What Your Branch Needs to Know This Month

Transcription

1 As of the end of August 2013 What Your Branch Needs to Know This Month Regional Elections the SWF Board of Directors has passed a motion to realign the elections for regional positions to make them consistent across the board. All four regional positions (Habitat/Wildlife Advisory/Fisheries/Henry Kelsey) will be elected every 2 years with Regions 2, 4, 6 in even years and Regions 1,3, 5 in odd years. In so implementing this change, elections will take place at the fall regional meetings for the following positions: Region 1: Director the incumbent's term has expired (Will Buhler) Habitat (Chris Armstrong) Wildlife Advisory (Dennis Francais) Fisheries (Joe Schemenauer) Henry Kelsey (Ron Johnson) Branches have the following options to deal with local issues: Draft and pass a resolution at the branch level, and deal with the issue at the branch level. Draft and pass a resolution at the branch level, taking it to the regional meeting to be passed and dealt with on a regional level. Draft and pass a resolution at the branch level, taking it to the regional meetings, and if passed forwarding it on to the annual meeting to be dealt with on a provincial level. Membership books will be available at the Fall Regional Meetings please have a representative present to pick them up. If you need them prior to that date, please let us know. Region 2: Director (Brad Pattinson) Henry Kelsey (interim 1 year position) Region 3: Director (Blair Mitchell) Habitat (Doug Lapitsky) Wildlife Advisory (Clint Chernoff) Fisheries (Ken Somogyi) Henry Kelsey (Joyce Lorenz) Region 4: Director (Garry Leslie) Region 5: Director the incumbent's term has expired (Ken Turner) Habitat (Blair Torgerson) Wildlife Advisory (Darren Thomson) Fisheries (Brad Ashdown) Henry Kelsey (John McJannet) Region 6: Director (Jim Austin) Branches wishing to put forth a nomination may submit same to the SWF's Central Office prior to the regional meeting. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. Resolutions at Regional Meetings Any resolutions being brought forward to the fall regional meetings for presentation at the annual convention must be brought forward and passed at the branch level first. All resolutions must meet the following criteria as determined by the Resolutions Committee: Be consistent with the SWF s goals, aims, and objectives. Be relevant to current or future SWF issues. Not be discriminatory or slanderous in nature. Not be of a purely local nature. Henry Kelsey entry fees have changed: $15 for members and $25 for non members. The Saskatchewan Roughrider presenters that can be booked to speak at your Branch event for 2013 More details and the Event Request Form were included in the March Branch Memo. We can provide plaques to the branches for your annual awards. Please send us your order with details, and the date you require them by fax or sask.wildlife@sasktel.net. Please make sure to let us know of any changes to your executive by calling or ing SWF Central Office. This is most important for mail outs and s. Life Insurance Please circulate the enclosed Insurance info to your members in your newsletters or tree. Just a reminder about the Great Western Brewery opportunity for fundraising banquets, fish fries, BBQ s, and other events for all Branches. For every case of Great Western beer (12 pack) purchased your Branch will receive a $2 rebate and Great Western will contribute $1 to SWF provincial programming. Your event must be exclusively Great Western products. Send receipt from beer purchases to Central Office. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is quickly approaching (mid September). Please send pictures and a paragraph or 2 on the details of your clean up (place/date/# of volunteers/ lbs. of garbage, etc.) into Central Office ( sask.wildlife@sasktel.net). SWF 9 Lancaster Rd. Moose Jaw, Sask. S6J 1M8 Phone Fax: sask.wildlife@sasktel.net

