Southern Traditions Outdoors July - August 2014

Complimentary Copy July - August 2014

REELFOOT LAKE FISHING

CRAPPIE BY MOONLIGHT

SUMMER CATS ON THE PROWL

THE IMPORTANCE OF FARMINGwww.southerntraditionsoutdoors.com

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COYOTE HUNTING

JULY - AUGUST 2014 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 32 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JULY - AUGUST 2014

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Advertising Information: Southern Traditions Outdoors | Rob Somerville

(731) 446-8052 [email protected]

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 CoverThis mother coyote is teaching her pups the art of communication through a howling demonstration.

- Photo courtesy of Debbie DiCarlo

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 Todd

Eddie BrunswickLarry Self John SloanRichard SimmsJohn MeachamBuck Gardner

Scott MarcinEd LankfordDrew BrooksJohn LathamJohn Roberts

Field Staff Editors

Owners - Eddie Anderson Rob Somerville Kevin Griffith Stacey LemonsPublisher - Eddie AndersonEditor - Rob SomervilleMagazine Design - Kalli Lipke

Advertising Sales Rob Somerville - Managing PartnerDistribution Johnathan Anderson Mike Robinson

Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC

TABLE OF CONTENTS PG .................. ARTICLE .......................................................... AUTHOR 6...........................Chasing Coyotes ...............................................................Paul E. Moore14..........................Crappie By Moonlight ........................................................Steve McCadams20..........................The Importance of Farming ...............................................Rob Somerville26..........................Battling Erosion .................................................................Kevin Griffith34..........................Memory of a Memory .........................................................Shawn Todd42..........................Summer Cats on the Prowl................................................Steve McCadams48..........................Kid’s Korner .......................................................................STO52..........................Trophy Room .....................................................................STO

Reelfoot Lake - An Angler’s Paradise!

Reelfoot Lake, located in Northwest Tennessee, was formed by a series of earthquakes in 1811-1812. A large area of land sank and later filled with water. This was a heavily forested area and the remains of this cypress tree forest are still found beneath the lake’s waters.

The lake has approximately 13,000 acres of water and the average depth is only 5.2 feet. The deepest area is about 18’ deep. Due to the shallow, fertile water and the abundance of natural cover, Reelfoot Lake is one of the world’s greatest natural fish hatcheries. Approximately 54 species of fish can be found in the lake.

The primary game fish include several types of bream, white and black crappie, several species of catfish, largemouth bass and yellow bass.

Reelfoot Lake fishing varies on a seasonal basis, just like all other lakes. The bass usually start biting best in March and continue until late fall. The best bass baits include spinner baits, plastic worms, spoons and topwater lures. Large, live minnows are also good. Many large bass are caught each year and five pound bass are not uncommon.

Crappie usually start biting best in early to mid-March around the deep water stumps. They move to shallow water in early April and the pre-spawn period is excellent. Crappie can be caught in the deep water stumps through the summer months. Fall crappie fishing is good during September and October. Favorite crappie baits includes live minnows, jigs and plastic grubs.

Bream fishing is usually good April through June, and again in the fall. The bream in Reelfoot are famously huge and large catches of bream are common. Favorite bream baits include worms, crickets and Grizzly Jigs.

Catfishing is good from spring to fall and favorite catfish baits include live worms, cut shad, commercial stinkbait and even hotdogs soaked in garlic salt. Besides using rod and reel, many large quantities of catfish are brought in using spring-loaded yo-yo’s tied to cypress branches.

Yellow Bass are found by the thousands in Reelfoot Lake. They are always hungry and strong fighters. They can be caught from early spring to late fall. They also bite well during the hot summer months. Favorite baits include jigs and minnows.

Reelfoot Lake is an exciting place to fish; you never know what you are going to catch. It is common for over 100 fish to be caught per boat during one day.

Most fishermen do not use fiberglass boats because Reelfoot Lake is shallow and filled with stumps and logs. The most popular boats are the Reelfoot Lake boat and the aluminum Jon Boat. Larger boats can be used, but only with extreme caution. Boats are available from most private resorts for reasonable daily rates.

Even if you aren’t fishing, the pristine and prehistoric beauty of Reelfoot Lake is well worth the trip. It has been recognized as one of the top ten natural locations in the U.S. for nature and wildlife photographers.

-Rob Somerville

From the Desk of the Editor


reasons. Most notably, it is cooler and coyote hunting falls right in place to coincide with other hunt-ing seasons. There are no crops in the field and there is much less other foliage, so visibility is much better. Plus, coyotes just seem to be on the prowl more during the cooler months. The latter reasoning may be in appearance only though, as coy-otes still have to eat throughout the summer. It is highly likely though that there is much less day-time movement during the warm months than when the temps are friendlier. Nonetheless, if a hunter gets set up in the right location and uses enticing calling to per-suade coyotes there is an easy meal nearby; dogs can be lured into range any month of the year. Hunting at this time of year also provides sportsmen a benefit not found at other times. Coyote pups have been growing for several months and will soon be almost as big as their parents. They are hunt-ing alongside the older coyotes and oftentimes are already out on their own. If not now, they soon will be. If there is such a thing as hunting a “dumb” coyote, this is as good an opportunity as any. These young canines have not de-

veloped all the savvy of the par-ents yet, but don’t underestimate them. They are still very cunning and wary. One wrong move by the hunter and it is game over, just as with full grown coyotes. Most everyone knows coyotes are most active at night and as mentioned before, this is espe-cially true when Mother Nature’s heat is boiling down upon the landscape. Obviously, this means the most success for hunting comes at first legal shooting time and again just before the close of the day. That is not to say there is no chance of success throughout the day, but the odds are definitely better during these peak times. In the summer, the old adage of location, location, location is never truer. Coyotes do not like to venture far from their safety zones during the day at any time of year, but especially in summer. Not only does the heat factor in, but there are a lot of young-of-the-year critters around, so find-ing food usually does not require much travel. Plus, females with pups like to stay close to the den, even if the pups are nearing the point of being out on their own. The best setups are close to known denning locations or other

areas where coyotes have been seen or heard consistently. Hunt-ers must slip in as close as pos-sible, without alerting the dogs to their presence. It is very similar to trying to get up in the grill of that big gobbler on the roost, dur-ing spring turkey season. Stealth is the name of the game. A part of that stealth is obvi-

ell, right now is the hottest time of the year and there is nothing to do except sweat,

right? Well, that is only partially true. There are plenty of things one can do, but of course, heat can sometimes be a limiting factor. There are lots of outdoor opportunities including camping, hiking, fishing and even hunting. However, one activity that needs to be on the to-do list and is often over-looked is coyote hunting. Most coyote hunting takes place in the cooler months of the year and is often secondary to other outdoor activities. But, diehard coyote hunters know late summer and early fall can be an optimal time for taking a few dogs. Sure, there are plenty of naysayers to summer hunting, but success may come easier than some people imagine. Most people hunt from late fall through winter, and into early summer. This is done for a variety of

