L&H Outdoors Magazine Winter '19

It’s a Fen for Peat’s Sake | Tettegouche State Park | 5 Reasons You Belong in the QDMA

Contents

In This Issue

8

6 From the Office

by Erin Hintz

8 Carving Out a Niche

Minnesota Brothers Specialize in the Art of Fish Decoys

by Alicia Underlee Nelson

20 This Season’s Best Gear

presented by SCHEELS

24

A Cut Above

Bladesmith Forges Ahead to Create Artisan Knives

by Patrice Peterson

4

Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2018

34

50

Volume 2, Issue 2 • WINTER 2018

BUSINESS OFFICE 118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN

24

Comfort & Convenience 34 Top-of-the-line options bring luxury

PUBLISHED BY Compass Media

Publisher Kip Johnson

EDITOR Brent Rogness

to ice fishing

by Jen Miller

Sales manager

5 Reasons You Belong 46 in the QDMA

John Burns

by Brian Grossman, QDMA

ART DIRECTOR

50

How Frogs, Turtles and Insects Survive Winter

Kip Johnson

by Moriya Rufer, RMB Environmental Laboratories

54

58 54 It’s a Fen, for Peat’s Sake

by Kristi Coughlon

MN DNR Public Information Officer

Sales staff Jerry Shea jerry@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.7454 Erin Hintz erin@lakeandhomemagazine.com 218.205.2120

Tettegouche State Park 58 Featured State Park

62

Business Spotlight Osakis General Store

by Andrea Canning

66 Service Directory

62

For advertising rates and information, contact artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com.

Subscriptions available upon request.

MAILING ADDRESS Lake & Home Outdoors 118 South Vine Fergus Falls, MN 56537 artwork@lakeandhomemagazine.com

I have a lot to learn about winter recreation. Two years ago I would have called Netflix and Target runs the only recreation possible in the winter. But we’ll work on that and hopefully my daughter will continue to teach me a thing or two.

Minnesota winters are not for the faint of heart. I know a handful of people who wear their thick skin and tolerance for our climate like a badge of honor. Some would even go so far as to say they look forward to winter and the sports and recreation that comes with it. On the other hand, I am the faint of heart. The moment the thermometer drops below freezing and snow starts falling I retreat indoors, turn up the heat, grab a blanket and hibernate until being outside doesn’t hurt anymore.

We have an almost 2-year-old daughter who adores the outdoors, in all weather.

My husband tolerates winter no better than I do, so there’s no one to pass the baton to when the temperature drops and she’s staring out a window begging to be outside.

In more ways than one, I’ve found so much truth in the cliche that we have so much to learn from our children. While I reserve the right to complain about winter, she’s shown me that bundling up and getting outside does the same amount of good for me in the winter as it does in any other season. And the Minnesota lakes area doesn’t just hold beauty in the spring, summer and fall. There’s so much to do here, even in the winter.

On that note, this issue is packed full of winter recreation, starting with an article on the luxuries in today’s fish houses.

We’ve also included an article on how some of our wildlife survive our winters (I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it doesn’t include Netflix).

You’ll also find two articles on local craftsmen making waves in their fields.

Brothers Jacob and Tony Sazama of Dent, Minn., who with no formal art training, have made a unique career out of fish decoy carving and Jason Kraus, a bladesmith from Carver, Minn., whose talent has taken him all the way to appearing on the History Channel’s “Forged in Fire.”

To top that off, we have a feature of Tettegouche State Park, and contributing articles from our outdoor experts. We hope you enjoy this issue, and the winter season.

Erin Hintz

Marketing Consultant Lake & Home Outdoors

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DECOYS

S

ome of the most beautiful and impossibly detailed art in Minnesota is right under our noses, swimming in tight circles beneath the ice on the state’s many lakes.

Carved from simple pine and painted in photorealistic detail, these fish decoys are crafted to mimic the appearance and movements of the region’s many fish species so perfectly that they tempt predator fish to strike.

are opting to display them on their walls and bookshelves as works of art instead of plopping them into the water. And they’re always looking for new creations from increasingly skilled carvers to add to their collections. Jacob Sazama and Tony Sazama, two brothers from Dent, Minn., have emerged as representatives of the new school of craftspeople who are bringing the art of fish decoy carving to a new generation.

Although the bite marks of a hungry northern or muskie are marks of honor (they illustrate a fish decoy’s effectiveness), more collectors than ever

Native American fishermen in Alaska and the Great Lakes region have used carved, often fire-blackened wooden decoys as bait for spearfishing for generations.

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The practice and carving techniques evolved and spread from indigenous nation to nation. Soon white European and American-born settlers living in the same territories put their own stamp on carving fish decoys. The result is a unique brand of folk art that is centered around the lakes of the Midwest.

Some of the world’s best and most prolific fish decoy carvers reside in the region. Many of them sell and exhibit their work at The Gathering, a national contest and fish decoy exhibition that’s the North American World Cup of Fish Decoys and billed as the largest fish decoy show in the world. It’s not held in a fancy ballroom in Chicago or a sprawling event center in Minneapolis, but in the Perham Area Community Center – which makes sense, since the National Fish Decoy Association has its headquarters in Perham, Minn.

It was here that a young Jacob Sazama realized his calling in 2001. Jacob had started carving fish decoys that winter while ice fishing with his dad and brother.

He’d always been interested in drawing and his early work showed promise. But seeing a huge variety of decoys from some of the most talented carvers in the game upped the stakes. He left determined to make his work even more realistic.

By 2003, Jacob had won a few awards in the junior division. The next year, he was competing in the advanced categories (and winning) and carving frogs and turtles as well. A few years after that, his younger brother Tony Sazama joined him in their parents’ shop, a space that served as their joint workspace until Jacob got his own workshop recently. Now both Sazama brothers are regulars on the winners lists when they take their fish decoys to competitions.

The brothers’ portfolios look like a poster for the Minnesota DNR detailing all the fish in the region. The gang’s all here, from the bullhead’s ugly (but expertly rendered) mug on Tony’s carver page on the National Fish Decoy Association website to a school of sweet little sunfish

that Jacob enjoys showing to prospective buyers.

Their creations are even more impressive when you consider that neither brother has formal art training. Both are selftaught and have built upon their own

WINTER 2018 Lake & Home Outdoors 11

natural artistic talent by asking more experienced carvers for advice. They have also studied every reference photo they can get their hands on, ensuring they execute details like scale pattern, fin placement and coloring just right. There has also been plenty of experimentation and a whole lot of good, old-fashioned trial and error, most of which had been worked out by the time Jacob taught Tony what he knew.

“He’s been doing it probably four years longer than I have been,” says Tony. “I just jumped in. I just kind of watched him for a couple years. It’s pretty much all the same process, because he showed me how to do everything.”

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Every carver tweaks the process to suit his or her tastes and skill set. But just because the Sazama brothers have streamlined their system doesn’t mean that it’s not complex.

It all starts with a block of wood and an image of a fish. An actual fish is best, but a good reference photo works too. Jacob walks us through the process from there.

“I start with making a pattern of it and making a side view on a piece of paper,” he explains. “It would be all proportional – the size of the body to the fins, with the gills and the eyes on there. So that’s going to be like my stencil. Then I cut it out and put it on a piece of white pine.”

He cuts out the side view on a band saw.

He repeats the stencil process, but this time he traces the top view of the fish onto the wood and cuts it out with a band saw.

