Southern Traditions Outdoors | March-April 2014

Complimentary Copy

March - April 2014

ITION
BONUS ED GES
PA
8 EXTRA

COLOSSAL
CATS OF
WHEELER
LAKE

DUCK SEASON RESULTS
STUMPED ON CRAPPIE
TURKEY HUNTING – A FAMILY TRADITION
SO… GOD MADE A FARMER

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SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | MARCH-APRIL 2014

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MARCH-APRIL 2014 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

From the Desk of the Editor

PG................... ARTICLE........................................................... AUTHOR
6...........................Colossal Cats of Wheeler Lake.......................................... Jason Aycock
12..........................Down South Coonin’........................................................... Shawn Todd
16..........................Hot Products....................................................................... STO
18..........................So... God Made a Farmer................................................... Rob Somerville
26..........................Business Spotlight.............................................................. STO
28..........................Duck Season Recap........................................................... Steve McCadams
32..........................TWRA News....................................................................... STO
36..........................Year Three Retriever Training............................................ H. Joe King Jr.
40..........................Stumped on Crappie.......................................................... Steve McAdams
48..........................Turkey Hunting Family Style............................................... Garry Mason
51..........................Kid’s Korner........................................................................ STO
52..........................Trophy Room...................................................................... STO

Spring is just around the corner and I would be willing to bet that most of our readers are getting their boats
and tackle ready for fishing, and their turkey hunting gear together to go after some longbeards.
I am, by no means, what I would consider an expert turkey hunter. I have killed a couple dozen gobblers in
my day, but I always eagerly listen when the experts in this field are talking “turkey”.
Today, I would like to give you five of my most memorable, and many times overlooked by many, turkey
tips for success as learned from the pros.
Good luck getting that gobbler!
See ya,

-Rob Somerville
TURKEY TIPS TO TAKE TOMS

1.

Safety: You cannot experience a successful turkey hunt if you
don’t come home safely. Snake boots can protect your lower extremities from venomous snake bites. A good mosquito and tick
repellant can keep you safe from pain and aggravation, as well as
from Lyme disease. Let someone know where you will be hunting
and keep a compass and cell phone with you at all times, in case
of emergency. Bring a hunter’s orange vest to wear, when entering or exiting the woods, so an overly avid hunter doesn’t take an
errant shot at you.

2.

Scout Before You Hunt: Find an “out of the way” location, to set
up with binoculars, where you can view a large area of field on
your turkey hunting ground. Take note where the birds enter and
exit the field, as well as the path they generally take. Look for a
likely spot along the way {such as a point of woods in a field} and
set up there to ambush your bird.

3.

Do What Your Mom Always Told You to Do When You Were Little: Be quiet! Most turkey hunting pros will tell you that 90% of
novice hunters call too loud and too frequently. Once you elicit a
gobble to your calling, don’t call again, unless you hear another
gobble from the same direction and it has moved away. Then, you
can call more aggressively.

4.

Use a Different Strategy: Most turkey hunters like to hit the
woods before daylight and locate a bird on roost by making a tom
gobble with a locator call, such as an owl hoot. I have had even
more success hunting between the hours of 10:00 am to just before dark. This is true for two reasons. First of all, there are less
hunters – thus less pressure on the birds – at this time than in
the morning. Secondly, all turkeys gobble on the roost, but when
they get “henned up” shortly afterwards, they shut up. When you
get a tom to gobble after noon, this “lunchbox” gobbler is usually
alone and will be more apt to come to strut right into your lap.

5.

Do Something Different: Mix up your routine. Try a hen and a jake
decoy, with the jake positioned behind the hen in the mounting
position. If decoys spook a gobbler away, try calling without any
decoys. On public ground, go earlier and deeper into the woods
than other hunters. They may just push them to you. Try different
types of calls in different cadences. Use a store bought blind, or
one made out of natural brush, to help conceal you.

ITION
BONUS ED GES
PA
8 EXTRA

On the Cover
Pictured here is Jason Aycock and his son - Carson Aycock with a 90 lb. blue catfish, caught on Wheeler Lake in Alabama on
December 26th, 2013. Photo courtesy of Jason Aycock

Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC
Owners - Eddie Anderson

Rob Somerville
Kevin Griffith

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Publisher - Eddie Anderson
Editor - Rob Somerville
Magazine Design - Kalli Lipke

Advertising Sales
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Partner
Distribution
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Field Staff Editors
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Walter Wilkerson
Terry Wilkerson
Steve McCadams
Kelley Powers
Shawn Todd

4

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Larry Self
John Sloan
Richard Simms
John Meacham
Buck Gardner

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Advertising Information:

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(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.



5

COLOSSAL CATS
of Wheeler Lake

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Pictured here is Jason Aycock with a 48 lb. blue cat and his son - Carson Aycock with a 52 lb. blue cat, both caught on Wheeler Lake
using B’n’M Silver Cat Magnum Rods on December 26th, 2013. - Photo courtesy of Jason Aycock

H ave you ever dreamed of that

fishing trip of a lifetime? That
dream became a reality for me
the day after Christmas. The best
part is that I got to share the experience with my 13 year-old son,
Carson and my late friend, Chris
Stephens.
I have always wanted to take
a trip to Wheeler Lake in Deca-

6

tur, Alabama, which I have always heard to be the home of
huge, monster catfish. This lake
is well managed by regulations
that the State of Alabama has put
into place. So I contacted Chris
Stephens and we planned a three
day trip, beginning the day after
Christmas.


Day One
The three of us got up early on
Thursday morning, hoping to get
in a good evening fishing trip. We
arrived in Decatur around noon
and didn’t waste any time. We
headed straight to the boat ramp,
put the boat in and motored 10
miles down the Tennessee River.

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continued on page 10


7

monster catfish. Getting instruction from Chris and me, he boated the 90 pound behemoth. The
smile on Carson’s face said it all.
My dream trip had come true and
it had only just begun. We ended
the first day of our trip with Carson also reeling in catfish weighing 52, 48, and 47 pounds.
Day Two
On the second day of our trip,
we decided to go a little
closer to Wheeler Dam,
so we anchored up on a
ledge, in about 32 feet
of water. The current
was not as strong here
as it was the day before, so we didn’t know what kind
of action was going to take place.
Once again it didn’t take long for
the B’n’M to bow in an arc. Carson raced to the rod and reeled in
the first fish of our second day,
which happened to be a 45 pound
blue cat. This was the start of another magnificent day on Wheeler Lake. It seemed that we were
catching this same fish over and
over. We ended up catching 12
fish and they were all 35 pounds
and up, with the 45 pounder being
the biggest of the day.
Chris Stevens and Carson Aycock are shown here holding a 45 lb. blue cat, caught on Wheeler Lake in Alabama, on December 27th, 2013. - Photo courtesy of Jason Aycock

