聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The overarching sentiment expressed at Saturday鈥檚 wildlife banquet in Kamsack had to do with the branch鈥檚 success in attracting one of the largest crowds for the banquet in recent memory.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his is an awesome turnout. It鈥檚 unreal,鈥� said Tyson Barrowman, president of the Kamsack branch of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to see the Kamsack wildlife federation doing so well,鈥� said Clint Chernoff, past president and delegate for the SWF鈥檚 Region 3. 鈥淭his new group (in charge of the branch) is excellent.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he future of the Kamsack wildlife federation is very bright,鈥� Chernoff said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The reception began with Kamsack Mayor Rod Gardner bringing greetings on behalf of the citizens of Kamsack. He said the community appreciates the work members do and town council is looking forward to working with the members on its projects, including a project which could find a new use for the community鈥檚 old off-stream water storage reservoir.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gardner encouraged everyone to have fun and participate in the various activities designed to raise funds for the branch.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t all goes to a good cause,鈥� Gardner said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chernoff introduced members of the Kamsack branch鈥檚 new executive committee, including: Barroman; Tyson Leis, the vice-president; Alison Stefiuk, the secretary and membership chair; Allan Wonitowy, treasurer, and Walter Lesiuk, fisheries chair.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Prior to the serving of the meal, a minute鈥檚 silence was called in memory of members who had died in the past year, including Fran Schmyr, who had devoted 10 years to working on the branch鈥檚 executive committee and 鈥渨hose contributions and dedication to the SWF were an inspiration to others,鈥� and for members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Following the supper, Chernoff again remarked on the large number of people attending and said that the branch never had so many children attend the banquet.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 tickled pink,鈥� he said, adding that meetings have resulted in much participation with members willing to 鈥渞oll up their sleeves to get the job done.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou鈥檙e doing a tremendous job,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A special award was presented to Stefiuk in recognition of 鈥渆verything that she has done for the branch.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Taking to the podium, Barrowman said that he has been a part of the branch for a long while and he sees his work on the executive as a way of 鈥済iving back.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Barrowman discussed the recent SWF convention in Yorkton where the Kamsack group had hosted a hospitality room and said that the experience had been 鈥渧ery interesting.鈥� He mentioned that convention delegates had dicussed the wild boar situation and the movement towards tracking moose, elk and bear across Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He mentioned several projects 鈥渙n the go,鈥� including the possibility of making use of the Kamsack reservoir, hosting fishing derbies and the desire for members to have a gun range and clubhouse.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Barrowman thanked his 鈥渁wesome crew鈥� and encouraged people to attend the branch鈥檚 regular meetings held the second Tuesday of each month, and said that the branch now has a presence on Facebook.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Barrowman and Leis presented trophies to the branch鈥檚 hunters who had distinguished themselves during the past year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the men鈥檚 white-tailed typical deer category, Lorne Leis placed first with an animal that measured 161 4/8 points, while Riley Eiffert placed second with an animal that measured 151 4/8.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wayne Airriess placed first in the non-typical white-tailed deer category for an animal that measured 159 7/8, while Drew Werboweski placed second (147 6/8).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the men鈥檚 moose category, Chris Chutskoff placed first (129 1/8) and Brian Morgan was second (124 3/8).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Amber Chutskoff placed first in the women鈥檚 moose category (119 2/8), and Rosalee Hilderman, second (43 6/8).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Amber Chutskoff was recognized for placing first in the women鈥檚 typical white-tailed deer category for an animal that measured 134 2/8.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the girls junior typical white-tailed deer category, Kailey Bowes was first (120 3/8) and Courtney Chutskoff, second (101 5/8).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ethan Shabatoski placed first in the junior moose category for an animal that measured 138 2/8.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the boys junior typical white-tailed deer category, Wyatt Ewasiuk was first (158 7/8) and Conner Bodnarek, second (139 3/8).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kailey Bowes received the award for girls top junior bear (20 7/16), while in the boys category, Wyatt Ewasiuk placed first (19 8/16) and Ethan Shabatoski, second (15 10/16).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After Jack Erhardt was presented with a special gift in recognition of his work with the branch, Chernoff discussed his work as a Region 3 director.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The main thing a director does is to 鈥渢alk and argue about everything,鈥� Chernoff said, explaining that the SWF board makes all the decisions for the SWF, including the direction it takes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e very busy now,鈥� he said, mentioning the Saskatchewan Crown Lands Conservation committee and associated legislative changes. He was critical of the lack of management of Crown lands, and said that the SWF 10-year plan on wildlife and habitat is going well so far and was pleased that decisions are increasingly science-based.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The hatchery at Fort Qu鈥橝ppelle is going well, he said, adding that the federation is able to access more funds than the provincial government alone.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chernoff said that the SWF expects a membership of 36,000 this spring, which helps the group鈥檚 鈥渟trong voice.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He said the National Archery in the Schools Program is growing and mentioned an education and conservation camp, expanded staff at the SWF head office, and said that it is believed that in the not-too-distant future it is expected that there will be more wild boars than people in Saskatchewan. He also mentioned the hazards of the zebra mussels in Canadian waterways.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Among door prize winners were: Allan Wonitowy, Howard Rauckman, Cheryl Bloudoff, Brett McGregor, Barry Golay, Kim Magnan and Chris Kulak.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The remainder of the evening included a silent auction, the popular ping-pong auction and socializing. 聽 聽聽
