2016 Mississippi Wildlife Federation Annual Report

Guiding Principles

Believing that the natural resources of the State of Mississippi are of ecological, social, economic, recreational, and aesthetic value, which must be guarded, perpetuated, and restored for posterity, and realizing that these ends can be accomplished only through the cooperative efforts of an enlightened people, we dedicate this Federation to those principles.

Purpose

The purpose of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation is to further and advance the cause of conservation and environmental protection, and to perpetuate, conserve and enhance the fish, wildlife, mineral, soil, water, air and forest resources of the state; to promote and encourage responsible management and use of all natural resources so that this generation and posterity will receive the maximum benefit from them.

MISSION

The Mississippi Wildlife Federation’s mission is to conserve Mississippi’s natural resources and protect our wildlife legacy.

2016 Mississippi Wildlife Federation

Officers and Board of Directors

Executive Committee

President:Demery Grubbs, ClintonSecretary/Treasurer: John Woods, Clinton

President-Elect: Irene Reaves, Terry NWF Rep: Randy Spencer, Brandon

1st Vice-President:Jimmy Rayburn, Raymond Past President: Cliff Covington, Port Gibson

2nd Vice-President: Jeanne Jones, Louisville

Northern Directors

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Southern Directors

Nicole Hodges, Starkville

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Kathy Shelton, Biloxi

Chris Winter, Greenwood

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Jim Franks, Ocean Springs

Windie Reaves, Greenwood

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Mark Loughman, Gulfport

Don Bales, Purvis

Central Directors

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At-Large Directors

Ty Jones, Flora

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Charlie Garretson, Ellisville

Katrina Wallace, Yazoo City

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Karen Wester, Mendenhall

Gilbert Rose, Vicksburg

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Woodie Reaves, Terry

Mitch Newman, Lucedale

D.R. Bozeman, Flora

Directors Emeritus

Don Burns – Columbus

Preston Goff – Lucedale

Penny Kochtitzky – Hattiesburg

Johnny McArthur – Hattiesburg

Board Affiliates

American Fisheries Society – Ryan Jones

American Society of Landscape Architects – Robert Poore

Coastal Conservation Association – F.J. Eicke

Mississippi Chapter of The Wildlife Society – Kathy Shelton

Mississippi Forestry Association – Tedrick Ratcliff

Mississippi Society of American Foresters – Steve Emerson

Mississippi Ornithological Society – Mary Stripling

National Wild Turkey Federation – Barry Biggers

Safari Club International – Greg Duncan

Wolf River Conservation Society – Mark Loughman

Past Presidents

Gerald Barber – RidgelandPaul Ott Carruth – SummitSam King – Clinton

Lonnie Bailey – GreenwoodRicky Mathews – Biloxi Terry Beckman – Quitman Bob Fairbank- Pass Christian John Prewitt, Jr. – Canton Dr. Marty Brunson – StarkvilleLouis Fuslier- Jackson Dr. Ross “Skip” Shelton Jimmy Bullock – BrookhavenDr. Heber Simmons – Jackson Ramon Callahan – Terry Mike Goff – Brandon Frank Smith – Ridgeland James Carroll – Madison John Harvey- Brandon Dr. Clarke Stewart – Raymond Dr. Don Jackson - Starkville Bill Tomlinson – Vicksburg Kris Godwin – Starkville Rick Dillard, Madison Cliff Covington – Port Gibson

MWF Affiliate Organizations

Local Affiliates

Friends of DeSotoSouthern Traditional Archery

Lowndes County Wildlife FederationMississippi Coast Fly Fishers, Inc.

Statewide Affiliates

Coastal Conservation Association of MSMS Chapter,of The Wildlife Society

Magnolia Chapter of Safari Club InternationalMississippi Hunting Dog Association

Magnolia Fly FishersMississippi Wildlife Enforcement Officers

Mississippi Bowhunters AssociationSociety of Landscape Architects

MS Chapter, American Fisheries SocietyWolf River Conservation Society, Inc.

