The Yorkton Wildlife Federation (YWF) held its annual awards banquet at St. Mary's Cultural Centre over the weekend to acknowledge the achievements in sport hunting and fishing by area members. The event also raises funds to develop YWF projects in the area.
Ryan Gehl, co-host of the television show The Hunting chronicles which airs on Wild TV, one of the many sport hunters and fishermen attending the event, says he's been a member of the wildlife federation since he was 10 years old. Currently Gehl is a member both in Yorkton and Esterhazy.
Gehl's aim is to get youth involved in the outdoors which fits in with the objectives of the YWF. He sees the number of hunters decreasing. One way to keep numbers viable is to get youth involved, he suggests. He sees the federation focusing more in getting youth more involved with sport hunting and fishing and tearing them away from the computers and video games.
Gehl is supportive of the current archery in the schools program. "I wish I had that when I was a kid. The opportunity to do what these kids are doing now in the school program, I think, is an excellent way to get the kids involved with the outdoors whether it be just target shooting or eventually out in the woods themselves," he declares.
An avid outdoorsman who strongly believes in quality family activity, Gehl advises parents to take their kids along when hunting and fishing. "Even it if it means you don't get that big buck that time, the time shared with that kid is invaluable," he concludes.
Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) education program coordinator Jean Anne Prysliak says the federation is doing very well, boasting its highest membership in years. As well several new branches have been organized.
The federation runs several education programs in the province. One such program currently receiving SWF support is the National Archery in the Schools am (NASP). The program, started in 2007, currently has 83 schools participating in NASP. The provincial archery competition will be hosted by Yorkton again this year, Prysliak notes. "We're expecting over 300 kids coming out to participate in that," she reports.
The SWF runs a conservation camp for youngsters ages 14 to 17 years. The camp offers a one week program for boys and a week for girls. Last year was the first year both camps for boys and girls were filled to capacity, Prysliak points out. This year the camp will be held at Prince Albert during the last week of July and the first week of August.
The camps are geared for active youngsters who have an interest in the outdoors. Camp activities include pistol and trap shooting, archery, survival skills, GPS, orienteering and other activities geared toward the outdoors enthusiasts who want to strengthen their skills and learn more about the outdoors as well.
Wildlife federation programs are offered to both youth and adults. In addition to the youth camps, the federation is planning a plant I.D. workshop and a women's outdoor weekend for adults to be conducted some time in the fall, Prysliak says.
Prysliak who's from Yorkton originally says she enjoys coming home to the city to see how things are going here. An avid outdoors person as well, she grew up hunting and fishing with her family. "I grew up with it. My dad and my brother are strong supporters, so I kind of just fell into it," she explains.
YWF president, James Kluk says local memberships have been steadily increasing. That said, the federation is always looking for new members and Kluk invites anyone with an interest to contact a YWF director to sign up.
The local organization currently runs and/or supports a host of programs locally including hide collection, NASP, the Habitat Trust, as well as the skeet and trap shooting club at York Lake.
The proceeds of the awards banquet also go to support the Habitat Trust, both to acquire new land for the enjoyment of outdoors people or to pay the taxes on currently held land. "The SWF is the largest land owner in the province and needs to pay the taxes on those properties," Kluk reports. The YWF is also currently raising capital for repairs and maintenance of the clubhouse at York Lake, Kluk notes.
Kluk points out that the YWF has received a huge amount of support from local businesses this year. "Those funds are used locally for education programs as well as the Habitat Trust and youth programs," he closes.
YWF junior award winners for 2010 were: Pike - Zachary Gehl, 11 lb. 5 oz. Perch - 1) Zachary Gehl, 1 lb. 2 oz. 2) Nora Lazurko, 10 oz. Walleye - Zachary Gehl, 1 lb. 8 oz. Jr. Whitetail Deer - 1) Daniel Schick, 137 6/8; 2) Hunter Frankfurt (archery), 131 4/8; 3) Jonathon Schick 131 4/8; 4) Tara Lazurko 128 4/8; 5) Nora Lazurko 118 5/8.
YWF adult trophy winners were: Perch - 1) Barry Herman, 1 lb. 5 0z.; 2) Ryan Gehl, 1 lb. 3 oz.; 3) Dale Lazurko, 15 oz. Pike - 1) Barry Herman, 25 lbs. 7 oz.; 2) Bruce Nielsen, 22 lbs. 1 oz.; 3) Barry Herman, 20 lbs. 2 oz.; 4) Heath Dreger, 16 lbs. 8 oz.; 5) Ryan Gehl, 14 lbs. 8 oz. Walleye - 1) Jaret Dreger, 12 lbs. 0 oz.; 2) Heath Dreger, 11 lbs. 8 oz.; 3) Heath Dreger, 11 lbs. 8 oz.; 4) Marty Derbowka, 11 lbs. 7 oz.; 5) Bruce Nielsen, 10 lbs. 15 oz. Lake Trout - 1) James Kluk, 26 lbs. 8 oz.; 2) Bruce Nielsen, 24 lbs. 6oz.; 3) Dale Blazeiko, 18 lbs. 4 0z.; 4) Harvey Drotar, 7 lbs. 8 oz. Rain-bow Trout - 1) dale Lazurko, 3 lbs. 11 oz.; 2) Ryan Gehl, 1 lb. 2 oz. Catch and Release - Jaret Dreger, 12 lbs. 0 oz. Walleye Aggregate - Heath Dreger - total 32 lbs. 6.4 oz. Master Angler Award - Barry Her-man, 13 points. Goose - Dale Lazurko, 13 lbs. 0 oz. Typical Whitetail Deer - 1) Allan Bohn, 160 7/8; 2) Wally Kriger, 159 2/8; 3) Kelly Schuster, 155 4/8; 4) Marty Derbowka, 155 1/8; 5) Dean Schill 147 6/8. Non-typical Whitetail Deer - 1) Lorne White-head, 217 4/8; 2) Jason Smally, 142 6/8. Typical Mule Deer - 1) Dean Schill, 182 2/8; 2) Rick Schuster, 177 6/8; 3) Jason Uhryn, 157 0/8; 4) Barry Signarowski, 155 5/8. Non-typical Mule Deer - 1) Wally Kriger, 211 5/8; 2) Heath Dreger, 203 1/8. Moose - 1) Brock Hrywkiw, 143 0/8; 2) James Kluk, 129 3/8; 3) Randy Hrywkiw, 119 5/8; 4) Glen Nagy, 93 7/8; 5) Ryan Gehl, 59 7/8. Elk - Allan Bohn, 229 0/8. Bear - 1) Dean Schill, 21 1/16; 2) Merv Secondiak, 20 6/16; 3) Allan Bohn, 19 5/16; 4) Ryan Gehl, 18 13/16; 5) Wally Kriger, 18 0/16. Ladies Big Game - 1) Gladys Secondiak, whitetail deer, 147 1/8; 2) Roseileen Nielson, whitetail deer, 124 7/8; 3) Dina Lazurko, whitetail deer, 96 2/8; 4) Jean Silljer, moose, 67 7/8. Archery Big Game - Hunter Frankfurt, Jr. Whitetail deer, 131 4/8. Archery-Bear - Dean Schill, 21 1/16. Black Powder - Wally Kriger, typical whitetail deer, 159 2/8. Big Game Aggregate - Allen Bohn, 13 points.
