Southern Traditions Outdoors September - October 2016

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 20161 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016

SEPTEMBER -OCTOBER 2016

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 3

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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 BrunswickLarry Self

John SloanRichard SimmsDana WatfordBuck Gardner Richard HinesEd LankfordDrew BrooksJohn Latham

John RobertsRichard HinesRob HurtMark BuehlerRichard FaganNeill McLaurinSam Bradshaw

Field Staff Editors

Owners - Eddie Anderson Rob Somerville Kevin Griffith 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

7...........................Mallards at all Time High ...................................................Steve McCadams11 ..........................Leave it to Beavers? ..........................................................Kevin Grifith18..........................Duck Blind Etiquette .........................................................Sam Bradshaw23..........................Attract and Improve Deer herds with Fall Food Plots ........Richard Hines30..........................James Hendrix a Tennessee Treasure ..............................STO38..........................Scouting for a Trophy Buck ..............................................Richard A. Fagan48..........................Traditions Tips ...................................................................Richard A. Fagan53..........................Trophy Room .....................................................................STO

Pictured here is a beautiful pintail duck that is just leaving the waters of historic and scenic, Reelfoot Lake.Photo by Rob Somerville

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 5

Letter from the EditorFrom the Desk of Rob Somerville

Fall Crappie Fishing at Reelfoot Lake

Every angler in the southern states knows that Reelfoot Lake crappie fishing is “smok-ing hot” during the months of February through mid-May. But, one of the best kept secrets about the “Quake Lake” is the huge slabs that are consistently caught during the months of September through the second week of November.

Low pressure fishing During the end of winter and leading in to the spring spawn, Reelfoot Lake has so many crappie fishermen on it that it seems at times you could walk across the lake, from boat to boat, without ever touching the water. There is one problem with fishing that time of year other than fighting the crowded boat ramps when launching your boat, or having fisher-men trying to get in to your back pocket when they see you consistently catching nice slabs. The problem is the unpredictable wind that Mother Nature serves up this time of year. The surrounding landscape at the lake is almost completely flat, and any wind eclipsing 12 mph can whitecap the lake. As the crappie are in deeper water in the late winter and early spring, this makes fishing tough and can literally wear out the person op-erating the trolling motor as he tries to keep the boat on fish. But, beginning in late September, many fishermen who hunt are hitting the deer and squirrel woods, or dove hunting. There is very little boat traffic and the wind is almost always 10 mph or less. Another important factor that makes these delicious crappie bite is the fact that they are feeding voraciously, trying to build up fat reserves for the coming winter.

Tips and Tactics I recommend fishing about 5 to 12 feet deep to find the depth the fish are staging at. You should present your bait at different depth levels until getting a bite. Most anglers use a system called “Spider-Rigging”. This consists of an aluminum or steel brace, built in low profile on the front of your boat, and having six to 10 pole holders attached to it. You then fan your poles out like a spider’s legs, and keep a constant vigil on the rod tips to detect the slight twitch that may end up growing in to a pole-bending, slab crappie. The ideal poles to use are 12 to 16 foot fiberglass or graphite crappie poles. Rig them with 12 lb. test line and a crappie rig. Minnows are the bait of choice when spider rigging. You want to keep your line tight, letting the weight maintain ten-sion on your rod tip. When you see your rod tip twitch or bow, set the hook with a sweeping motion.

Summary If you like cooler weather, viewing the brilliant colored leaves of autumn and catching coolers full of fish, come to Reelfoot Lake this fall.See ya,Rob


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MALLARDS AT ALL TIME HIGH

By Steve McCadams

he dog days of summer have dominated the last few months, but the duck days of fall are fast approaching. Waterfowlers are always think-ing about their favorite sport, but especially when the word comes down from the prairie pothole re-gion and Canadian provinces, as to the status of the fall flight fore-cast. Last year’s season wasn’t kind to the lion’s share of Tennessee

waterfowlers. A warm Decem-ber and massive flooding in early January did not push ducks south and those that came were quite scattered across a five state region once the mighty Mississippi River jumped its levees. No use crying over spilt milk. Last season is his-tory. The clock on a new season is ticking. Everyone in the waterfowling community wants to know pro-jections. Before good duck sea-

sons there must be decent duck numbers headed south after their spring hatch. Every year is differ-ent. When there’s ample snow melt, and the breeding grounds have abundant water and habitat, the ducks respond favorably. Howev-er, it’s a fragile scenario, as vari-ables can change and duck pro-duction is quite dynamic. That’s why hunters hang their hats on the news from biologists each summer, who conduct the surveys and pretty much lay it all out as to what’s ahead for duck hunters, as our web-footed friends head out on their southern migra-tion. The annual survey, which has been conducted jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service since 1955, puts the breeding duck pop-ulation at 48.36 million, slightly lower than last year’s record pop-ulation of 49.52 million, but still 38 percent above the long-term average. “The duck numbers are amaz-ingly good,” said Dr. Frank Rohwer, president of Delta Wa-

MALLARDMALLARDSSAT ALL TIME HIGH

Numbers in the fall flight are projected to be similar to last year but mallards and green-wing teal are at all-time highs, while pintail

numberss declined. Photo USFWT


Continued on page 10

terfowl. “Mallard numbers are es-pecially surprising, and show why they are the most abundant duck in the world. They adapt to condi-tions exceptionally well.” The 2016 survey marks the highest estimates ever recorded for mallards and green-winged teal. Mallards increased 1 percent to 11.79 million, 51 percent above the long-term average. Green-winged teal populations grew by 5 percent to 4.28 million, which is more than twice the long-term average. The news was not as good for pintails, which dropped for a fifth-straight year. Pintail numbers de-

clined by 14 percent to 2.62 mil-lion, which puts the species 34 percent below the long-term av-erage. Blue-winged teal numbers fell 22 percent to 6.69 million, but remain 34 percent above the long-term average. “Gadwalls will likely take advan-tage of the improved water condi-tions we had in late May and June, and mallard production should be helped by it, too,” Rohwer said. “Mallards are strong re-nesters.” Wigeon continued a strong trend, increasing 12 percent to 3.41 million. Wigeon numbers are now 31 percent above the long-term average. Shovelers declined