MS Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation MS Trappers Association

MS Chapter, Society of American Foresters Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Mississippi Forestry AssociationMississippi Ornithological Society

Audubon Mississippi Coalition for Ethical Deer Hunting

Corporate Members

Plum Creek Timber CompanyChevron Products Company

BankPlusResource Management Service, LLC

The Westervelt CompanyCooperative Energy

Mississippi Power CompanyWeyerhaeuser Company

Past Presidents

Deceased

Cecil CopelandClarence LadnerDr. Joseph E. PettusEd Sullivan

Rev. J. W. HowellWayne MyersW.V. Robertson Matt Dale

MWF Hall of Fame

W.V. Robertson

Edward G. Sullivan

Gerald Barber

Ramon Callahan

Paul Ott Carruth

Johnny McArthur

Elizabeth Rooks-Barber

Staff

Executive DirectorOffice Manager/Events Director

Brad Young – Madison Melanie Starnes – Hazlehurst

Development CoordinatorAdopt-A-Stream Coordinator

Amanda Jones - BrandonDebra Veeder - Brandon

2016 Programs and Activities

The Conservation Achievement Awards Luncheon

The Conservation Achievement Awards Luncheon was held February 25, 2016 at the Hilton in Jackson. The luncheon was well attended and featured a keynote presentation by Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. The Awards Luncheon recognized the following outstanding Mississippi conservationists:

Conservationist of the Year

/ Conservation Communicator of the Year / Conservation Officer of the Year
Dr. Ronal Roberson, Charleston / The Sun Herald Newspaper, Gulfport
Wildlife Conservationist of the Year / Conservation Officer of the Year / Hunter Ed Volunteer Instructor of the Year
Tamara Campbell, Monticello / Master Sergeant Michael Voyles, Iuka
Fisheries Conservationist of the Year / Hunter Ed Volunteer Instructor of the Year / Corporate Conservationist of the Year
Dennis Riecke, Brandon / Eves Vincent, Biloxi
Forest Conservationist of the Year
Dr. Stephen Dicke, Clinton /
Soil, Air, and Water Conservationist of the Year
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Affiliate of the Year
Suzette Jetton, Wiggins
Conservation Educator of the Year
Stephen Ricks, Brandon /
Catch-A-Dream Volunteers of the Year
Jimmy and Paula Carruth, Brandon /
MWF Volunteer of the Year
MWF Scholarship Recipient
Taylor Hackemack, Starkville
ConservationPartner of the Year
Flower Lake Area Hunting Clubs
Association, Tunica County / Youth Conservationist of the Year
Jeremy Morgan, Oxford
Catch-A-Dream Volunteers of the Year

Youth Squirrel Hunt

The Mississippi Wildlife Federation partnered with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to host seven youth squirrel hunts across Mississippi on Saturday, February 13, 2016. The squirrel hunts were held on Canal Section WMA, Caney Creek WMA, Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, O’Keefe WMA, Copiah County WMA, and Pascagoula River WMA. The goal of these free events was to introduce youth to small game hunting and wildlife conservation. Sixty-eight youth between the ages of 10 – 15 participated in the hunts, with 64 squirrels and two raccoons harvested. A parent or legal adult guardian was required to accompany all youth participants. All guns were provided by the agency.

The hunts began with check-in at mid-day. After check-in, youth were taught about wildlife conservation, squirrel ecology, hunter safety, hunting regulations, and squirrel hunting methods.

Once the educational program was completed, youth went to shooting ranges to learn about more about shotguns and gun safety, and even took a few practice shots under the supervision of hunter education instructors in preparation for the afternoon hunt.

Squirrel hunts at all seven locations began during mid-afternoon and ended around dusk. The youth hunted behind squirrel dogs provided by volunteer dog handlers from throughout the state.

The day ended with a squirrel cleaning demonstration and supper that included the day’s harvest.

While the overall harvest was low in most of the areas, the youth had a great time and learned much about hunting and wildlife conservation.

Adopt-A-Stream

2016 Details of Project (per Debra Veeder, Adopt a Stream Coordinator):

I have participated in several events that include demonstrating the Enviroscape, talking about non-point source pollution and water quality in streams, rivers and lakes. These large venues include; Outdoorama, Celebrate the Gulf/ WaterFest, Make A Splash Day at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, at Science Enrichment Day at Oakdale Elementary, Brandon, MS, Conservation Field Day with MDWFP at Neshoba Lake, MSU’s Soil and Water Day education festival, KRB / Great America Clean-up, Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District Field Day, INFINITY Science Center, RezFest, Great Delta Bear Fair Education, Montgomery County Soil & Water Conservation Carnival, Montgomery County Soil & Water Conservation Carnival, Nissan Family Day. Through 15 events I have reached approximately 14,224 children and adults.

