ESTEVAN -
The Estevan Wildlife Federation (EWF) handed out trophies and certificates during the organization’s annual awards night Saturday at the Estevan Exhibition Association’s building.
In the junior birds division, Kade Skuce had the top sharp-tail grouse at two pounds and 2.36 ounces, mallard duck (two pounds and 14 ounces) and pheasant (total score of 61 with 39 bars and a tail length of 22 inches).
Logan Skuce had the largest Hungarian partridge (one pound, one ounce).
In senior birds, Murray Mosley had the top mallard duck (three pounds, eight ounces), snow goose (six pounds, one ounce) and white-fronted goose (six pounds, five ounces).
Other winners were Kyle Skuce, Hungarian partridge (one pound); Jarred Skuce, sharp-tail grouse (two pounds, three ounces); and Dustin DeBruyne, pheasant (total scored of 68 5/8, thanks to a score of 44 bars and a 24 5/8-inch tail length).
Mosley also brought home several awards in adult fishing, including perch (one pound, eight ounces), walleye (seven pounds, two ounces), northern pike (16 pounds, eight ounces), splake (one pound, 11 ounces), tiger trout (one pound, 13 ounces) and rainbow trout (two pounds, 14 ounces).
Josh Michel had the largest large-mouth bass (four pounds, one ounce).
There were no entries for junior fish this year. EWF president Wanda Michel encouraged the audience to submit entries for those categories, and reminded the youths to tell their parents to take them fishing.
First-place finishers in senior big-game archery were Ken Chipley, typical white-tail deer with a score of 142 and antelope at 67 6/8; Garry Leslie, non-typical whitetail deer, 139; Nick Hirkala, typical mule deer, 134 2/8; Tim Katsantonis, non-typical mule deer, 188 3/8; and Tija Donovan, 18 13/16.
Chipley won the Bowhunter of the Year Award with a combined score of 224.7 for his antelope and typical whitetail deer.
In junior rifle, winners were Kade Skuce, non-typical whitetail deer, 152, and black bear, 21 4/16; Caleb Van De Woestyne, typical whitetail deer, 148; and Prysm Gooding, non-typical mule deer, 205 6/8.
Women’s big game rifle winners were Casi Schlapkohl, typical whitetail deer, 152 1/2, Tara Katsantonis, typical elk, 212; and Krislyn Pylychaty, black bear, 18 7/16.
In men’s big-game rifle, the trophy winners were Jayden Van De Woestyne, non-typical whitetail deer, 169 1/8, and antelope, 70 2/8; Jesse Bourassa, typical whitetail deer, 164 6/8; Jeff Mosley Jr., typical mule deer, 142 7/8; Jarrett Daoust, non-typical mule deer, 182 7/8; Garrett Mehler, typical elk, 294 2/8; Jay Curtis, moose, 152 5/8; and Cameron Donovan, black bear, 21 6/16.
Photography award winners were Melina Shepley, senior wildlife and photo of the year; Lena Hayward, junior scenic and junior wildlife; and Fay Bonthoux, senior scenic.
Certificates were presented to second and third place finishers in the various categories.
Wanda Michel noted the total number of entries was down last year, and hunting licences were down about 20 per cent in Saskatchewan. She cited the trespass laws that have come into effect in Saskatchewan.
She also pointed out a number of other things to the crowd. The EWF is responsible for the marina at Rafferty Dam, which allows people to have a free site for hiking, boating, fishing and enjoying the sunsets.
Numerous people and businesses put in the effort to make the area enjoyable. Donations are accepted.
The clubhouse at the EWF grounds and the kitchen are available for rent. The fish filleting shack at Boundary Dam is up and running. Upgrades are happening at the gun range, and the EWF hopes they will be finished in the spring.
The EWF will host its annual Conservation Camp in the summer.
Michel noted they started an antler collection program last year. She knows a lot of people at the awards night collect their antlers but are now running out of storage room.
“We are collecting them so we can sell them and buy habitat,” said Michel. “And if you were lucky enough to go out hunting this [past] year, with the trespassing laws, I know how much you appreciated being able to go on some wildlife lands without having to worry about getting permission,” said Michel.
The more land they have, the more opportunities there will be for hunting.
The EWF hopes to have Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation executive director Darrell Crabbe come to Estevan to speak to the EWF members at a meet and greet. He will talk about the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation’s efforts and the trespass laws.
