VOLUME XXIII NO. 3 FALL 2015 - Delta Wildlife · 2019. 7. 18. · Delta Wildlife FALL 2015 3 Cover photo by Joe Mac Hudspeth, Jr. Departments Vol. XXIII No. 3 JOE MAC HUDSPETH, JR

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VOLUME XXIII NO. 3 FALL 2015

Delta Wildlife FALL 2015 3

Cover photo by Joe Mac Hudspeth, Jr.

Departments

Vol. XXIII No. 3

JOE

MAC

HU

DSP

ETH

, JR.

Fall 2015

Chairman’s Message 4 Ag Partners Support Conservation in the Delta

Founders 5 DW Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Delta Wildlife News 8 Delta Wildlife Committee Report 9 New DW Committee Members 35 Mobile Applications for Deer Management 36 Former DW Intern Lands Appointment at MSU College of Forest Resources

Delta Fauna 12 Birds of Fall 13 What Is This? 27 Scarlet Kingsnake 36 Beagle

Delta Flora 26 Featured Food Plot Material 27 Swamp Milkweed

Delta Sportsmen 6 Fire Ants and Chiggers: Out to Spoil Your Fun 20 2015-2016 Hunting Seasons 24 Selecting the Most Effective Steel Shot

Delta Conservationist 14 Partner Highlight: Bronson Strickland 34 Board Member Highlight: Louie Thompson

Management 32 Prepare Now to Collect Deer Harvest Data 37 Conservation Tracker

Services 7 Waterfowl Management 22 White-Tailed Deer Management (DMAP, Camera Surveys, Herd Management)

18

FeaturesBowfishing 101The ins and outs of bowfishing: what species one can target, suggested uses for fish, and “how-to” bowfish respectfully and responsibly.

30 Hog Wild on the LeveeChief Engineers of the Mississippi Levee Board and Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board partner to control a threat that’s nearing out-of-control status.

4 Delta Wildlife FALL 2015

If you look to regions in the United States that sportsmen point to as premier hunting destinations, the chances are those regions are dominated by agriculture. Take a quick

look at the landscape in counties where a majority of Boone & Crockett white-tailed deer is harvest-ed. As for ducks, it’s no coincidence that the Rice Capital and the Duck Capital of the World is the same place.

It’s no different in the Mississippi Delta. The rich soil binds agriculture and wildlife. The same soils and natural resources that help farmers produce bountiful crops help to grow vital wildlife habitat. Together, agriculture and native wildlife habitat enable many of our most beloved wildlife species to

thrive at a level that would be nearly impossible to sustain without the other. Delta Wildlife has embraced the relationship between agriculture and wildlife and

used it to further benefit the native wildlife species of the region. This can be seen in many of our partnerships with ag companies that help support many of Delta Wildlife’s membership services and conservation projects.

AgVenture, Monsanto, Pioneer and Syngenta all support Delta Wildlife’s annual Habitat Seed Program. These seeds are sold at extremely discounted rates to Delta Wildlife members to be used as wildlife forage in food plots from Vicksburg to Memphis. Deer, turkey, quail and waterfowl are the primary beneficiaries of the pro-gram, but many other native wildlife species also benefit from the more than 10,000 acres of food plots planted by this program annually.

Delta Wildlife leveraged the support of John Deere and FMC Corporation to plant thousands of acres of quail nesting habitat since 2002. Currently, Monsanto is support-ing Delta Wildlife’s latest waterfowl habitat development project that will yield more than 6,096 acres of enhanced waterfowl habitat this year alone. Similarly, Syngenta is working with Delta Wildlife and Delta F.A.R.M. to establish additional pollinator habi-tat in the Delta.

Delta Wildlife’s Ag partners are supporting some of the most significant conservation efforts in the Mississippi Delta region. The organization is grateful for this support, as are the members and wildlife that directly benefit from these partnerships.

Ag Partners Support Conservation in the Delta

BY RANDY SEWALL

Moon Lake resident Randy Sewall is the Delta Wildlife Chairman of the Board and Chair for Waterfowl and Wetlands Committee.

Chairman’s Message

PresidentPaul D. Dees, Greenville

Chairman of the BoardRandy Sewall, Coahoma

TreasurerTommy Goodwin, Greenville

Board of DirectorsErle West Barham, SidonHall Barret, III, Belzoni

Jimmy Bruton, HollandaleEmily Carter, Glen AllanHayes Dent, Yazoo City

Terry Dulaney, ClarksdaleScott Flowers, Clarksdale

Mark Fratesi, LelandJohn Murry Greenlee, Yazoo City

Allan Grittman, DrewAustin Jones, MoorheadBryan Jones, Yazoo City

Bernie Jordan, CarterBill Kennedy, InvernessMike Lamensdorf, CaryBill Litton, GreenwoodJim Luckett, Tutwiler

Murry McClintock, TunicaAnn Ruscoe, ClarksdaleGibb Steele, Hollandale

Mike Sturdivant, Jr., GlendoraBill Ryan Tabb, Cleveland

Sledge Taylor, ComoLouie Thompson, Tchula

Rod Veazey, Indianola

Board Emeritus Philip Barbour, Sidon

Bruce Brumfield, InvernessBobby Carson, Marks

James R. Carter, Rolling ForkBob Coker, Yazoo City

Bowen Flowers, ClarksdaleR. B. Flowers, TunicaMichael Foose, Tchula

John Sharp Howie, Yazoo CityJackie Kerr, Rolling Fork

Gayden Metcalfe, GreenvilleFrank Mitchener, Sumner

Duke Morgan, ShawTerry Murrell, Avon

W. A. Percy, II, GreenvilleChat Phillips, Yazoo City

Magazine Production StaffTrey Cooke, Production Manager

Liz Brown, EditorLia Guthrie, Graphics and Design Manager

Ashley Kumpe, Graphic DesignWilliam May, Print Manager

Delta Wildlife StaffTrey Cooke, Executive DirectorLiz Brown, Executive Assistant

and Marketing DirectorTim Huggins, Natural Resource Specialist

Sam Franklin, Wildlife BiologistDan Prevost, Wildlife Forester

Jody Acosta, Wildlife TechHunter Hayes, Intern

Delta Wildlife is a private, non-profit corporation dedi-cated to developing and properly managing wildlife hab-itat in the Delta and part-Delta Counties of Northwest Mississippi. Delta Wildlife Magazine is published quarterly by Delta Wildlife, P.O. Box 276, Stoneville, MS 38776. This is Volume XXIII, Number 3, pub-lished in the Fall of 2015. Members of Delta Wildlife receive this publication as a benefit of membership. Delta Wildlife welcomes suggestions and contribu-tions from readers. All materials should be sent to the Production Manager’s attention. Materials are reviewed and approved by an editorial committee. Advertising rates are available by calling (662) 686-3370 or email at [email protected]. The appearance of advertisers, or their identification as a member of Delta Wildlife, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured.

Delta WildlifeVOLUME XXIII NO. 3 FALL 2015

Sincerely,

RAN

DY

SEW

ALL


Delta Wildlife Celebrates 25 Years and Wishes its Greatest Thanks

to its Original Founders:Bolivar CountyCharles Capps, Jr.

Kenneth HoodEd Kossman, Jr.

Henry McCaslin, Jr.Rives Neblett

Jimmy SandersBrother Wilson

Bob WilsonRobert Wilson

Coahoma CountyHarry Flowers

Margaret McKeeW. R. Stringer

Desoto CountyWilliam T. Hawks

Holmes CountyR. T. Hardeman J. Tol Thomas

Humphreys CountyBilly G. JanousTom Reed, III

James C. Griffin

Leflore CountyMickey Black

John EmmerichHenry Flautt

James S. HendersonJ. S. Johnson

Aven Whittington

Panola CountyRobert Dunlap

Quitman CountyL. Jones Barksdale, IIIRobert A. Carson, Sr.

Lewis GraeberPeyton Self

W. King SelfJim WilbournBilly Yandell

Sharkey CountyJames R. Carter

Rives CarterGrover F. GreerJames Hand, III

Bill KlausBen Lamensdorf

Lynne MosesMerlin RichardsonR. W. Rodgers, Jr.

Sunflower CountyHugh Arant, Sr.

Turner ArantBruce BrumfieldWoods Eastland

W. W. Gresham, Jr.Seymour B. Johnson

Morris Lewis, Jr.Lamar Maxwell

John McPhersonRex MorganLester MyersHenry Paris

James RobertsonBilly RobertsonDr. Paul SmithChamp Terney

Tallahatchie CountyW. B. Dunavant

Ralph Hand, Jr.Frank Mitchener, Jr.

Rick ParsonsWalker Sturdivant

Tunica CountyPaul Battle, Jr.Charles Berry

Bowen FlowersMattson Flowers

R. B. FlowersBill McClintock, III

Penn Owen, Jr.

Washington CountyHoward Brent

Lea BrentThomas BrutonHank Burdine

Tom Cameron, IIIJohn T. DillardCharles FischerRobroy FisherJ. B. Joseph, Jr.Johnny McRightW. A. Percy, II

Clark ReedMichael RetzerHarry Vickery

George Rea WalkerPaul Watson, Jr.

Yazoo CountyHaley Barbour

Bob CokerMichael Curran

R. D. HinesJohn Sharp Howie

B. A. JordanJohn PhillipsHarris Swayze

Delta Wildlife News


I suppose many folks would name poison ivy and water moccasins as the worst nightmares to be encountered in the heat of summer and fall, and with good reason. But don’t overlook a couple tiny boogers that can ruin a fun

outing in a heartbeat – fire ants and chiggers. I’m sure we have all encountered them at one time or another. I remember a mis-erable week at scout camp after hiking through a chigger infested area. And who of us has not been surprised by a fire ant or two (hundred)? So perhaps you will find a look into their worlds both interesting and helpful in dealing with them on future outdoor adventures. So what is it about these little creatures that make them an ever constant pain in the rear end? As I researched the “net” for this article, I was fascinated by facts that never occurred to me about both critters.

