Volume 6, Issue 9, 2010 Newsletter - SCI

Volume 6, Issue 9, 2010 Newsletter
$5.95 Canada
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$9.95 USA
DALL SHEEP
ALASKAN-YUKON MOOSE
CARIBOU
MOUNTAIN GRIZZLY
CONTACT INFO
Chris & Sharron McKinnon
PO Box 89 Calling Lake, AB T0G 0K0 Canada
(P) 780-331-2440
e-mail: [email protected] web site: www.huntbpo.com
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FISHING TRIPS
President’s Pen
10 years already!!!
Who would have thought 10yrs ago that our chapter could grow into
such a successful, strong and one of the best chapters within SCI.
Our membership has grown every year and it is now almost 5 times
larger now then what it was just 4 years ago. Our chapter has been
recognized by SCI as one of the top chapters and we have received
awards such as the “Sickle Horn Award”, “International Chapter of
The Year” and most recently the “Newsletter of The Year”. I think we
all have some great memories of events we attended in the last 10
years weather it is a chapter fundraiser or sporting clay shoot or a
speaker’s night with a key note speaker. In the last 10 years we have
been very fortunate to be able to support numerous conservation,
education programs through our hunting heritage grants. These
grass root local projects have made a big difference and we have
seen an increase in applications which allows us to give back to the
hunting community. Since our last newsletter we have held our 10th
annual fundraising banquet with another “Fantastic” turnout and we
managed to exceed our all our chapter’s expectations and reached
record numbers. A big “Thank-You” goes out to Brian Paradis and all
the volunteers who put in hours of preparation to make this evening
another night to remember. On June 5th we held our annual sporting
clay shoot and although the number of shooters was down we once
again had a great time. Gary Didier, Elston Dzus and Dan Frederick
along with numerous volunteers organized an excellent shoot. For
all of us that attended we enjoyed a great pig roast and
prizes.
On to some SCI business we recently had our
annual elections for the SCI executive in Washington,
DC where Dr. Larry Rudolph was successful in
running for a second term as our President. I am very confident
in Larry’s ability to lead this world class organization in the
right direction. The Canadian chapter presidents are planning
to meet in Ottawa this summer to discuss the direction
and focus for the Canadian office along with some of SCI
executives. We have made some great strides opening new
chapters recently however we still face some challenges in reaching
the hunting community and growing our membership in Canada.
I feel once we get the word out in Canada that SCI is “First For
Hunters” and we are willing to stand up and let it be known that
conservation, education and protecting our freedoms to hunt are the
3 pillars to our strength as a membership we will gain the recognition
we deserve. Some of the other challenges we face is getting charitable
status for all the Canadian chapters as well as changing the way we
attract and maintain members. To wrap things up we have come
along way in the last 10 years and we look forward to the next 10
years being even better.
Have A Great Summer!!
Regards,
Tim McKinnon
President
SCI Northern Alberta Chapter
SCI CODE OF ETHICS
Recognizing my responsibilities to wildlife, habitat and future generations
I pledge:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
To conduct myself in the field so as to make a positive contribution to wildlife and the ecosystems
To improve my skills as a woodsman and marksman to ensure humane harvesting of wildlife
To comply with all game laws, in spirit of fair chase, and to influence my companions accordingly
To accept my responsibility to provide all possible assistance to game law enforcement officers.
To waste no opportunity to teach young people the full meaning of the code of Ethics.
To reflect, in word and behavior, only credit upon the fraternity of sportsmen and to demonstrate
Abiding respect for game, habitat and the property where I am privileged to hunt.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
24TH. International Congress for Conservation July 3rd. – 7th.
At the SHAW CONFERENCE CENTER in Edmonton
We will have a booth and have sponsored: Conserving Large Mammal Predator-Prey Systems in a Changing World. This event will have an
attendance of over 2000 from all over the world. We have 4 passes for volunteers to help promote our chapter. As a volunteer you also get to
listen to speakers of your choice, on many topics.
Interested people can contact George Belter 780-955-2970 Or email [email protected] and I will send you a time schedule where you can
enter the time you would like to donate.
See full page ad on page 19.
12th Annual APOS Texas Scramble Golf Tournament at the Belvedere Golf & Country Club
Wednesday, July 7th 2010
Hey guys NAC - SCI has reserved at least one foursome for the APOS Golf Tournament, I need to know who would like to attend. The details
are below. Located at Highway 21 and Township rd. 514. Shotgun Start @ 8:00 a.m. Breakfast and registration from 7:00 to 7:55 am. Cart &
Rib Eye steak BBQ to follow. Members, I need to know who would like to attend. If we have a lot of interest we can add more people. Please
write me back or call me at 780-479-4433 or cell 780-975-8762
LETS GET OUT & HAVE A GREAT TIME
Safari Club International Northern Alberta Chapter will be participating along with the Youth from West End Christian Reformed Church at the
Mustard Seed Church
The week of July 11-16, 2010.
The youth will be volunteering at the Mustard Seed Church helping the less fortunate people in the Edmonton area for the entire week. NASCI
will be supplying food under the “Sportsman Against Hunger” program. Together with the youth we hope to supply a hearty meal for all those
who show up hungry at the Mustard Seed Church.
2nd. Annual Hunfest August 6-8th.
At River Cree In Edmonton
This is a show for the true sportsman!
We will have a booth again. Volunteers are needed.
As a volunteer you receive free entrance to the show. A time schedule will come out shortly
Interested people can contact George Belter 780-955-2970 or email [email protected] and I will send you a time schedule where you can
enter the time you would like to donate.
SENSORY SAFARI
Date some time in October
This is a one day event where you as a volunteer can explain to the sight impaired about the animals that they are touching.
Again we need help for this event to be a success. This event is organized by Garry Didier 780-974-3346 or email [email protected]
Wildlife Artist “Daniel Smith”
Daniel Smith was born in Minnesota and now resides in Bozeman, Montana where the rugged
peaks of the Gallatin Range are the only thing separating him from Yellowstone National Park.
One of the most rewarding and inspiring elements of his work is the fieldwork. It is the genesis
of all of his paintings. He is passionate about his subjects and travels frequently seeking artistic
inspiration.
Smith received the 2009 Museum Purchase Award and the 2007 Artist of Distinction award
from the Eiteljorg Museum. He was also awarded the 2008 People’s Choice Award at Western
Visions as well as numerous awards from The Society of Animal Artists. He exhibits at several
museum shows including the Autry National Center, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage
Museum, the Eiteljorg Museum and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.
Visit Daniel Smith at:
www.danielsmithwildlife.com
to see more of his work!!
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Riparian Realm
Speaker Series
by: Hank Bodewitz
On behalf of the Northern Alberta Safari Club Chapter, I would like to thank our guest speakers for their time and presentations this past winter.
Your presentations were very meaningful. And for those in attendance, I thank you for coming out and showing your support. I would also like to
thank A.H.E.I.A. for letting us use their facilities for another year and a special Thank You to Len Gransch for helping out. If it interests you to do
a presentation next year, call me at 780-454-4890. Our evenings and presentations are very informal, it’s just a bunch of people coming out to see
and hear about your experience. Remember to take lots of pictures and we can help you put a presentation together. I hope you will enjoy your spring
bear hunting, summer and upcoming fall. I know I am thinking about fall hunting already!! We will be hoping to start our speaker series again in
December of 2010 with exact times and dates and speakers in future newsletters. Thanks again to everyone for all your help and to the presenters for
your great presentations and support!!
