ACE Magazine 1

EDITOR:Gayle Morrow

PUBLISHER:Brent-Wyatt West8436 Crossland Loop, Suite 207Montgomery, Alabama 36117

SALES OFFICES:Bryan Elkins, Sr.Jim Downing8436 Crossland Loop, Suite 207Montgomery, Alabama 36117 (334) 213-6229

in this issue...President’s Corner................................................................................................3Notes from the Trenches......................................................................................52010-2011 State Officers and Directors ..............................................................7100 Years of Service 1907-2007 ........................................................................9Game Wardens Present Governor Riley With Conservation Badge ....................11Game Wardens Meet With Governor Riley In His Office

At The Alabama State Capitol ........................................................................13Little River State Forest To Remain Open ..........................................................15Wild Animals In Captivity ..................................................................................19Outdoor Women Unlimited Holds Hunt For Youth Girls......................................23Barbour County Wildlife Management Area Youth Hunt -

Another Great Day Outdoors ..........................................................................27Decisions About Fishing ....................................................................................37Coyotes Here To Stay ........................................................................................41Managing Roadsides For Wildlife ......................................................................43Buckmasters American Deer Foundation Life Hunt............................................49The Buckmasters American Deer Foundation Life Hunt Classic 2011 ..............55Life Hunt…A Hunt of a Lifetime ........................................................................57Conservation And Natural Resources Commissioner N. Gunter Guy, Jr.............59Kids Korner........................................................................................................63Alabama Trapper Youth Education Workshops..................................................67Commissioner Barnett Lawley ..........................................................................71Owls Evoke Mixed Sentiments ..........................................................................75Pre-Baiting Hog Traps Increases Success Rates ................................................79The Singing River ..............................................................................................81The Loss Of Vernon Minton................................................................................85The Journey School ..........................................................................................89Website Helps Identify Wildlife ..........................................................................91Restore Coastal Alabama ..................................................................................93Advertisers Index ............................................................................................105Business Directory ..........................................................................................111

ACE Magazine is the official publication of the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officer Association. Purchase ofadvertising space does not entitle the advertisers to any privileges or favors from members. ACE Magazine does notassume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by any contributor. This magazine is created and producedby Brent-Wyatt West. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

SPRING 2011WWW.ACEOA.ORG

Official Publication of the ACEOA

ON THE COVERCONGRATULATIONS

STAN ARRINGTON ANDGUIDE CLAYTON LYNN.

J ust as the sun broke the horizon this morning,the gobble of an Eastern Wild Turkey thun-dered from the bottom below the house. Since

I was a young boy hunting with my father, the soundof a gobbler proclaiming his dominance from thetop of an oak tree has always made me smile. I wasone of the lucky kids that had the opportunity toexperience the joy of the outdoors at an early age.Hunting deer, turkey, and rabbits across Alabamawith my father taught me many things. I learnedabout conservation of natural resources and torespect the game that I was hunting. I learned aboutgame laws and regulations and why they are impor-tant. Most of all, I learned that I enjoyed being out-doors with my father and that my future wouldsomehow involve working with wildlife.

As a Wildlife Biologist, I often have the opportu-nity to teach students from local schools aboutwildlife at various events. At these events, I amoften amazed at the knowledge of wildlife that somestudents possess, but there are also those timeswhen I question if some of these children ever spend

time outside. The future of wildlife and wildlife con-servation depends on the education of the next gen-eration. Some of the students and children that Ihave met in my 13 year career will one day be pol-icymakers that influence the future of wildlife in thisstate. If we fail to educate the young about theimportance of conservation and the wise use of nat-ural resources, then the future of Alabama’s wildlifespecies may be in jeopardy.

ACEOA is dedicated to educating both young andold about the importance of wildlife conservation inAlabama. Thanks to the support we receive frombusinesses across the state, ACEOA is able to fundconservation oriented events across the state.Through the efforts of ACEOA members, associatemembers, and sponsors, ACEOA has been able toeducate and entertain thousands of youth at hunt-ing, fishing, and shooting events across the state.Please join ACEOA in assuring that the future ofAlabama’s wildlife is in good hands. Visit our web-site at ACEOA.org and become a member today.

President’s Cornerby Chris Jaworowski-Wildlife Biologist

ACE Magazine 3

ACEOA…Making a Difference.

F inally, my favorite season ishere! There was a hint ofspring in February. I was

afraid it was so pretty that the olegobblers would crank up. This wasway too early. A little cooler air,hopefully, put them in their holdingpattern. The neighbors will hear thefamiliar sound of my ole huntingtrucking cranking up every morningthis spring. Turkey season is truly ajoy! I wish I could learn to be a betterturkey hunter. Maybe I just enjoy thepunishment.

Our year is underway and thebudget is set. We will be sponsoringabout 46 events this year throughoutAlabama. We also continue to sup-

port C.O.P.S. on a national and statelevel. BADF Life Hunt Classicremains in our budget. This issue ofACE Magazine features the Life Huntin 2011.

We support the “Archery in theSchools” program and state compe-tition. We just worked with theOutdoor Women Unlimited at theirSouthern Classic event at theSouthern Sportsman Lodge inBenton, Alabama. Each of theseevents encourages the outdoorexperience, developing skills, andpromoting safety.

Special funds will be set aside forMrs. Louise Grider and her RaptorRehabilitation Center. We recentlytook part in a fundraiser for Iron MenOutdoor Ministries. It is amazing tosee the heart these folks have andthe mission they carry out on a dailybasis. Be sure to read about them inthis issue of ACE.

Each ACEOA District Director isprovided with budget funds to meetthe needs within his district.ACEOA makes a habit of trying notto turn anyone away. If funds areneeded for events, we try to makethem available.

All of these things are made possi-ble through our corporate sponsors.If you’re listed in this magazine or

you purchased an ad, you are thekey to ACEOA’s success. It onlytakes a glance through ACEMagazine to see the support we have.We deeply appreciate it. The chil-dren, ladies, and the special needsindividuals who are helped by theevents we sponsor appreciate you.

Enjoy this unique Life HuntClassic issue and, when finished,pass it on to a friend. Our editor hasworked hard and will continue toprovide our reading public with agreat magazine. We encourage yoursuggestions. We are available atwww.aceoa.org and on Facebook.Please look us up! We always lookfor youth hunting and fishing adven-tures in “Kid’s Korner”. If you wouldlike to participate, please send usphotos and stories of your kids,grandkids, relatives and friends. Myemail is on our website.

Until next time, I’ll leave you withone of my favorite sayings…If every-thing is coming your way thenyou’re probably in the wrong lane.

Notes from the Trenchesby Rusty Morrow, ACEOA Executive Director

ACE Magazine 5

2010-11 State Officers and DirectorsExecutive Director

Rusty Morrow(Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Enforcement Retired)

ACEOA State OfficersPresident – Chris Jaworowski

Vice President – Trey PoseSecretary/Treasurer – Chris Lewis

District Directors and AssociatesD-I Director – Ernie Stephens

D-I Associate Director – Wendell FulksD-II Director – Scott Kellenberger

D-II Associate Director – Jerry FincherD-III Director – Grady Myers

D-III Associate Director – Joe LittleD-III Associate Director – Cliff Robinson

D-IV Director – John BozemanD-IV Director – Vance Woods

D-IV Associate Director – Heath WallsD-V Director – Don Reaves

D-V Associate Director – Bo Willis

ACE MagazineEditor – Gayle Morrow

ACE Magazine 7

ACE Magazine 9

T he Law Enforcement Section of Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries Division, more often referredto as "Game Wardens," turned 100 years old in

2007. This is the oldest enforcement division in Alabama.Our readers may wonder why we are just now celebrating -three years after the fact. To be honest, it took three yearsto have the above pictured badge completed and funded.

Giving credit where credit is due, Captain Larry Hicks(Supervisor of WFFLE, D-4), designed the badge severalyears ago. He never gave up on his dream - to make thebadge a reality! Now, those that don't know Captain Hicksneed to know that he is a retired Sgt. Major of the U.S.Marine Corp and when he gets something on his mind, heis relentless. He would not accept "NO" when it came to

the 100 year commemorative badge. I never understood why the answer was ever"NO" but that is another story. To be positive about a very positive endeavor, we willnot go there!

Captain Hicks completed the badge in 2010 and, with the help of CommissionerBarnett Lawley, the dream became a reality. Without the persistence of Captain Hicksand the funding assistance from a very dedicated Commissioner,this very special badge recognizing 100 years of service would neverhave happened.

To Captain Larry Hicks and Commissioner Barnett Lawley…thankyou for your hard work and dedication to this most worthy endeavor.

100 YEARS OF SERVICE1907–2007by Rusty Morrow

Original Game Warden Badge

ACE Magazine 11

G ame Wardens and DNCR Commissioner Barnett Lawley presentGovernor Riley with a special badge commemorating 100 yearsof Game Wardens in Alabama. Pictured from right to left are:

Captain Kenneth Blalock Jr., Captain Fred Bain, Captain Larry Hicks,Governor Riley, Commissioner M. Barnett Lawley, Captain JohnnyJohnson, Captain Dennis Sanford, Chief Allan Andress.

GAME WARDENS PRESENTGOVERNOR RILEY WITHCONSERVATION BADGEDecember 22, 2010

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ACE Magazine 13

CONSERVATION BADGES – continued

MONTGOMERY - Game Wardens from theDepartment of Conservation’s Wildlife and FreshwaterFisheries Division today presented Governor Riley with aspecial badge that commemorates the 100 yearanniversary conservation law enforcement in Alabama.

The Game Warden organization was actually foundedin 1907 and, thus, turned 100 in 2007. Realizing the needto recognize this milestone, Barnett Lawley, Commis-sioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural

Resources, commissioned the new badge for gamewardens throughout the state.

“Game Wardens are Alabama’s oldest law enforce-ment organization, and even after more than 100 years,they are as professional an outfit as you’ll findanywhere,” Governor Riley said. “They work everyday toenforce Alabama’s conservation laws and protect ourprecious natural resources. I want to thank all of ourgame wardens for doing such a tremendous job that toooften goes unrecognized.”

Game Wardens meet with Governor Riley in his officeat the Alabama State Capitol

ACE Magazine 15

T he Alabama Forestry Commission and Iron MenOutdoor Ministries, Inc. have reached an agree-ment which ensures that the popular recreational

area at Little River State Forest will remain open to thepublic. The two organizations, which had been involvedin discussions about the future of Little River for severalmonths, signed the agreement recently, according toState Forester Linda Casey and Iron Men OutdoorMinistries Executive Director Rick Murphy.

The two-year agreement calls for Iron Men to providevolunteer labor and services to manage the recreationalarea in essentially the same manner as it was operatedas a state park and later as a recreational area withinLittle River State Forest. The agreement provides thatIron Men will operate and maintain the recreational areaat no cost to the state.

Under the terms of the agreement, all of the proceedsfrom park entrance fees, fishing and camping permitsand other income will go back into the recreational areafor maintenance and improvement. “This is one of themost exciting developments for the ForestryCommission since I joined the organization in 2007,”Casey said. “With a projected budget shortfall of fivemillion dollars for fiscal year 2011 and layoffs alreadyimplemented, there was a very real possibility that wewould have had to close the recreational area ordrastically reduce the opportunities for the public to usethe area.

This agreement ensures that a facility that has beenenjoyed by the public for generations will remain open forfishing, hiking, camping, and the many other activitiesthat Little River has to offer.” “This is a tremendous

opportunity for us to carry out our mission of service tothe public,” Murphy said. “We know how important theLittle River recreational area is to people in southwestAlabama and throughout the state. We are extremelyproud to enter this partnership with the ForestryCommission, and we look forward not just to maintainingthe facility, but to making improvements that will makethe area even more attractive to the public.”

According to the agreement, the Forestry Commissionwill maintain overall managerial control of therecreational area. Iron Men Outdoor Ministries willconduct day-to-day operations, including maintenanceof the grounds and buildings, rental of pavilions andcampsites, and other duties which had been performedby state employees.

That’s one of the aspects of this agreement thatmakes it so beneficial to the public,” Casey said. “With asignificant reduction in the number of Commissionemployees, we have to focus the assignment of ourpeople on our core services, primarily wild land fireprevention and suppression. This agreement ensuresthat we will keep the Little River recreational area opento the public and at the same time allows the employeeswho had been working to staff the area to concentrate onthe Commission’s primary mission.”

Iron Men Outdoor Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization with no paid staff members.The faith-based organization is dedicated to helpingindividuals and families to find fellowship throughenjoyment of the outdoors. Iron Men has conductednumerous activities for special-needs children along with

LITTLE RIVER STATE FOREST TOREMAIN OPENPermission to reprint from Melinda “Mindy” Newell, Secretary, Iron Men Outdoor Ministries, Inc.

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ACE Magazine 17

IRON MEN – continued

retreats and other gatherings for groups ranging fromhorseback-riding enthusiasts to hunters.

The Forestry Commission’s agreement with Iron Menspecifies that the area will be known as “The Claude D.Kelly Recreational Area at Little River State Forest.” Thetwo-year agreement can be extended if the twoorganizations determine that the arrangement isbeneficial to the public.

The Claude D. Kelly Recreational Areaat Little River State ForestManaged by Iron Men Outdoor Ministries, Inc.