Fire ants accidently arrived on our shores in the 1930s in ship-ping cargo probably from Africa. This invasive insect thrives in open fields and pastures in the South and has no predator. They eat mostly plant life but can kill and eat small animals. Fire ants are warm weather ants; ever notice you don’t see their mounds as you travel to more northern states? Well, researchers from the University of Arkansas determined it takes two weeks of tempera-tures consistently below 10 degrees Fahrenheit to completely kill a colony. We don’t experience those cold temps in the Deep South. Fire ants do not drown. In high water conditions, they form floating nests that will eventually find dry ground. Even with potent ant poisons it is nearly impossible to kill every ant in the mound, considering it may harbor 250,000 worker ants and several queens. A mature queen can lay up to 1,600 eggs per day. As young queens mature, they fly off with males and establish new colonies. Fire ants may live up to five to seven years.

When a fire ant nest is disturbed, the insects instantly swarm vertically and attack the intruder. They bite with mouthparts so that they can attach to the victim’s flesh. Once they have bit-ten the victim, they then use the stinger on their abdomens to repeatedly sting. The stinger injects an alkaloid compound, sole-nopsin, which causes the immediate pain and local tissue reaction most of us know so well. The best treatment for fire ant bites is avoidance, but these ants are so common we all eventually fall victim to them. Wearing long sleeves, pants and high top shoes/boots is helpful but often not practical in our Southern heat.

Most of us sustain only local skin reactions at the sting sites, which last about a week. Small cloudy blisters form and eventual-ly scab-over. Immediate sting treatment with soapy water and ice is soothing. The pain gradually subsides giving way to itching as the site heals. Scratching may introduce bacteria and cause infec-

tion, but the use of anti-itch creams and gels containing antihis-tamines, the anesthetic benzocaine, steroids and/or aloe vera are helpful. (An old home remedy was urine!) Infected sites require antibiotics. Some people are or can become highly allergic to the solenopsin poison and suffer immediate and life threatening reac-tions with the potential for an anaphylactic death. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction may include sudden shortness of breath, hoarseness, wheezing, swelling, rapid heartbeat and collapse. Anyone with a known allergy to fire ant stings should always have an Epi-pen in his/her pocket, as it can save a life.

Intense ItchingChiggers of course are different, but can cause as much mis-

ery as fire ants. They are arachnids (spiders with eight legs), not insects. They are truly summer bugs thriving in hot weather, usually more active on hotter afternoons. They are inactive in temperatures less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit and die when the thermometer drops below 42 degrees. Their habitat includes high grass, weeds, berry patches and wooded areas. They easily jump onto folks who walk through such. Interestingly, only the small larvae bite, not the adults. The larvae are about 1/150th of an inch long. If you can see them, they are red in color, thus the term, “red bugs.” After jumping onto their victims, they seek warm moist body areas such as the skin folds of the groin, waistline, knees, ankles, armpits and where clothing fits tightly. Chiggers bite and feed on the victim’s skin cells, not blood. The initial bite is undetectable. Their saliva gradually dissolves these cells, and this chemical reaction causes the intense, almost unbearable itching. The bites take up to three weeks to heal.

As with fire ants, avoidance is the best treatment. Long cloth-ing is beneficial. Bug repellents such as Deet are highly recom-mended. Walk in the middle of trails. Pick your blackberries in the cooler morning hours. Take a shower upon arriving at your destination and immediately wash your clothes in hot water. If you suffer bites, the same topical creams/gels mentioned above will help sooth the itch. Scratching can lead to infection. Hot showers or baths are not recommended, as they can aggravate histamine release in the skin and worsen the itching. Chiggers do not burrow under the skin as do scabies mites. Nor do they carry any communicable diseases, as do mosquitoes and fleas.

Enjoy your warm weather adventures, but remember to watch where you step or sit to avoid fire ants, and chose carefully the terrain through which you walk to avoid chiggers.

BY DR. ROBERT “BOBBY” DALE

Fire Ants and Chiggers:

Out to Spoil Your Fun

Delta Sportsmen

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Services

Waterfowl hunting in the Mississippi Delta has a long and storied history. We are fortunate enough

to be located in the premier waterfowl flyway. Habitat in the Mississippi Delta has changed dramatically in the past 100 years or so. Many areas that were once bottomland hardwoods, natural sloughs or brakes have been cleared and drained for agricultural use. Restoring or enhanc-ing some of these cleared or drained areas can dramatically increase habitat availabil-ity for landowners.

The Wetland Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Program have been important to restoring Wetland and Bottomland Hardwood habitat that was formerly agricultural land. However, what these programs cannot do is help restore or enhance hydrology in areas that have not previously been in row crops. For example, a landowner has an old slough running through his property that pre-viously held water throughout the year. Now, due to rerouting drainage for farm-land, siltation, etc., this slough no lon-ger holds water and is growing up with buck brush and willow trees. There is no program that will pay the landowner x amount of dollars to restore that slough.

However, Delta Wildlife staff can develop a hydrology plan for the land-owner that will explain exactly how to get and hold water in that slough. Green Tree Reservoirs (GTRs) are becoming more and more popular in the Delta. These flooded timber areas are great waterfowl habitat. Keep in mind GTRs generally require extensive levee work and must be managed prop-erly to prevent timber damage. These plans are developed using RTK GPS and the latest computer software to develop flood models. With these models, levee heights and lengths can be determined as well as water depths and acres that will be impacted.

One important consideration to keep

in mind is that in order to complete most of these types of projects the landown-er must receive a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers if the project is in a wetland. Wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act and due dil-igence must be taken by the landowner

to find out if a permit is needed. Delta Wildlife staff can help guide landowners in the permitting process, but it is up to the landowner to be in compliance before work begins. To learn more about these types of services contact the Delta Wildlife office in Stoneville.

BY TIM HUGGINS

Duck Hole Design and Hydrology Planning

DW

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Delta Wildlife News

Delta Wildlife Committee Reports

FisheriesPaul Dees, Committee Chair

July 9th – The new membership-based Fisheries Committee spent the majority of its initial meeting pri-oritizing fisheries issues in the Delta. The first topic the committee will begin to investigate is the effects Asian Carp are having on Delta Lakes. The committee will be inviting experts in to learn more about the species and what control options may exist. The purpose of the exer-cise will be to determine what roles Delta Wildlife can play in order to help control this species in Delta lakes.

Waterfowl & WetlandsRandy Sewall, Committee Chair

July 11th – Waterfowl Committee members were pleased to find that Delta Wildlife was active-ly engaged in addressing nearly all of the local Delta concerns that were cited during the meet-ing. This discovery led to a discussion about what needs to be done to increase mallard duck produc-tion beyond Delta Wildlife’s operation area. Guests from Delta Waterfowl provided a presentation on the conservation efforts in the Prairie Pothole Region where a majority of the Delta’s ducks migrate from each winter.

Magazine, Education and Public RelationsEmily Carter, Committee Chair

Aug. 27th – Members of the Magazine, Education and Public Relations Committee offered numerous accolades concerning the content of the Delta Wildlife magazine. But improvements can always be made and several items were discussed in that regard. The Committee suggested the staff make more use of organizational social media outlets as well as offer a monthly eNews submission. The value of Hunters Education Classes and Membership Socials were also thoroughly discussed.

White-tailed Deer and Eastern Wild TurkeyJohn Murry Greenlee, Committee Chair

July 11th – The Deer and Turkey Committee was well attended by members from Memphis to Jackson. Discussions were healthy, leading to a prioritization of issues where the committee would focus their initial efforts. Those issues include Predator Management, Feral Hogs and Age-Based Buck Management Strategies. Deer depredation on cropland, protein feeding programs, turkey relocation and the need for additional MDWFP Conservation Officers were other topics that the commit-tee will be studying in the near future.

Backyard Habitat and Non-Game SpeciesEmily Carter, Committee Chair

Aug. 27th - Birds dominated the discus-sion of the Backyard Habitat and Non-Game Committee. The Committee shares a strong interest in updating and republishing the Delta Wildlife regional birding checklist that was originally published in the early 1990s. Delta Wildlife’s oldest program, the Nesting Box Program, received focus, as interest in Wood Duck boxes, Warbler boxes and Bluebird boxes have dropped in recent years. Delta Wild Birds and birdseed rounded out the discussion on birds before a few other topics were discussed.

Committee on ForestryJim Luckett, Committee Chair

Sept. 3rd – The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) took center stage during the Forestry Committee Meeting. Fears from forest landowners and hunting clubs have been growing as the insect has been closing in on the Mississippi Delta from both the North and West. The healthy discussion lead to a directive by the committee to the staff to gather more information about EAB detection, possible quarantines and treatment options in both commercial forestry settings as well as urban areas. Another major topic discussed was the need for more flexible and diverse allowances by USDA to manage maturing timber on both CRP and WRP lands.


Delta Wildlife News

Delta Wildlife Committees

Bowen Flowers, ChairmanAustin Jones, Vice-Chairman

Randy SewallScott Flowers

Bill LittonRod Veazey

John Murry GreenleePeyton Randolph

Pete Hunter

Will ChoateBernie JordanIke Brunetti

John Montfort JonesBen Lamensdorf

Brantley P. NicholsKirk Malmo

Strider McCrory

Magazine, Education, and Public Relations Committee

Emily Carter, ChairmanBill Kennedy, Vice-Chairman

Hayes DentMike Sturdivant, Jr.

