I have a good bud who joined a high dollar hunting club. The club is on Davis Island in the Mississippi River near Vicksburg MS. The Island has a pretty cool history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davis_Island_(Mississippi) He invited me to go hunting with him. I was overdue for a good hunting trip, so I jumped at the opportunity.

To get onto the island any time other than when the river levels are low, it means a boat ride as there are no bridges onto the island.



Somehow the land owners were able to get 2 80' long mobile homes onto the island to serve as camps.



There are black bears on the island. One had recently decided to vandalize the camp.



I prefer getting back into the woods, rather than sitting in shooting houses. The landowner had sold off most of the hardwoods over the course of the past several years, so there weren't many places to do my kind of hunting. So, a shooting house it was. First light in a shooting house brings with it great anticipation.





The first morning was a cool 28 degrees with a hard frost.



I was treated to quite a show. Several spikes and several other bucks had tussles for me.






I saw some nice bucks, but Wasn't confident enough in my shooting skill to take shots at long range.

That's great and all but where's the bicycle?

This pretty young buck was a regular. I messed with him with grunts and rattles.



The nicest buck made an appearance before sunrise. My camera struggled with the lack of light.



I never pulled the trigger. My bud shot a cull 7 point with a pretty nasty antler wound.

Another club member had his son and daughter with him. We helped them get their boat ungrounded and their side by side unstuck. I talked to him about how I like a high shoulder shot to keep deer from making a run into impossible thick new growth scrub. Our last morning there, young Davis scored on a 7 pointer with a high shoulder shot that parked him in his tracks. . We helped him load it into the boat.

Nice write up Paul and good cal knowing your limitations.

Looks like you had a good time. What do you consider a long shot? Looks to me like you didn’t intend on killing anything…not that there’s anything wrong with that.

That was a joke about the range. They walked right under me. The near edge of the food plot was about 30 yards, with the far edge being 125. Chip shots with a rest. The club has a 130" rule. They kill some in the 150-180 range every year. I wasn't going to shoot anything below a 150. As a guest, I'd rather take a doe than a buck that is not a true trophy.

That's really interesting. Looks like you had a great experience. Too bad no kill bucky, that's a lot of fun.

I knew it couldn’t be to far from the picture out of the shooting house. I learned along time ago, if you ever want to get invited back to hunt again it’s best just not to shoot anything!

Great pics Paul. Did you consider trying the reverse kneeling position?

You know it brother. Although most clubs are truly happy for guests to take a doe. I really needed to get into the woods. It's a restorative experience that I was long overdue for. I took the opportunity to piddle with rattling and grunting. They were more interested in my vocal grunt than my Primos grunt call. At times a few of them took a lot of interest in the rattling, but for the most part they just wanted to eat.

I wasn't real certain how to do it. When I found the muzzle of the gun up against my shoulder, I figure I didn't quite have it down.

laffin’

What was the temperature?


I really want to see that country some day.

LOL, looks like a good time watching the deer. Didn't want a doe or cull buck?

I’ve heard it takes two people,… but nobody wants to talk about that!

28 degrees the first morning. Had warmed to 65 by the end of our last day.

I would rather let the kids take the cull bucks. If my bud hadn't taken the 7 pointer, I may have taken a doe. I got a little meat out of the deal.

And ruin a good hunt??

I have been to Davis Island a couple of times. Turkey and.fishing once and just fishing the second.It is a true Hunting and fishing paradise. Guy I worked with married a girl whose family owned a part of it. I'll never forget it.

Good write up, good photos, thanks for posting.

There are some freak bucks on that island! It's truly a unique place. Logistically, it's a PITA when the water in the river goes above about 16.5 and the old river floods. Oddly, there are no hogs on the island. In a state overrun with them, I am amazed that there are none on the island.

Edit: What kind of fishing did you do?

You are welcome. I love the photos and stories that others share. I live through them vicariously.

Paul,how many acres is that island?Do they have power run to it.Looks like a fantastic spot.

30,000 acres. Part in MS and part in LA. There is power on the island.