by 10 percent, but still check in at 3.97 million, a strong 56 percent above the long-term average. Among diving ducks, scaup in-creased 14 percent to 4.99 million, which places them right at the long-term average. Canvasbacks declined by 3 percent to 736,000, but remain 26 percent above the long-term average. Redheads, which have remained near record breeding numbers for the past five years, jumped 8 percent to 1.29 million. “It’s really clear that pintails over-flew the prairies,” said Rohwer, citing a 60 percent decline in breeding numbers in southern Saskatchewan. “Pintails and blue-wings didn’t find the seasonal and temporary wetlands they prefer for breeding, so much of the popu-lation did not settle in the prairies. When pintails overfly the prairies, production is always down.” “In light of the dry conditions that were observed across much of the northern breeding grounds during the survey period, it is reassuring to see that the breed-ing population counts were lit-tle changed from last year,” said Ducks Unlimited’s Chief Scientist - Scott Yaich. “But, with total pond counts similar to the long-term average, and with hunting season and winter mortality being a rel-atively small part of annual mor-tality, it’s not surprising to see that populations largely held steady.” “What’s not reflected in the re-port is that there was fairly sig-nificant improvement in habitat conditions after the surveys were completed,” said Yaich. “In some

Shallow flooded fields like this one are meccas for wintering ducks, if ice doesn’t lock up feeding and roosting areas.

Photo by Steve McCadams


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key production areas, heavy June and July rains greatly improved wetland conditions. This could benefit brood rearing and the suc-cess of late nesting species, as well as give a boost to overall produc-tion through re-nesting by early nesting species. “Watching the changing habitat over the spring and summer this year underscores the importance of two things: First, we must sim-ply accept that habitat and popu-lations are going to vary over time. They always have and they always will. Second, that’s why we need to

keep a steady hand on the course of our conservation efforts. Our job is to steadily make deposits into the habitat bank account so that when the precipitation and other conditions are right, the ducks will do the job that they do so well, which is to produce more ducks and pro-vide us all a nice return on our in-vestments.” The spring surveys provide the scientific basis for many m a n a g e m e n t

programs across the continent, including hunting regulations. Individual states set their hunting seasons within a federal frame-work of season length, bag limits and dates. Tennessee’s season dates will be similar to last year. Statewide season opens November 26th - 27th, which is the weekend after Thanksgiving, and resumes for the second segment on December 3rd after a five day closure. It will be another 60-day season, ending on January 29th, 2017. The Reelfoot Zone will have its early weekend opener November 12th – 13th. Second segment there parallels the statewide season.A two-day statewide Youth Water-fowl Hunt will be held on Febru-ary 4th and 11th, 2017. Like high school and college football, fowling fans are excited about the season ahead, with high hopes. What happened last year really doesn’t mean much, as ev-ery fall has its own personality.Bring on the ducks!Editor’s Note: Steve McCadams is a professional guide and outdoor writer from Paris, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].

Duck numbers in Dixie were below average last fall and winter. Pictured with limits of ducks are Thomas “Bub” Edwards and his daughter Rachel

of Paris, Tennessee. Photo by Steve McCadams


uccess!!! Yes, I finally achieved success in my battle with muskrats in Fyrne Lake. If you re-member my last article (May-June 2016 issue) I had laid out my prob-

lem ... way too many muskrat and beaver had taken up residence in our lake. They were causing shore-line erosion, threatening our dam through burrowing and prevent-

ing me from introducing aquatic plants, as fish cover, by consuming them in short order. I needed help and found it with Johnny Cope-land, with Copeland Beaver and Critter Control. He spent several weeks placing and baiting inge-nious trap sets (many described in my last article) that fooled a sub-stantial number of muskrat. But, what about my beaver prob-lem? Beaver are the larger cousin to the muskrat and are by far the most destructive. They’ll flood bottomland with their dams kill-ing crops and forests, block over-flow pipes in catch basins, ponds and lakes, as well as kill trees by cutting them down to eat their bark. They also create bank ero-sion and damage impoundment dams through burrowing. All in all, beavers are a persistent and reviled enemy of farmers, forest-ers and pond owners. Fyrne Lake was no different. During John-ny’s investigation he identified multiple dens around the lake and several beaver dams along the outflow creek. As if their shore-

Here is an American beaver, typical to the ones that were bent on destroy-ing the eco-system at Fyrne Lake. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

By Kevin Grifith

S




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line damaging dens surrounded by felled trees weren’t bad enough, the dams they constructed along the creek were backing up a sub-stantial body of water stretching for several hundred feet. This was bad! The beaver were already us-ing their new transportation high-way to transport their recently felled trees. Something had to be done! Left to their own devices these beaver could expand their structure to flood several acres of hardwood forest. Johnny knew exactly what to do! After surveying the lake and out-flow creek he went about setting multiple traps and snares. Howev-er, to be successful you need more than these two tools. You need to understand your target. Every species has their unique behav-iors, but all animals are creatures of habit, often following the same pattern day after day. Animals also tend to travel the path of least re-

sistance. When a large branch blocks their normal path, rather than push through the obstacle, they tend to go around it. These facts, combined with his intimate knowledge of beaver behavior, guided Johnny’s trap and snare placement. Johnny’s trap of choice for beaver is the Conibear spring-loaded 330. It’s an instant kill trap that’s pow-erful enough to kill a large bea-ver, but sensitive enough to trip and dispatch a juvenile muskrat. These traps are also very danger-ous to humans. More than one ab-sent minded trapper has suffered a broken bone or severe bruise from one. It takes skill and experience to safely set a 330 without endanger-ing yourself and still have a good chance of capturing your target. With an eye toward safety, John-ny carefully set these traps along likely travel paths near identified den openings, beaver runs and dams. To increase his likelihood of success, he positioned obstruc-tions on each side in the hopes of directing his prey toward the opening of the 330. For insurance he placed a small drop of beaver castor, his secret weapon, on the tip of a stick just beyond each trap. Castor is obtained from the scent gland of the beaver, which secretes this yellowish oil while urinating to mark their territory and attract mates. It has a potent smell that’s sure to be noticed by any nearby beaver, often luring them to check out why the scent of a stranger is in their territory. The spring loaded traps, like the 330, work well most of the time. However, there’s always that chal-

