Southern Traditions Outdoors July/August 2017

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JULY - AUGUST 2017
JULY / AUG 2017
BEAR
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Southern Traditions Outdoors | Rob Somerville
(731) 446-8052 stomag1@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER - Neither the authors nor Southern Traditions Outdoors
Magazine LLC assume any responsibility or liability for any actions
by readers who utilize any information contained within. Readers
are advised that the use of any and all information contained within
Southern Traditions Outdoors is at their own risk.
On the Cover
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine Mission Statement:
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine vows to put forth a publication to
promote the outdoors lifestyle in a positive manner. We will strive to encourage
veteran and novice outdoorsmen, women, kids, and the physically challenged
to participate in the outdoors in a safe and ethical manner. Our publication will
bring positive attention to the wondrous beauty of the world of Nature in the
mid-south.
Garry Mason
Walter Wilkerson
Terry Wilkerson
Steve McCadams
Kelley Powers
Shawn Todd
Eddie Brunswick
Larry Self
John Sloan
Richard Simms
Dana Watford
Buck Gardner
Richard Hines
Ed Lankford
Drew Brooks
John Latham
John Roberts
Richard Hines
Rob Hurt
Mark Buehler
Richard Fagan
Neill McLaurin
Sam Bradshaw
Todd Cotten
Field Staff Editors
Owners - Eddie Anderson
Rob Somerville
Kevin Griffith
Stacey Lemons
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
PG................... ARTICLE ........................................................ AUTHOR
6 ......................... Bear Scare.........................................................................Daryl Ratajczak
9 ......................... Rock Hounds.....................................................................Kevin Griffith
15 ......................... Tuning up and Tuning in for Fall Whitetails ......................Richard Hines
18 ......................... Reelfoot's Summer Bluegill in the Shade .........................Steve McCadams
23 ......................... The History of Farming in America - Part 4 of 5 ...............Rob Somerville
32 ......................... Are You Ready for Deer Season.......................................Richard A. Fagan
48 ..........................Traditions Tips ..................................................................Richard A. Fagan
54 ......................... The New Generation ........................................................Shawn Todd
55 ......................... Trophy Room.....................................................................STO
Black bears have small eyes, long noses, round ears and a short tail. They are considered to be large to medium sized, males being larger
than females (males weighing between 130 to 500 lbs.) and the different sub-species are similar in their body shape, footprints and diets.
Photo by Rob Somerville

Letter from the Editor
From the Desk of Rob Somerville
This past June 4th I received an exciting invitation from Field and Stream, an outdoor-specialty re-
tailer and product brand owned and operated by DICK’S Sporting Goods, and the Country Music Hall
of Fame, to attend a special surprise Jason Aldean concert event taking place in downtown Nashville.
First, I thought that one of my friends was playing a joke on me. After checking into it more, I found
it was not a joke. It turned into being a great honor. My fiancée {Sharon Ray} and I left Dyersburg, Ten-
nessee and headed to “Nash Vegas” not really knowing what to expect. After checking into a motel, we
took a cab to downtown Nashville. The cab let us out close, but the entire downtown section was cor-
doned off. We began walking towards the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Hall was closed to the pub-
lic but we were soon greeted by Andrea Holland Rizk, their Director of Communications, who cordial-
ly gave us a mini-tour of the Country
Music Hall of Fame. Then, we were
directed to the 2nd floor balcony,
which was elegantly tented off for the
event. We got gift bags from Field &
Stream, including hats and a Jason Al-
dean poster. Upon entering the tented
gala, we were amazed to find men in
tuxedoes and women in formal wear.
I guess you could say I was a little un-
derdressed, but our hosts were very
welcoming. We were offered a cocktail
from the huge open bar and ushered in
on a red carpet. With Field & Stream
backdrops behind us, we were photo-
graphed. I felt like I was at the Oscars.
I was introduced to some of the
Field & Stream representatives and
got to demo some of their clothing line – which is affordable, yet high quality and trend setting. Then
we got to handle some of Field & Streams new rods and reels, which I did not even know they carried.
I loved them all!
Someone announced that the food was ready and what a fancy spread it was. It was all delicious,
with delicacies fit for any foodie.
As we stepped out onto the balcony we were looking over a huge crowd of thousands of people wait-
ing to see Jason Aldean in concert. To our left, we viewed the stars entering the Country Music Awards.
To our right, the Nashville Predators were playing in the Stanley Cup. I remember thinking – someone
pinch me – I must be dreaming.
Then, Jason Aldean rocked the stage with an amazing concert that we had a great view of. It was a
tremendous night, of which I will never forget. Jason is one of us, a true outdoorsman, and we should
support his music.
I want to thank Dick’s Sporting Goods, Field & Stream, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Jason
Aldean for this great honor.
For more info on Field & Stream stores, clothing and gear go to www.fieldandstreamshop.com.

Bear SCARE ! By Daryl Ratajczak
"Shoot the bear, Steph, shoot the
$&%# bear!"
At twenty paces and in a full
blown charge, bear get bigger…real
fast. I didn't care if the round hit or
not, I just wanted the bear off our
trail.
"I can't find it in the scope," was
her unexpectedly cool response.
Never in my life did I expect my
first ever black bear hunt to unfold as
it did, but by gosh that's what makes
life worth living!
Six months prior, I found myself
in my standard gray tweed suit jack-
et standing before the Tennessee Fish
and Wildlife Commission, arguing
for an expansion in the Tennessee
bear seasons. As Chief of Wildlife
for the state of Tennessee it was part
of my day job. Fortunately for me,
season-setting meetings only came
around but once a year. After all, I
don't find myself too comfortable in
a suit and tie. I'm more of a camo
and hiking boots kinda guy.
Later that evening I was con-
templating the day’s events and I
couldn't help but fret about the irony
of the situation. There I was bragging
about the success story of the Ten-
nessee bear program while justifying
the need to increase the harvest, yet,
"bear hunting" was probably the only
form of hunting I had never tried.
Truth be told, it never interested
me, not because I had something
against killing a bear but rather be-
cause it sounded far too easy. I hunt
for food but I also enjoy the chal-
lenge. Tennessee, like much of the
south, prides its bear hunting his-
tory on using dogs. Being a lifelong
archery hunter, especially for deer, I
concluded that using dogs to hunt
big game well… it just wasn't very
sportsman-like. In my mind, I equat-
ed it to shooting fish in a barrel. You
turn dogs loose, they tree a bear, you
walk up to the tree, shoot, and then
pose for your photos. It just didn't
seem like much of a hunt. In hind
sight, it was my naivety, no one else’s.
Not long after the seasons were
approved I was relaying my plight of
never having bear hunted to a good
buddy of mine, Robert Brewer, a
wildlife professor and seasoned bear
hunter from East Tennessee. "Well,
we gotta change that," was his im-
mediate response. A few weeks lat-
er, Robert and his crew were drawn
for a party dog-hunt on the Cher-
okee National Forest and my name
was added to the list of sign-ons. I
was going on my first ever bear hunt.
The Hunt…
Green Cove, isn’t much of a town.
It is one of those places you look
up on Google maps and you find
it in a sea of forest green and you
keep zooming in waiting to bring
the town in focus, yet it never does,
for there is no “town” to bring into
focus. It was perfect. Smack dab in
the heart of bear country. It was also,
the rendezvous point for the hunt
crew, 75 folks in all, most of them
still-hunters with a scattering of dog
men. I would find out later those
were the guys that really knew what
they were doing.
The plan was to meet the evening
before the hunt and go over our as-
signments. Having never done this
before I didn't really know what ex-
actly that meant and I was all ears,
however the instructions would have
to wait. Since I arrived two hours
before the meeting, I decided to kill
time by touring Green Cove. I did…
and I still had an hour and fifty min-
utes to kill. Oh well, I figured I best
do one last check of my gear. At one
point, I wondered if I ought to buy
extra batteries for my flashlight. Nah,
they were still pretty fresh and it was
highly doubtful Green Cove could
help me out.
If only I knew someone in the
hunting party I would mingle, but
alas, I didn’t. And for those that
know me, they know I’m not the
most social type when amongst
strangers. Fortunately, shortly before
the meeting convened, Robert ar-
rived along with his teenage-daugh-
ter Heather in tow. Sadly enough, she
was even considered a seasoned-vet-
eran amongst the group compared
to me.
Bears have poor vision and they will
stand to view anything out of the
norm.
Photo by Rob Somerville

