. However, this survey was different. The comments were overwhelmingly positive. Even hunters who had a “substandard hunt” were positive. Here is one of those comments: “We hunted for 3 days, only 1 deer was seen, he was a small buck. Only one small food plot in area. Plenty of deer sign, I guess they were just scared that two “OLD MEN” would take them out if they showed themselves. The people handling the program were great. The reason they call it hunting is that you don’t get something every time, just have to keep on keeping on!! Thanks for the opportunity to try!!” We designed the SOA program to accomplish a couple of goals. The first was to provide higher quality experiences to our current public land hunters through limited-access and more restrictive antler requirements. The second was to encourage more hunters to utilize public land. According to these two survey comments, we have accomplished both: “I think the SOAs are a great way for the public to hunt some really good areas they usually wouldn’t have access to. I am very satisfied with the way they are managed. In my opinion this method makes way more sense than just open access public land.” “My husband and I have participated in three SOA Turkey Hunts. We mostly hunt private land, so this program provides us with hunting opportunities that we would normally not pursue.” Here are a few more numbers from the survey: • 93% of the participants were Alabama residents. • 85% approved of the antler restrictions. • 85% ranked the SOA experience as either good or excellent. • 17% had never hunted public land in Alabama. • 30% hadn’t hunted public land in many years. • 71% indicated they would drive 101-250 miles to hunt an SOA. (Surveys revealed for decades that most hunters wouldn’t drive more than 50 miles to hunt a typical WMA) • 65% stayed in local hotels, campgrounds, or bed and breakfasts proving that SOA hunts are aiding the local economy. • 91% wanted Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) to continue to partner with the Forever Wild Land Trust (FWLT) to purchase more land to be included in the SOA system. (The remaining 9% said they didn’t know enough about FW to have an opinion.) One person out of the 172 who completed the survey said no. As the old saying goes, “There’s one in every crowd!” I think the SOA program is doing everything we hoped it would, and this survey provided the validation. If you haven’t applied, you still have time. Here is the registration schedule:

Dove hunt: Sorry, you missed out this year. Registration ended August 27. Deer hunts: Registration ends Friday, September 13. Crow Creek hunts and Fred T. Stimpson youth squirrel hunts: September 16-30. Turkey and all other small game hunts: December 2-16. People can sometimes be more prone to share what they dislike rather than what pleases them. However, this survey showed that our citizens and guests truly appreciate the hard work that WFF staff put into managing the natural resources of Alabama and into providing them opportunities to enjoy those resources. That being the case, I had to leave you with a couple more survey quotes: “I am very thankful for the opportunity to hunt the SOA. The staff at Cedar Creek was very helpful and provided a very memorable hunting experience. Would absolutely return in the future. My dad took a real nice 6+ year old buck and i took a nice buck as well. Keep up the great work!” “This was a priceless trip for me and my boys. It was a lifetime of memories captured in a few days. The rangers were very helpful, and the deer were plentiful. Thank you for your work to make these hunts possible. I work offshore, and it is challenging to do things like this with my boys due to my schedule. Keep up the good work!”

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YOUTH HUNTING IS ON THE DOWNSWING!

BY CRAIG HANEY Photo submitted by Craig Haney

Take a kid hunting this season, you’ll both be better for it.

INTRODUCE THE KIDS Hunting is dying in the United States! Only seventy new hunters take the place of one hundred hunters who no longer participate. When an adult gives up or doesn’t take up hunting, it reduces the chances of today’s youth getting involved in the sport. Taking a child hunting helps keep the sport alive however there are more activities and distractions for kids than ever before. Youth sports can be played year-around now with travel leagues becoming more and more popular, increased urbanization, hand-held electronics and a myriad of other activities to engage their brains and bodies doesn’t allow time for their parents to take them hunting in many cases. We have 6 grandsons from seven to thirteen living in the same metropolitan area as my wife and I see the situation first-hand.

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Five of my grandsons are interested in hunting and their fathers and I try to take them as much as we can around their various activities of the season. We want them to learn gun and hunting safety, patience, ethical hunting practices and that all meat doesn’t come from the supermarket. Having fun and enjoying the experience is important to my grandsons’ staying hunters as they move through life. It is working so far, they love being in deer camp. If there is not a child in your life, get a nephew or niece involved, a neighbor and his child or anyone you know who think might enjoy hunting with his son or daughter. My dad didn’t hunt but he enlisted my Uncle Robert, an avid bird (quail) hunter, to take me under his wing to teach me the things I needed to know to become a responsible hunter.

THE GUN RACK It worked as I am just as passionate a hunter now as I was at thirteen hunting behind Belle and Joe, Uncle Robert’s liver and white pointers. SAFETY • Once the child has been thoroughly trained in the safe use of a firearm and has become proficient with the equipment they will be using hunting, there is still a need to instruct them on how to hunt safely. Here are a few reminders to share with the young hunters. • Never shoot unless you’re 100% positive of what you’re shooting. No exceptions, you must clearly see the game before shooting. • Look for other hunters. Make sure no one else is in the area you will be shooting. • Never shoot in the direction of homes or vehicles. • Show them the correct way to carry a gun through the woods and enter a ground blind, shooting house or tree stand. • Never take the safety off until they are ready to shoot. INVOLVEMENT Get the kids involved in the different facets of the hunt so they understand that hunting is not just about showing up at deer camp getting in the blind and waiting on the deer. Here are a few ideas on involvement to try with the children you take hunting. • Pre-season, let the kids help with putting out salt and mineral blocks and explain why the deer need them. • Show them where your game cameras are and let them check them with you. Once they see the size of the racks on some of the deer on your property, they should get even more excited about their hunting opportunities. • Putting out ground blinds in places they “selected” with your help is another way to help them feel involved. • Each of my grandsons has his own grunt call and has been taught how and when to use it. They feel more involved because they “called up” their deer. KEEP THEM ENTERTAINED AND COMFORTABLE. Boredom is the child’s enemy and yours also when they are waiting to see a deer. A cell phone, electronic game, I-pad or book will cure the boredom and the fidgets brought about by boredom. • Have them be on the lookout for raccoons, squirrels, coyotes or the occasional armadillo while they wait. • Hunt from a shooting house or ground blind on a food plot or field where the child is most likely to see deer. • Once cooler weather comes in the fall, make sure they are dressed appropriately. I always carry extra hand/body warmers in my day pack just in case. • They will get the munchies so make sure you have their favorite snacks and drinks with you. HINTS TO HELP YOU AND YOUR HUNTING BUDDY • The hunt is about them, not you. Let the child decide when they are ready to be a hunter. Don’t push them too hard. • Know when to quit. Many younger children don’t have the patience to stay in a shooting house or blind for longer periods of time. Last year, my seven year old grandson declared after being in the shooting house exactly 32 minutes, that “the deer were not coming out that afternoon so let’s go back”. I took him back. The

•

next time we hunted, he was good for 3½ hours in the shooting house. Manage their expectations. Younger children in particular may think, you go to the woods, wait for the deer to come out and then you shoot it. Somehow, it then morphs into a bowl of chili or a burger. A simple process in their minds. Explain to the child how the harvested deer needs to be field dressed and processed to store in the freezer at home. You need to explain beforehand that you may not see a deer or harvest one. It’s not a sure thing harvesting a deer. Manage your expectations. Don’t expect them to act perfectly in the blind or shooting house, after all they are children and they tend to act like the job description for their age group. The good news is you’re hunting with a child who will hopefully carry great memories of your time together throughout their life.

