The Voyage of the Wayward Whitetail

"Avast ye Lubbers, and harken to my tale of derring and bravery in a terrifying land of monsters and big bucks.
The Wayward Whitetail weighed anchor and sailed before the dawn through perilous shoals, and whirlpools guided by my intricate knowledge of the oceans and one candle. With one hand on the tiller and the other with a mug of Rum, I headed across an ocean of Typhoons, Hungry Water Gators,
and Piranha Carp to a terrifying land of Cyclops, Monsters and Giant Horned Bucks.
In a mighty battle with the Sinister Buck of Paul, I slew the beast using my wits, my trusty .270 Ruger and some nifty ninja moves I learned on the Internet. The beast is dead,  and I will return  for the King of the Monster Bucks once I give the evil Sorcerer, Paul the Pitiless, an autographed picture of my deer for Christmas.
The big 8 point weighed in at 210 lbs. with a 17 3/4 inch spread. Another great trip up the lake at the famous Christmas Place!

Good News For Water Valley

Maybe better, Great news for the citizens of Water Valley as they can now all rest peacefully in their beds at night. The news is that Judge Howell has finally killed a deer. This means that court will not be cancelled all winter again, it means that the criminals lurking in the dark will actually be locked up, and foreclosures on little old ladies with cats will decrease immensely. Thank God!!!
Trent shot this really nice buck near the Beaver Dam at the famous Christmas Place last Sunday morning. A 9-point weighing 200 lbs. Congratulations, Trent!
The down side is that now I will be expected to pay my rent all winter.

Selfies With Thunderhoof

That damn deer pesters me every time I go hunting, so I have decided to take a few selfies with him while I am out hunting this weekend. I just wish I could get his pic on the hanging pole or at least keep him from running all the deer off while I'm out there.. Stupid deer will not leave me alone.

The Big Bang

Deer season this year has been slow, and this past weekend was rain, rain and more rain. No one expected to do any good but gamely we went after the deer. The weather was so bad that just being huddled into a stand was all we could expect to survive, much less kill a big buck.
At 7 AM a BIG BANG rolled across the property and everyone knew exactly where it came from.
The infamous deer killer, Paul Howell, had struck again.
As the morning passed, more and more of the hunters straggled in wet to the bone, but no Paul.
Finally, he came in to camp. Wet, wild haired, wild eyed, exhausted and totally devastated he staggered into the camp house and told his story.
The big 10 pt was crossing in front of him about 80 yards through the woods and it was a last minute shot. Paul said he never got a good rest, and pulled the trigger anyway. He found a few drops of blood but the angry deer snorted at him when he went to go find the trophy and galloped off into parts unknown. Paul spent hours searching but no luck. Looks like that deer escaped the wrath of Paul to live another day.

Hog Eyes

I have seen it before and can now spot it a mile away. The haunted look, shaky hands, drool on the lips, low grunting and moaning and the eyes, yes, wild staring Hog Eyes. Yep, my brother James had HOG FEVER and my friend Phillip at The Hog Blog would have been proud. Mark Stewart stays that way all the time so it is easy to spot. SOB hates a damn hog and James is right in there with him.
I put him at the Beaverdam to hunt deer but he wanted to be close to the swamp in case he heard a hog. He did and snuck to the bottom of the hill eased into the brush and tried his newest contraption. Phillip would be so proud! A new game caller that works through your phone. He turned on the Hog Social Grunt call and a minute later he could see the cane parting as the big hog headed straight at him. At 10 yards it entered the tiny opening and he cut down on it with buckshot between the eyes!
The big hog weighed 230 lbs. A really big one. Congratulations James!

That's A Big Fat Zero!

Deer season with rifles opened this past weekend and the members at the famous Christmas Place notched a big fat Zero for the opening weekend. Paul said "It's Trent's fault for not getting the fields done in time." Trent said "It's Paul's fault for running the deer off with all his pals galloping around the woods last weekend." I said "Shoot me now"

Muzzle-Loader Success

The season started with a bang, or a boom as the members and guests at the famous Christmas Place started the year off right by taking 7 deer this past weekend.  We also put our best man (James Howell) in charge of eradicating the hog population but that went nowhere. No one at the camp minded since they were still drunk from watching the great Ole Miss-Texas A&M game.
final score Camp 7- OM-29 TAMU-28

2016- And So It Begins

The first weekend of the hunting season with muzzleloaders starts this weekend and everyone is headed to the famous Christmas Place as early as they can today. It has been quiet there and the deer we have seen are few and far between. No one has any idea what this season will bring. Our fields have suffered under a drought but recent rains should help revive them but it is a crap shoot this early. No matter, I promise we will all have a good time.