The 2,000-plus acres became property of theAlabama Forestry Commission in the 1930s when twofamilies deeded the property for the purpose it is used fortoday. “The two families, the Alger-Sullivan family andthe Blackshire family, deeded the property to theAlabama Forest Commission under stipulation that theproperty be used as a State Forrest or State Park,” Colesaid. “That has been the case since that time and it willcontinue to be that way. The property cannot be sold bythe Commission. If that were to happen, the sale wouldnot take place and the property would revert back to thefamilies or their descendants.”

Located off U.S. 21 North, the park’s amenitiesinclude walking trails, biking trails, swimming, camping,boating, fishing, picnic pavilions and handicappedhunting. Although hunting is not allowed on a large scaleat Little River State Forest, it has the unique identity as

being one of the few “handicap” hunting locations withinthe state of Alabama. The rules and regulations for thishunting privilege are controlled and monitored by theAlabama Department of Wildlife and FreshwaterFisheries Division of the Alabama Department ofConservation and Natural Resources.

Fishing, hiking, and swimming are all offered at LRSF.These activities are available for a moderate entry fee.Boats are available for rent by the day. Paddle boats arealso available by the hour. There are six pavilions thatare rented out for the day, in varying dimensions toaccommodate different group sizes.

Horseback riding can be enjoyed on the primitiveroads that cover all of Little River. While on these trailsthere are plenty of chances to view the ample wildlife,from deer and turkey, to rabbits and quail, or even abobcat or fox. Many bird watchers find this a very uniquearea to find birds of all types.

Cabin reservations can be made at the park office, aswell as reservations for the pavilions. If you have yourown trailer, the park provides electricity and waterhookups, and if necessary there are sewage hookups.There is unlimited space for the person who likes to“rough it” in the wild.

ACEOA Board members who recently attended an Iron Men OutdoorMinistries fundraising event are pictured L-R Hasty Hudson, Heath Walls,Rusty Morrow, Rick Murphy (Iron Men Outdoor Ministries) and Vance Wood.

ACE Magazine 19

T he discovery of a fawn or baby wild animal byitself may leave people compelled to take action.At the time, picking up the wild animal in an

attempt to “rescue” it might seem the right thing to do.Almost without fail, that is the worst course of action.Wild animals in captivity do not fare well.

A recent incident in Cleburne County illustrates thispoint exactly. A buck that had been picked up as a fawnwas in a backyard enclosure. The family’s 12-year-oldson, who considered the buck his personal pet, went intothe enclosure and ended up in the hospital with seriouspuncture wounds from the deer’s antlers.

Holding live protected wildlife in captivity has beenprohibited by regulation for many years, but prior to2002, there was a provision for issuing permits on acase-by-case basis. As the number of animals incaptivity grew, so did the problems.

Kevin Dodd, Assistant Chief in the EnforcementSection of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesDivision (WFF), said this kind of attack is what led to aregulation change in 2002, when the division stoppedissuing captive wildlife permits to individuals.

“We quit issuing permits to people who were pickingup fawns or baby raccoons or squirrels or whatever,”Dodd said. “It is a bad idea to have captive wildlife.They’re not designed to be kept in pens. With theexceptions of zoos or wildlife exhibits with the means toprovide for the wildlife, we do not issue permits forwildlife.”

The reason for the policy shift was that captive wildlifetend to lose their natural survival characteristics, whichmakes it virtually impossible for the animals to besuccessfully rehabilitated and released back into thewild.

“They tend to associate people with food,” Dodd said.“That’s a real problem with alligators. They feed them fora while and release them into the wild. The next thingthey do is show up on the bank, looking for a handout.Their small brain tends to blur the line between the handthat feeds them and the food itself.

“In the case of deer, when they associate with peoplethey think they’re one of them. But at certain times of theyear, it’s natural for the bucks to fight among

themselves. It’s just a natural tendency. When you putthem in captivity, they do the same thing with humans.The only thing is humans don’t have big antlers andthey’re not set up to fight with a buck. That’s where theconflict comes in. And it’s not just bucks. Does causeproblems, too.”

Chris Cook, WFF Wildlife Biologist who specializes inwhite-tailed deer, said increased contact with humansand natural hormone production make a dangerouscombination.

“Deer in captivity tend to lose their innate fear ofhumans,” Cook said. “Then you couple that with theincrease in testosterone and the natural aggressivenessthat bucks have during the rut and you’re going to havetrouble. We’ve been trying – and departments all acrossthe country – to tell people that deer don’t make goodpets. They may be cute when they’re fawns, but it’s a lotbetter to leave them alone and let the doe come back tofind them. If you pick up a fawn, you’ve just about signedits death warrant. Very seldom are rehabilitated deersuccessfully released back into the wild.

WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITYby David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesPhoto by Kate Pugh

continued on 21

When a fawn is discovered in the wild, it does not mean it is orphaned orabandoned. In the vast majority of instances, the mother is nearby andwill return to its young. Trying to “rescue” a wild animal is notrecommended and the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesDivision no longer issues permits for captive wildlife to individuals.

ACE Magazine 21

CAPTIVITY – continued

“During most of the year in the wild, they’re tolerant ofother bucks. They do establish a hierarchy in thebachelor groups. But that doesn’t involve a lot ofaggression. But as the rut approaches there is anincrease in the amount of testosterone, and they becomemore aggressive and less tolerant of other animals. LikeI said, they’re not afraid of humans and they treat themlike any other animal they want to show dominanceover.”

Dodd said another reason it’s a bad idea forindividuals to keep wildlife is the special dietary needs ofthe animal, as well as providing a proper enclosure tohouse the animal to ensure neighbors or visitors aren’tput at risk.

“Lastly, it’s just unfair to the animal,” Dodd said. “It’sa wild animal not meant to be kept in a cage.”

One fatality has been documented because of acaptive deer. In February 2003 in Choctaw County, afamily had a deer in captivity. The grandfather was in thepen feeding the deer when the buck attacked. The elderlyman was knocked down and gored. He died from theinjuries.

Another incident happened in Butler County in 2003.The person holding the buck waited until the antlersdropped before releasing the deer. An elderly lady downthe street went to the road to retrieve her garbage canswhen the buck walked up.

“She reached out to pet the deer on the head,” Doddsaid. “The buck interprets that as the natural behavior ofanother buck and he wants to fight. So he starts pushingon the lady and ended up rolling her up her owndriveway. She was taken to the hospital. She was bruisedand scratched from head to toe, but she survived.

“People think the danger is in the antlers, but that’s notalways the case. We’ve had problems with does, too. Ifcornered or in a fighting mood, they’ll do the same thingwith hooves. I can tell you from personal experience thata 40-pound fawn cornered in a garage can beat the livingdaylights out of you with its front legs.”

Another incident occurred in 2004 near Chunchula,where a pet buck was released to walk around the yard.The deer turned on a family member and sent her to thehospital with puncture wounds.

Dodd said when he was a Conservation EnforcementOfficer in Baldwin County, a man had a spike buck in anenclosure. While he was showing a friend the deer, thespike attacked the homeowner, pinned him to the groundand punctured his femoral artery. The friend grabbed a2-by-4 and hit the buck in the head to get the buck offhis friend.

“They rushed the guy to the hospital, which wasluckily only a mile away,” he said. “In the meantime, thebuck came to and wandered up the street and terrorizedone of the neighbors. The man had to seek refuge in ashed and the deer held him hostage until the man’s wifewas able to hand him a gun through the window of theshed.

“We’ve had numerous incidents like this. They all endbadly. Originally, they may think they’re doing the rightthing by rescuing an orphaned fawn. But 99.9 percent ofthe time, they aren’t orphaned. It’s natural behavior forthem to be left alone at times. They think they’re doingsomething warm and fuzzy when actually they’re sealingthe fate of that animal, which is life in captivity thatusually ends in termination for the deer.”

ACE Magazine 23

Youth Hunt Experience by Brooke Nettles

The OMG Youth Hunt was very exciting and fun trip. Igained a lot of knowledge and experience. I met so manykind hearted and down to earth people, especially myguide, G.T. The best part of the hunt, in my opinion, wasgoing hunting.

My knowledge in hunting increased majorly after thehunt and all my training activities leading up to the hunt.I want to thank all the people including the AlabamaDepartment of Conservation Hunter Education Programand Mr. Jerry Brown and all his friends as well as all theguides in Athens. I also want to thank Outdoor WomenUnlimited for their help in getting us on this hunt.

I learned how to load a gun, how to shoot a gun, andhow to kill a deer. The most important thing I learnedwould have to be gun safety. Always carry your gun ina safe position. Always have your gun on safetyanytime you are not about to shoot. Also be sure ofyour surroundings and make sure no one or nothing isbehind your target. Wear hunter orange! I learned aboutbullet placement and where to shoot a deer…rightbehind the shoulders. If they run after you shoot them,follow their blood trail and you have a high percentageof finding them.

Also, when hunting in cold weather conditions, wearwarm clothes. Layer up! Never wear too many socksbecause it will cramp your feet and toes and they willfreeze because the blood cannot circulate as well. Yourhands, feet, and head are places where heat escapesyour body the fastest, so make sure they are properlycovered. Always bring extra clothing just in case youget cold.

The sponsors and guides at the hunt were flat outAWESOME! You could tell that they actually caredabout it. Longleaf Camo showed their generosity byoutfitting each girl in their own hunting gear. Thesponsors of the hunt were great by supplying a backpackfilled with the rest of the supplies we would need for theweekend. The sponsors were very nice to help set up thehunt and let us have the experience of a lifetime. Theguides were all sweethearts and they helped us everystep of the way. Not to mention, Tony Chachere cookedfor us every day. His food was delicious!

Even though all of the things I have said are great, Istill haven’t mentioned the greatest part yet, the hunting!Hunting is truly a fun thing to do. Even if you don’t seeanything, you can still enjoy the beauty that natureoffers. You can see all the colors of the leaves on the

B rooke Nettles is a member ofVenture Crew 380 which waschartered by Outdoor Women

Unlimited, Inc. in 2010. OutdoorWomen Unlimited chartered VentureCrew 380 in order to continue itsmission of educating women, girlsand families in premier outdooractivities. Outdoor Women Unlimi-ted partnered with outdoor factoriesand representative groups to createan outdoor youth hunt for the Crew380 members. This hunt took placein Athens, Alabama on December 9-11, 2010. The Crew memberstrained for the youth deer hunt by

taking the traditional HunterEducation course offered by JerryBrown and other volunteer instruc-tors of the Alabama Department ofConservation and Natural Resour-ces. In addition, the girls partici-pated in a shotgun clinic held at

Lower Wetumpka Shotgun SpotsClub and concluded their skillscourse with an Advance HunterEducation course back in Hackney-ville with Jerry Brown. The clinicsand other training were not only toprepare the all girl Crew for the huntbut also give the education the girlsneed to continue the huntingtradition. The girls of Venture Crew380 are also members of OutdoorWomen Unlimited and are workingto complete their Outdoor BronzeAward. This hunt was part of therequirements needed to receive theaward.

OUTDOOR WOMEN UNLIMITEDHOLDS HUNT FOR YOUTH GIRLSby Whitney Wood

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ACE Magazine 25

YOUTH HUNT EXPERIENCE – continued

trees or watch thesunrise or sunset. Youcan also listen to thesounds of nature, suchas birds, squirrels orwater moving in anearby creek. When youdo see a deer, it is like an adrenaline rush. When youshoot it, it’s like the best feeling in the world. You don’tpay attention to the sound of the gun when it fires ornotice anything else. For a few moments, all you arefocused on is the deer and you are hoping you were

successful. If it is your first deer and you are a success,you get to put their blood on your face.

This hunt, I think, changed every girl, both mentallyand physically. We learned to appreciate what we haveand to enjoy what nature provides us. We learned how toharvest a deer and we also learned how to dress for coldweather. We appreciate all of the things they did for usand all of the love and support they provided. Everythingwe received was really cool and the hunt was anexperience of a lifetime.

ACE Magazine 27

T he forecast for the first Saturday morning inFebruary was not sounding good the night before.Predictions of cold, with possible early sleet, was

not the best of news if you were planning to attend thefourteenth annual Barbour County Wildlife ManagementArea Youth Hunt. Despite all these gloomy forecasts, 215youth registered for the event as the weather cooperatedand another great day in the great Alabama outdoorstook place. While the number of youth may have beendown, the fun was definitely not.

The day actually gets started as the youth go throughthe registration process. Each youth is listed and placedin their respective age groupings and provided acommemorative tee shirt. The youth and accompanyingadults can then visit a course consisting of eight venuesthis year. Travel is handled via pick-up drawn open-airhunting trailers, which visit the venues for pick-up anddelivery on fifteen-minute intervals from the registration/headquarters area. The youth and adults can select thevenues they would like to attend based on their personalpreferences, as this is a very relaxed atmosphere. Theemphasis today is on learning about the outdoor world ofhunting sports in a fun and friendly manner.

Once again, the youth in attendance had a great time

at the various venues which are set-up to allow them toget a little preview of what the outdoors can provide inthe way of fun, entertainment and adventure. It all beginswith the BB-Gun venue. What better way to open a youthday, featuring the world of hunting sports available insoutheastern Alabama, than a traditional BB-gunshooting competition? Open to all age groups, it isabsolutely top-of-the-line fun when you see fifteen-year-old teenagers shooting along side a two-year old that hasa shooting advisor helping hold the gun. For many of theyounger ones, it is their first opportunity to fire a BB gun.For the older, it is a step back to the beginning of theirinterest in the great outdoors and the pure joy of justhaving fun. More importantly, it is also the first timemany of the youth begin to hear the "Safety First"messages and receive their first firearm safetyinstructions.