CHASING COYOTESBy Paul E. Moore

W

A coyote is a carnivore and you must keep in mind that when you go after them you are hunting a hunter. - STO File Photo.

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Coyote hunting is not only exciting and fun; you are also protecting wildlife on your land by hunting them as they prey on wildlife such as squirrel, rabbits, fawn deer and quail.

- STO File Photo.

continued on next page

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ously going to be scent. Coyotes are one of the best of nature’s crit-ters when it comes to playing the scent game and there is almost no way to completely beat them in that arena. However, there are a few tricks that help. First off, the hunter needs to be as scent-free as possible. Of

course, just walking in to get set up in the summer is an effort in futility when it comes to not working up a sweat. That said, it still pays to start off as clean and odorless as possible and then not develop any more body odor than can be helped. Various masking agents may help lessen the impact

of human scent, or at least con-fuse a wary dog just long enough for a shot. Another tip is a great method to use when the local topography allows. If there is a known den location or coyotes are known to be hanging in a certain wood-lot or other area, the hunter can sometimes set up in an area that prevents coyotes from circling downwind. This isn’t always pos-sible and sometimes the dogs sim-ply won’t show themselves if they cannot check the scent first, but other times the temptation of an easy meal overwhelms their cau-tion. This is especially true for the juveniles. Inexperience and eager-ness often causes young coyotes to bolt from cover to check out some intense calling before mom can corral them. This sometimes provides a lucky hunter with a double kill. Most coyote hunters have their favorite calls, but a rabbit in dis-tress is hard to beat at this time of year. There are lots of baby rabbits running around and by this time, the pups have probably heard and got acquainted with plenty of squealing bunnies. The addition of a decoy can be helpful too. Lots of deer fawns are also on the ground, so some summer hunters prefer to employ a fawn decoy and use a fawn distress call. Howling does not seem to be as effective at this time of year. However, mimicking the sound of a lost pup, or pup in distress, can often bring a mom out of hiding to investigate. This call is much like trying to lure a doe with a fawn dis-

Coyotes communicate through a series of yelps, barks and howls. - STO File Photo.

continued on page 10

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tress call. It does not always bring results, but when it does, it can be dramatic. Lost and distressed pup calling works best when there are young pups around. Right now may not be the op-timum time of year for coyote hunting, but it certainly shouldn’t be overlooked entirely. Battling summer, with its heat, insects and ticks is a formidable obstacle, but putting a dog or two on the ground makes it all worthwhile.

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CHASING COYOTES CONTINUED

Scent control, stealth, head-to-toe camouflage, predator calls, a decoy, proper location set-up and a small caliber rifle are all important tools in luring a coyote into shooting distance.

- STO File Photo.

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f you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen, says the

old adage. However, if you love summer fishing and can’t take the heat … then try night fishing for crappie. Anglers can beat the high tem-peratures during the summer dol-drums by fishing under the cover of darkness. You dodge the crowd and avoid sunburns too. Yet, the leading attribute might be what’s found in the cooler, as some hefty stringers can be taken once you master the night time routine. Night fishing for crappie, along

with both white bass, largemouth and smallmouth, have long been popular in many middle and east Tennessee lakes where pristine waters are present. Move into the western portion of the state and anglers have been slow to em-brace night fishing, but that’s rap-idly changing. Deep and clear lakes such as middle Tennessee’s Dale Hollow, Center Hill and Percy Priest are popular places for night crappie fishing, as are most of the reser-voirs further east. Crystal clear water is pretty to look at, but it’s

tough fishing at times, and one of those tough times is the summer season. Crappie are sensitive to light and will avoid it as best they can in a variety of ways. That’s why most of the west Tennessee lakes that sport a dingy water color, such as both Barkley and Ken-tucky Lakes, have enjoyed pretty good crappie fishing during the daylight hours compared to other clear lakes. The more turbid waters of west Tennessee reservoirs help filter

By Steve McCadams

I

Crappie By Moonlight

Pretty soon you’ll find that nighttime may well be the right time for summer crappie! - STO File Photo


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The night approach for crappie requires adding floating lights or lanterns to your arsenal of fishing gear. - STO File Photo


the bright sunlight, providing a larger comfort zone for light sen-sitive crappie. Yet, even the most popular panfish lakes, sometimes fall victim to the hot and humid weather that puts fish in a lethar-gic mood at times. When crappie take on a slug-gish behavior pattern during mid-summer, anglers might be wise to consider the nighttime approach. In fact, crappie might well go dor-mant during daylight hours and put on the feed bag at night. Many anglers make the mis-take of thinking crappie quit bit-ing during the summer months af-ter one or two unproductive trips during the daytime. What may be happening is that crappie are go-ing too deep during daylight hours and dodging the hooks of anglers, or the fish may just be riding it out and not feeding, choosing to wait

for their peak feeding frenzies once bright light disappears. A few anglers on Kentucky and Barkley lakes have adapted to night fishing after learning the ropes from their east Tennessee buddies. Changing over to night fishing isn’t a big deal, but it does take some adjustments and altera-tions. The night approach requires adding floating lights or lanterns to your arsenal of fishing gear. A lot of anglers prefer pontoons as they can quickly adapt the boat to lantern holders or toss several floating lights out along the side. Pontoons are popular for other reasons too, as additional room allows more anglers to partici-pate. You can quickly adapt your regular fishing boat, however, as commercial lantern holders are available to keep the light out

