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Our invocation was offered by Keith Olson who remembered Tom Verhelst and former Rotarian Ward Uggerud on their passing for their service to their professions and our community. We had Student Guests and Student Athletes for the first time since the pandemic struck in March of 2020, and Dean Monke introduced them. All were seniors from the Fergus Falls HIgh School, with Solvie Smestad and Brandon Brown being our Student Guests and Jacob Wandersee and Leila Nasir our Student Athletes. All provided details on what only can be classified as exemplary accomplishments for their age. Also thanks to Dean for setting up and distributing a schedule for students to attend our meetings the remainder of the school year. President Ken passed around a very nice thank you note from Kristi Lausch for the chance to speak to us the prior week about the Humane Society and its capital fund drive. Zack Stach reported that Steve Leitte brought his tractor to Lake Region Healthcare's Community Garden to do the necessary preparation for the winter. Ryan Welle also told us about his progress on getting the Rotary shirts that were ordered in his possession and distributed. We then launched into Brags & Fines, with Steve Leitte noting Zack had failed to reference Zack's assistance at the Community Garden; Ryan Welle congratulating our student guests; Zack Stach paying for missing last week to help chaperone 54 third graders on a trip to the planetarium; Brian Tjaden also contributed for missing last week and to thank Keith Olson for his help on some projects; and Mark Bring concluded by paying for having to leave the meeting early. We also then heard all (more than?) anyone needed to about our upcoming rose sale, with a sign-up sheet for working at Service on November 10th circulated. Dean Monke was awarded what will no doubt be a cherished certificate for selling the most roses in 2020 (30 dozen), and the somewhat traditional annual rose trivia quiz was dusted off, with one of two questions answered correctly. There were also two entrants to finishing the limerick (Steve Andrews said more appropriately called a ditty): "While roses can be red and violets come in blue ..." Katie Johnson submitted "Our lollipop roses are the whoop-de-doo," while John MacFarlane was equally up to the challenge and wrote "But lollipop roses are best for you." Both entrants showing originality and that they read the e-Rounds and they were declared co-winners and asked to split the small candy bar prize between them; alas, Katie left the meeting before claiming her reward and John ended up taking it with him -- no likely to keep forever as a memento from the first limerick contest that could become an annual tradition. Keith Olson then introduced Peter Krog who spoke about his company, Pit Properties LLC, in its sixth year of existence. It offers a different way to hunt waterfowl, not the traditional scouting approach. The company constructs pit blinds, which one satisfied customer on the company's website described as "like a living room beneath a corn field." They put these pit blinds in well trafficked geese areas. Right now, they have set-ups right across from the Prairie Wetlands, kitty-corner from RDO, out by French, and on the river by Dayton Hollow; they are in the process of moving into the Moorhead area. People have been coming from all over the country to enjoy their hunts. A private group hunt can include up to 10 people hosted by two guides and part of the experience is experiencing the breakfast and lunches prepared for the hunters in the pit. While traditional waterfowl hunting usually lasts about two hours a day, these hunts can go all day. Peter said that our area offers really great goose hunting in the fall, although right now things are a little stressed because the weather has been too nice. The rates charged are $200 per person for a full day or $1700 for a group, $1600 if the group books multiple days. In 2022 the company has taken 177 groups hunting, with 130 of those coming to Fergus and staying at our hotels, eating out, etc. The total hunters they have hosted so far this year is 1431. Peter mentioned that there is one other outfitter in the Fergus Falls area, while others will come and offer freelance services. One difference between the two is that outfitters cannot go on public land (WPA), while freelancers are allowed to do so. The company will guide for both duck and geese. As to geese, they see very few snow geese but have witnessed an upsurge in white-fronted or speckle-bellied geese. Because of federal game laws an outfitter cannot dress the geese as they have to leave a wing on each bird until the hunter gets them home. The limit on geese was three per day but that recently went up to five; Pit Properties, however, puts a maximum limit of 36 geese on a group hunt. There are two full-time guides and 13 part-time guides (with eight rotating guides filling one full-time equivalent position); all the part-time guides have other jobs. |
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