That evening, Leonard, our hunt
leader, doled out our hunting as-
signments. He was good too. He laid
out our hunt area on a large coffee
table-sized map, and showed where
each pack of dogs would be released
at the crack of dawn the next day.
And he was a stickler for safety. He
demanded that all the still-hunters
be paired up at the bare minimum,
not just for the safety of the hunters
but for the safety of the dogs.
That's when it dawned on me.
Who was I going to hunt with? I
kind a got the feeling that Robert
would prefer to hunt with his daugh-
ter over me. Can you believe the
nerve of some people? No worries,
since I was the inexperienced one
in the group I was sure I would get
paired up with one of the old-tim-
ers. Someone experienced with years
of bear hunting under their belt and
with a cool nickname like "Puddin'"
or "Moonshine," or something com-
forting like that.
No...I was paired with Stephanne.
Another, green, wet-behind the ears,
first-time, newbie bear hunter. I had
met her a few times before through
work, but I had never bear-hunted
with her, which wasn't all too sur-
prising given it was both our first
times. Oh well, maybe I could call
her something cool.
"Umm, hi…can I call you Raven-
claw?" was my awkward introduction.
"No....Steph will do," her squint-
ing sideways glance told me never
to ask her that again. Morning sure
couldn't come fast enough.
Bright and early the next day, mi-
nus the “bright” since sunrise was
still hours away, we were given clear
as mud instructions. Follow the Ben-
ton-McKay trail about two miles,
when it comes to "Y" veer to the left,
follow the trail about another mile,
cross the stream above the falls, keep
walking and as soon as you break out
of the laurels, head off trail and begin
climbing to the top of the mountain.
Once there, sit tight and keep an ear
on the radio so you know what the
dogs are doing, the dogmen will keep
you informed. Simple enough.
Thankfully, we had about two
hours to beat the breaking dawn.
One dead flashlight, five knee-
deep stream crossings, a lost scope
cover, and a fair amount of cursing
later, we arrived at our destination at
the tail end of Chinkapin Ridge. We
were hunkered down about 300-hun-
dred yards from the peak of Sugar
Mountain. See, even the mountains
around here had really cool names.
Though the great ball of fire in
the sky was rising fast and offered
perceived warmth, the temperature
was a cool thirty-eight degrees with
no plans of rising, at least anytime
soon. My partner and I, both soaked
from the stream crossings, lasted
about two hours.
I don't know if it was my teeth
or hers’ that were making the most
noise but the chattering was definite-
ly in unison. Unfortunately it was
also the only chatter going on. The
radio waves were as talkative as a
pouting mime which meant it was a
pretty darn slow "bear day" on Sug-
ar mountain. And boy was it cold.
"Raven...err I mean Steph...would
you mind if I start a fire?"
The crackle and smoke from the
small fire warned every creature on
the mountain of our intrusion but
we didn't care, at least I didn't. I
was now dry AND warm. Then it
happened.
A distant canine-like bawl. Then
another. Then a beautiful chorus of
howls, barks and bawls all moving
in unison, as if hot on the trail of
a Smoky Mountain bear. I quickly
doused the fire.
"What do we do now?"
It was a question we both thought,
so I grabbed the walkie-talkie and
began calling for Robert. While try-
Four hours after our encounter, another party member caught up with the
bear, sneaking through an oak flat about a mile and a half from the peak of
Sugar Mountain. “Raven” stands posed with the bear from that preposter-
ous first bear hunt. Photo by Daryl Ratajczak

ing to raise Robert on the radio, my
partner advised me that the dogs
sounded as if they were heading in
our direction. When I finally reached
him, I relayed this information to
Robert. He calmly advised that we
hold tight.
With widened eyes, my part-
ner says, "Dude…they are REALLY
coming our way!'" I guess if she had
a nickname it was only fair I had
one too.
We grabbed our Remingtons, hers’
a scoped 30-06, mine, an open-site
12-gauge, and moved uphill about
50-yards to gain a better vantage
point. There was a well-worn game
trail that led off to the west in the di-
rection of the baying hounds. They
were definitely coming our way. We
could now pick out the distinct barks
and howls of individual dogs. Our
eyes were straining to see the pack
which would be cresting a nearby
ridge within a minute’s breadth.
Then …. there he was.
Leading the pack by about 45 sec-
onds, was exactly what we came for.
A full grown black bear, running at
break-neck speed. There was only
one problem; it was on the exact trail
in which we stood. He crested the
closest ridge at about 80 yards, head
and shoulders bobbing in full gallop,
heading directly at us. Instincts took
over, nicknames be damned.
Steph dropped to one knee in
front of me and immediately shoul-
dered her gun.
Sixty-yards. “Shoot the bear Steph.”
Forty-yards. “Steph...shoot the
$&%# bear.”
Thirty-yards. “I can't find it in the
scope.” Twenty-yards. “Still can't find
it...take it!”
Ten-yards.
I raised the gun not even fully
shouldering it and let loose with the
first shot. Missed...but I cared not.
All I was aiming for, literally, was to
get him off the trail to keep us from
getting barreled over. It worked.
The bear veered at 5 yards just as I
was letting the second slug fly. Sec-
ond miss.
Now picture if you will a bear
getting saucer-eyed at two-yards as
he turns his head to stare at us in
disbelief as he passes at 30-miles an
hour. I imagine ours were equally
"saucered".
He was gone before I took anoth-
er breath, the whole scenario lasting
no more than eight seconds. It was
wilder than any bull-ride I've ever
imagined.
Steph and I, stared at each other
in disbelief, neither of us in the least
bit cold anymore. "You....okay?" I fi-
nally broke the silence.
“What?!? She yelled, shaking out
her ears. Then it dawned on me how
close she was when I let loose with
the shotgun. TWICE.
I said, “You okay?” a bit louder
this time.
"Helz yeah I am! That was freak-
ing wild!!!"
As we both stared in disbelief,
wondering if that really just hap-
pened we were reminded of the re-
ality of the situation as a pack of
blue-ticks and curs came bounding
our way, bawling louder and more
feverishly than ever. Having heard
the gunshots, the dogs immediately
bayed on a huge white oak thinking
the two orange humanoids finally
got the bear to tree. What an utter
disappointment we must have been.
Like a seasoned pro, my partner
handed me her gun, ran to the dogs,
and began ushering them to stay hot
on the bear’s trail. I don’t know what
she said, but it worked. The bawling
and barking resumed in earnest as
they continued their pursuit down
the draw and quickly disappeared
out of sight.
I smiled as I handed the gun back.
Puddin' an' Moonshine ain't got
nothin' on Raven. But hey, bear get
big real fast when they are running
straight at you. Ask Ravenwing or
Ravenclaw or Ravenwhatever if you
don’t believe me.
Here is our huntress resting with one of the bear hounds.
Photo by Daryl Ratajczak

Do you know what a rock
hound is? It’s not a hunting dog
or a stone figure. It’s someone
who loves to search for rocks and
fossils. If you’ve met me, you’ve
met one! Besides being obsessed
with my farm, I’m obsessed with
rocks. Anyone who drives up to
my barn immediately sees the large
pile of Indiana geodes. I can’t help
myself! Since my parents have
been spending part of the Spring
& Fall on our Tennessee farm, we
take the opportunity to frequently
make a pilgrimage to southern
Indiana where we decorate my
grandparent’s graves, visit areas
that hold family stories and search
for rocks.
Near Mitchell, Indiana where
my maternal grandparents are
buried is an area the locals call the
Devil’s Backbone. It’s known
for dramatic hills and geode
rocks. What’s a geode you
ask? Geodes come in many
types and sizes. Depending
upon the area of the world
they were formed, they can be
quite beautiful, even breathtaking.
All geodes share two common
characteristics, a cavity located
within a rock and an accumulation
of minerals, often in crystalline
form. Indiana geodes are externally
distinctive making them easy to
recognize. They look like a head of
cauliflower made of stone. What
makes them cool is that many,
not all, are hollow with varying
sizes & qualities of calcite crystals.
Occasionally you’ll find one with a
smooth bubble-like interior. Any
of them are interesting to me. I
even enjoy their unique exterior.
Apparently, the locals like it as
well. Many residents northeast
of Mitchell use geodes for yard
decorations, flowerbed borders
and even geode fences. In fact,
when I start seeing geodes in yards,
I know it’s time to start looking.
Entering this area from the south
you drive through a small town
called Tunnelton. You actually
go through a very narrow, one
lane tunnel under a railroad track
(apparently the source of their
name). As soon as you exit the
tunnel geodes are visible in a small
creek to the right and displayed in
the yards of the residents as you
continue through the community.
This tunnel marks the beginning
of geode country. Now the fun
begins! The challenge is to find
these amazing stones without
trespassing on private property.
My strategy is to look for cuts
along road right of ways and creeks
crossing underneath. As you drive
further into the hills to the north
and northeast, the opportunities
will present themselves. We always
return with multiple 5 gallon
buckets full. I’ve got so many now
I’m becoming a little (I say a little)
more discriminating on what I’ll
bring home. I now concentrate
my efforts on finding larger and
more hollow geodes. How can I
tell if they’re more hollow? By how
their weight compares to others
the same size. Eventually, you get a
sense of how light a stone needs to
feel in relation to their size to gauge
how hollow they are.
When visiting southern Indiana,
we always try to stay in the lodge
at Spring Mill Park. It’s a beautiful
CCC depression era constructed
building that transports you back
to a simpler time. The rooms are
furnished with Hickory branch
framed furnishings, adding to
the rustic ambiance. The lodge
is located deep within the park,
which itself is worth exploring.
ROCK
HOUNDS
Here is my huge geode find sitting next to a 5 gallon bucket. It’s almost
14” inches in diameter, much bigger than a basketball which measures only
9.5” diameter. Photo by Kevin Griffith
By Kevin Griffith

