I think if you lived or owned property in Tunica Co. you could be a member. If you hunted it was $100.00 per year, if you just drank and drove on the property it was $50.00 per year. You could build club houses on the property, like Ten Point, River view, etc. There were ole school bus’ Quonset huts, box cars. Most anyone was a member that lived or had a second home in the county.
They used the property as a getaway all year long. The Spring Turkey hunting or trot-lining on the river for mainly Catfish were both popular too. We have many types of catfish like Channel, Flat-heads, Willow, Albinism, Spotted, Spoonbill. Flat-head are meatier fish – not flaky – Spoonbill have no bones or cartilage, they are known as Paddle-fish and their row is fine caviar.
The Mississippi River has all fresh water species of fish in it. The best bait? Worms, Jumpers, Night-crawlers, Catalba, Horse-head, Wax worms, Crawfish, baby Bream, Winees, Salami. Jug fishing, yo-yo-in’, grabblin, trot-lining, tight line in,fly-fishing are all popular on the Ole Muddy.
In the late 50’s the Perry Family imported some Deer to Tunica County. We had no Deer in our county. The Perry’s, if they killed a deer, would tie it’s body on the hood of their Jeep and drive it around, showing it off. Kinda like the movie The Deer Hunter. We all do thank this great family for their contribution to our great success in Wildlife and Trophy bucks we have here.
Before the migration of the Coyote’s to our woods we had great herds of Cottontails and Swamper rabbits and they both tasted better than chicken.
The variety of Squirrels; Fox, Grey, Black, Albinism, and don’t forget about the Coons.
In the early 80’s the owners of the property tried to sell. The Wild Life League only wanted $1200.00 per acre, and I think it was 6000 acres. They couldn’t find a buyer so sold membership the first year for $1000.00 and sold 30 annual memberships. Today the same memberships are life time membership $120,000.00, and wooded property at $4000.00 per acre.
Remember to keep your line wet.
Tait Tate