Mississippi Hill Country Outdoor Magazine

FREEMagazine

April 2012 • Mississippi’s Only Locally Owned Hunting & Fishing Magazine • Vol. 4 No. 24

Check us out on FacebookHillcountry Outdoor Magazine/Dean Wells

158 East Road • Ecru, MS [email protected]

SPECIALFOOD PLOTBUYER’S GUIDE

In this issue:

- How To Raise Crawfish

- Top 3 Fish Fryers

- It’s Time...To Plant Food PlotsFor Deer

- Outdoor Truths

- Salt & MIneral Licks

- Creating A Deer Heaven

- Solunar Tables

- Fishing Reports

- How To Sharpen A Fillet Knife

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Jackie Hill with 2 nice Sardis slabs.

Ben Adams & Madison Loden with a nice catfish.

Mike Collins of Bruce, with 2 limits ofcrappie he and the photographer caught.

Dean Wells, the editor, is all smiles withthese 2 huge crappie.

Phillip Robbins and his Son proudly show offa nice gobbler. Good job fellows.

Tyler Kidd took this nice gobbler.

Adam Patton and his Dad with some nicespecks & reds off the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Days On The WaterMy days on the water, I have spent fishing onSardis this year have been a blast. I have shared myboat, " Ole Killa" with Jerry Houser, Bro. Steve Par-rish ( we will discuss his actions later in the article)and Kenny Pickering. I have 3 more folks to go and I'll have kept my word.Ole Killa and me have fished beside Frank Dorough, Jackie Swords, Dale (Mr. Sardis) Howell, Red Denton, Jimmy Beard, Jackie Hill, Scotty ( FatBack) Kidd, Jamie Riddle, Mitchell and Brian Stout and Mr. Wa Brunson.Though I have yet been able to boat a full limit of keepers in a day's outing,I have boated well over 200 fish, so I guess there is no reason to be sad thatthe spawn on Sardis is almost over. The signs of the end of the spawncaught my eye Saturday as I saw the tiny sparkles in the water, while thesun shined through the trees. I removed my sunglasses to look closer andnoticed the sparkles I saw were nothing more than a sight I welcome, Crap-pie fry, swimming around the trees. The next generation of Crappie swam infist sized clouds beneath the 75 year old Sardis Lake cypress tree,so it won’tbe long until they group with the other fry and head for the dam. As I re-flect back on the events of my days on the water this year so far, I have hadmany that have made the 2012 Crappie pre- spawn a memorable one. Mybest day as far as catching fish came as I found an uprooted tree, partiallyblown over and covered with sand, along the side of a creek. The trunk wasdown in the creek and the top was barely visible above the water linecloser to shore. At the end of the day I had hoisted, 75 crappie over theboat, of which only 12 were keepers over 12 inches. The fun part thoughwas when I decided because of the wind direction that I could put on mywaders and fish, instead of fighting the boat trying to keep it off the tree topwhere the fish had decided was home for the day. After putting on mywaders and sliding into the water, a white bass moved in. Although whitebass are not what some consider the most elegant table fare, I have to givethem the blue ribbon when it comes to fighting hard on the end of any rod.They are fun to catch and they are acceptable to eat if you know how toprepare them. The kicker here though was when this particular white bassmistaken my legs, it must have been the mossy oak camo, to be his or hernew residence. At first I didn’t much like the idea of the fish rubbing andswimming back and forth between my knees and crotch, but after I gotused to it I just accepted the fact the it liked me for some reason. I’ve hadfish swim between my legs before when I was fishing but never did it comeback and hang out again as this one did twice. Then there was the guy wad-ing at the Indian mound that was in a hurry to get to his favorite stake bedand stepped off in a hole and went over his head in the water. The fact wasmade clear by the large gasp of air he took in once he popped back to thesurface, as he called for his chucking, wading, friend to please grab his nowfloating straw hat as it came his way. Earlier in March there was some poorsoul with his boat stuck on a sand bar, standing in knee deep water in hisBVD’s, pushing the boat with all that is holy as his buddy added the soundof the mishap by running the 60 hp outboard at full throttle, showering hiskind friend with sand, water, mud and humiliation. Then there was the hus-band and wife stuck on the log that I rescued by giving them a tow. If theyare still married, I don’t know. Since the names they were calling eachother when I arrived, would have made Doctor Phil wince. They were asight for sore eyes, on the side of the river when there mishap over camethem. As I approached down wind, the fragrance of doc’s bait assured methat they were anglers in pursuit of catfish. Then there was the panicstricken look on a friend who I will not mention his name, that was goingback to the landing in his one man boat with his lips pooched out likeUncle Jessie on election day. I saw his bewildered look as he came by and Iasked him why he was headed back to the ramp so early in the day. It wasthen he told me a 5 pound catfish had broken one crappie rod and he re-fused to tell me for obvious reasons, what happened to the other so I lethim borrow one of mine. Smiling he was and off he went to catch anotherslab. Of course there is one more and since it is on yours truly I saved it forlast. For those who love the sport of fishing, you will attest to the fact that itseems fishermen are cursed. If there is anything that it going to tare up orbreak it will for certain happen on the water. Ah and so it was. On this par-ticular day, good luck had stung Ole Killa ( the name I affectionately havegiven my crappie boat).


