Complimentary Copy
June/July 2012
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Adventure Bay Resort & Marina P.O. Box 301 Pickwick Dam, TN 38365 Contact: Duane Wright 731.607.3076 www.adventurebaymarina.com • www.facebook.com/adventurebaymarina
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
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From the Editor’s Desk
G ARTICLE P AUTHOR 5 Summertime Slabs Garry Mason 8 Puppy Training H. Joe King Jr. 16 Hunting the Hunters Rob Somerville 22 Kudzu - Solution Becomes Problem Kevin Griffith 26 Women in the Outdoors Terry Wilkerson 29 Beat the Heat Rob Somerville 30 Hot Hawgs Garry Mason 34 Jiggin’ with Mr. Mackey Walt Wilkerson 36 The Joy of Jewelry - Duck Bands Blake Davenport 38 Trophy Room - Reader Submitted Photos 40 Outdoor Truths Gary Miller 41 Turning 55 Rob Somerville 44 Second Annual Dyersburg Duckfest 45 Bikini Bottoms Off-Road Park Pictorial 46 Kid’s Korner
Add Southern Traditions Outdoors on facebook & twitter! On the Cover Professional bass tournament angler and guide, Wade Hendren, is shown with a summertime, largemouth bass. Photo courtesy of Garry Mason
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC Owners - Eddie Anderson Rob Somerville Kevin Griffith Publisher - Eddie Anderson Editor - Rob Somerville Garry Mason Walter Wilkerson Terry Wilkerson Jeff Agee Paul Moore
Magazine Design - Kalli Lipke Advertising Sales Rob Somerville - Managing Partner Distribution Johnathan Anderson
Field Staff Editors
Steve McCadams Kelley Powers Eddie Brunswick Stacey Lemon Larry Self
John Sloan Richard Simms John Meacham Joe Hall Buck Gardner
Scott Marcin Ed Lankford Drew Brooks John Latham John Roberts
Advertising Information:
Southern Traditions Outdoors | Rob Somerville (731) 446-8052 stomag1@gmail.com DISCLAIMER - Neither the authors nor Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine LLC assume any responsibility or liability for any actions by readers who utilize any information contained within. Readers are advised that the use of any and all information contained within Southern Traditions Outdoors is at their own risk.
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine Mission Statement: Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine vows to put forth a publication to promote the outdoors lifestyle in a positive manner. We will strive to encourage veteran and novice outdoorsmen, women, kids, and the physically challenged to participate in the outdoors in a safe and ethical manner. Our publication will bring positive attention to the wondrous beauty of the world of Nature in the mid-south.
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H
ow many of us hit the snooze button on our alarm clock, wearily trudge to the bathroom and use the facilities, impatiently wait for the coffee pot to brew, and the entire time we go through this morning ritual we think of all the hardships we endure just to get through our day? Well, I was just like the rest of you, who experience this daily drudgery of silently complaining and belly-aching about the minor physical and mental stresses we have to face. That is, until I had a sort of epiphany. Until you either have a physically challenged family member or friend, you can never realize how minor our aches, pains and supposedly exhausting daily rituals are. Imagine having to set your alarm clock for 2:00 am, instead of 5:00 am, because it takes you over an hour just to put on a pair of pants and a shirt to go hunting. Think about what it would be like if you could not climb up into a deerstand or jump into a boat, because you are confined to a wheelchair. What would it be like if you had to concern yourself with having absolutely no feeling in your lower body or not having the capability to know when hypothermia was setting in? Instead of worrying about getting wet from a sudden rain, while running back to your vehicle, you would have to worry about getting back at all. I know that the hunters in our region care. But, until you come face to face with a physically challenged hunter, you just don’t realize the strong desire and many obstacles that face them in their quest to just get outdoors and participate in what they desire to do. To them, it is not so much about the kill or catch that makes their outdoor venture a success. It is more about the chance to once again experience the opportunity of participation. It takes able-bodied and experienced sportsmen, who are willing to give a little of their time, for this to happen. I ask all of our readers to give this editorial serious consideration, and to get involved, if your heart leads you to do so. After all, I pray it never happens but it is possible that you, me or one of our family members may be the victim of an accident or illness that means confinement to a wheelchair someday. If that happened, would you want someone to help? Think about it!
Rob Somerville STO Editor
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
Summertime Slabs By Garry Mason Pictured is professional crappie fisherman, Wade Hendron, pulling in another big crappie, during the Crappie Masters National Championship, in Lake Truman, Missouri. - Photo courtesy of Garry Mason
Many crappie fishermen put up their gear as soon as the dog days of summer set in. One thing they forget though is that these tasty panfish still need to eat during the heat of the summer months. You just have to know where to find these slabs during their summer patterns of travel. STO pro staff member, Garry Mason, sought out one of the best crappie experts in our region to share his knowledge on catching summertime crappie. His name is Wade Hendron and the following is Garry’s interview with him. : What are you looking for when you start out fishing for summer crappie? : Structure and depth are most important and I am always looking for specific structure in a certain depth
of water that crappie may be relating to on any given day. I like to spider-rig fish with double hook minnow rigs, baited with minnows. Minnows are natural bait that are very abundant this time of year and the fish are feeding on this resource. I try to capitalize on this productive method of fishing at ever opportunity. : What about your sonar equipment? Explain how you use it to locate crappie. : I use my Humminbird 1198 side imaging sonar and GPS to locate structure, and then I vertical fish right over the top of this structure. I fish several different depths during the first hour of fishing, this way I can put together a pattern of where the crappie are located and what type of depth that they are relating to. By applying this tech-
nique, I then target other areas, for the same depth and type of structure. This allows me to create a pattern, which helps to maximize my time on the water and eliminate any unproductive water. : What type of rods and reels do you use? : The most rods that I fish [with] at one time are five, even when my partner and I are fishing together. This eliminates getting tangled up in each other’s lines and keeps us in the water fishing, instead of having a lot of unproductive time in the boat. My favorite rods are B&M – 14’ BGP models, with foam handles and Pflueger model 6720 President Series reels, spooled with 12 lb. fluorocarbon line, by P-Line. Using this line, along with Eagle Claw 214 EL #2 hooks, allows me to pull my continued on next page
JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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hooks off of the structure without breaking my line and having to constantly re-rig. This helps me to be more productive, because I’m keeping my bait in the water instead of having to be retied. [This method helped Hendren and tournament fishing partner Roy Logan win the 2010 Crappie Masters National Championship event held on Lake Truman, in Missouri.] : Do you like any type of plastic baits and how would you use them during summertime crappie fishing? : Plastic baits, such as Charlie Brewer Slider Grubs and Mid-south Super Jigs, are very productive in the summer months. Strike King crank baits, in the three hundred series, also works well, especially when slow trolling over flats. Crank baits work great when the water temp reaches 80 plus degrees in the summertime and also can be a great way to located suspended fish. Ten pound test line is the standard line weight that most crank baits are tested with and a crank bait chart can be found at www.crappie. com, which will help you to decide what crank bait model and type which would be best for your particular lake and situation. Crank baits should be kept moving somewhere around 1.5 to 2.0 mph and most of the time I am trolling with my Minn Kota Trolling mo6
tor, and trying to go with the wind to lessen the impact and stress on my trolling motor and to keep from draining my batteries, during a full day’s fishing. Pulling crank baits too fast will cause the bait to spin and cause line twist and not allow bait to run straight under the water surface at the correct depth. Most Crank bait fishermen will use different length rods, to help spread baits out and cover more water area. A good GPS unit will help you catch crappie, using this technique, keep the boat at the correct speed and use your tracking page to go right back through the same track, after you turn the boat around. : What is the best advice that you can give a young angler that is thinking about getting into tournament crappie fishing? : Try to do everything possible, to eliminate downtime while fishing. The more time that your bait or lure is in the water, the better chance that you have to catch a winning stringer of crappie. Editor’s Note: Wade Hendren holds a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology, from University of Tennessee at Martin and is a District Lieutenant for the Tennessee Wildlife Resource’s Agency. Wade has been married to his wife Gina for over 17 years and they have four children. He also guides on Kentucky Lake and Reelfoot Lake for crappie. He can be reached at 731-460-1108.