Hunting Heritage Report
By Barry Voogd
Northern Alberta Safari Club International Chapter is accepting
applications for grant requests until the end of the calendar year 2010.
Please see our website (www.sci-northern.ab.ca) for the appropriate
forms to fill out and submit.
Grants have been given out from the entries received last year, 2009.
We have sponsored 20 youth to attend the Alberta Hunter Education
Instructors Association’s at Alford Lake facility near Caroline this
summer. AHEIA puts on a great program which ensures our future
hunters have all the requirements they need to get out in the field. Len
Gransch and the team of instructors do an unbelievable job working with
the youths and all the volunteers at camp. We hear nothing but great
reports from the kids attending.
We have received a couple so far this year , so if you know of a good
project that may need some funding tell them to submit an application.
Once again in January 2011 a committee made up of various members
of NASCI will make the choices based on entries received. If you would
like to be involved in the review committee please let one of the directors
know, and get your name and contact information in.
We sponsored an upgrade to the Alberta Fish & Game Association’s
Narrow Lake Gun Range. The camp is located near Athabasca and also
has a great group of volunteers and instructors teaching Alberta’s youth
under the same guidelines set forth by AHEIA.
Thank you,
Various researchers were sponsored in their field studies of various
predators and the Grizzly bear. We hope some of the studies will
contribute to more hunting opportunities to all Albertans.
Barry Voogd
Hunting Heritage Chairman
There are always some grant requests that do not get funding they need
and require and we are sorry for this. We hope they do fill in the required
application and try again. Depending on how much we have in the
budget for next year there is always an opportunity the following year.
Next Newsletter
By The Editor
Re-Cycle and Share!!
Hoping that you all can re-cycle and share the newsletter with someone once
you have finished reading it 50 times!
Give it to your local school, a youth, your wife, daughter, girlfriend, a senior,
or a friend. Someone you would like to share your passion and our passion as
Northern Alberta Safari Club International with. Someone who loves to hunt,
the outdoors, nature and its raw and natural beauty.
Re-Cycle and Share!!
Val Sansano
E-mail: [email protected]
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CLOSING DATES FOR
SUBMISSIONS
September 01, 2010
December , 2010
The Most Exciting Hunt of
It was April 2009 when I met Cedric Nieuwoudt from Cape to Cairo at
our annual SCI Chapter fundraiser in Alberta Canada. Cape to Cairo
donated a lioness hunt for our chapter and I was fortunate enough to put
in the highest bid at the auction.
Before I get into details about my exciting lion hunting safari I would
like to extend a special word of appreciation to Cedric and the Cape
to Cairo team for their effort in providing me with one of the best
experiences of my life.
awesome dinner with great South African wine and wonderful people. I
hit the sack around 11pm and slept like a baby.
We hunted on a 46,000 acre malaria free area located in the Kalahari
Desert, next to the southern border of Botswana. The habitat of the
Kalahari desert is grasslands with stunning Camel Thorn Acacia trees.
The area has an average rainfall of only 1.6 inches per year and it is
teaming with wildlife: Lion, White Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Leopard and
31 species of plains game including Sable, Waterbuck, Nyala, Kudu and
Letswe. It is a hunter’s paradise!
Prior to my departure from Alberta to Oliver Tambo International
Airport in Johannesburg, I got a bad cold and
was seriously considering postponing my trip. Thank heaven I did not!
It was about 40 Hours later when I arrived in Johannesburg exhausted
and eager to get off the plane. Cedric was waiting for me in the arrivals
hall and I could tell from his smile that he was relieved to see me. He
escorted me to gun clearance, helped me through the process which took
about 20 minutes, and shortly after that we were on our way to Pretoria.
All hunters that have hunted Africa will agree, that of all
Africa , none are better known than the mighty “King of
Beasts”. The lion is a majestic cat with great strength and a breathtaking
sight for any hunter. During my hunt, I was fortunate enough to harvest
a Black Wildebeest, a Kalahari Springbuck and of course my pride and
joy of the trip, a Male Lion.
The charter flight to the lion hunting ranch was scheduled for about
3pm from Lanseria airport, which was about a 30 minute drive from
Pretoria. This gave me a chance to take a hot shower, drink a cold beer,
have a snack and relax for an hour or so before we left for the airport.
The 90 minute plane ride in the Cessna 210 was comfortable and we
saw some breathtaking views from the plane. Upon arrival at the lion
hunting camp in the Kalahari welcome drinks were served, and the smell
of the Amarula Cream Liqueur immediately gave me the warm feeling
of Africa.
While we were sipping on the Amarula, the friendly staff removed our
bags from the plane and placed it safely in our rooms.
Day one started with an early morning breakfast we set off into the
bush on the L a n d C r u i s e r i n pursuit of a lioness. Our hunting
party consisted of 2 trackers, my professional hunter Apie, a backup
professional hunter Willem, Cedric and of course me.
We started off by driving through the bush looking for lion tracks. The
trackers sat in front on the hood of the Land Cruiser from where they
could spot tracks in the sand with ease. The rest of us were on the back
of the safari car.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the camp facilities! Luxury
accommodation and friendly staff made the long travel feel like
something of the past! The camp facilities were excellent with luxury
accommodation with stylishly designed African architecture and décor.
Our bedrooms were all air-conditioned and had en-suite bathrooms.
While we were looking for lion tracks we had the opportunity to spot
many other species of wildlife and, wow, did we see a lot of kudu, eland,
blesbuck, springbuck, blue and black wildebeest. My PH took the time
and explained all sorts of interesting facts about the vegetation and
animals of the area.
With about an hour of sun light left, I had a choice to either go on
a quick game drive or to sight in my rifle. Ichose the later! Cedric
suggested I should sight in the rifle at about 30 yards as he expected me
to come that close to the lion.. At first I did not believe him, but later on
I saw he was serious!
At 11am we returned to camp for lunch and a short siesta. Coffee at 2:30
and we were off to into the bush again. Though we saw a fair amount of
tracks during that afternoon, we only found fresh tracks of male and a
female lion as the sun was setting. We decided to go back to camp and
pursue the tracks again the next day.
Back at the camp, we had a few drinks around the camp fire enjoyed an
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My Life... Kalahari Lion!
Karin Nieuwoudt
That evening around the camp fire we enjoyed dinner with another
group of hunters who successfully hunted a male and a female lion that
same day. The camp was buzzing with excitement. Later in the evening
we could hear the lions roar in the distance. The sounds of lions are
incredible and intimidating. I knew the chase was on!
At this point, without telling anyone, I started having second thoughts
about upgrading my hunt to a male lion. The next morning early, I was
sitting at the breakfast table when Cedric walked up to me and said:
“Nash my friend, what do you think about hunting a male lion instead?”
He made me an offer I could not refuse, and I immediately agreed. This
was a defining moment for me as finally my life long dream of hunting
a male lion became a reality.
it and out of the thick brush we found ourselves in earlier. My PH told
me to get ready as we came closer. The male was lying under a tree with
bushes surrounding it. We approach slowly and walked around the lion
in a circle until we had the wind in our favour and the sun from behind.