Bro. Steve Parrish, Jerry (Doogie) Houser and myself where smoking thecrappie in a area of the lake I will not disclose for any amount of money.The day was coming to an end as we approached the last piece of structurethat I knew to hold some slabs, since I had caught 5 fish there the day be-fore and all of them weighing over 2 pounds each with one close to 3pounds. As I positioned the boat for the correct bait presentation I felt onedge because of all the fish we had caught that day, none of them were inthe 2 pound class like I wanted these first timers to the sport to experience.As I dropped my jig to it’s destination, I felt the tug and set the hook. Nowanyone will tell you who has fished for bass or crappie with me in the past,when I set the hook I set the hook with all I have, like it is the last fish I willever catch in my life or that I am starving to death on some island in the pa-cific and I better make it count. So I set the hook, and when I did there wasthis loud sound that erupted from beneath my feet. The sound of metalcracking and screws breaking, the next thing I knew I was staring at the logI had caught fish around from underneath. For crying out loud I went over-board. Yep, cell phone, truck keys and 46 years of pride right over the sideof the boat. As I surfaced and pulled my soaked, wet self back over the sideof the boat, I heard no applause for the best dive, but laughter. Mostly frommy preacher, Reverend Steve Parrish, God help his soul. For the rest of theweek I have been known at the boat ramp, as that guy that fell over the sideof the boat. O well, the Bible say’s laughter doeth good like a medicine soProzac sales should show a slight decrease in sales over the next 10 yearsas the story I am sure will follow me all the days of my life and beyond. Asconcerning my pastor overtaken with laughter… I won’t tell about the timeBro. Parrish got lost deer hunting at Springville and Billy Kidd with mealone side, had to go find him in the dark so he wouldn’t be any later, thanhe already was, for the brotherhood supper. So you see there is more tocrappie fishing than taking a limit home everyday, as there is more to amarriage than holding hands and kissing with the wife. It’s all about the ex-periences that make life worth while. Will God let me live to fish anotherday, I don’t know, but these have been some of my best. A man once statedthat the days a man spends fishing, God will not remove from his life,whether that is true I don’t know, but a man’s fishing legacy, good days andbad, will surely surpass his life.

EditorialDean WellsEditor and Publisher of HIllcountry Outdoor Magazine

Proudly displaying their catch are Jerry “Doogie” Houser, Hillcountry Outdoors Editor,Dean Wells and Bro. Steve Parrish.


HOW TO RAISE

Crawfishfor Food or Bait.

Raise your own crawfish for food onyour pond or wetlands.Crawfish, crawdad, mud bug or theproper name of crayfish, taste liketasty little lobsters. Commonlyfarmed because demand far out-weighs the wild catch, crawfish are moreeasily farmed and harvested in shallowponds. The south where rice is grown isa typical farming ground for them, butcrawfish exist all over the United States.If you want to farm your own crawfishfor good eating you need a place togrow them, but not much else.

Things You'll Need• Breeding pond or field• Small Tractor with front-end loader or• Box blade• Breeder stock• Crawfish feed• Submersible drainage pump•Waders• Pyramid traps• Flat bottomed boat• Sorting trays• Mesh sacks

How to do it.Prepare your pond for the crawfish. Optimal conditions are a flat bot-

tom body of water around an acre in size, with a depth of not much morethan 12 inches.Introduce breeding pairs to the pond. They can be caught in the wild

to produce local varieties, or ordered from a crawfish-farming operation.Provide adequate food stocks. Crawfish eat decaying vegetation, small

animals or insects. Supplement natural feed with fish or crayfish food;stock the pond with aquatic plants.Allow a month or two for the crawfish to acclimate to the pond. Use

the submersible pump to drain the pond. The crawfish will burrow intothe mud and breed. Leave the pond drained for two to four weeks. This isa good time to plant forage plants into the pond for future food for thecrawfishFlood the pond again, and allow at least two months for the crawfish to

mature. Harvest the crawfish by wading in the pond and placing baitedpyramid-style traps about every 40 to 60 feet. Pyramid traps are speciallydesigned crawfish traps with a triangle-shaped mesh base with conicalentrance funnels in the bottom corners. A collar at the top allows the trapto be emptied but keeps the crawfish from climbing out. Typical bait issmall bait fish or purchased crawfish bait pellets.Soak the traps for 48 hours. Collect the traps by wading in the pond

with a small flat boat or raft. Use trays to empty the traps, pour out thecontents, sort the crawfish you wish to keep and put them in mesh sacks.Return the rest to the pond. Rebait and set the traps. Run three to fourconsecutive harvests, then wait a fallow period of a few days before har-vesting for another three -to- four-day cycle.Monitor pond water quality, crawfish numbers and quality continuously.

Follow a regular cycle of spring harvest, late-spring breeding while thepond is drained, mid-summer flooding, and fall to spring harvesting.

Top ThreeFish Fryerson themarketMasterbuilt Fryer, it don't play!!!Make delectable, crispy, golden fried foodevery time with this countertop-safe electricfryer from Masterbuilt. Digital timer ensuresyour fish, fries, or chicken are cooked to per-fection. Thermostat control allows you to heatoil up to 375°F. Features an extra-large basketwith detachable handle, folding lid with built-in window, and grease filter. Powerful 1650Welectric element provides consistent heating. Includes a breakawaymagnetic power cord and a built-in drain valve. 1-gallon oil capacity.Measures approximately 18" x 16.25" x 12.5".

Bayou Classic Outdoor Gas Fish Cookerw/ Cast Iron Fry Pot. PerfectFor All your Fish CookingWhen Outdoors.Bayou Classic Outdoor Gas Fish Cooker w/Cast Iron Fry Pot - The Bayou Classic line ofoutdoor gas cookers, patio stoves and fishcookers are among the finest around. Availablein many sizes and styles.

Presto 06006 Kitchen Kettle ElectricMulti-Cooker and FryerCapacity – about 3/4 – 1 pound

-Does much more than just deep-frying-also steams, stews, simmers, braises,boils & roasts

-Heavy cast-aluminum base for evenheating

-Dishwasher safe & Magnetic safetycord

-Multipurpose kitchen tool

-No oil drainer


Yep, It’s That Time.Food Plot Buyer's GuideHunters must make sure they cover the whitetail diet in order for theirfoodplots to be effective.One of the first things that every fledgling wildlife manager learns is thatnutrition is the key to attracting and keeping big bucks. The second thingthey learn is how expensive it is to grow good food plots. This buyer’sguide offers a practical approach to planning and planting effective plotsthat won’t break the bank.

What to PlantA deer’s nutritional requirements change throughout the year. For exam-ple, carbohydrates and fats from grains such as clover, winter wheat,sorghum, etc. are desirable fall/winter foods. These should comprise about1/3 of your food plots acres. High protein forage such as soybeans, peas,alfalfa, clover, etc. are good spring/summer foods because they provideneeded nutrition for does during lactation and bucks during antler growthThese plots should comprise the other 2/3 of your food plot acres.

Sources for seed:

The ideal way to acquire corn and sorghum seed for your food plots isthrough conservation groups such as , Quality Deer Management Associa-tion chapters, etc. Seed companies must dispose of low germination seed(generally anything that falls below 90% is not accepted for commercialsale) and by giving it away to conservation groups they can do somethingpositive in the process.