Jumping on the next available trailer the youth moveto the Slingshot Venue. This is not the slingshot thatgrandpa and grandma grew up making and using. Backin the day, if a good branch of just the right size forwrapping the fingers around and with a fork wide enoughto support two straps of inner-tube joined to a shoe

BARBOUR COUNTY WILDLIFEMANAGEMENT AREA YOUTH HUNT –ANOTHER GREAT DAY OUTDOORS by Ken White

continued on 29

Mack Morris provides assistance to 7-yr. old Heather Lynn at the BB GunShooting Venue as Dad, Michael Lynn, observes. Michael also volunteersas a squirrel dog hunt master for the afternoon hunt sessions.

Participants arrive at the Sporting Clay Venue.

ACE Magazine 29

BARBOR COUNTY YOUTH HUNT – continued

tongue could be found, you had the makings of a first-rate slingshot. Today's version of the slingshot is a high-tech, light metal framed work of wonder. The surgicaltubing made of space-age materials will send a ball-bearing sized projectile at velocities great enough toharvest light game. Special designed pouches can besubstituted so the bird hunter can get in on the action aswell. At the Slingshot venue they are taught propershooting techniques with a special emphasis on thesafety aspects required for use of these sophisticated"toys" by the venue instructors.

From BB-guns and slingshots it is on to the world ofarchery. Archery is becoming a very big sport with ouryouth of today. We are seeing many schools adding thissport to their physical education programs and manycities in Alabama are embracing the sport as a feature of

their Parks and Recreation departments. This is oftremendous importance in many ways as it enhances theoutdoor appeal to our high-tech, computer-orientedyouth. It also opens the door for youth to continue toembrace the hunting traditions of our forefathers and thisis critical to the successful management of our outdoorenvironment in the future. The instructors at this venueonce again provide proper shooting techniques andsafety instruction.

Next up are the two most favorite of the venues. TheSporting Clays venue proved to be so successful that twostations had to be opened many years ago. Here theyouth get the opportunity to do some shotgunning whilereceiving instructions from highly qualified shooters.Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural

continued on 31

Scott Moore demonstrates the use of a firebow to start a fire the old-fashioned way.

John Pritchett combines valuable navigation tips with compass readingeducation at the Navigation and Compass Reading Venue.

Charles Thompson provides a most important firearm safety talk prior tothe Sporting Clay Venue shooting session.

13-yr old Daniel Beatty receives shooting instructions and advice fromCharles Thompson at the Sporting Clay Venue.

ACE Magazine 31

BARBOR COUNTY YOUTH HUNT – continued

Resources enforcement officers team with civilianvolunteers to staff these two stations and provideexcellent shooting technique instruction and tips. Ofcourse, no one steps to the firing line prior to the groupreceiving a full safety instruction talk by one of theinstructors present. Proper hearing and eye protection isprovided and emphasis is put on the use of theseimportant safety items when doing target practice orenjoying some competitive shooting at future times.Each youth is provided the opportunity to get a minimumof two shots at the clays. For many of the youngerparticipants it is the first time they have had theopportunity to actually fire or even hold a shotgun. Whatis even more amazing is watching the success rate, asevidenced by disintegrating clays, they enjoy afterreceiving the hands-on instructions.

Added venues to the youth hunt experience are theWilderness Survival venue and the Navigation andCompass Reading venue. The Wilderness Survival venueis a demonstration of various survival techniques, manydating back to the days of the original native Indians. Theyouth were intrigued as they watched a firebow beingmade and then used to start a fire. Instructions weregiven on compass reading and map orientation fornavigational purposes. The youth were challenged tofollow a provided map to locate the spot, which matchedthe proverbial "x" shown on the map, and all met thechallenge successfully.

The final stop of the regular venues is the TurkeyHunting venue. This venue featured callingdemonstrations and hands-on calling advice from theexperienced turkey hunters manning the station. Thedifference in turkey hunting safety requirements isstressed as part of the program. Many of the youth aresurprised to learn of the "do not wear" colors which helpsto create this distinct difference from the "hunter orange"requirements of deer hunting. Each youth also has theopportunity to fire a shotgun at a turkey target and notmany pass this chance by.

Rabbit and squirrel hunts follow a lunch of hot dogs,chips and soda. The youth have to decide which eventthey want to participate in and the adults are highlyencouraged to join the hunt with their youth. The squirrelhunts are live-fire events and each youth is assigned ashooting rotation number. When a squirrel is treed, thefirst shooter takes his/her shot and then rotates byshooting order until the squirrel is either harvested ormakes a hasty retreat to the nearest hollow. All firearmsand ammunition are under the control of an experiencedoutdoorsman and the dog handler acts as the huntmaster. From all reports everyone attending these eventshad a great time. Some of the groups managed to

continued on 33The Archery Venue proved to be a consistent popular and busy venue.

6-yr. old Evan Cole tries his hand at turkey calling with the helpful adviceof Tim Nolin (L) and Lee DeFee (R).

Office Mike Heath assists 13-yr. old Cody Rosen at the Slingshot Venue.

ACE Magazine 33

BARBOR COUNTY YOUTH HUNT – continued

harvest a few squirrels but everyone had a great timetraversing the woods and fields in search of the wilysquirrels and rabbits. Following the hunts, it was back tothe headquarters area and a quick supper of hot dogs,chips and soda. The big difference at supper was the hotchocolate and coffee prepared by the Eufaula Lions Clubvolunteers that helped warm many up as the eveningtemperatures began to fall.

Last year a new opportunity was offered the 12-yearsand older youth which proved to be extremely popular. Adeer-hunting venue was added and as part of theactivities a 22-cal. Rifle Shooting Competition was held.As many of the older youth were repeat Youth Huntparticipants this new venue offered them an alternative tothe rabbit and squirrel hunts. Leading off the competitionwas a general firearm safety talk, which emphasized theuse of proper, shooting safety equipment. The specificaspects of the 22-cal. rifles being used for thecompetitive shooting were also demonstrated, as severalof the participants had never shot a rifle. Eachparticipant was assisted by an experienced outdoorsmanto assure all safety aspects were maintained on theshooting line. The competition was keen as the groupwas divided into boy and girl divisions for thecompetition.

Once the rabbit and squirrel hunts, as well as the rifle-shooting competition, ended it was back to theheadquarters area for the traditional hot dog supper anddoor prize giveaways. Following the National Anthem,beautifully sung by noted Eufaula singing artist, MarciaHudson, it was time for the evening program to begin.Rodger Kott recognized the event sponsors and thenmade awards to the winners of the BB-gun competition.Winning the 0-5 Yrs. group was five years old Alex Bush.The 6-8 year old winner was eight year old Stan Wilson.

Cody Lynn (11 yrs.) won the 9-12 years competition and13-yr. old Dawson Dobbs won the 13-15 years category.Each received a nice trophy to commemorate theirwinning scores.

The winners of the 22-cal. Rifle Shooting Competitionwere announced. Winning the boy's prize of a really nice22-cal. rifle with 4x32 scope was Devin Dockery ofLeesburg, GA. The girls' competition was nerve jangling.Calleigh Rinicker was shooting in her first livecompetition and to make things a bit more interestingwas the fact she had never shot a rifle before competing.Last year's winner, Cassandra Gifford, found Calleigh atough competitor as they were tied after the first round.A shoot-off was then held to determine the winner and,once again, the score remained tied. With tensionmounting and the spectators looking on with greatanticipation, Cassandra edged Calleigh by one point toretain her title and claim the prize.

Once the awards were announced it was time for thedoor prize give-away. This met with great enthusiasm asslingshots, rod and reels and numerous other outdoorprizes were distributed. As if this was not enough actionfor one day, it was then time for the famed BarbourCounty Wildlife Management Area Youth Hunt'straditional nighttime coon hunt. The sound of the houndsbaying wafted across the cold nighttime woods as theyouth and the accompanying adults headed into thenight to seek out the treed coon. The Barbour Countywoods came to life with the twinkling of flashlightslighting the way as over 100 youth and accompanyingadults sought out the treed coon and the hounds. Oncetreed and the coon harvested the fourteenth edition of theyouth hunt came to an exhilarating close.

The Eufaula Lions Club, Barbour County Cooncontinued on 35

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!! 13-yr. old Cassandra Gifford repeats as the girls division Rifle ShootingCompetition champion despite some tough competition. Cassandraedged Calleigh Rinicker by one point in a double shoot-off to win.

ACE Magazine 35

BARBOR COUNTY YOUTH HUNT – continued

Hunters Association as well as the Alabama Departmentof Conservation and Natural Resources - Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries Division are the hosts of this eventand would like to thank the many sponsors, donors andvolunteers that made this another great year ofmemories. Many of the wildlife conservation enforcementofficers surrounding Eufaula and its district bring theirvaluable knowledge and expertise to this event.

It is worthy to note that the Barbour County WildlifeManagement Area Youth Hunt is the third largest youthhunt held annually across this great nation. In theeconomic environment of today, many hunt sponsorsand donors have been forced to cut back in many areas,but they continue to support our youth. Without theassistance of great sponsors such as the AlabamaConservation Enforcement Officers Association theyouth hunts would not be possible. Alabama is alsofortunate to have a department of conservation andnatural resources that recognizes the role youth play inour everyday outdoor life, as well as our future, andmake available resources such as the Barbour CountyWildlife Management Area for such an event locale. Ittakes outdoorsmen to mentor and train future out-

doorsmen. The Barbour County Wildlife ManagementArea Youth Hunt is just one great and fun way to makethis happen.

12-yr. old Calleigh Rinicker provided tough competition to defendingchampion Cassandra Gifford in the girls division of the Rifle ShootingCompetition despite this being the first time she ever shot a 22-cal. rifle.

ACE Magazine 37

W hen the Gulf of Mexico Fishery ManagementCouncil meets in Orange Beach April 11-14, theagenda will be filled with items that will have

significant impacts on saltwater anglers.At last week’s council meeting in Mississippi,

anticipated action on an amberjack season was pushedback until the April meeting because the stockassessment won’t be ready until March, according to BobShipp, council chair. He also said early projectionsappear to indicate there may be a need for additionalrestrictions on the amberjack catch in 2011.

“If we do have a closure, it will probably be duringsnapper season so people will have something to fish forwhen snapper season is closed,” said Shipp, head ofMarine Sciences at the University of South Alabama.

As far as red snapper are concerned, there will beseveral options on the table at the meeting at PerdidoBeach Resort, although any major changes to the seasonwould have to go through the council process.

“We will determine whether we go to a two-monthseason of June and July or whether we can take part ofthe quota and spread it over weekends in the fall like wedid last year,” Shipp said. “We’re going to deal with bothof those options in April.”

Shipp also said a pilot program is being consideredthat would determine fishing effort by “days at sea”instead of pounds of fish caught.

“The way it would work is this – let’s say snapperseason is 60 days long – if charter captains wish to go the‘days at seas’ route, they would get fewer days, say 45,but they could use them any time during the year,” hesaid. “In effect, that would mean snapper season is openyear-round. A lot of the charter captains are enthusiasticabout trying it.”

Meanwhile, more news about the impact of theDeepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf fishery isexpected to trickle in during the year, but Steve Bortone,the Gulf Council’s Executive Director, cautions not toexpect any great revelations this soon after the spill.

“Part of the problem is we all know there were someeffects,” Bortone said. “But measuring those effects andthen trying to decipher what those mean in ourmanagement strategies is going to take time. You’d like

to think you could stick a thermometer in the Gulf andsay now we know this is what happened, but it’s not thateasy. There were no fish kills anybody reported, offshoreanyway. It wasn’t a healthy environment, but there wereno obvious fish kills or impacts right away.

“But we don’t know the long-term effects. Right wherethe spill occurred is a major bluefin tuna spawning area,and it occurred right at the time when they would havebeen spawning in that region. But we don’t have thesamples to tell whether they were impacted. First of all,were there fewer larvae this year, did spawning actuallytake place? We have none of those data. Those are thekinds of questions we’re still posing.”

Bortone does think it’s very positive that the Gulfseafood tested so far has come back well belowcontamination levels considered safe to eat.

“I have to say it’s a good sign that we don’t see anybuildup of oil or oil derivatives in the (fish) tissues,” hesaid. “It doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but so far the testshave come back clean. Things are looking up.

“But I suspect the assessing of this, just like theExxon-Valdez, will go on for five, 10 more years. And I

DECISIONS ABOUT FISHINGby David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesPhotos by David Rainer

continued on 39

The red snapper season will be on the agenda for the April meeting ofthe Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council in Orange Beach.

ACE Magazine 39

RED SNAPPER – continued

think we need to consider this as a pilot study on oil spillsin the Gulf and determine what we need to learn from it.It’s just like a hurricane. Everybody goes out after thehurricane and starts sampling. We need to know nowwhat we should have been sampling to make a fairevaluation.”

Bortone adheres to the theory that no news is goodnews because word of negative impacts travels muchmore quickly than positive.

“The fact we’re not getting hit with a lot of bad newsgives me hope that maybe it’s better than we thought,”he said. “But we’ll know better in the long term when thepollutants magnify up through the food chain andwhether we see fewer spawning fish, fewer eggs andlarvae. We don’t know whether the food those speciesconsume has been affected. Those are some of thequestions we need answered. We should be getting a lotof good information, but it’s not going to be fast coming.

