Magazine Posts Table of Contents

Hunting is Beneficial

Posted 2014-11-21 09:32:30 | Views: 1,149
Hunting is Beneficial
     Hunting is a great source of revenue for each state and for different businesses. Hunting also has relaxation and environmental benefits. Hunting is not cheap, especially deer hunting. For deer hunting, no matter what deer season, hunters need a weapon, camo or blaze orange, a license, land, a place to stay, a deer stand, and some hunters use decals, or deer calls to help lure the deer in. There are certain requirements for clothing and choice of weapon depending on which deer season- archery, firearm, and muzzleloader- hunters choose to hunt.
     Deer hunting is a great way to relax, and spend time with family and friends. It allows a person to enjoy peaceful time outdoors, and not have to worry about stressful daily chores. “It [hunting] offers relaxation and affords quality time with family and friends. Whether in a deer or duck blind, farm field or ridgeline, hunting provides a peaceful, fun setting where people re-connect with each other and with nature” (Economic Source of Hunting in America). Sitting in a deer stand allows a hunter to watch the wildlife, and enjoy nature.
     In 2011, Minnesota generated approximately $725 million from hunting (Ashe). Hunting is a great source of revenue for Minnesota and businesses throughout the state. “They [hunters] not only purchase hunting gear, trucks and boats; they also fill their gas tanks and coolers. They stay at motels and resorts. They buy hunting clothes ... On average, each hunter spends $1,896 per year on hunting, which is 5.5% of the typical wage earner’s annual income” (Economic Source of Hunting in America). The deer hunting seasons in Minnesota are bow, rifle/shotgun, and muzzleloader. Deer hunters that hunt more than one deer season have to purchase a license for every season. There are consequences for not having a license corresponding to the season a person is hunting. During archery season, hunters usually wear camo to blend in with their surroundings, so deer are not as likely to see them. During shotgun/rifle and muzzleloader seasons, hunters have to wear blaze orange because it is a law in Minnesota. If a hunter chooses to archery hunt, and then hunt another season, they are likely to buy both camo and blaze orange clothing (Economic Source of Hunting in America).
     






     Hunting is also good for small towns because hunting takes place in rural areas where there is woods or big grassy planes. Small towns do not usually have too many tourists throughout the year, so hunting helps to bring business to these small towns. Hunters are likely to stop in a small town and buy something, like groceries, clothing, or a hunting license. Stores in small towns stock up on food, beverages, and clothing during the hunting season to prepare for the flood of hunters (Economic Importance of Hunting in America).
     A source of food for deer is vegetation in the woods. When deer populations are high or above normal, they eat the vegetation down to the roots, so it is not able to grow back. “At high population densities deer can greatly alter the appearance and ecology of forest vegetation” (Rawinski). In one case, a fence was constructed, so deer could not get in to eat the vegetation. There was way more vegetation in the fence than the area surrounding the fence. This shows that deer are one cause of vegetation being destroyed. Deer hunting allows the deer population to decrease, and not have one area overpopulated by deer.
      









     
     Unfortunately, deer do not eat invasive vegetation. This allows to the invasive vegetation to flourish, while native vegetation diminishes. “Tree species especially palatable to deer, such as economically valuable oaks, are not regenerating while other species resistant to deer browse, like beech, flourish” (Schulser). The problem can be solved by putting up fences, so deer cannot get in and eat the vegetation. Also, keep the deer population low, so that deer do not destroy too much vegetation.
Not only do deer ruin vegetation in the woods, but they also affect the bird population and other species who rely on vegetation for survival. Some wildlife may eat vegetation like deer, or use vegetation for shelter. “Beyond the impact on specific trees or other plants, deer can significantly influence wildlife habitat by altering the forest’s composition and structure. For example, in a forest where the understory has been largely eaten by deer, habitat for birds requiring a thick understory will decline” (Schulser). Keeping the deer population low will help to prevent the vegetation from being destroyed even more than it already is which will help increase the bird population.
     





     If someone needs a way to relax, try deer hunting! Every year a hunter has to buy a hunting license, food, and anything else they want for hunting that year, which helps the Minnesota economy and businesses throughout the state. Deer hunting helps the environment by keeping the number of deer consuming vegetation low, which will help prevent the vegetation from being destroyed more than it already is. Thick vegetation helps increase the bird population. The next time you or someone you know goes deer hunting, remember, they’re helping to keep the deer population contained, which will help prevent environmental problems from occurring. Deer hunting will also help keep the economy flowing.



