ALBERTA. News from. Alberta Fish & Game Association. Inside: MOVING?

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1 News from ALBERTA RegIsteR sooner than LateR FoR ConFeRenCe Registration packages/information for the 90th Annual Conference will be sent out to clubs and posted on the AFGA website in the month of September. To help us with the overall planning and organizing, in addition to getting a cheaper rate, please register your attendance sooner than later. As mentioned in previous articles, we encourage all clubs to send your allotted number of delegates, together with more guests, youth and companions. We need your help. If interested in donating or contributing to the overall Conference, please contact me and/or the AFGA head office. There are a number of different ways for businesses, individuals, clubs, or organizations to get involved and assist, for instance, advertising in our Conference Guide Book; sponsorship of coffee breaks, conference kit bags and meals; along with donations of small and/or larger gift items for raffles, silent or live auctions. Don t hesitate to be a part of the 90th Annual Conference, contact us today! Deb Clarke, Zone 2 Director & 2019 Conference Chair - deb.clarke@telus.net MOVING? Please send your change of address to : Street, Edmonton, Ab T5V 0A2 *Please note that $15 of your annual membership dues are allocated to Outdoor Canada West Magazine Ph: (780) Fax: (780) membership1@afga.org Inside: 2 President s Report 3 Executive Vice-President s Report 4 1st Vice-President s Report 5 2nd Vice-President s Report 6 Hunting Chair Report 8 Program Chair Report 8 Cabela s Donation 9 Club Events Fishing Chair Report Youth Chair Report 13 AHA Donation 14 Zone 2 Report 14 Zone 3 Report 15 Zone 5 Report 15 The Norman Honish Memorial Award

2 WIth FaLL Fast approaching, I wish you all a successful favorite season. Success isn t always measured in harvest, but in participation - getting out with family and friends and taking in the outdoors experience is success on its own, so remember to just enjoy the outing. Nature has a lot to offer. Your executive has been very busy this year with many agenda items and many meetings involving all chairs taking up much of our time. Fishing has been front and centre this spring and summer - I ll leave that for Darryl to cover. Jim has been actively involved with AGPAC (Big game) and he ll cover this as well. Mark has been working on programs and Chelsea is always on top of environmental issues. Your senior executive has been working hard on topics much too numerous to mention them all here. We met with the Deputy Minister over Forestry matters, the Parks Department over access to public lands, and other meetings covering invasive species, whirling disease, feral horses, and Bison in Banff. We met with our Fish and Wildlife department, and among other items, we reviewed the resolutions we carried. We still have not received official answers from our Ministry (which were all sent in March) so these will be reviewed again once we receive the Minister s answers. Alberta Fish & Game Association President s Report Doug butler president We ve also been quite involved in house with membership and communication. Our membership is top priority for us. Each affiliated club has been receiving a monthly mail-out to keep things easy including full rosters (both current and expired). It s up to you clubs to use these (especially the expired rosters) to renew members and increase membership overall. Every club has also received notice explaining our new membership incentive program and a gift package will be sent to all clubs achieving their membership goal. It s so important to keep our membership climbing. We ve put a brochure together listings reasons Why you should 2 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 belong to AFGA and What has AFGA done for you. For copies for your club s use, please contact the office. Personally, I ve attended two work parties at the Narrow Lake Conservation Centre, several club meetings, a special Sr. Executive meeting with overall business plan the main agenda item, completed an RSO course (Range Safety Officer), attended the Canadian Wildlife Federation AGM in Regina. We ve also begun a series of updates on Let s Go Outdoors with Michael Short. Hopefully you ve caught some of this airtime. With my local club, I ve attended four different bird house building functions, helped plant 250 trees, inspected a Wildlife Trust Fund property our club stewards, among other things so life is good! It s still great to be involved with the youth on outdoor conservation projects. As I write this, I m about to head for Westlock for the Alberta Trappers Association annual rendezvous. Then it s off to Athabasca for a couple weeks of BOW camps. I ve still got some walleye tags to fill and am eagerly awaiting the results of the hunting draws. Until next time... tight lines and straight shooting. Doug Butler (780) dougbutler@live.com

