Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ Saturday, January 22, 2011PAGE 4B www.yankton.net

OUTDOORSUPDATE

We will be featuring our annual “Beautiful Baby Contest”in print and online on Wednesday, February 23, 2011. If you or someone you know has a child we would love to include them in our feature!To enter, simply submit your photo and entry form with a $10 submission fee by Thursday, February 10, 2011. First place winners in the following categories will receive a framed winners print and gift certificates to local businesses:1) 0-12 Months2) 13-24 Months3) 25 Months-3 Years4) 4-7 Years5) Multiple Births

Attention Parents, Grandparents, Aunts,Uncles, Godparents and Friends...

YANKTON DAILYYANKTON DAILY

Category #___________ Age:_____________ Date of Birth______________________

Child’s Name___________________________________________________________________

Parents Name _________________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________ Phone_________________________________

Winners will be selected by the staff of Yankton Media Inc. Employees and family members of Yankton Media Inc. are ineligible to win.*Submission of this form authorizes the publication of child’s photo in this contest in print and on line at www.yankton.net.Submission fee ($10) must accompany entry form to be valid.

Beautiful Baby Contest 2011 Submit Entry To:Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan 319 Walnut St., PO Box 56Yankton, SD 57078

Entry Deadline: Thurs., Feb. 10, 2011

Beautiful BabyContest 2011

OUTDOORREPORT

OF THE OUTDOORS

Predator Hunting A Fun Experience

State Issues Advisory ForWalleye From Newell Lake

GFP Adds Ice FishingLocations To Website

PIERRE — Anglers strugglingto find accessible waters for icefishing this winter will have a newresource. The Game, Fish andParks Department has added a listof ice fishing access sites to theirwebsite.

The list contains public accesssites on popular ice fishing lakesthat are maintained throughout thewinter months. As snow conditionswarrant, GFP will attempt to clearsnow prior to noon each Friday atover 50 lakes.

“Ice fishing is a popular winteractivity in South Dakota,” saidGFP Secretary Jeff Vonk. “Byposting access information to ourwebsite, fisherman can be direct-ed to regularly maintained lakeaccess sites.”

Two Beyond BOWEvents Scheduled

For FebruaryLINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska's

Beyond Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program has two events inFebruary for women who enjoyoutdoor adventures.

An ice-fishing workshop willtake place Feb. 18-19 at ValentineNational Wildlife Refuge. The costis $15 and does not include mealsor lodging.

A snowshoeing trip will takeplace Feb. 19 at Platte River StatePark. The cost is $35 and includesinstruction, two opportunities tosnowshoe, including one at night,and lodging in a cabin.

Contact Julia Plugge at (402)471-6009 or julia.plugge@nebras-ka.gov by Feb. 11 to register.

Deadline For InputOn Waterfowl

Boundaries Jan. 31LINCOLN, Neb. — Waterfowl

hunters have until Jan. 31 to com-ment about possible boundarychanges to duck zones and gooseunits, according to the NebraskaGame and Parks Commission.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicerules allow boundary changes tobe made every five years. Anychanges would be in effect for the2011-2012 waterfowl hunting sea-sons.

Game and Parks wants to hearfrom hunters who would like to seeboundary changes, as well asfrom hunters who would not like tosee changes.

Hunters have two options forgiving input: attend one of severalremaining public meetings aroundthe state or download a survey fromhttp://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/hunting.asp.

The following is a list ofremaining public meetings, allstarting at 7 p.m.:

Jan. 13 — Columbus, IzaakWalton League, 3521 9th St.South

Jan. 17 — Alma, JohnsonCommunity Center, 509 Main St.

Jan. 18 — Bridgeport, PrairieWinds Center, 428 N. Main St.

Jan. 19 — Lincoln, NebraskaGame and Parks Commissionheadquarters, 2200 N. 33rd St.

Jan. 24 — Valentine, NiobraraLodge, 803 E. U.S. Highway 20

Jan. 25 — O'Neill, Cubby'sGodfather's Pizza Express, 204 E.U.S. Highway 20

Jan. 26 — Albion, CornerstoneBank, 240 S. 3rd St.

Jan. 27 — Ponca, Ponca StatePark, 88090 Spur 26E

Jan. 31 — Kearney, Mitzi'sPavilion at Yanney Heritage Park,2020 W. 11th St.

Feb. 1 — North Platte, NorthPlatte Police Department, 715 S.Jeffers.

Youth Ambassador ToPromote Outdoor

LifestylePIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota

State Parks have chosen a youthambassador to help engage youthand promote healthy lifestyleswhile raising awareness of stateparks in South Dakota.

