WINTER 2010

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE ALABAMA CONSERVATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ASSOCIATION

2010 ACEOA OFFICER OF THE YEAR

JOHN THOMAS JENKINS
 Official Publication of the ACEOA

WWW.ACEOA.ORG WINTER 2010

EDITOR:
Warren Hinson
in this issue...
ASSISTANT EDITOR: President’s Corner ....................................................................................3
Gayle Morrow
Notes from the Trenches ..........................................................................5

PUBLISHER: 2010 State Officers and Directors ............................................................7

Brent-Wyatt West Officer of the Year Banquet ......................................................................9
601 Interstate Park Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36109 William “Bill” Perryman Award ..............................................................13
The Painting of Sedgefield Clubhouse ....................................................17
SALES OFFICES: Alabama Chapter C.O.P.S. Thank You ..................................................23
Bryan Elkins, Sr.
Jim Downing Lamp Muscles ........................................................................................27
601 Interstate Park Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36109 Raw Weather Day Cannot Stop the Youth ..............................................33
(334) 213-6229
Oak Mountain State Park White-Tailed Deer ..........................................43
Big Oak Youth Hunt 2010 at the Oaks ..................................................49
Hunter Safety ........................................................................................57
The 2010 Buckmaster Expo ..................................................................63
ON THE COVER
ACEOA 2010
Choctaw Youth Dove Hunt 2010 ............................................................67
OFFICER
Trout ......................................................................................................73
OF THE YEAR
JOHN THOMAS JENKINS. Pennsylvania Conservation Officer Kill in the Line of Duty ....................79
Geneva and Covington County Youth Dove Hunts..................................83
Henry County Youth Dove Hunt 2010 ....................................................87
Limestone County Youth Dove Hunt ......................................................93
Delta Shooting........................................................................................97
Morgan County Youth Dove Hunt ........................................................103
ACEOA Supports Hunter Education ....................................................109
Wilcox County Youth Dove Hunt ..........................................................115
ADCNR Honor Guard ..........................................................................123
Advertisers Index..................................................................................168
Business Directory ..............................................................................174

ACE Magazine is the official publication of the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officer Association. Purchase of
advertising space does not entitle the advertisers to any privileges or favors from members. ACE Magazine does not
assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by any contributor. This magazine is created and produced
by Brent-Wyatt West. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

ACE Magazine 1
President’s Corner
by Chris Jaworowski- Wildlife Biologist and ACEOA President
s the leaves turn yellow and signal the begin-
A
ning of another fall season, ACEOA is prepar-
ing for another busy season. After a fun filled
summer of youth fishing events, shooting sports,
and dove hunts, the ACEOA Board of Directors and
Elected Officer’s are now preparing for youth deer
hunts, youth squirrel hunts, and the Buckmaster’s
Life Hunt. Special thanks go out to our sponsor’s
that make these events possible.
As the seasons change, ACEOA is also changing
for the better. We have now entered the technologi-
cal age and have made becoming an ACEOA mem-
ber easier for Officers and Associate members. On
our website, www.ACEOA.org prospective members
can now join ACEOA online utilizing their PayPal
ACEOA…Making a Difference.
accounts. New memberships as well as renewals
can now be handled using this system. Please help
support ACEOA and join today!
In this issue of ACE magazine, we would like to
congratulate two very special people. Recently,
Director John Thomas Jenkins, Marine Police, was
selected as the ACEOA Officer of the Year and
Louise Grider was selected as the recipient of the
ACEOA Bill Perryman Award. Please review the
accomplishments of these two extraordinary people
and join the ACEOA Board of Directors and Elected
Officers in recognizing their dedication to the con-
servation of Alabama’ s natural resources.
I hope that you enjoy this issue of ACE magazine
and wish you a safe and successful hunting season.
ACE Magazine 3
Notes from the Trenches
by Rusty Morrow, ACEOA Executive Director
hope all of our corporate sponsors, associates, and
I officers received their summer issue of ACE
Magazine. We are especially proud of this issue
because we can show those summer events that really
bring the youth into the great Alabama outdoors.
Congratulations, again, to Matt Weathers, our 2010
Top Gun. We really had some great competition this
year. You don’t want to get into a gun fight with these
guys! We’ll put them up against any state enforcement
agency. Now, there’s an idea!
I was fortunate to spend the second day of youth deer
season with my grandson, Chase Little. We had spent
an afternoon after school the previous week checking
his rifle. I even took a few to check and re-sight from
last year. He loves to shoot so I knew he would be eager
to help.
We got in our stand for an afternoon of deer hunting.
The afternoon was rather warm for mid-November. He
was battling a cold and I was recovering from a sinus
infection. We sounded more like the emergency room at
Baptist Medical Center than two eager hunters in a deer
stand. Auburn was playing Georgia; so he was keeping
me informed on the ballgame with aid from my Walkman
and headphones. About 4 pm I looked at Chase and
asked if he wanted to get the four-wheeler and check the
food plots. I didn’t get it out of my mouth good before he
started packing his bag.
Like his granddad, Chase was satisfied with just being
outside and enjoying nature. We probably could have
stayed in the stand and maybe harvested a deer but – so
what. Riding the four-wheeler was more important at the
moment.
It’s great to have
Jerry Fincher back
writing editorials. I
hope you read his arti-
cle, “Hunting with
Children”, in the Sum-
mer Issue of ACE. You
will discover that a lot of what he says is true. The key is
to make enjoyment the priority of the hunt. Oftentimes,
the harvest of an animal is made the priority. This should
never be your goal – especially dealing with young
hunters. Make it a memorable experience and the har-
vest part will come.
Please enjoy the Fall Issue of ACE Magazine. It fea-
tures two very special people, Director John Thomas
Jenkins and Mrs. Louise Grider. Read their stories and
I’m sure you will agree with our findings.
Our mission statements for ACEOA are broad. With all
of the events and National benefits we sponsor, we often
lose sight of one of our most important. That is to sup-
port our Conservation Officers in this state. We must
defend and protect the integrity of these positions and all
dedicated men and women that hold them. When this is
threatened, this association will react. No battle is too
large. We are the voice of these men and women and we
will be there.
Thank you for your continuous support. Enjoy the Fall
Issue and, when finished, pass it on. Remember that all
memberships are renewable on January 1, 2011.
Memberships can now be renewed online by visiting our
website at www.aceoa.org Visit us also on Facebook!
ACE Magazine 5
2010 State Officers and Directors
Executive Director
Rusty Morrow
(Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Enforcement Retired)

2010 ACEOA State Officers

President – Chris Jaworowski
Vice President – Trey Pose
Secretary/Treasurer – Chris Lewis

2010 District Directors and Associates

D-I Director – Ernie Stephens
D-I Associate Director – Wendell Fulks
D-II Director – Scott Kellenberger
D-II Associate Director – Jerry Fincher
D-III Director – Grady Myers
D-III Associate Director – Joe Little
D-III Associate Director – Cliff Robinson
D-IV Director – John Bozeman
D-IV Director – Vance Woods
D-IV Associate Director – Heath Walls
D-IV Associate Director – Don Reaves
D-V Associate Director – Bo Willis

ACE Magazine
Editor – Warren Hinson
Associate Editor – Gayle Morrow

ACE Magazine 7
OFFICER OF THE YEAR BANQUET
by Gayle Morrow

banquet honoring the 2010 ACEOA Officer of the while Captain Dennis Sanford and Lt. Ryan Bennett

A Year was held at the Renaissance Hotel in

Montgomery, Alabama. The room was filled to
capacity as friends and peers of Director Jenkins
gathered to honor him on August 23. Everyone enjoyed
a very tasty meal prior to the award presentation.
Captain Johnny Johnson read the letter of
recommendation for Director John Thomas Jenkins
stood nearby. Rusty Morrow presented Director Jenkins
with a beautiful ACEOA acrylic award.
Ex-Commissioner Barnett Lawley was present and
commended Director Jenkins for the excellent work he
has done.
More photos on 11

Rusty Morrow presents Director John Thomas Jenkins with the prestigious Officer of the Year Award. Also pictured are Captain Johnny
Johnson, Captain Dennis Sanford, and Lt. Ryan Bennett.

The room was filled with supporters of Director John Thomas Commissioner Barnett Lawley commends Director Jenkins for the
Jenkins. excellent work he has done.

ACE Magazine 9
Officer of the Year – continued

Captain Johnny Johnson reads the letter of recommendation for John Thomas.
Director John Thomas Jenkins. Also pictured are Captain Dennis
Sanford and Lt. Ryan Bennett.

ACE Magazine 11
LOUISE GRIDER RECEIVES 2010
WILLIAM “BILL” PERRYMAN AWARD
here are very few people who have devoted so artist, thus she studied birds so she could become a

T much of their time and money to the rehabilitation

and public education of birds as Louise Grider.
Louise is a resident of Coffee County, Alabama and is the
only privately owned bird rehab center in Alabama.
There are two other rehab facilities in Alabama, one in
Auburn and the other at Oak Mountain.
Louise always had a love for taking care of injured
birds as she grew up. As an adult she became a wildlife
better artist. Many people would bring her injured birds to
take care of but she could not take federally protected
species so in 1987 Lt. Randy White of Alabama
Department of Conservation suggested she get a federal
permit. After her application and many letters from
Veterinarians, Mayors, Councilmen and Lt. White she
continued on 15

Jingles.