We approached the lion slowly and at about 30 yards from the lion we
had a clear shot. My PH put up the shooting sticks and told me to take
aim and wait. As soon as both PH’s were ready and their sights were
locked on the lion, he told me relax, take a deep breath and shoot when
ready.
We left camp around 6:30 am to pick up the tracks we found the day
before. As we were approaching the area where we spotted the tracks the
previous day, the trackers spotted more tracks of a male lion crossing the
road. My professional hunter told everyone to get ready as we were going
to pursue the male lion on foot from there.
The lion was laying down facing us. He was ready to charge at any
minute. My aim was directly at its heart. The adrenalin was pumping
and then, as I locked my scope onto the lion, I pulled the trigger. I hit
the big cat right in the heart. It jumped up about 2 metres into the air
and gave the deepest growl I have ever heard. On instruction of my PH
I immediately reloaded and fired another shot. I then reloaded again.
The lion was down! My whole body was shaking from excitement and
adrenalin!. My dream of hunting a male lion in Africa has finally become
a reality…The best hunt of my life!
We all jumped off the vehicle and formed a circle. My PH briefly
explained to us the types of lion behavior when they are hunted and
what we should anticipate during the hunt. He also made sure I was
aware of perfect shot placement on the male lion and that everyone on
the hunt knew exactly what was expected from them. It did not take
anyone long to understand the drill and we were off into the bush. Once
you try hunting a lion on the fair chase method that has no fear of man
and in dense vegetation you will get a new perspective of life. During
that morning we tracked the lion on foot for over two and a half hours
on a steady pace before we finally lost the tracks. It was as if the tracks
vanished in thin air. Since there was nothing we could do and tracks
were nowhere to be found, we decided to go back to camp for lunch.
Around 2pm, we were back in the thick brush trying to find the tracks
again. Thank goodness we had the trackers with us as I don’t know what
we should have done without them. Within 30 minutes we were back
on the lion tracks.
I could see that everyone was really focussed to track down and help me
find the lion. Again we walked a very fast pace on the tracks of the lion
for about an hour. We could sense that we were catching up with the male
and that he realized we were getting closer to him. The big male started
walking in circles. At this point the hunt became extremely dangerous
and everyone was on high alert. Even though we were the hunters it felt
like we were being hunted. This carried on for about another hour or so
when we walked into really thick brush. We knew that the lion could be
waiting for us behind any of the surrounding bushes and that following
the tracks in this thick brush would be suicide.
To my fellow safari club members, I would like you to know that Cape
to Cairo takes great pride in what they do and in my experience hunting
with Cedric and his team is that they definitely provide you with the best
hunting experience you can dream of. When you book a hunt with Cape
to Cairo, you can rest assured that they will take care of your every need
and offer you a world class hunting experience.
After waiting on high alert for about 15 minutes my PH decided that it
was too dangerous to pursue the lion in the incredible dense brush and
called for our hunting vehicle to pick us up. Just as the vehicle approached,
the driver of the hunting vehicle spotted the male lion running off. We
immediately gave chase and ran after the lion for about 200 yards when
we spotted the lion again. At this point we were less than 50 yards from
CAPE TO CAIRO CONTACT DETAILS:
Tel: 1-888-WOW-SAFARI;
Cell: 1 (949) 400 5866;
Fax: 1 (866) 300 5637
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.Capetocairosafari.com
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They say that all bugs in Africa bite … but the safari
bug is the worst of all!
New Zea
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean
comprised of two main land masses, commonly called the North Island
and the South Island. There are also numerous smaller islands in the
area. Our two week hunting adventure encompassed both islands
splitting equally our time amongst the two Islands.
Kiwi birds, the national symbol of New Zealand are common to the
country. At around the size of a domestic chicken, they lay the largest
egg in relation to their body size. There are five recognized species, all
of which are endangered. You only see them in the zoos even in New
Zealand.
Another prolific iconic animal of New Zealand is the Possum. Possum’s
were introduced from Australia through the fur industry. They are pests
to the locals and are a form of night hunting entertainment for the
visitors. Possums are continually being shot, trapped and controlled.
There are no native predators of the possum in New Zealand. There
have been numerous attempts to eradicate them because of the damage
they do to native trees and wildlife. They also act as a carrier of bovine
tuberculosis. The possum’s vegetation consumption is estimated at
approx 21 thousand tonnes nightly. Their population is estimated at
60 million. Due to the high population of possums, their impact on the
environment has resulted in ecological disaster!
We then ventured out via helicopter to the mountains in search of
Chamois and Tahr. The action continued for two full days. The hunt was
conducted with the use of a helicopter, and it was most exhilarating. It is
definitely not for the faint of heart and the excitement of the adventure is
beyond belief. The history on helicopter hunting began when European
settlers imported red deer into New Zealand and released them into
the forests. This started in the 1860s, along with many other animals
being introduced. The environment proved perfect for a population
explosion. The result being widespread damage both to vegetation,
and to farmers’ crops. In order to solve the problem, in the 1930’s,
the New Zealand government, paid deer cullers a bounty per deer-tail in
an attempt to control the deer population. Until the early 1950s, the sale
of deer hides recovered by the government hunters supposedly financed
the wildlife culling operations. This ceased when the market collapsed.
At that time Germany began to purchase exported New Zealand venison
and the deer market aerial hunting industry commenced.
I had an exciting opportunity to explore New Zealand with my good
friends, Denis and Bradley Dale. We began our hunting expedition on the
south Island. We hunted for Tahr by foot. It was physically challenging
and we found new muscles in our legs that we never thought existed.
We were all fortunate to kill our Bull Tahr on the third day of the hunt.
We were hunting in May and the Tahr was in full rut, making the hunt
thrilling with lots of action. We started this chapter of our hunt near
Geraldine, NZ, which is a 1.5 hour drive south west of Christchurch. We
then drove to Wanaka which is near the Famous Mt. Cook. Mt. Cook
is the high highest of the country’s 27 mountains and stands at 3764
metres.
After hunting the South Island we moved North in pursuit of the great
Red Stag.
We were hunting near Wanganui, on a property that is second to none in
comparison to other hunting properties on the Island.
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aland
Nick Frederick
Ameri-Cana
Expeditions
Lush green forest and big hillsides made it the best place to hold the big
stags. Most of the travel was done with the use of Polaris Rhino’s, as
the property has roads that cut through it and are maintained on a yearly
basis. The hunting season in New Zealand runs from March until June.
Our hunt was fast paced action on a daily basis. The food and friendly
New Zealand people made it for a trip never to
forget. If you would like to find out further information on this adventure
please don’t hesitate to call me.
We all took exceptional animals including: Red Stag, Fallow
deer, a couple of Arapawa Sheep, wild boar and a couple dozen
Possum. The stag hunting is priced on the size of the bull taken
and most hunts operate on a daily fee basis as in Africa. There
are also attractive packages available to take in all the action
Most stag look and are very impressive on the hoof. The body size is
much smaller than the size of our Rocky Mountain elk but the horns
tend to be so much more impressive. Being that they are on a smaller
body than we are used to seeing.