The centerline of the body of the fish, the curves of its belly and the other elements that give the piece its form begin to take shape. Then it’s time to start carving, first with a grinder.

“Then I’d start rough sanding out the gills, the cheeks, the lips, where the eyes will go,” explains Jacob. “Then at that point I do a hand sand on it, starting with a coarser sandpaper and work down to a finer sandpaper, so I’m getting the fish pretty smooth. Then I wood burn all the detail in the face, the gills. In the tail, I’ll do fin rays.”

“You have to be careful that you don’t take away too much,” cautions Jacob.

“Then I’d work down with the dremel on a coarse grinding disc and then work down to a fine sanding disc.”

Then it’s time to focus on the fins themselves. The Sazamas usually make the back fins out of wood and the side fins of metal (typically aluminum), but that’s a personal preference that depends on the carver and the fish they’re creating. Metal fins are cut out with tin snips and detailed with a grinding disc and a diamond bit. A little dab of epoxy affixes the eyes and the fins in place. The carver will often go back

The piece of pine is now shaped in the rough form of the body of a fish. Details are redrawn and the sanding continues, becoming more and more precise.

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over the eyes with a wood burner to add extra texture and dimension.

A urethane resin called Smooth Cast is mixed and applied to the wood in liquid form. The carver wipes off the excess before it hardens “After a few minutes it becomes a kind of hard plastic, which seals the piece,” explains Jacob.

Now it’s time to add tiny lead weights so the fish decoy actually swims like a real fish. That swimming motion makes all the difference. A wooden fish that looks pretty, but bobs on the surface or sinks like a stone is a carving. A wooden fish that swims is a fish decoy.

“Getting it to swim good is probably the hardest part because you’ve got to put the lead in right,” explains Tony. “If you don’t, it’ll be all wobbly or bouncy or it could float or go backward.

You’ve got to have it in there right so it goes in a circular motion.”

The brothers might wrap the weights around the decoy with a rubber band so they know how much weight they need to keep it below the surface.

They’ll add a round metal screw eye for the tie line and evaluate where to carve away some wood and replace it with melted lead for weight. Once the adjustments are complete, the weights are covered with epoxy and the whole decoy is sealed and retested. If it swims, then it’s ready for paint.

Jacob primes his decoys with two of three coats of Rust-Oleum primer before painting with acrylic water based paints. The type of paint doesn’t matter as much as its effect.

“I’ve used everything from taxidermy paints to Walmart paints for less than a buck,” says Jacob. “I mix a lot of them together to come up with what I want.”

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Imitating nature’s color palette is where a fish decoy can really shine – literally. Even the most subtly colored and patterned fish can contain a jaw-dropping range of metallics and pearls when viewed up close.

Other shades mimic what happens when the scales and fins catch the light. “I’ll use silvers and golds to tip and highlight scales and highlight the fin rays on all the fins,” Jacob explains.

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This is where it really gets fun. Fish decoys might be hand painted, airbrushed or a combination of the two, depending on the species of fish, the carver’s approach and the photos or reference fish the artist is using. Even if the carver is carving the exact same fish from the exact same image, the decoys rarely end up as carbon copies.

“It’s hard to paint the same fish,” says Tony.

“Even if you did the same one, it probably won’t look the same if you do it again.”

Both brothers have an incredible eye for color and detail. Tony makes the spikey fringe of a crappie’s dorsal fin so thin, it’s hard to convince your eyes that it’s not moving. It’s easy to imagine its iridescent little body streaking through the water. The whiskers on his smooth and subtly shaded catfish give it a distinctly distinguished air.

The creamy, oval spots and patterned fins of Jacob’s northern pike and his nuanced, intricately shaded bass and perch are aesthetically striking, even if you don’t know a thing about fish. Crappie, walleye, muskie and sunfish decoys sell well at shows, in part because buyers and anglers have a personal connection with these fish.

Which is just fine with the Sazama brothers.

“I like painting just a bluegill sunfish,” Jacob says.

“Everybody knows what a sunfish is.”

Tony has to think about his favorite fish to paint for just a bit longer. “Probably a sucker,” he says after a moment.

“They’re like a rough fish, I guess. They’re different.”

Both brothers especially like painting trout, with their strikingly spotted scales and fins, for the same reason that many collectors like to look at them. “The males have more spawning colors,” explains Tony. “When they’re spawning, all their colors are more vibrant.”

After the fish is painted and sealed, it’s ready to be posted on eBay or sold at an event like The Gathering. (Both brothers take commissions as well.)

The time it takes to complete a fish decoy can vary widely, depending on the size of the fish, the species and whether it’s destined for the ice house or a bookshelf.

“If it’s a quicker, small body fish it takes maybe four or five hours, depending on size and details,” says Jacob. He adds that he’s spent between 60

WINTER 2018 Lake & Home Outdoors 17

and 70 hours on certain highly coveted decoys for collectors.

Prices start at $70 and can top out at $2,000 or more. The average size of a fish decoy the brothers create is between 10 and 12 inches – “but I’ve made them as small as two inches long,” says Jacob.

“I’d say the biggest one I’ve made was 36 inches.”

Carving fish decoys is a highly customizable business and a specialized art form. The carving community is tight-knit and supportive. Carvers easily recognize each other’s work and appreciate each other’s artistry in the same way that fish decoy collectors do. There may be more carvers and collectors in the coming years.

“There’s getting to be more and more every year, it seems like,” says Tony. “It’s getting to be more collectable and I think more people are interested in how it’s done and trying to do it.”

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When the next generation of carvers comes forward, Tony and Jacob will be ready to show them the ropes in the same way that more experienced carvers helped them – and the way that they still help each other. Until then – and even after – you’ll find them in their shops, creating startlingly realistic schools of shimmering fish from epoxy, paint and pine.

OUTDOORS

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PHEASANTS

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PHEASANTS KNIVES

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PHEASANTS

J

ason Kraus can trace his love of knives back to the Christmas when he was only 5 years old and Santa brought him a Swiss Army knife. It was the same model used by MacGyver in the popular TV series of that era. Throughout his childhood, his interest increased in knives and swords for both practical and not-so-practical reasons.

Kraus now owns and operates North Star Forge in Carver, Minn., making his living as a full-time bladesmith since 2011. An indirect path and a struggle with dyslexia led him through a few stops and starts in other professions, but once he found his passion, it was in an ancient skill that had very little exposure at the time.

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“I was in the food industry for a while and enjoyed cooking, and I painted houses for several years to help pay the bills, but I was never sure what I truly wanted to do with my life until I started reading a few books on making knives. Then I found an introductory bladesmithing class that was offered by the American Bladesmithing Society (ABS),” he explains. “It blew my mind going down to Arkansas for that class and seeing all those knives, learning what types of steel can be used, how it’s treated, and everything else that’s involved with making a knife as a true work of art.”

THE POWER OF TV There weren’t too many YouTube videos out there about bladesmithing in 2011, and Kraus felt he would be working in a field where he was sharing a dying artform, which he calls “Sharp Art.” A few years later, however, a TV show changed all that when the History Channel introduced “Forged in Fire,” a weekly competition between four contestants who create knives, swords or hatchets under a limited timeline, and are then judged by three experts in the field, with a $10,000 prize going to the winner.

When Kraus appeared on an episode in the third season, his particular challenge involved making a hatchet, which he had never done before. He feels his

photo courtesy Discovery Channel appearance on the show brought forth valuable exposure for him and to the practice of bladesmithing.