Rusty Morrow presents Louise Grider with the award and an

ACEOA donation.
Casper.

ACE Magazine 13
Perryman Award – continued
was given a License for protected bird rehab. She
eventually applied for an education and position permit
which would allow her to exhibit for education and keep
the birds which were not able to rehab and return to the
wild. With this permit came many federal restrictions
which included large aviaries.
Louise specializes in birds of raptor (owls, hawks, etc.)
but will help any bird she can. She does not rehab any
eagles but refers them to Auburn where they have an
excellent rehab program. On the average she will have
15 to 17 birds at one time and has had as many as 25.
On the average a bird will be with her for a year before it
can be released to the wild again. Louise feeds the birds
mice, which she buys commercially or chicken thighs
she buys at the grocery which amounts to around five
hundred dollar a month bill. These birds are brought to
her by Conservation Officers, Animal Control Officers
and the public. She operates the facility only with the
Officers gather in support of Louise Grider.
Rusty Morrow, Louise Grider and Officer John Bozeman.
assistance of one family per year where she teaches the
family members how to take care of injured birds.
Louise’s funding for her facility comes from her and the
monies she gets from giving education programs about
birds and donations from the public.
The most memorable bird she ever cared for was an
Osprey, Mama Oz, which came from Dale County Lake
which she had for eight years. Mama Oz was not rehab
able thus she became an education bird. What made
Mama Oz so remarkable was that she would rest on the
arm of the public and this is rare because Ospreys are
high strung birds and do not adjust to humans very easily.
With citizens like Louise Grider birds can expect if
possible to be able to get their wings back with time. If
you have a bird that is injured or would like to make a
donation you can contact Louise Grider at (334) 894-
6229 or mail her at 14023 Highway 167, New Brockton,
Alabama 36351.
Pumpkin.
ACE Magazine 15
THE PAINTING OF
SEDGEFIELD CLUBHOUSE
by Rusty Morrow
met with Jimmy Hinton, Jr., in January 2010, on the
I last day of the BADF Life Hunt Classic. I asked what
our association could do to help the effort of putting
the Classic on at Sedgefield Plantation. He was quick to
respond with a request for the association to consider
painting the clubhouse. I knew this was doable and that
our board of directors would readily agree to this
worthwhile project. We always budget some of our funds
to benefit special community projects such as this one.
The board of directors was eager to help and the
project was on. Several trips later and many hard hours
ACEOA noticed last January that the Sedgefield building was in need of a little paint so we volunteered to get the job done before
the 2011 Life Hunt.
of removing many years of old paint the project came to
an end on November 8th. We are proud to say that the
clubhouse has a fresh coat of white paint. Never let it be
said that this association won’t step up to the task at
hand and “Get ur Done!”
What a tremendous honor that ACEOA has in
knowing that we have contributed in making the 2011
BADF Life Hunt a great success. We appreciate the
Hinton family at Sedgefield and all they do to make the
Life Hunt a great success.
More photos on 19
ACE Magazine 17
Sedgefield Clubhouse – continued

Before the paint job! Our painter in action!

The newly painted building at Sedgefield.

ACE Magazine 19
ALABAMA CHAPTER C.O.P.S.
THANK YOU

ACE Magazine 23
LAMP MUSCLES
by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(251) 945-6889 • (251) 454-6543 • www.outdooralabama.com

xploring streams and creeks as a youth, my

E discoveries included plenty of species that I didn’t

really understand. Why was the bottom lined with
mussels except to provide meals for the raccoons,
muskrats and otters?
For the most part, that lack of understanding is
common today among mainstream America. That fact
highlights the importance of work being done at the
Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center, which celebrated
its grand opening last week near Marion.
Like most people, I had very limited knowledge that
mussels, snails and other mollusks are the keys to
water quality in our rivers and streams and that one
large mussel can filter a gallon of water per hour, 24
hours per day. When you have a thriving mollusk
population, you can understand the implications.
Alabama Lamp mussel. Photo by Thomas Tarpley
However, pollution and flow alterations have caused
many species to decline to the point of being listed as
an imperiled or endangered species.
Biodiversity Center.
With Paul Johnson at the helm, the center is working
“I can’t say enough about what Stan Cook, Nick
to identify, retrieve, culture and restock as many
Nichols and you have done,” Lawley told Johnson. “This
threatened species as possible to Alabama’s waterways.
started with and idea and has grown to what it is today –
The 36-acre facility was abandoned by the U.S.
a working project. Every time I talk about this, people get
Geological survey and deeded to Alabama in 1999.
excited. This is not just a state initiative; it’s a state-wide
Barnett Lawley, Commissioner of the Alabama Depart-
initiative and counties and cities, private groups and
ment of Conservation and Natural Resources and
corporations need to be a part of this. I want to thank all
Stan Cook, Chief of the Fisheries Section of Wildlife
the groups that have helped because it takes money to
and Freshwater Fisheries, toured the facility seven years
do this. This is going to help.”
ago to try to see if it could be put to good use.
Linda Kelsey of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said
“This was a project that was destined to be
Alabama has 306 fish species 155 mussels and 160 snail
successful,” Lawley said at the grand opening. “After
species. That equates to three-quarters of the fauna that
looking at the site, I thought that is a great asset to have
lives in North America.
and not be able to utilize it. I had a flashback – at my age
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has 14 hatcheries
it’s a flashback and not a good memory – of the 10th
around the Southeast, 70 across the country,” Kelsey
grade biology class that mussels and snails were nature’s
said. “We’ve been looking hard at our fish hatcheries and
filters and that was the way the Lord intended for the
how we can modify them to take on propagation of
water to be kept clean.
imperiled aquatic species, recognizing this need.
“I asked Stan if it was possible for us to raise mussels
“The Southeast is blessed with a tremendous
and snails in the amounts necessary to stock the rivers,
biodiversity of aquatic species and wildlife, but we’ve
streams and estuaries around the state to have a clean
also been tasked with some of its greatest challenges. No
water initiative.”
one knows this more than the state of Alabama. The
Lawley and Cook recruited Paul Johnson, who was
Mobile and Tennessee River basins have the highest
at the Tennessee Aquarium at the time. Within a
year, Johnson was in charge of the Aquatic
continued on 29