The mature hardwood forest has
miles of trails. There is a large
19th century period village with
a functioning water powered grist
mill (you can even purchase its
cornmeal), and a cool cave with
boat tours. The park can definitely
be a destination in itself. However,
we just use it as a home base while
visiting.
The park is about 5 ½ hours from
Dyersburg. When traveling there,
we normally start out in the early
afternoon with the goal of arriving
before dark. If we’re early enough
we can catch supper in the lodge
dining room. The food is great, but
the real treat is having persimmon
pudding for desert! It’s a mainstay
in southern Indiana. I grew up on it
and it’s still one of my favorites. We
even make it from the persimmons
on our Tennessee farm. (For more
details on persimmon pudding
and a recipe visit my blog @ www.
fyrnelake.com.)
If it’s still light after supper, we’ll
take a hike on one of the trails
burning up any energy we have
left. The next morning we head out
to a nearby cemetery to decorate
the grave of our farm’s namesake,
Fyrne Taylor,
my maternal
grandmother and
my grandfather
Frank Taylor,
who was a real
cowboy that
cared for the
riding horses at
the Spring Mill
Park when he
wasn’t farming. Decorating the
graves is a tradition in southern
Indiana. Normally silk flowers are
used, which last until the next visit.
We remove the old and carefully
replace them with new all the while
recalling pleasant memories of our
lost loved ones.
After decorating the graves we
head northeast toward the Devil’s
Backbone. The locals gave the
area that name because of the
long, curving and steep ridge
that cuts through the area, very
much like a serpent’s backbone.
There are multiple, unmarked
and intersecting roads that make
navigation difficult, especially if
you’re trying to find a good spot
you’ve hunted before. Yes, GPS
would help. And we occasionally
will turn it on. But I prefer to
wander the hills looking for cuts
along and under the roads in the
hopes of finding a geode it will take
two of us to lift!
Large geodes are rare. 8” diameter
or smaller are common and easy to
find in this area. My grandparents
had found several 12” and larger
specimens during their lifetimes.
However, I had only dreamed
about finding one myself until last
year’s visit. My brother Kris, who
works at Fyrne Lake with me, came
along on this trip. While driving
through the hills we noticed a small
cut, almost too small to be called a
creek, crossing under the road. I’ve
driven past this area multiple times
without noticing the creek, because
of its size and the surrounding
thick brush cover.
We stopped the van, and with my
father and mother staying in the
vehicle,KrisandIstartedexploring.
As soon as we pushed our way
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
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HWY 78 - Tiptonville
Less than 5 min from Reelfoot Lake
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our hospitable
Two of the many overflowing buckets of geodes my brother and I collected.
Photo by Kevin Griffith

through the brush and down
into the cut, geodes were visible
everywhere! We immediately
started filling our buckets, each one
weighting 75 lbs.+ and struggled to
get them up the bank and back to
the van. We had filled 4 within 50’
of the car. But, there was so much
more to explore! It seemed like
this area had never been hunted.
There was a higher percentage of
larger (8” and over) geodes than
I had ever encountered before.
Maybe, just maybe, there’s a 12”
plus just around the next bend, I
hoped. My excitement grew as Kris
and I continued down the creek.
We became more discriminating
in what we gathered; realizing
the accumulating weight and the
expanding distance up and back
to our vehicle. Kris focused on the
stream bed as I began searching the
banks. The geodes are randomly
found at and below the surface
of the soil throughout this area.
The only reason we concentrate
our search along creeks and road
cuts is these washes expose and
accumulate the stones from the soil
through multiple years of erosion.
I’ve often found geodes partially
exposed along the banks. This
time was no different. I worked my
way up, surveying the ground. As
I approached the base of a larger
tree I came across an eight inch
diameter exposure of cauliflower
like rock. This could be a pretty
good sized geode, I thought. It’s
worth digging out. I grabbed a
stone and started clawing out
the dirt around its perimeter. It
kept going! I was getting excited!
“Kris!” I yelled. He was there in an
instant, grabbed a rock and started
digging with me. Ten minutes later
we rolled it out. WOW! This rock
was HUGE! This was definitely
the largest geode I had ever found.
It was even larger than any of my
grandparents’ stones. I tried to lift
it and stopped. There was no way I
was going to get it off the ground.
Kris and I stared at it for a moment
pondering the steep bank above
and the 50 yard horizontal journey
before us. Kris had an idea, “What
if we rolled it?” That just might
work, because most geodes, like
this one, are round. The two of
us positioned ourselves downhill
from the rock and started pushing.
Slowly, we made progress up the
hill around trees and through
poison ivy. Eventually we crested
to level ground. Now we could take
turns pushing this treasure along.
Our next challenge awaited us at
the van. How were we going to get
it in? Luckily, we had a stout box,
wrestled it in and together heaved
it up into the back. Our find was
secure!
How big is it? We’ll it was big
compared to anything else I had
ever found. It measured over 43
inches around and close to 14
inches in diameter. Now, I was
really excited and the day was still
young! We got back in the van
and drove on down the road. It
wasn’t long before we came across
an ancient steel bridge spanning a
Like a chocolate, you never know what you’ll find within a geode. Depend-
ing upon the multiple variables involved in its creation (minerals present,
temperature, acidity, length of time, etc.) you could find huge beautiful
crystals or a solid rock. Discovering what’s inside is just part of fun of rock
hounding. Photo by Kevin Griffith
Continued on page 53

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One of my new archery cata-
logs just arrived and one of the
pages advertising archery equip-
ment caught my attention read-
ing; “Ready to Hunt With”.
I’m sure the bow is ready but
what about the person buying it?
If you are thinking about bow
hunting this fall you should start
planning far beyond questions
such as; are the sights lined up,
or is the nocking point correct.
Hopefully you are preparing for
this upcoming season now; not
only practicing but learning your
new bow. If so, you will not only
be a safer hunter but your hunts
should be more successful.
With bow season just around
the corner I contacted a couple of
friends who are avid bowhunters,
just to get some perspective on
what was involved in being well
prepared for archery season. One
friend, Vernon Lovejoy, hunts
several states each year from the
lowlands of the Mississippi Delta
to 10,000 plus feet mountains in
Colorado looking for mule deer.
Obviously, physical endurance is
a must for the high elevation, but
Lovejoy told me his exercise in-
cludes walking a couple of miles
each day. He is not just preparing
for the high elevation hunts, but
dragging deer out of river bot-
toms in Arkansas. He told me that
if you are in good shape and can
improve your physical endurance,
it will help getting in and out of
tree stands too.
Several years ago, I put this same
question to Bob Hynum, who at
the time was president of the Ar-
kansas Bowhunters Association.
With 30 plus years of bow hunt-
ing experience, I have used his
advice many times preparing for
fall white-tails.
He told me that one of the best
ways to get prepped is have con-
fidence in your equipment, as
well as your ability and skills with
that equipment. Hynum made a
good point in that no matter how
well you scout and how good the
placement of your stand is, it gets
down to one point. You may hunt
all season for just two or three
shot opportunities, which last less
Work on tightening up your arrow groups every 5 yards, before
moving back after each tight grouping. Photo by Richard Hines
Tuning up and Tuning
in for Fall Whitetails
By Richard Hines

than 30 seconds each. If you have
equipment failure, then you have
blown your hunting season.
To get ready for archery season,
Hynum shoots in as many 3-D
archery tournaments as he can,
during the off season. Some are
as early as January, but mostly
during the early summer.
This practice keeps him in shape
through the summer months and
helps with skills you will need
during bow season. This is when
Hynum adjusts sights, arrow rests
and arrows to make sure every-
thing is working correctly. “Tour-
naments are proving grounds that
require you to tune out every-
thing and concentrate on yardage
estimation and shot placement,”
he says. “Pressure on the range
could simulate the 30 seconds of
intense concentration you will
need to make the shot of your
life this year.
I had been out of bowhunting
for some time due to some sur-
gery, so I asked Hynum if I was
doing something wrong. I was
continually hanging up on shoot-
ing beyond the 20-yard mark. Hy-
num added; “Always shoot at the
yardage you feel confident”.
First, he suggested shooting at
the 10 to 15-yard line and work-
ing back. Once arrows group into
a tight pattern, then move back
5 yards and shoot several groups
again. If you find the pattern
starting to break apart or spread
out, then move up a little closer
until the problem is resolved. At
some point, you will find where
you want to set your maximum
distance.
Once your bow is tuned and
you have determined your effec-
tive shooting range, switch over
to broadheads. Field tips and
broadheads don’t fly identical and
the only way you can get familiar
with broadheads is shoot them.
How much time you spend shoot-
ing each day varies with each per-
son. Hynum recommends keep-
ing sessions short as people tend
to get tired which leads to stress
and develops into bad shooting
habits. Try shooting 15 to 20 ar-
rows, three or four times a week,
rather than 2 hours once a week.
I used to keep a target outside
the backdoor and on my way
to work shoot one arrow. Even
though I still practice in the af-
ternoon, this one shot helped me
practice the most important shot,
the one you take during a hunt!
One of my favorite parts of deer
hunting is scouting and trying to
stay ahead of the changes that are
going on such as food, weather,
pre-rut and rut. All create new
situations for fall whitetails. Hy-
num recommends hanging your
Shooting a few arrows each day will get you tuned up for opening day.
Photo by Richard Hines

