Southern Traditions Outdoor - March/April 2020

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | MARCH - APRIL 2020
MARCH/APRIL 2020
www.southerntraditionsoutdoors.com
Please tell our advertisers you saw their ad in southern traditions outdoors magazine!
FREE
TENNESSEE TURKEY
FISH ATTRACTORS
THE LAST HUNT
FARMING IN 2020
CRAPPIE
REELFOOT
LAKE

2 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | MARCH - APRIL 20202 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | MARCH - APRIL 2020

MARCH - APRIL 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 3MARCH - APRIL 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 3

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.
On the Cover
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.
Garry Mason
Walter Wilkerson
Terry Wilkerson
Steve McCadams
Kelley Powers
Shawn Todd
Eddie Brunswick
Larry Self
Cody Rodriquez
John Sloan
Richard Simms
Dana Watford
Buck Gardner
Richard Hines
Ed Lankford
Drew Brooks
John Latham
Will Gregory
John Roberts
Richard Hines
Rob Hurt
Mark Buehler
Richard A. Fagan
Neill McLaurin
Sam Bradshaw
Daryl Ratajczak
Jonathon Holden
Field Staff Editors
Owners - Eddie Anderson
Rob Somerville
Kevin Griffith

Publisher - Eddie Anderson
Editor - Rob Somerville
Advertising Sales
Rob Somerville - Managing
Partner
Distribution
Johnathan Anderson
Mike Robinson
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Shown here is STO Field Staff Editor, Cody Rodriquez, with two crappie that any angler would
be proud to catch. He caught these on his outing with National Champion, Tony Hughes.
PG..................... ARTICLE ............................................................AUTHOR
6 ......................... Reelfoot Lake Crappie.......................................................Cody Rodriquez
14 ......................... Tennessee Turkey - The Terrain Game.............................Rob Somerville
20 ......................... Crappie Mats 101..............................................................Steve McCadams
28 ........................ Farming in the New Decade..............................................Jonathan Holden
36 ......................... Farm Jokes........................................................................STO
38 ......................... Tennessee Turkey Success...............................................Richard Hines
46 ......................... The Last Hunt....................................................................Shawn Todd
50 ......................... Forming a Successful Hunting Club..................................Rob Somerville
54 ......................... Trophy Room.....................................................................STO

MARCH - APRIL 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 5
Letter from the Editor

Reelfoot Lake has
just recently celebrated its
208th birthday! The world
famous Quake lake has always
been a place of mystery and folk-
lore. When someone thinks of
Reelfoot Lake the first things to
come to mind is the lakes beau-
ty, the American Bald Eagles, Cy-
press trees and last but not least,
crappie fishing.
When most anglers think of
crappie fishing Reelfoot Lake, spi-
der rigging for slab crappie is the
first thing that comes to mind.
Spider rigging is a tried and true,
proven method of catching big
slabs on Reelfoot that seems al-
most as old as the lake itself. Most
Anglers that have fished for crap-
pie on Reelfoot have used one of
three popular techniques, spi-
der rigging, casting jigs, or sin-
gle-pole jigging at trees or lily
pads. These three methods have
proven successful for thousands
of anglers over the years.
The question crappie anglers
a r e p o s -
ing now is,
“How are elec-
tronics going to change
the way we fish from now on into
the future.”
The first electronic device to
change crappie fishing in a major
way was the Humminbird Side
Scan unit. With these electronic
units an angler could idle across
a section of the lake and see the
underwater structure and view
if there were fish in
the area or hold-
ing on the struc-
ture. Shortly af-
ter this Humminbird
came out with MEGA
imaging. MEGA took
those same images and
made them much clearer and
showed them in greater detail.
Side Imaging shook the crappie
fishing world up and changed
R E E L F O O T L A K E C R A P P I E
By Cody Rodriquez
Chris Cornett, from Ohio, proudly shows off a nice 2 pound slab he
caught on a recent guided fishing trip with the author. With the Garmin
LiveScope, Chris knew the crappie was coming before he ever felt the
thump on his rod! Photo by Author

the game. Personally speaking,
it completely changed the way I
crappie fished.
After countless hours on the
water you learn to trust in your
electronics. You become as reliant
on them as you do your favorite
fishing rod! Now, the newest elec-
tronics to hit the crappie fishing
industry is the Garmin Panop-
tix LiveScope. LiveScope hit the
crappie fishing world head-on
and has made a tremendous im-
pact on the way anglers with this
new technology fish. From your
every day, average Joe crappie an-
gler, to your big tournament trail
national champions; they love it.
LiveScope has created a “feed-
ing frenzy” among anglers look-
ing to catch a limit of big slab
Single-pole jigging can be very productive with today’s electronics, as proven here with Tony Hughes
showing off a beautiful white crappie. Photo by Author

crappie. I recently had the priv-
ilege of sharing some time on
the water with 2019 American
Crappie Trail National Champi-
on Tony Hughes. Tony and his
partner Jeff Riddle both call Reel-
foot Lake home. Our first morn-
ing on the water started out with
Tony going on a duck hunt with
me. As the sun rose over the Cy-
press trees the water was calm,
there was not a breath of breeze
blowing. We both knew then that
we should have skipped the duck
hunting and went after slab crap-
pie that late winter Reelfoot is
known to produce. We decided
to stick it out and give the ducks
a chance to fly until around nine
o’clock that morning. Eventually,
we could not wait any longer -
we had to go chase some crappie.
We docked my duck hunting
rig, grabbed a pound of minnows,
and headed out in Tony’s twen-
ty-one feet Phoenix bass boat.
Our mission for the day was to
single-pole jig fish around sub-
merged open water stumps with
the Garmin LiveScope. On this
trip, we would be fishing with 12
foot long, BnM Duck Command-
er rods equipped with a 1/8th
ounce Eye Hole jig and a Strike
King Mr. Crappie Joker {in their
purple sage color} tipped with a
minnow. We launched Tony’s
boat and idled across the lake.
As we crossed the lake Tony
and I talked about how electron-
ics have changed the world of
crappie fishing and what changes
we saw in the future. Everywhere
you go in this world there is tech-
nology around you. Our TVs, ve-
hicles, cell phones, and now even
our fishing equipment! So now
let’s get down to fish catching
business. As I got our rods bait-
ed up, Tony deployed his trolling
motor and began to troll around
slowly looking for crappie. After
a few minutes he had located a
crappie on a stump in fourteen
feet of water about ten feet deep.
He told me “Put your rod right
there… move right a few inch-
es… let it down about a foot…
get ready here it comes!” As soon
as he said that I felt the thump
on my rod. It was a nice female
crappie just over a pound and a
half. This was the first of many
nice crappie that we would catch
that day. This fishing trip for me
was more of a learning experi-
ence then it was about me catch-
ing fish.
We ended the day keeping
twenty-five slab crappie, with two
of those being over two pounds,
and eight fish that weighed over
Single-pole jigging can be very productive with today’s electronics, as
proven here with Tony Hughes showing off a beautiful white crappie.
Photo by Author

a pound and a half. As we fished
along, I watched as Tony would
locate the crappie and position
his boat into the wind and almost
sneak up on them! He kept telling
me “Put your rod out here and
you catch this one.” Even though
I managed to land some giant
slabs that day, I left my rod to the
side most of the day and watched
him. It was very impressive to get
to watch how someone who was
familiar with the electronics use
them to their highest potential.
After an awesome evening of fish-
ing we packed our gear up and
started idling back to the truck.
This was when I had to sneak in
a few more questions for the 2019
National Champion.
Author - Cody Rodriquez: Did
electronics play a role in yours
and Jeff Riddle’s winning of the
2019 American Crappie Trail Na-
tional Championship?
Tony Hughes:
Of course, with
our electronics
we can elimi-
nate unproduc-
tive water a lot
faster.
CR: Do you see
electronics play-
ing a role in the
future of com-
petitive crappie
fishing?
TH: Electron-
ics have become
a major play-
er in fishing al-
together, espe-
cially with the
younger guys in
the sport. They
learn and pick
up on them a lot
faster than us older guys.
CR: Do you miss the “good old
days” of just going out spider rig-
ging without electronics?
TH: Yes, I do. It was a simpler
time and fishing seemed more
relaxing.
CR: Everyone wants to know,
when the fish are lethargic and
you just cannot seem to get them
to bite, what is your “go to” bait?
TH: A 1/16th ounce, eye hole jig
with a crappie nibble inside of
it with a Strike King Shad Pole
in the chartreuse shiner color.
Sometimes the smaller bait pro-
file will help entice them into
biting.
I would like to thank Mr. Tony
Hughes for an enjoyable day on
the water and for sharing a little
insight with our readers.
Until next issue, tight lines
and see you on the water.
National Champion Crappie Angler Tony Hughes lands a nice Reel-
foot Lake crappie Photo by Author
REELFOOT LAKE
A SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LODgINg, FIShINg & OThER
ThINgS TO DO: cONTAcT uS OR vISIT OuR wEbSITE AT
731-253-2007 - www.REELFOOTTOuRISM.cOM
HUNTING
FISHING
BIRDINGOUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