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Dyersburg Kiwanis Foundation
Duck Blast
Second Annual Duck Blast Duck Blast 2012 Entry Fees $150 individual $600 per team • Maximum 4 members on team • Includes: A dinner for each hunter, auction, and an opportunity to hunt one of Northwest Tennessee’s prime waterfowl blinds • Additional Dinner & Auction Tickets available for $25.00 • Register Early. Limited number of teams.
Event Agenda *Dinner & Auction Thursday, December 13, 2012 Lannom Center *Duck Blast Hunt Friday, December 14, 2012
For more information or registration forms, contact: Tommy Allmon, 731-288-3581 Megan Madden, 731-288-7375
This year’s profits go towards: McIver’s Grant Public Library We are providing a Kiwanis Kids Corner for the new library. Thank you for your help and support of this great cause. Sponsors to date:
JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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Beginning Puppy Training By H. Joe King Jr. In the last article about puppies, I walked you through looking for and finding that special puppy. What’s next? You bring him home and introduce him to the family and other pets in the house. For the first several weeks you should fix him a place within the house, such as a gated hallway or kitchen. He will need food, water and a place to sleep ready for him. Now, socialization begins and below is a list of things to do: • Personal contact with the puppy, which consists of the bonding between owner and pup, which is needed before initial training begins. • His place within the family during certain times, for example - playtime. • Being placed in a designated area while supper, homework and sleep are taking place. • Learning that constant whining and barking does not get him his way all the time. • The occasional puppy bumper or rolled up sock for play fetch, don’t over do it. Puppy might get bored; keep this fun and exciting. • The dreaded collar and leash. Let him wear the collar and drag the leash around to get used to it. • Starting to teach pup to sit by placing your hand under his chin and lightly push down on his hind quarters with the word “sit.” Remember, puppy attention is very short, have patience. • Introduce the “here” command by lightly tugging his lead or neck cord toward you when he is off at a distance while using the word “here” or “come.” • Getting puppy to learn the “kennel” command by tossing a puppy bumper or dog treat into the portable kennel crate several times with the word “kennel.” These are just a few beginning steps with lots of positive repetition to get you and your puppy on your way to more formal training. H. Joe King,Jr. Thunder Ridge Retrievers thunder ridge retrievers
JOE KING OVER 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BREEDING & TRAINING HUNTING DOGS 1910 RAMBO RD. DYERSBURG, TN. - 38024 731-676-7776 thunderridgeretrievers@yahoo.com
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
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Visit Dyer County,Tennessee A Spo rtsman’s Paradise!
Located just 1/2 hour, from beautiful Reelfoot Lake, Dyer County has something for everyone. From the finest motels, restaurants, shopping malls, and bars ... we welcome all sportsmen that are hunting or fishing at the “Quake Lake.” There is nowhere else for miles that can offer hunting and fishing licenses, sporting goods, cost-efficient - yet clean and comfortable lodging, and a cold beer or cocktail. Our restaurants can tempt you with everything from a “Black Angus” ribeye steak - to fast food. The best feature of all, which Dyer County has to offer, is that you will always enjoy your visit with us, in a safe and friendly atmosphere. So, what are you waiting for? As far as area ratings go ... You can’t score higher than Dyer!
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Hunting the Hunters
With Master Predator Hunter – George Brint He has been touted as the Master of Motion, the Culler of Coyotes, the Predator Pro and the Crow Crusher. His name is George Brint, and to put it simply he is the best coyote hunter in the business. Allow me to introduce you to George, and we will learn how and why he got started in predator hunting. I will also pick his brain on how to become a successful coyote hunter.
Humble Beginnings
A retired Farm Bureau agent, George has always had a passion for the great outdoors. He is an avid tur-
key hunter, and an expert marksman with a rifle. In between deer and turkey seasons, he always enjoyed tinkering with his guns, finetuning his rifles and scopes and searching for the perfect loads that would enable him to “shoot the eyelashes off an ant at 200 yards.” His life changed one day when he met a man who would later become a lifelong friend and hunting companion, Gary Cook of the TWRA. Cook, a TWRA biologist at the time, was giving a seminar on coyote hunting at an outdoor show and George just happened to be
at the right place at the right time to hear it. Something clicked as he listened to Cook explain the challenges involved in hunting the ultimate predator, and the rest is history.
Hunting the Hunters
George avidly absorbed every word of Cook’s seminar and got excited at the concept of a new sport that would allow him year around shooting and hunting enjoyment. He realized that coyote hunting differed from hunting other large and small game animals, in the fact that all of the other species had natural
By Rob Somerville predators to be wary of. But, the coyotes are at the top of the food chain, and had only one predator to be concerned with, that being man.
