Winter 2003

J.T. WATKINS RETIRES - Conservtion officer, J.T. Wakins retired in late September with 40 years of service to the sportsmen and the wildlife resources of the Magnolia State. According to James L. Cummins, "I have known J.T for over 20 years. He has done a great service to the citizens of Mississippi. I am glad he is continuing to be service in the natural resource field by working at the Mueseum. Watkins has taken a position with a Jackson firm that oversees security at the agency's Natural Science Museum.

CONGRESSIONAL SPORTSMEN'S CAUCUS LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED - The Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus announced its new, bi partisan leadership for the 108th Congress as members of Congress returned to Washington recently. The new chairmen and vice chairmen will lead the 300 members of the Caucus in their efforts to champion sportsmen and women in the federal legislative process and to secure funding for habitat conservation and fish and wildlife research. Established in 1989, the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus works to protect the interests of America's hunters, anglers and trappers. Congressman Mike Thompson (D CA) and Congressman Robin Hayes (R NC) will chair the House Caucus and will be supported by Congressman Jim Gibbons (R NV) and Congressman Leonard Boswell (D IA) as the vice chairs. The Senate chairs, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D AR) and Senator Mike Enzi (R WY), and vice chairs, Senator Mike Crapo (R ID) and Senator Max Baucus (D MT), serve four year terms and will remain in the same positions they held in the prior Congress. "Sportsmen and the outdoor industry are fortunate to have such great champions for their interests in Congress," stated Melinda Gable, Executive Director of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) which provides research and educational support to the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. "With these members chairing the Caucus and working with the CSF, we will make sure that the needs of sportsmen and the outdoor industry are heard in the 108th Congress." According to Congressmen Robin Hayes, "Since I was first elected to Congress, one of my top priorities has been to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to enjoy the hunting and fishing tradition. The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation is a great resource and has an excellent record in promoting the responsible use of the outdoors. As Chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, I look forward to continuing to work with closely with CSF in support of sportsmen." James L. Cummins, Ececutive Director of Wildlife Mississippi, states, " I look forward to continuing to work with the staff of the CSF, Congressman Hayes, Senator Lincoln and others to preserve America's rich tradition of outdoor recreation."

LAND ADDED TO REFUGE - At its September meeting in Washington, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved the acquisition of land to a National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi. The Commission, of which Senator Thad Cochran is a member, approved the acquisition of 120 acres for migratory waterfowl habitat at Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Grenada County. Some 640 acres was approved for purchase to provide habitat for waterfowl within Panther Swamp NWR in Yazoo County.

NEELY AWARDED - Lieutenant Robert Neely, a conservation officer with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, was recently recognized as the Wildlife Enforcement Officer of the Year, which was awarded at the Mississippi Wildlife Enforcement Officer's Association. Fellow officers throughout the state of Mississippi select the winner of this award. This is the second time that Neely has received this recognition since he began his career with the Department in 1973. Neely is currently the Wildlife Supervisor of District 3 for the state of Mississippi. He and his wife Becky reside in Itta Bena. "According to James L. Cummins, Executive Director of theMississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Robert. He is a dedicated public servant and I value his counsel that he has provided over the years. The Department is blessed to have the benefit of his fine service."

PROGRAM TO BENEFIT PRIVATE LAND ANNOUNCED - Congress recently appropriated $40 million to enhance, protect or restore habitats that benefit federally listed, proposed, candidate or other at risk species on private lands, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. The new program will be administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and known as the FY 2002 Landowner Incentive Program (LIP). The monies were allocated from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (funding for which us derived primarily from offshore oil and gas lease revenues) for conservation grants. In recent years, natural resource managers have increasingly recognized that private lands play an important role in linking or providing important habitats for fish, wildlife and plant species. The primary objective of this program is to establish or supplement state landowner incentive programs that protect and restore habitats on nongovernment owned lands, to benefit the aforementioned wildlife or plant species and to provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners for such protection and restoration.

WALTHALL COUNTY MAN WINS TRUCK - It's not everyday that someone hands you the keys to a new pickup truck. But one Walthall County man knows it does happen. Blane Odom, 45, of Tylertown won't forget Dec. 16. That's when officials of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks presented him with the keys to a new 2002 Dodge Ram 4x4 Truck. Odom was this year's winner in the Mississippi State Parks Dodge Truck giveaway; the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a sponsor of this promotion. The drawing took place on the "Mississippi Outdoors" television show. Although disabled, Odom still loves to hunt and fish and has for much of his life. A practicing gunsmith for some 12 years, Odom is a graduate of Walthall Academy and went on to finish at the Colorado School of Trades. "I love to hunt and fish, and I get out when I can and help my kinfolks with the hunting on their land," Odom said. This is the fourth year that Mississippi State Parks, the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation and and Dodge have teamed up to give away a Dodge Truck to some lucky Mississippian.

MAN SENTENCED FOR KILLING BEAR - A Grace, Mississippi man, Eric Wade Mobley, pled guilty last week in the Southern District of Mississippi federal court to one count of violating the Lacey Act for killing a Louisiana black bear, a species federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. U.S. Magistrate James Sumner ordered Mobley to pay nearly $10,000 for killing the bear. Judge Sumner awarded $4,000 in restitution to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, $3,000 in restitution to the Mississippi Black Bear Restoration Task Force, a fine of $2,000, and a $662 veterinary bill. In addition, Mobley will be required to perform 20 hours of community service with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks Hunter Education Program and placed on a one year probation with the condition that he cannot hunt any where in the world. "Protection of the threatened Louisiana black bear is a high priority in this area and with help from Conservation Officers of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, we were able to successfully resolve this case," said Robert Oliveri, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resident Agent in Charge in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. "Enforcement of federal and state conservation laws is a vital part of wildlife conservation and management." According to Oliveri, the bear's remains were discovered a year ago in a slough at an Issaquena County, Mississippi hunting club. The head and paws had been removed from the carcass. Law Enforcement officers and a veterinarian conducted a forensics examination of the bear and obtained bullet fragments from the fatal shot. The investigators then conducted interviews and discovered information leading to Mobley.

EX-MEMPHIAN EDITOR OF FIELD AND STREAM - John Evans, 33 and formerly of Memphis, Tennessee, was recently named editor of Field & Stream magazine; his first issue was in December. Evans becomes the 14th editor in the 107 year history of the magazine, and the youngest. Established in 1895, Field & Stream is the country's largest circulation special interest magazine and proclaims itself "The Soul of The American Outdoors. "Evans is looking forward to the challenge of running the magazine after serving as editor of Men's Journal while the magazine was nominated for two National Magazine Awards. He began putting the outdoors and journalism together while working at Sports Afield (1994 97). And he will draw on his experience from the Mississippi to help provide what readers want in the magazine.Evans's vision to mix tradition with different approaches is why he was chosen, says Mark Ford, president of Time 4 Media, which publishes Field & Stream. "Sid is an extremely talented editor with a passion for hunting and fishing," Ford said. "His vision for the magazine will give hunters and fishermen a powerful voice that respects their heritage, asserts their values and fuels their passion." Evans developed his passionate voice for the outdoors when he was a kid, including an early taste of glory when he was the high overall trap shoot winner in the World Shoot in San Antonio, Texas, in the 12 13 year old category.

COTTON Seed GOOD FOR DEER Growth - In a unique research project funded by Cotton Incorporated, the research and promotion company for the U.S. cotton industry, EasiFlo cottonseed has been found to be an extremely valuable deer feed supplement. Cottonseed has been a popular livestock feed for years, but has only recently been discovered by the growing deer hunting sector. Dr. Ed Huston, animal nutritionist at Texas A&M University's Agricultural Research and Extension Center in San Angelo, Texas, has been conducting research on deer and their preference for cottonseed since Cotton Incorporated funded research at Texas A & M created EasiFlo cottonseed. Cottonseed has served as a feed supplement for several species of range fed livestock, when grass was in short supply and/or low in quality. Currently, thousands of tons of cottonseed are being fed to deer throughout Texas. Whole cottonseed's high protein level makes it a prime deer supplement, especially when pasture conditions are poor. Until recently, cottonseed was hard to handle mechanically. After ginning, short fibers, called linters, remain on the cottonseed, which in the past has inhibited its use in most feeders and feeding equipment. "It sticks together and will not gravity flow," explains Huston. The EasiFlo cottonseed process coats the cottonseed with a light layer of cornstarch, which pastes down the linters, thus eliminating the problem. "Until Easiflo cottonseed, I had not conducted large scale cottonseed deer feeding studies because of the handling difficulty," said Huston. "Once EasiFlo was created, patented and commercially introduced, the opportunity to use free flowing cottonseed made it a prime candidate for long term research." Research funded by Cotton Incorporated found deer were attracted to cottonseed but non target species, such as birds, raccoons and wild hogs, were not. Still cameras set to photograph animals coming to feed on the cottonseed revealed which species were eating the feed.
" Deer were the main customers because other so called non target species cannot effectively digest cottonseed within their systems," explained Huston, "Deer are ruminant, or multi stomached animals. They benefit greatly from low to moderate amounts of cottonseed in their diet." Cottonseed's good balance of protein, energy and some much needed minerals make it a choice deer feed supplement. Cottonseed is rich in protein and phosphorus, the two most limiting nutrients in dormant forages, and contains enough fiber to make it safe to feed. Higher growth rates, improved reproduction and better antler development can be expected from feeding moderate amounts of cottonseed. Huston cautions that it is risky for cottonseed to be consumed at extremely high levels (greater than .5% of body weight). He stresses that cottonseed must only be used as a supplement feed for deer. "Corn remains the traditional feed of choice for most deer operations. But it also attracts other non target animals such as feral hogs and raccoons. The feeding of cottonseed to non targeted animals tends to disrupt the overall range ecosystem. Cottonseed contains a compound called gossypol that is toxic to, and thus avoided by, most of the common non target species. Deer and other ruminants easily detoxify gossypol in the rumen," explained Huston. Huston also found that deer weren't picky about how the cottonseed was prepared. During the study, boxes containing a variety of cottonseed ranging from plain to apple flavored EasiFlo cottonseed was offered along with whole corn. "The deer did not favor one cottonseed over another," reported Huston. "But, we'll stick with the EasiFlo for future studies because it's so easy to handle." During Huston's next research phase, he plans to feed corn and EasiFlo cottonseed through spin type feeders traditionally used by deer hunters. His aim is to determine under what conditions deer favor cottonseed over corn. "Corn is still the best deer attractant," explains Huston "but cottonseed's nutritional benefits certainly have a lot to offer. The avoidance of cottonseed by non target species and the subsequent dollars saved from not having to feed the non target species is just icing on the cake." EasiFlo cottonseed was originally created to overcome whole cottonseed's handling difficulties that were limiting its use as a feed supplement for dairy cows. Now, new markets are being discovered that could also increase demand for and value of, cottonseed for U.S. cotton growers.