Works Cited
Ashe, Dan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-     
     Associated Recreation . December 2013. 24 November 2014.
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Economic Importance of Hunting in America.      
     2002. 24 November 2014.
Rawinski, Thomas. Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry. Impacts of White Tailed Deer 
     Overabundance in Forest Ecosystems: An Overview. June 2008. 24 November 2014.
Schulser, Tania. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology. Ecological Impacts of High Deer 
     Densities. 15 August 2004. 24 November 2014.

This graph shows how much the average hunter spends per year on hunting equipment.
These pictures show the low amount of vegetation in the woods. This picture on the left has very little vegetation. The picture on the right shows little to no vegetation.
This picture shows the vegetation on the inside of the fence, and on the outside there's very little vegetation.

Why Blaze Orange

Posted 2014-10-10 09:07:42 | Views: 1,125
Why Blaze Orange?
      What is with the people in the trees wearing blaze orange while deer hunting with a firearm? Blaze orange has saved hundreds of lives because it is more apparent in the woods than other colors, like brown, blue, green, and pink. Blaze orange is very bright and can be spotted from a distance, whereas colors like green and brown blend in with a hunters surrounding, making it harder for others to see them. Hunters are not mistaken for an animal while wearing blaze orange because no animal is blaze orange, and it does not blend in with a hunters surroundings.
     In fact, there was a law enacted in Minnesota for hunters to wear blaze orange during the firearms deer season. It was enacted because there were many deaths due to hunters mistaking others as an animal, or the person shot was not visible from a distance. “In 1986, the law required blaze orange or red be worn during the firearms deer season. Beginning in 1994, red was dropped and only blaze-orange clothing was legal during the firearms deer season. The law requires “the visible portion of the person’s cap and outer clothing above the waist, excluding sleeves and gloves, is blaze orange”’ (Smith). Some hunters get so excited; they shoot before they look to see what their target is, and what may be behind it. There are ways to prevent being mistaken as an animal, or not being seen or heard, even if you are not a hunter.
      Even though a person is not hunting and they are in or near a hunting area, they should wear blaze orange or a different bright color, like neon green, or bright pink. Wearing a bright color will help hunters to see a person from a distance, and help hunters not mistake a non-hunter for a deer or other animal. If a non-hunter chooses not to wear blaze orange during the firearms season while they are in or near a hunting area, they should follow these guidelines (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources):
      “Wear bright clothing. Choose colors that stand out, like red, orange or green, and avoid white,     
      blacks, browns, earth-toned greens and animal-colored clothing. Blaze orange vests and hats are    
     advisable. 
      Don’t forget to protect pets. Get an orange vest for an accompanying dog.
      Make noise. Whistle, sing or carry on a conversation when walking to alert hunters that someone is in  
      the area.       
      Sound carries well across woods and forests, and hunters should listen for any sounds of animal      
     movement.
      Be courteous. Don’t make unnecessary noise to disturb wildlife. Avoid confrontations.
      Make presence known. If a nonhunter hears shooting, the person should raise their voice and let        
      hunters know they’re in vicinity.
      Know the dates of hunting seasons. Learn about where and when hunting is taking place.
      If hunting makes a nonhunter uneasy, the nonhunter should choose a hike in a location where hunting       is not allowed”
      One of the more dangerous methods of hunting is driving deer. This can be done safely if everyone involved follows the safety guidelines for doing a deer drive. Some things to do to be safe according to Outdoor Life are:
 Only allow the drivers at the end to carry a firearm
 Allow the standers to load their guns when they get to their post and unload it before they leave the post 
 Everyone involved in the drive knows the route and make sure everyone knows where the posters are standing
(Sapir).
      In case you are not sure of what you are shooting, do not shoot. It is better to be safe than sorry. If someone is going to shoot, they should make sure they know what their target is and what is behind the target. A bullet can hit something, like water or metal, and ricochet off, possibly hitting a person and in some cases killing them. Most often, a person is shot because someone mistook them for a deer, or someone shot at a deer and ended up hitting a person behind the deer. In other cases, a person might have been cleaning their gun and they forgot the gun still had bullets in it, and the gun goes off while they are cleaning it, and are shot (Smith).
      In Minnesota, the law is that hunters must wear blaze orange on the upper half of their body, and it must be clearly visible. Blaze orange is an apparent color, and can be seen better than other colors in the woods because it sticks out. Hunters should not forget to wear blaze orange, so they can be seen by others hunting around them. Be safe this hunting season: wear blaze orange, make sure you know your target, what may be behind it and the location of others in your hunting party. Happy hunting!






























