__________________________________________________________________________________________ VOLUME 63 SEPTEMBER 2018 NUMBER 9 $12.00

Club Calendar

aug. 27-28 9-12 rifl e range Closed jason garner/Us Border patrol

sept. 1-3 all ranges Closed

sept. 5 8-12, pistol range Closed steve holt

sept. 5 Uns Board meeting sportsmen’s retreat 6:00 pm pot luck 7:00 pm Board meeting

sept 6 application deadline: anterless deer/special hunts sept. 7 9-12 pistol range Closed eric, gss sept. 10-11 9-12 rifl e range Closed Us Border patrol

sept. 12 Uns membership meeting sportsmen’s retreat 6:00 pm pot luck 7:00 pm meeting

sept. 15 small game, deer archery open

sept. 16 early Canada goose seas. Closes

sept. 21 9-12 pistol range Closed eric, gss sept. 22 waterfowl season open sept. 22-23 take-a-kid hunting weekend

sept. 24-25 9-12 rifl e range Closed Us Border patrol

sept. 29th 9-12 range offi cer training steve holt

sept. 29 turkey season open

fall sight-in

With deer opener a little over a month away, we are again hav-ing our fall sight-in open to all members and the public. Our schedule is: Oct. 13,14,20,21,27,28,29,30,31, Nov. 1,2. We are open from 8:00 a.m. to ½ hour before sunset. The cost will be $5.00 per gun.

We can always use volunteer help as Range Offi cers. We will be having Range Offi cer Training on Saturday, September 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon at the Retreat. If you have any ques-tions, please call Bob Kuettel at 218-393-2000.

2018 UNS SUMMER PICNIC held on satUrday, aUgUst 4th

Great thanks goes to Dana Dallum for organizing our annual picnic. Plenty of fun and food was had by those in attendance.

United northern Sportmen’s news

Conservation Pledge: I give my pledge as an American to save and faithfully to defend from waste, the natural resources of my country - its’ air, soil and minerals, its’ forests, waters and wildlife.

range Use Calendar may be found on our website: http://www.unitednorthernsportsmen.org

shooting hoUrs A reminder about our shooting times. The ranges are open from 8:00 a.m. to ½ before sunset. Range closing times are posted on the ranges and also on the bulletin board on the Retreat Bldg. Please obey the rules or you may lose your shooting privileges.

11th annUal yoUth oUtdoor field day was held on aUgUst 11th.

One of our club’s priorities is to try to keep our youth involved in the great outdoors. On August 11th UNS hosted the 11th annual Youth Outdoor Field Day along with the Lake Superior Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association. We had about 52 kids, we were down a bit from last year but we had a lot of new faces that had never participated before. We were grateful to have way more than enough volunteers. We had some of the same people who helped out in the past and some newcomers. We switched up a few things with group registrations and lunch and both were well received and made things run smoothly. It was a hot day, but plenty of donated bottles of water and ice helped make sure no one overheated

All in all it turned out to be a good event and it met one of our club’s priorities to keep our youth involved in the great outdoors. We are going to be getting together in December or January to begin planning for next year.

Cody Privette, Chair

UNS AUgUSt MEMBERSHIP MEEtINg MINUtES AUgUSt 8,2018

Call to Order: by Vice President Bob Kuettel@ 6:58 pm. Conservation Pledge.Roll Call of Officers: Tina Sund, Mike Foy, Larry Chesney, Duane Lasley, Dave Shrader, Judy Foy, Dan Smestad, Gene Shaw, Bob Kuettel, Bob Klein, Eric Hansen, Mike Drager, and Cody Privette.Excused Officers: John Bathke, Sue Bathke, and Tom Wasbotten.New Member: Nancy Cozzi.Correspondence: Thank you letter from the Black River Bandits.Agenda Additions: Motion to approve the agenda with the new additions moved, seconded and carried (M/S/C).

Reading of Minutes: Cody Privette read minutes from the July Membership Meeting. Motion to accept minutes as corrected moved, seconded and carried (M/S/C).Treasurer’s Report - Tina Sund: as of 7/31/18: Motion made to approve the report and pay the bills (M/S/C).Membership Secretary’s Report- Tina Sund: 1,594 current members. 160 renewals reminders for August and 60 2nd notices.

Committee Reports: Web Master – Eric Hansen: Posted June, July, Aug. Newsletters, fixed addresses. Updated Facebook page with summer events. Newsletter Editor – Sue Bathke: Sue not present. Incident Reports – Mike Foy: Had a mess on site one. Retreat Improvements & Maintenance – Dave Shrader: Replace two more dock bumpers. Replaced two door closers. Cleared out 450 pounds of brass. Sharpened both chain saws. Thank you to Bob Klein for fixing our mower. Future work: will try to redeck the steel docks. Replace ceiling tiles, and purchase picnic tables. Grants Committee – Mike Drager: MDH variance is still in process. Mike gave overview of grant process for AEDs. MN DNR grant for rehabbing the trap range was approved. Volunteer Awards – Dan Smestad: Volunteer hours have been updated. Mike Foy has 3000+ Hours. Facilities Calendar – Bob Kuettel: Ranges closed 8/4 for picnic. 8/6 US Border patrol has rifle range. 8/11 all ranges closed for YOFD. 8/27 & 8/28 ranges closed for Border Patrol. Finance Report – John Bathke: John not present.

