Official Publication of the ACEOA

ACEOA Magazine 1
ACE Magazine is the official publication of the
Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officer
Association. Purchase of advertising space
does not entitle the advertisers to any privileges
or favors from members. ACE Magazine does
not assume responsibilit y for statements of
fact or opinion made by any cont ribut or.
This magazine is created and produced by
Brent-Wyatt West. Copyright 2014.
All rights reserved.
EDITOR:
Gayle Morrow
PUBLISHER:
Brent-Wyatt West
8436 Crossland Loop, Suite 207
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
SALES OFFICES:
Chris Banks / Jim Downing
8436 Crossland Loop, Suite 207
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
(334) 213-6229
WWW.ACEOA.ORG SUMMER 2014
ON THE COVER
The beautiful Lake Guntersville
State Park was the site of the
ACEOA State Convention.
in this issue...
2014 2016 State Ofcers and Directors ....................................... 3
Presidents Column ....................................................................... 5
From the Trenches ........................................................................ 7
2014 ACEOA Convention .............................................................. 11
Kids Korner ................................................................................ 29
Mississippi Gulf Coast Billsh Classic .......................................... 33
How to Survive a Venomous Snake Bite ....................................... 39
Bankhead Kids Fishing Derby ...................................................... 43
Catsh Rodeo Offers Fun, Education ........................................... 49
Beyond The Basics ...................................................................... 53
Pike County Kids Fishing Day Sets Record .................................. 61
Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary .................................................... 65
Beaver Friend or Foe? ............................................................... 71
Press Release ~ Catch a Wave at Oak Mountain State Park ........ 75
Enjoying the World Unplugged ................................................. 77
Bass Fishing in Alabama ............................................................. 87
Concerns of Police Survivors ....................................................... 93
Blue Springs State Park Hosts Youth ............................................ 95
Butler County Youth Fishing Day ............................................... 101
Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) ........................ 105
15th Annual Youth Fishing Rodeo at
Millers Ferry Resource Ofce ................................................. 109
Hope For The Warriors .............................................................. 117
The One That Didnt Get Away .................................................. 123
Barbour County WMA Welcomes Youth .................................... 129
Jackson County FFA Outdoor Camp .......................................... 135
Advertisers Index ...................................................................... 173
Business Directory .................................................................... 181
ACEOA Magazine 3
2014 2016 ACEOA State Officers
Executive Director
Rusty Morrow (Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Enforcement Retired)
2014 ACEOA State Ofcers
Heath Walls President Vance Wood Vice President Chris Lewis Secretary/Treasurer
Chris Jaworowski Past President
DISTRICT I
Ernie Stephens Director Wendell Fulks Associate Director
BLOUNT, COLBERT, CULLMAN, FAYETTE, FRANKLIN, LAMAR, LAUDERDALE, LAWRENCE, LIMESTONE, MADISON, MARION, MORGAN, WALKER, WINSTON
DISTRICT II
Scott Kellenberger Director Jerry Fincher Associate Director Joel Glover Associate Director
CALHOUN, CHAMBERS, CHEROKEE, CLAY, CLEBURNE, COOSA, DEKALB, ETOWAH, JACKSON, MARSHALL, RANDOLPH, ST. CLAIR, TALLADEGA, TALLAPOOSA
DISTRICT III
Grady Myers Director Cliff Robinson Associate Director Elliott Waters Associate Director
AUTAUGA, BIBB, CHILTON, DALLAS, GREENE, HALE, JEFFERSON, LOWNDES, PERRY, PICKENS, SHELBY, SUMTER, TUSCALOOSA
DISTRICT IV
Tim Ward Director Patrick Norris Associate Director Rick Smith Associate Director
BARBOUR, BULLOCK, COFFEE, COVINGTON, CRENSHAW, DALE, ELMORE, GENEVA, HENRY, HOUSTON, LEE, MACON, MONTGOMERY, PIKE, RUSSELL
DISTRICT V
Don Reaves Director Joe Little Associate Director Bo Willis Associate Director
BALDWIN, BUTLER, CHOCTAW, CLARKE, CONECUH, ESCAMBIA, MARENGO, MOBILE, MONROE, WASHINGTON, WILCOX
ACE Magazine
Gayle Morrow Editor
For questions about your District Director, ACEOA, or membership contact:
Rusty Morrow, P.O. Box 74, Lowndesboro, AL, 36752, (334) 3919113, rusty_morrow@yahoo.com
ACEOA Magazine 5
Presidents Column
By Heath Walls
I
would like to personally thank everyone that has
supported our Alabama Conservation Enforcement
Ofcers. Whether you have supported our ofcers by
becoming a member, associate member, or by buying ads in
our ACEOA Magazine your support is greatly appreciated.
We had our annual ACEOA Convention this year at
Guntersville State Park. The facilities at Lake Guntersville
were outstanding. We had a golf tournament, some good
fellowship, and several impressive guest speakers. That
being said, we are trying to move forward and plan next
years convention and will mail out registration and event
information at the rst of the year to give everyone more
time to plan if they wish to attend. We would like as many
of you as possible to attend. Our conventions provide
a great opportunity for us to meet and socialize outside
of work. Its nice to be able to see ofcers from all over
the state and meet their families.
Since turkey season our Wildlife and Freshwater
Fisheries Ofcers, Marine Resources Ofcers, and Marine
Police Ofcers have all been busy working on our state
waters to keep everyone safe and to insure compliance
with shing laws. Marine Police are organizing details
in high trafc and problem areas to make waterways
safe and enjoyable to use. Marine Resources Division has
been diligently working to get our state boundary into the
Gulf of Mexico extended from three miles to nine. This
would allow for more state regulated waters and possibili-
ties of extended snapper shing season in those waters.
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries has added most of the
southern half of the state to the area with an extended
deer season. Look for our Hunting and Fishing Digest for
maps and details on the new area and regulation, or look
on Outdoor Alabama.com for all the latest news for the
Department of Conservation.
I hope everyone has a safe summer. Alabama citizens
are blessed with an abundance of public creeks, lakes,
rivers and the gulf. So get out there and enjoy our natural
resources. G
ACEOA Magazine 7
From the Trenches
By Rusty Morrow, ACEOA Executive Director
I
hope all of our readers had a safe and fun Fourth of
July holiday. It seems families are getting out a lot this
summer. Maybe its a sign things are getting better.
I have hopes anyway.
Our ofcers are busy with their summer duties on the
lakes, rivers and coast. They are also hard at work on our
summer events. It is a very busy time but they reserve
time to assist at our youth shing events across the state.
Some of the events are featured in this
issue of ACE Magazine.
Our State Convention was held May
31st at Lake Guntersville State Park. The
Park was a great location and provided
something different for our ofcers and
their families. If you havent visited this
park lately you need to put it on your list.
The lodge is rst class and the golf course
is a very special addition to a great facility.
We had an array of guess speakers
that was as diverse as it comes. Mr.
James Martin spoke to our guests about
his term as Conservation Commissioner
in the mid eighties. Our being located
at a state park made his contributions
to rebuilding our parks during that era
very interesting. He also discussed the
beginning of Forever Wild. He was the
key gure in starting this great program.
Protecting recreational lands for future
generations and providing a program
that accomplished this goal was an act
of genius.
Wounded Warrior, Gary Everett, was
on hand all weekend with his Nitro
Warrior specially adapted bass boat. He
provided rides for those guests interested
in a fast ride around Lake Guntersville.
For those unfamiliar with Gary, he
takes wounded warriors shing while
he is on the tournament trail. ACEOA
helps sponsor his shing initiative under Hope for the
Warriors program. It is a program we are proud to be
a part of. I would encourage our readers to consider
this program if they are looking for ways to help our
heroes. The shing initiative can be found on the Hope
for the Warriors website. Any donations go directly to
Garys program. We have discovered over the years to
What a pleasure to welcome Whitney DeVane, Miss Alabama
International, to our 2014 ACEOA Convention! Pictured with Whitney
are President Heath Walls and Executive Director Rusty Morrow.
continued on 9
FROM THE TRENCHES continued
ACEOA Magazine 9
use wounded warrior programs where all donations
go directly to the wounded warriors, not some corpo-
rate enterprise.
Gary brought a very nice plaque from Hope for the
Warriors and presented it to ACEOA in appreciation for
our support. He also made a very inspirational speech
about his injuries while serving in the military and the
hardships when he returned home. He is a true hero and
we appreciate all he does for other wounded warriors.
Now, Im not going to say Mr. Martin and Gary
Everett arent handsome guys, because they are. Our
third guest takes beauty to a whole new perspective.
Whitney DeVane, Miss Alabama International, spent the
weekend with us and what a beautiful young lady she
is. We really enjoyed having her. Whitney shed with
Gary early Saturday morning on the lake. Now there
were lots of sh stories when they returned but somehow
Whitney let the big one get away. There were two sides
of the story. I believe Whitney and have no choice but to
blame her guide.
Whitney comes from a law enforcement family back-
ground and believes in programs that support our wound-
ed heroes. She is a true country girl and loves to hunt and
sh. This is the perfect young lady by ACEOA standards.
Please enjoy our convention photos in this summer
issue. Lake Guntersville State Park was enjoyed by all.
I even trailered my motorcycle and was able to enjoy
the beautiful mountain scenery in the open air. I would
encourage other riders to take advantage of this park.
Its worth the drive.
Please enjoy our summer issue and, when nished,
past it on to a friend. Thanks again to our corporate
sponsors that make it possible for ACEOA to have the
success we have. You are our life line.
Now I will leave you with this Quote
Oh, my friend, its not what they take away from you that
counts. Its what you do with what you have left.
~ Hubert Humphrey
G
10ad17
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675 Lee Road 646
Salem, AL 36874
334-826-1678
Bowling BBQ
60 Brian Knoll
Odenville, Alabama 35120
205-640-8932
COASTAL AUTO CARE
1911 US Highway 98
Daphne, AL 36526
251-626-8900
AIR GAS, LLC
P.O. Box 988
Demopolis, AL 36736
334-289-3555
Scott Street Grocery & Deli
412 Scott Street
Montgomery, AL 36105
334-354-7268
ACEOA Magazine 11
2014 ACEOA Convention
Lake Guntersville State Park
L
ake Guntersville State Park is located along the
banks of the Tennessee River in Northeast Alabama.
The park overlooks the majestic 69,000-acre
Guntersville Lake and ranges over more than 6,000 acres
of natural woodlands. The park has an 18-hole cham-
pionship golf course, a full-service restaurant, a beach
complex with a rental pavilion and ample parking, out-
door swimming pool for hotel, cabin, and chalet guests,
fishing center, hiking trails,
nature programs, and a day-
use area. Modern campground
and lakeview cottages on the
lake, coupled with a resort
lodge on the pinnacle of Taylor
Mountain and chalets on the
ridge-tops, provide a selection
of overnight accommodations
beyond comparison.
Lake Guntersville State Park
provides a beautiful lodge per-
fect for your associations next
state or regional meeting. The
lodge has conference facilities
large enough to accommodate
up to 300 people for a ban-
quet or opening session, along
with smaller breakout rooms.
The magnicent view of Lake
Guntersville from atop Taylor
Mountain will provide an expe-
rience not soon to be forgot-
ten. This park ranks as a total
recreational resort.
The members of ACEOA
were fortunate to have Lake
Guntersville State Park as
our 2014 Convention site. We
cant say enough about what
a great choice we made in
choosing this location for our
convention. l
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Lake Guntersville State Park continued
ACEOA Magazine 13
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Lake Guntersville State Park continued
ACEOA Magazine 15
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Convention Images continued
ACEOA Magazine 17
The poolside view was pretty nice!
ACEOA Convention Attendees received a very hearty welcome from Guntersville Park employees.
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Convention Images continued
ACEOA Magazine 19
Several of the officers enjoyed meeting the beautiful Whitney DeVane.
Gary Everett shows his appreciation to ACEOA. Pictured
are Heath Walls, Gary Everett, and Rusty Morrow. James D. (Jim) Martin speaking at our convention.
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Convention Images continued
ACEOA Magazine 21
James D. Martin
W
hat a pleasure to have James D. Martin as
our guest and speaker at the ACEOA State
Convention this year!
The following biographical sketch was compiled at the
time of induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor in
October 2009.
James Douglas Martin
has spent a lifetime in pub-
lic service. His roles have
included soldier, business-
man, Congressman, and con-
servationist.
The rstborn son of a school
teacher and a railroad engineer,
Martin attended public schools
in Boyles, Alabama. After
studying at Massey Business
College and Birmingham School
of Law, he worked for Pan Am
Petroleum Corporation until
he enlisted in the U.S. Army,
where he rose to the rank of
major. Serving in World War II
under General George Patton,
he helped to open the gate of
the rst concentration camp
liberated by American Forces
and was instrumental in Austrias cleanup and restoration.
Upon returning home from the military, he estab-
lished Martin Oil Company. A successful and respected
businessman, he was elected president of Associated
Industries of Alabama, now known as the Business
Council of Alabama. His friends and colleagues in the
business community encouraged him to run for public
ofce. In 1962, Martin entered the U.S. Senate race but
lost to incumbent J. Lister Hill by a narrow margin, with
49.1% of the votes. His campaign, though unsuccess-
ful, marked a signicant shift in politics in Alabama and
Republican politics nationwide. In 1964, he launched
another campaign and was elected to the U.S. House
of Representatives as a member of the Eighty-ninth
Congress. Forfeiting his personal desire to run for a sec-
ond term, he accepted the Republican nomination for
governor, but lost the 1966 election to Lurleen Wallace.