Bobby CarsonBill Litton

Ann RuscoeLia Guthrie

Kent ThorntonScott CoopwoodAndy AndersonSledge Taylor

Sam A. NewsomKenner PattonKirk Malmo

Drew St. John

Committee on Forestry Jim Luckett, ChairmanJohn Murry Greenlee,

Vice-ChairmanTerry DulaneyJimmy BrutonRod Veazey

Mike LamensdorfMac DurastantiMilford HoughSells J. Newman

George SmithAlex Gates

Duncan MooreDavid Young

Billy George JanousJohn M. Dean, Jr. Walton Gresham

Murry McClintockBruce Leopold

Committee on Backyard Habitats & Non-Game Species

Emily Carter, ChairmanBobby Carson, Vice-Chairman

Jim LuckettMike Sturdivant, Jr.Sledge Taylor, III

Walt Rogers IIIDudley StewartWillie F. Brown

John Montfort Jones

Committee on Mourning Dove, Bobwhite Quail & Small Game

Bill Kennedy, ChairmanBryan Jones, III, Vice-ChairmanScott Flowers

Mike LamensdorfHal Barrett, III

Tripp HayesAustin Jones

Mark D. MorrisonSells J. Newman

Erle West BarhamTommy Goodwin

Sledge Taylor

Chip UpchurchPaul Padgett

Grant BrabhamJay Janous

Tucker Miller IIIDuncan Moore

Ralph Owens, Jr.Ed Moody

Hunter MitchellDan Branton

Cameron Dinkins, IVKirk Malmo

B.T. Steadman

Membership Committee Committee on White-tailed Deer & Eastern Wild Turkey

John Murry Greenlee, ChairmanAustin Jones, Vice-Chairman

Louie ThompsonMurry McClintock

Bobby CarsonBill N. Lowther

Peyton RandolphDudley StewartTeddy MorrowRobert Dale, Jr.Mattson Flowers

Will YoungWill Choate

Will WeathersEd RobinsonAlex GatesJay Janous

Gus Pieralisi, Jr.

Committee on FisheriesPaul D. Dees, Chairman

Austin Jones, Vice-ChairmanLouie Thompson

Mark FratesiRandy Sewall

Ben W. Pentecost

Ray CrowellPete Hunter

Bob EleyBilly George JanousLewis “Mac” McKee

Gwin Smith

Committee on WaterfowlRandy Sewall, Chairman

Allan Grittman, Vice-Chairman

Gibb SteeleRod VeazeyBill Kennedy

Peyton RandolphThomas LuscoDavid CoonAustin Jones

Teddy MorrowTerry DulaneyTed ConnellTrip Braund

James McArthur, Sr.Erle West BarhamTommy GoodwinRuss McPherson

Jimmy Sandifer, Jr.Charles M. Merkel, Jr.

Burke FisherAndy AndersonChip Upchurch

Will JonesWade LittonWP BrownBryan Jones

Grant Brabham

John NowellJay Janous

Tucker Miller IIIJoe Oglesby, Jr.Duncan MooreFrank Rawlings

Arthur AbercrombieJohn Montfort JonesBilly George JanousJohn M. Dean, Jr.Fred PoindexterB.T. Steadman

Brantley P. NicholsEdward E. Milam

Boyd AtkinsonHunter Mitchell

Kit StovallWill Long

Ganes ClementsSteve Gelvin

Cameron Dinkins, IV David Branham

Kirk MalmoMurry McClintock

Drew St. JohnStrider McCrory

Kirk Erickson

Rod VeazeyB. Jones

Tucker Miller IIIDuncan Moore

James C. Robertson, IIIJimmy Donahoo

David YoungBrantley P. Nichols

Boyd AtkinsonKit Stovall

Lewis “Mac” McKeeSteve GarrettDan Branton

Cameron Dinkins, IVBruce LeopoldJoe Alderman

Strider McCroryWill Redditt


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Black-bellied Whistling DuckThe Black-bellied Whistling Duck is an odd looking

bird who in recent years has been pushing further north in its range. It is a summer resident who breeds in Mississippi before retreating further south during early fall. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks have a long-legged, long-necked slightly hunch-backed appearance, lending themselves to a “duck with a little bit of goose mixed in” description. The unique silhouette of this species will often lead to a scratching of the head from the observer. Upon closer inspection, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are quite an attractive animal. Their overall appearance is dark. The gray face, chestnut brown breast/back with a black belly are offset by a white eye ring, broad white wing stripe, bright pink legs and bill. There is no variation in plumage of adult male vs. female individuals whereas juvenile birds are duller with a pale bill, pale breast and mottled black belly. Like our wood ducks, the Black-bellied Whistling Duck is also a cavity nester that will readily use nest boxes. They don’t, however, construct a nest, but instead make use of available natural material at the nesting site. They have been known to occasionally nest directly on the ground. These ducks tend to walk on land and perch in trees more often than most other ducks. Whistling ducks are dabbling ducks whose main diet consists of vegeta-tion such as smartweed, grasses and sedges. Occasionally, invertebrates are eaten as well, but these ducks are most

often observed foraging in fields on waste sorghum, millet, corn, wheat or rice. These nocturnal feeders are most often observed around sunset traveling from roosting sites to pond edges and agricultural fields. The call is a soft high-pitched whistle starting with one longer note followed by several shorter notes.

Turkey VultureVultures are another bird that seems to

be encountered more often throughout the Delta in recent years. Though they may appear less attractive than other bird spe-cies, these undertakers and garbage disposals of the animal kingdom pro-vide us with a very important if not a bit unsightly service. Turkey vultures are among our biggest raptors with only eagles and ospreys being slightly larger. These birds appear black from a distance but are actually dark brown with a featherless red head and pale bill. The undersides of the primary and secondary flight feathers, as well as the wing tips, are paler. This allows for a two-toned appearance to the wing when viewed from below. The tail extends

Birds of Fall

Delta Fauna

BY BRYAN FEDRICK

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

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well beyond the feet and legs during flight. This species will nest directly on the ground and in the occasional abandoned farm building. Young vultures have a black head and are covered with creamy white/brown down feathers eventu-ally giving way to the darker brown adult feathers. Most often, this species in seen on a roadside cleaning up after an unfortunate animal/car encounter. They locate potential food items by smell. The portion of the brain responsible for smell is much larger in turkey vultures compared to other birds. This allows turkey vultures to locate carrion that may not be easily seen from above (i.e. expired wildlife beneath a forest can-opy). Once a food item is located, the softer bits are targeted first. Occasionally, a meal may have to “ripen” for a few days before it can be ripped into. Turkey vultures seldom take live prey items. These animals become active mid to late morning after thermals have begun to develop. Turkey vultures have a somewhat unsteady appearance on the wing. The constant tilt-ing from side to side allows for better lift to be main-tained. When compared to the black vulture, the tur-key has a less flat and more “V” shaped profile when soaring. Both of these species are often observed roosting in trees or soaring in groups called kettles.

Black VultureThe black vulture or “carrion crow” upon first glance greatly

resembles the turkey vulture. However, several characteristics can help you distinguish between the two at any distance. The black vulture is uniformly black in body with a black/gray feath-

erless head. The underside of the wingtips are pale to almost white in appearance. Black vultures also have a much shorter and compact tail that barely reaches to the end of the feet in flight. During

flight, the black vulture has a much flatter profile than the “V” of the turkey vulture. When observed flying, the black vulture gives the appearance of laboring harder to stay aloft. Its flight is characterized

by intermittent flapping with short periods of soaring. Young black vultures are very similar in appearance to young turkey vultures. The black vulture, however, is

more gregarious and forms strong social bonds with members of its family. They have a much less keen sense of smell and often rely on fol-lowing the turkey vulture to the roadside buf-

fet. Often the black vultures gather in groups at the car-cass and drive off the less aggressive more solitary turkey vulture. They too will nest directly on the ground and will take advantage of abandoned farm buildings. Black

vultures will occasionally take live prey. Small mammals, birds, reptiles and even weak or newborn livestock have been

documented being predated upon by black vultures. With no complex voice structure, communication consists of raspy hissing sounds and whining grunts.

Bryan Fedrick is a wildlife and fisheries biologist for the Mississippi Army National Guard. He holds degrees in wildlife science, forestry and environmental science. He is a certified wildlife biologist ®, cer-tified burn manager, herpetology field associate with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, certified trapper with the Fur Takers of America as well as an avid outdoorsman. He resides in Clinton, Miss., with his wife Megan.

Honey Locust (Gleditisia triacanthose L.)Other names include: Common honey locust, honey-shucks

locust, honey locust.

The common name “honey” is in reference to the sweet pulp of the fruits. Cattle, goats, deer, opossum, squirrel, rabbits, quail, crow and starlings eat honey-locust pods. White-tailed deer and rabbits eat the soft bark of these young trees in winter, while live-stock and deer eat the young vegetative growth. Honey locust can be found planted around wildlife plots and in pastures and hayfields providing high-protein mast.

As a part of the Pea Family (Fabaceae), these native trees will grow up to 20 meters tall; they are open crowned, armed with 20 cm long thick-branched thorns on the main trunk and lower branches.

Honey locust is generally shade-intolerant and found primarily in open areas, gaps and at the edges of wooded areas. Growth is rapid and trees live to about 125 years. The seeds are dispersed

by birds and mammals, including cattle. Germinability can be en-hanced by passing through the digestive tract of animals. Hon-ey-locust also reproduce from stump and root sprouts.

Joelle Carney – Mississippi National Guard

Delta Fauna

What Is This?BY JOELLE CARNEY

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BY AMY TAYLOR

Q & A with Delta Wildlife Partner:

Bronson StricklandMississippi State University Extension Service

Delta Conservationist

Strickland was born and raised in Athens, Ga., where he fell in love with the outdoors at an early age and decided upon wildlife biology as his career path. He received a bachelor’s degree in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia in 1995 and then pur-sued a master’s degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville where his research involved estimating white-tailed deer carrying capacity southern Texas rangelands. After graduating in 1998, Bronson moved to Starkville, Miss., to work as a research associate at Mississippi State University. In 2000, he began work on a doctorate degree where he continued research on the ecology and management of white-tailed deer populations. Upon graduation, Bronson worked as a research wildlife biologist with the National Wildlife Research Center in Mississippi where he developed and directed research related to the understanding and minimization of wildlife damage caused by fish-eating birds at aquaculture facilities, natural fish-eries and sensitive habitats. In 2006, Bronson joined the faculty at Mississippi State as the Extension Wildlife Specialist where he works with landowners and natural resource professionals to solve wildlife management problems. Bronson is currently an Associate Extension Professor and the Associate Director for Extension and Outreach at Mississippi State University’s Center for Resolving Human Wildlife Conflicts.

Strickland and his wife, Kacey, and two daughters, Sadie and Cia, reside in Starkville, Miss.

DW: Please comment on the role of the MSU Extension Service and your primary responsibilities.

