November 2011 Archives - Mississippi Sportsman

Big spotted bass are what Paul Elias is going after this month, but he also may catch big largemouths.

Three steps to monster bass

November 1, 2011 Paul Elias

This month, I’ll be catching monster spotted bass, largemouths and smallmouths. I’ll be catching all these bass in the same places, at the same time, using the same tactics and lures. […]

Essential ecosystems

November 1, 2011 Hal Schramm

If you think about ecological services, you quickly come to the conclusion of how vital they are, not only to anglers, but to all people whether they venture onto the water or not. […]

This screen view shows Simrad’s BSM-2 CHIRP sonar module at work clearly tracking the 3,993-foot bottom.

First pings, now chirps?

November 1, 2011 Allan Tarvid

Keeping up with developments in sonar, radar and GPS over the last few decades hasn’t been easy, and the evolution of marine electronics seems to be speeding up. […]

As the waters get cooler, crappie will make their annual migration out of the deep water of many lakes.

The fall fishing season is officially here. This is my favorite time of the year to crappie fish, and I continue to discover that I don’t know it all when it comes to figuring out crappie’s fall patterns. It seems to me that they change from year to year and from lake to lake. […]

Mounting a riflescope requires a good work space and the proper tools.

Precision scope mounting

November 1, 2011 John J. Woods

With rifle season just around the corner, the calls and inquiries start each year about the proper way to mount a scope on a hunting rifle. The operative term here is proper. If you buy a new rifle with a scope and allow the store “gunsmith” to mount the scope, it had better be somebody you really trust. This is even more important if they also perform a bore sighting for the new scope on the rifle. […]

The fall run of big kings has started. The bigger fish will be caught offshore, but there are plenty of 12- to 20-pound kings with an occasional big one near the shore to be had.

Big fish bonanza in Biloxi

November 1, 2011 John E. Phillips

Capt. Bobby Williams of the charter boat Three Sons IV has fished the Biloxi area for many years. […]

Brad Hammill’s focus on bedding areas, setup and wind conditions has consistently produced for him.

Trophy Ambush

November 1, 2011 Andy Crawford

Brad Hammill knew he wanted to hunt the food plot. After all, there was ample proof there were bucks to be killed in the area during the early 2010-11 season. […]

Cousins Swayze (left) and Trey Bozeman each display a couple of their Magnolia Records trophy bucks taken near Flora.

Young Guns

November 1, 2011 Michael O. Giles

Madison County cousins Trey and Swayze Bozeman are like a lot of youngsters in our state, as both love to deer hunt. But that’s where the comparison ends, as these youngsters have already become accomplished trophy hunters in their own right. […]

Mature bucks vigorously rub traditional signpost trees used through the years.

The Old Traditional Deer Rub

November 1, 2011 Tommy Kirkland

The rut is close. By procreative instinct, a mature hefty 8-pointer traverses the land. Ascending a bluff ridge, the persistent male steadily climbs the steep vegetative terrain with ease. […]

Washington Parish resident and long-time Bogue Chitto Refuge hunter Alan Williams says that variable power scopes turned down to their lowest setting are perfect for quickly zeroing in on animals in thick woods.

Ground Check

November 1, 2011 Chris Ginn

Before Hurricane Katrina, Washington Parish deer hunter Alan Williams hunted Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge from the ground because he wanted to. Now, more than six years after the historic hurricane, he hunts from the ground because he has to. […]

As a result of the design improvements in tactical handgun ammo, there are many excellent self-defense rounds on the market that (according to the manufacturers) now overcome the problem of failure to expand.

The much maligned “9”

November 1, 2011 Gordon Hutchinson

It happened again at an afternoon barbecue a few months ago. A new acquaintance commented he was looking at buying a new pistol. […]

Hot Wings Decoy Tree

November 1, 2011 Mississippi Sportsman

Great Day’s Hot Wings Decoy Tree positions five spinning wing decoys into a group that gives the appearance of multiple ducks landing. […]