Hill Country Outdoors October Issue.

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October 2012 John 3:16 Vol. 4 No. 28

Check us out on FacebookHillcountry Outdoor Magazine/Dean Wells

158 East Road • Ecru, MS [email protected]

In this issue:- Spot and Stalk Deer HuntingWith A Bow

- The iPhone...A Hunter’s Best Friend

- “The Boy” Goes Squirrel Hunting

- Stop Sweaty Feet

- Outdoor Truths

- 2012 Hunter Education ClassesUnderway

- Hunting and Fishing Items for Sale

In this issue:- Spot and Stalk Deer HuntingWith A Bow

- The iPhone...A Hunter’s Best Friend

- “The Boy” Goes Squirrel Hunting

- Stop Sweaty Feet

- Outdoor Truths

- 2012 Hunter Education ClassesUnderway

- Hunting and Fishing Items for Sale

SSoolluunnaarr Tables

Bacon, Back Straps andFirewoodThis morning when I walked out on the back porch to watchthe sun rise the air breathing down my collar was not like the breath of a fire breathingdragon as it has been for the last 5 months. This morning it was a breath of refreshingcool air that I received as I walked back into the house.

I turned the weather on and before the steam from my coffee could upright itself, theweatherman said 55 degrees. Ahhh, my soul cried. I thought as I watched a sweepingcold front on the map coming down from Canada,” send us more, send us more.”

Whenever you live in a furnace, it does throw you a curve when the weather changes tothe cooler. If you are like me you don’t like at all having to hunt in hot weather. I don’tcare if it is bow hunting, dove hunting or hog hunting, I just don’t enjoy it that much.

Hopefully, this year God will have some mercy on us and let it cool off a little early andstay that way. After all a few more days like this will make you get the itch. You do knowwhat the itch is... don’t you? The itch is more on the inside of you, yet some on the out-side. You start waking up earlier than normal. All of a sudden, you have the urge to rideover to the deer camp or lease. You might even take your binoculars and gas up the ATVinstead of the lawn mower. Isn’t it a lot more fun to ride a 4-wheeler than a lawnmower?Its more fun to cut firewood at the camp all day, than it is to trim a few limbs at thehouse.

Tell that to Dr. Oz and he would probably call doctor quack on all of us. Who cares, thatis just the way we addicts of the frost are. You want to say men are, but the longer I live,the more ladies feel the same way. Some had rather sit in the tree than poke around insome department store. Even camp chores get the nod from the gals too. Pre and post falljust has an effect on you.

Now that we have dove season behind us, bow season and squirrel season is breaking inthe horizon. So it won’t be long now until our boot tracks will once be found in an all fa-miliar place.

I wrote a story once called don’t rush the leaves,if you remember. The story was aboutenjoying the present moments. I always have to remind myself of that truth this time ofyear, before I start praying for a frost, gun season and deer. With that being said, I thinktonight I will fire up the grill and the fire pit and enjoy the bounty of this past year; somebacon, some backstraps and a lot of firewood.

EditorialDean WellsEditor and Publisher of HIllcountry Outdoor Magazine

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Spot and Stalk Deer Hunting with a BOW!HHooww ttoo MMaasstteerr tthhee BBiiggggeesstt TThhrriillll ooff HHuunnttiinngg..Of all the many methods one can take to shoot a deer, none are as exciting and fun the whole way through as is the method of Spot and StalkDeer Hunting. Though it may not be quite as relaxing as sitting in a treestand or blind, it is definitely more of a thrill from the beginning to thepoint of shooting. Spot and stalk deer hunting demands a lot of skill out of a hunter, as well as the right habitat and the right gear. There are manydifferent tricks and tactics that deer hunters can use to give them more ofan advantage, and here we will talk about them.

What is Spot and Stalk Deer Hunting?

Spot and stalk deer hunting is a method by which a hunter first attempts tospot a deer, and then stalk to within shooting range. Shooting range canme a lot of things to different people and weapons, but the theory is thesame. You must concentrate on sneaking (stalking) into a position that youcan ethically make a good, clean kill.

How close do you need to get? A good rule of thumb for most peoplewould be 40 yards for archery hunters. Of course this will be 100% up tothe individual hunter and whatever he or she feels comfortable with. Witha lot of practice, these ranges can be increased.

Habitat

No matter where you are, spot and stalk deer hunting can be a greatmethod for taking deer. That being said, there are some areas that aremuch better suited for the method of spot and stalk deer hunting than others.

The more open and the less cover, the better spot and stalk hunting willbe. Spot and stalk deer hunting requires looking over a lot of country tofind the deer you are looking for. If you are after a mature buck, then youmight have to put in a lot of time depending on the area. A lot of goodspot and stalk deer hunting areas have a low average buck age as peopleshoot too many immature bucks when they are young and vey dumbwithout a place to hide or the smarts to run away.

Spotting Deer

Once you are in an area that you think should be good for spot and stalkhunting, the first task is to find deer. The best thing to do if you have timebefore the season starts is to do some preseason scouting. It is very helpfulto know what size of deer to set your standards on as well an idea ofwhere to find them. Opening day can get pretty crazy, as there is typicallyother hunters that have done some scouting and will be looking for specific deer, so you will want to be in the best place possible as soon as legal shooting time arrives.

Keep Your Distance

The key to spot and stalk deer hunting is to see the deer before they seeyou. For this reason, it is best to find deer from a long ways off. Once youfind them, then you can devise a plan on getting to within range. Oncethe deer are alerted to your presence, things will get much harder as thedeer will be on guard making tough to close the distance without beingseen.