ACE Magazine 27
Lamp Muscle – continued
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division biologists Todd Fobian,
right, and Andrew Henderson show the equipment used in the
ponds at the Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center near Marion to
raise rare and endangered mussel species, including the Alabama
Lamp mussel. (Photo by Billy Pope)
freshwater diversity of any region in North America. So
you have a tremendous resource here that needs to be
protected and I applaud the state of Alabama for
conservation of these species, and this state-of-the-art
facility is a testament to that.”
Cook said that when the Alabama Game and Fish
Division changed its name about a decade ago it was
done with aforethought.
“We made the decision to rename our agency to the
Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries,”
Cook said. “We did that to get away from the concept
that we’re just a ‘hook and bullet’ crowd. We wanted to
diversify in our name who we are. This facility
demonstrates that we are concerned about all wild things
that grow, crawl and swim in our waters.”
The biodiversity center staff identifies threatened and
endangered species, collects the mollusks and then goes
through an arduous process of propagating the species
in numbers sufficient to warrant restocking efforts.
“We hand collect the animals,” Johnson said. “We live
and die by our knowledge of where these rare species
are. When you’re trying to culture them, you have a
narrow window. There are only a couple of weeks a year
when you can actually collect the females for the
restoration. That’s usually in the spring when the rivers
are higher. So you have to do all your ground work
beforehand to know the precise localities to examine for
brood stock for that species. Sometimes it literally is only
one or two sites that we can reliably collect these really
rare animals for the recovery work.
“For mussels, we work them to extract the larvae and
put them on the host fish. In three or four weeks they fall
off as a juvenile mussel. There is an intense culture
period that is the second most difficult part of the process
– culturing them from a quarter of a millimeter to a three-
to four-millimeter size range. That’s where we have the
most difficulty. Once they get about a four-millimeter
size, we can use other culture methods to grow them to
a larger size before release.”
Johnson said the bulk of the work now is in the basins
of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers and the Mobile
Basin. Future work will include the Gulf Coast fauna.
The main efforts right now are in the Paint Rock River,
Cahaba River, flow restoration areas in Elk River and
Bear Creek areas off the Tennessee River. The flow
restoration on the Weiss Bypass on the Coosa River will
also be included when that project is initiated.
“We completed releases in Choccolocco Creek and
the Paint Rock,” Johnson said. “And one species is one
of the rarest in the nation – the Alabama Lamp Mussel.
It’s left in about eight miles of the Estill Fork of the upper
Paint Rock. We’ve raised 2,000 of them from a half-inch
to an inch-and-a-half.”
Johnson said that although species restoration is the
first priority, watersheds will reap the benefits because of
improved habitats in the drainages.
“Ultimately, we hope that this is an effort to recognize
the values of the rivers, the values of the rivers as they’re
meant to function,” he said. “Mussels are the key
biodiversity components in our rivers. At one time, a
square yard of river bottom had 80 to 300 individuals.
Now we’re down to peanuts.”
Johnson said one of his favorite stories is about
Timothy A. Conrad, a scientist who traveled Alabama in
the early 1800s, who described many of the species that
live in the state. One of the mussels Conrad described
came from the Warrior River at Tuscaloosa. He captured
the mussel by sawing a tree branch and dropping it down
in 8 feet of water because he could see the mussel’s
siphon. He stuck the tree branch in the siphon and the
mussel closed up and he pulled it out of the bottom.
“He could see it at 8 feet,” Johnson said. “Most of
these rivers had a water clarity of 20 feet or more. But it’s
a forgotten thing because nobody has seen normal.
“Going forward, we really want to use these animals to
promote watershed conservation and restoration within
the state. The idea is to promote this to help solve several
regulatory problems at one time, whether water quality
or biodiversity. However, the program has the added
benefit of helping to ensure public water supplies for
communities that depend on those rivers.”
ACE Magazine 29
RAW WEATHER DAY CANNOT STOP
THE YOUTH
by Ken White
The Barbour County Wildlife Management Area
T Youth Hunt was another great success. Despite a
raw, winter day following a rainy, cold week the
event took place as scheduled and all the workers and
volunteers waited in anticipation to see what the turnout
might be. Looking forward to participating in the regular
venues consisting of BB-Gun competition, Sling-Shot,
Archery, Skeet and Turkey calling, the thirteenth
edition of the BCWMA Youth Hunt, 245 youth signed up
for the event. That just goes to show, there is no
stopping the enthusiasm of youth when it comes to the
annual Youth Hunt.
The Eufaula Lions Club, Barbour County Coon
Hunters Association and the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources host the Barbour
County Wildlife Management Area Youth Hunt. It is held
at the Barbour County WMA located on Hwy. 49 between
Clayton and Comer on the first Saturday in February.
The hunt is open to all youth ages “mighty young to 15
years-of-age”, and all youth ages 7-and-Under must be
accompanied by a parent or guardian during the event.
Youths are not allowed to bring firearms or weapons to
the event as all firearms and ammunition are furnished
and under the control of the hunt masters and venue
instructors at all times. There is absolutely No Charge for
admission to this event.
First stop of the day is the traditional BB-gun venue.
The cost of the event is covered strictly by donations
from local and area businesses, individuals and a couple
of special organizations to include the Alabama
Conservation Enforcement Officers Association which
has become a major donor and supporter over the past
three years. Amazingly, this hunt is among the Top Five
youth hunts occurring across the entire United States and
it does not have a major corporate or “name” sponsor. It
should also be noted that the entire event is staffed by
volunteers in conjunction with, and assisted by, officers
of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources - Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
The day gets started as registration opens at 10:00 AM
at the Barbour County WMA Headquarters area. The
venues surround this central operational area and are
spaced out as required to maintain safe shooting areas.
Each venue is reached via wagons which are pulled by
pick-ups and leave the central area at approximate 15-
minute intervals. There are six major venue sites
available for all youth and accompanying adults to
attend. The first is the traditional BB-gun instructional
venue featuring a shooting competition. The winners and
continued on 35
4-yrs. old Cohen Prittchett gets shooting instructions from his
father, Adam Prittchett. Adam is a wildlife biologist for the
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and
the manager of the Barbour County Wildlife Management Area
which the annual Barbour County WMA Youth Hunt.
ACE Magazine 33
Barbour County – continued
Trey Gary gives 12-yrs. old Damian Smith some helpful hints at
the Archery Venue.
11-yrs. old Calleigh Rinicker of Eufaula, AL recieves instructions
from Pat Kott at the Clays Shooting Venue.
awards are given out following the evening hot-dog
supper. For many of the younger participants, this is the
very first gun safety instructions they receive. Most
importantly, it sets the stage for the continued
specialized instructions they, and all other participants,
receive based on the particular venue they are attending.
From the BB-gun venue the participant will travel to
the Sling-Shot venue. We have come a long way from
the traditional limb “Y” and strips of rubber cut from
discarded tire inner-tubes. Today’s version of the Sling-
Shot is a technological marvel with models now being
made available for true light-game hunting purposes.
These are a lot of fun for those that really enjoy
“plinking” and some old-fashioned, friendly shooting
competitions. While they are a lot of fun and entertain-
ing, it is absolutely critical that the youth understand the
safety requirements, shooting dangers and even the
4-yrs. old Will Rinicker of Eufaula, AL recieves instructions from
Kevin Lawson at the Clays Shooting Venue.
Harley Smith, Breanna Pilgrim, Amber Greer and Will Rinicker get
to talk a little “turkey” with Conservation Enforcement Officer
Larry Doster.
sporting ethics involved with this particular sport. This
information is disseminated by the instructors to the
individual wagon groups and continues as the youth
receive hands-on shooting instructions and assistance
as well.
Next up is the archery venue. The youth attending this
venue are introduced to the world of archery and are
shown the basic components required for this sport. With
archery being introduced as an acceptable sport in many
of our schools through the efforts of the ADCNR, more
and more youth are spending longer periods of time at
this particular venue. Along with the safety instructions,
they get hands-on help from the instructors as they take
their shots.
The next venue is actually two stations due to the high
participation rates experienced each year. This is the
continued on 37
ACE Magazine 35
Barbour County – continued

skeet venue and there are two full shooting stations in a shotgunning area, 25-yard range, 100-yard range and
operation. Located in two different areas to maintain an archery area with berms between each, making it
safety requirements, this is the most popular of the ideal for the deer hunting venue. The short range was
venues for all age groups. The youth receive the basic used for the event as .22-cal. rifles were used for a
gun-safety instructions and are also made aware of the competition during the event. Here the youth participated
need to use proper safety equipment for hearing and eye in a safety instructional period concerning rifles and their
protection purposes. It is interesting to note the reactions special considerations as compared to shotguns. This
of the adults attending this venue with the youth. While was then followed by a short discussion on the popular
they listen in as the safety aspects are explained to the sport of deer-hunting. Next on the agenda was a rifle-
youth , those that shoot really perk up, and become all shooting competition and it was a spirited competition,
attentive, when the discussion turns to the “how-to’s” of to say the least. With the high-scorer in the boys and girls
proper shooting techniques. It is also absolutely amazing groups winning a 22-cal. rifle each, needless to say, it
how many of the youth actually score a hit on one or was a huge success.
both of their clays when they fly. The squirrel and rabbit hunts are actual hunting events
Following the skeet-shooting and all its excitement, which take the youth into the woods and fields of the
you would think there is no way to top that with another Barbour County Wildlife Management Area. Dividing into
venue. If you have ever been in the turkey woods then continued on 39
you might agree there really is. The final stop of the
event is the turkey-hunting venue. Here the youth are
provided a chance to learn about this majestic bird and
the magic allure of the hunt. From the background info
provided by the instructors they learn a bit about the bird,
its environment and get to hear some of the different
calls the birds use. They are then invited to try their hand
at the calling as well as taking a little target practice at a
bird silhouette. From the turkey-hunting venue, it is on to
a quick hot-dog lunch and then the afternoon hunts.
The afternoon hunts were split into rabbit hunting
groups and squirrel hunting groups. A major change was
made this year that gave the 12 years and older group
another alternate to the hunts. They had a choice of
participating in the hunts or going to the newly-added
deer-hunting venue. The Barbour County WMA shooting
range is just perfect for this added venue. The range has 12-yrs. old Daniel Beaty and his grandfather, Danny Beaty, await
the start of the afternoon hunts.

Justin Young explains the rules, scoring and the do’s and don’ts 12-yrs. old Daniel Beatty squeezes off a round at the Deer
of the Deer Hunting Venue. Hunting Venue.