With Chris’s 898 Hummingbird, we had located an underground pipeline, in about 25-30
feet of water. Behind this pipeline
sat a big logjam, which showed
some shadows of what we thought
were huge catfish, so we decided
to anchor. We got our B’n’M Silver Cat Magnum rods, armed with
Penn 320 and Quantum Control8

ler reels and spooled with Team
Catfish Tug-A-War braided line.
We lowered our freshly cut skipjack on an Eagle Claw 10/0 Circle
Hooks and it only took minutes
before one of the rods slammed
down.
Carson grabbed the rod and
powered through a 10 minute
battle with what we knew was a


The Final Day
On day number three we had
a little cloud cover, so we had decided to stick close to the ramp
where we had located some huge
fish on Chris’s Hummingbird. We
anchored up in 18 feet of water,
where fish were feeding on shad
at the mouth of a cove. We sat
there for 30 minutes before our
rod slammed down. Once again,

the Catfish Kid hurried to the rod
and reeled in a 65 pound blue.
What a way to end the trip of a
lifetime! We were very satisfied
and couldn’t wait to get back
home to tell all the “fish” stories
of this magnificent trip.
The Loss of a Legendary
Fisherman
Earlier in this article I mentioned that my good buddy, Chris
Stephens, had gone with us on our
trip. Two days after returning from
this amazing adventure, Chris
passed away unexpectedly, due to
a massive heart attack. Undoubtedly, God allowed us this trip
for a reason. My son and I were
extremely fortunate to be able to
share this experience with Chris.
He was a great fisherman, who
was on the Grizzly Jig Company’s
Prostaff team and fished in many
tournaments. If Chris wasn’t at
work, he could always be found in
his big F & F boat going down the
Mississippi River. I say in confidence that the catfishing community lost one of the best anchor
fishermen in the sport. This story
is dedicated to Chris Stephens, a
friend and fisherman, who will be
greatly missed.

Here is the author’s proud son - Carson Aycock with a huge 65 lb. blue cat, caught on
Wheeler Lake, using cut skipjack on the final day of their trip on December 28th, 2013
Photo courtesy of Jason Aycock

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We approached our dog and I located the coon in a fork at the top of the tree. - Photo by Rob Somerville

Down South Coonin’

H

By Shawn Todd

ello, to all you fine readers of STO Magazine. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and
New Year. As all you loyal readers know, I try to get kids in the
woods as much as possible, but on
this issue’s trip I took five Chicago newbies. All five of these fine
young men were in there twenties. They were by no means new
to the hunting world, just new to
coon hunting.
Last year, four of the five
fine young men came for a duck
hunting trip and then, bless their
hearts, they met me at a local watering hole. Needless to say, we
12

became fast friends and the rest
is history. As I stated, these five
men are from the city of Chicago
and needless to say, they come to
get away from all the hustle and
bustle of the “Windy City”. Last
year the four that were here were
Kevin Randolph, Mike Randolph,
Bill (Cheezers) Callaghan and
Dan (Dr. Slaughter) Harris. As we
were talking, I asked if they had
ever been coonin and they said
they had not, so I talked them into
going and they loved it.
Fast forward a year later
and I get a call from Cheezer and
Kevin they say they are coming.


They wanted to duck hunt and
do some coonin as well, and they
were bringing another friend Eric
(Rookie) Jillison. Unknown to me
at the time, Rookie had never been
hunting or even shot a gun. Hence
the name … Rookie. I made some
telephone calls and got them a
duck hunt for the weekend after Christmas. They arrived that
Thursday and the adventure began.
I also made a telephone
call to my hunting buddies Terry
Elkins and Jacob Headley, who
went with this group last year and
they said they were all in. Terry

made a few calls and found us
some ground for coonin’ that had
not been hunted this year. He got
the okay from the landowner and
we were set. After some good
southern hospitality and dinner at
my café, we met Terry and Jacob
and headed out. It was around
7:00 p.m. and it was cold with
a calm wind; a great night to go
coonin. We got out of the vehicles and the five rookies {who
were as giddy as a girl on prom
night} and the three veterans
were ready for the hunt. A quarter of mile walk later we released
the hounds and after about ten
minutes, Heidi strikes and trees.
Everyone went to the tree, but
alas, no coon. We released the
hounds again and she strikes once
more. Heidi works an old cold
track down the stream and back
and after about
twenty minutes she gives
us a big dying
locate bawl
and immediately starts
chopping. The
rookies got
excited and
were ready
to run to the
tree, but the
veterans said,
“Let’s just
walk instead
of run.” After
a few minutes
we arrived at
the tree and
this is really
where the hijinks begin.

We approached our dog and
I located the coon in a fork at the
top of the tree. Terry, Jacob and
Dr. Slaughter went to the base of
the tree to handle the dogs, while
Rookie, Kevin and Mike took the
gun and went to the most strategic
spot to shoot the coon out. Cheezer
and I sat out in the field waiting
for the action to begin, when all of
a sudden Kevin hollers, “How do
you load this thing?”
I looked at Cheezer and said,
“Have you got the magazine for
the gun?” He did not and so we
start asking who had the ammo?
To make a long story short we left
the ammo magazine in the truck.
As all you hunters know, you can
load an automatic .22 caliber rifle,
one shell at a time, but it’s just a
little difficult {especially in the
continued on next page

Heidi works an old cold track down the
stream and back and after about twenty
minutes she gives us a big, dying locate
bawl and immediately starts chopping.
- Photo by Rob Somerville


13

Pictured are {Front row: Jacob Headley, Kevin Randolph, Bill Callaghan and Dan Harris.
Back row: Eric Jillison, Shawn Todd, Mike Randolph …. and the author’s dog, Heidi}. Photo by Shawn Todd

dark!}. The Rookie, Kevin and
Mike attempted to start loading
the gun, one shot at a time. Needless to say, it took them 10 minutes to load. Rookie takes the first
shot. “Thump” he hits the coon!
Remember, this is the first time he
ever shot at a coon. They were all
excited and they start to load the
gun again. After much fumbling
and about another ten minutes later, Kevin takes the gun and “pow”

he misses. After the second shot
the coon is walking up and down
the tree. Cheezer and I are yelling, “Shoot him, shoot him” and
they yell back, “We are trying.” I
looked at Cheezer and said, “We
have two financial consultants
(Rookie and Mike) and an Army
Ranger in Kevin and they cannot
even shoot a coon, but could probably bankrupt and invade a small
country.” Cheezer started laugh-

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ing. Then it got worse. The coon
goes in a hole at the base of the
tree (about ten foot up) and we
can’t see it any more. This gets
the rookies fired up even more.
They shoot into the hole and
Kevin commences to climb on
Dr. Slaughters back. He reaches
in and grabs the coon and throws
it on the ground. After the kill the
celebration began. These newbies
were like kids in a candy factory,
excited and thrilled to death for
the success of the hunt. You had to
be there to really enjoy the fiasco
and the utmost silliness of it all.
This article shows that when
you hunt, you never know what is
going to happen. It also shows that
if people would sometimes get off
their high horse and not forget
where they came from, and try not
to act better than or look down on
others; they may just have a better life and meet some fine people
like I have and do every day in
life. Remember you cannot judge
a book by its cover. I did not and
now I have some great friends for
life. Until next time see you at the
tree.

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To see this mower, or any other of their fine line of Kubota products, visits our friends at First Choice Farm & Lawn. They have
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16


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17

T

So...
God
Made a
Farmer
By Rob Somerville

he name of our publication is
Southern Traditions Outdoors
and what better occupation is less
appreciated and yet most typifies
this title … then the American
farmer?
As outdoorsmen, I ask each of
you to think about the importance
that farmers have on the outdoor
lifestyle that we hold so dear.
Chances are that any of you who
hunt for small or big game have
done so, at one time or another, on
a farmer’s land. Whether it was
for quail and rabbit in their fencerows, deer, squirrel and raccoon
in their woods, or turkey and dove
in their fields, we all have taken
advantage of a famer’s kindness
and property in our outdoor excursions.
The TWRA has made tremendous strides in the repopulation of

wildlife and in the acquisition of
land in our home state, for both reserves, and public access hunting
and fishing. But, if all the people
who hunt and fish were concentrated on these lands … safety and
space, as well as quality fish and
game would become issues.
That is why farmers are so integral to the wildlife and habitat we
so enjoy. The land that our farmers work supplies necessary food,
shelter and water for our wildlife
to survive and thrive. Their farming techniques conserve soil and
replenish the necessary minerals that are so integral to nature’s
animals in their survival. Their
fencerows and woods provide oak
trees with acorns, persimmon and
beech nuts, as well as honeysuckle. Their fields offer up a wildlife
buffet of corn, milo, soybeans

and clover, as well as the muchneeded browsing areas for deer
and turkey to socialize on. Their
fencerows and woods provide hiding and bedding areas, for wildlife
moms to raise their young, hidden
safely from natural predators.
Hunting on a private farm makes
me feel a lot safer than hunting
on public land, because I usually
know any hunter that may be on
the property, as well as where they
are, at any given time.
I have caught my biggest bass
and catfish on private farm ponds
and these angling honeyholes
seem to have had little to no fishing pressure.
Many farmers lease their land out
to duck hunters, creating flooded
fields after crop harvest, which
offer up private and no-pressure

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19

Whitetail deer are only one species of game that survive and thrive in our region due to the food, water and shelter provided by
farmers. - STO file photo

duck hunting. Others lease their
So God Made a Farmer
property for deer and turkey hunt- And on the 8th day, God looked
ing, or their lakes and ponds for down on his planned paradise and
fishing. Many lucky sportsmen,
said, “I need a caretaker.”
such as myself, have been given
So God made a farmer.
free permission to hunt and fish
on private farm land. This is inGod said, “I need somebody
deed a privilege that should be apwilling to get up before dawn,
preciated and respected.
milk cows, work all day in the
I want to dedicate this article fields, milk cows again, eat supto the American farmer and what per and then go to town and stay
better way to do just this then to past midnight at a meeting of the
print the following words.
school board.” So God made a
Here’s the text of Paul Harvey’s
farmer.
1978 ‘So God Made a Farmer’
Speech, which inspired the Ram
“I need somebody with arms
Trucks Super Bowl ad that has
strong enough to rustle a calf
resonated with so many Ameri- and yet gentle enough to deliver
cans:
his own grandchild. Somebody
to call hogs, tame cantankerous
20


machinery, come home hungry,
have to wait lunch until his wife’s
done feeding visiting ladies and
tell the ladies to be sure and come
back real soon -- and mean it.”
God said, “I need somebody
willing to sit up all night with
a newborn colt. And watch it
die. Then dry his eyes and say,
‘Maybe next year.’ I need somebody who can shape an ax handle
from a persimmon sprout, shoe a
horse with a hunk of car tire, who
can make harness out of haywire,
feed sacks and shoe scraps. And
who, planting time and harvest
season, will finish his forty-hour
week by Tuesday noon, then,

Flooded fields on farms provide waterfowl hunters with abundant and private waterfowl hunting. - STO file photo

pain’n from ‘tractor back,’ put in
another seventy-two hours.”
God had to have somebody
willing to ride the ruts at double
speed to get the hay in ahead of
the rain clouds and yet stop in
mid-field and race to help when
he sees the first smoke from a
neighbor’s place. So God made a
farmer.
God said, “I need somebody
strong enough to clear trees and
heave bails, yet gentle enough
to tame lambs and wean pigs
and tend the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower
for an hour to splint the broken
leg of a meadow lark. It had to

be somebody who’d plow deep
and straight and not cut corners.
Somebody to seed, weed, feed,
breed and rake and disc and plow
and plant and tie the fleece and
strain the milk and replenish
the self-feeder and finish a hard
week’s work with a five-mile
drive to church.

with smiling eyes, when his son
says he wants to spend his life
‘doing what dad does.’”
On behalf of outdoorsmen
everywhere, who have reaped
the harvest of the hard working
farmers across this great country,

“Somebody
who’d bale a
family together with
the soft strong
bonds of
sharing, who
would laugh
and then sigh,
and then reply,

21

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22

2.2 million farms dot America’s rural
landscape. About 97 percent of U.S. farms
are operated by families – individuals,
family partnerships or family corporations.
Farm and ranch families comprise just 2
percent of the U.S. population.
More than 21 million American workers
(15 percent of the total U.S. workforce)
produce, process and sell the nation’s
food and fiber.
Today’s farmers produce 262 percent
more food with 2 percent fewer inputs
(labor, seeds, feed, fertilizer, etc.),
compared with 1950.
In 2010, $115 billion worth of American
agricultural products were exported
around the world. The United States sells
more food and fiber to world markets than
we import, creating a positive agricultural
trade balance.
One in three U.S. farm acres is planted
for export.
31 percent of U.S. gross farm income
comes directly from exports.
About 23 percent of raw U.S. farm
products are exported each year.
Farmers and ranchers receive only 16
cents out of every dollar spent on food at
home and away from home. The rest goes
for costs beyond the farm gate: wages
and materials for production, processing,
marketing, transportation and distribution.
In 1980, farmers and ranchers received
31 cents.
U.S. farm programs typically cost each
American just pennies per meal and
account for less than one-half of 1 percent
of the total U.S. budget.
Americans enjoy a food supply that
abundant, affordable overall and among
the world’s safest, thanks in large part to
the efficiency and productivity of America’s
farm and ranch families.


