My Favorite Six Flies for Winter Time Trout Fishing Bill Cooper for 1-4-23 Winter is by far my favorite time to fish for trout. The crowds of summer are gone from our Ozark Streams, biting insects are non-existent, the air is cooling and fresh and the water cold and clear. To take a breath of cold, fresh air while wading a free flowing stream is an exercise in sensory overload. River smells are like no other. It’s trout that attract me to this spectacular environ. The metabolism of trout slows with colder weather. What this means for anglers is a flip from summertime fishing when trout are far more active. Cold weather anglers will need to slow down and work the slower, deeper hides. Trout become lazy this time of year in their natural efforts to conserve energy. You’d be wise to do the same. Get the weight right for your flies to get down deep. It becomes necessary to place your fly offering as near to the nose of a trout as possible. They are far less likely to chase a fly during the cold weather months. Get the depth right, then it is a matter of offering the right fly. Trout during the colder months concentrate on aquatic insects, primarily midges. Midges, baetis nymphs and micro worms are my favorites. There are a million fly patterns on the market, but these six flies are common in my winter time fly box. Rainbow Warrior Midge Ok. Perhaps it is in the name. I have known any number of warriors who crossed the rainbow bridge. I never fish the Rainbow Warrior without htignmkling about those who made sacrifices in far away places. This brightly colored midge pattern will defiantly stand out in your mindset and in the water. I like to fish this flashy nymph on very bright days. Lots of light penetrating the clear water of a trout stream will light up the blues, reds and silvers of the Rainbow Warrior like a neon sign. Winter time trout feed heavily on the tiny nymph stages of aquatic insects. Use size #18-to-#22 Rainbow Warriors and enjoy the hits. I once caught dozens of chunky rainbows on a 300-yard stretch of pea gravel bank on Taneycomo Lake. The takes were so slight, it took me 10 minutes to figure it all out. Trout were spitting the fly out before I good set the hook. I thought some of the pauses were the fly ticking the bottom. Wrong. Every one was a trout taking the fly…on virtually every cast. Wooly Bugger The Wooly Bugger is one of the most universal of fishing flies. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. I prefer a bead-head Wooly Bugger in sizes #6-to-#12 in brown, black, olive, or yellow. The larger flies represent anything from crayfish, sculpins and minnows. I use this common fly on dark, dreary days for Brown trout. They often come out of the deeper runs to feed in shallow riffles on these dark days. Numerous times I’ve caught dozens of Brown trout from the Meramec River on Wooly Buggers on the nastiest of days. An added bonus is that I never encounter other anglers on these grayest of days. San Juan Worm This small worm pattern works great as a bottom drop fly, with another fly pattern 12-to-18-inches above it. I prefer San Juans with a gold bead-head to add a little flash. Red and pink in #12-to-#18 are my favorites, but I have had good days fishing tan and white worms as well. Although plastic worms per se are prohibited in some areas of Missouri trout streams, San Juans and Cerise worms are legal. Hot Head Soft Hackle Sow Bug Equipped with a hot pink bead-head and a a pink soft hackle body, this is one of my favorite nymphs to fish in murky water. Sow Bugs are often called Cress Bugs and are vital in many trout streams, especially so in the famous White River of Arkansas. I catch both Brown and rainbow trout on the Hot Head and prefer to fish sizes #14-to-#16 in deep pockets with moderate current. This scud, shrimp, and sow bug imitator has long held a top place in my winter time fly box. Hare’s Ear Nymph The Hare’s Ear is a classic nymph that is one of the most common flies found in angler fly boxes. This attractor fly is not a replica of any aquatic insect. However, its wooly yarn body and scraggly legged looking appendages and slight deer hair tail, with a thin orange collar make it one of the buggiest looking fly creations of all time. I generally add a tiny spit shot to my leader to get the Hare’s Ear to the bottom. I high stick the drift to keep in contact with the fly. If I feel the slightest tick, I lift the rod high to set the hook. It takes a good deal of on the water experience to differentiate between the fly merely bumping bottom, or becoming picked up by a trout. Soft Hackle Sulphur This mayfly imitation has been a good producer for me every month of the year. Its buggy appearance and the swimming action of the soft hackle make it virtually irresistible to trout. Although the hackle and body material generally consists of mottled tan, brown and black material, I like to downsize this offering in the winter time to a #22 or smaller in all back. The pattern then resembles a tiny, black swimming midge. At times it has proven deadly, eliciting strikes on almost every cast. Winter time trout fishing is a grand affair that can often be enjoyed in total solitude. As a bonus, the air is fresh, cold and clean. You can’t go wrong in these pristine settings. Pack a lunch, a small, hot thermos, and plenty of your favorite winter time flies.