AlBradshaw
1960-1999
421 W. COURT ST.
DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE
731-285-5767
sam@bradshaw4insurance.com
Sam Bradshaw
Contact information:
Cowart Reese Sargent P.C.
Certified Public Accountants
Joe M. Enoch C.P.A.
You work hard for your money ...
We work hard so you get to keep it!
110 W. Court - PO Box 547
Dyersburg, TN
Phone: 731-286-6080
Email: joe.enoch@crscpa.com
www.crscpa.com

Sportsman’s Resort North & South
Our two Campgrounds have full hookup with water, electricity and
sewer. They are located at the lake’s edge. We offer yearly, nightly or
weekly campsites. The south campground has a boat ramp. Our yearly
rates start January 1 and run through December 31st. We also offer 3
day camping packages that include the R.V. spot, boat, motor, gas and
bait. Please check out our web site for more information.
North Campground has in-ground pool for guests of either location!
SOUTH CAMPGROUND
NORTH CAMPGROUND
Sportsman’s Resort
100 Sportsman’s Resort Lane
Tiptonville, Tn. 38079
731-253-6581 or 731-334-2309
www.reelfootlake.com
640 Hwy 51 Bypass E - Dyersburg, TN 731-287-0427
Open: Monday - Saturday - 10am to 6pm
NO MATTER WHAT YOU’RE DOING THIS SPRING - WE GOT YOU COVERED
EST 1952

The woods are deathly calm.
The sun is just about to peak
out over the eastern horizon.
A barred owl lets out his raspy
good morning. Seemingly, out of
nowhere, an echo sounds from
the “King of Spring” as he lets
out a gobble – announcing to his
harem that he is ready for some
female attention. The lone tur-
key hunter feels the hair stand
up on the back of his neck. The
adrenaline is rushing through
his veins and his heart beats like
a bongo drum.
A critical decision must be
made. Should he try to close the
distance to improve his odds of
harvesting this bearded trophy?
How can he do just that, with-
out bumping the bird? The key
to solving this problem is all
in knowing the terrain you are
hunting. You must be a master
of the “terrain game.”
In the western portion of the
Volunteer State, we have three
different types of terrain; flood-
ed timber and swamps, small
areas of timber with oak ridg-
es and agricultural fields sur-
rounded by fencerows of trees.
I will share some strategies for
all hunting success on hunting
all three of these types of habitat.
Swamp Gobblers
Taking a gobbler in the
swamp is not for the faint of
heart. There are mosquitoes that
are big enough to stop a ceil-
ing fan and cottonmouths thick
around as my forearm in these
turkey hideaways.
Sometimes, I come out of
the swamps – muddy from head
to toe, but there are also trophy
gobblers there, some of whichThe author, with two gobblers that he and his hunting partner harvest-
ed in west Tennessee. Photo by Rob Somerville
The Terrain Game
Tennessee Turkey
By Rob Somerville

have never heard a man-oper-
ated turkey call.
These birds will be roosting
over sloughs or swamp filled
ditches. They are secure in the
knowledge that they are roost-
ing in a secluded fortress, safe
from predators. The toms are
extremely vocal and you can slip
up on them through the slash
water in the dark, as they are
used to hearing deer and other
animals entering the woods after
their nocturnal feeding binges.
Terrain is of the utmost im-
portance when hunting swamp
birds. In the early season, there
is not much foliage. You must
utilize ditches and levees to slip
closer to the birds. Halfway
through the season, greenery
becomes more prevalent, which
allows you to stealthily slip in
closer.
Hunting Hills and Ridges
Stuart Wolcott is the owner
and operator of the most suc-
cessful turkey hunting guide
service in middle Tennessee {as
well as one of the most successful
duck hunting operations in the
Stuttgart, area – primmspring-
wildlife.com}. Hunting hill tur-
keys means steep ridges, deep
hollows and sharp drop offs. I
know from experience that you
better be in good, physical shape
to keep up when Stu is chas-
ing a bird. He relies on his inti-
mate knowledge of the 3000 acre
hunting area he manages to get
his clients within killing range of
a trophy set of spurs. With a 90%
success rate, and when you fac-
Taking a gobbler in the swamp is not for the faint of heart. Photo by Rob Somerville
Quick Tips for Swamp
Gobblers
1. Wear snake-proof boots –
better safe than sorry!
2. Carry a compass – flat,
flooded ground can be decep-
tive and if you hear a gobble
you will probably go after it,
not paying attention to where
you are going.
3. Wear hip boots or chest
waders – you never know
when you might have to cross
a slough or deep ditch to chase
a gobbler.

tor in shaky nerves and “turkey
fever” he obviously is an expert
on hunting hill terrain birds.
Stu said, “It is imperative to
try and roost birds the previ-
ous evening. The oak ridges are
full of a deep bed of dry leaves
that takes stealth out of the stra-
tegic plan, unless you are for-
tunate enough to hunt after a
noise-buffering rain. If you can’t
get set up and bust one right af-
ter he comes off the roost, you
must use the terrain to your ad-
vantage. That means, if you hear
a gobbler in a hollow, you should
drop down on the other side of
the ridge and close the distance,
out of eyesight of the tom. Some-
times, discreetly setting a single
hen decoy on top of the ridge
will seal the deal. Call softly, be-
cause the reverberation of your
calling has a tendency to echo
through the hollows. It is im-
portant to remember that a tur-
key has about a hundred times
better hearing than a human”
Agricultural Fields and Flat
Lands
I love “gobbler getting”
around farm land. I believe that
the key to a successful turkey
harvest when hunting this type
of terrain is in “Keeping it Real”.
The best advice I can give to
new hunters is what my mother
told me a long time ago, when
I was a kid. “Sit down and shut
up!”
I like Mother Nature to wake
up and lay the groundwork for
me. Let the owls and hawks
shock-gobble the birds for you.
Every time you call, you give
away your location. Calling is
important, but when hunting
My good friend, Stu Wolcott {posed here with one of his two sons} and
the rarest of the rare trophy; an albino gobbler!
Photo by Stu Wolcott
Stu’s Tips for Hills and
Hollows Birds
1. Stay below the ridges –
do not allow your profile to
be silhouetted against the sky.
2. Know where the turkeys
are roosted, feeding, strutting
and dusting. Cutting the flock
off may allow you to harvest
a gobbler when he is “henned
up” with his ladies and is re-
luctant to come to your calls.
3. Be patient. “Run and gun”
later in the morning. Just be-
cause a tom quit gobbling,
doesn’t mean he is not about
to pop his head over the ridge
top, right in front of you. But,
when you get the old boss to
gobble any time after 11:00
am, get ready! He is hot, and
ready to be the main course
at your Thanksgiving dinner.

this type of flat, open terrain –
call wisely.”
I prefer to use soft clucks and
purrs, and stay away from yelps,
because many of these birds have
heard this type of call through-
out the season. Another tactic I
utilize concerns decoys. In the
woods, decoys set out in front of
you. Decoy manufacturers sell a
lot of decoys for their company
while viewed in hunting videos.
But, how many times have you
had decoys set up, twenty yards
in front of you and had a gobbler
“hang up” forty yards in front of
the decoys.
I tend to put the decoys be-
hind me. I use two feeding hens
and a jake. I recommend setting
the hens up so that one is facing
directly away from you and the
other is sideways. Place the jake
where it is behind you and fac-
ing your back. A mature gobbler
won’t be able to stand the fact
that a “teenager” is getting the
attention of the ladies and they
won’t even look at him. This also
makes the gobbler walk through
you to get to your set up, facing
the jake head-on in a confron-
tational mode, which gives you
a forty yard advantage to having
the decoys in front of you.”
I want to thank my good
friend, Stu Wolcott, for his
time-tested, turkey hunting tac-
tics and tips. Please remember to
be safe in the turkey woods this
season, and I know Stu Wolcott
feels as I do, from his work in-
troducing children safely and
ethically into the outdoor life-
style. He knows that our kids
truly are our most precious natu-
ral resource. They are our future.
When hunting the hills, call softly, because the reverberation of your calling has a tendency to echo through
the hollows. Photo by Rob Somerville
Tips for Flat Lands and Agri-
cultural Fields.
1. When inside of the woods,
off of an agricultural field, you
can sometimes “seal the deal”
by lightly scratching in the
leaves to imitate a content and
feeding hen.
2. It doesn’t matter how
good a turkey caller you are
if you can’t hit what you are
aiming for. Pattern your shot-
gun before hitting the turkey
woods and practice shooting
from both a sitting and kneel-
ing position.
3. There is not too much ter-
rain to conceal you in this type
of turkey habitat, Utilize natu-
ral shrubbery and try to set up
in the shadows when hunting
the edge of the fields.

