Hunting For Tomorrow Foundation

SUCCESS OF ALBERTA'S 1st PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY
LEADS TO
ANNUAL EVENT
July 15, 2008

In 2007, Alberta declared the first Provincial Hunting Day for the province on September 22nd. This day promoted hunting as an important wildlife management tool, as well as a healthy outdoor activity that fosters strong connections to and awareness about nature and the environment. A number of organizations provided opportunities, for committed hunting enthusiasts and those who might be interested in hunting, to learn more about this activity.

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development is please to inform you that the success and support of Alberta's first Provincial Hunting Day led to the Alberta government recently announcing this special day as an annual event on the fourth Saturday in September.

Letter from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development PDF File: 126 KB

GREAT SUCCESS ACROSS THE PROVINCE
ON 1st PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY
September 24, 2007

Well, by all accounts it sounds like we had a lot of great activity take place across the Province on Provincial Hunting Day!

At the Calgary Firearms Centre, 139 participants spent the day shooting and receiving coaching on trap and skeet shooting from 17 instructors.

Minister Ted Morton, his wife and daughter all attended and stayed for several hours. They shot as well and had a great time! Great job to AHEIA and Pheasants Forever Calgary for hosting this wonderful event.

Various mentors from Grande Prairie to Hanna and from Slave Lake to Cold Lake sent in information advising of their activities. We are trying to ensure that our registry of these events is complete, so if you were involved in any hunting or shooting event on Saturday, September 22, 2007 we’d like to hear from you. Just a brief description on who was involved, general location (community name is fine) and mailing address for both the mentor and the participant. PHOTOS would be greatly appreciated!!

We are sending out packages to everyone that was involved this past weekend, so we really appreciate hearing from you, so our list is as complete as possible.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Kelly Semple

Executive Director
#87, 4003-98th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 6M8
Phone: 780-462-2444
Email: ksemple@huntingfortomorrow.com

ALBERTA FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION
APPLAUDS PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Edmonton September 19, 2007)… Alberta’s largest conservation group, the Alberta Fish & Game Association (AFGA), heartily commends the Alberta Government on the proclamation of September 22 as Provincial Hunting Day to increase the awareness of hunting as an acceptable and highly important part of environment and wildlife management not to mention a reminder of our provincial heritage.

Hunters and anglers of this province are a driving force in conserving Alberta’s wild environs; whether it is through the licensing fees they pay, the donations they make to conservation organizations to secure critical habitat, or the labour they willingly provide to land reclamation or enhancement projects. Without these activities there would be much less of our province to enjoy in a natural state.

“Too often, a negative image is cast upon those who hunt and the act of hunting,” said Maurice Nadeau, President of the AFGA. “As our society becomes a more and more on-line, urbanized culture, the detachment between people and land becomes greater and greater, to the point where many no longer make the conscious connection between the meat on their plate and its origin.” The AFGA is encouraged that the Government of Alberta has taken this step to help reverse this trend.”

The AFGA believes; if more people became involved in hunting and the taking of game, they would in turn gain more respect for the wild and for the animals that provide them sustenance. The age old argument that hunting is cruel no longer holds water, if it ever did, as dispatching a deer with a bullet or arrow is much more humane than what nature has in store. Very few, if any, animals die peacefully of old age in the wilderness ---the lives of the old and weak usually end traumatically in the jaws of a predator!

The Alberta Fish and Game Association is a not-for-profit volunteer organization proud to serve Albertans in the promotion of the wise use of our fish and wildlife resources and the conservation of their habitats. Celebrating its 99th anniversary the AFGA has been active since 1908 in working towards these goals. It has a province-wide membership of almost 15,000 individuals spread among 100+ Clubs.

Click Here for Article in PDF Version (156 KB):
AFGA APPLAUDS PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY

MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS FOR FIRST-TIME HUNTERS
LAUNCHED ON PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY

September 20, 2007

Edmonton... First-time hunters in Alberta will have the opportunity to learn, first-hand, hunting from experienced hunters through mentoring programs being launched September 22, 2007, on Provincial Hunting Day.

Hunting for Tomorrow is enhancing their Outdoor Bound! Mentorship program with the establishment of an inventory of hunting mentors in Alberta. Everyone that registers will receive a complimentary Provincial Hunting Day participation package in recognition of their involvement. For more information, visit www.huntingfortomorrow.com.