Coyotes – A lean & mean hunting machine
Brint explained the efficiency that a coyote has as a hunter as follows, “If you could combine the wariness and eyesight of a mature gobbler, with the sense of smell and fleetness of foot of an alpha whitetail doe, you would have a coyote. They are the only huntable game in the states, where when calling for them, you become the
Quick Tips for Coyote Hunting • During summer months, concentrate on hunting early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when coyotes are most active. • Use calling techniques pertinent to the time of year. During January and February, use social mating calls. During April through May, use coyote pup distress calls. During late June through September, use fawn distress calls. Any other time of year, use mouse or rabbit distress squeals. • When howling or barking, a good rule of thumb to remember, is that a short call signals aggression and longer calls tend to signal socialization. 16
• Call for about 20 seconds, and then watch for about two minutes. Repeat this sequence three or four times. If no action occurs after these steps, move to a new location. • Learn to read a coyote’s body language to gauge what they will do. For instance, if it stops or looks confused, take the shot if you have one, as it soon will leave the area. • From the period of February to August, mix your prey distress calls in with coyote vocalizations.
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
hunted. To lure them in you use social calls of their own species or distress calls of animals they eat. That is why they pose such a unique and interesting challenge.”
The Invisible Man
Brint believes that the first key to becoming a successful coyote hunter is to become invisible in their natural habitat. He likes to set up on the edge of a field, surrounded by dense woods. He insists that full camouflage is a necessity, all the way down to a face mask and gloves. Brint also utilizes shade to hide his silhouette and claims the sun at his back will help hide his form, as it puts the coyote’s line of vision in direct line with the sun. An interesting point he made, which surprised me, was that he doesn’t worry too much about total scent control explaining that, “If that coyote gets close enough to smell me, he ought to be close enough to feel the sting of my flat-shooting 22250, rested steadily on my bi-pod.”
Devotion to Motion
The main reason Brint is so successful, is due to his innovative designs in decoy motion enhancement. His PREDATOR SUPREME DECOY HEART, manufactured through his company, ADVANCED DECOY RESEARCH, is a baseball-sized device that causes a decoy to wobble and move like an injured critter. It is best used inside a stuffed animal George manufactures, which I have nicknamed the “Fur-
ry Finale”. This decoy, when mounted on its spring activated stake and loaded with a decoy heart, is deadly on bringing in wary coyotes. If you want to see it in action, pick up a copy of PRIMOS THE TRUTH 1 – PREDATOR HUNTING, in which George is featured. Brint explains, “My motion decoy will lock-in a coyote with a visual signal that tells it dinner is about to be served. It also keeps the coyote from busting the hunter who is calling, as the coyote switches from an audio to visual recognition of its supposed prey.” {Note – This decoy heart is also available with a black, foam crow decoy that is awesome for crow hunters and is widely used by ‘gobbler getters’ by inserting it into turkey decoys to simulate feeding or moving hens, but that is for another article}
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MIXED DRINKS
Wile E. Coyote
The coyotes in our region would sooner test their fate against the Road Runner of cartoon fame than go against the likes of George Brint. Dissatisfied with the quality of predator calls on the market, Brint decided to design and build his own. After months of work, he opted for an open-ended tube call, which would not stick due to saliva or humidity. He also built his call to be adjustable by mouth placement, instead of moving a series of rubber bands. George finally perfected the call, which he aptly dubbed the “ALL-CALL”. This call was so named for a continued on next page
Master predator hunter, George Brint, uses the shadows of the woods and keeps the sun at his back to help conceal himself, when hunting the evasive coyote. Photo by Rob Somerville.
JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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Hunting the Hunters Continued
good reason as recently demonstrated to me. By just moving his lips up and down, the reed, and changing tone and inflection, George expertly mimicked the sounds of a coyote pup, a bark, a howl, a mouse squeak, a rabbit squeal and a fawn distress call. It was a truly awesome display of the call and the caller’s versatility.
The Touch of the Master’s Hand
Though the sub-title above could be speaking of the coyote calling talents of George Brint, it has a special meaning instead. I happened to sit in on one of George’s seminars at an outdoor show recently, and thoroughly enjoyed his informational talk. But, the part of his talk that touched me most was his personal testimony, that he later told me he always gives at the end of a seminar. It consisted of a poem he has memorized entitled “The Touch of the Master’s Hand”. It embodies his Christian beliefs and his love for God. You see, George may be the master of predator hunting, but he knows to give the glory to God, who is master of all. It has been my pleasure to know my good friend George Brint, and I highly recommend his products.
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Kudzu,
Erosion Solution or Creeping Calamity?
By Kevin Griffith
I
don’t know about you, but I am fed up with kudzu! I have observed it along highways for years, covering everything within its grasp including trees, telephone poles, electric lines, houses and even cars. It seems that anything that stands still long enough will eventually be covered by this vegetative beast and that isn’t far from the truth. Under ideal conditions, kudzu can grow twelve inches in a single day and can scale anything it can hold
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on to! Typical with other invasive animals and plants, kudzu was introduced to the US with good intentions. It was imported from Japan to control erosion along hillsides and gullies. In reality, kudzu only slows one type of erosion, impact. Impact erosion occurs when raindrops fall directly upon bare earth, breaking soil particles loose and making them easier to wash away. The leaves of the kudzu vine do protect the ground from the majority of these impacts. However, the second type of erosion, which is run-off, is simply
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hidden by the leaves. Run-off erosion happens when water flows over the ground, picking up loose particles of soil along the way. The best type of plant to control run-off erosion is one that locks up these soil particles within and under a dense root and foliage mass. Kudzu vines have a very sparse root system that rely mainly on one central tap-type root, which is shaped very much like a long and narrow sweet potato that can extend several feet into the ground. As the vines radiate out they will occasionally send out shallow root type extensions that help the vine adhere to whatever landscape or surface it encounters. When growing along the ground, these shallow roots may create another narrow tap-type root. The majority of the area under kudzu is root free. This is partially because of kudzu’s limited root system, but also because the kudzu vines eventually kill off every other rooting plant under their leaf canopy, leaving the soil extremely vulnerable to run-off erosion. I didn’t become personally familiar with kudzu un-
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
til we purchased our farm near Dyersburg, Tennessee. There were several kudzu areas along the road and a few spots isolated deep in the woods. What concerned me about these vines was what they were doing to the trees. All along each area of the tree’s perimeters, the vines extended up and over the top of trees, smothering and starving them by blocking sunlight from reaching their leaves. As I inspected these locations I saw both standing and fallen dead trees that had been covered and killed years before. Some were large, majestic oaks or hickory. I had to do something to stop this destruction! I started investigating ways to kill kudzu, but most of the locals I spoke to had given up fighting the plant years before. Some had tried fire (it just grew back) others had sprayed chemicals (enough survived to come back) and still others had utilized goats. Goats will eat anything, including kudzu. In situations where you can securely pen them in, goats are a viable solution. That wasn’t possi continued on next page
Take a look at the before and after pictures using Kevin’s kudzu eradication plan. These results took two years. Photos by Kevin Griffith.
JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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Kudzu Continued
ble on our farm or farms in our area. Most of the kudzu had been purposely placed in areas of severe erosion that were surrounded by rugged terrain. Their locations could not be practically and securely fenced. Even if we were successful, the erosion the kudzu was hiding needed to be controlled. That would not be possible with goats present. After much research and experimentation, I settled on a plan that is working for our situation. This multi-phase plan includes cutting, spraying, policing and controlling erosion. We cut the vines climbing the trees at approximately chest height creating a “ring” effect. Then we sprayed a combination of Round-up herbicide and com-
mon dishwashing soap on all the vines under the trees and those covering open areas. This will kill approximately 90% of the vines. There are more effective herbicides for kudzu on the market, but most of our land drains into a private body of water, Fyrne Lake. Because we did not want to damage the fish population or the aquatic vegetation in our lake we chose Round-up, due to its lack of active residual chemical and its low negative environmental impact. We did increase Round-up’s effectiveness by adding a teaspoon of dishwashing soap per gallon of Round-up. The soap breaks the surface tension on the leaves allowing the herbicide to more easily enter the plant. Within a few weeks, 10%
of the vines will be sprouting again and without follow-up measures, kudzu will once again cover up all our previous efforts within a year. This is where many in the past have given up. They were looking for a magical solution, where there is none. A consistent and persistent effort is the only way to succeed with kudzu eradication. So every few weeks we police the area and spray any sprouting vines. Eventually, finding a vine will become rare. For us, complete eradication from an area took about 2 years. Erosion control is also a very important element of the process, mostly because kudzu was often placed in the area to slow erosion. Now, with the kudzu being eliminated, an effective erosion
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control plan needs to be in place. Depending upon the terrain, you may need to create catch basins or berms. It may be as simple as smoothing out the land involved and planting grass to slow and spread out the flow of any run-off. Every property is different and if you do have an erosion issue on your land, I would recommend obtaining professional advice. Kudzu is a cancer in the south, but a cure is possible. With a plan, the proper tools and a persistent effort you can make a difference. If any of our readers have found other methods to eradicate kudzu and are willing to share their solutions, email them to stomag1@gmail. com.
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Wild Things
These catfish hatchlings, group together by the hundreds and form a ball, to take advantage of their safety in numbers from predation. - Photos by Terry Wilkerson
I
t always amazes me to see how Mother Nature teaches her creatures of the wild to survive. This summer, I have seen such bizarre sights of nature that they made me do a double take and even then, I still wasn’t always quite sure what I was looking at.
One such occurrence even occurred in my own back yard. I witnessed a huge bug with … well … what only 26
could be described as big bug eyes. That is what I thought anyway, but upon closer inspection I noticed that the eyes I thought I was viewing were just markings on its head to look like bug eyes. I even thought the bug had got in the way of someone painting and got white overspray on it, but after looking closer I guessed that Mother Nature had colored this insect to help camouflage it from predators, or maybe to make it look more attractive to its opposite sex. Whatever the
reason for the unusual coloration, with those big bug eyes I thought, “Good luck little bug in finding a mate.” But, then again, I have always been told that there is a perfect match out there for everyone.
Another wild thing was observed by my husband, Walt, and he said he had never seen anything like it before. He was fishing the banks of Donaldson Ditch, at Reelfoot
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
Lake, when movement in the grass caught his eye. He didn’t think that much about it. Walt thought maybe catfish were swimming through the shallow grass, or maybe it was water snakes, because it was during their breeding season. He looked up again and the grass was whipping back and forth. This made him think that someone had a limb line out with a yoyo, and a fish was on it. Whatever it was, it just kept jerking and whipping the grass. He continued fishing, but
as he got closer he heard a sucking sound and determined that it was an Asian Grass Carp eating the grass blades. You know that the original intent to import these fish to our waters was for them to control aquatic vegetation and to eat the grass along the banks. Well, they have done way more damage than that, to our native fish by decimating the natural fish habitat as well as posing a threat to boaters, as they are known to jump by the dozens at the sound of a boat motor into the boat with us. If you find that hard to believe, you can go to You Tube and see videos {one of which shows a man getting his teeth knocked out by one of these jumping carp}. My Dad won’t even go back on Reelfoot Lake for that very reason. It scares me, also.
separated, and then moved right back into a ball. When the mud settled, I said, ‘’Its small fish.” I ran to the camper to get my camera with the zoom lens and as I focused on the ball of black in the water, I could see fins, tails and whiskers. It was a huge school of catfish hatchlings, swimming in a protective ball. It was so awesome. I had never seen anything like that. They were constantly moving from the inside to the outside, then a big splash would occur again and we realized something was eating these little catfish. It must have been turtles or gar, trying to have a tasty little meal. But, the little catfish realized that they looked more imposing in size and sought safety in
numbers as they again and again, formed that big floating ball in the water. I have spent a lot of time in the woods and on the water, but this was new and fascinating to me. Mother Nature once again unveiled another marvel of the outdoors in these tiny catfish that were so small, yet banding together in a tight group to survive. This experience was like something you would
This odd looking insect, gives any predators the illusion of being a larger creature, by having an image of huge eyes on its head. continued on next page -Photo by Terry Wilkerson
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I was standing by the water, helping Walt clean some fish, in the ditch right down from our camper. Our friend (Lake Dave) said to us, “I have been watching this black object in the water, move closer and closer, and I just can’t figure out what it is.” When I looked where he was pointing, I thought it was a black trash bag or an old shirt someone lost, floating in the current. As it moved closer, we noticed it was moving like a ball, rolling in the water. Then, we observed a splash and the ball
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see on the Discovery channel. Watching nature and its mysteries on television is great, but if you want to witness the wonderful world of nature in person, you need to turn that TV off and get off your Facebook account for awhile. So, let’s get outside y’all and see some “Wild Things’’ in person.