New Zealand is a land that all hunters should visit, with the fast paced,
adventurous attitude that most New Zealanders have, it provides for an
excellent adventure for the non-hunter as well. A hunt can be done in
4- 6 days and the same amount of time can be spent doing the tourist
adventures such as Bungee Jumping, Jet boat racing, etc.
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Botswana
Mozambique
Victoria Falls
Mobile: +27(0) 83 255 5069 / Fax: +27(0) 86 617 5787
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mabulaprosafaris.co.za
Postal Address: P.O. Box 9, Bela-Bela 0480, Limpopo Province, Republic of South Africa
Christo Gomes: Professional Hunter, Outfitter and Member of
Professional Hunters Association of South Africa.
Safari Club International. Dallas Safari Club
Evaluating fencing alternatives to facilitate
passage by Pronghorn Antelope in Alberta
By Paul F. Jones
Pronghorn antelope are one of North America’s furthest-migrating landmammals; these seasonal movements have gone on for thousands of
years. Unfortunately, being adapted to the open plains of pre-settlement
North America, which essentially had no vertical barriers, fences can
cause major restrictions to these movements. This is likely at least in part
a result of pronghorn simply being unaware that they can jump them.
Instead they have adapted to fences by choosing to go under the bottom
wire to cross. If the bottom wire is too low (photo 1), pronghorn may be
restricted to poorer habitat, potentially even dying during severe winter
weather. We are now finding less obvious, but still concerning, negative
effects of fences such as scaring and hair loss along the necks and backs
from the barbs on the wire (photo 2).
Photo 2: Distinct hair loss and scaring along the back of a pronghorn doe as a result of
crossing numerous times under barb-wire fences (photo by Bighorn Helicopters).
modified fences to see if modifications actually do allow easier passage
by pronghorn. We should have preliminary results from the first year of
monitoring by next spring.
Photo 1. Example of a fence that would restrict passage by pronghorn (photo B. Seward)
Pronghorn ecologists have recognized the potential impacts that
fences play in the movement of pronghorn and have recommended
modifications to make them more pronghorn-friendly, allowing
easier passage. Although these recommendations are starting to be
implemented in Alberta, little work has been completed to evaluate
effectiveness of the suggested enhancements and most are out dated and
need to be reassessed in light of what we now know about pronghorn
biology.
Part of the reason for this lack of follow-up to date has been the
challenge of actually observing the behaviour and response of a large
number of pronghorn approaching fences of various types. With the
recent advancement of trail camera technology, fuelled to a large degree
by hunters who are interested in expanding contact with their quarry
outside of traditional hunting experiences, we now have the ability to
gather this type of information more readily. During preliminary field
work we have been able to capture pronghorn on camera both attempting
to and successfully crossing fences (photos 3a-b). With support from the
Northern Alberta Chapter of SCI, this fall the Alberta Conservation
Association will be using digital trail cameras to monitor existing and
Photo 3a. The bottom barber wire digging Photo 3b: Pronghorn buck crossing under a
into the back of a pronghorn doe as she
barb-wire fence. Not the bottom wire has come
crossed under a fence (photo by M. Suitor). loose from numerous successful and unsuccessful
crossings by pronghorn (photo by M. Suitor).
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Photo 3a: Pronghorn buck with his horns caught on the bottom wire of a
fence. We recorded numerous instances of larger bucks catching their horns on
the bottom wire as they attempted to cross under a fence (photo by M. Suitor)
Clay Shoot:
Anybody that has never been to one should come and try it.
WHAT IS A CLAY SHOOT?
This is an explanation of what it is for our members that have never
participated in one and for members that know and would like to add
something for the next article in the newsletter.
It is usually organized by a club such as NASCI at a shooting facility.
People register for a fee and are allowed to shoot at 100 or 200 clay
targets, which are tossed into the air by mechanical launchers. Now
to make it more interesting. People usually bring a friend or two. The
shooters are put into groups of four. There are twenty shooting stations
at the beaver hill shooting facilities. Each group is assigned a station
after the signal the four take turns to shoot at the clay targets. Each
hit gives the shooter one point which is recorded on a tally sheet, after
all four have fired their rounds you move onto the next station. After
you have visited all twenty station, have a sore shoulder, it is back to
the registration location. Where all the scores are tallied up and usually
everybody walks away with a prize of some sort. Although there is a bit
of competition this is strictly a fun day filled with laughs, and any green
horn will not feel out of place, and it is good practice before the fall hunt
NASCI held their 6 th shoot on Saturday June5 of this year out at the
Beaverhill shooting club near Tofield. I myself had never been to one and
was total novice, had not fired a shotgun in the last 5 years , and even
then I used to figure about 8-10 shells per duck or maybe a box of shells
per goose, so this was a whole new experience.
Registration was from 8.30 -10.00 am. Cost was $100.00 for 100 targets
or 150... For 200.Since I was a beginner I chose 100 targets. Then a
little safety talk, we were paired of in groups of 4. I had not met any in
my group before. So we introduced our self ’s .there was Larry Jim and
Elston Dzus was our lead guy as he belongs to the beaverhill shooting
club. There are twenty different shooting stations at this range, and since
there were only twenty six of us everybody could go to their designated
station. Since we had the furthest to go we were to start shooting to let
every one know when to start.
I was the only one that had never participated in this sport in our group,
this of coarse made feel a little uncomfortable, but the other three took
their turn and I started to feel right at home. Although they were better
shots, they missed as many as I did.
When you come to a station and if you are the first to shoot, you call
for a bird and the two targets fly out, in order for you to have an idea
of where they come from. Then the first shooter takes up position and
shoots either 4 rounds ore six depending how many targets you bought.
The targets come out at different times, sometimes two at once some
will cris cross, and others will act like a rabbit and roll and bounce along
the ground.
We took turns keeping score, one point for each hit. Jim and Larry were
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What a
Blast!
by George Belter
very close on points toward the end, and it was interesting to see these
two try to outdo each other. At the end of twenty stations and all of us
having fired our 100 or 150 shells Jim and Larry were tied with Elston
close behind. Now those two decided to have a run off and it took 4
or five tries before Jim finally outshot Larry. Then one more stop at Jill
Frederick’s station where you could buy 3 shells for $5.00 with a chance
to win a pair of binoculars. From there we were of to a tent diner large
enough for about 50 people. Here all the prizes were laid out. Also a
wonderful meal of BBQ pig and all the trimmings to go with it. Every
body was presented with a prize.
I would also like to thank all the volunteers for a wonderful effort, and
Beaver hill Sporting clays for the use of their facilities. Also all the
companies that donated prizes to make this a success.
If you have not tried this come with your kids and spend a Saturday next
June 2011 with us and see how much fun it is!
13
Lorenz Sten
Back in the late 1800s in the days of his grandfather an
African Hunting Safari meant leaving your family in Europe
for up to 6 months at a time to go to the Dark Continent
of Africa to harvest your animals. Our President’s award
recipient’s grandfather did just that. Some of the old mounts
hung for many years in the family’s brewery halls peaking
the interest of the young boy growing up.
This year’s recipient of the President’s award is Lorenz
Stenger
Lorenz Stenger was born January 25, 1921 in Germany.
Which at present makes him 89 years young.
Throughout his child hood Lorenz went along hunting with
his father and grandfather in Germany and at the age of 20
Lorenz had passed all the hunting tests and requirements of
the German government.
After a stint in World War II where Lorenz’s side came in
“second”, Lorenz immigrated to Canada in 1951.
One of the deciding factors coming to Canada was the
wide open spaces and the hunting. He settled in Edmonton
Alberta and worked as a machinist for many years. Lorenz
worked at Stamco manufacturing and at the Cross Cancer
Hospital where he fabricated any new tool the doctors could
come up with. Lorenz retired from there at the age of 65.
Lorenz purchased a quarter section of land right on South
Buck lake in the 1960’s, fishing and hunting for many years
around the area.
Lorenz loved to head up into the mountains for sheep and In 1986 Lorenz joined Safari Club International and in
goat. Lorenz tells many stories of coming down the North 1987 with his wife Teddy, Lorenz attended their first SCI
Saskatchewan River in canoes and hunting along the way.
convention down in the states when there were very few
exhibitors and everything was held in the host Hotel. They
Back in 1955 Lorenz harvested a large mature Alberta also attended the SCI convention last January and they both
Moose
came to Northern Alberta’s hospitality room in the evenings
with the rest of the gang. Lorenz and Teddy have become
Many years were spent with various friends hunting through friends with many artists and outfitters at the SCI convention
out Alberta, such as hunting mountain goat on Mt. Kline which they meet every time they attend a convention.
with his friends. Lorenz could always be found in the
outdoors and has a true fascination of all wild things. Respect Lorenz and his wife have been on 2 African Safaris. The first
for the animals harvested was engrained into him from an in 1989 and back again in 1990 where Lorenz took many
early age.
14
nger
2010 1st President’s
Award Recipient
plains game animals and a Cape buffalo.
In August of 1991 Lorenz hunted Dall sheep in Northern
Canada. This hunt was on horse back and the weather did
not cooperate. It rained and snowed on the hunters and
while crossing a river which was swollen due to all the
moisture Lorenz and his horse stumbled and fell, the horse
regained its footing first and as Lorenz lay in the water his
steed stepped in between Lorenz’s arm and chest, 6 inches
either way and Lorenz may have been severely injured. The
trip was quite an experience and Lorenz collected a mature
Dall Ram.
Lorenz also has a beautiful Alberta Grizzly bear mounted
rug which sad to say many of us may not be able to hunt in
our province again.
One of Lorenz and Teddy’s favorite trips was to China in
1995 to hunt Blue Sheep at 15,000 feet and at the young age
of 74. The guides and cooks looked after them as a king and
queen as they were the only ones in camp. Lorenz harvested
a fine Blue Sheep ram.
Lorenz has always kept in good shape and his wife Teddy
gives him vitamins and natural foods to keep him fit and
strong. He still comes to every SCI speaker series and is a
lot like the energizer bunny in that he just keeps on going
and going. Lorenz harvested a monster Muley doe just 2
years ago! Now getting out is all about the experience and
friendship with hunters of all ages.
Many of Lorenz’s old hunting buddies have passed on and
now he hunts with the younger guys and Lorenz is always
sure to help when in camp. Lorenz never complains and is
always laughing at what the boys have to say.
Lorenz is always ready to help with skinning, meat cutting,
and preparing the game harvested.
We wish Lorenz and his wife Teddy many more years of
continued good health.
15
Mechanisms of white-tailed deer range
e x p a n s i o n : How do we stop the
spread to conserve boreal biodiversity?
Kimberly Dawe - PhD Candidate-University of Alberta - [email protected]
If you have spent any time in the bush in Northern Alberta, then you
have probably noticed white-tailed deer in places you didn’t expect to see
them and more recently, seen them in higher numbers than ever before.
White-tailed deer are not native to the boreal forest and thus can have
large impacts on native species. Already, high deer numbers have been
linked to higher wolf numbers in Northeast Alberta and subsequent
higher predation on threatened caribou populations. Deer are typically
managed by increasing harvest, however increasing deer numbers and/
or decreasing hunter numbers may make this management strategy
ineffective. Prevention of spread is necessary, but that means we need
to understand why and how white-tailed deer are expanding. That is the
aim of my research.
Common explanations for the change in abundance and spread of
white-tailed deer are changing climate and changing habitat brought
about by industrial land use. Observations of deer in agricultural fields
and/or in cutblocks, and abundant vegetation on seismic lines appear as
evidence that land use is involved; however noticeable changes in winter
weather and earlier green up in spring lead some to believe it is a climate
change issue. Separating these two potential explanations is difficult but
critical for management of spread. If climate is allowing spread there
may be little that we can do and reclaiming developed land would not
change the situation. Alternatively, climate alone may not change deer
distributions, and reclaiming land may be an important component of
any management strategy.
Both agricultural fields and re-generating cutblocks provide quality
deer food. These sources increase food available during winter when
limited food resources can lead to starvation and thus may lead to
increased deer abundance and spread. We conducted aerial surveys in
agricultural areas in the High Level and Athabasca regions and found
that, in the Athabasca region, white-tailed deer abundance decreases
as you move further from agriculture if there are no cutblocks; the
decrease is not seen in areas where there are cutblocks. This is evidence
that deer are spreading from agricultural areas and cutblocks keep
numbers high further from agriculture, potentially allowing them
to spread further into boreal habitats. In High level, however, we
did not see deer beyond agricultural boundaries; although trappers
report white-tailed deer in two localized pockets in the region associated
with habitat alteration. Winters are more severe for deer in High Level
compared with areas further south in Alberta. This may explain the
difference between the two regions. Although agriculture can maintain
populations of deer, agriculture and forestry activities may only facilitate
spread into the boreal when combined with warmer climate. We are
currently working at broader geographic scales and in multiple regions
to determine the strength of this relationship across the white-tailed
deer range.
White-tailed deer are found in peatland complexes far from agriculture
and forestry in the Athabasca region, suggesting other factors also affect
spread. If warming winter climate is to blame, then die-offs should occur
after particularly cold winters. Wisconsin, USA uses a deer specific
winter severity index to predict winter die-offs. According to that index,
which combines snow depth, temperatures, and winter duration, the
16
winters of 2007 and 2008 were severe in the Athabasca region. During
summer 2008, funding support from The Northern Alberta Chapter of
Safari Club International allowed us to repeat pellet counts conducted
in the region in summer 2006. Pellet counts are an index of abundance,
and thus a decrease in pellet groups counted is taken to mean abundance
has decreased. Surprisingly, there was no apparent die-off associated
with the severe winters. We are currently investigating the role of energy
sector activities on expansion into peatlands, through increased forage
(planting of legumes on well pads, seismic lines, and pipelines, and/
or increased shrub growth on seismic lines) or by facilitating access to
mixed wood patches of good winter browse in peatland complexes that
were previously inaccessible. This project will be continuing for two more
years to determine how white-tailed deer are able to spread into and live
in the boreal forest.
#6 - Peat land
#2 - Deer line
#8 - Winter agriculture
17th Annual
Outdoor Women’s Program August 11 – 15, 2010
Join hundreds of other women for up to 5 days of learning, camaraderie,
fun and begin to master the outdoors. Women of all ages are encouraged
to experience, explore, and develop an understanding of the natural
world through over 27 different hands-on programs.
