Southern Traditions Outdoor - July/August 2020

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JULY - AUGUST 2020
JULY/AUGUST 2020
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FREE
TEAL & WOOD
DUCKS
SQUIRRELS WITH DOGS · HIGH SCHOOL BASS BONANZA
ROW CROP FARMING · COOKING ON THE WILDSIDE

JULY - AUGUST 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 3

Advertising Information:
Southern Traditions Outdoors | Rob Somerville
(731) 446-8052 stomag1@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER - Neither the authors or Southern Traditions Outdoors
Magazine LLC assume any responsibility or liability for any actions
by readers who utilize any information contained within. Readers
are advised that the use of any and all information contained within
Southern Traditions Outdoors is at their own risk.
On the Cover
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine Mission Statement:
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine vows to put forth a publication to
promote the outdoors lifestyle in a positive manner. We will strive to encourage
veteran and novice outdoorsmen, women, kids, and the physically challenged
to participate in the outdoors in a safe and ethical manner. Our publication will
bring positive attention to the wondrous beauty of the world of Nature in the
mid-south.
Field Staff Editors
Owners - Eddie Anderson
Rob Somerville
Kevin Griffith

Publisher - Eddie Anderson
Editor - Rob Somerville
Advertising Sales
Rob Somerville - Managing
Partner
Distribution
Johnathan Anderson
Mike Robinson
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The dreary “dog days of summer” will soon explode into the arcade-like shooting fun of early
teal and wood duck season for area waterfowlers. Photo by Rob Somerville
PG..................... ARTICLE ............................................................AUTHOR
8 ...................... Time Out for Teals And Woodies.......................................Steve McCadams
14 ......................... Casting for a Cure ............................................................Rob Somerville
18 ......................... The Future of Row Crop Farming......................................Jonathan Holden
26 ........................ How Coronavirus (COVID-19) Affects Farmers.................Jonathan Holden
34 ......................... High School Bass Fishing Bonanza..................................Cody Rodriquez
44 ......................... Dogs are Nuts About Squirrels..........................................Richard Hines
50 ......................... Cooking on the Wild Side..................................................Sharon Somerville
54 ......................... Trophy Room.....................................................................STO
Garry Mason
Walter Wilkerson
Terry Wilkerson
Steve McCadams
Kelley Powers
Shawn Todd
Eddie Brunswick
Larry Self
Cody Rodriquez
Sharon Somerville
Richard Simms
Dana Watford
Buck Gardner
Richard Hines
Ed Lankford
Drew Brooks
John Latham
Will Gregory
John Roberts
Richard Hines
Rob Hurt
Mark Buehler
Richard A. Fagan
Neill McLaurin
Sam Bradshaw
Daryl Ratajczak
Jonathon Holden

From the Desk of Rob S omer v ille
PASSING DOWN TRADITIONS TO THE NEXT GENERATION
Letter from the Editor
Although all of us finally grow up and reach
adulthood, I believe that we have all been in-
fluenced and/or mentored by a loved one, in
our younger years. I know my father {who I
miss dearly} took time out of his hectic sched-
ule and taught me to love and respect the great
outdoors. I was fortunate to fish with him for
over 50 years.
Although I thought
I was the champion an-
gler of all time at the
age of four, when I got
older, I realized that he
was hooking the fish
and letting me reel them
all in. Then, he would
jump up and down with
excitement and tell me
what a good job I did.
As a child, this equated
fishing with fun. As an
adult, I am passionate
about fishing to this day
and have passed this
love of it down to my
sons and grandkids. No
one can ever forget the
look of amazement as
their kid or grandchild
pulled their first fish out of the water.
After I moved to Tennessee, in 1983, my
father would come down every year and spend
two weeks fishing with me and my sons on
Reelfoot Lake. His patience with my two sons
helped me to be a better father and his love of
the great outdoors taught us to be good stew-
ards for future genera-
tions. Those two weeks
each year were a true
blessing to me.
The outdoors can
inspire us to greatness
in unexpected ways as
well. In the early 1990’s
I had a TV show called
WOODS & WATER.
Pro staff member, Da-
vid Presson and I were
going to the Archery
Manufacturer’s Associ-
ation – large outdoor
convention at what used
to be the RCA Dome
{home of the Indianap-
olis Colts}. It was a huge
event that would take at
least two days to walkI was fortunate to fish with my dad for over 50 years,
before he was called up to heaven. Continued on page 6

completely through.
As we were filming various guests for the TV
show, I ran into an old friend – The Motor City
Madman” – Ted Nugent. We did an hour long
interview with him, while my son just kind of
stared with amazement as this long haired rock
and roll giant enthusiastically went on and on
about his passion for hunting and how archery
legend – Fred Bear – had been his mentor.
As we were winding down the interview,
Ted noticed Scottie standing next to me with
a MUZZY BROADHEADS – BAD TO THE
BONE t-shirt. He called him over and we kept
the cameras rolling. He asked Scottie if he loved
the outdoors and my son answered politely,
“Yes sir, me and my dad go hunting and fish-
ing all the time.”
The Rock & Roll legend was impressed with
my son’s manners and began raving about how
kids that were brought up in the great outdoors
ended up being outstanding people.
He reached down and shook Scottie’s hand,
gave him a hug and said, “If the outdoors
doesn’t turn out to be your call of the wild, who
knows, maybe you will be a rocker.”
He got a sharpie marker and signed a gui-
tar pick and gave it to Scottie, who still has it
to this day.
Note: My son is now the lead singer of a suc-
cessful rock band called Artifas, and I couldn’t
be prouder of him. I know my pops is in Heav-
en now trout fishing in golden, mountain
streams and I hope he realizes what a power-
ful role model and influence he has been on so
many lives.
Oh yea, Uncle Ted did good too!
My youngest son – Scottie – in the 1990’s with the “Motor City Madman” rock & roll legend, Ted Nugent.
Rob Somerville