IF YOU LOVE THE GREAT OUTDOORS,
BUT SOMETIMES YOUR BACK JUST DOESN’T
WANT TO COOPERATE, DO WHAT I DID AND SEE
MY GOOD FRIEND DOC COLE.
HE WILL GET YOU STRAIGHTENED OUT!
- ROB SOMERVILLE
COLE CHIROPRACTIC
BARRY L. COLE D.C., FADP
731-285-2696 1-800-558-2696
417 TROY AVE. - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
chirotn@colechiro.com
www.colechiro.com
COLE CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC
OWNER: STEVE SARTIN
1990 ST. JOHN AVE - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
731-286-4401 CELL: 731-445-8383
IF WE DON’T HAVE IT - WE’LL FIND IT
I have bought several vehicles from Sartin’s Auto Sales and
highly recommend them to anyone looking for a quality used
truck or car! - Rob Somerville
MOTOTRBO™ Linked Capacity Plus
If you need to communicate to a large field force across a wide area with a scalable,
easy-to-use system, then Linked Capacity Plus is your cost-effective solution.
Leveraging advanced repeater software, it is available in both single-site and
wide-area configurations.
Whether crews need to talk to each other in the field or back at the office or they
need to use data applications such as text messaging, location tracking or work
order tickets, Linked Capacity Plus makes their work safer and their work day more
productive.
WEST TENNESSEE
COMMUNICATIONS
1295 HWY 51 S BYPASS
DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
731-286-6275
WWW.WETEC.COM
PERFECT FOR:
FARMING, CONSTRUCTION,
INDUSTRIAL USE AND MORE!

Katelyn
Pharmacy Tech
Crystal - Pharmacy
Tech / DME
Kim
CPhT
Ginger
CPhT
Heather
Sales Associate
Christen
Sales Associate
Chasity
CPhT
Sydney
CPhT
Tiffany
CPhT
Emily
CPhT
Brandy
Pharmacy Tech
Sales Associate
Jerry
Delivery Driver
Jamie
Bookkeeper
Kalli-Rae
Sales Associate
Hillary
CPhT
Carolyn
Sales Associate
Krissie
CPhT
Here are two simple ways of telling us what you need and
we will take care of the rest.
1. Call us at 285-0844.
2. Come by and see us at our new location
at 2490 Parr Ave., Lewis Creek Place.
Have
you been
wondering
how to
join the
C&C
family?
• FAST FRIENDLY ONE-ON-ONE SERVICE
FROM LOCAL PHARMACISTS
(being locally owned means we support Dyer County not a
BIG pharmacy chain)
• ACCEPTANCE OF OVER 3,000
PRESCRIPTION PLANS
(including the new State Employee Prescription Plan-
Caremark) (your co-payment will stay the same)
• LOW PRICES ON ALL PHARMACY NEEDS
(we will match all competitors generic plans or programs)
• MOST CONVENIENT LOCATION IN TOWN
(with drive-thru and handicap accessibility)
• FREE DELIVERY ANYWHERE IN CITY LIMITS
(delivery also available countywide for small fee)
• MEDICARE BILLING
(for all your diabetic & durable medical equipment needs)
• IMMUNIZATIONS
(flu, shingles, school, job & travel vaccinations)
• PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDING
PRESCRIPTION SERVICES
(for more information, visit dyersburgfyi.com/cande)
SERVICES TO LOOK FORWARD TO!!
Dr. Mark Brooks
PHARMACIST/OWNER
Dr. Emily Crum
PHARMACIST/OWNER
Dr. Kevin Cook
PHARMACIST/OWNER
“We don’t cut corners .... we clean them”

Wouldn’t it be great if you
could have the fish come to you,
instead of you having go look for
them?
Today’s fishing tackle and ma-
rine accessory catalogs are filled
with state of the art sonar equip-
ment that boasts of how various
models help you locate and see
the fish down there in the brawny
deep.
From side-scan units that
shoot their transducer angles all
around the boat and far away
spots, to new live-scope units that
allow you to see the fish, your bait
presentation and even witness the
strike; modern technology keeps
advancing but you still have to
hunt down the fish!
It’s safe to say that 90 percent
of the fish reside in 10 percent of
the water! That ratio may vary at
times but you get the idea.
Long ago, veteran bass and
crappie anglers learned to create
their own fishing spots by erect-
ing manmade fish attractors. By
placing various structures in the
lakes at various depths and lo-
cations, fishermen learned they
could attract the fish to their
locale.
While the use of sonar equip-
ment will always have a time and
place in the angler’s arsenal, the
average everyday fisherman can
help his own cause by building
his very own fish attractors that
lure fish to his spots.
Instead of hunting or chasing
CRAPPIE MATS
101By Steve McCadams
Big slab crappie like this one are routinely caught at Kentucky Lake.
Photo by author

crazy fish, which often don’t play
fair and have been known to va-
cate an area without leaving their
forwarding address, anglers can
just devote their time and efforts
to checking out their “milk run”
of potential hot spots.
Especially intimidating are big
lakes, where vast areas of water
seem to offer never ending es-
cape routes to meandering bass
and crappie. Kentucky, Barkley
and Reelfoot Lakes quickly come
to mind!
Yet, even small lakes and farm
ponds offer a lot of areas for fish
to hide. It doesn’t take much wa-
ter for fish to dodge the bait and
hooks of bank fishermen either.
PIECES OF THE PUZZLE
Fish attractors have a variety
of names. Some anglers refer to
them as their “beds”. Others la-
bel them as mats or hides. Those
who build and sink brush just all
them brushpiles, while anglers
who sink or drive down a series
of wood sticks obtained from area
sawmills call them “stakebeds”.
Although they have many
names there is but one objective;
bring the fish and the fishermen
closer together!
Like a huge puzzle emptied
and scattered out across a table,
each fish attractor is one small
piece that, when placed togeth-
er properly, recreates a clear and
concise picture or scene. From
chaos emerges clarity.
That’s what a series of fish
attractors can do for you when
placed throughout the lake, cov-
ering a wide range of depths and
taking into consideration the bat-
tles of wind and weather.
Other variables to consider are
variations in lake levels. Change
of seasons also merit consider-
ation, as there are a lot of scenar-
ios that contribute to the where-
abouts of fish at any given time.
Anglers will never be able to
control the weather. We can’t
dictate lake levels either or oth-
er variables such as water color.
What the average everyday
A modified pontoon as shown here works well for anglers who prefer to drive wooded stakes from the
level floor. With the use of long pole drivers made of either plastic pvc pipe or wielded aluminum, bed
builders can drive the sticks into deeper water and form a concise pattern for the submerged manmade
fish attractor. Photo by Author

anglers can do, however, is cre-
ate habitat that helps him stay
in touch with the fish on a more
consistent basis. Plus, construct-
ing your very own fish attractors
doubles as a benefit for spawning
structure.
From small ponds to big lakes,
fish - especially crappie - need
structure in a variety of depths to
accommodate their needs during
the spawning phases.
The aging process on many
older lakes has taken away much
of the natural cover that once pro-
vided suitable spawning habitat.
Wind and ice erosion rob a
lot of natural structure in shal-
low flats and along shorelines.
So does siltation. The back of big
creeks are prime examples where
years of runoff pours into a creek
and delivers sediments that, over
years, covers up stumps and grav-
el beds.
The byproduct of an aging
lake is less visible structure and
that diminishes the success of
spawning for species like bass,
crappie and bluegill. Sometimes
aquatic vegetation emerges and
may provide cover for a period of
time but reservoirs like Kentucky
and Barkley Lakes are prime ex-
amples of what can happen when
aquatic vegetation suddenly quits
growing!
VARIOUS WAYS TO
BUILD BEDS
Creating manmade fish attrac-
tors is not rocket science. There
are some tricks to the trade as
to choosing locations and plac-
ing structures, so they will stay
in place, but generally speaking
there’s no substitute for a lot of
hard work and elbow grease.
Sinking brushpiles is probably
the most common form of fish at-
tractor. Simply weighting down
a treetop with concrete blocks is
the oldest form of bed building.
It’s simple and it works!
Everyone has heard of sinking
Christmas trees once the season
has past. Personally, I don’t care
much for sinking cedar trees but
I do like sinking other species of
trees such as willow, oak, river
birch, etc.…
Cedar is acidic and the foliage
doesn’t allow algae to form very
well. Ever notice that not much
Here’s what stakebeds look like when low lake levels expose them in the winter months on Kentucky Lake.
The habitat makes great spawning cover for bass, crappie and bluegill. However, builders need to be aware
that shallow, exposed structures are vulnerable to ice, which can push or destroy the habitat when break-
ups occur or wind erosion moves them around like a glacier effect. However, they’re good habitat when
lake levels rise and cover them up. Photo by Author