ACE Magazine 37
Barbour County – continued
12-yrs. old Mason Wallace of Westville, FL and 12 yrs. old
Cassandra Gifford of Eufaula, AL taking their rounds at the rifle
shooting competition at the Deer Hunting Venue.
groups based on personal interest, the groups are
assigned to a hunt master who is usually the dog-owner
or trainer. We have excellent squirrel and rabbit dogs,
many of which are experienced competition dogs, so the
youth are treated to something special in these hunts. A
shooting order is determined by the members of the
groups and the firearms are under the control of an arms
master and/or the hunt master at all times. You can rest
assured the youth, and the adults accompanying them,
will leave with memories of a special day in the woods
and fields. As they return, the evening sun starts to
disappear over the horizon and you can feel the winter
chill in the air.
With the close of the afternoon, and as darkness
begins to fall, it is time for the hot-dog supper. Supper is
followed by the sponsor recognitions and it is then time
for the awards and door prize drawing. This is quite an
event in its own right as every youth left with a nice
prize. Dozens of rod-and-reel combos, lures, bb-guns
and a collage of other outdoor prizes are given away.
Once this is completed it is time to load up on the
trailers and head into the Barbour County woods for
some night-time coon hunting.
There is nothing quite as enjoyable as listening to the
baying of the hounds across the night-time woods. To
head into the woods by the light of a flashlight seeking a
treed raccoon and the baying hounds is to create a very
unique memory for the youth and adults participating.
You just have to be there to understand the awe of an old-
time coon hunter as he notes “it is like a thousand
twinkling stars floating through the shadows of the
nighttime trees and brush” as the huge group approaches
12-yrs. old Malachi Ards of Eufaula and 12-yrs. old Cassandra
Gifford the top shooters at the Deer Hunting Venue. Each was
awarded the .22-cal rifle used in competition for their being the
leader in the boy/girl divisions.
the treed location. Following the hunt everyone returns to
the main event site and it is time to call it a day.
If you have never attended this Youth Hunt then you
have missed a real treat. It is hard for people to imagine
almost 300 youth attending an event in today’s world
where the outdoor world is brought to life as it is during
this event. It takes on an even more unbelievable aspect
when you realize these youth are actually taken on a real,
live-fire squirrel or rabbit hunt in the woods and fields of
the Barbour County Wildlife Management Area during
the afternoon hours. How about over 400 youth and
adults taking a walk in the night-time woods to find the
coon hounds and a treed raccoon?
There is just no way to describe the reaction of a youth
getting an opportunity to receive expert firearm safety
instructions and then being allowed to actually fire a bb-
gun, shotgun or 22-cal. rifle as they make their rounds
visiting the various venues during the day. Many are
having this experience for the very first time in their
young life. It is remarkable that many actually hit their
target with a high degree of accuracy, including those
attempted to knock a clay pigeon out of the sky,
following these short, but highly informative, instructions.
Magic moments occur as these youth traverse the woods
and fields and discover the “real” outdoor world, where
animal tracking comes alive or an antler shed is
discovered. This is a great testament to the knowledge
and expertise these volunteers and ADCNR officers bring
to these venues. It is easy to talk about “giving back”;
but, these folks make it happen! l
ACE Magazine 39
OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
WHITE-TAILED DEER
by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(251) 945-6889 • (251) 454-6543 • www.outdooralabama.com

ince 2004, the Alabama State Parks Division has

S attempted to keep the burgeoning white-tailed

deer population at Oak Mountain State Park under
control through a series of regulated archery hunts. While
those hunts have succeeded in taking more than 200
deer out of the park, the limitations of the format caused
concerns. Previously, the hunters were only allowed a
few hunts per season and the entire park was closed
during these hunts. Of course, the success of the hunters
was dictated to a great degree by the weather.
The 2010-11 hunts, which start Nov. 15, will be
conducted under a significantly different format with
many more hunting days available to the archers and the
park will not be closed.
“The way we’ve proceeded since 2004 with our Oak
Mountain hunts is we set them up three to four months in
advance,” said Forrest Bailey, State Parks’ Natural
Resource Chief. “We let the dice fall where they may. It
has been very successful up to this point with the
exception of the bad weather/rainout days, which kept
people out of the woods, of course. Anybody who hunts
knows this and you can’t predict whether you’ll have
good weather.
“This year, State Parks, Wildlife and Freshwater
Fisheries and Bowhunters of Alabama (BHA) took a look
at expanding the time frame to hunt under certain
conditions.”
The format that resulted is the Oak Mountain archery
hunts are Monday through Friday from Nov. 15 through Several of Alabama’s state parks have abundant deer herds and
Jan. 31. No weekend hunting is allowed, which also several of the parks, including Oak Mountain near Birmingham,
have an overabundance, which leads to habitat damage and
covers the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods numerous deer-vehicle collisions. In an effort to reduce the deer
this year. herd at Oak Mountain, archery hunts have been used to take
“We’re doing this in hopes that our core group of animals off the park since 2004. The 2010-2011 Oak Mountain
bowhunters - 45 bowhunters who were screened through hunts will be held under a new format that gives bowhunters
applications and through proficiency testing just like our much more flexibility in the hunting schedule.
PHOTO By David Rainer
rules and regulations from the past hunts, as well as our
safety briefings and meetings like our past hunts - will be
able to hunt at their discretion,” Bailey said. “We feel like, Bailey said the safety rules, which are being
at the most, there will be 10-12 hunters in the park at any communicated to the public, stipulate that no hunter can
given time. The park will not be closed, as far as any hunt within 300 feet of any recreational facility, road,
facilities. The hunters will check in upon arrival at the park trailhead or building.
and check out, based on prior rules and regulations.” continued on 45

ACE Magazine 43
White-Tailed Deer – continued
Bailey also knows this new format will come under
extra scrutiny because of the interaction of the park’s
other user groups.
“This is a large step for us and the Bowhunters of
Alabama because basically the whole world is watching,”
he said. “The user groups at Oak Mountain are diverse.
There are numerous hikers and a tremendous number of
bikers, both off-road and on the roadways, as well as
horseback riders. So, all of the entities will be utilizing
the park at the same time.
“We feel very comfortable with this new format. We
will monitor any complaints by any user groups. We’re
relying on the hunters to be cognizant of exactly where
they are. At the last safety meeting we had, only 11-12
of the hunters had not participated in a hunt at Oak
Mountain, so the rest of the group knows what to
expect. They know the parameters we’re working within
and are very much aware the park will not be closed
during this time.”
Barry Estes, chairman of the urban deer control
program with BHA, said the bowhunters who were
fortunate enough to be chosen for the Oak Mountain
hunts are looking forward to the flexibility.
“Everybody is very excited about the new format,”
Estes said. “We will be able to hunt when it’s not raining
eight inches a day or with tropical storms and tornadoes.
This should help accomplish the objective of taking more
deer off the park. I guess you could say this format will
be more user friendly. We’ve got some hunters who live
very close to the park and can hunt in the afternoon.
Some will have to take vacations days or off days, but it’s
all going to work out. It’s going to be good.”
To ensure the hunting pressure will be distributed
evenly, the 9,940-acre park has been divided into 11
zones. Each zone will accommodate four to five
hunters, who made a zone preference during the
application process.
“They will basically stick to those zones,” Bailey said.
“Each of those zones will have a team captain to
facilitate communications. We felt this was a fair and
equitable way to break the park up without putting so
much pressure in certain zones.”
Instead of a harvest check-in station at the park,
hunters will take the deer to the processors, where all
pertinent information (weight, age, sex, antler
configuration) will be recorded and provided to parks
personnel. Successful archers can keep the deer or
donate it to Hunters Helping the Hungry.
“The statewide three-buck rule will apply at Oak
Mountain even though this is a special hunt,” Bailey said.
“Everybody is very cognizant about not passing up a doe
and waiting on a buck. They learned this lesson the first
two seasons of the hunt because people thought that the
white-tailed deer in the park would be less wild than
those on private property, but that is not true. We hope
these changes will result in more deer removed from the
herd at Oak Mountain.”
Bailey hopes at some point to be able to conduct a
population dynamics study on the Oak Mountain deer
herd to determine the total number of deer in the park
and determine how many deer need to be removed to
improve the health of the herd.
“That study would be an invaluable tool to help us
evaluate that,” Bailey said. “It’s based on camera census
and camera check over a period of time, utilizing bait
stations within a grid in the park. All that information is
tabulated and interpreted over a two-year period. But
budgetary constraints won’t allow us to conduct the
study right now.”
Since the Oak Mountain hunts started, Bailey said the
archers have taken an average of 28 deer per season
with a ratio of 75-percent does and 25-percent bucks,
which is to be expected with an estimated doe-to-buck
ration of about 5 to 1.
While Bailey hopes for increased harvest under the
new format, the herd reduction to date has benefited the
park’s plant life. Before the archery hunts started, the
damage to the flora in the park was obvious with a
noticeable browse line and the absence of numerous
native plant species.
“There are improvements to the vegetation,
depending on what part of the park you go to,” Bailey
said. “One of the things we tried to do, noting that Oak
Mountain is basically a closed-canopy forest, is we have
taken areas we have opened up because of pine beetle
damage and storm damage and improved those areas
with forest mulching, some right-of-way herbicide work,
and some replanting of native species. We have created
situations where we have native forbs and grasses
growing in these areas. We have seen more native
wildflowers that have survived. There are more climbing
vines. We’re seeing more turkeys in the park because the
increased vegetation gives more cover for the ground-
nesting birds.”
Those who visit any of Alabama’s state parks also
need to know about a rule passed last year that prohibits
the feeding of deer inside the parks.
“We did that for a number of reasons,” he said. “Deer
are creatures of habit to a degree. When they get used to
handouts, especially from campers in the campgrounds,
they tend to gravitate toward those areas around dusk.
We’ve had deer-vehicle collisions and have had to put
deer down. This rule was put into effect for the health of
the herd, because the food the deer get from people is
not nutritious.”
Visit www.alapark.com for more information.
ACE Magazine 45
BIG OAK YOUTH HUNT 2010
AT THE OAKS
by Wayne Harrell, The Oaks Manager
O
n November 13th, we once again hosted John
Croyle’s Big Oak Ranch at The Oaks in Boligee for
a youth hunt. We had 16 young hunters, eight girls
and eight boys, arrive at 7:30 AM after a long drive from
North Alabama. They were excited to be with us and
most of them had never been on a trip like this.
The Big Oak Ranch is home to approximately 150
kids that otherwise would have a tough time coping
with everyday circumstances. Every one of them that
visited us that day showed evidence of the excellent
leadership they’ve been exposed to. They are polite,
and grateful for all we do for them and thanked us
profusely for our efforts.
The day starts off with introductions and welcome to
all in attendance. Our members at The Oaks prepare
food and handouts for the kids and we get as much or
more out of the day than the guests do. After a safety
lesson brought by the local Conservation officers, we
adjourned to the shooting range.
They were allowed to shoot .22 rifles at spinner
Max and his buck, along with his guide Leroy Dixon.
targets, 20 gauge shotguns at skeet, and enjoyed a
trapping seminar. Dwight Thrasher, Frank McMillan,
Mike Sievering, and Tommy Atkins represented the State
of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
This hunt was the sixth annual of its kind here. When
we started with our Youth Hunt, we contacted Mike
Sievering and got the go ahead from their department.
This was the first State supported hunt and as a result,
we get the State shooting sports equipment and supplies
to be able to allow these youngsters to practice their
outdoor skills. They all enjoy this part of the day almost
as much as the actual hunting.
We had lunch, handed out gift bags, and drew for
stands. Our members and their wives act as guides for
the kids, along with several adults that are not members.
It amazes me each year to get phone calls from folks
asking to be included and allowed to guide, cook, clean
up, or just anything to help a worthy cause. One of our
neighbors volunteered his land to host two of the kids so
we could spread them out more.
Everyone went to their assigned stands and sat
hopefully waiting on a deer or wild pig. I’d love to say
everyone got a deer, but if you’re a hunter, you know that
continued on 51
Fellowship and Chili Supper
ACE Magazine 49
Big Oak – continued
isn’t always the case. We did harvest four does and one Academy Sports
very nice nine point buck. Two of the hunters killed their Ann Payne
first deer and smiles were abundant on all the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officers Assoc
youngsters’ faces. Bud’s Best Cookies
We awarded prizes for the first deer killed and for the Central Alabama Branch-QDMA
largest deer killed. Zack took the first deer and was given Edgars Market
a $30.00 gift card to Academy Sports. Max killed the big Greene County Farmer’s Federation
buck and received a $50.00 gift card to Academy Sports. Marks Outdoors
I’m sure they’ll be buying more hunting stuff with that. Piggly Wiggly
None of this would have been possible without our Red Diamond Coffee
local merchants and others that actively support our Simmons Sporting Goods
sport and want to see it grow. They are listed here, in Tuscaloosa Coca-Cola
alphabetical order. The Oaks Members
continued on 53