“It may take three to five years before that year classgets into the fishing community and some of those arebeing caught. Five years sounds like a long time, butthat’s about how long those fish will be fishable. So weshould have a pretty good handle around that time.”

Because of the oil spill, the red snapper season in theGulf mainly consisted of a weekends-only fall season,which got excellent reviews from the anglers who

participated. “That was a surprise, and I was glad to hear that,”

Bortone said of the success of the fall season. “It mayturn out that the side benefit is a little more of inventivemanagement – fishing on weekends and extending theseason. People are on both sides of that issue, but I thinkthere were some fairly positive comments and it may beworth looking at in the future.

“We’ve had good success in rebuilding red snapperstocks. I think we’re getting close to a point to where wehave eliminated overfishing and they won’t beoverfished. The problem that fishermen have to realize isit’s not like the gates are open and everybody will be ableto go after them. They’re going to have to understandthat our goal is sustainability, which means caught inperpetuity.”

Bortone used the analogy of a snapper population thathad been overfished to the point where there were only10 fish remaining.

“You could catch one fish a year and that’ssustainable, but that’s not what we’re looking for,” hesaid. “We also want to optimize the population so peopleare getting out of it as much as possible. That’s the goal.To get to that point could be quite a while. “We want tokeep improving it so the fish will be larger, the bag limitwill be larger and the season will be longer.”

ACE Magazine 41

W hen someone mentionscoyotes, do you think oftheir lonely sounding howl

at night? Your blood may boilbecause you suspect they areresponsible for a decline in gamepopulations. Could they beresponsible for missing pets or deadlivestock? Some choose to huntcoyotes because they are aformidable challenge. Coyotes'adaptability, efficient hunting styleand elusiveness are recognizedcharacteristics.

Coyotes were reportedly firstintroduced in Alabama around 1920by fox hunters. The steady migrationfrom western populations is likelythe source of current populations. Allnatural predators of the coyote havebeen extirpated from Alabama. Lackof predation on the population andtheir ability to adapt to theirenvironment has allowed the coyoteto flourish in a wide range ofhabitats. They can be foundthroughout the state in rural,suburban, and urban areas.

Adult coyotes range in size from20 to 50 pounds depending on thequality of habitat and gender (malesare generally larger than females).They vary from a gray/salt-and-pepper color to an almost solidblack. Adults form pair bonds andstake out territories that range from3 to 30 square miles. An averagelitter size is from four to eight pups.Both parents raise the pups, whichmay remain with the family group orventure out on their own when theyreach maturity in late fall. Coyotesmay live solitarily, in pairs or in largefamily groups. They are most active

from dusk until dawn but are seenoccasionally during the daytime.

The coyote is considered to be anopportunistic forager, meaning it willfeed on anything of nutritional value.It will eat everything from fruits andvegetation to small rodents, insectsand larger animals. Its diet variesthroughout the year depending onavailability and abundance. Coyotesaren't likely to pass up a free mealand can often be seen scavenging atgarbage dumps and alongroadsides. Their willingness andability to forage on a wide range offood sources enable coyotes tothrive in a variety of habitats.

Coyotes are often blamed fordeclines in big game populations,specifically deer and turkey. Whilethis may be true in some areas,habitat quality and game popu-lations generally determine coyotepopulations. Healthy ecosystemsthat support exceptional gamepopulations will also contain numer-ous coyotes. When ecosystemsbecome overpopulated with certainwildlife species, coyotes can bebeneficial by keeping their numbersin check.

The coyote is viewed by some asa nuisance species that is a potentialthreat to people and domesticanimals. Coyotes typically avoidpeople, but there are some isolatedinstances where coyotes haveattacked people and domesticanimals. Most attacks by coyotestake place in suburban or urbanareas where they live in closeproximity to humans. These attacksare normally committed by coyotesthat are starving, injured, diseased or

threatened. Coyote removal may bethe only solution at this point.

Large scale coyote control is tooexpensive and time consuming to befeasible. Removal techniques suchas trapping and shooting have littleeffect on their populations becauseother coyotes will reoccupy theirterritory. Mother Nature hasprovided coyotes with the ability toincrease populations by reproducingmore often and increasing totalnumber of pups per litter. We mustlearn to live with coyotes, becausetheir adaptability, elusiveness, andefficiency combine to make themimpossible to eradicate.

For more information contactStewart Abrams, Alabama Divisionof Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries,P.O. Box 27, Hollins, AL 35082.

The Alabama Department ofConservation and Natural Resourcespromotes wise stewardship, man-agement and enjoyment ofAlabama's natural resourcesthrough five divisions: Marine Police,Marine Resources, State Lands,State Parks, and Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. To learn moreabout ADCNR visit www.outdooralabama.com.

COYOTES HERE TO STAYBy Stewart Abrams, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesArticle courtesy of Wildlife and the Outdoors, November 24, 2010

ACE Magazine 43

C ountless amounts of money and time are spentmanaging Alabama's forests and fields to improvewildlife habitat every year. Prescribed fire,

herbicides, timber harvest, and numerous othermanagement practices are employed to makes theseareas more attractive and beneficial to various wildlifespecies. Areas often ignored by habitat managers are thestrips of land between their property's private roads andthe adjoining forests and fields - the roadsides.

Roadsides make up a small fraction of the totalacreage on most properties, but can produce high-quality wildlife habitat with just a little management.Managing these areas for native forbs and grasses, suchas broomsedge, goldenrod, ragweed, and blackberry,creates exceptional nesting and brood rearing habitat formany species of birds, as well as travel corridors, feedingareas, and escape cover for countless other wildlifespecies. Roadsides, much like field borders, provide anopportunity for managers to create early successionalhabitat that is essential for numerous wildlife species, butis frequently lacking on forested landscapes.

If manageable roadsides are not available, they mustbe created. Daylighting roadsides (reducing the treecanopy to allow sunlight to reach the ground) inconjunction with logging operations often is the mostcost effective approach. Unfortunately, this can delaycreation of these manageable areas by many yearsdepending on timber age or size. Utilizing a bulldozer,mulching head-equipped tractor, or tractor with a heavyrotary mower to remove trees and other woodyvegetation can be quick and effective at convertingwoody areas to early successional areas. Unfortunately,the cost also can be prohibitive for many landowners andland managers. Trees and woody brush also can beremoved using chainsaws, axes, herbicides, fire, or anyother of a long list of methods. This approach is slow, butis no less effective and much cheaper.

Managers should keep in mind that managedroadsides do not have to be exceptionally wide or long tobe productive. Unmanageable factors such as steeptopography may dictate the use of smaller strips. Strips

45 feet wide or wider and several hundred feet long areideal, but strips as narrow as 15 feet wide and as short as100 feet long can be managed to provide quality habitat.

It may be necessary to control non-native pasturegrasses, such as bahia, Bermuda, or fescue, withapproved herbicides prior to implementing othermanagement practices. Without proper control, thesegrasses can prevent the desired native grasses andweeds from becoming established.

If the desired plant communities are not present or arenot present in sufficient quantities in the managedroadsides, planting native grasses and forbs is an option.Seeds of native forbs, such as common ragweed,partridge pea, and Florida beggarweed, and numerousnative grasses, such as big and little bluestem, Easterngamagrass, and switchgrass, are available from severalcommercial vendors. Seed costs often are expensive, butthis should be a one-time expense if the plants becomeestablished and the roadsides are properly managed.

Numerous methods are available to maintain theroadside vegetation in an early successional stage ofdevelopment. Disking, burning, mowing, and selectiveherbicides can be used alone or in combination toachieve the desired results. The method, timing, andfrequency of treatment will dictate the types of nativeplants that come back after treatment. For example, falldisking tends to promote hard-seeded forbs andlegumes, whereas spring disking promotes annualgrasses. Annually treated areas will be dominated byannual grasses, while areas treated on a longer rotation(e.g., three to five years) will have a more diversemixture of annual and perennial plants.

Treatments should be alternated on a 1- to 5-yearrotation to achieve a mixture of the desiredgrass/herbaceous plant communities. Treat one-fourthto one-third of an established roadside system each yearin convenient segments. A segment, for example, maybe one side of a road, with another segment located onthe opposite side of the road. Treat an adjacent segmentthe following year. This regime will perpetually maintain

MANAGING ROADSIDES FORWILDLIFEBy Chris Cook, Certified Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesArticle courtesy of Wildlife and the Outdoors, October 14, 2010

continued on 45

ACE Magazine 45

MANAGING ROADSIDES – continued

different stages of plant succession and types of plantsthat are beneficial to many wildlife species. Without thisrotational management, managed roadsides can quicklylose much of their value for wildlife.

Early successional habitat is a key component oftenmissing from properties managed for wildlife.Opportunities to establish and maintain the forbs andgrasses associated with this type of habitat are not easilyfound or available. Utilizing roadsides for this purpose

creates a tremendous amount of habitat diversity, whichcan transform an ordinary property into a wildlife haven.

The Alabama Department of Conservation andNatural Resources promotes wise stewardship,management and enjoyment of Alabama's naturalresources through five divisions: Marine Police, MarineResources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR visitwww.outdooralabama.com.

ACE Magazine 49

BUCKMASTERS AMERICAN DEERFOUNDATION LIFE HUNTPhotos by Chris Jaworowski and Rusty Morrow

Ken Jackson and Rusty Morrow congratulate Stan Arrington.

Entire group of Life Hunters, Guides and Volunteers.

A Very Successful Hunt!

ACE Magazine 51

BADF LIFE HUNT – continued

Stan Arrington, Rusty Morrow, and Jackie Bushman ACEOA President Chris Jaworowski and Stan Arrington celebrate a greathunt!

Wounded Warriors SFC Gary Everett and CW4 John G. Lightsey, Jr. SFC Gary Everett, Rusty Morrow, and CW4 John G. Lightsey, Jr.

Jackie Bushman and Stan Arrington Jackie Bushman and Jimmy Hinton pose with a life hunter

ACE Magazine 53

BADF LIFE HUNT – continued

Todd Heckert from Addieville, Illinois and his guide. Jackie Bushman and Todd Heckert.

Life Hunters 2011 in their new hunting camo donated by Realtree

ACE Magazine 55

T he Buckmasters AmericanDeer Foundation Life HuntClassic is the highlight of my

year as Executive Director ofACEOA. I truly look forward to beingat Sedgefield Plantation in DallasCounty for the three day hunt everyyear. This year was no different.

This is the first year ACEOA hasnot sponsored a youth for the hunt.The board chose to sponsor StanArrington of Odenville, Alabama.Stan suffered a major spinal injury in1998 caused by a fall from a treestand. Stan, age 54, is confined to awheelchair but this does not stophim from doing what he loves themost – hunt!

The 2011 hunt was no differentthan the past hunts that ACEOA hasbeen privileged to be involved with.Everybody was excited about thepossibility of harvesting a trophybuck. The weather was cold but,unlike other classics, rain was not inthe forecast. The “rut” was on andthe deer were running crazy. Thetiming was perfect. Jimmy Hinton,the Hinton family, and their battalionof volunteer guides worked daysbefore the hunt to prepare thehunting areas for their challengedhunters. Everything was set.

The “club house” (thanks toACEOA, see Fall/Winter issue ofACE) had a fresh coat of paint and,no doubt, it was dressed for all of thephotos that would be taken. We wereblessed again this year with theattendance of two wounded warriors.Just to be in the presence of thoseheroes was a tremendous honor.They sacrificed so much for ourcountry and we are truly grateful.SFC Gary Everett and CW4 John G.Lightsey, Jr. were more excited thanany of the hunters to be there. Theyharvested their very best bucks. To

see the excitement of these two guyswas truly priceless. BuckmastersAmerican Deer Foundation deservesa big pat on the back for includingthese guys in the Life Hunt.

This hunt is so humbling. Tearsand hugs are commonplace. Towitness the joy that this specialgroup of hunters share in this threeday hunt brings you back to earthand adjusts your priorities. Thesehunters put aside all of their illnessesand pain and give us a glimpse ofwhat true heroes look like. Theirstrengths are far greater thananything I could imagine.

I witnessed the joy of a veryspecial young hunter named ToddHeckert from Addieville, Illinois.Todd is 24 years old. He hunted froma special chair that allows him tobreathe with a special breathingmachine. He uses a special cameraapparatus to shoot from his chair.His dad operates a joystick andwhen the deer is lined up, Toddblows through a straw to pull thetrigger. This year he harvested abuck of a lifetime. I was so happy towitness such a special event inTodd’s life. He is a perfect exampleof one who focuses on possibilitiesrather than disabilities.

The stories involved in this huntare never ending and, like I said, sovery humbling. Sometimes you thinkyou have problems. Be involved in alife hunt and discover howinsignificant your own problems canbecome.

Stan Arrington is able to hunt fromhis chair. His spinal injury allows himto shoulder his rifle without anyapparatus; and, believe me, he isvery accurate. He harvested two verynice bucks and contributed to theSedgefield Plantation DeerManagement Program by harvesting

two does. Stan doesn’t let hisdisability slow him down. He, like theother hunters, inspired all of usthroughout the life hunt.

A very special thanks goes toJimmy Hinton and the Hinton familyfor allowing us to utilize the verybeautiful Sedgefield Plantation forthis special event. We appreciate allof the guides and volunteers for allthat they do to make this event sooutstanding.

