Martensville Messenger February 2, 2017 | Page 5

Don ' t Feed the Wildlife

Best Intentions May Cause More Harm Than Good

Many parts of Saskatchewan have already seen nasty weather this winter , and it ’ s expected to return . Extreme cold , high wind chill values and snow storms make this season challenging for Saskatchewan residents . Severe winters often cause people to be concerned about the welfare of the province ’ s wildlife , including the white-tailed deer population .

The Ministry of Environment has received calls recently from individuals wanting to feed deer in areas of the province such as the southeast . While these concerns are understandable , these well-intended actions can be detrimental to deer populations .

Biological adaptations , such as a thick winter coat , fat reserves , a reduced metabolic rate and sedentary behaviour , help deer survive severe winters . Even with all the food they want , deer will still rely on their fat reserves and lose weight over winter . Although winter-related starvation can occur , trying to save them through supplemental feeding can end up causing them more harm than good .

Deer are ruminants and have a four-part stomach . They rely on microbes to help digest the woody vegetation that makes up much of their winter diet . When deer eat food such as hay , which is not part of their normal winter diet , they cannot digest it and may end up starving to death , even with a full stomach .

Carbohydrate-rich food sources , such as grains provided as emergency dietary supplements , can also be fatal .

Supplemental winter feeding can also result in other negative consequences such as congregating animals , drawing animals in from long distances and away from good winter cover , increased predation and disease concerns .

Research has shown that deer in relatively good condition can fast for several weeks without suffering any harmful effects .

Deer also migrate to wintering areas with thick overhead cover and natural winter food sources . One way Saskatchewan residents can support deer populations is to ensure that larger blocks of tree cover , such as aspen bluffs , remain intact . These areas provide the cover and sufficient food for deer to survive the winter . mARtEnsvillE mEssEngER - FEBRUARY 2 , 2017 - Page 5

Mother of Four Emphasizes Importance of Car Seat Safety

February Is Occupant Safety Month : Seatbelts And Child Car Seats

Jamie Killoran of North Battleford is no stranger to SGI ’ s car seat clinics , having four children aged three to seven years . Killoran first took her oldest child , Drake , to a clinic when he was an infant seven years ago and has made a point of visiting the clinics as her family has expanded and grown into the next stage of seats . Dylin , age five , and threeyear-old twins Jessie and Moira-Jean have also benefited from the clinics as the certified car seat technicians have taught the Killorans how to install each seat correctly and keep each child safely secured . “ Time sure flies ! Our ‘ baby ’ Drake , no longer a baby , was ready to make the move up to a booster seat . We wanted someone to show us how to install it properly and how the seatbelt should fit ,” said Killoran .

In 2015 , improper or non-seatbelt / car seat use contributed to a total of 17 deaths and 194 injuries in the province . Seventy-three of those injured were children under the age of seven . That ’ s why SGI and law enforcement around the province will be focusing on occupant safety this month .

Police will be watching for drivers and passengers who are not appropriately and safely buckled up . This means people wearing seatbelts incorrectly or not at all , or children that aren ’ t restrained or are in the incorrect type of child safety seat for their age and size . It is the driver ’ s responsibility to ensure all p a s s e n g e r s under the age of 16 are properly r e s t r a i n e d , so clinics are open to