Strickland: Extension always plays a critical role in the land-grant university system. Extension is typically the organization that is responsible for taking research discoveries at the univer-sity and packaging that information for stakeholders to apply on their property. I think the Mississippi State University Extension Service is one the best at accomplishing this mission. My respon-sibilities lie within the wildlife management arena; so my goal is to package wildlife research results such that stakeholders can use it for management.

DW: What is the history of your partnership with the Delta Wildlife organization?

Strickland: I was first exposed to Delta Wildlife when I was a doctoral student at Mississippi State. I received the publication and was encouraged to see an organization that was devoted to the unique needs and interests of landowners and conserva-tionists in the Delta. Now as a professor in the MSU Extension Service, I’m always looking for opportunities to educate and

empower landowners to better manage their lands to optimize their conservation objectives within a working landscape.

DW: What are current challenges and programs underway to meet those challenges?

Strickland: Current challenges – wild hogs! I think the recent expansion of wild hog populations during the past 10-15 years is jeopardizing both agriculture and wildlife conservation. The damage wild hogs cause to agricultural producers is significant and is undoubtedly affecting their livelihoods.

I’m very excited about the wild hog research currently under-way in the Delta. We are working on three projects that I hope will increase our knowledge of just how devastating these animals can be to agriculture, as well as enlighten wildlife managers on techniques and strategies for their control. With funding from

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mine the most cost-effective deer for-ages for planting in the differing soils of Mississippi. The future is bright for Mississippi deer hunters and managers!

DW: Please comment on the value

Mississippi’s Land, Water and Timber Resources Program, we are complet-ing a survey of landowners throughout Mississippi to quantify the types of dam-age that are most common, along with the associat-ed costs. I think this was a critical first step to deter-mine the extent of damage hogs cause. Outcry from landowners is important, but until a dollar estimate is associated with damage, it can be hard to motivate people to act.

To better understand “the nature of the beast,” we are attaching about 50 GPS collars on hogs to study where they go, where they hide and how they get from point A to point B. Currently, we really don’t know how hogs navigate the agricultural landscape of the Delta. I think our data will reveal some very strategic locations and times that will make trapping much more effective and efficient.

Along with the hog movements study, we are also measuring hog damage to corn and other crops. With this study, we will get both an economic estimate of the damage along with the spatial patterns of damage. The results of these studies should demon-strate to everyone that we don’t want wild hogs in Mississippi. There’s just too much to lose.

DW: In regard to wildlife conservation, please comment on current and future efforts to benefit the outdoorsman.

Strickland: My Extension program focus-es on two very important species – white-tailed deer and wild hogs. I’ve already described what we are doing with wild hogs, so now I’ll discuss our research with white-tails at the MSU Deer Lab. Our goal is to develop timely and applied research that will help people manage deer. Recently, our research has focused on the pros and cons of antler regulations, breeding success of bucks and the implications for management, impact of deer browsing on soybean pro-duction and the relative influence of nutri-tion and genetics on deer body and antler size throughout Mississippi. This fall, we are starting projects that will examine the util-ity of mobile software to record deer data, reveal buck movement patterns throughout the hunting season, isolate unique genetic characteristics of Mississippi deer and deter-

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of your partnership with an organization such as Delta Wildlife, now and in the future?

Strickland: The wild hog problem is a great exam-ple of what can be accom-plished when conservation organizations develop part-nerships and form a united front. Every conservation organization in Mississippi is standing together to search for solutions. We still have a long way to go, but we are making progress. Furthermore, partnerships with organizations like Delta Wildlife are critical because they are most familiar with their stakeholder needs and concerns. Wildlife research, whether it be deer, ducks, hogs, etc., becomes largely

irrelevant to stakeholders if the results can’t be applied and used. This is where Delta Wildlife plays such a critical role – they understand conservation needs and the obstacles that must be overcome to apply new information.

HUNTING IS WATCHING AND WAITING.STAY IN TOUCH WHILE YOU DO.

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101BOWFISHING

BY JODY ACOSTA

I get asked all the time “What do you mean bowfishing? You fish with a bow?” Yes, bowfishing is exactly what it sounds like. You shoot fish with an arrow attached to a line for retrieval. I have been bowfishing competitively for

close to 10 years, and I am currently the Vice President of the Bowfishing Association of America. I have been asked several times recently for tips or suggestions on how to get started bow-fishing, so I figured it would be worthwhile for me to write a bit on one of the fastest growing demographics in the outdoors.

Bowfishing has more than likely been around since the bow and arrow were invented! While some gear has greatly improved, you can still get by with a homemade longbow, arrow and a hand wrap reel. But before I get ahead of myself, I want to touch briefly on the species you can target in Mississippi, sug-gested uses for fish and bowfishing respectfully and responsibly.

Targeted SpeciesSo what can one shoot while bowfishing? According to

the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, “Buffalo, carp, gar, catfish, shad and bowfin may be taken throughout the year with a bow and arrow, crossbow, spear or gig. However, catfish may not be taken with spear or gig from May 1 to July 15. Persons taking fish using any of these gears must have a valid sport fishing license or be exempt under 49-7-5.” Aside from knowing your local fishing regulations, make

sure and follow all boating safety laws as well if you are chasing fish in a boat.

Now that you have a license and know

what species are legal for bowfishing, what comes next? Well, the first thing you need to do is come up with a plan for disposal of your fish. Gar, carp, buffalo and catfish all make fine table fare when prepared properly. There are countless tutorial videos on YouTube and other sites that detail how to clean and prepare them so I won’t go into much detail there. Another option that we have utilized in the past is donating fish to wildlife rehabbers, turtle farmers and pig farmers. Fish can also be buried in the gar-den, where they make an excellent fertilizer. Always have a plan before you go bowfishing, and NEVER leave your fish on the ramp, dump them on someone’s private property or dispose of them irresponsibly.

Gearing Up

After getting a license and a game plan together, now you need to get outfitted for a day or night on the water. The beauty of bowfishing is that the investment amount is totally up to you. One can choose to invest minimally, or decide upon a larger investment; both can be successful. To begin bowfishing, one will need a bow.

Bowfishing bows can be an old hunting bow, a pawnshop pick up, a bow made strictly for bowfishing, a crossbow, etc. There are a few basic types of bows for bowfishing. Recurves, longbows, compound bows, hybrid bows and crossbows are the most popular. My bowfishing bow of choice is an Oneida Osprey set on about 26lb with no let off. It is a “hybrid bow,” meaning it has outboard limbs and a cam system. It is a mix of a compound bow and a recurve. This type is one of the most expensive bows on the market that are purposefully built for bowfishing. Once you select a bowfishing bow, you


will need a rest. There are many options available from DIY/homemade rests using two parts epoxy to whisker biscuit type rests to custom aluminum milled rests. Another must-have (for me, at least) on a bowfishing bow is “no-gloves” or “finger slicks,” which eliminates the need for a shooting glove or release, while offering a little padding for your fingers on the bowstring. One last thing about setting up a bowfishing bow is that many people shoot instinctively, not using sights at all, but aiming down the arrow shaft. A helpful tip is to aim a little lower than you think you need to due to refraction of the light. Refraction and aiming low could be yet another article! After selecting a bow of your choice, you need to figure out how you will get your arrow back!

Reel OptionsBowfishing reels are designed to be both heavy-duty and easy

to use when retrieving your arrow after shooting at a fish. The first option is an AMS Retriever. These are great for beginners, as there are no buttons to push. The reels usually use 400lb line. When using a retriever, be sure to use a safety slide of some sort, and NEVER TIE TO THE BACK OF THE ARROW! Retrievers are also offered in a “slotted” configuration for tar-geting large species like sharks, alligator gar, stingrays or even alligators when in season. The slotted retriever has a slot in the slide so your line can be attached to a float in the event you shoot something large that takes off running your line out. I always attach a water-activated strobe light to my floats that turns on as soon as it hits water; this makes following it at night a breeze.

Another option that I won’t spend a whole lot of time on is the hand wrap reel. I remember as a kid seeing a video of some-one who had made a hand wrap reel with an old coffee can. A hand wrap reel is just as it sounds; one retrieves the line by hand and wraps it on the spool. There are a few options available now for hand wrap reels, and they seem to be popular for traditional archers shooting recurves or long bows, as they can be mounted without screwing holes into the riser of a custom-made bow.

The next type of reel option is a spincast reel like the Muzzy XD, Shakespeare TI20, Zebco 808 or Archenemy reel. These reels offer faster retrieval times over the Retriever reels for most people. I prefer a Muzzy reel on my Osprey. The downside (for some) to spincast reels is you have to push the button (or flip a lever) before shooting to let the line flow freely out of the front of the reel. This is an extra step, but after a night of fishing, it soon becomes second nature. Spincast reels are not quite as dura-ble as the Retriever reels, due to the gears in the drag system. The good part about spincast reels is that they can be rebuilt easily with just a little bit of time. I usually carry several reels with me when I go fishing and if I have an issue, I just swap out to another reel and keep on shooting. The troublesome reel can be fixed once I get off the water. With spincast reels, you will need to purchase a reel seat for most of them, and there are a lot of options available. Spincast reels usually use 150lb-200lb braided line. I personally like the Woody Wire 200lb or 150lb Muzzy tournament line in my reels. Safety slides recommended for a

morell who are new to bowfishing.

Arrows and AccessoriesSelecting arrows simply boils down to personal choice. There

are so many great bowfishing points and tips available I could lit-erally cover several pages on them alone. Most bowfishing stores sell arrows as components so they can be built to the shooters specifications. The most common arrow shafts for bowfishing are fiberglass. There are also carbon spined, carbon, aluminum and stainless steel arrows available, depending on what species you are going after. Nocks are available in both the standard and lighted options. One thing I have mentioned a few times already is safety slides. Safety slides are designed to keep the line forward of the bow to prevent snapback. Snapback occurs when line from the reel wraps around bowstrings, arrow rests or even on the frame of the bow. Snapback can cause serious injury to the person shoot-ing; therefore, always visually check to make sure your line is not wrapped up anywhere.