lenging animal that seems to stay one step ahead of you. Like a 10 pound bass or a 12 point deer, there’s a reason some beavers live to become old and large… they’re smart! Most every trapper has been challenged by a granddad-dy beaver consistently avoiding their traps. I think these profes-sionals look forward to it! It’s the challenge of conquering an in-telligent foe that makes success all the more sweet for any hunter or fisherman. I bet many of you have experienced the total exhil-aration found pursuing a trophy deer or monster fish. Every time I take my fishing pole down to the lake and slip the line in the water my heart races. My mind reflects back on the years of discovering which baits work when, where to

This poplar tree is doomed! Bea-vers have fully ringed its trunk.

Notice the dam located just behind the tree.

Johnny Copeland is ready to place a 330 Conibear trap, near a beaver den opening, along the shoreline of

Fyrne Lake.


cast, how to present and when to set the hook. Occasionally, this experience mixed with a little luck pays off with a trophy fish. I’ve also seen a good friend, who’s an experienced hunter, spend all summer identifying the territory and tracking the habits of a tro-phy deer only to be outsmarted during hunting season. Unde-terred, he pursues his prey the fol-lowing season and if necessary the season after that. The thrill of the pursuit is reward in itself. Johnny experiences the same excitement while pursuing beaver or any of the other unwanted species he’s asked to remove. Whether it’s a pack of coyote terrorizing a farm or an elusive raccoon that’s taken up residence in an attic, he’s en-joys learning their unique habits, strengths and vulnerabilities to bring his customer’s varmint is-sue to a successful conclusion. My beaver challenge was no different.

Fyrne Lake was infested and had several established beaver families containing a few smart and huge individuals. Johnny wasn’t taking any chances. Rather than wait to be outsmart-ed, he mixed in several snares among his trap sets. Traps like the industrial appearing Conibear 330

are a challenge to conceal while snares, consisting of just a single cord or cable, blend in with their surroundings and, when properly set, are extremely effective. Snares are one of the earliest methods of trapping. They utilizes a cord that incorporates a slipknot which will tighten around the head, body or

One less granddaddy beaver! Johnny’s holding his prize catch of the day, a huge beaver!


limb of an animal like a noose as they move through its opening. These effective devices have been made from vine, horsehair, woven twine or whatever locally available material can be fashioned into a cord. Today’s modern snares are often made of metal cable that are available in different gauges (diameters). For beaver, Johnny prefers a five foot long, 5/64” di-ameter cable. Occasionally he’ll attach a 5 to 10 foot cable exten-sion to reach an anchor point. Johnny emphasized to me the importance of proper anchoring. Beaver can chew through a siz-able tree overnight. However, they only chew down to about 6” above the ground. Anchoring below this point is vital for consistent suc-cess. How and where you set your snare is just as important as how you anchor it. After surveying the area, Johnny knew exactly where he wanted to set his first, near a large poplar tree along Fyrne Lake’s outflow creek. The beaver had been working the tree for sev-eral days, chewing off its bark in a complete ring around its base. This poor tree was doomed! Even if the beaver don’t cut it down com-pletely, they had already cleanly chewed through the sapwood lay-ers located between the bark and heartwood. These layers contain the functioning passageways that transport fluid and nutrients from the roots to the branches. Now, ev-erything above the cut was starv-ing and would soon wither, die and rot. It was too late to save this poplar, but not too late to save the rest!

Johnny looked for signs that would indicate how the beaver were traveling to and from the tree. It didn’t take long to notice a clear, slightly worn path starting at the tree’s base, along the shoreline and extending into the creek. He prepared his snare and waded out into the creek. After securing one end to a solid anchor point, John-ny mounted its opening vertically and half submerged directly in the path the beaver had been travel-ing. With one down, he moved on to his second snare set where he planned to used his prey’s dam building instincts against them. He was going to breach their dam! Johnny approached the beaver’s main structure, walked along its top and carefully selected the ex-act area for his attack. Quickly, he dug a trench through the dam’s top extending several inches be-low the waterline and placed a snare vertically in the middle. He then placed branches on either side and above to guide any beaver attempting to repair the dam right through the middle of the snare. With his traps and snares set, he returned home. Trapping takes patience. Even the best set trap or snare doesn’t always produce re-sults. Over the next couple weeks Johnny ran his trap lines, some-times with his son, Drake. Johnny shared with me how trapping is a dying art and he was blessed to be able to teach Drake this skill and its importance, not only to farmers and property owners, but for the environment itself. Development and human activity has created predator/prey wildlife imbalances that can lead to starvation, disease

and over population. Trapping (as well as hunting) can be used to manage wildlife species within a specific habitat to create a healthy balanced and diverse wildlife pop-ulation. Success! Johnny and his son’s efforts paid off! Numerous bea-ver, along with a good number of muskrat, were removed from Fyrne Lake. I’m glad I swallowed my pride and called in an expert. Any professional worth their salt will save you more time, money and effort than they cost. That say-ing now applies to Johnny. Thanks to his expertise and hard work ZERO beaver have been spotted in the 6 months since the trapping. That’s SUCCESS!

Johnny Copeland’s son, Drake, is holding one of the many beaver

he helped his father remove from Fyrne Lake.


uck blinds, to me, qualify for just as proper behavior as does dining at the White House. Al-though, I can probably vouch for most us in saying they would be in a duck blind rather than the White House. Duck blinds come in many shapes and sizes, but each and ev-ery one comes with a few certain guidelines that each hunter should follow. Duck hunting is a great sport to share camaraderie with our hunting buddies, yet we need

to remember a few things while visiting spots that are not our own. Being invited to hunt with some-one is an honor, and you better be ready to act accordingly while visiting. The ducks may not be flying well the first day, but if you are invited back when they are fly-ing, you must’ve done something right on the first day. Some may disagree with what I consider to be the main steps to a successful hunt, but these four etiquette rules

trump the rest. We all want to en-joy the time shared in the blind; here are a few tips of my own to insure that is the end result of the hunt.

