Southern Traditions Outdoors - February 2016

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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 MasonWalter WilkersonTerry WilkersonSteve McCadamsKelley PowersShawn ToddEddie Brunswick

Larry Self John SloanRichard SimmsJohn MeachamBuck Gardner Richard HinesEd Lankford

Drew BrooksJohn LathamJohn RobertsPaul E. MooreRob HurtMark BuehlerRichard Fagan

Field Staff Editors

Owners - Eddie Anderson Rob Somerville Kevin Griffi th Stacey LemonsPublisher - Eddie AndersonEditor - Rob SomervilleMagazine Design -Donny Byrd

Advertising Sales Rob Somerville - Managing PartnerDistribution Johnathan Anderson Mike Robinson

Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PG .................. ARTICLE .......................................................... AUTHOR

8...........................Winter Crappie Heating Up................................................Steve McCadams16..........................Late Winter Bushytails .......................................................Richard Hines19..........................Fish Factory - Part 6 .........................................................Kevin Griffi th23..........................Ag News - So... God Made A Farmer ................................Rob Somerville37..........................From Whitetails To Cottontails ...........................................Richard A. Fagan39..........................Canine Care In The Cold ...................................................Shawn Todd41..........................Traditions Outdoor Tips .....................................................Richard A. Fagan42..........................Silence is Golden Silencers & Firearms ............................ Lane Douglas44..........................Kids Korner ........................................................................STO53..........................Trophy Room .....................................................................STO

Steve McCadams displays a Kentucky Lake slab crappie, taken on a bottom bumping rig, fi shed in 20 feet of water. Crappie don’t dry up and disappear after spring spawning and anglers can land some big fi sh long before spring returns. Photo courtesy of Steve McCadams


Letter from the Editor

Eyes of the HunterBy 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. Th ese are the eyes of a seasoned hunter, an experienced and willing participant of decades in the woods, fi elds and duck blinds. Veteran hunters have learned to always be observant of the entire physical environment around them. Th ey notice any subtle changes in the motion of nature. Th ey 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. Th eir 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 fl ick 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 fl ight 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. Th ey 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. Th ey must be developed through time spent and respect learned in the fi eld. 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.


Th e Eyes of the Hunter

Fully camoufl aged 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 fi eld-score a buck, at fi ve hundred paces,and fi nd 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 fl ies.

Intense, ever seeking, never blinking or tired,a constant source of energy, with all circuits wired.

Th e eyes of a hunter, they take it all in,as sharp and as focused, as the head of a pin.

Th ey are steady and accurate, searching and wise,the ultimate predator lurks within a hunter’s eyes.

Rob Somerville



Winter crappie fi shing you say? Absolutely! Just because spring has come and gone doesn’t mean the fi sh dry up and disappear. Th ey’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 fi shing opportunities. Th e transition from fall to winter is no exception. Although most members of the crappie fi shing fraternity channel their eff orts into a “spring only”

approach, they’re missing the boat at times, because the area’s most popular panfi sh 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 fi sh 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 fi sh begin a slow transition in mid-March, when warmer surface temperatures signal the beginning of their pre-spawn phases. Until then, some heft y 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. Th at 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 fi sh oft en congregate. Th e deep sides of drop-off s, where submerged structure in the form of stumps or manmade fi sh 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 fi sh are following their forage, which in this case is threadfi sh and gizzard shad. Th e bulk of the baitfi sh head to deep-er comfort zones in cold weather, to ride out the cold and to avoid quick changes in surface tempera-tures. Th e baitfi sh sometimes fail to heed the warning of approach-ing cold weather as well, and get caught in shallow water when drastic changes occur. Th e 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 fi sh and bait-fi sh is indeed temperature driven during the winter months. Some-

times, fi sh move up, when rising temperatures and rising lake levels coincide. It’s not unusual to fi nd crappie up in 6 to 12 foot depths at times, if sunny days dominate for a spell. Yet, most winter fi shermen 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 fi shed 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 oft en sub-ject to water color. Dingy water will see fi sh favoring bright, fl ores-

