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Ponoka Fish and Game gearing up for exciting summer

Good weather has arrived at last.
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Ponoka Fish and Game members are preparing for their big 50th anniversary of the Rifleman’s Rodeo set for September this year. File photo

Good weather has arrived at last.

For a while it looked as if summer was in no hurry to arrive. The farmers are going full tilt now to get their crops in as I go from one place to another. There’s plenty of water still laying around which is good for the ducks and geese as this is nesting season for them. Cold, wet, spring weather is not good for our upland birds but since the rain has stopped for a bit maybe there will be a good survival rate for little birds.

I have been a member of different non-profit clubs and I have been a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for several years as they are also a conservation organization. They have been instrumental in restoring elk to many places where they had been before the turn of the century but had disappeared over the years for different reasons. One of the foundation’s functions is to acquire elk habitat and access to public lands that have lots of elk but no way to get in to hunt them.

The foundation has now enhanced access to eight million acres of elk habitat that is open to the public now. This is in the United States and Canada as well. Did you know that 87 per cent of the state of Nevada is public land and there are some of the biggest elk in the world there but most of the habitat is very rugged and hard to get to even when you find access to it? The elk foundation is working on finding access to more of this elk country.

So much for that. Now back to our own club.

The kitchen remodelling at the club house is now finished. We installed a new stove, sinks, cupboards and work area. It is ready for the summer season and the many events that are held there. All of our regular club events such as archery, trap shooting and the rifle and pistol range are going strong. All of these events are being enjoyed by many people. In case you are not familiar with these events, they are open to all members and you are welcome to come and enjoy any or all of them. The weather has not effected any of these except for the storm we had a few days ago which destroyed trees every where.

Applications should be in now for Kid’s Camp which is in July. There are still a few places open if you are interested in sending someone to camp — give the club a call. There are only a few spots left.

We are in the process of planning for the 50th anniversary of the Rifleman’s Rodeo which is going to be on Sept. 2. We are going to have a big celebration. There will be a barbecue supper and everyone is welcome to come and join in the fun. According to our Rifleman’s Rodeo Chairman everything is in place for our 50th year anniversary party Labour day weekend. There will be more information on this soon as we get our posters and things printed.

See you soon.