When deer season is over, take the young hunter squirrel hunting for a different type of challenge. The trees have shed their leaves and the squirrels are easier to spot than in early season offering some exciting hunting. Quail hunting and rabbit hunting with beagles are two other good alternatives post deer season. When Ol’ Tom answers your call on an early spring morning, the young person hunting with you will likely get chills running down their spine and never forget that gobble. I have hunted a lot of years with great friends but none of those trips can hold a candle to hunting with my grandsons. Take a kid hunting this season, you’ll both be better for it.

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BY HANK SHAW

Photos by Holly A. Heyser and Hank Shaw

Tripletail “Ooh La La” So here it is. I’m planting my flag on this as the definitive Ooh La La recipe. It had to be a little bit Alabama, a little bit French. Butter poached fish, topped with Cavender’s — a seasoning apparently in just about every Alabaman’s spice cabinet — served with a Silver Queen corn chow chow and a very French saffron seafood nage made with some Silver Queen corn cobs tossed in. A nage (nah-zh) is a concentrated, flavorful broth.

Ingredients NAGE • 4 cups fish or crab or shrimp stock (see above) • 1 cup white wine • 2 or 3 corn cobs, cut into chunks • A pinch of saffron • 2 tablespoons butter

Don’t get all hung up on this as a tripletail recipe. You can use any fish here, really. Snapper, seabass, lingcod, redfish, tilefish, even salmon or tuna. It needs to be a fish you can get a thick block or chunk from, though. And if you can’t find Cavender’s seasoning, just use black pepper.

CHOW CHOW • 4 or 5 ears of corn • 1/4 cup minced shallots • 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard • 2 tablespoons brown sugar • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar • 2 teaspoons hot sauce • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed • 1 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 teaspoon other seeds, such as fennel, anise, carrot, caraway, yampa, etc. (optional) • Salt and black pepper

The nage isn’t terribly hard to make, but you will need some fresh fish stock or crab stock to start. I made mine from striped bass heads and bones, but any lean fish will work. Avoid salmon or bluefish or mackerel for the stock.

FISH • 1 to 2 pounds unsalted butter • Salt • 1 to 2 pounds skinless fish, in large pieces • Cavender’s seasoning or black pepper

Prep: 45 mins • Cook Time: 20 mins • Total: 1 hr 5 mins

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CAMPHOUSE KITCHEN Instructions 1. Slice the kernels off the corn, reserving both the cobs and kernels. 2. Make the fish stock or crab stock as per the recipe, adding in the cut up corn cobs. Strain and add 4 cups of the stock and the white wine to a new pot and simmer it down by half. Add the saffron and let steep for at least 15 minutes. 3. While the stock is simmering, make the chow chow. In a large pan, heat everything (including the corn kernels) over medium heat for about three minutes, until warmed and well combined. Turn off the heat and leave everything in the pan. 4. Melt the butter in a pot just large enough to hold the pieces of fish and the butter. Gently poach the fish under the melted butter for about 15 minutes. Keep this on low heat the whole time. 5. To finish, whisk two tablespoons of butter into the nage. Give everyone some chow chow, top with a piece of fish. Sprinkle on the Cavender’s. Pour a little nage around the bowls and serve.

Drunken Squirrel With Pumpkin Dumplings You can sub in rabbit legs, or the thighs from chicken, turkey or grouse here. Any nice green will work besides kale, and you can use whatever nut or squash/pumpkin you have available. The dumplings can be made ahead and frozen, too. Prep: 45 mins • Cook Time: 2 hours • Total: 2 hrs 45 mins Ingredients DUMPLINGS • 1 cup cooked, pureed squash • 1 cup ricotta cheese • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese • 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour • 2 eggs, lightly beaten • A big pinch of salt • A few swipes of fresh nutmeg, or 1/4 teaspoon ground • 3 tablespoons butter, for frying SQUIRREL • 3 tablespoons butter • 2 pounds squirrel meat, I prefer back legs only • Salt • 1 cup white wine or vermouth • 1/2 cup squirrel stock, or chicken stock • 3 to 6 bay leaves • 1 tablespoon squash seed oil (optional) VEGETABLES • 2 tablespoons butter • 1 small onion, sliced thinly root to tip • 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin • 1 pound black (Lacinato) kale, chopped • Salt • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, or some other nut • 1 tablespoon squash seed oil (optional)

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Lots of freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions COOK THE SQUIRREL 1. Preheat the oven to 325F. In a large, shallow, ovenproof pan, melt the butter and brown the squirrel legs well over medium-high heat. Take your time. You want them nice and brown. 2. When the legs are all done, add the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits in the pan. When you’ve done this, add the stock and bay leaves, cover the pot and set it in the oven to cook for at least 90 minutes and, more likely, 2 hours. You want the meat to be tender, but not so much that it falls off the bone. MAKE THE DUMPLINGS 1. While the squirrel is cooking, mix the squash puree, ricotta, beaten eggs and parmesan together in a large bowl. Add the salt and nutmeg, then mix in the flour 1 cup at a time. If you are new to dumplings, you might need more than 2 3/4 cup flour, but don’t use more than 3 1/2 cups in any case -- that will make the dumplings too heavy. 2. Set a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt to it when it’s hot. 3. As soon as you can roll the dough into a log about 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 51

Camphouse Kitchen

the diameter of your finger -- doing this with wellfloured hands helps -- cut that log into coins about 1/4 inch thick. The dough will be soft, and you’ll need to wipe your knife clean periodically. 4. Set out a baking sheet and flour it well. Pick up each piece of dough and gently shape it into a round, coin-like shape, then set it on the baking sheet. You might need to carefully dust each dumpling in more flour so it won’t stick to everything. 5. Using a spatula, carefully move the dumplings to the boiling water. Boil in batches, probably 3 or 4 batches, until the dumplings float and then for 1 more minute. Move the dumplings to another baking sheet that’s been well oiled, so they don’t all stick. TO FINISH 1. When the squirrel is ready, move the covered pot to the stovetop and set aside for the moment. Get a large, wide pan and heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Lay out the dumplings in one layer in the pan and shake to prevent them from sticking. Now let them sear for 90 seconds to 2 minutes undisturbed, so they can brown a bit. Toss the pan to mix up the dumplings, then let them sear another minute or three to brown a touch more. Move the dumplings out of the pan and set them in a bowl in the oven, which should still be warm. 2. If you think you need more butter, add some to the pan you seared the dumplings in. Add the onion and saute for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often. Add the kale, pecans and garlic and saute for a few minutes to coat the kale, then turn the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook like this until the kale wilts, about 4 minutes. 3. To finish, drizzle some squash seed oil over the squirrel and kale, then grind some black pepper over them both. Mix the dumplings with the vegetables and serve with some of the juices from the squirrel pot. 52 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Fried Dove Breasts with Wheat Pilaf The point of this recipe is to eat doves with what they eat. Most of the ingredients in the pilaf are common food items in a dove’s diet, and are pretty easy to find in a market. If you can’t find wheat berries, use barley. Prep: 30 mins • Cook Time: 40 mins • Total: 1 hr 10 mins Ingredients PILAF • 1 cup wheat berries • 2 cups dove stock or other stock • Salt • 1 1/2 cups edamame (soy) beans, fresh or frozen • 1 1/2 cups sweet corn kernels • 1/2 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds • 1 to 3 hot chiles, such as arbol or cayenne, thinly sliced • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley • 1/4 cup chopped chives • Zest and juice of 2 limes • 1/4 cup sunflower oil DOVE • 12 to 16 dove breasts (both halves) • salt, smoked if you have it • 1/2 cup flour • 1/2 cup corn flour (fish fry) • 3 tablespoons peanut flour (optional) • Sunflower or other vegetable oil for frying Instructions 1. Pour the stock and another cup or two of water into a small pot and add the wheat berries. Bring to a

