Southern Traditions Outdoors - February 2016

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JANUARY - FEBRUARY 20161111111111111111111 SSSOSOSOSSOOOOOOSOSSOSOSOSOSSOSOOSOOSOOUTUTUUUTUTUTUTUTUTUUTTUUUUUUUUUUUUUTUUU HHHEHEHEHEHH RNRNNNNNRNRNRNRNRNNN TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTRARARARARARARARAARARARARARARARAAAARARARARARRAARAARRARARAADIDIDDIDIDIIDIDDIDDIDID TTTTTITITTITITITITT ONONONONONNNNONONONNONSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS OUOUOUOUOUOUUOUOUOUOUOUOOUOOUOUOUOUOUOUOUOUUOUTTTTDTDDTTTDTTTDTDTDTDTDTTDTDTDTDTDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORSRSRSRSRRRSRSRSRSR ||||| JJJJJJJJJJJJJJAANANANAANANANANANAANUAUAUAUAUAUUAUAUAUUARRYRYRYRYRYYYYYRRYYYYY --------- FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFEBEBEBEBEBBEBEBEE RRRURRURUUARARARARRRRRRRRRRARRRARRRARYYYYYYYYYYYYYY 202020222000200000000000000000200002020000000000000000000022000222202022000000000000011116111661666666
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016
COLDCOLD
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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
John Sloan
Richard Simms
John Meacham
Buck Gardner
Richard Hines
Ed Lankford
Drew Brooks
John Latham
John Roberts
Paul E. Moore
Rob Hurt
Mark Buehler
Richard Fagan
Field Staff Editors
Owners - Eddie Anderson
Rob Somerville
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Publisher - Eddie Anderson
Editor - Rob Somerville
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PG .................. ARTICLE.......................................................... AUTHOR
8...........................Winter Crappie Heating Up................................................Steve McCadams
16..........................Late Winter Bushytails.......................................................Richard Hines
19..........................Fish Factory - Part 6 .........................................................Kevin Griffith
23..........................Ag News - So... God Made A Farmer ................................Rob Somerville
37..........................From Whitetails To Cottontails...........................................Richard A. Fagan
39..........................Canine Care In The Cold...................................................Shawn Todd
41..........................Traditions Outdoor Tips .....................................................Richard A. Fagan
42..........................Silence is Golden Silencers & Firearms ............................Lane Douglas
44..........................Kids Korner........................................................................STO
53..........................Trophy Room.....................................................................STO
Steve McCadams displays a Kentucky Lake slab crappie, taken on a bottom bumping rig, fished in
20 feet of water. Crappie don’t dry up and disappear after spring spawning and anglers can land
some big fish long before spring returns. Photo courtesy of Steve McCadams

Letter from the Editor
Eyes of the Hunter
By Rob Somerville.
To form a good visual analogy of a hunter’s eyes, watch an ordinary housecat as it patiently stalks its
prey, with its body motionless and its eyes locked on to its quarry, never blinking and always intent. These
are the eyes of a seasoned hunter, an experienced and willing participant of decades in the woods, fields
and duck blinds.
Veteran hunters have learned to always be observant of the entire physical environment around them.
They notice any subtle changes in the motion of nature. They are predators to the “nth” degree.
A hunter can do without many important tools and still be successful, but all of the best hunters seem
to have that cold, unwavering and intense look in their eyes. Their experiences in the outdoor world have
taught them what to seek out as their vision scans the horizons. Deer hunters look for moving shadows,
horizontal shapes and the flick of a white ear or tail. Duck hunters look for the sun shining white on
the wings of a mallard and dark silhouettes of geese against the setting sun. Upland game hunters have
trained their eyes to shoot instinctively at the blur of quail taking flight as these evasive birds burst into
the sky out of the corner of their eyes.
We take our vision for granted, even though it is one the most amazing creations the Good Lord has
ever devised. They adjust and respond to high and low light and they focus automatically like a pair of
high dollar binoculars.
But, it takes years of experience to develop a true set of hunter’s eyes. It can’t be accomplished by reading
magazines or watching videos. They must be developed through time spent and respect learned in the
field.
Most outdoorsmen who have true hunter’s eyes can be recognized by the crows feet at their corners,
their wind and sun burned faces and a certain intensity when in the out of doors.
I wrote the following essay to give homage to the greatest tool and most under rated asset a hunter
possesses – his eyes.

The Eyes of the Hunter
Fully camouflaged from head to toe,
patient enough to watch blades of grass grow.
Scanning the woods for anything out of place,
his eyes burning orbs, in his net covered face.
Nothing gets by him – no creature great or small,
not even an ant, no … nothing at all.
He sits like a statue, almost as if he is dead,
the only thing moving are the eyes in his head.
In the duck blind, for mallards, he tirelessly scans the skies,
there is a lifetime of experience within a hunter’s eyes.
He can field-score a buck, at five hundred paces,
and find a blood trail lost, with little to no traces.
Watering from the wind and scorched by the sun,
burning from the smoke of a muzzleloading gun.
Dilating in the dark, and squinting into the light,
with vision like a panther, in the pitch black of night.
His vision is like a beacon, or an infra-red scope,
two lenses that seek, giving his quarry no hope.
A camera that processes data to the brain,
through a raging rainstorm, or in rugged terrain.
A most necessary tool – are a hunter’s eyes,
for hunting the creature, that swims, walks or flies.
Intense, ever seeking, never blinking or tired,
a constant source of energy, with all circuits wired.
The eyes of a hunter, they take it all in,
as sharp and as focused, as the head of a pin.
They are steady and accurate, searching and wise,
the ultimate predator lurks within a hunter’s eyes.
Rob Somerville