2 HABITAT TRUST REPORT By Jim Kroshus, Habitat Trust Coordinator Golf Tournament Thank you to all of the sponsors and everyone who once again came out to the 9th annual SWF Habitat Trust Golf Tournament and Great Canadian Sausage Cook Off. Together we raised almost $16,000 for the Habitat Trust Fund. The Great Canadian Sausage Cook Off was another great success and a favorite for the golfers, who vote for the best sausage. This year's winners were: 1st Place Yorkton Wildlife Federation 2nd Place Hudson Bay Wildlife Federation 3rd Place Saskatoon Wildlife Federation Thanks to all of the sausage teams, who once again worked hard presenting their fare to the golfers on hand: Hudson Bay Wildlife Federation Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation Outlook & District Wildlife Federation Saskatchewan Association of Conservation Officers Saskatoon Wildlife Federation Yorkton Wildlife Federation Our sincere gratitude to the following SWF branches for stepping forward to sponsor the 2013 tournament: Assiniboia Battlefords Biggar Boggy Creek Broadview Buffalo Lake Cub Hills Cudworth Cut Knife Deep South Dirt Hills Eagle Creek Elbow Estevan Great Sandhills Hudson Bay Humboldt Indian Head Kamsack Kuroki Lake Lenore Langenburg Leask Marcelin Lloydminster Loon Creek Luseland Macklin Mallard Maple Creek Melfort Melville Moose Jaw Moose Mountain Norquay Outlook Park View Parkland Preeceville Radville Redvers Regina River Ridge Rocanville Rosetown St. Peters Saskatoon Saveagoose Shaunavon Souris Moose Creek Sturgis Swift Current Thickwood Hills Tisdale Touchwood Hills Valley Trials Viscount Wapella Pipestone Watrous Watson/Englefeld Wawota Wilkie Willowbrook Witchekan Yorkton Please see the complete list of all of our sponsors, and more details, in the September/ October issue of the Outdoor Edge. All proceeds from the golf tournament go to secure and maintain wildlife habitat in Saskatchewan through the SWF's Habitat Trust Fund. We cannot do this without the support of our branches and we hope we can count on your support again next year at the 10th Annual Habitat Trust Golf Tournament. Don't be disappointed, mark your calendar for March 1st when registration will open register early before it sells out! Hide Collection Hunting season has begun, and with it comes the start up of the SWF's Hide Collection Program, coordinated through Central Office. Money raised through this program has been instrumental in purchasing, retaining, and enhancing tens of thousands of acres of critical wildlife habitat in Saskatchewan for future generations to enjoy. Branches are encouraged to participate in this important fundraising venture by setting up a hide collection depot in their area, and encouraging local hunters to donate their big game hides by putting up posters, etc. provided by the SWF. Please fill in the enclosed form and return it to Central Office asap, as we pass this info onto the driver so he can coordinate the hide pick ups. Bryan is still the contact person, although it is no longer Halford Hides, but is now Southern Alberta Processing Co. collecting the hides. When you require a pick up, please call Bryan at If he does not answer, please leave a message giving him a phone number, the town you are in, and a time when he can call you back. If you do not have very many hides to pick up, please try to consolidate your hides with another branch. Pickups should be finished by the end of February (depending on the weather), so please make sure to arrange a pick up before then. Hide Care Tips Please trim off heads and legs If the hide cannot be frozen immediately, please salt it (10 lbs for each deer, 20 lbs for each moose, elk, or cattle hide). Lay the hide out flat flesh side up. Remove any excess meat or fat. Spread approx. 1/4" of salt over the entire flesh surface and leave it laid out flat for a minimum of 3 days. Hides can be piled one on top of the other to approx. 3' high to save space. Antler Collection we have begun another fundraising venture for the Habitat Trust Fund. We will be collecting antlers at the fall regional meetings, so if you have some on hand, or there is someone in your branch that has a shed full of sheds, please contact our office and/or bring them to the fall regional meeting. We will keep you posted on the progress/success of this program.