Camphouse Kitchen

4. 5.

boil, taste for salt, then drop the heat to a simmer. Simmer the wheat while you prep everything else. It should take about 30 minutes to get tender. In another pot, bring a few cups of water to a boil and salt it. Boil the edamame for 4 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Put the beans in a large bowl. Add all the remaining pilaf ingredients to the bowl. When the wheat berries are tender, drain them (discard the stock) and add to the bowl. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Meanwhile, separate the little tenders from the dove breasts. Salt them all on a cutting board and let the salt penetrate for 10 to 20 minutes. Heat the frying oil in a large, wide pan over mediumhigh heat. Mix the flour, corn flour and peanut flour together. Dust the dove tenders in this and fry for a minute or two. Move the tenders to the pilaf bowl and mix in. Make sure the oil is hot, about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Dust the dove breasts in the flour mixture, shake off the excess and fry in the hot oil. You should only need about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side. Serve hot alongside the pilaf.

A Simple Fish Sandwich BLT Fish Sandwich with Homemade Tartar Sauce For fish sandwiches, there are endless variations in terms of buns, fish species and how they are prepared. I use Pacific rock cod (rockfish) for this, but any lean, white, bass-like fish will do fine, such as black seabass, largemouth or smallmouth bass, lingcod, croaker, walleye, catfish, red drum and others. Prep: 20 mins • Cook Time:20 mins • Total: 40 mins Ingredients FISH • 4 to 6 strips of bacon • 4 skinless fillets of rock cod or other bass, seabass , walleye, etc. • Salt • 1 cup flour • 2 eggs, lightly beaten • 1 cup breadcrumbs • Oil for frying (I prefer peanut oil) • 4 large lettuce leaves • 4 to 8 slices of tomato • Buns for the sandwiches (I prefer Kaiser rolls) TARTAR SAUCE • 1 cup mayonnaise • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard • 2 teaspoons lemon juice • Tabasco sauce to taste • 1/2 cup chopped pickles • 2 teaspoons capers, chopped • 1 small shallot, minced • 1 tablespoon minced chives • Salt and pepper

Instructions 1. If you’re making homemade tartar sauce, do this first by mixing everything in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the fridge. 2. Fry the bacon slowly in a pan until almost crispy; you want a little bend in your bacon for a sandwich. Set the bacon aside and discard the fat in the pan, or reserve it for another recipe. 3. Get all your fixins’ ready for the sandwiches, and get three shallow containers out for the dredging station: One for the flour, one for the beaten eggs, and one for the breadcrumbs. 4. Take the fish out of the fridge and salt them. Pour the oil in the pan you fried the bacon in and heat it over medium-high heat until it’s about 350°F -- if you don’t have a thermometer, flick a little flour into the oil. When it sizzles immediately, you’re ready. Turn the heat down to medium for a moment. 5. Dredge the fish fillets in flour, then dip in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. If you want a really thick and crispy crust, dip the fillets in egg and breadcrumbs a second time. Turn the heat to high on the oil and gently lay the fillets into the pan. Make sure they are not touching each other. Let them fry for a minute or so, then adjust the heat down; adding the fish drops the heat of the oil, which is why you want to kick the heat up for a minute or two to compensate. If you can’t get all the fish into the pan at once, fry in batches. 6. Fry the fish until they are golden brown, about 2 to 5 minutes per side; use the longer range if your fish fillets are thicker than an inch. Set on paper towels to drain. 7. Spread the tartar sauce on both sides of the buns, then add the lettuce, fish fillets, tomato and bacon. Open a beer and enjoy! If you’re like me and don’t much care for store-bought tartar sauces, making your own might change your mind. My recipe is essentially borrowed from my friend Elise’s over at Simply Recipes, only I used chopped kelp pickles. Any good pickle will do, however. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 53

A SLICK APPROACH TO LUNKER TROUT FISHING BY FRANK SARGEANT

Bobby Abruscato with his trout 54 SEPTEMBER 2019 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING OUTLOOK

Anglers who chase giant spotted sea trout are specialists who view the lunkers as a whole other species from the 15 to 20 inches that make most of us happy flopping in the cooler. They chase the biggest fish in different places from the “schooler-size” trout, use different lures and tactics, and most consider these huge trout to be catch-and-release targets, since they’re valued so much more as potential trophy catches than as slabs of tasty fillets. Among big trout aficionados along the bays, beaches and estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico, one of the lures that stands out as a frequent choice is a simple-looking soft plastic known as the Slick Lure. The lure, invented by fishing guide Captain Joey Landreneau of Gainesville, Florida, is designed to imitate some of the favorite foods of larger trout, finger mullet and menhaden in the four to six inch range. It’s got plenty of weight and a very streamlined shape, making long casts possible. That’s a big plus for wary fish in the shallows, and big trout are among the most cautious of coastal species, particularly when they’re prowling up on the flats in knee-deep water. Biologists with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission report that though smaller trout prefer shrimp as their primary food, the larger fish much prefer finfish. The Slick takes advantage of this preference. And, it’s a single-hook lure

that’s almost completely snag proof, making it possible to fish in very shallow water over oyster bars and through turtle grass and other habitat that holds bait—and big trout. The Slick is about as basic as it comes in soft plastics. It has an oversized shad-like head, a pencil-like tail, no fins, no big “thumper” tail, no beads or rattles or scents. No national advertising campaign. There’s not even a factory, really, the originator Joey Landreneau hand pours them, often to order. Despite the labor- intensive production, it’s cheap, only 5 bucks for a four-pack. In fact, the recommended Owner 4/0 Beast Twist-Loc hooks cost nearly as much as the lures. All the Slick does is catch fish. Lots of them, often in XL sizes. In the right places, where the water is one to five feet deep, and at the right time, when there are moving tides, plenty of menhaden, mullet or other baitfish around the Slick can be a hard lure to beat. Surprisingly, with a lightly weighted hook, it can also dredge big fish up from deep water. Captain Patric Garmeson, who guides on Mobile Bay, says that one of his favorite tactics in winter and early spring is to let the Slick free-fall into the depths of Theodore Industrial Canal, where the trout stack up at depths of more than 30 feet. “I just let it sink, with a twitch now and then, and all at once you see the line twitch and you set the hook,”Garmeson said. “You have to be patient, but it’s a good imitation for a coldstunned baitfish and they really eat it.” The lure has proven particularly deadly on big spotted sea

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A Slick Approach to Lunker Trout Fishing