Tommy Atkins and shotgun training. A trapping seminar with Mike Siervering.

The Big Oak Ranch kids, their house moms and dads, with the ACEOA Banner.

ACE Magazine 51
Big Oak – continued

Nina and her deer (not her first!). Tyler with the two does he shot. Zack with the first deer killed.

.22 training with Dwight Thrasher and Frank McMillan.

ACE Magazine 53
HUNTER SAFETY
by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(251) 945-6889 • (251) 454-6543 • www.outdooralabama.com
he buzz is definitely in the air, especially with the
T cold front that moved through earlier this week
that piqued the interest of those who anxiously
await the opening day of Alabama’s gun deer season.
Because of the excitement generated, there is one
issue that is infinitely more important than where or when
Hunter Education Coordinator Ray Metzler dons a full body
harness before climbing into a tree stand to demonstrate how
to hook up the safety trap to the tree before starting to ascend
the tree. Photo By Billy Pope
you’re going to bag that big buck - hunter safety.
“It’s been a long time since people have been in the
woods and people need to make sure all their equipment
is in order,” said Ray Metzler, Hunter Safety Coordinator
with the Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
Division. “They need to check everything ahead of time.
They need to go to the range and make sure their gun is
sighted in.
“All the basic aspects of hunting apply, as well. They
need to make sure they are abiding by all the laws and
regulations, including wearing their blaze orange. I also
highly recommend carrying a flashlight. That’s not a
regulation, but I refer to that as something hunters can do
to protect themselves from the actions of other hunters -
moving around the woods in dim-light conditions. It
distinguishes you as a human. There’s not a deer in the
woods that carries a flashlight.”
For those who haven’t been bowhunting, each hunting
stand needs to be checked, especially climbing stands or
fixed position stands that are locked onto the tree with a
cable, chain or nylon strap.
“I’ve got five stands that I checked back in September
before bow season started,” Metzler said. “When I check
my stands I’m looking for broken welds or any cracks. I
make sure all the material, including the seat, is in good
working order. I check the nuts and bolts and make sure
they’re in good shape.”
During the 2009-2010 season, there were 14 tree
stand-related accidents, including one fatality, which
occurred in Escambia County. Metzler said the report
indicated the 39-year-old victim fell from the tree after a
pin came out of climbing stand while he was descending
the tree. His safety belt was not attached to the tree.
“Everybody should know by now that you should wear
your full-body harness from the time you leave the
ground until the time you come back down,” Metzler
said. “Of the accidents we have, very few of the people
have on a full-body harness. People will put it on but
won’t attach it to the tree until they get where they are
going. What most people don’t realize is that the vast
majority of accidents don’t happen when they’re sitting
continued on 59
ACE Magazine 57
HUNTER SAFETY – continued

there. It happens when they’re going up or coming down,

unless they happen to fall asleep in the stand.”
There were 10 non-fatal firearms accidents last year
and one fatality where the victim was mistaken for game
in Monroe County. Metzler said mistaking a hunter for
game is the most common reason for firearms-related
accidents.
“You don’t pull the trigger unless you know what it is,
especially in the morning or late in the afternoon in dim-
light conditions,” he said. “Almost all of the firearms
accidents we see are during dim-light conditions. Again,
that’s the reason people need to carry a flashlight. The
thing is you have to make sure of the target and what’s
beyond. And you need to identify your target with your
binoculars, not your scope.”
As tragic as the fatalities and accidents are,
Alabama’s hunter safety record has improved
dramatically during the last decade. Hunter safety has
been mandatory since 1993 and anyone born on or after
Aug. 1, 1977 is required to complete the course before
the person can purchase a regular hunting license. A
recent addition to the license law allows people of
license-buying age (16 and older) who haven’t Full Body Harness Photo By Billy Pope
completed the hunter education requirement to purchase
a restricted license to hunt with a properly licensed That’s a simple way to say it.”
hunter as a mentor. The license will indicate ‘supervision And remember the 10 commandments of firearms
required,’ which means the new hunter must be within safety:
normal voice control - not over 30 feet - from a properly 1. Treat every firearm as if it was loaded.
licensed hunter who is at least 21 years old. 2. Control the muzzle of your firearm - keep the barrel
Metzler said during the past seven seasons, the pointed in a safe direction; never point a firearm at
statistics indicate that Alabama has between three and anything that you do not wish to shoot; insist that
five accidents per 100,000 licenses sold. your shooting and hunting companions do the same.
“That’s a significant improvement,” he said. “About 15 3. Be sure of your target and beyond - positively
years ago those numbers (ratio per 100,000 hunters) identify you target before you fire and make sure
were in the teens. I think hunter education has been a there are no people, livestock, roads or buildings
beyond the target.
part of the decline, but I can’t say it’s the only reason.
4. Never shoot at water or a hard, flat surface - there is
The way we hunt is different. More people are sitting on no control of a ricocheting bullet.
stands and not moving around the woods like they used 5. Only point a firearm at things you want to shoot - and
to. Clubs have sign-out boards to let people know where don’t use a scope for target identification, use
they are. Safety equipment is better, as well. Plus, we binoculars.
have a mandatory blaze orange requirement (a minimum 6. Never climb a tree, cross a fence or jump a ditch with
of 144 square inches of hunter orange or either a full size a loaded firearm.
hunter orange hat or cap).” 7. Store guns and ammunition separately - store
Metzler said he understands the excitement Alabama firearms under lock and key and use a gun case to
hunters experience on opening weekend, but he urges transport firearms.
those who take to the woods to keep their wits. 8. Make sure your barrel and action are clear of all
obstructions.
“They just need to be calm and abide by all your basic
9. Unload firearms when not in use - never take
safety rules,” he said. “Don’t get excited. Walk carefully someone else’s word that a firearm is unloaded.
and be cognizant of your surroundings. Don’t get in a Check yourself.
hurry, especially going up and down a tree. Take it one 10. Avoid drugs and alcohol when hunting or shooting -
step at a time, whether going up a ladder stand or in a even some over-the-counter medicines can cause
climbing stand. The main thing is not to get in a hurry. impairment.