over the side. The floating lights work great too, so you don’t have to worry about drilling holes or mounting complicated light hold-ers. Of course the idea of the lights is to attract baitfish, namely shad. Various commercial fishing lights are available and they really lure the baitfish in and guess who isn’t far behind once you have a mil-lion minnows swimming under your light’s beam … Mr. Slab and his pals. Places like Barkley and Ken-tucky lakes have an abundance of main lake drop-offs and ledges where summer crappie hang out. Bridge piers are other popular venues, as they’re near the main river channel and usually around a narrowing of the reservoir that helps congregate fish. Anchoring out over the ledge

of a main lake drop-off is an ex-cellent location for finding and catching summer crappie at night. Odds are that the fish are already in the area, and once you set up shop and allow your lights to at-tract baitfish, then you’ve already solved a big portion of the puzzle. Monitoring a depth finder is crucial in choosing the spot and utilizing a GPS unit is an active ingredient in the recipe for night-time success. That means you may have to log a few hours during the day to find and mark specific loca-tions on the lake, so as to return to them at night. Once you decide on a specific spot you’ll want to drop hefty an-chors to stay in place. Anchoring right over the break or drop-off where two depth extremes come close together is a valuable tip. The typical scenario is pulling fish from the deep areas toward the ledge, where feeding frenzies can take place. Depths of 15 to 25 feet are pop-ular, if deeper water is close by. You can select areas where sub-merged structure is present, such as stumps or brushpiles, but a lot of cover isn’t always required to experience good night fishing. Chances are the fish are roam-ing and leaving structure at night to pursue the path of their forage, which in this case means beneath your boat and in the cone angle of your light, once baitfish are pres-ent. Vertical presentations of jigs and live minnows work great. And, if you encounter mayfly hatches. then this natural buffet courtesy of Mother Nature will provide

you with all the bait you need. Using two or three flies on a single hook fished in the light’s cone may prove to be the bait of choice, should the opportunity present it-self. The fish of-ten suspend beneath your lights and strikes are somet imes light, which m a k e s watching the rod’s tip and line manda-tory in or-der to detect finicky hits. Black lights on the boat really help il-luminate florescent monofilament lines too, which further help you monitor the business end of your fishing rods. While it’s true that night fish-ing is a different world, once you experience some light breezes and cool nights free from a blazing sun, then the transition will grow on you. You may soon discover those sleepy crappie that vanished from your favorite fishing holes by day are alive and well, while prowling around at night.

A hefty cooler full of crappie, caught under the cover of dark-ness, sure beats empty stringers and sunburns by day. It may take an outing or two of trial and er-ror before you fine tune your ap-proach. Pretty soon you’ll find that nighttime may well be the right time for summer crappie!

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THE IMPORTANCE OF FARMING

By Rob Somerville

am sure that most of you have heard the saying that if you don’t understand how hard a

person has it that maybe, “You should walk a mile in his shoes.”

This verbiage is especially ap-propriate in regards to the Ameri-can farmer. Most of us have low-ered ourselves to temper tantrums, and perhaps even unsavory words or gestures, when they were stuck in a slow moving line of cars wait-ing for a combine or tractor to plod down the road ahead of us. With no little amount of shame, I must unfortunately add myself to those impatient motorists … that is until a couple of years ago. My partner in STO Magazine, Eddie Ander-son, farms an extensive amount of acreage in Northwest Tennes-see. Two years ago, while playing with his grandkids, he fell down a flight of stairs. He injured his leg and ribs to the point where he could barely walk. I decided that I would then become his helper … an apprentice farmer, if you will.

To put it mildly, it was an eye-opening experience. I quickly dis-covered that farming meant hard

work and ex-tremely longhours, and be-ing a college educated man, I thought, “How hard could farming pos-sibly be to pick up?”

Well, just let me tell you, it was a huge challenge to pick up even the most minor tasks that my friend thought I could handle. As I attempted to keep up with a man, crippled up with injuries {and ten years my elder} I soon discovered that farming was an extremely difficult way of life – both physically and mentally.

I probably drove him crazy with all my questions, as I became more and more interested in this occupation. From weed and insect

control, to erosion and planting techniques, to equipment main-tenance and usage skills, to fer-tilization and timing your every move to the various mood swings of Mother Nature’s weather … a few days of my inept labor was just the tip of the iceberg, com-


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There seem to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war, as the Romans did, in plundering their conquered neighbors. This is robbery. The second by commerce, which is gen-erally cheating. The third by agriculture, the only honest way, wherein man receives a real increase

of the seed thrown into the ground, in a kind of continual miracle, wrought by the hand of God in his favor, as a reward for his innocent life and his

virtuous industry.Benjamin Franklin

When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farm-ers, therefore, are the founders of human civiliza-

tion.Daniel Webster

The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at whole-

sale, and pays the freight both ways.John F. Kennedy

pared to the fifty plus years of experience he had.I barely took away enough skills to now plant my

own garden from this experience, but what I did gain was a renewed respect for the hard work, knowledge and extremely long hours that our farmers utilize ev-ery day to feed this country.

The American farmer is often misunderstood, his workload and duties often underestimated, and the importance of his craft under appreciated.

But, don’t just take my word for it. Here are some memorable quotes on farming from important his-torical people.

Quotes on American Farmers

The planter, the farmer, the mechanic, and the laborer... form the great body of the people of the United States, they are the bone and sinew of the country men who love liberty and desire nothing

but equal rights and equal laws.Andrew Jackson

If the rain spoils our picnic, but saves a farmer’s crop, who are we to say it shouldn’t rain?

Tom Barrett

The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.

Will Rogers

I inherited that calm from my father, who was a farmer. You sow, you wait for good or bad weather, you harvest, but working is something you always

need to do.John Adams

As the Republican platforms says, the welfare of the farmer is vital to that of the whole country.

William Howard Taft

My father was a tomato farmer. There is the phrase that says he or she worked their fingers to the bone, well, that’s my dad. And he was a very

good man.Sidney Poitier

My dad farmed, my granddad was a farmer. I wanted to be a farmer.