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A Slick Approach to Lunker Trout Fishing

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tied in with reverse Albright or similar knot, to “stiffen” the connection and prevent it from looping back over the braid on a twitching retrieve. Captain Bobby Abruscato, another of the best-known guides on Alabama’s Lower Mobile Bay, likes to “slow-roll” the lure, keeping up a slow but steady retrieve and twitching it now and then. “You really don’t have to do too much to make a trout eat a Slick,”Abruscato said.. “They just swim up and inhale it most of the time.” Other anglers like a more conventional jerkbait action, with a sharp jerk or two followed by a brief pause, then more sharp jerks. The jerks cause the lure to dart back and forth, imitating an injured baitfish. The standard Slick is just under five inches long, while the newer Lil’ Slick is a lighter, smaller soft plastic designed to fish on a smaller swimbait hook or jig head. Landreneau says it also works well on a 1/8 or 1/16-oz jig head or under a rattlin’ cork rigged on a 1/4-oz jig head.

trout, but it also catches everything from redfish to snook to whopper flounder. It can be rigged totally weedless, which makes it a winner in areas where reds plow back into reed beds and floating debris, as they do all over the Louisiana Delta. Of course it has to be rigged right and fished right. With a specialty lure like this one, the rigging is critical. The widegap 4/0 hook is a must, and many anglers opt for one with a 1/8 ounce weight molded to the shank. Without weight, the Slick takes forever to sink and tends to plane to the top when jerked, though fishing it weightless in thick cover can be effective. The recommended hook has a screw-pin type keeper on the eye. Landreneau recommends inserting this pin into the nose of the lure, then doubling the lure over and inserting the hook point through the molded in belly slot straight up through the back of the hook, so that the lure lies perfectly straight along the shank of the hook—if it’s bent at all, the lure does not work properly. There’s an easy-to-follow video on doing it right on the website https://pureflats.com/rigging-instructionsfor-the-slick . It’s very weedless rigged with the hook point exposed, but can be totally so by “skinning” the hook, burying the tip of the hook ever so slightly in the skin of the back of the lure to prevent it catching moss and loose grass. When a fish grabs the lure, the point pops out of the soft plastic and it’s game on. Garmeson stressed that a “sweeping hook set” is a must. “You’re driving that big hook through the plastic and into the fish’s jaw, so you need to reel down, point the rod tip at the fish and really give it a strong set,” Garmeson said. Garmeson emphasized that braided line is also a big plus to allow feeling the take as well as in getting a solid hookset because mono stretches too much. Garmeson recommends fishing it on 20 pound-test fluoro leader about 18 inches long,

The standard mullet and menhaden colors, pearl, silver and white with green, gray or blue trim, do most of the damage, but many anglers also do well with bright pink, chartreuse and many other colors. For more on the Slick Lure, visit www.sales@theslicklure.com.

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KAYAK FISHING GEAR

GETTING STARTED WITH PADDLE FISHING

Tim Perkins, a kayak fishing tournament repeat winner shows that the key to kayak gear selection is to keep it as simple as possible.

Let’s just assume that an angler has obtained a kayak for fishing congratulations!

BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn

Many anglers of all ages and sizes have discovered that these lightweight, easy to transport and propel boats are superb fishing platforms.

needed and what can be left home in storage. This process can take some time on the water and some careful observation, but most anglers quickly come to really enjoy their kayak fishing with its limited amount of gear and equipment. It is minimalist fishing at its best.

However, equipping these fishing kayaks requires some thought and planning to maximize the time spent on the water. The first thing that new kayak anglers will discover when gearing up a new fishing ‘yak is that space is limited on all kayaks, and that gear and equipment must be kept to a minimum.

The following is what we’ve discovered about selecting basic kayak fishing gear in our long-time experiences chasing fish of all kinds and in all kinds of waters. When outfitting your new kayak keep in mind that the most important to keep in mind is that every kayaak angler is different and has different needs.

There’s no room for anything on a fishing kayak that is not used often. So setting up a new fishing kayak is not a matter of filling up space with gear, but rather a process of determining what is

FIRST, A PFD The absolute first gear purchase for a new kayak angler is simple, a personal floatation device (PFD) that can and sshould be worn at all times when on

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PADDLE FISHING the water. Any kayak angler who claims to have never rolled over a kayak or fallen out of a kayak is not telling the truth. Accidentally getting in the water happens to all kayak anglers. The most expensive PFD is worthless if the angler is not wearing it when an accident happens. So each new kayak angler will have to select the PFD that suits her or him. A wide range of styles, colors, and features come on modern kayak PFDs. Some really small and lightweight inflatable PFDs are on the market for kayak anglers, and these are very nice. I have one of these devices and it does not intrude on my fishing at all. For woman kayak anglers, many PFD makers offer new kayak devices which are designed for the female form and which are much more comfortable than the traditional devices which were made to fit men. New kayak anglers will want to visit a local kayak shop and look through their PFD styles and sizes to find the unit which fits best. Trying to save a few dollars by buying a thick, heavy, hot, uncomfortable PFD which is a torment to wear is a mistake. Spend a little more money and get a PFD that fits and that will be worn. NEXT, A PADDLE THAT FITS Even if a new kayak angler buys a top of the line pedalpowered kayak, a paddle is needed for back-up propulsion situations. And traditional kayaks must have a good paddle for the angler to enjoy most efficient movement on the water. It’s not easy to select the paddle which best fits a particular angler. Arm length, boat width, strength of paddler, water being fishing, all of these factors and many others must be taken into account when selecting a paddle for a fishing kayak. The one thing certain about kayak paddles is that the paddle which comes with most new kayak purchases probably will not be the best fit for the new kayak angler. Again, trying out several paddles at on-the-water demo days held by most kayak shops is the best way to try out and select a paddle that fits. Paddles for fishing kayaks come in a wide range of materials, sizes, and prices. In most cases, a lighter, stronger, and yes, more expensive paddle will work better than heavy, cheaply made paddles. Keep in mind that on a kayak fishing trip, the angler will use the paddle many, many times over the course of the day, and just a few ounces in lighter weight of the paddle can make the day a lot easier and more enjoyable.

simple plastic milk-crate which can be secured to the kayak with bungee cords and which provides easy gear access at all times. Gear companies have developed some really nice slip in the crate gear bags which do a great job of keeping fishing gear safe and easy to reach. The key to selected storage equipment for fishing gear on a kayak is to make sure the storage will fit the particular kayak, and then to make sure that the storage stuff is actually needed and is being used. RODS, REELS, TACKLE And this is the easiest part of equipping a new fishing kayak. Fishing kayaks don’t require an angler to buy anything new or special in the way of fishing tackle and gear. What an angler has and uses already will work just fine on a fishing kayak. Everything from fly gear to spinning gear to heavy deep sea gear can be used on fishing kayaks. So anglers don’t need to look for special “kayak fishing tackle” at all, because the best kayak fishing tackle is the equipment the angler knows and uses well from previous experiences. But the one thing new kayak anglers will have to do to maximize the fun on the water is to seriously determine what kind of lures will actually be used, what kind of live-bait equipment is routinely used and what rods and reels are used the most. Take this often-used tackle and gear, and leave the rest home. Simplify, simplify, simplify is the key to kayak fishing gear selection.