Martin was later appointed Commissioner of
Alabamas Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, where he set to work making his mark on
the agency and creating his
legacy. Under his leadership,
the agency renovated all of the
states parks and worked with
Alabama Power Company to
establish a 15,000-acre wild-
life management area. Because
of his unrelenting efforts, the
U.S. Supreme Court allowed
Alabama to restore the off-
shore boundary line for drill-
ing oil, ultimately earning
the state more than a billion
dollars. Martin also initiated
an audit of oil companies that
resulted in adding over $200
million to the states oil and
gas trust fund. A portion of
the interest earned by this
fund made Martins dream
of Forever Wild possible.
Approved by an overwhelming
majority of the voters, this program allows acquisition of
land for permanent preservation. These wildlands, now
more than 180,000 acres, protect our natural environ-
ment and provide opportunities for recreation and for the
enjoyment of nature.
He has served as National Committeeman for the
Republican Party. He is a long-time member of the
Gadsden Kiwanis, and has served as local president and
state lieutenant governor of that organization. He headed
the Gadsden Concert Series and continues as a contribu-
tor to the Gadsden Symphony. He teaches Sunday School
and serves on the Board of Stewards of The First United
Methodist Church. Martin and his wife Pat, a former Miss
Alabama, have three children, ve grandchildren, and one
great-grandchild. Academy in October 2009. l
Rusty Morrow, Jim Martin, and Heath Walls spending
some quality time together at the convention.
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Convention Images continued
ACEOA Magazine 23
Rusty Morrow, Elliott Waters, Gary Everett, and Paul Dinerman.
Gary Everett not only spoke at our banquet but stayed around to give some attendees a FAST ride on the Nitro Warrior.
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Banquet continued
ACEOA Magazine 25
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Golf Tournament continued
26 ACEOA Magazine
ACEOA Gol f Tournament
2014 ACEOA CONVENTION Golf Tournament continued
ACEOA Magazine 27
ACEOA Gol f Tournament
ACEOA Magazine 29
Kids Korner
By Heath Walls
T
his year at our annual ACEOA Convention, we had
a golf tournament instead of a shooting competi-
tion. Several of our members brought their kids
to play. Palmer Fulks, Carson Lewis, and Peyton Walls
all participated in the tournament and had a great time.
Palmer and Peyton had both played before and Carson
caught on quickly. The course at Lake Guntersville was
very open and made nding your ball in the rough a lot
easier. Actually, I think the kids may have spent less time
looking for balls than some of the adults. It was a great
opportunity for the kids to spend time with their fathers
and for fellowship with the guys. I truly hope and think
they enjoyed it and made a memory that will last.
l
(L-R) Carson Lewis, Palmer Fulks, and Peyton Walls.
KIDS KORNER A Very Good Friday continued
ACEOA Magazine 31
A Very Good Friday
By Scott Kellenberger
G
ood Friday was especially good this year for me
and one of my hunting buddies, Andrew Holman.
School was closed that day. Turkey season was
open and I had been seeing a couple of gobblers pretty
regularly in Andrews Grandfathers pasture. We found
the two gobblers; but they lit out in the pasture with four
hens shortly after daylight. We had fun calling to them
and watching them strut and gobble but we couldnt con-
vince them to approach the tree line we were hiding in.
Later in the morning we heard an occasional distant
gobble at the far end of the property and we worked our
way towards it. We set up initially to call the bird, but
were still too far away. Our next set up was almost too
close. I yelped on my box call, the bird gobbled and nearly
blew my hat off. I practically threw Andrew down against
the nearest tree, got my 1100 propped on his knees and
leaned in so I could whisper to him.
The first advice I gave was that this probably
wouldnt work. The turkey was on a sharp point above
us with about a fteen foot rock bluff all the way around.
We were only about twenty yards from the base of the
bluff. We couldnt go up, and it was very unlikely that
the turkey would y down. I had Andrew hold the bead
on the edge of the bluff, and I called again. In a minute
or so we could see a black shape moving near the edge
of the bluff. He gobbled another time or two, and then
made his nal mistake by sticking about eight inches of
head and neck over the edge to look for us. Andrew made
a perfect shot with a load of #6 hevishot. He killed his
rst turkey that day a gobbling Jake. l
10ad17
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P.O. Box 43 Mobile, AL 36571
251-433-7660
Bowling BBQ
60 Brian Knoll
Odenville, Alabama 35120
205-640-8932
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1911 US Highway 98
Daphne, AL 36526
251-626-8900
AIR GAS, LLC
P.O. Box 988
Demopolis, AL 36736
334-289-3555
Scott Street Grocery & Deli
412 Scott Street
Montgomery, AL 36105
334-354-7268
TIMBER COMPANY
1159 Arnold Drive
Pine Hill, AL 36769
334-963-9663
Alabama Hard Surfacing, Inc.
1326 Knoxville Street
Birmingham, AL 35224
205-787-7187
ACEOA Magazine 33
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Billsh Classic
By David Rainer, photos by David Rainer
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
S
ometimes surprises come in big packages, some 10
feet and longer. While visiting old friends last week-
end at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billsh Classic
(MGCBC) in Biloxi, a steady stream of boats was backing
down to the weigh dock with
huge sh.
With 53 boats from all over
the Gulf Coast participating,
the top boats would usually be
spread out among the ve Gulf
states, but this MGCBC was an
exception. Basically, boats from
Alabama ruled.
The top two blue marlin
were landed by Alabama boats,
which also had the winning
yellown tuna, the third-place
wahoo and swept the top three
spots in the dolphin category.
Plus, the Conundrum out
of Orange Beach won the Top
Boat award with its winning
1,200 points in the Catch and
Release division.
But I really shouldnt have
been surprised. Alabama boats
have been winning big all
year. Sea Mixer out of Orange
Beach has already scored two
big prizes as the big-game
season reaches the halfway
point. Ronald Davis Sea Mixer
won the billsh division in the
Orange Beach Billsh Classic
with a 528.8-pound blue and
followed that with the top blue
in the Cajun Canyons tournament in Venice, La., with
a 708.6-pounder.
At the Mobile Big Game Fishing Clubs Memorial
Day Tournament, Johnny Dorlands Cotton Patch out of
Orange Beach weighed in the
largest blue at 710 pounds.
But back to Biloxi.
On Friday, the rst boat to
weigh sh in the MGCBC cre-
ated quite a stir in the big-game
shing community and among
the crowd at the Golden Nugget
and Point Cadet Marina.
As Iona Louise backed into
the dock, the huge frame of
a blue marlin dominated the
space on the back deck. It
took everyone on the dock
crew at the marina to slide the
behemoth off the boat and to
the scales.
When tournament emcee
Scott Rossman called out
843.7 pounds, the Iona Louise
crew started a celebration that
didnt end until the awards were
handed out on Sunday morning.
Not only did that sh stay
atop the leaderboard the
remainder of the tournament,
it also set a record. Deb Hebert,
an emergency room doctor at
South Baldwin Medical Center
in Foley, Ala., landed the big
blue marlin, which is the largest
continued on 35
Deb Hebert and Joe Hudson, owner of the Iona Louise
out of Montgomery, are dwarfed by the 843.7-pound
blue marlin that Hebert boated after a three-hour-plus
battle during the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic.
It is the largest blue marlin landed by a female angler
in the tournaments 18-year history.
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST BILLFISH CLASSIC continued
ACEOA Magazine 35
ever caught by a female angler in the 18-year history of
the tournament.
It took more than three hours for the petite but t
Hebert, also a lieutenant colonel in the Air Reserve who
has own with Keesler Air Force Bases famed Hurricane
Hunters, to subdue the
127-inch billsh.
This was one of the
most exciting experiences
Ive ever had, said Hebert,
who has completed 13 mar-
athons. It was incredible.
Ive only been fishing for
two years, and this was my
rst blue marlin. Ive caught
and tagged white marlin,
but this is my rst blue.
Although Iona Louise
went back out and tagged
a white marlin and caught
the third-place dolphin,
Hebert said the ef fect
of battling the blue was
becoming evident.
My arms are so sore,
I can hardly straighten
them out, she said. Ive
got bruises today that
I didnt even know I was
getting when I was ghting
the sh.
Boat owner Joe Hudson,
a busi nessman f rom
Montgomery, Ala., said he
had a special feeling about
where Iona Louise was sh-
ing when the blue marlin
hit. The boat had been by
the Thunder Horse rig and found little action.
I saw this area with a lot of current about 60 miles
away, so we headed there and it was real shy, Hudson
said. There was bait everywhere 20- to 25-pound
yellowns and 10- to 15-pound blackns jumping every-
where. Thats everything a big marlin eats, so we knew
she was there.
We jigged up some blackns and put a ve-pound
blackn out. Somebody asked when we would get a bite.
I said, well, the moon came up at 7 oclock last night. At
7:00 this morning, the moon will be directly below us,
and thats when theyre going to do it.
Hudson said the question
was posed at 10 til 7:00
a.m., and ve minutes later
the rst evidence of a bite
was apparent.
It started with just a tick,
tick, tick, he said. We let
her eat it for two minutes
before Deb set the hook.
We didnt know what she
had until 30 minutes into
the ght when she came up.
She tail-walked and we got
some great video of that.
We got her to the wire in
50 minutes, but she was so
big she would just drag the
mates across the transom.
You just cant believe how
powerful a big sh like that
is. We got to the leader 25
times in two hours. But she
would do a gure eight on
the port side and go under.
She would do a gure eight
on the starboard side and
go under. This wasnt her
first rodeo. We had 300-
pound leader and t wo
mates try to turn her head,
and they couldnt do it.
Then the marlin sounded
to a depth of more than
1,200 feet, which meant a great deal more work for
Hebert. The sh nally came to the surface again and
the tide turned.
She lit up like a Christmas tree, Hudson said of the
billshs ability to dramatically change skin colors. Once
they do that, theyre using a lot of oxygen. My worry was
continued on 37
The second-place boat in the blue marlin category was
also from Alabama. Patience, an Orange Beach boat,
weighed in a 680.1-pounder that was caught by Andy
Ryan (left), as Parker Huddle captained the boat.
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST BILLFISH CLASSIC continued
ACEOA Magazine 37
she would die and start sinking. But she made a mistake
and came up beside the boat, and we got a gaff in her.
We had a great crew, but no crew gets to practice on
800-pound sh. Its like grabbing onto a tow truck going
away. We were just fortunate. All these boats have great
shermen. It was our time.
Andy Ryan of Memphis,
fishing with boat captain
Parker Huddl e aboard
Patience out of Orange
Beach, Ala., took second
in the marlin division with
a blue that hit 680.1 pounds
on the scales.
Huddle said they were
shing a rip (where opposing
currents converge) about 130
miles south of Biloxi. They
had tagged a white marlin
before the bite slowed. They
checked out another area,
but returned to the rip, where
they found a lot of bait.
We started live-baiting
with a hardtail (blue run-
ner), and we had the sh in
about an hour, Huddle said.
It happened pretty quickly
for a sh that big.
For those who dont like to
see those big marlin brought
to the scales, Craig Martin
said not to worry. Martin,
who has been sampling mar-
lin at billsh tournaments for National Marine Fisheries
Service since 1986, said only a few sh are weighed in
each year.
About 95 to 97 percent of the billsh hooked are
released, said Martin, who serves as weighmaster for
a number of billsh tournaments on the northern Gulf
Coast. The billsh population appears to be stable, and
there are a lot of big sh out there. The rst four tourna-
ments of the 2014 billsh series have weighed four sh
bigger than 700 pounds. Four 700-pounders in a year
is a big deal, and were only halfway through the series.
But the number of sh brought to the dock is minimal.
Word gets around really
quickly these days about
whats been weighed in, so
a lot of sh get released now
that might not have been in
years past.
The next event in the
billsh series is the Emerald
Coast Blue Marlin Classic
June 12-18 at Sandestin,
Fla., followed by the Blue
Marlin Grand Championship
of the Gulf at The Wharf in
Gulf Shores on July 8-13.
The Alabama state record
blue marlin of 845.8 pounds
was caught last year at
the championship at The
Wharf. The Mobile Big Game
Fishing Club wraps up the
season with its Labor Day
Invitational on Aug. 29-Sept.
1 at Orange Beach Marina.
In other big-game com-
petition at Biloxi, seven
yellowfin tuna that sur-
passed the 100-pound mark
were weighed in during
Saturdays nal round. Brian
Replogle on Blue Smoker out of Orange Beach weighed
in the winning 173.3-pounder.
The top two places in the dolphin division went to
Bloodsport out of Orange Beach. Brad Laquers fish
weighed 43.3, while Pip Aljazra weighed in a 39.9-pound-
er. Heberts 38.6-pound dolphin was third. l
The crew of Blue Smoker, another Orange Beach boat,
celebrates the winning 173.3-pound yellowfin tuna.
ACEOA Magazine 39
How to Survive a
Venomous Snake Bite
By Justin Monk, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
S
nakes may be Alabamas most misunderstood wild-
life. A high percentage of people are both fascinated
by and fearful of snakes. While not all snakes are
venomous, you should take caution when outside dur-
ing both day and night. Snakes are most active at night,
especially in warmer weather.
Six of Alabamas 40 species of snakes are venomous.