Lost In The Witch Cane

There is a wide ridge in the middle of our property thickly covered with Witch Cane.  Sometimes called Cane, Bamboo, Switch Cane, Owl Cane, etc. but down here they call it Witch Cane. However  you call it, through the middle of this cane thicket is a narrow track made by loggers 70-80 years ago that you can barely see, but if you follow it and get through to the other side, there is a little hidden valley that I discovered was filled with big buck sign. So yes, I took my climber in there after lunch and worked my way as quietly as I could through the thick cane, having to turn sideways and almost on my knee some of the way, but I made it through and set up my stand in a nice hickory tree and waited. That afternoon was bright and sunny and I saw deer after deer but not the big buck I wanted and after a great hunt, I got down out of my stand after dark and headed back.  I found my flashlight and turned it on. Now flashlights are not my specialty and they are supposed to work when you need them and worrying about batteries is not something you think about until you need them.  I turned it on and a feeble yellow glow was all the light I had.  I headed up into the Witch Cane.

I don’t know when I got off the trail but it was pretty quick, all I could see was the faint glow around me and the thick cane. The mistake I made was cutting back and forth trying to find the trail, and suddenly I was completely turned around. I’m carrying the climber on my back, sweating and a little panicky and I decided a straight line was best. I had to come out somewhere. The cane got thicker and thicker as I pushed my way through and suddenly I fell out into a small opening about 5 feet around. I was holding the small flashlight in my mouth so I could use my hands to fight my way, so I fell  almost to the ground and the dim light caught something right below me. Half covered in leaves and dirt was a broken tombstone. Everything went quiet like in a horror movie, and the moon suddenly rose giving a faint light. I brushed the dirt away in the dim light and could make out some faint writing inscribed. I brushed away more, then scraped the moss away with my knife. I could see the word in capital letters on the grave marker. W-I-T-C-H . Witch! I froze, but my mind was screaming at me to run, to get away. I stood up listening. No sound, no wind, nothing. It was deathly quiet.

Then a soft breeze touched the top of the cane, or maybe they moved themselves as it seemed a slight whisper went through them, a muttering stretching out as far as I could hear through the tops of the cane, then I heard it louder coming back, and a slight fog seemed to slowly start forming over the grave.

Unlike the horror movies, I did not wait any longer. I took off wide open, leaving my climber behind. I did not let up until I broke through the can a few hundred yards from my truck. I caught a breath, changed gears and made it to the truck in record time.

If you are looking for a great used climber, I can tell you where to get one free of charge, I’m sure it’s right where I left it.

Where's My Dog?

Gracie has been missing a week and Camo and I can't find that dog anywhere. She is a roamer and hasn't got a collar, but is as gentle and sweet a dog as I've ever seen.  Pit Bull.Lame in left rear leg from getting whacked by a car. If you see her please call me 662-473-7996.

No Squirrels For You

The squirrel hunt was a disaster. I should have known when I realized that Paul was in charge. The total killed was just enough for squirrel and dumplings. No one got the limit. The weather was pleasant but dry so we think the squirrels were all on vacation at the beach. Paul should know better that to organize a hunt during their vacation time.

It's Going to be A Squirrel Apocalypse

Careful, Careful !

Went to camp a week ago just to cut grass around the camp. Trent cuts a big swath through the front yard on the tractor and Burney sees something about 2 inches from the cut. A newborn fawn! In the front yard! Needless to say they did not cut near the baby deer but kept a close watch on it hoping the Mama would show up soon. Paul did make some noise about how it would taste like chicken until we sent him off to check stands. That evening the deer was still there but the next morning the Mom had come and they were gone.

Waiting For Global Cooling

Ready for winter, too bad the rest of you will freeze your fannies off.

Erin the Queen turns 19

August 6th is the date that the Queen bee turned 19. Happy Birthday Erin!

Carnival Update for 2016

Unfortunately I got side-tracked from Live Blogging the Carnival when the Swedish Bikini Team showed up and a Watermelon Fight broke out
. I am not going to elaborate.
At noon they had the weigh-in of the largest Watermelon. The expected winner at 617 lbs. was disqualified after Carnival officials agreed after much testing and repeated tastings that it was a rock painted green.
The winner was 198.4 lbs. shown here.