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 fl orescent colors to dull or unpainted leadheads and skirts without too much fl are. 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 fi nd a comfort zone along the drop-off s, where bends or turns might off er them a place to school and await baitfi sh move-ment. Although a few fi sh suspend at times, the winter bite is oft en close to cover, where only a few inches in depth change can make a diff erence to fi nicky cold weath-er crappie. Strikes are oft en quite light, so paying close attention to the rod rip and watching the line for a soft hit is imperative. Sometimes, even a heft y fi sh 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-fi sh movement and bigger fi sh 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. Patterns usually hold up through-

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 fi sh 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 fi sh attrac-tors works in winter as well, just like it does during other seasons of the year. Th e diff erence is that the structure needs to be deeper, so tossing out some treetops on the deep hideouts will help bring the fi sh to you. Finding humps, or little irregu-lar bends along the ledge, are key spots worthy of consideration.

Seems the fi sh like those spots close to where two depth extremes come together. Th ey may move up at times, right on the break of the drop or the shelf, while other times fi nds them laying out off the deep side and parking on whatev-er structure provides a refuge or ambush point for them to surprise meandering baitfi sh. Oft en times, crappie school during the winter period and there’s potential for fi nding sever-al fi sh in a tight spot, especially if you locate a clump of cover such as stumps or brush at just the right depth. Landing a heft y 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 fi shing trip. By planning ahead you’ll be prepared, should bad weather arrive. A few trips of catching fi sh will help turn you on to the so called “off season” of crappie fi shing. 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 diff erent jig col-ors in your tackle box and don’t be afraid to experiment at times. Th e fi sh are the ultimate judge of what color has the most appeal. Here’s hoping you fi nd that hot spot and chase the chill away one fi sh at a time!Editor’s note: Steve McCadams is a professional guide and outdoor writer from Paris, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].

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 BushytailsBy Richard Hines


I I 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 fi nd 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 fi nd on the ground. In mid-January and early February, times are getting tough for the old tree rats and you should fi nd 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 aff ect 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. Th e 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 fi nd the nuts they stashed away, but they do, and do so very effi ciently. 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. Th is 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 diff erence 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 eff ect winter squirrel hunting, so you have to think about temperatures, cloud cover, or snow verses rain. All these conditions eff ect 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. Last year, Tennessee temperatures really plummeted during January. If it drops into the teens squirrels will hole up for a few days, but the fi rst 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 rifl e. 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. Th ey quickly get what they need and head back to a warm den. Another factor that will aff ect 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 rifl es 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. Th e 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 fi nd 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


I In 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 fi sh habitat at Fyrne Lake. We took this as a good sign, but the fact that they soon seemed to dis-appear, was not. Th en, we noticed

the plants were even disappearing from within the fenced in enclo-sures. How could that be? Were the grass carp fi nding 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 fi sh were huge,

weighing in at 40 pounds or bet-ter! Th ere was no way any of them could fi t 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? Th e answer soon came from a fi sherman who said, “Hey Kevin, I just saw a muskrat in the lake with a lily pad trailing behind!” OH NO! I wasn’t just fi ghting the grass carp, the muskrats had joined in! Desperately, I attempt-ed to salvage our work. We fi g-ured the muskrats were squeezing through the 2” x 4” holes in the fencing. We purchased 15 roles of fi ne mesh wire fencing and re-placement plants. Th en we pro-ceeded to wrap each fence ring with the new material. For a time our eff orts seem to be working. Th e plantings recovered and again started reaching out beyond their enclosure. Th en, the cycle began repeating itself. Plants started disappearing from the outside, and then the inside of several en-closures. Th e 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


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by the plants growing out through the exterior, they fi gured out how to climb the fence to reach the in-terior. Th ey’re intelligent little var-mints! We had to regroup! A season passed and I decided to give it one more major try. Th is time, I thought I had fi gured 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! Th is

plan quickly evolved into a huge project, consuming several weeks of eff ort in construction and in-stallation. Finally, our job was complete, and as before, plants