Spotting Moving Deer

Early in the mornings is the best time to find deer moving around. Morn-ing time usually finds the deer the furthest away from their bedding areasand focused on eating. For this reason you will want to focus on feedingareas first thing, and then work your way to checking their in betweenareas as they browse about on their way to the bedding areas. If you areafter older, mature bucks, they are usually the first to head for whereverthey feel the safest and bed down for the day. Many are nocturnal by thetime deer season starts, and you will have to find them in their beds. Thiscan be tough as a deer can blend in to its surroundings very easily.

If you have not found a deer that meets you minimum requirement to put a stalk on before they bed down, do not be discouraged. Most deer,including bucks will get up, stretch, nibble on some nearby plants, or justget up to reposition themselves out of the sun. I have found many bucksthat I have put stalks on in the heat of the day.

Spotting Bedded Deer

It is also possible to spot deer as they are bedded down. This takes a lot of patience and skill to beable to pick out the small details that you canidentify as a deer. First of all, you want to be able to identify areas thatdeer will likely bed down. Some areas anywhere can be possible beddinglocations, but there are certain similarities to the places deer prefer to beddown most.

The most obvious place to look is around trees and shrubs. Deer will hideamongst and on the edges of these areas in an attempt to be in the shadeand to hide them from predators, like hunters. Many times a big buck canlay in a brush patch not much bigger than the deer himself, yet be almosttotally concealed. The spotting skill comes out when you can pick out thefork of an antler, a rump, a nose, or a moving bush that should not bemoving. You have to really pick these areas a part with your optics, andeven then you might not see what is hiding in there. I have had deer magically appear out of shrubs after I thought I could see all of it.

Other areas that deer like to bed down are amongst boulders and undercliff faces where they can find shelter from the sun and avoid cougars andother predators. Anywhere you see shade is a possible bedding area, especially early season when it is hot. Even once the temperatures getcolder in the fall deer will still seek shade as their coats thicken up.

Stalking Deer

Putting the final stock on a deer is the most exciting part of spot and stalkdeer hunting. The object is getting as close as possible without the deerdetecting you. This is the part where rifle spot and stalk and archery spotand stalk deer hunting differ a lot. Of course, many times, a deer will posi-tion its self in an area where it can only be seen within range at 50 yards. I have had several situations where I could spot bucks from in fields 800– 1000 yards away, but could not see them on the final stock until I waswithin 20 or less yards. (Continued on page 6)

Wind:

The best defense a deer has is his ability to smell. One molecule of humanscent will make a bedded down deer turning into a running deer instantly,typically not giving the hunter anytime for a standing still shot. For thisreason, you have to play the wind more than anything else.

When spot and stalking deer, wind can be your worst enemy or your bestfriend, it is all about how you play it. Wind, especially a decent wind canhelp to cover up the sound of a hunter stalking within range of a deer.Also, wind can be used to take your scent away from a deer. You can get10 yards away, and as long as there is a decent breeze blowing your scentaway from the deer, you can remain undetected to the nose of a verysmart deer. Regardless of the weapon you are using, you will need to usethe wind to your advantage, especially with a bow or other close rangeweapon in your hand.

Many times while spot and stalk deer hunting it is necessary to make thefinal stalk until the wind is right, especially while bow hunting. I have hadto watch deer for hours until the wind changed before I could put on astalk and typically I have been glad I waited. I have also blown plenty ofarchery stocks because I did not wait for the wind to change and stabilize,but then after the stalk was a bust, the wind picked up and stabilized.

Wind Patterns:

Every area has its own wind patterns that occur during a typical day thatchange with the heating and cooling that takes place. You need to knowthese wind patterns to best help you determine if you think the wind isgoing to change to help you with time, or if it is going to change and hurtyou. Just as you might have had to wait for the wind to change before thestalk, sometimes you are forced to make a quick move on the deer beforethe wind changes. Knowing when to go and when to not is a huge part ofspot and stalk deer hunting; you have to be patient.

Deer Vision:

Deer have great vision. They are extremely good about picking up movingobjects, even at long distances. They are also able to see objects that donot fit into the surroundings and are not broke up. The best way to hideyour self is to stay out of sight, and camouflage can help out a lot. You willwant colors and patterns that fit the area well. Deer usually are very famil-iar with their surroundings, so anything that is out of place or differentcolor can easily be detected.

It is best to stay out of site of the deer until you can come over a rise,around a rock or brush, and be within shooting distance without the deernoticing you. All situations will be different, so it is hard to give any suggestions as to the approach of the stalk; you pretty much just have to determine the best route to keep you concealed until you get to withinrange.

With archery spot and stalk hunting, staying out of sight of the deer is themain object, but you have to do it on a much closer basis in order to besuccessful; it is tough to get within 40 yards of a mature buck deer nomatter how you look at it. Even at these close distances, getting a good,ethical shot is still tough as things have to be just right to let an arrow go;it is not over until you make that clean kill shot.

Numbers:

Successful spot and stalk deer hunting is a lot about playing numbers. To be consistent, especially with a short range weapon, you need to beputting on a lot of stalks. With rifle hunting, the chances of getting a goodshot at a deer during a stalk is pretty good; typically about one out of twoor three.