NHL All-Star Weekend is over and what a great few days it was . The weekend started with the NHL celebrating its 100th year by naming the top 100 players in NHL history on Friday . The legends that could make it showed up in Los Angeles with honour . With classic names like Gretzky , Orr , Hull , and Sakic , to current NHL stars Sidney Crosby , Alex Ovechkin , Patrick Kane , Jonathan Toews , Jaromir Jagr , and Duncan Keith . From the best in History to the best of today , the NHL skills competition took place on Saturday . In the first event the Metropolitan Division won the Skills Relay with a time of 1 minute 21 seconds ; a full 18 seconds faster than their closest competitor . In the new event called the Four Line Challenge the Pacific Division came out with a win thanks to Arizona Goalie Mike Smith who scored a full ice goal into a tiny five-hole slot in the net . Rookie Auston Matthews put up one of the fastest times in the Accuracy Shooting Competition , knocking down all four targets in just 12 seconds . Unfortunately for the Atlantic Division , Sidney Crosby was the next shooter . Sid the Kid buried the targets in 10 seconds to get the win for the Metro Division . During the Fastest Skater event all eyes were on Conner McDavid and he did not disappoint almost going under 13 seconds for the first time ever with a time of 13.020 seconds . He then took a shot at the NHL record of a full lap in 13.172 . McDavid was unable to beat the record but controversy is coming , as record holder Dylan Larkin took a running start from the blue line where as McDavid went from a standing start at the red line . Conner McDavid will have many more All-Star appearances and more chances to break the record . Shea Weber won the Hardest Shot Contest with a top speed of 102.8 miles per hour to take the win for the Atlantic . Through five events the Pacific Division was in the lead with 6 points , the Metro and Atlantic tied at 5 points , and the central with 3 . With the Hardest shot being the tie-breaker the Atlantic moved on to the Shootout with the Pacific . Carey Price shut out the Pacific and won the skills competition for the Atlantic . The Atlantic then had their choice of who to play and when they would play them . It would seem as though they made the wrong decision as on Sunday the Metro Division beat them 10-6 in the second game . The first game was a blow out as the Pacific hammered the Central 10-3 and made it to the final for the second straight year . The final game was lower scoring and had more intensity . The Pacific looked like they were going up 4-2 when Metro coach Wayne Gretzky called for the coaches challenge and the goal was overturned because the team was offside . The Pacific lost momentum and the Metro came back with two quick goals to take the lead 4-3 . They would hang on to take the win with Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds winning All-Star Game MVP .

The NFL was also having their All-Star festivities this weekend as they brought back the Skills Competition . The Pro Bowl weekend started with a game of dodgeball that was won by the NFC . Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers won the Precision Passing Competition with 20 points . New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr . won the Drone Drop Challenge with some amazing catches . The NFC took the win in the Power Relay challenge with a time of 28.7 seconds . Miami Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry beat out Odell Beckham Jr . in the Best Hands Competition beating his former LSU teammate by just two tenths of a second with a time of 52.6 seconds . Sunday night was time for the real fun to begin . The AFC won the Pro Bowl by a score of 20-13 . Next up for the NFL is the biggest game of the year this Sunday as the New England Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons in the 51st Super Bowl .

anyone . “ My parents drive the kids quite often , so with moving the seats back-andforth between vehicles , we wanted them to know how to install the seats

and buckle up the kids correctly . They attended a clinic and were quite surprised by how much has changed since I was a kid !” said Killoran . “ They ’ re glad they went . Installing a car seat can be complicated , especially if you don ’ t do it a lot . Now we all have the peace of mind that they ’ re safe .”

There are four car seat stages for children : rear-facing , forwardfacing , booster seat , and finally , a standard seatbelt . This can be confusing for parents and caregivers , so SGI offers free car seat clinics to teach parents how to install their children ’ s car seats correctly and to ensure children are in the appropriate seat for their size and age . Clinics are offered from May to September each year , or you can book a free appointment with a certified car seat technician year-round .

Killoran encourages all parents and caregivers to attend a free clinic , “ even if you think they ’ re fine , just go and learn from the experts to ensure your child gets the right fit – it ’ s better to be safe than sorry .”

SGI recommends these tips to help keep all vehicle occupants safe : - Buckle up – every person , every time you get into a vehicle . - Ensure harness straps lay flat ( untwisted ) and only one of your fingers fit between the straps and child . - Keep your child in their current seat until they reach the maximum weight according to the seat ’ s manufacturer . Don ’ t rush into the next size . - Put blankets and heavy coats over the straps – too much bulk under the straps means the seat can ’ t work like its designed and crash-tested to work . - Make sure the seatbelt fits securely across the middle of the shoulder and across the hips . - Get the right fit . Visit an SGI car seat clinic or book an appointment with a car seat technician in your community .

ABOVE : Being properly educated in using car seats can save your child ’ s life .