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Careful stewardship by farmers has
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erosion of cropland by wind and water
since 1982.
Conservation tillage, a way of farming that
reduces erosion (soil loss) on cropland
while using less energy, has grown from
17 percent of acreage in 1982 to 63
percent today. At the same time, total land
used for crops declined by 15 percent (70
million acres).
Farmers have enrolled a total of 31
million acres in the Conservation Reserve
Program to protect the environment
and provide habitat for wildlife. Since its
inception in 1985, the program has helped
reduce soil erosion by 622 million tons
and restored more than 2 million acres of
wetlands.
Farmers, ranchers and other landowners
have installed more than 2 million miles
of conservation buffers under farm bill
initiatives. Buffers improve soil, air and
water quality; enhance wildlife habitat;
and create scenic landscapes.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of trees
are planted on farmland.
More than half of America’s farmers
intentionally provide habitat for wildlife.
Deer, moose, fowl and other species have
shown significant population increases for
decades.
Through the farm bill, funding is provided
to farmers and ranchers for conservation,
for programs that prevent soil erosion,
preserve and restore wetlands, clean the
air and water, and enhance wildlife.
Crop rotation, the practice of growing
different crops in succession on the same
land, is another way farmers take care of
the land.
For contour farming, farmers plant crops
across the slope of the land to conserve
water and protect soil.

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Hunter Newbill’s first name describes him just right. He is a
dedicated outdoorsman, who is very involved with introducing
today’s youth, safely and ethically, into the outdoor lifestyle.
He is a perfect choice for sportsmen or farmers that are
shopping for a home, hunting land, farm acreage, or
recreational property.
Eddie Anderson - Co-owner STO Magazine

Hunter Newbill

Broker - GRI - CRS - ABR
2455 Lake Rd. - Suite 8 - Dyersburg, TN.
{Off.} 731-285-5505 {Cell} 731-445-9998
hunter@dyersburg.com
www.dyersburg.com

25

BIKINI BOTTOMS OFF ROAD & RECREATIONAL PARK
HOME OF THE HIGHEST & LONGEST ZIPLINE IN THE MID-SOUTH!

If you are from the South, it is almost sacreligous if you don’t like
camping, ATV’S, four wheel drive trucks ... and putting a little mud on
your tires. Throw in some big name musical guests putting on several
great concerts each year and the highest and longest zipline in the MidSouth and what better place could you find for fun, family and friends
than Bikini Bottoms Off-Road Park, just outside of Dyersburg, Tennessee.
Bob and Pam Williams have worked hard to make their park the ultimate
in outdoors adventure.
They will be open on weekends beginning March 1st and Bob told me
that they will have bigger and better concerts, races, mud pits, trails and
obstacles to climb than ever. I have gone to several of their events and
concerts and can assure you that it is very common to see a big smile on
everyones {sometimes mud-splattered} face, both young and old.
So come on out for an old fashioned redneck party. Bikini Bottoms is
located at 300 Burnt Mill Drive {halfway between Dyersburg, Tennessee
and Reelfootr Lake}. You can call them at 731-676-0402 or catch them on
the web at www.bikinibottomsoffroadpark.com.
I hope to see you there!
- Rob Somerville.

CLAYTON HOMES OF DYERSBURG
Whether you are thinking about purchasing a new or used permanent residence, a lake house or a hunting cabin, we highly recomend Clayton Homes
of Dyersburg, Tennessee.
What do you get when you walk in to Clayton Homes of Dyersburg? You
get a team of home consultants who have over sixty years of combined
experience. That means they can help you find whatever you are looking for,
from new homes to repos, and everything in between.
If they don’t have a home that fits your needs on the lot, they have over 400
available floor plans from more than seven world class home manufacturers.
They can find you any style or size of home from a simple single wide to a
spectacular multi-section home.
Most lot models are decorated for your viewing pleasure, too, so you won’t
even need to use your imagination to see how your family can fit into a new
home. So, what are you waiting for? They have your home – come and get it!
Clayton homes are well designed and constructed and are endorsed by Kay
and Phil Robertson and the Duck Commander team. There is even a Duck
Dynasty model for outdoor oriented families!
You can come by their spacious lot and see dozens of models, complete with
finished interiors today and be ... Happy, Happy Happy!
So go visit Justin Ford and his crew at Clayton Homes. They are located at 3895 Hwy 51 South in Dyersburg, Tennessee. You can reach them by phone at 731-285-0310 or check out their complete line of homes and interior floor
plans at www.claytonhomesofdyersburg.com.
- Rob Somerville

26


TISHOMINGO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL CAPITOL OF THE SOUTH!
There is no better location for outdoor loving families and sportsmen’s
outings than Tishomingo County, Mississippi. It is home for over 50,000 acres
of lakes and has plenty of marinas and beaches. There is also a wide selection
of fine restaurants, lodging and shopping. Tourist attractions include natural
waterfalls, covered bridges, Tishomingo State Park, J.P Coleman State Park
and The Old Courthouse Museum.
Tishomingo County has several professional and amateur bass tournaments held throughout the year, which always draw huge crowds. For the family visitors there are Relay for Life
runs, a Spring Disc Golf Tournament, their 36th Annual Ole Tyme Music Festival, a Native
American Indians Customs & Traditions show, Dennis Day Festival, National Trails Day
Less Litter - More Beauty Hike, Dulcimer Festival, Iuka Heritage Festival & Car and Tractor
Show, Battle of Iuka and Farmington Civil War Reenactments, Bear Creek Festival and Car
Show, Needle Chasers Quilt Show, Waterway Festival & Car Show, Trash & Treasures Along
the Tenn-Tom, St. Jude Bike Show & Ride, Tishomingo County Fair, 28th Annual Fall Fling
for the Young at Heart, Iuka Fly-In Vintage Aircrafts Demo and the Mid-America Old Time
Auto Association National Car Show.
Needless to say, the fishing for over a dozen species is phenomenal, but the landscape will
take your breath away as well. There is plenty to do ... for the entire family in Tishomingo
County, Mississippi.
I guarantee that you will have a great time, because the folks there are the definition of
Southern Hospitality.
- Rob Somerville.