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TIME OUT FOR TEALS AND WOODIES
By Steve McCadams
Long before frosty mornings
arrive, when bone chilling winds
have hunters pulling up their
collars, an early duck season in
the Volunteer State sort of helps
jumpstart this waterfowling gig.
It’s what most duck hunters
refer to as the “early season”. Ear-
ly season kicks in while summer
is still officially on the calendar,
although fall’s arrival is on the
threshold.
Timed to coincide with the
early migration of blue-wing teal
that dart out of Canada at the
drop of a hat, the early teal season
also coincides with a portion of
the early season on resident Can-
ada geese. Added to these oppor-
tunities comes a short segment al-
lowing duck hunters here to also
harvest wood ducks as well.
This year’s season dates will
see the early waterfowl opportu-
nities open on September 12th,
which is the traditional opener
and the second Saturday of the
month. A 5-day segment will al-
low hunters to bag teal and wood-
ies. A liberal bag limit awaits
hunters; allowing six duck daily,
but not more than two woodies
are allowed in the bag.
After the first five days wood
ducks are no longer allowed, but
the teal-only segment extends
through September 20th this year,
making it a 9-day teal season.
The season on resident geese
(Sept 1st-20th) is sort of a bonus
for early season duck hunters and
the daily bag limit is also liberal
as it allows five daily! There are
a lot of places where waterfowl-
ers do indeed have the chance to
harvest teal, woodies and geese
from the same area and even on
the same day.
From big reservoirs across the
You better be a good and reactive shooter if you want to bag a wood
duck or two, as they are fast, acrobatic and will not “decoy in” like
mallards. Photo by Rob Somerville

state to backwater farm ponds
and lakes, shallow bodies of water
that attract wood ducks and teal
also appeal to resident geese, so a
lot of waterfowlers head out with
decoy setups that appeal to both
geese and ducks.
Teal season in Tennessee has
always been a roll of the dice to
some degree. Blue-wing teal are
known to migrate early and push
through southern states whenever
a cool snap triggers that yearning
to head south.
It’s a “here-today-gone-to-
morrow” type waterfowl season
when it comes to guessing just
when the little blue darters will
pass through. No one can predict
the weather patterns and some
years the peak migration is a bit
off and doesn’t happen when sea-
son dates are open.
There have been a few years,
however, when the timing was
perfect. The first real cool snap
in September will see some nice
flocks of teal winging their way
down main river migration
routes such as the Mississippi
and Cumberland Rivers and oth-
er tributaries.
From Reelfoot Lake in the
northwest corner of the state to
big water reservoirs such as Ken-
tucky and Barkley Lakes and a lot
of the others from west to east,
teal will blow through the region
and look for shallow backwa-
Blue-wing teal like this handsome drake shown here are known to be early migrators and leave Canada
in early to mid-September once cool snaps send them winging south. Photo by Author

Early season on teal and wood ducks in Tennessee is a nice appetizer for waterfowlers as winter seasons
draw near. Sometimes the early migration on teal can produce good hunting opportunities also, as this
pile of birds indicates. Photo by Author

ter feeding areas where aquatic
weeds fit their fancy.
Lilly pad infested Reelfoot
Lake has always been a haven for
the early migration of teal but
so are some watershed lakes or
swamps scattered across the state.
Wood ducks, on the other
hand, are found all across the
state and hunters in east Tennes-
see have a good chance at bagging
woodies just like their hunting
buddies in waterfowl rich West
Tennessee. Swamps and sloughs
are havens for wood ducks, many
of which raise their broods right
here in the South.
Tennessee, Kentucky and Flor-
ida have been fortunate to be in
a select group of states that allow
waterfowlers to participate in the
combination seasons for wood
ducks and teal. Other states along
the Mississippi flyway get a much
longer teal season than Tennessee
hunters however, so it’s some-
what of a trade-off.
Meanwhile, the early duck
season is greatly anticipated each
year by legions of duck hunters
who are anxious to hit the wet-
lands and get things going. Since
mild weather is the norm it’s a
great time to introduce young-
sters or any novice hunters to
the sport.
Small temporary setups are
average layouts for most, as just
pulling up a few bushes or drag-
ging up some dead trees to help
camouflage the hunting party will
suffice. Elaborate blinds and huge
decoy spreads are not required
for this early segment.
Some hunters opt to hunt out
of boat blinds and toss out a few
decoys on the edge of a weed line
or island rim. Others hunt dry
land and make a stand in primi-
tive blinds with a 5-gallon buck-
et for seats. Simple but effective!
Decoy spreads of one to two
dozen will often do the trick.
Adding motion decoys to the
spread is popular to draw atten-
tion, as both teal and woodies
seem to respond to movement
and motion within the stagnant
waters.
I like to use a couple of mo-
Putting a little polish on the retriever pup is another plus for the early
duck season. It’s also a great time to introduce youngsters or novice
hunters to the sport before cold weather arrives.
Photo by Author