ACE Magazine 59
THE 2010 BUCKMASTER EXPO
by Scott Kellenberger, District II Director

A
CEOA had the privilege of attending the
Buckmaster Expo again this year. We enjoyed
three days of good food, great scenery, familiar
faces and great entertainment. The very most fun was
raising money, through a gun raffle, for our good buddy
and BADF Life Hunter, Chris Jackson.

ACEOA raised money to Benefit our current Life Hunter, Chris

Jackson. Funds will be used to pay for medical apparatus.

Crystal Pitts was a great help in the ACEOA booth. Jackie Bucky came over to the booth to visit with Rusty and Gayle
Bushman came by to give her a hug. Morrow.

ACE Magazine 63
CHOCTAW YOUTH DOVE HUNT
2010
by Vance Wood, ACEOA D-5 Director
t was a tough time putting this hunt together this
I year. The crew overcame many obstacles and we
rallied to have one of the best hunts to date. Bubba
Carlisle really worked hard to get the field ready, while
Riley Ezell and I gathered donations for door prizes.
Overall, the hunt was a huge success. There were a total
of 43 youngsters that took the field. They were treated to
several hours of skeet by Rusty Morrow and the ACEOA
Shooting Sports equipment. A fabulous lunch of chicken,
Youngsters enjoying shooting sporting clays provided by ACEOA.
Winner of one of the gift certificates.
ribs, sausage, hotdogs and hamburgers was then served.
Door prizes, including a Lifetime Hunting License
(Donated by the ACEOA) and a safety brief were given
prior to the hunt. The birds did not show up early, so
there was a lull in excitement, but by 3:45 they were
coming in pretty good. There were a lot of first time
hunters and many got their first bird ever. One young
man showed me his bruised arm and I asked him if he
continued on 69
Everyone enjoying good food at the hunt.
Winner of one of the gift certificates.
ACE Magazine 67
Choctaw Youth – continued
quit because it hurt? He replied with a smile, “No sir! I ran
out of shells!” That’s what it’s all about. Family, friends
and the sport, not how many you bag. Many thanks to
Michael Land for the use of his property, Bubba Carlisle
and Family for their tireless efforts and unwavering
A happy group of youngsters pose in front of the ACEOA banner.
Everyone receives instruction and a safety brief.
support, Gilbertown/Butler ACE Hardware Store, MidStar
Timber Company, ACEOA and all of the many other
supporters for making this the best ever Choctaw County
Youth Dove Hunt!
Winner of the Lifetime Hunting License donated by ACEOA.
ACE Magazine 69
TROUT
by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(251) 945-6889 • (251) 454-6543 • www.outdooralabama.com

or those who live on or within close proximity to

F the Alabama Gulf Coast, the fall not only means

college football and hunting, it also means some of
the best fishing of the year. For the first time in a number
of years, that fishing also included red snapper.
Although Ken Jansen of Fairhope will spend some
time in the deer stand, his life is inextricably connected
to Mobile Bay and the coastal waters. While some of his
fishing efforts are in the Gulf of Mexico with his king
mackerel-fishing buddy Freddie Watkins, most of
Jansen’s water time is spent on the inshore species.
“I’ve been around Fairhope for over 60 years and have
fished all my life,” Jansen said. “I’ve caught a lot of
mullet, lot of trout, lot of flounder and a lot of crabs. I’ve
enjoyed every minute.”
When Jansen’s dad (Claude) was alive they would take
people out to Middle Bay Lighthouse for several hours of
white trout fishing, a tradition Ken continues today.
“We used to do a lot of shrimping, too,” Ken said. “My
mother used to grind up the shrimp and sent us out
fishing with a sack full of shrimp burgers. Just about
everything we did or ate was connected to the bay.”
Despite many more people out on the water, Jansen
said the fishing hasn’t changed much over the years.
With few exceptions, he said the white-trout fishing
usually remains good until January or the water
temperatures falls below the 60-degree mark.
“The people we used to take trout fishing would catch
all they wanted, starting late in the summer and through
the fall,” he said. “The fish continue to be as plentiful as
they were 40 years ago. We still have a great fishery in
Mobile Bay. Middle Bay Light is one of my favorite
places. I go there every time the weather allows.
“I have confidence in Middle Bay Light. There are
times of the year when it really produces. But there are
times when you won’t find anything but catfish and sting
rays. It’s just one of my favorite haunts. There have
always been oyster shells around Middle Bay Light, and
my daddy always said if you were snagging an oyster
shell now and then that you were fishing in the right
spot. The shell is a draw for redfish, speckled trout, white
trout, flounder and mullet. It continues to attract fish
year after year.”
David Brush of Fairhope fights a white trout with the lighthouse
as a backdrop. The Alabama Historical Commission has
designated $30,000 a year for maintenance of the lighthouse.
Photo by David Rainer
When he’s targeting white trout (AKA sand trout),
Jansen makes sure there is significant tide movement.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s incoming or outgoing,” he said.
“But the white trout like some water movement. I mainly
use cut bait, either croaker of I’ll cut up the first white
trout of the day. Sometimes I’ll tip it with a little bit of
shrimp. Sometimes we’ll just use a half a shrimp. The
thing I’ve found with white trout is not to get the shrimp
too big on the hook. It makes it harder to get a hook-up.
“We’ve caught them up to two and three-quarters
pounds at the lighthouse. That’s a nice white trout.”
The rub with white trout for many people is they don’t
freeze well unless special care is taken. Jansen has
developed a technique for storing white trout that solves
the issue of mushy filets.
“I’ve found over the years that if I take my ice chest or
fish box and put in a couple of bags of ices and a couple
of gallons of water that it will make a slush,” he said.
“When you throw a fish in the box, it will swim down
under the ice floating on top and immediately chill out.
You can take a white trout and throw it on ice, the side
on the ice will be good, but the side on top will go bad. It
will get soft and the taste will change. I swim mine down
continued on 75

ACE Magazine 73
Trout – continued
into a slush of water.
“When I’m cleaning them, I throw the filets back into
slush water. When I get through, I’ll freeze them in water.
After they’re frozen I’ll add a little water and freeze it to
put a cap on top. They’ll keep up to a year like that, and
they’ll taste just like you caught them the same day.”
As for the other species along the Alabama Gulf
Coast, the bull redfish seem to hang out on Dixey Bar
year-round these days, and the anglers on Gulf State
Park Pier will also hook nice reds, as well as whiting.
Speckled trout have moved to the rivers and deep holes.
For the just-concluded fall red snapper season, the
fishing communities in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores
are thankful for the opportunity to get back into the Gulf
after a season of sitting at the dock or working for BP
during the oil cleanup.
There was some question as to whether the charter
fleet could get the word out sufficiently to attract
customers to the coast. While all charter boat captains
didn’t stay as busy as they wanted, several were
Ken Jansen of Fairhope unhooks a nice white trout that took cut
bait tipped with a piece of shrimp at Middle Bay Lighthouse in
Mobile Bay. Jansen said the lighthouse has been a favorite fishing
spot for as long as he can remember. Photo by David Rainer
extremely happy with the outcome, including Capt.
Johnny Greene, who runs the Intimidator charter boat.
“It was a great fall, in my opinion,” Greene said.
“There were a lot of people in town that wouldn’t have
been here if we hadn’t had the fall snapper season. I was
able to book about 90 percent of the days we had
available and the weather cost me a couple of days.
“Some of the people I called had missed out on trips
this summer and I called them and told them to get ready
to come down in the fall. They were ecstatic that the
government was finally giving something back. Then I
got some calls from people who were within driving
distance to the beach. There was no doubt, the vast
majority was interested in red snapper.”
And, as far as the angling went, the fish couldn’t have
been more cooperative.
“The fishing was as good as I’ve personally ever seen
it,” Greene said. “It was good for big snapper, big
triggerfish and amberjack. All in all, I think the total
experience was just awesome.”
Greene said the peripheral businesses also saw
significant boosts during the fall snapper season. Two of
the larger bait and tackle shops on the coast - J&M
Tackle and Sam’s Stop and Shop - reported the best
October sales in years.
“I think it benefitted the condo owners and restaurant
owners and the gas stations,” said Greene, who also sits
on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. “I
think it was a positive economic boost for the community
as a whole. And there were a ton of private boats that
didn’t get to fish last summer. They were able to get out
this fall, so they probably benefitted more anybody from
a weekend-only season for eight weeks as opposed to a
season of 39 consecutive days.”
Tom Steber at Zeke’s Charter Fleet in Orange Beach
said while the coastal communities are not out of the
woods, the fall snapper season sure changed the
momentum.
“It definitely helped us,” Steber said. “We probably
doubled our business from last year, which was definitely
a plus. It’s just that you’re competing with football and
hunting and all that stuff.”
While Steber understands that the oil spill created the
opportunity to have a fall snapper season, he also knows
that the coastal communities need something to draw
anglers during the spring of the year.
“We desperately need something for the spring, even
if we only had weekends in April and May,” he said. “You
could get your hardcore charter fishermen. People have
that urge, when spring hits, to get out on the water.
“But with this fall season, it was way better than it
would have been without it - no ifs, ands or buts about it.”
ACE Magazine 75
PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVATION
OFFICER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
by Rusty Morrow

T
he ACEOA family sends our deepest sympathy to
the family of Officer David Grove. Conservation
Officer Grove was killed during a night hunting
stop on Thursday, November 11, at approximately 10:30
p.m. Officer Grove was patrolling a rural area in Adams
County, Pennsylvania when the incident occurred.
Twenty-seven year old Christopher Lynn Johnson, a
convicted felon, was arrested eleven hours later at a
hunting camp. He had a gunshot wound in his hip when
arrested by Pennsylvania State Police. It is believed that
Officer Grove was handcuffing the suspect when the fun
fight occurred. Officer Grove was struck four times and
received a fatal gunshot wound to his neck with a 45 ca.
handgun.
Officer Grove was thirty-one years old. He was a
highly dedicated officer and well respected by his peers.
This association responded quickly with a donation to his
established fund to assist his family. We will remain
dedicated to assist with further help if needed.