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Tennessee Arms LLC also manufactures innovative bolt systems and receivers for AR-15 rifles that are coated, require no oiling, and are corrosion, gumming and powder build-up free!
Tennessee Arms LLC is located at 916 S. Main Ave. - in Dyersburg, Tennessee.
You can reach them by phone at 731-334-5106 or visit their website at www.tnarmsco.com.
- Rob Somerville


27

DUCK SEASON
RECAP

hunters had a rollercoaster ride
By Steve McAdams

Duck numbers were pretty good across West Tennessee this season, but were influenced by wet conditions that scattered the birds over
4 or 5 states at times. - Photo COURTESY OF TNWR

T

he Volunteer State’s duck
season is now in the books and for
most it was quite a roller coaster
ride of weather patterns. Tennessee’s 60-day straight season
kicked off Thanksgiving morning
when temps bottomed out at 15
degrees, an unusual start, as some
ice entered the picture for a lot of
blinds on opening morning.
Fast forward two months and it
was a frigid finish for most quacker smackers, who were also battling ice the last few days of season, when glacier like conditions

descended. The last week of January started out at 63 degrees and
by midweek the mercury dipped
down to a mere 5 degrees, after an
Alberta clipper blew in. Then, on
January 26th - the last day of the
season, conditions rebounded into
the low 50’s!
The overall season was pretty
good for some blinds across West
Tennessee, but there were times
when frozen backwaters had the
decoy spreads chilled in stiff positions. The last week of bitter cold
ended the season prematurely for

a few hunters, who surrendered to
the ice, while others were using
ice eaters and attempting to keep
potholes open.
In between several frigid fronts
were some rashes of warm, wet
weather that altered the waterfowl
scene across a five-state region.
Portions of west Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, west Kentucky, the
Bootheel of Missouri and southern Illinois all had abundant water
at times and that really scattered
ducks during December and early
January.

Duck season got off to a pretty good start for some hunters in
extreme western Tennessee and
around the Kentucky Lake area as
a lot of gadwalls, greenwing teal,
mallards, shovelers, pintails and
widgeon were early arrivals to the
area.
By mid-December areas around
Tigrett and White’s Lake in west
Tennessee, along with select areas
on Reelfoot Lake were still doing
pretty good; while other areas saw
hunting success diminish due to a
combination of warm weather and
backwater flooding. Warm, wet
weather is good for the ducks…
but tough on the hunters.
Several success stories came
in on a consistent basis for hunters scattered across the Hatchie,
Forked Deer, and Obion River
bottoms where flooded soybean
and corn fields appealed to ducks
at times, but too much water often
plagued popular wildlife management areas and private hunt clubs.
Preceding this year’s duck season was a very wet spring that
interfered with planting on most
of Tennessee Wildlife Resources
Agency’s wildlife management
areas. Popular public hunting
areas such as Kentucky Lake’s
Camden bottoms, Big Sandy, Gin
Creek and West Sandy did not get
planted and wintering ducks had
little to eat.
It was a similar scenario at
Gooch and Tigrett WMAs, as a
lack of winter waterfowl food had
ducks flocking elsewhere at times.
Some private hunting clubs and
leased farms did well, but most of
the heavy harvest areas were altercontinued on next page

28


PHONE (731)286-0853 • 1529 MORGAN RD., DYERSBURG

WILKERSON’S
TAXIDERMY
EVERY MOUNT IS A

TROPHY

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just anyone.
Trust a State, National & World Award
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Member T.T.A. & N.T.A.

Drake pintails are always a prized possession among the ranks of waterfowlers.
Here, the author displays a nice bull sprig taken on a clear cold morning when
things were going good. - Photo by Steve McCadams


29

ing their hunt hours and changed
to abbreviated schedules and alternate days that allowed ducks to
feed and rest.
It seems there are always a few
hunters doing well at various periods of the long season. However,
weather and water conditions can
change things overnight and that
happened this year as dramatic
temperatures changes escorted by
gale north winds really put ducks
in the air at times.
One day ducks were on the
move and hunting would be great,
only to have stagnant winds and a
warm-up in the aftermath that sent
lazy ducks to resting areas, where
they quickly grew complacent
and basked in the sun. It seems
the wind giveth and the wind taketh away, when it comes to duck
movement and behavior.

When was the best time to go
during the 60-day season? That’s
a popular question asked by legions of waterfowlers, both before
and during the season, but it has
no correct answer as most veteran
hunters know there are too many
variables. About the only thing
duck hunters can really control is
when they go hunting.
No one can predict the weather
or when winds stimulate activity
for restless waterfowl. Hunters
can control their boats, motors,
camouflage, decoy spreads, shotguns and shells, calling techniques
and locations, but for the average
hunter it’s a roll of the dice as to
picking the best days to go.
Did the season reach a peak, as
to waterfowl numbers and hunting success? Watching waterfowl
survey totals can give you an in-

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teresting bit of information, but it
doesn’t always indicate when the
best hunting occurs. It’s true that
more ducks in the area improve
the odds for the everyday hunter,
but ole’ man weather deals the
cards.
This year Tennessee season began in late November and ended
on the last Sunday in January. Waterfowl numbers in the area were
about average in the early season
and the series of cold fronts continued to influence an increase of
ducks and geese at area state and
federal refuges.
For example, the mid-winter
count taken by the U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service by aerial survey in mid-December, at both
Tennessee and Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuges, showed
a total of 116,000-plus ducks at

DUCK DYNASTY UNITS!

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TNWR and about 26,000-plus
at CCNWR. By the third week
in January and the last week of
hunting season, duck numbers
swelled to a total of 231,000-plus
at TNWR on Kentucky Lake and
up to 50,000-plus at CCNWR on
Barkley Lake.
Further west to the White’s Lake
area near Dyersburg, duck numbers had been pretty high back
in mid-December and increased
in January, but fluctuated as cold
weather and icing followed flooding in the region. That trend saw
ducks on the move and trading
places between the Mississippi
River drainage areas of backwater bottoms and flooded fields, to
more open water areas and big
reservoirs at times.
While there are always a few hot
spots that due to their geographic
location simply do better than the
average, it’s fair to say some locations experienced highs and lows
throughout the season despite
their reputations. A few locations
that got off to a slow start this season finished on a good note, as
they were the beneficiary of bitter weather that took some blinds
elsewhere out of the picture when
icing occurred.
Some duck hunters that were
down and out at midseason, finished the season stepping high and
feeling good. Duck numbers increased late and hunting improved
quickly for some and those unfortunate mornings of empty skies
were quickly replaced with memories of ducks downwind, rapidly
descending over the decoys.
While the overall season was
a mix for most duck hunters, it’s

funny how a
few good days
now and then
can erase the
bad times. The
last week of
season did just
that for a few,
who hated to
see the season
end.
Duck hunters are among
the most optimistic people in
the world. Once
fall returns and
a chill enters the
air, even those
knee-booters
who had a tough
season will be
front and center, ready to go.
Even if there’s
only one duck
left in the fall
flight
forecast, there are
those who will
rise early and
march through
the mud.
You never
know when he
might just fly
by your decoy
spread!