The day to maturity of the seed planted doesn’t have nearly as much affecton production as the amount of fertilizer applied. Ideally, you get 110 daycorn and sorghum if you plant on or before mid-May and 90 day seed ifyou plant in mid-June. However, in the final analysis, the best variety isthe one you get for free!

Soybeans:

There is little you can plant that draws bucks like soybeans. Beans provideprotein, but the plants must also taste good. By all means, you shouldconsider some beans in your management plan. You have two basicchoices in soybeans, Roundup Ready and non-Roundup Ready. TheRoundup varieties have been altered genetically so that a week or two be-fore the beans start to canopy you can spray them with Roundup and nothave a single weed.

The cheapest way to plant beans is to use non-registered non-Roundupbin beans. Talk to a few local farmers to find one that’s cleaning bin beansfor planting. You can buy these (you plant about 1 ½ bushels per acre) fora lot less than commercially available registered seed. By the way, it’s ille-gal to plant non-registered Roundup Ready beans (even for food plots) soshy away from these. Here’s a rough breakdown of costs (including chem-icals) for growing soybeans:

no-till non-Roundup Ready bin beans: $45 per acrefull-till non-Roundup Ready bin beans: $30 per acreno-till Roundup Ready beans: $60 - $65 per acrefull-till Roundup Ready beans: $45 - $50 per acre

Alfalfa:

It’s been my experience that alfalfa is tougher to establish than clover. It ismore sensitive to pH, requires a well-drained site and is susceptible tovarious diseases and insects. Alfalfa is also more expensive to establish;you have to figure on $80 to $100 per acre. On the upside, you can ex-pect a good alfalfa seeding to last for five years, or more, and if managedcorrectly it can produce an income while still feeding your deer. Good al-falfa hay can bring anywhere from $25 to $40 per large round bale inmost markets (more in some areas) and your half of a sharecrop arrange-ment should bring about $75 per acre per year. In the long run you canmake a little profit on alfalfa.

If you don’t plan to market your alfalfa don’t even plant it. You are betteroff planting clover instead. The right variety will test about equal in crudeprotein and be a lot cheaper and easier to establish. Clover won’t yieldnearly as many tons per acre, but it will be enough for deer.

Clover: Test data suggests that at 24 percent, ladino clover has the highestcrude protein content in the clover family. It is also very digestible –meaning deer can use most of what’s there to produce energy. Ladinodoes best in fairly heavy soils – clay based with limited drainage. Com-mon red clover ranges right around 15% crude protein and is well suitedto sites that drain easily and have relatively thin soils. If you must plant inpoorly drained sites, alsike clover will also do well and is comparable tored clover in nutritional value.

With fertilizer and lime, establishing a plot of ladino costs about $55 peracre and it will last about three years before it starts to die off. Red cloverand alsike clover can be established for about $45 per acre.

It’s a good idea to mow clover plots at least twice per summer to keep theplants lush and growing. It is ideal if you can get a local farmer to comein and bale it (even if you have to give him the bales) just to keep theresidue from smothering the growing plants.

Herbicides and Pesticides

The fertilizer nitrogen is technically a liquid and can be put into watertanks for dispersion.Your best chemical for burn-down in no-till applications is RoundupUltra. It will kill any plant that has not been genetically altered to resist it.It takes roughly 1 ½ quarts of Roundup per acre for most applications,two quarts if the vegetation is thick and tall. Roundup costs about $40 pergallon when purchased in volume. You’ll need a chemical applicator’s li-cense to buy any commercial herbicide so you might be best served tohave a local farmer do the purchasing and application for you.

Residual broadleaf and grass killers are also available depending uponwhat you are planting. But residual herbicides should be selected care-fully because some will impact what you can plant in the same field thefollowing year. For example, atrazine and extrazine control broadleafplants in corn and sorghum but will not permit a good establishment ofclover or alfalfa on the same ground for roughly 18 months. Rely heavilyon your local farmer’s cooperative when determining the best herbicidesto apply for every crop.

Fertilizer

Properly fertilized plants have a much higher crude protein content, rela-tive nutritional value and palatability than unfertilized plants. In somecases, fertilizer is an absolute necessity (as with corn and sorghum).

Most commercial fertilizers are broken down into three ingredients, nitro-gen, phosphorous, potassium – N, P and K in farmer’s jargon. Generallyyou order fertilizer from your local coop by referring to numbers thatspecify blends. For example 13-13-13 is a common lawn blend of 13units (a term that specifies the amount of active ingredient) each of N, Pand K respectively. Most serious farming (and food plot) applicationsrequire that you customize the blend to the crop at hand.

(continued on pg. 7)


Yep, It’s That Time (continued from pg. 6)

Corn and sorghum:

Nitrogen is the real food that makes corn and sorghum pop up. These plantsalso require P and K but they are somewhat secondary to nitrogen. I startedout applying 50-30-30 to my food plots but have since gone to 60-20-20.The best way to determine your fertilizer needs is to have a soil test doneeach year. Again, your local farmer’s service coop can tell you how to gatherthe sample or recommend someone who’ll do it for you. The soil test willtell you exactly how much of each ingredient your fertilizer should containgiven the crop you plan to plant.

Fertilizer is expensive and when you start to bump up the nitrogen for cornand sorghum it really cuts into the pocketbook. You’re looking at about $25to $40 per acre for the minimum nitrogen blend. To keep this in perspective,commercial corn growers will use as much as 150 units of nitrogen com-pared to the 60 units I’m using.

Legumes:

You can get by without fertilizing your legumes, but the nutritional valuewill go down, especially if you mow the plot as often as you should. Hityour legume plots with a maintenance dose of fertilizer once per year. P andK are generally the only ingredients your legumes require since the plantsproduce their own nitrogen. Contact your farmer’s coop for recommendedlevels based on local soil types. It will cost around $25 per acre to haveyour legumes fertilized.

Native forage:

Several of my friends have had excellent success by fertilizing selected areasof timber and cover in their hunting areas with 13-13-13. They used elbowgrease and chest-mounted cyclone spreaders or electric spreaders on theirATV’s to scatter tons of fertilizer. With a little help, native browse really ex-plodes. You can do it for about $20 to $25 per acre.