The industry exploded as the show raised awareness of this skilled form of functional art.

“For an old skill to now come to the forefront and be completely reborn is so exciting,” says Kraus. “It is really cool to be in a vocation when this type of growth and expansion occurs!”

Being in that vocation also led Kraus to another TV appearance. A new show, “Master of Arms,” premiered in early November on the Discovery Channel, and he is scheduled to appear in an episode on December 21, 2018, at 9 p.m. CST. This show focuses on historical

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weaponry throughout the ages, and three skilled artists are pitted against each other as they construct a different blade, bow or ballistic each week that is also judged by a panel of experts, with the winner taking home a $10,000 prize.

One thing the two TV shows have in common is that the knives or weapons are judged not only on appearance, but also on function. The judges “test” each finished project for handling abilities and sharpness of the blade.

“In knife making, if it doesn’t function, it’s useless, no matter how good it looks,” says Robert Burns, who became fast friends with Kraus when he moved to Minnesota from Pennsylvania in 2012 and opened his own bladesmithing shop in the same building in the small town of Carver.

COMPETITION vs.

COOPERATION “Neither of us realized at first that we had the same kind of business so close together,” he says, “but once we did, we also realized how unusual it was to have two of us end up in the same place – especially when there were only three professional bladesmiths in the entire state of Minnesota at that time.”

Burns also made an appearance on one of the “Forged in Fire” episodes during his five years in Minnesota, and the two bladesmiths have always been friends rather than competitors. It’s more difficult to take each other’s business, they claim, since they have their own unique style and artistry. Instead, they found a number of ways to solve problems together and share ideas, allowing them to develop their own individual businesses.

photo courtesy Discovery Channel

PHEASANTS AN ARTISAN KNIFE

Forging knives is an individual creative process that can take anywhere from 15 to 100 hours of work, depending on the maker and the complexity of the project.

Some of the basic steps include: • Choosing the type steel (There are many different types of carbon steels, stainless steels and tool steels) • Forging the steel to shape • Normalizing and heat-treating the steel • Grinding the final shape • Finishing the blade by hand-sanding, rock-tumbling or polishing (to name a few) • Drilling and shaping the guard, and fitting it to the tang • Fitting the handle material to the tang • Shaping the handle • A custom blade should have a custom sheath, but that’s an additional process that is up to the customer and the maker

“One thing that makes Jason unique is his devotion to what we call ‘fit and finish’ on all of his pieces,” says Burns. “It’s basically the completed balance and proportions between both sides of the blade and handle, and he is exemplary across the field.”

MAKER’S MARK “Fit and finish” is only one aspect of the skill and talent that go into bladesmithing.

Most custom, hand-forged knives are identified with a branding of sorts, called a maker’s mark. Each of those marks is as individual as its creator, but Kraus says he can often recognize a bladesmith’s work without checking the maker’s mark by just looking at a knife.

“Everyone has their own fingerprint,” he says. “It often has to do with the lateral lines in the blade and the specific materials 30 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2018

used. Just the slightest touch can change the look of a knife from where the point is located to the curve of the guard – and countless other aspects.”

Luke Dellmyer, a bladesmith from Pennsylvania, met Kraus when they filmed “Master of Arms” together, and he knew right away that he “wanted to make knives like his.” Even before looking at the maker’s mark, Dellmyer knows Kraus’s work. He says most hand-forged knives have that mark, and he would never buy one without it.

“I want to remember who I bought it from, and that I have something of a person’s life at that point,” he says. “I would compare it to a painting without a signature. If I buy a Van Gogh, I want everyone to know it, and I think Kraus is a Van Gogh.”

As a farrier who is admittedly new to bladesmithing, Dellmyer found a teacher and mentor in Kraus, who calls his friend a “blade nerd.” Although separated by distance, the two stay in close contact and have been back and forth several times to collaborate.

“He puts a lot of meaning and history into all his knives, and his style stays true for both beauty and function,” says Dellmyer.

“He’s taken me under his wing, and his passion and skill, along with attention to detail, have been incredible for me. My bladesmithing skills have grown about 200 percent since I met him.”

Industry-specific magazines and large trade shows, like The Blade Show, have drawn even more people into this formerly narrow world of bladesmithing.

The rising interest of the industry has also meant more competition, of course, as additional people become interested in learning about and getting into the business of creating hand-forged knives.

“It isn’t simply a matter of grabbing a hammer and grinding out a knife, adding a piece of steel, heating it up and hammering it out,” says Dellmyer. “It can be quite a humbling profession. There are years of ‘R&D’ and countless hours of failure before you succeed. It takes a combination of skill, talent and time. Lots of time.”

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Besides the additional competition, the added exposure has also helped increase the availability of more tools and broadened the access to new and better materials. Part of the challenge, sometimes, can be finding the right customers.

“Everyone needs a knife – in their home, for hunting, for camping, for whatever,” says Burns. “Jason and I have different customers, especially since I’ve moved back to a more rural area out East, but I know he has sold to military personnel who were being deployed and using it as their primary use knife. And he’s sold functional knives to chefs (in his former profession), and even to an alligator hunter down in Louisiana. My customers have included a grizzly bear researcher and a kayak guide. There’s such a wide range.”

For every different type of knife user or collector, there are just as many different types and styles of

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jason Kraus: http://northstarforge.com Robert Burns: https://www.wildernessironworks.org Luke Dellmyer: http://Dellmyercustomknives.com American Bladesmithing Society: http://www.americanbladesmith.com

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knives and a wide range of prices. A true hand-crafted blade can cost anywhere from $200 all the way up to $20,000, depending on the maker and the skill level.

Kraus’s knives range from $500 to $2,000.

Every knife he creates is meant to be a work of art that can be put on the shelf…. but that can also be taken off that shelf to be used for whatever function it was intended.

“Some people want an ornate look, embellished with gold and jewels, and others want it to be strong, but crude, rough and beat up so they feel like they can use it,” he says. “Many times, a customer may say they want it to be functional, but when it’s finished and they see how good it looks, they put it away in the gun safe because they’re afraid to use it. It’s an insult and a compliment all at the same time.”

OUTDOORS

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ICE FISHING

photo provided by Ice Castle Fish Houses

by Jen Miller

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PHEASANTS photo provided by Ice Castle Fish Houses

Folks in the Land of 10,000 Lakes like to spend their summers camping lakeside, but in the winter they prefer to camp right on the lake. Ice fishing has come a long way since little Bobby went ice fishing with his granddad out on Long Lake. I say Long Lake because with over 150 Long Lakes floating out there, you’re bound to drop a fishing hook in one at some point.

Thirty years ago, ice fishing might have looked more like camping out on two buckets with some fishing rods while sharing a bag of venison jerky. If you had a fish house, it consisted of a roof and four walls and was small enough to pull on a sled. The luxuries were minimal, if

photo provided by Glacier Ice House

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not the bare necessities. “Fish houses have come a long way from the days of Grumpy Old Men and before. Once upon a time, if a guy pulled onto the lake with a wheelhouse, people would have thought the guy had broken the bank. A year or so later when a guy came on the lake with an 8-foot-wide fish house, people thought, ‘that guy must OWN the bank!’