With bow hunting typical odds of successful archery stocks for an experi-enced bow hunter is probably 1/6. For inexperienced bow hunters, it maytake years before luck and skill combine to equal success. That is whyscouting is so important so you will know where to go to put on the moststocks possible in order to be successful on a year to year basis. Of course,

it is possible to seal the deal on the first stalk attempt, but luck might alsohave it to where you finally get it done on the 10th stock of the hunt, ornever at all.

Equipment:

There is a number different items that can really increase your odds of asuccessful spot and stalk deer hunt. Gear comes in many different priceranges, but it is important to realize you get what you pay for. The follow-ing list is made up of gear that can increase your odds a lot. The best thingyou can do is go with the best equipment you can afford. We will talkmore about where you can determine the best gear for yourself at the endof this article.

Binoculars: Spot and stalk deer hunting requires you to find the deer. It isamazing how many more deer you can find with the use of binocularsthat you would not see otherwise. They also are essential in the stalk asyou need to find the deer before they find you, which means using yourbinoculars to pick out the tip of a horn or the flick of a tail.

Rangefinder: Knowing the exact distance to your target is a huge benefitespecially when shooting long distances or bow hunting. There are certainspecs that you will want in a rangefinder, we will talk more about thosespecs at the end of this article.

Spotting Scope: Both used for spotting deer and then being able to judgethem to make sure they are worthy of a stalk. Spotting scopes are also important to find other deer and anything else that can compromise yourstalk that is in your intended path. It is very easy to get busted by an animal you did not know existed. Spotting scopes are a must have for Spotand Stalk Hunting.

Camouflage:With deer vision it is not as important to be the same coloras the back ground, but more so to break up your silhouette. Plus, in typical spot and stalk habitat the foliage can grasses, or green in trees and shrubs. Therefore it is important to have a camo pattern that is veryversatile. It enables a person to blend into any habitat.

Boots:When stalking deer, it is important to be as quiet as possible. I havetaken my boots off and stalked in my sock successfully before, but withcacti and thistle prevalent where I hunt, this is just not doable. Therefore Iwear lightweight boots made for stalking to close the final distance towithin bow range. They have saved my feet and helped me to be muchmore stealthy.

For all other gear needed to take down big game, be sure to check themenu on the right hand side of this page. The above list of gear is just thebasics that will help you to become a successful spot and stalk deerhunter. Only after you spot and stalk deer hunt a few times will you knowexactly what works best for you.

Try Spot and Stalk Deer Hunting Yourself!

Once you try to spot and stalk a maturebuck, you will realize the intensity of thesituation. There are few other challengesthat rival the toughness of a spot and stalkhunt, especially with a bow. Patience iskey as you will need to expect long hoursof glassing with binoculars or a spottingscope up to your eyes, and perhaps waitinghours while uncomfortably sitting 30 yardsfrom a trophy buck waiting for him to standup. It really is the most fun of any huntingout there, but it takes a lot of practice toget good.

I am confident with tips I have given you here on both spot and stalk hunting, as well as pointing you towards the right gear, you too can become proficient at the most exciting thrill hunting can give you.

Spot and Stalk Deer Hunting with a BOW! (Continued from page 5)

Also Check These OutThere is a app that will gross score whitetail bucks on the hoof. It is userfriendly, quick scoring and accurate. There isn't a lot of useless filler, justscores the deer and gives you a rough score. It's licensed by B&C so it'slegit.

An app that I use for logging my big game and waterfowl is called HuntingBag. I used it last season and it keeps track of all my totals and even lets meexport them to a spreadsheet. I am pretty happy with it.

Also try out ScoutLook. This app maps your stand locations and gives yougraphics display of scent drift and other helpful tips for all types of hunting

Another app I've found quite useful is iDuckID. It is a truly invaluable resource in the field for duck identification.

The hunter journal app, it's free. Works better than my gps and I can takefield notes right to the map. Check it out!

An awesome app (available for iPhone and Android) is GoldenPic. It pro-vides you with the Sunrise, Sunset, Moonrise, Moonset, Moon phase,Golden and Blue Hours (the period that deer are most active and travelfrom bedding to feeding areas and vice-versa). On top of that, it also displays the weather and lets you save your GPS coordinates to retrieve ata later time!

Another cool app is "Deer Age Tool" which allows you to age your deer inthe field.

The iDuckID app shown above delivers quick and accurate information for the identifica-tion of over 30 species of North American waterfowl.

Some Great Reasons thatthe IPhone is a HuntersBest Friend.The world has gone mobile. Nowadays,if you can't access the Internet from thefar reaches of the earth to pay a bill,check sports scores or order a pizza forthe deer camp, you're not in the know.If you've got the ever-popular iPhone—no matter which version—you can un-doubtedly do almost anything from thecomfort of your handheld smart gadget.In service to our fellow hunters, havesurveyed Apple's inventory and comeup with the top four app categories forhunters everywhere. If you’re interested,head to the iTunes store and start spending.

Tools of the TradeRather than head out to purchase dozens of separate gadgets that take up space in your hunting pack or around your neck, why not use youriPhone as an all-in-one tool of the trade?

-Where’s my tree stand?[US$0.99] – Keep tabs on one or all of yourtree stands with iPhone’s GPS-enabled maps. The app identifies your location and then saves it to a list so you’ll never misplace that standagain.

-TimeToHunt Pro [US$3.99]– This easy-to-use tool helps you predictwhen wildlife will be active and on the move to any location within a28-day period!

-Survival Pocket Reference [US$0.99]- Survival skills are now at yourfingertips with this app full of info on basic survival, evasion, first aid andrecovery.