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tion decoys that create ripples in
the early morning hours when
winds are stagnant. Any vibra-
tion or wobbler type decoy will
add life and enhance your decoy
spread’s appeal.
The motorized wings such as
Mojo teal and woodies add flash
that can be seen from a far dis-
tance and most hunters still have
faith in them. However, some
hunters prefer the remote control
models which can be activated or
turned off once ducks descend or
make a long distance approach.
Another plus for the early
season is putting a little polish
on the pup. Young retrievers are
like young hunters in that a lit-
tle hunting experience is needed.
There’s nothing like the real sce-
nario to help train both dogs and
novice hunters as to the do’s and
don’ts. Both need a little mud on
their boots!
Teaching them discipline and
sitting still and quiet when ducks
are near takes time and patience.
We were all young once too and
learning the ropes from veteran
hunters is best done while sitting
at their side and mimicking what
they do and how they do it!
From gun safety to decoy
placement, young hunters are like
sponges and absorbing all that’s
put in front of them. Young dogs
will whine and bounce around
with eagerness and impatience
but they too much learn the lim-
itations of their burning desires.
This on the job training is
good anytime, but the early sea-
son really helps with all that. At
the same time sharing a sunrise
with friends and family (dogs
are family too) never goes out
of style.
Watching the marsh wake up
to the sound of squawking great
blue herons that sound off in the
darkness and alert the world to
your arrival is eye opening. The
quietness distributes the splash of
a fish jumping. Marsh madness is
underway.
Daybreak teal or darting wood-
ies are often heard before they’re
seen. The sound of wings unload-
ing air is quite the heart stopper,
even for the most seasoned duck
hunters as some things just never
go out of fashion!
Duck hunters yearn for winter
mornings and new ducks on the
wing; until that arrives the early
season is a nice appetizer for what
lies ahead. Let the games begin!

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To the list of changes and
postponements, as a result of the
Corona Virus pandemic, add the
annual Steve McCadams “Cast-
ing For A Cure” Kids Fishing
Rodeo. Initially planned for June
13th at McKenzie City Park Lake,
the event has fallen victim to the
current saga that has rearranged
pretty much everyone’s lifestyle.
“I hate to postpone the fishing
rodeo, as it means a lot to the kids
and community, but at this time
I thought it best that we push it
back and perhaps things will im-
prove by fall,” said McCadams,
the annual host of the event.
“Other events, ranging from
baseball to soccer, have unfortu-
nately had to change their plans
this spring and summer too. Al-
though fishing and getting out-
doors has been a great outlet for
folks to practice social distanc-
ing during these last few months,
holding a crowded event at this
time didn’t seem to be in every-
one’s best interest.”
“I’m looking at mid to late
September for a date and will
make an announcement later this
summer once we finalize plans.”
The event benefits the Amer-
ican Cancer Society each year.
“Unfortunately, cancer doesn’t
take time off and I hope do-
nors will continue to support
the fight against cancer and our
fishing rodeo for kids,” continued
McCadams.
This year’s event will be the
20th Anniversary since the ro-
deo first began at Carroll Lake.
Thousands of youngsters have
participated since the rodeo’s
conception and thousands of dol-
lars have been raised in the fight
against cancer as well.
For more information on the
Casting For A Cure Kids Fishing
Rodeo contact Steve McCadams
at stevemc@charter.net or call
731-676-7748.
By Rob Somerville
CASTING FOR
A CURE EVENT
POSTPONED

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Row crop farming has
changed dramatically over the
last 20 years. This is due to the
automation of machines and
fluctuations in market trends.
They create unique challenges
for farmers who want to take
advantage of improving tech-
nology and manage expenses
in their day-to-day operations.
Some of the things that row
crop farmers will see now and
in the future are Lower Row
Crop Costs, Climate Change,
No-Till, Soil Sampling, Cover
Crops, Nutrient Stewardship,
Precision Agriculture Technolo-
gies, Improving Water Use Effi-
ciency and Irrigation Scheduling
Tools just to name a few.
A popular topic among con-
sumers in the U.S. right now is
agricultural sustainability. Sus-
tainable agriculture does not
necessarily mean organically
grown, locally sourced or non
GMO. Sustainable agriculture at
its simplest means to be able to
produce the food and fiber we
currently need, while allowing
future generations that same op-
portunity. This means efficiently
managing our natural resourc-
es, such that we don’t deplete
or otherwise negatively impact
water quality, soil quality and
THE FUTURE OF ROW
CROP FARMING
In the farming industry, the equipment manufacturers are putting GPS and all kinds of technology in the
cabs of the machinery.
By Jonathan Holden