Five of those are classied as pit vipers. Pit vipers have
a depression (pit) on both sides of the face between the
eye and nostril. They have vertical, cat-like pupils along
with triangle-shaped heads, thin necks and heavy bodies.
Pit vipers have hollow, retractable fangs near the front of
the mouth. Alabamas pit vipers include the diamondback
rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, pygmy rattlesnake, cop-
perhead and cottonmouth (water moccasin).
Alabamas sixth species of venomous snake, the coral
snake, is not classied as a pit viper. Coral snakes have
oval, elongated heads with thin bodies. They have dis-
tinct body markings with a series of red, yellow and
black bands, while their head and snout are both black.
Several nonvenomous snakes found in Alabama resemble
the coral snake. However, the easiest way to distinguish
between the coral snake and its lookalikes is to remem-
ber the quotation, red on yellowkill a fellow; red on
blackfriend of Jack.
All snakes will bite when threatened or surprised, but
most will avoid people if possible. Pit vipers, however,
tend to be more aggressive snakes than most, including
the coral snake. Rattlesnakes are the only snake equipped
with a warning mechanism (rattlers) that gives notice that
you are in danger and getting
too close. Coral snakes tend to
move away when threatened to
avoid contact with predators,
but not always.
B i t e s f r o m a n y o f
Alabamas venomous snakes
can be deadly if not treated
quickly. If you are bitten by any
of the aforementioned snakes,
the following is a list of some
of the symptoms you could
experience: blurred vision, diz-
ziness, fever, excessive sweat-
ing, fainting, rapid pulse, skin
discoloration, swelling at the site
of the bite, pain at site of bite,
low blood pressure, numbness,
nausea and vomiting, breathing
difculty and thirst.
If you nd yourself in a situa-
continued on 41
TIMBER RATTLESNAKE PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS FUNK
HOW TO SURVIVE A VENOMOUS SNAKE BITE continued
ACEOA Magazine 41
tion where you or someone you are with has been bitten
by a venomous snake, take these steps to ensure you
survive and make it to a hospital for the appropriate treat-
ment:
Keep calm. Restrict movement and keep the affected
area below heart level to reduce the flow of venom.
Remove any rings or restricting items from the affected
area due to swelling.
Create a loose splint to help restrict movement of the
area.
Clean the wound but dont flush with water.
Wrap wound with compression bandages. Go about
4 inches above the wound, wrapping as you would a
sprained ankle.
Seek medical attention immediately.
Below is a list of things you should not do when bitten:
Do not allow for over exertion.
Do not apply a tourniquet.
Do not apply a cold compress to a snake bite.
Do not cut into the bite with a knife or razor.
Do not try to suck out the venom by mouth.
Do not give/take any stimulants or pain medication
unless instructed to do so by a doctor.
Do not raise the site of the bite above heart level.
Do not drink caffeine or alcohol.
During warm months, avoid areas where snakes inhabit
such as overgrown/grassy areas, woodpiles and debris,
and thick woodlands. If encounters with these areas are
unavoidable, be sure to wear the appropriate clothing
like long pants, snake boots or snake chaps, and gloves.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and
enjoyment of Alabamas natural resources through ve
divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands,
State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To
learn more about ADCNR visit www.outdooralabama.com.
G
10ad17
Chattahoochee
Gutters
675 Lee Road 646
Salem, AL 36874
334-826-1678
BRISKMAN & BINION, PC
P.O. Box 43 Mobile, AL 36571
251-433-7660
TIMBER COMPANY
1159 Arnold Drive
Pine Hill, AL 36769
334-963-9663
Alabama Hard Surfacing, Inc.
1326 Knoxville Street
Birmingham, AL 35224
205-787-7187
ACEOA Magazine 43
Bankhead Kids
Fishing Derby
By Ernie Stephens
T
he Bankhead National Forest held the 22nd annual
Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday, June 7, in cel-
ebration of National Fishing and Boating Week and
Alabama Free Fishing Day. The Forest Service, which
hosts the yearly event to help interest young people in
wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation, stocked
a pond with about 350 pounds of catsh and invited
area youngsters to try their luck. Highlights of this
years Derby included a surprise visit from Smokey Bear,
the National Wild Turkey Federations Jakes Take Aim
Shooting Booth. All children received a free member-
ship to the NWTFs Jakes club and a shing derby t-shirt
complements of the Alabama Conservation Enforcement
Ofcers Association.
Over 100 children (with accompanying adults) from
continued on 45
BANKHEAD KIDS FISHING DERBY continued
ACEOA Magazine 45
surrounding counties came to the Black Warrior
Work Center on the Bankhead National Forest
to compete for trophies in three age catego-
ries. Contestants shed for approximately 1
hours and the winners in each age group were
decided by measuring the longest sh caught
by each individual.
The largest sh overall was caught by Xander
Bell of Double Springs.
In the 56 year-old age group, Braden
Kachelman of Florence took the first place
trophy. Alyvia McElwaney of Trinity captured
second place.
Abbie Wells of Trinity won the rst place tro-
phy in the 79 year-old group. Bryant Addison
of Trinity won the second place trophy.
In the 1012 year-old category, Jade Wilson of Phil
Campbell took the rst place trophy and Eric Wilson of
Phil Campbell took the second place trophy.
In addition to the shing competition, a casting contest
was held in which Ellie Grace Gilliland of Moulton won
in the 56 year-old division; John Cade Stone of Double
Springs won in the 79 year-old division; and Hunter
Fields of Double Springs won the 1012 year-old division.
All three received a new rod and reel and tackle box as
their prize.
The Derby concluded with drawing for door prizes,
awarding of trophies to contest winners and a hotdog
lunch. This years event was funded by a grant to the
Winston County Natural Resources Council from the
Winston County Commission, a grant from the National
Wild Turkey Federation, and the US Forest Service.
Sponsors of the 2014 Kids Fishing Derby include the
Double Springs Lions Club, the Alabama Division of
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Sipsey Strutters
Moulton Chapter and Bankhead Beards and Spurs
Winston County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey
Federation, Alabama Conservation Enforcement Ofcers
Association, Winston County Natural Resource Council,
Wild South, and the Bankhead National Forest. l
Drawing for door prizes.
Contestant Winners!
BANKHEAD KIDS FISHING DERBY continued
ACEOA Magazine 47
ACEOA Magazine 49
Catsh Rodeo
Offers Fun, Education
By Fred Guarino, The Lowndes Signal, photos courtesy of Lowndes Signal

Its very exciting, said 14-year-old Tevin Smith upon

learning he had just won a lifetime shing license
valued at more than $260 at the 20th annual Catsh
Rodeo held on a pond at the Wildlife Management Area
in White Hall on Saturday.
The event was open to youngsters 15 and under,
accompanied by an adult, and was sponsored by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers/Alabama River Lakes and the
Alabama Department of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries.
While Smith was lucky in winning the lifetime license,
valued at $268.05, but he said he only got a couple of
bites in his shing effort.
Chris Jaworowski, past president of the Alabama
Conservation Enforcement Ofcers Association, which
provided the lifetime shing permit, said, of the Catsh
Rodeo: Its great to get the kids out and get them away
from the TV, the Game Boys and to just enjoy the out-
doors. He said it was a great turnout and a lot of fun on
Saturday. Jaworowski is also the area wildlife biologist for
the Lowndes County Wildlife Management Area.
Also on hand for the event were U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers/Alabama River Lakes Park Rangers John
Williams, John Bennett and Myers Hawkins III and
Lowndes County Conservation Enforcement Officer
Tarrel Conner.
Thanks you, Lowndes Signal for the permission to
reprint this article. l
Tevin Smith was the Lifetime Fishing Pass winner!
CATFISH RODEO OFFERS FUN, EDUCATION continued
ACEOA Magazine 51
ACEOA Magazine 53
Beyond The Basics
By Gayle Morrow, Editor
T
he Alabama Conservation Ofcer is a government
employee assigned to management of freshwater
sh, wildlife, marine resources, waterway safety,
state lands, and state parks. Conservation ofcers are
certied at the state level as peace ofcers. To ensure
that wildlife is being protected, conservation ofcers have
a number of basic duties that they must fulll. These
include but are not limited to Law Enforcement, licensing,
patrolling, investigating and education.
Most people do not realize that our ofcers often go
beyond the basics in their everyday duties. Because of
their training in law enforcement, their broad knowledge
of Alabama land and waterways and their experience in
search and rescue, they are called upon when disaster
strikes. They were there in the aftermath of Hurricane
Ivan. They were there after Hurricane Katrina. When the
Gulf Oil Spill devastated the Gulf Coast, your Alabama
Conservation Ofcers were there. They are your unsung
heroes. They have stories to tell that you wont read in the
newspaper or see on the nightly news. They just quietly
do their jobs and walk away.
Our ofcers recently made a huge difference in the
lives of many people. The following two completely dif-
ferent stories tell how this all developed. The rst story
deals with the devastating ood waters that ravaged the
Baldwin County area this past spring. The second story
was written by CEO Tim Ward. Time did a beautiful job of
explaining how a normal day for our ofcers can quickly
take a different turn. Two of our ofcers helped to capture
two murder suspects. In both cases, our ofcers risked
their lives in going beyond the basics.
A ash ood event took place at the North Central Gulf
Coast during April 28-30. Record rainfall was recorded
in several areas. This came on top of unusually heavy
rainfall that had soaked the areas earlier in the month.
The following report from the National Weather Service
tells the story as it developed. l
BEYOND THE BASICS National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office continued
ACEOA Magazine 55
National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office
North Central Gulf Coast Historic Flash Flood Event 29-30 April 2014
A
historic rainfall event (see Fig. 1) developed ahead
of a slow moving cold front on Tuesday evening,
29 April 2014 over portions of coastal Alabama
and the western Florida Panhandle. The cold front was
associated with a very powerful low pressure system in
the Plains. The widespread ooding produced sinkholes
(some very large and deep), cut roads in half and necessi-
tated human water rescues (one conrmed fatality). Parts
of I-10 were closed. The Fish River at Silver Hill (Baldwin
County Alabama) peaked at a record high level of 23.18
feet (previous historical record was 22.78 feet on 20 July
1997). Many folks throughout the area have compared
this event to the extreme ooding impacts caused by
Hurricane Danny (1997).
The rainfall totals below were contributed to by two
predominant rounds of storms, the rst occurred Monday
night 28 April and into the early morning hours
of Tuesday 29 April when signicant ash ood-
ing occurred over coastal Alabama and the
western Florida Panhandle. Some 3-8" occurred
in association with the rst event ending 7 A.M.
CDT Tuesday 29 April. The second and more
signicant event occurred during the evening
hours of Tuesday 29 April over Mobile and
Baldwin counties of Alabama and the western
most three counties of the NW FL Panhandle
into early morning hours Wednesday 30 April.
In the latter, some 10-15" fell in a very short
time period (estimated 9 hours preliminarily)
and caused disastrous ooding throughout
southern Baldwin County of Alabama and
Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties
of the western Florida Panhandle. CoCORaHS
gauge reports are included in Table 2 below.
Also of note, the ofcial NWS reporting sites
at Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) and Pensacola
Regional Airport (PNS) received some record
rainfall amounts for 29 April. MOB saw 11.24"
during the calendar day. This is their 3rd great-
est calendar day total on record. Data here goes back to
1871. PNS recorded an estimated 15.55". Data were lost
due to power outage between 10-11 P.M. CDT, so amounts
were estimated using Dual Pol radar precipitation esti-
mates. This is their greatest calendar day total on record.
PNS rainfall data goes back to 1879. Of interest in the PNS
total is the 5.68" that fell in 1 hour between 02Z-03Z.
A quick peek of the NOAA HDSC Precipitation Frequency
map shows this to be a 1 in 200 year to 1 in 500 year 1
hourly amount. The 24 hour amount is between a 1 in
50 and 1 in 100 year event. The Mobile 24 hour total is
about a 1 in 25 year event.
Of significance, the two day estimated total for
Pensacola of 20.47" lies between a 1 in 100 to 1 in 200
year event.
continued on 57
Figure 1 - Radar estimated event rainfall totals (in.) between 848 PM
CDT Mon., 28 April 920 AM CDT Wed., 30 April. See scale on top.
BEYOND THE BASICS National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office continued
ACEOA Magazine 57
Finally and although not shown, it is worth mentioning
that leading into the event, rainfall totals for the past two
weeks and 30 days prior to the occurrence of this event
that rainfall totals were 200-600% of normal according
to 30 year PRISM Data.
How did the Rain Fall over Time? Below is the radar-
estimated depiction of how the historic rains fell over time.
A letter from Major Scott Bannon, Chief Enforcement
Ofcer of the Marine Resources, to the ofcers who
assisted from his department gives a clear picture of
the hard work, training and dedication of our men.
A message from Major Scott Bannon to his men.
All,
I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone
for assisting with the ooding in Baldwin County.
The coordinated efforts between AMRD, AMP, WFF
and Lands was the primary contributing factor in
the rescue of 67 people and several pets (includ-
ing a chicken) during a record rainfall and ood
event. The ooding there exceeded any previously
recorded, including hurricanes. From my perspective
in the EMA, you were the heroes. There were several
calls for assistance to start the chain of events and
as you would arrive and break out into teams and
areas, the calls were cleared and the initiative taken
to search the areas for stranded persons resulted
in the rescue of many people that did not have the
ability to communicate. A large portion of this was
done in the dark and they were all done in some
incredibly challenging water conditions. There were
no calls left open and everyone was accounted for
and there were no injuries to our personnel. Your
skills, wisdom and often times your patience was
tested and you came out on top. The leadership team
in the EMA mentioned several times how thankful
they were that you were there to provide invaluable
assistance and they were condent when calls were
passed to you that it was going to be done and it
was obvious that it reduced the stress in the center.
