President’s Report
Everyone be sure to mark your calendars! The 2023 BWA Big Buck Awards Day is on December 10th with numerous vendor displays and the always popular rifle card draws to be included. Come to see all of the big heads and get in on a chance at winning one or more of the 10 firearms to be raffled off or given away. Also, the BWA Gun Show is on December 16th and 17th and both events are once again at the Keystone Center.
Several improvement projects were completed this past summer including the new building at the range, the new boat dock at the Rivers Lake BWA boat launch site, and the new chronic wasting disease awareness signs along the Trans Canada Highway at the Saskatchewan border. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make each of these initiatives a reality.
The range facility was very active again this year with seven 3-gun matches, one IPSC match, and an archery match. There were also weekly Junior Rifle Club practices and weekly 3-gun or pistol practice sessions. Numerous law enforcement agencies and security companies also rented the range on occasion for training purposes and this will continue to be the case going forward. Be sure to check the calendar of events on the BWA website before heading to the range to ensure that a bay or bays will be available for you to use.
The BWA will be hosting a CWD tissue sampling workshop in the new building at the range on November 9th at 7:00pm. Hunters can bring their thawed deer heads which have been harvested within the previous seven days to have trained personnel instruct them on how to remove the required tissue for testing purposes. If you don’t yet have your deer at that time, you can still attend and a head may be provided for you to practice on.
I hope you have an enjoyable and successful hunting season. Stay safe everyone.
Brad Kirkpatrick
President – Brandon Wildlife Association
Memberships
Memberships are available at Jo Brook Firearms (2030 Park Avenue Brandon) or Brandon Home Hardware Building Centre (1020-18th Street Brandon).
Merle Mills
Membership Chair
Junior Rifle
Junior Rifle was a success again this year with a full roster of kids. Thank you to all the volunteers who help make this program run smoothly. Registration for next year will start in January 2024. Check the website for more details!
Archery
The Brandon Wildlife Archery indoor 3d shoot will be held at the Keystone Center January 6 & 7, 2024. This year’s shoot will offer a Youth event directed to all youth 21 and under. It is directed towards participation, so from Beginner, club level to experienced archers. We will have Genesis bows and arrows on Hand for any youth that wat to try with no equipment rental fees. We will also offer a team class, to entice the schools and clubs to have youth submit a team for the shoot. We will be introducing a non-competitive class for archery 3D, called Bowhunter defense, open to all, no scoring just shoot for fun. Two dollars for every signed up archer will be set aside to purchase gear for Bowhunter education and the promotion of archery. Registration for shoot will start December 1 at Jo-Brook Outdoors. Call for volunteers, anyone interested in helping out run this upcoming shoot or any future archery functions please let us know or drop in sales@jobrookoutdoors
TAXIDERMY TIPS
Deer Skinning basics for a full shoulder head mount:
– Avoid head or neck shots to dispatch a wounded buck.
– Do not cut throat.
– Stop gut incision at black brisket hair, between front legs.
– Cut down back of front legs, following junction line of brown leg hair and white arm-pit hair. Continue to cut around white hair, then down to meet belly incision.
– Tube entire hide and neck skin down towards back of the skull. Cut off neck meat and spine 4”-6” behind skull.
– Lay out to cool.
– Freeze entire head and hide, completely wrapped in plastic.
– It is best to have your taxidermist remove the cape A.S.A.P. to avoid spoilage or drying out.
Good Luck-Good Hunting!
Scott Holman
204-725-4474