Cassie Schaeffer of BelleFourche will travel to state parksand recreation areas to promotethe parks and outdoor recreation.Schaeffer is a 2009 graduate ofBlack Hills State University with abachelor's degree in OutdoorEducation. She has worked sea-sonally for the Department ofGame, Fish and Parks as a natu-ralist at Custer State Park.

The State Park YouthAmbassador Program is collabo-ration between America's StateParks and Outdoor Nation. Theprogram offers a way for peopleages 16-28 to explore their stateparks while helping to promoteAmerica's state park system.

“I look forward to visiting theparks and people of SouthDakota.” said Schaeffer. “Therewill be a new adventure andopportunity with every event. Iencourage all ages to get out andexplore their state parks.”

Schaeffer will be attendingpark programs, special events andsport shows as well as writing arti-cles and visiting with childrenacross the state.

Youth Ambassadors will beginwork with park staff this summer todocument their outdoor park expe-riences in 50 states with articles,blogs, and photo essays.

BY GARY HOWEYHartington, Neb.

It’s that time of the year, when those ofus that love to hunt are looking for some-thing to do until the Snow Geese moveinto the upper Midwest.

If a little cold doesn’t bother you, youhave a little patience; predatorcalling/hunting gives you the opportunityto get outside, enjoy the outdoors and tosharpen your shooting skills.

There are numerous animals that willcome to a predator call. In our area thistime of the year, you’re more than likely

going to be dealing withcoyotes, fox and bob-cats.

Getting into callingisn’t difficult as all youneed is a call, somesnow camo, a rifle andyou’re ready to go.

The biggest thingyou’ll have to deal withis deciding what call topurchase. If you go toany sporting good storeor look through a hunt-ing catalog, the variety

of predator calls will blow your mind.There are cottontail calls, jackrabbit calls,fawn calls, squeakers, howlers and the listgoes on and on.

If you can think of it, it’s probablybeen manufactured or it’s on the way!

These calls are not hard to use, as youdon’t have to be able to play a musicalinstrument to make these things work. Allyou need to do is blow into them!

If you don’t want to mess with a mouthcall, there are numerous electronic callson the market and if you can push a but-ton, you’re calling predators.

Electronic calls are pre-programmedwith several calls, which can include;jackrabbit, cottontail, fawn bleat, crowcalls, woodpecker distress calls and evensnow goose calls. I use a Fox Pro electron-

ic call as they have wide variety of callsprogrammed into them; have the volumeand speakers allowing it to be heard, evenon those windy days.

If you’re just getting into predator call-ing, it doesn’t take that much to get intothe sport as you don’t need any specialequipment, just some sort of call, somesnow/camo clothing, a place to hide and alight rifle or a shotgun loaded with buck-shot for those close up shots.

Your best bet for camo this time ofyear is going to be white, as you’ll be set-ting up in snow. My first snow camo wasno more than a white bed sheet that Ipulled over me.

Since you’ll be sitting on the cold hardground, for an extended period of time,some type of padded cushion is a bottomsaver. I use the padded foldable Wedge

with a backrest, as it insulates me fromthe cold hard ground and supports myback.

Since I’m not real fond of getting intoclose quarters with a 30-pound carnivore,that would be a “meat” eater, with sharpteeth and claws, I prefer to use a 22-250or 223, so I can reach out and “touch”them before they get close enough totouch me. Since we hunt for fur a smallercaliber rifle will do less damage, but mosthigh power rifles will get the job done.

My experience has been that therearen’t too many places in the upperMidwest that won’t have some type ofpredator hanging around.

All you need to do is to locate a goodspot to conceal yourself, let things settledown and start calling.

When we’re calling, we usually spend

about 20 minutes to a half-hour in a spotand then move on, as a coyote that’swithin hearing distance of the call willgenerally check out the disturbance pret-ty quickly, even if he’s just finished hislunch.

I like to start with a low howl call andthen increase the volume. I’ll then let thearea settle down a bit and switch to mydying rabbit call. I’ll go through a coupleof renditions, back off the call to lookover the area, trying to keep the predatorfrom pinpointing my position.

There are times when a predator willcome charging in, with these are generallyyour young animals while other timesthey’ll approach our set up only to setdown and look the area over. When theydo this, I’ll switch to my squeaker call,which can be done with a mouth call,which eliminates movement and keepsmy hands free so I can take the shot.

If they hang up and won’t come in,even after using your squeaker, you mighthave to do the calculation and take thelonger shot. As with any shooting sport,knowing your weapon, ammunition andspending time on the range with it willgive the shooter the knowledge and theskill to make those longer shots.

Predator calling is exciting sport, agreat way to make a few bucks in the win-ter and also helps to keep the predator toprey relationship a little closer in balance.