Scott’s Food Plot Fertilizer:

This bagged fertilizer is equivalent to a mix of 28-10-10. The unique thingabout Scott’s fertilizer is that a portion of it has a time-release coating thatpermits the nitrogen to be slowly released into the soil over a period ofmonths. Scott’s fertilizer comes in 50-pound bags that will cover ¼ acre. Formore information call (800) 811-2545

My hunting strategies have changed since I started planting food plots fordeer. The does build their lives around their food sources and the bucksbuild their lives around the does (if only during the rut). As a result, I findmyself hunting isolated high quality food sources where once I would havefocused on travel funnels to the exclusion of all else. Not only have the foodplots provided me with a concentrated hunting area, but they have actuallyattracted and produced more quality animals.

Commercially Available Food Plot Seed

With the growing popularity of private deer management, there are nowseveral companies offering special food plot blends. I’ve tried a few andsome have done very well. You can spend a lot of money on specializedwhitetail deer seed so weigh this option vs. simply designing your ownblend from seed you buy at the local cooperative. If you’re only doing a fewacres, price isn’t nearly as important. It’s common, however, to spend $100per acre, or more, to establish these super foods. Here are a few of the bet-ter ones on the shelves of the whitetail deer supermarket.

Whitetail Institute Imperial Whitetail Clover:

Ray Scott’s Whitetail Institute was one of the first companies offering spe-cialized seed for deer managers. It is primarily a special grade of ladinoclover (called Advantage Ladino) that has been inoculated to promote nitro-gen fixing bacteria so you’ll get the best possible germination. It will report-edly last up to five years without replanting. Contact Whitetail Institute at:(800) 688-3030.

Antler King Trophy Clover Blend:

I’ve had good luck planting Trophy Clover Blend. In fact, last summer it wasthe best drawing card on the entire farm. It even out-drew my soybeans. It iscomposed of a blend of clovers and rape seed to draw deer to the plotthroughout the spring, summer and fall. Trophy Clover Blend will last threeor four years, and because it is a blend, grows well in most conditions.

I also planted three acres of Antler King’s Fall/Winter/Spring Blend last Sep-tember. It didn’t take the deer long to find it and they were grazing it hardby hunting season. This blend is comprised of a green forage similar to win-ter wheat or winter rye combined with rape. According to Todd Stittleburg,owner of Antler King, the plant produces crude protein levels of 20% duringits entire growing cycle. Contact Antler King at: (715) 284-9547.

High RacksWhitetail Suck-A-Tash:

Suck-A-Tash is a blend of several clovers including ladino that will producea high protein food source for deer throughout the entire year. Rape seed isadded to produce a strong late season deer attractor. In fact, Mike Hajek,owner of High Racks, feels that rape is the best late season attractor that youcan plant. Because it is a blend, Suck-A-Tash will do well in a wide varietyof soil conditions.

Equipment RequirementsYou can get by with as little as a four-wheeler and a few small implements,or you can step up to a 140 hp tractor, a 20-foot disk, six-row planter, 15-foot no-till drill, 15-foot bat-wing mower and 60-foot sprayer. You can spendas much as want.

Going small:

If all you will be planting are a few small plots there is no sense in buyingfarm equipment. You can probably hire your neighbor to do most of the realwork for you at little cost. Or you can try to get by with next to nothing.

Going bigger:

I go to auctions every spring looking for a few odd and ends. Here’s arealistic equipment list and what you can expect to pay at auctions:

• Small tractor (60 to 80 hp): $4,000 and up

• 12-foot light-duty disk: $400 - $750

• Four-row no-till corn/bean/sorghum planter: $1,000 to $2,500

• 6 to 8-foot bush hog mower: $1,000

• 12-foot drill: $500 - $1,000 (no-till drills cost much more)

• PTO driven 45’, 250 gallon sprayer: $400

For about $10,000 you can be a deer farmer. If your neighbors are also man-aging their farms for wildlife you can trade equipment back and forth andget by cheaper. You can also eliminate some of the more costly equipmentby hiring neighbors to do certain jobs for you. But be forewarned: theywon’t get to your stuff until after their's is all completed. At times this willleave you in a pinch.

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 thefollowing 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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I don’t consider myself computer illiterate but I’m also not a techexpert. I fall somewhere in-between. I used to spend more time learningabout new gadgets but now I sort of just maintain until I’m forced toadapt or be left behind. One of the things that I’m trying to adapt to is mydigital camera. I know, I know, don’t laugh. I’ve actually had the camerafor a couple of years but all I’ve been doing is taking pictures the simplestway I could. I just thought all of the buttons where there so they couldsell it for more. (I feel the same way about my cell phone. Why can’t theyjust give me big numbers, lots of volume, and plenty of light?) I digress.I’ve always wanted to take pictures while I’m hunting or fishing but I

never knew how to set up the timer feature. So, this year I was deter-mined (forced) to learn. I was tired of looking at all my pictures andalways having the check-in station in the background. It sort of lost theeffect of the hunt. This turkey season I’ve become a picture taking mon-ster. I carry my bipod and my camera and have taken some really neatshots of me holding a turkey while in the woods. I love it. Now while I’vereally enjoyed the more realistic pictures, they still don’t tell the story ofeach hunt. Each photo still has only three basic features; me, a turkey,and the woodsy background. The story is up to me to remember andrelish, and share.If I were to show you one of these pictures you would simply admire

the bird but be clueless to the effort that was involved in getting thatgobbler from the limb to the lens. You might have assumed that it was aneasy and effortless hunt. And you may be wrong or right.When you and I look at each other we often do the same thing. We

take a mental picture and quickly add our own story, whether that story isaccurate or not. We may assume that a person is rude or kind, arrogantor humble, aloof or approachable. However, most of the time, we justdon’t know. Life is so much better when we give others the benefit of thedoubt. It seems that we all default to seeing the bad and the negative. It’sthe first button we learn to use on our mental camera. Maybe it’s timethat we all realized there are other features that may give us a better look.And maybe it’s time that we learned to use them.

