The Preeceville branch of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation hosted its annual antler measuring event at the Preeceville Community Hall on January 7.
Heath Dreger of Yorkton, president of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, brought greetings from the association and Blair Mitchell was the official antler measurer.
Brought in to be measured were trophies from 13 white tailed deer, four mule deer, five elk, three moose and one antelope.
Following the antler measuring, the club hosted an annual general meeting. The meeting was overseen by Owen Myhr, president of the club. The meeting focused on reports by the president, membership chair, financial affairs representative and from the fisheries and wildlife habitat chair.
Tony Steciuk, the membership chairman thanked everyone for purchasing memberships and those who helped sell them.
“Our membership is up this year with a total of 469 members, which is great to see,” Stecuik reported.
Norman Johnson, the firearms safety chairman, reported that 35 students, including some adults, had taken the firearm safety classes.
There was a lot of help from volunteers who assisted Johnson with the large number of students, Johnson said, offering a “special thanks” to the Preeceville Wildlife Club, Brad Steppan, Gerald Ignatiuk, and the conservation officers for all their help with the course.
This year the course will run at end of March or the first part of April, he said, urging persons interested in taking their federal firearm safety course to get in touch with Johnson or Steppan and they will put together a class when there is enough interest.
Heather Gawrelitza gave a report on behalf of Shane Nelson, the fisheries chairman.
In Gawrelitza's report she said that Nelson had been in touch with Bill Dodge at the Preeceville School regarding looking forward to the Fish In Schools Program again this year.
"The trout eggs will be arriving around the end of January and we look forward to a fish release party at Lady Lake around the second weekend in June if all goes well," said Gawrelitza. "Last year we had a lot of fun at our fish release party.”
He thanked the sponsors for the food provided at the party and acknowledged the conservation officers for bringing the Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs trailer.
“The kids had a lot of fun painting their own fish hooks," she said.
Eugene Panasiewich, the habitat chairman, reported that there were 34 hides turned in to the hide shack. He also gave a reminder that when one turns in hides, he or she must assure that the correct full address is printed on the ballot because these get turned in to the head office for prize draws.
Gawrelitza gave a report on the Preeceville Wildlife Campground.
"We are very lucky to have this campground in Preeceville and there was a lot of volunteer hours put into the grounds this year," she said. "I want to thank the Town of Preeceville for allowing our club to cut the firewood on its cleared lots and to the many volunteers who cut, split, and hauled the wood.
“We have a nice supply of wood seasoning for the next few years.”
She said that Owen Myhr donated the woodshed; Rita Myhr painted the bathrooms; John and Colin Masko along with Greg Gawrelitza, got the woodshed ready and many volunteers pitched in to lend a hand.
She said that Ashlee Jaeb and Rowen Prestie painted the deer mural on the shower building.
"We had quite a bit of traffic through the campground this year and many nice notes were left for us on our well-cared campground,” she said, adding that Les Braithwaite, the caretaker, deserves thanks for this because he really takes pride in looking after the campground.
There are quite a few more things we want to improve at the campground and are always in need of volunteers to lend a hand, said Gawrelitza.
In the election of officers, Owen Myhr was named president for 2018; Darcy Rediger, vice-president; Heather Gawrelitza, secretary/treasurer; Shane Nelson, fisheries chairman; Tony Steciuk, membership chairman; Eugene Panasiewich, habitat chairman; Norman Johnson, firearm safety chairman; Kelly Maupin and Colin Masko, trophy chairmen and Greg Gawrelitza, campground chairman.
Life members include Howard Bilan, Orville Bjornstad, and Peter Predy. The 2018 directors include Alex Nagy, Allan Bodnar, Mark Tonn, Taylor Sliva, Kelly Maupin, John Masko, and Phillip Rediger.
David Knihniski, a conservation officer, spoke on activities in the area. He discussed the continued issue of unlawful farmland moose hunting, including waste of game in this area. He also covered topics about various wildlife populations in this area, and the continued concern over lower moose populations in the Provincial Forest.
He talked about diseases, such as brain worm in moose and mule deer in this area, and chronic wasting disease (CWD), and the importance of having heads tested for CWD, especially, now that there has been a confirmed positive case of brain worm in a white-tailed deer in Wildlife Management Zone 39.
Heath Dreger of Yorkton, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation president, spoke on the draw pool, which time is supposed to improve for the people that have been in it for 10 years and their names have not been drawn. He said the new Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation signs are “Foot Only Unless for Retrieval,” which also means one can’t park on the land either. He also talked about chronic wasting disease and said that it is important to get trophy heads tested.
Dreger also reported that there has been a case of zebra mussels at Lake Diefenbaker, but is not a problem in the Preeceville area.
Winning prize draws were: James Bodnar in the adult measurements draw; Mason Bilan, junior measurements; Arden Jakubowski, for attending the meeting, and Heather Gawrelitza won the hide draw.