 

Denise checking out the giant watermelon

 

Gabriel, Mahala, Eleasah enjoying the Watermelons

 

 

Live Blogging Watermelon Carnival 2016

Once again the Bodock Times will be live Blogging the famous Watermelon Carnival of 2016, deep in the heart of the South, in Water Valley, MS.
The action is swift this morning as vendors rush to their sites to set up for the trampling herds of people expected to show up early to kick off the start of the Festival.
In front of my office at 109 NORTH COURT St a huge semi filled with watermelons has crashed into another 18 wheeler full of wild Russian hogs . The hogs are loose and eating the watermelons and chasing vendors and little old ladies around the park. Here come the Police in full riot gear. Trent and Paul are running around the park in front of the hogs handing out their business cards! Some old lady is whacking a hog with her purse! RUN FOR YOUR IVES! It is a grand and exciting day here in Water Valley. Come join the fun!!

Carnival Week- Finally

This week kicks of the Watermelon Carnival 2016 and to top it off the infamous Class of 1976 is having it's 40th year Reunion. Should be interesting as it has been a Long, Hot, Summer and I need to get past it and into the some deer news as soon as possible.
This week there will be plenty of Pre-Carnival activities to enjoy
1. Zika Run Challenge. The bug trucks will be in action this week rolling through town shooting out a mixture of smoke and DDT just like in the old days when we used to chase the truck as it rolled through our neighborhoods. The object is to chase it until you collapse. Last person standing wins. The bright side is you will not get the Zika virus.
2. Watermelon Stealing Workshop- This late night event usually has kids from 14-20 interested in breaking a few laws, having fun, being scared and stealing watermelons from our local producers. All contestants will wear dark clothing, carry bail money, and have insurance in case they get a rear end full of rock salt. Winner does not get caught and go to jail and have their Dad tear their butts up in front of the Sheriff.
3. Paul Howell Look Alike Contest- A Satanic look is what's required. Dress in your favorite Devil costume. The scarier you look the better. Prize is a $100 dollars (from Paul's cold clinging hands)
4. Get out of Jail Free Drawing. Tickets are 1.00 dollar. This prize will get you out of jail all winter as the Judge (Trent Howell) will be deer hunting and doesn't want any interruptions.

The Howell Open 2016

It was a scorcher as the Howell clan and friends gathered at the Water Valley Country Club for the 2016 Howell Open honoring Hershel and Jimmy Howell.
It was set up in teams for a 4 man scramble with Bebo in charge (who usually stacks his team), but this year they LET Betty Bullion win (again), her husband John played like a dog on another team which might have helped. My team came in second, and I know Paul cheated us out of winning though I am not sure how. His team came in LAST. Next year Aunt Marilyn said she would take his place if he couldn't play any better than that. Here is the winning team with the new trophy.
Ellis, Tom, Betty, Mike

 

Cora Howell Receives Scholarship

MSU junior receives national construction industry scholarship

June 15, 2016

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State building construction science major is receiving major recognition from the construction industry’s leading organization.
Cora N. Howell of Greenway, Arkansas, is a 2016 selection for a $5,000 Associated General Contractors of America Education and Research Foundation Scholarship. A junior also pursuing a minor in philosophy, she is a student in the university’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.
Virginia-based AGC represents more than 26,000 general and specialty contractors and service providers and suppliers throughout the U.S. For more, visit www.agc.org.
In addition to studying at the university, Howell is an assistant superintendent with the Neshoba County-based W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Co. Currently, she is responsible for coordinating and overseeing subcontractors and crews completing two new residence halls on the north side of campus.
Howell began working in commercial construction at age 16. Over the years, she has developed a keen appreciation for the intricate and ever-changing nature of the building process.
“You’re always in the same general environment, but as the job evolves, the problems become more detailed and subtle,” she said. “The job site is never the same two days in a row, but that keeps it interesting because you learn about different systems, standards and requirements.”
Earlier this year, Howell also was awarded a $1,500 Brislin Inc. Annual Scholarship made possible by the longtime Columbus-based construction firm.
As she supports herself while pursuing the degree, Howell said she is grateful to have opportunities to explore both career and personal goals while at MSU.
“I always tell people that literature and the arts are my passions, but building construction science is my challenge,” she said. “It’s something I can always improve on, and all of my teachers at Mississippi State have been extremely helpful and contributed so much.”
Offered by the College of Architecture, Art and Design, Mississippi State’s building construction science academic curriculum is one of only two such studio-based programs in the country.
For more information about the college and its building construction science program, visit www.caad.msstate.edu, facebook.com/CAADatMSU, twitter.com/CAADatMSU and http://tinyurl.com/CAADatMSUYouTube. Also, see facebook.com/MississippiStateBuildingConstructionScience.
 