Gary [email protected]

TruthsOutdoor Salt and Mineral Licks

DO IT NOW!Feeding deer with mineralized

supplements improves antler girthand general wellness of deerherds by offering minerals thatmay be deficient within anestablished region.One home recipe of deer min-

erals recommended to landhold-ers is made from one partDicalcium Phosphate, two partstrace mineralized salt (loose), andpart (loose)livestock salt. Each ofthose substances are accessible atmost feed and farm supply stores.Use a 3-pound coffee tin to meas-ure out the dicalcium phoshateand salts. Maintain ingredients separatelyduring storage and only mix when youare ready to feed. Dig out a hole in thedirt approximately 36 inches across and 6inches in depth. Mix the mineralsubstantially with the soil.The hole must be refilled after six

months and then once a year after. Themost usage appears to be during thespringtime and summer months.

Unlike apples, carrots or other deer attractants, deerminerals aren’t heavy and don’t require much mainte-nance. Simply pour it on the ground and you are set fora couple months.

Your effort may well be worth it, as shownabove in this night time photo.


CREATING A DEER HEAVENOne obvious solution is to take steps to create your own big-buck haven.Believe it or not, with a little work it is entirely possible to turn low-pro-duction agricultural land into a hunting paradise.

Purchase a marginally producing piece of property and incorporate sev-eral key steps to bring the land to its fullest potential as a whitetail retreat.

Whether you own or lease 100 to 1,000 acres, big-buck havens will alsowork for you. Here are some of his tips for success.

BEFORE YOU BUYCompare the purchase of a hunting property with that of buying a house.Long before you begin shopping for your dream home, you should have avery specific idea about certain requirements, such as the number of bed-rooms you want. The same thought process should apply for purchasing hunt-ing land. The property should offer certain features before it can fulfill yourdesire for growing big bucks. Before you buy, consider some of the followingbasics.

Economics: This should be your first consideration. Your decision on howmuch acreage to buy and where to buy will be determined by what you canafford. As you work through numbers with your banker or accountant, it maybecome evident that you might need to bring in partners to afford the amountof land you desire. This brings another dynamic into the equation, but it maybe something that you’ll want to consider.

Buy or lease: Leasing instead of purchasing the property will dramatically af-fect future decision-making. Without a long-term lease, it may be difficult toimplement land management practices to create a big-buck haven. Sincemany of the steps require several years of work and considerable cost, try tosecure hunting rights to the property for at least 10 years. (If 10 years scaresthe landowner, try something creative like a five-year lease with a five-yearoption to renew.) Make sure the landowner knows you want to implementchanges on the land to enhance the deer hunting, and make sure that he orshe fully agrees with the plan. It’s best to get the agreement in writing.

Establishing goals: Your primary goal to create a big-buck haven may be influ-enced by secondary priorities. Do you also want to hunt waterfowl or uplandgame? If so, your decision on what to buy will be affected and a multi-speciesland plan will be needed.

Using maps and photos: Topographic maps and aerial photos are importanttools that will help you make a decision. You can answer many questions bylooking at maps, not to mention the amount of foot time saved. Ideally, youwould like to walk every inch of a piece of property before buying it, but thismay not be feasible. Maps and aerial photos can help you pinpoint features toinvestigate on foot. In short, they’ll help you use your time more efficiently.

Note various features: While investigating the property, always be aware ofkey features like water sources, flooding history, soil quality, erosion potential,habitat carrying capacity and diversity of the flora and fauna.

Location: Where you locate is another important consideration. What are theneighbors doing? What public land is nearby and how is it managed?

“A 10- or 20-acre piece, in the right location, could produce a lot of wildlifealso begin your search near big river systems or in floodplains. In other words,I like to look for property that qualifies for government assistance programs.”

DEVELOPING A LAND PLANManagement requires planning. Once you’ve purchased your property, it’stime to put some serious thought into its management. For that you’ll tion forimportant things like the dimensions of each room, the number and locationof wall sockets and the number of doors and windows in the house. If youthink of your land plan as if it were a floor plan, it should provide you withsuch basic information as the size and location of timber, all open spaces, wa-terways, ponds, wetlands, food plots and any other prominent features.

If you are going to focus only on hunting big bucks, this makes your planmore precise and less costly. If your goal includes managing for multi-species,this will add another level of consideration to your planning as already

mentioned. Keep in mind that deer always benefit from various plantings andhabitat manipulation required for other species, such as turkeys, quail or wa-terfowl, so don’t limit your goals.

THE TREE FACTORAlthough timber manipulation is often one of the most overlooked aspects ofland management in your area call someone who has experience. It will saveyou a lot of time and frustration. It sounds easy, just plant some trees and na-tive grasses and your property will become a great habitat. But your planneeds to be thoroughly thought out in much greater detail. Think about whereyou will plant trees and locate food plots to make the hunting better — notjust next year, but 10 to 15 years from now.

“At first, trees will be small, but in 10 years, you may have a tree big enoughto hold a tree stand. If you do want a tree stand in a particular location, care-fully consider the species you might place there. Faster growing trees, such asa pine or cottonwood, will get you in that stand location much faster than anoak tree will.

“Young trees may be a food source for deer as browse. Some will probably beeaten by deer and not survive, so plant many more trees than you need. Otherspecies like honey locust won’t do as well in low-lying areas, but they growwell on hillsides, and they’re fairly inexpensive. Plum, apple and persimmon ,will also do well in many areas. Fruit trees need to be protected. The hardestpart about planting trees is trying to protect them from browsing deer.”

If your property already has trees on it nothing can replace an afternoon witha chainsaw. Once the light reaches the understory the amount of groundcover and browse you will have can be phenomenal.


SSoolluunnaarr Tables



ABERDEEN LAKE (TENN-TOM)The bass reports are fair to good. The bass are still shallow but are in a post spawn pat-tern. Both wood and grass are holding fish. Several of the sloughs are still holding goodnumbers of bass with spinnerbaits, senkos, flukes and t-rigged plastics working well. Afrog or buzzbait early and late is good for a few bites as well. The crappie bite is fair. Thenumbers are there but the bigger crappie are not. It appears most of the big crappiehave already spawned. The crappie being caught are holding on both wood or grass.Best depths have ranged from 2 to 6 ft. The catfish anglers are having some successusing trotlines or rod-n-reel combos. The best areas have been the old river and thecanal above Hwy. 278. Nightcrawlers and cut shad are the best baits.

COLUMBUS LAKE (TENN-TOM) The Crappie bite is fair to good right now. Crappie are still being caught out of the gravelpits and in the upper lake old river runs. Target shallow water laydowns and grass bedswith jigs or minnows for good success. The bass bite for numbers is good but the qualitybites are tough to come by. Most bass are coming on spinnerbaits, flukes, and Senko-type baits. For that quality bite, try throwing bigger baits like swimbaits and jigs. Thecatfish anglers are hitting the navigation channel near the old river runs. Both trotlinesand rod-n-reels are catching some nice cats.

PICKWICK LAKEPickwick Lake elevation: 413 ft. and holding. Water temps are in the high 60s to low 70sdepending on where you fish. The crappie bite is good. Anglers are catching good num-bers around Goat Island/Scruggs Bridge area as well as Indian and Bear/Mills creek. Afew crappie are coming out of shallow water, but most are being caught out of 8 to 10 ftof water. Most anglers are trolling or pulling crappie jigs. The bass reports are still goodfor numbers but the quality bite is a little more difficult to come by. Average tournamentweights have fallen in past weeks but quality bites can still be had. The key is to coverwater. Some bass have spawned out but some are still on the beds. Best baits are spin-nerbaits, T-rigged lizards and shallow crankbaits. A shakeyhead worm around boatdocks will get a lot of bites, but the quality bite is tough to get.

SARDIS LAKEMost crappie seemed to have moved out of the shallows already. Best luck has beentrolling creek mouths out from spawning coves. Better luck on keepers has been pullingcrankbaits. Wyatt's Crossing bait shop reports the catfish bite up here has dropped off,but some white bass are still being caught in the river. White bass fishing has beenpicking up down in the lake. Fish jigs, spinners, or small crankbaits over a sand bottom.There is no size or number limit on white bass. For largemouths, fish soft plasticsaround brush tops and any other shallow cover in coves.

There is a big 2009 year class of white crappie and a big 2008 year class of black crap-pie that are both averaging just under 12 inches right now. Black crappie grow slowerhere. Most of these fish will grow over 12 inches in 2 to 4 months. Year-round fishingpressure has made weak drought year classes (2007 and older) scarce. There havebeen good crappie spawns from 2009 – 2011.

The spillway had 1 gate open 0.5 ft (100 cfs) Tuesday. For crappie, bank fish jigs and/orminnows 4 – 5 ft deep under a bobber in eddies or near the rocks. Folks have beentrolling for crappie in the Lower Lake with fair success. Catfishing is best in eddies onworms or cut bait. Few reports on anything else.Contact the COE office (662)563-4531 for accessible ramps at current water levels.

GRENADA LAKECollins’ Bait Shop (662)226-3581 reports best luck on crappie has been in the mouthsof creek arms and coves where you can find water 5 to 7 ft deep and any cover about 4ft deep. The Yalobusha side is probably doing a bit better than the Skuna side right now.Follow the creek and river channels out deeper to find post-spawn fish. White basshave started moving out of the rivers and creeks where a jig, spinner, or small crankbaitwill work. There is no size or number limit on white bass. For catfish, fish natural baitsin creek and river channels if there’s runoff, on the flats if there’s not. For largemouthbass, find the clearest water you can and fish shallow cover with white/chartreuse spin-nerbaits or dark colored soft plastics.

There is a big 2009 year class of white crappie and a big 2008 year class of black crap-pie that are both averaging just under 12 inches right now. Black crappie grow slowerhere. Most of these fish will grow over 12 inches in 2 to 4 months. There have beengood crappie spawns from 2009 – 2011. A recent netting survey found plenty of keepercrappie, including big fish.

The spillway had one gate open 0.5 ft (100 cfs) Tuesday. Best luck down here has beenfor crappie and catfish in the mouth of the old river run. It’s been slower in the spillwayon the rocks. For crappie, fish jigs and/or minnows under a bobber. For white bass, fishjigs, spinners, or small crankbaits in the current. For catfish, fish cut bait or wormsclose to the bottom.

MDWFP electrofishing last fall found good spawns of crappie, bass, and white bass in2011. There were good white crappie spawns in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The big 2009year class averaged just under 12 inches in November and was growing normally. Goodnumbers of larger crappie up to 2.5 lb were also noted. The abundance of smaller fishbodes well for crappie fishing through 2015. Bass from 2007 and 2008 were abundantfrom 14 to 17 inches (1.5 to 2.5 lb). Despite reports of skinny bass in summer, basswere in good condition in fall. Poor summer condition was likely from extended hotweather. Catfish were common with blue (white humpback) catfish to over 20 lbs.

ENID LAKEMost crappie seemed to have moved out of the shallows already. Best luck has beentrolling creek mouths out from spawning coves. Better luck on keepers has been pullingcrankbaits or other larger baits. White bass are moving out of the river and creeks andcan be taken on jigs, spinners, or small crankbaits. There is no size or number limit onwhite bass. For catfish, fish worms or stink baits in tributaries during rainfall runoff; fishon the flats otherwise. Some largemouth bass have been taken lately fishing shallowcover; try a white/chartreuse spinnerbait or dark colored soft plastics.

There is a big 2009 year class of white crappie and a big 2008 year class of black crap-pie that are both averaging just under 12 inches right now. Black crappie grow slowerhere. Most of these fish will grow over 12 inches in 2 to 4 months. Year-round fishing

FFiisshhiinngg RReeppoorrttss

(continued on pg. 14)


pressure has made weak drought year classes (2007 and older) scarce. There havebeen good crappie spawns from 2009 – 2011.

The spillway had one gate open 0.25 ft (50 cfs) Tuesday. For crappie, fish jigs and/orminnows in calmer water near the rocks. Catfishing is best in eddies on cut bait. Forwhite bass, fish small crankbaits, jigs, or tailspinners in faster current. Fish for large-mouths on the rocks with crankbaits or a jig-n-pig.

MDWFP electrofishing last fall found good spawns of crappie, bass, and white bass fromspring 2011. There were good white crappie spawns in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The big2009 year class averaged just under 12 inches in November and is growing normally.The abundance of smaller fish bodes well for crappie fishing through 2015. Bass from2007 and 2008 were abundant from 14 to 17 inches (1.5 to 2.5 lb), but there were alsogood numbers of bass to over 7 lbs. Bream were not extremely abundant, but goodsized with a lot of 7 to 9 inch (one-third to half pound) fish.