Winter crappie fishing you say?
Absolutely!
Just because spring has come
and gone doesn’t mean the fish
dry up and disappear. They’re still
out there swimming.
Tennessee sportsmen have am-
ple opportunities throughout the
year, as we’re fortunate to live in a
state where all four seasons allow
excellent fishing opportunities.
The transition from fall to winter
is no exception.
Although most members of the
crappie fishing fraternity channel
their efforts into a “spring only”
approach, they’re missing the boat
at times, because the area’s most
popular panfish doesn’t fade away
once the dogwoods quit
blooming.
Just because the calendar’s pages
have a snowy scene on the color
fold-over doesn’t mean every day
of the season is bitter cold with
bone chilling winds. Most of us
have witnessed a very mild fall;
fade into a warm winter this year.
It seems winter weather isn’t
quite as cold as it used to be and
for crappie anglers that’s an invi-
tation to test the water throughout
the winter months, as it’s a long
time before spring sneaks in the
door during late March. Most of
us know that early spring weather
can be brutal at times too.
Deep water crappie await an-
glers across the Kentucky Lake
area, while midrange fish bite well
in places like Reelfoot Lake, where
some of the year’s best stingers are
taken there during the February/
March months.
Kentucky Lake’s deep pattern
seems to last throughout the sea-
son, until the fish begin a slow
transition in mid-March, when
warmer surface temperatures
signal the beginning of their pre-
spawn phases. Until then, some
hefty stringers of slabs can be tak-
en from where they sleep deep.
It never fails, during the winter
months, for mild days and light
winds to enter the picture. That
usually happens when I’m in the
duck blind and yearning for brisk
north winds to escort in a cold
front. When I want the wind I
can’t get it!
Meanwhile, mild days through-
out January, February and early
March provide open water crap-
pie anglers a nice chance to stalk
those main lake ledges where fish
often congregate. The deep sides
of drop-offs, where submerged
structure in the form of stumps
or manmade fish attractors, lures
WINTER CRAPPIEWINTER CRAPPIE
By Steve McCadams
Continued on page 10
Slab crappie, like this one, will warm you up on a cool winter’s day. Deep
water techniques pay dividends on Kentucky Lake throughout the winter
months, if you monitor your sonar and focus on the deep sides of main lake
ledges. Photo by Steve McCadams

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crappie to these locales.
Depths of 18 to 22 feet are com-
mon on Kentucky Lake. On Reel-
foot Lake anglers don’t venture
that deep.
It seems the fish are following
their forage, which in this case is
threadfish and gizzard shad. The
bulk of the baitfish head to deep-
er comfort zones in cold weather,
to ride out the cold and to avoid
quick changes in surface tempera-
tures.
The baitfish sometimes fail to
heed the warning of approach-
ing cold weather as well, and get
caught in shallow water when
drastic changes occur. The results
can be massive shad kills, as they
go into shock when those quick
chills descend, dropping shal-
low water surface temperatures
abruptly.
Location of the fish and bait-
fish is indeed temperature driven
during the winter months. Some-
times, fish move up, when rising
temperatures and rising lake levels
coincide. It’s not unusual to find
crappie up in 6 to 12 foot depths
at times, if sunny days dominate
for a spell.
Yet, most winter fishermen have
learned to focus their approach
and target deep ledges in main
lake areas on Kentucky Lake. Even
on Reelfoot Lake, most “spider
rigging” style crappie anglers key
in on the main lake area with their
multi-pole approach.
Most anglers on Kentucky Lake
utilize a tightline technique, where
jigs in the 1/8-ounce range are
fished in a vertical presentation.
Bumping the cover is what anglers
like to do, yet some rely on the old
time-tested, double-hook, bottom
bumping rig where live minnows
are used.
Jig color popularity is often sub-
ject to water color. Dingy water
will see fish favoring bright, flores-
cent leadheads and loud colored
jig bodies to accompany them.
Pink and chartreuse, green/black,
red/chartreuse are a few of the
popular combinations.
When clear water takes over the
area, most anglers switch away
from loud florescent colors to dull
or unpainted leadheads and skirts
without too much flare. Still, the
black/chartreuse, red/chartreuse,
blue/white and similar combina-
tions are productive at times.
Crappie like to relate to the deep
structure and find a comfort zone
along the drop-offs, where bends
or turns might offer them a place
to school and await baitfish move-
ment. Although a few fish suspend
at times, the winter bite is often
close to cover, where only a few
inches in depth change can make
a difference to finicky cold weath-
er crappie.
Strikes are often quite light, so
paying close attention to the rod
rip and watching the line for a soft
hit is imperative. Sometimes, even
a hefty fish will exhibit a feather
light strike and all the angler will
see is their line move.
Paying close attention to your
electronics is important too, as
constant monitoring of the LCR
screen will help detect both bait-
fish movement and bigger fish lo-
cations. Detecting structure and
staying in the right depth range
are two big factors, but sophis-
ticated units such as Humming-
bird’s Side-Scan or Lowrance’s
Down-Scan electronics have given
deep water crappie anglers valu-
able tools to stalk the open water
venues.
Patternsusuallyholdupthrough-
Cold water crappie are not only fun to catch, but sure taste good this time
of year when fried golden brown and surrounded with slaw, white beans,
hush puppies and french fries. Photo by Steve McCadams

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out the winter, barring any drastic
change in lake levels or water col-
or. Once the fish get in their win-
ter mode they generally stay put,
so you can depend on them being
in the same depth and on similar
structure from week to week.
Sinking your own fish attrac-
tors works in winter as well, just
like it does during other seasons
of the year. The difference is that
the structure needs to be deeper,
so tossing out some treetops on
the deep hideouts will help bring
the fish to you.
Finding humps, or little irregu-
lar bends along the ledge, are key
spots worthy of consideration.
Seems the fish like those spots
close to where two depth extremes
come together. They may move
up at times, right on the break of
the drop or the shelf, while other
times finds them laying out off the
deep side and parking on whatev-
er structure provides a refuge or
ambush point for them to surprise
meandering baitfish.
Often times, crappie school
during the winter period and
there’s potential for finding sever-
al fish in a tight spot, especially if
you locate a clump of cover such
as stumps or brush at just the right
depth.
Landing a hefty stringer of slabs
will warm your
heart even on a
cold day. Just be
sure to dress ap-
propriately, as
you can always
take a layer off,
should the temps
warm above what
you expected.
However, it’s al-
ways a bit cooler out on the wa-
ter, especially when a little breeze
kicks up. Plan for the worst and
hope for the best whenever head-
ing out on a winter fishing trip. By
planning ahead you’ll be prepared,
should bad weather arrive. A few
trips of catching fish will help turn
you on to the so called “off season”
of crappie fishing. It won’t take
you long to convert others once
the word gets out you’ve found the
slabs sleeping deep with an appe-
tite.
Keep a lot of different jig col-
ors in your tackle box and don’t be
afraid to experiment at times. The
fish are the ultimate judge of what
color has the most appeal.
Here’s hoping you find that hot
spot and chase the chill away one
fish at a time!
Editor’s note: Steve McCadams is
a professional guide and outdoor
writer from Paris, Tennessee. You
can reach him at stevemc@charter.
net.
The month of February is often considered to be the best time to catch slab crappie at Reelfoot Lake.