Fly Fishing the Niangua River

Fly Fishing the Niangua River Bill Cooper for 12-`13-23 The Missouri Ozarks are famous for cold, clear, spring-fed rivers and the 125-mile long Niangua, a tributary of the Osage, is no exception. Recently I spent the day on the river with Michael Collins of Misty Mountains Guiding Service. I had not been on the Niangua for over 30 years. I worked as the naturalist at Bennett Spring in the late 1970s and still have found memories of catching both scrappy smallmouth bass and trout on the stretch of water just below Bennett Spring. Collins and I had previously fished the Meramec River together. His abilities to catch big smallmouth bass on huge streamers, which he personally tied, was northing short of amazing. I made a mental note of his skills and yearned to fish with him again the following season. Collins reached out, after he discovered he had an open date in early December. He quizzed me immediately to find out if I preferred a raft trip or a wade and fish trip. I do love wade fishing, but little compares in the world of fly fishing to drifting down an Ozark stream with an experienced guide at the helm. We soon agreed that the Niangua would be a rewarding trip for both rainbow and Brown trout. We met In Bennett Spring State Park, near the confluence of the spring branch and the Niangua River at 7 a.m. First light had just begun to push away the darkness. I could see trout feeding on the surface as Collins readied several fly rods for the short 4-mile float. The short float would allow us the time to thoroughly work the many runs, riffles and pools that we would encounter throughout the day. After we shuttled Collins’ truck to the downriver take out point, we discussed the day’s plans as we enjoyed the drive back to the put-in in my pick-up. We jabbered like two kids going to the playground. Excitement cracked in our voices as we talked about expectations and more importantly, possibilities. Collins manned the oars after handing me a high end Sage rod setup with a tandem fly rig. An egg pattern graced the end of the tippet, while a small pink jig adorned the line 16-inches above the terminal fly. “Great minds think alike,” I said. “I love pink flies and often use them on pumpkinhead setups.
 “Trout do love pink,” Collins echoed. Minutes into the float my indicator dipped below the surface and my first rainbow of the day fought hard in the steady current. It had taken the pink jig true to our expectations. The Sage rod felt swell in my hands. The 6-weight rod handled like a 4-weight in other brands. It stood strong and allowed me to work the scrappy rainbow to Collins’ net with ease. Once we drifted out of sight of the park, we beached the raft to try our hands at drifting our tandem fly rigs through a promising looking run and resulting drop-off into a deeper hole. Collins scored first with another feisty rainbow. Its brilliant colors flashed in the gin-clear water as he worked it to hand. We admired the grand fish and both sensed a feeling of adoration as the trout sped back to its hide, from which it had chased the egg pattern and ate it. Pumped by our good fortune, both of us attempted to set hooks when our indicators bobbed. Often the bobs were a result of the bottom fly ticking the rocky substrate. “If you aren’t feeling the bottom while nymph fishing for trout, you are not fishing deep enough,” Collins instructed. “Trout very often relate to the bottom, because that is where the majority of their food sources live. Aquatic insects and invertebrates invariably live in the rocks and vegetation associated with the bed of the river.” As we crawled back into the raft and shoved off into the current, a Bald eagle soared high overhead, flashing the brilliant white feathers of its head and tail. It proved a fitting episode in the drama of our day on the river, far away from noisy crowds and a busy world. Connors steered the raft towards a deep hole to get me into position for the first cast. As soon as my double fly rig hit the water, several rainbows investigated my offerings. The indicator went down. I missed the strike. I hooked up on the next cast, only to have the hard fighting fish get off half way back to the raft. The excitement of the moment hurried my next few casts, the most of which resulted in solid strikes. I hooked three more rainbows in that hole, all of which escaped before reaching the net. Regardless, the strikes and hookups provided brief moments of exhilaration. Connors and I each reflected on the joys of fly fishing in such a wild setting. A high Ozark ridge towered over us, covered in the standard oak-hickory forest. Boulders and rock rubble lined the banks, providing superb cover for trout and bass alike. As a bonus, we had not encountered another boat or fisherman all day. We felt as if we were fishing at the end of he earth. Collins handed me an 8-foot rod rigged with one of his fabulous streamers, which he ties himself, out of nightmare musky material. He instructed me to cast the fly as close to shore as possible in hopes of turning a hit from a Brown trout. A bit further down stream, Collins cast the big streamer far up under an overhanging limb. “Chaser,” he yelled. The beautifully colored Brown trout clobbered the big fly, which Collins stripped as rapidly as possible. Once netted, we took numerous photos before releasing the splendid fish to fight another day. The release became the perfect end to a perfect day. To book a fly fishing trip with Michael Colins Google @mistymountainsguidingservice. Photo cutline: Michael Collins, of Misty Mountains Guiding Service, shows off a Niangua River Brown trout he caught on a recent rip with Bill Cooper.

Big Mamma Crappie Tournament Benefits Camp Looking Glass Bill Cooper for 3/19/21 The grounds of Southern Star RV and Cabins near Chatham, Mississippi took on the aura of an emerging circus arena at daylight on March 6, 2021as the Big Mamma Crappie/Bass Tournament began to come to life. Bright red and blue lights flashed on the roof of a Washington County deputies’s vehicle, as dozens of others driven by sponsors, vendors, anglers, guides and the general public converged on Lake Washington, a premier crappie fishing lake north of Vicksburg. Fondly referred to as Big Mike, Mike Jones of Bait-N-Thangs Bait and Tackle Store hustled around the grounds taking care of business as he had done for the previous 18 annual Big Mamma Tournaments. “There has been a special kind of reward for me to host this fishing tournament over the years to benefit the cause of Camp Looking Glass, a camp for the handicapped near here,” Jones said. Jones himself had lost a sister to Downs Syndrome. As rose-colored hues appeared in the eastern sky over Lake Washington, members of the Mississippi National Guard Color Guard smartly marched to the boat docks and posted the colors. Members of fishing teams, who were already in their boats, sponsors and the public stood with hats and hands over their hearts to pay respects to the National Anthem of the United States of America. At the conclusion of the National Anthem, Rev. Eddie Painter offered a moving prayer of well wishes for the Big Mamma Tournament, it’s participants and attendees. It was the most inspiring launch of a fishing tournament I had ever witnessed. The incredible beginning of the Big Mamma Crappie/Bass Tournament on Lake Washington proved to be the initial inspiration for a touching event that affected the lives of everyone present and of many far beyond the boundaries of Lake Washington. Chatham, Mississippi is a small community on Lake Washington. However, through the inspiration and leadership provided by Mike Jones, the community came together to organize and orchestrate a benefit tournament for Camp Looking Glass. At the end of the day, more than $7,500 had been raised for the noteworthy cause. Hamilton Hog Hides quickly became a major attraction at the event as they fired up large kettles to begin cooking what most refer to as pig skins. The aromas drifted across the grounds as everyone began following their nose to the bbq shed. The Hamilton’s donated all of their proceeds to Camp Looking Glass. Christopher Jones and Larry Moore, of Moore Body and Paint, worked a big smoker and rolled out pork butts, burgers, chops, and sausages to the delight of the attending crowd. Mark Reynolds and John Willard manned the boiling station, where they stirred amazing aromas with a vat full of crawfish, corn and sausages with southern style seasonings. Across the way, Charles “Buck” Ray, Rodney Hayes, and Terry Reed tantalizing taste buds with golden fried crappie filets that Rodney Hayes bough from Illinois. Darlene Jones provided the icing on the cake by making her famous hushpuppies. As weigh in time approached, the crowd began to gather around the stage to watch as crappie and bass fishermen came off of the water. In the meantime, Mike Jones recognized the first Lake Washington Crappie Fishing Legends. Ernest Stone fished Lake Washington all of his life and promoted the area heavily. He was posthumously awarded the first Lake Washington Crappie Legends Award. Ernest’s mother, Ethelene, received the award on his behalf. John Bull, from Vicksburg, dedicated mush of his life contributing woodworking items and food to Camp Looking Glass benefits. Jones revealed that Bull had fished Lake Washington for 40 years. He became Lake Washington’s second Crappie Fishing Legend. Next Mike Jones introduced two very unique gentlemen from Lebanon, Missouri. Jim Thorpe and Jim Hough are two Vietnam Veterans who have fished together for 35 years and completed 2,400 fishing trips together. “Thats’s like being married for 75 years,” Jones said. Thorpe said he and Hough had caught hundreds of thousands of fish together, most of which were crappie. The crowd gave a huge round of applause to recognize these mens’ dedication to country, fishing, and one another. Fourteen year old Jesse James was inducted into the Youth Fishing Hall of Fame. “Jesse field in his eighth Big Mamma Tournament this year,” Jones said. “Jesse knows more about crappie fishing than most adults. He has placed in the top four in every tournament. For the last three