3 Executive Vice-President s Report MaRtIn sharren executive vice-president MeMbeRshIp Data base From a demographic point of view, it s quite apparent that a great many members in Fish and Game Clubs fit into the Baby Boomers category, generally categorized as those people born between 1945 and Boomers grew up learning about the world through their parent s and grandparent s teachings how to work hard, save money, navigate our world and enjoy a few hobbies in the meantime. Now, due to the changes in technology, they are having to re-learn about the world through their children s and grandchildren s teachings how to use technology to work smart, invest/manage money, navigate our world and to also enjoy a few hobbies at the same time. Our children and grandchildren use technology hourly every day, to manage their money, socialize, shop, find out how-to-do things, maintain their homes, maintain their vehicles, enjoy leisure activities, and so on. Hourly! As such, the next generation of hunters/fishers/trappers will expect their associated organizations to embrace technology, make things more convenient, make information more available, and to assist them in enjoying a few hobbies. They not only want it, they need it. It s their way of life now. So, as boomers in charge of the direction of the club, we have a responsibility to do our best to embrace technology, be willing to learn yet again in our lives and to be responsible as decision makers to ensure the future of the clubs are ready to support future generations. To this end your AFGA has undertaken to revise its website and incorporate a powerful membership tool that will enable Clubs to directly input their membership information once. The end result will be a more efficient and time effective system such as: 1. shortening the delay in roster submission and receiving information such as the Outdoor Canada West magazine, 2. due to only one individual inputting data, (the Club Membership Chair in most cases) there will be a lower chance of error as data isn t being handled multiple times, 3. data entry will create the Club s invoices on the go, 4. membership cards can be generated immediately. These are but a few of the cost and time saving benefits for which AFGA is aiming. Look for the launch in the next few months ConFeRenCe The 90th Annual AFGA Conference will be held at the Glenmore Inn & Convention Centre, 1000 Glenmore Court SE, Calgary, (403) reservations@glenmoreinn.com. Plans are well under way to inform, educate, and entertain so get ready to register and book a room or two! Registration packages will be going out in early September as well as being available on line. Remember the sooner you register the less it ll cost! In the meantime, if you, or a friend, want to volunteer for the actual event please let the office know. Many hands make light work! hunting & FIshIng ReguLatIons There is a bit of disconcerting activity when it comes to hunting and fishing regulations or more widely known as regs. As a vendor of licences, your AFGA often receives requests from hunters and anglers for regs prior to purchasing the necessary licence as potential changes to the regs from the previous year can and does impact decision making in terms of where to hunt or fish in the up-coming year. The fact that the regulations are online prior to printed versions excludes those that do not go online. In the case of the 2018 fishing regs, they were available approximately 3 weeks after the licences began to be sold and in the case of the 2018 hunting regs AFGA received a message saying that 2018 hunting regs are delayed due to unavoidable reasons and will be online in mid-august and limited printed copies by the end of August. There are several steps involved in producing the final regulations online or in print so it s not necessarily realistic to point fingers at one step. Somewhere however, there has to lie an overall accountability to produce them in a timely fashion. building FunD MoRtgage elimination After a good start at the 2018 Conference the building fund has slowed down somewhat so I ask that you consider making a donation for which you ll receive a tax receipt and, depending on the amount, recognition on a prominently displayed plaque. The sooner we get rid of the debt the sooner we can use the money for our work. The mortgage balance as of September 15, 2018, is $152,405. ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

4 1st Vice-President s Report as I WRIte this report, summer is fast approaching but it did seem to have left us at the beginning of June. I have had the opportunity to spend a few Saturdays and Sundays in the Castle area doing what I love to do. This past weekend it was a little chilly with some good accumulations of snow in the higher elevations. Near the end of June, I and a number of others traveled into the south Castle area where my family and friends used to do a lot of camping. I was very surprised to see all the upgrades that have taken place down in the random camping area. Firstly, the road has been graded smooth and graveled, secondly there is a very nice staging area for all to park for either hiking or for us to unload our horses without having to take up a camping area. Sadly, there were only a couple of campers using that area, but it s early; and I would expect it will fill up over the next couple of weeks as the warmer weather moves in. As you have heard effective June 1, brian DIngRevILLe 1st vice-president 2018 all OHV use in the south Castle area was shut down and within the next few years there will be a total shut down of all OHV use in the Castle Wildland Provincial Park. Have heard from a number of you on this, some supporting and many others not. Sadly, for those who are handicapped or those who are elderly and in the stages of their life when they want to provide hunting opportunities for the younger family members, the option to gain access to the back country will be gone. Yes, from years gone by we did have only one option and that was to walk and pack if you were successful to harvest your chosen animal. This could provide for some interesting stories and if you are one of those individuals to harvest a larger animal and you could only pack out one quarter at a time. Would be very sad to wait 18 to 20 years for a moose tag and then have to leave it because a resident grizzly decided it belonged to him! I say 18 to 20 years because last year I gave up a 16-year priority wait in zone 400 and moved on to another zone because of the wait time. I often wonder on how much goes into the local economy for those who do hunt in the area you prefer? Food, lodging, fuel, entertainment. Don t know about you but I have never been successful on one outing to harvest my given draw! I have been asked to attend a meeting July 5 with the AEP to discuss methods of retrieval of a harvest in the wilderness park where OHV has been stopped. Hopefully it will be made clear on how that is to take place! Speaking of which, I hope everyone did get their draws in on time? As we all know the hunting population keeps getting smaller and smaller each year which provides millions of dollars towards conservation throughout Canada & all of North America. Many will disagree with this but as the baby boomers age and the availability of public & private land decreases and lastly the cost to enjoy the sport goes up, less and less are taking this sport on. Take a look at your annual measuring day at the club you belong to. Each year the number of entries continues to decline. We all need to encourage family and friends to take on this sport. Be it bird, fish or big game hunting. Over the past few months I attended a meeting with the senior executive in Edmonton at our new AFGA office. What a great facility. If you have the opportunity to drop in do so, it s a real treat to see how things are progressing to make this our new home. At the end of June, I will attend a meeting with a number of the senior executive with AEP in Edmonton and provide you with an update on this in the next issue. Lastly, time is fast approaching to hand in your resolutions for this year s conference, please don t wait until the last minute! Hope everyone had a wonderful summer. Happy hunting this fall Brian Dingreville 1st Vice President brianad@shaw.ca 4 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