ACE Magazine 79
GENEVA & COVINGTON COUNTY
YOUTH DOVE HUNTS

ACE Magazine 83
HENRY COUNTY YOUTH
DOVE HUNT 2010
by Larry Doster, CEO Henry County
nce again, the Henry County Youth Dove Hunt was
O held on opening day of dove season in Haleburg,
Alabama. The weather was perfect for an
afternoon hunt with low humidity and lower than normal
temperatures. This year we had about 55 youth hunters
along with their sponsors. The land owner, Mrs. Doster,
was present and gave a welcome speech to the crowd.
She told them how important she thought it was for
L to R: District 4 Wildlife Biologist Richard Tharp Seated District
4 Wildlife Biologist Bill Gray, Mrs. Doster (landowner).
Henry County Officer Joe Carroll talking to Gene Riley from B&G
Marine.
young people to have the opportunity to go hunting and
to have a place to hunt. She was very happy to allow the
youth hunt to be held on her property and said she hoped
that events such as this would brighten the future of
hunting. Mr. Harnidge Elliott did a great job of preparing
the field this year. The sunflowers and harvested corn
really did help to attract the doves. After registration, the
continued on 89
L to R: Henry County District Judge Derek Peterson and son Will
Peterson, Henry County CEO Officer Larry Doster.
Youth Hunters in the field.
ACE Magazine 87
Henry County – continued
participants enjoyed boiled peanuts, hot dogs and
hamburgers for lunch. After lunch, each youth hunter
drew for a door prize that was purchased with funds
provided by Alabama Conservation Enforcement
Officers Association. The prizes were dove buckets,
shells, dove stools and hats. After the welcome speech
from Mrs. Doster and a safety talk from Officer Larry
Doster, the hunters went to the field and enjoyed an
afternoon of dove hunting.

Youth Hunters in the field.

Youth Hunters in the field. Youth Hunters in the field.

ACE Magazine 89
LIMESTONE COUNTY
YOUTH DOVE HUNT
by CEO Wendell Fulks

T
he Limestone County Youth Dove Hunt was held our youth would never get to experience such a
September 11, 2010, on property provided by Mr. magnificent opportunity to enjoy hunting. Thank you
Brent Shaw. We had 49 youth and 45 adults that ACEOA for providing funding that made it possible for all
participated in one of the best youth dove hunts I have of our youth to leave with a door prize.
been associated with in my career. We all enjoyed hot Capt. Johnny Johnson, CEO Steve Pepper, SGT
dogs, chips, drinks, candy, and, of course, those Travis Gray, and CEO Wendell Fulks would like to thank
everyone who came together to make this valuable hunt
awesome door prizes. Every one of our youth won a
possible. We certainly appreciate the help from Mrs.
door prize. The hunt wasn’t half bad either. After Capt.
Kym Champion.
Johnny Johnson gave the safety brief, we all convoyed
to the field a couple of miles away. The doves were
flying great, and many first time youth hunters
experienced shooting their first bird from the air. Many
hunters harvested their limit of 15 doves fairly quickly.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally
thank all of our sponsors who provided food, drinks,
land, and door prizes. Without your generosity, many of

Door Prize Time!

Participants at the Limestone County Youth Dove Hunt.

Capt. Johnny Johnson, CEO Steve Pepper, SGT Travis Gray, and
CEO Wendell Fulks.

ACE Magazine 93
DELTA SHOOTING
by David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(251) 945-6889 • (251) 454-6543 • www.outdooralabama.com
hat big buck that’s been leaving those huge, split-
T toe tracks near your favorite stand finally shows
up during shooting hours. You try to concentrate
on the crosshairs and squeeze the trigger. As the echo of
the muzzle blast ripples through the woods, the buck
snaps his head up and looks around for the thunder,
then prances into the thicket with his white tail held high
in alert.
It was obvious that the deer was unscathed and you sit
there in utter amazement that the shot was a clean miss.
As the adrenaline finally starts to subside, the questions
flood your brain - was it buck fever or even worse, is the
scope not sighted in correctly. Did the
gun get bumped or were you just
looking at the enormous antlers instead
of the deer’s shoulder?
The only way to accurately answer
those questions is to check the
accuracy of your firearm, preferably in a
place with a nice bench rest. I’ve seen
too many holes in truck beds or hoods
To ensure the safety of the shooting range at the Upper Delta
Wildlife Management Area, large metal tubes were constructed
to shoot through. Steve Barnett, Upper Delta manager,
demonstrates the method used to shoot through the tubes.
Photo by David Rainer
to suggest one try to perform the accuracy check with a
vehicle as the rest.
If you’re fortunate, there will be one of the public
shooting ranges operated by the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources’ Wildlife and
Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) in your area. There
are 11 ranges scattered throughout the state that gives
the hunter or shooter everything needed to check for the
proper functioning of a firearm and/or the sighting
devices.
Starting in northwest Alabama, nine of the ranges are
solely operated by Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
Those ranges are at the Freedom Hills
Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in
Colbert County; Swan Creek WMA in
Limestone County; Sam Murphy WMA
in Lamar County; Skyline WMA in
Jackson County; Cahaba WMA in
Shelby County; Coosa WMA in Coosa
County; Barbour WMA in Barbour
County; Oakmulgee WMA in Hale
County and the Upper Delta WMA in
Baldwin County.
Two of the public shooting ranges
are operated in partnerships with
county governments - Marengo Public
Shooting Range in Marengo County just outside Linden
and the Etowah Public Shooting Range in Etowah County
near Gadsden.
Ray Metzler, WFF’s Hunter Education Coordinator,
said all the ranges have an area for clay-bird shooting
with shotguns, as well as rifle/pistol ranges with target
ranges up to 100 yards. Two of the ranges - Skyline and
Etowah - have ranges up to 200 yards. All the rifle/pistol
ranges have impact berms at least 20 feet tall, the height
recommended by the National Rifle Association.
“They all have concrete pads and benches,” Metzler
said. “All of them but two have a covered shooting line.
The ranges at Coosa and Cahaba don’t have covers on
the shooting lines. You still get direct sun at those two
ranges, but hopefully we’ll able to cover those in the not
too distant future.”
continued on 99
ACE Magazine 97
Delta Shooting – continued
Renowned outdoor writer Wade Bourne uses the rifle range at
Swan Creek WMA during the recent Southeastern Outdoor Press
Association Conference in October. Photo by David Rainer
Anyone can use the ranges as long as they possess a
valid Alabama hunting or fishing license, a wildlife
management area license or a Wildlife Heritage License.
“They can shoot paper targets only on the rifle
ranges,” Metzler said. “They need to take some sort of
paper target with them and some means of attaching that
paper target to a holder. Some of the ranges utilize
strings and you can take clothes pins to hold the target.
Some of the ranges have some type of wire, like chicken
wire that you can attach the targets to.
“We don’t allow them to bring in tin or aluminum cans
or metal objects to shoot because of the problems those
cause. The metal ends up causing problems for lawn
mower tires and people walking. And we don’t want
anything out on the range that could cause a ricochet.”
Metzler said the people who utilize a range at the same
time need to coordinate plans on when to attach targets
or any other activity down range.
“Obviously, people are allowed to go down range only
when the line is cold,” he said. “You need to work that out
with the other people on the line. You want to move in
unison, you might say. Everybody goes down range at
the same time.”
When the line goes cold and anyone is starting to go
down range, all guns need to be unloaded with the safety
on and the action open. All guns should always be
pointed down range toward the berm area.
“We don’t want anyone walking around the range with
a loaded firearm,” Metzler said. “They can pull up in their
vehicle, unload and put the firearms on the bench. Then
when they’re done, they make sure the firearms are
unloaded, put back in the case and then put back in the
car. That keeps everyone safe.”
Metzler wishes he had the money and land areas to
build more shooting ranges because of the demand for
these type facilities.
“The ones we have are highly utilized, all of them,
especially this time of year,” he said. “A while back
several of us were coming back from a meeting and we
stopped by the range at the Upper Delta WMA. We had
put some sod down earlier in the year and I wanted to see
how it was doing. We got there at 9:30-10 o’clock in the
morning and there were seven folks there using it in the
middle of the week, and that thing is out in the middle of
nowhere.
“The ranges at Gadsden, Swan Creek, Skyline,
Cahaba and Oakmulgee are really utilized a lot.”
Metzler said James Altiere, one of the regional hunter
education coordinators, has been scouting Choctaw
County for a suitable location for a range, which must
meet certain specifications.
“A suitable site should be wide enough for at least 10
benches,” Metzler said. “We have two ranges - Coosa
and Cahaba - which only have six or seven benches.
We could use 40 benches at the Cahaba because of
the proximity to Birmingham. We’re looking for places
on the edge of urban areas where it would be close
enough proximity that people could travel there on a
regular basis.
“You have to have a sufficient backstop and that
varies. If you’re shooting into a mountain, your fallout
doesn’t need to be as long. We’re looking for a sufficient
safety zone behind it and a cooperative partner - county
government, sheriff’s department or other partner. Or it
could be on one of our wildlife management areas.”
Metzler said he plans to look at Lowndes WMA for a
possible range site after additional land was purchased
through the Forever Wild program.
“We’re going to look hard at Lowndes WMA because
it’s within 30 minutes of Montgomery,” he said.
For those who plan to use any of the ranges, Metzler
reminds everyone to utilize eye and ear protection
“People can go to www.outdooralabama.com/hunting
and they can look at the ranges and they can download
and print targets,” he said. “The main thing, as always, is
to be safe when handling firearms.”
ACE Magazine 99
MORGAN COUNTY
YOUTH DOVE HUNT
by Chris Champion
T
he first ever Morgan County ALWFF Step
Outside Youth Dove hunt was held in Priceville,
AL on Sep. 4, 2010. Twenty-seven adults took
the time to introduce thirty-two kids to hunting. The
hunt was held on an 80 acre cut corn field that had been
leased through the donation of funds by private
individuals in the community. In addition to leasing the
field, area businesses donated items for door prizes,
drinks and lunch.
A drawing was held for door prizes after lunch and
every effort was made to make sure that each child on
the field received a door prize. In addition to door prizes
each child that hunted received a “goody bag”. The bags
held coupons to local businesses as well as donated
items. Two of the most important items were hearing and
eye protection. Byford’s Gun and Pawn in Hartselle
ACEOA Banner group shot.
donated enough foam ear plugs to place a set in each
bag and ACEOA purchased and donated enough
shooting glasses to provide a pair to each youth hunter.
The hunt went as most dove hunts do. After a
demonstration of flint knapping by Tim Baker, a local
realtor and one of the primary sponsors of the hunt, and
a safety briefing the hunters were released to begin
hunting at about 1:00 PM. The weather cooperated and it
wasn’t extremely hot. The doves did not fly well until
about 4:30 PM then the shooting picked up considerably.
A survey late in the day showed that most groups had
enough opportunity to shoot to make it enjoyable. No
limits were taken but everyone was enjoying themselves.
Youth dove hunts are a lot of work. There is a
tremendous amount of preparation involved both on the
continued on 105
ACE Magazine 103
Morgan County – continued
ground and in the office. They are held for the kids in
order to introduce kids to hunting in a safe and hopefully
successful manner. One such kid that hunted was 11
year old Colton Sandlin. Colton’s mom brought him out
to the youth dove hunt. She went out into the field with
him and sat with him all afternoon while he was hunting.
Colton said that this was the second time he had been
dove hunting but was the first time he had been
successful. Colton killed his first two doves ever on the
field that day, and when asked about them his pleasure
and pride were evident. The boy was grinning from ear to
ear, and so was Mom. The game warden was pretty
proud of him too.