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STORAGE FOR GEAR Most new fishing kayaks give anglers a lot of options for storage. Most kayaks have built-in dry storage for gear that needs to not get wet such as spare clothes, food, camping gear for overnight kayak fishing trips, not to mention personal items like wallets, cellphones and more. For the actual fishing gear, most anglers want to have everything close at hand and up on top where it can be easily accessed. All fishing kayaks have deck tie-downs and recessed platforms behind the paddler where gear can be stored. The traditional storage unit for kayak anglers is a

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Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook

Calm surf in September brings out anglers of all sizes.

BY DAVID THORNTON Photos by David Thornton

Beach anglers can target flounder with small spoons, jigs or plugs that mimic whatever they are feeding on.

That should drop a few degrees as the calendar says we begin Autumn on the 23rd.

SO LONG SUMMER! Summer is winding down through the month of September along the Emerald Coast.

But don’t hang your hat on that though, as every year is different and mother nature is full of ‘September Surprises’.

Even though the warm weather continues intermittently through the end of the month, we usually experience at least a few cool or dry spells, unless some kind of tropical weather sneaks in to mess things up. As long as that does not happen, we can expect some beautiful weather and water to usher in great fall fishing from the piers and beaches. Baitfish like mullet, scaled and spanish sardines are quick to grow in the warm near shore waters and we can still see water temperatures in the middle 80s.

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One thing we can expect to see is the young of the year sardines and mullet now being about three to four inches long. That is ‘snack size’ for a wide variety of predatory fish including jacks, mackerels, bluefish, redfish and even speckled trout and flounder. During relatively calm periods with clear water, the game fish press these baitfish closer to the piers, passes and beach sandbars. There the baitfish seek cover, but still may be ambushed by waiting trout, redfish, flounder and even mangrove (gray) snapper.

FISHING OUTLOOK September is traditionally THE month when most mangrove bycatch of Gulf and Northern kingfish (“whiting” and snapper are landed by Gulf coast shore bound anglers. These “ground mullet”). If you want to target these tasty little snapper grow quickly in the back bays, orienting to hard drumfish, just scale down your rod, reel, line and terminal structures such as pilings, rocks and seawalls. They use those tackle. A dual dropper rig with a thumbnail sized piece of structures to hide until a school of small forage fish happen by. fresh shrimp on a number 6 kahle hook is an ideal terminal Then bedlam breaks loose, as the quick and nimble “grovers” rig. And one to two ounce pyramid sinkers are all the weight scarf up their meals. usually required in calm to light surf conditions. You can add a small ½ inch long piece of Fishbites if pinfish and other small ‘nibblers’ are getting your shrimp.

September often brings relief from the summer heat and humidity. And it certainly offers great angling opportunities for all shore bound fishermen. Toward the end of summer, juvenile mangrove snapper move toward the passes and piers before joining their mature brethren around offshore structures. Even at this size, mangrove snapper are formidable gamefish on light or even medium range tackle intended for other species. But the tasty fillets they yield are worth the effort as many nearshore and from-shore anglers can testify. Florida has a size limit of 10 inch Total Length (TL) on mangrove snapper, with a creel of five per day per angler. Alabama has a 12 inch TL minimum, and a 10 fish creel. Not an easy feat for most shore bound anglers, as they are wary fish that soon get wise to fishing pressure. Another hurdle for Alabama mangrove snapper anglers this year is they fall under the new “Reef Fish Endorsement” which will be fully enforced this month. That means ANYONE wishing to retain mangrove (“gray”) snapper (even pier and shore anglers), will have to purchase the $10 endorsement in addition to their regular salt water license. And those fishermen will be counted along with anglers who target offshore reef fish such as red snapper, grouper, triggerfish and amberjack. I am not sure how the ‘from-shore’ fishing public will receive that news, but this is what Colonel Scott Bannon, Director of Alabama Marine Resources told me. Still, there are plenty of other fishing opportunities for pier fishers who might want to tussle with spanish or king mackerel, redfish, jack crevelle, tarpon or a host of other game species. Targeting mackerel using live or dead bait (called “snobbling”), is a time honored method that still produces a lot of mackerel along with a variety of bycatch. That may even include exotic pelagics this month (mostly from the Florida Panhandle piers) such as sailfish, blackfin tuna or dolphinfish (“mahi-mahi”). Sometimes plug casting can be just as, or even more effective, in soliciting a strike from mackerel and other species too. That is another alluring feature to pier fishing that draws so many resident and transient anglers to these piers each September. There is usually some good fishing available for just about any tastes.

Young of the year jack crevelle (6” to 12” FL) are VERY prevalent in the surf zone this month. And at times they may constitute most of the fish caught under certain conditions. That’s when the ultralight spinning tackle can be brought out for endless hours of fun in the suds. Just about any tiny spoon or jig (1/16 to ¼ ounce) will get their interest, but a Speck Rig (twin 1/8 ounce jigs on 20# mono) is unparalleled for catching these mini jacks. They pull markedly hard for their size, and give a great account of themselves on sporting spin tackle in the 4 to 6 pound class. “Baby jacks” are so numerous in the surf this month, that may be all you can catch sometimes! One way for surf anglers to avoid the hordes of ravenous juvenile jacks is to slow down their presentation and target flounder. These flatfish like to lie motionless and camouflaged on the sandy bottom while waiting for a potential meal to swim by. In a flash, they explode up off the bottom and grab their prey, then settle back to the bottom to swallow it. Beach anglers can target flounder with small spoons, jigs or plugs that mimic whatever they are feeding on. Try along any dropoff or shallow trough, and near any hard structures like rocks or piling where flounder may be hiding in wait. Three inch Gulp shrimp (in new penny color) on a ¼ to 3/8 ounce jighead work great in this situation to target flounder, redfish and even speckled trout. The most effective presentation is to slowly ‘crawl’ the jig along the bottom. Pause the retrieve intermittently, and flick your wrist occasionally to make the jig ‘jump’ up off the bottom and settle back to the bottom. Flounder will usually strike it on the fall. This is signaled by the tell-tale ‘thump’ felt through the line. Give the fish a brief moment before setting the hook, and hang on for whatever it may be. While flounder are not noted for fighting ability, they redeem on the plate. September often brings relief from the summer heat and humidity. And it certainly offers great angling opportunities for all shore bound fishermen. We hope (and pray) to be spared from tropical storms as we take advantage of the change of seasons, and enjoy our great days outdoors!

END OF SUMMER IN THE SAND Good fishing is there from the beaches as well! Surf casting anglers can still target pompano, which yields an increasing 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 61

Gulf Coast Fishing Outlook

Cobia will be on the move near Mississippi’s barrier islands BY MIKE THOMPSON Photos by Mike Thompson

The weather is still smoking, but the loss of sunlight daily is an indication we’re heading towards fall. Many fish will be in transition mode this month, but some of the species out there will be downright predictable. Let’s look at a few places to try. ALABAMA Speckled trout will be in that September transition phase this month. Trout will be heading

northwards towards the Mobile Delta. However, the majority of fish will hang south of the Delta waiting on cool fronts to occur. Some of the hot spots for speckled trout will be the pilings on the eastern shore. Along with trout amongst the pilings you can expect to tangle with hearty redfish in these same areas. Be sure to try structure you encounter moving up the bay. This could be

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range markers near the ship channel, Middle Bay Lighthouse and Gailiard Island. Plastic grubs will catch the lion’s share of these fish, but live shrimp is always an option. While on the move in the bay you should keep your eyes peeled for diving seagulls. Hungry fish below will drive shrimp to the surface to the opportunistic gulls. A Vudu Shrimp under a popping cork will make catching the hungry fish a breeze.