-ShRACK [US$2.99] – Get the facts with this user-friendly app thatcalculates both the non-typical and typical score of your deer or elk,right in the field!

Weather WatchingWhether (no pun intended) you're duck hunting or chasing whitetails,follow every minute detail of the conditions in your spot with apps forthe weather junky in us all.

-Sunrise & Sunset and Moon Phase [US$0.99] - Easy to use, this appdoes all the work for you. Calculate sunrise and sunset times, moonriseand moonset times using the GPS feature. Never get caught in the darkagain—unless, of course, you want to.

-USA Weather Maps [US$0.99] – Get your hands, on all of the mapsyou need to calculate dew-point, heat index, snow fall depth, jet streamand other weather map info no matter where you are.

-Wind Meter [US$0.99] – Don’t get caught unprepared in a nastywind storm again. Here’s the perfect tool to measure wind speed forrecreational uses like hunting, hiking, fishing and more.

Worth Mentioning

Medjet [Free] - Provided by Medjet, the leader in air-medical evacua-tions, this app gives you access to Medjet's medical consultation, mobilemedical information storage benefit and first aid information whereveryou go.

Gas Finder [US$1.99] - Running low on gas? No worries! With a tap of your finger, this app provides a list of the closest gas stations withdirections!

-iSnipe [US$5.99] -The ultimate in ballistics calculators, this app gen-erates valid 3-DOF solutions to small arms trajectories, including correc-tions for pitch, yaw and atmospheric conditions.

About HillcountryOutdoor Magazine

Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine is distributed monthly to thefollowing counties ;

Hernando, Marshall, Benton, Union, Pontotoc, Tippah, Prentiss, Lee,Tishomingo, Oktibbeha, Clay, Lowndes, Chickasaw, Monroe, Panolaand Calhoun.

Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine is read monthly in the following cities;

Olive Branch, South Haven, Holly Springs, Oxford, Batesville, Sardis,Como, Grenada, Water Valley, Calhoun City, Bruce, Houston,Houlka, Vardaman, Derma, Pontotoc, New Albany, Ripley, Walnut,Tupelo, Saltillo, Booneville, West Point, Starkville, Macon, Columbus,Aberdeen, Amory, Fulton.

Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine has a following of about7,000-12,000 readers monthly.Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine is the only Free outdoormagazine in Mississippi.Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine is the only outdoor maga-zine, that is published, printed and owned by a Mississip-pian.

Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine is about the hunters and fisherman ofMississippi. The FREE publication delivers to its readers valuable in-formation to help hunters, gun owners, nature lovers and fishermanreach there personal goals with the best up to date information oneverything that is happening in the outdoors, locally and throughoutthe state. We also keep the readers informed on everything affectingthem at a national level as well. Each month you will find events forthe sportsmen, lake reports, stories, hunting regulations and otherpoints of interest to the sportsmen and women of Mississippi.

We do not sell advertising or leave magazines for readers in busi-nesses who are not family friendly or who are from Iran, Iraq, Yemenor other eastern countries who funnel money to the enemies of theUnited States Armed Forces and U.S. Citizens.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Sept. 13, 2012 – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish andWildlife Service Director Dan Ashe yesterday announced a landmark investment of nearly $30million in the future of wetlands, waterfowl and public waterfowl hunting across the countrythrough expanded refuges and hunting programs.

Breaking down the total, nearly $11 million in revenue from the Migratory Bird ConservationFund will add more than 10,000 wetland acres to seven units in the National Wildlife RefugeSystem, and an additional $18.4 million in federal funding will conserve more than 95,000acres of wetlands and associated habitat under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.Expanded hunting activities will also be added on 16 national wildlife refuges in 14 states, in-cluding several new and enhanced migratory bird hunting opportunities.

"These improvements to the National Wildlife Refuge System are essential to the future of waterfowl and waterfowling, and the thanks go in large part to the very Americans who standto benefit most—hunters. In buying their duck stamps year after year, these dedicated out-doorsmen are ensuring a future for wetlands conservation and enjoyment of these refuges forgenerations to come," said Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall. "Along with additional areas tohunt come a host of other outdoor recreation opportunities for all ages inside our nation'srefuges, as well as the lasting benefits of conserving wetland acres—flood storage, improvedwater quality and storm protection."

The expanded refuge hunting is intended to fulfill the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, which helped establish public hunting opportunities on more than300 national wildlife refuges nationwide, as well as fishing opportunities on more than 270.

"By expanding hunting in our National Wildlife Refuge System, we are supporting a heritagethat has been handed down from generations and helping to achieve the goal of PresidentObama's America's Great Outdoors initiative to connect Americans to the natural world throughoutdoor recreation," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "Hunters have been a mainstayof conservation in America for more than 100 years, and expanding hunting opportunitieshelps ensure that we will have the resources to care for our wildlife and its habitat in the future."

The refuges gaining new or broader areas for migratory bird hunting under this expansion include Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, Bond Swamp National WildlifeRefuge (NWR) in Georgia, Chickasaw and Lower Hatchie NWRs in Tennessee, Saddle Mountain(Hanford Reach) NWR in Washington, Julia Butler Hanson Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer in Oregon, Minnesota Valley NWR in Minnesota, Red Rock Lakes NWR in Montanaand Upper Ouachita NWR in Louisiana.