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
Be Prepared for the Heat and Sun By Rob Somerville • Always carry some fresh water with you this time of year whether you boating, hiking, fishing or enjoying any outdoor activity. • Be sure to wear sunglasses to cut down glare, especially when driving a vehicle, boat or ATV. • Put an application of sun block on exposed areas of your body. • When on the water in a boat, the wind will fool you into thinking that the sun is not frying you like a lobster, when it is. • Wearing a cap will also protect you from the sun, as well as from heat exposure. • If you do get sunburned, submerge your body in a bath of cold water, or sponge your self down with vinegar. These will take the heat out of the burned area, and offer you some relief. • Make sure your pets have plenty of cool, fresh water also. A shaded area is also an important pet requirement this time of year. Just imagine how you would feel in a head-to-toe fur coat in the glare of the hot sun, on a ninety-degree day.
JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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The author is shown holding up a beautiful, Kentucky Lake smallmouth bass, he caught while fishing with Kenny Louden, during the summer months. Photo courtesy of Garry Mason.
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
Huge bass can be caught during the hottest times of the year. In this article, STO pro staff member Garry Mason picks the brain of pro bass fisherman, Kenny Louden for our readers. : Leaving the marina in the morning, and knowing that the day is going to heat up and turn hot, what are you thinking about as you idle out into the open waters of KY Lake? : I am thinking about the main river channel drops and scanning for schools of shad and other bait fish along those drops. : When you get to one of these drops, what are you looking for and what equipment are you using to locate your first school of fish for the morning? : As I view my
2012
E ESSE TENN OKE KARA L! IDO
N LITIO DEMO BY! DER ST FAIRE E H OF T FAIR S! ANT PAGE
map page on my Lawrence HD 10 GPS side image depth finder, I am looking for any type of underwater indentions or off set creek channels coming into main river channels. Migration routes to and from feeding areas, such as flats with creek channels nearby and steep drop offs, are some of the starting places that I look at first thing. Bass will move up and down these types of areas as they forage for food. : How important is structure during summertime drop-off fishing? : Cover is not as important as finding and tracking the food source that these big bass are hitting on during any particular day’s fishing. The ledges and drop offs that you are fishing provide enough cov-
er for bass to hide in the shadows and ambush prey. : Do you look for surface action from baitfish on these flats, close to dropoffs, as you cover an area with your side-imaging sonar unit? : Most good fishermen watch their surroundings and what is going on around them on the surface of the water, when it is calm enough to do so, but on these dog days of summer, I watch my sonar and side image for suspending fish and bait fish on or near the drops. : Tell our readers how important your sonar and side imaging equipment is in finding Bass on a daily basis. : In my opinion, sonar is still the greatest
tool that a fisherman has on his boat. However, having a combination of sonar, GPS and a side imaging unit allows you to not only find and locate schools of bass, but also will help you to be able to return to these spots that hold schools of big bass again and again. : Let’s talk about lure selection of colors and sizes, which help consistently catch big, summertime bass. : My favorite summer lure is a Strike King ¾ oz. football head jig, with a Strike King Rage Craw trailer. I also like to throw a jigging spoon, or XD five or six crank bait by Strike King, depending on how deep the bass are schooling. The reason that I really like a jig is because I
continued on next page
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Pictured is professional bass fisherman, Kenny Louden, with a summertime Kentucky Lake largemouth bass. Photo courtesy of Garry Mason.
can fish it in so many ways at various different depths. Large, swim baits also work during this time of the year, as they mimic the baitfish that bass feed on during summer months. : If you had one piece of advice for a young angler, who wants to catch summer time bass, what would it be? 32
: Learn to read and use your electronics to the best of your ability. The technology that is available today, is far greater than anything we have ever had in the past and learning to use it can be tedious, however it can be very rewarding not only to a young angler but to anyone willing to learn. Catching fish is the
easy part. Being able to locate bass is the hard part, and those who have taken the time to learn about bass and their habitat are the ones most likely to succeed. Editor’s Note: Kenny Louden is from Springville, Tennessee and has fished Kentucky Lake most of his life. He is a professional guide, tournament fisherman and the As-
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
sistant Bass Fishing Coach at Bethel University, in McKenzie, Tennessee. Kenny is also a Baptist minister at McCrea’s Chapel in Big Sandy, Tennessee. For further information call: Kenny Louden Guide Service at 731-697-3563.
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Pictured is Mr. Mackey battling a slab crappie, using his jigging technique, which he taught to an amazed Walter Wilkerson. Photo courtesy of Walter Wilkerson.
When I was a just young boy, my dad would take me fishing with him. We would go to Reelfoot Lake and we would always come home with our cooler full of small crappie. But, I was so young that I can’t remember if we used minnows, crickets or jigs. When I was about eleven years old, my dad introduced me to deer hunting. I fell head over hills in love with whitetail hunting. I threw that fishing pole down and I 34
no longer wanted to squirrel or rabbit hunt. I just wanted to deer hunt, every chance I could. But, my passion for chasing whitetail deer can be saved for another article down the road. If you know me, you know that I run my taxidermy business out of my house and if I don’t take a little time to get away occasionally, I will be in the shop working – 24/7. Everyone needs a short break from work to get away. Our family choice for a get-
away is Reelfoot Lake, where we have a spot for our camper all year. Our thinking was that it will be perfect, as I will get back into fishing. Everyone knows the popular fishing method for crappie is to troll with “spider rigs” on this lake. So, I went and got all the equipment for trolling including long graphite poles, pole racks, crappie rigs and of course … minnows.. I was ready and my thinking was that if you use more
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
hooks, you would catch more fish. How hard could this be? Man, was I in for a rude awaking. Over the past few years, I have learned a little bit about it, at least enough to eat a good mess of crappie once in a while. My main problem was fighting the wind. I would call my buddies and ask if the winds were blowing on the lake and they would say, ‘’No, it’s smooth as glass out here.’’ It got to the point where
I would tell them, “Well, I can change that. Because I think Mother Nature saves up that wind to start blowing as soon as I begin to launch my boat.” The weekend of the Wounded Warriors {disabled American veterans} tournament, I was at the Lake and ...you guessed it – winds were gusting at 15 to 25 mile an hour. All I could do was just stand on the bank watching the waves white cap. There is an older couple that have a camper in the same campground as we do, by the name of Pat and R.M. Mackey. They have been staying at this camp for 20 years. Mrs. Pat is like the camp greeter, she makes everyone feel welcome and Mr. Mackey is very knowledgeable about fishing Reelfoot Lake. That morning I watched Mr. Mackey leave out about 9:00 am and slowly made his way across the lake to the north shore. I was still watching the waves at 1:00 pm and I see him pulling in the boat dock. I walked out to talk to him and asked “Was it too rough to fish today?” He shook his head and said, “No son, I got my limit.” When he said that, it took me by such surprise that I almost fell into the lake! Then he asked, “You want me to take you out, so you can get your limit too?” I quickly replied, “Yes sir.” He told me, “Just let me go get a bite of lunch and we will go.” After lunch, we headed back out across the lake and Mr. Mackey introduced me to Jig Fishing 101. All you need is a 1/16th oz. jig head,