grass grows beneath a cedar tree
out in your yard? Once sunk ce-
dars have a tendency to weight
themselves down with mud and
mar up in the lake bottom.
Other trees keep their shape
and their limbs provide cover and
shade plus hold algae better and
thus, attract more baitfish and ul-
timately gamefish.
Weighting down various plas-
tic, cut off barrels or even sinking
tires wired or tied together will
likely hold a few fish, but those
are not as ideal as other type
structures such as logs or a series
of wooden stakes. Wood slabs or
smaller stakes can be either driv-
en into the lake bottom or sunk
in a variety of ways ranging from
concrete blocks filled with Quick-
crete and placing a matrix sticks
into the concrete before it dries
or sunk in 5-gallon buckets.
Allowing the sticks to set up-
right on a vertical position works
well but sometimes just allowing
them to protrude through a buck-
et with a porcupine style appear-
ance can work as well.
Some anglers even build a
square base and nail a series of
wooden stakes around the pa-
rameter or add slats within a 4 x
8 to 8 x 10-foot frame. The foun-
dation, once filled with a series
of stakes sticking upright, can
be sunk with concrete blocks or
rocks tied and wired to the frame.
Driving the stakes down into
the lake bottom is a popular tech-
nique but it takes a lot of labor.
Some guys drive them out of big
jon boats, while others modify
pontoons and rip out floors cre-
ating a base in which to drive a
big number of stakes in a concise
manner, creating a matrix for fish
to both spawn around or hide
and ambush their baitfish prey.
It takes long pole style handles
made of plastic pvc pipe or per-
haps aluminum tubing to create
the driver. Sometimes the handle
may range in length of 20-feet in
order to utilize them off the deck
of a pontoon. Not so long when
driving them out of a jon boat.
The long sleeve or handle may
be a 1 or 2-inch diameter with
a larger sleeve on the bottom
in which to allow the sticks or
slabs to fit to stay put as the rep-
etition of vertical motions drive
and pound the stake into the lake
bottom if held upright during the
entire procedure.
Stakebeds can be driven in
shallow water and left visible or
submerged into deeper depths if
desired. Some anglers even mix
stakebeds and brushpiles togeth-
er to create a larger bed that will
show up better on a sonar unit’s
screen.
Such manmade structures
work great around piers and pri-
vate boat houses. There’s really
no bad place to build fish attrac-
tors, but some places are better
than others.
In main lake areas choose
humps or irregular creek chan-
nels and drop-offs that offer two
An exposed stakebed like this built on a gravel bank can attract bass
and crappie throughout the year. Once lake levels rise the bed will be
submerged but offer shade and sanctuary to roaming fish and baitfish
as well. Photo by Author

different depth
extremes close
together. Place
some structure
in all extremes;
some deep and
some shallow
or some on the
break itself.
By doing this
you’ll cover the
bases and allow
the fish to de-
cide what depth
range they want
to be. It may be
trial and error
on their where-
abouts, but your
efforts will like-
ly have you in
the driver’s seat
when it comes to
locating them close by.
Granted there are times when
fish, especially crappie, suspend
and roam in open water areas in-
stead of acclimating to structure.
That often happens in post-spawn
phases when fish are stressed out
for a short period.
Yet the majority of the time
you’ll enhance your cooler or
live well’s appearance by stalking
the mats and keeping your lure
or live bait presentation in and
around some type of structure.
So, do yourself a favor: roll
up the sleeves and start your-
self a building project. Put a lot
of structures out in a variety of
depths and locations where you
plan to fish.
Over time you’ll see your ef-
forts pay dividends in the form of
more consistent catches.
UNIQUE ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES
INCLUDING:
ADVERTISING SIGNS
CAST IRON, FURNITURE
SMALLS
HUNTING/FISHING COLLECTIBLES
GAS PUMPS, PRIMITIVES
& MORE!
IF WE DON’T HAVE IT - WE WILL
FIND IT FOR YOU!
LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN TRIMBLE
NEXT TO THE POLICE STATION.
ADDRESS: 56 PIERCE ST. - TRIMBLE, TN - 38259
OPEN THURS, FRI, SAT: 9AM TO 5PM - SUN: 1PM TO 5PM
OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE HURT FAMILY!
CALL OR TEXT ROB HURT AT 731-445-8516
WE APPRAISE,
BUY, SELL &
TRADE!
CHECK OUT OUR LIVE
INTERNET AUCTIONS WITH DOZENS OF
ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES ADDED
WEEKLY ON FACEBOOK!
TWISTED WILLOW 2 - IS NOW OPEN IN THE
OLD TRIMBLE CITY HALL!

Ag Solutions
Call a Nutrien crop consultant today for all your agriculture needs:
DYERSBURG
445 Lenox Nauvoo Rd.
Dyersburg, TN 38024
(731) 287-8979
WYNNBURG
3630 Highway 78 S
Wynnburg, TN 38077
(731) 253-7700
2851 Hwy 88 South
Alamo, TN 38001
731-663-0100
www.nutrienagsolutions.com

There are a lot of changes
and new innovations that are on
the horizon in the 2020’s for the
farming community. Plant genet-
ics, herbicides, pesticides, GPS
systems, new equipment tech-
nology, farming techniques, po-
litical bills and new agriculture
programs are just some of the
changes that the farming com-
munity will experience. It will
be a new farming season, a New
Year, and yes … the new decade
has started and it will be the first
production season of a new de-
cade. All the farmers and ag-re-
lated businesses that have a stake
in the future of agriculture have
to wonder what is in store. Also,
where will farming be when this
decade is over.
In the wheat industry, re-
searchers are trying to develop
crops that are more perennial
which will benefit the world as
a whole. Planting annuals are a
hassle and contributes to the ero-
sion problem in the farming in-
dustry. Most farmers leave their
field empty until the next crop is
ready to be planted which costs
a lot of money and is a hassle to
the farmer. Crops that replen-
ish themselves saves the farmers
money, the plants have a larger
root base that will help the soil
to be healthier, and will utilize
moisture and nutrients more ef-
fectively. Salish Blue is a cross
between wheat (an annual) and
wheat grass (a perennial, wild
grass). The scientists at Washing-
ton State University have made
this blue-hued grain that will
grow over and over again with-
FARMING IN THE
NEW DECADE
FARMING IN THE
NEW DECADE
By Jonathan Holden
Researchers are constantly testing out new wheat seeds.

out the need to replant. As of
now, animals are the only ones
that benefit from this annual,
but they are working on making
a new hybrid that will benefit the
wheat industry.
The soybean industry has
made a high oleic soybean oil
and is researching increased oil
production, improved feed, in-
creased energy, low phytate pros-
perous, and improved amino ac-
ids through the new genetically
altered soybean oils. One com-
pany Qualisoy who partners with
the entire U.S. soy value chain
wants to create trait enhanced
soybean oils and meat that offer
desirable traits, such as improved
nutrition and functionality. Also,
researchers and seed companies
have been looking at narrow rows
mean better yields.
In the corn business, the row
spacing is 30 inches as of now,
but in the next ten years it is be-
lieved that it will go down to 20
or even lower to 15-inch row
spacing. This along with more
and better placed fertilizers, high-
er planting populations and fun-
gicide spraying will bring the
yields higher. The seed companies
will also be looking at producing
seeds with higher yields, disease,
insect and harmful nematode re-
sistant seeds, and other treated
seeds which will help the farmers
to have higher yields.
Cotton seed technologies are
on the horizon in the new de-
cade. These new technologies
are new Bt cotton trait targeting
tarnished plant bug and thrips,
HPPD-tolerant cotton, low-gos-
sypol cotton and reniform-resis-
tant varieties. For the past decade
the Bt cotton has targeted the boll
worm and caterpillar pests, but
now they will be switching over
to target the thrips and tarnished
plant bugs. Also cotton seed has
been a great source of protein for
ruminant animals. There is new
research on reducing the levels
of gossypol which is harmful to
non-ruminant animals and hu-
mans. Researchers have reduced
the gossypol in the seed by 97
percent, but have left it in the
The row spacing and the population sowed, especially with corn, may
be the answer to higher yields.
The cotton Bollworm destroys the cotton boll by boring in to it and
eating the cotton inside. The new HPPD-tolerant cotton trait has the
Bt proteins that will target the bollworm.

cotton leaves, bolls, roots and
stem. This new technology will
help them to be able to send it
directly to the domestic livestock
operations. It will also open up
the cotton seed oil to be able to
be introduced in the commercial
oil market. Companies are now
preparing to add an HPPD-toler-
ant cotton trait to the market by
2024, that will target the caterpil-
lar pests also. Reinform-Resistant
Cotton will have Enlist technol-
ogy for herbicide tolerance and
Widestrike 3, which contains
three Bt proteins targeting the
bollworm (W3FE).
Vegetable farming is also look-
ing at major technology innova-
tions like indoor vertical farm-
ing, automation and robotics, and
modern greenhouse practices. In-
door vertical farming increases
crop yields, helps with the limited
farm land, and can even reduce
the impact on the environment.
This technique is usually hydro-
ponic (grown in nutrient rich
water) or aeroponic (plant roots
are sprayed with water and nu-
trients). Artificial grow lights are
used in lieu of the sunlight. As the
market grows for healthier veg-
etables the modern greenhouses
are becoming more tech-heavy,
using LED lights and automat-
ed control systems to perfectly
tailor the growing environment.
These greenhouses are popping
up near urban hubs to capitalize
on the ever-increasing demand
for local food, no matter the sea-
son. The use of organic fertilizer
and genetically engineered mi-
crobes to provide more nutrients
This is an indoor vertical farming operation that uses the hydroponic style and grows vegetables all year
long. This method reduces the amount of space needed to grow and also cuts down on any hazards to the
environment.