The event is held at the Alford Lake Conservation Education Centre
for Excellence. The first session was held in 1993 and has grown in
popularity ever since. Women participate at their own speed and level
of interest. They are welcome to try their hand at everything from fly
fishing, shooting, backing up a trailer, trapping to overnight survival
sessions. Classes run about 3 hours and cover a host of topics, as listed
below.
Patient and knowledgeable instructors encourage each woman towards
her own level of confidence and competence with each new skill.
Not sure if this weekend is for you? Ask yourself these questions:
Is there an outdoor activity that you have never tried, like shooting
a shotgun that you would like to learn in a safe and controlled
environment?
Are you a beginner who is looking to improve her outdoor skills?
Are you already active in the outdoors but you would like to add to
your skills?
Are you seeking the camaraderie of other like-minded individuals?
Are you seeking a brand new adventure totally apart from your dayto-day life?
If you answered, “Yes,” to any of these questions, then please join us for
an unforgettable weekend of adventure. Our highly qualified instructors
are looking forward to meeting you. We take pride in initiating new
people into the enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Bring your own camping gear or share a cabin with other ladies, or stay
in your own trailer or RV. Modern showers and bathrooms are available
and meals are included. There is a wide range of program sessions to
choose from and participants may attend for two, three or five days.
Early Bird Registration Costs:
Wednesday to Friday $150.00 plus GST
Thursday & Friday OR Saturday & Sunday $140.00 plus GST
Wednesday to Sunday $250.00 plus GST
Registration includes accommodations, food and all materials and
equipment, as well as a FREE t- shirt! Register soon as space fills up
quickly.
To register simply contact, the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’
Association 1-780-466-6682 or 1-866-282-4342 or e-mail
[email protected] Deadline for early bird registration is June
30, 2010. For a complete registration package, you may also visit the
AHEIA web-site at www.aheia.com or www.huntingfortomorrow.com
For more information contact:
Kelly Semple
Outdoor Women’s Program
Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association
# 88, 4003- 98th Street,
Edmonton, Alberta.
T6E 6M8
780-466-6682 or 1-866-282-4342
[email protected]
www.aheia.com
The Way Forward: New cases of chronic wasting disease found in wild deer
Edmonton... Twelve new cases of chronic wasting disease have been
identified in wild deer as a result of Alberta’s fall surveillance program.
Hunters have submitted more than 4,800 wild deer heads for testing
since September 1, 2009.
One new case was detected south of Highway 1, 25 kilometres south
of Medicine Hat. Another case was found just east of Highway 884
along the Red Deer River. These cases mark the furthest south and
west locations where chronic wasting disease has been detected. The
remaining 10 cases were detected near past positive cases. Eleven of
the 12 new positive cases were mule deer and nine of the hunter-killed
cases were adult males, including an adult male white-tailed deer. The
chronic wasting disease hunter surveillance program for 2009-2010 cost
$500,000.
Sustainable Resource Development continues to talk with stakeholders
and landowners in the area to discuss plans for management. Current
strategies for monitoring the spread of chronic wasting disease include
maximizing the harvest of deer in risk areas and continuing to test
for the disease. This includes testing road-kill and any wild deer that
17
may show symptoms of chronic wasting disease, which includes loss of
coordination, weight loss, excessive salivating and isolation from other
deer.
The 12 new cases, along with an emaciated deer found in June, bring the
total to 13 new cases of chronic wasting disease found in 2009. Since
the first case of chronic wasting disease was detected in 2005, there
have been 74 cases of the disease detected in wild deer in the province.
Ongoing surveillance of wild deer and elk in Alberta began in 1996.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that chronic wasting disease
can affect humans.
For more information on the chronic
wasting disease program, visit:
www.srd.alberta.ca/BioDiversityStewardship/WildlifeDiseases.deer
Da
nc
eL
ike
Wa No
tch bod
ing ies
The opponents squared off against each other sizing one another up for
a potential fight. Their eyes scanned each other’s stature to determine
the odds of coming out ahead. With a flexing body, one opponent took
a step forward. That was it--the fight was on! However, instead of
boxing gloves being thrown in a flurry of punches it was feathers that
were flying.
I was watching the spring mating rituals of the sharp-tailed grouse on
their spring dancing grounds. The arena, better known as a lek in the
birding world, was filled with more than 20 male grouse all strutting
their stuff. The lek was broken into small irregular shaped home courts.
Each hopeful male guarded the borders of his home turf with furor.
When a rival wasn’t threatening to overstep its bounds the males would
dance and display in a comical fashion. If I weren’t there to see it on my
own I would never believe that a bird was making those noises.
Leaning forward, the males would hold their tails erect in the air, while
filling a bright purple air sack located near the base of their neck.
Forcing the air through their throat they would make their unique vocals
boom and coo in rhythmic fashion. At the same time they stomp their
feet while spinning their bodies in circles. The drumming of their
feet against the hard ground can be heard from up to one and one half
kilometres away. They cup their wings, dragging the tips along the
ground, while swishing their tail. You simply have to see it to believe it.
The real excitement starts when a female enters the lek. She will try
to sneak through the maze of male suitors in an attempt to determine
which one is most attractive. The lek breaks into a flurry of excitement
with multiple males dancing and cooing. When the female finally offers
herself to a male it only takes a second for the mating to occur, and for
good reason. The males not chosen often break rank in a frenzied attack
to throw the breeding pair into chaos. The hopes are that the female will
pick an alternate suitor before leaving the lek.
Sharp-tailed grouse are a native game bird that inhabits a wide diversity
of habitats in Alberta. They can be found anywhere from the southern
prairie to the muskegs of the far north. The one thing that they have in
common is their desire to reproduce and return to their historic leks year
after year. A lek is always situated on some type of rise or hilltop. The
grass cover is usually stomped flat onto the ground from all the dancing
activity.
The sharptails will start defining the lek in early April, dancing through
the better part of May, until all the females are busy nesting. Plan to do
a little bird watching this spring or sharpen your photographic skills.
Placing a blind near the lek will allow you to sit close and enjoy the
action.
18
By nson
Fe
d
a
Br
Karen Graham/iStockphoto
Conservation for a Changing
Planet
24th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2010)
Edmonton, Alberta July 3-7, 2010
Registration opens February 15, 2010.
Special 1 day registration fee for residents of Alberta.
Conservation
Biology
Connecting conservation professionals: working
together to achieve conservation
SCB
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2010
Conservation for a Changing Planet
Developing conservation strategies to cope with our changing planet is arguably the greatest challenge facing today’s world and its biodiversity. ICCB
2010 will bring 2,000 of the world’s conservation professionals together to
address global conservation challenges under the theme of Conservation for a
Changing Planet.
World-wide hunting and angling communities have long been involved in
conservation, and their perspectives and interests will be well represented at
this landmark conference. Join us and attend conference presentations that
focus on the role of sustainable use of wildlife in conservation including a
special talk by Shane Mahoney who will passionately speak to how sustainable wildlife users have helped to conserve North America’s wildlife heritage.
Congress supporters include: Alberta Conservation Association, SCI - Northern Alberta, Alberta Trappers Association, and the University of Alberta. For more information go to:
www.conbio.org/2010
19
Erika Gray with her fall 2009 Moose
Roy Scory with hi
huge!! spring black b
Bob McRum with his lovely
spring Black Bear
12 year old Claudio Sansano with his 1st
big game animal!