Remember, it’s not your blind. I absolutely love visiting and hunting in blinds other than my own. It’s almost like going in someone else’s fort and seeing just what tactics they have cooked up for the enemy. New tricks can be learned on how to hide, or even

By Sam Bradshaw

Duck Blind

Etiquette

D



how to properly cook the biscuits without burning them. Duck blinds are all different in some way shape, form or fashion. One thing to keep in mind though, is it’s not your blind. Treat it that way. We don’t barge into someone’s house and instantly plop down in front of the TV in the recliner now do we? Well, I don’t anyway. Ask the owner where they would like you to hunt. It’s not anything against you, it’s just common courtesy. But, in the event they do tell you to setup anywhere, by all means go to the downwind side of the blind! Once you have found your spot in the blind, again, remember that it’s not your blind. Don’t start ad-justing the brush or anything that was placed prior to you walking up. You’re a guest; don’t act like you belong there, because it may just end up being your first and last time.

Safety Safety may have #2 beside it on my list, but rest assured it is the #1 priority when hunting anywhere. As TK and Mike once said, “Safety is the safest thang.” Prepare your-

self. Before you ever even open your gun case, find the exact spot and angle you will rest your shot-gun. A lot of times you may be sit-uated in a tight spot with minimal movement, and sometimes even presented with ice at your feet. Prepare yourself for a shot from start to finish before you ever even load your gun. Check your sur-roundings for any obstructions while handling your shotgun. In doing so, you are laying the groundwork on how you will safe-ly take a shot in the new scenario you are in. Shooting lanes change from blind to blind, and we owe it to each person around us to rec-ognize our safe zones of fire in new surroundings. My next safety point is my biggest pet peeve, and the reasoning is simple; every-one is responsible for his or her firearm. Shot-guns falling over in a duck blind can silence even the loudest and most obnoxious crowds and let me tell you that when they fall over in your di-rection, the last place you want to be is in that duck blind. Shot-guns falling over have no one to blame other than the individual re-sponsible for that gun. Preparing yourself and con-sidering all fac-tors on how and

why that gun might fall over will drastically decrease the chances it will happen. Now, you’re almost ready to start hunting.

Calling Here it is. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. Finally, it’s time to work some ducks. To me, this is the absolute best part of duck hunting. On the other hand, it’s also been the worst part of duck hunting some days. Once every-one is settled in the blind and it’s time to whip out your calls, just give it a minute. Remember, it’s not your blind. Scenarios change daily, I will admit, but overall ducks tend to work a particular place in the same manner over time. My experience with this has been simple, if the owner of the blind would like for you to help call, they will ask you to do so.

Always ask prior to the hunt what equipment you may need or if you

can bring anything! Photo by Sam Bradshaw

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Rely upon the most experienced person in that situation to lead the orchestra. Often times, in certain places of trafficking birds, every-one should be calling and getting the ducks’ attention. Other places may require little to no calling at all. The biggest and most import-ant part about using a duck call is when it should be used. Whether the ducks are flying or not, the experience you leave your fellow hunting partners with is how you will be viewed. Be the guy who gets invited back, not the one who calls his way into the wall of shame.

Respect When the hunt is over, it’s now time to bring out your person-able manners. Always thank ev-eryone in the group for the hunt. Whether it was successful or not, you shared a day in the field with

others in the blind. Thank each hunter for that. It’s a special time we must never forget!

SUMMARY That’s it. Follow those few sim-ple rules in anyone’s duck blind and you will fall right into place. Throughout the year I am fortu-nate enough to get to hunt with a lot of different people, either in my blind or theirs. Yet, these three rules always apply and are the main com-ponents to me of hunting with someone by in-vitation. Hunts can be long or short, successful or unsuccessful, and miserable or pleasant. The only thing sepa-

rating those hunts a lot of times is the experience you create with ev-eryone around you. Duck hunting to me is by far my favorite sport. Where else do you get to show off your skills as a woodsman, gentle-man, wing shooter, caller, and sto-ry teller all in the same place?

Working together, we went from calling at specs in the sky, to wings over the decoys. Adapt accordingly, but al-ways work together! Photo by Sam Bradshaw

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Attract and Improve

Deer Herds with Fall Food Plots By Richard Hines; Certified Wildlife Biologist

ith deer season just getting started, many hunters are plan-ning to set up feeders or do some planting, to help attract deer or improve the condition of the deer herd on their land. September is a

good time to get your plots both planted and improved for this fall. First of all, why plant fall food plots? It’s not just about attract-ing deer. It’s also about improving the condition of the herd, from

fawns to trophy bucks. Other spe-cies of wildlife, from songbirds to wild turkey, will also appreciate your efforts. When planning or laying out fall food plots, think about locations that benefit each

Green plots are critical for the survival of fawns and does during fall and winter, especially when there is a shortage of hardwood mast in the fall. Photo by Richard Hines