A few other accessories that make a day or night on the water

more enjoyable experience include polarized sunglasses for daytime shooting or clear safety glasses for nighttime shooting. The polarized glasses will help cut the glare on the water and allow one to see fish more easily, while the clear glasses help with bugs when travelling from spot to spot on the water. A gaff or noose on a short pole makes landing large fish easier as well. I always keep a couple “Archer’s allen wrench” sets in my gear bag for adjusting rests, cams, draw weight, etc. I also keep a 1/2” wrench and small channel lock pliers for tightening reel seats or unscrewing a stuck tip off a point. A flat head and Phillip’s head screwdriver are also good items to have on hand. A GPS to mark good fishing spots for future trips is a good idea as well.

Hopefully, this has been enough to pique your interest con-cerning bowfishing. It is a great way to spend time on the water with family and friends. This has been a very brief and basic introduction to bowfishing, so if you are interested in learning more about bowfishing, there are several great online resources for you to check out. The Bowfishing Association of America has a website with information that can be found at www.bowfishin-gassociation.com. If you are looking for specialized equipment not available locally, there are a few online stores like Bowfishing Extreme and Backwater Outdoors that cater to bow fisherman.

Good Luck and Aim Low!

PHOTOS BY JODY ACOSTA

Delta Sportsmen

2015-2016 HUNTING SEASONSWhite-tailed Deer Hunting Seasons & Bag Limits

Deer Management Delta Zone - Private and open public lands west of I-55 and north of I-20 plus areas south of I-20 and west of U.S. Highway 61. A legal buck is defined as having EITHER a minimum inside spread of 12 inches OR one main beam at least 15 inches long.

Method Season Dates Legal Deer

Archery Oct. 1 – Nov. 21, 2015 Either-Sex on private land and open public land.

Youth Gun Nov. 7, 2015 – Jan. 31, 2016 Either-Sex on private land and authorized state and federal lands. Youth 15 and under.

Early Primitive Weapons Nov. 9 – 20, 2015 Antlerless Deer Only on private land and open public land.

Gun (with dogs) Nov. 21 – Dec. 1, 2015 Either-Sex on private land; Legal Bucks only on open public land.

Primitive Weapon Dec. 2 – 15, 2015 Either-Sex on private land and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.

Gun (without dogs) Dec. 16 – 23, 2015 Antlerless Deer & Legal Bucks on private land and open public land.

Gun (with dogs) Dec. 24, 2015 – Jan. 20, 2016 Either-Sex on private land; Legal Bucks only on open public land.

Primitive Weapon Jan. 21 – 31, 2016 Either-Sex on private land and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.

Antlered Buck Deer: The bag limit on antlered buck deer is one (1) buck per day, not to exceed three (3) per annual season. Legal bucks must meet the antler criteria within the appropriate deer management zone. For youth hunters fifteen (15) years of age and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all three (3) of their three (3) buck bag limit may be any antlered deer.

Antlerless Deer: Private lands: The bag limit on antlerless deer is five (5) per annual season. U.S. Forest Service National Forests: The bag limit is one (1) per day, not to exceed three (3) per annual season.

Spring Turkey Hunting Seasons & Bag LimitsSeason Dates Bag Limit

Youth (Private and authorized state and federal public lands: youth 15 and under) See Closed Areas

March 8 – 14, 2016 One (1) adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6-inch or longer beard per day, 3 per Spring season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice (any age) per day, 3 per Spring season.Spring

See Closed AreasMarch 15 – May 1, 2016

Closed Areas for Spring Turkey Hunting

In the counties of: In the area of:

Coahoma West of Hwy. 61, east of Hwy. 1, north of Eagles Nest-Friars Point Road and south of Coahoma-Friars Point Road.

Quitman Entire county.

Sunflower South of Hwy. 442, east of Hwy. 3 and Hwy. 49 W and north of Berclair Road.


Delta Sportsmen

Small Game Hunting Seasons & Bag LimitsSpecies Season Dates Daily Bag Limit

Rabbit Oct. 17, 2015 - Feb. 28, 2016 8

Bobwhite Quail Nov. 26, 2015 - Mar. 5, 2016 8

Frog Apr. 1 - Sept. 30, 2015 25/night

Raccoon July 1 – Sept. 30, 2015 1 per party/night

Opossum, Raccoon and Bobcat Oct. 1 – 31, 2015 (Food and sport)

5/day; 8/party

Nov. 1, 2015 – Feb. 28, 2016 (Food, sport and pelt)

No limit

Trapping Nov. 1, 2015 –Mar. 15, 2016 No limit

Season Season Dates Daily Bag Limit

Youth Squirrel* Sept. 24 – Sept. 30, 2015 8

Squirrel – Fall Season Oct. 1, 2015 – Feb. 28, 2016 8

Squirrel – Spring Season May 15 – June 1, 2016 4

*On private lands and authorized state and federal lands only in those areas open for squirrel hunting.

Migratory Game Bird SeasonsSpecies Season Dates Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit

Canada Geese* Sept. 1 – 15, 2015 5 15

White-winged and Mourning Doves (North Zone)**

Sept. 4****– Oct. 7, 2015 Oct. 10 – Oct. 31, 2015 Dec. 13, 2015 – Jan. 15, 2016

15 45

White-winged and Mourning Doves (South Zone)***

Sept. 4**** - 13, 2015 Oct. 10 – Nov. 15, 2015 Dec. 4, 2015 – Jan. 15, 2016

15 45

Teal Sept. 12 – 27, 2015 6 18

Rails (Sora & Virginia) Sept. 12 – Nov. 20, 2015 25 75

Rails (Clapper & King) Sept. 12 – Nov. 20, 2015 15 45

Gallinules (Common & Purple) Sept. 12 – Nov. 20, 2015 15 45

Crow Nov. 7, 2015 – Feb. 28, 2016 no limit no limit

Snipe Nov. 14, 2015 – Feb. 28, 2016 8 24

Woodcock Dec. 18, 2015 – Jan. 31, 2016 3 9

*Roebuck Lake in Leflore County is closed to Canada Goose hunting.**(Dove North Zone) That portion of the State north and west of a line extending west from the Alabama state line along U.S. Hwy 84 to its junction with State Hwy 35, then south along Sate Highway 35 to the Louisiana state line.***(Dove South Zone) The remainder of Mississippi.****Shooting hours on opening day begin at noon in both zones.



W hite–Tailed Deer (WTD) are the most char-ismatic and sought after mega fauna in the state of Mississippi. Therefore, it is no surprise that there is more interest in habitat

management for WTD than any other species. However, because of their size and range, they can be some of the hardest species to manage on medium to small land parcels. Thankfully, the state of Mississippi has devoted countless resources over the years to not just deer management, but deer and habitat management on private lands. Through the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), land-owners have access to the best-trained wildlife management professionals in the southeast. Public and private DMAP certified wildlife biologists provide assistance to Mississippi landowners in most instances for free.

However, just signing your property up for DMAP is only one tool in a large box. There are many things you can do yourself for the betterment of your residing deer population. Below are several do-it-yourself wildlife and habitat management practices that can yield huge results on your property.

Deer Camera Surveys Deer camera surveys are a must on any property that will be

managed with any level of intensity. Like any other project, you must know where you are if you want to move forward. Cam-era surveys are easy and fun to do. As a general rule of thumb, you want one (functioning) camera per 100ac of property. You will want to prebait your chosen camera sites for no less than 10

Services

White-Tailed Deer Management

BY SAM FRANKLIN

(DMAP, Camera Surveys, Herd Management)

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Rice makes shrimp better…and not just on your plate.

Mississippi rice farmers are doing their part toinsure that Gulf shrimp populations are healthyand plentiful. How might you ask? Mississippi

rice producers are working to reduce theamount of nutrients that leave their fields.

This ultimately helps to reduce Hypoxia in theGulf of Mexico, creating a healthier and more

productive fishery.

days. Once you’ve established their use of the bait pile, then you want to put your camera on the prebaited sites for 10 days. You must keep the bait fresh and plentiful during this time; otherwise, your camera survey will be skewed due to lack of picture taking opportunities. Generally, whole corn works the best. Once you get your pictures back, you can then see what you’ve got! These pictures viewed by a professional can yield sex ratio, herd health, herd density, buck size and quality, and data on fawns born this year (depending on when you do your survey). Once all these parameters are figured, you can start making harvest regime quotas.

Herd ManagementHerd management is more than just pull-

ing the trigger. Deer management is one of the few wildlife species where a land-owner has the ability to sculpt the residing deer population into what they want to see up to a certain point. Another gener-al rule of thumb is that the older they get the bigger they get. Fairly simple concept right? Ultimately, they can’t get older on the back of a four-wheeler. I have spoken to countless professional consultants that have worked in Texas and other parts of the country. They all tell me that we have the ability with our genetic potential and hab-itat across Mississippi to top anything they have in Texas or other places in the country. It’s just a matter of hunter control – pure and simple. With that in mind, think about where you as a landowner want to go with your deer herd. Write it down on paper and get a professional involved. Delta Wildlife has two certified wildlife biologists on staff that are more than qualified to handle any deer management issues or draft a custom management regime for your property.

Habitat ManagementHabitat management is another huge

component of WTD management. For the sake of this article, I won’t go in to deep; however, the habitat is where the deer live. They eat things other than acorns in Oc-tober and wheat in December. They live in the woods all year long and need resources other than those mentioned.

While acorns and wheat are great and address nutritional needs in the fall and winter, they also need to eat in the spring and summer. So, if you can see through your forested acreage for several hundred yards in June, you may want to think about involving a wildlife management profes-sional. You may need to cut some timber, enlarge your warm season planting practices or additional browse and forage generating practices. Delta Wildlife can assist in all of these habitat development practices, so feel free to call the office at 662-686-3370.


W ill this load be large enough? Will I be able to make effective shots without having wound-

ed game? Do I have the proper choke tube? All of these questions are fre-quently asked by waterfowlers. As waterfowl hunters, we tend to spend more time preparing and planning for hunts than we do actually sitting in the blind all season. It is our duty to be as sportsmanlike as possible while harvesting wild game. This is why it is very important that we prepare not only our duck holes and blinds, but also our ammunition for the per-fect winter mornings that we work so hard for.