water quantity.
Row crops are specific crops
that are planted and cultivated
on a seasonal basis. By look-
ing at specific row crops such
as corn, wheat, and soybeans
we can sort expenses by cate-
gory and better understand the
biggest issues farmers face, and
what trends cause them. By un-
derstanding trends, we can ef-
fectively invest in high impact
companies that are leading the
way in solving these problems.
The majority of row crop costs
can be broken down into two
categories: labor and material
costs. Automation has great-
ly reduced labor costs for row
crops, making labor a relative-
ly small farming operations ex-
pense. Even if most farming ve-
hicles are not autonomous at all,
they allow a small number of
workers to tend to larger tracts
of land.
Compared to labor, materi-
al cost which can include var-
ious forms of fertilizer, pesti-
cides, land, irrigation, and seeds
is the source of most farmers’
headaches. Other material costs,
specifically fertilizer and seeds,
have been subject to high vola-
tility and price hikes by produc-
tion companies over the past 15
years. Phosphate, a popular fer-
tilizer, saw prices spike in 2008,
increasing 648 % in the span of
just two years. This put pressure
on farmers to figure out more
efficient means of applying the
fertilizer to their crops. Since
then, the cost of Phosphate has
dropped to a more manageable
price, meaning there’s less in-
centive for farmers to seek to
save money on fertilizer. Still,
the material cost of fertilizer is
one of the largest expenses for
most farmers dealing in row
crops.
As for seed costs, a small
number of companies domi-
This field is No-Till and has beans planted over the top of cut corn.

nate the market for genetically
modified seeds in the U.S. The
sheer cost and market dynam-
ics associated with developing
genetically modified seeds have
forced price increases for key
row crops as much as 300% in
the case of corn. This makes
seed one of the fastest-growing
expenses for farming row crops.
In the absence of a new compa-
ny that could disrupt the market
with more affordable, genetical-
ly modified seeds, it’s hard to
see this upward trend changing.
The weather pattern over
the past few years has been less
snow, wetter springs and hot-
ter, drier summers. This means
along with warming comes in-
creased profitability of certain
kinds of stress, like thermal
stress, which can injure crop
yields. For the past couple years’
precipitation models are no lon-
ger as reliable, and a little bit of
water or a bunch of water at the
wrong time, can wreak havoc on
a crop yield. The more atmo-
spheric carbon dioxide we have
may benefit yields by increasing
energy and water use efficien-
cies and growing seasons may
get longer.
The no-till management is a
cropping practice that minimiz-
es soil disturbance and main-
tains crop residues on the soil
surface as cover. According to
the National Agricultural Sta-
tistics Service, approximately
80% of Tennessee’s production
acres are no-till. This practice
has substantially decreased the
amount of soil loss occurring in
our state. This will need to in-
crease in Tennessee as well as
across the U.S.
The most basic, yet beneficial
tool for row crop nutrient man-
agement, is soil testing. Soil tests
help you determine which nu-
trients need to be applied, how
much of the nutrients should be
applied, and on multiple scales,
where in the field to apply the
nutrients. Soil tests also inform
you if lime needs to be applied
to achieve an optimum soil pH.
Nutrient availability and crop
A soil probe has been pushed into the ground and then pulled back out. The sample is left in the probe,
then pulled out, bagged and then sent off to be tested.

Radishes are planted as a winter cover crop. These cover crops help with soil erosion and also give back
nutrients into the soil.

growth are greatly affected by
soil pH. Often, a blanket rate
application leads to over appli-
cation of crop fertilizers in some
areas of the field and under ap-
plication in others.
Site-specific soil sampling,
utilizing either grid or zone
sampling techniques, in combi-
nation with variable rate appli-
cation (VRA) of fertilizers is a
beneficial and effective tool for
row crop producers to manage
natural soil fertility variability.
By targeting fertilizer inputs to
specific areas of the field, row
crop producers can maximize
profitability and reduce the risk
of nutrient runoff or leaching.
Cover crops are grasses, le-
gumes or small grains planted
in the fall and terminated before
planting of the row crop in the
spring. Cover crops are known
to have many beneficial effects
on cropping systems, such as
improvements in soil health
and function, erosion control
and nutrient management. Cov-
er crops improve soil quality by
increasing organic matter, and,
thus, microbial activity; increas-
ing aggregate stability; and pro-
moting infiltration. Additional-
ly, cover crops promote nutrient
cycling and provide other soil
fertility benefits. Legume spe-
cies have the potential to fix
atmospheric nitrogen and can
provide a substantial amount of
nitrogen for the subsequent row
crop to utilize. More recently,
cover crops have been used for
early-season weed suppression,
which has the potential to fur-
ther reduce chemical inputs and
relieve some of the pressures of
herbicide-resistant weeds.
Drones and smart sensors are aiding farmers, so that they can have better data. This data can help them
be better in problem solving when things go wrong.