We want to give a big thanks toJackie Bushman, David Sullivan,and the Buckmaster crew forallowing ACEOA to play a small partin the BADF Life Hunt. We hope wecan be a part of this hunt for manyyears to come.

Last, but not least, thank you toour corporate sponsorship thatmakes our participation in suchevents possible. Without yoursupport, funding would not bepossible. Give yourself a big pat onthe back and know you are makinggood things happen.

THE BADF LIFE HUNT CLASSIC 2011by Rusty Morrow

ACE Magazine 57

O n October 18, 1998 – 9 am, my life changed in aninstant. After unhooking my safety belt from thetree I lost my balance while climbing down. Falling

some twenty feet I was paralyzed from the chest down.After many surgeries and a lot of therapy I am able to stillhunt and fish.

In 2011 I was sponsored by the ACEOA for the LifeHunt at Jimmy Hinton’s Sedgefield Plantation. Thanks toJackie Bushman’s Buckmasters, Jimmy Hinton andAlabama Conservation Enforcement OfficersAssociation who all work together to make it possible fordisabled hunters to have a great experience.

I would like to thank all those involved in putting onthe hunt from the cooks to the staff members as well asthe guides.

The hunt was a great experience with a guide andcameraman. My guide, Clayton Lynn took care of all myneeds. I was able to harvest 2 bucks. One was a 7 pointand the second was a 9 point.

I have been on several dove shoots, a couple of quailhunts and several deer hunts; but nothing compared tothis, with guides, cameramen and 14,000 acres. I wouldlike to thank all the sponsors, personal and corporate.

While being interviewed for Buckmaster I felt like Ibotched the interview, while having a national audiencemy 15 seconds of fame got by me.

I would like to say to all hunters how important safetyis. Check all your equipment; make sure your tree standsare secured properly to the tree. A serious accident notonly affects you, but your entire family. Without a goodfamily and support group it is a hard row to hoe.

I would like to thank my wife Karen for being there 24-7 in the past twelve years and also all my family andfriends.

Once again thanks to Jackie, Jimmy and ACEOA forthe great opportunity for a Hunt of a Lifetime atSedgefield Plantation.

LIFE HUNT…A HUNT OF A LIFETIME by Stan Arrington

Stan Arrington.

ACE Magazine 59

F or N. Gunter Guy Jr., his appointment as Com-missioner of the Department of Conservation andNatural Resources completes his reconnection

with Alabama’s great outdoors.Having grown up on the family farm between Pintlala

and Letohatchee, Guy cherished the rural life thatallowed him to enjoy nature’s bounty.

“I grew up helping with cattle, fixing fences and drivingtractors,” Guy said. “My dad had me driving a tractorwhen I was 7 years old, which, looking back on it was agreat life experience. I’ve got two girls and they’ve beendriving the tractor since they were about 12 years old.

“And when we weren’t working on the farm, my dadand I were fishing or hunting, whatever the case may be.”

Guy said he enjoyed the social aspect thataccompanied small-game hunting and recommends ithighly for anyone who wants to introduce someone to theoutdoors.

“When I started to learn how to use a gun, my dadalways stressed safety,” he said. “Back then we did a lotof dove hunting, squirrel hunting and a lot of quailhunting. I’d say squirrel hunting may have been the mostfun. Of course, I did more shaking vines than anythingelse. Deer weren’t hardly even in our area of the woodsback then. Turkeys started coming along about the timeI went to high school.”

There were bream, bass and catfish in the Guyproperty’s four ponds, which continue to provide fishingopportunities for family and friends to this day.

Somewhere between the time he graduated fromLanier High School in Montgomery, received hisundergraduate degree from Auburn University and thenhis law degree from Samford University’s CumberlandSchool of Law, Guy said life and a law practice kept himaway from the outdoors more than he would havepreferred.

It was his commitment to his father, who had beendisabled by a back injury and subsequent surgery thatbrought him back to the country where he was reared.

“We were living in Montgomery and my dad was in awheelchair,” Guy said. “I was down there every weekend,and I needed to help him. I talked to my wife (Patsy) and

asked if dad gave us five acres would you move downthere? Of course, she’s a great person and she said,‘Sure.’ As things worked, when I moved back downthere, I fell back in love with the things I loved as a kid.You know, when you go off to college and you’re young,sometimes you don’t necessarily lose your roots, but youmove to different things. I was more about law schooland then got married and started having children.

“When we moved back to the farm, my wife fell in lovewith it, too. She loves to fish. She tells people the reasonshe married me was because we had four fish ponds.”

When his father died and left him the farm with his

CONSERVATION AND NATURALRESOURCES COMMISSIONERN. GUNTER GUY, JR.by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesPhotos by David Rainer

continued on 60

Conservation Commissioner N. Gunter Guy Jr. holds one of the reasonshis wife, Patsy, purportedly agreed to marry him – ponds on the familyfarm filled with big bass.

60 ACE Magazine

COMMISSIONER GUNTER – continued

older sisters’ blessing, Guy knew the cattle business washard work and he couldn’t devote the time that businessrequired. Instead, he decided to transform the farm intoa haven for wildlife.

“I like turkey hunting, but deer hunting is my passion,”he said. “I’m fortunate enough to be able to hunt thefamily farm. It’s got two creeks on it and some highproperty, but there was a lot of open pasture land.”

He enrolled some land into Conservation ReserveProgram (CRP) and planted different plots withhardwoods, longleaf pines and loblolly pines.

“That’s my project,” Guy said. “It may create anincome source for my kids, and I’m doing what I likedoing. That’s my relief from work. I go down there andget on my tractor and plant corn and soybeans for thedeer and turkey. I fix roads and bush-hog. It’s kind of apassion. And it’s been neat what has developed.

“My wife calls it ‘tractor time.’ There’s nothing betterthat getting on my tractor and doing something with theland. I love it.”

Guy also loves his time in the hunting woods, as well- not necessarily for the game harvest, but the entireexperience that includes all God’s creatures.

“When I’m sitting in the stand, I’m sitting there

watching the hawks, the bobcats,” he said. “What I tellmy wife, it’s a good day just getting to see all thosethings that you cannot see unless you’re sitting in a deerstand. In the morning, you get to see everything come tolife. You get to see turkeys fight or deer standing up ontheir hind legs. People just don’t get to see that. Andbirds, you don’t really pay attention to the redbirds orhawks in your everyday life unless you’re in a deer standor turkey hunting. If you love the outdoors you love allthose things.”

Before his appointment, Guy admits his familiaritywith the Department of Conservation and NaturalResources (DCNR) was somewhat limited to Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. Like many people, Guy reallydidn’t realize DCNR also included State Lands, StateParks or even Marine Police. That didn’t mean he wasn’tfamiliar with State Parks, he just didn’t realize it fell underthe DCNR umbrella.

“We have beautiful parks,” Guy said. “When I was withthe Young Lawyers, we used to meet in Montgomery. Isaid, ‘Hey, why don’t we start meeting at state parks sopeople don’t have to travel so far.’ We went to Cheaha,Joe Wheeler, Desoto and Gulf State Park before Ivan.

“We need to get people to think about our parks more.We need those revenues to help State Parks, help thestate. If we create revenue, we create jobs. You know,Gov. (Robert) Bentley said he would not take a salaryuntil Alabama was back at full employment, and I wantto get him back on the payroll.”

Guy said at various times he has been involved withthe Alabama Wildlife Federation, the National WildTurkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited.

He was also very heavily involved with the AlabamaGovernor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt, serving as alandowner who hosted one of the guests.

“The people I hosted on my property still call me andtell me what a great experience it was,” Guy said. “I knowthe reason we had to quit that was because the economywas bad. One of my goals here will be to get that up andrunning again, because everybody enjoyed it. I think ithad a benefit to the State of Alabama, bringing in folksfor business development. We just need to make sure thetiming is right. I do think it will happen again.”

Guy said he’s traveled to several other states to huntand enjoys seeing how other states manage their wildlife.He thinks Alabama’s great advantage in comparison isthe length of the hunting seasons.

“I think Alabama has a lot to offer,” he said. “With deerhunting, people want big bucks with big racks. Alabamaisn’t necessarily known for that, although we do havegood quality. And the management that Alabama deerhunters are buying into is helping to create bigger bucks.The thing is our deer season ends after everybody else’s,

Another Guy passion is turkey hunting, and guest Dennis Terry shows offa big gobbler the hunting partners managed to outwit during theAlabama Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt.

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COMMISSIONER GUNTER – continued

and we should take advantage of that to bring in moneyfrom out of state. I think we do some of that already, butwe really need to let these deer hunters know that whentheir season ends, ours is open the whole month ofJanuary. And we have nice, liberal limits because wehave a lot of deer.”

Rebuilding the Gulf State Park Hotel and ConventionCenter is also very high on Guy’s to-do list, as well as theremediation involved with the Deepwater Horizon oilspill.

“The hotel and convention center is my priority andGov. Bentley’s priority,” he said. “Barnett Lawley andGov. (Bob) Riley need to be commended for everythingthey’ve done. We just need to keep going forward. Gov.Bentley is looking for a first-class facility that will bringfolks there from Alabama and other states.

“We also know that the oil spill is an item that Gov.Bentley wants to resolve favorably for the state. We wantto get the Gulf Coast back up and running.”

Guy said when he was appointed Commissioner it waswith the full blessing of his wife.

“She’s excited about my job,” he said. “She said, ‘TheGood Lord has blessed us because you love that, and Iknow you’re going to do a good job.’ She encouraged meto accept it if it was offered. That’s a pretty big step toclose your law practice to take a job that is a politicalappointment, even though it looked like a job that Iwould love.

“I didn’t come here with a personal agenda. Just likeGov. Bentley said, I want to be of service to the people ofAlabama. I want to help this department be goodstewards of our natural resources.”

ACE Magazine 63

KIDS KORNER

MY BEST HUNTby Hannah Rogers

I started hunting when I was nine and now I’m eleven.I have killed eight deer (four does and four bucks).My ten-point was my fourth buck. I hunted the ten-

point in Eclectic. We got in the stand at 1:45 and hecame out at 5:19. We had already seen a spike and six-point when he came out. My dad said he was an eightpoint because he didn’t want me to get so nervous. He

was one hundred thirty six yards away. He ran fiftyyards then he dropped in the field. I was very excited.Now, I can’t wait until turkey season. Last year I killedthree turkeys. This year I want to try to get five. With adad like mine, I know I can reach my goal.

Hannah and Dad.

Hannah Rogers.

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KIDS KORNER – continued

PEARSON’S BUCKby Dan Shaw

P earson Shaw is 10 years old and is a fourth gradestudent at Wetumpka Elementary School. He hasloved the outdoors since a very early age. He

loves hunting, fishing, and wakeboarding as well asplaying baseball for our local league. Pearson harvestedhis first deer at the age of six and has not missed manychances to go hunting since then. We saw very few deerthis season compared to years past and our patience wasbeginning to grow thin.

The last weekend of the season was not perfect forhunting. The rain was moving in for the afternoon huntand it was around 70 degrees. Pearson decided to giveit one last try, so we went to our property on the river inElmore County. Pearson chose the stand location sinceit was his turn. He chose the middle stand which we hadonly seen about 4 to 5 does out of that stand all year, sotherefore this was not a first choice pick.

We arrived at the stand around 3:30 pm and settled infor a short hunt. Not long after things began to quietdown, a few does began to make their way through thesage to the green field in front of us. We watched thedoe and 2 yearlings about fifteen minutes and we noticedhow the doe kept looking back into the woods. Wefigured that meant more deer would come out soon andsure enough within minutes we had five more doe enterthe field. They fed for a short while and out of nowherePearson said "Dad there's a huge buck". Across thefield, there was the buck we had been hunting for all yearcoming to the field. He had his head down and waswalking at a good pace. He entered the field andPearson could not get a shot while he was walking, so Itold him to shot as soon as the buck stopped. I whistledand he stopped just long enough for Pearson to send a

round from his 7mm08, dropping the buck in its tracks.We high-fived and went crazy for a few seconds beforerunning to claim his trophy.

As a father who has spent many years hunting and hastaken many trophies, this hunt is by far the mostrewarding hunt ever. I will cherish this hunt forever.

Pearson and his “LUCKY” ACEOA hat!

ACE Magazine 67

T he art of trapping and the use of trapping as awildlife management tool has become foreign tomany young people today. In an effort to correct

this situation the Wildlife and Freshwaters FisheriesDivision (WFF) has developed a series of youth trappereducation workshops in selected locations throughoutthe state.

The youth trapper workshop is an outreach programthat gives both the students and their parents theopportunity to experience and to be educated in anoutdoor skill that helped to settle this country. The pilotprogram began in 2007 and was initiated by the WFFDivision with assistance from the Alabama Trappers andPredator Control Association (ATPCA) and USDA-Wildlife Services. This outreach program passes on thehistorical aspects of trapping, biological informationconcerning furbearers and furbearer management and

allows students to learn the proper techniques thatinclude the use of trapping as a sound wildlifemanagement tool.