favorite color jig skirt, some crappie nibbles {artificial attractant} and a 10 foot jig pole. I caught two dozen crappie in two hours. Boy, I was hooked after that day. Remember earlier in this article when I told you about how my dad introduced me to deer hunting and that’s all I wanted to do? Well, the same thing has happened with Mr. Mackey and jig fishing. Now, I know the true meaning of that Brad Paisley song..... I’m Gonna Miss H e r . I c a n ’t get enough of jig fishing for crappie. I even dream about it. I can’t wait to get back out there, and put my 10 foot jig Veteran Reelfoot Lake fisherman Mr. Mackey {left} and Walter Wilkerson display their double limit catch of crappie caught by jigging during high winds. pole with a foot Photo courtesy of Walter Wilkerson. of line hanging buy minnows and try to keep some structure in deeper wafrom the tip. When they bite you think them alive. You can fish even ter. Give it a try, it just might that crappie is going to pull when it is too windy to troll. change your way of fishing. I want to thank Mr. Mackey that pole out of your hands. All you have to do is find a good spot, out of the wind. for taking the time to show That’s when you almost jerk Get your jig pole and your fame a new way to enjoy the there lips off, when you set the hook, then you throw vorite jig head and skirt, and great outdoors, and passing put a crappie nibble on the along to me his way of fishthem in the cooler This is an awesome way to hook. Mr. Mackey said you ing. It’s what I believe in too. fish. The best part of jig fish- can enjoy this type of fish- Walt ‘’Keeping the Tradiing is that you don’t have to ing year round by just finding tion Alive’’ Wilkerson JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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Our usual humor columnist, Gil Lackey, sent me this story his buddy wrote that ought to get all of you “quacker smackers” primed for the next duck season. His name is Blake Davenport, and his story is true, believe it or not! The much anticipated, first day of Tennessee’s early Wood Duck season opened statewide on September 17th. The first part of the season came and went with a lot of missed opportunities. Up until the third day, I had only bagged one hen Wood Duck. However, the season was to have an unusual outcome, which only the lucky will ever witness. On the evening of the third day, I felt an incredible urge to miss work the following day and chase ducks. Upon consulting with my boss, he agreed to let me off work, since yesterday was my 10year anniversary with the company. That night, I spent time rigging new Wood Duck decoys and gathering gear for the next morning’s hunt. I’m not sure what happened, but I hadn’t missed the alarm clock’s ring on a duck hunt morning in 15 years. However, on Tuesday morning, I awoke with the sun in my face and the alarm clock showing 8:03 a.m. I had overslept. During the course of the day, I was depressed that I 36
had missed the opportunity to shoot [at] some Wood Ducks, because I had overslept. I am a firm believer that all things happen for a reason. I had taken the day off and had nothing to show for it. I checked the weather throughout the day for wind change and other pertinent information. I was taking all reasonable measures to make up for the loss. That afternoon, I finally loaded the boat and truck with all my gear for the hunt. After an hour long drive, I arrived at my secret “Woodie” hot spot. It was 5:00 pm and I had two hours to hunt until sunset. I started to unload the boat, and in the process, I heard a growling sound behind me. To my surprise, there were three full-sized Rottweilers staring me down. My first thought was, “Where’s my gun?” From out of nowhere came two big guys with nothing on but shorts and flip flops. The larger of the two responded, “They won’t bite. They’re very friendly.” Keep in mind that I was hunting in the backwoods of Tennessee, with many of God’s true rednecks living in the area. They had come down to the river for a little afternoon R&R, in hopes of catching a fish, but these guys were more concerned about how much beer they
had left in the cooler. It was obvious they were not serious about their fishing. Needless to say, they came over to make conversation and by this time, I had three big Rottweilers licking me almost to death. My heart finally started beating again, once I knew the dogs were friendly. After about 15 minutes of talking to the locals and imagining I was hearing banjo music in the background, I finally got off the bank and headed downriver in my boat. Upon reaching my location, I quickly studied the area for the best cover and set out Wood Duck decoys in front of some standing cattails. This provided just enough cover for one man. I hid the boat in a small creek, behind the cattails, and found a dry spot to stand on. I was in pretty good shape until I looked down and noticed my Wood Duck calls were not around
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
my neck. I quickly went to my blind bag and searched frantically for the calls. No luck. I had left them in the truck. By now, I had been there about ten minutes and was hoping that a couple of ducks would find their way to my small spread of decoys. I was thinking to myself that my day had been completely wasted. I overslept, was almost attacked by three monstrous dogs, had an interesting visit with the locals, and now I did not have my beloved Woodie call. About the time I got that thought out of my head, I looked up to the left and three Wood Ducks were pitching into the decoys. I quickly raised my Benelli Super Black Eagle and squeezed off two shots. There was a splash as two Wood Ducks folded in the
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decoys. The third flew off into the sunset. By now, the time was 5:40 p.m. I could not believe that I had spent all that time to prepare for a 10 minute hunt. I got the boat out of the creek behind me and started to pick up decoys. I grabbed the first couple of them. That’s when I reached the first Wood Duck I shot. It was belly up, and to my surprise, it was banded. I quickly pulled out my cell phone and called my friend, Weavo. I was so shocked that I could barely get the words out of my mouth when he answered. I said, “Weavo, I just shot a banded Woodie.” By then, I was at a complete sprint, in knee deep water, to retrieve the other duck. It was face down. I picked it up, and to my surprise again, it was also banded. I yelled into the phone, “Weavo, both ducks are banded!” He said, “Much deserved, my friend. Congratulations to you.” I hung up the phone and started to load the rest of the decoys. On my boating trip back to the truck, I called every duck hunter I knew. I reached the truck and realized that tomorrow was the last day of the five day season. I quickly started feeling ill and immediately called in sick at work for the next
morning. This time, I stayed up all night, mainly because I could not sleep after harvesting a double with both ducks banded. I stayed up also, because I was not about to oversleep on the last day of the season. At 4:00 a.m., I headed out the door with all my gear in the truck. I drove once again to the sacred location. I unloaded the boat and headed up river for another hunt. I was set up and ready to hunt at 5:55 a.m. Shooting time starts at 6:02 a.m. I sat in silence until 6:15 a.m. and finally, one Wood Duck bombed into the decoy spread, from the left.