Works Cited
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. News Release. 7 October 2013. 10 October 2014.
Sapir, Glenn. Deer-Drive Strategies: Heading Whitetails in the Right Direction. n.d. 24 October 2014.
Smith, Doug. Blaze-orange clothing: It's the law and it saves lives. 1 October 2013. 10 October 2014.

This picture shows that blaze orange can be seen much better than camo.

Ice Fishing Safety Paper

Posted 2014-10-10 09:06:36 | Views: 1,212
Ice Fishing Safety
     Tom thought it was a nice day to go ice fishing, so he grabbed his fishing gear and loaded it into his truck. When Tom got to the lake access, he put on his lifejacket and did not roll down his windows. He did not take with a friend. Without checking the depth of the ice or the local snowfall amount, Tom drove onto the lake. About one hundred feet off shore Tom heard a loud snap, crackle, and pop. Tom did not pay much attention to the loud noise and all of a sudden, he found himself underwater. He tried to open his door, but the truck filling with water and the flotation from his lifejacket made it almost impossible to get out. Tom knew he should not panic, or he would lose more oxygen than he needed to. After several minutes of struggling, Tom lost the fight to get above the ice. Help was too far away, and nobody knew he was going out fishing.
     There are things you can do to avoid accidents and be safe. Despite the newness or thickness of the ice, you can still fall through. Always fish with someone, so if something happens to one person, the other person can call for help. Following a guide for ice fishing safety will allow you to have a safer fishing experience, but ice is unpredictable, so following the safety tips will not guarantee safety one hundred percent. Typically, the ice-fishing season in Minnesota is from December to March. The ice is not necessarily thick enough to support weight by December, and by March it is starting to melt and slush is present by this time too.

Ice Thickness Guidelines

     Always proceed with caution on to the ice. Using caution before stepping out onto the ice will better your chances of not falling in and will help prevent a dangerous situation. The thickness of the ice is the deciding factor if it is safe to go fishing. Follow these rules when considering going ice fishing:
• 2 inches or less: stay off the ice
• 4 inches: It is ok for a person to go on the ice
• 5 inches: It is ok to ride a snowmobile or ATV on the ice
• 8-12 inches: It is ok to drive a car or small truck on the ice
• 12-15 inches: It is ok to drive a medium size truck on the ice
(Minnesota Department of Natural Resources).









Ice Condition Factors

     Depending on where you are at on the lake, the thickness of the ice can vary. Many factors make the ice the condition it is. If you are near a crick, it is more likely the ice will be thin because the water current is moving, causing the ice nearby to be weak from the current. Ice closer to shore is a lot thinner than ice that is in the middle of the lake. Wind can break the ice and cause it to pile up, especially near open water. Snow is an insulator for ice, which can cause the ice to be weaker where the snow is thicker. It is warmer where the snow is insulating, causing the ice to not be made as fast (New Hampshire Fish and Game Department).
How to Measure the Depth of the Ice
     You can check with local bait shops or other anglers to find out the depth of the ice, the local snowfall amounts, and the amount of slush on the ice and where it is located. This allows you to avoid certain spots on the lake, and to know where it is relatively safe to fish. If you are not able to ask local bait shops or other anglers, or you just want to measure the depths of the ice yourself, go for it. To make a hole in the ice, use a chisel, ice auger, chainsaw, or drill. Use a tape measure to measure the thickness of the ice (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources).
Things Anglers May Not Know 

     Some things anglers may not know is that newer ice is more likely to hold more weight than older ice, even if the older ice is thicker than the newer ice. When the ice cracks, it usually means that it is making new ice, but sometimes it can mean something or someone is falling through. Be cautious around dark ice, because it is likely dangerous. Dark ice usually means that it is thin, or there was slush where the darkened ice is, and then it froze over, which causes pockets in the ice. Dark ice is apparent at the beginning of the ice-fishing season when the ice is thickening. It is also apparent at the beginning of February or the early part of March when the weather starts to warm up and ice is starting to melt. Always look for dark ice when going onto the ice, but be more aware when the ice-fishing season is beginning and ending (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources).
Other Helpful Safety Gear
     Ice picks are a handy tool to take with you in case you fall through the ice. Have the ice picks wrapped around your neck or in a handy place, so if you fall through you can put the picks in the ice to help pull yourself up. Wearing a life jacket will help keep you afloat if you were to fall through the ice. Ice cleats go on the bottom of your boots to help you from falling when the ice is slippery (New Hampshire Fish and Game Department).
Guidelines for Driving On Ice

