Auburn, Sept 17, 2002 --- A hands-on, instructional "Wildlife Evening" was recently hosted in Brent, Ala., by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Extension offices in Bibb, Chilton, Dallas and Perry counties joined forces to host the outdoor meeting, which was held in late August at the 3,000-acre Dan James Farm.

The meeting, spearheaded by Bibb County Extension Agent Jack Tatum, was designed to help hunters enhance their deer and turkey populations.

Extension agents and wildlife specialists provided information and performed demonstrations on soil testing, food plots, tilling and homemade hog traps.

"This was all done to tell folks what to plant, how to plant, and how to enhance current vegetation," Tatum said. "Many hunters have problems with wild hogs tearing up their food plots, so we showed them an economical hog trap that they could make themselves."

Perry County Agent Daniel Jones showed participants how to conduct soil tests, Chilton County Agent Gary Gray demonstrated how to inoculate clover for food plots, Dallas County Agent Rudy Yates conducted the Pennington Seed presentation, and wildlife specialist Dr. Lee Stribling offered suggestions for enhancing vegetation for deer and turkey.

About 70 hunters, forestry officials and others attended the three-hour event. The meeting was free, and a meal was provided by Centreville Gin through Pennington Seed Company.

"We are just so appreciative of everyone who worked together to make this event happen," Tatum said.

"Lisa Lightsey of the Centreville Press showed up and took pictures, and the seed company donated the meal. And we couldn’t have done it without the help of the Extension offices in each of the four counties. They really helped us out a lot."

Tatum said the four counties are working together to host an outdoor event for young people.

"That’s our next project. We’ve already been talking about it," he said.

"We are going to advance the program we offered this time. There is so much hunting in this part of the state, and we want to reach out to the young people and help them. We want to offer them some tips and do some things to reach them and educate them on hunting."

(Source: Jack Tatum, Bibb County Extension Agent, 205-926-3117)