We often find ourselves puzzled by all of the choices we have when purchasing steel shot. From different sizes and shapes of steel, to shell length and choke tubes, things that most would think to be sim-ple can require a lot of thought in order to be truly effective. There are many great brands and varieties of steel shot ammuni-tion on the market today. This article will help the process of elimination go more smoothly next time you go to purchase your ammo.

Selecting Size Hunting flooded timber and small

brakes make for incredible hunts with ac-tion-packed fun. When shooting water-fowl at close range, it is ethical to shoot a higher shot number. The higher the shot number, the more pellets there are in the shell; however, this also means the pellet size is smaller. The recommended shot siz-es for close range is anywhere from 2-6. A modified or decoy range choke tube would be most effective in this situation. This allows you a better chance at a clean kill with fewer wounded birds.

Field hunting in the Delta can offer some of the best experiences a duck hunter can have. Some prefer this style of hunting because it gives the hunter many oppor-tunities to see the temperament that dif-ferent ducks have; from the fast flying teal

to stubborn pintail, field hunting can offer many different styles of shooting. Depend-ing on who calls the shots, you will need shells ranging anywhere from BB to 5 shot. It would be recommended that you take shells for long range and decoy range to field hunts, and can base the first few flights off of what shells to use until your limit is filled.

Assuring AccuracyTo pattern your shotgun, you will need

a 4’ by 4’ (or wider) piece of stiff card-board or similar penetrable material, sever-al sheets of paper approximately the same size and a visible colored marker. You will need to draw a 30-inch circle in the center of the paper and step off 35 to 45 yards. Shoot each brand of shell at individual sheets of paper and then count the num-ber of pellets inside the circle. Be sure to also check the density of the pattern. With

these practices and observations, you will be able to tell what load and choke tube combo will be most effective on your hunt.

With this information, choosing steel shot will hopefully be made easier, but re-member, patterning your shotgun is key for effective shooting. Though you may have to purchase a few different brands of shells and possibly different choke tubes, this simple practice can make an incredi-ble difference. All guns shoot differently so patterning allows you to see first-hand how various combinations of shells and choke tubes can provide you with the most effective shots possible during your hunt-ing experience.

Here is the average pellet count in one ounce of steel shot of various selected siz-es, courtesy of the Winchester Ammuni-tion 2004 Product Guide: BBB - 62, BB - 72, 1 - 103, 2 - 125, 3 – 158, 4 – 192, 5 - 243, 6 - 315.

Delta Sportsmen

Selecting the Most Effective Steel Shot Size for

Waterfowl HuntingBY REID CARTER


What Do We Do?• Comprehensive Wildlife Management Plans• Comprehensive Habitat Management Plans• Comprehensive Food Plot Plans• Fisheries Management Plans• Fisheries Habitat Enhancement• Lake Restoration• Waterfowl Habitat Management Plans• Wetland Restoration Plans and Assistance• Wetland Hydrology Restoration• Quail Habitat Restoration Plans and Assistance• Native Warm Season Grass and Legume Planting• Bottomland Hardwood Reforestation• Conservation Easements• Discount Food Plot Seed Sales• Wood Duck Nesting Boxes• Bluebird Nesting Boxes• Predator Control Assistance• Turkey Management • White-tailed Deer Management and Assistance• Urban Forestry• Wildlife Forestry Management Plans• Backyard Habitat• Conservation in the Classroom• USDA Conservation Program Assistance• USDA Conservation Program Implementation

• CRP• WRP / ACEP• EQIP

• GIS / Cartography• Delta Waterfowl Surveys• Research Assistance• Black Bear Education• Non-Consumptive Wildlife Habitat Enhancement• Print Quarterly Magazine• Watershed Restoration• And Lots, Lots, More ...

Staff:

Trey CookeExecutive [email protected]

Liz BrownMarketing and [email protected]

Sam FranklinCertified Wildlife [email protected]

Dan PrevostCertified Wildlife BiologistRegistered Foresterdan@deltawildlife. org

Tim HugginsGIS [email protected]

Jody AcostaWildlife [email protected]

www.deltawildlife.org • P.O. Box 276 • Stoneville, MS 38776Phone:662-686-3370 • Fax: 662-686-3382

Investing in the future of our wildlife resources

Delta Wildlife Full Page:Layout 1 3/23/15 2:39 PM Page 1


Featured Food Plot Material:

ALFALFA

Delta Flora

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BY SAM FRANKLIN

A lfalfa is originally a plant species from Iran. It was introduced when European settlers came to America because of their experience with it as for-age for cattle. When compared to other livestock

forages, alfalfa produces about 5-6 tons of high-quality for-age annually. It is not only a top volume producer, but also the quality (if properly managed) produces a protein con-tent range from 10-16 percent depending on management. Alfalfa is also a legume; therefore, it produces its own nitro-gen and improves soil health. Ranchers and cattle farmers use it for winter and early summer grazing. Landowners in the Southeast have discovered that our deer populations really utilize alfalfa in the fall and spring of the year. In terms of addressing nutrition, seasonal food availability, management and hunting opportunities, it is the perfect fit.

However, alfalfa does have a few drawbacks. Soil pH is crucial when working with alfalfa. A pH range of 6.5-7.0 has to be close-ly maintained in order to maximize protein production. Another concern to address before planting is water management. Alfalfa does not like its feet wet, therefore fast drainage is crucial in main-taining new and existing plots and pasture. There are also clipping regimes that have to be conducted throughout the year. In years

past, alfalfa could not stand up to heavy grazing by livestock or free ranging white-tailed deer populations. However, in recent years, multiple varieties have been found that can withstand ex-treme grazing pressure. Roundup® varieties that aid in the prover-bial fight against unwanted weeds are also available. This variety is not as easy to come by in the Delta because there are not as many livestock farmers as in other areas.

Planting AlfalfaWhen planting alfalfa, a clean seedbed is crucial. The seedbed

should be disked, smoothed and, if planting by broadcast, culti-packed once planted to ensure good seed to soil contact. Seeding rates for broadcast are 20-25 lbs/ac while drilled rates are 15-20 lb/ac. Planting depth should be around ¼ of an inch. Planting alfalfa in the Southeast should be done around September with proper soil moisture. Due to our mild winters, alfalfa will stay green most of the winter.

If you have considered planting alfalfa, work closely with your seed representative to pick the right variety. There are many avail-able and chances are there is one that will do better than another on your property. Expect a learning curve. Alfalfa can be hard to establish, but once it is, your deer will utilize it all year round.


Snake, the very word often sends chills up people’s spines. Going back to the beginning of time, serpents have been considered the lowest form of life and the most reviled animal throughout the ages. “The only good snake is a

dead snake,” is the most common thing I hear when it comes to this reptile. However, most snakes are non-venomous and are actually pretty handy to have around. One of these beneficial snakes is the Scarlet kingsnake, Lampropeltis elapsoides.

Scarlet kingsnakes have a tricolored pattern of black, red, white and various shades of yellow bands that appear to mimic the ven-omous coral snake in a form of Batesian mimicry. Batesian mim-icry is a form of mimicry where a harmless animal has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species. You have probably heard the popular rhyme “red and black, friend to Jack,” or “red and yellow, kill a fellow.” This alludes to the mimicry between the nonvenomous Scarlet kingsnake and the venomous Eastern Coral snake. Scarlet kingsnakes are secretive, nocturnal snakes that are not seen very often unless you go looking for them. Sometimes they can be found after heavy rains when they come out looking for a dry spot to warm up or to find fresh prey. These kingsnakes may also be found under loose tree bark or other debris high off the ground. Scarlet kingsnakes primarily hunt other small snakes and lizards but will also eat baby mice, insects or earthworms.

AttributesScarlet kingsnakes are beautiful creatures and are shy even by

snake standards. They will help ward off other snakes and mice all while keeping a low profile. Chances are you may have one of these amazing snakes guarding your home from rodent invasion, and you will never know. Snakes like the Scarlet kingsnake are very beneficial, and just because it is a snake, doesn’t mean it should be killed.

Aldo Leopold once said, “The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, ‘What good is it?’ If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, over the course of eons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.”

A sclepias incarnate, better known as Swamp Milkweed is one of several important Milkweed plants. Swamp Milkweed is a Mississippi native plant, which is commonly found in swamps and river bottomlands

throughout the state. Swamp Milkweed typically grows 3-4 feet tall. The flower produced is small, fragrant and pink. The plant gets its name from the stems that exude a toxic milky sap when cut. Flowers are followed by seedpods that split open when mature in order to release the seed. The flowers of Swamp Milkweed and all milkweeds are attractive to butterflies. The most important characteristic of all the milkweed species is that they are the only host plant for Monarch butterfly larvae.

Some scientific studies have shown a decline in Monarch but-terfly populations. One common finding among many of these studies was the loss of habitat for larval stage Monarch butterflies. In other words, there is not enough food for the Monarch cat-erpillars. Nationwide, there has been a push for people to plant

more butterfly gardens. When planning a butterfly garden, be sure to keep in mind that certain species of butterflies need spe-cific plant types for the caterpillars. Delta Wildlife has published a brochure outlining a few key plant species to plant in your garden.

Delta Flora

BY TIMOTHY HUGGINS

Swamp Milkweed

Scarlet Kingsnake

Delta Fauna

Monarch butterfly feeding on swamp milkweed.

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Catfish Farmers share and enhancethe natural resource wealth that is

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The wild hog population explosion in Mississippi has the makings of a Hitchcock thriller. Currently responsible for millions of dollars in damage to Mississippi’s farmland, timberland and levees, wild

hogs have taken up residency in all 82 Mississippi counties and pose a significant threat not only to landowners and hunters, but to all residents along the river. Consider these facts: Hogs reach reproductive maturity at six months of age, and it is estimated that at least 70 percent of the hog population must be killed every year in order to maintain the status quo. One wild hog eats about ten pounds of food, either meat or vegetation, in just one day. In the forest-ry realm, that’s equivalent to 1,000 pine seedlings or 800 acorns (potential trees) per day. In agriculture, that’s a field of freshly planted corn, soybeans or milo. And because these beasts leave a trail of destruction in search of food, they are also weakening the lone shield that protects us from the Mighty Mississippi – the levee.

