Mayor Gerald Aalbers, centre, donned his finest camouflage with Lloydminster and District Fish and Game Association president Dwayne Davison, left, and director, Garry Cunningham, to celebrate Hunting Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day on Tuesday. Supplied Photo
Licensed hunters, anglers and trappers in Saskatchewan are easy targets of public appreciation at this time of the year.
Lloydminster and District Fish and Game Association president Dwayne Davison and Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers showed their support by wearing camouflage to celebrate Hunting Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day on Tuesday.
They each gave a shout-out to the province’s 270,000 license holders, which includes members of the local fish and game association.
“Locally, it’s a huge industry and there’s lots of hunters around here. The hunting community is very vast in this area,” said Davison.
Aalbers says the Lloydminster region offers excellent hunting and fishing opportunities for residents and regional visitors.
“They help create business opportunities for local guides and support sporting goods, hotels, restaurants and other service industries within our community,” he said in a statement.
“Hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation opportunities enrich the lives of many in our area.”
The sector generates over $650 million for the provincial economy each year, according to the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF).
The SWF says 30 per cent of all hunting, angling and trapping licence sales go toward securing and managing Saskatchewan’s fish and wildlife resources through the government Fish and Wildlife Development Fund.
These licence sales are the only additional contribution made to the fund and constitute around $4.2 million each year, which is often matched by local NGOs.
Each year at this time, SWF invites Saskatchewan residents, businesses, and schools to raise awareness around these contributions to fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation by wearing camouflage clothing.
This is also the week that puts the spotlight on the personal benefits of hunting and fishing, for example.
“It’s an outdoor lifestyle. It gets people outdoors and doing physical activity and that’s always good. Any kind of activity getting the kids involved is also really good,” said Davison.
He points to the Lloydminster and Area Archers who are affiliated with the fish and game association as an activity that attracts youth.
“Their JOP program, which is their kids’ youth program, is starting up in December and will run right through into April,” said Davison.
Local hunters are also stoked knowing the whitetail deer hunt starts Nov. 20 with a late-season elk draw to follow from Dec. 10-19 along with some breaking news from Davison to share.
“I am very happy to say we are doing our gun show on Jan. 21-22. We’re really looking forward to that,” he said.
There will also be an annual association banquet on Feb. 18 at the WLS Convention Centre.