Sam Brownback

I don’t know how the other senators see me. I hope they see me as a farmer. That’s really what

I am. But I don’t think they see me on a tractor or fixing equipment. I hope they see me grounded, as

somebody who has common sense.Jon Tester

There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast

comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the stove.

Aldo Leopold

Whenever there are in any country uncultivated lands and unemployed poor, it is clear that the laws of property have been so far extended as to violate natural right. The earth is given as a common stock for man to labor and live on. The small landowners

are the most precious part of a state.Thomas Jefferson

We have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist.

Wendell Berry

He was born to be a farmer. It was something that he was good at, something he knew well. He was a giver of life, an alchemist that worked in dirt, seed,

and manureTracy Winegar

I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country

than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman’s

cares.George Washington

There are only three things that can kill a farmer: lightning, rolling over in a tractor, and old age.

Bill Bryson

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AY DIRT! That’s what my neighbor called the soil of our new property, Fyrne Lake Farms. I asked him why he called it that and he told me because it MAY be here to-morrow or it MAY not! I was about to discover that he wasn’t joking!

I had just spent (I should say bor-rowed) a small fortune on our dream property in West Tennessee on the bluff just northwest of Dyers-burg. It had a large beautiful lake, endless acres of forest and a few hundred acres of ridge fields. I was ready to begin exploring and enjoying our new farm. But, as I traveled around, I started encoun-tering erosion… and not just little washes, but huge gullies!

When the previous owner’s family acquired the land in the 1940s, it was mostly wooded hills. One by one, they cleared the connecting ridge tops for farming. It wasn’t long before erosion be-gan eating into the fields, so they created berms or catch basins to slow each gully’s progress. Even-tually, they had created miles and

miles of vulnerable field edges to maintain. When I purchased the farm I knew very little about ero-sion and therefore didn’t notice the obvious warning signs. However, as I started spending more time on the property, I was shocked to dis-cover how many of the berms and catch basins had been created to correct major erosion issues in the past. Behind many of these earth-en structures were vertical drops of 10, 20 and sometimes even up to 50 feet. I began to panic! I needed to fully understand what was going on and I needed to cre-ate a plan to control and conquer this erosion problem!

As I researched the soil in the area I discovered, to my horror,

that our ground is some of the most erodible soil on earth. It is called loess and consists of windswept gla-cial dust that ac-cumulated here during the last ice age. Most of it is extremely fine and tightly packed before being dis-turbed. When dry, it is as hard as a brick. But loess quickly softens when damp and

erodes rapidly in the presence of running

water, especially if it has been disturbed (farming, bulldozing, vehicle traffic, etc.). The more you work it the worse it gets, until the soil eventually turns back into the fine talcum powder like dust it once was. At that point, it can be carried away by the first wind or effectively dissolve in the water from the next rain. That is why it is called MAY DIRT. I witnessed the “may not be here tomorrow” part of my neighbor’s description first hand, when over one single night of hard rain I lost several feet of ridge field. I was realizing that I was up against an enormous challenge that was going to test me and my pocketbook.

I needed to know quite a bit more before I could create a plan of attack. I started reading all I could get on erosion control in books, trade magazines and on the internet. I was amazed to see the number of products that had been developed to fight ero-sion. It was overwhelming to say the least. Erosion control had de-veloped into an industry in itself with its own trade association and annual industry conference. Tom-my Criswell (whom I had hired to help me care for the farm) and I decided we needed to attend this conference put on by the IECA (International Erosion Control Association) in Las Vegas. Hun-dreds of products from an amaz-ing number of manufacturers were represented at the show, in-cluding erosion control blankets,

mats, wattles, logs and soil ce-ments. They even had a machine called a hydroseeder that would spray a mixture of mulch, fertiliz-er and seeds onto anything, even a vertical wall, and grow grass! Re-gretfully, these products had their uses, but were not the magic bul-let I was looking for. With much hopeful anticipation, I purchased one of the hydroseeders. But, while good for some issues, it was not the answer. I needed to find an experienced and unbiased expert to help me create a plan.

I found that individual within a mile of our front gate. Aubrey Leake was an experienced and local dirt work contractor and had worked around the hills and gullies of the bluff area near Dy-ersburg for years. He knew the challenges of my loess soil and

had even constructed some of the berms and catch basins on the farm for the previous owner. He freely shared his experiences and brought me back into reality. What I learned from him is that there is NOT a magic bullet that stops ero-sion. They call it “erosion control” for a reason and “control” is the active word. You can’t stop it! All you can do is slow the erosion process down. The method and materials to use varies upon the specifics of the situation. Howev-er, there is one guiding principle to keep in mind in all water ero-sion situations and that is to slow the flow of the runoff water down and spread it out. Wherever wa-ter starts to channel, it will erode our loess type soil quickly into a gulley. Aubrey also warned me to

Battling ErosionBy Kevin Griffith

This pictures shows where we used straw bales to slow the progress of a gulley, encroaching one of our ridge fields. - Photo by Kevin Griffith.

M



keep an eye out for erosion signs and address them immediately. “Kevin, the longer you wait, the more ground you will lose, and the more it will cost to repair”, Aubrey concluded.

Wise words… but, I soon dis-covered that I would go bankrupt hiring a contractor to keep up with this issue on our needy farm. I was going to have to purchase our own equipment and have our own people to do the job. Tom-my and I started with a bulldozer and a small dirt pan. However, it wasn’t long before Tommy pointed out that we needed bigger equipment and more help. That’s when Richard Cathey joined us at Fyrne Lake. Richard had worked his entire career on construction equipment preparing building sites, moving earth and control-ling erosion. With Richard on board and the addition of some heavier equipment, we were ready for battle!

But wait! The dirt work is just the beginning. Once we repair the damage area and sculpt the land to gently spread the water out and guide it in the desired di-rection, we need to hold the dis-turbed earth in place. Ideally, you want to use grass. In open sunny areas, Bermuda is great because of its dense growth and deep root system. However, if you have the dual goal of controlling erosion and fostering an environment con-ducive to wildlife, you may not want to use Bermuda. Deer and turkey don’t like it. Where and when it is possible, we choose to provide desirable forage with our ground cover by seeding varying

combinations of fescue, or-chard grass and clover. All three are favored by deer, while clo-ver is the favor-ite of turkey. By simply choos-ing wildlife fa-vored ground cover for our erosion control repairs, we’ve created miles of effective food plots along our forest’s edge.