years, Jesse has taken first place in the Youth Division. Too, Jesse is a perfect young gentleman, and exemplifies what we aspire for our young people to become.” Dedication to Camp Looking Glass became apparent among attendees as they opened their hearts and pocket books to support the effort of the camp for handicapped individuals. Troy Garrett took first place overall in the 19th Annual Big Mamma Crappie/Bass Tournament. He received $1,000 for his win and quickly announced he was donating his prize money to Camp Looking Glass. Several other winners followed suit. Mike Jones has plans to host a bigger and better event for the Big Mamma Crappie Tournament for 2022. “We are planning to host 10 sponsored veterans next year. We hope to see every boat entered in the tournament next year flying an American flag.” Kody Lucas, of Edgar Springs, and host of Living the Dream Outdoors TV, attended the Big Mamma Tournament and vowed to return in 2022 with a caravan. “The Big Mamma Tournament was one of the grandest showing of love for community, fishing and our fellow man I have ever witnessed.” While covering the Big Mamma event, I ran in to people from Cuba, Lebanon, Steelville and Sullivan. Should you like to participate in the Big Mamma Tournament in 2022, google up BaitNThangs. Announcements will be posted there.

Tips for an All Day Stand Sit Bill Cooper10/28 Deer hunters are a fidgety lot. Most realize that sitting on a stand all day long maximizes their chances of scoring on a big buck. However, few can successfully complete a an all day sit on a regular basis. These tips will help you master the day long deer stand sit. Comfort is paramount to long days hunting. Being uncomfortable in a stand is one of the key factors why deer hunters give up. Stands that are too small and roughly built are key elements that will shorten your sit time. Invest in the best, most comfortable stand you can afford.  Stands with padded seats and backrests are so comfortable you can easily nap in them. Make sure all harnesses and straps are secure.
 Confidence in your stand placement is paramount to sticking with that stand all day long. Spending long hours in a stand without seeing game gets old in a hurry. Stand placement should be based on hard evidence that deer are, in fact, utilizing the area. Travel lanes, corridors, pinch points, food sources and bedding areas are all areas which should be thoroughly scouted before the season opener. Trail cameras are tops for investigating these sites. Keeping annual records of what animals are seen in which locations and recording kills as well will increase your odds fro continued success. Let the info tell you where you place your stands. Your confidence level will soar and so will your tolerable sit time in a deer stand.
 Keeping yourself nourished and hydrated is simple common sense. Attention spans wane in direct proportion to hunger levels. Choices abound for pre-packaged foods and liquids that can easily be carried in a day pack. Carbohydrates are important for energy and warmth. Granola bars are great and compact. Trail mixes, nuts and jerkies are superb foods. Meals prepared by chemical heat are fabulous. Military MRE's (meals ready to eat) contain an entire course. You may not need everything included, so it is a good idea to break into the package ahead of time and only take along what you need. 
 Nature calls are inevitable. The need to relieve oneself is a daily function. Human urine contains ammonia just like deer urine. However, deer do not seem to fear human urine. Many hunters often urinate in buck scrapes to freshen them up, track through the  scrape and then enjoy the benefits of having a buck track them right to their stand location. The thought is repulsive to some hunters. It is best not to urinate by your stand. The strong scent may cause deer to pinpoint you in your stand. Move away from your stand to relieve yourself. Other wastes should be buried and covered far away from your stand.
 Boredom is a definite detriment to any deer hunt. If you are short on patience, spend practice sessions before the season begins. Take a book or magazine along to help pass the time. Many carry cell phones or tablets to their stand so they can read or play games. Noise tones must remain off, however. Regardless, provide yourself some type of distraction to prevent boredom. However, break up the usage of boredom relievers, so that you don't miss an opportunity to take that big buck after sitting on stand all day long.

