Greg Fonzeno

Waterfowl Hunting and Boating Safety

BY GREG FONZENO

Fall is a good time to review water-safety guidelines for hunting season. The next few months, hunters will be seeking waterfowl, mostly ducks and geese. Any type of hunting needs to be done safely, but hunting on the water comes with special dangers.

While boating accidents and deaths mostly are considered summer occurrences, one-third of all water deaths occur during hunting season. Statistically, hunters are more likely to die from drowning than accidental gunshot wounds. Many boating accidents involve small, open motor boats 16 feet or shorter, and 70% of hunters who die in accidents fall overboard due to an improperly loaded boat, unsafe moves around the boat or a hunting dog repeatedly changing the center of gravity.

Wearing a life jacket is the No. 1 safety practice for boaters, yet 86% of hunters who died in boating accidents in 2020 and 2021 were NOT wearing one. In fact, 47% didn’t have one on board. Such drownings are tragic because they easily are preventable.

Heed these safety practices to keep your hunting experience safe and fun, instead of tragic: • Do not exceed your boat’s weight capacity. Carefully check the weight of passengers, as well as equipment, dogs, food, guns, ammunition, etc. • Leave a float plan with someone. Include times you plan to leave and return, where you plan to go on the water, a boat description and who to call if you’re overdue. • Load the boat safely. Do not overload. Keep the weight centered and balanced. Don’t allow dogs to move around freely. • Wear a life jacket or float coat. Be sure it’s Coast Guard-approved and fits properly. Modern flotation devices are comfortable to wear with warm clothing and come in hunting styles. • Dress warmly. Cold-water immersion and hypothermia can cause death. If your boat capsizes, get as much of your body out of the water as possible, and stay with the boat to be more visible. • No alcohol or drugs. They have no business being mixed with guns or boating ever! • Do not shoot from a moving boat. Establish shooting zones if there are multiple hunters, and never shoot outside your assigned zone — NO EXCEPTIONS.

• Keep all firearms unloaded while the boat is

moving. Treat them as if they were loaded, and point the muzzle in a safe direction.

• Download the free Coast Guard app to your phone.

It contains safety information and boating laws. • Take a boating-safety class, offered monthly February through September. For information, email the Lake Allatoona Coast Guard Auxiliary at flotilla22pe@gmail.com.

Greg Fonzeno is the public education officer and commander of the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit (Flotilla 22) at Allatoona Lake. THE PEARL FOUNDATION INC. IN COLLABORATION WITH ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INC. RHO ZETA OMEGA CHAPTER 7th Annual 5k Run/Walk/Kids 1K

REGISTER NOW AT RACEROSTER.COM

Marietta square | Saturday, Dec. 17 registration is open to all runners/walkers pre-Race warmup: 7:10 a.m. | Race start time: 7:30 a.m.

for Good Food!

While the turkey might be the star of the Thanksgiving dinner, it needs a supporting cast of tasty side dishes and spectacular desserts to round out the holiday meal. Try some of these recipes to add a new flavor to the Thanksgiving table.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

RECIPE AND PHOTO COURTESY OF TIFFANY HUGHES

Ingredients

• 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour • 3 cups dark brown sugar • 2 teaspoons baking soda • 1½ teaspoons salt • 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 cup canola oil • ⅔ cup water • 4 eggs • 15-ounce can pumpkin puree • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour and the next nine ingredients (through pumpkin puree) in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Divide batter evenly among 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted into center of each loaf comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack. Store leftovers in refrigerator. NOTE: Two tablespoons dark cocoa powder can be added with the flour to make Chocolate Pumpkin Bread.

RECIPE AND PHOTO FROM NATASHASKITCHEN.COM (VIA CHELSEA BODENHAMER)

Ingredients

The crust: • 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs • 6 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon sugar • ½ teaspoon cinnamon The filling: • 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature • 1½ cups packed light brown sugar • 15-ounce can pumpkin pie mix • 4 large eggs • ¼ cup sour cream • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice • ¼ teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract Directions

The crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Transfer into a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch walls, and use a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about one-half inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

The filling: In the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment, beat softened cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy and without lumps (5 minutes), scraping down the bowl once to make sure you don’t have chunks of cream cheese. In a separate bowl, using a whisk, stir together pumpkin pie mix, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and vanilla extract. Mix until well-combined. Add this mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue mixing on low speed, just until well-combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Transfer filling into prebaked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off heat, prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon and let cheesecake sit for another 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. Chill at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight. Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from pan by running a blunt knife along the sides to release it from the springform mold. Add desired toppings and serve. Makes 10 servings.

Turkey Pot Pie

RECIPE FROM TWOPEASANDTHEIRPOD.COM (VIA CHELSEA BODENHAMER)

Ingredients

• Pie crust (store-bought or homemade ) • ¼ cup unsalted butter • ⅓ cup diced onion • 2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup) • 1 stalk celery, sliced (about ½ cup) • 2 cloves garlic, minced • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour • 1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme • 1 tablespoon minced fresh

Italian parsley • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon black pepper • 1¾ cups chicken broth • ½ cup heavy cream • 3 cups shredded turkey • 1 cup frozen peas

Directions

Heat butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onions, carrots and celery (mirepoix), cooking until tender. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Whisk in flour, salt, black pepper, thyme and parsley. Add chicken broth, mixing until smooth. Continue to cook until well-thickened. Remove from heat and mix in heavy cream (sauce should thin out to a more desirable consistency). Stir in shredded turkey and frozen peas. Set aside while you prepare pie crusts.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill pie crust with filling. Roll out second disk of dough and carefully cover the pie. Trim extra overhang off the sides. Seal edges by crimping with a fork or your fingers. With a sharp knife, slice a few small slits in center of the top crust. Using a pastry brush, brush crust and edges with beaten egg. Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Pudding

RECIPE COURTESY OF TIFFANY HUGHES

Ingredients

• 5 cups pumpkin bread/muffin cubes • 5 cups sourdough bread cubes • 4 eggs • ¼ teaspoon salt • 2 cups heavy cream (or evaporated milk) • 2 cups brown sugar • 4 tablespoons melted butter • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss bread cubes in large bowl. In medium bowl, whisk eggs together, then add salt, cream and sugar. Whisk until well blended. Add vanilla and chocolate chips., then add melted butter, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan or 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and add bread cubes. Pour egg mixture over bread. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until egg mixture is absorbed and top is golden. NOTE: Bake uncovered unless top begins to darken before egg mixture is absorbed.

RECIPE COURTESY OF BETSY MANLEY

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup pureed cooked pumpkin • 1 medium egg • 2 cups flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1 teaspoon vanilla • ½ teaspoon salt • 2 cups chocolate chips Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add pumpkin and egg and beat well. In a separate large bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients. Add to pumpkin mixture, beating to blend. Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and flatten into cookie shapes. Place on a parchment-covered baking sheet and bake until light golden, 9-11 minutes. Remove and cool.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

RECIPE COURTESY OF ZOE SOLTANMAMMEDOVA

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup • 1 tablespoon olive oil • ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped • ½ cup dried cranberries • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper • ½ teaspoon chili powder • ¼ teaspoon salt Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line large baking sheet with nonstick foil and spray with cooking spray. Chop sweet potatoes into bite-size pieces (1-inch cubes) and place in a large bowl. Stir in maple syrup, oil and spices. Toss well to coat sweet potatoes. Spread sweet potatoes on baking sheet. Be sure to scrape all maple syrup out of the bowl. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are lightly golden brown on the edges, stirring once halfway through. With 5 minutes remaining in baking time, toss pecans and cranberries with the sweet potatoes. Serve warm.