Morgan04. The reason we do what we do.

Tim Baker, one of the primary sponsors of the hunt, demonstrates

flint knapping.

Colton Sandlin with his first dove ever.

ACE Magazine 105

ACEOA SUPPORTS HUNTER
EDUCATION
by Jerry Fincher, Talladega County CEO

he Talladega County Hunter Education Associ- but we all had a great time.

T ation held its first dove shoot on Saturday,

September 18. The event was sponsored by the
Alabama Conservation Officers Association and was
held as a way to reward the hard work of our volunteer
instructors.
Approximately thirty volunteers and their family
members gathered at Haybrook Farms in Fayetteville,
owned by Mr. William Terry of Birmingham Alabama. We
grilled hamburgers and attempted to hit a few birds; we
were more successful at the eating than hitting doves,
I urge all of our officers to find ways to reward the
efforts of our volunteer instructors who give of their time,
knowledge, and finances to further the efforts of hunter-
education in Alabama. I would also like to thank Mr.
William Terry for recognizing the efforts of these men and
women and allowing us the opportunity to have the
shoot, Mr. Brian Yates who prepared the field, and
ACEOA who provided the funding.
More photos on 111

The Talladega group with the ACEOA Banner.

ACE Magazine 109

Talladega County – continued

Thank You!

It doesn’t get any better than this!

ACE Magazine 111

WILCOX COUNTY YOUTH
DOVE HUNT
by Dan Quincey, Wilcox County CEO
W
e had a really good youth dove hunt this year.
We raised quite a bit of money this year and
were able to give away seven lifetime hunting
licenses, four shotguns, and everything from dove stools,
dove calls, blinds, mo-jo decoys, shells, doves vests,
shell bags, and call lanyards. A good lunch was provided
as well. Our many sponsors are as follows: ACEOA, Mr.
Bill Hatley, Browder Veneer, Danny Burford, Camden
Coin Laundry, Carl and Rixine Jackson, Camden
National Bank, Dr. Don Donaldson, George Fendley,
Possum Bend Feed and Seed, Holman Insurance, Mr.
Joe Hicks, JRD Construction, Lawler Timber, Loftins Bait
Shop, Smith Goat Farm, McDonalds Grocery, McGraw
Webb Chevrolet, Nelson Plumbing, S.J. and Vivian
Henderson, Swanner Heating and Cooling, Town and
Country Bank, and the Wilcox County Long Beards.
There were many others who helped with the hunts. A
big thank you goes out to Mr. Bud Moore for donating
the land and equipment for these hunts. A very big
thank you to all who donate and help put this together
continued on 117
ACE Magazine 115
Wilcox County – continued

every year. The people and businesses really go all out

for this event and always donate for the good of the
Wilcox County kids. The weather was not very good to
us this year, Mr. William Morton planted the field three
times over the summer and we still could not get a rain
to make the brown top and sunflowers grow. We did not
have many birds but after the meal and the drawing for
prizes we had a bunch of smiling kids. Thanks so much
to the ACEOA, ADCNR, Mr. Bud, and other sponsors
and helpers.
More photos on 119

ACE Magazine 117

Wilcox County – continued

ACE Magazine 119

ADCNR HONOR GUARD
by Lt. Ryan B. Bennett, Marine Police

n March 1st 2009, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources formed

O its first official Honor Guard in its century-long history. The Honor Guard serves as the
ceremonial representative for the entire Department at events authorized by the
Commissioner or a Division Director. This prestigious unit was designed to provide our agency with
a well-trained ceremonial unit to render honors, preserve traditions, promote esprit-de-corps, and
instill pride. Marine Police Director John Jenkins and Assistant Commissioner Hobie Sealy were
instrumental in forming this new unit. Director Jenkins stated that it took almost his entire career
to see this vision become a reality. After months of practice, organization, and procuring
equipment and uniforms, the Honor
Guard made its debut at the Conser-
vation Advisory Board Meeting in the
State Capitol in February 2010.
Since its formation, the Honor Guard
has also provided ceremonial
services at several funerals for
retired DCNR officers and also
posted the US and state colors at
official government functions.
All Honor Guard members are
volunteers and sworn law enforce-
ment officers. Members come from
all five Divisions of the Department
and maintain their own unique
Division insignia and uniforms. While
the Honor Guard would automat-
ically be activated in response to an
officer killed in the line of duty,
former employees should be advised
that the Honor Guard is also
available at funeral services for
retirees if their family so desires. The
Honor Guard can perform pallbearer
duties, provide a motorized escort
for funeral processions, provide a
silent casket guard during visitation,
perform a flag folding ceremony at graveside with a US flag provided by ACEOA, provide a rifle
salute and render “Taps” at the graveside service. ACEOA has generously donated three electronic
bugles to make the playing of “Taps” more formal and precise. Retirees or their families need only
notify their local ACEOA representatives of their wishes and the Honor Guard will be made
available to assist in any way they can. Thanks to all the officers of who have volunteered their
time and energy for such a noble purpose.

ACE Magazine 123