WEYBURN – The Weyburn Wildlife Federation had 320 people attend the Fred Garner Memorial Banquet and Trophy Night on Saturday night at Weyburn Exhibition Hall.
The awards for the top hunting and fishing results for 2023 were presented, including some provincial-level awards, in addition to the supper, silent and live auctions held at the annual fundraiser event.
In the awards for the best fish caught in 2023, the following awards were presented.
The award for the best Northern Pike, sponsored by Barber Motors in memory of Ron Barber, went to Westyn Brown, for a fish that weighed 18 pounds 12 ounces.
For best walleye, Scott Brown received a trophy for his fish that weighed 10 pounds 11 ounces, and for best perch, Troy Kincaid was awarded for his fish that weighed one pound 15 ounces.
The best walleye from Nickle Lake was caught by Jeremy L’Heureux, weighing seven pounds six ounces.
For junior categories, the best pike was caught by Westyn Brown, 18 pounds 12 ounces, and he also won third place in the provincial Henry Kelsey awards.
The best walleye by a junior was by Lucas Macknak, weighing nine pounds one ounce; and the best perch was by Tuckyr Brown, one pound two ounces. His perch also placed third in the Henry Kelsey awards provincially.
For bird game, the award for best pheasant was caught by Bostin Mutrie, 36 bars and 20 4/8 inches long. The award for best goose went to Robert Milligan, 13.14 pounds.
In the big game categories, for whitetail deer, the award for typical buck went to Cordel Larson, 161 3/8; non-typical buck went to Aiden Heiberg, 185 7/8; he also won the award junior whitetail buck.
For mule deer, the prize for typical buck went to Jory Ashworth, 164 0/8; for non-typical buck, to Daryl Mutrie, 228 4/8. This buck also won first place for the provincial Henry Kelsey Awards.
For moose, Dustin Storle was awarded for a moose that measured 170 0/8.
For black bear, Ashley Johnston took the award for the bear that measured 19 12/16, and she also won for Best Big Game animal taken by a woman.
For elk, Jared Patterson won the trophy for an elk that measured 360 6/8, and this elk won third in the Henry Kelsey awards provincially.
The Doug Lanz Memorial Award for Best Overall Big Game Animal taken by a muzzleloader went to Bosttin Mutrie, for a bear, 18 10/16.
The trophy for Best Overall Big Game Animal taken by archery went to Daryl Mutrie, 228 4/8.
Four hunters scored a grand slam, and the trophy for the best grand slam overall went to Dustin Storle, for a bull elk, bull moose and mule deer buck.
Daryl Mutrie had a whitetail buck, mule deer buck and bear; Bosttin Mutrie had a whitetail buck, mule deer doe and bear; and Leo Chinski had a whitetail buck, antlerless elk, an antlerless mule deer and two bears.
The Fred Garner Memorial Award for Outstanding Member of the Year went to John Tilley of the WWF Archery Club, based at the Goodwater Rink.
Bryanna Manns won the award for photography, voted on by attendees to the banquet. The winning photos will now advance on to the Sask. Wildlife Federation’s photography competition at the SWF convention.