For those that were working at the EOC in Clanton,
thank you for the long hours and putting up with
my lack of updates and occasional short answers
to you. The documentation and administration from
there is vital to our recording of these events.
You should all be proud of the work you did and
I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work
with you.
Stay Safe!
Major Scott Bannon
l
Table 2 SW Alabama - Baldwin County
BEYOND THE BASICS The Circle of Brothers continued
ACEOA Magazine 59
The Circle of Brothers
By Ofcer Tim Ward
T
he Conservation Enforcement
Ofcers life is full of excite-
ment, reward and sometimes
danger. The late afternoon shoot out
north of Hartford, Alabama on April
19, 2014, was an example of how any
law enforcement ofcer can go from
his daily routine to a deadly encounter.
The incident started when Trooper
Lee Phillips attempted to pull over
a speeder on County Road 57 in
Geneva County. The subjects in the
vehicle, Dillon Rafsky and Taylor
Wood, refused to stop. The high
speed chase continued for several
minutes until they came to an abrupt
stop off the side of the road. One sub-
ject handed a shotgun to the other
and began ring at Trooper Phillips
who was shot, but returned re and was able to hit both
subjects. One went down and was held at gunpoint, while
the other ed into a eld. A nearby landowner rushed
over and helped the downed ofcer. Within ve minutes
Deputy Robert Clark also arrived on
scene to assist Trooper Phillips who
would make a full recovery.
Conservation Enforcement Ofcers,
Joel Hendron and Lowell Williams,
were out working and heard the
whole incident unfold. They both
headed to the location and arrived
around ten minutes later. They joined
up and started their manhunt, not
knowing when the K9 would arrive.
They immediately found a discarded
shotgun. Ofcer Williams also located
a track from the subject in a eld.
They decided to split up and look
for the shooter in and around some
planted pines. Ofcer Hendron came
thru the trees out to Hwy 167. Ofcer
Williams came out north of Ofcer
Hendron onto the roadway. Once the K9 arrived on scene
the subject gave himself up to Deputy Nick Baxley and
Ofcer Lowell Williams.
What is so compelling about the story is that although
he had given himself up to an Alabama
State Game Warden, he had just a few
hours earlier, murdered a retired
Florida Game and Fish Officer,
Sgt. James W. Shores. The violent way
the two killed our fellow brother only
reminds us to constantly be vigilant,
on duty and off. Trooper Lee Phillips,
Ofcer Joel Hendron, Ofcer Lowell
Williams, several deputies, and police
ofcers all answered the call that day.
They risk their lives to protect the
public. Sergeant Shores lost his life
and had no way of knowing a fellow
Conservation Enforcement Officer
would help give him justice in the
circle of brothers. The thin blue line
cannot be seen, but it is real. l
This story is dedicated to the
memory of Officer James Shores.
CEO Lowell Williams. CEO Joel Hendron.
ACEOA Magazine 61
Pike County Kids Fishing
Day Sets Record
By Ken White, photos by Ken White
S
aturday, June 14th, was another special day in the
annals of the Pike County Kids Fishing Day history.
A new record was set as 90 youth registered for the
event held under absolutely perfect weather conditions.
Hosting the event once again was Clay Hills Farm owned
by John and Carol Dorrill and family. Always the gracious
hosts, they welcomed the youth and accompanying adults
as they arrived.
The event is patterned closely to the Blue Springs
State Park youth shing event held each Memorial Day
weekend in Barbour County. Held under the umbrella
of the Alabama Department of Conservation-Wildlife
and Freshwater Fisheries Division, Ofcer Jerry Jinright
has been the master of ceremonies for several years. He
was joined by fellow ofcers Sgt. Aurora Thomas, Joey
Richardson, Bill Freeman, Sgt. Mike Heath and Mike Cox
for a morning of overseeing the youth and adults as they
enjoyed some great pond shing.
The event began at 8:00 A.M., with registration opening
at 7:00 A.M.. The youth were allowed to catch 10 catsh
during the event. The shing came to a close at 10:45 A.M.,
with the weigh-in following immediately. Once the weigh-
in was complete everyone was treated to a lunch provided
by the Troy Wal-Mart. The awards presentation followed
continued on 63
1st Place ~ Age 5-7, winner ~ Karissa Morris.
1st Place ~ Age 12-15, winner ~ Brandy Adamson.
1st Place ~ Age 8-11, winner ~ Bradley Atkinson.
PIKE COUNTY KIDS FISHING DAY SETS RECORD continued
ACEOA Magazine 63
the close of the lunch break which was then followed by
the drawing for door prizes. All contestant names were
dropped into the box and then names were called for
door prizes. Wal-Mart added to the excitement of the
door prize drawing as they furnished two bicycles to be
awarded in a special door prize drawing from the tickets
furnished each contestant.
To even out the odds the youth shed in one of three
age divisions. These divisions were set at ages 5-7, 8-11
and 12-14 and the overall leader of each age division
was awarded a nice tackle package and rod/reel combo.
Age Division winners were as follows:
Age 5-7 was won by Karissa Morris with 9 sh totaling
11.80 pounds.
Age 8-11 was won by Bradley Adkinson with 8 sh
totaling 13.03 pounds.
Age 12-14 was won by Brandy Adamson with 10 sh
totaling 9.50 pounds.
Winning a bicycle in the special Door Prize draw-
ing were Cody Youngblood and Isabelle Morgan. Each
was presented a certicate for redemption at the Troy
Wal-Mart.
Once again this type of event is not possible without
great sponsors and volunteer help. Helping with the event
during registration and preparation were members of
the ALFA Young Farmers joined by Deborah Huggins/
Davis representing the Treasure Forest program. Sponsors
included the Alabama Department of Conservation
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, Troy
Wal-Mart and the Alabama Conservation Enforcement
Ofcers Association contributed major funding support
for the event. G
Girls bicycle winner ~ Isabelle Morgan. Boys bicycle winner ~ Cody Youngblood.
10ad19
MAKENZIES
Transmissions
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LUCAS TIRE &
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15360 Alabama Hwy. 22
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205-668-9191
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334-749-1036
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334-863-2319
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(256) 551-0904
ACEOA Magazine 65
Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary
By David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
photos by Patsy Russo and David Rainer
T
heres almost nothing that will get your attention
more than wildre, especially when it happens on
such an eco-sensitive location as Dauphin Island.
Unfortunately, that rude awakening occurred three
years ago when a spark that originated somewhere on
the edge of the campground roared
through 80 acres of pristine, barrier
island habitat.
That prompted action f rom
several entities, including the one
responsible for the islands habitat,
the Dauphin Island Parks and Beach
Board. After more than a year of
jumping through hoops of various
sizes, the board was granted a con-
servation easement on a 160-acre
tract on the east side of the island.
The bulk of that tract is the Dauphin
Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary.
Matthew Capps of the Dauphin
Island Parks and Beach Board said
the tract under the conservation
easement includes 133 acres of dif-
ferent types of forest with a maritime
forest, pine savannas, a freshwater
bog, a four-acre lake and beachfront.
The wildfire three years ago
opened our eyes to the lack of management in the bird
sanctuary, Capps said. What the conservation easement
does is add a layer of protection so that future develop-
ment wont occur on this part of the island. We had to
create a new management plan. The management plan
allows us to do more things to protect the land. Now we
have a method to do controlled burns. It gives us a way
to get funds to do the burns. It addresses climate change.
It addresses invasive species. It gives us the tools neces-
sary to make this a premier birding site, because Dauphin
Island is known for being globally important. Were rated
in the top four in the country for birding. There are about
400 species that y over Alabama and we will see about
95 percent of those on the island.
A number of sponsors contributed to the process to
obtain the conservation easement: Mobile Bay Audubon
Society, Birmingham Audubon Society, Dauphin Island Bird
Sanctuaries, Inc., Gulf Coast Birding Observatory, Weeks
Bay Foundation, Alabama Ornithological Society, Atlantic
Coast Conservancy and Pelican Coast Conservancy.
The State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources provided funds from
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) to help build boardwalks in the sanctuary.
The sanctuary land was deeded to the Dauphin
Island Park and Beach Board in 1954. However, access
to the property was limited until Dauphin Island Bird
Sanctuaries, Inc., (www.coastalbirding.org) led by Dr.
continued on 67
Dauphin Island, rated as one of the top birding sites in the nation, is a
stopover point during migration for many neotropical species.
DAUPHIN ISLAND BIRD SANCTUARY continued
ACEOA Magazine 67
John Porter, acquired several tracts on the island, includ-
ing a parcel that now serves as the entrance into the large
bird sanctuary.
That started our conversation about placing these
properties under a conservation easement, Capps said.
The Dauphin Island Parks and Beach Board was really
excited about it, because it helps us further our mission
of providing and protecting public lands so that future
generations will be able to enjoy this as a park.
Capps said the conservation easement covers the bird
sanctuary, Dauphin Island Campground, Cadillac Square
and Dauphin Island Sea Labs Shelby Center. He said the
easement is set up in zones to allow certain activities.
Anything the Sea Lab does for educational purposes is
allowed, Capps said. We have a very close relationship
with the Sea Lab. In the campground, we can build new
bathrooms or update the sites, anything we need to do
in there. The strictest set of parameters is set for the bird
sanctuary, but we can go in and build re breaks and
conduct controlled burns.
Cadillac Square is a small park on the central part of
the island that is of great importance because the trees
there date back to when Dauphin Island was the capital of
the Louisiana Territory. That was the home for Governor
Cadillac. Also its a great birding site and a great meeting
place for birders.
Capps said the Sea Lab brought in more than 9,000
students for classes last year, and the Alabama Coastal
BirdFest brings 3,000 visitors to the island.
Speaking of the BirdFest, Dr. John Borom, who helped
get the annual event started almost 11 years ago, said
a conservation easement is the best solution for the
Dauphin Island property.
This is a wonderful thing, Borom said. This will
ensure that land will remain forever as it is for birds
and birders. If you dont have
some sort of protection, things
have a way of getting away from
us. This guarantees that future
generations will be able to go
into the Audubon Sanctuary and
enjoy nature. The easement is
an additional level of protection
for this place that is a wonder-
ful stopover for the neotropi-
cal birds.
Dauphin Island is an impor-
tant component in the migration
of the neotropical birds and an
important component of the
Alabama Coastal Birding Trail.
Its a popular spot for the par-
ticipants in the Alabama Coastal
BirdFest. This area and the land
acquired by John Porter and
Dauphin Island Sanctuaries,
Inc., are now all under conser-
vation easement.
Borom said Dauphin Island is also a great venue for
enthusiasts to watch shore birds on the beaches, wading
birds on the inland lake and others species on the different
habitats. One of those different habitats is Shell Mound
Park, a mound of oyster shells left by the Mississippian
tribe of Native Americans that dates back to between
1100 and 1550.
Ralph Havard, who retired to Dauphin Island after 35
years with the Alabama Marine Resources Division, has
continued on 69
A great horned owl hijacked an osprey nest on Dauphin
Island and hatched a pair of owlets last year.
DAUPHIN ISLAND BIRD SANCTUARY continued
ACEOA Magazine 69
been involved with the Dauphin
Island Bird Sanctuaries, Inc.,
for many years, and he offered
commendations to the Parks
and Beach Board for having the
foresight to protect the property.
This is a very important
160-acre piece of land, Havard
said. Theres no telling what
could have happened to it
down the road. The conser-
vation easement is etched in
stone from now on. The reason
its important is so many spe-
cies of neotropical birds depend
on Dauphin Island as a place
to rest during their migration.
Having food and water when
they get to Dauphin Island
as they are traveling is very
important. This gives the birds
a good-sized area with the essentials for their migration
back and forth across the Gulf.
The other good thing about it is the conservation
easement will offer a higher level of stewardship for the
land. We can improve public access for birding and go
ahead with the reforestation needed after the wildre.
Havard said that Dauphin Island doesnt attract the
beach crowd like Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and
depends on shing and birding for economic well-being.
At least 25,000 to 30,000 people come to Dauphin
Island to see the birds annually, Havard said. These
people are renting hotel rooms and beach houses. Of
course, we get a lot of shermen, too. But they normally
load up their boats and go back to Mobile. Birding is a very
important component to Dauphin Islands economy.
Borom echoed Havards assessment of the role Dauphin
Island plays in the birding community.
Dauphin Island is a wonderful birding area, one of
the top birding areas in the United States, Borom said.
People come from all over to Dauphin Island to see
birds. They come especially in the fall and the spring,
but they come other times to see shore birds. Im very
delighted we have a conservation easement on that prop-
erty. Its comforting to know that my children and their
children will be able to enjoy the Dauphin Island Audubon
Bird Sanctuary. G
Plenty of shore birds, like this American avocet, either make
Dauphin Island home or visit during annual migrations.