Nutrient stewardship con-
sists of proper nutrient man-
agement practices that can not
only increase row crop produc-
tion efficiency, but also ease
the environmental stresses re-
lated to fertilizer application
and diminished water quality.
The basis of this concept is to
precisely manage nutrients on
the farm by considering what
source to apply, when to apply,
where to apply and how much
to apply. A fertility program
should be based on all of these
aspects; for example, when se-
lecting what source to apply, the
timing, placement and rate also
should be considered. There is
no one-size-fits-all management
strategy, and the nutrient man-
agement decisions are specific
not only to individual produc-
ers, but also to individual fields.
Precision agriculture technol-
ogies dispense or apply desired
amounts of crop inputs such as
seeds, pesticides and fertilizers
in specific areas of an agricul-
tural field in order to maximize
productivity. There are sever-
al technologies commercially
available to monitor and apply
these production inputs based
on the Global Positioning Sys-
tem (GPS)/Global Navigation
Satellite System (GNSS) loca-
tion of farm equipment in the
field and on application maps.
One example of this technolo-
gy is Automatic Section Con-
trol (ASC) for row crop plant-
ers and sprayers. As the planter
or sprayer travels across the
field, the controller continual-
ly checks to see if sections are
passing over previously planted
or sprayed areas or areas that
have been mapped as no cov-
erage zones. When a planter or
sprayer section passes into these
areas, it is turned off automati-
cally and turned back on when
it passes back into unplanted or
unsprayed areas. Reducing off
target chemical application er-
rors with sprayer equipped ASC
can improve profitability by re-
ducing chemical costs and loss-
es to the environment. Variable
rate application of fertilizer al-
lows the right rate of nutrients
to be put in the right location.
This technology has the poten-
tial to reduce nutrient inputs
and increase nutrient use effi-
ciency. In turn, the use of VRA
may reduce the amount of nu-
trients that could ultimately pol-
lute nearby streams, rivers and
reservoirs.
Improving Water Use Ef-
ficiency Irrigation scheduling
tools can significantly improve
water use efficiency by supply-
ing water when the crop needs
it and not over applying. Soil
moisture sensors can signal you
about when the soil profile is
low in available water. Programs
like MOIST uses a water balance
approach, which keeps track of
how much water exits a crop’s
root zone via plant transpira-
tion/surface evaporation and
how much enters by rainfall and
irrigation. This scheduling ap-
proach enables you to efficient-
ly maintain soil water in a range
that will optimize yield. Import-
ant Sustainability is not an end-
goal; it should be a continuous
effort among all agricultural sec-
tors. There are many practices
that can reduce environmen-
tal impacts while maintaining
or improving farm profitabili-
ty. Producers should consider
adopting practices that can work
on their farms, focusing on the
well-being of our environment
as well as the overall profitabil-
ity of their farming operation.
The future of row crop farm-
ing is looking bright, but farm-
ers will need to adjust to ad-
versities and change up some
of their farming practices. Row
crop farming is changing due to
weather and technology, and so
the farmer will have to adjust to
make more hay while the sun is
shining. These are a few of the
changes and adversities that are
coming down the pipe for the
row crop farmers in the future.
Editor’s Note: Jonathan Hold-
en is an Agriculture Education
Teacher at Dresden High School.
His background is in Agriculture
and Animal Science.

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HOW
AFFECTS FARMERS
It is evident that COVID-19
is effecting businesses, both large
and small, around the globe, but
how will the virus effect farmers
in the United States?
The COVID-19 pandemic is
slowing global agricultural trade
while also driving interest rates
down. In times as uncertain as
these, navigating the challenges
that have a lasting impact on your
farming operation can be diffi-
cult. While much of the world is
slowing down and responding to
COVID-19, farmers and ranch-
ers continue to work, as they are
essential for our nation’s food
security.
As COVID-19 begins to slow
in some places and is rising in
others. It creates mass confu-
sion among citizens of the Unit-
ed States. The media presents an
overwhelming amount of infor-
mation, which in turn creates
panic and fear. The uncertainty
that surrounds this pandemic has
left many producers in the agri-
culture industry wondering what
direct effects will this have on a
national and global level, regard-
ing their farming operations.
Similar to the 2003 SARS ep-
Most of the farmers today are in the {above 55 years of age} group that is affected the most, with 25%
being 65 or older.
By Jonathan Holden

idemic that created a significant
decrease in the global financial
markets, COVID-19 is already
causing damage in today’s econ-
omy. However, the SARS out-
break reached only 8,000 people
whereas the Chinese economy
represented roughly 4.3 percent
of the world’s GDP {Gross Do-
mestic Product} during that time.
The corona virus already has
more than 1 million confirmed
cases worldwide, while the Chi-
nese economy now represents 16
percent of the world’s GDP. This
comparison shows the economic
importance of China as its val-
ue has grown significantly. More
industries are now dependent on
its performance than ever. This is
where a domino effect comes in.
Closed borders will make it hard-
er to deliver goods to customers.
The consequence will be an over-
all drop in exports from the U.S.
to its main trade partners, Europe
and China, for months. This re-
lates directly to farming com-
modities and agricultural prod-
ucts, though not as much as to
electronics and machinery. Since
these products are not being ex-
ported as they should and stocks
are filling up, local prices could
begin to drop.
The biggest impact we are start-
ing to see is on global trade. The
circumstances around COVID-19
are disrupting economies across
the globe and leading to major
slowdowns or complete shut-
downs of shipments of tradeable
goods. Trade deals have been
impacted; including phase one
of the U.S.-China Trade Agree-
ment. Economists and trade an-
alysts’ are skeptical on whether
China can uphold their obligation
to purchase $200 billion worth of
American goods in the next two
years, including $80 billion in ag-
riculture goods.
Quarantines and social dis-
tancing measures are creating a
decrease in population and put-
ting a strain on the supply and
demand chain. This disruption
of the market will likely be felt
around the world across the ag-
ricultural industry, as the cost of
running operations will exceed
the profits made through selling
crops.
The coronavirus situation
heavily impacts agriculture sup-
ply chains. The ripple effect of
As the quarantine is lifted most individuals don’t want to go back to work, so farmers are in need of a lot
of workers to be able to farm.