FISHING OUTLOOK If white trout are in your game plan and on your cookout list, you can find nice concentrations at the gas rigs at the bottom of the bay. A fresh piece of cut mullet will tempt the aggressive whites. After you have caught a few of the whites you can change to fresh cut white trout strips to put the whites into a feeding frenzy! Finally, tripletail will still be hanging out in Mobile Bay till the first strong cold front pushes them out. Channel markers, crab floats and floating debris are all potential hangouts for the tripletail. On the offshore scene you can look for the nicer water to start pushing in closer in September. Angelo DePaola, over at the Coastal Connection Real Estate Services, says it’s time to get excited if you’re a blue water angler. “You can look for blue water to be within 20-50 miles of Orange Beach later in the month. In fact, you will start to see ‘blended’ blue/green water even earlier. One of the indicators will be the appearance of whale sharks,” DePaola said. “More and more dolphin, white marlin, blue marlin and yellowfin tuna will be increasing in numbers.” Wahoo and king mackerel will also be increasing in numbers during the September push. Trolling will be the way to connect with most of the species mentioned.

temperatures along the Florida panhandle, but there are several options while the weather is hot. Captain Justin Driscoll of Florida Panhandle Charters has a game plan for the hottest of days. “I like to start out early in the mornings using plastic swim baits over the shallow flats. I prefer to use baits that are very durable. Our most productive colors are New Penny or Houdini,” Driscoll said. After the early morning bite has slowed, Driscoll heads to the bridges to target sharks that give his clients a real thrill. Cut baits work best for the sharks, which include spinners, black tips and bonnet heads. Sometimes he will use live pinfish for bait. You are more likely to hook up with bull reds using the pinfish. If seas are light, Driscoll will ease out into the Gulf looking for Spanish mackerel. “We troll Gotcha Plugs or Clark spoons in 10-feet or less of water. We also target the available snapper species in September. We catch vermilion, mangrove and lane snapper. Live cigar minnows work best, but cut cigar minnows will do the trick as well,” Driscoll explained. DePaola had this last bit of advice for September action:

“We like to troll with small to medium ballyhoo, behind either Mold Craft Chuggers or Ilander lures. Heck, sometimes we will even pull naked ballyhoo on a hook this month,” DePaola explained.

“If we don’t exceed the quota on amberjacks too soon, you can target amberjacks at the rigs and on natural bottom in 200 feet of water. Hardtails are a great bait, but for the bigger amberjacks I suggest a large live bonito, “ DePaola said.

MISSISSIPPI Trolling is also the theme over on the Mississippi Coast, yet a little closer in. There is a lot of activity south of the barrier islands that can yield a grab bag of fish.

CONCLUSION Ye, it’s still hot, but you can boat some fish by trolling and putting a little wind in your face and fish in your box. Be safe!

“I like to troll Gator spoons, sizes one to three, on planers to cover multiple depths. We catch sharks, big redfish and king mackerel all on the same lures. The reds average 20-25 pounds, while the kings run 20- 40 pounds,” said Captain Chance Seymour, of Gulf Coast Fishing Charters.

See you on the water…

In addition to kings, reds and sharks, Seymour advised that cobia are also in the area during September. “We target cobia around the buoys near shallow water. A frisky live eel or a fresh live croaker will pull a cobia off the structure if you pull it past their face,” Seymour said. An added bonus in late September is the medium-to-heavy movement of tarpon near the barrier islands. “Tarpon seem to be migrating through in late September on up into October. The tarpon are chasing the wads of red minnows off the barrier islands. We will troll spoons or Coon-Pops to hook up the tarpon. We caught a 105 pounder last fall,” Seymour said. FLORIDA FOCUS You can expect to endure a few more weeks of sweltering

Important Contact Information Gulf Coast Fishing Charters Captain Chance Seymour-228-861-9449 Angelo Depaola - The Coastal Connection with EXP Realty and the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club 850-287-3440 Florida Panhandle Charters Capt. Justin Driscoll-850-814-1233 Z-Mann Baits www.z-manfishing.com Gator Lures/Gator Spoons www.gatorlures.com 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // SEPTEMBER 2019 63

Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

Anglers will find some very good bass in September, and soft plastics are always a good bet. BY ALEX GRANPERE Photos by Ed Mashburn

ALABAMA WATERS

LAKE WEISS “In September we usually have good luck using vertical presentation for crappie on Lake Weiss. We either lower live minnows or use jigs over deeper brush piles in 12 to 18 feet of water,” said long-time Lake Weiss guide Lee Pitts “As September moves along, the crappie will move to deeper boat docks in the mouths of creeks. This produces some fine dock shooting with jigs far up under the shaded parts of docks,” Pitts said Pitts particularly recommends the

Yellow Creek and Bay Springs areas of Weiss Lake for early fall fishing because both of these areas have deeper feeder sloughs with lots of cover that the crappie like. Bass fishing at Weiss will start the annual fall transition and bass anglers can find good fish in a wide range of locations. Some bass will still be found on deeper ledges in the main boy and river channels, but a lot bass will follow bait up into shallow water. Pitts said that he “loves” a Talon spinner bait in shad pattern with gold willow leaf spinners.

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“I also have good luck in September with a Gene Larue Bifflebug in Okeechobee Craw and green pumpkin colors. A Larue Tattletail worm rigged on a shaky head is also very good at this time.” LAKE GUNTERSVILLE Captain Jake Davis of Mid-South Bass Guide Service said that the bass will be all up and down the entire lake at this time, and where there is grass, there will be bass. Davis recommends that anglers looking for best bass should use their ears. He says, “ Listen for ‘Rice-Krispie’ popping sounds coming from the weeds.

FISHING OUTLOOK That’s shad and bream feeding in the grass. The bass will be in there feeding on the shad and bream. If there’s no snapping, find another weed bed,” Davis said. Davis recommends a lure like a Missile Bait D-Bomb in Super Bug colors for punching through the grass mats. Both milfoil and hydrilla weed mats next to the river channel will be prime places to find big bass in September. For the famous top water frog bite on Guntersville in September, Davis advocates a Pro-Z Frog in Scooby-Doo color. This lure fished on a start and stop retrieve will produce some heart stopping strikes at this time. Bass anglers should start shallow with the top water fishing and work out as the day warms. LAKE EUFAULA “The biggest bass will be deep in the weeds,” said long time fishing guide Sam Williams of Hawks Fishing Guide Service.. Anglers will have good luck punching through the grass with heavy jigs. Captain Sam recommends the Big Bite Yo Momma and Yo Daddy jigs in hemotoma color pattern. Anglers will not want to concentrate totally on the grass at this time because there will still be plenty of good bass holding on deep ledges. Bream anglers will want to fish around lily pads with live bait for some hot bluegill and shell cracker action in September. Crappie will be on open water trash piles where they will respond well to vertical jigging. Catfish are always good at Eufaula, and jug fishing in September is a very good way to gather up the main course of a fish fry. Cut bait, especially shad, is best at this time. MOBILE DELTA According to Captain Wayne Miller in September the Delta gets a big shot of saltwater. “Typically we get a saltwater infusion

up in the Delta in September. The salinity can go out of sight from the Causeway up to I-65. This brings schools of baitfish and shrimp into the rivers of the Delta. The fishing can be fantastic, but if something breaks the pattern, fishing can be tough,” Miller said. Bass on the Delta are still in deepwater summer pattern.