3 Education Report By Ian Kutarna, SWF Education Program Coordinator Late August and the temperatures have finally begun to soar! Hopefully everyone has had a chance to get outdoors and enjoy some fishing, camping & other summertime activities. It s been a busy spring and summer here at the SWF. The Fish Artwork Contest had 250 entries this year with top prize going to Aidan Rowe from Humboldt. Second and third place were awarded to Greysin Asplond (Melville) and Deryck Bagui (Humboldt) respectively. Winners received a fishing package including rod, reel, tackle box and assorted lures. Thanks to Jiggy Joe for providing tackle. Prize winning artwork will be on display at the annual Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation Convention. Youth Conservation Camp was held July 7 21 st at the new Education Facility at Candle Lake. Twelve girls and 21 boys attended this year s camps. Congratulations to our Murray Doell winners: Nichole Grad, Boggy Creek Wildlife Federation and Nolan Drake, Central Butte Wildlife Federation. Thank you to all the volunteer presenters who were able to contribute to the camp s success. NASP archery demonstrations were held at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park and Moose Mountain Provincial Park. Approximately 100 individuals came out to try a little hands on archery and become familiar with the program; now running in over 165 Saskatchewan schools. Yellow Fish Road kits were sent to Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Kerrobert this summer. Yellow Fish Road raises community awareness about the harmful effects of chemical and waste pollution entering local watersheds through storm drains. Participants paint yellow fish next to storm drains and distribute fish shaped door hangers to remind residents to be aware of what s going down their local storm drains. Women s Outdoor Weekend plans are in the works with a tentative weekend of September at Pike Lake. Check the website and head office for further details and registration information. As we move into the school year and yes, as we prepare for the inevitable return of snow, remember to book early for the BigFOOT snowshoe loan program. Spots fill up quickly and we don t want your group missing out. Get out and enjoy what s left of the summer and get ready for what promises to be an exciting autumn!