 

1st Work Weekend

My brother, Trent, (Lucifer) sent out letters for our first work weekend of the year and all the hard working members of the famous Christmas Place Hunting Club were there. This means Rex, Trent and Mark.
When I drove up to the camp I thought, "Look at that old abandoned house" then realized it was our camp house. We got busy cutting grass that was about 4 feet high and spent all Saturday just working around the camp to get it looking good.  Now it looks great, so my other brother, Paul, (Satan) can take his buddies up there to play golf or hog hunt.

The Red Wedding Season Begins

I have never seen so many weddings involving the cast of the famous Christmas Place Hunting Club and Honey Moon Resort. As you can imagine, it is a series of small disasters one after the other.
This past weekend Burney and Kathy headed to Gulf Shores to get married on the beach and at the same time Mark Stewart's son, Drew, was getting married in Memphis. We couldn't make the beach, but had to go to the Memphis shindig. Fortunately, we chose correctly
Now know this, every time we go or do something with my brother Satan (Paul) something goes screwy and our luck was typical as the wedding was great but circumstances (undisclosed) and Paul's big mouth,  made Paul, Wanda and I have to wear disguises to slip away from the raucous and enraged mob at the wedding reception. (again)

You may think we were dressed strangely, but I assure you that we fit in well with the strange eclectic crowd we had to escape.
Next week: Paul's, I mean Hillary's big wedding!

Do You Remember?

Do you remember when my evil brother, Paul, single-handedly rallied the team and led the Ole Miss Rebels on to victory over those SOB's from LSU and took the Magnolia Bowl Trophy? And do you remember right after that when he came out of the stands with a brilliant game plan for our confused coaches and ended up diving over the top for a touchdown and a serious drubbing of Mississippi State to win the Egg Bowl Trophy? And do you remember how on New Years Day in New Orleans he ran amok in the backfield, made amazing one-handed catches put 42 Oklahoma State Cowboys in the hospital with his brutal tackling and just whipped the crap out of them to win the Sugar Bowl Trophy? Well neither do I, but here he is.

The Turkey Hunter Time forgot

Paul Howell, well known turkey murderer, blood-letting psychopath and worst of all, Lawyer, has been missing for the whole turkey season this year. He has been spotted numerous times in Water Valley hobnobbing with the Oxford socialites and drinking heavily.
What has changed for this famous blaster of innocent animals?
Right now (for once) it is not all about Paul. It is about his daughter Hillary getting married. Wanda, (his beloved wife and Saint) has taken the reins and brought him kicking and screaming into line to do everything he is supposed to do to make Hillary's wedding perfect.
This means no hunting until the wedding is over. It means wearing a suit and tie on weekends and going to showers, going to wedding parties, doing WEDDING SHOPPING, and in general not being a nuisance to Hillary, Wanda or the American population at large.
We do hope he makes it but the scars may last forever.

I Saw A Spaceship!!!!!

Now You Can Too!!!
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/home.cfm

Hog Camp 2016

As I tilted back another cold beer, I wondered why the hogs were not cooperating. No hogs were being seen, no one had even heard a hog. Where the hell were the hogs? As I pondered, a new thought crept into my mind and kept growing until it became clear.  I was surrounded by the WORST HOG HUNTERS EVER!
My God, those Minnesota guys idea of getting a hog was pulling them up through a hole in the ice. Our cook was drunk, and those Memphis guys eyes were so bloodshot they couldn't see. The guys from the coast came to play golf, and the rest of them were sleeping in. This is no way to run a railroad or a hog camp.
They finally managed to get 4 on Saturday night by creeping around in the dark with a night vision scope and wouldn't have done that if Erin had not been in charge of the bumbling stampede of misfits. Anyway Congratulations!

The Hog Cometh

Be prepared
This weekend is the treacherous and deadly hog hunt at the famous Christmas Place. Stay tuned for the blood and gore suffered by our relentless hunters. SAVE THE LAST BULLET FOR YOURSELF!