     When driving on ice, make sure to have your windows rolled down in case your vehicle was to fall through. This way you can escape through the window, and not have to fight the pressure of the water while trying to open the door. The front of the vehicle is going to go down first because of the weight of the engine. Going out the back window will give you a little more time to escape. Do not drink alcohol while you are on the ice because it impairs your judgment. Do not overdrive your headlights because it will be harder to see where you are going. While driving your ATV on the ice wear some type of flotation device under your winter gear in case you fall in. Do not wear it while in the fish house or in a vehicle because you would float, making it harder to escape if you were to go under water (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources).
In Case Someone Falls In

     In case someone falls in the water, do not jump in after him or her. Instead of jumping in, reassure the person that help is on the way and that they can stay above the water. If something is available to throw, like a rope or ladder, throw the object to them, but stay a safe distance away so you will not also fall in the water. Once professional help is there let them handle the situation (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources).
 
     Following these safety tips will not guarantee that nothing will happen, but it will help make your trip more enjoyable. We hope this helps you the next time you or someone you know goes fishing!







Works Cited
 
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. General Ice Thickness Guidelines. 1 January 2014. 22 
     September 2014.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Ice Fishing Safety. 1 January 2013. 22 September 2014.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Safety on Ice. 2014. 26 September 2014.

Creative Corner

Posted 2014-09-22 10:44:58 | Views: 1,433
Creative Corner: Trapped
     It was a beautiful day to go fishing, so my brother, sister, my dad, and I hopped into the truck and went on the lake. There had been a snowstorm a few days before, so the main road on the lake was blown shut. The day before we went fishing, a person plowed open the “super highway.” All the snow from the road was pushed on the side where our fish house was, and it melted so you could not tell there was slush. We did not know that before we went onto the lake.

“Kids roll down your windows, just in case we fall in,” dad said as he drove onto the lake.

“Oh that is real reassuring,” I said under my breath.
     
      As dad drove us onto the lake, we took his advice and rolled down our windows. We also unbuckled our seatbelts just in case we would go under, so we would not have to worry about trying to unbuckle while under water. Driving on the ice was a bit scary because you never knew how tall the snow drifts were or when you would hit a slush spot. Usually, if locked in four-wheel drive while on the plowed paths, a vehicle would not get stuck. Dad was not one of those people who put their fish house right off the plowed path. He put his fish house about three miles off shore, which was a bit insane. I prefer to be closer to shore in case something were to happen, like falling through the ice. Dad preferred walleye fishing, while I preferred sonnies and crappies.
      We were driving off the beaten path on the lake when all of a sudden the truck tires started spinning. Little did we know the truck was in a huge patch of slush. My dad hit the gas and tried turning the steering wheel to get some traction; the truck just went deeper into what we thought was snow. My siblings and I got out of the truck to try to put snow under the tires and were instantly knee deep in slush. Turned out, there was a thin coat of snow over inches of slush. My dad looked like he just saw a monster when he saw us knee deep in slush.

“Ok, kids get back in the truck and I’m going to call Tom to see if he can come and pull us out,” dad said.
 
     We got back into the truck and waited for Tom to come and rescue us. I did not have a good feeling about this, but my siblings never took me seriously because I never had a good feeling about going onto the lake. Several minutes later, Tom arrived and hooked on. I decided to wait on the ice just in case the truck was to go under. He hit the gas and our truck jerked to the left into even more slush. This was not good because our truck started pulling Tom’s truck in the slush too. After a couple of more attempts, both trucks were officially stuck.

“Kids wait on the ice until the truck gets pulled out,” dad instructed.
 