stand up to two or three weeks
prior to opening day. If you are on
private ground this works great,
however if you are hunting pub-
lic land, make sure this is legal.
Always check current regulations
for the tract of public land you
are hunting.
Another very important factor
is safety. As a former hunter ed-
ucation instructor, I have learned
to emphasize safety and one of
the most dangerous situations in
today’s deer hunting arena is not
the other hunter, but the failure of
hunters wearing a safety harness.
In 1970, I started bow hunting
and climbed trees with uncov-
ered broadheads and no safety
harness. It absolutely scares me
to think of doing that today but
no one, including myself as a neo-
phyte bowhunter, gave it much
thought. Hunters were unaware
of these dangers, but todays hunt-
er education classes provide safe-
ty information which emphasizes
using a good quality stand and
always wearing a safety harness
when hunting from a tree stand.
Overall, Hynum and Lovejoy
both take preparation for bow
hunting seriously and maintain it
as a year-round activity. Hynum
said, “I am always either hunting
or getting ready to hunt and that
includes tuning a bow, practice
shooting and scouting, as well as
the hunt itself”.
After all, the only real advan-
tage a bow hunter has over a
white-tailed deer is the element
of surprise and hunters who are
consistently harvesting quali-
ty whitetails year after year are
not surprised when a deer walks
by their stand. These hunters are
prepared and have the element
of surprise on their side through
good equipment, good scouting,
knowledge of the species and did
we mention practice, practice and
more practice.
As Bob Hynum said, “It all be-
comes a way of life”. In fact,
anyone who wants to bow hunt
or participate in any outdoor
sport should follow Bob Hynum’s
philosophy!
Here are 30 years of bow hunting tools Photo by Richard Hines
Give your tree stand some practice runs in the backyard, so you are inti-
mately familiar with it before going to the woods.
Photo by Richard Hines
tage a bow hunter has over a
white-tailed deer is the element
ty whitetails year after year are
by their stand. These hunters are
prepared and have the element
knowledge of the species and did
we mention practice, practice and
As Bob Hynum said, “It all be
Give your tree stand some practice runs in the backyard, so you are inti-

Tying into Reelfoot Lake’s
big bull bluegill, beneath the
shady canopies of endless cy-
press groves, was as much a part
of my youthful summers as heat
and humidity. There was mowing
yards and baseball too, but when
my dad planned a trip to Tennes-
see’s Everglades; I couldn’t sleep
the night before.
Filled with anticipation we’d
rise in the predawn hours and
head out from my home in McK-
enzie, cane poles sticking out the
back of a truck bed and metal
Coca-Cola ice boxes with a bot-
tle opener on the side. Remem-
ber those old ones with the clamp
down handle?
We’d swing through Union City
and stop at an ice house where
you could buy block ice. It last-
ed longer than crushed ice and
a few bottles of Coke occupied
the empty space. Later, the fish
and drinks shared the same space
within the ice chest. There were
no fancy separate coolers in those
days for food and drink, as space
was limited in the small Reelfoot
Lake boats of yesteryear.
Our destination was either Ja-
mie Hamilton’s Resort or Harry
Miller’s boat dock on the south-
east end of the earthquake lake.
From there we’d rent one of the
unique stump jumpers powered
by a Briggs and Stratton engine,
or perhaps a Kohler brand two or
four horsepower.
If our party consisted of more
than two fishermen we’d rent a
pull boat and drag it across the
lake; two anglers in the motor
boat and two in the one with just
paddles as it was cheaper that
way. That was common, as anglers
fishing the same area would just
pull their buddies to the locale.
There’s nothing like the sound
of a Reelfoot Lake boat cranking.
The put-put stroke of the direct
drive motor pushed the little hol-
lowed out cypress boat through
lilies, moss and over low logs and
submerged stumps of which there
were {and still are} many.
When the boat slid over a snag
the motor reeved up a bit and the
hand rudder jerked slightly, but
not to worry, it would stay the
course and get you wherever you
were going. Slow but sure.
A Sportsman’s Paradise
Everything just seemed to
fit together. The slow boat ride
allowed time to marvel at the
beauty of this wildlife wonder-
land. Huge bonnets harbored fish
beneath that would spook and
splash when you drove by. All
sorts of shore birds greeted us
from high among the towering
cypress, to just standing on the
thick lily pads as you passed by.
And the lake had a pleasant
smell to it. Perhaps it was the
Mid-Summer can be hot temperature-wise, but pull up under the shade of
one of Reelfoot Lake’s mighty cypress trees and a big “bull” bluegill like
this one, might be your reward! Photo courtesy of Reelfoot Tourism
REELFOOT’S SUMMER BLUE-
GILL IN THE SHADE By Steve McCadams

stagnant backwaters of mossy
ponds or the endless acres of lily
pads. Sometimes fishy, but it was
just a unique fragrance from the
mix of blooming bonnets and the
great outdoors.
Sticking out back of our little
manmade, canoe-like boats made
locally by a man named Dale Cal-
houn, were our cane pole weap-
ons. Ready to do battle with these
feisty bronze bombers was simple
tackle; rigged and ready.
Braded line around the tip
with a few extra feet had a short
monofilament leader tied mid-
way. A porcupine quill served as
the bobber with a small lead split-
shot and a long shank number six
size bronze bream hook.
Nothing fancy about our gear.
Just simple, but effective.
Sometimes bluegill would
bed in the open lily pads where
small pockets begged you to toss
a cricket or red worm. We some-
times used roaches for bait as we
caught them at a local feed and
grain mill. They worked great for
bluegill in those days.
By mid-summer bluegill often
opted for shady spots around the
big cypress trees, where huge root
systems provided a submerged
sanctuary. Snagging was just the
price of doing business. Manip-
ulating your short line and bait
presentation under low hanging
limbs was a challenge to say the
least.
Yet the challenge was worth it
when the quill disappeared in the
blink of an eye and a huge, rusty
bluegill with an attitude ripped
the water and tore out on a cir-
cular run as though he was late
to something. Wow! What a time.
Heaven on earth!
With a small sculling paddle
you’d attempt to hold your lo-
cation as the handsome fish for
which Reelfoot Lake was known
for almost pulled the cane pole
out of your hand and drug the
boat a bit.
The trick was to shorten your
line to the point you could push
the quill and roach or cricket
back up under the snags where
sneaky bluegill hid, waiting to
ambush bugs that fell off the low
hanging limbs. There was quite
an art to the presentation and
landing.
One problem with fishing on
Reelfoot Lake is that every spot
looks good! It’s all a fishing par-
adise, but usually there was a pat-
tern of some sorts, such as the
Here is another big bluegill caught by one of Reelfoot Lake’s premiere guides, Billy Blakely.
Photo courtesy of Reelfoot Tourism

shady side of a sunny tree or per-
haps a clump of trees forming a
pocket that had more appeal.
Trial and error guides most an-
glers here through the jungle of
abundant fishing habitat. Seems
we often had a good one on only
to have it run around a root or
snag the line on some twig here
and there which the fish used to
his advantage.
Always the challenge but fre-
quently a reward
Every area delivered some sort
of wilderness picture; a hen mal-
lards cruising by with her duck-
lings in single file, turtles lined
on logs sunning their shells, or
perhaps a gar roaming at the top
of the water right past your quill.
Occasionally, a well-balanced
cane pole rigged just perfect
would fall victim to a mishap,
breaking it off and ruining its
fishing future. Sometimes tying
into a bowfin, commonly known
as a Grinnell, meant catastro-
phe. These aggressive fish would
take off with such strength all
you could do was hold on and
often the end result was a tackle
nightmare.
An occasional battle with a cat-
fish ensued or sometimes a sur-
prise bass busted the placid water
for a jump and wave before escap-
ing unscathed.
Well worth the trip!
A Reelfoot fishing trip was and
still is a wonderful mystery. Sev-
eral ingredients make up the rec-
ipe for a fine fishing experience.
They did for me some 50-plus
years ago and they still do today.
Although times have changed
the beauty of this wildlife won-
derland remains. Cypress trees
still attract summer bluegill to
their shady venues and these
“fight to the finish” rascals will
test your tackle.
Time sort of stands still when
you’re catching big bream on
Reelfoot Lake amid this mag-
nificent backdrop of nature’s
paintbrush.
Fine times await you here. The
bluegill have home court advan-
tage, but you’ll be glad you en-
tered the competition and ven-
tured to their locale.
Looking for a summer outing?
Make plans to cool it in the shady
cypress trees of Reelfoot Lake,
where good fishing awaits you as
a wildlife movie plays right before
your eyes.
Catching bluegill on Reelfoot
Lake never goes out of style!
Editor’s note: A member of the Na-
tional Freshwater Fishing Hall of
Fame, Steve McCadams is a pro-
fessional guide and outdoor writer
from Paris, Tennessee.
Besides fishing, you can canoe on Reelfoot Lake and experience traveling into a seemingly prehistoric landscape of
scenery. Photo courtesy of Reelfoot Tourism