W


species you want to attract. If you have high weeds you might leave a small portion for fawns that were accustomed to bedding in those areas this summer. New food plots adjacent to these areas will help fawns benefit from easily obtained protein, which is some-thing they need in early fall, as the previous summer green forage is disappearing rapidly. Does and fawns alike really need to pile on additional stores of fat and they can benefit from green forage in fall food plots. During most years, hardwood mast such as acorns will provide needed fat and ener-gy, but mast shortages are com-mon and should be planned for. Bucks that have been in rut lose unbelievable amounts of weight and this reduction of energy levels also make them more susceptible to winter mortality, so fall plots will help carry them through the winter as well. While many varieties of plants will improve and carry your herd, don’t put all your eggs in one bas-ket. The standards on many plots are those that provide green for-age quickly and continue into the winter months. Wheat, rye and

oats are favorites and they are rea-sonably priced and easy to estab-lish. You just disk the ground and broadcast the seed. Because wheat will act as a “nurse crop” protect-ing slower growing varieties, I also use it extensively as a cover crop, with the expectation of over seed-ing something else on the site later in the winter or early next spring. Overall, my favorite crop to plant for deer in September and October is wheat, but I always mix in Ladino clover that comes up a little later in the fall. You can use crimson or arrowleaf clovers, which are also excellent. If you do plant clover, remember that many of the clovers do require mowing at least two times each summer. Rather than mow my clover, I take advantage of hay being a hot com-modity in my local area, so I let a neighbor cut and bail my Ladino clover for hay. A late summer cut-ting has the stand prepared to pop as the weather cools down. Best of all I got the stand mowed at no cost and my neighbor also mowed my access trails for the free hay. I also use turnips as a fall crop. They are fairly quick to grow and deer will utilize these brassicas

over the better part of the win-ter as well. By the way, the term brassicas include radishes along with a pretty big group of forage variety’s used for livestock. There are many of these on the market, but when in doubt, just a few plain turnip seeds will do the trick. All the brassicas need well drained soil and a pH around 6.5 to really preform at maximum production. Another good fall plot variety is Austrian winter peas, which are also called black peas. This year will be my first time planting this legume. A friend recommended this pea, because two of my plots are extremely low on nitrogen. This is just right for the Austrian pea, because this pea, like all legumes, is capably of adding nitrogen to the soil. Clovers are also legumes and will perform this task as well. As long as your soil is around the

Removing low quality trees to open up food plots is time well spent. In do-ing so, you can provide plenty of daylight for maximum plant growth.

Photo by Richard Hines

You don’t have to use expensive equipment for small food plots.

Hand sowing and dragging soil over the seeded area with an ATV and a piece of chain link fence works well.

Photo by Richard Hines


6.5 pH range you should be able to establish them just fine. Every few years you should also consider ro-tating crop varieties among your plots. This will help boost produc-tivity of the soil as well. Soil Nutrients are most com-monly overlooked and over the years I have heard hunters say, “It’s only a fall planting. Plant it quick and let them eat it quick.” But, the most productive food plots are

those that are properly fertilized and managed, just like a regular agriculture crop. Many plants like those I just mentioned will come up fast and provide green forage, so you are covered here, but also look ahead by pulling a soil sam-ple. It’s important to get the pH correct. In this part of the coun-try it is a good bet lime may be needed. If you do spread lime it will take about six months for it to incorporate into the soil. Fer-tilization is faster, but remember that lime takes time. If fertiliz-er is recommended don’t exceed the recommended application rates, because excessive fertilizer will tend to wash off into streams and ponds, causing problems for aquatic habitat. Also, choose sites for plots that are wide enough to let in sunlight. Plots established in narrow strips will never reach full potential be-cause the majority of plants are not far enough away from the dripline of surrounding trees. Plants can-not compete with trees in picking up needed nutri-ents from the soil. District Con-s e r v a t i o n i s t , Kevin Hart said, “Many hunters don’t think about foodplots until a few weeks before hunting season. They run out and

buy one of those shiny bags of seed, not even taking time to look at what is in the mix.” In more cas-es than not hunters may be buying annuals that have spring planting dates and not fall dates. Beyond that, the variety of seed may not even meet their objective. Some simple planning will assure your fall food plot will reach its full potential in providing what your deer herd needs to maximize production. September-October Habitat Reminder List• Block or strip mow fields for quail (block mowing is best)• Check water control structures for winter waterfowl manage-ment.• Take soil samples from spring/summer food plots for analysis.

Here is a truck spreading lime on a large food plot. Lime is an essential

element for managing food plots, no matter if the size varies from 1/4

acre to 10 acres. Photo by Richard Hines

Sumac Fruit is consumed by many species of wildlife. Don't overlook leaving this wild and natural food around the edges of food plots, to help supplement food for birds,

such as quail and turkey.Photo by Richard Hines


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James Hendrix a

Tennessee Treasure

ames Hendrix or “The Leg-end” as he is referred to by his part-ner, Lee Hastings, of Tri County Farm Equipment, Inc. in New-bern, Tennessee, has served the

Dyer County agriculture commu-nity for 48 years. Born on Decem-ber 13th, 1935, during the height of the Great Depression in Hardin County, Hendrix was raised with

a brother and five sisters in a rural agricultural community. In 1950 his parents relocated to Crockett County where he worked at Wells Farm Store and attended Friendship High School, graduat-ing in 1954. In 1959 he married Jane Turnage, from Maury City, Tennessee, and then he expanded his family with two children, Kar-en and Bart. Today, his family in-cludes five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. In 1968, while working as Parts Manager for Tri County Farmers Equipment, Hendrix earned own-ership interest and was named Principal Dealer and Managing Partner. The dealership celebrat-ed its 50 year anniversary in De-cember 2015. Tri County is a Top 50 CASE IH/Ford New Holland Dealer in North America. James Hendrix is a humble and caring individual, a man of few words and very straight forward in his conversations. He is known far and wide in the agricultur-al industry as a man of integrity. His business plan is simple. “If you don’t have the equipment and parts, you can’t sell them.” CASE