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Late Winter BushytailsLate Winter Bushytails
By Richard Hines
II moved to a large pin oak tree
and leaned up against it. I took my
binoculars out and started glass-
ing treetops ahead of us. It was a
perfect day to catch a nice bushy-
tail, sunning on a limb. One of
my hunting partners, Jamie Kel-
lum and I were taking one of our
routine winter squirrel hunts. By
January, I am either tagged out,
or a better bet is that I am tired of
sitting in a tree stand waiting on a
buck. Worse than that, those cold
pre-dawn mornings were wearing
on me as well. So, when I got a call
from Jamie about going on a late
winter squirrel hunt, I was ready.
I don’t mind winter squirrel hunt-
ing because you can move from
time to time, and if it’s a little too
cold you can start later, compared
to normal fall squirrel hunts. If
you are there from 10 am to 2 pm
… you are on time. By early Janu-
ary, you will still find a few in wil-
low oak or pin oak in the river bot-
toms, and southern red and black
oaks along ridge lines, but for the
most part squirrels are spending
the bulk of their time searching
the ground. At this time there
still may be a hickory nut buried,
or an occasional dried grape, and
yes they will eat one of those oak
galls you find on the ground. In
mid-January and early February,
times are getting tough for the old
tree rats and you should find them
foraging on the ground, or hope-
fully sitting on a nice sunny limb.
How much food is available
varies not only between seasons,
but also between years. Usually
the weather pattern the previous
year will affect yields of acorns
and other foods such as hickory
nuts and walnuts. During winter
months, when food is in short
supply, you may catch them tear-
ing apart Osage orange or what we
call hedge apples.
The bulk of their feeding activi-
ty is spent on the ground this time
of year, searching out what they
cached earlier in the fall. I have al-
ways wondered how they find the
nuts they stashed away, but they
do, and do so very efficiently. One
wildlife researcher monitored an
area and discovered squirrels were
recovering about 85% of their
Late Winter BushytailsLate Winter Bushytails
If luck is with you, there might be a fox squirrel on a wide open limb this
winter, just begging for a seat at your dinner table. Photo by author

stash. How much time they are on
the ground feeding depends on
the amount of food both available
and how much squirrels actually
cached.
Hunting winter squirrels means
splitting time between watch-
ing the ground and the tree tops.
During the earliest part of the
morning I have always found them
on the ground. Look for a location
with a good scattering of oaks
with den trees. During low mast
years, squirrels will have to forage
more. Squirrels accumulate very
little fat compared to many other
mammals and because of this they
have to keep the furnace running.
This is an advantage if you are a
winter squirrel hunter. Addition-
ally, if you see one or more squir-
rels in the same area, especially
gray squirrels, be sure to stay a lit-
tle longer on this site as grays tend
to group up more during the win-
ter. I have really not found a lot of
difference between ridge tops or
bottomlands hunting, other than
which species to key in on. On the
ridges look for the red oaks and
black oaks, while in the bottoms
key in on stands of willow oaks,
walnuts, and pin oaks.
A key piece of equipment is a
quality pair of binoculars. If it is
sunny, sit down and start scan-
ning the limbs and treetops and
of course listen for movement on
the ground. On a dry day, you can
hear them moving in the leaves
so don’t only watch, but listen as
well. By the way, if its dry they
can hear you moving as well, so
once you get set on a spot spend at
least 15 to 20 minutes before any
making any movement at all. In
a short amount of time squirrels
will be on the move again. Look
for squirrel nests in the tree tops,
as they sometimes will continue
using nests on a temporary basis
during the winter, but permanent
tree den is a best bet. I have seen
single dens yield several squirrels,
as they gradually ventured out.
Actual weather patterns effect
winter squirrel hunting, so you
have to think about temperatures,
cloud cover, or snow verses rain.
All these conditions effect squirrel
activity. I use the 40-degree mark
as the breaking point. Above 40
degrees and squirrels are not too
temperature stressed, but drop
When hunting open bottomlands on sunny winter days, use large trees for
cover and glass the tree tops with quality binoculars. Photo by author

below 40 and they are starting to
burn some energy and require
more food.
Lastyear,Tennesseetemperatures
really plummeted during January.
If it drops into the teens squirrels
will hole up for a few days, but
the first time you get a 10-degree
rise into the twenties, they will be
moving to make up lost energy. If
the sun is out take time to sit, scan
limbs and tree tops on the sunny
side. Even though it is cold squir-
rels will raise their hair to create
an additional air layer, along with
draping their tail over their back.
Once they do this they are in full
rest mode, absorbing those sun
rays. It’s a perfect time to take aim
with a .22 rifle.
What I have seen throughout
most of Tennessee this year is a
low mast crop. Couple that with
the possibility of low tempera-
tures and squirrels will be on the
move during cold weather. During
good food years they will tend to
spend less time out. They quickly
get what they need and head back
to a warm den. Another factor
that will affect your hunt is windy
days. I have noticed that they are
less active on days with wind gusts
around 15 and above, which is
enough to keep the limbs in con-
stant motion.
My choice of rifles for squirrel
hunts is a Ruger 10-22 with a 6X
scope. I went a little higher with
the 6X because it’s just easier for
me to use. I also carry a shooting
stick to brace up if I don’t have a
tree handy. The steadier the better.
My preferred shotgun for winter
squirrels is a 12-gauge full choke
and # 5 shot. Earlier in the fall I
use a 20-gauge, but shots are go-
ing to be a little longer in the win-
ter especially hunting river bot-
toms. Remember, that if you are
hunting on public areas that have
waterfowl, you are required to
use non-toxic shot. In this case, I
shoot a more open bore with # 4
steel shot.
Winter squirrel hunting is slow
and cold, but if you dress right
and locate a spot where squirrels
are active, you will find there’s not
a better way to spend a cold winter
day in the woods.
Use binoculars and watch carefully. You might only see the tip of a squir-
rel’s tail on a winter hunt. Photo by author