5 2nd Vice-President s Report hunting DRaW ResuLts will be available, and some early hunting seasons open, when this reaches you. With that in mind it is timely to discuss access to private lands, the epidemic of rural crime, and its negative impact on the attitude of rural residents towards strange vehicles and persons that will have an impact on outdoor recreationists, whether berry pickers, birdwatchers, hunters or whatever. I have touched on this in previous columns; unfortunately, the rural crime situation seems Ian stuart 2nD vice-president to be getting worse since then, and many or most rural residents are extremely vigilant, as those who have thus far been lucky enough not to have experienced the trauma and loss of breakins almost certainly have a friend or neighbor who has been a victim - multiple times in more than a few instances! As per the attached image, All suspicious activity is reported in many areas. There are patterns of criminals casing rural properties and breaking in at another time or dropping off an accomplice to sneak in and be picked up after they have committed a robbery. As these activities are well publicized by multiple Rural Crime Watch associations and reporting is strongly encouraged by the authorities, it is very likely that anyone scouting from a vehicle will be mistaken for a criminal (which they would become if they enter private land without permission, shoot from a road et cetera!) and will be reported. The only good news in all of this is that there is an increased likelihood of wildlife act infractions being reported and as always responsible outdoors people are encouraged to use the Report-a-Poacher phone line or web site. On top of the ever-increasing vigilance of rural residents to unknown vehicles on rural roads, strange vehicles driving into one s yard are increasingly unwelcome. I strongly recommend contacting landowners well in advance to seek access permission rather than approaching them at home or when at work; this common courtesy should have always been extended as landowners do not need interruptions to their work, but the need to do so is exacerbated by the upsurge in rural crime. Personally, I experimented with Use respect signs during last year s hunting season and plan to continue but will henceforth provide an address that I will respond to at my convenience, rather than a phone number, as I got way too many inconvenient lastminute calls from someone driving down the road seeking immediate access. While that is preferable to trespassing and poaching, respect for landowners requires a bit of planning in advance on the part of the seeker! Meetings have slowed down a bit for me since my last report, but your Executive continues to meet with Government regularly. I will leave further updates on recent events to others and wish everyone success in the upcoming harvest season. Yours in support of the wise use of the Earth s resources. Ian Stuart 2nd Vice President ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

6 JIM CLaRke hunting CoMMIttee ChaIR hi all; this is my report for the next issue of Outdoor Canada West. We just arrived back from the US and picking up Miyah from the youth camp! The results of the first set of draws are nearly available (in about a week as I write this) and the anxiousness I m feeling is nearing a peak! Did I draw that specific tag, did my wife finally draw the sheep tag, did my daughter get any draws? You can bet soon after the draws are posted, I will be checking the results so the next process can begin: planning hunts with family and friends. I myself make more treasured memories in hunts shared with others and relish in their success. As for the draw itself, did you know that next year the draw booklet info will be only available online? Last year, AEP printed 70,000 copies that were sent to local retailers and 30,000 of those were sent to the recycler as they were not picked up and used. Recently, I attended another AGPAC meeting. The results of the committee votes for the previously mentioned recommendations have been passed on to Travis Ripley (Executive Director of Fish and Wildlife Policy) and he is currently reviewing the results of that voting process. At the meeting, we were informed that the 2018 Hunting Regulation changes had not Alberta Fish & Game Association Hunting Chair Report yet been signed off by the Minister so they could not comment on them. For 2019, it looks like we will finally get mandatory hunter reporting enacted. We, as Fish and Game; have been asking for this for years at annual conventions. The main part of the meeting was for the member groups to present requests to hunting regulations for possible implementation for the 2019 season. After each group presented their suggestions, each was discussed by the entire committee and notes of approval or disagreement were noted by AEP for possible implementation. They will have to be reviewed by both AEP staff and of course legal counsel will have to be consulted to see if they would be enforceable. We will see how that progresses. I attended a Senior Executive meeting along with Darryl Smith and staff of AEP in their office in Edmonton. Darryl will report on his topics, but as for the theme at this year s conference; the focus is on addressing the concerns of Albertans on restrictive angling regulations. As for hunting, Doug reviewed and addressed the 2018 hunting resolutions from this past year s 6 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 conference. We reviewed key ones and added info on them for AEP staff to consider. We are also waiting for the official written response from AEP to our entire resolution package form this past year s convention. We asked about the status of the Wild Turkey Management Plan and were once again informed that currently there was no work taking place on it but were we told that after the approved 2018 hunting regulations were approved, Jason Caswell was to finish it. One item that came up was effective communication. AEP is using the My Wild Alberta website to communicate a lot of info through postings and releases. One issue that was discussed was the closure of the Bison draw in the draw process this year. AEP posted the reasoning for this on the My Wild Alberta site. I took many calls and s asking about this from concerned individuals. Be sure to regularly check the My Wild Alberta site for information on topics and issues in the future. Good luck on your draws and for those that partake in the early seasons... Best of luck to all! Jim Clarke, Hunting Chair Alberta Fish & Game Association The Alberta Fish & Game Association (AFGA) supports the Alberta Government on the proclamation of September 22nd, 2018 as Provincial Hunting Day, to increase the awareness of hunting as an acceptable and highly important part of environment and wildlife management not to mention a reminder of our provincial heritage.

7 THE ALBERTA FISH AND GAME ASSOCIATION Alberta Fish & Game Association 90th ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 21-23, 2019 The AFGA is excited to have Zone 2 host the 2019 conference in Calgary. Conference registration packages are available September 2018 REMEMBER to REGISTER EARLY and receive the earlybird discounted rates! Glenmore Inn & Convention Centre 1000 Glenmore Court SE, Calgary, AB Ph: (403) FOR MORE INFORMATION OR HOW TO REGISTER CALL THE AFGA OFFICE (780) or REGISTER ONLINE: ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