Today, there are some monstrosity of fish houses on the lakes, and if you want to stand out, it will take a lot of imagination,” Mark Harmon, sales and marketing manager at CORE ICE, said.

photo provided by Clam Outdoors

photo provided by Glacier Ice House

photo provided by CORE ICE

photo provided by Glacier Ice House

Like granddad’s fishing stories, in which the size of the fish gets bigger each time he tells the story, fish houses are getting bigger and better. “Sleeper-style fish houses have been around a long time.

‘Camping’ on the ice, in the past, was a main attraction for resorts on the big lakes.

Lakes like Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, and Leech Lake to name a few. Today, the sleeper fish house is now available for everyone to enjoy. The biggest change is the ability to tow them safely and legally down the road on wheels. The addition

of crankdown and hydraulic axles make towing your fish house a breeze. This also opens the door to year-round use. Yes, the fish house of old, with its redesign, can be used for summer camping fun too,” Corey Pink, general manager at Glacier Ice House, commented.

“The addition of crankdown and hydraulic axles make towing your fish house a breeze. This also opens the door to year-round use. Yes, the fish house of old, with its redesign, can be used for summer camping fun too.”

Corey Pink

General Manager at Glacier Ice House

Glacier Ice Houses are “Minnesota built Minnesota strong” and carrying on the proud tradition of manufacturing in America’s Heartland. With 15 locations in Minnesota and another 10 throughout the

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Midwest, Glacier Ice House knows what the customer is looking for. “Fishermen and fisherwomen are a picky bunch. That is in their nature, their DNA,” Pink stated. He went on to say, “The number one feature anglers insist upon is quality! They want a solid, well-built house that will not give them any surprises. The second feature is comfort. Spending a weekend or even longer on a frozen lake gets downright nasty. A well-built, well-insulated fish house makes those sub-zero days and nights worry free.”

Glacier Ice House offers only the finest quality, most comfortable luxury on the market. Glacier Ice House’s best sellers

are the 170-foot and 20-foot RV Explorer, which come with three holding tanks and tank monitors like a traditional RV. The sleek, blue ice Glacier 817TH looks right at home out on the ice. Beyond the threshold, however, you will quickly forget you’re sitting on 16 inches of ice.

The interior has a natural wood finish, a small kitchenette, three bunk beds, 30K BTU forced air furnace, two 30 pound propane tanks and six fishing holes. When Pink mentioned, “Glacier Ice House offers winter camping on the ice for the whole family,” he wasn’t joking, and the options range from the A612 (12-inch model) to the big 24-inch RV Explorer. “We have 18 models to choose from and each model

is standard with storage, cook stoves, sleeping bunks, seating, TV hookups and much more.”

“The number one feature anglers insist upon is quality!

They want a solid, well-built house that will not give them any surprises.”

Corey Pink

General Manager at Glacier Ice House

photo provided by Ice Castle Fish Houses

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PHEASANTS photo provided by CORE ICE

Ice Castle first opened their doors in 1997 and since they’ve opened their doors, they remain the largest and oldest manufacturer of fish houses in the world.

Their best seller is their 8-foot by 21-foot Extreme Hybrid RV. For the fisherman or fisherwoman with a well-stocked tackle box, hold on to your fishing pole.

The Extreme Hybrid RV’s cedar interior is artic insulated with seven lit holes, bay windows, a full bathroom and kitchen, and an electric lift bed. It is equipped with LED inside and out, digital TV antenna, a wire for portable satellite, a stereo with four speakers, and a ceiling fan. It is an adventure both on the ice and in the summer parked next to the lake.

When CORE ICE first stepped on the ice, they offered the basic units, but after considering their feedback and market research, “We know that the customer, by and large, demands a package on a fish house to include seating and sleeping 40 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2018

options with a thoughtful layout of fishing holes to maximize the usage,” Harmon explained. He went on to say, “We have embraced that technology with the use of online technology where our customer can go to our website (www.core-ice. com) and custom-build their next fish house with our configurator. Sorting options before traveling to a dealer can save time and allow a customer to fully research their options before making their final decisions.”

CORE ICE’s marketing research has led to the CORE ICE 6515 ST. The first and only skid/wheelhouse on the market…as in, roads do not apply. The CORE ICE 6515 ST has room for a tracked ATV, but has the functionality to sleep all night and fish all day. It has skis that the outside of the frame rests on. “Through deep snow, unplowed roads, or a trail that you have never traveled to, the CORE ICE Skid Series is ready for adventure.”

photo provided by CORE ICE

“We know that the customer, by and large, demands a package on a fish house to include seating and sleeping options with a thoughtful layout of fishing holes to maximize the usage.”

Mark Harmon Sales & Marketing Manager at CORE ICE

photo provided by Core Ice

How CORE ICE landed on the trail yet to be traveled started with the way their fish house was engineered and designed to be the strongest, lightest, most precise, and waterproof house on the market.

“We sandwich polystyrene between two pieces of fiberglass to make the walls, floors, doors and roof. Next, the panels are cut with a CNC router to predetermined measurements. CORE ICE fish houses are the result of science and engineering. When the panels are all cut out, we assemble the fish houses like an oversized Lego set. Our fish houses will never rust, mildew, rot, deteriorate, or decay because we do not use organic materials. In 20 years, you will see the CORE ICE fish houses will look as they did when they were first new, just like a fiberglass boat,” Harmon explained.

Another option for ice fishers are the portable ice shelters, which too have changed over the years thanks to recent advancements in technology.

“Advancements such as thermal shelters have made ice fishing more enjoyable, hub shelters have made ice fishing more of a family-friendly activity since you can fit up to eight people in a hub shelter, and has made it easier to be mobile on the ice. One of the tricks to ice fishing is people have to stay mobile in order to locate fish.

Our shelters allow someone to easily travel between fishing spots by anglers having the capability to hook up their shelter to their ATV or snowmobile,” Addy Hanson of Clam Outdoors explained.

photo provided by Ice Castle Fish Houses

PHEASANTS

photos provided by Clam Outdoors

The Scout XL Thermal is one of Clam’s fish trap models that has had long-term success. The single person flip over shelter is very similar to the original shelter that Dave Genz built over 30 years ago. “Over time, we have advanced a lot of features such as the Thermal Trap Technology in the skins and better poles, but the design is still very true to the original Fish Trap shelter,” Hanson commented.

The X200 Pro Thermal is one of Clam Outdoors’ top-rated fish trap shelters thanks to Clam’s engineering in designing a brand new tub, 1¼ pole system, and 1800 total denier full thermal skin and

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deluxe seating. “It is designed to withstand the toughest conditions and is perfect for people who are hardcore ice anglers and need a shelter that will hold up in these conditions,” Hanson pointed out and added, “This total package is an ice fishing beast. Challenges are welcome!”

The Escape Thermal FLR is a hot item at Clam Outdoors this season for several reasons. It offers shelter for a large group, convenient ice anchor straps and strap pockets along with a full thermal skin, plus, it has attachments for a removable floor (sold separately), so people can keep their feet off the ice providing a warmer

“It is designed to withstand the toughest conditions and is perfect for people who are hardcore ice anglers and need a shelter that will hold up in these conditions.”

Addy Hanson

Clam Outdoors

photo provided by Glacier Ice House

shelter. “The additional space, heatsaving technology and the option to add a floor to the bottom of this shelter make the Escape Ice Thermal FLR a perfect ice fishing shelter for the entire family,” Hanson said.