10ad20
Al Deanes Tree Service
4954 Carol Plantation Road
Mobile, AL 36619
251-401-5083
Sun Loan Tax Service
901 Rainbow Drive Suite B
Gadsden, AL 35901
256-399-0060
ALABAMA BROADCASTERS
ASSOCIATION
2180 Parkway Lake Drive
Hoover, AL 35244
205-982-5001
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P.O. Box 842
Guntersville, AL 35976
256-673-4579
Camden Nursing Facility
550 Pondarosa Drive
Camden, AL 36726
334-682-4231
BRAND-DEV COATINGS
682 Lakewood View Road
Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
251-746-0280
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831-B Blackburn Drive
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P.O. Box 145 105 Main Street
Ramer, Alabama 36069
334-562-3257
ACEOA Magazine 71
Beaver Friend or Foe?
By Chris Nix, Wild life Biologist, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
T
he North American Beaver
(Castor Canadensis) is the
largest living rodent in North
America. Although once nearly elimi-
nated due to unregulated trapping,
these animals are now abundant in
the streams and wetlands throughout
most of North America. While some
consider beavers pests, they play
a crucial role in the biodiversity of
their habitat. Many species of frogs,
turtles, birds and sh, some being
threatened or endangered, benet
from beaver ponds. Therefore, when-
ever we can coexist with beavers, we
are providing the habitat necessary
for supporting many other species.
Beaver ponds range in size from
less than 1 acre to more than 100
acres, depending on topography and the availability of
food sources. Beavers will use and expand a pond area
until the food supplies are exhausted. Once constructed,
the benets provided by the pond are numerous and
include the following:
Furnishing snags for cavity-nesting wildlife species.
Supplying fallen logs, which provide cover for reptiles
and amphibians.
Providing essential edges and forest openings.
Supplying diverse moist-soil habitats within
bottomland forests.
Benefiting productive bottomland forests.
Improving downstream water quality.
Providing watering holes for agricultural and wildlife
needs.
Supplying important breeding areas for amphibians
and fish.
Providing diverse wetland habitats.
Furnishing feeding, brood-rearing and resting areas for
waterfowl.
Although there are many benets provided by beavers
through their habitat modications, extensive damage
can also occur. When these modications conict with
humans, the damage caused usually outweighs the ben-
ets. Millions of dollars in damages occur annually due
to beavers. Some of the more common negative issues
caused by beavers are:
Loss of timber due to flooding and girdling.
Loss of crops due to flooding.
Highway flooding.
Damage to reservoir dams due to burrowing.
Damage to bridges.
Stopped up drainpipes and culverts.
Water contamination due to the Giardia parasite.
continued on 73
PHOTO COURTESY OF RICK DOWLING
BEAVER FRIEND OR FOE? continued
ACEOA Magazine 73
Identifying the damage early is crucial to limit the
severity of the impacts. Signs of the presence of beavers
are usually easy to identify. Look for dammed-up culverts,
bridges, or drain pipes resulting in ooded lands, timber,
roads and crops; cut-down or girdled trees and crops;
lodges and burrows in ponds, reservoir levees and dams.
If damage control is going to be utilized, it is best to
start before the beavers are well established. The removal
of two or three beavers is much more feasible than two
or three colonies. Once the beavers are established, their
range could overlap multiple landowners causing it to be
nearly impossible to remove the entire problem. If you
need assistance controlling or managing for beavers, con-
tact your local state wildlife biologist or USDA-Wildlife
Services personnel for assistance.
For more information, contact Chris Nix, Wildlife
Biologist, 30571 Five Rivers Blvd., Spanish Fort, AL 36527;
251-626-5474; or email at chris.nix@dcnr.alabama.gov.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and
enjoyment of Alabamas natural resources through ve
divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands,
State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To
learn more about ADCNR visit www.outdooralabama.com.
G
10ad19
MAKENZIES
Transmissions
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Theodore, AL 36582
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113 Green Street Brewton, AL 36426
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Coker, Alabama 35452
205-339-2698
ACEOA Magazine 75

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Oak Mountain SP
June 24, 2014 205-620-2520
Catch a Wave at Oak Mountain State Park
Wakeboard Cable System Now Open
As a part of the continuing 75th anniversary celebration of Alabama State Parks, Oak Mountain State Park has partnered
with Flip Side Watersports to open a wakeboard cable system on Beaver Lake near the parks campground. The
wakeboard cable system is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oak Mountain State Park entrance fees apply.
In wakeboard cable skiing, the rider is pulled by a powered cable system designed to simulate being pulled behind a boat.
The cable system pulls the rider between a series of towers, and the system can be set to match the riders skill level. The
first cable skiing park opened in Germany in 1959, and the activity is gaining in popularity in the United States. The Oak
Mountain wakeboard park is the only cable skiing system in operation in Alabama.
Riding is easy; just visit Oak Mountains Beaver Lake and sign up for a wakeboard pass. Flip Side Watersports offers
wakeboard, life jacket and helmet rentals. No previous wakeboarding experience is required. For more experienced riders,
obstacles including kickers are available. Ride times vary from two hours to a full-day pass and prices range from $25 to
$45. The wakeboard park offers a full-service pro shop with rental gear and new equipment for sale. Debit, credit and cash
are accepted.
Our partnerships with Flip Side Watersports and the Adventure Center at Gulf State Park are perfect examples of how we
can better utilize our parks and create exciting new experiences for our visitors, said Greg Lein, State Parks Director.
Through our partners, we now offer wakeboarding, zip lines, paddle boards and kayaks at select parks. We would like to
expand those opportunities to parks across the state.
In addition to the thrilling ride, a cable skiing system offers a potentially cleaner watersports option.
In Europe, boat emissions for activities such as wakeboarding and other watersports are closely regulated. In the United
States, boat emission standards are tightening as well. A wakeboard cable system running on an electric motor minimizes
the environmental impact of conventional watersports including less shoreline erosion due to boat-associated wakes.
During our 75th anniversary, we are hoping to provide more fun, quality outdoor experiences with minimal impact to the
parks natural settings, Lein said. As we move into our next 75 years, wise land stewardship will remain a part of our
mission.
For more information about the Flip Side Watersports wakeboard system at Oak Mountain visit, flipsideal.com,
alapark.com or call Oak Mountain State Park at 205-620-2520.
At nearly 10,000 acres, Oak Mountain is the largest state park in Alabama and the second most visited after Gulf State
Park. Each year, approximately half a million people visit Oak Mountain to enjoy its natural scenic beauty; excellent
hiking; world-class mountain biking; championship golf course; and to swim, canoe, paddleboard and fish in its lakes.
Oak Mountains proximity to Birmingham provides an oasis from the metro area and offers out-of-town visitors access to
a wide variety of cultural, dining and entertainment options in the city.
Tripadvisor.com ranks Oak Mountain State Park as the number one attraction in Pelham, Ala., and number four on its
Best of the Birmingham Area list. The site also ranks Oak Mountains golf course, The Oaks, as the number one value for
a public course in the metro area. The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) has also added Oak Mountains
trails to its Epic Ride Hall of Fame.
The Alabama State Parks Division operates and maintains 22 state parks encompassing approximately 48,000 acres of
land and water. These Parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other Partners like local communities to fund the
majority of their operations. To learn more about Alabama State Parks, visit www.alapark.com.
###
Press Release - Wakeboard at Oak Mountain.pdf 1 8/14/14 5:09 PM
ACEOA Magazine 77
Enjoying the World
Unplugged
By Paul Hudgins, Butler County Forester
S
pending over 72 hours in the deep woods of Butler
County is not the typical way most sixth graders
would want to start their summer vacation; how-
ever, for 28 students from across Butler County, that is
exactly what they chose to do this past June.
The Natural Resources Youth Camp is sponsored annu-
ally by the Butler County Forestry Planning Committee
(FPC), with tremendous support from the forest commu-
nity, local businesses, and interested individuals. Because
of such support, the FPC has offered this hands-on
camp for area sixth grade students at no cost for
the last 19 years. Once selected by their school to attend
the camp, students spend three days and two nights at
Mussel Creek Hunting Lodge, a rustic cabin located on
private property in north Butler County. Campers leave
behind their smart phones, iPads, Kindles, NOOKs, tele-
visions, radios, and text messaging to take part in this
one-of-a-kind adventure.
The camp offers kids the opportunity to learn about
Alabamas forest environment, how it relates to the every-
day economy, as well as the important role it plays in our
daily lives. The camp also provides students something
to do from 7 A.M. to 11 P.M. and even later if youre the
last one to get a shower.
Lost and Found
The camp begins with students being given a compass
and a crash course on how to use it, as well as instruc-
continued on 81
ENJOYING THE WORLD UNPLUGGED continued
ACEOA Magazine 81
tions on determining an unknown distance by pacing.
Campers are divided into teams with one adult leader,
carried to a starting location, given a pair of snake leg-
gings, and wished a fond farewell. They then compete
in an orienteering eld exercise that stretches across
wooded terrain. Completing this rugged course requires
the students to not only work together as a team, but
also individually. Each student is required to complete
at least one leg of the course without any assistance
from their team. At the end of camp, awards are given to
the team(s) completing the course in the quickest time
and locating the most correct points. Only twice have
we had a team to get so completely turned around that
they missed a portion of the course. On a side note, this
year we were lucky to nally nd Fred, an unfortunate
camper thats been missing since 2013!
Keeping it Safe
While some students are becoming skilled at orien-
teering, others are hearing about power line safety from
Mr. Phillip Baker, System Engineer with Pioneer Electric
Cooperative. Still others are learning about home re
safety from the Greenville Fire Department and staying
safe during a storm from the Butler County EMA Director,
Shirley Sandy. These four activities work in conjunction
with each other to ensure the students experience a busy
rst morning.
Flying Overhead
After a hearty lunch, students are treated to an
educational live ight demonstration from a few of
Alabamas birds of prey. Mr. Dale Arrowood with the
Winged Ambassadors raptor program provides the kids
an up-close and personal look at these birds and what
an important role they play in the environment.
Dirt Pie, Anyone?
Following the birds of prey, students are treated to a soil
education activity entitled Dig It. Mrs. Beth Chastain
with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
show students how different land covers can affect soil
movement, and how this soil movement could eventually
impact creek sedimentation and possibly even their drink-
ing water. This exercise ends with the campers creating
some edible soil with Oreo cookies, gummy worms,
sprinkles, pretzels, and a cup cake. I really dont remem-
ber dirt tasting this good when I was a kid!
continued on 83
ENJOYING THE WORLD UNPLUGGED continued
ACEOA Magazine 83
The Great Outdoors
Next on the agenda, students study different types
of wildlife habitat, and what it takes to improve this
habitat, with Mr. James Altiere, Wildlife Biologist with
the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources. Following a super supper of fried sh, they
hear about open water/boating safety from Mr. John
Bozeman, Marine Police Ofcer with the Department of
Conservation. Finally, a discussion on Hunter Ethics and
Preserving Our Hunting Heritage is delivered by Mr. James
Altiere, Hunter Education Instructor with the Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, the last scheduled
topic of the day before we take a hay ride into the
dark woods.
Wild Nightlife
Each evening, well after darkness falls, the students
are loaded onto the FPCs tour trailer and driven through
the deep forest of South Alabama. The purpose of these
night-time excursions is to look for nocturnal wildlife, and
again this year we were lucky enough to call up a pair
of owls that perched on a limb just above the students
heads.
Making Tracks
Early on the second day, the kids nd out how to iden-
tify wildlife footprints. Using the Project Wild activity,
Making Tracks, Mr. Richard Tharp, Wildlife Biologist
with the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural
Resources Wildlife Section, introduces students to the dif-
ferent types of tracks made by Alabama wildlife. Following
this presentation, Mr. Mike Sievering, Wildlife Biologist
with the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, and Mr. Jerry Fiest, Wildlife Biologist with the
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, teach
the campers about fur bearer population management
and trapping techniques used in Alabama. They learned
how and what it takes to control nuisance animals by
trapping as a safe and effective way to limit damage.
Mr. Steve Perdue, Forestry Specialist with the Alabama
Forestry Commission, takes the students on a walk around
the property for a Project Learning Tree activities: Every
Tree for Itself Mr. Brandon Smith and Mr. Will Dixon
continued on 85
ENJOYING THE WORLD UNPLUGGED continued
ACEOA Magazine 85
with Larson & McGowin Forest Consultants gave this
years campers a course on Tree Identication. Using
the differences in overall appearance, leaf characteristics,
and tree bark, they learn to identify different tree species.
Each boy and girl camper that could identify the most
trees were given some nice prizes.
Creature Features
Next, after spending time with the trees, campers
are presented with A Cooperative Experience by Mr.
and Mrs. Jimmy Stiles. Mr. Stiles is an Environmental
Services Analyst with PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.
The students are given a hands-on, close-up encounter
with some of Alabamas local inhabitants. An alligator,
a pine snake, a king snake, tree frogs, toads, and legless
lizards are just a few of the creatures that the kids get
to touch and even hold, if they dare.
In the Creek
The next activity offers students a chance to explore
and learn what really lives in a local creek with Mr. Rob
Andress with the Alabama Department of Conservation &
Natural Resources, Fisheries Section. Campers take creek
samples using nets, then look through these samples to
make an evaluation of the creeks overall condition.
Once this condition is determined, the students have time
to swim, play, and just explore Mussel Creek.
Civilizations from the Past
After cooling off in one of Alabamas creeks, the camp-
ers are presented with some local Native American his-
tory by Mr. Charlie Clark, Executive Director, Farm Service
Agency, and Ms. Elishia Ballentine, Publications Specialist
with the Alabama Forestry Commission and 18th century
Creek Living History interpreter. They share artifacts,
pottery, and animal hides with the students, as well as
stories of Native cultures.