the coronavirus in China is be-
ing reported in the supply of ac-
tive ingredients and fertilizers.
The coronavirus quarantines have
added even more vulnerabilities
for crop protection companies
coming from China. In such an
uncertain time farmers are try-
ing to prepare for it when it hits.
Though we do not know what to
expect, authorities are trying to
reassure farmers by deeming ag-
riculture as essential and critical
infrastructure.
“We’re seeing some evidence of
unloading taking place and hope-
fully, we can get past this corona-
virus pandemic very quickly and
get back to the trade,” stated U.S.
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue. He
urged farmers to “continue to do
their jobs” “producing safe, reli-
able, abundant food for all of us
in that way.”
Beef and pork markets could
be the target for the worst po-
tential impact of COVID-19.
Drops in commodity pricing and
a shortage of labor could cause
problems for farmers. Cattle pric-
ing projections dropped due to
the fear that consumers would
prefer non-perishable foods over
meat, with one reason being that
non-perishables are cheaper than
meat.
Another issue that could be
damaging to the agriculture in-
dustry is farm labor availabili-
ty. Despite the record number of
work visas issued last year, there
were numerous reports from
farmers unable to find enough
work hands. It is unlikely that
immigrant workers will be will-
ing to come to the United States
with the threat of the spread of
COVID-19. Quarantines and re-
strictions may also pose a prob-
lem on workers being able to find
a job on the American side of the
border.
United States farmers are
on average part of an older de-
mographic in contrast to oth-
er industries. The average age
of a farmer here is around 58,
and 25 percent of these work-
ers are over 65. Data from other
infected countries suggests that
COVID-19 is much more serious
for senior citizens, which means
that taking precautions and iso-
lating are important for farmers.
If the disease continues to get
worse, senior farm workers are

at a risk.
While we should stay informed
on the current situation going on
in the world today, we should re-
member to stay calm and educate
ourselves. The majority of those
diagnosed with COVID-19 report
mild symptoms. The infection
rate in China has drastically de-
creased and the majority of those
cases have fully recovered. In no
way should this situation be taken
lightly, but with time and preven-
tion COVID-19 will be contained.
COVID-19 is putting a damp-
er on the United States economy,
which in turn puts agriculture at
serious risk. However, it is uncer-
tain what the outcome will actu-
ally be. There are a few different
outcomes that could come to fru-
ition. One being that after a rapid
decline, the markets could revive
quickly and show new growth,
due to accumulated potential and
lower demand. Another outcome
could be that the economy slow-
ly makes its way back to its nor-
mal performance, or the economy
could tank due to the pandemic
and widespread panic. Of course
we are all hoping for the optimis-
tic outcome. The key to achieving
this is to contain the virus and
lessen the panic. If governments
do not act accordingly, we could
see the effects of this pandemic
for years to come.
Although specific impacts on
the economy are uncertain, farm-
ers do have options. Trade mar-
kets and weather are out of your
control but input costs are not.
Manage your costs and maximize
your profits.
A little financial advice for
farmers amid this pandemic
would be to take advantage of
what is happening with the mar-
ket. Now is the time to take a
look at your finances. Low inter-
est rates create the opportunity
for farmers to lower their input
expenses, refinance and consoli-
date debt, and improve their cash
position by working capital and
lines of credit.
Facing uncertain times in
this industry is not unusual for
the agriculture industry. Farm-
ers are full of innovative thinking
and resolve. This too shall come
to past and we will be back stron-
ger than ever. One thing you can
be certain of is that in a time such
as this, people have to eat. Food
is essential, not a luxury.
Thank you to all of our farmers.
We appreciate all your hard work
and dedication to keep us fed!
Editor’s Note: Jonathan Holden is
an Agriculture Education Teacher
at Dresden High School. His back-
ground is in Agriculture and Ani-
mal Science.
The virus has created a shortage of all meat as the public panicked. Beef became especially expensive.

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High school bass fishing
has become a very popular
and competitive sport. Bass
fishing seems to be sweeping
our great nation especially on
the high school and collegiate
levels. This past week the an-
glers from Obion County High
School Bass Fishing Team trav-
eled to Dayton Tennessee to fish
the TBF/FLW Tennessee High
School State Bass Tournament
on Chickamauga Lake.
Obion County sent a total
of five teams to the state tour-
nament. There were ten young
men that made up these five
teams. The teams consisted of
Landon Priest and JT McClain,
Aidan Pruitt and Aiden Yar-
bro, Austin Morphis and Cody
Jones, Colten Rudd and Drake
Hamilton, Conner Terry and
Jace Richardson.
They represented their
school system like true gentle-
man. Every one of those young
men put their heart and soul
into working hard to catch fish
from the time they arrived to
By Cody Rodriquez
Here is the Obion County High School Bass Anglers Team standing proudly after a good tournament on
Chickamauga Lake. Photo by Brooke Garrigan
High School
Bass Fishing
Bonanza