I fired twice and finally got him. It was a drake in full color, however there was no band on this bird. Over the course of the next hour, I missed several shots at passing Wood Ducks. I was just about to call it quits, when I saw a lone Woodie headed in my direction. I called to it, and she passed right over the top of me. I shot and missed. My second shot found me on my back in the mud. My feet got tangled up in the cattails, and down I went. Right as I got back up, the hen turned and came back over me, offering a third shot. This one was fatal. I got the boat out and fetched the bird. Once
I got there, she was belly down. To my surprise again, she was banded. I had now harvested four ducks in the last fourteen hours, three of which were banded. From now on, I will forever hunt this spot in search of another piece of duck jewelry. I can’t count the number of ducks I have harvested over the years, and I have been fortunate enough to get a few bands along the way. Never have I taken a double when both birds were banded. I’ve also never returned the following day to harvest another banded bird. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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Charles Jackson caught this nice bass on April 5th, 2012 on the Tennessee River. Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy
David O`Rourke {on right} from Illinois, won big fish in the 2012 Bream Bash on June 2nd, at Reelfoot Lake. Congratulations Dave. Photo courtesy of Wilkerson’s Taxidermy
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Tara Sharp’s husband, Richard, is pictured outside of Lankford’s Taxidermy with the huge black crappie with this huge black crappie his wife caught on April 12th, 2012 that weighed in at a whopping 3 lbs. 12 oz. and measured 18” long. Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy
John Austin Trevathan {eight years old} harvested this awesome gobbler, while hunting with his dad Kenny Trevathan, in Carroll County, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
Autry Sartin called in and harvested this fine gobbler, on March 31st, 2012 while hunting with his dad, Steve in Dyer County, Tennessee. Photo by Steve Sartin
Connor Hester of Finley, Tennessee killed his first turkey this past season, in Dyer County. He was guided by Andrew Regen. His gobbler weighed in at 20 pounds and had a 12 inch beard. He was so excited!! Photo submitted by Amy R. Hester
Drake Pate {twelve years old} harvested this nice longbeard, while hunting with his dad, Joel Pate in Carroll County, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy
JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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West Tennessee Outdoors Magazine
March/April 2009
Page 27
OUTDOOR TRUTHS
WITH GARY MILLER
Sometimes, circumstances for athe change plans. That was situation The bass fishingthe tournaments have beencall taking baseballinwith a fingernail file inthe order to throw Iplace wasforina afew few days ago. I had taken an extended turkey hunting trip in Kentucky, weeks now. Those who love this his knuckleball. I digress. with a friend who this hunt. really looking forwardbass to kind of competition are would glad the be coldfilming days of winThe We truthwere is, when it comes to tournament meeting a few thatversion were known be on this ter are about gone.of It’sthe an gobblers outdoorsmen’s fishing,tointegrity is notfarm. assumed. It is tested. It I was expecting to find these toms ready to respond during this late season, of March Madness. Each Saturday is another tour- doesn’t matter if you are a Supreme Court judge, but what I was not really expecting was the cold and rain. One day we even were nament where only one team will take home the or the Pope. If you win, you will stand before an plagued number onewith spot sleet. and the most cash. independent individual and give a truthful account Needless to say, it pretty much shut down thefish vocal posturing these One of the things that I’ve never got comfort- of each that you caught. that This test willtoms have make each morning. We were forced to change our plans, as to how we might get able with is the idea of “practice” when it comes no respect for one’s creed, color, or credentials, a shot at aIt bird. to fishing. seems to me you’re either fishing and the results will be final. Even though the wind our ability to heara aday gobble, we could or not. Now I understand thatseverely when youhindered pracThere’s also coming when another test use it to hide our movement, as we went from area to area looking for a feeding tice for a fishing tournament, you are releasing will be given. The results will have a far greater flock. not be get the gobblersthan to come we would the fish The whereplan you now catch would them instead of to bringimplication money.to It us, will but determine one’s go to them. ing them into the weigh-in area. The idea is that eternity. threetournament days we climbed, andwill chased birdsGod over hill theyDuring will be those there during time when crawled, The Judge be nonethose other than himself, andcome valley. WeSometimes slipped and between pitHis after trying get in you back. they slid are and some- one andmud He and test another, will be fair. It willtocomprise position fornot. a shot. And after a few tries, itoffinally paid off. what did you do with my times they’re only one question; we look at our circumstances and then that our InMany the earlytimes days, some fishermen made sure that Son Jesus, who isquickly the Christ.conclude All of our works will prospects for success are no longer viable. We are all programmed to see all of our the fish were there when they came back. Let’s call mean nothing unless they were done as a result of difficulties mountains thatofmake or unlikely. We then tend this the steroidasera. In fact, some those our samegoals our impossible, relationship with Him. to automatically thinkbass thatwith anylead problem that is this keeping us from our fishermen loaded up those sinkers is something The great thing about test is that God wants purpose, soweigh it must be Itbad. thinking from God.All we must do is confess that to make them more. was This all done before isallnot of us to pass. of all,liewe need test to remember that God’s forJesus, us isbelieve in whothatweHeare to theFirst mandatory detector that each winner we arepurpose lost without is the become, andbefore not what wehisare doing. His interest in us in how in must now take getting money. Son of God thatisdied for ourwe sinsare andgrowing receive Him who wemake are, me as achuckle humanwhen andI as a Christian, merely tools that with He It does think of the intoand our troubles hearts andare lives. When we do that, usesfor to aaccomplish His will in our we our need to always remember need lie detector machine in this, and lives. only Secondly, a sincere heart, reward is not only a future that problems are used by God to test the faith that we have in Him. Know this, sport. Maybe we should make it mandatory home in heaven, but a fruitful life here and that now. there is nothing in this life that can hinder Him, except our disbelief. in baseball as well. We could go as far back as I’d love to hear from you if you have just prayed How do you view the winds that are blowing against you right now, and what Phil Neikro and ask him if he actually doctored that prayer. WTO about that mountain that has shown up suddenly? Do you see them as obstacles or opportunities? Do they cause you to doubt, or do they give you reason to look with excitement about how God will overcome even these. For those who trust in God, mountains are just places that give us a better view of His plan and the winds are His way of guiding us along a better path.
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
TURNING THE BIG 55!
