“It was a long and stormy night”…………or, as Bob Segar and the Silver Bullet Band popularized in the hit song “Against the Wind”………. life has its challenges. How one views these challenges depends a great deal on ones perspective. Viktor Frankl, a noted Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist once quoted, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”. To put that quote in its proper perspective, it is helpful to note that Frankl was born in 1905, died in 1997 and was a Holocaust survivor. There is little doubt that Dr. Frankl faced many changes and challenges in the 92 years he spent on this … [Read more...] about Wildlife Management at Tara – Challenges and Changing Perspectives
Chronic Wasting Disease – What is it and why should I be concerned?
By W.H. Tomlinson, Certified Wildlife Biologist Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered in Mississippi By now, many of you are aware of the discovery of a buck deer which tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Issaquena County, MS. This occurrence is the first confirmed incidence of CWD in Mississippi. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) has stepped forward as the lead Agency responsible for oversight and implementation of a CWD Response Plan going forward. As part of the response process, three separate Management Zones have been established, including: a five mile radius Containment Zone; a ten … [Read more...] about Chronic Wasting Disease – What is it and why should I be concerned?
Native Winterberry Provides Winter Color & Wildlife Food
If you take a walk in the woods this winter, keep an eye out for a flash of brilliant red color. Take a look in areas with wet soils -- as along streams, moist forests, or even at the edge of a swamp -- you might find a shrub that is covered in bright red berries. It’s hard to miss the clusters of brilliant red on the bare branches. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly, so it loses its leaves in the fall but maintains the red drupes that give it its name. It grows best in moist soil in part shade and can reach a height of about 7 to 10 feet. Like all hollies, winterberry shrubs are separated into male and female plants. … [Read more...] about Native Winterberry Provides Winter Color & Wildlife Food
4 Reasons Why Native Eastern Red Cedar is Great for Wildlife
Walk down any dirt road in Mississippi and you’ll see an eastern red cedar lining the edge of the forest or field. Many a rural fence row has been built using eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) for the posts. These common native trees are hardy plants. They can take the heat, drought, cold, wind, and even a little salt spray; they grow in 37 states in the U.S. In the late summer and early fall, these cedars will produce tiny pale silver-blue berry-like cones. There are so many tiny fruits that the branches will bend down under their weight. Wildlife Value of the Eastern Red Cedar #1 Food Have you ever looked up into … [Read more...] about 4 Reasons Why Native Eastern Red Cedar is Great for Wildlife
7 Benefits of Being Outdoors for Hunters at Tara
There’s nothing quite like a crisp, early fall morning, walking through the woods to get to your deer stand. The air smells clean, you hear nothing but the sound of your feet crunching through the leaves and birds singing, and all around you, all you see are the woods and the animals that live in them -- The Great Outdoors. We recently asked some of our clients about what they value about their hunting experience at Tara Wildlife. The top 7 things hunters at Tara deemed very important or important for creating a quality hunting experience at Tara are For many hunters, being outdoors in nature and spending quality time with … [Read more...] about 7 Benefits of Being Outdoors for Hunters at Tara
A Dinosaur in the Mississippi River
With an elongated flat snout and a row of bony plates running down its back and sides, the Gulf sturgeon is an unusual looking fish. It can grow to a length of 10 to 12 feet and weigh several hundreds of pounds! The average length of a Gulf sturgeon is 5 to 6 feet. Sturgeons have earned the nickname of “living dinosaur” as the fossil records show that they evolved over 200 million years ago. Throughout this time, they have largely remained the same. The number of Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) has declined over the last few decades, leading it to become listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in … [Read more...] about A Dinosaur in the Mississippi River