IIn the last issue of STO, I left
off discussing how as the sum-
mer was wearing on, we noticed a
few lily pads reaching out beyond
the fencing of the protective en-
closures we had built to improve
our fish habitat at Fyrne Lake. We
took this as a good sign, but the
fact that they soon seemed to dis-
appear, was not. Then, we noticed
the plants were even disappearing
from within the fenced in enclo-
sures. How could that be?
Were the grass carp finding a
way in?
Fisherman had noticed that the
grass carp had been bumping up
against the cages; trying to get
to this new and very interesting
salad. But, these fish were huge,
weighing in at 40 pounds or bet-
ter! There was no way any of them
could fit through the small open-
ings in the fence. So why were
the plants disappearing from the
interior of the rings? I put on my
waders and we headed out into
the lake to check the structures
out. No holes! What was happen-
ing? The answer soon came from a
fisherman who said, “Hey Kevin, I
just saw a muskrat in the lake with
a lily pad trailing behind!”
OH NO! I wasn’t just fighting
the grass carp, the muskrats had
joined in! Desperately, I attempt-
ed to salvage our work. We fig-
ured the muskrats were squeezing
through the 2” x 4” holes in the
fencing. We purchased 15 roles
of fine mesh wire fencing and re-
placement plants. Then we pro-
ceeded to wrap each fence ring
with the new material. For a time
our efforts seem to be working.
The plantings recovered and again
started reaching out beyond their
enclosure. Then, the cycle began
repeating itself. Plants started
disappearing from the outside,
and then the inside of several en-
closures. The signs pointed back
to the muskrats. It appeared that
once attracted back to the rings
Beautiful blooms and large lily pads can be seen within the inadequate
protection of the original fence rings. Photo by author
Fish FactoryFish Factory
Part 6By Kevin Griffith

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by the plants growing out through
the exterior, they figured out how
to climb the fence to reach the in-
terior. They’re intelligent little var-
mints!
We had to regroup! A season
passed and I decided to give it
one more major try. This time, I
thought I had figured out a FINAL
solution … at least I hoped! First,
we removed over half of the exist-
ing fence rings, where the plants
had been decimated. Next, we cre-
ated 50 smaller diameter (4 foot)
“enclosed” cages that included a
wire mesh top. Surely this design
would keep out the muskrats! This
plan quickly evolved into a huge
project, consuming several weeks
of effort in construction and in-
stallation. Finally, our job was
complete, and as before, plants
(and small fish) started to thrive
within the comfort and protection
of our structures. It looked like
our efforts were finally beginning
to pay off. After a steep learning
curve, it looked like we were win-
ning the war.
But no, not even close! Structure
after structure, were soon emp-
tied of all plant life … but how? It
turned out that these cute, little,
and apparently very intelligent
aquatic mammals were as deter-
minedtogettomyplantsasIwasto
protect them. After a few months
of watching their crop grow safe-
ly protected from the grass carp
within these new structures, they
simply burrowed under the fence
to harvest the bounty! I was dev-
astated and admitted that I had
met my match and surrendered
to the reality of the situation. We
would waste no more effort on es-
tablishing aquatic plants until the
grass carp (and muskrats) were
under control! Until then, I would
concentrate on adding natural and
manmade structure to the lake.
This experience taught me two
valuable lessons. There are usually
more variables (and obstacles) in a
situation than you initially see and
when you think you’ve got it all
figured out… check again! Over
confidence can be your own worst
enemy.
Managing Fyrne Lake has been
much more than I ever bargained
for! However, I’m not complain-
ing! I love the experiences I’ve had
tackling each successive challenge
in my pursuit of making Fyrne
Lake a first class fishery. More ar-
ticles are in the works for future
issues that will cover other aspects
of our management of Fyrne Lake
and our efforts to care for the land,
wildlife and forest of my family’s
farm. I’m looking forward to shar-
ing them with you!
Pictured here is a school of grass carp, patrolling a lake, where they will
consume all vegetation if not kept in check.
Here is a close-up of a muskrat, nibbling on a tender water lily.
STO File Photo
This photo clearly shows the de-
struction that one single muskrat
can cause to a large group of lily
pads. Notice that all the tops of the
pads are eaten off. STO File Photo

The 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 tremen-
dous strides in the repopulation
of wildlife and in the acquisition
of land in our home state, for both
reserves, and public access hunt-
ing and fishing. But, if all the peo-
ple who hunt and fish were con-
centrated on these lands … safety
and space, as well as quality fish
and game would become issues.
That is why farmers are so inte-
gral to the wildlife and habitat we
So … God Made a FarmerBy Rob Somerville

so enjoy. The land that our farm-
ers work supplies necessary food,
shelter and water for our wildlife
to survive and thrive. Their farm-
ing techniques conserve soil and
replenish the necessary miner-
als 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 honeysuck-
le. Their fields offer up a wildlife
buffet of corn, milo, soybeans and
clover, as well as the much-needed
browsing areas for deer and turkey
to socialize in. 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 of 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 pres-
sure.
Many farmers lease their land out
to duck hunters, creating flooded
fields after crop harvest, which
offers up private and no-pres-
sure duck hunting. Others lease
their property for deer and turkey
hunting, or their lakes and ponds
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
Flooded fields on farms provide waterfowl hunters with abundant and private waterfowl hunting. STO file photo

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Forcum Lannom Materials
Here yesterday, today and tomorrow.

for fishing. Many lucky sports-
men, such as myself, have been
given free permission to hunt and
fish on private farm land. This is
indeed a privilege that should be
appreciated and respected.
I want to dedicate this article to
the American farmer and what
better way to do just this then to
print the following words.
Here’s the text of Paul Harvey’s
1978 ‘So God Made a Farmer’
Speech, which inspired the Ram
Trucks Super Bowl ad that has res-
onated with so many Americans:
So God Made a Farmer
And on the 8th day, God looked
down on his planned paradise
and said, "I need a caretaker."
So God made a farmer.
God said, "I need somebody
willing to get up before dawn,
milk cows, work all day in the
fields, milk cows again, eat sup-
per and then go to town and stay
past midnight at a meeting of
the school board." So God made
a farmer.
"I need somebody with arms
strong enough to rustle a calf
and yet gentle enough to deliver
his own grandchild. Somebody
to call hogs, tame cantankerous
machinery, come home hun-
gry, have to wait lunch until his
wife's done feeding visiting la-
dies and tell the ladies to be sure
and come back real soon -- and
mean it."
willing to sit up all night with a
newborn colt. And watch it die.
Then dry his eyes and say, 'May-
be 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, pain'n from 'tractor
back,' put in another seven-
ty-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.
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,
Farm ponds provide kids of all ages with great ﬁshing locations that have
seen very little pressure from other anglers. STO ﬁle photo