Aquatic Ecology/Non-point source programs have been taught in classrooms, after school programs, summer camps and library programs. These programs may include a demonstration, talk and/or field studies. I have taught 20 of these types of programs in which approximately 452 students, teachers, campers and adults participated.

Envirothon teams are trained on non-point source pollution, water quality, mapping a watershed, identification of macroinvertebrates and their use in stream quality assessment and other aquatic biology information per Envirothon requirements. These programs included classroom and/or field studies. I have worked with 28 Envirothon teams which includes approximately 173 students and teachers.

One-day workshops have been taught in Big Black, South Independent Streams, Yazoo River, Pearl River and Tombigbee Watershed Basins. There were 9 workshops with 165 participants.

Two-day workshop was held at Percy Quin State Park, McComb, MS, in the South Independent Streams watershed basin. There were 20 participants.

I helped coordinate and direct in conjunction with Keep the Rez Beautiful their Project Rezway Recycle Fashion show. We have designers from ages’ youth to adult who design their outfits from recycled materials. The show consistently has approximately 300 attendees.

I have participated in stream clean-ups with Keep the Rez Beautiful, Keep America Beautiful/ Great American Clean-up, Northwest Rankin (NWR) High School students. I have done storm-drain marking in Cleveland, MS on Delta State University campus and around the Ross Barnett Reservoir with student volunteers. I have done stabilization/planting projects with the Keep America Beautiful National Planting day, Keep the Rez Beautiful volunteers, Boy and Girl Scouts. At the clean-ups and stabilization/planting events items have also been recycled. Monofilament has been recycled from 10 bins placed around the Ross Barnett Reservoir. This year approximately 5 lbs. of monofilament has been recycled. I have also participated in an E-cycle event with KRB, helped St. Mark’s United Methodist Church to recycle boxes and plastic from a food drive to feed the elderly, and am working with KRB and NWRHS students to launch a recycling program at the high school. There were 3 stream clean-up events, 9 storm drain marking events, 1 stabilization/planting event and 7 recycling events.

I have presented informational talks/set up displays to explain about the Adopt-A-Stream program and spoken about my career with AAS at Mississippi Assoc. of Conservation Districts conference (MACD), Museum of Natural Science Family Fun Science Night and Pearl River County SWCD event, MS Science Teachers Assoc. (MSTA) conference, MS Assoc. of Gifted Children (MAGC) conference, MS Environmental Education Alliance (MEEA) conference, Northwest Rankin Elementary and Mize Elementary. Approximately 2525 participants were reached during these programs.

I have been involved in various projects with other organizations such as; Rezonate, Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Boy Scouts (including an Eagle Scout project) and Girl Scouts of America, various Soil Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), MS Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, Keep America Beautiful, Crosby Arboretum, Delta State University. I am part of the Envirothon Steering committee and the Aquatic test administrator for the Delta Area and State competition. I am the chairman for Keep the Rez Beautiful, on the board for Project Learning Tree and secretary for the Mississippi Environmental Education Alliance. The camps that I have been involved with were MSWCC youth camp/Hinds community college, YMCA- Caledonia, MS and St. Anthony’s summer camp, Madison, MS.

Katfishin’ Kids

Approximately 200 children and their parents joined the Mississippi Wildlife Federation, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and Walmart on June 4 at the Turcotte Education Lab on the Ross Barnett Reservoir for our National Fishing Day event. Stations were set up along the property which taught kids about boater safety, lure selection, knot tying and fisheries biology. Kids were then given the opportunity to try their hand at fishing in the stocked ponds and hopefully catch their first fish.

Wildlife Extravaganza

The 30th Annual Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza was held August 5 - 7 at the Trade Mart in Jackson. This year’s Extravaganza was a huge success with features such as outdoor displays, a live shark show, the Chevrolet “Ride and Drive” test track and many new vendors with new products. The featured guests for this year’s show were David Blanton from Realtree Outdoors and Liz and Justin Choate from the Swamp People television show. There were a multitude of kid’s activities including the high flying retriever demonstrations, youth archery and BB shoots as well ashandgrabbing catfish tanks.