Here is James Hendrix, in his earlier years.J


dealers from many states know that if a part is back-ordered, Mr. James will have it. Most deal-ers are cutting back on ordering equipment and parts during this downturn in the ag industry, but Hendrix is full steam ahead. He and Walter Hastings, his original partner, believed, “You can’t do business from an empty wagon.” Hendrix believes in the agri-culture industry and the farmers. Mr. James has one goal in mind each and every day when he ar-rives at work and that is to help the farmers at all cost. He sees his relationship with the farmers as a partnership. He agonizes with his customers during droughts, floods, and low grain prices. On the other hand, he rejoices with them when the harvest is bounti-ful with a good grain price. Hendrix knows most of his cus-

tomers’ entire families. He knows about their successes and failures. In many ways, he has been like a psychiatrist, listening to problems both personal and professional, giving advice only when asked. He is, what most people view, a good listener. Mr. James finds great joy in working with young farmers, or a farmer just getting started. He has a patient hand accompanied with a wealth of knowledge to offer. He is adamant about not selling a customer something he does not need. That’s one of the ways he builds trust and loyalty. His work ethic is one of a kind. Hendrix’s weekly schedule con-sists of working six days and then attending church on Sunday morning. It is not uncommon for him and Miss Jane to ride around the county after church looking at crops and equipment. Mr. James’ only real “hobby” is his beloved Dyer County High School Bas-ketball. He rarely misses a game, home or away. It could be said that a man’s greatest compliment comes from his customers. When Eric Maupin came back to Dyer County in 2001 to buy his father out of the farming operation, he encountered Hen-drix at Tri County. Maupin says, “I had just given up a very good job, one that would have allowed me a lot of financial success in life. It was a difficult time getting start-ed and very stressful. At the time, we had a couple of old red pieces of equipment that needed parts. I went to Tri County and ran into Mr. James. All he said was if you ever need anything just ask … pe-

riod … no sales pitch. I later came back into the store looking for a part with 250 acres of beans left to cut. My combine was down, and I could not afford to get it repaired until after harvest. Mr. James flipped me a set of keys to a new combine and said to go get your crop out, son. We’ll work out the details later. That meant so much to me at that time in my life. I now have all CASE IH equipment on my farm.” Maupin went on to say, “Mr. James has earned business by going above and beyond what is required.” One of Hendrix’s oldest friends and customers is Tom Davis, a retired farmer from outside of Newbern, Tennessee. Davis start-ed doing business with Hendrix in 1968. Davis says, “James sold me and my brother, Glen, the first 4-row cotton picker probably in Dyer County. If James got a bar-gain on a deal, he would pass it on to you. I have never been sick with a deal I’ve made with him. I wish I knew how many millions I have spent with James over the years. He understands your needs as a farmer. If he told you something, you can bank on it. You didn’t have to write anything down. He is one honest man. He has done as much for this community as anybody ever has. I’ve dealt with a lot of people in my life, but none have I trusted more than James Hendrix.” James Hendrix is a man of in-tegrity and a true example of the Southern Tradition. He is a true Living Legend of Agriculture!

Lee Hastings {left} in a recent picture with a true, living legend of Agriculture, Mr. James Hendrix.


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Scouting for a

Trophy BuckBy Richard A. Fagan

eer season was only a few weeks away and my friend and I had just gotten permission to hunt on a farm that neither of us had ever been on. When I asked him when we were going to scout it out he replied that he wasn’t. “I would

rather be lucky than good any day. I’ll find a spot when we hunt,” he exclaimed. I just looked at him and said, “Uh- huh.” Scouting for a trophy buck is one of the most important things you can do to prepare yourself for deer

season. Basically, you will increase your knowledge of the land you are going to hunt, and you’ll gain valuable information about the deer herd as a whole. A Realistic Assessment Before you go marching off in

Scouting from a distance and leaving little to no sign of human presence, is important to putting you on a big buck during hunting season. Photo by Rob Somerville

D


the woods looking for Bullwin-kle, give it some thought. The best tool I have found to assist me in how and where I want to start my scouting is a topographic map of the area. The internet has made it easy to get an overhead view of almost anywhere. Pay attention to creeks, bottlenecks and the overall layout of the land. I make several copies of the map, so I can revise things as the season wears on. This will also help you to determine how many stands you want to put out. If you hunt with others on this land you may want to talk to them

and get their input. If the land is being farmed, ask the farm-ers where they think you should scout. Once you have a plan it is time to put it into motion. Bucks behave differently at different times of the year. First, we will look at presea-son scouting in late summer and early fall. During this time most crops are still in the field. Corn fields are way too high for watch-ing. Bean fields can be watched. Soon the scene will change as these crops are harvested. Then you will have plenty of time to set up and watch the fields. Make

a trip during mid-day when the deer are bedded down. Walk the woods that surround the fields and take note of any areas or trails that look as if they have had recent deer movement. Bucks, during this time of year, are in what is known as bachelor groups and are travelling together, while does are still tending to their young. This is where paying attention to tracks can come in handy. If you see small yearling tracks, chances are you’re on a group of does. During your outings pay atten-tion to other food sources, such as white and red oaks that might be dropping acorns, clover fields and vines like honeysuckle and Mus-catine. Deer at this time of year are mainly just browsing. As you might have guessed, your first trip out is more or less to get an idea as to where you want to start scouting for your buck. As you make more scouting trips and the harvest time draws closer, you will want to consider where your stand locations will be from watching the fields and trails. As a rule, I try never to setup and scout from a stand I plan on hunting. A portable ground blind is a perfect choice to set up on the side of a field as an observation stand.

PINPOINTING HIS MOVEMENTS

Bucks will hardly ever stick to the same trails as the does. In-stead, they will travel just off the trails with the wind in their favor. They will move later to allow the does to move out into the fields to make sure the coast is clear. When they get to the edge of the

This big buck was caught on a trail camera by the author.Photo by Richard Fagan




fields, they often hold up in what is known as a staging area. These are my favorite places to hunt. I always try to position my stands to cover the staging area and as much of the field as possible.

PRIME TIME Bucks start making antler rubs around mid-September. Crops are being harvested and the fields are open for viewing. Food is still their main objective; the rut is still awhile off. Evening times are best to catch deer moving into the fields. Set up and watch where they come from and take note of all activity. As the bow season nears, deer activity begins to increase. The days are getting shorter, the tem-perature is cooling down and the

autumn colors are beginning to show. Early fall is no doubt the best time of the year to be in the woods, whether scouting or bow hunting. Fred Bear once said, “You can learn more about deer in a week of bow hunting than in a life time of gun hunting.” I agree. Bow hunting disciplines you to be able to move closer to deer, without being detected, and to pay more attention to a deer’s sense of smell. With some dedicat-ed days of scouting you may very well take your dream buck with a bow.