to crops. This will put a biofilm
to stimulate plant growth, pro-
tect roots from destructive pests,
and help plants absorb nutrients
from the soil.
From equipment automation
to data collection, digitized farm-
ing is already abundant on farms
across the United States. Out of
many products in the works, the
most unexpected may be in the
near future: plowed fields. Many
companies are chasing the idea of
autonomous tractors. However,
the buzz is that a company has
a business plan that is above the
rest. While the company does not
build the machine itself, it adapts
the actuators and sensors needed
for driverless plowing to existing
tractors produced by major man-
ufacturers. Systems that automat-
ically steer using GPS receivers
keep crop rows straight and help
to avoid overlapping or gaps. This
technology is available on most
farming equipment such as com-
bines and sprayers. The difference
is that auto-steer systems still de-
pend on someone controlling the
equipment. This new technology
aids in preparing the fields for the
next plant after harvest.
The demand for autonomous
farming equipment is rising be-
cause of labor shortages. Accord-
ing to a 2019 article by the Fern’s
Ag Insider, “One-third of Amer-
ica’s 3.4 million farmers are over
the age of 65, long regarded as
retirement age, and nearly a mil-
lion more of them are within a
decade of that milestone, accord-
ing to new USDA data.” Farming
will continue to change as this
generation continues to retire,
because there are not enough la-
borers to replace them. Agri-
culture technology is critical to
somehow maintain food produc-
tion with the dwindling job force.
Tech-minded individuals seem
to be the future of farming and a
crucial element for further suc-
cess. Not only does autonomous
machinery aid in the shortage of
laborers but it will also allow for
efficiency. Fields could be worked
around the clock, allowing for
quicker harvesting. Although the
information on this device ap-
pear to be much more efficient,
it also collects data on your land
to improve it furthermore. This
device also provides safe opera-
tion where livestock or workers
may be. Increasing productivity
seems to be urgent in every as-
pect of agriculture.
In the new decade you will
also see new farming techniques
and technologies to better help
the farmer in their day-to-day
operations. One of the new tech-
nologies is the soil DNA testing.
Using this testing can help the
farmers to test for microbiomes,
identify insects, bacteria, nema-
They are here! These autonomous tractors are self-driving and are programmed by the farmer. These
machines are in demand due to the labor shortage.

todes, viruses and other patho-
gens in their soil to help them to
take care of the soil. This testing
is becoming more affordable for
the farmers to use. Smart sensors
are one of the new practices for
the new decade that will aid farm-
ers to be able to detect problems
from the sky. They can detect dry
patches, nutrient-deficient areas,
moisture levels, soil density, yield
mapping, and harvest documen-
tation. This new tech will enable
the farmers to collect data about
their farmland to help them in
problem solving when things go
wrong and greater control over
what goes right.
One of the biggest compa-
nies involved is John Deere and
they have received awards for
their new technology like the
ActiveCal tank scales for on-the-
go seeding calibration from the
cab, RelativeFlow blockage for
row-to-row seed-flow monitor-
ing, TruSet down force control
from the cab, and the Seeder-
Plus app for convenient calibra-
tion of meters and weight moni-
toring for tank scales. Programs
like AgriEdge Excelsior® from
Syngenta help growers learn to
use data for whole-farm manage-
ment. In the future, farms will
have an increased need for data
and information.
It’s no secret that Farmers
were most affected by the trade
Drones and smart sensors are aiding farmers so that they can have
better data. This data can help them be better at problem solving when
things go wrong.

war with China in 2018. Howev-
er, just this year on January 15th,
the President has negotiated a
new trade deal with China. This
deal is expected to boost Amer-
ican agriculture by fifty billion
dollars. Although this projection
may not come to fruition, China
has agreed to increase its pur-
chases of U.S. goods and services
by two-hundred billion over the
next two years. While the debate
is out on exactly how much the
agricultural industry will benefit,
increases in sales should contin-
ue through at least 2025. Steadi-
ly climbing each year. Although
we are only in “Phase 1” of this
deal, the outcome looks prom-
ising. However, farmers should
have a better idea of the impact
of this deal at the end of the year.
While this trade deal is good
news to most, it appears that
there is more uplifting news on
the horizon. The USDA could
announce relief payments to re-
imburse producers for last year’s
financial losses. The department
has promised up to $14.5 bil-
lion in aid for last year’s produc-
tion. It is not clear if the aid will
continue for farmers in 2020,
but some say that more farmers
have become financially depen-
dent on subsidies. Many farm-
ers are unsure of what to plant
because there are many details
on the trade deal, however, they
cannot continue to sell crops be-
low cost with addition aid. There
has also been talk of a completely
new program for this year. Only
time will tell but things seem to
be looking up.
From seed genetics to self-driv-
ing tractors, farmers will need to
adopt and learn the new ways
to help their farming operations
sustain and grow in this new de-
cade. Farmers will need to get
onboard with computers and be-
come more tech savvy also. With
all of these new innovations and
technologies farming in the new
decade should be growing to new
heights.
Editor’s note: Jonathan Holden is
an Agriculture Education Teacher
at Dresden High School in Tennes-
see. His college background is in
Agriculture and Animal Science.
You have to pull a good sample and send it to your local extension office and they will send it off to be
tested. Some companies are now doing the DNA testing if you send it to them. Then the farmer gets the
data that they need to help keep the soil healthy.

THE MID-SOUTH’S EXPERTS IN THE MOST MODERN
AND AFFORDABLE SECURITY MONITORING SYSTEMS!
■ Instant & convenient data backup using CD/DVD or USB drive
■ Intuitive Mouse Operation
■ Exclusive backup data player
■ Free Dynamic DNS
■ Built-in Pan/Tilt/Zoom/Focus camera protocols over 30 models.
■ Automatic Video Input and Video loss detection
■ Multiple Client Software and web-viewer for PC
■ NTP (Network Time Protocol)
■ Free Dynamic DNS
PROTECT YOUR HOME, PROPERTY, FARM OR BUSINESS!
WEST TENNESSEE COMMUNICATIONS
1295 HWY 51 S BYPASS - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
731-286-6275
WWW.WETEC.COM
WE SUPPORT THE
DYER CO. SHERIFF
FARM WATCH!
YOUR
HOMETOWN
STORE
DYER CO FERTILIZER
731-627-9335
BIG BOY JUNCTION
731-285-0202
NEWBERN
731-627-2525
TRENTON
731-885-1891
DYER
731-665-6161
MILAN
731-787-6618
Like us on Facebook at
Gibson Farmers Co-op
Follow us on Instagram
@gibsonfarmers
www.gfcoop.com

NORTH AMERICA
THE
SHORTEST
DISTANCE
BETWEEN
HARVEST
&
MARKET!
(731) 285 3640
4344 Everett Lake Rd.
Finley, TN
“Call for your
marketing and
financing needs.”
Yellow Corn-Soybean
Wheat-White Corn
Farm Credit Mid-America offers loans, leases and crop insurance designed
to help rural residents build, farms grow and businesses expand.
FARMERS
CREDIT.
We give
RIPLEY
800 HIGHWAY 51 SOUTH
RIPLEY, TN 38063
SOMERVILLE
18075 HIGHWAY 64
SOMERVILLE, TN 38068
DRESDEN
800 MORROW STREET
DRESDEN, TN 38225
THREE-WAY
104 BRIGHTON DRIVE
HUMBOLDT, TN 38343
To ﬁnd an ofﬁce near you call 800-444-FARM or go to e-farmcredit.com
800 HIGHWAY 51 SOUTH
RIPLEY, TN 38063
731-635-5002
We also offer Soil Sampling (Grid/Spot)
and of course ... all your seed, fertilizer and Ag chemicals needs!
CONSOLIDATED AGRI PRODUCTS
35 Harrington Rd - Ridgely, TN 38080
(731) 264-5440
RIO Shotgun Shells
Val6 Heaters
G&H Decoys
Dakota Decoys
Louisana Grills
YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE FARM, HOME
& THE GREAT OUTDOORS!
WE HAVE A GOOD THING GROWING LIKE
THE DYER COUNTY FAIR!
RIO SHOTGUN SHELLS
VAL6 HEATERS
HIGDON DECOYS
ORCA COLLERS
LOUISIANA GRILLS
HUNTING
AMMO
SHOTGUN SHELLS
DECOYS
PROUD SPONSOR
OF F.F.A.