Wheat grass is an-other desirable wildlife for-age and effec-tive temporary ground cover that sprouts up quickly and holds the soil well. It is a temporary so-lution, since it has a short life cycle. Howev-er, when mixed with fescue or other desir-able grasses, the wheat will hold the ground until your part-nered grass becomes es-tablished. One caution though, every grass has

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Here’s a nice buck, checking out the ground cover grasses along our woods. - Photo by Kevin Griffith.



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its preferred and often unique planting season and sunlight ex-posure requirements. Make sure you choose from the grasses that will work best for your situation and, if desired, choose the best forage for your wildlife within that group.

Sometimes the ground is just too steep and the water flow too concentrated for grass to hold the earth together. If it’s not pos-sible to collect the water in a ba-sin and direct it down through a pipe, you can line the slope with stone. Rip rap or broken concrete works great, as long as you ensure to cover ALL the area likely to re-ceive flowing water. If you don’t, erosion will occur along the sides of the stone eventually undermin-ing their foundation.

PLEASE do not dump trash into a gully to slow erosion. Yes, I will admit that this method has been used in and around the bluff for years and does slow ero-sion. However, besides creating an eyesore, many trash items con-tain hazardous materials that will contaminate the land and ground water. Fluorescent bulbs, even the smaller new ones created to replace the incandescent bulbs have mercury in them. The old style “Boob Tube” type TVs uti-lize cathode ray tubes that contain lead. Many batteries contain cad-mium, lead, manganese, mercury or lithium as well as acid. And the list goes on.

If you don’t have the money to purchase rock or broken con-crete for your gulley, you can use trees, branches and mulched wood. There are tons of these or-

ganic materials available free of charge (especially after a storm) and all you have to do is pursue it. Many people would love their fallen tree or tree trimmings to be hauled away. If you don’t have the means to pick it up and hall it yourself, contact tree trimming services or flag down one of the tree mulch-ing trucks. My experience has been that these companies are always looking for a place to dump their cut trees or mulch-ing debris.

Erosion is a challenge and MAY DIRT (loess type soil) erosion is the toughest of all. The good news is that I now know that our farm has one of the most

erodible soils in the world, so our team knows to stay prepared to fight new erosion while continu-ally making improvements to the farm to prevent it. This is our best chance to avoid the day our land “MAY NOT” be there!

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Here are several turkey enjoying our ground cover of clover that also slows erosion of our ridge fields. - Photo by Kevin Griffith.


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every time we could, which was mostly on weekends, because of school. I still remember the first coon I killed with him, as well as the exact tree and fence row we were hunting. That fence row and tree is gone now, along with many other things in my life that I miss and always will. That spring Mr. Jere took me crappie fishing in a pond he knew of. He showed me how to jig fish with a cork and always, back then, using a red and yellow jig. On that first trip we caught over 100 crappie, so needless to say, I was hooked once again on anoth-er outdoor sport. That fall, when I was 13 years-old, I went on my first squirrel hunt with him and his boys. On that memorable hunt I was proud of the two squirrels that I harvested, but the boys killed more than me and the harass-ment soon started and still carries on today with these my adopted broth-ers. All Mr. Blalock would do is smile and laugh when the kidding started. Through high school he was still put-ting up with me. During hunting sea-son, if I called and the weath-er permitted,

we would be in the woods. Many a love was lost during those years, because I felt hunting was more important than dating (and still is). Mr. Blalock always joked, “Boy, you are never going to get a wife.” We laughed about that, but to this day he was right. I got mar-ried when I was 36 and as many of you readers know, things happen in a marriage that is beyond ones control, and nearly four years lat-er I was on my own again. But, I still had coon hunting and the out-doors. Even when I was at UTM, I would skip classes to come and hunt with him. I wonder, to this day, if this is why it took five and a half years to graduate. The years are fleeting and they go by like the leaves falling from the first frost of the year. As all you readers know, time never stands

still. As the years gained on us, you could tell age and health was catching up with Mr. Jere. A heart attack prevented him from further coon hunting. He would go with us, but he would only be able to sit in the truck and listen to the dogs. Squirrel hunting with him became a thing of fond memories. Oh, but the fishing was still a priority. He could still go and every chance I got I went with him; mostly to a local pond, but quite a few times we traveled to Reelfoot Lake. He would come in to the café and say “Shawn lets go” and I would drop everything and go. In the winter years of his life cancer had taken hold and the fishing trips slowed and his health deteriorated quickly. Three months before his death his son Rusty and I tried to

ello, to all you fine readers of STO. I hope your spring was good, even if it was too short. I was working in my office the oth-er day and started looking at some pictures I had not seen in quite a while. These pic-tures were from some of the cus-tomers we have had at my café over the past 39 years. Memories came flooding back to me, like the rivers in spring. Those memories were of enjoyment, better times and less re-sponsibility in life, than I have now. A lot of good friends were in those pic-tures. Most now are gone, but have never been forgot-ten by me. Back in those days it was okay for a “village to raise child” and “time outs” meant get ready, because you were getting a butt whipping. All the people in those pictures meant something to me during my childhood and they influenced my life in some way or another. The one picture that brought back the most memories was that of Mr. Jere Blalock. Jere Blalock was a painter and

wallpaper hanger by trade and was one of the finest men I have had the pleasure to meet. Come to think of it, I have never heard a

bad word mentioned about him. He was a man who loved the great outdoors. Every chance he had if work permitted, he would be fishing, or if it was in season he was hunting. Mr. Blalock was one of the most influential, if not the most influential, person in my life. I met Mr. Blalock in the sum-mer of 1982, during Dixie Youth Baseball. Needless to say, on that

day, my life would change forev-er. My mother knew that I was go-ing down a path that a young man of 12 years of age should never

entertain. One day she approached Mr. Blalock and asked, “Mr. Jere, would you take Shawn under your wing with your boys and show him how to hunt and fish?” “Yes, Miss Todd, I would be glad to” he replied. Mother also told him, “If he doesn’t do what you say, whip him like he is one of your own.” It goes without saying that I never received a whip-ping from him, but for his boys, now that was a differ-ent story. That fall I went

on my first coon hunting trip and as I mentioned in my past articles I was immediately hooked. Bless his heart; Mr. Jere had the patience of a saint, putting up with all the questions of a young 12 year-old. I did not know anything. All the queries such as is the dog treed, when can you tell they are on a coon, and what is this and what is that, went on and on. We would go