As waterfowl hunters gear up for opening day this fall, the Ducks Unlimited Migration Map will offer an up-to-date, convenient source of information on national wildlife refuges for waterfowling and other outdoor recreation. To find a local NWR, visit www.ducks.org/migra-tionmap and click on "National Wildlife Refuges" in the map toolbox on the left side of thepage. Small Canada goose icons represent the locations of all NWRs and "learn more" linksprovide an expanded look at public hunting, fishing and other recreation opportunities at each refuge.

Waterfowl, hunters to benefit fromnearly $30 million federal investmentFunds to expand national wildlife refuges, conserve wetlands and open doors for waterfowl hunters in the coming seasons

Continued on pg. 13

"The Boy" Goes Squirrel HuntingThere's something to be said about a boy's first squirrel hunt. I still re-member mine, though it was quite a few years ago. I think that in a lot ofways, hunting has gotten away from it's "roots" so to speak. Too muchemphasis today is placed on big game like white-tail deer, while everyoneseems to had forgotten about small game, like squirrels and rabbits. True,they aren't as glamorous as a big antlered white-tail, and I've yet to seeany Boone & Crockett record book entries for squirrels, but small gamehunting teaches the basics..............The basics of how to move, how to ac-tually "hunt", how to handle a firearm, and just a basic appreciation of na-ture. If you spook a squirrel while hunting, there'll be another on downthe path a little way. If you spook a deer while deer hunting, sometimesyou may have to give up for the day. This can be discouraging to a smallchild.

I had been telling my 6 year old son that I would take him squirrel hunt-ing this year, but as is usually the case with today's busy schedules, weweren't able to actually go until about 2 months into the season. Withonly being 6 and his first hunting trip, I decided that he could carry his BBgun if he wanted, but that was going to be as much firepower as I wantedhim to have just yet! Just like most every other kid these days, Mason isno exception when it comes to playing video games. We limit theamount of time he can play, and what he can play, but usually when heisn't playing, he's acting out parts of the video games. His favorite gameright now is Pirates of the Carribean Online, with all of the sword fightingin it. Little did I know that his video game playing would be one of thehighlights of our first hunt!

We had to drive down to the farm to hunt before daylight, and much tomy surprise, he was ready and raring to go at 5:00 AM when we had toget up. We were able to get in the woods right at daylight, just as I hadhoped. After parking the 4-wheeler, I went through everything with himas far as watching where he was walking, looking around for squirrels,stopping beside trees, etc. We stayed at the 4-wheeler for a little bit, andlet everything quiet back down from us going in, and then headed out.

Since this was the boy's first hunt, I didn't want to take him on "too much"of an adventure, so I had decided that we would just stick to the old log-ging roads. It was a cool morning, with little to no wind, but where wehadn't had any rain in quite a while, the leaves were dryer than a popcornfart! The patch of woods we were hunting though had quite a few squir-rels in it, so I figured we would find at least one that was either mentallychallenged, very brave, or at the least, blind and deaf! Plus, since I wascarrying a .17 HMR, if I could see it, I could hit it, which swung the oddsin our favor a little.

I have hunted the patch of woods enough to know about where the squir-rels usually were, so in areas where there usually weren't any squirrels Imade sure to point out the other things Mason would need to know.When we would stop at a tree to look and listen, I pointed out differenttrees, leaves, plants, bird calls, etc. We whispered about this and that, measking him things, and he asking me about things. I could hear squirrelscutting further up on the side of the hill, or down in the hollows, but did-n't want to go after then. This was going to be just a leisurely walk in thewoods, with a little hunting/learning mixed in.

After sneaking around for quite a while, we still hadn't gotten any squir-rels and I could tell that Mason was starting to get bored. As we startedgoing down a hill, I could see some limbs moving up ahead where therewere some squirrels cutting. I pointed them out to Mason and told him toreally watch where he put his feet as we slipped a little closer. Westopped beside a pretty good sized beech tree and watched for a littlewhile. I could see a fox squirrel every now and then through the leaveson down the hill a little bit, so I told Mason to stay there at that tree whileI slipped on down the hill a little to see if I could get a shot at the squirrel.I had told him earlier that morning that if he saw me put the rifle up to myshoulder to put his fingers in his ears to protect them from the blast of therifle. Me wanting to go on down the hill away from him was to mainlyget the blast of the rifle away from him. I moved on down the hill about20-25 yards, found a tree that I could get a good rest on, and finally found

a hole that I could thread the little 17 grain V-Max bullet through. When Iturned around to motion for Mason to put his fingers in his ears, I almostcompletely forgot about squirrel hunting! Up the hill, diligently standingby the tree where I had left him, Mason was locked in an epic swordfighting battle with (from the looks of it) several imaginary foes!LMAO!!!!! I had gotten on him several times that morning about shufflinghis feet in the leaves and making noise. He had apparently listened to meon that part of "moving quietly", but not on the part of "moving slowly".He wasn't making a sound, but his arms were flailing wildly about, hisstick/sword vanquishing foe after foe!!!

After whispering "MASON!" loud enough for him to hear me, and shakingmy fist at him, he quit sword fighting. I motioned for him to put his fin-gers in his ears, and I turned my attention back toward the deaf, dumb,and blind fox squirrel. At the crack of the rifle, the squirrel folded and hitthe the ground with a very audible "THUMP". I scanned on around theother area to see if I could see any others that the rifle had provoked intomoving. Seeing nothing, I turned around to check on the boy. He was allgrins, pumping his fist in the air. I motioned for him to come on downthere toward me. Once he finally made it down there, doing his best notto make very much noise, I showed him which tree the squirrel had beenin and how to "mark" the tree so that he would be able to find it once wegot down there.