When tough,resistant weeds fight back,the powerful combination of Latigo®
and Fire-Zone®
provides broad spectrum
control of broadleaf weeds. Featuring Moveo™
Formulation Technology, Latigo enhances absorption and uptake for
more efficient weed control. For an even faster weed killing response, optimize your spray application using a tank mix
with Fire-Zone.
Contact your local Helena representative or visit HelenaAgri.com for more information.
Important: Always read and follow label directions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states and counties. Please check with your Helena representative to ensure registration status. Helena,
Fire-Zone and Latigo are registered trademarks and Moveo is a trademark of Helena Holding Company. © 2020 Helena Holding Company. HPG0320S
GIVE WEEDS A
ONE-TWO
PUNCH
WITH

As we turned onto a road
leading along the Cumberland
River, my son asked, “How
many turkeys are in that flock?”
Somewhere around 200 was my
answer. It was an impressive
number of birds to say the least,
but in many locations around
Tennessee it is common to see
winter groups this large before
the spring break up.
It is also hard for many
people to imagine that this one
flock of 200 turkeys may have
contained more birds than were
in the entire state of Tennes-
see during the 1930’s. Not just
in Tennessee, but in neighbor-
ing states, wild turkeys were a
thing of the past. Kentucky has
records showing that during the
1920’s its only remaining tur-
key population may have been
down to only eight to ten birds
in the area now called Land Be-
tween the Lakes.
There are many people
alive today who did not see
their first wild turkey until they
were adults because restoration
of wild turkeys across North
America is still a relatively re-
cent occurrence.
Tennessee’s wild turkeys
were almost decimated by the
early 1920’s, due to unregulated
market hunting which was oc-
curring not only across Tennes-
see, but nationwide. It was not
uncommon in the late 1890’s or
By Richard Hines
Tennessee
Turkey
Success
Here is a gobbler during spring breeding season.
Photo by Richard Hines

early 1900’s to see wild game
listed along with beef and pork
in the commodity sections of
newspapers. Although many
city residents may not have
hunted, they were able to pur-
chase deer, rabbits, quail, squir-
rel and wild turkey. Depending
on locations turkeys were pur-
chased from hunters and sold at
butcher shops for around ten to
twelve cents per pound.
Tennessee Wildlife Re-
sources Agency Wild Turkey
Program Coordinator, Rog-
er Shields said Tennessee like
many southeastern states were
using farm raised birds to re-
store turkeys. One of these lo-
cations was the Buffalo Springs
State Game Farm near Rutledge
in East Tennessee.
Buffalo Springs, along with oth-
er game farms, hatched thou-
sands of turkey eggs releas-
ing “wild turkeys” to no avail.
When the first Wild Turkey
Symposium was held in Mem-
phis in 1959, over twenty state
wildlife agencies attended. By
this time, all wildlife profes-
sionals agreed that releasing
pen-reared turkeys was not
only unsuccessful, but poten-
tially detrimental to remaining
wild flocks. Some states had ac-
tually been rearing and releas-
ing farm raised turkeys since
the 1930’s and still had noth-
ing to show for their efforts. It
was about this time that trap-
ping and relocating wild birds
was determined to be the only
solution.
Shields said, “The origi-
nal and primary trap (source)
sites in Tennessee were Shelby
WMA, Fall Creek Falls WMA,
Ocoee WMA and Catoosa
WMA” When the birds were
trapped, they were moved to
other WMAs. The first WMAs
to receive birds were Central
Peninsula WMA (now Chuck
Pole traps were originally used by early settlers and tried in the early 1950’s. Photo Courtesy of TWRA

Swan WMA), Anderson Tully
and Cheatham WMAs. Other
WMAs were added to the list
as time went on, including Nat-
chez Trace and Big Sandy”.
In the 1940s and 1950s, trap-
ping turkeys was at best a wild
guess. No doubt you have heard
people say, “I could catch every
turkey in the woods”. Wildlife
officials did too and many of
these old methods were tried,
including walk-in traps con-
structed of saplings and pole
traps, which directed birds into
a cage of stacked poles.
However, the most effec-
tive method was using cannon
nets. A method perfected on
the nearby Kentucky Wood-
lands National Wildlife Refuge
in the late 1940’s. The Kentucky
Woodlands later became part of
Land Between the Lakes.
A cannon net consisted
of a large net, generally 50
feet by 40 feet that was tied to
three projectiles. Each projec-
tile was charged with an emp-
ty 12-gauge shotgun shell filled
with black powder. This was
ignited with an electric charge.
When the shell went off, the 3
cannons shot the net over the
birds.
Sounds easy, but the nets
had to be covered up with
leaves. If wind blew leaves off
exposing the net it would some-
times spook turkeys. When it
rained the nets would freeze to
the ground or were too heavy
to shoot out properly.
Once the birds began tak-
ing the bait, someone had to
sit in a blind from daylight to
dark waiting for the right time
to shoot the net. Anyone who
has trapped turkeys will tell
you it was always cold, and
many long days were spent in
the blind without seeing the
first turkey. When these trap-
ping operations were ongoing,
few birds were in the state.
Even when you shot the cannon
net, charges were not always
Rocket Net set up shows rockets on stands. During trapping, nets are
covered with leaves and rocket stands are partially hid with shrubbery.
Photo by Richard Hines

dependable. A misfire would
cause an entire group of turkeys
to not only escape, but possibly
never return to that bait site,
requiring you to sometimes
start over at another location.
In the late 1980s, the can-
non net was upgraded to what
is called a rocket net and just
as its name implies it is more
effective and faster. Upgrading
to rocket nets was one of the
major innovations in trapping
turkeys. Rocket nets are also
used to trap waterfowl and oth-
er species for research.
While the efforts began
slowly in the 1950’s the Ten-
nessee Game and Fish Com-
mission began releasing turkeys
on WMAs in central Tennessee
and along the Plateau which
would later become source sites
for further restoration in the
1960s.
Shields said, “From 1951 to
2004, TWRA personnel trapped
and relocated 13,856 turkeys
across Tennessee”.
Interestingly, TWRA along
with several southeastern states
were experimenting with exot-
ic game birds in the 1960s and
some turkeys were exchanged
for brood stock of exotic pheas-
ants which were being raised at
the Buffalo Springs Game Farm.
Not only in Tennessee, but in
other southeastern states, exot-
ic game bird introduction pro-
grams were unsuccessful.
There is one characteristic
about most wildlife reintro-
ductions, populations general-
ly continue increasing by leaps
and bounds, what biologists call
exponential growth. However,
at some point, populations hit
a peak referred to as carrying
capacity. Carrying capacity is
determined by habitat quality,
which varies not only among
counties, but sometimes with-
in counties or individual farms.
Shields added, “This fairly
consistent pattern strongly re-
flects the natural balancing pro-
A rocket net going off spreads a net over a bait site, catching birds. Photo by Richard Hines

cesses that occur in nature and
prevents wildlife populations,
including wild turkeys, from
increasing indefinitely.”
Shields summed up the sta-
tus of Tennessee’s turkey sit-
uation by saying, “Because of
the tremendous efforts made
by TWRA employees and our
conservation partners, wild tur-
key restoration in Tennessee
was a huge success and today
we’re the beneficiaries of their
efforts in establishing healthy
populations of turkeys across
the state.”
Turkeys are shown here being released during restoration.
Photo Courtesy of TWRA

STOP!WASTING YOUR AD DOLLARS!
ADVERTISE IN THIS MAGAZINE AND
REACH OVER 47,500 READERS!
YOUR AD WILL ALSO APPEAR ON OUR
INTERNET MAGAZINE, WHICH CAN BE
VIEWED AT
SOUTHERNTRADITIONSOUTDOORS.COM
AND ENJOYS 830 PLUS HITS PER DAY
FOR FREE!
FOR ADVERTISING INFO THAT WILL GIVE
YOU MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
CONTACT ROB SOMERVILLE
731-446-8052
stomag1@gmail.com
MOBILE APP v2.0
NOW AVAILABLE!
TWRA ON THE GO
ALL MAJOR TIRE BRANDS
ALIGNMENT - EXHAUST - BRAKES - SUSPENSION
OIL CHANGE - MUFFLERS - CUSTOM EXHAUSTS
AIR CONDITIONING ... AND MUCH MORE!
OWNERS - RANDY MORRIS & FAMILY
FAMILY OWNED
&
OPERATED SINCE
1986!
THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS!
DYERSBURG, TN: 1960 ST. JOHN AVE. 731-285-9010
GLEASON, TN: 3747 HIGHWAY 22 731-352-2255
PARIS, TN: 210 MEMORIAL DR. 731-642-8745