Toy haulers have become an item of interest for the outdoorsmen. The Northland Palace is equipped with a ramp door in back for hauling four wheels and is a popular item at Ice Castle. Glacier Ice House offers an 18-foot toy hauler which is quite popular, with 14 inches of garage space and plenty of carrying capacity to haul all your hunting and fishing gear. The CORE ICE 8019 ATX is the only fish house trailer on the market that can carry a full-size crew UTV on tracks! It’s a market exclusive!

If you would’ve told granddad 30 years ago, there’d come a day when fish houses would be 21 feet long like the Ice Castle’s Extreme RV, he likely would have shaken his head. Then, true to form, he would go on to tell you about the time he pulled a 21-inch fish from Long Lake.

photo provided by Ice Castle Fish Houses

“Through deep snow, unplowed roads, or a trail that you have never traveled OUTDOORS to, the CORE ICE Skid Series is ready for adventure.”

Mark Harmon

Sales & Marketing Manager at CORE ICE photo provided by Glacier Ice House

QDMA

Eighty percent of hunters in the U.S. are deer hunters. We are the largest segment of the hunting population and contribute more to conservation efforts than all other types of hunters combined. Surprisingly, less than one percent of deer hunters belong to a deer-related conservation organization. Compare that to 41 percent of duck hunters and 8 percent of turkey hunters who belong to organizations specific to their passion. Why is that? Since QDMA leads the way in ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage, that is a question we frequently ponder.

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Perhaps part of the problem lies in some common misconceptions surrounding QDMA. One we frequently hear is that QDMA is only for those who own land.

And while it’s true we provide a lot of great content and information for those who own or manage hunting land, that is only a fraction of what QDMA is about. In fact, 35 percent of QDMA members own no hunting land at all — myself included. For those folks, the organization still provides plenty of benefits which I will outline below.

Others have been led to believe QDMA is all about growing and shooting trophy bucks. Not true. QDMA has never been focused on inches of antler. We

do promote protecting most or all of your yearling bucks and harvesting an appropriate number of does, as needed, to create a healthy, balanced deer herd — one that provides a more rewarding hunting experience. But even that aspect of QDM doesn’t define what the organization is about. Every deer hunter stands to benefit from what QDMA has to offer and, because of that, here are five reasons all deer hunters belong in the QDMA.

We’ll make you a better deer hunter and manager

If you own or manage hunting land, great! You’ll love all the information QDMA provides through our website and magazine, Quality Whitetails, about improving hunting land for deer and other wildlife. You’ll learn all about planting and maintaining food plots, as well as habitat management techniques such as hingecutting, prescribed fire, timber stand improvement, and more.

If you don’t own land, that’s okay too.

QDMA also publishes lots of great information on deer biology and behavior, and hunting techniques for the beginner and advanced hunter alike.

If you want to really take your deer and habitat management skills to the next level, you can register for one or more of QDMA’s various Deer Steward courses, where some of the top deer and habitat experts in the country share their knowledge.

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You’ll help fund important deer research

Over the next five years, QDMA has committed to funding $1 million in research, on-the-ground management, and technical assistance for white-tailed deer. The research will cover a variety of topics from deer behavior to disease issues such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Deer behavior research can provide information that not only allows us to better manage wild deer herds, but it can also can make you a better deer hunter by understanding why deer do the things they do. Additionally, research looking into some of the major disease issues, predation, and competition from invasive species like feral hogs is critical to QDMA’s mission of ensuring the future of white-tailed deer.

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You’ll help introduce first-time hunters to deer hunting

The future of our hunting heritage is directly tied to our ability to increase the number of hunters and pass our passion for deer hunting to the next generation.

QDMA has a strong commitment to lead the way in creating hunting mentors and getting more first-time hunters in the field.

Programs like our Share the Hunt™ and Field to Fork are doing just that, and QDMA is constantly working to expand these programs into new areas. But we need your help. A recent survey of our QDMA membership revealed that 76 percent of QDMA members, or approximately 43,000, mentored at least one hunter last year, with an average of 3.7 hunters per mentor. When combined with QDMA’s Share Your Hunt™ program and other mentor initiatives, QDMA mentored

approximately 160,000 hunters in 2016. Our current goal is to increase that number to 200,000 per year over the next five years.

Your membership dollars will help us to provide the resources necessary to make this happen. And just as important as your membership is your willingness to reach out and take someone new hunting each season, whether it be a family member, neighbor or coworker.

You’ll help us advocate for wild whitetails at the local, state, and national levels

Most deer hunters have no idea that our hunting heritage is constantly under attack. These threats come in many different forms at the local, state and federal level. Due to QDMA’s membership and strong support from the professional wildlife community, it is the most respected and influential whitetail organization in North America. As such, QDMA serves as the leading advocate for the wise management of deer and the protection of our deer hunting heritage. Since 2006, QDMA has engaged in over 1,000 policy issues impacting wildlife, habitat and our hunting heritage. But we need your help. There is strength in numbers, and since the threats to our hunting heritage will only grow stronger and more frequent, deer hunters need a robust, unified voice for wild whitetails.

You’ll be connected with like-minded deer hunters in your area

If ensuring the future of white-tailed deer and deer hunting isn’t enough incentive to interest you in joining QDMA, maybe the opportunity to connect with other like-minded deer hunters will.

Becoming part of a local QDMA Branch is a great way to make new friends and find new hunting partners. It’s also an excellent

outlet for sharing ideas, management strategies, and even trailcamera photos. Additionally, as part of a larger group, you’ll have the opportunity to raise funds and make a positive impact for deer and other wildlife right in your own community.

In conclusion

The future of white-tailed deer and deer hunting is in our hands.

It is each of our responsibilities to recruit the next generation of hunters, to advocate for our hunting heritage and support sound wildlife management principles. The easiest way to do these things is by joining a group of like-minded deer hunters with a strong, unified voice. QDMA is that unified voice. If you’re a deer hunter, you belong in QDMA.

OUTDOORS

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LAKE LEARNING

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As the temperature plunges and our lakes freeze over, we humans retreat into the shelter of our heated homes and warm coats. The only animals you see outside now are warm-blooded animals such as rabbits, deer and squirrels. So what happens to the cold-blooded animals like aquatic insects, crayfish, frogs and turtles when the lakes freeze?

First of all, water is most dense at 39 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, lake water is insulated by the ice and remains about 39 degrees at the bottom of the lake. This temperature is still cold, but it stays relatively stable and is a much better habitat than the winter air.

In the winter, frogs and turtles enter a form of hibernation. They survive by slowing their metabolism to where their heart beats so slowly that you can barely detect it. Turtles spend the winter dug into the mud at the bottom of a pond or stream.

But how do they breathe? Snapping turtles can take up some oxygen from the water across the skin lining the throat. Others, like painted turtles, have altered their metabolism to survive without oxygen.

In cold water, painted turtles can stay submerged for as long as three months with zero blood oxygen.

Aquatic frogs don’t usually bury themselves in the mud like turtles do. They can’t get enough oxygen that way. Frogs spend a good portion of the winter just lying on top of the mud or only partially buried. They may even slowly swim around from time to time. They need to stay in high-oxygen areas so they can absorb oxygen into their bodies through their skin.

Aquatic insects spend the winter a bit differently than frogs and turtles. Aquatic insects overwinter at the bottom of lakes and streams in egg or larvae form. You know how a butterfly starts out as a caterpillar and then forms a cocoon and emerges finally as a butterfly? Aquatic insects such as mayflies, dragonflies and midges do the same thing. You can think

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of their larvae form as equivalent to a butterfly’s caterpillar form. Aquatic insect larvae live at the bottom of lakes and streams and then emerge in the spring as flying insects.