Firearms 101
After a delicious dinner of barbeque ribs, the students
are given a taste test of some wild Alabama game. This
year, students were able to tryout eleven different wild
game foods. The camper that got the most right won a nice
prize. After the wild game tasting, they were introduced
to rearms handling and safety by Mr. James Altiere.
Bird Walk
The third and nal day starts off with an early morning
walk with Mr. Charlie Kennedy, President of the Alabama
Ornithological Society. Mr. Charlie, as he is affectionately
called, explores the woods with the students looking for
a variety of birds, both large and small.
Top Guns
After the bird walk, the remainder of the nal day of
camp is spent learning to shoot skeet, black powder, 22s,
and archery. For some of these students, this is their
rst time to ever shoot a rearm or even pull a bow. For
others, its their opportunity to show everyone how good
they really are, or how good they really think they are.
Over the past 19 years, the girl campers have given the
boys a run for top shooter. As a general rule, girls listen
better to the instructors and are easier to teach.
Going Home
To close out the camp experience, students are given
several Audubon Field Guide books, the Longleaf novel by
Roger Reid, and other nice prizes for surviving camp.
Special awards are presented for the best shooter in each
of the rearm events, as well as top shot in archery.
All of this natural resources experience is funded
in part by tremendous community support as well as
grants from the Alabama Forests Forever license plate and
Rayonier Foundation. In a few years, when the campers
look back at their time at Mussel Creek, we hope they
remember us fondly and think of this camp as an experi-
ence of a lifetime! l
ACEOA Magazine 87
Bass Fishing in Alabama
By David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
Photos by David Rainer
N
ot at all surprising, bass shing in Alabama in
2013 was outstanding. But dont take my word
for it; that assessment came from those who
are on the states abundant lakes and rivers almost
every weekend through the
Bass Anglers Information Team
(B.A.I.T.) Report, published
annually by the Alabama
Wi l dl i fe and Freshwater
Fisheries Division (WFF).
Damon Abernethy, WFFs
Fi s her i e s Devel opment
Coordinator, said one particular
Tennessee River lake maintained
the momentum it established
in 2012.
If I were to say one thing
that stands out, and its not
necessarily a surprise it was
a surprise last year is the
resurgence of Wheeler Lake,
Abernethy said of the 2013
B.A.I.T. Report. Although
Wheeler has never been a poor
shery, there was a time in the
late 80s and early 90s when it
rivaled Lake Guntersville.
Abernethy said the late 90s is
when the largemouth bass virus
(LMBV) affected sheries in 15 states, mostly across the
South. The virus caused largemouth die-offs in numer-
ous reservoirs, including several in Alabama. The virus
has subsided and has not been implicated in any major
problems since the mid-2000s.
Since the bass virus hit in 1997, Wheeler never really
appeared to recover from that, Abernethy said. There
would be years when it improved, and then it would slack
off again. During that same time, the grass disappeared.
We do have biological evidence, the bass virus, along
with the loss of the grass, impacted the shery. It was
kind of a double whammy.
But last year, Wheeler just shot through the roof,
which was really surprising. I didnt really expect that
to continue this year, but it did.
And it was even better.
Abernethy said the Fisheries
Section was so concerned about
Wheeler that researchers at
Auburn University were funded
to perform a focused research
project to help understand what
impacted that shery and how
to make improvements.
As soon as we signed the
agreement, Wheeler just took
off, he said. Since then,
theres been some amazing
fishing up there. Were very
excited to see it continued, and
2012 and 2013 have been the
best years Wheeler has had in
a very long time.
The B.A.I.T. Report relies on
the bass clubs throughout the
state to report the results of
their tournaments. The report
focuses on the 20 lakes that had
at least ve tournament reports
in 2013. The lakes are ranked according to ve indica-
tors percent success, average bass weight, bass per
angler per day, pounds per angler per day and hours per
bass 5 pounds or larger.
According to Abernethys summary, during 2013, three
of the four quality indicators were similar to the previous
years (average bass weight was down ve percent; per-
cent success was up two percent; bass per angler per day
was down one percent; and pounds per angler per day was
continued on 89
Don Gowen shows off a nice largemouth bass that
took a 10-inch plastic worm on Wheeler lake.
BASS FISHING IN ALABAMA continued
ACEOA Magazine 89
down two2 percent). The statistic that really jumped out
was the length of time required to catch a bass 5 pounds or
larger. In 2013, it was 189 hours, which was a 20-percent
improvement. This value was exceeded in only 1990 and
2010, with a 28-year average of 304 hours.
While Wheeler came out on top overall, many anglers
consider Lake Guntersville as the top bass shery in the
nation. Abernethy said there are
several factors that can skew the
results a bit.
I dont think Wheeler has
surpassed Guntersville, he
said. Our tables can be a little
bit deceiving unless you pay
close attention. Guntersville
has a 15-inch minimum length
limit, which affects a lot of
things. Its going to depress your
percent success and number of
sh caught because theyre hav-
ing to throw back the smaller
sh. And its going to articially
inate your average size.
I think everybody will agree
that Guntersville is the best bass
lake in the state, but it never per-
forms well in the overall quality
indicators simply because of
the length limit. For the hours
it takes to catch a bass over 5
pounds, its still at the top and
it usually is. Guntersville is still
a phenomenal shery.
Millers Ferry on the Alabama
River came in second in the
overall category, followed by Wilson Reservoir, another
Tennessee River impoundment.
Wilson has really been coming on strong since we
took the length limit off, Abernethy said. We were seeing
some stockpiling of sh below the length limit. We pulled
the length limit off several years ago, and it has really
improved since then. This past year for Wilson was among
the best years since weve been keeping these records.
Abernethy said a contributing factor in Wilsons move
up the standings could be the increase in the reports
received from the lake. He praised the cooperation of
the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation and its president, Eddie
Plemons, for increasing the participation.
They have really made an effort to encourage their
clubs to participate in the report, Abernethy said. As
a result, weve been getting a lot better information than
we have in years past. We really appreciate them doing
that. Weve received reports
from areas and lakes that have
been weak in the past in the
number of reports. Their efforts
have really helped us improve
our information in those areas.
Eddie Plemons is responsible for
what theyve done for us.
One thing about the B.A.I.T.
Report is its important to know
how many tournaments were
used to make the report. Some
lakes had 50 to 60 tourna-
ments and others have ve or
six. One area that I do have to
point out is the Mobile Delta.
Those folks have really made an
effort to improve their report-
ing. In 2013, we had 81 reports
from the Mobile Delta, which
is phenomenal.
One lake that has slipped in
the standings is Lake Jordan,
which ended up in 11th place.
Jordan has historically been
near the top in all the catego-
ries, Abernethy said. For sev-
eral years now, its been in the
middle of pack, which is unusual for Jordan. Theres noth-
ing wrong. Its just been in a down cycle for two or three
years. In 2014, it seems to be showing signs of rebound-
ing.
Abernethy said Pickwick had been really good for sev-
eral years, but it has shown a little decline in the past
couple of years.
Part of that was due to big year-classes when the
grass really exploded up there, he said. Those sh are
continued on 91
Brent Crow unhooks a fat largemouth from
an Alabama rig on Wilson Reservoir.
BASS FISHING IN ALABAMA continued
ACEOA Magazine 91
getting older and dying out. Its just a natural progression.
The smallmouth shery on Pickwick is as good as its ever
been. We reduced the bag limit so that no more than ve
bass can be smallmouth. And theres a minimum length of
15 inches for smallmouth on the whole Tennessee River
system. Thats reduced mortality because the smaller sh
have to be released immediately now.
Whats known as the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing,
the Bassmaster Classic, was held on Lake Guntersville in
February. Randy Howell of Springville, Ala., surged on
the nal day of shing to take the crown with a three-day
total of 67 pounds, 8 ounces. Some had predicted the
Classic record of 69-11, held by Kevin VanDam, would
fall, but Mother Nature had other ideas, dumping more
than three inches of rain on the lake just before the
Classic started.
I think people were expecting a better Classic, but
I think people understand it was specic weather condi-
tions that impacted the catch, Abernethy said. It was
very muddy, and they werent able to bring in the big
sacks like people expected. After the weather stabilized,
they were cranking out 30-pound bags left and right.
And in the B.A.I.T. Report, the number of bass 5
pounds or larger was up considerably. We had 553 bass
over 5 pounds and 22 over 8 pounds. Theres no shortage
of big bass.
Abernethy said the overall picture of the state in terms
of bass shing continues to impress not only anglers from
Alabama but nationwide.
The last seven or eight years have been really good,
some of the best shing statewide in 30 years, he said.
Weve seen some slight declines in places the last couple
of years, but the overall quality of shing in the state is
better than its ever been. G
Go to http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/reservoirs/quality/bait2013.pdf
to see the entire B.A.I.T. Report.
10ad19
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Eufaula, AL 36027
334-687-0021
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15360 Alabama Hwy. 22
Maplesville, AL 36750
205-668-9191
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2356 Reeves Dothan, AL 36303
334-677-5232
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2700 10th Avenue S.W.
Huntsville, AL 35805
(256) 551-0904
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13708 Lake Lurlene Road
Coker, Alabama 35452
205-339-2698
ACEOA Magazine 93
ACEOA Magazine 95
Blue Springs State
Park Hosts Youth
By Ken White, photos by Ken White
B
right and early on the Saturday morning of the
Memorial Day weekend is a really special time at
Blue Springs State Park located in Barbour County.
This is the traditional day of the Youth Fishing Rodeo
held annually to mark the kickoff of summer at one of
Alabamas coldest swimming holes you can nd. This
year the park was covered with youth and accompanying
adults as 153 youth registered for the rodeo. This was
the largest crowd the event has enjoyed and it continues
to grow each year. To add to the festivities was a park
full of campers ready to enjoy what proved to be a most
enjoyable and weather-perfect weekend.
Those arriving just before the 8:00 A.M. start time found
the lakeshore absolutely surrounded by youth and adults.
Park rangers had not even had time to take down the
No Fishing signs which had placed the lake off-limits
to anglers for a couple of days prior to the event. The
lake was stocked with catsh prime for the taking and
also contains a residence population of bream, bass and
catsh ensuring there would be no lack of action for the
youngsters. How was the action once the siren sounded
and the rst casts were made? Considering the shing
time was limited to a couple of hours and the youth
caught 387 sh with a weight totaling 464 pounds, I sup-
pose you could pretty much say they were biting!
The event featured three age groups ranging from
0-6 years, 7-9 years and 10-13 years of age. The event
ofcial shing times were 8:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M. for a total
of two hours actual shing time. Each contestant could
weigh-in seven catsh plus any other sh species caught
and were not allowed to cull any sh caught. An adult
could help the child set the hook but then the rod and
reel or pole had to be handed over to the youth to do the
real catching. It was two hours of fun followed by the
ofcial weigh-in.
The traditional hot-dog lunch was provided with more
than 500 being consumed before the day was done. The
lunch was followed by the door prize give-away. This
continued on 97 A conservation officers dream come true.
Its all about the family.
BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK HOSTS YOUTH continued
ACEOA Magazine 97
is a most popular part of the rodeo as no youth leaves
without a prize. These awards are made possible by many
area businesses and individuals donating dollars and/or
products to assure the youth have a great morning and
The winners of each age group were award a Combo
Lure Pak for third place, Reel and Rod combo for second
place and the rst place winner received a bicycle sized
to their age group.
Winners of each age group are as follows:
0-6 yrs. of age
1st Place:
Lamar Morris III with
7 sh at 16.11 pounds.
2nd Place:
Tucker Knight with
7 sh at 8.13 pounds.
3rd Place:
Lila Grace with 5 sh
at 8.2 pounds.
7-9 yrs. of age
1st Place:
Tyler Morris with 8 sh
at 16.14 pounds.
2nd Place tie:
Jaxson Whitehead with
5 sh at 9.9 pounds.
(won reel and rod combo)
2nd Place tie:
Dakota Ingram with 8 sh at
9.9 pounds. (won reel)
3rd Place:
Cameron Berry with
6 sh at 8.5 pounds.
10-13 yrs. of age
1st Place:
Leval Burks with 8 sh
at 18.12 pounds
2nd Place:
James Odom with 8 sh at
16.11 pounds.
3rd Place:
Hunter Whitehead with
6 sh at 12.13 pounds.
Also being awarded were prizes for the largest sh and
smallest sh caught. With the largest sh was James
Odom with a catsh pushing the scales to 5.2 pounds. He
won a reel and rod combination. Also winning a reel and
rod combination pack for the smallest sh was Dill Harris
with a bream weighting in at a grand total of 2-ounces.
All in all, it was a most-enjoyable morning of angling,
winning some great prizes and eating a bunch of hot-
dogs. This event would not be possible without the
sponsorships made by our local and area businesses,
industries and concerned individuals. The Alabama
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division ofcers, along
with several individual volunteers, donate their valuable
time and resources to provide the man-power to stage the
event. The State Parks division works hand-in-hand with
continued on 99
Age 7-9 winners (L-R) Jaxson Whitehead and Tyler Morris.
Age 0-6 winners (L-R) Tucker Knight,
Lamar Morris III, and Lila Grace.
BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK HOSTS YOUTH continued
ACEOA Magazine 99
these folks and park staff, providing the use of the facili-
ties. This insures our youth are provided opportunities to
learn the pleasures and fun to be found in our great out-
door world. Additional sponsorship was provided by the
Alabama Conservation Enforcement Ofcers Association
as they encourage our youth to get outdoors and enjoy
a whole new world of fun not to mention funding the sh
stocking for the event.
Take a rod, a reel and add a split shot with a small
hook. Add a little catsh bait, wiggler or red worm and
what do you have? A shing rig ready to be placed into
a youths hand and who will one day look back in fond
memory of a day spent at a little pond in a small state
park learning the sport of shing. G
Age 10-13 winners (L-R) Hunter Whitehead,
Leval Burks, and James Odom.
10ad20
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4954 Carol Plantation Road
Mobile, AL 36619
251-401-5083
Sun Loan Tax Service
901 Rainbow Drive Suite B
Gadsden, AL 35901
256-399-0060
AIR MASTER, INC.
274 Autumn Road
Thomasville, AL 36784
334-636-5789
ALABAMA BROADCASTERS
ASSOCIATION
2180 Parkway Lake Drive
Hoover, AL 35244
205-982-5001
Radford Water
Wells
5044 US Highway 80 West
Selma, Alabama 36701
334-412-5400
RAMER BANK
P.O. Box 145 105 Main Street
Ramer, Alabama 36069
334-562-3257
ACEOA Magazine 101
Butler County
Youth Fishing Day
By Don Reaves
T
he Butler County Youth Fishing Day was held on
June7th, 2014 at the American Legion pond in
Greenville Alabama. Twenty-three youth, ages 5
thru 12, participated in this years event. The pond had
a section netted off, thanks to the Fisheries Section from
the Spanish Fort ofce. It was a long way to travel for
those men; but they were glad to assist and we are thank-
ful for their assistance. The netted off area was stocked
with approximately 800 pounds of catsh purchased from
Chiles Fish Farm in Camden, Alabama.
The youth were pre-registered thru
the Butler County Sheriffs Office.
After a brief safety talk, they started
catching some good ole catsh. The
Greenville Jaycees provided volun-
teers to prepare grilled hotdogs and
hamburgers for everyone while of-
cers from the Alabama Department
of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries,
along with volunteers from the sher-
iffs department and the American
Legion, assisted the youth with their
shing adventure.
After about three hours of stink bait
and scorching temperatures, everyone
continued on 103
Randy Courtney with son Jacob Courtney. Lenny Lee with daughter Lensey Lee.
Winners of Rod & Reel give-away with volunteers and sponsors.
BUTLER COUNTY YOUTH FISHING DAY continued
ACEOA Magazine 103
was ready for some cool air and good food. The
American Legion building was just the right place
to nd both. Every youth was given a rafe ticket
at the beginning of the event to hang on to for door
prize drawings at lunch. Thanks to our sponsors
generosity, we were able to give away thirteen
Zebco rod and reel combos. A grand prize of a life-
time shing license was donated by the Alabama
Conservation Enforcement Ofcers Association.
This years sponsors were The Alabama
Conservation Enforcement Ofcers Association,
The Greenville Jaycees, The Butler County
Sheriffs Department, Freds of Greenville, The
American Legion and The Alabama Department of
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Thanks to all. G
(L-R) Lt. Mike McNeil, Butler County Chief Deputy, Lenny Lee,
Sgt. Don Reaves, Lifetime fishing license winner Laike Moorhead.
10ad20
AIR MASTER, INC.
274 Autumn Road
Thomasville, AL 36784
334-636-5789
VANDERGRIFF
CoNstRuCtIoN
P.O. Box 842
Guntersville, AL 35976
256-673-4579
Camden Nursing Facility
550 Pondarosa Drive
Camden, AL 36726
334-682-4231
BRAND-DEV COATINGS
682 Lakewood View Road
Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
251-746-0280
CRITTER CAPTURE
831-B Blackburn Drive
Mobile, AL 36608
251-680-5068
Radford Water
Wells
5044 US Highway 80 West
Selma, Alabama 36701
334-412-5400
ACEOA Magazine 105
Deer Management
Assistance Program (DMAP)
By David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
W
hile manning the Outdoor Alabama booth at the
Rick and Bubba Outdoor Expo in Birmingham
over Fathers Day weekend, I observed what
I pretty much already knew: Alabama is a deer-hunt-
ing state.
The observation came from the free magazines we
offered at the booth with various cover photos. Without
a doubt, the magazine that disappeared the quickest was
the one with a big whitetail buck on the cover.
So, in the middle of summer, Alabama folks are still
thinking about deer, which is why Chuck Sykes, Director
of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF)
Division, wants landowners and hunting clubs to recon-
sider a program that has been available for many years
the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP).
At the nal Alabama Conservation Advisory Board
meeting of the year, the board voted to reduce the ant-
lerless deer harvest to one per day statewide. However,
landowners and lease holders can gain some leeway on
the antlerless deer bag limit through DMAP, which will
be updated with new features for the 2015-2016 season.
We need to let people know DMAP is still available
for those who need to harvest more than one antlerless
deer per day, Sykes said.
The reason Sykes and WFF ofcials decided to propose
a reduction in antlerless deer harvest was a result of
town hall meetings conducted last year to discuss the
Game Check program.
For me, it was traveling all over the state last year at
the public meetings and listening to the concerns of hunt-
ers throughout the state, Sykes said. And it was talking
with our biologists, who were experiencing the same
topics of conversation with hunters. And what we were
seeing in the eld. Deer numbers are down a little bit.
Sykes said there could be numerous reasons for the
reduction in the deer numbers.
In some areas, it could be predator issues, he said.
continued on 107
A concern expressed by hunters, landowners and wildlife biologists about observations of
lower doe numbers has prompted the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division to
reduce the daily bag limit to one antlerless deer per day for the 2014-2015 season.
DEER MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (DMAP) continued
ACEOA Magazine 107
In certain locations, it might be overharvest. In certain
locations, it could be habitat quality changes and it just
cant support as many deer. And youve got competition
for resources with feral hogs in certain areas.
So the logical thing to do is reduce the statewide bag
limit on antlerless deer but also allow people in areas
where their numbers are good to participate in the Deer
Management Assistance Program, and they can harvest
up to three antlerless deer per day if they want.
Sykes said WFF was not the only entity to reduce the
deer harvest.
The National Forests went a step further and reduced
their bag limit to one deer per day, he said. Youve got
to take your pick either a buck or a doe. They were
concerned about lower deer numbers, so this is not just
coming from us.
What I want people to take away from this is if youve
done your job and youve got plenty of deer, that habitat
is in good shape, the predators are under control, and
you need to harvest more than one antlerless deer per
day, there is a way to do it.
About 15 to 20 years ago, landowners and lease hold-
ers utilized the DMAP program considerably more than in
recent years. Sykes said the reason DMAP hasnt remained
a priority is pretty simple.
Liberalized doe harvest came about, he said. Why
would you participate in DMAP when 90 percent of what
people were participating in DMAP for was to shoot
more does.
Thats why we are revamping the DMAP program.
Jeremy Ferguson of Cullman, a WFF wildlife biologist,
has been charged with the DMAP overhaul.
The idea is to retool it instead of it being just a doe-tag
system, Ferguson said. Were looking at creating a pro-
gram to give deer managers and hunters a way to manage
deer and all wildlife with an all-inclusive program. Were
not just focusing on does like DMAP did in the past. Were
going to take a closer look and be a lot more rigorous
in the approach in terms of what were going to ask the
participants to do. In the past, all we asked them to do
was provide us with deer harvest and observational data.
Our biologists would look at the habitat.
We want participants to improve their habitat and
deer herd population dynamics. That will also be ben-
ecial for various other species. In the past, Alabama
hasnt pushed the management of small game as much
in their deer management program, but we are going to
try to involve various other species.
Ferguson said the specics of the revamped DMAP are
still being worked out, and one question is whether a WFF
biologist must be involved in the program or whether
a certied biologist hired by the landowner or club could
monitor the program with oversight from WFF biologists.
Ferguson said the revamped DMAP will start to be
unveiled for 2015-2016 season, but he doesnt want
people to wait until then to sign up.
The current DMAP is still available, and were encour-
aging people to enroll in it, he said. That way they can
get us the needed observation data and have a leg up
for what theyre going to need to get started for the next
version. Thats going to be very important.
The current version is not all that rigorous. Our
vision for the next version is going to have multiple
tiers. Each time you climb a tier, the requirements will
be more rigorous. Thats our vision for acreage and
habitat requirements.
Ferguson foresees tiers that take into consideration
ownership patterns, which include private landowners
like timber companies where extensive habitat manage-
ment is not possible, small landowners with patchwork
property like in much of north Alabama, as well as pri-
vate landowners with considerable property where an
all-encompassing land management program is feasible.
Were working with other state agencies and with the
team here at Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries to hammer
out whats really going to work, he said.
Sykes and Ferguson said people interested in DMAP
need to contact their district ofce and get signed up for
the program as soon as possible.
Were asking people to sign up now because, if there
is a rush in September, we may not be able to get to
everybody before the season starts, Sykes said. l
ACEOA Magazine 109
15th Annual Youth
Fishing Rodeo at Millers
Ferry Resource Ofce
O
n Saturday, June 07, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Millers Ferry Resource Ofce held its
15th annual Free Youth Fishing Rodeo. This event
is held each year in conjunction with National Fishing
and Boating Week with the hope of introducing youth
to the sport of shing as well as an appreciation of out-
door recreation.
We were glad to experience a large turn out with 114
kids registering to sh. Participants ranged in age from
3- to 15-years-old and came from six different coun-
ties, some as far away as Montgomery and as close as
Millers Ferry. The weather was nice and the young anglers
had success shing. Almost everyone caught sh and
some caught as many as 20. There was a drawing for
door prizes which were donated by area businesses. The
children had lots of fun and we look forward to having
another successful shing rodeo next year.
This event could not have been possible without the
support and generosity of area businesses who gave
donations. We would like to extend our thanks to: Alfa
Insurance, Camden National Bank, Coast to Coast,
Town and Country National Bank, Headz Outdoors,
International Paper, McDonalds Grocery and Sports,
Ratcliffes Hardware, State Farm, Holman Insurance,
Wilcox Printing, Alabama Conservation Enforcement
Ofcer Association, Nelson Plumbing, and the Wilcox
Longbeards. l
Winner of the Lifetime Fishing License donated by the Alabama Conservation
Enforcement Officer Association is Jeremiah Ray age 4 from Millers Ferry.
BLACKBELT SEWER & DRAIN continued
ACEOA Magazine 111
Happy Angler
10ad21
TOM KELLY, INC.
P.O. Box 7050
1203 US Hwy. 98, #3F
Spanish Fort, AL 36577
251-626-6195
Dixon Outboard
Repair
25163 Newport Road
Robertsdale, AL 36567
251-401-0287
MCKINNEY
TRAMMELL
CONSTRUCTION
175 Industrial Park Drive
Centre, AL 35960
256-927-2020
A C E O A
PRESTON MALONE
LOGGING
14576 Deerwood Lane
Coker, Alabama 35452
205-334-0703
Madison Plumbing
Service, Inc.
1060 Balch Road
Madison, AL 35758
256-895-0466
Jones Lawn Service
528 Vaughn Drive
Gadsden, AL 35904
256-312-4608
Cooks Pest
Control, Inc.
1861 WL Dickinson Drive
Montgomery, AL 36109
334-273-8873
ABC SUPPLY COMPANY continued
ACEOA Magazine 113
Participants dropping a line at Millers Ferry Kids Fishing Rodeo.
Participants enjoying the Millers Ferry Kids Fishing Rodeo.
ROOF MART continued
ACEOA Magazine 115
ACEOA Magazine 117
Hope For The
Warriors
Coming in for weigh in at Guntersville.
Restoring
Self Family Hope
HOPE FOR THE WARRIORS continued
ACEOA Magazine 119
Parking not always easy.
Local Scout Troop at Bass Pro Shops in Prattville, AL.
HOPE FOR THE WARRIORS continued
ACEOA Magazine 121
SSG Boby Dove Green Beret (double amputee).
Weigh Master weighing in My fish.
ACEOA Magazine 123
The One That Didnt
Get Away
By David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
T
his is a story about a big sh. But this one didnt get
away. Its a woulda, coulda, shoulda tale of a large-
mouth bass, one of those that people deem a whop-
per, a jaw-dropper when they see the mount.
Since 1987, Thomas Burgins 16-pound, 8-ounce bass
that was caught at Mountain View Lake in Shelby County
has reigned atop the Alabama Freshwater Records Book.
There may have been a sh as big or bigger caught in
Clarke County earlier this year, but inquiring minds will
never know.
Branson Linder, a 15-year-old who attends Clarke Prep
in Grove Hill, Ala., caught the shing bug when he was
about 12. When Linder showed a great deal of interest in
bass shing, his father, Darrell Linder, got interested as well.
I just love the challenge of nding the sh and guring
out how to catch them when you do nd them, Branson
said. Its fun just ghting and then looking at them. I like
everything about it.
Branson mows lawns during the summer to buy his
shing equipment, and his knowledge of tackle and lures
rivals that of experienced anglers. That quality equip-
ment made a big difference this past spring when his
grandmother, Carolyn Powell, asked him if he wanted
to go shing at Camp Maubila, located about halfway
between Jackson and Grove Hill. She had a friend, Phillip
Harrell, who had access to the lake at the Boy Scout camp.
continued on 125
The monstrous size of the largemouth bass caught by 15-year-old Branson Linder of Jackson, Ala., this
year is evident when compared to the 10-pounder he caught several years ago. Although Linder held
the big bass by one hand on the shore, it took two hands to pull the giant into the boat.