(and small fi sh) started to thrive within the comfort and protection of our structures. It looked like our eff orts were fi nally beginning to pay off . Aft er a steep learning curve, it looked like we were win-ning the war. But no, not even close! Structure aft er 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-mined to get to my plants as I was to protect them. Aft er 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 eff ort 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. Th is experience taught me two valuable lessons. Th ere are usually more variables (and obstacles) in a situation than you initially see and when you think you’ve got it all fi gured out… check again! Over confi dence 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 fi rst class fi shery. More ar-ticles are in the works for future issues that will cover other aspects of our management of Fyrne Lake and our eff orts 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 typifi es 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 fi elds, we all have taken advantage of a famer’s kindness and property in our outdoor excursions. Th e 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 fi shing. But, if all the peo-ple who hunt and fi sh were con-centrated on these lands … safety and space, as well as quality fi sh and game would become issues. Th at is why farmers are so inte-gral to the wildlife and habitat we

So … God Made a FarmerBy Rob Somerville


so enjoy. Th e land that our farm-ers work supplies necessary food, shelter and water for our wildlife to survive and thrive. Th eir farm-ing techniques conserve soil and replenish the necessary miner-als that are so integral to nature’s animals in their survival. Th eir fencerows and woods provide oak trees with acorns, persimmon and beech nuts, as well as honeysuck-le. Th eir fi elds off er up a wildlife buff et of corn, milo, soybeans and

clover, as well as the much-needed browsing areas for deer and turkey to socialize in. Th eir 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 catfi sh on private farm ponds and these angling honeyholes seem to have had little to no fi shing pres-sure. Many farmers lease their land out to duck hunters, creating fl ooded fi elds aft er crop harvest, which off ers 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 fi le photo

Flooded fi elds on farms provide waterfowl hunters with abundant and private waterfowl hunting. STO fi le photo



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for fi shing. Many lucky sports-men, such as myself, have been given free permission to hunt and fi sh on private farm land. Th is 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 FarmerAnd 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

fi elds, 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." So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a

newborn colt. And watch it die. Th en 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 fi nish

his forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, then, pain'n from 'tractor

back,' put in another seven-ty-two hours."

So God made a farmer.

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-fi eld and race to help when he sees the fi rst smoke from a

neighbor's place. So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bails, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower for an

hour to splint the broken leg of a meadow lark. It had to be

somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not cut corners.

Somebody to seed, weed, feed,

Farm ponds provide kids of all ages with great fi shing locations that have seen very little pressure from other anglers. STO fi le 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 fi ber.• 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. Th e United States sells more food and fi ber 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. Th e 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, aff ordable over-all and among the world’s safest, thanks in large part to the effi cien-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 buff ers under farm bill initia-tives. Buff ers 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-nifi cant population increases for decades.• Th rough the farm bill, 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 diff erent 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 benefi cial to the environment and promote en-ergy security.

breed and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fl eece and strain the milk and replen-ish the self-feeder and fi nish a hard week's work with a fi ve-

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.'"

So God made a farmer. 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. Th is marks the time when some of us start to suff er from a severe case of “Cabin Fever.” Th ere are remedies readily available to cure this con-dition, so don’t, call in the dogs and pee on the fi re 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 fi rst type of hunting we ex-perienced. I can remember spend-ing the aft ernoons 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. Th ey 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. Th is 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 fi eld 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 fi red-up you’ll forget about the end of the deer season blues that was causing you so much suff er-ing.

By Richard A. Faganththem. 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. Th ey’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 fi eld that he was temporarily blinded. He relied on his nose and stayed aft er the rabbit. I fi nally 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 fi re. A good hunting dog is a reliable friend that de-serves your protection.

Try Something Diff erent Put your skill to the test. To in-crease the challenge of the hunt I sometimes use diff erent methods. Th is works well when hunting rabbits. Try going aft er a cotton-tail with archery equipment. Be-

fore I was allowed to hunt with a fi rearm, 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. Th e snow would slow their escape, making for an easier shot. Hunting small game with a bow requires fi ring 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 fi nd your kill and your arrow when they are together. Another option is hunting with a .22 rifl e 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. Th ese methods also will help to sharpen your shooting skills.

Aft er 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 fi lling. 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. Th e 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-fi lled. 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 fi rst, is shelter. Th is 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. Th ese 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. Th is 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. Th is 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 fl eas 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 fl eas and ticks, they do survive the winter. Fleas and ticks can and do live during the

cold weather in our area. Adult fl eas may die when the tempera-ture falls below freezing, but fl ea 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 fl eas, 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. Th ey remain inactive in the win-ter. Th e 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. Th ink 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 scientifi c 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. Th e 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 F1. 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 [email protected].