Listen for ‘Rice-Krispie’ popping sounds coming from the weeds.

Crankbaits in shad and crawfish patterns on the major rivers are very good for bass at this time. Moving water, either incoming or outgoing tides, are important. The fish can be lethargic in slack tide periods. For best fishing results in September, consult the tide charts printed in Great Days Outdoors to determine when the tides will be moving best. The topwater bite on the Delta picks up when the shrimp migrate. There will be lots of shrimp moving. Soft plastics and especially 1/8 to 1.4 oz white buss baits can be very effective, and mid to late September fishing just gets better. MILLER’S FERRY Joe Dunn of Dunn’s Sports points out that anglers may have to do some searching to find the best concentrations of fish. For anglers trying to locate crappie, Dunn suggests they look out in the main river channels where deep sunken timber and treetops will be holding some good schools of crappie this month. To catch the better crappie, drop live minnows down to reach the fish over the treetops. Remember to keep the minnows just above the holding crappie- the big ones don’t like to move down to reach a bait, but they will move upwards to eat.

Trolling jigs and minnow-tipped jigs can be very productive for Miller’s Ferry fall crappie, and as the month moves on, crappie chasers can focus their search on deeper slough mouths where they meet the main lake body. These crappie will be suspending in open water waiting for schools of shad to show up. Bass anglers will still want to concentrate their efforts out in the deeper ledges along the main river channels. Of course, when the water in the lake is moving from water being pulled through the dam is best for bass fishing. Big spinner baits worked on the deeper ledges can be very effective here is September. Shad patterns are best since everything will be feeding on the shad. Catfish will be good. Use cut shad on tight lines and try live bream for some really big trophy sized cats here in September. SIPSEY FORK Avid fly fisherman Brandon Jackson from Riverside Fly shop explains that in September, usually the temperatures start to cool and the grasshoppers start to fall into the river where the trout gobble them up. A very good fly combination at this time is a hopper pattern on the surface with a dropper fly in a midge pattern. Sow bugs flies can be very effective in September, too. If the September weather stays warm, sinking ant patterns can be good. Anglers will need to keep in mind that stocking of trout goes on year-round in Sipsey Fork, so there are always trout to be caught. Various size trout are stocked from 10- to-12 inches fish up to 15 and 16 inches. The much larger holdover trout which have survived from the previous year’s stockings will move up toward the dam later in the fall. September is a great time for float trips on the Sipsey Fork. As the anglers move downstream, hopper patterns and streamers are very good. In addition to the stocked rainbow trout, anglers can expect to encounter some big pickerel in September.

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September bream will bite eagerly on popping bugs on light weight fly gear.

WILSON LAKE From experience Wilson Lake guide Captain Brian Barton knows that the trophy catfish bite starts in September on the big northwest Alabama Tennessee River lakes, and this is especially true on Wilson Lake. The big cats feed more during the day as fall starts, and the lower portions of Wilson Lake will be very good for the biggest catfish. Try fishing the main channel ledges. Jackson Island will be very good for the biggest catfish now. The very best times for fishing Wilson Lake for big catfish will be when the dam is generating and moving a lot of water through the lake. For anglers seeking eating size cats for a fish fry, try to fish in the dam tailrace in 20 to 40 feet of water. September means the superior smallmouth bass bite will start up for the fall, and anglers can expect some hot brown bass fishing, especially below Wheeler Dam. For the biggest smallmouths, anglers should drift live shad as close to the bottom in the fast water as possible. Look for ledges

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and humps in the fast water which will break the current and give the big smallmouths places to hold out of the current.

plastics will work well, and there is usually a good early and late topwater place in sloughs and bayous off the main river.

Swimbaits, Alabama rigs, and rubber skirted jigs fished close to the bottom will work if live bait is hard to find. Barton said that some very good stripers can still be found in the cool water holes in feeder creeks, but the stripers will start to migrate out to the main lake near the end of September. Topwaters and big live gizzard shad fished under slip floats will work well in September.

Stripers and hybrids will be showing up in the main river as the water temperatures start to cool toward the end of the month. Fishing live bait such as shrimp and minnows downstream from the train trestle can produce good stripers in the fall.

FLORIDA WATERS

LAKE SEMINOLE “There ought to be some good crappie fishing, some excellent bass fishing, and some pretty good hybrid and white bass fishing on Lake Seminole this month,” said long time Lake Seminole fisherman Jody Wells. Bass will be good on topwater lures, frogs are very good, early and late and Wells suggested using frogs in dark colors for best results. Crappie anglers will find good success in September using minnows or jigs, whichever you prefer. Deep water from 20 to 25 feet deep is a good depth to start start looking for crappie. They often suspend at the 16 foot level, but the most important element for fall crappie fishing according to Jody Wells is to fish over tree tops. Find the tree tops and the crappie will be close. For some hot white bass and hybrid bass action, anglers should look over the sandbars in the main lake which are 10 to 15 feet deep. The whites and hybrids will be chasing shad, and they’ll be schooling in September, so look for birds working bait. APALACHICOLA RIVER SYSTEM Tony Poloronis of Outcaster’s Bait and Tackle says that bream will probably be off the beds now and will be scattered in deeper water holding close to structure. Live baits such as crickets, worms, and small shrimp if they can be found will work. Bass will be in all of the regular late summer places. Look for them on ledges and drop offs in the main river and up the larger feeder streams. Soft

Of course, catfish will still be good in the river system. Fish live bait and chucks of shad in fairly deep water for good September catfish.

Catfish will still be biting well in deeper water on live bait and chunks of shad. LAKE TALQUIN Jeff DuBree of Whippoorwill Sportsman’s Lodge on Lake Talquin says that the weather will still be hot in September, so anglers should work ledges on the main river channel. Try deep running crankbaits, shakeyhead worms bounced on the bottom, and soft plastics on heavy jigs for best bass fishing. The bass will start schooling in September in open water, so a shad-look lure that can be cast a long way to reach the schooling fish is good. Little Georges and Rat’L’Traps are both good for this kind of long distance fishing. Some big bass will be caught around lighted docks at night. Stripers will still be in cooler water up creeks where springs feed into the lake. White bucktails jigs in four to six feet of water will work. Bream will be scattered around the lake, but fishing around deeper docks is always a good technique for September bream. Catfish will still be biting well in deeper water on live bait and chunks of shad.

