Mississippi

These trees are among the oldest in MS and some may date back 1,000 years

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2024

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These trees are among the oldest in MS and some may date back 1,000 years

From 175 years old to possibly 1,000 years old, these Mississippi trees have seen a lot in their lifetimes.

Trees are wonderful things. In spring they offer nesting sites for birds that start the day singing. In the heat of summer they provide cool, shady areas to relax. In fall, they brighten the landscape with splashes of purple, yellow and red before they go to sleep in winter.

But not all trees are created equal. All are beautiful in their own way, but some become wonders of the natural world.

Over time, some grow to enormous sizes with sprawling limbs that almost seem to defy physics. Some with twisted trunks and broken limbs speak to the forces of nature they’ve endured in their lifetimes.

Here are some of the oldest trees in Mississippi and if only they could tell us the things they’ve seen.

A ‘sacred’ tree at Ole Miss

Ole Miss is known for a lot of things; game days in The Grove, academic excellence and a deep-seated dislike of cow bells, just to name a few.

One thing that may go unnoticed to people who haven’t spent time at its Oxford campus is a giant northern catalpa tree located there.

Terran Arwood, president of Woodland Tree Service, worked on the tree several years ago to prevent a large branch from breaking and said it’s the largest example of the species he’s ever encountered. According to the University of Mississippi Museum, the tree is 76 feet tall and the trunk has a diameter of 22 feet, 7 inches.

Some estimates online say it’s 400 years old. While Arwood described the tree as “sacred” and “ancient-looking,” he feels the age is more like the age of the university. The UM Museum website states the same, which would make this somewhere around 175 years old.

The Ruskin Oak, possibly the oldest in Ocean Springs

Live oaks are among the most majestic of trees in Mississippi and elsewhere, and they’re basically icons of the city of Ocean Springs. Once you’ve walked on Washington Street where these giant oaks line the street, it’s hard to imagine the city without them.

However, one just outside of downtown stands out. The Ruskin Oak, located on Ruskin Avenue, is generally estimated to be between 350 years old and 400 years old. If that is true, the tree saw the first French settlers arrive on the Mississippi coast on Feb. 10, 1699.

Coincidentally, the tree is located near where those early explorers built Fort Maurepas.

Age aside, the tree is acknowledged as the largest live oak in the city. According to an article written in 2013 by Warren Kulo of AL.com, the tree has a trunk diameter of 237.2 inches. It became the largest in Ocean Springs in 2013 after the Hasty Oak, which had a trunk diameter of 244.5 inches and was estimated to be 500 years old, split and had to be removed.

More: What are the deepest lakes in Mississippi? Here’s how they stack up

University of Southern Mississippi Friendship Oak

If trees had eyes, this one would have seen a lot. The Friendship Oak on the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach dates back to 1487, according to the university.

That would make the tree 5 years old when Christopher Columbus first sailed to the Americas in 1492. It would have been 100 years old when Virginia Dare, the first Anglo-American born on Roanoke Island, was born in 1587. It would have been almost 300 years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

In more recent history, the tree has survived the hurricane of 1947, Hurricane Camille in 1969 and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

According to the university, 2011 measurements included a 59-foot height, a trunk circumference of 19 feet, 9 1/2 inches and a foliage spread of 155 feet.

More: How to keep snakes away from your home: What works and what doesn’t.

The ancient cypress trees at Sky Lake

Trees that have lived hundreds of years are truly majestic wonders of Mississippi, but the bald cypress trees at Sky Lake Wildlife Management Area near Belzoni take old to a whole other level.

According to conservation non-profit Wildlife Mississippi, some of the trees there are thought to be in excess of 1,000 years old. That dates them back to a time when Native Americans were enjoying the rich resources available by hunting, fishing and farming. During that time, they were also building ceremonial mounds such as Emerald Mound near Natchez.

The largest of the trees are truly massive. One has a circumference of 46 feet, 9 inches with a 15-foot diameter and 70-foot height.

Visitors can view these trees from a 1,735-foot-long boardwalk or when water levels allow, by canoe or kayak.

Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

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Mississippi

What channel is Mississippi State baseball vs Ole Miss on today? Time, TV schedule to watch college baseball game

Published

8 hours ago

March 27, 2026

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What channel is Mississippi State baseball vs Ole Miss on today? Time, TV schedule to watch college baseball game

Mississippi State baseball, coming off a sweep of Vanderbilt, travels to Ole Miss for a three-game series, starting on March 27.