Familiarity Breeds A Bullet

The last weekend of deer season at the famous Christmas Place, Justin Rose brought in this 190lb. buck. This buck had been seen by several members during the season and Burney had even whistled a long range shot at it to no avail. This is Justin's first buck with us and a happy ending to his long season. CONGRATULATONS!

Weekend With Burney

The deer season is finally winding down and this past weekend we headed to camp to give it the old college try to get a big buck and finish out the season.Me, Trent, Burney, and our old friend Bob Phillips and his son Greg. You remember Bob, you know Lazarus. Well, he was back from the dead but no, he did not get a deer. The weekend belonged to Burney.
He started out by arriving Friday afternoon and heading for the Levee Stand. Walking along he looked out across the field and 3 bucks were out there munching on grass and paying no attention to him, He puts the big stalk on them, gets close enough for a shot, rises up, Click! His gun does not fire, He ejects the bullet as the deer decide maybe they should be in a different county. Boom! The deer are gone and Burney is staring at one of those damn silver coated bullets you all have been buying. THEY ARE WORTHLESS. I don't know how many of those I have seen misfire.
He looks for the deer he shot at, no luck and heads to his stand. He gets in the stand and after a long two minutes, a herd of hogs comes racing at him. Boom, Boom! He gets one but is out of bullets. Another tip always carry six bullets. He finally gets the hog back after dark, but his rifle must have been still looking for action.
We had good hunts Saturday morning but no deer, and in the afternoon we headed out with Burney heading to the 72 acre field. After a long two minutes, a big buck moseyed out in front of him and this time he was actually able to hit it. Congratulation! No one else did anything on the weekend, but the last weekend is coming.

Satan Counts to Ten

Satan (Paul Howell) sat on his deer stand Sunday morning in the bitter cold waiting on a big buck to cross his path. He could hear deer all around him and knew he was just minutes away from blasting the deer of a lifetime. The sound of running hooves in the stillness, cracking limbs, the flash of white antlers! Yikes, there he was! How many points does he have? Satan ripped off his boots and frantically started counting his toes as he tried to hold his binoculars on the buck. Boy, his toes looked big through those binoculars. The horns looked big too!
The buck was moving down the hillside now and Paul tried to judge him. HE WAS GETTING AWAY! He aimed through the brush, his boot fell out of the stand , noisily distracting him, the rifle ROARED! Arrggghhh, dead tree 8 feet in front of him.
He bolted his rifle, the buck froze, Satan leaned over and put the X on him. BLAM!
He bolted from the stand and ran barefoot down the hill thinking about the huge deer awaiting him....
Not so fast my friend!
Yes, a nice young 10 point was at the bottom of the hill, not the giant monster buck he imagined.
He stood there a minute unbelieving.
his feet were getting cold.

Will Somebody Go To Work?

Jeez, am I the only one with a job around here? While I am busy keeping the wolves away from my door, everyone else is having a hell of a time deer hunting. Hey! There ought to be a law!
My cousins hunt everyday. Here is a pic of Austin with a nice buck taken this morning.
Tell that kid to get a job.

Marians' Christmas Place Adventure

This past weekend my friend, Marian, arrived at the famous Christmas Place rarin' to get after the deer. She had not shot a deer in 3 years, but she did work on her bucket list of getting a hog during that time. The weather was cold and windy, and not very suitable for deer hunting but she was game and we put her at her favorite spot, Arrowhead Field Saturday morning. No one had any luck that morning, the weather was just ugly and she did not see a deer.
That afternoon we decided to hunt together and headed for the Dove Field.
It was cold, the wind was howling and I was afraid Marian was going to freeze to death. I asked her several times if she wanted to go in but she said she wanted to get her deer no matter what.
Just at the last minute of daylight a nice size doe walked in the field at 85 yards. I asked her if she could hit her and through chattering teeth she said yes. I put my fingers in my ears. BOOM!
The deer reared, spun around and fell right there. A perfect shot!
It was a great night as everyone congratulated her and toasted her good luck.
She didn't get a hog this trip but says she will be back to get one soon..
Congratulations on a great hunt, my friend.

