Conservation Corner: August 19, 2002

Expo Features Top Attractions and Speakers
by James L. Cummins

The third annual Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Expo will be held on August 23-25 at the Forrest County Multi Purpose Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Steve Azar, a country music singer and a Charter Member of Wildlife Mississippi, states, "Anyone who loves hunting, fishing or just being outdoors will find something of interest at the Expo. Plus, all proceeds benefit my favorite conservation organization, Wildlife Mississippi, for use on fish and wildlife projects."

Wildlife Mississippi has attracted some top entertainment for the Expo. We are very fortunate that Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels will be conducting demonstrations at the Expo. Stewart is the founder of Wildrose Kennels in England, Northern Ireland and South Africa. He has been training dogs for over 30 years. After spending over 25 years in law enforcement, he now trains full time.

Due to popular demand, Terry Vandeventer, a professional herpetologist, will be back at the Expo each day with his live snakes. Vandeventer has hunted and studied reptiles throughout the world. His demonstrations are seen by over 75,000 people annually. He will discuss their life histories, habits and their effects on people. If you missed it last year, here's your chance!

At the Expo, Michael Musgrave, a member of the Mississippi Falconers Association, will be presenting demonstrations about falconry. If you have any questions about falconry, ask him at his seminars or stop by his booth.

Randy Browning, a wildlife biologist with Wildlife Mississippi who has spent much of his life conducting research on "Censusing Whitetail Deer With Infrared Trigger Cameras," will be at the Expo discussing food plot management. Browning, an official Boone and Crockett Scorer, who has developed some of the top food plot mixtures will share his experiences and techniques for supplementing forage for deer and turkey.

Have ever wondered what the score is of your buck? You don't have to guess. The Magnolia Records Program will be at the Expo. Rick Dillard, an official scorer, will be presenting two seminars explaining the scoring system. The antler scoring system is identical to that used by the Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young clubs. All whitetail deer take legally in Mississippi are eligible. All one has to do is bring his or her deer to the Expo between 3 and 9 p.m. on Friday, August 23 or from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 24. All entrants meeting the minimum requirements (125 - Typical, 155 - Non-typical) will receive an official certificate. Scoring will take place on Saturday. Show Hours are: August 23, Friday, 3 pm - 9 pm; August 24, Saturday, 10 am - 8 pm; August 25, Sunday, 12 pm - 5 pm.


James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi