Articles by David Hawkins

About David Hawkins
David Hawkins is a freelance writer living in Forest. He can be reached at hawkins2209@att.net.
Bass Fishing

Red bumps

July 1, 2012 David Hawkins

There were red bumps and sores on several of the bass we caught at Columbus Lake in May.

Tom Holman of the MDWFP said the sores are nothing to worry about. […]

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Hand over fist

June 1, 2012 David Hawkins

Greg Parker guided his flat-bottomed boat toward a spot near the northern shore of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. In the boat were no rods and reels, no bait buckets or tackle boxes — just a large cooler with some ice, a bag of gloves, a roll of duct tape and a few other tools of the hand-grabbers trade.

Parker cut the motor, removed his life vest and allowed the boat to glide to a near stop before he rolled over the gunwale, hardly making a splash. In his hand was a catch stick, used by poultry workers to collect chickens. […]

Freshwater Fishing

The hand-grabbing season

June 1, 2012 David Hawkins

The hand-grabbing season coincides with the spawning period for blue cats and flatheads. In natural conditions, these fish will spawn in hollow logs, caves and recesses created by fallen trees or jammed debris. […]

Freshwater Fishing

Hand-grabbing regulations

June 1, 2012 David Hawkins

Jerry Brown, a fisheries biologist for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks said the fact that blues and flatheads are cavity spawners accounts for their willingness to enter man-made boxes during the spawning season. […]

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Hayfield Coyotes

May 1, 2012 David Hawkins

Shot Risher has a great vantage point from the seat of his tractor to see just where his hay mower is cutting. Since some of his fields are quite large, it takes several minutes to make a pass. Starting at the outside and working toward the center, one of the more common sights are field mice scampering for cover.

Often they run toward the center of the field and the last remaining tall grass.

Coyotes have learned the sound of the hay mower and tractor result in easy pickings, as the mice lose their tall grass cover. The same goes for hawks and even owls. The rodents that flee into the small, wooded areas are likely to be greeted by a bobcat, coyote or even a large snake. […]

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Honey Badgers

April 1, 2012 David Hawkins

Few Mississippi game fish are as predictable as crappie. In the spring they spawn about the time the dogwoods bloom. It’s sufficient to say the greatest number of crappie caught each year are hooked during the progressive spawning season. […]

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Nature’s Vacuum Cleaner

February 1, 2012 David Hawkins

A serious dog man will sink thousands of dollars into the right hound. Coon hunters are especially proud of good bloodlines, and go to great measures to protect their hounds. Micro-chip implants, ear tattoos, GPS tracking collars, food, vaccinations and the like become a huge investment. So when a hound gets injured for any reason, it becomes a big deal. […]

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Bienville Bushytails

December 1, 2011 David Hawkins

It’s a well-worn mantra from grey-beards such as myself: Many of us who are closer to 65 than we’d like to admit cut our hunting teeth on squirrels, rabbits and quail. We didn’t use camouflage clothing or high-priced squirrel dogs. […]

Deer Hunting

A 2011-12 guide to Mississippi’s public land deer hunting

September 30, 2011 David Hawkins

There are many reasons to hunt public land in Mississippi. First and foremost, it should be because the hunting is very good, no matter if you are a trophy hunter or just hoping to put some meat in the freezer. As leased land becomes more expensive and the economy remains sluggish, economics is becoming another contributing factor.

When I first hunted Kings Flat Hunting Club back in the 1970s, annual dues (to cover the lease and utilities) were $200 and a running deer dog. Today, the club requires members to pony up over $1,000 each, and dog hunting is not permitted. […]