Sugar Bowl Survival

It was the Greatest Weekend Ever!
Denise and I rolled into Gulfport Thursday in time to watch the playoff games. We had drinks and a New Years Eve party, but everyone was concentrating on the Sugar Bowl. Denise and I, Paul and Wanda, James and Brock, Troy cone, Michael and his old roommate. ANTICIPATION!
Our day started at 5:30 with coffee and a shower and by 7 we were on the road to New Orleans.
First stop- Café du Monde. coffee and beignets.
It was really cold, but we wandered Jackson Square and even did the French Market. Denise got a cool hat before we made the number #1 stop at Pat O'Brian's . By then it was filling up with Ole Miss people and the Hurricanes were going quickly. we sang, we hollered, we cursed those damn LSU people unmercifully.
 It was great! We staggered out, and headed to the stadium 4 hours early. So did everyone else! There was a party rocking outside the stadium and we danced and greeted all the people with Hotty Toddy. there was a mad dash to get in and suddenly there we were on the 30 yard line as the game unfolded in front of us. Truth is, it was not even as close as the score. They beat those Cowboys like rented mules. Thunderhoof led the halftime show and of course you all saw Kelly and Treadwell ride out of the stadium on his back.It ended too quick and we headed toward Bourbon St. with the 48-20 WIN.
We ended up at Deuce McAllister's and so did about 1000 Ole Miss fans. We sang, we hollered, we cursed those damn LSU people some more. By the time I looked up again from staggering through the French Quarter it was 2:30AM, We headed home after the most fun you could have.

Merry Christmas 2015

From all the Members at the famous Christmas Place Hunting Club, we want to wish you and yours a happy and merry Christmas this year and (of course) a big buck for the New Year.

A Perfect Still Hunt Weekend

Success, success, success. The members at the famous Christmas Place enjoyed a perfect weekend at camp with the rut in full swing. Of six hunters, 5 got their buck. You had to hide behind a tree to load your gun because of all the bucks running amok. two 12 points (Burney and Michael), a nine point (Paul)  and 2 eights (Rex and Mark). Of course I had the largest deer at over 200 pounds, but the rest of the smaller deer were nice too :)

This is It!

The best weekend of deer hunting is right now. The still hunting weekend with the rut in full progress.
Everyone of the sorry members of the famous Christmas Place have snuck off from their jobs and are heading to camp as I type.
This will be the last hunt of the year for most of us as Christmas and New Years in New Orleans is rushing at us. Hey! It's not my fault Christmas is during the rut.
They are all calling me and giving me hell and I am sitting here worrying about all the work I have to do. I wonder if my sorry boss would notice if I snuck off too.

Continuing Education (Not Deer Hunting)

So, I have put off and put off my continuing education for renewal of my real estate and appraiser licenses till the very last minute (again). I swear I try to plan to get this done over the summer but it never fails that it takes up to the last day to get this done. My Evil brothers think I need a little Deer Hunting Continuing Ed too. Especially after last weekend when I was surrounded by 8-point bucks and did not shoot. Maybe I am getting too soft. All I want for Christmas is a 10-point buck!

Official Sugar Bowl Press

I received my press pass from the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, and Denise and I, Camo and Thunderhoof are gearing up to go. Do you know how much room Camo and a 900 lb. deer take up in an SUV? Anyway we will be live blogging the Sugar Bowl as the Ole Miss Rebels take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys on New Year's Night. Thunderhoof has been invited to dance with the LandSharks at halftime. Please donate for our bail bond.

Breaking Satan's Hold

"Hey, Paul. What do you think about me hunting Squirrel Road?" Mark was looking at his wind direction map. Paul said "No, that's not a good spot, wind's wrong"
Mark gave him the eye and said "My book says it is perfect for a East wind."
Paul said "No, no one has ever done any good there."
Mark ????????????
Paul ?????????????
Mark came back from there Saturday morning with this super nice 190 lb. 10 point.
Paul ?????????????
Here's a pic of Mark and his son, John with the big buck.

Deerses Are Sweet, But So Is Sugar

No deer for Thanksgiving. We have not had this bad a record since Moses hunted here. Speaking of which, this deer camp has only done one thing all year and that is follow those Ole Miss Rebels day and night. So less deer, more football. Sometimes you just have to sacrifice.
Now things are really heating up as it looks like the Rebels have a real chance to be in the Sugar Bowl this New Years Day and if we go, the whole damn camp will be there, so no deer for New Years either. What is the world coming to.
Ole Miss has not been to the Sugar Bowl since 1970. (Yes that is the same age as Trent's flip phone.)
Look out New Orleans, the Christmas Place fanatics are coming!