With my fi rst 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. Th e 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) Th is 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 aft er 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 Th e Silencer Shop (www.silencershop.com). Th is 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. Aft er 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. Th en, call or email me fi rst. I am off ering 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 & FIREARMSBy Lane Douglas

GOLDENisis

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 fi rst few days of rifl e 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? Th e diff erence 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 rifl e or pistol, they were, and 120 dba is quieter than 121 dba. Your ammo, your weapon, todays conditions, as I said, small diff er-ence. You will not notice. Buy the brand that your research leads you toward. You will fi nd 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, oft en 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 fi re rifl es 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 fi ne 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 fi rearms. Solvents, brushes, or ultrasonic methods, all will assist you with removal of copper fouling and carbon buildup. Calibers like .22’s must be cleaned aft er 200 to 500 rounds, while most centerfi re ri-fl es require little or no cleaning. Th e high pressure and heat from each shot keeps them clean. Many brands (check for support) off er 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. Th is 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. Th ey 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. Th ey are available from Southern Silencers directly, through Th e Silencer Shop, and from several other sources {www.southernsilencers.com has de-tailed information about the ad-vantages of ownership}. Th ere are still many questions, and additional information to share. Th anks 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.


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DUCK

ANSWERS:COLUMN # 1: BASS, DUCK, CRAPPIE, GOOSE, TURTLE, SQUIRREL

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TWRA NEWSTWRA NEWSPORTIONS 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 fl ooding along the Mis-sissippi River. Th e commission met via con-ference call to discuss the fl ood-ing in areas in the West Tennes-see area and how it would impact this weekend’s scheduled two-day Young Sportsman Deer Hunt. “Th e fl ood waters in West Ten-nessee, occurring uncharacteristi-cally during deer hunting season, off ered a unique challenge as the

commissioners and agency strive to protect wildlife but still off er as much opportunity as possible,” said TWRA Executive Director Ed Carter. “Aft er hearing from con-stituents about deer being strand-ed on high ground, the commis-sioners asked for a teleconference briefi ng and asked multiple ques-tions ranging from the impact to the deer herd to those who might pursue deer in fl ooded 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. Th e 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 fl ooding 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 fl ooding con-ditions. “I was very pleased with the pro-

By Rob Somerville T T


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 offi cers will have an increased law enforcement ef-fort in the aff ected areas due to the severity of the fl ooding 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 fl uorescent 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 fl ooded river areas in our region to literally slaughter deer. Th ese 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 “fi sh in a barrel.” From stories about duck hunt-ers shooting and wounding them with shotgun fi re, 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. Th is 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 fl ood sit-uations and sincerely hope this precedent becomes locked in place. - Rob Somerville


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JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 53JAJAJAJANUNUNUNUARARARARYYYY - FEFEFEFEBRBRBRBRUAUAUAUARYRYRYRY 2222010101016666 |||| SOSOSOSOUTUTUTUTHEHEHEHERNRNRNRN TTTTRARARARADIDIDIDITITITITIONONONONSSSS OUOUOUOUTDTDTDTDOOOOOOOORSRSRSRS 55553333

Braylin Dearman {age 7} is shown here with his fi rst 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 fi shing for his supper, while visiting his grandparents.Photo courtesy of Lankford’s Taxidermy

Rebecca Walton got her fi rst 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.Photo courtesy of Lankford’s Taxidermy

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 rifl e. She took this seven-pointer at 252 yards on November 23rd, 2015.Photo courtesy of Lankford’s Taxidermy

Jaylee Prince {age 6} took her fi rst deer ever, while hunting with her daddy during the juvenile hunt. She shot the deer at 85 yards with an AR-15 rifl e.Photo courtesy of Lankford’s Taxidermy

Ty Thomas took this nice 8-point buck on November 22nd, 2015 in the hills above Lenox, Tennessee.Photo submitted by Kevin Griffi th

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Entertainment & Humor

Southern Traditions Outdoors - February 2016