8 Program Chair Report MaRk anderson program ChaIR by the time this article is published, we will have finished another summer of youth and women camps at our Narrow Lake Camp facility. At these camps our knowledgeable instructors teach the campers a variety of outdoor skills, including fire starting, safe firearm use, archery, outdoor cooking, boating, and many other survival skills. I want to put out a huge thank you to all of our volunteers and sponsoring clubs that make these camps a reality. There is an opportunity in the next year or two that the AFGA could reactivate a summer youth camp down near Coleman. This camp would be a lot more accessible for southern clubs in Zones 1 and 2. Please provide some feedback to me if your club would be willing to help sponsor and coordinate a summer youth camp in the Crowsnest Pass. Keep an eye out for a number of hunting and fishing events happening across the province this summer and fall. The Taber Pheasant Festival takes place from Oct and offers a great chance for new hunters and youth to experience some upland bird hunting ( ab-conservation.com/events/taberpheasant-festival/about/). The Red Deer Fish & Game Association also hosts a great youth pheasant hunting program that runs weekends from September through November, where youth are mentored by experienced pheasant hunters ( com/youth-pheasant-program/). Check out your local clubs for other events happening this summer and fall. Keep your powder dry, Mark Anderson Program Chair Cabela s Donates To AFGA Project AFGA President Doug Butler receives a cheque for $4,500 from Cabela s Outdoor Fund targeted for the Association s Antelope Corridor Enhancement project. Many thanks to Cabela s for their support in our endeavours. 8 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

9 Club Events Alberta Fish & Game Association Alberta Black Powder: January 19, :00am AGM Quality Inn North Hill, Red Deer Athabasca Fish & Game: 2nd Wednesday 7:00pm Provincial Building Sept to June Barrhead Fish & Game: Last Wednesday 7:30pm Barrhead Legion Sept to April Beaver River Fish & Game: 1st Tuesday 7:30pm Except July & August Breton Fish & Game: 4th Wednesday 7:30pm Breton Golden Age Centre 50th Avenue except July/Aug/Dec Busby & District Fish & Game: 2nd Monday 7:30pm Lone Goose Club House Camrose Fish & Game: 2nd Wednesday 7:00pm Superstore meeting room Cardston Fish & Game: 2nd Thursday 7:00pm Civic Center Clandonald & District Fish & Game: 3rd Thursday 7:30pm Clandonald Coffee shop Claresholm Fish & Game: 3rd Monday N/A Claresholm indoor range Coaldale & District Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 7:30pm The Range Dickson Fish & Game: 2nd Monday 8:00pm Dickson Fish & Game Hall: Contact Ike: or Devon Fish & Game: 4th Thursday 7:30pm Pioneer 73 Centre: #29 St. Lawrence Avenue Dunvegan Fish & Game: 3rd Wednesday 7:30pm Except July/Aug FCSS Room Audits and Safety building Drumheller Fish & Game: 3rd Tuesday 7:00pm Except July/Aug Edmonton Fish & Game: 2nd Wednesday 7:30pm no info Edmonton Old Timers: 2nd Tuesday 7:00pm Spruce Avenue Hall Avenue Edmonton Trout Fishing: 1st & 3rd Tuesday 7:00pm Queen Mary Park Community League 109 Ave & 117 Street Ft. MacLeod Fish & Game: 3rd Wednesday 7:00pm NWMP Library back door Ft. Saskatchewan Fish & Game: 3rd Wednesday 7:00pm Old Train Station Sept to June High Level Sporting Association: 3rd Wednesday N/A no info High Prairie Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 7:00pm Range Amiro s High River Fish & Game: 2nd Wednesday 7:45pm For more info: Hillcrest Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday 7:00pm Hillcrest Fish & Game Hall th Avenue (October to June) Innisfail Fish & Game: 1st Monday 7:00pm Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion except July and August Iron Creek Fish & Game: 2nd Thursday 7:30pm Lougheed Lions Den - Mainstreet Lacombe Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 7:30pm Lacombe Legion (except July & August) Lamont Fish & Game: Last Monday 7:00pm Lamont Lions Den Contact Robyn Butler: Leduc Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday 7:30pm Leduc Clubhouse for more info (780) Sept to June Lethbridge Fish & Game: 3rd Monday 7:00pm LFGA Clubhouse 9th Avenue & 10th Street South (except July/Aug) Lloydminster Fish & Game: Last Tuesday 7:30pm Except July & December Grace United Church Magrath Rod & Gun Club: 3rd Thursday 7:00pm Magrath Library Medicine Hat Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 8:00pm Medicine Hat Boy Scout Hall 79 Cuyler Rd. SE - Sept to June Millet Fish & Game: 1st Tuesday 7:30pm Millet Fish & Game Hall Morinville Fish & Game: 2nd & 4th Thursday 7:30pm Morinville F&G Clubhouse except July/Aug Mundare Fish & Game: Last Monday 6:30pm Mundare Gun Range May - August Okotoks Fish & Game: 3rd Tuesday 7:00pm For more info visit our website: Onoway & District Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 7:00pm Education gun range (780) Sept to June Peace Wapiti Fish & Game: 1st Tuesday 7:30pm Better than Fred s St, Gr. Prairie - Sept to June Picture Butte Fish & Game: 1st Tuesday 7:00pm Archery Range 464 Crescent Ave. (except Jul/Aug) Ponoka Fish & Game: 1st Thursday 7:30pm Clubhouse Provost Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 8:00pm Indoor Gun Range 2km East of Provost (except July/August) Red Deer Fish & Game: 3rd Monday 7:00pm Red Deer Legion (use Molly B door) Tues if stat --except July/Aug Red Earth Creek Rod & Gun Club: 3rd Tuesday 7:30pm No other info Rimbey Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday 7:00pm Canalta Hotel: rd Street Sept to June Rocky Mtn House Fish & Game: 2nd Wednesday 7:00pm Rocky Museum Basement meeting room Sarcee Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 7:30pm Mtn View Funeral Home Auditorium September to June Sherwood Park Fish & Game: Last Thursday 7:30pm 50 Spruce Avenue St. Albert Fish & Game: 2nd Tuesday 7:30pm St. Albert community Hall on Perron St. September to June St. Paul Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday 7:30pm Town Hall - Downstairs Southern AB Outdoorsmen: 2nd Tuesday N/A Kings Home 108 5th Avenue NE Milk River Spedden Fish & Game: 2nd Sunday 7:30pm Ashmont Spruce Grove Fish & Game: 1st Thursday 7:00pm Pioneer Centre 301 Jespesen Ave. Sp. Grove (Except Jul/Aug & Nov) Stony Plain Fish & Game: 2nd Monday 7:30pm Stony Plain Community Centre, 51 Ave. Jimmy: (780) Sundre Fish & Game: 3rd Tuesday 7:00pm Sundre Community Center Sylvan Lake & District: 1st Monday 7:00pm Community Partner Hall Taber Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday N/A First Wendy s at Heritage Hotel Thorsby Fish & Game: 3rd Monday 7:00pm Sunnybrook Hall Vegreville Wildlife Federation: 1st Thursday 7:00pm Centennial Hall Vermillion Fish & Game: 2nd Wednesday N/A Vermillion Provincial Building Conference room Viking Sports & Wildlife Society: 1st Tuesday 7:30pm Clubhouse located near Viking Vilna Fish & Game: 3rd Wednesday 7:00pm Cultural Centre in Vilna Wheatland Conservation & Wildlife: 2nd Thursday 7:30pm RR 252 (north of Strathmore) Whitecourt Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday 7:00pm Forestry Training Centre Wildwood & District Rod & Gun Club: 2nd Thursday 7:30pm Range in the clubhouse Willingdon & District Fish & Game: Last Tuesday 7:30pm Willingdon Arena upstairs clubroom Sept to June Wimborne & District Fish & Game: 1st Wednesday N/A Wimborne Hall OTHER EVENTS DATE TIME DETAILS Beaver River Fish & Game: Every Wednesday 6:00 8:00pm Youth / Adult Archery Edmonton Old Timers Fishing Club is looking for you! Calling all fishermen over 50! You ll find lots of people to go fishing with both summer & ice fishing in the winter. We have meetings once a month with a guest speaker. For more info: Randy Collins *IF YOU WISH TO HAVE YOUR EVENT/MEETING PLACED IN THE OUTDOOR EDGE OR ON OUR WEBSITE PLEASE OR FAX INFORMATION TO OUR OFFICE: info@afga.org or fax: (780) (CHECK OUT OUR EVENTS CALENDAR ON THE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION or EVENTS NOT LISTED HERE: ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