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The History of Farming in AmericaThe History of Farming in America
By Rob Somerville
I spent months of research on
this four part series of the His-
tory of Farming in America and
guess what? I learned a lot and
thoroughly enjoyed writing it.
It seems are readers enjoyed it
as well, so it is kind of a bitter-
sweet moment as I sit in front
of my keyboard to begin the last
chapter. But wait, more research
will allow us to continue this se-
ries with part 5 next issue. Now,
we will look at wheat and cotton
crops, equipment and legislation
of agriculture.
Crops
Wheat production in the
United States
Wheat, used for white bread,
pastries, pasta and pizza, has
been the principal cereal crop
since the 18th century. It was
introduced by the first English
colonists and quickly became the
main cash crop of farmers, who
sold it to urban populations and
exporters. In colonial times its
culture became concentrated in
the Middle Colonies, which be-
came known as the "bread colo-
nies". In the mid-18th century,
wheat culture spread to the tide-
waters of Maryland and Virginia,
where George Washington was a
prominent grower, as he diver-
sified away from tobacco. The
crop moved west, with Ohio as
the center in 1840 and Illinois in
1860. Illinois replaced its wheat
with corn (which was used local-
ly to feed hogs). The invention
of mechanical harvesters, drawn
first by horses and then tractors,
made larger farms much more
efficient than small ones. The
farmers had to borrow money
to buy land and equipment and
had to specialize in wheat, which
made them highly vulnerable to
price fluctuations and gave them
an incentive to ask for govern-
ment help to stabilize or raise
prices.
Wheat farming depended on
Part 4 of 5

significant labor input not only
during planting, but especially
at harvest time. Therefore, suc-
cessful farmers, especially on the
Great Plains, bought up as much
land as possible, purchased very
expensive mechanical equip-
ment, and depended on migrat-
ing hired laborers at harvesting
time. The migrant families tend-
ed to be social outcasts without
local roots and mostly lived near
the poverty line, except in the
harvesting season. From 1909 to
today, North Dakota and Kansas
have vied for first place in wheat
production, followed by Oklaho-
ma and Montana.
McCormick Reaper and
Twine Binder in 1884
In the colonial era, wheat was
sown by broadcasting, reaped by
sickles, and threshed by flails.
The kernels were then taken to a
grist mill for grinding into flour.
In 1830, it took four people and
two oxen, working 10 hours a
day, to produce 200 bushels. New
technology greatly increased
productivity in the 19th centu-
ry, as sowing with drills replaced
broadcasting, cradles took the
place of sickles, and the cradles
in turn were replaced by reap-
ers and binders. Steam-powered
threshing machines also super-
seded flails. By 1895, in Bonan-
za farms in the Dakotas, it took
six people and 36 horses pull-
ing huge harvesters, working 10
hours a day, to produce 20,000
bushels. In the 1930s the gaso-
line powered "combine" com-
bined reaping and threshing
into one operation that took one
person to operate. Production
grew from 85 million bushels in
1839, to 500 million in 1880, to
600 million in 1900, and peak-
ed at 1.0 billion bushels in 1915.
Prices fluctuated erratically, with
a downward trend in the 1890s
that caused great distress in the
Plains states.
The marketing of wheat was
modernized as well, as the cost
of transportation steadily fell and
more and more distant markets
opened up. Before 1850, the crop
was sacked, shipped by wagon or
canal boat, and stored in ware-
houses. With the rapid growth

JULY - AUGUST 2017 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 25JULY - AUGUST 2017 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 25
of the nation's railroad network
in the 1850s-1870s, farmers took
their harvest by wagon for sale
to the nearest country eleva-
tors. The wheat moved to termi-
nal elevators, where it was sold
through grain exchanges to flour
millers and exporters. Since the
elevators and railroads general-
ly had a local monopoly, farm-
ers soon had targets besides the
weather for their complaints.
They sometimes accused the el-
evator men of under grading,
short weighting, and excessive
dockage. Scandinavian immi-
grants in the Midwest took con-
trol over marketing through the
organization of cooperatives.
Varieties of Wheat
Following the invention of the
steel roller mill in 1878, hard va-
rieties of wheat such as Turkey
Red became more popular than
soft, which had been previously
preferred because they were eas-
ier for grist mills to grind.
Wheat production witnessed
major changes in varieties and
cultural practices since 1870.
Thanks to these innovations, vast
expanses of the wheat belt now
support commercial production,
and yields have resisted the neg-
ative impact of insects, diseases
and weeds. Biological innova-
tions contributed roughly half
of labor-productivity growth be-
tween 1839 and 1909.
In the late 19th century, har-
dy new wheat varieties from
the Russian steppes were intro-
duced on the Great Plains by
the Volga Germans who settled
in North Dakota, Kansas, Mon-
tana and neighboring states.
Legend credits the miller, Bern-
hard Warkentin (1847–1908), a
German Mennonite from Russia
for introducing the "Turkey red"
variety from Russia. More exact-
ly, in the 1880s numerous mill-
ers and government agricultural
agents worked to create "Tur-
key red" and make Kansas the
"Wheat State". The U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture, and the state exper-
iment stations, have developed
many new varieties, and taught
farmers how to plant them. Simi-
lar varieties now dominate in the
arid regions of the Great Plains.
Exports
Wheat farmers have always
produced a surplus for export.
The exports run a small-scale
until the 1860s, when bad crops
in Europe, and lower prices due
to cheap railroads and ocean
transport, opened the Europe-
an markets. The British, in par-
ticular, depended on Ameri-
can wheat during the 1860s for
a fourth of their food supply.
By 1880, 150,000,000 bushels
were exported to the value of
$190,000,000. World War I saw
large numbers of young Europe-
an farmers conscripted into the
army, so some Allied countries,
particularly France and Italy de-
pended on American shipments,
which ranged from 100,000,000
to 260,000,000 bushels a year.
American farmers reacted to the
heavy demand and high prices
by expanding their production,
many taking out mortgages to
buy out their neighbor’s farms.
This led to a large surplus in the
1920s. The resulting low pric-
es prompted growers to seek
government support of prices,
first through the McNary-Hau-
gen bills, which failed in Con-
gress, and later in the New Deal
through the Agricultural Adjust-
ment Act of 1933 and its many
versions.
World War II brought an enor-
mous expansion of production,
topping off at a billion bushels
in 1944. During the war and af-
ter large-scale wheat and flour
exports were part of Lend Lease
and the foreign assistance pro-
grams. In 1966 exports reached
860 million bushels, of which
570 million were given away as
food aid. A major drought in the
Soviet Union in 1972 led to the
sale of 390 million bushels and
an agreement was assigned in
1975, under the détente policy,
to supply the Soviets with grain
over a five-year period.
Marketing
By 1900, private grain ex-
changes settled the daily pric-
es for North American wheat.
Santon explains how the AAA
programs set wheat prices in the
U.S. after 1933, and the Canadi-
ans established a wheat board to
do the same there. The Canadi-
an government required prairie
farmers to deliver all their grain
to the Canadian Wheat Board
(CWB), a single-selling-desk
agency that supplanted private
wheat marketing in western
Canada. Meanwhile, the Unit-
ed States government subsidized
farm incomes with domestic-use
taxes and import tariffs, but oth-
erwise preserved private wheat
marketing.