Memory of a MemoryBy Shawn Todd

H

Mr. Jere Blalock



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Register for Fall Semester Now!get with John Woods (a retired fireman and winner of national crappie titles, and now a guide at Sardis Lake) and go to Grenada Lake , where the big crappie are, but those plans never came to be. I still regret that we could not make that trip. I believe he would have had the time of his life, catch-ing crappie that were a lot larger than any he had ever caught. Mr. Blalock passed away in May of 2007. The family asked me to be a pallbearer for him and I gracious-ly said yes. He carried me through

life, so I would proudly carry him to his final resting place. All you readers have, or will have, someone in your life that will have a positive impact on you. It may be a mother, father, a friend or uncle. Trust me, there will be somebody. I know you have heard the saying “You can count all your true friends on one hand and still have some fingers left.” I was lucky. I had many friends that influenced me when I was young. Today, I still have many friends from my youth and

through my adult years, and I do cherish them all. As for the ones that are not with me anymore; their memories linger in my mind like frost on a cold winter morn-ing. Dear readers, cherish the ones you have and enjoy the times you spend with them. Fondly recall the memories of the ones that are gone. I know I do. I still think about them every day. I miss the fishing trips, the hunting trips, and the bond I had with Mr. Blalock. But most of all I miss……… I miss...my friend.

It is five minutes until shooting time on opening day. The dog is whining softly and quivering with anticipation, as he hears the whirring of duck wings overhead. You anxiously glance at your watch again. Only one minute has passed. You can see

your breath in the frosty air, You have waited for this day for months!- Rob Somerville

DREAMS OF UPCOMING SEASONS


©2014 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Products are distributed in the USA by BRP USA, Inc.Riding an ATV can be dangerous. To ensure your safety proper protective gear should always be worn. Remember to always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Never carry passengers unless the ATV is specifically engineered to accommodate them. Riding at excessive speeds or engaging in stunt riding is extremely dangerous. Be extremely careful on difficult or unknown terrain. Never ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Many ATV’s are recommended only for highly experienced riders 16 years and older. Please make sure that you are riding an ATV that is age appropriate. Riders younger than 16 years of age should always be supervised by an adult. We recommend that all ATV riders take an approved ATV training course and read their vehicle owner’s manual thoroughly. When riding your ATV always stay on established trails in approved areas. Keep your riding areas clean and respect the rights of others. Always obtain permission before riding on private lands, and obey all the laws and regulations governing your riding areas.

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smelly morsels, banging the bot-tom is not always productive. Today’s catfishermen have learned to interpret their sonar equipment much better than the anglers of yesteryear, who often anchored and fished one spot or pretty much bottom fished exclu-sively . A lot of Kentucky Lake’s hefty stringers now come from anglers mastering the art of find-ing and catching suspended cat-fish, which often stack up in deep, submerged eddies. There are times when fishing the down current side of bridge piers works great too. Such areas as the main channel piers at Paris Landing Bridge are quite popu-lar, as is upstream toward the old Danville railroad bridge, or up to New Johnsonville’s U. S. High-way 70 bridge. The fish don’t want to fight the current, so they lay on the down current sides of the piers that break the water and create eddies. It is here where catfish often school, knowing sooner or later big shad or other species will wash their way and fall victim to their hefty appetite. Boaters have learned to work the submerged humps or target the deep feeder creeks that empty into the main channel too. Current puts the fish in such places and with-out it the fishing can be downright tough at times. Current stimulates baitfish and activates the whole food chain. Moving water stirs up phyto-plankton and zooplankton which in turn, motivates schools of bait-fish action. When the shad are moving the catfish are in active

feeding mode, but they take on a sluggish attitude when stagnant scenarios present themselves. Jim Perry of Buchanan, Ten-nessee has been working the deep water venues for years, watch-ing sonar screens for hints of both baitfish activ-ity and the whereabouts of big trophy cats. Each year he man-ages to land some monster flatheads on relatively light tackle, at times. While those targeting tro-phy cats utilize heavy, stiff-action rods loaded with strong braided or monofila-ment line, you can land some dandies with-out having to go too big with your tackle choices. How-ever, make no mistake about it; big catfish will put your tackle to the test, so you don’t want to hypothetically go hunting bear with a

willow switch either! Just last summer, Perry caught and released several flatheads that tipped the scales in excess of 40 pounds! He sometimes keeps a

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Summer Cats on the Prowlhere’s more than one way to

skin a cat and more than one way to catch one too! Every summer, anglers test the waters of Ken-tucky Lake, where they hope for slow current along the main chan-nel of the Tennessee River. A va-riety of baits and techniques pay dividends once things heat up. Seems the current giveth and the lack of it taketh away! That’s the common opinion among the ranks of veteran catfishermen stalking

the riverbank for buried treasures in the form of tackle testing flat-heads, channels and big blues. Boats dot the edge of the chan-nel up and down the river, floating with the current at times while us-ing the trolling motor to work spe-cial spots and hold their position at times where these “river mon-sters” reside, waiting for baitfish to wash their way. Monitoring the depth finder is a must. Little cuts and dips in the

channel bank often harbor hidden treasures. Finding the lips of feed-er creeks is another popular battle plan, as schools of catfish love to hide on the down current side of a sandbar and wait for meals to wash their way, like you and I wait for the pizza delivery boy. While most choose to utilize bottom bumping techniques with a big bell sinker on the bottom and a couple of snell styles loops, sporting hefty hooks that dangle