AT LEAST I’LL GET A DISCOUNT AT McDONALDS AS THE WOODS AROUND ME AWAKENED, AN EPIPHANY CAME TO ME. ALTHOUGH I NEVER SAW IT COMING, SOON, FIFTY FIVE YEARS-OLD I’LL BE.
AS THE SUN PEEKED OVER THE HORIZON, LIKE A BLAZING BALL OF LIGHT, I STARED AT THE MASTER ARTIST’S PORTRAIT, REALIZING HIS GLORY AND MIGHT.
I SAW THAT ONLY GOD CAN MAKE AN OAK TREE, AND STARS IN THE SKY THAT SHINE, AND THE GORGEOUS SUNSET ON A LAKE, AS BABY DUCKLINGS FOLLOW THEIR MAMA IN LINE
I REALIZED THEN AND THERE , INSPIRED BY GOD’S AWESOMENESS AND SCOPE THAT WITH EACH NEW CREATURE’S BIRTH, THERE IS ALWAYS A RAY OF HOPE
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS |JUNE/JULY JUNE/JULY2012 2012| SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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TURNING THE BIG 55! AND AN AARP MEMBERSHIP TOO!
NATURE IS A WORLD, BASED ON SURVIVAL, THE GOAL IS TO LIVE ON AT ANY COST. AND SOMETIMES FOR ONE TO LIVE, ANOTHER’S LIFE IS LOST. I HAVE WITNESSED SO MUCH THAT I’M HUMBLED AS A MERE AND MORTAL MAN, WONDERING JUST HOW I EARNED THE HONOR TO OBSERVE GOD’S GREAT AND GENEROUS PLAN.
I’VE CAUGHT MY SHARE OF FISH, SORRY, BUT I’M NOT REALLY GOOD WITH TACT. AND I’VE KILLED MY SHARE OF SMALL AND BIG GAME. I’M NOT BRAGGING, JUST STATING A FACT. I DID MY BEST TO HIT MY TARGET HUMANELY TAKING EVERY ANIMAL I HUNTED, AND WHEN I MISSED, I MENTALLY BEAT MYSELF UP, IT WAS LIKE IT WAS FOURTH DOWN AND LONG... SHOULD HAVE PUNTED.
I TREASURE ALL MY OUTDOOR FRIENDS, LIKE A HUNGRY MAN EATING A STEAK YOU SEE, THE OUTDOORS BUILDS SUCH A STRONG BOND OF FRIENDSHIP, WHETHER IN THE WOODS OR ON A LAKE.
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | APRIL/MAY JUNE/JULY 2012
TURNING THE BIG 55! AND I’M FEELING IT TOO!
I HAVE HAD DOGS THAT LIVED JUST FOR THE HUNT, THEY WERE COMPANIONS AND EACH WAS MY FRIEND,. AND I HAVE EVEN HAD DOGS THAT COULDN’T HIT A LICK, BUT WOULD DEFEND ME TO THE END.
I REALIZED AT MY MOMENT OF MEDITATION, AS AN AMERICAN I SHOULD BE PROUD, AND PASS ON THE GREAT OUTDOOR HERITAGE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OUT LOUD. THEN LIKE A LEFT HOOK IT HIT ME, LIKE A PUNCH RIGHT BETWEEN MY EYES, I WILL SOON BE TURNING FIFTY FIVE MY, OH MY, HOW TIME SURE FLIES!
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Dyersburg
Kiwanis
Foundation
Help us KnocK em’ DeaD
Duck Blast
for our community!
THE 2ND ANNUAL DYERSBURG KIWANIS DUCK BLAST OFFERS THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME FOR QUACKER SMACKERS! Just imagine yourself, sitting in one of the top-producing, privately owned duckblinds in the region. Just you and your three closest “duck destroying” hunting buddies. It is ten minutes before legal shooting time. The inky black of night, is morphing into the orange, yellows and blues of sunrise. The whirring of wings is heard, as flock after flock of mallards and suzeys circle above your deluxe blind. Your dog whines anxiously as he hears the splashes of ducks landing, mixed in with their quacks and feeding chatter. Finally, shooting time arrives. The guns are loaded. You lab’s eyes are focused on a group of two dozen greenheads, with wings locked and feet dropped, as they attempt to land in the decoy spread. A voice yells, “Kill them ducks!” Ten shots are fired, from the four guns, aimed by you and your three lifetime hunting companions. Nine ducks hit the water ... dead, and your dog leaps out of the blind and begins to retrieve the first of your parties limit of ducks. This dream hunt can happen for you and your friends, at a price below what you would normally pay for a guided hunt ... anywhere! Throw in a delicious dinner plate ticket, for each hunter, at a banquet and auction the night before Unbelievable as it may seem, the 44
the blind, will each win a brandspanking-new Benelli shotgun! You can’t beat this deal, so you better hurry up and get your team signed on now! The dinner and auction, will be held Thursday - December 13th, at the Lannom Center, in Dyersburg. The hunt will be held the following day, on Friday - December 14th. You need to register early, as there will be a minimum number of teams allowed. For more information, registration, or sign-up forms, contact: Tommy Allmon at 731-288-3581 or Megan Madden at 731-2887375. Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine is just one of many proud sponsors of the event, and you can bet your bottom dollar that my team will be there. For a listing of all the sponsors, or to get more information, see the full page ad in this issue of STO Magazine Remember folks, the money raised from this event goes for our kids and their education. After all, if I said it once, I have there. These 4-man group teams, will said it a thousand times ... Our be participating on a first-come, kids truly are our most precious natural resource. They are our fufirst-serve basis. The donated blind sites will be ture. See you there! randomly drawn for each team. - Rob Somerville. I know, I sound like an infomercial, but wait ... the winning team and the landowner that donated price of all this is a mere $150.00 per gun {$600.00 per group of 4 hunters}. This opportunity is called the Dyersburg Kiwanis Duck Blast and it is being put together by The Dyersburg Kiwanis Foundation, to raise some much-needed funds for the McIver’s Grant Public Library in Dyersburg, Tennessee. The profits will be used to implement a Kiwanis Kid’s Corner
SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
A FUN-FILLED WEEKEND OF SLIPPIN & SLIDIN AT BIKINI BOTTOMS OFF ROAD PARK IN DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE!
WWW.BIKINIBOTTOMSOFFROADPARK.COM JUNE/JULY 2012 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012
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WITH RATES SO LOW NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOUR PERFECT DREAM HOME! ASK ME HOW! 48
Apply on line firstcitizens-bank.com Tammy Ladd SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JUNE/JULY 2012800-321-3176 731-287-4362