We found the squirrel without any trouble. After I picked it up (mainly tomake sure it was dead) I handed it to Mason. He said, "It's warm Daddy.""Yeah it is buddy. He was alive just a little while ago but I shot and killedhim. The good Lord put this squirrel out here for us to get so that we canhave something to eat." This kind of exchange continued between thetwo of us, with him asking questions and me answering. I had shot thesquirrel in the head, and in normal fashion for the little V-Max bullet, partof the squirrel's head was missing. This too provided a good learning op-portunity to the boy, and from the look on his face, it was really hittinghome what I had been telling him for several years about being carefulwith guns, that they can kill, etc. It's one thing to see a hole in a target,but a whole other thing to see a dead animal with part of it's head miss-ing. Since that time, I've noticed that Mason is a little more carefularound my guns and even with his Nerf guns.

A Boy Goes Squirrel Hunting (continued from pg. 10)

I peeled the bottom of the squirrel's foot back and put a stick under thetendons to carry it with. Mason was done. He wanted to go back to thehouse to show Momma and Nanna Carol our squirrel. We hunted for justa little while longer and then started making our way back toward the 4-wheeler. Back at the house, I let Mason tell Momma & Nanna Carolabout his hunt, with me adding little bits and pieces every here and there.

If I had gone hunting by myself that morning, there's no doubt I wouldhave gotten a limit and been back at the house in very short order. Butthis hunt wasn't about me. It was about "The Boy". It was about a fatherand son getting out and spending time together, both learning from eachother. It was about learning from Mother Nature and actually listening towhat she has to say. But mainly, it was about passing down the huntingheritage to the next generation, so that they too can be self sufficient andappreciate all of the wonders around them each day. Even the wonders ofa little 6 year old boy sword fighting by himself in the middle of thewoods.

Stop Sweaty Feet!

Give your feet some TLC.Stinky shoes and socks may be the most noticeable result of sweaty feet,but they're not the only problem caused by excessive foot perspiration.Fungus can grow in the damp conditions, leading athlete's foot, whichcauses itching and burning. Keeping your feet dry takes attention to yourpersonal hygiene and a little TLC, but your socks and hunting boots willthank you for it.

• Lots of clean, dry, moisture wicking, synthetic socks.• leather boots• antiperspirant foot spray• foot powder or baking soda

Instructions

1.Wash your feet at least once a day, twice if it's a persistentproblem. Use a good antibacterial soap. Dry your feet carefullyand completely, especially in between your toes. Don't let mi-croorganisms get started growing in the nice, damp places be-tween those toes.

2. After bathing and drying your feet, apply an antiperspirant footspray and a foot powder. Apply the antiperspirant, let it dry, thenapply the powder. You can choose a commercial foot powder, oruse baking soda. You can use a regular underarm antiperspirant,but it is not as strong as foot antiperspirant.

3. Let your feet breathe, only natural, breathable materials forthe upper part of the boots, such as leather, wool and canvas.These types of natural shoes will allow some of the heat to leaveyour feet, thus creating less perspiration. 4

Wear moisture-wicking, synthetic socks that breathe. Changeyour socks at least once in the middle of the day. Make sure youalways have clean, dry socks to change into.

Cotton socks are not good for sweaty feet. Cotton absorbs mois-ture and holds it close to your skin, therefore creating cold feet.

• Change oil with Shell Oil• Change oil filter• Check air filter• Check brake fluid• Check and Fill power steering fluid• Fill windshield washer reservoir• Check and fill battery fluid• Check engine coolant• Check transmission fluid• Check drive belt• Lubricate chassis• Check wiper blades• Check and inspect tires• Vacuum auto interior• Wash windshield

Pontotoc 662-489-8045Batesville 578-7777Starkville 338-5321Senatobia 562-8031Hernando 429-5066Greenwood 453-7634Grenada 226-4130

“Come see us for a change”

www.sayleoil.com

The mornings are beginning to get cooler. Just today, the thermometershowed temperatures in the lower 50’s. The air seems as satisfying as acool glass of water. And I’m not the only one who agrees. More peopleare enjoying the outdoors since they don’t have to endure the swelteringheat and humidity. This is many peoples favorite time of year. I can seewhy. I, on the other hand, love being outside on any given day or time ofyear; especially early in the morning. And when I am unable to I can getdiscouraged.

I have mentioned here before how I enjoy running. For some reason, I’malways hesitant to write about this part of my life. I’m not one who feelscomfortable posting my running on Facebook or other social sites. There’snothing wrong with any of this. It’s just me. So, you can sense my uneasi-ness about telling this particular story. But I so wanted to perhaps encour-age you through a recent episode of my life.

A few months ago, I was injured while running. I simply strained a mus-cle around my knee. I didn’t fall or step on something strange; I just felt asudden pain. I was able to run through it to some degree, but knew that Iwould have to take a few days off. What started off as a few days, endedup becoming news that my running days might be over. I was devastatedfor lots of reasons, but I think mainly because it was something that Iloved so much, made me so thankful, and cost very little. Unlike some ofyou more holy types, I questioned God. In the meantime, I thought Imight try to ride my bike. Several years ago, I got into this sport as well,riding both in the mountains and on the road. But I had never riddenmore than 15 miles. I soon discovered that my knee didn’t hurt when Ibiked and it even strengthened it. After a couple of weeks of doing this, Ibegan to get the same thrill from riding as I did from running. And after afew more weeks, I was able to lace my running shoes back up and beginthe process of seeing whether I could run or not.

The good news is that I am running again. I’ve not fully recovered themiles that I once ran, but I did my first 5 miler the other day, and thankedGod for every step. More good news comes from the fact that I now haveridden my bicycle distances that I never thought I would. God replacedwhat was lost with something more and better.

Why do I share this with you? Because right now, God has seeminglytaken something from you. It seems like a loss that you will never over-come. It has devastated you and you are questioning God. Please knowthat while the scar from your injury will never go away, the story that goeswith it may not be complete. And know that while you may never fullyrecover your loss, God may just have something else for you that willbring a joy you have never known. Trust Him.

Gary [email protected]

TruthsOutdoor

Deer and Rabbit Hunting Applications Available

The MDWFP is now accepting draw permit applications for rabbit anddeer hunting on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). Applicants mustapply online at www.mdwfp.com from August 1 - 31. There will be acharge of $5 for each permit application. Permitted rabbit hunts will beavailable at Nanih Waiya WMA.

Permitted deer hunts are available for at Natchez State Park, Black Prairie,Charles Ray Nix, Hell Creek, Mahannah, Sardis Waterfowl, Sky Lake, TwinOaks, Trim Cane, and Yockanookany WMAs. Youth and handicappedhunting opportunities are available at Sardis Waterfowl and Trim CaneWMAs. Applicants for youth deer hunts at Sardis Waterfowl WMA must be15 years of age or younger. Applicants for deer hunts at Trim Cane WMAmust have a physical condition which makes them fully dependent on awheelchair for mobility or be 15 years of age or younger. Click here toapply for a draw permit or visit our website for more information atmdwfp.com

Mississippi's Waterfowl Late Seasons Announced

The Commission on Wildlife,Fisheries, and Parks approved the dates and bag limitsfor the 2012-2013 waterfowl hunting seasons at its August 15 meeting in Jackson.Duck,merganser, and coot seasons will be November 23 - November 25, 2012;November 30 - December 2, 2012; and December 5, 2012 - January 27, 2013.The daily bag limit will be a total of 6 ducks, including no more than 4 mallards(no more than 2 of which may be females), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 4 scaup, 2pintail, 1 canvasback, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck. The merganser daily baglimit will be a total of 5 mergansers, only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers.Coots will have a 15-bird daily bag limit. The possession limit is twice the dailybag limit for ducks, mergansers, and coots.

Canada, snow, blue, Ross's, white-fronted goose, and brant seasons will occurfrom November 15, 2012 - January 27, 2013. Canada geese will have a 3-birddaily bag limit and brant will have a daily bag limit of 1 bird. The possession limitis twice the daily bag limit for both Canada geese and brant. Snow, blue, andRoss's geese will have a daily bag limit of 20 birds. White-fronted geese will havea daily bag limit of 2 birds. The possession limit for white-fronted geese is 4 andthere is no possession limit for snow, blue, and Ross's geese.

In addition to the regular hunting season, there will again be a conservation orderfor snow, blue, and Ross's geese during the following dates: October 1 - Novem-ber 14, 2012; January 28 - February 1, 2013; and February 4 - March 31, 2013(only snow, blue, and Ross's geese may be taken during the light goose conserva-tion order). The youth waterfowl weekend will occur during the weekend of February 2- February 3, 2013.

[email protected]

675 West MainTupelo Ms. 662-840-1566

ATTENTION!

Deer, Turkey, Duck and small game hunters.

Manufacturer Direct PricesHuge below retail savings on everything for the outdoors.

2012 Fall Hunter Ed Classesare UnderwayThe Hunter Education program is sponsored by the MDWFP. It isdesigned to help reduce hunting accidents and enrich a person'sknowledge of the outdoors by teaching hunting ethics and respon-sibility, wildlife conservation, and firearm safety fundamentals.Hunter Education classes are 10 hours long which include class-room instruction and time on a firing range.

There is no charge for the course. Students must be 10 years oldprior to December 31 of the year of the class. They must attend allcourse hours, score 70 percent or above on an examination, andshow safety proficiency with a firearm prior to certification.

Hunter Education courses are also offered online.The onlinecourse is not intended to replace the traditional classroom coursebut is designed to work within the established course curriculumand allow the Hunter Education certification to be obtainedthroughout the year. Upon completion of the online exam, studentsmust complete the final three hours within a classroom setting.This allows the student time for interaction with the instructor, finaltesting, and the range firing exercise.

Who Needs Hunter Education?

All persons born after January 1, 1972 arerequired to complete a Hunter Educationcourse before purchasing a Mississippihunting license. Anyone 12 years of ageand under 16 years of age must have a cer-tificate of satisfactory completion of ahunter education course approved by the MDWFP before huntingalone in Mississippi. A child at least 12 years of age and under 16years of age may hunt without having the certificate of Hunter Ed-ucation if the child is in the presence and under the direct supervi-sion of a Mississippi licensed or exempt hunter at least 21 years ofage when hunting. Sportsmen and women can also take HunterEducation voluntarily to enhance their knowledge and skills.

Who Teaches Hunter Education?

Volunteer instructors, county 4-H YouthAgents, school teachers and wildlifeagency personnel all teach Hunter Education. They are qualified to teachby attending a certification course. Instructors maintain their teaching credential through a yearly evaluation process. To become a Hunter Education instructor visit mdwfp.com or call 1-800-354-5033.