Fast Facts About
Agriculture
• 2.2 million farms dot America’s
rural landscape. About 97 percent
of U.S. farms are operated by fam-
ilies – individuals, family partner-
ships or family corporations.
• Farm and ranch families com-
prise 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 ag-
ricultural trade balance.
• One in three U.S. farm acres is
planted for export.
• 31 percent of U.S. gross farm
income comes directly from ex-
ports.
• 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, process-
ing, 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 sup-
ply that abundant, affordable over-
all and among the world’s safest,
thanks in large part to the efficien-
cy and productivity of America’s
farm and ranch families.
Agriculture and the
Environment
• Careful stewardship by farm-
ers has spurred a nearly 50 percent
decline in 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 per-
cent of acreage in 1982 to 63 per-
cent 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 Conser-
vation Reserve Program to protect
the environment and provide hab-
itat for wildlife. Since its inception
in 1985, the program has helped
reduce soil erosion by 622 mil-
lion tons and restored more than
2 million acres of wetlands.
• Farmers, ranchers and other
landowners have installed more
than 2 million miles of conserva-
tion buffers under farm bill initia-
tives. Buffers improve soil, air and
water quality; enhance wildlife
habitat; and create scenic land-
scapes.
• Each year, hundreds of thou-
sands of trees are planted on farm-
land.
• More than half of America’s
farmers intentionally provide hab-
itat for wildlife. Deer, moose, fowl
and other species have shown sig-
nificant population increases for
decades.
• Throughthefarmbill,funding
is provided to farmers and ranch-
ers 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 succes-
sion 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.
• Alternative energy sources,
including wind power and renew-
able fuels such as ethanol and bio-
diesel (made from corn, soybeans
and other crops) are beneficial to
the environment and promote en-
ergy security.
breed and rake and disc and
plow and plant and tie the fleece
and strain the milk and replen-
ish the self-feeder and finish a
hard week's work with a five-
mile drive to church.
"Somebody who'd bale a family
together with the soft strong
bonds of sharing, who would
laugh and then sigh, and then
reply, 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 coun-
try, I want to say thank you and
God bless.

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For most big game hunters the
season has come to an end. This
marks the time when some of us
start to suffer from a severe case of
“Cabin Fever.” There are remedies
readily available to cure this con-
dition, so don’t, call in the dogs
and pee on the fire just yet. Here’s
one of the best ways to keep the
hunt going.
Try the Other Whitetails
Rabbit hunting, for many of us,
was the first type of hunting we ex-
perienced. I can remember spend-
ing the afternoons in late Novem-
ber, walking the hills and kicking
around in fence rows, looking for
rabbits. Most of the time, I would
return home with one or two for
the freezer.
Today there are numerous other
hunters such as hawks, owls, dogs,
foxes and other hungry carnivores
that have taken their toll on the
rabbit population. They are still
plentiful, with a generous bag lim-
it allowed on them. I talked with a
friend who has hunted and stud-
ied the rabbit population in West
Tennessee and he told me that you
really have to break down the ar-
eas you are hunting. Some areas
have fewer predators than others.
I have noticed an increase in the
rabbit population where I hunt.
This increase in their number has
allowed me to enjoy several meals
of rabbit and gravy.
Prepare Yourself
In contrast to deer hunting, you
are on the move constantly, while
rabbit hunting. Due to the physi-
cal movement you may not need
to wear as much insulated cloth-
ing. I do recommend you keep an
extra pair of socks handy, in case
you dampen the ones you’re wear-
ing. Blaze orange safety clothing is
still a good idea, especially if you
are hunting with a group, or in
an area where there may be other
hunters. You also need to be mind-
ful of your physical condition.
Take your time and hunt in short
stretches, with rest stops along the
way. Even with this precaution, at
the end of the day you’ll still feel
like you’ve been literally running
rabbits.
Invite Some Friends Along
No matter what type of game
you are hunting, sharing a day in
the field with friends makes for
a good time and there are just as
many good hunting stories that
come from missing a rabbit, as
from spooking a buck. Having
friends along to remind you of
this will make things much more
interesting.
Getting together for breakfast
and making a plan is a great way
to start things off in the right di-
rection. Soon everyone will be so
fired-up you’ll forget about the
end of the deer season blues that
was causing you so much suffer-
ing.
By Richard A. Fagan
ththem. I tatalklkedded wwitithh a
has hhununtetedd anandd studud-
ffufulll fofof yyouourr hphp ysy iicic lalal cconondididititionon.
TaTakeke yyouourr titimem andnd hhununtt inin sshohortrt
ardd AA.. FaFaF gagagag nnnhh
There is nothing like the hound music of a beagle,
running a hot rabbit. Photo by Rob Somerville

Don’t Forget Your Four Legged
Friends
If you want to liven up a rabbit
hunt, just add beagles and don’t
fool yourself by thinking you’re
taking them on the hunt. They’re
just as much in the game as you
are. One thing about a well trained
beagle is they will stick to the hunt
until you pull them in. Years ago I
had one get so much wheat in his
eyes from running through a field
that he was temporarily blinded.
He relied on his nose and stayed
after the rabbit. I finally caught up
with him, cleaned out his eyes and
we resumed the hunt.
Use extreme caution when hunt-
ing with dogs, because there is a
possibility they could get caught
in the line of fire. A good hunting
dog is a reliable friend that de-
serves your protection.
Try Something Different
Put your skill to the test. To in-
crease the challenge of the hunt I
sometimes use different methods.
This works well when hunting
rabbits. Try going after a cotton-
tail with archery equipment. Be-
fore I was allowed to hunt with a
firearm, I’d take my thirty-pound
pull, Ben Pearson recurve with
a quiver of cedar broad head ar-
rows and walk the woods. I lost
or broke many arrows and scored
mostly misses, but occasionally I
would bag a cottontail. I found the
best time for this was when there
was a deep snow on the ground.
The snow would slow their escape,
making for an easier shot.
Hunting small game with a bow
requires firing at close range. Use
blunt or Judo tips to increase the
shock power of the arrow and to
prevent pass-through shots. In
small game hunting, it’s much eas-
ier to find your kill and your arrow
when they are together.
Another option is hunting with a
.22 rifle or even a handgun. Same
as with a bow, a blanket of snow
makes for an easier shot. Remem-
ber, when using these weapons; be
sure you have a safe shot before
you squeeze the trigger. These
methods also will help to sharpen
your shooting skills.
After the Hunt
Rabbit with gravy has always
been hands down one of my favor-
ite wild game meals. It makes for
some good eating. Just add some
Cathead biscuits (biscuits as big
as a cat’s head) and you’ll have a
full belly in no time. Rabbit stew
is another favorite of mine and is
very filling.
Recently, I decided to try a dif-
ferent dish of rabbit. Marinade the
cut up pieces of rabbit overnight
in Italian dressing. Place on a
grill and add some rosemary and
garlic. Cook as you would chick-
en. Add wild rice to complete the
dish.
Endings and Beginnings
I enjoy taking my single shot,
twenty gauge and heading out
behind my house for a good af-
ternoon of hunting. Whether I
see a rabbit, or not, isn’t an issue.
I’m blessed to be able to enjoy the
countryside and watch the day’s
sunset; knowing the ending of this
day will bring the beginning of
another. The coldness of the win-
ter will eventually give way to the
early spring and a Tom will gobble
from his roost to announce a sea-
son’s new beginning.
Good hunting partners learn to
work together, safely as a team,
when moving in on cottontails. No-
tice the blaze orange caps and vests
so they can clearly identify each
other’s location. Photo by author
Here are three of the author’s
brother-in-laws beagles; ready and
waiting. Photo by author
Try cooking some rabbit, mari-
nated with Italian dressing, on the
grill. You can also try wrapping it
in bacon, pinned to the meat with
toothpicks. Photo by author

