by Mark Herwig

Did you ever wonder why elk and antelope sometimes gather in big herds?

A few autumns ago I tagged along with a friend to learn how to hunt elk. His license was for the rugged wilderness south of Rawlins, Wyoming.

The night before, the high country where the elk, deer and antelope like to eat received a lot of snow, covering up their feed. In the morning, we found snow clogged roads and no elk.

We knew, however, that when it snows a lot, the animals have to migrate down to lower, snow-free range to eat. So, we headed off the mountain . . . and it wasn’t long before we found game. As we drove around a big hill on a lonely dirt trail, we spotted a huge herd of antelope walking fast down a broad, flat valley! But still, no elk.

The next day, we stayed low, but had to stop where the road was blocked by deep snow. So, we got out to walk. We didn’t go far before we spotted a big hill to the south that was covered with hundreds of elk! more…

Hey guys I was looking online today and I came across this and thought some of you may be interested in this contest.

It is the junior duck stamp contest. The contest is put on yearly by US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Who is eligible? K-12 students attending public, private, or home schools in the United States and the U.S. Territories

What do you win? National First Place: $5,000, National Second Place: $3,000, National Third Place: $2,000, Conservation Message First Place: $500

If you go to their webpage http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm you can find out all the requirements for your state.

This would be a great opportunity for some of you artists out there to get your creativity out there for others to see!!!

If you enter something send me a picture so I can share it with other ringneck members!! Good Luck!!

By Benji Kohn, Freelance Photographer

In this photo the butterfly is backlit so bright sunlight shines through its wings.

Photo technology is moving forward at the speed of light. Gone are the days when you took a picture, dropped your film at the corner store and a few days later got a first glance at your work. Today you can snap endless photos, view them right on the camera, download them to a computer and adjust them in many ways.

Even though technology has changed the process, the principles of photography remain the same. Lighting and composition are what make a great photograph. So let’s go over some tips and ideas you can use even with a basic point and shoot camera to capture great photographs.

Lighting
Lighting is one thing you have little control over. Time of day, cloud cover, trees and pollution can affect the quality of light. Generally, lighting is best in early morning or late afternoon. During these times you can get warmer colors and few dark shadows. Try using light to your advantage. Sidelight, front light, backlight and indirect lighting all give different effects to your photo. Backlighting can be used to highlight a small object and make it stand out from the background like the butterfly photo below. Backlighting can also be used to silhouette people or objects like a tree at sunset. Cloudy days are great for indirect lighting! more…

By Kendall Schwartz, SCA Manager of Media Relations

Jamie Elliot’s first post-high school SCA posting was at Tennessee’s stunning Cumberland Gap National Historic Park.

Green jobs seem to be the wave of the future. The Student Conservation Association (SCA) has led the way in connecting youth to jobs in the growing “green economy” for 51 years. The SCA’s motto is “Changing lives through service to nature.”

SCA is the nation’s leading youth conservation organization and has placed more than 54,000 volunteers in national parks, historical sites, national seashores and fire-prone mesas. All receive practical experience and green collar career advancement through hands-on conservation work and training in life skills experiential education.
From conservation internships to urban programs in nearly 20 major cities to backcountry crews deep in the woods of national parks, SCA offers something for everyone in all 50 states.
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