Hefty flathead catfish, like this 45-pound monster, will test your tackle on Kentucky Lake during the summer doldrums. - Photo by Steve McCadams

By Steve McCadams

T

Kids and catfish go together well, once summer rolls around. Bank fishing still produces, as this stringer of channels that fell

victim to nightcrawlers. - Photo by Steve McCadams.



few smaller fish to eat, but releas-es the trophy-sized ones to one day bite again. Of course, the re-lease is done after a quick weigh-ing ceremony and a photo or two for bragging rights. Facebook mo-ments, no doubt! And the baits of choice? Like a master chef, catfisherman have been known to guard their favor-ite catfishing recipes with the ut-most secrecy. It just comes with the territory for this fraternity of fishermen. The rule of thumb is don’t ask and don’t tell. Very few catfish anglers will argue against the popularity of nightcrawlers, as the bait has withstood the test of time. The choice is probably number one

among the ranks of both boaters and bank fishermen hoping to entice strikes. Some smelly concoc-tions, from both com-mercial bait manufac-turers and homemade recipes, always have a time and place too. A few anglers dip a small sponge in various blood baits or stinky

soups, as the sponge serves as the carrying agent that awakens the taste buds of hungry catfish. Long known to possess a sen-sitive olfactory system that helps them find their forage, catfish will respond to a variety of baits at times, but veteran fishermen have their favorites as do the fish they chase. It seems the summer menu can also include such natural favor-ites as catalpa worms, the yellow and black wigglers that eat on the big green leaves of the catalpa tree once summer rolls around. Yet others have found the likes of leeches, chicken or turkey livers, beef heart, shrimp, cut shad, or

big shiner and goldfish minnows to be their baits of choice. While working the main chan-nel areas is the most popular sum-mer pattern, there are times when bank fishermen find plenty of ac-tion to keep them entertained and a few jug fishermen are still at it each summer, with their buffet of baits drifting in the wind and cov-ering a wide area on various floa-tation devices. Seems there’s always a few cat-fish roaming the banks, especially if you can find some deep water routes close by. Tossing out a few bottom resting baits on a rod and reel and sitting back beneath the shade trees is a good way to spend summer days too. If you plan to keep a few catfish for the table, then you’ll immedi-ately want to put your fish on ice during the summer months. Sur-face temperatures are too high to keep fish alive, in either live-wells or fish baskets this time of year, so preserve the flavor and texture by tossing them on ice. It’s true that most anglers like to catch big fish and Kentucky Lake’s summer bite is well worth the time and effort. The smaller ones make it to the skillet; the big ones make it on Facebook! By the way, TVA’s website can help you predict both lake levels and discharge rates. Log on to www.tva.gov for information that might help you plan your trip. Here’s hoping you wrestle with a river monster this summer and earn bragging rights. Otherwise, it’s another story about the big one that got away.

It’s not all boys! Channel catfish like this bring a smile to girls too! - Photo by Steve McCadams.

Begins on Labor Day - Monday, Sept. 1stand runs through - Saturday, Sept. 6th

VOTED “CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS”AS THE BEST COUNTY FAIR IN THE STATE!

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Roger D. Anderson, FICFState Manager50 Stonebridge Blvd.Jackson, TN [email protected]

Roger D. Anderson, FICF68 Lynn Oak Cove Jackson, TN. - 38305 [email protected]

Kyle EastField RepresentativeDyersburg, TN - [email protected]

1321 ST JOHN AVE. DYERSBURG, TN - 38024

731-882-2202

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Visit Dyer County, TennesseeA Spo rtsman’s Paradise!

Located just 1/2 hour, from beautiful Reelfoot Lake, Dyer County has something for everyone. From the finest motels,

restaurants, shopping malls, and bars ... we welcome all sportsmen that are hunting or fishing at the “Quake Lake.”

There is nowhere else for miles that can offer hunting and fishing licenses, sporting goods,

cost-efficient - yet clean and comfortable lodging, and a cold beer or cocktail.

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WHO’S YOUR BABY?DRAW A LINE CONNECTING THE

BABY ANIMAL TO IT’S NAME!

EAGLET

PUP

CUB

GOSLING

DUCKLING

KIT

OWLET

FAWN

POULT

CALF

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.ANSWERS:

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

We’re here for

GOOD.

www.FirstCNB.com 285.4410

Good never goes out of style. And that’s good

news because at First Citizens National Bank

we’re really good at putting our passion to

action, providing you with a unique and fan-

tastic experience. It’s why we’re consistently

ranked among the top community banks in

the country. Come see for yourself, in person

or online.

0160_FCNB_Brand_8.125x10.25_BusManAd-2_Southern Tradition.indd 1 2/7/14 5:26 PM

SPONSOREDBY

Twice each year, the Dyersburg Tractor Supply store and the Dyer County 4-H Program team togeth-er to help raise funds to support 4-H in Dyer County. This year the partnership worked together to have the first Kid’s Duck and Turkey Calling contest dur-ing the 4-H Clover Campaign. Those participating in the contest were: Duck Division – Hunter Bottoms, Briar Butler, Alex Hyman, Stephen Laird, Hunter Laird, Jason McCrokle, Sara Ryan, Gage Penning-ton, and Autry Sartin. Turkey Division – Bo Butler, Emily McLean, Emma Robbins, and Autry Sartin. In just four years, across 48 states, the TSC 4-H Paper Clover Campaign has provided more than $3.3 million to 4-H across the country. All proceeds raised directly benefit 4-H. The local effort has pro-vided direct support for local camps and other activi-ties, and has granted scholarships to these events that youth can explore their interests. “Our Paper Clover efforts are one of the key ways our stores can give back to the community,” said John Wendler, senior vice president of Marketing for Tractor Supply Company. “By providing essen-tial funding for hundreds of thousands of 4-H young people, we are able to support local organizations that are important to both our customer and our Team Members. We’re proud to help improve the many communities in which we have stores through our partnership with 4-H. That is what Tractor Sup-ply is all about.” The Tractor Supply Company operates more than 1,200 stores in 48 states. The company’s stores are