10 Fishing Chair Report Fisheries ManageMent ConFliCting ParadigMs Based on PersPeCtive I apologize FoR not having a column in the last issue of Outdoor Canada West. The truth of the matter: I was having fun overseas. Found time on my return to write an article for the July edition of the Alberta Outdoorsman for the Alberta Fish and Game Association page. Part of this column is repeating the same message, plus some updates. Visiting other countries is an eyeawakening experience! I spent five days in Switzerland while in Europe and was surprised to see so many anglers plus local fish on the menu in most restaurants. Consider this, the country has twice the population of Alberta (8 Million), is 1/15 the size of Alberta (41, 285 km 2 ), and the total area covered by water is about twice that of Lesser Slave Lake. There are over 150 thousand anglers and approximately 200 full time commercial fishermen. Add to this the fact that catch and release angling has been banned since 2009 (animal-rights movement) and endangered fish populations are not necessarily protected (58 percent of native fish are endangered). Add a plethora of other regulations, either federal, canton (state) or city such as barbless hooks, ban of chest waders, and mandatory angler education and it becomes more confusing. Then there is the issue of productivity of fisheries which have sharply declined owing to environmental clean-up that has reduced phosphorus over the last thirty years. At the same time, cormorants have returned to set up colonies for the first time since the middle ages. The government reports these colonies are rapidly expanding, many birds are now overwintering on the same lakes, and each bird is estimated to eat 500 grams of fish per day. Only 3 percent of the shoreline along lakes is natural. The consequences of the current environmental, political and fisheries management paradigm creates much debate within the angling community within Switzerland and elsewhere in DaRRyL smith FIshIng ChaIR Europe. Many anglers and commercial fishermen are asking fisheries managers (governments) to artificially fertilize lakes to increase the production of popular food fish including pike and perch. Other anglers are excited about the changing environment that favors royal fish such as trout. Regardless, a visit to the local market will find locally sourced wild fish of all species available. Now let s jump to this side of the pond. One would expect that if similar circumstances existed in Alberta, recreational angling, let alone commercial fishing would long ago have been outlawed. To me this demonstrates that fisheries management, while based on science is still an art. Fisheries managers must consider a wide range of situations, options and perspectives when the resource belongs to us all. Benchmarks that are established to set angling regulations must consider environmental, economic and social reality. Where to set the pendulum to achieve the necessary balance must occur through collaborative, consensus building engagement where all parties are willing to listen and be prepared to compromise. No single ideology or perspective is correct. The Alberta Conservation Association released a Public Survey on Outdoor Recreational Activity in Alberta for I consider this finding, both Catch and Release and Catch and Keep fishing maintained a high level of support amongst Albertans (83% and 75% respectively). This basically means that Albertans are accepting of both types of angling. If we were forced to adopt only one form of angling as in Switzerland, what would be our choice? Personally, I believe the vast majority of anglers in Alberta still want at least a small chance to take a fish home for food. Being able to release fish when selective harvest is required is critical if fish populations are to be managed sustainably. This means that catch and release and catch and keep are not diametrically opposed. Those advocating for the broad application of catch and release or harvest only regulations put the future of angling and fish populations in jeopardy. When fish are no longer considered food or anglers disappear, so will the need for fisheries management. Currently no topic garners more discussion, opinion, discourse, blame or even hostility among anglers, fisheries biologists, organizations and other stakeholders than What should be the direction of fisheries management in Alberta? At the Alberta Fish and Game Association Annual Conference and General Meeting in February, the Honourable Shannon Phillips addressed the delegates. In her speech she recognized the concerns of the angling community related to fisheries management in Alberta. She instructed the ministry to undertake a third-party science review, develop a capital plan to address habitat destruction, enhance angler education, involve anglers through citizen science, address collaboration and stakeholder involvement shortfalls related to fisher- 10 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