Deer Eve

Last week was the big Doe hunt and the camp got 11 deer. We hope to get a few more as the season goes on, but right now it is finally Deer Eve and the buck season starts tomorrow.
I can hear roars of gunfire in the distance as people sight in their rifles and every kind of 4-wheel drive truck you can imagine is prowling the streets of Water Valley with a 4-wheeler in the back.
It will be hard for the hunters to sleep tonight with thoughts of big bucks running through their heads but it is finally that time of year again and I wish the best and biggest bucks for all of you.

The Doe Hunt

At the famous Christmas Place, we have 3 big guest-friendly events each year. The Hershel Howell Squirrel Camp, the Hog Hunt, and the big Doe Hunt.
This weekend we have guest coming to try and take out our allotted does so that we do not have to worry about it during the rut when we are concentrating on getting a big buck.
Of course, knowing the caliber of guests we have, I'm not sure that we will make much of a dent in the doe population ( most of them are from the Gulf Coast).
It should be a fun camp with lots of action. Will let you know how it goes.

It's all About Stand Placement

Paul's Stand
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mAx1hcgPhzI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>
Rex's Stand

GraveYard Hoedown

It was October 31^st (Halloween) when the 4 of us Trent, Paul, James and myself passed along the edge

of the Oxford Cemetery just after dark on our way to a Halloween party. As we passed it, we saw many people walking toward the center of the graveyard. An elegantly dressed man was leaning on a headstone and waved at us to stop and I felt compelled to pull over. I rolled the window down and he said “You're just in time to join the party. Come on!” Without thinking we all got out of the car and started across the cemetery with our new friend. He was 60ish with gray hair, a mustache and carrying a pipe in his hand. He looked vaguely familiar but I could not place him.

Less than 50 yards away, in a small fold of land, 8 or 10 men were gathered around a big headstone they were using as a bar and we bellied up to it as they served us a stiff drink. After a few minutes I looked down and read the name on the grave,it said William Faulkner.

A nice fire was burning in front of the grave and many people were already gathered around drinking and talking as a skeletal

Western Band started tuning up, and then the party really started. A real Grave Yard Hoedown! As the people danced, I began to notice their attire seemed from every era. They whirled and danced as the fire grew brighter was amazed to see that I could see through most of them. I, like my brothers realized we were in the middle of a real Ghost Party in the Cemetery but there was a calmness over me so that everything felt normal and I had no reason to be afraid. Several people slapped me my brothers and me on the back that I felt we should know or had known. It was a real ghostly Halloween Party and we were in the middle of it. Our host, whom I now knew was William Faulkner, thanked us for coming and kept the liquor flowing. James and Paul were dancing with a couple of Antebellum beauties, while Trent and I laughed, drank and discussed everything from how the War Between the States was going to what was Hoover going to do about this damned depression. We just toasted everyone and said “Don't worry it's all under control and there's going to be a chicken in every pot.”

We danced, we drank, we partied, I think we howled at the moon and then things started to blur.

All I know is that later, we woke in the car and everyone was gone. The cemetery was dark and there was no sign of our friend, Mr. Faulkner. No one spoke as I cranked the car and started off.

Not far down the road, we passed a young couple walking along the edge of the cemetery with their arms around each other. The man casually waved. It took a minute for it to register on us and for me to slam on the brakes. We all turned around to look again, but they were gone. We had seen many, many pictures of the young couple before. It was my Mom and Dad.