ARKABUTLA LAKEThe crappie started spawning this past weekend on the only cover in the lake: the dam.Fish are averaging about 2 lbs and several over 3 have been caught. Trolling or othermethods will work. Few reports on anything else. For catfish, try trotlines over flats.Fish for white bass over a sand bottom in the river and creeks with jigs, spinners, orsmall crankbaits. There is no size or number limit on white bass. No reports on large-mouth bass.

The spillway had one gate open 3 ft (600 cfs) Tuesday. It should be shut down soonsince the lake is near winter pool. Expect fishing to drop off if the water’s cut off. Forcrappie, fish out of the current in Elbow Creek or right against the rocks. Catfishing isbest in eddies on cut bait. White bass will be in the current. Drift jigs just off bottom(watch the rocks!) or fish small crankbaits or tailspinner lures.

MDWFP began a creel survey of Arkabutla Lake anglers this month that should runthrough October.

Contact the COE office (662)562-6261 for accessible ramps at current water levels.The daily creel limit for crappie on Arkabutla Lake is 20 per person. Crappie must beover 12 inches. Anglers fishing Arkabutla Lake may use no more than 5 poles per per-son. The 12 inch length limit does not apply to the reservoir spillway, but the spillwayhas a 20 crappie creel limit.

ALICEVILLE LAKEThe crappie anglers hitting the Pratt’s Camp, Swedenburg and Coalfire areas have beencatching some nice crappie. Numbers have been decent but average size is good. Somecrappie are being caught in shallow water up against the banks around grass, whileother anglers had success fishing deeper in 6 to 10 feet of water. Jigs have been work-ing better than minnows. Try multiple colors to see what the fish prefer for that day. Re-ports of anglers catching nice numbers of crappie below Columbus dam are still comingin. The bass reports have been fair to good this past week as fish are in a post spawnpattern. As we move close to the shad spawn, look for the fish to be keying in on grassyareas and biting swim jigs, flukes, senkos and spinnerbaits. Don’t overlook an earlymorning topwater bite. No catfish reports as of late.

BEE LAKECrappie fishing continues to be fair to good at Bee. A few keepers can be caught shal-low still but most anglers are fishing the outside edge of the trees. Brush tops are alsoholding fish. Some are trolling and some are jigging, most using jigs or minnows.

Bass are still shallow and can be caught around logs or cypress knees in 2-5 ft of water.Flipping soft plastic worms are lizards are a good bet. Also target culverts where wateris running into the lake, especially during rain events. There's no length limit on bassand the creel limit is 10 fish per day.

Bream fishing is picking up and lots of fish can be seen around the cypress trees. Thereare some reports that the bream are already starting to bed, and one angler caught 40nice hand-sized bream earlier this week.

Bell's store has opened back up and is under new management. Minnows, crickets,other lures, snacks, and cold drinks are all available. Also, construction has begun towiden and fix the existing ramp. You can still launch but please be careful, as the oldramp is still hard to get in and out of at low water levels. There is a $3 launch fee to usethe ramp.

MDWFP conducted an electrofishing survey on Bee Lake in the fall of 2011. The bass,bream, and crappie catch rates were much higher than in past years, probably due tohigh water in the spring the past two years leading to very successful spawns. Fishingshould be really good this spring and summer for all sport fish. Asian carp juvenileswere also encountered in our survey and are presumed to have entered the lake duringthe flooding in the spring of 2011. Please be cautious driving your boat up and downthe lake and wear a life jacket.

BAY SPRINGS LAKEBass reports have been fair to good. The spawn seems to be all but over with reports ofmales guarding fry coming in and fish are starting to head back out toward deeperwater. A variety of tactics are working right now. Anglers are using spinnerbaits, swim-baits, Alabama rigs and Carolina rigs as well as finesse techniques like drop-shots andshakeyheads. The crappie bite this past week has been fair to good with most fish com-ing out of deeper water. Some anglers reported success fishing the timber near Bay-berry boat ramp and also across from Crow’s Neck. Fish crappie minnows in 8-12 ft ofwater for the best results. A few reports of catfish being caught are coming in on thenorthern part of the lake and in the divide cut.

TRACE STATE PARK LAKEWater temps are in the mid 70s with a slight stain. The bass bite is fair to good. Mostanglers are targeting the 4-10ft depth range with spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits andT-rigged plastics. The crappie reports are still good. Fish are being caught as shallow as3ft and as deep as 15ft. Anglers are using both jigs and minnows with equal success.The bream bite is good as the fish are starting to bed. Anglers are using redworms,crickets and meal worms fished on the bottom to target these fish. The catfish bite canbe called fair as some anglers are having success in the small lake behind the office.Tightlining nightcrawlers and liver seems to be the best technique.

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Fishing Reports (continued from pg. 13)


[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.

Hello from Shore Thing Fishing Charters in beautiful Bay St. Louis, MS. Asalways we hope this update finds you and yours doing well. Every year we tryto grow our business, and this year will be no exception. 2012 is well intospring, and good catches have been hitting the dock since winter. The cap-tains are working hard to catch even more and bigger fish this year. Last yearwas the best year of fishing in company history.This wonderful feat could nothave been possible without our loyal, fun loving customers and for that wewanted to say Thank You.The boys have been staying busy this year on and off the water. Shore Thing

and its guides have been featured in local, state, national and internationalmagazines. The guides have also been spending time at several sporting anoutdoor shows when ever possible. Trying to "get with the times", Shore ThingCharters has also updated the website(www.shorethingcharters.com). The up-dated site has new pictures, a slide show and daily fishing reports. Shore ThingCharters now has a Facebook page, thanks to Capt Matt. On with the fishing reports…