Return of the Meramec River Brown Trout Bill Cooper

Avid St. James, Missouri angler Lyle Staab began my love affair with brown trout over 40 years ago. In the mid-1970’s Staab’s photograph appeared on the front cover of an outdoor magazine. He held a brown trout that weighed almost 15 pounds. Staab caught the behemoth brown from the Meramec River in the Missouri Ozarks.. I have been searching the cold, free-flowing Meramec for a brown trout of those proportions ever since. I’m still searching. The Meramec River became Missouri’s first Trophy Trout area in 1974, shortly after I became superintendent of Maramec Spring Park. Maramec (note spelling) Spring is the first major tributary to flow into the Meramec River, doubling its size and lowering the temperature by several degrees. The brown trout fishery was a new and exciting idea. However, Missouri fisheries biologiosts still had much to be learn about managing brown trout. Regulations allowed for the use of live bait for those early browns. Most disappeared quickly because the fish swallowed live baits causing release mortality to be high. As evidenced by Staab’s colossal catch in the mid-1970’s, a few browns from the original stocking did survive to a ripe old age. The Missouri Department of Conservation instituted a Red Ribbon Trout Area on the Meramec River in the 1980’s, with more restrictive regulations. Only lures and artificial flies could be used, increasing the number of fish which survived after being caught and released. The Missouri Department of Conservation continued releasing brown trout from 8-to-12-inches once a year in the fall. Most fly fishermen regarded the browns as being rather finicky. Regardless, anglers knowledgable about brown trout continued to catch them over the years. But, none the size of Staab’s 1970’s catch were ever reported. During the summer of 2014, brown trout fishing in the Meramec River took a turn for the better. A one time supply of browns up to 15 inches were stocked in the river as a result on an experimental program at Maramec Spring Hatchery. Brown trout were used to help control parasitic crustaceans called copepods, which attached themselves to rainbow trout. Brown trout were placed at the heads of raceways and acted as bio-filters. The copepods attached themselves to the brown trout, but could not complete their life cycle on brown trout, like they did on rainbows. The result was fewer parasites to attack the rainbows. The brown trout were held in the pools longer than normal and as a result grew larger than the normal 8-to-12-inches used for stocking. They were subsequently stocked in the Meramec River in the summer of 2014. “The experiments were a success,” said biologist Jen Girondo. “Now, with Maramec Spring Hatchery supplying a limited number of brown trout, fish will be stocked in smaller increments, but at multiple times in the fall. This will be done to maintain the appropriate number of brown trout needed in the hatchery raceways to keep parasites in check.” Upon learning about the releases of browns into the Meramec River, I began my in-the-field research, with my fly rod in hand. I knew browns do not like intense light, so I picked a dark, blustery day to fish in late November. The results were astounding. I located a long deep hole and cast a weighted sculpin pattern on a sinking line into the cold, clear waters. A jolt reverberated up my rod on my very first cast. A broad fish rolled to the surface and the sound of my 5X tapered tippet snapping echoed down the gravel bar. I was on to something. With a very good feeling, which only a lone angler on a stream full of feeding browns can feel, I tied on a heavier tippet and methodically began catching one brown trout after another. The fish were on a feeding spree and it didn’t seem to matter what pattern I used as long as it presented a big profile I could get down deep. Sculpins, crayfish, mohair leeches and big streamers accounted for the majority of the browns I caught from two deep holes over a three hour period. On more than one occasion a second brown trailed the first, attempting to rob it of its prized meal. I landed well over three dozen browns before the feeding frenzy waned. Too, I enjoyed another dozen or so hookups and three more break-offs. The fish struck with a vengeance as if they were ravenously hungry. The brightly colored fish averaged about 15-inches, with only two falling under 14-inches. Several broad, fat 17-inch males fell to my offerings and I am confident the break-offs involved larger fish. Obviously, a few browns larger than 15 inches had been released. Perhaps a few of them will survive to the double digits weight class. I will keep hunting. The Red Ribbon Trout Area on the Meramec River extends for 9 miles from the Highway 8 MDC Access, south of St. James, to the Scott’s Ford MDC Access, off of Hwy 8, just west of Steelville. The 9-mile stretch contains a variety of aquatic habitats, with long pools, riffles, drops, turns, jams, rock rubble and deep pools. Most of the bank side is in heavy vegetation with an abundance of logs and undercut banks. The Meramec River may also be accessed through the James Foundation’s Maramec Spring Park, when it is open. Anglers need to be aware of the separate regulations for fishing in the park and on the Meramec River. For further information about fishing the Red Ribbon Trout Area of the Meramec River log on to: www.mdc.mo.gov .