4 SWF HENRY KELSEY OFFICIAL MEASURERS Region 1 (NE Sask): * Robert Delorme, Christopher Lake, (306) *#+ Dennis Francais Nipawin, (306) *#+ Allan Holtvogt, Annaheim, (306) Ron Johnson (Regional Director), Big River, (306) Barry Marquette, Kelvington, (306) Nelson Reddekopp, Warman, (306) Michael Remenda, Nipawin, (306) Jim Tiessen, Prince Albert, (306) Bruce Wallington,Tisdale, (306) Region 2 (NW Sask): *#+ Albert England, Lloydminster, (780) Larry Mackrell, Battleford, (306) *+ Brian Rehman, Provost, AB (780) *#+ Brett Seidle (Regional Director), Medstead, (306) Glenn Stewart Cut Knife, (306) * Jason Toews, Meadow Lake, (306) Region 3 (E Central Sask) * Charles Dietz, Melville, (306) * Heath Dreger, Yorkton, (306) Jeremey Edwards, Hudson Bay, (306) # Shawn Frankfurt, Yorkton, (306) * Floyd Hendrickson, Margo, (306) Arnold Holmes, Hudson Bay, (306) Ralph Holowaty, Foam Lake, (306) *#+ John Kuzma, Norquay, (306) Rick Lee, Yorkton, (306) *#+ Joyce Lorenz (Regional Director), Raymore, (306) *+ Blair Mitchell, Preeceville, (306) * Ken Somogyi, Melville, (306) *#+ Reg Soyka, Yarbo, (306) Region 4 (SE Sask) Andre Bernuy Wauchope, (306) #+ Allan Brehaut, Wawota, (306) * Roger Geremia, Indian Head, (306) *#+ Mike Halirewich, Estevan, (306) *#+ Les Herle, Midale, (306) *#+ Donald Holinaty, Estevan, (306) *#+ Kelly Kozij (Regional Director), Weyburn, (306) # Glenn Loffler, Glenavon, (306) # Archie Lovelace, Balgonie, (306) *#+ Pat McKenzie (Chairman), Regina, (306) *# Murray Mosley, Estevan, (306) * Glen Sellsted, Regina, (306) Region 5 (W Central Sask): Dave Burnett, Saskatoon, (306) Glenn Cates, Kyle, (306) Bentley Coben, Tessier, (306) Adam Duh, Saskatoon, (306) Doug Erickson, Rosetown, (306) Milo Hanson, Biggar, (306) *# Murray Hanson, Saskatoon, (306) # Len Jabush, Saskatoon, (306) *#+ Alvin Long, Central Butte, (306) *#+ John B. McJannet (Regional Director), Davidson, (306) Hugh Perkins, Outlook, (306) *#+ David Pezderic, Grandora, (306) Region 6 (SW Sask): *#+ Robert Allemand, Shaunavon, (306) *+ Jack Clary, Lancer, (306) *#+ Bill Deyo Moose Jaw, (306) *#+ Chad Fink, Assiniboia, (306) *#+ Allan Hill, Moose Jaw, (306) * Warren Howse (Regional Director), Avonlea, (306) Greg Illerbrun, Swift Current, (306) Boone & Crockett Scorers = * Pope & Young = # Longhunter Society = + Provincial Henry Kelsey Big Game Records Chairman Report By Pat McKenzie, Provincial Henry Kelsey Big Game Records Chairman It was both an honour and a privilege to be able to represent the Provincial Henry Kelsey Big Game Records and Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation at the triennial 28 th Boone and Crockett Big Game Awards Program Judges Panel held in May in Reno, Nevada. This was my third time as a panel judge and I had the pleasure to measure some of the top trophies entered from the period. There were ten panel judges, four consultants and one chairman with measuring experience from Alaska to Mexico. This judge s panel also had two other Canadian judges, Albert England from Lloydminster and Vince Crichton from Winnipeg in attendance. For the first time they also had four Panel Assistants, with our very own Heath Dreger from Yorkton as one of those lucky assistants, who was a great addition to the panel judge s team. Although they were not allowed the opportunity to measure anything they did get to participate and experience the whole six day panel judging session and to network with senior B&C officials and other experienced measurers. Highlights from this awards program were: the largest hunter taken Black Bear ever recorded which scored 23 9/16, a world s record Rocky Mountain Goat scoring 57 4/8, five Big Horn Sheep scoring over 200 points, the number six all time Alaska Yukon Moose scoring 250 6/8, Canada Moose 218 2/8, Pronghorn Antelope 92 4/8, just to name a few. We are starting to compile photos and information for the next Henry Kelsey Big Game Records book, which will include all the previous entries plus all new entries from inclusive. Based on the current trend, I expect there will be 1100 plus new entries added into the 2014 record book, in addition to the current list. Although we strive for excellence sometimes an error with the score, hunter s name, location, whatever may exist. Now is the time to point these out to me so that they can be corrected for future record books. I am also encouraging all trophy hunters from to provide me with your field photos for possible inclusion into the next record book. We are looking for quality publishable field photos at least five megapixels or higher. I would also encourage the current provincial winners from each category to provide me with a replacement picture if they would prefer to have a new one published in the next book. If you have any questions, concerns or comments feel free to contact me at patmckenzie@sasktel.net