Pheasants Forever and the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association have again partnered for the 6^th Annual Youth/Novice Fall Shoot to take place at the Calgary Firearms Centre at Dewinton. Over 100 participants are expected to be in attendance for FREE on site instruction for youth and novice shooters, provided by experienced certified AHEIA instructors. Registration starts at 9:00 a.m. on September 22^nd. For more information, visit www.aheia.com or www.pheasantsforevercalgary.com

Ducks Unlimited, a partner of Hunting for Tomorrow, is launching the new Hunting Heritage program on September 22. This fall, youth participants in waterfowl hunts will receive a copy of A Young Hunter’s Guide to Waterfowling and Conservation, a waterfowl ID guidebook, a waterfowl poster, a hunting edition of the Conservator and a one-year complimentary Greenwing membership. To prepare youth for the hunt, mentors will receive a DUC waterfowling ethics video and CD about waterfowl biology. Those wanting more information can visit www.ducks.ca, contact their local Ducks Unlimited Canada office or call 1-800-665-DUCK.

September 22, 2007 marks Alberta’s first Provincial Hunting Day. One of the goals of this awareness day is to remind Albertans of the important role hunting and hunters play in wildlife management and conservation in the province. Many hunters receive their first introduction to hunting form family or friends as a tradition passed down from generation to generation and hunters across the Province are encouraged to do their part in introducing someone new to the outdoors. There are no changes to existing rules or fees for hunting on this day, nor does this allow for any additional opportunities to hunt on that day.

For information regarding requirements necessary to be a hunter and hunting opportunities in Alberta, visit http://www.srd.alberta.ca/fishwildlife/livingwith/huntingalberta.

Media enquiries may be directed to:

Darcy Whiteside
Communications
Sustainable Resource Development
780-427-8636
To call toll-free within Alberta
dial 310-0000

Alberta Hunter Education Instructors' Association
Mr. Bob Gruszecki
403-319-2275
Email:
robert_gruszecki@ezpost.com

Hunting For Tomorrow
Ms. Kelly Semple
780-462-2444
Email:
ksemple@huntingfortomorrow.com

IMPROVE ALBERTAN'S QUALITY OF LIFE
PROVINCE ANNOUNCES
FIRST PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY

September 13, 2007

September 22 celebrates Alberta’s safe and responsible hunting tradition

Edmonton... Alberta is designating September 22 as the first Provincial Hunting Day to promote hunting and hunter awareness and educate Albertans about the important role hunting plays in wildlife management and conservation.

“We’re losing the next generation of hunters to television, computers and shopping malls,”
said Ted Morton, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. “We hope that Provincial Hunting Day will give young Albertans the opportunity to experience the outdoors and build greater respect for wildlife.”

Morton hopes Provincial Hunting Day will help change the negative perception held by some non-hunters.

“Hunters and hunting organizations work very hard to preserve natural areas and important wildlife habitat. Hunting also helps with reducing vehicle collisions, crop depredation from deer and elk, and addressing chronic wasting disease in deer.”

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development working through its many partners, including Hunting For Tomorrow, provide opportunities for first-time hunters to learn safe, responsible hunting practices through educational and mentorship programs. To learn more about hunting opportunities in Alberta, visit www.srd.alberta.ca/fishwildlife.

Last year, the province issued more than 381,000 big game and bird game licences to 100,000 hunters. Big game hunting in Alberta contributes more than $100 million annually to the provincial economy.

Provincial Hunting Day is another action under Premier Ed Stelmach’s plan to improve Albertans’ quality of life. Other priorities for the government are to govern with integrity and transparency, build a stronger Alberta, manage growth pressures and promote safe and secure communities.

SEPTEMBER 22nd, 2007 is PROVINCIAL HUNTING DAY
MEMBERS OF THE ALBERTA RETAIL COMMUNITY
ARE ASKED TO BECOME INVOLVED!
September 17, 2007

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Minister, Ted Morton has declared
September 22^nd, 2007 as a Provincial Hunting Day.

Primarily this is a day of celebration and an encouragement for all hunters to make this “THE DAY” that they become involved in mentorship activities and take the time to introduce a new hunter to this unique opportunity.

As a member of the Alberta retail community, we would invite you to become involved
with our celebration by offering your own promotional incentives, associated with this date. This could be in the form of an “in store” coupon, discount, free merchandise, etc., whatever you might be able to put together on short notice.

If you are interested in joining this celebration, simply e-mail me with your willingness to participate. We will add this information to our web-site under “Check out the following supporting retailers” and can include links to your web-site or any promotional brochures, flyers or other materials that you may have.

Information about the 2007 Outdoor Bound! Mentorship Program
and other initiatives taking place across the Province is available on our web-site at www.huntingfortomorrow.com

I realize that timing is very tight on this, however we want to do the best job that we can in continuing to support and build upon this initiative. We look forward to hearing from you.

For more information contact:

Kelly Semple, Executive Director
#87, 4003-98th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 6M8
Phone: 780-462-2444
Email: ksemple@huntingfortomorrow.com

Your participation in this coalition maximizes our collective efforts.
Contact us to find out how you may become involved.