PRE-RUT & RUT Just before the rut, bucks begin to split up from their bachelor groups and stake out their terri-tories. Making scrapes and antler

rubs are how a buck relays to other bucks this spot is taken and to let the does know he’s ready to court. When you find sign like this, you need to start looking for a place to locate a stand, or a good tree to use a climber. Remember, always consider the wind direction. When the rut is in full swing a buck will throw all of his self pres-ervation skills out the window to chase does. Deer are nocturnal animals and bucks especially will wait until sundown to move and then be tucked away in a thick bedding area before sunrise. During the rut, they will often be caught staying out late and end up in the back of a hunter’s truck. At this time, look for the place that

When the fields are still full of crops, scout around the field’s perimeter for trails leading from the woods to these feeding areas. Photo by Richard Fagan




has the most doe activity, and again pay attention to the wind and how the does are acting. Often they will clue you in when a buck is about to make his appearance.

OTHER ASPECTS OF SCOUTING

Along with the ease of getting overhead maps, trail cameras have really made scouting and pattern-ing deer much easier, and leave

minimal human scent. They can monitor an area 24/7 during any kind of weather. A good place to position trail cameras is … yes, on a trail. Place the camera pointing down the trail instead of across it so you can get a better and longer view when the camera is activat-ed. I prefer the video mode rather than pictures for that reason. Feeders, where legal, are a good

way to bring your buck to you and a good place to set the above mentioned cameras. In Tennessee, baiting is not legal and the feeders must be taken down before sea-son. Please check your game laws for the details.

In Closing Scouting is something you can do year round. The more time you spend afield, the more you are go-ing to learn about deer behavior. By observing deer movement on a constant basis you will be able to pattern them easier before hunt-ing season starts. You will also learn the land better and how to navigate it without spooking the deer. How will you know your hard work has paid off? #1 Bullwinkle comes walking un-der your stand on opening day. #2 You have your taxidermist on speed dial.#3 When try to explain to your wife how much you spent at the taxidermist and she looks at you and says, “Uh-huh”

Does will often turn and watch a buck as it approaches, signaling the hunter to get ready for a shot. Photo by Richard Fagan

A ground blind like this makes a great place to set-up and watch for deer activity. Photo by Richard Fagan


TWRA NEWSELK HUNT WINNERS & COMMERCIAL FISHING PROPOSALS MADE AT AUGUST TFWC MEETING

he participants in Ten-nessee’s 2016 elk hunt were an-nounced at the August meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. The TFWC was also presented a preview of next year’s 2016-17 proposed commercial fishing regulations, and an update on recommendations for cervid deer carcass importations as they pertain to states with chronic wasting disease (CWD). Tennessee began its elk hunt in 2009 with the participants selected from a computer draw. At its May meeting, the TFWC approved the addition of an archery only elk hunt which will be held Oct. 3rd -7th. Selected for the archery only hunt were Dennis C. Edwards (Brentwood), Travis L. Brown (Telford), William Scott Taylor (Murfreesboro), Donald Alvin Jackson (Cleveland), and James A. Millwood (Chattanooga). The selections for the regular

hunt set for Oct. 17th – 21st were Kevin Hart (Yuma), Austin L. Burks (Waynesboro), Timothy C. Copeland (Crossville), and Bryan C. White (Harrison). The fifth permit for the elk hunt was presented to a non-govern-mental organizational, the Ten-nessee Wildlife Resources Foun-dation. The permit was auctioned and Wade Roberts (Leoma) was the high bidder at $9,000. Fund-raising proceeds from the auctioned tag are designated for the elk restoration program. The youth tag permit winner is Jordan Redmond (Oakdale). This will be the fifth year for the tag which is designated for youth ages 13 - 16. The elk hunt permits are valid on elk hunting zones at North Cum-berland Wildlife Management Area. Additionally, established be-ginning this year, the permits will be valid on private lands within Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne,

Morgan, and Scott counties. TWRA Fisheries Division chief, Frank Fiss, presented proposed changes to the commercial fish-ing and mussel harvest proclama-tions. The proposals would allow commercial fishers to use a variety of minnow traps to harvest bait-fish. Fiss also proposed changes that would improve the accuracy of descriptions of mussel refuge boundaries. These proposals will be formally discussed at the TF-WC’s September meeting.

T


The 2017 - 18 sport fish propos-als will be presented at the Sep-tember meeting. The next year’s sport fish regulations are typically established at the TFWC’s Octo-ber meeting. Chuck Yoest, Wildlife and For-estry Division assistant chief, presented for commission con-sideration four possibilities for applying the wildlife carcass im-portation regulation. The regu-lation requires that hunter-taken deer and elk being imported from CWD positive areas be fully pro-cessed before being brought into the state. The regulation also al-lows for finished taxidermy to be imported. The Commission took action to apply the current harvested cervid (deer, elk) importation restric-tions to the entirety of any states not bordering Tennessee in which CWD is present or occurs in the future, and also any bordering state in which CWD is present or occurs within 150 miles of the Tennessee border. Pending no further action by the Commission, on May 1st, 2017 the importation restrictions will apply to the en-tirety of any state in which CWD is present or occurs in the future. The TFWC passed several proc-lamations. The Buffalo Ridge Ref-uge, consisting of 1,813 acres in Humphreys County {just south of I-40 and on the west side of

the Buffalo River} has a structure which will serve as the “Tom and Wendy Beasley Wildlife Outreach and Special Events Center.” The Middle Fork Forked Deer Riv-er Refuge in northwest Madison County is 984 acres that will serve as a wetland demonstration site. While owned by TWRA, the West Tennessee River Basin Authori-ty and The Nature Conservancy will develop the site into a wet-lands demonstration area using acquired grant funds. The Mississippi River Flood-waters Zone Hunting Closure which will automatically close an area to big game hunting should floodwaters occur as they did last December has resulted in the Commission closing a portion of the deer season on this area via an emergency proclamation. The area to be closed should floodwa-ters exceed 34.0 foot elevation at the Caruthersville, Missouri gauge includes all areas west of Highway 78 from the Kentucky state line to the Obion Riv-er Bridge, and west of the Obi-on River from the Highway 78 Bridge to the Mississippi Riv-er. A proclama-tion opened a section of the

