Duck hunting at Green Oaks east of Fisk, south of Highway 60 was very popular as the timber flooded just about every fall and the ducks used the area for feeding.   Mallards in particular used the areas under the oak trees for their food.  That area now is farmland but the memories about hunting remain as fresh as if they just happened. One trip over there, Dad came upon a trapper who was looking for a trap he had set on a log in that area and couldn’t locate the log where he’d made the set. Dad had seen the set and also the mink that was in the trap.  The trapper had a tow-sack with some coon he had

Trapping… Just after I finished my last article on the signs of spring, I got another portent of the coming season.  I looked up and saw a sky full of geese.  There must have been thousands that were flying high overhead and heading north.  The northern migration has begun.  Just another sign spring isn’t too far away. Now for some words of wisdom about the outdoor activity of trapping fur bearers.  My first experience came while I was in grade school.  Dad set a few traps in Black River to catch a little game.  There are always some mink and muskrats along any river and the Black was no exception.  Dad used a boat to make the sets and run

February is the birth month of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and each February, Presidents’ Day offers us a chance to reflect on lessons learned from our former presidents. As America faces challenges at home and abroad, some of George Washington’s lessons are especially relevant today. “The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.” George Washington’s commitment to the Constitution is one of the most important lessons we can take to heart. In Washington, D.C., some seem to have forgotten that Congress is the law-making body in our Constitutional government and the executive branch is tasked with enforcing the laws. We must protect the Constitution our Founding Fathers established and work through the legislative process to move America forward. “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, in E.T. Peters Gym, Ozark Federal Credit Union hosted a Reality Fair, its third budget-planning event involving Poplar Bluff Schools, with the participation of 280 high school seniors along with 38 local businesses and organizations. Students each received a unique packet stating their occupation, salary, debt history, marital status and whether or not they had children. Then they were assigned to visit with real industry professionals to purchase necessities such as a mock house, transportation, furniture, clothing and food. The object was to attempt to keep within budget in a workbook. Sponsored by the Missouri Credit Union Association in partnership with the Missouri Council for Economic Education, the Ozark Federal Credit Union Reality Fair has become

Reporting live from the igloo that has become my house, I’d like to offer an idea to our friends at the local news channels. It’s evident that nothing tickles the meteorologists more than reporting live from outside in the weather, so how about we strap that microphone to the handle end of a snow shovel, and each segment can be filmed at someone else’s driveway. I could deal with a winded dialogue if it meant a clean driveway! In all seriousness, I should give the fine folks at KFVS12 credit for nailing the forecast, at least for my house. There’s somewhere around 12-inches of snow out in my yard, and with the projected temperatures over the next week, I don’t

With most hunting seasons closed, there isn’t too much outdoor hunting going on except for rabbits, squirrels and light geese.  I have not heard of much activity with geese but there has been a tremendous amount of them flying overhead the last 10 days or more.  Last Saturday, in particular, our dog stayed on the tailgate of our old pickup and kept her eyes on the sky.  The birds were so high I couldn’t see them but there was an occasional honk that was carried to me on the wind so they were in the air. With walleye fishing and the hardy winter crappie anglers fighting the wind and cold, there is very little fishing activity on most days. The