When living at the bottom of a lake in the winter, the 39-degree water is pretty tolerable. Those insects that spend the winter as larvae and nymphs are called “freeze tolerant.” This is an amazing adaptation. Usually when body tissue freezes, the ice crystals puncture blood vessels and organs, and makes survival pretty difficult. Freeze-tolerant insects use the sugar alcohol, glycerol, for antifreeze in their organs and blood vessels to

prevent freezing, and then actually allow ice crystals to form outside their organs.

In this way, they can survive short periods of freezing by not damaging their organs.

As you can imagine with Minnesota winters, many of the aquatic insects living here are freeze tolerant. Insects such as stoneflies, mayflies, caddisflies, and dragonflies are common overwintering aquatic insects.

otherwise they wouldn’t be around! They are a very important part of the aquatic food web. Think food for fish.

Enjoy the lakes! This article was written and shared by Moriya Rufer at RMB Environmental Laboratories as part of continuing education for their Lakes Monitoring Program (218-846-1465, lakes@rmbel.info). To learn more, visit www.rmbel.info.

OUTDOORS

You can be glad that these aquatic animals and insects survive the winter–

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Below the faint top of an Agassiz beach ridge on the Dugdale Wildlife Management Area (WMA) near Fertile, Minn., Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hydrologists Michele Walker and Jaime Thibodeaux set a transect line in a unique and tiny wetland surrounded by over 950 acres of remnant tall grass prairie. They stand in their knee-high boots on springy soil amid tiny pools of water.

Walker slowly paces along the transect line and at random points, reaches into the watery ground to grab a pinch of moss. Her spongy prize reveals not one, 54 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2018

but a variety of moss species.

Their prevalence and health, along with other factors, are key to determining the well-being of this wetland.

Thibodeaux records the moss species as Walker lists them off.

They bag the moss, label it and begin to survey and record the plant species present along the transect points.

Why study moss? Walker will tell you it’s because moss, along with other decayed vegetation, creates peat. Peat

accumulates in wetlands, and under a unique combination of soil type, hydrology (the study of inter-relationships and interactions between water and its environment), chemistry and vegetation exists a fragile ecosystem known as a calcareous fen.

Pristine groundwater is essential to the existence of calcareous fens and other wetlands in Minnesota. It is also richer in calcium and other minerals than surface water or precipitation.

Upper Right: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hydrologists Michele Walker and Jaime Thibodeaux stand in a calcareous fen where they sample mosses along a transect. Behind them, sloping upward to the skyline, is the faint top of an Agassiz beach ridge. They study moss because certain types of moss indicate the soil type, hydrology, chemistry and vegetation conditions that are favorable for a calcareous fen ecosystem.

Calcareous fens are rare and distinctive wetlands that support a disproportionately large number of rare plant species in Minnesota.

Lower Right: There are over four species of moss in this small sample. Minnesota is home to over 500 species of mosses, liverworts and hornworts, collectively known as bryophytes. Compared to other plants, bryophytes are small and relatively simple - they lack roots and a vascular system.

When the groundwater emerges at the surface, changing water chemistry can result in the deposit of calcium carbonate materials within the peat soil and on plant material. Combine the calcium deposits with relatively cold organic soils, along with low nutrient and oxygen levels, and you will find a habitat that supports a highly diverse and distinctive flora of rare species – the calcareous fen ecosystem.

Calcareous fen ecosystems are highly susceptible to disturbance, which makes them globally rare and threatened throughout much of their range.

A disproportionate number of plant and animal species typically found in this habitat are threatened or endangered. Because of their rarity, calcareous fens have special protection in Minnesota and in many places around the world. Efforts have focused primarily on protecting the hydrology of calcareous fen watersheds. Hydrology determines water and soil chemistry, soil (peat) development and ultimately, the group of plants and animals distinctive to this fen type.

Upper Left: A close up of the moss typically found in a calcareous fen. Note the pineapple-like growth pattern (foreground) and the dark layer of peat (background). It takes thousands of years for peatlands to develop. Fens have probably been in existence for over 3,000 years. Minnesota has more peatlands than any other state except Alaska (over 6 million acres).

Lower Left: A calcareous fen pool. Note the whitish sheen to the surface water, which is calcium carbonate. Combine the calcium deposits with low nutrients, low oxygen and relatively cold organic soil and you find a habitat that supports a highly diverse and distinctive flora of rare species – the calcareous fen ecosystem.

Calcareous fens develop under stable groundwater flow conditions. Dating of the peat at several Minnesota calcareous fens shows that these fens have been in existence in western Minnesota for at least 3,000 years; and in central Minnesota for more than 10,000 years.

They are often quite small because the conditions that create them are localized – indeed the sum total of calcareous fen extent in Minnesota adds up to less than four square miles, although they can exist inside other types of wetlands.

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typically occur on slight slopes where upwelling water eventually drains away and where surface water inputs are minimal. In northwestern Minnesota, calcareous fens are associated with the beach ridges.

These beach ridges formed along Glacial Lake Agassiz.

Above: The marsh grass of Parnassus occurs mostly in calcareous fens in the north central and northeastern counties of Minnesota. Despite its name, it is not a grass, but is a flowering plant that grows from a short underground stem. It is one of a set of plant species that when present, indicates the environmental conditions characteristic of a fen.

Rarely, if ever, are calcareous fens inundated with water because of their typical position on the landscape.

Water levels remain very near the soil surface, even during summer because groundwater discharge balances the water used by plants and evaporation.

Glacial Lake Agassiz, with a basin of almost 600,000 square miles, covered most of northwestern Minnesota at one time and was the largest glacial lake in North America. It began forming about 11,700 years ago when the glacial lobes were retreating. The resulting meltwater from the glaciers formed enormous rivers and lakes.

The beach ridges found throughout the Red River Valley are remnants of Glacial Lake Agassiz. They are made of sand and gravel that form linear ridges on the landscape - slightly higher in elevation than the surrounding lands. These ridges support not only rare and threatened wetlands, but some of the largest and best native tall-grass prairie remaining in Minnesota.

Walker points to the crest of the small ridge above the calcareous fen in which she stands. This fen and others, she explains, Below: Amid the diversity of plant and moss species found in a calcareous fen emerges the purple pitcher plant. This carnivorous plant, along with others, grows in calcareous fens and other locations where the soil is too poor in minerals for most plants to survive. They entice their prey with the red striping and nectar on their bugle-like pitchers (known as pitfall traps). Prey fall into the trap, which is filled with digestive liquid that absorbs needed nutrients.

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Wetlands, fens and the remnants of native prairie are declining due to pressure from a wide range of land uses. Gravel mining, tiling and irrigating, as well as other land use activities that change the landscape, compete with efforts to preserve these areas.

Calcareous fens (and other wetlands) are threatened when the groundwater in the aquifers supplying the fens is lowered, reducing the water supply to the fen. This can trigger a cascading set of related changes that degrade the fen–soil chemistry, making nutrients more available to invasive and upland plants, allowing them to get a foothold.

Peat can dry out, degrade and become erodible; and previously stunted shrubs or upland species can begin to invade and shade out mosses and the short sedges that characterize the patterned areas of calcareous fens. A threatened calcareous fen will initially become smaller, and if the hydrology does not stabilize near the land surface, it will disappear entirely.