5 Bringing You the Facts By Greg Illerbrun, SWF Firearms Chairman Interesting coverage of Harvard study: COMMENTARY: HARVARD GUN CONTROL STUDY RESURFACES SIX YEARS LATER For reasons that appear unclear, the great Harvard gun control study by Dr. Gary Mauser and lawyer Don Kates has gone viral across the continent again. Google shows lots of web sites are carrying a story this week that appears to be news. But, the study cited by Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy was actually released in Mauser and Kates produced the carefully researched and footnoted paper entitled, Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International and Some Domestic Evidence. Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf While the study may not technically be "news" in 2013, there is every reason to revisit it. Perhaps this is an indication that our society didn't have the stomach for the conclusions made by Mauser and Kates in 2007, but the masses have matured enough to accept it now, some six years later. If John Q. Citizen is prepared to consider that gun control doesn't work, it would indeed be reason to celebrate. In light of such studies conducted under the harsh glare of the scientific method, the anti gun groups and left leaning media stubbornly ignore the facts. The Harvard study and many others provide evidence that escalating gun control does not curtail gun crime. It further concludes that systematic government disarmament of the masses has the opposite effect. Recent stats compiled by the Library of Parliament reveal that scrapping the gun registry in April 2012 did not increase firearms crime in Canada. While it's too early to suggest there is a trend, some provinces report a drop in firearms crimes since the registry was axed. As we predicted, there was no pent up crime wave lying in wait for the Harper government's sensible initiative. We now implore the government to scrap the other hollow legislative encumbrances that gun owners detest. It is notable that Quebec the sole province fighting to keep its registry data reported more firearms crime since April 2012, even with its registry still intact. Statistically and morally, there is no argument to either retain the registry or build a new one. Could it be the dog days of summer that have taken the hot air out of the gun haters? The anti gun messengers have all but disappeared in recent months. The sum total of media outreach from the Coalition for Gun Control brain trust is a half hearted media release that warns it will intervene before the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) to support Quebec's attempt to preserve its registry database. Meanwhile, the SCC has so far shown no interest in listening to Quebec's feeble plea. The Province of Quebec and the Coalition both ignore the fact that Quebec firearms owners have exchanged tens of thousands of guns. The CSSA launched "The Great Canadian Gun Registry Shuffle" exactly a year ago to illustrate that the registry data is hopelessly incomplete and outdated. The gun haters' targets have left the building. The Province and the Coalition know that, too, but they need an action item to win Quebeckers' hearts, minds, votes and wallets. Canadians everywhere have reported shuffling more than half a million guns, and there must be well over a million firearms we don't know about that have found new homes. The Canadian public is coming around to understanding that gun control doesn't reduce crime. Soon they will take the plunge and admit that gun control creates crime. Take a bow, responsible firearms owners you are helping to educate a nation. Small wonder that anti gun groups have fallen silent in recent months. Could it be they're running out of ammunition? HARVARD STUDY SHOOTS HOLES IN GUN CONTROL: Once again, a study from an organization that you would never accuse of being gun loving or right wing seems to disprove the myth that the availability of handguns increases murder rates. In fact, it doesn t. The Harvard study attempts to answer the question of whether or not banning firearms would reduce murders and suicides. Researchers looked at crime data from several European countries and found that countries with higher gun ownership often had lower murder rates. Russia, for example, enforces very strict gun control on its people, but its murder rate remains quite high. In fact, the murder rate in Russia is four times higher than in the gun ridden United States, cites the study. "Homicide results suggest that where guns are scarce other weapons are substituted in killings. In other words, the elimination of guns does not eliminate murder, and in the case of gun controlled Russia, murder rates are quite high. The study revealed several European countries with significant gun ownership, like Norway, Finland, Germany and France had remarkably low murder rates. Contrast that with Luxembourg, where handguns are totally banned and ownership of any kind of gun is minimal, had a murder rate nine times higher than Germany in The study found no evidence to suggest that the availability of guns contributes to higher murder rates anywhere in the world. Of course, it may be speculated that murder rates around the world would be higher if guns were more available. But there is simply no evidence to support this. Further, the report cited, the determinants of murder and suicide are basic social, economic, and cultural factors, not the prevalence of some form of deadly mechanism. Meaning, it s not guns that kill people. People kill people. (Small Government Times.com August 20, 2013)

