In Collingwood November 17-19, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters for this area, Zone H division, met for their annual election and to discuss issues and current events which affect hunters and anglers in our province. 

Hosted by the Georgian Triangle Anglers Association and coordinated by GTAA member and OFAH executive Bill Nicholson, both the business and social part of the weekend event ran smoothly.

The location was the vacation Inn Resort in Collingwood and from there a bus tour of the area was made available on Saturday for delegate’s wives. 

Our Zone has 10,178 members from 63 clubs who belong to the OFAH, 12% of the total 80,600 members for the whole province. The election for 2002 went smoothly and last year’s entire executive was re-installed by acclamation, evidence that the members felt they were doing a pretty good job. 

The Chair for 2002 is John Ford from Owen Sound, first Vice-Chair is Rob Little from Orillia, Second Vice is Bill Nicholson from Collingwood, Secretary-Treasurer is Wally Motz from Point Clark, Second Alternate Director is Bob Gray from Orillia. 

Committee reports were given on Fisheries, Native Affairs, Hunter Education, Forests and Wildlife, Big Game and Land Use issues. 

The special guest speaker for the convention was Mark Holmes, a former Kincardine resident who is the media and communications specialist at the OFAH head office. One of the subjects covered by Holmes was the upcoming court battle on the provincial cancellation of the spring bear hunt, to take place in next spring in Thunder Bay. According to Holmes, bear problems have increased across the province wherever bears have any significant population and result because the bruins lose their wariness when hunting stops in an area. The annual nuisance bear complaints in Sudbury since the bear hunt was cancelled have increased from 35 to 500 and costs to the city of Timmins to address nuisance bear complaints have surpassed $80,000. 

On Saturday evening, the buffet dinner was flowed by the annual awards presentation for clubs and individuals in Zone H who contributed significantly to conservation aims throughout 2001. 

Winner of the Edith Piper award as junior conservationist of the year was Owen Sound resident and Sydenham Sportsmen’s Association jr. member Laura Stephenson.

The Senior Conservationist chosen to receive the Os Mc Arthur Award for 2001 was SSA member John Ford from Owen Sound.

The new Ted Bagley Award presented to the top Hunter Education Instructor went to Roy Brown from the Orillia Fish and Game Conservation Club.

Club conservation trophies recognizing achievements over the year are presented to small medium and large clubs in the understanding that smaller memberships cannot compete in number of conservation projects with larger clubs.

For clubs with less than 50 members, the Bill Bailey Award went to the Twin Lakes Conservation Club. For clubs with 50-125 members, the George and Betty Speuhler Award went to the Orillia FGCC. The prestigious Derwin Valley Award presented to the club doing the most for conservation with more than 125 members went to the Owen Sound based Sydenham Sportsmen’s Association for the sixth year in a row. 

In Kingston in February 2002 at the O.F.A.H. annual all-Ontario meeting the conservation winners from all zones will be competing for provincial recognition in their classes.