     Tom and dad decided to call another friend, Tim, to see if he could get both of their trucks out of the slush. Tim came and hooked on to Tom’s truck and was only pulled back. Dad’s and Tom’s trucks were both pulled even farther back into the water. All of a sudden, we heard glug, glug, glug, and dad’s and Tom’s trucks started filling with water. I, for sure, thought they were goners, but miraculously they stopped sinking just as the water reached up over the hood.
     By this time, there was a crowd forming close by to watch what was going on. A couple of the people with bigger trucks came over and offered to hook on. One of the men suggested getting a big spool from the power company to help lift the back of the truck out of the water so they could then pull out the truck. They would have liked to lift the front end out because it would be easier to hook on to but it was too dangerous to walk in front of the truck because a big hole of water opened up in the front of the truck. Someone brought a big spool from one of the local power companies and towropes were passed around to those who were going to help pull the trucks out of the water.
      The spool was rolled in front of Tom’s truck and a towrope was wrapped around the spool and then attached to his truck. Seven trucks hooked onto the two in the water, so they were now in a line. Once all of the trucks had been hooked on, all the men got in their trucks. A guy stood in front of the line of trucks and signaled to the men to start moving forward. There was so much energy from the trucks pulling out the two that were stuck, Tom’s went right over the spool and smashed onto the ice. The cab was destroyed and dads started rising up over the spool but the front guy stopped just in the nick of time.
      Tom’s truck flipped back onto its wheels, and both trucks were pulled to the safety of the plowed road. The doors to dad’s truck opened, and it was like Niagara Falls as the water gushed out. Tom’s truck was opened the best they could so the water could gush out. The trucks were pulled to my dad’s shop, which was not even a quarter mile down the road. We had to ride with other people because of the wet cab, and the engine was ruined so it would no longer start; not that dad was willing to take the chance of starting it.
     After all the commotion of pulling out the trucks, five hours had passed. There was a big gathering at the shop and a celebration of a safe rescue were in progress when someone brought up telling my mom what had happened. During the catastrophe, nobody had bothered to called my mom and inform her of what had happened. My dad dreaded making the call because he knew she would be very angry. He not only totaled his truck, but she got a new vehicle two months before, and dad had just gotten a new truck the year before. He has two trucks and the one that was totaled was the “older one.” They really did not need another vehicle payment. Dad made that dreadful call, and you did not need it on speakerphone to hear what she had to say. Everyone stood there in stunned silence while mom chewed dad out. She was so loud that dad held the phone away from his hear and started making faces at the phone (she does not know he does that sometimes) while the rest of us tried to stifle our laughter.
      Two days later, a brand new silver Chevy pulled into the driveway. Dad had been looking at trucks for a while before the incident happened, so he was able to go check out some of the better trucks. The insurance money helped to cover some of the cost of the new truck. Dad is very daring because a week later he took out his other truck (not the new one) to get his fish house off the lake. Mom forbade him to drive his trucks onto the lake, but dad still does sometimes. Usually he drives one of the four wheelers on the lake.
     The anglers who were there that day are more cautious about going onto the lake. There was many rumors made up about what we were doing on the lake and how the trucks fell through, but none of them was close to the real reason. Rumors can get very out of hand. Take our advice and know the local snowfall amounts, and the location of the slush.

This could be you if you're not careful!

Table of Contents

Posted 2014-09-21 11:43:19 | Views: 1,264
Table of contents
Page 3: Creative Conrner: Trapped
Page 1: Ice Fishing Safety
Page 2: Why Blaze Orange?
Page 4: Hunting is Beneficial

About the Author

Posted 2014-09-19 10:37:08 | Views: 1,269
     Emily Dreger is a Post-Secondary Enrollment Options student at Alexandria Technical & Community College pursuing her Liberal Arts Degree. She grew up in Alexandria, Minnesota and has an older brother and a younger sister. With her dad owning a business leisure time isn’t very common in her family, so hunting and fishing is one of the few times the family takes off of work to enjoy some family bonding and relaxation time. Besides hunting and fishing, Emily likes to read, listen to music, and sew.
     At two years old, Emily’s parents decided to take her fishing for the first time. Bundled up in her snow pants, coat, hat, and mittens with her little blue fishing pole, Emily and her family adventured out to the lake. Her dad is an avid angler in the winter, but in the summer, he stays very busy with his business. Emily’s dad also likes to deer hunt. 
About the Author
     The way Emily’s dad and brother talked about hunting made it sound fun, so Emily decided she should also try hunting. She went for the first time when she was ten years old. Emily and her dad did not see any deer, but she decided she could try again the next year when she had her hunting license and a gun. Every year since then Emily goes hunting but has not gotten a deer yet. Maybe this year will be the year she gets the trophy buck. 
A Note from the Author:
Hello readers,

Thank you for choosing my magazine to read. I hope that any information in the magazine is not too confusing or boring. I hope you are able to enjoy all of the articles in the magazine. I appreciate your support and hope you will continue to choose this magazine in the future.

Sincerely,

Emily Dreger

Cover Page

Posted 2014-09-17 10:54:47 | Views: 1,106
Wall Mounters
Ice Fishing Safety
Trapped
Why Blaze orange
The Benefits of Hunting
October 2014