The Bulldogs (21-4, 4-2 SEC) swept Vandy last weekend in Starkville to move above .500 in league play after two weeks.

Ole Miss (19-7, 3-3) took two of three games from Kentucky last weekend in Oxford.

Mississippi State and Ole Miss will also play on April 28 in Pearl.

Here’s how you can watch Mississippi State baseball vs Ole Miss:

Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss on March 27 will be televised via streaming on SEC Network+, which is housed on the ESPN app and can be accessed via a SEC Network subscription. If you are subscribed to SEC Network, you can access SEC Network+ online.

Game 1 start time: 6:30 p.m on March 27, SEC Network+
Game 2 start time: 1:30 p.m. on March 28, SEC Network+
Game 3 start time: 3 p.m on March 29, SEC Network

Feb. 13: Hofstra, W 6-5
Feb. 14: Hofstra, W 6-1
Feb. 14: Hofstra, W 7-5
Feb. 17: Troy, W 13-7
Feb. 18: Alcorn State, W 19-0 (7 innings)
Feb. 20: Delaware, W 9-2
Feb. 21: Delaware, W 10-0 (8 innings)
Feb. 22: Delaware, W 7-3
Feb. 24: Austin Peay, W 16-3 (7 innings)
Feb. 27: vs. Arizona State in Arlington, Texas, W 8-4
Feb. 28: vs. Virginia Tech in Arlington, Texas, W 15-8
March 1: vs. UCLA in Arlington, Texas, L 8-7 (10 innings)
March 3: at Southern Miss, L 7-6
March 5: Lipscomb, W 8-3
March 6: Lipscomb, W 9-4
March 7: Lipscomb, W 26-0 (7 innings)
March 10: vs. Tulane in Biloxi, W 11-7
March 13: at Arkansas, L 5-4
March 14: at Arkansas, W 7-2
March 15: at Arkansas, L 7-3
March 17: Jackson State, W 17-1 (7 innings)
March 20: Vanderbilt, W 4-2
March 21: Vanderbilt, W 7-2
March 22: Vanderbilt, W 17-7 (7)
March 24: Southern Miss, W 12-0 (7)
March 27: at Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m on SEC Network+
March 28: at Ole Miss, 1:30 p.m on SEC Network+
March 29: at Ole Miss, 3 p.m on SEC Network
March 31: Grambling
April 2-4: Georgia
April 7: UAB
April 10-12: Tennessee
April 14: at Samford
April 17-19: at South Carolina
April 21: Memphis
April 24-26: LSU
April 28: vs. Ole Miss in Pearl, Miss.
May 1-3: at Texas
May 5: Nicholls
May 7-9: Auburn
May 14-16: at Texas A&M

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Mississippi

Diamond Dawgs Set For Top 20 Showdown In Oxford – Mississippi State

Published

20 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Diamond Dawgs Set For Top 20 Showdown In Oxford – Mississippi State

OXFORD – No. 6 Mississippi State carries momentum and confidence into one of college baseball’s fiercest rivalries this weekend, traveling to face No. 18 Ole Miss in a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Swayze Field.

The Diamond Dawgs arrive in Oxford riding a five-game winning streak and carrying plenty of momentum into one of the league’s premier matchups. MSU sits at 21-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Rebels enter at 19-6 and 3-3 in the SEC.

Mississippi State has been one of the most complete teams in the country through the first half of the season. The Bulldogs are hitting .347 as a team with a .452 on-base percentage and 39 home runs, consistently putting pressure on opposing pitching staffs. Ole Miss counters with plenty of power of its own, already launching 46 homers while posting a .500 slugging percentage.

The engine for State’s offense has been graduate outfielder Bryce Chance, who leads the SEC with a .452 batting average and has struck out just three times all season. All-American infielder Ace Reese continues to anchor the middle of the lineup with a team-high seven home runs and 34 RBIs, while Noah Sullivan and Aidan Teel provide consistent production around them to give the Diamond Dawgs one of the deepest lineups in the league.

Mississippi State will lean on its weekend rotation that has begun to separate itself as a strength. Left-hander Charlie Foster is expected to get the ball in Friday’s opener. The Bulldogs will then turn to sophomore standout Tomas Valincius on Saturday. The southpaw has been dominant, going 5-0 with a 1.04 ERA and 47 strikeouts, highlighted by a 14-strikeout performance in his last outing. Right-hander Duke Stone is slated for Sunday and brings a 4-0 record with him into the series.