Right: The carnivorous English sundew stretches out of the mossy marl pool of a calcareous fen in hopes of trapping its prey with the sticky-tipped hairs of its leaf blades. There are four species of sundews that occur in the bogs, marshes and fens in Minnesota.

When an insect is trapped on the leaf, the sundew coils its tentacles around the prey, digests it and then the leaf opens leaving the insect exoskeleton behind.

As Walker and Thibodeaux wrap up their research at the Dugdale WMA, they take time to explore the area for rare plant and animal species that depend on this landscape for survival. They are pleased with the health of the calcareous fen and thankful that this area and the surrounding areas are being managed and protected by the DNR and the efforts of the neighboring landowners–The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which are converting adjacent large grassland areas back to native prairie. Support by the citizens of Minnesota for these state, federal and conservation organization-owned lands is one of the reasons this little fen remains in existence.

Dugdale WMA is a 960-acre parcel located in Polk County. It is considered one of the last tracts of natural prairie left in the county.

Aside from the numerous fens and wetlands that support the many unique and rare species of plants, animals and insects, the area boasts prairie grassland that is valuable to sandhill cranes, prairie chickens, butterflies, wildflowers and waterfowl.

OUTDOORS

Above: Edges of wetland areas, including calcareous fens, are prime spots for this elegant bronze copper butterfly. This butterfly is often found soaking the nectar from moist area plants such as swamp milkweed, boneset and water dock.

For more information on fens, visit dnr.state.mn.us/rys/pg/fen.

For more information on the Lake Agassiz Beach Ridges, visit dnr.state.mn.us/whaf/about/5component/geology.

Below: Twig rush is quite rare in the state. It is most easily found in the calcareous fens in northwestern Minnesota. Efforts to protect fens from harmful activities have a mixed record in Minnesota. In particular, the smaller, more isolated fens (those fens not associated with large wetland systems) are susceptible to severe losses as a result of groundwater appropriations, agricultural expansion, surface water diversion and gravel mining.

Featured state park

Shovel Point. One of many spectacular views of Lake Superior found on the hiking trails at Tettegouche State Park.

Established in 1979 and located on the North Shore of Lake Superior, Tettegouche State Park is full of history, geology and unique natural features. It is a year-round paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, rock-climbers, snowshoers, cross-country skiers, wildlife viewers and campers.

The 9,346 acres of park offer rugged, semi-mountainous terrain, one mile of Lake Superior shoreline, six inland lakes, cascading rivers and waterfalls and an undisturbed northern hardwood forest.

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Hikers will find 23 miles of challenging trails that lead to spectacular overlooks of the Lake Superior shoreline and wind down to inland lakes accessible only by foot. Trails along the Baptism River provide incredible views of numerous waterfalls and cascades, including High Falls, a spectacular 60-foot waterfall. A section of the Superior Hiking Trail runs through the park as well.

Visitors who want to relax and enjoy the water can take in a park program, go geocaching, fish for trout, canoe on Mic Mac Lake or kayak the Lake Superior State Water Trail. Panoramic views of Lake Superior are also a short drive up the top of Palisade Head.

Not only is Tettegouche a hikers paradise, it’s a favorite for rock climbers, birders and winter campers. Tettegouche is one of five state parks offering climbing

Enjoy 23 miles of hiking trails in the park, including the trails along the Baptism River, which provide incredible views of numerous waterfalls and cascades, such as High Falls, this spectacular 60-foot waterfall.

Tettegouche is one of five state parks offering climbing opportunities.

There are three climbing areas at Shovel Point and five at Palisade Head.

opportunities. There are three climbing areas at Shovel Point and five at Palisade Head.

Diversity of habitat, geography and proximity to Lake Superior combine to produce a variety of bird life at Tettegouche. In all, 140 species have been identified. Kinglets, spruce grouse and many northern warblers nest in bogs and coniferous forests in the summer.

In fall, hawk migration along the shore of Lake Superior numbers in the tens of thousands. Winter is an excellent time to see northern owls, woodpeckers, finches and unusual water birds. The park is home to peregrine falcons.

Enjoy winter camping in the park. Tettegouche offers yearround lodging and camping, from primitive to modern. Campsites include drive-in, walk-in, cart-in and backpack sites, as well as a group campsite that accommodates up to 35 people.

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Tettegouche offers year-round lodging and camping. There are various camping options – from primitive to modern. Campsites include drive-in, walk-in, cart-in and backpack sites, as well as electric hookup sites and a group campsite that accommodates up to 35 people. Tettegouche Camp is located in the interior of the park and is accessible

Participants at the Tettegouche State Park Winter Camping Workshop learn to build and camp overnight in a quinzhee, which is a 6-foot high by 12-foot round dome of snow made into a snow cave for winter camping.

The Winter Camping Workshop is one of a kind and offered to winter camper enthusiasts of all experience levels, and there are no bugs! The Tettegouche park naturalist and other staff teach participants how to build a traditional quinzhee, an insulated snow cave for sleeping. Also covered are topics such as cooking outdoors in the snow, tricks for staying dry and warm in the winter and methods of transporting gear through the snow.

Those who choose to do so will be able to sleep in the constructed quinzhees.

Whatever outdoor activity you enjoy, consider a visit to Tettegouche State Park or other Minnesota state parks and trails. You’ll find something for everyone in your family.

For more information on Tettegouche or other Minnesota state parks and trails, visit www.mndnr. gov/state _ parks.

OUTDOORS

Soak in the views of the high cliffs and rugged terrain on the shoreline of Lake Superior in Tettegouche State Park. only by foot, mountain bike, cross-country skis or snowshoes. There are four rentable cabins, a lodge and a year-round heated shower building.

A diversity of winter activities, programs and facilities make this state park a popular winter destination. There are 12 miles of groomed ski trails, snowshoe trails, a 4-mile skate-skiing trail and 12 miles of the Silver Trail Riders snowmobile trail system that connects to Beaver Bay, Silver Bay, Finland and the North Shore State Trail.

Winter programs include guided snowshoe hikes to the frozen cascades of the Baptism River to hear the thundering water beneath the frozen falls, a snowshoe chair lacing workshop where participants build their own Adirondack chair and the annual Winter Camping Workshop.

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Business Spotlight

Small towns are often defined by the storefronts lining their main streets. Banks, hole-in-the-wall bars, small grocery stores, drug stores, and auto repair shops where everyone knows one another, make up small town America, but no store is more dominant than the small-town general store.

The Osakis General Store is one such store.

Although it has maintained its original name, the focus has shifted from hardware in its early years to the sporting goods world, converting hardware inventory to hunting and fishing accessories and supplies, firearms, bait and tackle and a wide variety of ammunition that would be difficult to find in some big-box stores.

Gregg and Judi Anderson, own and operate Osakis General Store and its sister company, Guns Galore. They pride themselves on the large inventory they offer their dedicated customer base.

But, more important to them is their unwavering dedication to exceptional customer service and how their store has helped the community of Osakis thrive.

HOW WAS THE OSAKIS GENERAL STORE AND GUNS GALORE ESTABLISHED? Gregg: I started Osakis General Store about 30 years ago. I owned the pharmacy in town first. When one of the hardware stores moved out next door, I decided to reopen it. You can’t be without a hardware store in a small town. I cut a hole in the wall between the two businesses, so customers could move freely back and forth without having to go outside. We operated as a hardware store for the first four to five years.