This past trapping season four events were held.Events were conducted in Decatur, Greensboro,Rockford and Greenville, Alabama. Each event is limitedto 25 students and their parent and begins on Fridayevening in the classroom. It's important for the youth tolearn the history of trapping, responsibilities of trapping,ethics and biological information on fur-bearing animals.Saturday morning the youth and adults are paired with avolunteer mentor and the real work begins. The mentorsbegin to teach them the fine details of setting a trap line.It begins with identifying the different types of traps, whatspecies to set them for and how to properly set them ina classroom situation. The mentors then take the groups

ALABAMA TRAPPER YOUTHEDUCATION WORKSHOPSby Vicki Sievering, Membership Secretary

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to the woods, fields and water and allow them to set theirown trap line. Sunday begins with the running of the trap-line followed by learning how to handle and prepare thefur for sale. Most students choose to their catchprofessionally tanned as a memento of their experienceson the trap-line. Smiles are abundant and the kids are soproud of their accomplishments!

The weekend of learning is not just a class in "how-to."Mike Sievering, District III Supervising Wildlife Biologistfor the Alabama Department of Conservation Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries says, "This event is about teachingthe youth a dying art, getting them acquainted with thegreat outdoors and encouraging them to get out awayfrom the televisions and computers and spend somequality time with their family." Trapping used to be a wayof life for men and their sons and was passed down fromgeneration to generation. Sievering himself supple-mented his income during college by running a trap-line

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EDUCATION WORKSHOP – continued

and selling furs to support his family. The pilot program began in 2007 with one workshop

and 18 students. It's grown in popularity as the word hasspread throughout the state and this year 4 workshopshad over 50 adults and 71 boys and girls to go throughthe program. "The average age is 12 but we've hadstudents as young as 6 and as old as 22 participate," saidSievering.

In 2010-2011 the Alabama Conservation EnforcementOfficers Association partnered with the AlabamaTrappers and Predator Control Association (ATPCA,) theAlabama Forestry Commission and FurbearersUnlimited to assist in conducting these workshops. TheATPCA and USDA-Wildlife Services provides volunteer

mentors that give freely of their time and expertise toteach these classes that remain free to the public.

The youth go home with knowledge, pride and a senseof accomplishment. Most of all they go home fired upand ready to get into the great outdoors and set their owntrap-line. If you are interested in attending or involunteering to mentor at the Alabama Youth TrapperEducation Workshops contact Mike Sievering in theDistrict III Wildlife Office. Phone 205-339-5716 or emailhim at mike.sievering@dcnr.alabama.gov. You can alsovisit the http://www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/trapping/workshops.cfm and www.atpca.org for moreinformation.

ACE Magazine 71

P residing over arguably the most tumultuous periodin the history of the Alabama Department ofConservation and Natural Resources, Commis-

sioner Barnett Lawley will soon head home to Pell City to“watch his trees grow.”

During his eight-year tenure under Gov. Bob Riley,Lawley has guided the department through two majorhurricanes, an extended drought and the worst oil spillthe nation has ever experienced.

As he returns to the private sector, Lawley saidalthough it’s really difficult to recap all that transpiredduring those years, one accomplishment is fresh in hismind. The recent opening of the Aquatic BiodiversityCenter near Marion gives Lawley great pleasure.

“One of the things I’m really, really proud of is theAquatic Biodiversity Center that will work with musselsand snails,” Lawley said. “It’s something I can leavebehind that will work into perpetuity to ensure cleanwater in the state. This has received an unbelievableamount of publicity. I’ve done interviews withpublications from Germany, Vermont. I’ve talked toNational Geographic. People are really excited becausethis is probably the biggest initiative in the world to cleanwater in the way designed through nature.

“But time flies when you look back. When we camehere, we had the Gulf State Park Hotel and ConventionCenter that was falling apart. We had bad moneyproblems that obviously had to be addressed. We wereable to do that without anybody suffering a severe loss.We did that through attrition and more efficientoperations. One way we were able to do that was MarinePolice and our Conservation Enforcement Officersworking together because their seasons were basicallyopposite. Therefore, Marine Police were helping gamewardens in the winter and vice versa in the summer. Iteliminated a need for a lot more people.”

A year-and-a-half into Lawley’s tenure, Hurricane Ivanslammed into the Alabama Gulf Coast and devastatedthe coastal communities and habitat.

“Ivan did away with our deteriorating Gulf State ParkHotel and Convention Center,” he said. “It wasn’t what Ihad planned. We haven’t been able to do anythingbecause of all of the lawsuits, but hopefully we nowhave a clear path that the hotel and convention centercan be rebuilt.

“But we have been able to do some other work at GulfState Park with the new cottages that are almost likebeach homes. And the Gulf State Park Pier has just been

an overwhelming success that injected much-neededmoney into the State Parks system. The new swimmingpool and store is really going to help the campground atGulf State Park.”

While Lawley was Commissioner, Guntersville Lodgeand Hotel was total revamped to great accolades fromvisitors all over the country. Lakepoint Lodge and Resortalso completed a major renovation, while other parksreceived significant upgrades.

“We’ve been able to get these renovations done in afirst-rate manner and not the patchwork that had beendone for so long,” he said. “It’s really bringing rewardsand helping the parks financially. As you know, we don’tget any General Fund appropriations. We have to makeour own money, which makes it more like a businessthan any part of state government.”

During Lawley’s watch, the purchase of hunting andfishing licenses was upgraded from the traditional paper

COMMISSIONER BARNETT LAWLEYby David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesPhotos by David Rainer

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Lawley and former Conservation Commissioner Riley Boykin Smith enjoythe fellowship during the Alabama Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt.

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licenses only available to a licensed vendor. A systemwas developed with Wal-Mart and Alabama Interactive tosell licenses online and electronically, which has savedthe department thousands of dollars and man-hours forthe vendors.

“Going electronic with our license sales has also beena great benefit, not only with cash flow but record-keeping, as well,” he said. “We’ve won two awardsbecause of our program and there are a lot of states thatwant to copy it. Our Information and Education Sectionhas also won awards and our web site,OutdoorAlabama.com, was voted the best in the nationfor state conservation agencies.”

Lawley also pushed regulations, including the three-buck limit and rules that give landowners andleaseholders more leeway in dealing with animals thatthreaten wildlife and the habitat.

“I think the buck limit is paying huge rewards,” hesaid. “What we were trying to create was a situationwhere hunters self-regulate themselves. That’s workingquite well. I think loosening the coyote and feral hoghunting regulations have helped. I think the coyotes havetaken a toll more than we can count on the deerpopulation. And the feral hogs can do tremendousdamage to property.

“We added crossbows and turkey decoys, which wascontroversial at the time. It hasn’t devastated thepopulations and has helped people get into the woods. Ifyou don’t damage the resource, give the hunter a choiceon how he wants to hunt.”

When Lawley became commissioner, he soon realizedchanges were needed in the Alabama ConservationAdvisory Board and the way it conducted business.

New rules were implemented that required that anychange to the current rules and regulations that fell underthe board’s authority must be discussed at a previousmeeting before any vote could be taken. This wasspecifically designed to give the public more input intothe process and it had been a considerable success.

“Having had the pleasure to serve as Chairman of theAdvisory Board during the majority of Barnett’s time asCommissioner, I have always been impressed with theway he maintains the balance between what is best forthe resource and allowing the public access to thatresource,” said Dan Moultrie. “He has a way of bringingthe different groups together to reach a compromise thatbenefits the user groups but also ensures that the habitatand wildlife are not adversely affected. He truly has atalent for the job.”

The Archery in Schools program has been a bigsuccess that gives individuals a pathway to moreoutdoors activities.

“It has taken off and I don’t think anybody in theirwildest dreams would be as big as it is,” Lawley said. “Itis not a hunting activity, but it could provide the spark

someone needs to become a hunter.“We need sportsmen. We’re a state where hunting is a

heritage, not just for the camaraderie and values youteach your children, it’s the way we manage wildlifepopulations. It’s good table fare, too.”

When it comes to State Lands, Lawley considers theForever Wild Program the most successful ever inAlabama. Forever Wild has purchased or acquired long-term leases on 221,000 acres across Alabama for publicuse, which includes hunting, fishing, hiking, horsebackriding and many other outdoors activities.

“Forever Wild is the best program in government,without question,” Lawley said. “We’ve been able toalmost double our money through matching funds. Wewould save money until we could buy larger tracts ofland where it would be meaningful. Most of the land hasbeen in Wildlife Management Areas, but we have beenable to preserve some really pristine areas, like the Wallsof Jericho, Turkey Creek in Birmingham, Perdido inBaldwin County. This preserves the habitat.”

“We’ve also done a great deal to promote non-gamespecies through our birding trails and joining with MobileAudubon Society to hold the Alabama Coastal Birdfest.Alabama is blessed with bird migrations and is a bigattraction across the country.”

The State Lands Division built its crown jewel – the 5Rivers Delta Resource Center – at the gateway of theMobile-Tensaw Delta while Lawley was commissioner.The center provides educational opportunities withample space for meetings and social gatherings.

“5 Rivers has been way more popular that weanticipated,” Lawley said. “It introduces and educates

Conservation Commissioner Barnett Lawley surveys the boomdeployment along the Alabama Gulf Coast as Outdoor Alabamaphotographer Billy Pope chronicles the preparation for the DeepwaterHorizon Oil Spill.

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COMMISSIONER LAWLEY – continued

everybody to our estuaries and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta,what the Delta means to our coastal habitat. The centeris also a great meeting facility and it’s located in a perfectplace on the Mobile-Baldwin line.”

Of course, the Marine Resources Division was thrustinto the national spotlight when the Deepwater Horizonoil spill affected the Alabama Coast.

“Marine Resources has done a fantastic job in handlingall that’s been involved with the oil spill,” Lawley said.“Fortunately, we were able to keep the oil out of MobileBay, thanks to the Governor and his efforts.

“And offshore, we’ve got the most extensive artificialreef program in the nation, which has allowed the redsnapper to rebound with a vengeance. During the fallsnapper season, people were catching limits in less thanan hour.”

Lawley admits he had no idea the enormity of thecommissioner’s job when Gov. Riley asked him to takethe job.

“When I started I thought we only had 11 or 12 parks(there are 22),” he said. . Because I’ve been involvedwith conservation efforts and hunting and fishing all mylife, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries is what I mainlyknew about. I knew about State Lands.

“It’s been a real learning experience. I have enjoyed itbecause of the people I’ve met, the things I’ve learnedand all that Alabama has to offer. Alabama is a specialplace, very special.”

Riley Boykin Smith, who preceded Lawley asCommissioner, knows full well what the job entails andthinks Lawley has handled it with aplomb.

“I know from first-hand experience how extensive thejob of Commissioner is,” Smith said. “Barnett has beenthrough disaster after disaster and has made sureConservation and Natural Resources has emerged in astronger position each time. He has handled everysituation admirably and has ensured the people ofAlabama will enjoy our great natural resources for

generations to come.”Lawley said his main regret is that the Hotel and

Convention Center at Gulf State Park has not beenrebuilt, although several obstacles have been clearedrecently.

“Next week I’ll go back to Pell City and back intoretirement,” said Lawley, who will be joined in retirementby Assistant Commissioner Hobbie Sealy. “I’ll finallyhave time do a little hunting and fishing, which I haven’tbeen able to do. I thought when I took this position thathunting and fishing would be part of the job, but I wasmistaken.”

Tim Gothard of the Alabama Wildlife Federation saidLawley’s service as Commissioner has been exceptional.

“His passion for the outdoors combined with hispassion for public service made all the difference,”Gothard said. “Barnett did an outstanding job bringinggroups together to achieve significant goals. Three yearsago he secured the support of all the hunting and fishinggroups to pass legislation to increase license fees.Without that increase, our wildlife and fisheriesmanagement programs would be in serious trouble.

“Barnett was excellent at managing conflict as well.Hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts areopinionated and it is easy to have 10 different thoughtprocesses on a single issue. Barnett had a knack forpatiently working through those issues with stakeholdersand finding the common ground. He did an outstandingjob with our Forever Wild program and the AquaticBiodiversity Center is a truly unique and valuableaccomplishment that Barnett brought to life. He shouldtake great pride in knowing that his personal efforts andleadership made this a reality.

“Most of all, Barnett is just a great person that caresdeeply about Alabama’s natural resources, our huntingand angling traditions, and ensuring that hisgrandchildren and ours have even better outdooropportunities available to them in the years ahead.”

ACE Magazine 75

O wls have been a part of man's world and mythosfor a long time. They are clearly depicted inancient cave drawings in both Europe and Asia.

European cultures generally regarded owls with fear andavoidance and as bringers of bad fortune and even death.However, sentiments regarding owls were mixed. Insome circumstances the calling or presence of an owlwas believed to bring good fortune, while brews madefrom owl parts were believed to cure a variety ofillnesses. Superstition aside,many a practical farmerrecognized the value of a pairof owls as near neighbors. Theancient Greeks believed theowl to be a bird of wisdom, anidea which continues today.

Owls were viewed withsimilar mixed emotionsamong Native Americans.Some tribes believed owlswere capable of providingimportant information, espec-ially to tribal shamans.Cherokee shamans consid-ered owls a particularlyvaluable consultant for all important decisions. Sometribes believed that owls were responsible for guidingthe souls of the dead safely to the afterlife, while othertribes fletched arrows with owl feathers to ensure theirsilent flight.

When Europeans arrived in North America, theybrought negative feelings regarding owls with them. Fewof their positive beliefs seem to have made the crossing.Many still viewed the owls as wise, but this wisdom wasusually regarded as being of a somewhat dark andsuspect nature. In general, European Americansconsidered owls to be birds of ill omen. Owls' nocturnalhabits have caused them to be allied, in the minds ofmany, with all that is evil and feared. Some still believethe untimely appearance of an owl to be a warning of badluck, approaching death, or witchcraft at work.