Greetings to all of you great
readers of STO Magazine. I Hope
your Christmas wishes were ful-
filled. Winter is upon us, even
though as I write this article in late
December, the temperature sure
doesn’t feel like winter. I know, as
do all of you readers, this weather
won’t last into January and Febru-
ary, so let’s talk about taking care
of your hounds and gun dogs for
the harsh winter weather condi-
tions.
HOME SWEET HOME
First thing first, is shelter. This is
one of the most important consid-
erations for your dog during the
brutally cold days ahead. I, just
like a lot of you, have seen a vari-
ety of houses or shelters for dogs.
These shelters vary from houses
built of wood, to the plastic Igloos,
and even plastic barrels. I have
noticed that the best way to have
these houses sit is off the ground.
This allows the wood houses not
to rot and on the plastic house the
water will not accumulate around
the houses. Once the type of shel-
ter is decided on and positioned
in a stationary position, apply a
type of bedding. This bedding can
consist of a variety of things. I pre-
fer cedar chippings or shavings.
In my experience, cedar chippings
don’t create as much dust as some
beddings and it also helps keep
down fleas and ticks on your dog
all year around, as cedar is a nat-
ural repellant to these parasitic
insects.
PESTS AND YOUR PETS
Speaking of fleas and ticks, they
do survive the winter. Fleas and
ticks can and do live during the
cold weather in our area. Adult
fleas may die when the tempera-
ture falls below freezing, but flea
eggs can survive the winter no
matter how cold, and at around
50 degrees they become active.
Ticks can also survive the winter-
time and just like fleas, the adult
may die, but the eggs survive. At
around 45 degrees, ticks become
active. Let’s not forget our least
favorite parasite, the heartworm
giver, the common mosquito.
They remain inactive in the win-
ter. The males die and the females
will live in old logs and animal
dens, until the temperature gets
around 45 degrees, when they too
can become active and a hazard
to your dogs. So, with our winters
here in the mid-south {especially
lately} make sure you keep your
animals on some kind of preven-
tion for these parasites.
Canine Care
in the Cold
By Shawn Todd

CHOW TIME
Next on the list for dog care is
food and water. Many people
don’t think about a dog getting
dehydrated in the winter, but they
can and do. Think about it, when
do our dogs put out the most work
for us? It is during hunting sea-
son, which is in the winter. Make
sure their bowls are full of water
and during the freezing tempera-
tures give them fresh water at least
once a day. Now, the next part is
tricky … which dog food should
you feed your dogs with?
During the winter months, all
outside dogs need extra food,
along with the fresh water. I give
my dogs a high protein food (27%)
year round. A lot of the old timers
say that a high protein dog food
year round will hurt the dog’s kid-
neys. New scientific studies dis-
pute this old belief. When the dogs
are not hunting and are inactive,
you can give them a lower protein,
if you want. Just remember, as my
mother always says, “You get what
you pay for.” So, look at all the
ingredients on the dog food, and
buy a good balanced brand.
Just remember that half of having
something special is taking care of
it.
The UKC Winter Classic is just
around the corner, if you get a
chance to go. It will be held on
the 29th and 30th of January, so
come on down to the Batesville
Civic Center. You will see some of
the best hounds anywhere, and all
types of hunting gear and equip-
ment for sale. Go by a see Bob Os-
bourne, at Timber Creek Supply
and tell him I sent you.
Until next time, great readers …
see you at the tree.

TRADITIONS TIPS - with Richard A. Faganh dd A F
1. Elastic bandages (leg wrap) that are used on horses, comes
in a wide choice of colors and patterns. It is found at most farm
supply stores, is fairly inexpensive and can be used to secure a
bandage or wrap a sprained ankle. The camo, black, green, white
or gray patterns make a great temporary gun wrap and eliminates
glare from the barrel. This is also a handy thing to have around
should you have to tend to an injured hunting dog.
2. The air activated hand warmers have really made cold days
in a stand or blind much more bearable. Another use for these is to
treat sore muscles and ear aches. They can be used as a small heat-
ing pad. Use the wrap listed above to secure the warmer in place.
3. Stop by your local building supply store and pick up sever-
al bags of packaged playground sand before snowy or icy weather
hits. Place them in the bed of your truck between the wheel wells or
in your car’s trunk. The added weight in the right places increases
your traction and stabilization. Should you need it, you can spread
the sand under your tires to help get out of a slippery mess. I try to
keep at least six bags in my truck during those times.
4. Take a container and drill ¼ inch holes in it, as shown in the
picture. Fill with charcoal and seal the top. This is a highly effective
odor absorber that can be stored with your hunting clothes. Use a
smaller container or tied off sock, to make a smaller absorber for
your pack. These can also be used around the house in drawers
and storage closets.
5. Mink oil has long been used for waterproofing. It can be
used to waterproof almost any product made from leather. What
I like about it is that it also conditions and softens it. This is much
better than spray-on silicone waterproofing that tends to dry out
the leather.
Editor’s note: all photos and graphics are provided by the author.
If you wish to submit a “TIP” send emails to rafagan59@hotmail.com.