11 ies management in the province. After so many years of bringing concerns to the government and not being heard, the Alberta Fish and Game Association applauds the minister for her bold decision. On Monday, May 28, 2018 the first meeting of a diverse group of stakeholders representing the angling community related to the Minister s commitments took place. Discussions focused primarily on providing advice on the Third-Party Science Review which the Minister has requested. The stakeholders group also provided their input and insights into other priority areas of work which the department is undertaking, including habitat actions, angler education, citizen science, and improving ongoing stakeholder communications and engagement. The group agreed to act as an Advisory Committee to the Third-Party Science Review process and will provide information about the review to their members, constituents and networks. Two reports that focus on the scientific approach used in the current Alberta Fisheries Management Frameworks relative to the eastern slopes native trout recovery and walleye-pike management will be commissioned that apparently will be complete in this 2018 fiscal year. The new advisory committee (replacement for the now defunct Alberta Fisheries Management Round Table???) is scheduled to meet again in late July. Fundamentally for the Alberta Fish and Game Association, this process must lead to meaningful change that focuses on outcomes, not words. Actions must go beyond just angling regulations but renewed focus on ensuring the restoration, protection and enhancement of aquatic ecosystem function across the province. Importantly from an Alberta Fish and Game Association standpoint, there must be no new angling regulations put into place until the reviews are complete and there is stakeholder buyin with agreement on direction. Your concerns over the 2018 Sportfishing Regulation format, changes and errors, quality stocked trout fisheries consultation process, walleye tags, whirling disease, conflicting environmental permits, habitat degradation, and barriers put in place by AEP that appear to impede developing new angling sites are always part of any meeting or conversations we have with officials from Alberta Environment and Parks. The executive of the Alberta Fish and Game Association met with senior officials of the Fish and Wildlife Policy Branch in late June. Much of the meeting was dedicated to reinforcing the position of the Alberta Fish and Games Association and detailing what needs to change related to fisheries management in Alberta. Go to the Alberta Fish and Game Association website to obtain a copy of Redefining Fisheries Management in Alberta Call for change from the Alberta Fish and Game Association. Redefining-Fisheries-Managment-in- Alberta_2018_AFGA.pdf The Alberta Fish and Game Association executive also met with Deputy Minister Andre Corbould of Agriculture and Forestry to discuss concerns related to timber harvesting in the province. The AFGA understands the importance of the timber industry to the economic and social well-being of Albertans. At the same time, the industry has a critical responsibility to ensure its activities protect and enhance habitat on the landscape with a major focus on aquatic ecosystems. A follow-up letter at the request of the Deputy Minister was sent by Doug Butler, the Alberta Fish and Game Association President outlining our key concerns related to the industry. Additional wetland and riparian protection, mitigation of sedimentation, restoration of past environmental deficits were key points included. Past Alberta Fish and Game Association President Ray Makowecki received the prestigious Roderick-Haig Brown Award from the Canadian Wildlife Federation this spring. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the Conservation of Fisheries in Canada. Well-deserved and congratulations! In his acceptance speech he noted: First and foremost, my highest priorities have been to protect and the restore fish habitats with no net loss expectations. To achieve these expectations, I strongly believe that if people do not use the resources we create a high risk of losing the quantities of fish habitat that will satisfy our expectations. Use it or lose it! Eating a fish is a necessity in ensuring that fish habitats will persist into the future. Thanks Ray for reminding us about the linkage of habitat to food. Even in Switzerland, the concept of fish as food has not been lost. My wife and I dined at a Swiss restaurant savouring grilled fresh wild royal brown trout while overlooking the same lake they were sourced only a few hours earlier. Differences exist in Europe and elsewhere in the world but perhaps the New World has something to learn. We have not gone through famine like so many other places in the past or indeed to this day. Perhaps we have forgotten where our food comes from and the cultural heritage associated with gathering. The supermarket is not where food comes from, only where it is sold. Will we lose the opportunity to keep a fish that we have just caught for the table? Under the current fisheries management, social, environmental and political paradigm this is a possibility. Darryl Smith, Fishing Chair Alberta Fish & Game association SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