Please call 1-800-354-5033 or visit mdwfp.com/law-enforcement/hunter-education for more information regardingHunter Education courses or about becoming a volunteer HunterEducation Instructor.

MORE HUNTING ACCIDENTS FROM NOT WEARING SAFETY HARNESSMore an more deer hunters havevisited the emergency room, afterfalling out of deer stands and injuring themselves from notwearing their safety harness. Bass Pro Shop says "A lot of people don't want to wear them is because they still remember theold style you had to run a buckle." . "But these just are quicksnaps."

In some instances, wearing thesafety harness could mean the difference between serious injuryor even life and death.

"A lot of people think just becauseyou're in a ladder stand that theydon't have to wear a safety har-ness. You're still 16 feet in the airwhich is more than enough to doserious bodily harm."

Overall, it's that one piece of protective gear that can make all the difference. The two seconds it takes to put it on, is worth every dime and minute it will save, you and your family if you fall.

North and Central Mississippi Hunting and Fishing Items For Sale.We are on facebook post for FREE.Nikon 3x9x50 bdc $250 or trade 662-419-6213 located in Pontotoc

Winchester model 70 30-06 Leopold base and rings nice gun. 350.00 cash or tradefor pocket 9mm. Lc9,diamond db9. 662-419-1551�For sale Ruger 44 mag. carbine great condition, $350 Call 662-316-8597. Also have a homeland security model 17 cal.

I have a Parker wildfire XP that I bought new in 09. It has only been used a fewtimes. Asking $350 662-419-5103

2000 Allison XB2002 with custom built engine. Prettiest on the water without a sin-gle scratch 15000 or trade any question call or text 217-370-9461.

$2,200 obo Nice bass boat runs good..Call or text 6623976697 for more details.

I am selling my 2005 Ezgo Electric Golf Cart. This cart is in great shape. It has a 4"Lift kit, 500 amp Controller, 12 hp motor, Locker in the Rear end, Front basket, Folddown back seat, Windshield, Camouflage Enclosure ( Brand New), Trojan T-145batteries 2 yrs old ($1200). All upgrades are 2 yrs old done at Ben Nelsons in Pearl.($2500 in upgrades not including batteries). Asking $4250.00Call Dale @601-946-5938

For sale ten gun cabinet looks new nothing wrong moved to a new safe $400.00.Storage in the bottom all four doors lock and the light inside works. You can reachme at (662)296-9528

95 wrangler, 4 cyl, 5 speed, new tires, winch, seats 5500.00. 662-539-1510

Hunting club looking for New members!5,500 acres in Duck Hill, MSAverage kill 100 deer and 15 turkeys per year.Still hunting and dog hunting.Family oriented. $600/yrI am looking for 12' foot trailer with a gate. let me knowif you or know of someone that has one. 901-326-3025

Looking to trade my 16' utility trailer,14'x 68" brand newtires, 5000 lb axle, led lights, all wires ran through plas-tic conduit, has a full size UWS black tool box, swivelbulldog jack and heavy duty 2" bulldog coupling hitch,2x12x14 treated floor,5 ' lift gate with custom springlatches an gate is removable, frame is 1/4" thick anstrong, will not sway or flex when pulling, I pull 2 fourwheelers 80+ mph an cant tell it's back there, wanting abigger trailer to haul vehicles on, have more pictures Ican text or email, thanks, Tyler 662-934-2889

1998 Javelin 17ft fiberglass bass boat for sale. Huge rodstorage, 2 live wells, 2 huge storage compartments,storage under both seats also, built in cooler, 90 hp evin-rude motor(it will go 45mph), 50 lb. trust foot controlledminkota trolling motor, everything works. Boat has al-ways been kept inside and covered. No fades spots any-where. Trailer has good tires with aluminum wheels.$6500 OBO or trade on nice pontoon or ski boat. 662-296-5274

NEW OWNERSHIP

The gathering place forhunters and friends!Full Breakfast & LunchWe will cut your steaks your way

Hand cut to your specifications5am-7pm Mon-Sat • 10am-6pm Sunday

662-534-7885

J&J Grocery

Get your Hillcountry Outdoor Magazine at one of these fine locations!

BB’S Feed StopWe’ll Make Your Buck Bigger with

Deer Feeds, Corn and Sweet Potatoes

New Albany, Mississippi

662-534-8387

CAMPER CITY

SalesServiceParts

Ricky Timmons Phil Timmons

4895 Cliff Gookin Blvd.Tupelo, Mississippi 38801

662-844-2371

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Recipe of theMonth

Ingredients

~ squirrel legs, front or rear, amount depends upon how hungry you are~ milk~ garlic powder~ pepper~ salt~ minced onion~ hickory smoked bacon

Soak the legs in milk for 2 – 3 hours. Remove and drain.

Sprinkle to taste with garlic powder, pepper, salt and the minced onion(or if you have a favorite dry rub for grilled squirrel you can use that in-stead).

Wrap each leg with bacon. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.

Place on hot grill (charcoal grill recommended for a nice smoky flavor,although a gas or electric grill will do the trick). Cook over medium heatuntil cooked through, tend to the meat as your cooking to make sureyou do not over cook.

Serve with your favorite sides.

Bacon Wrapped Squirrel

Shoulder Mounts Onlyby Andy Russell662.509.2542

137 Clayton RoadEcru, Ms. 38841

Hill Country Outdoors October Issue.

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Transcript of Hill Country Outdoors October Issue.