Important Contact Information Capt Brian Barton 256-412-0969 Brianbartonoutdoors@aol.com www.brianbartonoutdoors.com Capt Jake Davis Mid-South Bass Guide Service 615-613-2382 www.midsouthbassguide.com Capt. Lee Pitts 256-390-4145 www.pittsoutdoors.com Capt. Sam Williams Hawks Fishing Guide Service 334-355-5057 www.hawksfishingguideservice.com Jeff DuBree Whippoorwill Sportsman’s Lodge Lake Talquin 850-875-2605 Fishtalquin@gmail.com Jody Wells Lake Seminole 850-209-2420 Brandon Jackson Riverside Fly shop 17027 Hwy 69N Jasper, Al 256-287-9582 riversideflyshop.com Tony Poloronis Outcaster’s Bait and Tackle 631 Hwy 98, Apalachicola, FL 850-653-4665 Joe Dunn Dunn’s Sports 334-636-0850 33356 Highway 43 Thomasville, Alabama Capt. Wayne Miller Mobile-Tensaw Guide Service 251-455-7404

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MOON & FEED TIMES

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Pensacola Motorsports

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Haleigh Powell of Gordo, AL, first amberjack offshore of Orange Beach

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Jimmy Williams and Mike Ryan with their big bull red drums

PHOTO of the MONTH Katie Perry with her Gator Trout

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Klin Brantley and Jake Peterson with a fine mess of Yellow cats

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KID'S CORNER

TROPHY ROOM 1

Deer

Addison Vontroba, 11, first deer 50 yds Baldwin County

Abigail Bennett, 3, Is this fish almost as big as she is? Great job Abigail!

Snapper

Cole Englebert showing off a prized catfish

Gabby Lang, with her first snapper

Deer

Hayden Jones 10yrs old caught this 33inch Red Snapper with his dad holding the pole, he fought and brought the fish in by himself

Laura Boykin, 12, from Mobile Al. Killed this deer with her dad In Clarke County

Matthew, 9 first deer, Baldwin County

Dylan Englebert with his black drum

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FISHING TIP

Reaching Out From Shore BY: MATHEW ISBELL

Bama Beach Bum www.staybummy.com September is one of the better months for redfish on Alabama’s Gulf Shores. They congregate in the surf zone before moving into the bays and working their way up the rivers. When targeting the smaller slot redfish, keep your focus close to the beach. Casts within 15-30 yards is usually all that is needed to be in the right depth. Live bull minnows, finger mullet, or 2-3 inch menhaden can be used on a Carolina rig. Live bait can be difficult and slow the process down having to keep up with them on the beaches. Using artificial lures will allow for more movement and covering more water. I like smaller profile topwater lures with a “walk the dog” action such as the Heddon Spook Jr for early morning and late evening. Twitch baits like the Mirrorlures are a good option when the sun is higher mid-morning through midday. Scented soft plastics are most likely the best option any time of day rigged on a jig head swimming mullet or shrimp are a couple of favorites. Smaller black drum and whiting are also more abundant throughout the fall transition. I’ve had the most success with black drum by using a pompano rig with a small half inch piece

of shrimp flavor or sand flea flavor Fishbites. Smaller black drum tend to hang in shallower water than pompano, so shorter casts are necessary when targeting. Whiting are best targeted with a lighter pompano rig. I use smaller leader and smaller hooks with no floats and just an orange bead. I like 10 lb monofilament with a size 6 owner circle hook. Carolina rigs are also effective. The bait I use for whiting is a small piece of fresh dead, peeled shrimp.

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A GREAT DAY OUTDOORS

Custer’s Last Deer Stand dark. Wait a minute . . . I do that, too.

BY JIM MIZE

If someone named a deer-stand company after me, it would be called Custer’s Last Deer Stand. He was famous for his downfall; I’m famous for mine. My history with deer stands began back when two boards in the crook of a tree was considered elaborate. From there, I graduated to a collapsible climbing stand, which seemed well named. Mine collapsed. Falling from trees is now something at which I’ve become adept. Part of the problem, no doubt, is the gravity of the situation. In other words, what goes up must come down, unfortunately, not at the time of my choosing. Perhaps a contributing factor is that I always carry too much gear. While I’m climbing, I’m never sure if I’m going up or pulling the tree down. Not that I carry it all on my back. I attach much of it to a rope, which makes me feel like I’m climbing with an anchor. Then, as soon as I get comfortable, something falls out. Occasionally, it’s something I can do without, like water or a flashlight. But more often than not, I’m dropping arrows or shells. You’d think just by walking up to my tree that I’d surrendered. To make matters worse, I’m scared of heights. If I only climbed as high as I feel comfortable, I’d stop so low I could use the ground as a foot rest. It would be like hunting from a park bench. Climbing a tree when you’re scared of heights makes as much sense as frog gigging when you’re scared of the

Another part of the difficulty stems from trying to climb without sounding like someone dropped a washing machine through an oak tree. These sorts of noises are likely to spook deer, because there’s nothing natural about such clatter unless the deer was raised in a laundromat. Typically, my downfall begins when the stand loses its grip of the tree. You almost have to be a forest ranger to use one of these things. For instance, on a lot of trees the bark peels and gives the stand no traction at all. Maybe trees in hunting areas could be marked with little signs that read “Climb Here” or “For Idiots Only”. Peeling bark also causes frustration to set in. There’s something disheartening about spending five minutes climbing twenty feet only to retrace your progress in five seconds. My stand, for instance, is supposed to ratchet down. My style, however, is less of a ratchet and more of a hatchet. At times like this, I’ve wondered if Ripley’s Believe It or Not has speed records for deer-stand descent. Besides the frustration, climbing with a tree stand involves some level of pain. Standard gear for a deer stand should include something besides a safety belt. I’m thinking of shin and arm guards, at least, maybe even an airbag. Speaking of safety gear, the manuals for safety harnesses read like they are designed to either scare you out of climbing or to send you in a rush to buy insurance. Up until I read mine I didn’t realize there were so many ways to fall out of a tree. By trial and error, I’ve now developed criteria for the perfect deer stand tree. To start with, it doesn’t even have to be near a deer. I’ll settle for one I won’t fall out of. A good tree for climbing is straight, limbless, and surrounded by soft ground. Normally, you’ll want to

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avoid locust trees, unless hugging a cactus is your idea of a good time. Likewise, you’ll also want to have a clear idea on the appearance of poison oak. Climbing isn’t my only problem with deer stands. When it comes to tree stands, I’m like a four-year-old dressed to play in the snow. As soon as I get settled, Mother Nature calls. You’d think just once it could be a busy signal or wrong number, but no-o-o-o. It always happens when I’m twenty feet up and twenty miles from the nearest port-o-john. Another lesson I’ve learned is to pay attention as I climb. For example, should you find yourself attached to a tree trunk at eye level with a hornet’s nest, you don’t have a lot of choices even though the hornets do. Bugs don’t seem to leave me alone at any elevation. I’ve see gnat clouds so thick I expected thunder and lightning to come out. And they know they’ve got you. You’re more captive than the new groom at his fiancée’s bridal reception. The last lesson I should pass on is that deer stand maintenance is a selfcorrecting discipline. By that I mean if you don’t drop everything to do it, you’ll eventually drop everything when you don’t. Perhaps what chaps me most is that these things aren’t even that comfortable. With all I’ve learned about tree stands, maybe I should start my own company, even form a partnership and have them made by LA-Z-BOY. When they hit the market, you’ll have no trouble figuring out which one is mine. They’ll be advertised as Custer’s Last Deer Stand. JIM MIZE has survived deer stands long enough to write two humorous books for outdoorsmen. You can find them at www. acreektricklesthroughit.com

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