Jason Bundt-2010 near Norman Wells
Muskox
20
12 year old Breatt Fredrick’s with
trophy. 7’-2” Black Bear. Con
Heidi and Erica Voodg. Playing in the mud
is better than spring bear hunting.
is
bear
h his 1st big game
ngratulations!
Perry Kerrison with his spectacular
spring black bear.
BTW, what’s up with the pink rhino??
Hank Bodewitz with his color
phase spring bear
Tyssen Voogd and his friend Jason take a break from
bear hunting to fish the Berland River.
21
2 veterans Lorenz Stenger
(89 years young)
& Larry Rayment (76 years
young) enjoying a cup of coffee
at spring bear camp, 2010.
Field Sh
Sh ting
t ing Skill
Consider the following scenario: You saved for three years to get the
money and time-off for a trophy Sheep hunt in the Yukon. You spent
months running up hills with your pack to get your body into shape.
You read everything you could on sheep and sheep hunting, and bought
proper gear at great expense. You paid thousands of dollars to the guide/
outfitter, and poured over topographic maps researching the place you
will hunt. You dream about shooting that trophy ram and anticipate the
experience of tangibly realizing your goal. You finally begin your hunt
and after five days of miserable rain and 6500 ft. of vertical traversing,
you drag your tired body over the next ridge and your ram is looking at
you from 260 yards away. You get really excited but your hands are numb
from the cold. You fumble with your rifle and it gets hung up on your
pack-frame, wasting valuable time. When you get the crosshairs on the
ram he is now moving, and you bear down and take the shot off-handed,
hoping that you hit him in the vitals in between your deep breaths. You
look to see if he is still moving and he is, but this time with more pace.
You cycle the action and take another shot, but your guide calls it low.
The ram disappears. You track him and look for blood, but do not find
any. You missed.
Could it happen to you? It could happen to all of us. Like the sheep
hunter, many of us spend a considerable amount of time and money
pursuing their sport. Even those of us who hunt locally can spend
thousands of dollars every year on licenses, clothing, ammunition,
firearms, scopes, accessories, knives, fuel, food, lodging, vehicles and
game processing. We also invest a great deal of time preparing planning
hunts. For the travelling hunter venturing internationally, like the sheep
hunter mentioned above, those costs and time can increase an order of
magnitude. But I have often noticed that a key component for preparing
for a hunt is often neglected, and that is developing and practicing our
field related shooting skills.
All too often we buy a box or two of ammunition annually, sight-in
off the 100m bench at a local range, and declare ourselves ready for
the hunting season. That would be great if all the places we hunted
had shooting benches placed in convenient locations, with game
standing around patiently waiting to be shot while we got our sandbags
sorted out. But the cold reality is that we look for improvised rests
under the pressure of time, and are usually stressed by discomfort,
temperature, cardiovascular demands, and excitement when the magic
moment occurs. Our fine motor skills used to calmly load rounds into
our rifles all of a sudden become useless when that big elk is moving
through a meadow and you have to un-sling your gun and make ready
for the shot. Skills are required that can efficiently take you from a slung
position to a shooting position in a matter of seconds, and techniques
to steady your rifle and shoot accurately followed by a quick reload are
essential to the success of the hunt. You are not going to acquire these
skills by shooting off the bench.
How are these skills acquired? Before we answer this question we must
effectively lose the belief that we already have all the necessary skills
because we have hunted for many years and have shot a lot of game. That
may be true for some, but most of us have not developed truly efficient
22
skills without some sort of good instruction and practice. Unless you
shoot a lot using good techniques away from the bench, your vanity can
get the best of you. The first thing I would recommend is to seek proper
instruction for field shooting. That is hard to do, but there are schools
that specialize in that kind of instruction. Two schools I know of that
offer great shooting instruction for hunters are Gunsite Academy in
Arizona, and Thunder Ranch out of Oregon. I have been to Gunsite four
times, and the quality of instruction there is exceptional and useful. The
instruction is not cheap or short in duration, but pales to the investment
of time and money for your hunt.
Another option is to obtain instruction from someone that has been
properly trained and is willing to share their knowledge with you. As a last
resort, you could find a good book or two on field shooting techniques,
and try to incorporate them into your hunt preparation schedule. I
would caution you for attempting the latter, as it can help greatly to
have someone observe and correct you should an anomaly exist in your
shooting. You also do not want to develop poor techniques that can be
negatively reinforced and difficult to correct in the future. Regardless
of the source of instruction, I can offer the following considerations for
using rifles in the field:
1.Make sure you get a proper rifle that is suitable for hunting
conditions, the game you will hunt, and fits you.
You need to match the rifle and calibre to the hunt and the game. Using
a .243 Winchester on Cape Buffalo may seem kind of sporty, but can get
you killed in a really sporty way, too. So pick a calibre that can efficiently
kill game you are intending to hunt. So much has been written on this
topic and would be sadly redundant if discussed here. I leave it to your
good judgement and sleuthing abilities to answer that question for
yourself. What I would suggest, however, is try to get a rifle calibre that
is not only effective on game, but also can be shot repeatedly in a practice
situation without causing too much of a flinch or bruising.
ls f r the Hunter
by Matt
Besko
A beautifully stocked rifle in fine walnut with bullino engraving may
be great to use on a driven hunt in Europe, but may suffer on a coastal
Alaskan Brown bear hunt. Likewise, a 9.5 pound 378 Weatherby may do
you well in Tanzania, but in the high Alpine of Alberta on a Goat hunt,
will likely be too heavy. You know what I mean: the type of rifle should
be related to the conditions of the hunt. Also keep in mind that large
calibre rifles need larger cartridges, which can further add to the weight
of your pack, should that be a limiting variable to your hunt.
Perhaps the most important element to consider for your choice of rifle
is fit. If the gun doesn’t fit well, chances are your won’t shoot it well.
Make sure it is not too long or short (length of pull). You can verify
length of pull by mounting the rifle and feeling if your face is creeping
up the comb towards your thumb on the grip, or you are uncomfortable
with your trigger finger position, or if you have to reach really far to
grasp the forend. If too short, you will feel cramped, with the rear sight
too close to your face and your support hand too close to your strongside hand. If too long, the rifle will feel uncomfortable to manoeuvre and
hold, especially the forend. Your face will very likely be well down the
comb toward the heel of the stock. As an aside, you cannot determine
the proper length of pull on a rifle by holding the but in the crook of
your elbow while your finger is in the trigger guard. You really need to
mount it to your face, and also consider the thickness of clothing that
will be on your shoulder in a hunting situation. To gauge a proper fit, the
rifle should come to a natural point of aim when mounted. To determine
this, hold the rifle in a low-ready position away from your face with your
finger off the trigger. Close your eyes and mount the rifle as if you were
going to shoot it. Open your eyes. The sight picture should be clear, with
your eyes aligned with the scope or front sight. You should not have to
radically adjust your face or grip. The rifle should feel comfortable and
steady.
The best way to get a properly fitted rifle is to first select the configuration,
calibre and finish for the hunt. The rifle has to function properly and be
flawless in feeding and firing. Following that, you need to check it for
fit. If it doesn’t fit, take it to a good gunsmith and make the necessary
alterations such as shortening the stock such as adding a butt-pad,
shaving down the comb, adding a pad to the comb etc.