If you’re looking for an exciting experi-ence, give predator hunting a shot, it’s agreat way to get outdoors when the otherseason are either closed and once you’vetried it, you’ll realize what a great sport itis.

Gary Howey, Hartington, Neb., is theProducer/Host of the award winningOutdoorsmen Adventures television seriesthat can be seen on Fox affiliates or on-line. If you’re looking for more informationon the outdoors along with live videos goto www.outdoorsmenadventures.com.

GGaarryyHHoowweeyy

PHOTO: LARRY MYHREPredator calling can be a long-range game or up close and personal as this photoshows. This bobcat came within a few feet of the caller and shooter on a callingtrip last season.

T R O P H Y S P O T L I G H T

SUBMITTED PHOTOLyle Risinger caught this 8-pound, 13-ounce fishon Lewis & Clark Lake on Nov. 7 using minnows.

SUBMITTED PHOTODavid Sullivan caught this walleye belowGavin’s Point Dam on Nov. 16.

SUBMITTED PHOTOJerry Kast caught this 8-pound, 12-ounce wall-eye on the Missouri River on Nov. 18.

SUBMITTED PHOTOJohn Neu caught this 8-pound, 6-ounce walleyeon Lewis & Clark Lake using minnows.

PIERRE — The stateDepartment of Health has issueda consumption advisory for wall-eye from Newell Lake in ButteCounty. Newell Lake is located 8miles north of Newell and 2miles east of Highway 79 onNewell Lake Road.

Recent testing found mercuryapproaching the 1 part per mil-lion (ppm) level in Newell Lakewalleye larger than 18 inches.

Mercury passes up the aquat-ic food chain from invertebratesto bait fish and ultimately topredators like walleye and north-ern pike. Fish exposed to mercu-ry contamination accumulatemercury in their flesh. Becauselarger and older predator fishare often those with the highestmercury concentrations, anglerscan reduce their exposure tomercury by eating only smallerpredators or panfish.

When mercury levels in fishreach 1 ppm, meals should bespaced to prevent potentiallydangerous mercury accumula-tion. The Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) has set 1ppm as the action level for com-mercial fish. This action level is10 times lower than the lowestlevels associated with negativeneurological effects observed inmercury poisoning incidents.South Dakota uses the FDAaction level to issue consump-tion information to the public.

Fish is low in fat and a goodsource of high quality protein

and other nutrients. It can be animportant part of a balanced dietas long as consumers followsome simple consumption guide-lines when eating fish caughtfrom waters with advisories ineffect. The Department of Healthrecommends that healthy adultseat no more than 7 ounces perweek and children younger than7 no more than one 4-ounce mealof the specified fish per month.Women who plan to becomepregnant, are pregnant or arebreast-feeding should have nomore than one 7-ounce meal permonth. Seven ounces of fish isroughly the size of two decks ofplaying cards.

Fish in South Dakota lakesand rivers are routinely screenedfor metals, pesticides, and PCBsthrough a collaborative effort ofthe Department of Game, Fishand Parks, the Department ofEnvironment and NaturalResources and the Departmentof Health. Since 2000, that test-ing has resulted in consumptionadvisories for just nine lakes,including this latest advisory. Ofall the contaminants analyzed,mercury is currently the onlyconcern; all other contaminantshave been either non-detectableor found only in low concentra-tions.

For a list of other consump-tion advisories in effect and formore information about mercuryand fish consumption, seehttp://doh.sd.gov/Fish.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Eight hunting-related incidents were reported tothe Nebraska Game and ParksCommission in 2010, including onethat resulted in a death.

Of the incidents, two involved thedischarge of a rifle, two involved thedischarge of a shotgun, two involvedthe discharge of a muzzleloader, andone each involved the discharge of ahandgun and a fall from an elevatedstand. Injuries were self-inflicted infive incidents and caused by othersin three.

In four incidents, the cause wascareless handling of a firearm and inone each the cause was victim cov-ered by shooter swinging on game,victim in line of fire, dropped firearm,

and fall from an elevated stand.In the fatal incident last October

in Washington County, the 14-year-old shooter was following the 38-year-old victim down a trail. Theshooter was carrying a loaded,capped, cocked muzzleloader as hecrossed a log. The muzzleloader dis-charged into the victim’s back.

Hunting incidents resulting ininjury or death are rare in Nebraska.The injury rate per 1,000 hunterscommonly is lower than .01 percent.Nebraska has about 170,000 hunterseach year, and, over the past 10years, there have been nearly 12 inci-dents a year. There were 12 inci-dents, including two fatalities, in2009.

Eight Hunting-Related IncidentsReported In Nebraska Last Year

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