Holston River upstream from the Holston Army Ammunition Plant Waterfowl Refuge to boating and fishing activities. The section to be opened is from the Inter-Plant Railroad Bridge downstream to the Holston Ammunition Plant boundary. This river section will remain closed to hunting activities from the fourth Saturday of Au-gust through the end of February. The TFWC approved the agen-cy’s budget for fiscal year 2017-18 of approximately $86 million. The budget includes the discontinu-ance of the agency’s funded week-ly television show, Tennessee Un-charted. The meeting was held for the first time at the Art Circle Public Library in Crossville. For more in-formation on these and any other TWRA news, go to www.tnwild-life.org.

Here is a huge herd of deer that had to leave their natural habitat, during massive flooding.



YOU DESERVE TO HAVE THE

IN THE BLIND

We have awesome Black Lab puppies available now! Born June 9th, 2016. Parents (Little Miss Izzie Hurt and GRHRCH Hickory Withe’s Colonel Reb) of these pups have excellent bloodlines and championship histories.

The mother, Izzie, was the pup from Sugar (owned by Ryan Dyer). Colonel Reb belongs to Rodney Speed.

Izzie is a Hunting Retriever Champion and a AKC Master hunter.Puppies will be AKC and UKC registered. Puppies are $800 and can be held with a

$200 deposit.

EXCELLENT BLOODLINES!

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY!

CALL OR TEXT ROB HURT AT: 731-445-8516

OR EMAIL HIM AT:[email protected]


TRADITIONS TIPS - with Richard A. Fagan

1. A rod holder, like the one pictured here, makes a great storage place for a flashlight at home, on a boat or in a deer stand.

They can be purchased at most department stores.

2. This snap-on seat for a five gallon bucket works great for dove hunting. You can also secure this bucket on a wooden deer stand for

comfortable sitting. It allows you to swivel and it makes a good storage place, as well.

4. As the hunting and fishing season wears away, so does the writing on our hunting licenses. Take a picture of your new license before this happens and save it on your phone for future reference.

3. This gravity fed, deer feeder is inexpensive to make. Use four inch PVC pipe, two end caps, and an angled “T”joint. It can be

attached to a tree or fence post with a bungee cord.

5. Here is a tip that will help when loading a deer in your truck by yourself. Cut a sheet of ½ inch plywood, so it will slide easily into

the bed of your truck and lay it flat between the wheel wells. Just place the deer on the board, lift with your legs and slide it in.

Editor’s note: all photos and graphics are provided by the author. If you wish to submit a “TIP” send emails to [email protected].


SERVICES TO LOOK FORWARD TO!!

Have you been wondering how to join the C&C family?

GingerCPhT

ChasityCPhT

KatieSales Associate

Crystal - PharmacyTech / DME

LISACPhT

RaiAnnPharm Tech/Sales Assoc

Kalli-RaeSales Associate

BrandyPharmacy Tech

TyreniaCPhT

Dana - Pharm Tech/Sales Assoc

CarolynSales Associate

HillaryCPhT

KrissieCPhT

• FAST FRIENDLY ONE-ON-ONE SERVICEFROM LOCAL PHARMACISTS

(being locally owned means we support Dyer County not a BIG pharmacy chain)

•ACCEPTANCE OF OVER 3,000 PRESCRIPTIONPLANS(including the new State Employee Prescription Plan-Caremark)(your co-payment will stay the same)

• LOW PRICES ONALL PHARMACY NEEDS(we will match all competitors generic plans or programs)

•MOST CONVENIENT LOCATION IN TOWN(with drive-thru and handicap accessibility)

• FREE DELIVERYANYWHERE INCITY LIMITS(delivery also available countywide for small fee)

•MEDICARE BILLING(for all your diabetic & durable medical equipment needs)

• IMMUNIZATIONS(flu, shingles, school, job & travel vaccinations)

• PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDINGPRESCRIPTION SERVICES

(for more information, visit dyersburgfyi.com/candc)

Here are two simple ways of telling us whatyou 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.

2490 Parr Ave.LEWIS CREEK PLACE

Curtis ColbertPHARMACIST/OWNER

Kevin CookPHARMACIST/OWNER

Mark DavisPharmacist


ACRED’S SHOES“In Business Since 1955”

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THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS!DYERSBURG, TN: 1960 ST. JOHN AVE. 731-285-9010

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Contact Rob Somerville for more information.731-446-8052

[email protected]


A.J. Blalock caught this 7-pound bass, while fishing Reelfoot Lake.


Miles Vincent {grandson of Barbara and Andrew Hall} is “hooked on fishing” after catching these two nice catfish. Photo submitted from Lankford Taxidermy

54 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 201654 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016

Haley Blalock Caught a good mess of crappie in Millsfield, Tennessee at a farm pond.

Bill Bolen caught this giant largemouth bass {9 lb. – 14 oz.}

from the 1,000 acre Carroll Lake. Photo submitted from

Lankford Taxidermy

Rocky Rock hooked this 9.0 lb. hawg at Carroll Lake.

Photo submitted from Lankford Taxidermy

Bill Bolen’s son {Rocky} is shown holding up his dad’s trophy bass, which weighed in at 10 lbs. – 4 oz. and was caught at Carroll Lake. Photo submitted from Lankford Taxidermy

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55

Robert “Doc” Jackson caught this nice bass in the grass at Pickwick Lake.

Another huge {8 lb. – 10 oz.} bass caught at the “red hot” Carroll Lake, by Danny Conger. Photo submitted

from Lankford Taxidermy

Anthony Blalock caught these two 5-pound bass at Reelfoot Lake.

Entertainment & Humor

Southern Traditions Outdoors September - October 2016