12 Youth Report MIyah CLaRke afga youth president DuRIng the Week of July 1-7, I had the privilege of going to the Narrow Lake Conservation Camp near Athabasca. A big Thank You to Camp Director Samantha Wulff, her husband Jerrid, the counsellors and fish and game volunteers who devote their time to organizing and running the camp for the benefit of youth to enjoy and experience the outdoors and different aspects of it. One of the photos included in this report is of me taking a turn at the trap shooting range with my 15+ year fish and game volunteer/instructor, Leonard Garner. I had an amazing time at camp. All the staff and campers were friendly and nice. At camp there are many activities, and some are archery, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. There is also a shotgun/trap range as well as a big bore range where you can go to shoot different rifles and hand guns. You never get bored because there are always activities going on and you can usually find group games being played. On the Thursday there was even a fire-starting contest where groups of basic campers, advanced campers and councillors raced against each other to see who could boil a can of water first. The top two fastest teams won extra dessert. Through attending the camp, I was able to gain my non-restricted firearms license and my boater s license. Other campers were able to get their hunter education training, which was one less course for me as I passed my exam a few years back. On the second last day every camper went on an overnight trip. We learned how to build shelter, find different edible berries, fire starting, knots and much more. Everyone had to sleep in their lean-to they built for the night. I really enjoyed finding yummy wild strawberries too which I ate and made into a tea over the fire. During this trip we also learned the skill of how to ration food for 24 hours. In the end, I would encourage any youth who like to spend time outdoors and who want to learn more about different outdoor activities to definitely try and sign up for camp next year. Thank you again to the Sarcee Fish and Game Association for their sponsorship! By the way, if any of you are planning on heading up that way any time soon take lots of bug spray as there are Boone and Crockett-sized mosquitoes and lots of them. Another great opportunity for those youth who love the outdoors is the AFGA conference. You ll get the chance to meet other like-minded youth and experience some great activities. Conference registration packages should be available on the AFGA website in September. I encourage clubs to try and help out any interested youth with some form of sponsorship. Miyah Clarke AFGA Youth President 12 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

13 AHA Hunts Sheds To Help AFGA AHA shed hunt winner, Travis Powell. AHA shed hunt antlers. the alberta hunting Addicts (AHA) is an online Facebook group made up of over 15,000 members who share a love of hunting and the outdoors. This spring, Carson Dales, a member of the Calgary Fish and Game Association, created and organized the AHA Shed Hunt with a goal to raise funds for the Alberta Fish and Game Association Building Fund. An enthusiastic group of 37 members from all over Alberta found over 1,100 shed antlers while hiking a combined total of more than 4,000 kilometres! Many stories and photos were shared on a weekly basis. Care was taken to employ the proper shed hunting ethics and follow the regulations for access to private and lease lands, found dead wildlife, etc. Donations to the event provided a chance for draw prizes and additional prizes were given for quantity of sheds found and best or most unique shed/set. Congratulations to Travis Powell on winning the best shed/set with a Whitetail set, unofficial at 211 which included a 20 spread credit (see photo). Prizes were donated by Solitude Taxidermy, Buck Yah Deer Lure and The Crafty Camper Vinyl. The Alberta Fish and Game Association is grateful to receive the AHA s donation in the amount of $1, This kind donation will assist us in paying off our mortgage so that we can return to our efforts of ensuring a future for all things wild in our great province. Thank you AHA! ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

14 Zone 2 Report Zone 3 Report Deb CLaRke zone 2 DIReCtoR the airdrie hunting and Fishing Association have volunteered to host the upcoming fall Zone 2 meeting on Sunday, Oct 21, 2018, at Bass Pro Shops in Calgary. For more details and to RSVP contact me. Should your club require assistance or information with respect to writing up resolutions for conference please do not hesitate to contact me. Resolutions need to be presented at the club level and carried by the membership prior to submission at the Zone level. Resolutions are due to the Zone 2 Vice Director and Director at least one week before the fall zone meeting. It is recommended that clubs send at least one rep to the meeting to answer any questions that may arise or to clarify the intent of their resolution(s). Our Conference 2019 committee is still looking for funding and support towards the Companion Program. If anyone has some $ or gifts to donate they would be very much appreciated. Overall, we are seeking all types of donations, services or funding towards conference to help make it successful. If interested there are even advertising opportunities in the Conference Guide Book. Please contact me or the AFGA office if you wish to contribute or provide input. The last Antelope fencing project for this year is scheduled for September at Onefour in the south east corner of the province. Approximately 16 volunteers are need. The results of this worthwhile program are instantaneous and so gratifying! If interested in participating, please contact T.J. Schwanky at tj-afga@shaw.ca. The start of the hunting season is upon us. As a reminder clubs could use any type of meat (or even fish) donations for spring banquets. Contact your local organization for more information and drop off locations. The latest Wildlife Trust Fund/AFGA video can be found on YouTube at A digital copy can be acquired through the AFGA office for club events or shows. Funding is continually needed to maintain habitat already secured and to obtain new properties. Donations are gratefully accepted any time of the year. CWD information summarizing the results from 2017 can be found at fish-wildlife/wildlife-diseases/ chronic-wasting-disease/cwdupdates/default.aspx. Attention all AFGA Official Big Game Measurers please call or forward to the AFGA (office@afga.org) your current contact information (i.e., address, phone # and address). Information on file in the office needs to be updated. DID U KNOW: The first annual AFGA conference was held in Calgary in 1929? Prior to 1973, the conference was referred to as the annual convention. (Source: AFGA Conservation Pride and Passion book) Deb Clarke, Zone 2 Director deb.clarke@telus.net CentRaL alberta FIsh and Game Association has completed the second fund raising event in its history and we hope the 24 volunteers I asked to help us out had an enjoyable event. It was two of the hottest days of the year at 30 C. Thanks to Red Deer Fish & Game Association, Lacombe Fish and Game, Innisfail Fish and Game, Alberta Black Powder Association and a few nonmembers for your help! I assisted Red Deer with a number of events such as the Gun Show, bird box replacements, duck box replacements, their casino, Indoor Range Relocation Committee, and outdoor range grant write-up for modernizing the facilities, lots going on. While cleaning out my garage, I came across a Western Sportsman magazine from 1989, with a page where Lee Hart interviewed a number of club members attending the convention that year. There were names like Dave George, Don Bate, Horst Fauser, Dwight Hingst, Ruth Shewfelt, Lynn Soleski, Ken Street, Ralph Lane and Red kevin WIngeRt zone 3 DIReCtoR Deer s Doug Rumsey. The question was do you think the Provincial Association and local clubs are meeting the needs of the members? For the most part, the comments could hold true today lots of positives! I also came across an Alberta Wildlife Records Book that covered 1963 to This edition was reprinted in It gives you a perspective of how many quality wildlife species there are still available in the province of Alberta. The Alberta Fish and Game Association in now in its new building, complete with a small mortgage. I challenge all the Zone 3 clubs to help pay off that mortgage. Let s do this, I know we can. On another note, there is a Go Fund Me set up in Rimbey for the family of Jim Koenig. He was President of Rimbey Fish and Game Association, a member of the Rocky Trappers Association, and a friend that I enjoyed talking to every year when I attended Conventions. Kevin Wingert, Zone 3 Director 14 ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

