December 2011 - Page 2 of 5 - Mississippi Sportsman

Another Giles Island monster buck killed

December 8, 2011 Andy Crawford

Ricky Rogillio saw that huge buck the first time during an early season bow hunt, when he took a client to Giles Island Hunting Club. It was monstrous, with two drop tines dripping from the left main beam.

“I saw videos of it, and I knew I wanted to come back,” the Walker hunter said. “I worried it wouldn’t be there when I got back.”

He left the island last Wednesday (Nov. 30) with the 175-inch rack cooling in the back of his truck. […]

National wildlife refuge produces wild 180-class buck

December 7, 2011 Alan Clemons

John Thomason’s emotions ran the gauntlet during the hours he spent planning his hunt, sitting in the stand and waiting to see if his shot was true. […]

Cobia to be released on two popular coastal artificial reefs

December 7, 2011 From News Reports

About 8,000 juvenile cobia will be released this week on two artificial reefs off the Mississippi Coast, the Department of Marine Resources announced yesterday (Dec. 6). […]

Clarke County trophy buck begins hunter’s retirement in style

December 6, 2011 Michael O. Giles

Edward Ray Vaughan loves to hunt, but he laid off the sport for about 10 years after having to move to Tennessee for work. However, he retired in September and his son-in-law convinced him to join a Clarke County hunting lease.

Vaughan began his retirement in style Nov. 21 by killing a buck that eventually green scored at 196 inches on the Buckmasters system. […]

Pressure Cooker

December 5, 2011 Cliff Covington

Mississippi deer hunters are blessed in many ways. To begin with, we have an extremely long season when compared to other states — Oct. 1-Jan. 31, except for Zone 2, which doesn’t close until Feb. 15. […]

More than $9.7 million collected from returned to Gulf Coast from

December 2, 2011 From News Reports

Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann presented a check for more than $9.7 million to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources on Dec. 1, 2011, marking the largest tidelands amount ever returned to the Gulf Coast to date. […]

Chotard better than ever

December 1, 2011 Paul Johnson

The fall 2011 fishing season has provided some surprises and some wonderful crappie fishing for lots of us Mississippians. First of all, the weather changes have been more abrupt, with cold weather fronts coming more often and with greater intensity than recent years. […]

A new winter tradition

December 1, 2011 John E. Phillips

During December, most of us are thinking about Santa Claus, children getting out of school and upcoming bowl games. However, on Christmas Day, when the presents are all unwrapped, and the toys are put away, these memories still aren’t nearly as long-lasting as fishing trips with mom and dad. […]

Winter bass

December 1, 2011 Hal Schramm

If you like to catch big bass, appreciate solitude on the lake, and know how to dress for cold weather, good bass fishing awaits you in Mississippi’s waters. December signals the end of fall fishing and the start of winter fishing throughout the northern two-thirds of the Magnolia State. And there are bass to be caught. […]

Breaking in the .22-250

December 1, 2011 Gordon Hutchinson

I was more than a little frustrated, and embarrassed to boot.

Invited to Jeff and Karen Lewis’ Agriana Plantation in Tensas Parish, I had promised to help them sight in Karen’s new .22-250 bolt-action rifle. […]

Water, Water Everywhere: Hunting deer in the wet stuff

December 1, 2011 Rob Heflin

As winter approaches the Magnolia State, weather conditions usually turn nasty. Duck hunters love late winter because it’s typically when we get the coldest weather and plenty of water. Deer hunters like it cold, too, because the deer move more in search of food. […]

Off-season battery care

December 1, 2011 Allan Tarvid

Fishing and boating tend to slow down during the winter months, but letting your battery maintenance slow down can be expensive. […]