By Hunter Cloud
The Daily Leader

MUSCADINE FARMS — Three years after they disappeared while duck hunting on the Mississippi River, Zeb Hughes and Gunner Palmer are being memorialized by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

The MDWFP has named a youth hunting camp the Gunner Palmer Memorial Youth Waterfowl Hunt.

Applications for the 2024 camp are open until Dec. 15 15. The camp is Feb. 1-4, 2024 at Muscadine Farms Wildlife Management Area near Greenville. Ducks Unlimited helps out with the program.

The mission of the camp is to recruit new waterfowl hunters, increase support for wetland conservation and waterfowl hunting, and retain hunters. Teenagers ages 13 to 15 are encouraged to apply.

Due to limited space, just 12 spots are available. Applications will be ranked by the content of the application and hunters will be notified if they are selected by the end of December.

Prior hunting experience is not required, however a desire to learn about waterfowl, wetland ecology and hunting is needed. Meals and lodging are provided for campers and staff.

Email your application to Houston.Havens@wfp.ms.gov or you can fax a printed version of the application to 601-432-2203.

Hughes, of Wesson, and Palmer, of Brookhaven, went scouting for duck hunting sites on the Mississippi River on Dec. 3, 2020. They launched their boat at LeTourneau Landing south of Vicksburg They never made it back and have yet to be found.

Only their boat and some hunting equipment was discovered