15 Zone 5 Report Robyn butler zone 5 DIReCtoR Alberta Fish & Game Association I M sure Many of you are beginning or in the middle of your hunting season. While out enjoying your adventures, please remember to be sure of your target, background and all safety aspects. It can be easy to forget some important things in the excitement of harvesting that elk, moose, deer, bear or whatever else you may be challenging. Speaking of bear, if you happen to see any Grizzly Bears, please record the area, take a picture, record the date and time and let us know. It s still important that we report all Grizzly Bear sightings. The Narrow Lake Conservation Centre youth camps were all full to capacity again this year and another awesome job was done by Jarrid, Samantha and their group of instructors, counselors and volunteers. A big thank-you to you all! The BOW camps at the same location were also full and went over with flying colors. Speaking of the Becoming an Outdoor Woman camps we d like to see more women coming from our clubs so see if your club can sponsor one to attend next year. In Zone 5 our Kids can catch - Kids can shoot events in Lamont and Fort Saskatchewan were big successes. Many archery shoots, fishing weekends, etc. throughout our zone are great events and I d like to hear about them all. Many of you are busy working on your fall/winter projects and I can help spread the word around. In a few short months we will be gathering in Calgary for the AFGA conference. We can exchange all our stories there (and some may even be a bit embellished). You should all now be expecting the 2019 conference registration packages. If your club can help the conference committee with a donation (financial or prize) it would be greatly appreciated. I have attended many of our conferences and have met many good friends and acquaintances with vast knowledge that I have taken back to my club. It would be great if every Zone 5 club sent one or more delegates to this AGM. It not only helps your club, but gives you a voice in the many resolutions on the floor. Our fall Zone meeting will be held in Bonnyville hosted by Beaver River Fish & Game and I do hope we have some good resolutions to take to the AGM in Calgary. This article is prior to the meeting but thanks to the Beaver River club for hosting this event. I hope your fall experiences were exciting and your freezers are in good shape. Finally congratulations to Ray Makowecki on your award at the CWF, it is long overdue, you do a fantastic job Ray. Robyn Butler Zone 5 Director Andrew (Andy) Boyd Receives The Norman Honish Memorial Award In 2012, the Sherwood Park Fish and Game Association (SPFGA) created the Norman Honish Memorial Award in recognition of deceased members for their outstanding long-time contributions to the SPFGA. Norm was a man of all seasons who served as a member of the Executive and President of the SPFGA. He volunteered his time and skills in the operation of the Club; construction of the Clubhouse; construction of Shooting Ranges; Campground as well as road and range maintenance, along with clearing and maintaining fence lines the their Katchamoot Recreation Facility. After stepping down from the Executive, Norm was always available to volunteer his time no matter what activities the Club was involved in. The Awards Committee consisting of Steve Witiuk, Ron Dursling, Vern McIntosh, and Andy Boyd were instrumental in establishing this Award and constructing the monument which is adjacent to the Clubhouse. On 23rd June, 2018, Andy Boyd was honoured by having his name placed on the monument for his long-standing contribution to the SPFGA as well as the AFGA. President Doug Burton informed those present, that Andy was a long-time member of SPFGA and served as their President and sat on many Club Committees. He also served on the Boards of the North and South Saskatchewan Regional Planning; Lower Athabasca Regional Plan; Northern Gateway Pipeline; Oil Sands Monitoring; Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan; Al Pac and the Lakeland Park Backcountry Cabins. As busy as he was, Andy always found time for family as well as volunteering his time with Club activities. Andy s wife Donna spoke briefly, thanking everyone for attending. She and her two daughters along with their families; her family and Andy s family and friends are very appreciative of the dedication bestowed upon Andy for his long-standing contribution to his other family Fish and Game. He will be dearly missed by all those who knew him. ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

16 ALBERTA FISH AND GAME ASSOCIATION S Alberta Fish & Game Association WIN A 2018 Polaris Ranger 570 Side by Side Retail Value $12, ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Alberta Fish and Game Association Wildlife Trust Fund Initiative. All Proceeds go towards purchasing critical wildlife habitat in Alberta. Tickets are $10.00 each. Only 5,000 tickets printed. Draw date April 27, 2019 at the AFGA Wildlife Awards Banquet. Prize must be accepted as awarded. Must be minimum 18 years of age to purchase. (Restrictions apply) Tickets will be sold in Alberta only. Tickets may be purchased by calling (780) or online at or at office@afga.org Raffle Licence #497833