6 Calendar of Events Yorkton Wildlife Federation's Hooty Owl Shoot Thu Sep 5 Sun Sep 8 Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation's Sporting Clays Sat Sep 7 Sun Sep 8 Great Canadian Shoreline Clean up Fri Sep 20 Sun Sep 29 SWF Regional Meeting for Region 2 Macklin Sun Oct 6 SWF Regional Meeting for Region 6 Moose Jaw Sun Oct 6 Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation Wild Game Supper Sat Oct 26 SWF Regional Meeting for Region 3 Yorkton Sun Oct 27 SWF Regional Meeting for Region 4 Alameda Sun Oct 27 Indian Head & District Wildlife Federation Dinner & Auction Sat Nov 2 SWF Regional Meeting for Region 1 Tisdale Sun Nov 3 SWF Regional Meeting for Region 5 Saskatoon Sun Nov 3 Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Day Fri Nov 15 Sat Nov 16 Battlefords Wildlife Federation Horn Scoring & Photo Contest Sun Dec 8 Battlefords Wildlife Federation Annual General Meeting and Elections Wed Jan 11, 2014 Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation Trophy & Appreciation night Sat Jan 16, 2014 Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation Annual Convention Moose Jaw, SK Thu Feb 13 Sat Feb 15, 2014

7 Membership Update *** Indicates branches that have met or exceeded their Membership target. Congratulations! REGION ONE (28) Target Regular Affiliate Actual REGION THREE (29) Target Regular Affiliate Actual REGION FIVE (17) Target Regular Affiliate Actual BASIN LAKE*** Bruno CARROT RIVER*** Creighton CUB HILLS*** Cudworth HUMBOLDT*** La Ronge Lake Lenore LEASK-MARCELIN*** LUCIEN LAKE*** MALLARD*** Melfort Mistatim Naiverdale NIPAWIN*** Park View Porcupine PRINCE ALBERT*** St.Brieux St.Peters Shellbrook STONY RAPIDS*** STRUTHERS LAKE*** Tisdale Valley Trails Wakaw Weldon Regional REGION TWO (17) Target Regular Affiliate Actual Battlefords Beaver River Cut Knife Dorintosh Fielding Lloydminster Lost Horse Creek Macklin Meadow Lake REDBERRY LAKE*** St. Walburg Thickwood Hills Turtle River Unity Wilkie WITCHEKAN*** Regional Sask Falconry Assoc BEAVER HILLS*** BUCHANAN*** CANORA*** DELWOOD*** East Shore Endeavor Esterhazy Foam Lake Fort Qu'Appelle HUDSON BAY*** KAMSACK*** KUROKI*** Langenburg LEROY*** Loon Creek Melville NORQUAY*** PARKLAND*** PHEASANT CREEK*** PREECEVILLE**** River Ridge Sturgis TIMBERLINE**** TOUCHWOOD HILLS*** VALLEY VIEW*** Watson Whitesand WILLOWBROOK*** Yorkton Regional REGION FOUR (15) Target Regular Affiliate Branches should check their totals to this sheet every month. If there are discrepancies between the two totals, please contact Central Office. Actual Boggy Creek BROADVIEW*** ESTEVAN*** Grenfell Indian Head Moose Mountain Radville Redvers Regina Rocanville Saveagoose SOURIS MOOSE CREEK*** WAPELLA PIPESTONE*** Wawota WEYBURN*** Regional Arm River BIGGAR*** BRIGHTWATER BLACKSTRAP CENTRAL BUTTE*** EAGLE CREEK*** Elbow Kerrobert Kindersley KYLE*** Luseland Outlook ROSETOWN*** Saskatoon SNIPE LAKE*** VISCOUNT*** WATROUS*** YOUNG*** Regional REGION SIX (13) Target Regular Affiliate Actual ASSINIBOIA**** Buffalo Lake DEEP SOUTH*** DIRT HILLS*** GREAT SANDHILLS*** MAPLE CREEK *** Moose Jaw NOTEKEU*** Shaunavon SOUTH SHORE*** SWIFT CURRENT*** WILLOW BUNCH*** Wiwa Creek Regional Branches exceeding their 2013 target 53 Regular Members Affiliate Members Provincial Members 146 Corporate Members Memberships to Aug 31, , Memberships to Aug 31, ,273 INCREASE 791 Target Actual To Go % Region % Region % Region % Region % Region % Region %

8

9

10

11

12

13

14