2. Sight the rifle on the bench, then leave the bench for good
You can sight the rifle and zero it on the bench, and unless you have
benches available while hunting, leave it.
3. Practice shooting using the common intermediate positions that
you would use in the field, such as off-hand, off sticks, kneeling,
sitting and prone.
Also use improvised rests such as logs, branches or stumps where you can
find them. There are right ways to shoot in the intermediate positions,
and wrong ways. Make sure you find out how to do them correctly:
bone-on-bone, stable, and repeatable.
23
4. When shooting offhand, try shooting squarely in a ‘boxer’ position
Boxers stand square to their opponents, feet shoulder width apart, weight
distributed at about 80% on their toes, knees slightly bent, leaning
slightly forward, and arms at their face. Shooters can do the same with
great benefit. Standing obliquely to your target like target shooters do
at the range is great for target shooting, but to get into that position
for hunting takes time and is unnatural. A boxer stance directs recoil
straight back into your shoulder, not your face, and is easy to move into.
You are also better balanced in a boxer stance and can move forward,
back and to the side easier.
5. Use a proper sight picture, hold, reticle focus, smooth trigger press
and follow-through
When shooting, make sure your sight picture uses a natural point of aim.
If you feel you have to move your body every time you bring the rifle up
on target just to get a good sight picture, your natural point of aim is off.
Adjust your stance and grip to make sure you get a good sight picture
that is comfortable to maintain.
When you hold the rifle on target, the sights will wobble. Everybody
has a wobble. Don’t be intimidated by the wobble or try to snatch at the
trigger should you have a moment of stillness. Focus on the reticle and
control your breathing. You will find that the wobble will be smaller if
you focus on the reticle, and hold your breath before the shot. Remember,
you have about 8 seconds of breath holding before you become really
uncomfortable and unsteady.
You should not snatch at the trigger. You also should not “squeeze” it.
Squeezing implies even pressure around the trigger. What you want is
directed pressure straight back on the trigger, without movement from
the rest of your hand. I would say that is more of a trigger press
than a squeeze. The press should be done in a way where
you know the discharge will occur within a given period of time, you just
don’t know exactly when in that interval it is going to be. For example,
practice pressing the trigger on an empty rifle (on centre-fires, it won’t
hurt). Tell yourself that the trigger will break within 5 seconds, all the
while applying an easy, deliberate press. If you do this enough, you will
find that you will be able to get the shot off in the 5 second interval, but
will be surprised when it goes off. The purpose of this is to not anticipate
the recoil of the discharge and flinch before the shot. You will find that if
you shorten the interval of the shot window, you will shoot quickly and
still be surprised. Try shortening the interval to 4 seconds, then 3 then 2
etc until you get a smooth, flinch free press every time.
Follow through after the shot. We often like to look quickly over the
rifle and see if the shot was true or not. We sometimes do that before
we actually shoot and our rounds can be errant. Make sure you keep
your sight picture after you complete the trigger press, then reload as
soon as possible. Then re-acquire the sight picture and scan to see if you
need a follow-up shot. Keep the rifle on your shoulder throughout this
sequence. You do not have to take your rifle off your shoulder to reload
(unless you have a muzzle-loader).
6. Use gross motor skills to load your rifle in the field.
Remember the sheep hunter at the beginning of the article? Loading
under stress will cause our fine motor skills to erode quickly. Trying
to do intricate things at high speed causes fumbling and dropped
rounds. Instead of loading with the tips of our fingers, try referencing
the cartridge with the middle of our fingers and palm of our hand to
position rounds into the breech for emergency reloads. Work the action
with your hand as a whole rather than using the tips of your fingers.
7. Practice safely and efficiently dismounting your rifle from a slung
position
If the rifle is slung “American Style” on your strong-side shoulder,
barrel up and behind you, try this: lean forward slightly, take your
strong-side hand and push the sling forward at chest level. At the
same time, reach across with your support-side hand and grasp the
rifle by the forend. Use the support hand to pivot the rifle forward
while getting your strong side hand to slip the sling off your shoulder,
which will be helped by gravity. The rifle should be now parallel
to the ground and ready to be lifted to your shoulder for a shot. Enabling
a smooth rifle dismount will improve the time spent acquiring your
target in a hunting situation.
8. Invest the time to practice and shoot often using realistic, fieldoriented objectives
Make time to shoot and make sure you shoot at least 30-40 rounds per
session using a variety of positions. You can also practice by dry firing
and trying sling dismounts at home. When shooting, remember not
to be overly concerned about achieving 1” groups when using the field
positions. Your goal should be to consistently hit an 8” diameter target,
on demand, in a variety of shooting positions and ranges. Let the 1”
groups be a goal on the bench, not away from it. Shoot under pressure
using time limits.
I hope that these suggestions will help you in the field. If I am pressed
to offer a lasting bit of advice above all other suggestions, I strongly
emphasize that whatever you do with a rifle, do it safely. Treat all firearms
as loaded firearms. Don’t let the muzzle cover anything you don’t want
shot. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Be sure
of your target and what is beyond it.
Take care and good hunting.
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25
Board of Directors Listing 2010
Home
Work
Cell
Email
780-457-6672
780-907-0406
780-907-0406
[email protected]
Home
Work
Cell
Email
15911-90th Street
Tim McKinnon Edmonton, AB T5Z 3J2
Denis Dale
President
Treasurer
Home
Work
Cell
Email
780-479-4433
780-479-4433
780-975-8762
[email protected]
3015-109th. Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5W 0G2
Home
Work
Cell
Email
Brian Paradis
Mark Boyce
780-439-3248
780-492-0081
780-913-3474
[email protected]
11720 Edinboro Road
Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z8
Secretary
780-458-6672
780-471-8483
780-995-3662
[email protected]
Home
Work
Cell
Email
17 Highland Crescent
St. Albert, AB T8N 6K1
Barry Voogd
780-455-1173
780-436-5880
780-446-4374
[email protected]
4527-101 St.
Edmonton, AB T6E 5C6
Hunting Heritage
Banquet Chairman
Home
Work
Cell
Email
Gary Didier
60 Fountain Creek Dr.
Sherwood Park. AB
Vice President
Home
Work
Cell
Email
Don Ayers
780-464-0020
780-577-2310
780-975-5045
[email protected]
780-483-6996
780-472-3307
780-974-3346
[email protected]
15221 Wellwood Way
Edmonton, AB T6M 2M3
Home 780-469-8709
Work 780-974-2841
8719-78 Ave.
Edmonton, AB T6C 0N5
Matt Besko
Special Event/Merchandise
Special Events
Home 780-955-2970
Fax
780-955-2950
Email [email protected]
Home 780-454-4890
Work 780-454-5797
Site 14 Box 11 RR1
Edmonton, AB.
George Belter T6H 4N6
Email [email protected]
Hank Bodewitz
Speaker Series
Special Events
Val Sansano
Mailing Address:
Newsletter Editor
Northern Alberta Safari Club Int.
P.O. Box 189
St. Albert, Alberta
Canada T8N 1N3
Work 780-433-7776
Cell
780-288-0456
Email [email protected]
26
15
26
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27
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28
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