Voodoo ritual perplexes squirrel hunters

Largely forgotten, it lay for months in a hunting bag. It was just a candle, but the carvings on it and its unknown origin bothered hunter Jim Walker of Madison.

Squirrel hunters (from left) Jim Walker of Madison, Chip Tatum of Hattiesburg, Jeremy Shook on Brandon, and Keith Landrum of Ovett were hunting along the Mississippi River when Walker discovered a mysterious candle used to cast a spell of love.

“We were hunting squirrels with a dog,” Walker said. “It was the last day (of the season); February 28.”

Hunting 14 miles south of Greenville at the bottom of the Mississippi River, the land was littered with debris left over from last winter’s flood.

“There was stuff everywhere,” Walker said. “Coolers, bottles, green buoys, red buoys.

“I saw it. It was a candle and it had a date on it. I put it in my bag.”

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When the hunt was over, Walker took the candle out of his bag and saw that it also had a name engraved on it: Shawn Dennis Stockard, Mr. Walker was intrigued and put the candle back in his bag.