A Deer Hunter’s Psyche - What Makes Them Tick Bill Cooper for 8-12-30 The annual Missouri bowhunting season is less than 45 days away, and the rifle season only two months after that. Once again tens of thousands of Missouri deer hunters will be taking to the woods. And the attacks of anti-hunters against law abiding hunters will refresh as well. As deer hunters we are very much misunderstood in todays world. What really makes us tick? About 98 percent of Americans eat meat. Our ancestors have been meat eaters since the dawn of time. Additionally, even in our modern society, roughly 80 percent of Americans approve of legal, ethical hunting. So why do we hear so much from so few claiming that hunters’ psyches are those of demented, sadistic killers? Anti-hunters often oppose hunting because they say it is cruel to animals, therefore, hunters must be mentally disturbed sadists. The truth of the matter is that sadists would not want to kill an animal quickly, as ethical hunters desire to do. Sadists want animals to suffer. Anyone who says that hunters are mentally ill is talking psychology. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but few are trained psychologists. Very few published articles that claim hunters are sadistic, or psychopathic, are written by behavioral scientists who study humans. Too, very few hunters are mentally ill. Most are screened out of the mix via background checks prior to purchasing a gun, while others are sorted out by hunter education instructors. Most states now require individuals to pass a hunter education course before buying a hunting license. Those who are deemed unstable do not receive hunter certification training. The majority of psychologists of the 20th century agreed that hunting is motivated by a natural instinct, and that participation in hunting is beneficial to mental health. In his studies of human aggression, psychologist Erich Fromm said: “In the act of hunting, the hunter returns to their natural state, becomes one with the animals, and is freed from the burden of his existential split: to be part of nature and to transcend it by virtue of his consciousness. In stalking the animal he and the animal become equals, even though man eventually shows his superiority by use of weapons.” Others, including Dr. Steven Kellers, of Yale, and Amherst College professor Jan Dizard found the reasons why people hunt are to: experience nature as a participant; to feel an intimate, serous connection to place; to take responsibility for one’s food; and to acknowledge kinship with wildlife. One of the few studies that portrays hunters in a negative light, published in the 2003 Journal of Visual Studies, claimed that photos of hunters with trophies in 14 popular hunting magazines indicated that, “instead of love and respect for nature and wildlife, we found extreme objectification and marginalization of animal bodies.” That so called research, is only about the authors subjective personal opinions of art. Anyone else who had done the same study would have concluded that the hunters were simply proud and wanted to show off their harvests. It’s an established fact in the United States that when hunting license sales go up, violent crime goes down. Another study out of Emory University established that denial of the hunting instinct can lead to psychopathology. The research team stated: “Our “hunting instinct’ has gone awry in ‘civilized’ society, where the thrill of the chase and the kill are no longer part of our experience and there are no clear avenues of expression except, perhaps to our peril, in the streets and subways of today’s urban jungles.” Interestingly enough, Dr. Hal Herzog, of Western Carolina University reported in 2014 that 84 percent of vegetarians and 70 percent of vegans return to eating at least some meat. Thirty-five percent of the vegetarians said they did so for declining health reasons. Of course, as hunters we have always recognized that we have incisors for a reason. A German study found that vegetarians displayed elevated prevalence rates for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders. A similar study in Australia found vegetarians were 18 percent more likely to report depression and 28 percent more likely to suffer panic attacks and anxiety. Hunters have long been in the forefront of protecting wildlife and providing funding for the protection and propagation of such. Billions have been spent on fish and wildlife habitat, research and education. Non-hunters and anti-hunters alike have benefited from these appropriations through the purchasing of wild lands and refuges which everyone is allowed to enjoy. Hopefully, before this article goes to print, President Trump will have signed into law the greatest piece of conservation legislation in the history of mankind. The Great American Outdoors Act will provide funding for the increased expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, fishing, boating, camping, hiking, and more. The bill includes permanent funding for the tremendously successful Land and Water Conservation Fund to the tune of $900 million per year. The LWCA has completed projects in every county in the U.S. The GAOA is expected to provide $12.5 billion dollars over the next five years. Hunters played a tremendous role in the establishment of the GAOA, clearly demonstrating their continued love and support for wildlife, wild places, and access to both for all citizens. The next time you are approached by anti-hunters, quote these facts and ask them what they are doing to reduce the horrible condition of humanity in our urban jungles. Our very participation in deer hunting makes us tick, makes us better people, and certainly makes our world a bette place for everyone. Cutline: Deer hunters are far better people than than the demented psychopaths, they are accused of being by those who oppose hunting. deer camp 2 drury mincy b.jpg

