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.

Kayaking Stockton’s Water Trail Bill Cooper Kayaking, along with many other outdoor pursuits, has grown in popularity since the advent of the COVID 19 pandemic. Several of Missouri’s State Parks offer water trails for paddling enthusiasts. Stockton State Park north of Springfield offers visitors a well laid out trail complete with mile markers and interpretive signs. Missouri Tourism’s Outdoor Ambassador Scott Pauley says that interest in kayaking has exploded across the Show Me State. “It is difficult to find a kayak right now,”he said. “They literally flew off of retail store shelves as more people were being forced to stay home because of the virus. Those people quickly began to look for ways to get outdoors. Fortunately we are blessed with an abundance of outdoor resources in Missouri, including water. Most people in Missouri don’t have to travel far to find a water resource where they can paddle a canoe or kayak.” Scott Pauley and I both attended a Fish ’n Fun Media Event recently which was organized by the Missouri Outdoor Communicators and sponsored by a variety of organizations with ties to the outdoors, including: Tandem Fly Outfitters, Orleans Trail Resort and Restaurant, The City of Stockton, Hammons Black Walnuts, Missouri State Parks, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, Conservation Federation of Missouri, and Toyota Motors USA. Fishing for walleye and white bass were the main focus of the event and drew outdoor writers from across the state including, Kenny Kieser and Tyler Mahoney from the Independence and Kansas City areas, Scott Pauley and Kyle Stewart from Jefferson City, Zach Smith from Columbia, Bill Cooper from St. James and Brad Wiegmann from Arkansas. Other activities were also scheduled including a guided tour of the Stockton State Park Aquatic Trail. The 6.5 mile Stockton Lake Water Trail offers two entry points. One is located at the Stockton State Park Marina, where paddlers can launch their canoes or kayaks from a provided ramp or a floating dock. The second access point is located just across the peninsula at Hartley Cove. Both trailheads have bathrooms, and the State Park Marina offers a store where paddlers can buy supplies of grab something to eat before or after their paddling trip. “Paddling on a lake is quite different than paddling on a river where there is a current to help move you along,” said park superintendent Kenny Neal.. “However, the lake trip is a good way get people out on the lake paddling, with an easy shuttle that has trail heads only a mile apart.” Blue skies and a slight chop greeted our paddling party as we began our trip out of Hartley Cove. A majestic Bald Eagle flew high overhead, soaring on the air currents and obviously experiencing a bird’s eye view of the lake and surrounding countryside. Justin Adams, Deputy Regional Director, Missouri State Parks/Ozarks Region and Park Superintendent Kenny Neal provided high quality kayaks and life jackets for the paddle trip. I chose a sit on top model, a first for me. I quickly discovered that the molded plastic kayak provided a comfortable seat with high back support. Adams and Neal gave our party a quick overview of the water trail as we boarded our kayaks and all headed across the lake together. It felt good to be on theater again. I hadn’t paddled all summer due to an accident earlier in the year. I felt perhaps the heavy exercise would stretch sore muscles. The wind picked up a little forcing us to keep paddling. Should we pause, we would loose ground we had gained. As we moved forward our party discussed the pros and cons of each variety of kayak we were paddling. A couple were sit on top fishing kayaks, which offered a bit more stability, while the longer, more slender boats cut though waves and water a bit better. The Stockton Lake Water Trail offers a public swimming beach with restrooms about half way through the trip. The 6.5 mile trial loop takes from 2-to-6 hours depending on how fast one paddles and current wind conditions. Paying attention to wind forecasts is important when planning a paddling trip on Stockton Lake. It is a big, deep lake, and its two arms are oriented in a manner that allows the typical south-southwest winds to blow up the lake. The winds are great for sailors, and Stockton Lake is known as one of the best lakes to sail in the Midwest. High winds, however, may be treacherous for canoes and kayaks. Water trail signs at each entry point caution paddlers to wear PFDs and to stay aware that water and wind conditions can change rapidly. Always check the weather forecast before you get on the water. Adams pointed out that it is usually at least a little windy on one side of the peninsula, while the other side is a little more protected. “If you stay close to shore, its not too bad,” he said. “If the wind picks up, you can always turn around and paddle back to your starting point.” Fishermen can enjoy the paddle trip, too, as the lake is well stocked with bass, catfish, crappie, and walleye. As we made the turn around the point, we were met with white caps and fierce waves. I paddled to the tops of waves only to have my sit on top kayak spun side ways and dropped into the hole. Then it was a repeat. Time was running short and it became obvious we could not complete the entire trip. Neal called a park employee and had him pick us up at an accessible cove. What a fantastic paella trip. To check out paddling the water trail at Stockton, simply Google Stockton Lake Water trail.

How to Avoid Four Common Duck Hunting Mistakes Bill Cooper With duck populations at the peak of long term averages, expectations for every hunt are always high. The reality is, however that every hunt does not produce the highest quality hunt. But, what if a majority of hunts fall short of expectations? There may be some common denominator problems, which can be easily fixed and increase harvests. Movement in the blind - It sounds silly. Every duck hunter knows you have to keep movement to a minimum in the hunting blind. “Unnecessary movement is one of the biggest problems I have with duck hunting clients,” stated Perry May, owner of IYF Outfitters of Southeast Missouri. “Even though we are in a well camouflaged blind, ducks are above us and they have sight many times more powerful than humans. The shine of uncovered faces looking up is a dead giveaway. Use head nets and face paints. If you are constantly moving in the blind and kill few ducks, cut down on the movement and your kill ratio will improve immediately.” Poor camouflage - “I don’t care how good your blind looks, you can never have enough camouflage,” May continued. “If ducks flare or I have difficulty finishing them, one of the first things I look for is holes in the camouflage. It may not be much. I walk all the way around my blinds looking carefully for small holes and openings. Often shooters push clumps of grass or camo material to the side when they stand to shoot. Those spots need to be rearranged before the next flight arrives. Blend in to your surroundings - “You can have all the camo in the world, but if it doesn’t blend in with your surroundings, ducks are going to notice it,” May said.” If you get a lot of ducks flaring from your blind, your materials are not making your blind disappear into the landscape. The result is far fewer shot opportunities.” Bass Pro carries a full line of camo materials and supplies which will help you and your blind vanish into the surroundings. Calling tactics - “Every duck hunter likes to blow his duck call,” May stated. “Blowing a call and watching ducks react to it, is one of the most enjoyable facets of duck hunting. However, if ducks are reacting negatively, or taking a long time to commit, you might want to analyze your calling techniques.” Some say experience is the best teacher. May added, “There are lots of learning aids out there these days to help an individual learn to blow a duck call. Duck hunting videos are plentiful, as are TV shows. However, you still have to practice...a lot. Then there is the issue of knowing when to call, what call to use at a given time and when to quit. One of the most difficult times in the duck blind is when a client is calling and flaring ducks. I let it go, until they become frustrated. Then I politely ask them if they want to kill ducks. Of course they do. At that point, I ask them to allow me to teach them how to call.Then we kill ducks and everyone is happy.” “No duck hunter is so good he can’t improve,” May concluded. “I see hunters make the same mistakes over and over. Force of habitat often works against them. Be flexible and analyze your setup constantly. If you aren’t killing ducks that are present, stop and ask yourself why. Your problems most likely fall into the categories mentioned. Make changes and score.”