Levee DestructionRegarding measures being taken to safeguard our levee system,

Delta Wildlife had the opportunity to visit with Peter Nimrod, Chief Engineer of the Mississippi Levee Board, as well as Bruce Cook, Chief Engineer of the Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board. Both organizations are working diligently and proactively toward wild hog eradication for the safety, both physically and economi-cally, of all Mississippians.

Nimrod explains, “Wild hog populations multiply at an astro-nomical rate! Studies indicate that a wild hog population can dou-ble in six months or less. Females begin breeding as young as six months of age and can produce two litters each year with an aver-age of six piglets. Obviously, an unchecked hog population would eventually destroy the habitat that supports them and our native wildlife.” He continues, “Hogs dig into the levee structure look-ing for insects, worms, roots or anything that’s edible. They root large holes in the levee, destroying vegetation on the slopes. These areas often look like they have been disked by heavy farm equip-ment. The hogs’ rooting activity on the levee destroys the turf and exposes the soil. Rainfall and flooding will then erode those areas reducing the levee’s ability to effectively hold back floodwaters. Sections of the levee have been damaged so severely that our con-tractors skip maintenance on the hog-damaged areas for fear of

tearing up their equipment, creating maintenance problems and increasing costs.”

Cook agrees, “The explosion of the wild hog population in the Delta not only poses a threat to the safety and integrity of the mainline levee system, but also poses a threat to the crops in the Delta.” He explains, “The hogs root up the protective Bermuda sod blanket located on the levee structure and berms. Without the sod blanket, the levee and berms are subject to erosion during a rain event and could harm the levee structure. They also burrow holes into the levee, which could cause a weak spot and, in turn, could pose a serious problem during an extreme high water event. The levee board staff continually monitors the levee structure and berms for animal burrows to prevent problems from occurring during high water events.”

Damage ControlConcerning current attempts to control the damage caused

by hogs, Nimrod comments, “The Mississippi Levee Board has built several hog traps and has purchased a mobile hog trap corral equipped with a camera that sends pictures to a phone and allows the remote activation of the trap gate. In theory, the hogs enter the trap, the game camera takes their photo and texts it to a desig-nated cell phone. Once it’s decided to close the gate, the gate’s cell number is called and the gate closes. This trap system requires cell service using GSM technology to activate the gate. Unfortunately,

HOG WILD ON THE LEVEE

Chief Engineers of the Mississippi Levee Board and Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board partner to control a threat that’s

nearing OUT-OF-CONTROL STATUS

BY AMY TAYLOR

Peter Nimrod (left), Chief Engineer of the Mississippi Levee Board, and Bruce Cook, Chief Engineer of the Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board.


the cellular system, which provides the best signal along much of the levee, does not use GSM technology. Without good cell phone service, the trap cannot work correctly.”

Cook adds, “Additionally, the Levee Board staff may shoot any wild hogs seen on the le-vee structure while performing normal main-tenance operations along the mainline levee. The Levee Board also has wild hog traps that are utilized to capture as many wild hogs as possible. Wild hogs are very intelligent ani-mals; therefore, the traps have to be moved periodically to different locations along the levee. The hogs usually will not enter traps that have been left in one spot for too long. In some instances, the Levee Board will contact a person that hunts wild hogs with a group of dogs to join in the effort to control the population. This technique usually works best when you have a large number of hogs concentrated in one location along the levee. The Levee Board will contact the adjacent landowners and obtain permission for the dog owners to enter upon private lands to retrieve the dogs in the event that the hog leads the dogs off of Levee Board prop-erty. Most of the private landowners give permission because they realize the importance of keeping the wild hogs away from the mainline levee system.”

Game Plan“While it is unlikely that we will ever completely remove the hog

population, we will be proactive in future efforts to control the population before they get to the point where we cannot control them,” says Nimrod. “Our short term goal is to reduce hog dam-age to the levee by removing as many hogs as possible along the levee. Our long-term goal is to remove the entire hog population along the levee. This will take a collaborative effort of many differ-ent agencies and property owners. We are currently working with various agencies to reduce hog populations and to develop plans, which can effectively control hog populations. Private landowners and adjacent hunt clubs are very cooperative with our efforts to eradicate hogs.”

According to Cook, “The Levee Board’s short term hog con-trol goal is to eliminate as many hogs as possible that are found around and on the mainline levee structure. The Levee Board’s long-term goal to control the wild hog population is to join forces with adjacent landowners, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Delta Wildlife other Levee Boards and any other interested parties to come up with a combined effort to find a more permanent way to control the wild hog population in the Mississippi Delta.” He adds, “If the population of wild hogs is brought under control, there will be a need to continue to keep the population reduced by approved and successful methods. The ban on transporting wild hogs will need to continue and may-be we can keep the population in check. Having the wild hog population reduced in the Mississippi Delta will definitely protect the mainline Mississippi River levees from being harmed by their devastating effects.”

While it’s difficult, if not impossible, to find a useful purpose for these intelligent and powerful, yet destructive creatures, feral hogs are indeed providing much target practice for the avid hunter. But as the old adage goes, “You just can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.”

DW ARCHIVES

Cornfield damaged by wild hogs.

“The explosion of the wild hog population in the Delta not only poses a threat to the safety and integrity of the mainline levee system, but also poses a threat to the crops in the Delta.”

Bruce Cook, Chief Engineer of the Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board


Management

Prepare Now to Collect Deer Harvest Data

BY JOE HAMILTON

Scouting is on every serious deer hunter’s agenda as the hot, dry summer gives way to our long-awaited fall hunting

season. One of the four cornerstones of QDM is herd monitoring. Many hunters/managers are conducting trail-camera surveys to get a bet-ter idea of the herd’s adult sex ratio, deer density, fawn recruitment and of course, the number of “unique” bucks on their hunting property. Once hunting season begins, it’s time to collect observation data about the deer you see and harvest data from the deer you kill. To make harvest data collection easier during hunting season, prepare your data collection tools before the season starts.

Check Your ScalesNow is the perfect time to inventory

your data-collection materials, and an important step each year is to fine-tune your scales. As you improve habitat and population conditions under QDM, you can expect to see average body weights increase over the seasons. When looking at the range and average weights for each age class of bucks and does, it is impera-tive to attain accurate weights.

This involves making sure your scales are well maintained (oiled) and checked for accuracy. Use known weights to veri-fy your scales’ accuracy and make adjust-ments if necessary. It’s a good practice to check the scales throughout the sea-son as well. I have witnessed rusty scales with a 5-pound difference, and this can be critical when comparing results from previous hunting seasons. The results of inaccurate weights are compounded when you’re dealing with relatively small sample sizes.

Jawbone ToolsIn addition to weight, another crit-

ical piece of information to gather is the estimated jawbone age of each deer Taking deer weight

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Management

harvested. Even if you don’t know how to estimate age from tooth wear and re-placement, collect the jawbones and they can be aged later by your local wildlife biologist, or you can learn this technique through a three-part video series pro-duced from QDMA.

You’ll need two pieces of equipment to remove jawbones. First, a set of large jawbone shears is needed to disconnect the lower jawbone from the skull. Sec-ond, a jawbone extractor makes it very easy to remove the lower jawbone. Both of these tools are available from QDMA. Also, our jawbone aging poster includes detailed information on how to remove a jawbone.

You should also prepare a place to store the lower jawbones once you re-move them (see the photo in the Gal-lery below). Storing them outdoors allows them to dry in the open air, but they should be placed in a wire-mesh cage, wire fish basket or other container that allows air to circulate but prevents Jawbone pulling

Jawbone basket

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scavengers from stealing the jawbones. Each jawbone should be labeled in a way that allows you to match the estimated age with the other data collected from that particular deer (sex, weight, date of harvest, etc.). QDMA sells harvest data tags with wire attachments that also work well for labeling jawbones.

Other MaterialsTo complete your harvest data collec-

tion, you’ll need a notebook or log book for recording complete data for each deer. This should be stored in a safe, dry container of some kind that is located close to the place where hunters dress and skin deer. The more convenient it is for hunters to record data, the more like-ly you are to get complete and accurate information for the entire season. Also, make sure plenty of pens and permanent markers are stored with the record books.

Monitoring your deer herd is like running a successful business. You’ve got to keep good records. Obtaining accurate data on all deer harvested is of paramount importance in determining trends in your harvest data. Take care of this very important item on your check-list and get back to scouting.

Joe Hamilton is a wildlife biologist and the founder of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA). He currently serves as Senior Advisor for QDMA.


A lifelong catfish farmer, Delta Wildl i fe Board Member Louie Thompson was born and raised in the Thornton

community just north of Yazoo City where he grew up hunting, fishing and farming along with his brothers. Upon graduation from Mississippi State University in 1980, he returned home to manage Thompson Fisheries while his brothers managed the row crops on their homeplace, Pluto Plantation. Thompson is the hatchery manager for Harvest Select in Inverness, Miss., and has experience in propagation and rearing of other species such as white amur, koi and game fish species.

“I guess you’d say the water and fishing lured me back home to farm after college, and I’ve been here ever since,” Thompson comments. “I’ve always been particularly fond of Bee Lake, an old oxbow where we grew up skiing, canoeing and fishing.”

Mindful ConservationThompson says that although his fa-

ther instilled a love and appreciation of the land, “I think my generation pays a lot more attention to conservation and to being good stewards of the land; we’re al-ways thinking in terms of preservation and land management. Growing up, it seems we seldom saw a deer on the place; now, we have tremendous deer due to our wild-life management practices,” he comments.

“One of the projects I’m most proud of

was working with the Delta Wildlife team on reducing the sediment in Bee Lake about eight to 10 years ago,” Thompson adds. “It was a collaborative effort be-tween us and the surrounding landown-ers. We successfully installed overfall pipes and buffer strips along the 18-mile lake, and now it serves as a model for other watershed projects.”