Big Buck Winners

Best of Show typical – Cheri Hillebrant

Best of Show non-typical – Eddie Harrell

2016 Youth Photography Winners

This was the seventh year for our Youth Photography Contest. Victoria Cole of Union Church was the awarded the Best Overall Photograph. Other winners are listed below:

Youth Amateur
Black and White Fine Art
Victoria Cole

Landscapes

Benjamin Browning

Wildlife (birds)

Victoria Cole

Floral Macro

Victoria Cole

Wildlife (other)

Kyle Hubbard

2016 Adult Photography Winners

Charla Dukes of Ridgelandwas awarded the Best Overall Adult Amateur Photograph. Chris Hutcheson of Pontotoc was awarded the Best Overall Adult Advanced Pro Photograph. Other winners are listed below.

Amateur Division

Fine Art Black and White
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Floral Macro
Bettie Ahrend
Honorable Mention – Mickey Mask / Bettie Ahrend, Winner
Thomas Burchett, Honorable Mention
Macro / Wildlife
Charla Dukes / Winner – Linda Jefcoat
Honorable Mention – Alison Morgan
Landscape
Adrienne McPhaul, Winner
Heather McKnight, Honorable Mention
Wildlife Birds
Winner – Nick Dugan
Honorable Mention – Bettie Ahrend
Honorable Mention – Heather McKnight / People
Winner - Doreen Leone
Honorable Mention – Alec Taylor
Wildlife (other)
Charla Dukes
Landmarks
Mark Spellman
Advanced Pro Division
Fine Art Black and White / Floral Macro
Tammy R. Parvin, Winner / Troy Bates, Winner
Chris Hutchison, Honorable Mention
Michel Turner, Honorable Mention / William Lee, Honorable Mention
Macro
Michel Turner, Winner
Michel Turner, Honorable Mention
Marty Kittrell, Honorable Mention
Landmarks
Marty Kittrell, Winner
Landscapes / Marty Kittrell, Honorable Mention
Paula Van Every, Winner
Tammy Parvin, Honorable Mention / Tammy Parvin, Honorable Mention
Jason Saucier, Honorable Mention
People
Wildlife Birds / Terry Germany, Winner
Chris Hutcheson, Winner / Linda Jeffcoat, Honorable Mention
Troy Bates, Honorable Mention
Michel Turner, Honorable Mention / Marty Kittrell, Honorable Mention
William Lee, Honorable Mention
Paula Van Every, Honorable Mention
Wildlife
Bubba Brantley, Winner
Chris Hutcheson, Honorable Mention

Gator Bait Races

Gator Bait is a 5.5-mile race for competitive and recreational kayakers, canoeists, and SUP paddlers. The course runs through Pelahatchie Bay on the Ross Barnett Reservoir.MWF partnered with MDEQ, Rezonate, Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and Keep the Rez Beautiful to draw attention to the quality and condition of the water in the Reservoir and the need to protect it through management, litter control, and conservation. The race was held on September 17 with 56 paddlers from all over the Southeast participating. Carson, Conrad and Peyton Pellerin from Breaux Bridge, LA won the race with a time of 40:16.

The third annual Gator Bait Hatchling race was also held this past year for kids ages 5 to 17. The course length is tailored to each age group with a goal of introducing kids to the sport of kayaking, fostering a love for the outdoors, and instilling a desire to protect their environment for generations to come.There are 3 races per age groupand kids are encouraged to participate in as many races as they wish.Around 183 kids participated in the event compared to 90 at last year’s event.

Outdoorama on the Rez

Our celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day, Outdoorama on the Rez was held on September 26 at the Turcotte Education Lab. The event targets kids of all ages and their parents and allowsthem to experience shooting sports, archery, fishing, canoeing and several other educational activities. Our partner, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks helped plan another great day of outdoor activities that offered opportunities for kids and adults to be exposed to a wide range of outdoor recreational options. In addition, a host of organizations and individuals helped make this day a success. Approximately 500 people attended.