WE HAVE A WHOLE FLEET OF WRECKERS
FOR ANY SITUATION!
CHECK OUT OUR SELECTION
OF DIXIE DEER BLINDS!
SELLING WHOLESALE
AND RETAIL
DEALERS WELCOME!
WE BUILD: Gliders, Swings,
Adirondack Chairs, Tables,
Rocking Chairs, Lounge Chairs,
Patio Chairs, Benches,
Recliners, and more!
Stainless Steel Hardware!
Very Low Maintenance!
No More Painting!
No More Rusting!
WE OFFER 13 COLORS TO CHOOSE FROM!
It's Built in
TENNESSEE
2' Adirondack Chair $215.00*
5' Rollback Swing $413.00*
Square Bar Height Table $507.00*
Bar Height Swivel Chairs $325.00*
each
ONCE IN A
LIFETIME
PURCHASE
2' Glider $275.00*
Rocking Chair $195.00*
Lounge Chair $290.00*
Best
Seller
*ALL prices shown are retail
477 BLOOMING GROVE S. - McKENZIE, TN - 38201
WORLEY’S CUSTOM
BAITS
HOME OF THE
15 INCH
“MEAT WORM”
Two different styles of 15” worms.
12” and 8” lizards
10.5” and 9” worms
8” lizards.
5 1/4” brush bugs
4” flipping craws
5” senkos
6” finesse worm
In all the most
popular colors!
FOR MORE INFO OR TO ORDER CALL
STEVE WORLEY: 731-446-9309
ROB SOMERVILLE: 731-446-8052
BIGGER BAITS MEAN
BIGGER FISH!
THE RED BARN ANTIQUE MALL
Owners :Tami & Gerry Neese
2150 Hwy 70 East - Jackson, TN. 38305
731-444-0058 731-240-1368
gerryneese@gmail.com
NEW NEW

Hello, to all you great read-
ers of STO Magazine. It has been
a while since I have graced this
great book with my presence; and
for that I apologize. I turned 50
in January and I never thought I
would make it, because of the cra-
zy way I have lived my life.
To celebrate turning 50 years
old one night I decided to go
hunting by myself and reflect
over those 50 years. I approached
my kennels, and I noticed that
Heidi {who had just turned 12}
didn’t have the get up and go she
did a few months back. Her voice
was not as strong as it once was
and the gray had already taken
over her face and mouth area. All
hounds men know that you have
one dog in your life that you will
forever compare the rest of your
hounds to and mine is Heidi. I
realized that this may be Heidi’s
last hunt
With this thought on my mind
I decided to take her and my one
year-old Red Bone hound, named
Cherokee on the hunt. I loaded
Cherokee up first; then I hooked
Heidi and picked her up to put
her in the truck and away we
went. We got to one of my favor-
ite spots I had been hunting at for
years. I remember this spot be-
cause this was where Heidi treed
her first coon for me and my
hunting partner, Joe Lewis. I put
the tracking collars on the dogs
and released them. Off through
the night they went. I walked in
a couple of hundred yards and sat
by a big oak, leaning back on it.
I sat there waiting for the
dogs to strike. I closed my eyes
and 50 years of memories came
flooding back to me, like a riv-
er overflowing its banks. Memo-
ries of my first coon hunt, when
I was twelve years old with Mr.
Jere Blalock and his son, Rusty. I
The Last Hunt
By Shawn Todd

remembered it like it was yester-
day, the excitement of the hunt
and the camaraderie of it all. An-
other memory that came to me
was of the first duck I killed, in a
wire and cane blind on the spill-
way ditch coming from Reelfoot.
I remembered the first deer killed
with the before mentioned Rusty
and the first rabbit with the be-
fore mentioned Blalock pair. The
memories kept coming. I remem-
bered my first hound. Lady was
her name and she could tree a
opossum with the best of them. I
start to remember all the hounds
I have ever had and the first time
they treed a ringtail and even
where they treed them.
The night trudged on and
my memories were still coming.
I started thinking about friends
and family that are with me and
of those that are no longer. I
wondered if I was living life right?
Was I a good enough friend? Was
I there when they needed me? I
wondered if I was doing enough
for my mom in her golden years.
I hope she is proud of the man I
have become. I thought about the
kids I have hunted with, how they
have grown and how they have
moved on with their lives and
families. I hope I was a positive
influence with all the kids that
hunted with me. I miss them all,
family and friends that have left
me and the kids that have hunt-
ed with me.
Memories of old loves came
calling to me. Did I make them a
priority? Did I treat them right?
Did I do enough? I thought I did,
but apparently I didn’t. I thought
about what my hunting partner
Joe Lewis said to me one night,
“I mean no harm Shawn, but you
may not be the marrying kind”.
As I get older I think he may be
right. I wonder if it’s because I
just do things my way and am
too bullheaded and too stubborn
to change. Many more questions
that can’t be answered came to
me on that hunt.
More memories also came, but
they shall stay pressed between
the pages of my mind. I get misty
eyed with all the memories. All of
a sudden I was startled from my
memories with Heidi’s strike and
big locate - that big loud double
bawl that goes into a steady chop
of barks. I thought to myself, I
will miss this sound when she
is gone. I got misty eyed again.
My confidence was still in her in
knowing that there will be a coon
there. I walked about two hun-
dred yards and got to a big oak
tree. Like always Heidi was on the

tree chopping away, and Chero-
kee is there with her, sniffing the
ground and trying to figure ev-
erything out. I hooked them to
their leads and start shinning the
tree. Sure enough, there it was,
looking back at me. I brought
it out dead, seeing as Cherokee
was not a killer yet and Heidi’s
fighting days were over. I petted
Cherokee and then pet Heidi and
told her, “You still got it old girl“.
I led the dogs back to the
truck. On the way back to the
truck it seemed like only yester-
day when Heidi was two, running
hard and ready for a long night of
cooning. I, like all of you read-
ers at some time in your life, wish
we could turn back the hands of
time. I picked up Heidi to load
her. I realized how time is fleet-
ing and this was Heidi’s last hunt,
last coon and last ride. My eyes
got misty again knowing that at
my age I may never have anoth-
er hound like her. As I looked
down at Cherokee, with those big
brown eyes and her head tilted
to the left, I thought to myself -
Cherokee; maybe you will be as
good as Heidi one day.
Only four days after this hunt
one of the saddest experiences in
my hunting life happened. I bur-
ied Heidi. I laid her to rest where
all my other hounds before her
are resting. As the dirt covered
her, tears filled my eyes, I remem-
bered one of my favorite poems
from the author Isabel Valle, “
When some great sorrow, like a
mighty river, flows through your
life with peace-destroying power
and dearest things are swept away
from sight forever say in your
heart each trying hour: This too
shall pass away”.
I still miss Heidi, but I know
I was lucky to have you old girl;
you will be missed. I looked back
on the hill wiping the tears out
of my eyes and I see Cherokee;
I thought about her and hoped
it will be as wild of a ride with
her as it was with Heidi. I also
thought to myself, how wild and
crazy my last 50 years have been.
I may have another 50 years, or
maybe just one more left in the
late winter of my life, but it is
going to be one hell of a ride. So,
great readers no matter what your
age is enjoy your family, friends,
loved ones and your hounds. You
never know how time and Kismet
will affect your life.
Until next time. See you at the
tree.

WILKERSON’S TAXIDERMY
FROM A “MOUSE TO A MOOSE”
AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN!
TRUST WILKERSON’S TAXIDERMY
AND THEIR 30-PLUS YEARS
IN ALL PHASES OF TAXIDERMY!
STATE, NATIONAL & WORLD
AWARD WINNING TAXIDERMISTS!
1529 Morgan Rd - Dyersburg, TN
731-286-0853
While you’re hunting or fishing on Reelfoot
Lake, stop by and see Johanna and her crew
for a quick, delicious meal.
Or, beat the heat with their
“World Famous” ice cream.
Dine-in or eat outside on their Patio!!
Home Owned and operated
731-253-6311
HWY 78 - Tiptonville
Less than 5 min from Reelfoot Lake
“Something Different”
our hospitable