focused on supplying the lifestyle needs of recre-ational farmers and ranchers. 4-H is a community of seven million young people around the world learn-ing leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4-H Na-tional Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Dyer County 4-H Agents, Becky Willis and Mary Beth Neal stated, “we are very thankful that Dyer County residents came together to help the Dyer County 4-H Program. The youth are very blessed to have local people and groups help the 4-H Program.” If you would like to volunteer to help out the Dyer County 4-H Program, please contact Becky Willis ([email protected]) or Mary Beth Neal ([email protected]) or call 286-7821 for more informa-tion. The Spring Clover 4-H Campaign helped 4-H col-lect $1922 in overall sales, was ranked 3rd in state sales, 4th in the region, 1st in the district, class cham-pion, and not too far out of making the top ten in the nation. A special thanks goes to Rob Somerville, Joe King, Randy McClan, Jimmy Deese, Bryan McCormick, and Steve Sartin for helping 4-H put together this event. Plans are to continue the activity at the Dyers-burg Tractor Supply Spring Campaign in 2015.

4-H and Tractor Supply Kid’s Duck and Turkey Calling Contest Highlight 4-H Clover Days

By Becky Willis

48 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JULY - AUGUST 2014 JULY - AUGUST 2014 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 49

WHO’S YOUR BABY?DRAW A LINE CONNECTING THE

BABY ANIMAL TO IT’S NAME!

EAGLET

PUP

CUB

GOSLING

DUCKLING

KIT

OWLET

FAWN

POULT

CALF

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.ANSWERS:

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

We’re here for

GOOD.

www.FirstCNB.com 285.4410

Good never goes out of style. And that’s good

news because at First Citizens National Bank

we’re really good at putting our passion to

action, providing you with a unique and fan-

tastic experience. It’s why we’re consistently

ranked among the top community banks in

the country. Come see for yourself, in person

or online.

0160_FCNB_Brand_8.125x10.25_BusManAd-2_Southern Tradition.indd 1 2/7/14 5:26 PM

SPONSOREDBY


LAKE ROADBP - AMOCO

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The smile says it all on the face of 14 year-old Hunter Jolly, who caught

this 8 ½ lb. pound, largemouth bass at Gibson County Lake, in Tennessee. - Photo submitted by

proud dad, Mike Jolly.

Joe Cowell of Dyersburg, Tennessee caught these two, 15” crappie on May 31st while fishing at Fyrne Lake with

Jeff Caldwell. Together, they caught 23 crappie, with the largest weighing in at 2 pounds.- Photo courtesy of Fyrne Lake.


Tommy Hughes caught this nice stringer of 90 crappie in a secret

honeyhole on May 16th.- Photo submitted by Tommy

Hughes.

Samantha Autry {age 11} of Carroll County, shot this longbeard on March 22nd, 2014 in Bruceton,

Tennessee. It weighed in at 23lbs. had a 10” beard and 1” spurs.- Photo courtesy of Lankford

Taxidermy.

Russell Holladay shot this wide-racked, 9-point buck on Jan. 4th,

2014 near Huntingdon, Tennessee.- Photo courtesy of Lankford

Taxidermy.

Ricky Perry and his gal pal, Karen Beasley are pictured here with a few of the twenty-plus bass they caught this past June from a farm pond in

Dyer County, Tennessee.- Photo by Tammy Riggs.

Mason Mullins caught this nice crappie while fishing at Fyrne Lake with his father, Gene Mullins, on April

12th. - Photo courtesy of Fyrne Lake.

Dwight Reed harvested this awesome, non-typical, 14-point buck in

Carroll County, Tennessee.- Photo courtesy of Lankford

Taxidermy.

Jeff Caldwell of Dyersburg, Tennessee is holding two of the

18 crappie (along with 4 bass) he caught with Les Dieth at Fyrne Lake on Saturday, May 10th. - Photo courtesy of Fyrne Lake.

Robert Parker caught this 35 lb. orange grouper at Orange Beach,

Florida, while on vacation.- Photo submitted by Robert Parker.


2014 BBQ-FEST COOKING CONTEST

DYER COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, DYERSBURG, TN

OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC: Saturday, July 26 from 9am to 12noon

$5 Gate Admission / Kids under 5 Get in FREE! Part of Proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

FRIDAY, JULY 25 6pm to 10pm Swine Preview Party: 21 & Over Only $5 Admission

6pm “For-Fun” Category Judging: Sauce, Beans, Wings, Slaw, Exotic, Margarita, Signature Cocktail, Bloody Mary, & Home Brew - $25 per Entry

8pm Featured Band: “Johnny Mac & the Heart Attacks” Outdoor Amphitheater SATURDAY, JULY 26

9am to 12noon KIDS’ ACTIVITIES: Pony Rides, Magic Show, Face Painting, & Petting Zoo 11am to 12pm PEOPLE’S CHOICE CHALLENGE Voting: Hospitality Building

BACKYARD BRAGGERS Judging: 12:30pm Ribs, 1pm Pork KCBS MASTER SERIES Judging: 12noon Chicken, 12:30pm Ribs, 1pm Pork, 1:30pm Brisket

Registration Deadline: JULY 14---$12,000 TOTAL IN PRIZE MONEY!!!

Entry Forms, KCBS Rules, Event Schedule, Awards, & More Info: BBQFESTDYERSBURG.COM

Main Office420 Hwy 51 ByPass W

Dyersburg, Tennessee 38024Phone: 731-285-3021

Dyer Co. Memorial Gardens2455 St. John Ave

Dyersburg, Tennessee 38024Phone: 731-285-3021

Ridgely Chapel515 Headdon Dr

Ridgely, Tennessee 38080Phone: 731-264-5845

Tiptonville Chapel405 Church St

Tiptonville, Tennessee 38079Phone: 731-253-7252

Locally owned and operated since 1970

www.dyersburgfuneralhome.net

CENTURY EQUIPMENT COMPANY855 HWY 51 BYPASS N - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024

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home. We get to be good lenders. And every-

one’s happy.

1266_FCNB_Mortgage_8.125x10.25_397_K_STOM.indd 1 6/18/14 10:28 AM

Lifestyle

Southern Traditions Outdoors July - August 2014