By Ben Smith: If you hunt north of Highway 84, the day you’ve been waiting for is almost here. With the way the calendar falls this year, archery hunters in Mississippi get the opportunity to begin the season in September. Even though it feels nothing like deer season, I doubt many hunters will pass up... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: Fall is officially here. Well, at least according to the calendar it’s here. I know the velvet season just passed, and a great deal of you braved the elements from a high perch in a tree last weekend, but it’s hard to get excited about deer hunting when the temperatures are still... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: For the second year in a row, Mississippi is allowing deer hunters the opportunity to get an early start to the season. The Mississippi Velvet season begins this Friday and runs through Sunday, offering hunters the somewhat rare opportunity to bag a buck before it sheds its velvet. I say “somewhat rare”... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: Darius Rucker, formerly of Hootie and the Blowfish, sang “Time, why you punish me.” Last week, I wrote that I’d hunt until I killed a big gator, or until time ran out on me. After coming up emptyhanded in my final hunt, I cranked my truck up at 4:00 in the morning... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: Last week I said records are meant to be broken. My feelings haven’t changed, I’m just disappointed that it wasn’t me. By now, most of you know that the Mississippi state alligator record was broken this past weekend. If you didn’t know, let me enlighten you. Four guys fought the 14’3” monster... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: Growing up most of my life in South Mississippi, I spent plenty of hours on the river. We fished on pretty much every river around the Pine Belt area and sometimes we’d make our way over to the Alabama River, or the Tombigbee River. I always liked fishing the bigger rivers because... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: Over the last couple of years, I’ve written on just about everything associated with my life. I’ve written about hunting, fishing, and baseball. I’ve written about my family, politics, and my childhood. I’ve shared about debilitating stomach issues and old friends that have passed on. As time passes, it gets harder and... Continue Reading →
As I rolled up to the polling station for Tuesday’s primary elections, a wave of madness came over me. It began with just a simple view of the lake where my polling station is located. Looking out over that water while melting from the parking lot was just too much to take. It took everything... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: As I turned down the dirt road, the most uneasy feeling came over me. This is a sketchy place. With one hand on the wheel, another on my pistol, and my head on a swivel, I made my way toward the river leaving a dust cloud thick enough to choke a camel... Continue Reading →
By Ben Smith: Ball outside. Ball inside. Hit batter. Ball in the dirt, runner advances to second, catcher launches ball to centerfield, runner advances to third. Wild pitch, runner scores. Repeat process over again. That was my weekend. Nothing like a travel ball tournament to put an exclamation point on baseball season. You guys all... Continue Reading →