Judi: We owe a lot of the store’s success to dedicated employees who have built the business to what it is today. As a full-time pharmacist, Gregg was only available to work in the general store on his days off. Running two businesses, you must depend on employees and we have been so fortunate to employ great people over the years.

Gregg: I realized the need for sporting goods in the area after attending a hardware show. My salesman talked me into purchasing 50 cases of Winchester steel shot. I was doubtful but went with it

and sold every box after running it on sale.

It kind of took off from there. A friend of ours wanted to open a hardware store across the street so we liquidated our hardware and went into full-blown sporting goods.

Judi: My brother, Jim, is a wise guy and used to introduce Gregg as his “brotherin-law that deals in guns and drugs.”

He enjoyed the shock value that came across with the looks on their faces!

I became involved only about a year ago. I have been employed at Alexandria Technical and Community College since 1996. Guns Galore, LLC, was organized about a year ago and maintains the FFL license for firearm sales within the General Store building. I am the compliance manager for Guns Galore and Gregg manages the General Store side.

area. I have over 900 firearms in stock so there’s a lot to look at. People come in looking for a particular handgun or holster.

If we don’t have it in stock, we pull up suppliers’ websites and see if it’s available.

If not, we’ll let our salesmen know to watch for it. Various firearms are only made at certain times of the year so if its off season, sometimes they are hard to find.

Gregg: A few year later we bought out the bait store in town and now sell bait and tackle. We are just a block off one of the best Walleye Lakes in the state, Lake Osakis, so it’s a convenient stop for fishermen.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BRANDS THAT YOU CARRY? Judi: We can get most any firearms and do special orders when we don’t have them in stock. Guns Galore is a direct buyer with Winchester and Browning and a Glock and Smith & Wesson stocking dealer. We can sometimes get hard-to-find guns that others can’t get. We don’t sell many of the cheaper, routine guns. Like anything, you get what you pay for. Customer satisfaction is key, so we stay clear from the less expensive brands. We have been in business for so long and have been very loyal to our suppliers, so they treat us well.

Gregg: Osakis General Store sells only the better scopes with lifetime warranties like Leupold, Nikon, Vortex and Redfield. I had a customer who ran over a Nikon with his truck after forgetting his gun standing in the front of his pickup. He brought it in and I told him about the lifetime warranty and they sent him a brand-new scope.

WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF SPORTING GOODS AND NEW AND USED GUNS, ALONG WITH AN ON-SITE GUNSMITH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SERVICES YOU PROVIDE? Judi: Like car dealerships, we have a Kelly Blue Book for guns, so we can offer appraisals on site. We buy, sell and trade firearms. We mount scopes (free of charge if you buy the scope from us).

We also offer Minnesota carry classes the second Saturday of each month for new and renewal permit to carry certifications.

Gregg: Customers, especially female customers who are not as familiar with handguns, are much more concerned today about self-defense.

Our carry class instructor will provide training off site for anyone interested in becoming more confident and proficient. The Alex Gun Club also sponsors a winter pistol league that has become quite popular.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL SETS YOU APART FROM LARGER RETAIL STORES THAT SELL SPORTING GOODS? Judi: We were just talking about what makes us different. It really is customer service.

Our staff is so knowledgeable. They’re all sportsmen and sportswomen, hunters and fishermen. Our staff knows what people are asking for and they know what works. That advice component is something people really value. Most of our daily phone calls are people asking for advice. They go above and beyond, staying open late to help customers. The doors stay open until the last person leaves.

Customers tell us that we have the best selection of guns and ammunition in the

We also provide firearms for most of the fundraising banquets and raffles in the area for schools, regional firefighters, and non-profit organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Northwest Turkey Federation, Elk Breeders, Muskies Unlimited, etc. We order trap loads in bulk for the expanding high school trap shooting leagues so we can provide better pricing to the districts.

PHEASANTS Gregg: Dale, our gunsmith, joined us about 10 years ago. He is in his 70s and has been fixing guns most of his adult life. He will fix your gun on-the-spot if he’s not backlogged. He has a wide range of common parts on hand, so customers don’t have to come back to pick up their gun if they are willing to wait for it. He will go the extra mile to offer advice as well.

YOU HAVE A “BRAG BOOK” ON YOUR WEBSITE. IS THAT FOR ANYONE WHO COMES IN WHETHER OR NOT THEY’RE A CUSTOMER? Judi: Absolutely, anyone can brag on our site. I guarantee you though once they set foot in the store, they become a customer. It’s not unusual for people to bring in their phones and show off their game. I give them my email and tell them to email me the pictures. Then I’ll put them online on our brag book.

People who are sportsmen and women are kindred spirits and enjoy sharing their successful hunt and fishing stories with one another. We had an 11-year-old girl who shot a huge 10-point buck this season. Her grandpa was more excited than she was, I think. Only parents can submit photos of children.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO KEEP UP TO SPEED WITH HUNTING AND FISHING TRENDS AS THEY CHANGE? Gregg: Our suppliers sponsor sporting goods shows and shot shows where you’ll see the newer products coming out. New releases are demonstrated so you get educated. If you go to the shows, you can preorder and get the first deliveries.

If you don’t go to the shows, you’re going to be the last one on the list to get the new things. There are breakout sessions at these shows that are very valuable to businesses in this industry.

WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT YOU WANT READERS TO KNOW RELATIVE TO GUNS GALORE AND THE GENERAL STORE? Gregg: We are very committed to conservation. We have personally put about 40 acres of our home property in CRP for buffer strips along the Sauk River as well as the Conservation Reserve program to maintain wildlife habitat. In addition to providing guns to most annual fundraising banquets and gun raffles over the years, I am a committee member in our local chapter of Ducks Unlimited and have been a life-sponsor for the past 30 years. I am also on the committee of the Alex Pheasants Forever chapter and a sponsor of their annual banquet.

Judi: As much as we love our customers, Gregg and I are looking to retire. Our kids are grown, and we would like to travel some. He asked me about a year ago when I was planning on retiring from my job at Alex Tech.

I told him I thought I would retire when he sold the store. He said he thought he would sell the store when I retired. So, it was apparent one of us had to draw a line in the sand. I will retire from ATCC in June of 2019, and we now have the store up for sale.

Gregg: We have established such devoted customers over the years. I’ll miss them. Running a sporting goods store as a sportsman is fun and I enjoy it. I’m not sure if I can stop working cold-turkey so hopefully a new owner would consider keeping me on part-time.

Judi: Its important that a new buyer succeed. We hope a new buyer will consider keeping the store in Osakis and keeping on as many of our employees as possible. Justin Dahlheimer, president of First National Bank of Osakis has expressed how important our store is to our community. It brings in people from around the state who buy gas from our stations and eat in our restaurants. We have 30 years of history here. In small towns, specialty shops survive. People will drive to find you. The big corporate chains make it impossible to compete with selling necessity items. It is important to us that a new buyer can grow the business even larger and continue with the success we have had with Osakis General Store and Guns Galore.

OUTDOORS

64 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2018

66 Lake & Home Outdoors WINTER 2018

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

FLOORING

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

TREE SERVICES

LUMBERYARD

INSULATION

RADON TESTING & MITIGATION

CABINETS

CABINETS

WINTER 2018 Lake & Home Outdoors 67