Many early naturalists believed owls to be highlydestructive birds. They attributed considerable losses ofpoultry, especially half-grown poults, to owl depredation.Further, many believed owls to be responsible fordestroying large numbers of desirable game speciessuch as ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, ring-neckedpheasants, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, graysquirrels and fox squirrels. These reports have not beensupported by food habit studies conducted since the late

1800s. Research has foundthat poultry makes up only avery small percentage ofmost owls' diets. Further,game species, especiallygame birds, make up arelatively small proportion ofowls' diets. Findings indicatethat nocturnal rodents and,for some species, insects,make up the largest pro-portion of owls' diets. Owlswill, however, take whateverprey is available, includingless preferred game speciesand poultry, if populations of

their preferred food species are very low.Which species make up the largest proportion of owls'

diet in a given area varies with regard to the populationlevels of available prey species. In general, the higher aspecies population grows, the more susceptibleindividuals are to predation. Typically, owls will tend tofocus their feeding efforts on whichever of their preyspecies are most readily available and susceptible. Overtime, this concentrated predation will result in reducedpopulation and reduced susceptibility in a given preyspecies. Fortunately for the owls, while they werefocusing on one prey species, one or more other specieswill have been experiencing a population growth.Eventually, another prey species will become the mostreadily available, and owls will switch their feeding focus

OWLS EVOKE MIXED SENTIMENTSBy John S. Powers, Area Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesArticle courtesy of Wildlife and the Outdoors, January 5, 2011

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OWLS – continued

to that species. This "switching behavior" benefits manby helping to keep prey species from becoming sonumerous they become a problem. Conversely, the owls'feeding strategy benefits the prey species by helpingreduce competition among the various species forlimited resources. The broad range of size exhibited bydifferent owl species and the associated differences in thesize of prey they consume helps to reduce competitionamong owl species for food. Overall, owls' consumptionof large numbers of small rodents makes them more ofan asset to man than a liability.

Owls and other predators can be viewed as indicatorsof the overall health, quality, and energy flow of theecosystems of which they are a part. As predators,populations of owls are limited by the quantity anddiversity of appropriate prey species available to them.Because of the inefficiency of energy transfer fromsunlight to plants, to herbivores, to predators, owls areespecially sensitive to disruptions in natural systems.

Therefore, healthy populations of owls, especially ofmultiple species, can be assumed to indicate healthypopulations of their prey species, and can, by extension,be viewed as evidence of a healthy, stable ecosystem.

As superstitions fade, owls are being held in highesteem by more and more people. For scientists, theirimportance as indicator species for the health ofnaturals systems is of obvious value. For many others,the intrinsic and aesthetic values seeing and hearingowls far outweigh whatever minor negative impactsthey may have.

The Alabama Department of Conservation andNatural Resources promotes wise stewardship,management and enjoyment of Alabama's naturalresources through five divisions: Marine Police, MarineResources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR visitwww.outdooralabama.com.

ACE Magazine 79

F eral hog populations inAlabama and across theUnited States are growing at

alarming rates, with agriculturaldamage estimates nationwide reach-ing $1.5 billion annually. Control ofthis nuisance species is difficult andoften entails countless man-hoursand expense to Alabama landownersand wildlife managers. Live-trappingof feral hogs is the most costeffective method available tolandowners for removing largenumbers of feral hogs and decreas-ing the damage on a given property.

Enticing hogs to enter a trap isrelatively easy; however, onecommon mistake that first-time hogtrappers make is buying or buildinga trap, throwing bait in it, andsetting the trigger. This techniquecan catch a few hogs; however,trappers that pre-bait their trap andpractice a little patience will be farmore successful.

Pre-baiting of hog traps is asimple task. Once the trap iserected, tie the doors open so thedoor will not close or fall. Bait thetrap heavily; whole kernel or souredcorn works well. After baiting thetrap, leave the area and inspect thetrap every two or three days. Addadditional bait as needed whenchecking the traps and inspect thetrap for hog tracks, droppings, androoting. Leave the door on the traptied open until evidence of multiplehogs entering the trap is observed.After determining that multiple hogsare entering the trap, untie the door

of the trap and set the trigger. Bypre-baiting the trap, the trapshyness of the hogs is decreasedand the likelihood of catchingmultiple hogs the first night the trapis set is increased.

Adult sows and boars areintelligent and cautious. Theyusually are the last hogs to enter anew trap for the first time. Hogtrappers who fail to pre-bait theirtraps usually catch juvenile hogs andfail to catch the adults. Since theadult sows drop piglets twice a year,it is very important to catch theseadults for trapping to have anychance of reducing the population.

The use of motion-activated trailcameras to monitor the inside of thetrap while pre-baiting can alsoincrease success rates. Check thecamera every time the trap ischecked during the pre-baitingperiod and inspect the picturescarefully. Identify specific feral hogsby color, color patterns, and size.Document the number of feral hogsin each sounder (a sounder is afamily group of hogs) visiting thetrap. The goal should be to removethe entire sounder. Monitoring thepictures at each trap site gives atrapper the ability to identify when allthe hogs in a sounder that areentering a trap and helps determinewhen trapping efforts will be themost successful.

Live-trapping feral hogs is themost cost effective control methodfor eliminating large numbers of feralhogs from a given property. By

properly pre-baiting traps andutilizing a little patience, landownersand wildlife managers can increasetheir trapping success rates andeffectively decrease the amount ofdamage and competition with nativegame animals from hogs on theirproperties. Pre-baiting traps andutilizing motion activated trailcameras to identify when to set thetrigger on a trap are two techniquesto help anyone become a moreefficient and successful trapper.

For more information on trappingferal hogs contact Wildlife BiologistChris Jaworowski at 154 Battlefield,Lowndesboro, AL 36752, or contactyour local Wildlife and FreshwaterFisheries District Office.

The Alabama Department ofConservation and Natural Resourcespromotes wise stewardship,management and enjoyment ofAlabama's natural resourcesthrough five divisions: Marine Police,Marine Resources, State Lands,State Parks, and Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. To learn moreabout ADCNR visit www.outdooralabama.com.

PRE-BAITING HOG TRAPS INCREASESSUCCESS RATES By Chris Jaworowski, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesArticle courtesy of Wildlife and the Outdoors, February 7, 2011Photo by Chris Jaworowski

ACE Magazine 81

M ost every student of Alabama history andgeography learns about the state's beautifulTennessee River, which flows generally east-to-

west across north Alabama. The waters that ultimatelybecome the Tennessee River have their headwaters inthe springs and streams of the Appalachian Mountains.Near Knoxville, Tenn., the Holston and French BroadRivers flow together and begin the river we now knowproperly as the Tennessee. The river continues to flowsouthwestward across the state of Tennessee intoAlabama, where it makes a huge sweeping curvenorthward, and flows back across Tennessee beforeemptying into the Ohio River at Paducah, Ky. Duringhistorical times, the river in Alabama along the southernportion of this arc was a series of extensive shoals andrapids - the Muscle Shoals, called "Mussel Shoals" onsome early maps.

The area along the river in Alabama was home toseveral of the historical Native American tribes, each ofwhich had their own name for the river or particularsections of it. These included the Cherokee, Chickasaw,Shawnee, Creek and Yuchi (also called Euchee orUchee) tribes. The meaning and origin of the wordTennessee itself is uncertain. Some suggest it is aCherokee modification of an earlier Yuchi word. Theword has been said to mean "meeting place," "winding

river" or "river of the great bend." According toethnographer James Mooney, the name cannot beanalyzed, and its meaning is lost.

According to Alabama historian William L. McDonald,the Cherokee Indians called the river Kallumchee, andthe area we now know as the Muscle Shoals they called- Chaka tsh locko, which means "big shoal." TheChickasaw referred to the great bend of the river inAlabama as Thegalego and called the Muscle ShoalsDagunahi, meaning "a place of mussels."

One of the more interesting descriptions of the shoals,however, is a legend associated with the Yuchie tribe,who in their language called the Tennessee Nunnuhsae,or "The Singing River." In historical times and before theMussel Shoals were dammed by the TVA, the watersflowing around rocks, over low waterfalls and rushingthrough natural sluices could be heard many milesdistant, even before the shoals were seen. Imagine theentire volume of today's river flowing through a 20-mile-long shallow canyon, down a series of extensiveshoals - the Elk River Shoals, Big Muscle Shoals, LittleMuscle Shoals, the Bee Tree and Colbert Shoals. Overthese shoals the river dropped some 140 feet.Waterfalls cascaded from the bluffs along the river intothe rapids. Wading birds, waterfowl and wildlife were

continued on 83

The Singing RiverThe Singing RiverM. Keith Hudson, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesArticle courtesy of Wildlife and the Outdoors, January 12, 2011

ACE Magazine 83

THE SINGING RIVER – continued

everywhere. What a sight it must have been! What asound it must have made! And, what an opportunity itafforded early peoples as a place to cross the river, fishin the shallows and exploit the freshwater musselsfound among the shoals.

According to the Yuchi, these flowing waters soundedto them like a woman singing. In times of low water, shesang sweetly. But when the river was raging, shesounded loud and angry. Again, according to historianMcDonald, "...this, to the Indian was the spirit of aprincess calling for her lover. Sometimes her song wasloud and boisterous. On other occasions she sang softly.Now and then could be heard a most inaudible hummingfrom her throat and lips. Yet, this mythical princess isalways here, hidden under the mysterious waters of anancient river as she reveals her secrets through athousand summers..."

This legend of The Singing River is well known tomany people in northwest Alabama. Indeed, theAlabama Legislature voted to rename the new bridge justdownriver from Wilson Dam the Singing River Bridge.

This is to pay homage to the area's rich Native Americanheritage and Muscle Shoals' modern musical history.

Whether it is fact or fabrication, the Legend of theSinging River is a beautiful story and description of theearly Muscle Shoals. Today, the sounds of these shoalsare gone, buried by the reservoirs of TVA's Wilson andWheeler Dams. However, occasionally, when river watersare high and TVA is releasing waters through the shallowtailwaters below these dams, one can again hear theloud, boisterous singing princess. But in times of lowwater, the area behind and below the dams are mostlystill or moving slowly - and silent. And sadly, we can nolonger hear the princess' soft song, calling her lover.

The Alabama Department of Conservation andNatural Resources promotes wise stewardship,management and enjoyment of Alabama's naturalresources through five divisions: Marine Police, MarineResources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR visitwww.outdooralabama.com.

ACE Magazine 85

T he week before the New Year, Alabama lost oneof its leaders in the world of conservation. VernonMinton, Director of the Alabama Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources’ Marine ResourcesDivision, passed away after a lengthy illness at the ageof 61.

I remember him as a gentle giant who maintained acalm head while others about him were losing theirs. Hisknack for the art of compromise served him greatlyduring the battles between the commercial andrecreational anglers. His promotion of the artificial reefprogram, both inshore and offshore, has resulted inexcellent saltwater angling opportunities and anunparalleled red snapper fishery.

Conservation Commissioner Barnett Lawley witnessedfirst-hand Minton’s efforts for the past eight years.

“Vern did an admirable job in managing the fishery asour director and as a member of the Gulf of MexicoFishery Management Council,” Lawley said. “I think Vernwas always very fair. As long as both sides werecomplaining, you knew he was making the rightdecision. I never saw a situation where you could say hewas leaning this way or that way.

“Vern loved his job, loved his people. He was asdedicated as anybody to the State of Alabama in what hedid. A lot of people are in this for their ego, but Vern wasnot one of those. He was a very knowledgeable,articulate man – someone that you were proud to havestand up and represent your state and your department.”

Longtime colleague and fellow marine scientist BobShipp shared many Gulf Council meetings, as well asmany trips into the Gulf on red snapper research outings.Shipp agreed that Minton’s imposing 6-foot, 6-inchframe belied his demeanor.

“The thing that stood out most for me with Vernon washis concern for the people involved in the fisheries,” saidShipp, head of the Marine Sciences Department at theUniversity of South Alabama and chairman of the GulfCouncil. “Even in areas where we disagreed, like the gillnets, a lot of what he did was because he felt so stronglyfor the people. He really had a huge heart. I’ll neverforget one day I was on I-10 heading east and a car wasbroken down on the side of the road. About 50 feet

beyond them, Vernon had pulled over. They were totalstrangers, but he was walking back to help them. That’sjust the kind of person he was.”

As members of the Gulf Council, Shipp said years ofreductions in snapper seasons and bag limits wereespecially disconcerting to Minton, who knew from first-

THE LOSS OF VERNON MINTONby David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesPhoto by Marine Resources

continued on 87

Vernon Minton often served as mentor and deck hand on youth fishingtrips into the Gulf of Mexico off Alabama’s coast, where Minton’sadvocacy for the artificial reef program produced an unparalleled redsnapper fishery.

ACE Magazine 87

VERNON MINTON – continued

hand experience that the status of the red snapper stocksdid not match the dire predictions of what he consideredwere flawed computer models.

“As far as conservation was concerned, Vernon wastotally committed to the artificial reef program and thesnapper stocks,” Shipp said. “It was really frustrating forhim to see the failing of the science – how far behind thescience was – and having to operate in that system. Hehad great respect for science, but the databases were soinadequate, which translated into shortened seasons andpeople being cut out of work. He had a difficult timeaccepting that.

“The work Vernon did on rearing red snapper wasespecially noteworthy. He worked with Auburn facultyand students and they made the breakthrough on thelarval food for red snapper. Once they made thatbreakthrough, the mariculture of red snapper wascertainly possible.”

