Hello again Miss-Lou. Unless you’ve been hiding out at a hunting camp with no news from the outside for the last week, you’ve heard the tragic story of the six Wisconsin deer hunters killed, and two others wounded, last weekend. All the result of what began as a simple trespass.

We don’t know all of the details yet, but whatever those details turn out to be, this is a tragedy that never should have happened. Before we know the real story, I have to say that I am a little suspect of a deer hunter carrying an SKS with a 20-round clip. It’s just a Chinese version of an AK-47, and in no way considered a deer-hunting weapon.

At any rate, we must learn from this tragedy. And in the event we are faced with a similar situation in the woods, above all remain calm, and remember everyone is armed, and therefore any confrontation can be dangerous. We had a trespasser caught during a hunt at a club I was in a few years back, and fortunately it ended without incident. But these things do happen, so keep a cool head if it happens to you.

I’ve had several people who read last week’s article ask me how my trip as a guest went last weekend down to Arcole H.C. The weather was kind of tough on the hunting, but the fellowship made up for it. A special thanks to my host Mel Beltzhoover, and all the other folks at Arcole. And especially to Ms. Druscilla. She runs the kitchen, and we became fast friends.

I’ve got some good stuff this week, and I’ll start off with a nice story for the fairer side of the hunting sexes. On youth hunt the weekend before opening day, 15-year-old Melissa Hart bagged a nice eight-point buck while hunting with her dad, Mike Hart. The Harts, from Baton Rouge, were hunting at Arcole H.C. When I inquired as to whether that was Melissa’s first deer, I was told it was actually her fourth. Congratulations to Melissa and her proud dad Mike.

I heard my old buddy Andy Burns bagged a nice eight-point on opening weekend at The Pines in Jefferson County.

If that name sounds familiar, Andy’s son Drew has already made the paper this year for an archery kill.

I also had incomplete details of what sounds like a potential buck of a lifetime taken by Tom Middleton on Thanksgiving Day. Hopefully Tom can give me a call this week with the specs, because if he’s as nice as I heard, I want to be sure to get it right. The reports of does killed since the opening of gun season are too many to mention, so I won’t start.

And what opening weekend of gun season would be complete, without a pretty good Shirt Tail Club story. This year’s opening weekend feature falls on Lindsey Callon. On an evening hunt with three buddies, all sitting in a big box stand, they collected

three nannies, and Lindsey hung up the only miss. He then proceeded to get the truck stuck on the way out. Sounds like a fitting close to the outing. Sorry Lindsey, but that’s the way I heard it. I’ll be expecting to hear from you, for a little payback on your buddies.

Barnett Serio III also gets a Shirt Tail Club mention.

No details on that one, but I sure didn’t want Barnett to feel slighted by not making the paper.

Until next time, happy hunting, and as always, think safety first. To submit items of interest, call (601) 446-7859.

Chuck Fields writes a weekly hunting column for The Natchez Democrat. Reach him via christian.schmidt@

natchezdemocrat.com.