Ole Miss is expected to counter with left-hander Hunter Elliott in the opener, a veteran arm with a 3-0 record and 44 strikeouts, followed by right-hander Hudson Calhoun on Saturday. The Rebels have yet to announce a starter for the series finale. As a staff, Ole Miss owns a 3.56 ERA with 293 strikeouts, setting up a matchup between two pitching groups capable of missing bats at a high level.

While the Bulldogs have dominated at home — winning 19 straight games at Dudy Noble Field dating back to last season — this weekend presents another opportunity for State to prove itself away from Starkville. MSU is 1-3 in true road games this year but has shown the ability to compete against elite competition throughout the early part of the schedule.

The rivalry history leans in Mississippi State’s favor, with the Bulldogs holding a 268-213-5 advantage in the all-time series. State has also won two straight meetings between the programs, adding another layer of confidence heading into the weekend.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching ‘HailStateBB’ on X, Facebook and Instagram.Top of Form

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Mississippi

MS turkey hunter who thought hunt was ruined bags bird of a lifetime

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

MS turkey hunter who thought hunt was ruined bags bird of a lifetime

‘I would call him a hybrid between a smoke phase and a red phase. He’s not a true smoke phase because of all the red in him.’

A Mississippi hunter bagged a rare, reddish-colored turkey after a frustrating start to his hunting season.
The turkey’s unique coloration is described as a hybrid between a smoke phase and a red phase.
According to a wildlife official, this genetic mutation is exceedingly rare, especially in male turkeys.

A Mississippi turkey hunter’s season wasn’t off to a good start, but with a change in plans, a little scouting, some luck thrown in, he bagged a rare reddish-colored turkey and it’s considered a bird of a lifetime.

“I’d been hunting the same bird since opening day,” said Barrett Clark of Strong, which is located near West Point. “He finally frustrated me enough to where I just needed to go look for another bird.”

Clark wasn’t able to connect with the gobbler he was after. So, on Friday, March 20, he decided to check another property. He located a few gobblers that afternoon, but one looked different. It appeared to have a lighter color than normal, but Clark figured it was just the way the sunlight was hitting the bird.

The following morning, Clark and his father, Larry Clark, returned to the area in hopes of getting a shot at one of the birds.

A turkey hunt that was almost ruined

“We met and went in early Saturday morning,” Clark said. “We were probably 300 yards away from him when he started gobbling. It was right at sunrise. He was gobbling off the roost.”

The gobbler flew off the roost and continued to gobble. Clark said he lightly called the bird. Then, a gunshot rang out from a nearby property and the gobbling stopped. To make matters worse, minutes later a coyote appeared and it looked like he was after the turkey that had been gobbling.

“That coyote came within 15 feet of my dad and ran straight to where the turkey had been gobbling,” Clark said. “We thought our hunt was boogered up.”

MS hunter shoots turkey with strange colors

The hunt wasn’t over, though. About 10 or 15 minutes later the gobbling resumed and Clark lightly called back. A little later, Clark saw a turkey through the trees in the neighborhood of 100 yards away.

“I was really just seeing his head move,” Clark said. “I would see his fan occasionally, but it was mostly just his head. I could tell he was lighter, but I really wasn’t focused on that. I was trying to stay still and make a good shot.”

Clark said he was hunting in pines that were maybe 10 years old, and the understory was thick. The bird came within 50 yards of him, but there was no shot. The bird began to walk away but stepped into an opening, and Clark pulled the trigger of his 20-gauge shotgun.

Clark still didn’t understand what he’d shot. He said it was only when he and his father got closer that they realized how unusual it was.

“We could tell it was something that neither of us had ever seen,” Clark said.

What is it, and how rare is this turkey?

The bird is a light rust or cinnamon color and lacks any normal coloration, but putting a label on it isn’t easy.

“I would call him a hybrid between a smoke phase and a red phase,” said Caleb Hinton, Wild Turkey Program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “He’s not a true smoke phase because of all the red in him.”

Hinton couldn’t put a number on it, but he said a genetic trait like this is very rare.

“Like all the genetic mutations, it’s exceedingly rare in the wild,” Hinton said.

And for a gobbler to express such a genetic trait is even more rare. Hinton said that upwards of 95% of the turkeys that express such traits will be hens, not gobblers.

“It’s just a once-in-a-lifetime trophy for the hunter,” Hinton said.

A lifelong outdoorsman and wildlife enthusiast, Brian Broom has been writing about hunting, fishing and Mississippi’s outdoors for the Clarion Ledger for more than 14 years. He can be reached at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

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