At the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in GulfShores, Minton was involved with many fisheries projectsthat included red drum, shrimp and spotted seatrout. Healso found a way to get funding to build a saltwaterintake and pipeline that pumped water from the Gulf tothe Peteet Center for the effort to successfully spawn redsnapper.

Chris Blankenship, Acting Director of MarineResources, said Minton’s ability to bring people togetherfor a common cause served as a valuable lesson.

“Vernon had a big impact on Marine Resources overthe last 20-plus years,” Blankenship said. “He forged alot of relationships with federal partners and with non-governmental organizations that have an interest in thefisheries.

“I think what people will remember is that he listenedto all sides of a situation. He looked at the science andtried to do what was the overall best for the fishery. Ilearned a lot from Vern – a lot about fisheriesmanagement and a lot about dealing with the public.”

Steve Heath, who retired in 2009 as Chief MarineBiologist, worked with Minton for 31 years at MarineResources and witnessed a significant shift in the wayfisheries management was conducted.

“The flavor of marine resources and managementchanged over those 30 years,” Heath said. “When we firststarted, the division and department mandated what was

going to happen in terms of regulations – size limits, baglimits and seasons. There wasn’t a lot of involvementfrom the public. But over the 30 years, the fishermen,both commercial and recreational, became moreinvolved in the process. People became much moreaware of how regulations and laws were created andwere able to have input and express their opinions.

“By the time Vern became director and I became ChiefBiologist, we were very much involved in what I call co-management. We would sit down with the fishermen anddiscuss what we needed to do, based on our data. Wewould get their input from their experience. Then wewould use the combination to reach the desired result.”

Heath said when Minton became director in 1990 hequickly became immersed in the controversy betweenrecreational anglers and gill net fishermen.

“We were involved during a tremendous period ofgrowth for marine resources in Alabama,” Heath said.“When he first became director it was a baptism ofincredible fire. He walked right into the situation whenrecreation fishermen wanted to eliminate gill net fishing.He spent many long hours and days to come up with acompromise that would allow each side to share in theharvest. And he succeeded.

“He worked hard to ensure that the commercial sectorgot to share in the fishery. At the same time, he gotredfish and speckled trout declared game fish during histenure. He also did a tremendous amount to increase ourartificial reef program, and he started the inshore reefprogram. He was instrumental in the establishment of thesaltwater fishing license, which provided much neededfunding for fisheries management. I think Vernon’slegacy was his ability to work with all the different usergroups.”

Shipp thinks the outstanding red snapper fishery offthe Alabama Coast will represent Minton’s contributionto marine conservation.

“I think the artificial reef fishery for snapper andgrouper will continue to be recognized as one of theoutstanding fisheries in the United States,” Shipp said.“The tiny coast of Alabama produces a third of the Gulfof Mexico’s red snapper. That resulted from Vernon’seffort to continue to put out artificial structures and do itin a way that was environmentally sound. I think thatfishery will be his greatest legacy.”

ACE Magazine 89

I t has been another year of overwhelming andamazing support for The Journey School. And theAlabama Conservation Enforcement Officer

Association has been a wonderful donor to support ourcause. Their donation has allowed us the opportunity tocontinue working with some amazing children and theirfamilies. The Journey School is a unique inclusivepreschool in Selma, Alabama designed to includechildren with special needs and typically developingchildren in the regular classroom. TJS has been inoperation for three years and serves children ages 2 1/2to 5 years old. Our mission at The Journey School is toprovide an educationally appropriate and nurturingenvironment where children with diverse abilities learnand play with a purpose. What is so special about ourprogram is having typical and special needs children inthe same classroom. There are so many benefits for allchildren to this type of learning environment. The keyelement, here, is that typical children serve as positiverole models for our special needs students as well asbenefiting from our highly specialized techniques andservices. They learn leadership, compassion, andacceptance. We strive to create an environment wherewe meet each child's educational needs while alsoteaching them in a group setting.

There are so many unique opportunities offered atTJS. The teachers use developmental assessments and

an award-winning curriculum to develop an educationalplan which is implemented into the classroom. We havereceived a grant that provides us with a music, art, andphysical education teacher. We also have specialsessions with the Literacy Program from Therapy DogsInternational. During the summer months, we offerweekly themed-camps and enrichment camps for olderstudents.

Because of the many specialized services offered atThe Journey School, our program is very expensive torun and maintain. We depend on grants and donations tohelp manage our expenses. Each year we have plannedand prepared for a big fundraiser called the Blue JeanBall. The success of this fundraiser is crucial incontinuing our mission at TJS. We have had atremendous outpouring of community support as well assupport from surrounding area organizations andbusinesses. This year $33,000 was raised to helpcontinuing our development at TJS. The ACEOA gavegenerously towards supporting our future endeavors. Weare so thankful to have their support and believe in thebenefits of giving. Our past, present, and future childrenhave already been and will be affected by the act ofselfless generosity and compassion.

Thank you, ACEOA!

ACE Magazine 91

H ave you ever been outdoors and noticed a bird,snake or some other critter that you have neverseen before and wondered what it was? The

Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisherieshas launched a new website where you can go for help inidentifying that animal. At www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife, you will find informationconcerning the many amphibians, birds, crayfish, fish,freshwater jellyfish, mammals, mollusks and reptilesfound in the state, along with at least one picture of theanimal and its current status in Alabama.

The web page heading is called "Watchable Wildlife."Just what is watchable wildlife? It is wildlife that can beenjoyed by viewing. Watching wildlife can begin at anyage and is a lifelong learning experience that anyone canparticipate in. It can be as simple as observing abackyard feeder or as adventurous as hiking one ofAlabama's state parks to see what you can find. Many ofthe animals you will see are as common as a redwingblackbird in your back yard, while some animals, such aswood storks, are less common and are passing throughon their seasonal migrations. Others, such as the sandhillcrane, are so rare that dedicated watchers spend hoursjust to catch a glimpse. The watchable wildlife websitecan help you identify theanimals that you observe, orjust help you learn aboutexactly what animals exist inAlabama and where you mightbe able to go to see them. Inaddition, the Division of Wildlifeand Freshwater Fisheries hopesthat this website will be a usefulresource for teachers, students,or anyone who just wants toknow a little more about thewildlife here in Alabama.

On the web pages you willenjoy reading about the 73different species of amphibians(30 frogs and 43 salamanders),420 species of birds, 62 speciesof mammals, 93 species ofreptiles (12 lizards, 49 snakes,

31 turtles and 1 alligator) and over 300 species of fish. Inaddition, there is useful information on freshwatermussels and snails, freshwater jellyfish, and crayfish.Almost all have at the minimum a picture to use foridentification. Most pages also include the scientificname, description, distribution, habitat type, feedinghabits, life history and ecology. The website is still a workin progress and information and updates are being addedon a continual basis, so keep checking back if you don'tfind what you are looking for.

We are fortunate to live in a state that is blessed withsuch a tremendous amount of natural diversity. Wildlifeviewing is a relaxing experience that provides areconnection to nature and can be a fun and inexpensiveactivity for the entire family to enjoy together. Spendsome time outdoors this summer; you never know whatyou might see!

The Alabama Department of Conservation andNatural Resources promotes wise stewardship,management and enjoyment of Alabama's naturalresources through five divisions: Marine Police, MarineResources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife andFreshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR visitwww.outdooralabama.com.

WEBSITE HELPS IDENTIFY WILDLIFEby Marisa Lee, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater FisheriesArticle courtesy of Wildlife and the Outdoors, February 28, 2011

ACE Magazine 93

T hey came from all over the country, dressed in wetsuits, chest waders, hip boots and knee boots andbailed off into Mobile Bay. They emerged covered

in enough mud to make a rambunctious 5-year-old boyenvious.

But this mud fest was not about play. It was seriousbusiness. This was the opening step in a five-yearjourney to restore habitat in coastal Alabama.

The 100-1000 Restore Coastal Alabama program isdesigned to build 100 miles of oyster beds that will aid

the restoration of 1,000 acres of shoreline habitat. TheAlabama Coastal Foundation, Mobile Baykeeper, TheNature Conservancy and The Ocean Foundation formeda coalition in 2010 to try to mitigate the environmentalimpacts of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well asreverse years of shoreline habitat damage from pollution,storms, erosion and human interaction.

The recent effort at Helen Wood Park on Mobile Bayjust north of Dog River utilized 10-pound sacks of oystershells to build a quarter-mile boundary along a mud flatthat was slowly expanding into the shoreline.

Funding from the Alabama Wildlife Federation,National Wildlife Federation, the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration and U.S. Fish and WildlifeService paid for the initial effort that placed 16,000 sacksof shells across the mud flat. Other organizationsinvolved in the effort were: Coastal ConservationAssociation of Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab,Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and MobileBay National Estuary Program.

Mobile Baykeeper’s Casi Callaway, who was in themiddle of the action during the two-day initial event, saidshe was “ecstatic” with the response of the public to theinitial project.

“We couldn’t have asked for anything better,”Callaway said. “We had 545 volunteers from as far awayas California. To see people so excited and so motivatedto do a really nasty and hard job was just inspiring.

“This is the first step. Funding is the question, ofcourse. But we believe for $90 million we can put 100miles of oyster reefs and shoreline protection measuresand plant and promote 1,000 acres of marsh and seagrass in five years. The BP oil disaster was the biggestenvironmental disaster to happen in this country, and itrequires an answer that big. It requires a response thatbig. And planning and building 100 miles of oyster reefs– that’s the kind of answer we need to do.”

The 100-1000 program is an effort to put a masterplan together that will bring all the environmentalorganizations together for a common effort,Callaway said.

“We’ve been incrementally losing habitat,” she said.

RESTORE COASTAL ALABAMA by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesPhotos by David Rainer

continued on 95

Dan Everson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hands off one of the 10-pound sacks of oyster shells to Judy Haner of The Nature Conservancyduring the 100-1000 Restore Coastal Alabama event held recently on thewestern shore of Mobile Bay just north of the mouth of Dog River. About16,000 bags of oyster shells were used to construct a reef across a mudflat, which will start a regeneration of improved coastal habitat in bothbottom structure and aquatic vegetation.

ACE Magazine 95

RESTORE COASTAL ALABAMA – continued

“We’ve been losing reefs, shorelinesand boatloads of wetlands and marshand sea grass. We’ve got all thesewonderful organizations that indepen-dently are doing a quarter-mile or half-mile or 100 acres or 10 acres of grassplanting or whatever. We’ve all beendoing these little projects that areamazing, but they’re small. What weneed to do is unify, get everyonetalking to each other and figure outhow to put our money, our effortsand our energy together to dosomething big.”

Judy Haner, Marine ProgramDirector with The Nature Conservancy,said their organization had alreadystarted work in the area and the oysterreef building fit nicely into their plans.

“It worked out really perfectly for usto get a large group of people out herein a high visibility area and geteverybody involved,” Haner said.“We’re putting oyster reef barriers and breakwaters inplace to mimic old oyster reefs that were once here toprotect the shoreline and allow the marsh to regrow inareas where it has eroded. In addition, we have somemarsh grasses on site. We want to protect those, but theywill thrive in the lee between the oyster reefs and theshoreline. So we’re excited about that.

“We’re planting oysters for shoreline protection andhabitat improvement. The habitat improvement willaffect the finfish and shellfish that live in and around thebay. It will be great nursery habitat. The complex of theoyster reef with the sea grass and marsh is justspectacular for that purpose – for productivity.”

Dan Everson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’sDaphne office said the funding provided by the servicecame through the Ecological Services Office’s aptlynamed Coastal Program.

“We work closely with other agencies in southAlabama, as well as NGOs (non-governmentalorganizations) and other organizations that deal withconservation issues,” Everson said. “It was veryexciting for us to be able to provide some money to getthis going.

“Just about any fish or shellfish species that inhabitthe bay or Gulf near here will benefit from this. When youlook at the historical numbers of fish that came out ofMobile Bay, it was just tremendous. That was because, atone time, there was a lot of structure. It was three-dimensional. You didn’t really see these expansive mudflats. These oyster reefs are going to provide that habitat,

those nooks and crannies where oyster spat will settle.Other bivalves will move in. A whole ecosystem is goingto get started because you’ve provided that hardstructure. The small fish start moving in because of thestructure and the big fish follow. Fishing opportunitieshere are going to be tremendous in a few years.”

Chris Olberhoster, The Nature Conservancy’sAlabama State Director, said he was amazed at theresponse for such a task that left everyone speckled, ifnot coated, in mud.

“We had fantastic turnout, a fantastic show of supportfrom the local community and folks from all over theUnited States,” Olberhoster said. “People from as faraway as Indiana, Massachusetts and California came bythe dozens to help with this oyster reef and other livingshoreline projects. It shows how much people care aboutthe Gulf, especially in light of what has happened overthe last nine months.

“This segment is the start and this is as much fundingas is available right now through the contributions ofprivate donors, organizations and public agencies. Afterthat, we hope to get some Clean Water Act or restitutionmoney from the Deepwater Horizon event so we canreinvest it back into the Gulf of Mexico for this kind ofwork. That what it’s going to take to move the needle anddo this at a scale where it’s going to make a difference inwater quality and habitat restoration. This is somethingthat’s never been done on this scale.”

A lone volunteer makes her way back across the mud flat at the end of the first day’s effort.

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