OLD BUSINESS: UNS Website Committee – Bob Kuettel: Still trying to get ahold of Lance. Campground Committee – Bob Kuettel: Report coming next day. UNS Picnic 8/4/18 – Cody Privette read overview letter from Dana Dallum about the picnic. YOFD 2018 – Cody Privette gave overview of the events progress. Banquet 2019 – Everything is reserved. Will form committee to begin planning soon. Volunteer Hours – Nancy Cozzi gave overview of request for more volunteer hours. Had a concern with the way a volunteer request was handled.

NEW BUSINESS: AED Purchase NTE $3,000 – Mike Drager: Mike gave overview of the recommendation to purchase 2 AED devices with 1 weatherproof enclosure not to exceed $3000. Motion by Mike Drager to approve the purchase 2 AED devices w/ one WP enclosure NTE $3000 through AEDgrant.com, as long as the budget allows. M/S/C. Credit Card for Club – Tom Wasbotten: Wait for Tom. Long Term Volunteer – Bob Kuettel: On hold. Adopt a Highway – Gene Shaw: Arrowhead ATV club used to have the sign. Trying to see if we can adopt it. Range Officer Refresher Training and Fall Sight in – Bob Kuettel: Fall sight in will be Oct 13th & 14th, Oct 20th & 21st, Oct 27 – Nov 2. Range officer training will be 9/29 9am to noon. Discussion followed about changes to the Fall Fundraiser. Attendance Drawing: Dan Smestad won the $20.00.Progressive Drawing: DeeDee Chart was not present, therefore did not win $80.Members sick or in distress:

Adjournment: Motion was made at 8:36 pm; M/S/C.

Respectfully submitted by Cody Privette, Secretary.

Next meetings will be the September BOD meeting on September 5th and the September Membership meeting on September 12th. Both will be at 7pm at the retreat.

ChroniC wasting diseaseThere is a growing consensus amongst representatives from conservation organizations and wildlife agencies that the single greatest threat to North America’s deer herds and deer hunting is chronic wasting disease (CWD).

The threat is daunting and ominous, so it is critically important for MDHA and its members to be engaged and active in doing everything possible to protect Minnesota’s deer herd.

Click here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/cwd/ for DNR’s comprehensive web page about Minnesota’s Chronic Wasting Disease Information. Please spread this information out to all outdoor hunting enthusiasts.

interior department proposes revisions to ‘Clarify’ parts of the endangered speCies aCt

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries proposed revisions to certain regulations that implement portions of the Endangered Species Act to ensure clarity and consistency.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is separately proposing to rescind its blanket rule under section 4(d) of the ESA, which automatically conveyed the same protections for threatened species as for endangered species un-less otherwise specified. This brings its regulatory approach to threatened species protections in line with NOAA Fisheries, which has not employed such a blanket rule. The proposed changes would impact only future listings or downlistings and would not apply to those species already listed as threatened. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice will craft species-specific 4(d) rules for each future threatened species determination that are necessary and advisable for the conservation of the species, as has been standard practice for most species listed as threatened in recent years.“

“No two species are the same, and so by crafting species-specific 4(d) rules for threatened species, we can tailor appropriate protections using best available science according to each species’ biological needs. Our ultimate goal: RECOVERY.” See https://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/regulation-revisions.html.

smokey Bear may have done his joB too well!

Smokey Bear could be partially responsible for the proliferation of wildfires throughout the West. Smokey Bear — dubbed Smokey the Bear in his 1952 anthem to better fit the song’s rhythm — was the poster child for aggres-sive wildfire suppression policy. Now some scientists believe that — in addition to climate change — Smokey could be contributing to American forests’ vulnerability to combustion. It’s been coined “the Smokey Bear effect.”Smokey’s original message was that all forest fires are bad and can be prevented by humans. But in fact fires are a natural phenomenon. Most experts believe controlled burns of forests are the best way to clear land and benefit the wildlife.

In a 2007 paper, “Be careful what you wish for: the legacy of Smokey Bear,” Forest Service researchers said: “long-standing policy of aggressive wildfire suppression has contributed to a decline in forest health, an increase in fuel loads in some forests, and wildfires that are more difficult and expensive to control.”

Smokey’s slogan changed in 2001 to “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” rather than forest fires. According to the bear’s website, the change was “in response to a massive outbreak of wildfires in natural areas other than forests and to clarify that Smokey is promoting the prevention of unwanted and unplanned outdoor fires versus pre-scribed fires.” (Kyle Swenson, Washington Post, Aug. 15)

Do you have an idea or article you would like to share? Please send all articles and pictures for this newsletter to

sue@b-green.us.

United northern SportSmen’S newSpo Box 161108, duluth, mn 55816

www.uns-duluth.comunsclub@gmail.com

2018 Board of directors trustees:

president tom wasbotten 218-721-4864 John Bathke 218-834-7075 Vice president Bob Kuettel 218-724-5823 Larry Chesney 218-349-4426 Secretary Cody privette 218-260-2932 mike drager 218-721-3214 treasurer tina Sund 218-591-3304 Judy Foy 218-591-2391 membership Secretary tina Sund 218-591-3304 eric hansen 218-831-8646 Sgt at Arms duane Lasley 218-310-4273 Bob Klein 218-525-6468 webmaster eric hansen 218-831-8646 Gene Shaw 218-348-2191 dave Shrader 218-576-3011 dan Smestad 218-525-3669