That's really fascinating.. It seems like you enjoyed yourself.

There was some good crappie fishing around Davis island, but that was in the 90's for me.

I imagine there still is. There are a lot of interior lakes and ponds on the island and in the surrounding area that see very little pressure.

I am so with you on this one.

Good story Paul. Does that island ever flood? Just wondering how they deal with that and the mobile homes.

We crappie fished the first time. Second set a trotline and bass fished.
Filled an 80 qt ice chest full of slab crappie the first day none under 10" biggest 16". Caught bass and catfish too. Saw more Deer sometimes than we could count crossing.fields while driving. When we cleaned fiish at night Possums and coons would come up close and we would throw them the cleanings. When we drove in We crossed an earth dam across the end of one of the oxbows and big gators were sliding off into the lake like somewhere in the jungle. We crossed east of Newellton on a barge to get trucks across the chute to get on the island. It was quite the rodeo driving up and down the riverbank onto the barge.
I have been on 2 other islands in the Lower Mississipi. They are all Outdoor Paradise.Davis was the.best though. It has to be seen to believe what it is like.

I am blessed to have experienced them. Probably won't get to do it again.

Ditto

Great stuff Paul.

thanks for sharing that.

Used to have a cartoon I cut out of the newspaper or magazine years ago. Like your deer hunt, it sums up some fishing trip.

Dude walking down the beach comes across a guy in a lawn chair, poles set up in a rod holder, asks the fisherman how's the fishing.

Fisherman replies "just fine, they haven't bothered me a bit yet"

Myself, the freezer's getting low on beef and if allowed here, I'd shoot a doe in a heartbeat.

Have fun on your next adventure.

It does flood. They are on one of the higher points on the island.

My next adventure comes tomorrow morning. Going to hit the marsh for some kayak fishing.

Looks like a pretty cool place to hunt

You should have seen the goat rope of us trying to get the boats onto trailers and up the hill from the chute! One truck hooked up to the boat and trailer. The mud filled that trucks tread, and it couldn't get traction. We hooked a heavy duty 200 foot long tow rope to that truck and connected it to a truck up the hell where the dirt was dry.

The people who own land and hunt on Davis seem to be super cool folks. They recognize how unique and rare a jewel it is and nurture it.

Thanks again for sharing your story.

Incredible invite you received. Heard lots of stories about Davis Island.

Nice trip Paul. You do live life well.

Very cool hunt and thanks for sharing the pictures.

Either of those spikes would have been good eating. Would your bud not clean and skin it?

They have pretty stiff penalties for killing bucks that aren't up to the established standard.

Is there a chode season?

Darn. I never heard of protecting spikes. Most bucks in good condition will sport a 3x3 rack it's first horn season or at least a 2 x 2.

You can go FY, Texas corn pile hunter.

Didnt see any Kuiu


That’s a lot cervids to not be having any Kuiu wear.

Paul has the latest and greatest gear, you can bet your ass.

I wear WalMart's best.

Awesome getaway Paul, must admit to a bit of envy but it's all good. Being out in nature is bliss. Thanks for sharing👍🏻

Do they kill off any hogs that come to the island or do they just not swim the river

Whoa. I always figured you for better than that, AOD.

I sneak, stalk, glass from high places, sit by trails or downwind of feeding areas.

I haven't ever killed a deer coming to a feeder.

Why would you stupidly say something like that without knowing WTF you are talking about or anything about me?

I have stalk hunted and killed muleys, whitetail, bear, elk and coyote with a bow and arrow.

I have witnesses who were with me when we tracked down, jumped and I killed the No 3 in the world Desert Mule deer, busting running through heavy mesquite.

Don't lean on your own understanding. HE gave good advice.

Did Q tell you this BS?

You shouldn’t expect much from something squeezed out of a dog’s azz

Q BS!

Great story! Thanks for sharing!

Beginning to think you're right RC. People rather believe their preconceived notions than truth.

They would kill off any that came on the island, but they don't for some reason or another.

