A lifetime hunting and fishing license, plus a three-day, two- night vacation to Reelfoot Lake are two of the prizes on the line when the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency plays host to its 2008 Mid-South Junior Fishing Rodeo on June 7 at Johnson Road Park behind Germantown Baptist Church off Poplar Avenue in Germantown.

Meetings Arkansas Game & Fish Commission public meeting for hunters: Jan. 8 7-9 p.m. at the Huntington Building Annex in Jonesboro. Hunters and other interested parties are encouraged to make comments on Arkansas' 2008-2009 hunting seasons. Call (877) 972-5438.

By VAN HARRIS Bird watching has been referred to as a superstition, a tradition, an art, a science, a pleasure, a hobby or a bore. For a very few people, it has been a life-changing experience. This is what happened to Nancy Moore of Reelfoot Lake.

By Phil Potter What's the best way to find pre-spawn crappie? Some anglers swear there are visible signs to indicate "it's time to get amongst them." Southern crappie catchers say when dogwood blossoms are the size of a mouse's ear, crappie start biting.

By Bryan Brasher My good friend Raymond Wilhite, a tenured professor at Louisiana State University, has a longstanding policy against hiring professional fishing guides. In his mind, catching fish just doesn't mean anything if someone else shows you where and/or how to catch them.