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(731) 285-2060
Open Tuesday - Friday: 9am to 5pm & Saturday: 9am to 3pm

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3070 Thompson School Rd.
Huntingdon, Tennessee - 38344
Phone {731} 986-3351
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31

TWRA NEWS
From the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency

TENNESSEE’S DEER HARVEST TOTALS MORE THAN
168,000 FOR THE 2013-14
SEASON

More than 168,000 deer were harvested in
Tennessee, during the recently completed
2013-14 season. - STO File Photo

More than 168,000 deer were
harvested in Tennessee, during the
recently completed 2013-14 season, as
data continues to be gathered by the
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
The statewide gun season concluded
Jan. 5th and the youth hunt followed on
Jan. 11th-12th. The harvest numbers
range from the start of archery season
on Sept. 28th, 2013 through the final
youth hunt.
This year’s total again reflects the
stability of the state’s deer population. Last year’s total was more than
176,600, while the 2011-12 total was
slightly less than 168,000.
Giles County again leads the way
as the top county with 5,396 deer
harvested. Fayette County is up one
spot, to second place from third, with a
harvest of 4,727. Rounding out the top
13 counties, which all had harvest of at

32

least 3,000, are Lincoln - 4,694, Henry
- 4,557, Hardeman - 4,299, Maury 4,047, Franklin - 4,040, Montgomery 3,897, Carroll - 3,291, Madison - 3,231,
Weakley - 3,122, Hickman - 3,020, and
Hardin - 3,012.
More than 1,000 deer were harvested
in 73 of the state’s 95 counties. Polk
County, in the southeastern corner of
the state, had the lowest county harvest total with 148.
The harvest totals can be viewed on
the TWRA website (www.tnwildlife.
org) and is located in the “For Hunters”
section.
2013 STATE’S BLACK BEAR
HARVEST PASSES 500

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources
AgTennessee’s black bear harvest
passed the 500-mark for the recentlycompleted 2013 season, again an
indication that the state’s bear population is stable.
The harvest, which currently stands
at 507, is the third highest on record.
The state record is 581, which came in
2011, and is up from the 397 harvested
in 2012. The harvest marks the ninth
consecutive year that hunters have
harvested more than 300 bears in the
state. Of this year’s harvest, 318 were
males.
Black bears were harvested in 11
East Tennessee counties during the
recently completed season. Monroe
County unseated Cocke County for the
top county, as 117 bears were harvested. Cocke County was second, with


a harvest of 76.
Blount County was third with 52, followed by Polk - 50, Sevier - 45, Carter
- 44, Unicoi - 38, Johnson - 33, Greene 26, Sullivan - 16, and Washington - 10.
Tennessee black bear harvest reports
started in 1951. There were a total of
29 bears harvested that year.
Tennessee’s black bear population
has been steadily increasing over the
past 40 years, due to several management practices put in place by TWRA.
These practices include establishment
of a series of bear reserves throughout
the bear habitat, protection of females
and cubs, and setting the majority of
the bear hunting season later in the
year when most females have gone to
the den.

Fishing reports

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Tennessee’s black bear harvest passed the
500-mark for the recently-completed 2013
season, again an indication that the state’s
bear population is stable. - STO File Photo

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Well gun dog trainers, I hope your duck season was

Retriever
Training 3

If you had a dog that had problems maintaining the “steady” command this past season, when ducks were present and guns were firing, now is the time to work on that aspect of refined training. - STO File Photo

By H. Joe King Jr.

36


Year

a good one. Reports for the duck harvests this previous
season in West Tennessee were slow. The hotter areas
and blinds were able to scratch out a few more birds
than others, as is usual. I hope your young gun dog was
able to retrieve some birds this past season. With your
dog’s second year maturity and the training you did, I
hope your hunting companion was able to do the job
asked to do. Along with your dog’s maturity, I hope his
marking and handling skills for blind retrieves was to
your satisfaction.
Now that the season is over you need to list problems
you noticed with your second year dog. Just like last
year, it is time to further solve problems noted during
the previous duck season, so make a list of any negative issues your dog displayed and start on it NOW!!
Just as with many of the old dog trainers and pros,
your third year of retriever training is like putting icing
on the cake. For example, if your dog showed unsteady
behavior in the blind and/or boat, work on this. Practice further mark training, starting back with singles
and plenty of them, progressing to the multiple mark
retrieves. Remember that the keys in training your dog
are repetition and patience!
Work on your dog’s blind retrieves, encompassing all
of your regular hunting scenarios from 25 to 300 yards
in distance. If you are just training for duck season, put
in plenty of work using similar scenarios of how you
actually hunt. This is important to improve your dog’s
steadiness in the blind or boat for next season and
makes him familiar with your hunting scenarios. Use
live gunfire, when making retrieves throughout your
dog’s set up in retriever training. This helps simulate
an actual hunt and will condition your dog to improve
his performance in the field. Think of every situation
and train for this. Your goal to strive for is at least 15
to 20 successful retrieves in each particular situation
(marks, blind retrieves, picking up cripple duck situations, etc.).
You, as a 3rd year dog trainer, will see the confidence
increase with your dog. Don’t advance to more challenging situations until you see his solid confidence
in work. Keep it fun and watch how much pressure
you put on the dog. The final thing to remember is that
“patience” word. You must maintain patience in training your dog. Let’s get going on your retriever training
now, while last season’s hunts are still fresh in your
dog’s mind. Remember to be patient, maintain consis-

tency in your training and you can then look forward to
you and your dog’s third duck season.
Good Training and Good Luck!
H. Joe King, Jr. - Thunder Ridge Retrievers - 731676-7776 - thunderridgeretrievers@yahoo.com

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OCTOBER -NOVEMBER 2013 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS
MARCH-APRIL 2014

39

STUMPED
ON
CRAPPIE
By Steve McCadams

Finding old fish on a new lake usually requires some homework and assistance from local anglers.
- Photo by Steve McCadams