pre-fish early in the week, until
they crossed the stage on Sun-
day evening to weigh in their
catch. Chickamauga Lake is fa-
mous for its bass fishing. The
lake is known to produce some
true giants!
Tournament week showed
to be tough on the anglers. It
was a hot week and the fish
were beginning to move away
from their spawning grounds
and out into the deeper water
and ledges for their post spawn
pattern. Most of the bass caught
during the week were offshore
on ledges and drop-offs. The
teams were catching fish on ev-
erything from small drop shot
rigs, crankbaits, and anything
else you can think of, up to gi-
ant spoons and Alabama rigs.
On tournament day the
teams had their boats in the wa-
ter by 5:00 am and were ready
for livewell and safety checks.
After prayer and the National
Anthem, the teams where called
off by name and boat number
and allowed to blast off to get
their tournament day started.
Most of the teams where mak-
ing a 20 to 30 mile run, south
of the tournament weigh-in lo-
cation to fish.
Tournament Sunday proved
to hold the pattern true that
Chickamauga Lake had some
giant fish, but that they could
be very tough to catch. The an-
glers got to fish the majority of
the day and had to be back and
checked in by 2:00 pm.
The first set of Obion Coun-
ty Anglers to weigh in was the
senior team of McClain and
Priest. As they walked on stage
they were all smiles. They had
a five fish limit weighing 15
pounds and 2 ounces. They also
weighed a fish for the big fish
portion of the tournament with
a 6 pound 5 ounce bass. They
finished the tournament in 3rd
place being only 1 ounce behind
the 2nd place team.
Pruitt and Yarbo were the
second Obion County Team to
weigh in. This freshman team
is new to the High School Bass
fishing team, but fished hard all
day long only to have one bite
all day. They made that one bite
count and landed a 1 pound 15
ounce largemouth. They placed
Story and photos continue on
page 36
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Aidan and Aiden make their first few casts of tour-
nament day. Photo by Author
Some nice fish were caught during pre-fishing.
Cody Jones was proud of this catch.
Photo by Author
JT McClain and Landon Priest show off their tour-
nament bag. Photo by Brooke Garrigan

Austin Morphis managed to catch several bass
during the week. Photo by Author
Drake Hamilton caught this nice Smallmouth while
at the TBF State Tournament.
Photo by Chad Hamilton
Colten Rudd set the hook on this nice Chickamauga
largemouth. Photo by Chad Hamilton

8th in the State
Tournament.
Terry and Rich-
ardson rounded
out the last team
of Obion Central
Anglers to weigh
in on stage. Ter-
ry is a senior and
Richardson is a
f r e s h m a n . T h e
team weighed in a
five fish bag limit
with a total weight
of 13 pounds and
12 ounces to fin-
ish the tournament
in 4th place. The
team of Hamilton
and Rudd had sev-
eral bites during
the tournament
and caught sever-
al short fish but could not man-
age to put a measurable bass in
the livewell. Morphis and Jones
encountered the same situation,
boating several short fish during
the tournament but not being
able to find a quality bite to send
them across the weigh in scale.
Overall the guys had a very en-
joyable week with a good show-
ing on tournament day. With
everything being shut down for
COVID-19 it was nice to be able
to get the boys on the water and
let them spend some time to-
gether doing what they love. I
would like to say that I am very
proud of these young men and
am grateful that I get to be a part
of their organization. Until next
time, take a kid fishing and be
safe on the water!
Connor and Jace show off their 5 fish tournament
day limit, with head coach of the Obion County
Anglers, Will Simmons.

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Phil’s Mountain Cur had
just barked “treed” and I could
see just a small spot of the
squirrel’s head as it was look-
ing around the main trunk
of a hickory tree. Normally,
I would be quiet and wait for
him to show a little more of a
target, but the Mountain Cur
we were hunting with was far
from quiet. My friend Phil
said, “Take a shot as soon as
you can”. I lined up my Ruger
10-22 and squeezed off a shot.
The old fox squirrel sailed out
of the tree and Phil’s dog; Sa-
die grabbed it. Another one in
the pack!
I started hunting roughly
sixty years ago and since that
time I have been through the
gamut of “my favorite hunt-
ing”. It’s not that I can’t make
up my mind, but in my previ-
ous profession I had to move
often. Previous jobs have had
me working in about eight
states and living in at least five
of those. Duck hunting in Ar-
kansas found my kennels with
Labrador retrievers and hunt-
ing quail in Oklahoma where
water was scarce you could
always see Germen short-hair
pointers at the house, but just
about every location I have
lived and/or hunted someone
among my friends always had
a squirrel dog.
Hunting squirrels with dogs
is an old time-honored tradi-
tion where hunters can find
large stands of woodland. Over
the years I have been an avid
“still hunter” for squirrels. I
can still remember mornings
sitting under hickory trees try-
ing to pick a shot while hicko-
ry chips were raining down as
squirrels were cutting hickory
nuts for their breakfast. While
that type of squirrel hunting
requires slow and stealthy
movement through the woods,
hunting with a squirrel dog is
much different.
Dogs are on the move and
covering lots of ground. One
of the most avid squirrel dog
hunters I have talked to re-
cently is Gary Varney. He lives
in Pike County, Kentucky only
three miles from the West Vir-
ginia state line. Each year, Var-
ney hunts in several states and
locations including Land Be-
tween the Lakes, taking along
his favorite dog - a West Sibe-
rian Laika. If you are wonder-
ing where this dog came from,
check out the name and you
Dogs Are Nuts
About Squirrels
Continued on page 46
By Richard Hines

