By: Joseph Gigliotti

As the weather gets colder and the leaves begin to fall, hunters make their way into the woods for the start of the season. During the fall season, rifle hunting is prohibited until late November, forcing hunters to use bows and keep their shots under 60 yards. During this season, many hunters struggle to harvest deer due to adrenaline, distances, and mechanics, which all rely on the bow you hunt with, causing them to miss their target.

Read more: Hunting Falls into Season

With many factors disrupting hunting, we first must mention scent and stealth. Deer have a great sense of smell, especially in archery season. It’s difficult since they must be within 60 yards for a good shot. One thing most hunters do is buy a good scent killer, which you can find at most of your local retail stores. A fairly priced scent killer that has always stood out to me is called “Scent Killer Gold.” Although, if you want to stay away from the spray, you also have the option to buy the “Wildlife Research Scent Killer” soap bar. According to bowhunter.com, scent killers aren’t like traditional scent masks, they instead attack odors at the molecular level which, in testing, is proven to remove 99% of replicated human odor.

     Additionally, stealth, excluding scent, is by far the most important factor when hunting in any season, but archery hunting is a whole other level. As you know, archery hunting is limited by distance, so remaining calm and quiet is a must. This skill allows you to approach or pull-in the prey while maintaining a steady hold to deliver a precise shot.

Another key component of a stealthy hunter is camouflage. It blends you in with surroundings to make you seem invisible to your target. Once again, you can find good camo at local retailers for good prices. However, if you want to take a step above that you can look at a pricier option, “Sitka.”

     The Squire chatted with fellow hunter and Eisenhower student, Mason Britt, and asked him some questions regarding hunting. Mason was brought into hunting by his dad and grandpa when he was nine. When asked about preparation for the upcoming season, he said, “I like to make sure all my tree stands are all ready to go, my compound bow is in top shape, sighted in, and get all my hunting clothes treated and laid out.”

Additionally, Mason also shared basic safety rules and regulations, “keeping the weapon pointed away from anyone, always treating it like it’s loaded, and not having a round in the chamber until you have arrived at your designated location.”

There are several different locations you can hunt, whether it’s a food plot, tree stand, blind, or free range. Mason likes to hunt out of tree stands due to the maintenance he puts into it in the offseason. He shared that he does this because, “being higher up allows you to see more area and have the ‘higher ground’ on the prey.”

     The Squire wants to wish Mason the best of luck and thank him for his time and for educating hunters who look to be a part of the 2026 Fall hunting season. This year’s archery season will run from October 3 through November 20, late archery season is December 26 through January 24, and rifle season takes place from November 28 through December 13. Make sure you stay tuned and updated on the deer pictures located by the gymnasium.

By: Katie Upton
     Football season is in full swing, and many students have carefully prepared for a Knight Out West. On September 19, many students gathered at the Homecoming dance to have fun, dance, and drink slushies- that’s not all though. Student Council, and many volunteers at the school helped. From grandparents, teachers, and to the President of Student Council- there were lots of pieces that fell into place to prepare for homecoming.
     Recently, The Squire interviewed Student Council Advisor, Mrs. Lobdell, for a few of her thoughts on Homecoming. When asked about choosing the theme of the week, she shared, “We spent a couple days just throwing out ideas, researching, and looking on Pinterest, and based on the ideas, we had a few people make mini vision boards, then we voted from there.”

     Additionally, she then went on to explain how the group determined the décor for the dance. “We mapped out the cafeteria, the saloon, and the lobby. We measured it and did all the things, so we were prepared when we ordered everything and built everything like the saloon doors.”
     Homecoming was important this year for Student Council, especially with how early it was in the school year. Student Council planned during the end of the 25-26 school year, and throughout the summer to be fully prepared.

     Moreover, Student Council couldn’t have done it by themselves. Mrs Lobdell shared, “I’m so thankful and I’m amazed with all the help we had; we had many community members step up with donations. Especially Richie Lindell for letting us borrow his tractor for coronation and Kenzie Young for donating the slushy machine. Besides that, the council in general has just been amazing with people coming up during their study halls to help out. So, we appreciate all the community support.”
     Lastly, The Squire asked Lobdell how confident she felt going into the big week, and she explained that as the advisor she felt “super confident, however, every year something comes up. I always feel super confident and prepared but then last minute a situation arises and something happens that we don’t expect. But this year I feel very confident and more prepared than we’ve ever been thanks to having a strong council this year!”
     There are loads of work that goes into Homecoming each year. As Student Council has learned, everything will eventually fall into place!

By: Austin Hanson

     With the new school year upon us, a new group of juniors and seniors are looking ahead at life after high school. Whether that’s college or the work force, many questions and tasks regarding their future loom over them. One of those being the SATs, or the Scholastic Assessment Test. The Squire is here to help you determine if taking the SAT is right for you, along with helpful tips and tricks to help boost your score!

Read more: Falling into SAT Prep

     Taking the SAT may seem like a mountainous challenge to some students, especially with the stress and pressure from others to get the best score possible. To go along with that, many prestigious colleges, according to collegeboard.org require extremely high scores of 1500 or higher out of the max of 1600, for even a chance to be accepted. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges have become test optional. According to collegeboard.org, only about 7% of colleges require test scores on applications, so knowing what requirements the colleges you are planning on applying to have is essential in knowing whether the SAT is the right choice for you.

     For people who don’t know what the SAT is, it’s a standardized multiple-choice test designed to show a student’s readiness for college. The SAT is comprised into two sections, reading/writing and math.

     There are fewer better-informed people than your school’s guidance counselor about the SATs, as well as general college prep. The Squire interviewed EMHS guidance counselor, Mrs. Linkerhof, about her thoughts on how students can decide on whether taking the SAT is right for them. She replied with, “I recommend talking to an admissions counselor at the school you plan to intend.” If a student does wish to, or has already taken the SAT, it can still be helpful in their application process. Mrs. Linkerhof further explained, “If a school is test optional, the school will still review and consider your application.”

     Additionally, Mrs. Linkerhof also explained how students can prepare for the test. She said, “Aim for a combined score of 1050 or higher. If a student took the PSAT in tenth grade, they would have created a College Board account and can access their PSAT score information to help the study their weak areas.” She also talked about the website www.collegeboard.com, saying, “Students can access the ‘Practice and Prep’ drop down that can really help students prepare for the SAT.”

     Notably, there is a cost to take the SAT, as it costs $68 with a $38 late fee if you sign up after the deadline. In our region, the test is offered every month from August to December. It’s offered locally at WAHS, Warren Area High School, in November and May. Further information about test dates can be found on the EMHS Guidance web page on the WCSD website.

Overall, preparing for the SAT can be a stressful experience for many. However, going into it with a plan of how you are going to study and what areas are your weakest, can help reduce the stress involved with the test. The Squire thanks Mrs. Linkerhof for her time and thoughtful insight and wishes any test takers the best of luck!