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3D archery and more planned for Ponoka Fish and Game

The club has almost 680 members and a Zone 3 meeting is set for April 8.
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Ponoka Fish and Game is preparing for a busy year and has a 3D archery program planned for May 12 at its Lake Pofianga range. File photo

Submitted by Robert Greene

The Ponoka Fish and Game started the New Year with our annual supper and awards banquet.

It was sold out, as usual, and despite the very cold weather every one came out anyway, which was great to see. Dave Abt and the kitchen crew, who were all volunteers, did a terrific job on the food as did everyone else who helped out with everything.

Our membership for 2017 was 679. All of our regular events have gone very well for the past years.

The Zone 3 meeting will be held at the Ponoka Fish and Game Club house on April 8.

There will be a 3D archery shoot on May 12: two rounds with 20 targets each round. For information call Scott at 403-963-1152 or e-mail srarick@ponokachrysler.com. The shoot is always a good challenge for everyone.

Following are some of the subjects that were discussed at the Fish and Game Conference

The environment report was about protecting woodland caribou as they are on the endangered list and also about the bison in Alberta. The bison in Woodland Park have some TB, which is hard to control in the wild.

The protection of public lands is also an issue that needs to be addressed to help protect the endangered species.

There was also a session on wet lands and what is happening with them. Alberta has lost 64 per cent of their wetlands and 90 per cent has been lost in Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray urban areas.

The National Wetlands Conservation Fund was cancelled by the Federal Government with no explanation or direct quote about the funding being cancelled.

The hunting report is always interesting as they give us facts and figures about the percent who hunt. Only three per cent of the population hunts while the other 97 per cent do not.

Be sure you read the changes in the hunting regulations before you go hunting this fall as there are a few changes every year. Better to take a few minutes to read the new regulations than to make a mistake in the fall.

There is always a parade of donations from the clubs, at the conference, and this year’s donations were $180,000. This money goes for running the different function of Alberta Fish and Game, such as kids camps. Becoming an Outdoors Woman and obtaining more habitat, among other things.

When March came around this year it reminded me that a year ago in March we lost a great member and very good friend to cancer. Chris Swan was a good friend to many people and he and I were close from the first time we met until he passed. He was a very avid hunter, especially elk. He and I were hunting together when he got his last one. That is something that will always be with me when I thin about elk hunting.

Spring is here according to the calendar but someone forgot to tell old man winter his term was up. Maybe soon we hope.

Archery and trap shooting will be starting as soon as the snow melts. It will be good to get outdoors again for some fun and games. Enjoy and we will see you soon.

Yours in conservation.