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Cotton
In the colonial era, small
amounts high quality long-sta-
ple cotton was produced in the
Sea Islands off the coast of South
Carolina. Inland, only short-sta-
ple cotton could be grown but it
was full of seeds and very hard
to process into fiber. The inven-
tion of the cotton gin in the late
1790s for the first time made
short-staple cotton usable. It was
generally produced on planta-
tions ranging from South Car-
olina westward, with the work
done by black slaves. Simulta-
neously, the rapid growth of the
industrial revolution in Britain,
focused on textiles, created a
major demand for the fiber. Cot-
ton quickly exhausts the soil, so
planters used their large profits
to buy fresh land to the west,
and purchase more slaves from
the border states to operate their
new plantations. After 1810, the
emerging textile mills in New
England also produced a heavy
demand. By 1820, over 250,000
bales (of 500 pounds each) were
exported to Europe, with a value
of $22 million. By 1840, exports
reached 1.5 million bales valued
at $64 million, two thirds of all
American exports. Cotton pric-
es kept going up as the South re-
mained the main supplier in the
world. In 1860, the US shipped
3.5 million bales worth $192
million. The mixture of a Mexi-
can strand with existing strands
of cotton led cotton bolls to open
wide like a flat hand at harvest,
which dramatically raised the
amount of cotton that could be
picked per day.
After the Civil War, cotton
production expanded to small
farms, operated by white and
black tenant farmers and share-
croppers. The quantity exported
held steady, at 3,000,000 bales,
but prices on the world market
fell. Although there was some
work involved in planting the
seeds, and cultivating or hold-
ing out the weeds, the critical
labor input for cotton was in the
picking. How much a cotton op-
eration could produce depended
on how many hands (men wom-
en and children) were available.
Finally in the 1950s, new me-
chanical harvesters allowed a
handful of workers to pick as
much as 100 had done before.
The result was a large-scale exo-
dus of the white and black cotton
farmers from the south. By the
1970s, most cotton was grown
in large automated farms in the
Southwest.

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It’s going
to happen.
Someone
is going to
ask you if
you’re ready
for deer sea-
son. Most of us
give a light-heart-
ed answer and move
on with the conver-
sation. In truth, it’s a
question that you should
be asking yourself long
before opening day rolls
around. Keep in mind
though that we can’t fully an-
swer that question until after the
season in over and we’ve gotten
our dose of “Murphy’s Law”. At
the end of deer season we may
find ourselves pondering prob-
lems like, “I should’ve fixed that
squeak in my climbing stand! I
should’ve checked the hook on
my pull rope! These hip waders
didn’t leak last year! That tree is
covered in poison ivy, so how am
I going to climb it?”
We may never be able to say
we’re fully ready, but if there is
one thing that will fend off the
attacks from Murphy and his
calamities, it’s good old fashion
common sense. Taking care of
potential problems before they
happen can go a long way, both
in the field and at home.
In the Field
Scouting is something that
should be done year-round.
Knowing the deer movement in
an area allows you to “fit in” rath-
er than invade. This can’t be done
by waiting until a week or two be-
fore season to start looking.
A good beginning in pattern-
ing deer movement is watch-
ing fields and trail intersections
during feeding times, since the
main factor in deer movement
is food. Other factors, such as
hunting pressure and the time of
year also come into play. Exam-
ples include when the white oaks
drop their acorns, opening day of
season, the rut, and springtime
when the fawns are born. Natu-
ral occurrences also have an effect
on deer movement. The ice storm
of 2009 left the forest in this area
covered with broken limbs and
tree tops. In the following years
the undergrowth took over and
created some great hiding plac-
es for deer and some hard {and
loud} walking for hunters.
Take as much time scouting
during the pre-season as you can.
This will provide you with insight
on where you want to locate your
stand or how productive an exist-
ing stand is going to be. During
scouting, I may utilize a climber
or sit in a field, but I seldom post
up in my hunting stands. This al-
lows me to watch the deer move-
Are You Ready
for Deer Season
Pictured above are two nice bucks that were harvested by the author, after-
plenty of preseason preparation. Photo by author
By Richard A. Fagan.

ment near my stands without
alerting the deer to human pres-
ence. Trail cameras have proven
to be a great help in preseason
scouting. They can monitor ar-
eas for longer periods of time,
without us leaving human scent
behind. The results of pre-season
scouting lead to the next step,
which is to get your stands in po-
sition and ready.
Spending time preparing your
hunting spot is one of the most
important things a person can
do to eliminate potential prob-
lems and increase the chances
of a successful hunt. I’m not just
referring to scouting. Clearing
shooting lanes, checking and re-
pairing fixed stands, and making
adjustments to any changes such
as crop rotation or natural occur-
rences are some of the things that
should be done well in advance of
opening day.
There are obvious benefits in
preparing for hunting season on
private land. You can keep stands
in place year round, use motor-
ized vehicles to transport the
tools you’ll need, and you’re not
hampered by some of the restric-
tions that are placed on those who
hunt public lands. Yet, even on
public land, there are things that
can be done that’ll help greatly
in making a hunting spot more
productive. Whether on private
or public land the first thing that
should always be considered is
safety.
Safety should take priority over
everything. It’s best to have a
partner along on the trip, but if
you’re going at it alone make sure
someone knows where you’ll be.
Cell phones have become valuable
tools for the lone outdoorsman.
Give your contact a call and let
them know how things are go-
ing. Also keep a field first aid with
you. (See the section on gear for
suggestions on how to make one
personalized for you}.
I’ve replaced my trusty walking
stick with a hoe. It can be used
to clear the ground for a ground
blind and to cut vines and small
limbs. It’s also an ample weap-
on when having to deal with
any slithering reptiles that might
show up. This is a very function-
al tool to have along. The cam-
era and notebook are to record
information that you can study
later. Having a visual record of
your hunting locations when foli-
age is on and off of trees is useful.
Taking pictures of your potential
shots can reinforce your mental
picture of a hunt and may be a
help when practicing.
On the Trail
How you get to your hunting
spot is an important and some-
times overlooked detail that could
make or break your hunt. As
mentioned earlier, some of us
have the benefit of being able to
use vehicles to accomplish our
work in the field. The downside of
this is that we might just breeze
by something that would’ve been
seen had we been taking our time
and hiking in. By walking to your
stand location you can study your
trail, making sure it is the best
route not to alert the deer and
to clear any obstructions that
might be in the way. Remember
that you’re going to be travelling
this trail both during light and
dark hours and you’ll want to be
able to easily navigate it. For ex-
Here is some basic equipment that can be carried on these trips including
hand cutters, a saw, gloves, a camera, a notebook and pen, and a hatchet.
Photo by author

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ample; on several of my trails I
have secured ropes that run from
the top of the creek banks to the
bottom. This has made getting up
and down the banks a great deal
easier and quieter.
Also, by spending more time on
the trail you can take your time to
establish landmarks that will help
to keep you aware of your loca-
tion. Once you’re sure your trail
is ready, you should time yourself
from start to finish. This will help
you to set a comfortable schedule
in getting to your stand in a time-
ly manner.
The walk in also tells another
story. Are you in shape to get to
and from your stand without huff-
ing and puffing and soaking your
scent free hunting clothes with
sweat? I’ve read articles about
outdoorsmen staying in good
physical condition and a men-
tal picture of carrying a huge elk
rack out of the high country al-
ways came to mind, but the con-
ditions in this area of the south
are just as challenging. Some of
our seasons open while summer’s
heat is still hanging around, back-
waters and gumbo mud are plen-
tiful, and our forests have large
amounts of underbrush to ma-
neuver through. There’s also a lev-
el of confidence that comes along
with knowing that you can easily
make the track to your stand. So,
get in shape prior to season. This,
in itself, can bring a level of per-
sonal success at the very start of
the hunt.
At the Stand
Deer stands can be tricky. A
number of variables come into
play when selecting and main-
taining a productive ambush
point. First you want to make
sure the stand is safe, sturdy and
quiet. Then, two main things I
always consider are the wind di-
rection and movement detection.
If you’re hunting a stand and for
some reason the deer are spotting
you, the answer may be as easy
as moving the stand to a differ-
ent tree that offers better conceal-
ment. The wind may seem to be
in your favor, but the drafts still
carry your scent straight down
the hollow to the main game trail.
Identifying these problems is the
first step in eliminating them. If
you’ve hunted this spot in the
past; the previous hunts may pro-
vide you with useful information.
Once you’re certain that you
have your stand located in the
best place and that it is in good
shape, you can start looking at
shooting lanes. This is especially
vital to a bow hunter. One trick
I’ve used in the past is to carry a
length of string that my partner
holds or I tie to the stand then I
go to each potential target point
and pull it tight. This lets me see
what obstructions need clearing.
Mark the string with your shoot-
ing distances. This will help in se-
lecting the right sight pin when
it’s time. Remember to try and
create shooting lanes that will
give you cover to draw your bow.
After clearing the lanes, check
from your stand to verify you
have a clear shot and that you
have unrestricted movement to
make that shot.
Clear the ground at the base of
the tree where your stand is lo-
cated or that you intend to climb.
Also do this at the entries of
ground blinds. The reason being
it is much easier to find a dropped
item such as the clip pin for your
climbing stand or your truck
keys. It also makes for a quite
transition from ground to tree.
Climbing stands offer hunters
The picture on the right is the view from the deer stand on the left. Foliage
had not yet appeared, so I had a good view of my shooting lanes.
Photo by author

