A Question Begging For An Answer………..WHY?

Why? What makes a normal, law-abiding person do some incredibly stupid things when it comes to wildlife?

I can’t point a finger at anybody else until I confess a crime I committed as a pre-teen on a beautiful oriole. This handsome black and orange bird was singing its heart out from atop a big oak in my grandparent’s yard when I raised my Daisy Red Ryder to my left shoulder – I shoot right-handed – didn’t even aim, and fired off a pellet. I was mortified when the oriole tumbled out and hit the ground dead at my feet.

Why did I do it? To this day, seven decades later, I still don’t know. How was I able to put a pellet into the little bird so high in the tree from my left shoulder without aiming? Maybe it was allowed to happen to teach me a lesson; songbirds must never be shot, even by 10-year-old boys with BB guns. It was a lesson that stuck because I never shot another songbird. That, however, didn’t bring the oriole back to life.

There are some people today who do stupid things when it relates to wildlife, and they’re not ten-year-olds.

I think of a good friend who lived outside Monroe, a dedicated hunter, although he was confined to a wheelchair by a degenerative disease that later took his life. Jimmy had been granted approval to keep deer in a pen next to his house. One night, someone slipped up to the fence, shot his prized buck with an arrow, cut the fence, and hauled the buck away, undoubtedly boasting to his friends about the fine buck he had taken. Why? How in Heaven’s name could he brag about bagging a big buck when he knew in his heart the dastardly circumstances under which the deer was slain?

The shooter was later arrested and had to make restitution for his act. That was little solace, however, for Jimmy and his pet buck.

Former NBA star and Ruston resident Karl Malone had something similar happen to him. On his big buck sanctuary in Union Parish, he has deer with superior bloodlines, capable of producing Boone and Crockett antlers. Someone shot one of his prized bucks, cutting the fence and making off with the deer. He, too, was caught and had to make restitution. Again……why?

If you have read many of my articles, you know of my love for hunting wild turkeys. I was literally thrilled to my soul one morning when driving by a woodlot a mile from my house, I saw something that caused me to stop and back up for a closer look. At the back of the woodlot on private property with “No Hunting” signs, a gobbler in full strut was displaying for two hens. Right here close to my house…..I couldn’t believe it. Two granddaughters came for a visit a few days later and I was able to show them the gobbler and hens as they were on display just about every morning.

As much as I enjoyed watching the turkeys, a gnawing feeling began creeping in because the turkeys were so visible. Folks would stop and watch the turkeys that were undisturbed by vehicle traffic. I hoped that nobody with the stupidity of a ten-year-old boy with a BB gun would do as I had done years ago. My fears escalated when the gobbler suddenly disappeared. He had been there every day for a week or more and abruptly vanished.

I was talking with a neighbor later who mentioned that during the time the turkeys were so visible, he heard a gunshot one morning. After the shot, the turkeys simply vanished, not to be seen again. I don’t know what happened, but I can hazard a guess. Some opportunistic person with the stupidity of a ten-year-old with a BB gun probably saw the gobbler, rolled down his window, shot, and made off with his prize.

We have plenty of wild game to be hunted during legal hunting seasons, so the question as to why some people resort to cheating begs for an answer……why?

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE –. Bass have moved up around the grass and topwater lures are working early while Texas rigged plastic worms and crank baits are taking some fish on secondary points. Some schooling activity is being noted with fish hitting shad imitations. Crappie are around the deep tops and jigs and shiners are taking some big ones. Bream both chinquapins and bluegills are on the beds and hitting crickets and worms. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Bass have been good with some nice fish up to 12 lbs caught early mornings on topwaters and on soft plastics and spinners later. Crappie are on the flats and some big ones are biting on shiners or jigs. The bream are bedding around the edges of the brush. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – High water but on a slow fall. Some bass caught in the cuts and in the back water on buzz baits and spinner baits. Crappie are fair; bream are biting in the backwaters. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Some really nice bass were caught during last weekend’s Majestic tournament. A couple over 10 pounds were weighed in.. Crappie are suspended on the flats and taking jigs and shiners. Bream are bedding shallow and hitting worms and crickets and catfish are good fishing off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing has been good on suspended fish on jigs and shiners. Bass are around the banks and hitting topwaters early while later hitting hit jigs, spinners and soft plastics. Bream are on the beds and worms and crickets are working on them. Stripers are schooling and hitting shad imitations. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish and bream are best bets this week. Bass and crappie are fair.. For information, contact the marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is high with another rise on the way. Still over the road to the Landing and too high for fishing. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.