OLD SOLOMON

Old Solomon is the biggest, fiercest, wildest, and most cunning wild hog you will ever see and all the members at the famous Christmas Place are deathly afraid of him ( and they're not scared of much)
He roams our property in the Delta and he has been trapped, speared, poisoned, electrocuted and shot about 100 times but he is still out there watching and lurking in the forest. All of our guest are warned what to do if they see him (which is run) but luckily for us he seems to disappear as the first volley of gunfire starts in the fall each year.
This hog is more than big, he is gigantic. At the top of his sharp razorback he is almost 6 feet high and 10 to 12 feet long. His big head looks like the front end of a Buick, his tusk are at least a foot long and I believe he would weigh 800 pounds. Not 800 pounds like you see in the magazines where someone shoots a big pig wandering through the woods with a pistol or whacks him with a rock. This hog is a lean and deadly killer.. A true predator to anything that gets in his way, and I know from first hand experience.
It was early squirrel season when I saw him. I was walking the old road at what is called the Crossover area when I heard a crash and saw him barreling through the woods at me at 50 yards.
I did not hesitate, I took off like a scalded dog and made it to the first tree with limbs. It was a small sweet gum but sprang up into it as fast as lightning, the shotgun went one way but I scampered up the tree like a squirrel just as Old Solomon hit my boot and shook the whole tree. To the top I went until  I could go no higher and the tree threatened to start leaning over. Unfortunately my feet were barely 10 feet off the ground and the mad giant circled around growling and ripping up the ground.
I was treed and then everything got slow as he stopped and looked at me, just studying me. I looked at my foot, the whole sole of my boot was sheared off, as if by a razor. Just then Solomon turned, rushed the tree and slammed into it, almost knocking me out. I felt the tree give and readjusted. I had to do something quick. I reached in my pocket. Shotgun shells- I threw them at him, he just kept staring up at me, Compass- I know where I am (deep s##t), Map- no, Knife- yeah, right,  Water bottle- he doesn't look thirsty, Snickers Bar- I don't think so, Flashlight- Oh Crap! Old Solomon made another rush and slammed into the sapling again. I held on for dear life but the tree was leaning now.
I reached in my pocket and grabbed the first thing my hand landed on, the Candy Bar. I opened it, and threw it down in front of the huge snout of the creature. He didn't move, we stared at each other. A second later his big head went down, he grabbed the candy bar, looked at me, then trotted off into the woods. I stayed there another hour, found my shotgun, then slunk back to my 4-wheeler and camp.
The moral is, if you run across him, a Candy Bar could save your life.

Hog and Dumplings

The ground here is extremely dry, in fact the whole state of Mississippi is under a burn ban, and there just aren't many squirrels this year. We had a great camp but for a while it looked like it was going to be hog and dumplings for dinner instead of squirrel and dumplings. Tim Crosby killed a nice hog Saturday morning when it wandered by him and he was able to slip some buckshot in his shotgun.
We ended up having just enough squirrels to make the stew.

It was good to see everyone there and excited about hunting. It is also bow season here and Crosby got a couple deer too. Terry Cutrair got a deer too and as usual our so-called best bow hunter Burney got zilch. Joe Newman handled the organization of the hunt and did a fantastic job. Thank You.
 I said I would mention Stewart Allen in my article. Hi Stewart!
We had another great weekend at the famous Christmas Place and looking forward to more as the main deer season rolls towards us.

Squirrel Camp Weekend

Squirrel Camp is now the Hershel Howell Memorial Squirrel camp.

Thoughts on Ole Miss vs Alabama

1. if possible do not drive on the expressway in Alabama for a couple of days. There are so many people jumping off the overpasses that traffic is backed up for 100 miles.
2. The forgotten thing in this is that the toughest place in the world to play football is Bryant-Denny Stadium and when you walk in you are automatically down at least 17 points.
3. Boo-Hoo all I've heard is how much luck we needed to win. When Alabama has luck it is just expected. I've seen it for 40 years.
4. Alabama didn't get the calls. TFB.  The first time in history.
5. The craziest play in college football? Usually that involves Alabama running for a touchdown, not the other way around.
6. All I've heard is Alabama had 503 yards and lost. No one has mentioned that Ole Miss has 430.
7. Hugh Freeze is the real deal
8. How'd that feel? 43-37
9. I do feel kind of sorry for the next team Alabama plays. They've been practicing since midnight Saturday.
10. Yes our girls are prettier than yours too.

Do you Remember this wonderful Ballad
The Night They Burned Tuscaloosa Down
(and all the Rebels were singing)

Moonshine and Sorghum

In the back hills of Arkansas it is not hard to be a moonshiner, but to reach the point where you become respectable and can be called a Whiskey Distiller takes some work.  My brother, James, is hard at it and is starting with Sorghum, Molasses, Honey and anything else he can think of to work out a living plus give him the secret ingredients to make a wonderful, full flavored bourbon whiskey.
Keep an eye on him as he makes the leap, but damn his sorghum is good!

Fear The Walking Deer

Once again deer season is almost upon us and it is time to fortify our defenses at the famous Christmas Place. This coming weekend is a big WORK weekend for the members to get the camp ready to hold off the herds of Zombie Deer that plague us during the winter.
Wood has to be cut, trails cleared, fields cleared of debris, and bodies buried.
All members are requested to show up this weekend.