The officers and directors of the Warren County Forestry Association and I need your help in selecting a nominee for this year’s Outstanding Youth Forestry Achievement Award.

Each year, the Mississippi Forestry Association, of which the WCFA is an affiliate, awards a deserving young person between the ages of 13 and 18 a plaque, cash and a complimentary registration to their annual meeting. The WCFA’s president, Hunter Fordice, and the other representatives of the local association would like nothing more than this year’s recipient to be a Warren County youth.

The MFA has two basic objectives for the award — recognize and publicize outstanding achievements by Mississippi’s youths in the area of forestry and  encourage other youths to emulate outstanding performance of award winners.

In addition to receiving statewide publicity, the winner will be recognized at the MFA’s annual meeting.

Fordice and his officers and directors will meet this week to discuss possible nominees and will gladly accept recommendations from the public. Nominees will be required to list major forestry achievements, such as participation in demonstrations, talks, exhibits and other learning experiences. The nominees’ citizenship and community service involvement, including participation in church, school and community organizations, is also important criterion weighed by the selection committee. Nomination forms are available at the Warren County Extension Office, 1100-C Grove St., and the WCFA must send the forms to the state association, postmarked no later than Sept. 8. 

Please contact the Extension office this week.

Dove field demo

One of the South’s long-standing, outdoor social traditions is fast approaching — the opening weekend of dove season and the fellowship and hunting activities it brings about.

Just in time to get dove hunters prepared, the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks are hosting a dove field demonstration and field day Saturday morning in Kilmichael. Snacks and drinks will be provided. The actual site of the field day is 1/2 mile south of Kilmichael, on  Mississippi 413. The route will be well- marked.

“This field day is designed for landowners, hunters and anyone who wants to make their land more attractive to wildlife,” said Adam Tullos, an Extension wildlife associate and Vicksburg native.

Participants can expect to see legal methods of field preparation and plantings used to produce high success rates for attracting and holding doves through all three of the dove hunting seasons, which begin Labor Day weekend and continue well into early winter.

Professional wildlife biologists and wildlife officers will be on hand to answer questions about migratory bird management and hunting restrictions related to mourning doves and other migratory birds.

John C. Coccaro is county Extension director. Write to him at 1100-C Grove St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 or call 601-636-5442. E-mail him at jcoccaro@ext.msstate.edu