40


C abin fever has you yearning to
get out of the chair and on the water. The walls are closing in as visions of pole bending slabs dance
in your head. Time to grab the
tackle box, boat and foul weather gear and head out, leaving the
winter woes in the rearview mirror.
After reading a few magazine
articles and drooling over photos
of hefty catches, or perhaps catching a few television shows of
warm weather anglers basking in
the sun and wrestling with stringers full of your favorite panfish,
you just can’t take it anymore.
Hooking up the old fishing rig
and heading out puts you on the
road to tomorrow’s fishing spot
with aspirations of good times
and fond memories. All you need
is water; a place to wet a hook and
test your favorite techniques on
uncharted waters.
Yet the road to fine times in fishing often requires a bit more than
just desire. There are a few more
ingredients in the recipe than just
the “want to”.
Arriving at a new lake you’ve
never fished before can be challenging. Big waters can be intimidating to even the most experienced anglers. The more water …
the more places the crappie have
to hide. It’s all wet, but some of
that water has fish in it and some
of it doesn’t. How you gonna
know the good from the bad?
It’s a humbling moment when
you back the boat off the trailer
for the first time at a new lake.
Where’s your first stop? How
about fishing the channel markers, so shallow water isn’t en-

countered? What depth
range is best for starting
out? Where do you go
to get out of the wind?
Encountering a new
lake usually requires
some homework, before you ever drop your
trolling motor or wet
a hook. Tournament
anglers, who travel
around in bass and
crappie competitions,
usually have a checklist and go through a
routine before hitting
the water. That same
approach can work for
the average, everyday
Hefty catches of crappie don’t come by accident.
angler as well.
Hiring a guide at your new destination can help you
catch fish, instead of wasting precious time,
It begins with a se- find and lakes can be intimidating. - Photo by Steve
as big
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McCadams
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41

A check of websites for the
governing body such as the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority or state
fish and wildlife agency can also
be a step in the right direction to
help garner a handle on present
lake elevation and perhaps even
view a three-day projection. Such
info helps you plan ahead or address any hurdles in the event
drastic changes are forthcoming.
There’s no substitute for spending time on the lake itself and
planning your own strategy, but
having a little local information
before speeding away from the
boat ramp is good advice.
As a professional guide on Kentucky Lake for almost 40 years,
I’ve been on the receiving end
of many phone calls from anglers planning trips here to the
big pond. During my tournament

days of crappie fishing, I often
made similar calls myself to other
areas, attempting to formulate a
battle plan and eliminate some areas of the lake where the fishing
was poor.
My initial step when planning
the maiden voyage to a new lake,
was usually obtaining a topographical map or series of maps,
so as to familiarize myself with
the names of the major creeks and
bays. Finding creek channels and
main lake ledges also was important, as was the direction of stream
flow in the event the reservoir had
some current.
I’d usually concentrate on a certain portion of the lake and key in
on the variety of topography such
as humps, bends in the channels,
irregular features and the proximity of deep and shallow water
coming together.

Knowing something about the
habits of crappie always helped
target certain areas at various
seasons of the year, as I knew the
fish used secondary creek channels and sloughs as highways to
and from spawning territory. Or,
depending on the time of year, it
helped me determine where the
fish might stage before spawning or suspend in the post-spawn
phase.
Today’s electronics are so
much more advanced than those
of yesteryear. Some of my old
units that served me well are now
considered dinosaurs in the sonar
realm. And while I’ve adapted
and changed some, today’s units
sometimes have more technology
than me and my fellow anglers
can process at times.
Yet, I always rely on sonar to
help me throughout the daily fish-

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Slab crappie like this one can be tough to find and catch on a new lake unless you consult a topo map, eliminate portions of the
lake, and adjust your techniques to what works best. - Photo by Steve McCadams

ing trip and high definition units,
GPS, and the popular side scans
are truly remarkable and can
help any angler learn more about
what’s below, especially when
scouting out a new lake and unfamiliar territory.
However, as good as the present
day technology is - and it is very
good - there is still no substitute

for logging a lot of hours out there
on the lake and using common
sense to establish a pattern. It involves a lot of trial and error.
Be willing to adjust and change
your approach when fishing new
water. At the same time you might
just find the fish playing your
game and be able to “stay with the
one that brought you to the dance”

in the first place.
For example, the crappie might
be scattered and suspended out
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main lake and if so, spider rig presentations, long lining, drifting or
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43

planning to vertical fish, on shallow stick-ups with an individual
pole presentation, then you might
fall short of success. Willing to
change and knowing when to do
it are two steps in the right direction.
And there’s always the debate
between live bait fishermen and
the artificial jig fraternity. It’s only
natural to fish your favorite bait
wherever you are. And, we all fish
harder when using a bait that has
earned our confidence.
There are times, however, when
something else might just work
better. That’s why consulting with
a local guide, marina bait shop,
or tapping into the fishing reports
on-line might help better blaze the
trail to success. Hiring a guide,
when fishing a new body of water,
is a good idea to help learn the lay
of the land, so to speak.
Swapping fish tales with anglers out on the lake can also help,
as can a few minutes at the boat
ramp, with those coming and going. Not all anglers will open up
and converse, as some anglers are
protective of their techniques and
honey holes, but most are willing
to drop a tip now and then that
could assist you in your quest.
Unfortunately, the weather and
fish don’t always respect how far
you’ve driven, the money you’ve
spent, or the precious little free
time available to do so.
For those reasons and more
you need to plan ahead, do a little
homework, purchase and study a
topographical map of your destination and converse with someone at the local level to find out
the best ammunition to use in the
44

looming battle
for slabs.
Don’t be
too stubborn
to ask for help,
or be unwilling to deviate
from your usual
plan of attack.
You might
have done well
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your favorite
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combo, tube
skirted, jig
sporting some
red glitter. Or,
that live shiner
minnow that
has proven
itself so many
times around
the shoreline
stickups may be
tough to leave
in the bucket.
Just go with the
local flow.
Keep an
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when in Rome
do as the Romans do. The
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they catch have
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playing field if
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Turkey Hunting
F
amily Style

I t’s been said that the family that

plays together, stays together. I
know that proves true in the case
of the Mason family. There were
not any wild turkey around when
I grew up in Northwest Tennessee, but by the time my oldest son
Michael came along and grew
big enough to hunt, these majestic birds were being relocated
throughout the Volunteer State.
Both Michael and I tried to learn
everything that we could about
hunting them. I only had one
problem. Turkey season ran about
the same time as spring fishing
season and I spent most of those
dayguiding fishermen for crap-

By Garry Mason
pie, largemouth bass and panfish.
Michael, on the other hand, would
hunt turkeys with his boyhood
friends and occasionally I would
get to tag along. With most of
his hunting being near our home,
Michael learned the habits and
haunts of these wily birds with a
true passion.
Soon, my son Tyler would come
along and follow his older brother’s footsteps into the turkey
woods. With patience, Michael
helped to teach Tyler the turkey
hunting ropes, both in and out
of the woods. As both of these
boys grew into young men, I have
watched them help a good num-

ber of young folks learn turkey
hunting from who I consider to
be two of the best. Now, two of
my grandkids have been bitten
by the longbeard bug as well and
as the rest of the clan start to get
old enough to turkey hunt, I am
sure that they will not be far behind. After watching both of these
great young turkey hunters teach
others, I would like to share some
tips that I believe will help STO
Magazine readers the next time
you step into the woods with a
young person who is new to the
turkey hunting arena.

TIPS FOR NEWCOMERS
TAKING TOMS
1. Safety must come first!
Have the youngster take a Hunter Safety
course before even thinking about them
handling a firearm. It would be a good idea
to take the course with them. This shows
your interest and commitment, and a little
review never hurt anybody.
2. Be patient.
They will be restless and get bored easily.
Always remember that a young person’s attention span will be at a low level. Make the
trip interesting for them. Help them observe
nature such as squirrels, birds and animal
tracks. Make it fun and bring snacks. Keep it
short or they will grow bored.
3. Find ways that will help you to be successful in your hunt while having a young
hunter with you on the hunt.
The use of a ground blind can be a huge concealment factor in a successful hunt. Turkeys
can see very well and movement is one thing
that can ruin a hunt in a hurry. Keeping that
young person still for extended periods of
time is not an option. Ground blinds or popup blinds will be worth both the money and
the effort. Trust me on this one. Sometimes
my boys even have trouble keeping this old
guy still when a big Tom is knocking on the
doors, so I know how nerve wracking that it
can be to a young hunter.
4. Take the youngster with you when you go
scouting for turkey, but remember not to
walk too far with the little novice.
You may wind up being the only one walking
back to the truck and at my age piggy back
rides are never a good option at this point.
5. Don’t be afraid to get into his world for a
while after a hunt. Make it fun for him.
A trip to the Big Mac playground is always a
plus after a morning in the turkey woods. By
the way, remember to remove your shoes.

The Mason family loves to get them gobblers {pictured left to right} Michael Mason, Conner Mason, David Mitchell, Tyler Mason.
Photo by Garry Mason

48


The author’s grandson {14 year-old}
Conner, proudly displays his seventh
longbeard.
- Photo by Garry
Mason

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49

We’re here for

Visit Dyer County,Tennessee
A Spo rtsman’s Paradise!

GOOD.

SPONSORED
BY

Good never goes out of style. And that’s good
news because at First Citizens National Bank
we’re really good at putting our passion to

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!

www.dyerchamber.com

action, providing you with a unique and fantastic experience. It’s why we’re consistently
ranked among the top community banks in
the country. Come see for yourself, in person
or online.

www.FirstCNB.com

0160_FCNB_Brand_8.125x10.25_BusManAd-2_Southern Tradition.indd 1

WHO’S YOUR BABY?

285.4410

DRAW A LINE CONNECTING THE
DRAW A LINE CONNECTING THE
BABY ANIMAL TO IT’S NAME!
BABY ANIMAL TO ITS NAME!

2/7/14 5:26 PM

1.

6.
EAGLET
PUP

2.

CUB

7.

GOSLING
DUCKLING

3.

KIT

8.

OWLET
FAWN

4.

POULT

9.

CALF

5.

10.

ANSWERS:
1. - BABY BEAR - CUB, 2. - BABY FOX - KIT, 3. - BABY MOOSE - CALF, 4. - BABY MALLARD DUCK - DUCKLING
5. - BABY EAGLE - EAGLET, 6. - BABY DEER - FAWN, 7. - BABY TURKEY - POULT
8. - BABY GOOSE - GOSLING, 9. BABY COYOTE - PUP, 10. - BABY OWL - OWLET.

50



51

Kyle Goodwin (19) of Newbern,
Tennessee shot this Asian
carp with a bow and arrow last
summer, in the backwaters just
north of the Obion River near
Finley, Tennessee.
Photo submitted by proud
father, Alan Goodwin.

These young hunters (Standing left to
right - Braden Turnbo and Eli Powell.
Sitting - Tucker Rowell, Brady Kail
and Nathan Ferguson} shot these
ducks while hunting with their fathers
on a juvenile hunt in Dyer County,
Tennessee on February 8th, 2014.
Photo courtesy of Wilkersons
Taxidermy.

Torri Hensley shot this trophy
buck while hunting by herself on
a friend’s farm in Benton County,
Tennessee. - Photo courtesy of
Lankford Taxidermy.

Chase Lathem harvested this
great eight-point buck this
past deer season.
Photo courtesy of Wilkersons
Taxidermy.

Here is a nice bunch of ducks including two mallards and
five wood ducks shot by Peyton Turner, Philip Turner,
Caleb Page and Michael Vinson in Carroll County,
Tennessee. - Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy.

J.T. Hampton
caught this 10.8 lb.
largemouth bass
at Kentucky Lake
on August 25th,
2013.
Photo courtesy
of Lankford
Taxidermy

52

Wyatt Hill harvested this awesome
buck in 2013, at an understandably
secret location. - Photo submitted by
Cindy Hill.

Pictured is taxidermist – Ed
Lankford {left} with hunter
– Max Crockett and the 24
lb. gobbler he harvested. It
had a 10.5” beard and 1 and
¾” spurs. - Photo courtesy of
Lankford Taxidermy.


Tim Mann harvested this huge buck on November
5th, 2012. - Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy.

52

53

Justin Mann and his black Lab are pictured here
with a nice buck he shot on November 6th, 2012.
- Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy.


53

2014 special events at two of america’s best state parks
iuka & tishomingo, mississippi

j. p. coleman state park
662-423-6515

www.mdwfp.com/parks-destinations/ms-stateparks/jp-coleman.aspx

tishomingo state park
662-438-6914

www.mdwfp.com/parks-destinations/ms-stateparks/tishomingo.aspx
jan. 1. second annual first day
hike

feb. 1. aba fishing tournament
feb. 15. bfl fishing tournament
feb. 22. aba fishing tournament
march 8. aba fishing tournament
march 15. bass weekend fishing tour.
april 5. aba fishing tournament
may 3. bass weekend fishing tournament
may 10. aba fishing tournament
june 14. bass weekend fishing tour.
august 8-9. bass weekend fishing tour.
august 14. dulcimer festival
september 13-14. bfl fishing tournament

jan. 11-12. 14th annual ice bowl
disc golf tournament
march 8-9. 17th annual
spring disc golf tournament
april 12. 36th annual long/lee
ole tyme music festival
may 10. second annual native
american customs & traditions
june 1. second annual national
trails day less litter more
beauty hike
oct. 11-12. 17th annual fall
classic disc golf tournament
oct. 16. 28th annual fall fling
for the young at heart

1-800-FUN-HERE (1-800-386-4373)
662-423-0051
www.tishomingofunhere.org
info@tishomingo.org
54



55

We’re here for

GOOD.
Good never goes out of style. And that’s good
news because at First Citizens National Bank
we’re really good at putting our passion to
action, providing you with a unique and fantastic experience. It’s why we’re consistently
ranked among the top community banks in
the country. Come see for yourself, in person
or online.

www.FirstCNB.com

285.4410

Southern Traditions Outdoors | March-April 2014

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