THE ONE THAT DIDNT GET AWAY continued
ACEOA Magazine 125
Harrell told Linder the lake was overcrowded with bass
and needed some sh taken out.
We didnt get to the pond until about nine that morn-
ing, Branson said. I got in a boat and put on a life jacket.
I started paddling around and when I got to the rst tree
I didnt get any bites. I got probably halfway around the
pond and I saw a pocket with stumps everywhere. I saw
a tree hanging over the water and I cast under the tree.
On the second cast, I felt a little bump.
I let him hold it for a minute, and then my line started
leaving. I set the hook, and I had no idea what would be
pulling for the next few minutes. Then the sh started
pulling the boat around faster than a trolling motor.
Linder was afraid the big sh was putting too much
pressure on the 15-pound uorocarbon line and reached
up to loosen his drag, but he went a little too
far on the adjustment.
I thought I had lost him, but I tight-
ened my drag back up, he said. My
drag was pretty tight but he was
stripping it like it was nothing. Then
he headed for deep water. He went
up under the boat, and I thought
he was going to break my rod. He
almost bent it double. I was really
scared I was going to lose him. He
went toward a stump with limbs
sticking out of the water next to it, but
I managed to get him stopped before he
got there.
The big bass nally headed for the surface to try to dis-
lodge the Texas-rigged Senko plastic worm. The bass was
so big it couldnt clear the water when it tried to jump.
The rst time I saw him my heart just about stopped
beating, Linder said. I didnt have any idea he was that
big. Then he went back down and didnt come back up
until I brought him up to land him.
Then came Bransons next challenge. He didnt have
a landing net in the boat.
When he came up, his mouth was open, he said.
I had my rod in one hand and leaned over the side of
the boat and grabbed him. I tried to pick him up with
one hand, but I couldnt do it. I had to put the rod down
and grab him with two hands.
I laid him down in the bottom of the boat. I never
paddled so hard in my life to get back to the bank to
show my grandmother.
After taking tons of photos, Branson called his dad
and Harrell to come look at the sh. The elder Linder
asked his son if he wanted to get the sh mounted, which
got a quick afrmative from the youngster who already
had one big bass hanging on the wall.
The Linders headed to KC Outdoors in Jackson to leave
the sh for the taxidermist. Branson had already tried to
weigh the sh on some hand scales and it had bottomed
out past the scales 14-pound limit.
Branson called me and told me he caught a big sh,
said Kenny Clark of KC Outdoors. I told him to bring it
to the store. We photographed it and laid it on my digital
scales. It read 13.7, which is a monster sh. I put it in
the freezer, and my taxidermist, Jerry Cochran,
came by and picked it up.
A couple of weeks later, Jerry called
me and told me I needed to get my
scales xed. He said he got a 14-pound
mold for the sh, and it was entirely
too small. He said he had to get
a 16-pound mold and it still was
still a little too small. He had to add
some putty to ll it in to make it look
right. Jerry has been mounting sh for
a long time. He said it was the biggest
bass hed ever seen. He said there was
no way that sh was 14 pounds. He said it
was at least 16 and maybe more.
Clark knew exactly how big the state-record bass was
in terms of weight and size. He was astonished when he
compared dimensions.
I measured Bransons sh at 33 inches long and 25
inches in girth, which is monstrous, he said. I think
it was a potential state record. When I went back to
check my scales, the battery was dead. I wish we had
weighed the sh on certied scales. Id love to know the
exact weight.
For a taxidermist whos been mounting fish for
30-something years to tell me its the biggest bass
hes ever mounted, and that a 16-pound mold was too
small, that raised a ag right there.
Clark had a replica made of Burgins state-record sh
continued on 127
THE ONE THAT DIDNT GET AWAY continued
ACEOA Magazine 127
to display at KC Outdoors. Bransons bass has also been
on display at the store.
Just looking at these two fish, everybody says
Bransons is bigger, Clark said. But well never know.
It is a good conversation piece. Everybody loves to see
a big sh.
Clark certainly never expected to see Branson with
a sh larger than the one hed had mounted a few years
earlier. That sh weighed 10 pounds.
Mr. Kenny said Id never catch one bigger than the one
I brought in the rst time, Branson said. I caught that
sh in a pond near Gilbertown. It was on a Sunday, and
wed gone to my grandmothers to eat. My cousin and
I went to sh after we got nished. We usually didnt catch
anything bigger than a pound or so. There was a stump
with grass around it. I threw a Texas-rigged Zoom Speed
Craw and it got up on top of the grass. I was reeling it
over the grass, and he came up and ate it.
Branson fought the drag-stripping bass but he
wasnt able to stop the sh from getting back to a stump.
The youngster wasnt about to give up, though.
It was probably waist deep, so I waded out there and
got him, he said. On my way back, I stepped on a yel-
lowjacket nest, and they ate up my cousin. That took up
a little time to get all the yellowjackets off him. Then I put
the sh in a cooler because my dad said we needed to
get it mounted because it was my rst double-digit bass.
Although he gained some notoriety after the rst sh,
the bigger sh this year cemented his position as one of
the top up-and-coming anglers in the area.
People are calling me Kevin VanDam or Bill Dance
now, Branson laughed.
Because Clarke Prep doesnt have a high school shing
team, Branson said his choice of colleges will be deter-
mined by the availability of a shing team.
Being on a college shing team would be a lot of fun,
he said. But my dream is to sh in the Bassmaster Elite
Series. Thats my goal.
For someone who was told hed never catch a bass
bigger than his 10-pounder, Branson has proven that
underestimating what this teenager can accomplish might
not be a good idea.
But hell have to do it with a different reel.
The next time I tried to use it at Millers Ferry, it
started all these clicking noises, Branson said. That big
sh destroyed my Shimano reel. G
10ad21
TOM KELLY, INC.
P.O. Box 7050
1203 US Hwy. 98, #3F
Spanish Fort, AL 36577
251-626-6195
Dixon Outboard
Repair
25163 Newport Road
Robertsdale, AL 36567
251-401-0287
MCKINNEY
TRAMMELL
CONSTRUCTION
175 Industrial Park Drive
Centre, AL 35960
256-927-2020
A C E O A
Blackbelt Sewer &
Drain
630 County Road 342
Maplesville, AL 36750
Craig Lumber
10450 Jim Russell Lane
Athens, AL 35611
256-729-5357
ACEOA Magazine 129
Barbour County WMA
Welcomes Youth
By Ken White, photos by Ken White
T
he Barbour County Wildlife Management
Area marked the first Saturday of
February in what has become a tra-
dition for the area youth. Over 250 youth
came out to enjoy a day, and evening, full of
activities which are a little different from their
normal, everyday activities. This years event
marked the seventeenth consecutive year and
this traditional date was picked for a specic
reason. This Saturday followed the close of
the deer hunting season. The importance in
this is it really opens the woods up for the
squirrel, rabbit and quail hunting which has
always been the traditional learning grounds
for our youth.
The event is a morning and afternoon of
varied outdoor activities which begin at 10:00 A.M. and
ends with a coon hunt that rambles through the night-
time woods of the management area. This year the youth
enjoyed seven different venues in which they could par-
ticipate. Instruction is provided by many of our local
experienced outdoorsmen and women who volunteer
their time and expertise. They are partnered with several
of our conservation enforcement ofcers at the various
instructional venues. This provides the youth educational
opportunities they cannot get just anywhere. Open-air
wagons pulled by pick-ups take the participants to the
various venues and they stayed busy until this portion
ended at 2:00 P.M.
Venues available to the youth were a BB-gun shoot-
ing competition, slingshot, wilderness survival, archery,
turkey hunting, compass reading and navigation,
Pats Sporting Clays and the ADCNR Ofcers Sporting
Clays. These venues introduce the youth to these various
activities that can provide many hours of enjoyment in
an outdoor environment. One critical aspect of this event
is it is a family event and parental interaction is highly
encouraged. It is also a great learning tool for single-
parents that have youth interested in the outdoors that
need a little direction and guidance that the experts on
hand can help provide.
This is the beginning of building a solid foundation of
respect for rearms, understanding the relationships of
our outdoor world to the traditional sport of hunting and
becoming the future stewards of our great outdoor world
in a controlled environment. It is really interesting to note
that over the past three or four years the number of single
parents, male and female, that are bringing their youth to
this and other outdoor events has signicantly increased.
Of interest, as well, is the number of young girls that are
getting more involved with the outdoor sports. This is
exactly why this event was created and that is to increase
our numbers of youth, male and female, that are involved
in traditional outdoor sports and will be the leaders taking
us forward in the future.
Following the morning and early afternoon of stationed
activities it was time for the great squirrel and rabbit hunt-
continued on 131
Registration area gets early start.
BARBOUR COUNTY WMA WELCOMES YOUTH continued
ACEOA Magazine 131
ing expeditions. These allow the youth, and participating
adults, an opportunity to get into the Barbour County
woods and enjoy a live hunting experience. The thrill of
a dog working a squirrel or rabbit track is something these
young people will never forget and is certainly something
they do not get to experience every day. Several expert
squirrel and rabbit hunters volunteer their time and guide
the youth in a real world hunt featuring their dogs and it
is indeed a different experience. The value of time spent
aeld to see and do and learn cannot be understated and
these volunteers do make a difference.
The youth in the 12-15 years of age range have an
option that replaces the available hunts. Many of the
youth have been on these events several times in the past
and this venue was created specically for the older youth.
A .22-cal Rie Shooting competition is held in a boys and
girls division and the competition is really better than you
might expect. Shooting at a target set up at the 25-yard
range of the Barbour County Wildlife Management Area
Shooting Range these youth will really surprise you with
their accuracy rate, even those shooting for the rst time.
These shoots begin with a safety instruction period led
by a member of the Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources conservation enforcement ofcers.
The actual competition consists of one round of a three
shot group at a concentric ringed target with valued scor-
ing lanes and a bulls-eye. Each participant shoots his/
her three shots and the score of each shot is totaled for
a qualifying score. Scoring rings consist of 7, 8, 9 and
10 point rings with the bulls-eye being given a value of
20 points. No participant hit a bulls-eye but many made
a run at it considering the top scores. Taking top hon-
ors in the boys division was 14-year old
Preston Gilliland with a score of 29 points
on three shots. If you think the girls can-
not shoot then you need to come out next
year. Hailey Medley took the girls cham-
pionship with a score of 27 points.
This year the ries being awarded were
a semi-automatic model and a bolt-action,
clip-fed model. It was decided the win-
ners would have a ve-shot competition
to determine the winner that would have
choice of guns. Preston got the win by one-
point shooting a 46 to Haileys 45 point as
the boys gave a big sigh in relief. In a twist
that only an outdoors person can appreci-
ate, Preston already owned a semi so he
took the bolt-action and Hailey proudly
accepted the semi-automatic.
The evening found the traditional hot-
continued on 133
Venues and schedule for a great day outdoors.
The Slingshot Venue is a popular stop.
BARBOUR COUNTY WMA WELCOMES YOUTH continued
ACEOA Magazine 133
dog supper, followed by the introductions of sponsors,
a drawing for door prizes and special announcements.
The evening then ended with the tradi-
tional coon-hunt. If you have never experi-
enced the baying of hounds under a star-lit
sky, then you have missed a truly, unique
outdoor experience. Watching a couple of
hundred youth and parents trekking into
the nighttime woods with their penlights
in hand is an experience that is unfor-
gettable. It caps a perfect day of outdoor
activities as only a coon-hunt can!
Thi s was a great day and the
events hosts, the Eufaula Lions Club,
Barbour County Coon Hunters Association
and the Barbour Count y Wildl ife
Management Area would like to thanks
all the volunteers, business and individu-
als that gave of their time and nancial
support to make this a success. Making
a difference and giving back is what
the Alabama Conservation Enforcement
Ofcers Organization is also about. Their
support of this event is invaluable and its
members clearly understand their mis-
sion to protect our resources but also to
educate and increase participation in our
great outdoor world.
In addition a special thank-you
goes out to the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources-
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division
for their substantial contribution and sup-
port of our youth. This year a National
Rifle Association informational booth
was manned by local chapter members
to answer questions and concerns of
interested outdoorsmen. The event also
had students from Auburns Forestry
and Wildlife School manning a booth to
introduce attendees to the school. Many
of these students also took their educa-
tion and applied some of their learning
and expertise as they volunteered to work
within the venues as well. Pat and Rodger
Kott, the Eufaula Lions Club and all the volunteers are to
be commended on another great day for our youth. l
Winners of the .22 cal Rifle Competition.
(L-R) Hailey Medley and Preston Gilliland.
The .22 cal Rifle Competition sees many newcomers.
ACEOA Magazine 135
Jackson County FFA
Outdoor Camp
By Scott Kellenberger
T
wenty-three Jackson County youths attended the
2014 FFA Outdoor Camp sponsored in part by
ACEOA. The event was held at Camp Maranatha,
located on Guntersville Lake in Jackson County. The
attendees enjoyed free time at the lake swimming and
canoeing between classes. Field trips were offered on
various outdoor and conservation related subjects includ-
ing land, sheries and wildlife management and rearms
safety. The classes were instructed by local high school
teachers, Conservation Ofcers, and volunteers. l