Paul,

I believe that is where Jefferson Davis’ first wife ( a daughter of Zachery Taylor) succumbed to, I think yellow fever, shortly after her marriage to Davis. They had only been married a few weeks. Sad deal. I think she is buried there on the island.

Camuglia can assist in the reverse kneel.


LMFAO

Kewl.

Never knew seeing 30 Whitetails while taking my trash to the dumpster was a vacation.

Keep living the Good Life, Paulie.

Keep trying to be a bigger and bigger a$$hole Burns.
Maybe some day you'll reach your goal.

At least Paul works for a living. I dont begrudge him a bit of time off

Hahaha. Could leave the gun home and spend the day in a park with a camera for sure.,

What?

I am happy that Paulie Walnuts got to see some Whitetail Deers on a bait from a shack.

That guy is killin it.

Why can't you be happy for his success?

Better check your six.

Wow.

Did Paulie Walnuts ride his pedal bike all the way to his awesome "Hunting Vacation"?

This is Epic.

Watching whitetail does and young bucks on a bait from a shack is such a rare thing. Add in not shooting just makes a "Hunting Vacation" all that much better.

Glad he got to experience it at least once in his life.

Another good thread ruined by a bunch of a$$holes.

Burns is the Queen of Ass.holes.

No kidding.

Paulie Walnuts is like the sweetest poster evarh and never shcitts in any threads.

Why can't Paulie post his awesome hunting adventure with no hunting but some epic pictures of whitetail does on a bait from a shack.

We are with you Paulie, keep peddling. Maybe you will find a buck.

“Good thread”


😝

Wow! That looks like quite the boat ride.

Paulie Walnuts lives life on the edge.

Seeing whitetail does on a bait from a shack takes a lot of hard core travel.

I can't wait for an Optics review used during the "Hunting Vacation".

Will he have a Leupold failure?

So exciting. On the edge of my seat.

The only explanation for this trip involves Viking Food and Grinder.

Good trip and nice write up. Glad you got to unwind, relax and enjoy!

Not down here...

Lord what a bunch of jealous bitches... great hunt and glad you had fun.

Jeez Burns what the hell is wrong with you?

Guy gets outdoors and shares about his trip and describes a cool place and somehow you don't approve. Hell he even discusses some fine points of hunting etiquette in place like this and being a gentleman as a guest. Seems to me there is much in this post that would benefit you specifically if you could keep your mouth shut.

Looks like a nice trip. Thanks for sharing Paul

Boy, now that’s rich. You of all people calling somebody an azzhole.

Obviously the term 'Hunting' falls into various categories with many definitions.

What may be ones idea of a perfect ideal hunt can be anything but for another.

Just stay in your comfort zone and let others stay in theirs.

A cool place, like Disneyland for sportsmen.

I googled the location, said historic floods have gotten worse since the levees were put in place, gotta be a game changer when it floods. Big stuff could easily swim back, it would be interesting to study how fast small rodent, chipmunk and smaller critters repopulate.

Before you go next time, PM Roundoak.

He'll tell ya all about the trickery and sorcery needed to hunt islands on the Mississippi...

I will say this. If any of you get an opportunity to visit to hunt or fish a lower Mississippi Island do it. They are special places that the.delta was like before it was.all cleared with some of the most fertile land and water in the country. They can support and grow an amazing amount of fish and game.
Not many places like them left.

I'm sorry Sash, nothing like game depts denying the science and killing the big ones and leaving the runts to breed the does to enhance the herd genetics.

There are a lot of black squirrels on the island.

What?

I am glad Paulie Walnuts got to go on an epic hunting vacation. Such endeavors explain how he is so knowledgeable on hunting subjects.

Paulie has a habbit of scheiting in other threads but I just wanted to say I am glad he got to see some whitetail does.

I, for one, can't wait for his next epic adventure.

He refused to retaliate because he believed he could change the world by turning the other cheek.

Problem was, he was in traffic and the other cheek was on a bicycle seat.

Happy New Year Kingston