With my first silencer article in
STO Magazine, I answered many
of the questions that potential si-
lencer owners have, as they con-
sider purchase. I left several ques-
tions unanswered. Let’s answer
a few more, update you on a few
items, and discuss some exciting
legislation now being considered.
The best news regards the legis-
lation. It is hard for me to become
excited with anything happening
in Washington these days, but this
is awesome news. In early October
of 2015, the “Hearing Protection
Act” was introduced. (HR 3799)
This historic piece of legislation
will remove silencers from the
purview of the National Firearms
Act, replacing the 3 to 6 month
transfer process with instanta-
neous NICS background check
and approval. It includes a provi-
sion to refund the $200 transfer
tax to applicants with purchase
after October 22nd, 2015. With
no more $200 tax and no more
waiting months for approved
transfer, awesome may be putting
it mildly for many. You can help
support this legislation by writing
your Representative and/or Sena-
tors. Visit the ASA website (www.
americansuppressorassociation.
com) for an easy to use form.
Considering the purchase of a si-
lencer? Southern Silencers is now
“Powered By” and a “Buy It Lo-
cal” dealer for The Silencer Shop
(www.silencershop.com). This
saves you Tennessee residents
money two ways. Silencer Shop
buys in bulk, which means lower
prices, which are passed on to you
and in addition, you pay no sales
tax as they are located in Texas.
Visit their website, select South-
ern Silencers as your local dealer,
and check out the prices. After
purchase, they ship the silencer to
Southern Silencers. It goes in the
vault, and you pick it up or I ship
it when the transfer is approved. I
still have a few silencers in my lo-
cal inventory, if one of those meets
your needs. Then, call or email me
first. I am offering dealer cost on
all remaining inventory. Southern
Silencers still remains ready to
support you with answers to most
all your questions, and dealer sup-
port - no changes in that regard.
silence
SILENCERS & FIREARMS
By Lane Douglas
GOLDEN
isis
More and more hunters are using
silencers, as witnessed in this photo.
This nice buck was shot by Tara
Beauchamp, using a Southern Si-
lencer’s silencer, during the ﬁrst few
days of riﬂe season.
Photo submitted by author

Now, to answer a few questions
and the part I enjoy the most,
talking about silencers. Which
brand, or what type is the quietest?
The difference between most all
brands is small in comparison to
the overall noise reduction. Many
brands claim to be the quietest.
On that day, with that ammo, and
that rifle or pistol, they were, and
120 dba is quieter than 121 dba.
Your ammo, your weapon, todays
conditions, as I said, small differ-
ence. You will not notice. Buy the
brand that your research leads you
toward. You will find a .22 to be
the quietest. Why?
With a .22 there are many op-
tions in regards to subsonic am-
munition. Stay below 1126 feet per
second, and the downrange bullet
crack is eliminated, one source of
noise. Other quiet calibers are .45
ACP, 300 blackout, you guessed it,
all subsonic loads.
Another question, often times
asked, is what do they cost? A
quick visit to the website men-
tioned above will be the easy
answer. Entry level .22’s are less
than $250, a lot less than a quality
scope, and you can easily use the
silencer on many of your rim fire
rifles and pistols.
Which brand is best? I repre-
sent most all brands, and they
are all good. How do you pick
one? I recommend that you read
the warranty, even the fine print.
Check how much support they
provide, price, available designs,
and ongoing innovation. Warran-
ty, support, price, design, and in-
novation are all good information
to guide you in the process.
How do I clean the silencer, or
do I even need to clean? You clean
it similar, and with same products,
that you use on your firearms.
Solvents, brushes, or ultrasonic
methods, all will assist you with
removal of copper fouling and
carbon buildup. Calibers like .22’s
must be cleaned after 200 to 500
rounds, while most centerfire ri-
fles require little or no cleaning.
The high pressure and heat from
each shot keeps them clean. Many
brands (check for support) offer
video or manuals explaining this
critical step.
Can I hunt with my silencer?
Yes, you can hunt with a silencer
in Tennessee, and in many other
states. This alone should interest
many who are sitting on the fence
in regards to purchase. With re-
duced noise you have many ad-
vantages such as the opportunity
for follow-up shots, less distur-
bance to neighbors in the area
and improved experience for new
hunters, to name just a few.
Maybe not a question, but a topic
that merits more discussion would
be NFA Gun Trusts. Passage of
the Hearing Protection Act may
eliminate their need, but for now,
silencer ownership without one is
certainly not recommended. They
are easy to create, the cost is low,
and the advantages are many.
Checking my sales log for the
last few months, not a single
transfer was to an individual, all
were to a trust. They are available
from Southern Silencers directly,
through The Silencer Shop, and
from several other sources {www.
southernsilencers.com has de-
tailed information about the ad-
vantages of ownership}.
There are still many questions,
and additional information to
share. Thanks again for your time.
I hope you have enjoyed the arti-
cle and let the good folks at STO
know if you want more informa-
tion.

SPONSORED BY
QUACKER SMACKER KIDS!
These three kids were part of a fantastic trip during the first waterfowl hunt of the season, on
November 28th, 2015. Witt Hurt, William Nunn and Lane Forsythe joined a group of adults that care about
getting today’s youth involved in the outdoors safely and ethically for a hunt with The Forked Deer Hunt
Clucb of Tennessee. You can tell by their smiling faces that it was a trip they will never forget!
Photo submitted by Brad Brown.

DRAW A LINE THAT CONNECTS A
PICTURE OF AN ANIMAL OR FISH
TO ITS NAME!
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TWRA NEWSTWRA NEWS
PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST TENNESSEE WERE
CLOSED FOR YOUNG SPORTSMAN DEER HUNT
he Tennessee Fish and Wild-
life Commission voted to close
portions of northwest Tennes-
see for the last weekend’s Young
Sportsman Deer Hunt in 2016 due
to severe flooding along the Mis-
sissippi River.
The commission met via con-
ference call to discuss the flood-
ing in areas in the West Tennes-
see area and how it would impact
this weekend’s scheduled two-day
Young Sportsman Deer Hunt.
“The flood waters in West Ten-
nessee, occurring uncharacteristi-
cally during deer hunting season,
offered a unique challenge as the
commissioners and agency strive
to protect wildlife but still offer
as much opportunity as possible,”
said TWRA Executive Director Ed
Carter. “After hearing from con-
stituents about deer being strand-
ed on high ground, the commis-
sioners asked for a teleconference
briefing and asked multiple ques-
tions ranging from the impact to
the deer herd to those who might
pursue deer in flooded areas.”
Upon recommendation from
the Tennessee Wildlife Resourc-
es Agency, the commission vot-
ed to close all lands, both private
and public, to deer hunting west
of Tennessee Highway 78 from
the Kentucky state line in Lake
County to the Obion River Bridge
in Dyer County and west of the
Obion River from the Highway 78
bridge to the Mississippi River on
Jan. 9-10.
The action by the commission
follows suit by actions taken by
four border states along the Mis-
sissippi River. Arkansas, Missis-
sippi, Missouri and Kentucky have
all closed portions of their respec-
tive states due to flooding along
the Mississippi River. In addition,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
has announced that it be closed
Chickasaw National Refuge in
Lauderdale County and the Lower
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
in Lauderdale and Tipton counties
due to the extreme flooding con-
ditions.
“I was very pleased with the pro-
By Rob Somerville
TT

