By Ben Smith: We often talk about things we do ahead of hunting in preparation for the season. Things like checking our stands to make sure there are no loose bolts, shooting our bows or rifles to make sure they are sighted in, or something as simple as making sure our flashlights have batteries. But... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: This week I’ve decided to spare all of you from having to read anything involving smells or the digestive system. And for all of you that stuck around for the next installment of this column, thank you. Instead, this week’s discussion will be on a different part of our anatomy...the heart.  Throughout... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Alright guys, this is an article that my wife has begged me not to write. So of course I’m writing it. Not that the topic is incredibly offensive, or anything like that. It’s a perfectly natural occurrence in the outdoor community. She’s just afraid that I’ll sully my reputation, or hers, by... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I sat in the truck a little longer than usual after pulling into the garage. I’d been at the camp for a few days and for the first time all year returned home with enough meat in the cooler to be satisfied with the trip. But upon arriving at the house, something... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I have a friend that has told me several different times about how amazed he is that some of these columns just seem to write themselves. And he’s not wrong. Sometimes things just happen, or I just happen to be in the right place at the right time. This week is a... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I’ve long been an advocate of minimal technology when it comes to hunting and fishing. Anyone that’s been reading this column for any period of time should already know that.  I spent three years sleeping on the ground during hunting season. Of course I had a pretty cozy tent, but still, how’s that... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I’ve started this article several different times only to delete it and begin again. Trying to find the words to put a bow on 2024 has been harder than I imagined. It shouldn’t be. I’ve written an end of the year article just like this one several years in a row now.... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I think that most deer hunters can agree that the best thing you can see while hunting is a giant buck providing you with a good shot opportunity. Those days are rare, and you usually don’t forget them when they happen. On the other hand, the worst thing you can see while... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Well, after the longest dry spell in over twenty years of hunting, I finally got on the scoreboard last week. It wasn’t exactly what I’d hoped to bring home, but we were totally out of meat, so a freezer queen was needed. It was the latest in the season that I’d killed... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: It’s a bad feeling. You shoot a deer, feel like you hit it, but can’t find it. Sometimes it’s because you actually missed it. Sometimes it’s because you made a bad shot. Other times it could be because you did a poor job of tracking it after the shot. Let’s go through... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Well, it wouldn’t’ be Thanksgiving week if I didn’t write about my disdain for the traditional meal, so here goes. In the past, I’ve usually resorted to writing about alternative recipes of an assortment of wild game in the place of turkey, but this year I want to do it a little... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Do you feel that? That hint of a cool breeze can only mean one thing…it’s deer season in Mississippi! Of course, technically it’s been deer season since October 1st, but this weekend kicks off the rifle season in our state. Since I’ve just about turned myself into the area’s best worst bow... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: As I write this column from the comfort of my couch on election night, I can’t help but notice the hype surrounding the presidential election. And why not? It’s a big deal for our nation any time we elect a new leader. But I saw something on Facebook earlier that gave me... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: In case you didn’t know, we’ve got an election next week. During elections in the past, I’ve written more satirical articles about things I would do if elected president of the free world. Unfortunately, this one is too serious and I’m too irritated to write very much that’s worthy of a laugh.... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: There are all sorts of strange traditions practiced around the world. Some are religious in nature, some superstitious, and some are so weird that I don’t have a clue why they are practiced. For instance, there is a Hindu tradition in India where they smash coconuts on people’s heads. Apparently, even in... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: It’s often said that you never want to meet your hero. Sometimes it’s better to just watch them from afar and formulate your own opinion about what kind of person they are than to meet them and find out the truth. I wouldn’t say that I’ve actually had anyone that I considered... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: The storms that have ravaged the Southeast the last few weeks have been a nightmare to say the least. I feel fortunate to have dodged the worst of them, while at the same time my heart has been broken for our friends in Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. At the time... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: The long wait is over. It’s finally here! Deer season has arrived for Mississippi. The weather doesn’t feel quite right yet, but it won’t be long before those cool October mornings are here. Until then, dress light, pack your Thermocell, and get up a tree because we’ve only got a short while... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: If you hunt long enough, you’ll eventually make a shot that doesn’t yield that ‘ol donkey kick and the ensuing nosedive. It’s a bad feeling watching a deer tuck that tail and trot off. To me, that’s a way worse feeling than missing entirely. There is so much uncertainty. Knowing you may... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: From the looks of things, the third ever velvet season in Mississippi looks to have been a success. I’ve seen several really nice bucks hit the ground, along with several more kids shooting their first ever buck with a bow! It’s an exciting time for hunters across Mississippi because it really does... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I’ve never claimed to be the best outdoorsman. Heck, I barely even consider myself a real outdoorsman, but by societies standards today I may as well be Davy Crockett. That said, my shooting abilities, or lack thereof, were put on full display a week ago at Providence Hill Sporting Club just outside... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I’ve written this article, deleted it, and written it again. Then, I’ve repeated that process a couple of more times. Nothing seems to give the last twenty years the justice that it deserves. For those who’ve yet to hear the news, after twenty years of being a part of the William Carey... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: A few days ago, I was sitting around with a group of guys and the topic of pocket knives came up. Kind of weird, but you never know what might come up during lunch discussions. We pretty much all had the same story, just told in different versions. Every single one of... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Forty-three days. That’s the amount of time until the archery season officially kicks off for most of Mississippi. That’s hard to believe considering the last few weeks have been filled with temperatures soaring in the high nineties. I can barely even remember what it’s like to shiver on a cool October morning.... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: When I’m alone in the woods, or on the water, my mind often wanders. I know I’ve said that plenty of times in my articles, but sometimes I don’t follow up with exactly where my mind goes. And let me tell you, it goes a lot of different directions. Sometimes I think... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: As we get older we tend to lose touch with the people that we grew up with, especially if we move away from the town we grew up in. This is at least true for me and the overall majority of people I hang out with now. I can count on one... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: There’s something about sitting on a riverbank that purifies the soul. No lights, aside from a headlamp every now and then. Just sitting in a lawn chair in the dark waiting for that bell to ring. It’s no secret that I’ve had a less than optimal summer. Our family has suffered its... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: It feels like I’ve written a lot of “tribute” articles over the last couple of years. I know for certain that I’ve written more this year than I wanted to. But this is a column dedicated to my life in the outdoors, and it wouldn’t be completely transparent should I choose not... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: For most deer hunters in Mississippi the absolute best time of the year is the rut. I know guys that will take off of work for two weeks during peak rut times in their hunting areas. After all, the rut is generally your best chance at catching a mature buck slipping after... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: “I know I don’t get there often enough, but God knows I surely try. It’s a magic kind of medicine, that no doctor could prescribe.” Late great Mississippian, Jimmy Buffett, sang those lyrics to his song, “One Particular Harbor” that he recorded in 1983. Those lyrics were true then, and they are... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: It’s about this time each year that I start to count the days until I’m able to put an arrow in the pump station of America’s top big game animal. We are a little over halfway there from the end of last season to the beginning of this season. To be exact,... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: If you’ve been keeping score over the last few months, you know that I sold my boat. Selling your boat when it’s 40 degrees and raining is pretty easy to do. You’re so cold you couldn’t possibly ever imagine going back out on the water. You watch someone pull away with it... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: After being in the comfort of the truck air conditioning for over two hours, the blast of heat almost knocked me over. Is it supposed to be this hot in mid-June? My face immediately turned red, and I could feel the sweat beginning to bead up on my forehead. There is no... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Summer is here and more and more people are taking vacations and getting outdoors. On the one hand, this is a good thing. On the other hand, it also comes with the presumption that there will be incidents involving wildlife. Most of you have probably seen the recent news regarding the shark... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: For the last several years I’ve enjoyed writing these outdoor columns each week. And every now and again getting to slip a baseball edition in has been nice. However, sometimes both of those things have to take a backseat. As much as I’d love to be writing about some recent saltwater fishing... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be in Idaho this week playing baseball I’d have looked at you like you’d lost your mind. At about that time, we were in what was one of the worst offensive slumps that I could ever remember. I’d even heard the comment that... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: What in the heck are we doing? How in the world do we let a bill like the turkey stamp die? Maybe the word “stamp” still provokes anger in Americans who remember 1765. One thing is for certain, we can never say we care about wildlife conservation in this state ever again.... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: It’s over. By the time this article hits the press, the season will have ended. But even though the season will be over, one thing is not over…my streak. My thirty-eight year run of gobbler-less springs is alive and well. I doubt any of you expected anything more from me. In conjunction... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Unless you’re already living entirely off of the land, you’ve felt the burden most other Mississippians have recently felt at the grocery store. The prices you are paying to feed your family aren’t anywhere close to what we were used to just a few years ago. I’m not smart enough to know... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Have you ever been to a college, or big league, baseball game and noticed the music when hitters come to the plate? Or, how about when a new pitcher comes into the game? Every player designates a song of his choice as their walk-out, or walk-up, music. Some are good, some are... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned anything to do with the dreaded Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Just the mention of CWD stirs a multitude of emotions from deer hunters in Mississippi. Some express serious concern while others dismiss it as more government interference into our sport of deer hunting. Personally, at... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Growing up, I went bass fishing almost every single day. We had a pond in our backyard in Jones County that was chock full of bass. I’d get home from school and head straight to the pond. Like Forrest Gump playing ping-pong, I even went bass fishing in my sleep. Seriously, my... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: I like turkeys. They are cool to look at. They are fun to listen to. They taste delicious. The way they make the woods come to life in the Spring blows me away. If that that thunderous gobble from atop an old pine tree doesn’t get your blood pumping are you even... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: The next few weeks are my favorite time of the year. Sure, turkey season will be here this Friday, and that’s exciting, but given my career record against the most beloved bird in Mississippi that’s not what has me all giddy this time of the year. College baseball season is in full... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: In this Earthly domain, there is temptation lurking around every corner. I fully believe that Satan knows your weaknesses and does his best to use them against you. In the book of Matthew, Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit and tempted by Satan after fasting for forty days. Knowing... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Now that deer season is over and I’ve had time to look back on some things, there are a few that are burning my brain up. This isn’t abnormal. I usually look back on a season trying to figure out the things that I did wrong so I can be better in... Continue Reading →

Wow! The overwhelming response to last week’s column was great. I’d like to thank all of you that sent messages, emails, or commented. I’d also like to especially thank those that didn’t send me a death threat over what was mostly a satirical article. I enjoyed reading through the comment sections and appreciated the feedback... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Football season finally ended! Hallelujah! No more Taylor Swift junk. No more Kelce brothers love fest. I feel like I can finally turn on the television again. Of course, the one bummer that comes with the end of football season is deer season goes with it. If you live in South Mississippi... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: They say that the two happiest days of a man’s life is the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it. I’m not sure that I completely agree. I mean, I’ve had some pretty happy days. For instance, the days our children were born. Not much tops that. However,... Continue Reading →

By Ben Smith: Every single year, the end of January brings about several different feelings. Usually, I’m a little depressed that deer season is ending. I wait, and prepare, all year for October to arrive and the wait is seemingly forever. Then, like a shooting star across the night sky, it’s gone. In its place... Continue Reading →