Food Plots Produce Bill Cooper for 10-29-20 Food plots have become a mania among deer hunters. It seems that everyone who deer hunts and has access to land, owned or leased, is into planting food plots to both feed and hold deer on their property. The latest craze has been the increase in pint-sized food plots. Often referred to as poor man’s plots, these micro-plots are the fastest growing trend in deer hunting. The one factor of deer behavior on which you can consistently depend is the that they are going to eat every day. The better the quality of the food and availability, the more deer will use it. If left undisturbed, deer will soon develop the habit of dropping in often to munch on tender vegetation in a food plot. I’ve planted small food plots on my place for well over 30 years. Deer love them. I began by planting only clover and winter wheat, but know plant at least a half dozen plant varieties, including wheat, clover, oats, turnips, radishes, sunflowers, soybeans, and chickory. Biologists tell us that deer may take 2-3 seasons to fully adjust to a new plant variety. It takes time for old does to teach their offspring to feed on a particular plant. So, it may take a couple of generations for deer in your area to fully utilize a new food source. Micro-plots are especially effective for bow hunting for several reasons. First they are small enough, from tennis court sized plots to a half acre, that when deer feed in them, they are within effective bow range. Bigger plots can create a lot of frustration for bow hunters, because deer can easily be out of range. The usual occurrence is a game of cat and mouse as hunters move stands around a large plot trying to get close enough for a shot. Secondly, micro-plots can easily be planted close to bedding areas, reducing the travel distance for your herd from bed to breakfast. With plots nearby, deer often can’t resist feeding in the plots during daylight hours as well. Many times these small plots are the last thing a deer visits before bedding in the morning and the first place they visit upon leaving their bed in the afternoon. It’s like humans running from the couch to the fridge for a quick snack. Micro-plots easily become the focus of deer activity, especially during the rut. Almost every buck in a given area will swing past a micro-plot at some point in the day to check for estrous does. At that point the plot becomes the center of the deer wheel, with spokes, or deer trails, leading to it from different directions. Bucks tend to make plenty of scrapes near micro-plots as well adding to the deer holding potential of these magic micro-plots. They essentially become a regular meeting place for deer in the area. Third, deer feel far safer in micro-plots than larger openings, because they are only a bound or two away from the safety of thick cover. Plots surrounded by thick woods or undergrowth also tend to attract and hold deer throughout the daylight hours. For bowhunting purposes, narrow plots are better than wide ones. When a buck enters a narrow food plot, it will often walk the entire length of the plot, both checking scrapes and checking for hot does. Placement of micro-plots is very important. Take a good inventory of your property before you plant. Micro-plots should be placed within 150 yards of deer bedding areas. If planned further away, it become difficult to pull deer into your plot in daylight hours. Deer will get up from their beds several times a day to feed. Good food sources that are nearby will get utilized far more than distant sources. Creating funnels to direct deer to your micro-plots is another tool you can use to improve your deer hunting success. Small trails though your property is one such funnel you can easily create. I cut wood on my property each year, and have created a network of trail than I can easily travel with my pickup truck, or tractor. I utilize some of these trails as micro-plots as well. However, I do not plant these min-plots as thick as I do my main plot. I utilize them as a teaser to pull deer in the direction I want them to travel. I maintain three of these trails, which lead directly to my main mini-plot of 3/4 of an acre, surrounded by woods. The vast majority of deer that enter this food plot follow the established trails through the woods. I generally plant my mini-plots in early August. Often it is very dry, but I’ve had tremendous good fortune over the last 30 years. Only twice have I had to replant, because of dry conditions. This year rains came steadily during August and early September. The wheat, sunflowers, turnips, hickory and radishes I planted quickly grew into a thick, healthy stand. It didn’t take long for deer to discover the new food source. An added bonus to my food plot this year is the fact that it is surrounded by white oaks and they produced heavily this year. Deer have been hanging in the white oak stands in the afternoons to gorge themselves on acorns, and then drift into my food plots to enjoy the succulent plants found there. It’s the best combination of food sources I’ve ever had on my place. An added bonus is the fact that once the greenery in the food plots are decorated by deer and mother nature, there will still be plenty of radish and turnip bulbs for the deer, as well as an abundance of acorns in the woods just a few steps away.