General Education
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Our
association holds monthly public meetings. These meetings have guest
speakers who have expertise in many areas that include doctors (teaching
CPR and fishhook removal), biologists (conservation techniques). Fly
tying experts, renewable energy, police (Canine tracking and winter
survival techniques), conservation officers, archery experts, historians
and any other guest speaker that has a view towards conservation and
community interest.
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Tips and Hints
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Wood Duck Box Plans
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Building
a birdhouse and feeder is a great way to spend time with your children
and teach them to appreciate nature. Check out these wood duck box
plans.
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Web based graphic |
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Adobe PDF format |
Hook Removal
It's time to start cleaning your lures and sharpening those
hooks. This year might prove to be a great one. There's a lot of fish
just waiting to be caught and sometimes scalps, fingers, hands, arms, legs,
thighs, knees and an occasional rear end.
The most common accident during fishing season involves hooks.
The second most common hazard facing anglers is getting too much sun. Both are easily avoided. Sunscreen and a hat will handle the sun
and a first aid kit with a little knowledge of how to use it will take
care of the hook
problems.
The most important tool any angler should always have with
him/her
for removing a hook is a sharp pair of wire cutting pliers.
Here are a few methods for removing hooks.
When a hook's point and barb are protruding out the skin, it's
easier to cut off the barb and back the hook out of the wound.
This is when those
sharp wire cutters come in handy.
The best method by most experienced hook removers and even by
some doctors is called the snatch method. No matter where the
hook
ends up, this method works.
This method is quick, simple and relatively painless . . . as
long as
you get it on the first try. The secret to a first time success
is yanking the
loop of line, which is wrapped around the embedded hook, rather
hard so the hook
comes out on the first try. The reason you should get it out on
the
first try is obvious, the patient might not stick around for a
second try.
The snatch method of hook removal is simple and effective. It's
the
best method to remove a hook that's deeply imbedded in the skin
and when
the barb is buried.
To perform the snatch method when the barb is imbedded, all
that's
needed is a short length of fishing line, at least 10 pound test,
approximately 2 feet long.
1. Remove hook from lure.
2. Double the fishing line and loop it around the hook, as close
to the skin's surface as possible.
3. Hold onto both ends of the doubled line, wrapping them around
your hand for a firm grip and holding the line parallel to the skin's surface in line with the hook.
4. With your other hand, press the eye of the hook down onto the
surface of the skin and back toward the hook's bend, as if trying
to
back the hook out of the wound.
5. While pressing on the hook eye, yank the line sharply, parallel to the skin and in line with the hook, to snap the hook
back out of the wound.
6. Apply antibiotic ointment, bandage wound and check to make
sure tetanus shots are current. |
Anglers'
First Aid Kit
A basic onboard first aid kit for anglers should contain
sunscreen,
small bottle of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol wipes. bandages,
gauze, tape,
hydrocortisone cream for poison ivy and other itchy rashes,
antibiotic ointment (Bacitracin or Neosporin) and aspirin.
Another essential
should be a brand new pair of needle nosed and wire cutting
pliers,
sealed in a seal lock plastic baggy. All Anglers, especially
those using worms,
should always have their tetanus shot up to date. The tetanus
germs are
usually spread in soil.
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Sharpening
Hooks
www.anglersinfo.com/tips/sharpen_hooks.html
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Aging Deer
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Instructions
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This
chart is the result of years of effort to acquire the best representatives of
the various age classes of whitetails. The jaws were collected from known
aged animals. To use this chart, compare the photos below to the right
side of your deer's open jaw. Follow the instructions with each photograph
and match up with the jaw that fits your deer.
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You should have little difficulty
in aging a fawn. Their body size alone usually gives the age away.
However, if there is some doubt, count the lower jaw teeth. If there are
less than six, the animal is a fawn. Note the erupting fifth tooth.
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The long - yearling is called so
because is is around 18 months of age. It has all 6 lower jaw teeth, but
the first three milk teeth have not yet been shed. The giveaway is the
smooth, chalky appearance of the first three teeth, and the 3 cusps on the third
tooth. In this photograph you even can see the new tooth coming in below
the 3rd tooth.
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In the 2 1/2 year old, the first
three teeth have been shed and replaced with permanent two - cusped teeth.
Look at the fourth tooth. The cusps are sharp and the dentine (brown) is
not wider than the enamel (white). If the 4th tooth does not show wear,
then stop. You have a 2 1/2 year old deer.
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By 3 1/2 years, the 4th tooth
begins to show wear. Look again at this tooth and compare it to the 2 1/2
year old. Note that the dentine is as wide as or wider than the
enamel. Now, look at the 5th tooth. The dentine is NOT wider than
the enamel, so the deer is 3 1/2 years old.
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At 4 1/2 years, wear has spread to
the 5th tooth. Notice that the dentine is wider than the enamel in both
the 4th and 5th teeth. Now look at the 6th tooth. The dentine is NOT
wider than the enamel, so it is a 4 1/2 year old.
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Wear has spread over all 6 jaw
teeth by 5 1/2 years. The dentine is wider than the enamel on all teeth,
including the 6th tooth. Note that only a small amount of enamel is left
in the middle of the 4th tooth - a sure sign of the 5 1/2 year old.
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Since deer are usually mature at 6
1/2 years, we do not normally age beyond this point; hence the 6 1/ 2+.
Look at the 4th tooth. At this age, the enamel is completely gone.
The 5th and 6th teeth should have only a small amount of enamel left in their
centers. In older deer, all six teeth may be worn smooth. If the
4th, 5th, and / or 6th teeth are smooth, place the deer in the
6 1/2+ age class.
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