the mobility to change ambush
points at any time. All of the
above suggestions apply to climb-
ers also. This might require more
effort. A good example would be
if you’re hunting a small cornfield.
Prepare climbing trees around the
edges of the field, so you’re not
limited to just one position. In
hardwoods you might select dif-
ferent trees at trial intersections
and to account for changing wind
directions.
With multiple locations pre-
pared in advance you have in-
creased the usefulness of your
climbing stand.
Scouting and preparation in
the field takes time and effort,
but your odds of a successful
hunting season will increase. Po-
tential problems can be elimi-
nated before they happen. Your
knowledge of the area you hunt
will increase along with the con-
fidence that your hunting spots
are ready when its time. Always
be sure and check with your lo-
cal fish and game department, es-
pecially if you hunt public land,
for any rules and regulations that
might apply.
Be a Shooter
Practicing and becoming famil-
iar with your weapon is manda-
tory for both safety reasons and
to make clean and humane kill
shots. In archery being consis-
tent in your draw, aim and re-
lease is the key. Practicing and
developing this skill by shooting
at a fixed yardage is a good first
effort. After you have acquired a
solid shooting routine, then it’s
on to the next step.
The reality of shooting is that
y o u ’r e m o s t
likely going to
be shooting un-
der totally differ-
ent conditions when
hunting than when you’re
practicing at home. A bas-
ketball player doesn’t just
practice lay-ups.
He has to be
a proficient
shot mak-
e r f r o m
a l l a r e a s
… so does
a bow hunt-
er. Chanc-
es are you’ll
be shooting
from an ele-
vated stand
in a stance
that’s
dif-
ferent
from
the re-
laxed
ground
stance you’ve become accustom
to. Shooting through openings
or shooting lanes in the woods
is different from the openness of
your back yard. This is where
taking pictures in the field will
come in handy. You can use these
as references to set up the same
shots in your practice area. This
helps you form a mental picture
of your different shots. A portable
block target is a good investment
for this type of practice.
Consider other realities of the
hunt. You tossed and turned all
night thinking about the opening
day, so you have to drink two tall
cups of cof-
fee or an en-
ergy drink to
perk you up. You
hike to your spot
and climb up in your
stand. Everything is fi-
nally in place and set-
tled down, includ-
ing the mosquitoes,
when a nice buck
steps out from the
opposite direc-
tion you were ex-
pecting. This will
cause you to have
to make ever so slow
adjustments in your
position before you
can shoot. The bow
that you have drawn
and fired so many
times with
no prob-
l e m h a s
now b e-
come stiff
and unyield-
ing. As I earlier
compared shooting to a basket-
ball player, I am giving this one to
a baseball pitcher. Pitchers spend
time in the bullpen and on the
mound warming up before facing
a batter. You are going to get one
shot without warming-up. The
more time you can spend prepar-
ing yourself for this moment the
more successful you will be.
The same thing can be said for
getting ready with a firearm. How
many times do we hear or say, “I
have my gun sighted in one inch
high at a hundred yards.”Ok, the
gun is ready, but how about the
shooter? Firing from a bench

rest with the gun nestled in sand-
bags is a far cry from shooting
free-handed, from a stand that
is swaying in the wind, at a tar-
get two hundred and fifty yards
across a field. Burn some powder
from positions you’ll be hunting
from and at realistic ranges. If
you’re going to be attempting long
range shots you need to prepare
yourself to make them. The gun
is only as good as the shooter. A
range finder can be of great as-
sistance in determining the rang-
es in which you are comfortable
shooting. Take this information
with you on trips afield and mark
these distances from your stand.
Natural markers are best and
don’t attract attention.
Safety
Some years back, I got a first-
hand view of what can happen
to someone when they fall from
a tree stand. On a bow hunt, at
Land Between the Lakes, a hunter
wearing rubber boots slipped and
fell from a ten foot ladder stand.
He suffered multiple injuries and
was carried out of the woods by
first responders.
It doesn’t matter what type of
stand you’re hunting in. Even
a fall from a short height can
cause an injury. There’s no danc-
ing around this issue. The hon-
est truth is that a hunter that
doesn’t wear a safety belt is tak-
ing the same chances as someone
who doesn’t wear their seatbelt.
It’s been proven that these two
items can save your life. The rea-
sons for not wearing a safety belt
may be versed differently, but in
truth, some folks just don’t think
it could happen to them and they
consider it an inconvenience.
Please make sure you have a good
fall restraint system that you have
inspected and know how to use it
correctly.
Should an injury occur in the
field, the most important thing
is to take care of the injury long
This is a basic first aid kit that all hunters should carry. Photo by author

enough to get help. A small first-
aid kit is a necessity on any out-
door trip. I have designed mine,
so it doesn’t take up much room
and will easily fit into my day-
pack. It has a supply of different
size band aids, two larger ban-
dages, an elastic wrap that’s large
enough to secure a bandage or
wrap a strained ankle, alcohol
pads, super glue, clotting pack-
ets, aspirin and antihistamine.
There is still room for any items
you might want to include. I’ve
made several of these and given
them to friends as gifts. They are
also good additions to store in a
ground blind or under the seat
of a stand.
Check ALL your Gear
I can remember as a boy how I
would spend hours cleaning my
twenty gauge, getting it ready for
a rabbit hunt the next morning.
The smell of gun oil would per-
meate the entire house. After I
was satisfied my gun would pass
any military inspection, I’d check
each shell and place them in the
hoops of my old Redhead hunt-
ing coat. Then, I’d spend another
two hours sharpening my knife.
Most hunters have their own
rituals they go through in pre-
paring for the hunting season.
Some of these lessons were taught
from other hunters or read about
in magazines. Some lessons were
learned by falling victim to the
previous mentioned Murphy’s
Law.
One way to remedy a possi-
ble hunt-breaker is to consider
having back-ups of things that
may become lost or broken. Ex-
tra arrow releases, stand clips,
flashlight and batteries, a knife,
pull rope, gloves and head net
are some that come to mind. The
list could get longer, but having
a field box stored in your vehicle
with some extras might come in
handy as well.
As our hunting seasons move
from bow to muzzleloader, to
bow, to gun, to crossbow, and
back to gun again, we find our-
selves jumping around trying to
keep the right equipment for the
right season. Keeping gear in its
own pack, for each type of hunt
you participate in, is an effective
way to keep your equipment or-
ganized and ready when you need
it. A list tucked away in your pack
is also a handy way to make sure
that you have everything stowed
away.
Don’t take for granted that ev-
erything is as you left it last sea-
son. Check your hunting clothes
long before season gets here to
make sure that they’re in good
condition and that they still fit.
Any item made from fabric that is
stored outside should be checked
to make sure it is still capable
of doing the job. Rubber boots
should be inspected for fit, dry
rot or holes.
Start early; don’t wait to start
checking your gear a week be-
fore season. As mentioned above,
make a list of all your gear and
give yourself plenty of time to
verify everything is in good or-
der. If you should need to replace
something, it can be done without
being stressed for time. This helps
with costs, because you can shop
around for the best deals.
In closing; your best efforts can
only allow you the peace of mind
that you’ve done all you can to be
ready for deer season. If bad luck
hits I hope you’ll have a working
rabbit’s foot with you and an extra
one in the truck. Best of luck in
the upcoming deer season.

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Lubricants | Fuels | Chemicals | DEF
TRUCKING AGRICULTURE LOGGING

7

WE HAVE A WHOLE FLEET OF WRECKERS
FOR ANY SITUATION!
CHECK OUT OUR SELECTION
OF DIXIE DEER BLINDS! We also offer Soil Sampling (Grid/Spot)
and of course ... all your seed, fertilizer and Ag chemicals needs!
CONSOLIDATED AGRI PRODUCTS
35 Harrington Rd - Ridgely, TN 38080
(731) 264-5440
RIO Shotgun Shells
Val6 Heaters
G&H Decoys
Dakota Decoys
Louisana Grills
YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE FARM, HOME
& THE GREAT OUTDOORS!
WE HAVE A GOOD THING GROWING LIKE
THE DYER COUNTY FAIR!
RIO SHOTGUN SHELLS
VAL6 HEATERS
HIGDON DECOYS
ORCA COLLERS
LOUISIANA GRILLS

TRADITIONS TIPS - with Richard A. Fagan
1. A rubber stall mat makes a great archery backstop. You can
find them at most feed stores
2. Keep some safety pins in your tackle box. They are good to
store hooks and can be used to repair a missing eye on your rod.
4. PVC again! Put together a toilet fixture and a matching length
of pipe and you have yourself a very functional arrow holder
3. A pump sprayer makes a great handheld shower to have along
on outdoor activities.
5. Keep your bow string waxed. This protects the string from the
elements and helps it to to last longer.
Editor’s note: all photos and graphics are provided by the author.
If you wish to submit a “TIP” send emails to rafagan59@hotmail.com.
GENERAL TIPS!