Last spring set the bar for speckled trout fishing, here is one of the fishing re-ports from last spring(www.shorethingcharters.blogspot.com/2011/06/6-26-11-report-capt-sonnymany-trout.html). Massive trout by the hundreds hit the fishboxes on all the boats. Fishing has always been very good in the spring here,but this past one was hands down the best we have ever seen. There weremany days when the boats were full with 75 or 100 trout before 9AM! Theboys worked together and called each other in on the hot bites. This teamworkis what kept our customers on fish, and guides very busy at the cleaning ta-bles. All the guides enjoyed themselves when the fishing was that good, butthey learned a lot too. The spring bite should get into full swing in the next fewweeks. Since it is already t-shirts, shorts, and flip flop weather, those big springtime speckled trout should be here very soon.What a summer we had last year, the weather and the fishing were incredi-

ble. The trout, and red fishing were both off the charts. Most mornings theboats would leave before sun up, and return at lunch time with great catches.Much like the spring, the trout fishing was almost too good to leave. Manycustomers wanted to try their hands at the incredible red fishing we have, andyes, the reds are still plentiful. Well placed casts with live shrimp, mullet or ar-tificials almost always put customers on drag screaming red fish. The story ofthe summer, or the year for that matter, had to be the insane triple tail bite. Theguides caught more an bigger triple tail, than any other year in company his-tory. The usual 5 to 8 pound fish seemed to be everywhere, but the boatsbrought in 5 triple tail over 20lbs last year, and one almost 27lbs! Here is oneof the better fishing reports about the amazing triple tail fishing last sum-mer(www.shorethingcharters.blogspot.com/2011/08/8-14-11-report-capt-sonnyawesome-pics.html).The tasty, hard fighting triple tail show up every year, but this past summer,

they seemed to be everywhere. Our run from the Louisiana Marsh back toBay St. Louis, takes our boats through some of the best fishing triple tail fishinggrounds on the planet. There were numerous days when fish box lids were un-able to shut, thanks to a pile of trout, reds, and bonus triple tail.The fall flounder fishing was hands down the best any of the guides have

ever seen. In years past, guides never specifically targeted flounder, they wereusually incidental catches. Last fall the guides put in some extra hours on thewater, and found a great bite. Customers caught literally hundreds of flounderin October and November. Some days it took longer to clean the tasty floun-der than it did to catch them. Check out this report an unblievable picures oflast years fall flounder fishing(www.shorethingchar-ters.blogspot.com/2011/10/10-22-11-over-100-flounder.html).Our all inclusive, one of a kind fishing destination, The Cat Island Experi-

ence, has been met with rave reviews. Located 7 miles off of the MississippiGulf Coast, this 4,000 square foot fishing get-a-way entertained corporate,family and friend trips all year long. Between the multiple professionally

guided trips, the night time floundering, the pristine island views and themouth watering meals. The Cat Island House Experience has become themust see fishing destination in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Here is thelink, with plenty of pictures for the Cat Island Experience from our web-site(http://shorethingcharters.com/lodging.php)Our Shore Thing staff expanded last season with the addition of Capt

Kenny Shiyou. A true local, Capt Kenny has made his living both on thewater and in the marsh. He brings a vast knowledge of the area, a pristine24 Sea Hunt bay boat, and a work ethic like no other to the Shore Thingfamily. The guides have raised the bar with the "tricks" Capt Kenny hasbrought to the table. Besides being a die hard top water fisherman, Shiyouhas also caught more triple tail over 20lbs than any other guide last year.Capt Kenny's roomy 24 foot bay boat also has a T-top for those seekingshade alongwith all the bells whistles.The boys worked hard on their off days over the winter to expand Shore

Things new private dock in Bayou Caddy(aka Shiyou Caddy). The new animproved dock now has more than enough room, when all four boats re-turn at the same time. There is now plenty of shade and comfort room torelax, eat and have a drink, while the guides clean your fish.

For more information please call or email, and we look forward to seeing you on the water. If you ever wish to be taken off our mailing list,just reply to this email asking to do so, and we certainly apologize for any inconvience.

Thank You,Capt Sonny SchindlerCapt Kyle JarreauCapt Matt TusaCapt Kenny ShiyouShore Thing Fishing Charterswww.shorethingcharters.com228-342-2206

HHeelllloo from Shore Thing Charters


HHooww TToo SShhaarrppeenn AA

Fillet KnifeCleaning fish can be a challenging task. Even with the sharpest of knives,gutting, scaling and filleting your catch can make the most seasoned an-gler think twice about keeping his catch. Attempting to fillet fish with adull knife can also be very dangerous. Sharpening your fillet knife shouldbe a standard part of your fishing routine to save yourself time and avoidinjuries.

Things You'll Need• Sharpening stone• Water• Oil

Instructions

Clean your knife thoroughly beforesharpening. Any grime or residueon your blade can reduce the ef-fectiveness of your sharpeningstone

Set your sharpening stone on a flatsurface. Be sure your stone doesnot move or rock to avoid cuttingyourself while sharpening.

Place a few drops of water or knifeoil on your stone. Knife oil tends towork a little better due to its heav-ier lubrication, but water will workif you have no oil.

Hold onto your stone with onehand and your knife with the other.Hold the edges of your stone tokeep the entire surface free for sharpening.Run your knife along the stone, holding it at approximately a 20 degreeangle to the stone. Push the knife away from you four or five times tosharpen that side of the blade.Reverse the process and pull the knife toward you to sharpen the remain-ing side. Hold it at the same angle to get an even sharpening.Continue sharpening on alternating sides, reducing the number of strokesper side as your knife gets sharp. Once your blade is sharp, wash it thoroughly to remove any stone or metal bits.

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Recipe of theMonthDJ's Honey Bar-B-Q Wild Turkey BreastContributed by Donald Jarrett

• 1 Wild turkey breast • 1 16oz. bottle Allegro GameTame Marinade • 1 16 oz. bottle Bulls eye Original BBQ Sauce • 2 TBS Brown Sugar • 2 TBS Lemon Juice • 1/4 cup honey • Peanut Oil • Self-rising flour • Black pepper

Cut turkey breast into strips about 2" wide x 3" long x 1/2"thick. Marinate turkey strips in Allegro game tame for a coupleof hours, covered in refrigerator. After marinating the strips,put about 6 to 8 pieces at a time in a paper bag or Tupper-ware dish. Pour enough flour with about 1 tsp black pepper inbag or Tupperware dish to cover the strips. Fold bag or coverdish and shake well. This will evenly coat the meat. Place thestrips in hot oil. A deep fryer works well as there is no turning.When pieces are brown remove from oil. When all the stripsare cooked, take tongs and dip them in Honey BBQ saucemixture. Mixture will have the above mentioned measure-ments of BBQ sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar and honey.After dipping strips in sauce, place in one layer in a greasedglass baking dish. This usually takes 2 baking dishes. Bake inoven at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

Colonel Sanders ain't got nothing on this stuff.


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