Hunting, fishing and photography enthusiasts gathered at the annual awards banquet of the Canora branch of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) on April 6 at Rainbow Hall in Canora.
Approximately 100 persons were in attendance at the event, according to Steven Wyonzek, Canora SWF president and emcee for the banquet.
Wyonzek said branch memberships reached the 200 mark during the evening.
He said 30 animals were scored this year, including: 12 white-tailed deer, two mule deer, one elk, one moose, eight northern pike, two perch, two walleye and two Canada geese.
Wyonzek said it continues to baffle him that no men’s walleye have been entered for two consecutive years, after seeing five or six entries annually in most previous years.
During the evening awards were presented in hunting, fishing and photography.
Big Game
The recipients of the awards for big game were: Meadow Ostafie, junior girls white-tailed deer, 104 6/8 points; Hudson Bailey, junior boys white-tailed deer, 105 6/8 points; Leslie Hryhoriw, women’s white-tailed deer, 62 2/8 points; Kaitlyn Landstad, women’s elk, 165 points; Mike Zbeetneff, men’s non-typical white-tailed deer, 129 2/8 points; Wade Tratch, men’s white-tailed deer, 136 2/8 points; Donny Chupa, men’s non-typical mule deer, 164 2/8 points, and Kyle Wyonzek, men’s moose, 86 1/8 points.
Donny Chupa won the Ken Naduriak Memorial award for mule deer, Kyle Wyonzek won the Warren Malishewski Memorial award for moose, Wade Tratch captured the Merv Kowalyshyn Memorial award for white-tailed deer and Kaitlyn Landstad took home the award named for her grandfather, the Millard Landstad Memorial award for elk.
Birds
The recipients of the awards for birds were: Greg Landstad, men’s Canada goose, 13 pounds, one ounce, and Brendan Landstad, junior boys Canada goose, 12 pounds, 13 ounces.
Fish
In the fish category the award recipients were: Cindy Dutchak, women’s walleye, eight pounds, three ounces; Jessica Landstad, women’s northern pike, 25 pounds, 15 ounces; Brendan Landstad, junior boys northern pike, 16 pounds, 14 ounces; Nestor Dutchak, men’s perch, one pound, 13 ounces, and Chester Dutchak, men’s northern pike, 20 pounds, 13 ounces. Chester was the winner of the John Dutchak memorial award for northern pike.
Photography
Those in attendance at the banquet were encouraged to vote for their favourite scenic and wildlife photos that had been entered in the photo contest. After the final vote count, Josh Gogol was the winner in both categories, and received the Tom Rakochy Memorial Awards for scenic and wildlife photography.
The youth in attendance at the banquet were presented with birdhouses built by Elgin Strocen of Yorkton, who also left them with tips to maximize their enjoyment:
- The birdhouse does not have to be painted but will last longer if it is. lf one
chooses to paint it, consider a light colour in an ecologically friendly paint.
- Do not add a perch. A perch makes it easier for predator species to access
the young in the nest.
- Location of one’s birdhouse depends on which species one wishes to attract;
some prefer a wooded or shady area while others prefer an open grassy
area. Be sure to do some research on this topic.
- The roof is not flush with the walls so that there is some necessary
ventilation for the birds. Two screws have been supplied to assist in
mounting the birdhouse.
- Two screws have been supplied for recipients to mount the birdhouse. Choose a
site that is not easily accessible by enemies, so anywhere from 5 to 30 feet
off the ground.
Wyonzek went on to acknowledge the hard work of the other members of the Canora executive:
Bryan Hryhoriw, vice-president; Leslie Hryhoriw, secretary/treasurer; Greg Landstad, membership chair and Cody Biletski, habitat chair.
