Redneck Adventures Extravaganza celebrates 15 years

Published 12:02 am Sunday, March 1, 2015

A rifle is auctioned off during the 15th annual Redneck Adventures Extravaganza.  The event provides the handicapped and veterans a chance to hunt animals. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)

A rifle is auctioned off during the 15th annual Redneck Adventures Extravaganza. The event provides the handicapped and veterans a chance to hunt animals. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — For the 15th year, Jimmy Allgood, creator of Redneck Adventures, has people chasing furry critters across the Miss-Lou.

The 15th annual Redneck Adventures Extravaganza tore its way through the Miss-Lou woods for the past two weeks, and Allgood said the results were extraordinary.

“Things went fantastically,” he said. “The first weekend we had a couple hundred folks come in. Last weekend, we had around 470 folks and this past weekend we had well over 300. My magic number for this year was 1,000.”

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Not only did the event provide the handicapped and veterans a chance to take down some animals, it also gave the community a chance to get in on some auctions at banquets and to share their stories with one another.

“At our first banquet, not only did one of our special kids win a special shotgun that I had picked,” Allgood said. “It was the shotgun that he had chosen already for his birthday coming up. Out of 104 chances, he won that exact shotgun, so there was some magic.”

Allgood also said the group was moved after a soldier opened up and shared his story.

“A soldier that came professed to the whole group his complete story, which is heart-wrenching and awesome at best,” Allgood said. “His words to the group were not only that he was coming back next year, but he was bringing five more soldiers with him. So Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Home with Heroes, Miss-Lou tours and what we are doing with Redneck Adventures is working.”

Extravaganza attendees were also treated to a road-kill cookoff, featuring many of the game that was killed on the hunts.

“About 180 squirrels were brought it, several rabbits and a couple of raccoons,” Allgood said. “Several of those squirrels were not only cleaned, but they were taken to the needy folks that we need to get them to. So that was a blessing.”

Allgood credited the many landowners and dog men who stepped up to the plate as well, and helped make the event possible.

“I’m very proud of the landowners and dog men who helped us in a major way,” he said. “It made this year magical. But I’m also super stoked for what is coming next year and the years to come, because we are making a difference.”