FORMING A
SUCCESSFUL
HUNTING CLUB
In this modern day era, walk-
ing up to a landowner’s door and
politely asking for and receiving
permission to hunt is becoming
a rarity. With more and more
urban sprawl, and land values
at an all-time high, land has be-
come too expensive a luxury for
the average blue-collar hunter to
purchase for their recreational ac-
tivities of hunting sports. Farm-
ers are now, more than ever, im-
plementing programs to lease out
large tracts of land for hunting
leases. They are literally “farm-
ing wildlife.” These farmers have
learned that they can supplement
their crop income with money
generated from hunting. Due to
the difficulty in easily accessing
hunting permission on private
ground for free, public hunting
areas are overcrowded. Because
of all of these factors, many out-
door oriented men and women
have learned an alternative solu-
tion; that being the pooling of
their money and resources with
other like-minded hunters to
form a hunting club.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Though this sub-topic sounds
more like a Clint Eastwood film
than an article in a major outdoor
publication, it aptly describes
what hunters may encounter
when forming a hunting club.
Let me explain. I have learned
many things from the experienc-
es of being the lease foreman over
a dozen hunting clubs in the past
thirty years. These tracts of land
encompassed over 12,000 acres
in all. I have made mistakes and
learned from them, and have
helped many clubs get started
through my experience.
The benefits of a hunting club
include pooling your money, ex-
perience and labor in a group
effort for the enjoyment of all.
Sounds easy, right? It can be if
you don’t make common mis-
takes that many fledgling clubs
make. I have seen friends and
brothers literally fighting mad
over differences in opinion of a
hunting club and its unclear reg-
ulations. I have even seen land-
owners tell members to, “Never
set foot on my land again.”
I have also seen clubs literal-
ly kill out all desirable game on
a leased property, through poor
By Rob Somerville
The success of a hunting club will depend not only on the habitat and
wildlife, but even more importantly on the quality of its members.
STO File Photo

management and over harvesting.
Today, I will share with you the
keys to forming and maintain-
ing a successful hunting club, a
“Blueprint for Success” – if you
will.
It takes quality people to have a
quality club
The first step I recommend
in forming a hunting club is to
partner with someone who you
are good friends with, and who
is a safe and ethical hunter. Share
your goals and visions of where
and what type of area and wild-
life you would both like to hunt,
how much you are each will-
ing to spend, how many acres
you would like to lease, and how
many members you need to meet
expenditures without dipping
into the family grocery money.
The two of you will share the du-
ties of lease foremen.
Your next step is to fill the
quota of membership you decid-
ed on with GOOD, QUALITY
people. They must be safe, eth-
ical, and good natured and have
similar philosophies about game
management, harvest size and
quotas as the two of you. A very
important factor is the fact that
they must be financially able to
pay their part. Get a verbal agree-
ment of membership from all re-
cruited members before looking
for an area to lease.
Land Ho!
When you are all in agreement
on all of the subjects in the para-
graph above, begin looking for
land. Do not wait until a month
before hunting season. If you
do, most of the quality land will
be taken, and if it is not, it will
have a premium price tag. A good
place to start is with friends, fam-
ily members, church and business
acquaintances, and in newspapers
and magazine want ads. Once you
locate some land to look at, ask
some locals about it. An excel-
lent source of wildlife sightings
is rural mail carriers. When you
are confident that the land meets
the needs of the game you wish
to pursue, contact the landown-
Food plots are a great way to attract and enhance the quality of wild-
life on your club’s lease, but the work and expense of these food plots
must be shared equally among your members.
Photo by Rob Somerville
One way to measure how much the wildlife on your lease has browsed
down your food plots is to fence a small circle of each food plot
with rabbit wire. The difference between the fenced in area and the
surrounding area will show you how much the wildlife has browsed.

er by phone, or better yet, in per-
son. Ask them if they could find
time in their busy schedule to
meet with you and your partner
to discuss the possibility of leas-
ing their land for a hunting club.
Prior to your meeting, put to-
gether a formal presentation in-
cluding what type of game you
wish to hunt, a proper manage-
ment plan, how many people will
be in your club, and any type
of food plots you would like to
plant to enhance the wildlife on
his land. The most important part
of this presentation is the set of
club rules.
Club Rules – The building blocks
of success
A wise man once said, “Society
without rules wreaks utter cha-
os.” The same can be said about
hunting clubs. Rules that are
printed out and signed, by each
club member and the landowner,
protect all parties involved. When
the laws are laid down at the be-
ginning of the endeavor, and all
parties agree to them, it will pre-
vent feelings from getting hurt
and tempers from flaring up in
the future. The following is a list
of generic rules I recommend for
any hunting club.
Ten Commandments of
Hunting Clubs:
1. The cost of the lease, with
equal cost shared by each mem-
ber, and an exact date for when
the money is due.
2. A listing of all members
names, phone numbers, email,
type and color of vehicle they
drive, license plate number, and
type and color of ATV. {The ve-
hicle and ATV information is to
be able to discern member’s ve-
hicles from trespassers}.
3. Each member, without ex-
ception, must follow all game and
fish rules, quotas and seasons set
by the state agency.
4. All members will treat
the landowner, his property, his
equipment and any livestock on
the land with the utmost respect.
5. Club harvest and quota
limits. {Example - on my leas-
es we are only allowed to take
one buck per season, and it must
have a minimum 16-inch antler
spread. Each hunter can take two
mature gobblers, and no jakes.
There is a $500.00 penalty for a
deer harvested under the antler
requirement, and a $100.00 fine
if a button buck is taken. This
money goes towards the next
year’s least and is split equally
amongst members. We encourage
the harvest of does to enhance
our buck to doe ratio. These re-
strictions are not enforced when
dealing with juvenile or physical-
ly challenged hunters. The reason
for these rules is to establish and
maintain a quality game manage-
ment plan}.
6. A guest policy must be
set. When this policy is not put
in writing, it causes a lot of prob-
lems. {We allow a guest on any
day, but opening day of any type
of deer season. No guests are al-
lowed during turkey season}.
It also needs to state that each
member is completely responsi-
ble for the conduct of their guest.
7. All expenses and work
voted on by club must be shared
equally.
8. Designate parking and
ATV parking and travel areas,
with prior approval of landowner.
9. No rutting of roads, riding
ATV’s through planted fields, or
driving nails in to trees.
10. Address any and all safety
issues that you think may come
up and stress safety as Priority #1.
The Meeting
When you meet with the land-
Turkey will gravitate to many of the same food plots as deer {example:
clover}. But, if you are targeting turkey specifically, you may want to
look into planting chufa. Photo by Rob Somerville

owner, be respectful and honest.
They have probably had domes-
tic animals or equipment shot,
been trespassed on, had garbage
dumped on their property, or had
crops or roads rutted. It is a good
idea to have written character ref-
erences, complete with contact
names and phone numbers. It is
a big plus if you have a letter of
reference from a landowner you
have hunted on previously. If the
landowner seems agreeable to the
proposition of leasing his land, it
is time for you to make like Mon-
ty Hall and “Let’s Make a Deal”.
If you plan on implementing
a game management plan, plant
food plots, and grow trophy ani-
mals you need to try to secure a
five year lease at the minimum.
This serves two purposes. It lets
the land owner see the sincerity
of your club and gives them the
confidence of a set income com-
ing in for the agreed upon time
period. For your club, it gives
incentive to put work and mon-
ey into the lease towards years of
enjoyment. Although it doesn’t
happen often, I have seen hunting
clubs do a lot of work at no min-
imal expense, only to get booted
out after one year when another
group of hunters comes up with
an offer of a little more money
and reaps the fruits of all your
labors. The respect you give the
landowner, the conduct of your
members, and the trust he builds
in your group as a club, are also
key factors in him giving you first
right of refusal at the end of the
lease contract.
If the lease is agreed upon,
and the deal is sealed by a hand-
shake, get it typed out and signed
by each lease member and the
landowner. Spell out each detail,
and get it notarized along with
a copy of the club rules signed
by each member. All members
should then get a signed permis-
sion slip from landowner and a
club sticker or placard for their
vehicle. Even before you start
scouting the land, have the land-
owner show you the boundaries,
and clearly mark them with “No
Trespassing signs.”
Summary:
One of the most overlooked
advantages of a hunting club is
the camaraderie formed while
scouting, planting food plots and
hunting. Many of my best friends
have become so through my asso-
ciation with them as fellow mem-
bers of hunting leases I am on.
Planning, putting up deer stands,
brushing duck blinds, and sitting
around the camp fire all help form
a bond filled with memories that
will last a lifetime. I have been
in clubs where four generations
of hunters sat around the lodge,
swapping stories and laughing.
To put it simply, a hunting club’s
quality will be decided upon by
who the members are and what
efforts they put into it. An un-
written code of ethics should
also be discussed. This includes
never leaving the property until
all hunters are at the designated
parking space and accounted for,
and never acting disrespectful to
another member.
Last year, on the evening before
the opening of the Juvenile deer
hunt, I looked around the camp-
fire. I saw smiles and looks of
contentment on all of the adults,
and excitement and awe in the
eyes of the kids. I remember say-
ing a silent prayer of thanks to
the Father of all things wild, and
whispering to myself, “It just
doesn’t get any better than this.”
I hope that your hunting club
venture will be a success.
Chufa is a root plant, similar to peanuts, and turkeys love it!

54 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | MARCH - APRIL 202054 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | MARCH - APRIL 2020
The married couple of Mark and Danielle Sanford doubled up on big bucks, this past opening weekend ofdeer season. Mark scored on this big 14-point buck and Danielle with this great 10-pointer in Lake County,Tennessee.
Robert “Doc” Jackson was just
“cattin” around Pickwick Lake,
when this huge 39lb. catfish gobbled
his bait.

Southern Traditions Outdoor - March/April 2020

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to Southern Traditions Outdoor - March/April 2020 (18)

Recently uploaded (20)

Southern Traditions Outdoor - March/April 2020