Improvements at Reelfoot Lake
“Brucellosis can be passed directly to humans if they kill a hog and don’t handle the meat properly,” Strickland said. “That’s another reason why people sometimes release hogs onto their property — because they think it will give them another species they can hunt and consume. But even that poses a danger.”
Several states have passed regulations recently to help deal with the expanding wild hog populations.
In Mississippi, hogs can be killed year round with certain restrictions during the various hunting seasons for other animals. Mississippi hunters are actually encouraged to shoot every hog they can.
“It’s kind of a doubleedged sword,” said Jeff Mangrum of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “We want people to shoot wild hogs to lower the population, but we don’t want them to enjoy it so much that they decide to start releasing hogs onto their property.”
Tennessee has taken the opposite approach by making it illegal for hunters to shoot wild hogs even as an incidental kill while they’re hunting other species. Regardless of where people are hunting, Strickland wants everyone to know they’re better off without hogs on their land.
“We have a put up a website devoted completely to hogs, and we have a video on that site that we think is very informative,” Strickland said. “The video is titled ‘A pickup load of pigs’ because that’s what we always tell people — it only takes a pickup load of pigs to create some major problems.”
Officials from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency announced last week they are planning significant improvements to the Whites Landing area at Reelfoot Lake to provide better access for boaters.
Improvements will include additional parking, three boat ramps, a courtesy dock, a picnic pavilion, picnic tables, a walking pier, fishing pier, lighting, and restroom facilities
Whites Landing is located on Tennessee Highway 21/22 on the southern portion of the lake, near Reelfoot Lake State Park.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the sixth driver to win consecutive championships in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series.
Stenhouse, from Olive Branch, finished sixth Saturday in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, edging Elliott Sadler for the title.
About the only drama in the race was whether Stenhouse would play it safe. He did, but not without several close calls. His Roush Fenway Racing team even had to remind him several times in the final 10 laps to avoid potential pitfalls.
Regan Smith won the 300-mile race. Kyle Busch was second, followed by Brandan Gaughan, Sam Hornish Jr. and Austin Dillon.
Smith did some smoky burnouts, then headed to Victory Lane. But Stenhouse had dibs on the bigger celebration.
Stenhouse became the first since Martin Truex Jr. in 2005 to win back-toback titles in the secondtier series.
DEVELOPMENTS
Keselowski gets help: Brad Keselowski got some help on the last day of practice for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Pole sitter Joey Logano was involved in a three-car accident during the first of two practice sessions Saturday, switched to a backup car and will start from the rear of the field Sunday.
That will move Keselowski, who had qualified third, to the front when the green flag drops Sunday. Marcos Ambrose will start on the outside.
And if Keselowski leads the first lap, he will extend his points lead from 20 to 21 in the 400-mile race. He needs to finish 15th or better to clinch the title, which would be the first for longtime NASCAR team owner Roger Penske.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting to be on the front row,” Keselowski said. “It’s different from what we’re used to, but it’s different in a good way. ... If I can take the lead without wrecking myself, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Keselowski seemed a little tighter than usual Saturday, possibly starting to feel the pressure as he goes for his first championship.
Fellow title contender Jimmie Johnson, who will start 10th, has done all he can to make Keselowski feel uncomfortable.
“Ready to race for sure,” Johnson said. “Very pleased with how our car finished up. It’s really nothing for me to lose sleep about tonight. It’s an easy night for me. ... Easy from my standpoint because I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Johnson also thoughts about how he would like see the first lap unfold.
“I hope (Keselowski) tries really, really, really hard to lead that first lap,” Johnson said.
Vettel wins pole for Grand Prix: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel maintained his domination of the new Circuit of the Americas by winning pole position for the U.S. Grand Prix on Saturday, putting the German in the perfect spot to chase his third straight world championship.
Vettel is on the brink of history with two races left on the calendar.
He would be just the third driver — and youngest — to win three consecutive world championships, joining Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher.
Vettel clearly feels at ease in America and had no trouble navigating the new $400 million Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, built specifically for Formula One’s return to the U.S. after a five-year absence.