Thompson and his wife of 36 years, Cathy, a labor and delivery nurse, are the parents of three grown daughters: Dr. Ju-lia Thompson of Madison, Miss.; Carmen Thompson, Vice-President Citi Lat-AM in Philadelphia, Penn.; and Cadi Thomp-son who is a graduate of MSU with a de-gree in Kinesiology and recently obtained a BSN from UMMC. Cadi resides in

Jackson, Miss., and is a pediatric nurse in ER at UMMC.

Industry StewardIn addition to serving on the Delta

Wildlife board, Thompson has served the catfish industry as President of Catfish Farmers of Mississippi for three terms, President of Catfish Farmers of America and has received numerous awards for his contributions to the catfish industry and his service to wildlife and fisheries. He is currently President of YVEPA Board of Directors and serves on the SMEPA Board of Directors, as well as having served on the Wildlife and Fisheries Advisory Com-mittee at Mississippi State University.

An avid history buff, Thompson spends his leisure time not only hunting for deer but also hunting for Native American ar-tifacts on their property. He has an exten-sive collection featuring hundreds of ar-rowheads as well as a polished stone gorget and a hand ax. “I’ve hunted arrowheads since I was a kid; I really love history, es-pecially history of the Native Americans in the Delta. In fact,” he laughs, “when I’m hunting, it can be hard to keep an eye out for game when I’m looking down at the ground for arrowheads!”

Thompson concludes, “We feel so for-tunate to live in this area surrounded by history and abundant natural resources. There’s just no other place quite like the Delta. This area has always been special to me; it’s home.”

Delta Conservationist

BY AMY TAYLOR

Delta Wildlife Board Member Highlight:

Louie

Louie Thompson, pictured above with daughter Cadi, has an extensive arrowhead collection.

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Delta Wildlife News

The MSU Deer Lab and MSU Extension Service are excited about three mobile technologies that are available for hunters and deer managers this fall. These three phone “apps” were designed to help you with some of the most important deer management activities: Deer Aging, food plots and deer data record keeping.

Mobile Applications for Deer Management

All these apps can be found in the App Store if you search for “MSUES.” You will find these deer apps as well as others developed by the MSU Extension Service. Currently, the Deer Aging and Deer Food Plot apps are for iPhones only – we hope to have Android versions next year. The Deer Hunt app is available in both iPhone and Android. Please encourage your fellow hunters to use it.

Deer Food Plot app 4

The Deer Aging app was developed to help hunters age live deer “on the hoof” and to help with aging the jawbone back at the skinning shed. The app displays pictures of bucks from 1.5 to 5.5 plus years of age and contrasts different body features to help hunters distinguish young, middle-aged and mature bucks before pulling the trigger. At the skinning shed you can extract the jawbone and compare tooth wear of your harvested deer to the examples provided in the app.

5 Deer Aging app

The Deer Food Plot app was developed to assist with planning and planting food plots. The app provides plant characteristics of the most com-mon cool-season, warm-season and perennial forages as well as instructions for taking a soil test. The app provides a tool you are sure to use time and time again – an acreage calculator. Using the app, simply draw an outline of the existing food plot, or one you want to create, and get an accurate measure of the acreage. You can then select what forages you want to plant and the app will adjust all the seeding rates based on the acreage of the plot.

The Deer Hunt app was developed to make collecting the most critical deer data painless and paperless. No more filling out observation forms or recording num-bers on harvest sheets – all that data can be entered in the app. Both public and private hunting stands can be input so that all observation data are matched to when and where the hunter was and the deer that were seen. After a successful hunt, the harvest data can be entered into the app as well. The data are stored at Mississippi State and the user can run reports on a number of things: quantity of deer seen on a particular stand, deer sightings in morning vs afternoon, fawn recruitment, location of mature buck sightings, etc. Just about every question you could have about deer sightings and herd characteristics can be answered with the app – if you and your club members use it every time they hunt. The more data you enter, the more you can learn.

3 Deer Hunt app



BeagleBY HUNTER HAYES

Delta Wildlife News

Delta Fauna

Delta Wildlife’s capacity to service its membership has been greatly expanded through the use of interns over the years. A vast majority of those interns have been well-trained wildlife and forestry students. In 2007,

Marcus Lashley joined the Delta Wildlife team as an intern from Mississippi State University to assist with wetland restoration efforts in the Delta. Lashley soon completed his degree at Mississippi State and went on to graduate school where he ultimately completed his Ph. D. from North Carolina State University.

Recently, Dr. Lashley was chosen by a search committee to serve as a Disturbance Ecologist at Mississippi State University in the Depart-ment of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. His research focus will be on conservation within agricultural landscapes. Teaching responsi-bilities will include principles of Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Plants and Disturbance Ecology.

“We are pleased to see Dr. Lashley’s academic career has come full circle,” commented Jim Luckett, Delta Wildlife’s President during Lashley’s internship in 2007. “We look forward to working with Lash-ley on issues in the Delta to benefit our membership and the region.”

Beagles are the smallest of all hounds, which is where the word “beagle” originally derived from. Beagle is French for small, fitting this breed perfectly. Beagles are a pop-ular family pet, due to their loving attitude, but they can

also be used as great hunting dogs. They make great rabbit dogs, which is what the breed is mostly used as, but they have also been known as quail dogs in past years. The American Kennel Club classifies beagles into two groups depending on their size; the most common height for a beagle is twelve inches, but some can reach to fifteen inches tall. The short stature of these dogs makes them look quite stocky. They have a square-like body with a high set tail that curls forward. Males usually weigh between 15 to 20 pounds, while females usually weigh 12 to 15 pounds. The normal litter size for this breed is, on average, five to seven puppies. The puppies tend to grow quickly and with no maintenance from their human owner.

Beagles are a loving and responsible breed, but they do have a tendency to be a bit nosey. This breed loves to explore and will often wander off and see what they can get into. If you are going to have a beagle, putting a name tag on its collar is a great idea. If living in town, a fence is highly recommended to keep them from wandering off. Being a beagle owner myself, I have found that curiosity often gets the best of them.

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Hunter Hayes’s beagle, Copper, is 5 years old. Beagles are a popular family pet, due to their loving attitude, but they can also be used as great hunting dogs.

Former Delta Wildlife Intern Lands Appointment at MSU

College of Forest Resources

Management

The annual migration of hunting related equipment has begun. Everywhere I look there are new deer stands for sale, the

latest food plot is being bagged and the self-proclaimed biggest and baddest four-wheeler in town is sitting in the back of someone’s pickup truck. With the year-ly gathering of “hunting stuff,” every-one seems excited at the chance to chase his or her quarry of choice. With that in mind, there are a few to-dos before opening day.

White-tailed DeerIf you have not started your camera

survey, now is the time. This may sound like a broken record, but you can’t move forward unless you know where you are. Additionally, there are deer moving on and off your property all year long; there is no way for you to know what is there unless you have pictures. A monster may have moved in and taken up residence while you never even knew it. Most importantly, a camera survey gives you a chance to pattern your deer and know where to hunt for the most activity.8How are your food plots? If you

want nice plots for this coming hunting

season, the work starts now. They will need to be bush hogged, sprayed, disked and then planted. Remember, food plots are like everything else, the more time you spend on the front end, the better it will look in the prime hunting season. Also, research has documented that properly fertilized plots receive more deer-use days than unmanaged plots. 8 Get your harvest quota and infor-

mation cards from your biologist. When opening day comes, you don’t want to be caught unprepared. Properly recorded data can make all the difference in next year’s recommendations. 8 If you have problems with wild hogs,

shoot them. They out compete deer for food, resources and habitat space. There has been a documented antler size reduc-tion with high hog population densities.

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Conservation TrackerBY SAM FRANKLIN



8 Check your rifle zero. You don’t want that big one to get away because your scope was off. 8 In Mississippi, armyworms can take a great looking food

plot and turn it to dirt in two days time. If you can wait till the nightly air temperature gets to 70° F or below, you will be far better off.

Doves8 If your sunflower fields are clean and void of weeds, burn-

ing strips is a great idea. It cleans the ground and roasts the sun-flower seed. Having clean ground is important for doves; they are weak scratchers, therefore they cannot get to seed covered by debris as well as other birds. 8 Doves also need a water source nearby. Flying in the sum-

mer heat is hard work. We should be the COSTCO™ of the bird world. Have everything they need in bulk. This way they will be more inclined to remain local if their needs are met. 8 A few afternoons of watching your fields prior to opening

day can tell you where they are flying and what time they are most active. Try making a funnel of guns in the field they are fly-ing through; that way, everyone has a shot.

Ducks8 Start putting water on your non-hot crop holes. Typically,

those areas will be grown up in moist soil grasses that are more water hardy than conventional planted crops, such as soybeans or corn. Make sure your boards are in the same vicinity as your pipe. Be sure to also check that termites or general rot have not caused your boards to be unusable.8 Keep an eye on your planted crops. They should generally

be planted in late spring or late summer. These crops will be the last of the tender green foliage for new insects after the produc-tion crops have been harvested. Be sure to keep an eye on them, as you may have to spray them before frost in order to save seed for your ducks. 8 Check your boat, blind and decoys. There’s nothing worse

than standing on the bank and watching what would have been a slaughter while you’re stuck at the boat ramp because your boat does not run or your blind fell apart. You are the only one that can ensure your success with the proper preparation.

The more time you spend getting your gear and other things ready, the more quality experiences you will have afield. There’s an old adage that says the more you put in, the more you get out. That seems to hold true with most things. So get out and have a great time in the Mississippi outdoors.

601-856-2720www.SartainsHeritage.com

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Management

JOE

MAC

HU

DSP

ETH

, JR.


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Delta farmers have raiseD generations of families. anD generations of wilDlife.america’s farmers and ranchers provide more than just our food – they also provide food and habitat for 75% of our nation’s wildlife. so, the next time you see deer or ducks, remember that farmers not only provide from the environment, they protect it, too.

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Documents

VOLUME XXIII NO. 3 FALL 2015 - Delta Wildlife · 2019. 7. 18. · Delta Wildlife FALL 2015 3 Cover photo by Joe Mac Hudspeth, Jr. Departments Vol. XXIII No. 3 JOE MAC HUDSPETH, JR