Dick284
09-25-2007, 06:09 AM
I've been dealing with a really touch subject of late, and finally a bit of vindication has come the way for hunters accross the province.
We here in Drayton Valley and area have been playing a bit of a defensive battle with the creation of a Provincial Park, and Recreation Area in the river valley immediatly affecting the local Archery Club and Shooting Club along with much of the crown land in WMU's 334, 332, and 336.
To start the political ranglings to change the designation in these areas had started nearly 3 years ago, and it was'nt till early this year did either of the Clubs get any official contact from anyone. We were totally blind sided and dumb founded. We managed through letter writing and phone calls get a seat at the table as one of the stake holders and postponed the development project for 4 months so that equal input could be had. Then came last week and an advertisement in the local paper. The Order in Council was passed mid September and now all hunting in both the Park Area and the Recreational Area was immediatly closed. We were totally caught un aware again, we had lobbied hard to retain the hunting opprtunities in the Recreational side which runs from the bridge on the N. Sask. River, all the way to Rose Creek. Again the letters and phone calls started along with promises of some sort of protest at the Grand Opening this Saturday. I even nailed my MLA to the wall on Sunday at the local arena at a hockey game. All the politicians I talked to were shocked since they thought the hunting was agreed upon and with the weekend in full bloom we waited for Monday and further answers.
Well Last night at 7:17PM my MLA, Tony Abbott called and left a message. The hunting is immediatly opened in both sides of the project, YES you read right the Provincial Park side and the Recreationa Area side are open for hunting right now. It was if a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders. But also was the realization that this was just a battle we had won, not the war. We have till next spring to get our poop in a group and push forward assuring some sort of hunting opprotunities will be offered in the Park land, and also maintian our vigle to keep the hunting going on the recreational side. This whole Kerfuffle galvanized the local hunting community, with Archers working along side rifle hunters, along side outfitters, along side land owners. It feels good and I hope we can keep the momentum up.
Job well done to fellows like Bushrat, who really did a good job a uniting many of the groups through his multiple affiliations, and I guess a word of thanks is owed to the politicians.
We will stay informed and active show casing the good that comes from logical and balanced policies, and will endeavour to keep things fair and open for every Albertan.
We here in Drayton Valley and area have been playing a bit of a defensive battle with the creation of a Provincial Park, and Recreation Area in the river valley immediatly affecting the local Archery Club and Shooting Club along with much of the crown land in WMU's 334, 332, and 336.
To start the political ranglings to change the designation in these areas had started nearly 3 years ago, and it was'nt till early this year did either of the Clubs get any official contact from anyone. We were totally blind sided and dumb founded. We managed through letter writing and phone calls get a seat at the table as one of the stake holders and postponed the development project for 4 months so that equal input could be had. Then came last week and an advertisement in the local paper. The Order in Council was passed mid September and now all hunting in both the Park Area and the Recreational Area was immediatly closed. We were totally caught un aware again, we had lobbied hard to retain the hunting opprtunities in the Recreational side which runs from the bridge on the N. Sask. River, all the way to Rose Creek. Again the letters and phone calls started along with promises of some sort of protest at the Grand Opening this Saturday. I even nailed my MLA to the wall on Sunday at the local arena at a hockey game. All the politicians I talked to were shocked since they thought the hunting was agreed upon and with the weekend in full bloom we waited for Monday and further answers.
Well Last night at 7:17PM my MLA, Tony Abbott called and left a message. The hunting is immediatly opened in both sides of the project, YES you read right the Provincial Park side and the Recreationa Area side are open for hunting right now. It was if a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders. But also was the realization that this was just a battle we had won, not the war. We have till next spring to get our poop in a group and push forward assuring some sort of hunting opprotunities will be offered in the Park land, and also maintian our vigle to keep the hunting going on the recreational side. This whole Kerfuffle galvanized the local hunting community, with Archers working along side rifle hunters, along side outfitters, along side land owners. It feels good and I hope we can keep the momentum up.
Job well done to fellows like Bushrat, who really did a good job a uniting many of the groups through his multiple affiliations, and I guess a word of thanks is owed to the politicians.
We will stay informed and active show casing the good that comes from logical and balanced policies, and will endeavour to keep things fair and open for every Albertan.