Dr. Mark Brooks
Pharmacist
Ginger
CPhT
Christen
SalesAssociate
Carolyn
Sales Associate
Hillary
CPhT
Krissie
CPhT
Brandy
Pharmacy Tech
Sales Associate
Emily
CPhT
Dr. Emily Crum
Pharmacist
Chasity
CPhT
Ginger
CPhT
Casey
CPhT
Crystal - Pharmacy
Tech / DME
Sydney
CPhT
Kim
Pharmacy Tech
Sales Associate
Kalli-Rae
Sales Associate
Patty
Bookkeeper
• FAST FRIENDLY ONE-ON-ONE SERVICE FROM
LOCAL PHARMACISTS
(being locally owned means we support Dyer County not a BIG
pharmacy chain)
• ACCEPTANCE OF OVER 3,000 PRESCRIPTION
PLANS
(your co-payment will stay the same)
• LOW PRICES ON ALL PHARMACY NEEDS
(we will match all competitors genetic plans or programs)
• MOST CONVENIENT LOCATION IN TOWN
(with driv-thru and handicap accessibility)
• FREE DELIVERY ANYWHERE IN CITY LIMITS
(delivery also available countywide for small fee)
• MEDICARE BILLING
(for all your diabetic & durable medical equipment needs)
• IMMUNIZATIONS
(flu, shingles, school, job & travel vaccinations)
• PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDING
PRESCRIPTION SERVICES
• MASTECTOMY SUPPLIES
(private dressing room and Certified Mastectomy Specialist on
staff to help with fittings)
ALL MAJOR TIRE BRANDS
ALIGNMENT - EXHAUST - BRAKES - SUSPENSION
OIL CHANGE - MUFFLERS - CUSTOM EXHAUSTS
AIR CONDITIONING ... AND MUCH MORE!
OWNERS - RANDY MORRIS & FAMILY
FAMILY OWNED
&
OPERATED SINCE
1986!
THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS!
DYERSBURG, TN: 1960 ST. JOHN AVE. 731-285-9010
GLEASON, TN: 3747 HIGHWAY 22 731-352-2255
PARIS, TN: 210 MEMORIAL DR. 731-642-8745

731-285-1154 2100 Pioneer Road
Forcum Lannom Materials
Here yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Grassy Water is one of the premiere
Wetlands Restoration Program Farms
just outside of Portageville, smack dab in
the heart of “Duck Heaven” in Southeast
Missouri. The owner, Jeffrey Daniels and his
expert team of guides have decades of duck
hunting experience and they know what it
takes to give their clients the duck hunting
trip of a lifetime!
At Grassy Water our number one goal is
to give every client a memorable hunt that
they will never forget!
Jeffrey Daniels at 731-413-8688 Amber Garrett at 731-413-6504
danielsfarms99@yahoo.com
www.grassywater.com

We discovered this old bridge deep within the Devil’s Backbone area. It marks our best spot yet for hunting
geodes. Photo by Kevin Griffith
small river basin. We immediately
pulled over and grabbed our
buckets. It seemed like only
seconds before we found ourselves
walking through the mother lode!
The river level was extremely low
with much of the bottom exposed.
And what an amazing exposure
it was! As far as we could see
there were rocks, and not just any
rocks… GEODES! Some were even
split open exposing their beautiful
crystals! Kris and I were giddy with
excitement. Our challenge now
was to decide which ones to take.
Our van could only haul so many
pounds. Boy, I wished we had our
farm truck, or better yet our dump
truck! But alas, we had to limit
our take to a few hundred pounds,
or maybe 500, or possibly even
more... whatever I thought I could
get away with without threatening
the van’s suspension. I planned to
find out just what it could handle.
As we filled our buckets we began
finding other unique rocks. These
weren’t geodes, they were fossils!
(I love fossils too!) They were of
ancient sea life including sponges,
corals and crinoids. I was in
heaven! (more on fossils in another
article.) We spent the next couple
hours filling, dragging and loading
buckets until the van cried uncle! It
was visibly squatting on its tail end.
So, I moved what buckets I could
toward the front until the squat
wasn’t quite as pronounced. “Now”
I said, “Let’s see if we can make it
back to the inn.”
Luckily, we not only made it back
to the inn, but the next day we made
it to my paternal grandparent’s
gravesite, drove by our family’s
Indiana farm and made it all the
way back to Dyersburg. I won’t
lie, the van rode heavy, was slow to
stop and the shocks bottomed out
on several bumps along the way.
But, it was worth it! I now have my
huge cauliflower rock to admire, a
handful of precious fossils to add
to my collection and a substantially
larger pile of geodes. I’ve now given
my wife another reason to think I’m
crazy. (As if she had any doubt!) I
may have even given you one!
Does being a rock hound
intrigue you? If so, you don’t have
to go all the way to Indiana to
find interesting rocks and fossils.
In future issues I’ll share with
you a few of my experiences rock
hounding closer to home.

Hello to all
the great readers of STO. I hope
everything is great in your lives. In most of the ar-
ticles I have written, I stress on getting young peo-
ple out in the woods with the old coon hunters. I
know as I am getting older and someday going to
the great woods in the sky, I realize this is more im-
portant than ever. This past Memorial Day weekend
I had the chance to introduce some youngsters to
the great outdoors and the world of coon hunting.
It all started when I was out on a date with my
significant other, Carol Anne Copeland. Carol says
I am a part-time boyfriend and a full-time coon
hunter. {There is sainthood waiting for any girl-
friend or wife that puts up with a coon hunter for
any amount of time in their lives.}
We started talking about her three children -
Story Robey (17), Lainee “The Possum” Robey (9),
and Zeke “the Animal” Robey (7) and about how
they need to get out and away from video games,
the internet and TV. “Let’s take them coonin’ one
night,” I said, thinking she would not go for it, but
to my surprise she said YES!
We decided to shoot for Memorial Day week-
end. On that Saturday we loaded the dogs and kids
and off we went, but Mother Nature had a differ-
ent plan. Around 8:00 pm the bottom fell out of
the sky and storm chasing we went. The plan be-
ing hijacked by Mother Nature, we decided Sunday
would be the better day.
So, that Sun-
day night the
adventure began. We load-
ed the dogs and the kids
and off we went. After a
visit to the local store to
get the supplies for our hunt (lots of candy and
plenty of “Off” mosquito repellant) we headed to
the hunting spot. This location is one of my favor-
ites to hunt; easy hunting and coons, perfect for
the kids. I decided to bring my old dog, Heidi and
my young dog, Music. We released them around
9:00 pm and they quickly struck a coon and with-
in 15 minutes they were treed. Walking to the tree,
Lainee and Zeke were asking questions about the
outdoor world. I did my best to answer them all,
and man there was a bunch (with them never be-
ing in the woods before). I showed them what not
to touch (poison ivy, poison oak and sumac). We
arrived at the tree, we looked it over and found the
coon. You should have seen the look in their eyes,
it was priceless!
After that we decided to head back to the truck.
The worst part about the hunt was that Heidi and
Music listened to the kids better than me. On the
way back Lainee starts talking about her phone and
play station. I told her we never had that stuff when
I was a kid and she says, “Shawn, you guys never
had technology”.
“You know your right,” I said, but we played out-
side all the time and were constantly doing some-
thing in the outdoors. She looked at me bewildered
and said “Sounds like fun”.
She asked when we could go again. So, we
know she is hooked. Story is hooked as well
and said, “My adventures when I am in Knox-
ville will be coming back home and hunting”.
Carol Ann and I looked at each other and
smiled at that comment. Now Zeke is another
beast, you can tell he enjoyed it, but he won’t
say much. He is the quiet one of the bunch.
I think with the look in his eyes after seeing
the coon that he is hooked. Maybe this hunt-
ing trip will get them outdoors and away from
the Age of Nintendo. Heck, you never know,
they may become world famous hunters. Until
till next time, great readers, see you at the tree.
By Shawn Todd
The New Generation

Hines Bibee {age 7} caught thisbig shellcracker while fishing withhis grandfather, Ricky Wilson ofHuntingdon, Tennessee in a local farmpond.
Photo courtesy of Lankford
Taxidermy
Cord Maddox {age 23 of Huntingdon, Tennessee} may have
harvested a new state record with his 25.37 lb. gobbler that he
harvested in Henry County. Its beard measured 12 and 7/16th
inches with a left spur of 1 and 7/8th inches and the right spur
of 2 and 1/16th inches.
Photo courtesy of Lankford Taxidermy
Cayden Runions caught this nice
Catfish in a private pond in Dyers-
burg, Tennessee. You can tell he
was excited to get the biggest fish
of the day!
Photo sent in by Donna Hicks
Robert {DOC} Jackson proves that you
can catch big crappie at Pickwick Lake,
even in the summer time
can catch big crappie at Pickwick Lake,
Richard Fagan {STO contribut-
ing writer} took this nice gobbler
in Kentucky this past Spring. It
weighed in at 24 lbs. and had an 11
and 1/2 inch beard.
Photo courtesy of Richard Fagan

UNBELIEVABLY
GOOD
Good advice. Good service. Good people.
At FIRST CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK,
we mirror the good things that make up this community. We are
passionate about providing you with a unique and fantastic
experience. We’re consistently ranked among the top community
banks in the country. And you’re the reason why. Come see for
yourself, in person or online.
www.FirstCNB.comMember FDIC

Southern Traditions Outdoors July/August 2017

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