A successful hunt, using the West Siberian Laika, which only arrived in the US in 1992 from Russia.
Photo by Author

guessed it, Russia.
Varney said, “Russia pro-
tected this breed for years and
did not allow it out of the
country until 1992”.
Varney, who has hunted
these dogs for the past four-
teen years said, “Over the
years, I have hunted with just
about every breed imaginable,
including Feist and Mountain
Curs, but what sets the Laika
apart from the others is they
are always paying attention”.
Generally, Mountain Cur dogs
will use its nose most of the
time making it an excellent
tracker while Feist are known
for hunting by sight.
With some squirrel sea-
sons opening as early as Au-
gust (Kentucky), green leaves
can create a problem in see-
ing squirrels; this is why many
hunters wait until later in Oc-
tober, when leaves are begin-
This treed Mountain Cur is a popular breed to hunt squirrels with.
Photo courtesy of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Continued on page48

Here is the dog that most squirrel hunters seem to prefer – the Feist – with an afternoon’s successful hunt.
Photo courtesy STO Magazine

ning to thin. However, do not
overlook the early hunts, be-
cause dogs will be just as effec-
tive early in the season.
Although squirrel dogs tend
to stay close, many hunters also
use tracking collars to monitor
locations in case they do range
out too far.
Picking a breed to hunt with
is a personal choice and I have
seen folks convert breeds that
otherwise are not performing
as they should, including bea-
gles, fox hounds and even a
bird dog! Sometimes, dogs get
a little off track, and, in these
cases, hunters made the shift
and took advantage of it.
Generally, dogs used for
squirrel hunting fall into two
groups, Curs and Feists both of
which originated in the South-
ern Appalachian Mountain Re-
gion. Do not let the name Cur
fool you. It is an actual regis-
tered breed. The third one, the
West Siberian Laika, is still a
relative newcomer on the scene
but appears to be gaining in
popularity. Although smaller,
the Laika might remind you
of a wolf. This breed is known
for retaining many traits from
their wild ancestors including
some physical characteristics.
Training a good squirrel
dog, although appearing sim-
ple can be time consuming.
My friend Phil, said, “They are
like good basketball players, to
find out how good, you have
to work them”. Spending lots
of time in the woods will pay
off. Most of these dogs hunt,
but the secret is getting them
to stay on the tree (barking
treed) until you get there. Like

any hunting dog, the traits you
need, improves with age.
Over the years, Varney said,
“It seems like many curs and
Feists will tree about 40-50% of
the time compared to my Lai-
kas which are hitting around
95%”. Additionally, many of
these dogs are already hunting
at three to four months old.
Since most squirrel dog train-
ing begins at three months old,
you can still get a pup this close
to opening of hunting season
and have a well-trained dog by
the end of season.
Phil said, “When I start-
ed out, I really did not know
all that much about it, but ev-
erything I read said, the main
thing is get the pup used to the
smell of squirrels. If you do
that, at some point it will click
and the pup will know what he
is there for”.
Although, you can dog hunt
squirrels alone, two hunters
make a good team. Well-sea-
soned squirrels know to move
around a tree to avoid detec-
tion and a second hunter walk-
ing around the tree can help
move the squirrel into view for
your partner.
Whether to use a shotgun
or a .22 rifle is again a pref-
erence. Conditions change,
which makes hunting condi-
tions different each day. When
Varney goes on hunting trips,
he takes both, “Sometimes
those squirrels just won’t sit
still and are timbering (run-
ning through the treetops), in
this case, it might take a shot-
gun to get em”.
If you have never tried
squirrel hunting with a dog,
its great fun but you must be
committed to your dog. Spend
time with the dog so they have
plenty of exercise and can stay
sharp on locating squirrels.

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421 W. COURT ST.
DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE
731-285-5767
sam@bradshaw4insurance.com
Sam Bradshaw
Contact information:
While you’re hunting or fishing on Reelfoot
Lake, stop by and see Johanna and her crew
for a quick, delicious meal.
Or, beat the heat with their
“World Famous” ice cream.
Dine-in or eat outside on their Patio!!
Home Owned and operated
731-253-6311
HWY 78 - Tiptonville
Less than 5 min from Reelfoot Lake
“Something Different”
our hospitable

Ed Davidson and Keith Draice from Decatur, Alabama caught
these three coolers full of Reelfoot Lake’s world famous, giant
bluegill this past spring. Photo courtesy of Boyette’s Resort
This 16 and 1/2 inch, huge, white crappie was caught by
Alyssa Chrisos in Dresden, Tennessee.
Photo courtesy of Catina Chrisos
Robert “Doc” Parker caught this
massive 60 wahoo fish in Gulf
Shores, Alabama.

JULY - AUGUST 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55MAY - JUNE 2019 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55JULY - AUGUST 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 55
Sharon Somerville {wife of STO editor – Rob Somerville}
caught this nice largemouth bass this past June on a
Pumpkinseed color, lizard bait.
Madelyn Joyce Ferrell – 3 years old - went fishing with
her family at Gibson County Lake this past Mother’s
Day weekend. She caught this huge, red ear sunfish that
was over 11 inches long.
Photo sent in by uncle – Chris Ferrell

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Southern Traditions Outdoor - July/August 2020

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