SAFETY MUST BE PRIORITY #1 WHEN HUNTING!
THIS PAST DEER SEASON, A YOUNG MAN LOADED HIS MUZZLELOADER, FORGETTING THAT HIS
POWDER CHARGE AND BULLET WERE STILL LOADED IN HIS GUN, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
LUCKILY FOR HIM HE ONLY SUFFERED MINOR CUTS, BUT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GUN AND
SCOPE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH, MUCH WORSE!
fessional and in-depth approach
the Commission took to address
this situation,” Carter said. TFWC
Chairman Jim Bledsoe read the
agency mission statement to the
commission and noted that the
welfare of the wildlife and the
safety of the people are prominent
in the overall goal.”
As always, the TWRA urges
caution and safety while hunting.
TWRA wildlife officers will have
an increased law enforcement ef-
fort in the affected areas due to the
severity of the flooding and the
accompanying safety issues.
Youth ages 6-16 can participate
in the Young Sportsman Deer
Hunt. Young sportsmen must be
accompanied by a non-hunting
adult, 21 years of age of older, who
must remain in position to take
immediate control of the hunting
device and who must comply with
fluorescent orange regulations. If
hunting on private lands, sports-
men are reminded to obtain per-
mission from landowners.
Editorial Comment
UNETHICAL HUNTERS!
I have been disgusted by some
reports I have received recently
of “deer hunters” {and I use that
term loosely} taking advantage of
the extreme flooded river areas
in our region to literally slaughter
deer. These whitetails were forced
from the safe shelter of river
bottoms and had to literally swim
for their lives, until completely
exhausted, they came to one of
the few areas of high ground
{river levees, sandbars} and were
shot like the proverbial “fish in a
barrel.”
From stories about duck hunt-
ers shooting and wounding them
with shotgun fire, to slob hunters
shooting bucks and only taking
their heads as a trophy and leav-
ing the meat to rot, these actions
go against everything the major-
ity of ethical hunters believe in.
This is NOT fair chase hunting
and makes hunters look bad in
the eyes of non-hunters.
I, for one, am glad the TWRA
has taken action to protect these
deer during extreme flood sit-
uations and sincerely hope this
precedent becomes locked in
place.
- Rob Somerville

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SERVICES TO LOOK FORWARD TO!!
Have you been wondering how to join the C&C family?
Ginger
CPhT
Chasity
CPhT
Katie
Sales Associate
Crystal - Pharmacy
Tech / DME
LISA
CPhT
RaiAnn
Pharm Tech/
Sales Assoc
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Pharmacy Tech
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Dana - Pharm Tech/
Sales Assoc
Carolyn
Sales Associate
Hillary
CPhT
Krissie
CPhT
• 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
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(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
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(delivery also available countywide for small fee)
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• IMMUNIZATIONS
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• PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDING
PRESCRIPTION SERVICES
(for more information, visit dyersburgfyi.com/candc)
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.
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LEWIS CREEK PLACE
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PHARMACIST/OWNER
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PHARMACIST/OWNER
Mark Davis
Pharmacist

WE ARE A CASE KNIFE PLATINUM DEALER
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“In Business Since 1955”
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OPEN TUES - SAT: 9AM TO 5PM
100 COMMUNITY PARK RD - DYERSBURG, TN
731-285-3624

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 53JAJAJAJANUNUNUNUARARARARYYYY - FEFEFEFEBRBRBRBRUAUAUAUARYRYRYRY 2222010101016666 |||| SOSOSOSOUTUTUTUTHEHEHEHERNRNRNRN TTTTRARARARADIDIDIDITITITITIONONONONSSSS OUOUOUOUTDTDTDTDOOOOOOOORSRSRSRS 55553333
Braylin Dearman {age 7} is shown here with his ﬁrst
deer ever! It was a six-pointer that he shot October 31st,
during the juvenile hunt.
Photo courtesy of Lankford’s Taxidermy
Robert “Doc” Jackson consistently slays small-
mouth bass at Pickwick Lake … all winter
long!
Eli Powell is shown here with an
11-point buck taken on November 7th
in Dyer County, Tennessee.
Photo submitted by Jason Powell
Joseph Kirkpatrick with his second deer, which was a
nice doe. The hunt occurred in Lauderdale County on his
granddaddy's farm.

54 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016545444 SSSSSOOUOUOUOUTHTHTHTHERERERERNNNN TRTRTRTRADADADADITITITIT OIOIOIOIO SNSNSNSNS OOOOOUTUTUTUT ODODODODOOORORORORSSSSS |||| JAJAJAJANUNUNUNUARARARARYYYY - FEFEFEFEBRBRBRBRUAUAUAUARYRYRYRY 2222010101016666
Joseph Kirkpatrick shot this Black Hawaiian Ram on
March 4th, 2015 at the Goodman Ranch.
Ryan David Cole of Hoover, Alabama {grandson of
Linda and David Lankford and great nephew of Ed
Lankford} had fun ﬁshing for his supper, while visiting
his grandparents.
Rebecca Walton got her ﬁrst deer with a bow
on October 22nd, 2015. This six-pointer was
harvested with a 40 yard shot from her Bar-
nett Ghost 360 Carbonlite crossbow.

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55JAJAJAJANUNUNUNUARARARARYYYY - FEFEFEFEBRBRBRBRUAUAUAUARYRYRYRY 2222010101016666 |||| SSSSSOOUOUOUOUTHTHTHTHERERERERNNNN TRTRTRTRADADADADITITITIT OIOIOIOIO SNSNSNSNS OOOOOUTUTUTUT ODODODODOOORORORORSSSSS 55555555
Rebecca Walton is at it again, but this time with a Brown-
ing X-Bolt .30-06 rifle. She took this seven-pointer at 252
yards on November 23rd, 2015.
Jaylee Prince {age 6} took her first deer ever,
while hunting with her daddy during the
juvenile hunt. She shot the deer at 85 yards
with an AR-15 rifle.
Ty Thomas took this nice 8-point buck on November
22nd, 2015 in the hills above Lenox, Tennessee.
Photo submitted by Kevin Griffith

We’re here for
GOOD.
www.FirstCNB.com 285.4410
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 fan-
tastic experience. It’s why we’re consistently
ranked among the top community banks in
the country. Come see for yourself, in person
or online.

Southern Traditions Outdoors - February 2016

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Southern Traditions Outdoors - February 2016